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Indybay Feature

No On Prop C and D Picket

by Patricia Jackson (patricialee [at] earthlink.net)
Ciity workers and retirees picketed the kick-off campaign for Prop C by the Mayor, Chamber of Commerce and Labor.
retirees_union_workders_say_no.jpg
Saturday, September 24, retiree and worker groups formed a picket line to protest the joint Mayor, Labor and Chamber of Commerce kick-off campaign to promote the anti-worker, anti-retiree Prop C.
By joining this appalling alliance, the SF Labor Council succeeded in pitting worker against worker, friend against friend. Worker solidarity was split by this Prop C compromise made without even allowing city retirees to sit in on negotiations. Those workers who joined the campaign rally held inside were forced to meet face-to-face co-workers and retirees picketing Props C and D outside.

Joining strange allies Supervisor Elsbernd, the Chamber of Commerce, SF Labor Council’s Tim Paulson and other labor union officials sold out their members and retirees to support Prop C, a measure they call a “spirit of shared sacrifice.” But it is those workers and retirees who earn less who will sacrifice. Hidden in Prop C is an Elsbernd poison pill that makes a Charter change to convert the fourth elected Health Service Board (HSB) member and replace that position with an appointee of the City Controller.

Why? The Healthcare trust fund contains $65 million in assets. The HSB selects the medical and dental plans for all City employees and retirees. Before a 2004 ballot measure to place an elected member on the board, there were millions in health benefits missing. Without oversight from a member elected by current employees and retirees, health care costs will rise as plans will be awarded to the most successful lobbyists.

Both Prop C and D have the backing of billionaires; Warren Hellman, George Hume, Michael Mortiz who along with Mayor Lee and Public Defender Jeff Adachi claim that city worker and retiree pensions are causing the city to go broke. This city has at least 30 billionaires whom we can guess are not paying their fair share. Twitter gets a tax break; the head of MUNI got a $400,000 golden parachute. But Mayor Lee, labor bosses, billionaires and the Chamber of Commerce want the 41% of retirees with pensions less than $25,000 a year, or the nearly one quarter of retirees with less than $15,000 yearly benefits to sacrifice, face higher healthcare costs and lose COLA supplements. San Franciscans vote NO on Prop C and Prop D! Don’t join in the Tea Party attacks on workers pensions.

§Picketers confront campaign
by Patricia Jackson
640_retirees_confront_those_leaving_yes_on_c.jpg
§Retirees gather
by Patricia Jackson
640_retirees_celebrate_successful_picket.jpg
§Retiree with Avalos
by Patricia Jackson
640_retiree_urging_avalos_to_see_retiree_issues.jpg
§On the picket line
by Patricia Jackson
640_retiree_organizer_of_picket_line.jpg
§Turning away
by Patricia Jackson
640_paulson_and_casey_run_from_retiree_picket_line.jpg
§Kay Walker speaking
by Patricia Jackson
640_kay_of_seiu_retiree_shut_out_of_negociations.jpg
§Gray Panthers join picket
by Patricia Jackson
640_gray_panthers_picketing.jpg
§Friends on opposite sides
by Patricia Jackson
640_friends_on_opposite_sides.jpg
§Prop C bad for workers
by Patricia Jackson
640_explaining_why_propc_is_against_workers_interest.jpg
§Explaining his support
by Patricia Jackson
640_avalos_explains_why_he_is_inside_to_retirees_picketing.jpg
§Denise and Deetje
by Patricia Jackson
640_denise_and_deetje.jpg
§Speaking at the picket line
by Patricia Jackson
640_kay_an_earl.jpg
§police line
by Patricia Jackson
640_police_line.jpg
Add Your Comments
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TITLE
AUTHOR
DATE
No on D!
Mon, Oct 10, 2011 6:07PM
Theleona
Tue, Oct 4, 2011 6:21PM
No on D!
Sat, Oct 1, 2011 1:48PM
No on D!
Tue, Sep 27, 2011 8:56PM
Earl Gilman
Tue, Sep 27, 2011 2:52PM
Kay
Tue, Sep 27, 2011 1:18PM
Kay
Mon, Sep 26, 2011 8:48PM
I was there
Mon, Sep 26, 2011 7:52AM
I was there
Mon, Sep 26, 2011 7:41AM
Kay
Sun, Sep 25, 2011 2:03PM
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