Political Action Matters!
Thanks to all who helped to defeat Question 1 in Massachusetts! Voters in Massachusetts overwhelmingly voted against this ballot question that would have endangered our public schools and public safety.
and Thanks to all BFT members who actively campaigned for the election of Barack Obama and Joe Biden to the leadership of our country!
COLA Update (June 10, 2008)
Presently the increase in the COLA Base from $12,000 to $16,000 is in the
Conference Committee. It is important that ALL call their local
Representative and Senator with this message: “Please call the leadership
of the Conference Committee and ask them to please keep the increase in the
COLA base in the budget. We are long over due for this increase.” Then ask
the aid to please call you and let you know the outcome of the conference
committee. If you have not heard in two weeks repeat your phone call.
Those of you who have Steve Panagiotakos for a Senator--- he is part of the
leadership so let them know you know this and expect him to come through for
you.
The reason you did not get this last Friday is that I was busy checking for
those of us who have Jim Marzilli for a Senator. I spoke with Senator
Tolman’s office and told them we needed representation on this issue. I was
told to tell you that Marzilli’s aids will be in this week and will get the
message to the leadership. However, please call the direct line to his
office 1-617-722-1432 because if you try too go through the switchboard the
call may not be forwarded.
Finally, don’t just make these calls yourself. If you have access to someone
still teaching get the message to them to ask their fellow teachers to make
this call. I know it is the end of the school year and they are busy –but
this affects the rest of their lives! Please also ask your relatives and
friends to make the calls.
We are so close but unfortunately the Globe, Lowell Sun and I am sure other
papers, with their misinformation, are speaking against it. I think Beacon
Hill is with us on this but we have to give them a reason to listen to us
and not the press.
Thanks so much for your help.
Marie Ardito
Information Coordinator of MRU
========================================
I learned that Rep. Frank Hynes of Marshfield/Scituate courageously got the increase from $12,000 COLA Base to $16,000 attached to the House 2009 budget.Please call your State Senator and ask them to do the same. Ask them to attach it to the Senate Budget and support the attachment. Tell them you want them to get back to you within a few days to let you know they have done this for you and keep calling them until they do it. We have to be persistent as the House Leadership was not for this and we MUST have it in the Senate budget as well or it will be discarded as the first item cut from the budget when the House and Senate Leadership sit down to make cuts. If we make the calls and are persistent WE WILL PREVAIL!Please ask others to make these calls as well especially those still working in the public sector. They will benefit longer than we will for what we are fighting for today. MRU is trying to get a Senator to make this attachment but we want the entire Senate aware of the importance of this attachment and ready to stand up for us.Please start now as the Senate will be taking up the budget the week of May 19!
Thank you,Marie Ardito
Information Coordinator, Massachusetts Retirees United
(This week)
Thank you, thank you, thank you for all the help you have given this past week on getting the increase of the COLA base from $12,000 to $16,000 attached to the Senate budget. We were successful! Please keep calling your Senators and Representatives to make sure they support this attachment to both the budgets. If we are as persistent with this as we were with getting it attached in the first place we will have a new base on which our COLA will be based. The Senate budget will be debated the week of May 19, 2008 so please get word out to the teachers to haunt their Senators that week. They must get the message that we want their support for this amendment plus we want the budget passed with the amendment included.
Thanks again, you are the best!Marie Ardito
Information Coordinator Massachusetts Retirees United
|
