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New England states in a casino ‘arms race’ By Common Ground Staff New England states are in what one expert has described as a casino arms race, as a new round of casino building and expansion is sweeping across the region, fueled in large part by the decision of Massachusetts to get into the game. “I think the real catalyst in the expansion is Massachusetts,” said Clyde Barrow, an expert in gaming and the director for the Center for Public Policy Analysis at the University of Massachusetts (UMASS) Dartmouth. Just two decades ago, none of the six New England states had anything close to a casino, but that changed after Congress passed the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act in the late 1980s. Foxwoods, Twin River and Newport Grand opened in the early 1990s, followed by Mohegan Sun a
few years later. Over the next decade, the facilities expanded in tandem and today, gaming has ballooned into a $3.2 billion industry in New England. Much of that is thanks to Massachusetts, which has half the population of New England as well as half the disposable income. Bay State residents make up half of the customers at Twin River and Newport Grand in Rhode Island, a third of those in Foxwoods and a fifth at Mohegan Sun, both in Connecticut. Other than Suffolk Downs and a small racetrack, Massachusetts does little to keep its gamblers at home. As a result, an estimated $1 billion in annual consumer spending and 6,000 gaming jobs have left Massachusetts for other states, according to Barrow. Eventually, that proved too much for
the Massachusetts legislature to pass up, so last fall lawmakers passed a bill authorizing up to three casinos and one slot parlor. Those spearheading the process have made it clear they want to make a big splash in the regional
economy with a new casino: Just last month, the new chairman of the casino commission, Stephen Crosby, declared that he wanted the state to “think big.” See Casino, page 3
Pension reform marches on in New England By Common Ground Staff Fresh off painful cuts and changes to their retirement benefits, union leaders and their memberships across New England are bracing for yet more pension reform as the region continues to trudge through the economic recession and states’ lawmakers press for further budget reductions. Perhaps the biggest battlegrounds over pension reform are in Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Rhode Island. All three have seen significant cuts to pension benefits as recently as a few months ago — and
all three could see more change in the not-too distant future. In New Hampshire, lawmakers are eyeing a big switch to a defined contribution system while Rhode Island is tackling the challenge of local pension reform. Massachusetts state officials, meanwhile, are forming three separate commissions that are tackling a range of pension and retiree-related issues. Here is a breakdown of what is happening in your state: Massachusetts: Health care,
United Nurses & Allied Professionals
disability pensions up next Last fall, the Massachusetts legislature passed a landmark pension bill that raises the retirement age and modifies the age factors and salary period in the retirement formula, meaning that future workers will have to work longer and pay more for less in their retirement, according to the state AFL-CIO. The bill was the third round of reform in recent memory, aimed at curbing the costs of public pensions. But in some respects, Massachusetts is just getting started.
The bill that passed in the fall calls for the establishment of three commissions that will tackle a range of issues. One commission will study the other half of retirement benefits: the costs of health care. Another will hone in on disability pensions while the third will examine whether the current employee classification system should be changed. The commissions, which will have labor representatives, have reports on their findings due anywhere from November to a year from April. See Pension, page 2 R
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The Union Stewards Prayer Grant me, Oh Lord, the genius to explain to my brothers and sisters the policies and plans of our great union even though no one explains them to me. Give me the understanding that I may forgive the apathetic member, curb the overly ambitious member, and accept the views of the member who does nothing until I have done something... and then tells me what I should have done and how I should have done it. Oh Lord, make me formidable in debate, logical in argument and fearless in confrontation. Let me be a lawyer, actor, mathematician, sage, philosopher, sociologist, and economist; pleasing, cajoling, threatening, and belaboring so that I make the best of a good case and a good case from no case at all.
Tim Sullivan, spokesman for the Massachusetts AFL-CIO, disagrees health care costs are spiraling out of control. “Groups like the Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation have put out flawed reports about the costs of retiree health insurance in our commonwealth and as always, the labor movement is making sure that facts prevail and also will be engaged and watchful of any further effort to erode retiree benefits,” Sullivan said. (Representatives of the Taxpayers Foundation could not be reached for comment in time for publication.) Rhode Island: Round two? As in Massachusetts, Rhode Island has just gone through a major overhaul of its state pension system: suspending cost of living adjustments (COLA) for current and future retirees; hiking the retirement age for teachers, state employees and municipal workers in the state system; and moving the bulk of current retirees into a hybrid system that combines elements of a traditional pension system with a 401(k)-style plan. But the state is only half done. Unaddressed in a fall special legislative session dedicated to the reform effort were the 36 locally administered pension plans in Rhode Island, which collectively have a total unfunded liability of $2.1 billion, according to the state auditor general’s office. The troubles in the local systems are now the focus of yet another commission formed to study the issue. But local labor leaders are holding out hope that Rhode Island is done with pension reform, at least at the statewide level. “I’m hoping that we have no more pension reform in Rhode Island and that people understand that the cities and towns that are in trouble have an obligation to participate in the collective bargaining process to solve the problem,” said George Nee, president of the Rhode Island AFLCIO. While the state may have been able to reform its system through statute, Nee said the local plans can and should only be modified through the collective bargaining process. New Hampshire: For some, health care now costs more than pension New Hampshire is another key battleground state for pension reform. “There is an ongoing … assault on public pensions in New Hampshire,” said Mark MacKenzie, head of the state AFL-CIO. Last year, the state passed legislation that left out a COLA for retirees in the state system. New
Hampshire has rolled back the retirement age, and it has frozen the subsidy for retiree health insurance, meaning that those retirees who were getting it will continue to do so, but the dollar amount is fixed, while new retirees won’t get anything. As a result, MacKenzie, who is a retired Manchester firefighter, said some firefighters pay for more health care than they receive in their pension. Lawmakers were trying to limit the impact on retiree health care, MacKenzie said, but it didn’t work. “In light of all that, they still seem to want to crank away,” he said. The big push now is to move new retirees into a defined contribution plan -- although details on exactly who might be affected are murky. “The whole thing is up in the air,” MacKenzie said. New Hampshire lawmakers are presumably attempting to grapple with an unfunded liability of $5 billion. But the switch from a defined benefit to a defined contribution plan will only heap an additional $1.3 billion onto that, according to MacKenzie. Maine: ‘Not another cent’ Like its sister states, Maine has just gone through a round of pension rollbacks. “Our public sector workers took a big hit last year in our legislature,” said Sarah Bigney, spokesperson for the Maine AFLCIO. In the last legislative session, lawmakers bumped the retirement age for anyone not vested in the system to 65 and implemented a three-year suspension on COLAs. After three years, the COLA kicks back in but at 3 percent instead of the former 4 percent, and it is capped at the initial $20,000 of the retiree’s income. On top of that, teachers and state employees now have to chip in an additional 2 percent of their salaries to their pensions, and state retirees face a new premium copayment on their health insurance; the rate ranges between 5 percent and 15 percent and is tiered based on pension income. Labor groups have mounted a concerted campaign to push back against any further changes. Known as the Not Another Cent campaign, it is being spearheaded by the Maine State Employees Association and Service Employees International Union (MSEA-SEIU) Local 1989, the Maine Education Association and the Maine AFL-CIO. “Workers and retired workers are filling out postcards and including personal messages to their legislators. We’re also asking legislators to pledge to not cut, cap or further
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reduce retirement benefits or health benefits for retirees, state employees, teachers and other public servants,” said Tom Farkas, spokesperson for MSEA-SEIU Local 1989. Connecticut: Battle in local contracts In Connecticut, Gov. Dannel P. Malloy recently unveiled plans to fully fund the state’s pension system, making up for years when the state did not contribute as much as it should. “Obviously this is … a positive thing that you fully fund your pension (system),” said Peggy Buchanan, spokesperson for the Connecticut AFL-CIO. But Buchanan also pointed to a “worrisome and growing trend” in cities and towns that want to convert to 401(k)-style plans, particularly for new hires, in “virtually all of the bargaining in municipal contracts.” “In Connecticut, unions are fighting to protect defined benefit plans and benefit levels in both the private and public sector,” said Lori Pelletier, secretary treasurer of the Connecticut AFL-CIO. “Defined benefit plans are good for workers and for our communities. For women and people of color who tend to earn less during their working careers, defined benefit plans help them retire and stay out of poverty.” She added: “The decimation of defined benefit plans in the private sector and the increasing trend in the public sector toward defined contribution or 401(k) plans — especially for new hires in Connecticut municipalities — is troubling because of their inherent riskiness.” Vermont: Unlike rest, largely unscathed Vermont perhaps stands alone as the only New England state where major pension reform isn’t in the near future or the recent past. Dennis LaBounty, the political director for the Vermont AFL-CIO, said he wasn’t aware of any initiative aimed at pension reform in his state. About two years ago, the contribution rates for teachers were increased. “We haven’t seen anything else other than that,” LaBounty said. Just one indicator of how different Vermont is: When Wisconsin was racked by the controversy over efforts to constrain collective bargaining rights; the Vermont legislature circulated a resolution in support of Wisconsin workers. “We’re supporting our brothers and sisters in Wisconsin, Ohio … Indiana,” LaBounty said. “Once it starts, it snowballs.”
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Casino, from page 1 The Massachusetts play for a piece of the action has sparked a renewed push to expand gaming around New England. “Of course, once Massachusetts moved, that set off an arms race in effect in the other states,” Barrow said. The New Hampshire legislature is considering a bill that would authorize two casinos, one at Rockingham Park in Salem and another in Hudson, both close to the Massachusetts border. Maine voters recently approved a $160-million-ayear casino in Oxford, which is about 30 miles north of Portland. Rhode Island voters this fall will vote on a referendum on enabling Twin River to go from a slot parlor to full-scale casino by allowing table games. A similar referendum that would do the same for Newport Grand is in the works, according to recent reports. Only Vermont, the state with the lowest per capita spending on the lottery, is sitting this arms race out. It will take three years to fully implement the new Massachusetts law, but once that happens, the new casinos will have a substantial impact on the two states that depend the most of any of the six on their casinos and slot parlors for economic growth and state revenues — Rhode Island and Connecticut. Barrow is projecting that Mohegan Sun will lose 15 percent of its revenues, while at Foxwoods it will be closer to 20 or 25 percent. Between those two, he said
Connecticut is eyeing a total annual loss of $400 million in gaming revenues. But the biggest hit, at least relative to size, may be in Rhode Island, where $200 million to $225 million in gross gaming revenues could go to Massachusetts. “There’s really nothing Rhode Island can do to avoid the hit,” Barrow said. “Maybe they can minimize (the impact) with table games, but they’re going to take a big hit.” New Hampshire’s casino, meanwhile, will largely keep the Granite State from hemorrhaging customers and dollars to Massachusetts while the Maine casino is mostly geared toward a local market. In addition to the Oxford facility, Maine already has a slot parlor in Bangor that generates $60 million a year in sales. In the southern New England states, lost revenues will come hand in hand with lost jobs: Connecticut and Rhode Island are forecast to take a combined hit of 4,000 jobs. But this is not the bad news it might initially seem for the labor community since the number of new jobs in Massachusetts, an estimated 10,000, will mean a net gain for the region. And those slot technicians, dealers, and other workers at the Connecticut and Rhode Island facilities who do find themselves out of work, should be able to find new jobs quickly, according to Barrow. The new Massachusetts gaming facilities will be looking for experienced people and will find them in short supply so
rehires will be common. An added bonus is that their new place of employment may be closer to home for those who commute to Connecticut and Rhode Island from Massachusetts, Barrow said.
In fact, an estimated 17 percent of Connecticut casino workers hail from the Bay State. “So this may be an opportunity for them to work closer to home,” he said.
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Whether you are a union member or not, the Massachusetts AFL-CIO is committed to preserving the rights of all workers and advocating for decent wages, health and retirement benefits, safer workplaces, and a dignified quality of life for all working families. During these difficult times, now more than ever, workers need a strong, unified voice speaking out on each other’s behalf. By advocating for all workers, the Massachusetts AFL-CIO is working to preserve the middle class, and protect you and your family. Steven Tolman President
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FEBRUARY 2012
New Hampshire public workers targeted by anti-union legislation Faced with a Republican majority in both houses of the legislature, New Hampshire public employee unions are seeing an unprecedented number of anti-union bills, according to CBS News. The onslaught began last session with the contentious so-called right-towork bill, which died when the House sustained Gov. John Lynch’s veto. The bill has returned this session, along with other bills designed to reduce the bargaining power of public unions. A series of bills in front of a House labor committee last month drew the ire of union members who filled Representatives Hall in opposition. The proposals included prohibiting mandatory negotiating fees for employees who aren’t in unions, prohibiting the taking of dues from public employees’ paychecks and banning former public employees
or union members from the state’s negotiating team, CBS reported. In addition, a bill written by Rep. George Lambert, R-Litchfield, would repeal public unions’ collective bargaining powers. In New Hampshire, union negotiated contracts cover union and nonunion public employees. Proponents of collective bargaining say that ensures fair wages and a stable work force in the absence of competition. Lambert told CBS News his collective bargaining bill was born from a desire to see public employees fairly compensated based on their skill set. The current system, he said, rewards seniority more than skill. “I’m not trying to chip away; I’m trying to give employees a choice,” Lambert said. Opponents see it as an attempt to diminish the power of workers.
“If this legislation is successful in rolling back the process to 1975, then workers have two choices: Quit their job if they’re unhappy, or to strike,” said David Lang, president of the Professional Firefighters of New Hampshire, an association of unions. CBS News reports that more legislation is ahead with a return of the so-called right-to-work bill, which gives employees the option to not join a union and eliminates a union’s duty to negotiate for those employees. This time the bill contains additional repeals of unions’ collective bargaining rights. The bill was scheduled to go before a House committee this month. The session’s volume of bills aimed at unions was unprecedented, said both House and labor leaders. But that wasn’t part of House leadership’s agenda for the session, said Republican House Speaker William O’Brien of
Mont Vernon. “Certainly, reforming the labor marketplace is something we want to see done, but we don’t have a huge amount of staff up here, so most of these appear organically,” he said. Just 9 percent of New Hampshire workers belong to a union, many in the public sector, but public support for unions is strong, explains CBS News. Sixty-two percent of respondents in a WMUR Granite State Poll conducted in April 2011 said public employees should have the right to form unions and collectively bargain. The right-towork bill was being passed in the state Senate about the same time. The poll had a margin of error of plus or minus 4.4 percentage points. The bills make New Hampshire yet another battleground in the national fight over workers’ rights.
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Labor and business unite in push for Rhode Island airport expansion By Common Ground Staff
WARWICK — The labor and business communities have joined forces to urge the City Council to drop a legal challenge to the proposed expansion of the T.F. Green Airport. They say it is vital to helping the state out of the recession and jumpstarting this year’s construction season. “As (with) anything we do in construction, legal wrangling only postpones projects,� said Michael Sabitoni, business manager for Rhode Island’s Construction and General Laborers’ Local Union 271. “It’s our belief that this has the potential to postpone this project a year or two.� Without the legal roadblock, dirt could be flying as early as this spring — and the impact on the construction industry would be immediate, Sabitoni said. The project would mean hundreds of new jobs and more than a $100 million in economic growth, according to official estimates. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Record of Decision forecasts that the improvements would generate 700-plus new jobs and more than $90.6 million in business spending here over the course of construction from 2012 to 2020. When indirect growth is counted, the total rises to more than 1,200 jobs and $130 million in business spending, according to the Greater Providence Chamber of Commerce. That would make a huge dent in a state where about 4,000 construction workers are unemployed, according to Sabitoni. “Every job counts,� he said.
“(This isn’t just) a City of Warwick issue,� he added. “This is a State of Rhode Island issue.� Sabitoni describes the airport as an economic engine for Rhode Island
The proposed project entails a number of improvements to the airport. Perhaps the most significant would be the extension of the main runway by 1,530 feet, which would bring
and says its expansion could be big enough to help pull the state out of the recession. Laurie White, president of the Chamber, largely agrees. “There is no denying that Rhode Island is at a crossroads,� she wrote in a November letter to City Council members. “The current economic climate makes it even more important that we come together as a community to support this process and work with the Rhode Island Airport Corporation and the FAA to push for completion of this important economic development project.�
it to 8,700 feet. That would allow nonstop flights to the West Coast, making the airport a key gateway for local businesses, according to Bethany Costello, spokesperson for the Chamber of Commerce. Plus, the expansion would make the airport more competitive with other airports in the region such as the one in Manchester, N.H., Costello said. Just one sign that the expansion would make a big difference: Jet Blue is considering opening service out of T.F. Green, Sabitoni said. Planning for the project has now spanned two decades, which reached a
tipping point in the fall of 2011, when the FAA approved plans to expand the airport. But as the City Council has taken steps to mount a legal challenge to the project, the airport corporation has halted any further work on the project. Now, more than ever, advocates say, it’s time to make it a reality. “It just keeps kicking things ‌ further down the road when we need things now,â€? Sabitoni said. The City Council is hoping to put the brakes on the project, citing a range of concerns, from environmental to the impact on residents and neighbors. Sabitoni says he understands those concerns. “When we’re environmentally conscious, it creates jobs for our members so I’m in favor of that,â€? he said. But in their letter to the council, both White and Sabitoni said the approved plan “provides a balanced and fair development optionâ€? that does take into account “the needs of the local communityâ€? and the “impacts to the residents, the community and the environment.â€? The council has yet to make a final decision, but at a Jan. 26 hearing on the matter held by the council, an estimated 300 supporters for the project turned out to make their message clear. “At the end of the day, I hope they (council members) come up with a solution so we can move this thing forward,â€? Sabitoni told “Common Ground.â€?
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Common Ground
FEBRUARY 2012
Families can use tax code, budget act to cope with tuition costs By Gary Carpenter
Below is a description of educational tax benefits. For a more comprehensive and detailed description of all educational tax benefits please refer to IRS Publication 970.
“sunset,” we will go back to the rules for Student Loan Interest Deductions prior to 2002, which states that only the first 60 months of interest payments are deductible.
Tuition and Fees Deduction The Tuition and Fees deduction, enacted under the Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2001, allows taxpayers an “above the line deduction” for tuition, fees and related expenses such as books, supplies and equipment required by the eligible school. The deduction does not include the cost of insurance, room and board, medical expenses, transportation or personal expenses. For 2011, the maximum deduction for these expenses is $4,000 for families filing a joint return with a Modified AGI of below $130,000 ($65,000 for taxpayers filing single). A deduction of $2,000 is allowed for taxpayers whose Modified AGI falls within the phase out limits of $130,000 to $160,000 for taxpayers filing jointly, and $65,000 to $80,000 for the taxpayers filing single. This deduction expired on Dec. 31, 2011. Note: If the taxpayer elects to take the Tuition and Fees deduction, he cannot take the American Opportunity Tax Credit or the Lifetime Learning Credit in the same tax year.
Coverdell Education Savings Account (CESA) Originally known as the Education IRA until 2001, when its name and benefits were changed. Now known as the Coverdell Educational Savings Account, the annual contribution is $2,000. The contribution is non-deductible but the account grows tax free if the funds are used for qualified K-12 and higher education expenses. There are income limits and phase-outs for making contributions. For married taxpayers filing jointly, the Modified AGI limit is $190,000 and phases out with incomes between $190,000 and $220,000 (single filing taxpayers is $95,000 with phase out between $95,000 and $110,000).
Student Loan Interest Deduction This is an “above the line deduction” for qualified student loan interest paid during the tax year. The maximum amount of this deduction is $2,500 per year. For 2011, the deduction is available to taxpayers whose Modified AGI is less than $120,000 for joint filers and $60,000 for single filers. The deduction also has income phase-out limits. For married taxpayers filing jointly, the limit starts at $120,001 and ends at $150,000 (single filing taxpayers - $60,001-$75,000). NOTE: The 2001 “Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act” made certain changes to the Student Loan Interest Deduction. Beginning in 2002, student loan interest of up to $2,500 per year can be deducted for the life of the loan. This change originally had a “Sunset Clause” that took effect on Dec. 31, 2010. In December of that year the law was extended for two more years. Now the new “Sunset Date” is Dec. 31, 2012, unless the law is extended again or made permanent. If the change does
If withdrawals are for unqualified education expenses or in excess of those expenses, the earnings portion of those unqualified withdrawals are included in the beneficiary’s gross income and an additional 10% penalty is imposed. Funds in the account must be used before the beneficiary reaches age 30. Any funds in the account after the beneficiary turns 30 must be withdrawn within 30 days and the earning portion is subject to income tax and the 10% penalty. NOTE: The donor could change the beneficiary to another person in the present beneficiary’s immediate family who has not reached the age of 30 and thus avoid the penalty. In December of 2010, the 2001 “Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act” was extended for two more years to Dec. 31, 2012. If the law is not extended again or made permanent, the Coverdell Education Savings Account will revert to what it
was before Jan. 1, 2001, or the maximum annual contribution of $500 and you will not be able to contribute to a CESA and a Qualified Tuition Plan (529 Plan) in the same year. American Opportunity Tax Credit Starting in 2009, the credit/refund can be used in the first four years of postsecondary education. The maximum credit/refund for 2011 is $2,500 per student and is based on the tuition, fees and books paid during the tax year. This credit is a deduction from the taxpayer’s tax liability. If there is no tax liability, the taxpayer could receive up to a 40% refundable credit for each tax year through 2012. The credit has phase-out limits: for married taxpayers filing jointly, the Modified AGI limit is $160,000 with a phase-out of the credit for incomes between $160,000 and $180,000; for single taxpayers the income limit is $80,000 and the phase-out range is from $80,000 to $90,000. Lifetime Learning Credit The Lifetime Learning Credit can be used for all post-secondary education. The maximum amount of the credit for 2011 is $2,000 per taxpayer (not per student) and is based on the tuition and fees paid during the tax year. This credit is a deduction from the taxpayer’s tax liability. This credit has no refund provision. The Lifetime Leaning Credit also has phase-out limits. For married taxpayers filing jointly, the Modified AGI limit is $100,000 with a phase-out of the credit for incomes between $100,000 and $120,000. For single taxpayers the income limit is $50,000 and the phase-out range is from $50,000 to $60,000.
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FEBRUARY 2012
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Vermont National Education Association files unfair labor practice complaint A local teachers union in Bennington, Vt., has filed an unfair labor practice complaint with the Vermont Labor Relations Board against the supervisory union, according to the “Bennington Banner.” Darren Allen, spokesman for the Vermont chapter of the National Education Association, said the complaint was filed on behalf of the Southwestern Vermont Education Association, the local union representing more than 300 teachers. The union was on strike for nine days in October before reaching a labor contract with the Southwestern Vermont Supervisory Union (SVSU) and the Southwestern Vermont Regional Technical School District. The union said that the terms of the contract, which is retroactive to July 1 of last year, are now being followed by the technical school district. Union officials alleged the SVSU is still not following some of the requirements, reports the “Bennington Banner.” Local union President Stephannie Peters, a teacher in the technical school district, told the “Bennington Banner” that teachers in that district, which has its own payroll operation, received a lump sum payment for back pay. The teachers’ share of health care premiums has also been lowered from 20 percent to 17 percent, as the newly negotiated contract specified. The same has not been done at the SVSU, according to Allen. Allen said union officials are unaware of similar occurrences during four decades of collective bargaining in Vermont, and he called the situation breathtaking and mind-boggling.
Peters told the “Bennington Banner” that teachers in the SVSU have had more taken out of their paychecks for health care premiums. She claims the greater amount for employee contributions toward medical insurance is expected to continue until mid-May. Peters termed the situation complicated and said employees are questioning the accuracy of the deductions. SVSU Chief Financial Officer Richard Pembroke said teachers are being paid according to the requirements in the new contract. SVSU teachers were paid in advance at the beginning of the year for time they did not work because of school opening delays caused by Tropical Storm Irene, Pembroke told the “Bennington Banner.” Teachers received a paycheck on Aug. 29 but did not start work until Sept. 7. He said was no need for a lump payment because teachers were paid in advance. Pembroke said health care premiums are being deducted at a rate of 17 percent. The supervisory union has reduced the number of deductions that will be made, resulting in higher dollar amounts being deducted now. The change was made to allow the supervisory union time to correct any changes to health care plans made by teachers during the school year. SVSU Superintendent Catherine McClure said the technical school district does not need as much time to adjust changes in health care premiums because it has fewer employees to reconcile at the end of the year.
Peters said SVSU officials have made the transition to the new contract more complicated for teachers, adding it is disrespectful and suspicious to some people.
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Common Ground
FEBRUARY 2012
Treatment Solutions leads charge against deadly designer drugs By Steve Miranda Treatment Solutions Network is on the front lines in the war against addiction, and the staff sees a great deal of harsh addiction realities before they become public, which is exactly the case with an emerging wave of designer drugs that are hitting the streets at an alarming rate. Along with established “herbal” threats such as spice and salvia, there is a wave of new drug compounds tearing families, businesses and communities apart, and if parents, teachers, employers and treatment professionals aren’t vigilant about knowing what to look for, innocent lives will continue to be lost. Leading the wave of designer drugs is a horrific substance referred to as “bath salts” that users are ingesting to get a hallucinogenic high, which comes with side effects of extreme paranoia and raging anger. Bath salts contain mephedrone and
methylenedioxypyrovalerone (MDPV), a stimulant that can be broken up and snorted, smoked or reduced to a liquid for injection just like cocaine. Since the effects of bath salts are similar to cocaine, methamphetamine (meth) and ecstasy, dangerous amounts of dopamine and very low levels of serotonin impact the user’s brain, which results in severely damaged brain chemistry and inevitable psychosis with prolonged use. The most terrifying effect of bath salts is found after users ingest the drug for multiple days. Since the drug has a much longer half-life than other drugs, abusers stay under the influence longer, and after just a couple of days, a staggering number of users experience full psychotic breaks, which often result in extreme delusions, violent outbursts and severe depression. According to various reports from around the country, the bath salt craze
is reaching epidemic proportions, and very few addiction experts and treatment providers are familiar with the compound or how to treat the addiction. The team at Treatment Solution is not only leading the charge against designer drugs, but is also insisting that the professionals in our network are prepared to effectively recognize and treat mephedrone (bath salt) addiction. Children are dying while parents and many professionals have no idea why. The Treatment Solutions’ team understands the new, deadly wave of designer drugs and is committed to raising awareness among the public and professional communities. The bottom line is that whether you’re an employer, school principle or a parent, you need to know that mephedrone is a legal research chemical, and that distributors and novelty shop owners are savvy enough to stay one step ahead
of the Federal Drug Administration by labeling the product as a novelty item such as bath salts or plant food and printing, “Not For Human Consumption,” on the label in spite of the fact that the chemical is only intended for human consumption. Discussions about bath salts in the workplace or at school will continue to float under the radar unless we raise awareness through proper education. Treatment Solutions Network is committed to finding the solution, and as far as designer drugs are concerned, the first part of the solution is awareness. Please contact me with any questions, and our team will help you find the solution you’re looking for. Steve Miranda is director of special projects for Treatment Solutions Network. Contact him at stevem@tsnemail.com or (508) 525-5974.
So Mike, how did you get involved in the EAP and addiction treatment business?
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I became involved in the EAP/MAP programs because of my own struggles with addiction, as I have been in recovery for many years. Twenty-five years ago, I was asked by my Union President to start a committee to assist our members and their families who needed help with addiction and mental health issues, because of my own experiences, I was excited to help. We started a silent committee to offer confidential help to Firefighters and their families who were struggling with these issues. I spent several years obtaining certifications in the field and have been helping members and their families ever since!
How has this program benefited firefighters and their loved ones?
Firefighters often experience things in the line of duty that cause mental and emotional stress that can lead to substance abuse. Once we built the EAP/MAP program we were amazed at how many people came forward to get the help they needed. Part of the rehabilitation process is learning how to deal with these stresses so they don’t negatively affect the rest of their lives and their families.
Where has life taken you since retirement? Well before I retired, I worked closely with Treatment Solutions Network to place my members, providing the care that they needed. I was so impressed with the company that I started working with them more and have now become a Vice President and shareholder in the company. We have expanded the network to include top rated treatment centers, not just in Florida, but across the nation as well. Our network is set up to accept most insurances, self-pay and contracted rates with health & welfare funds to make treatment affordable to everyone.
What is next for you and Treatment Solutions Network? We are working with a committee focus group comprised of leadership from Boston Fire, Boston Police, Providence Fire, MA Department of Corrections and MA Sheriff’s Department. This group is being directed by a highly accomplished therapist to design programs specifically geared toward Unions, Public Safety Officers and to help us better serve the Employee Assistance Professionals we work with. Our programs are designed to find the best possible solution to Dual Diagnosis problems. Solutions that combine, long term success, financial flexibility, and clinical practice into effective services.
To learn more about how we help professionals visit, www.TreatmentSolutionsNetwork.com/professionals, call toll free, 1-877-417-6237, or contact your local Treatment Consultant.
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Budget debates in Washington are serving as a wake-up call for retirees, a key voting bloc in upcoming elections. While success among older voters in 2010 propelled Republicans to victory in Congress and state capitals, recently we are seeing signs of remorse. House Republicans are having a rocky time back home, with much of the wrath coming from seniors. Their anger is fueled by a House-passed privatization measure of Medicare that would drive up seniors’ health care costs as they fend for themselves in the wilds of the private insurance market. That plan, authored by Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.), opens the door to cuts in Social Security and a higher retirement age that would be devastating for workers in physically-demanding blue collar and service sector jobs. Also, Medicaid – which helps seniors afford nursing home and long-term care –
would be run by state governors such as Scott Walker of Wisconsin, John Kasich of Ohio or Chris Christie of New Jersey. Seniors in those states better pray for good health. As seniors learn more details of that plan and the heated rhetoric around the debt ceiling, they are beginning to feel that the very future of retirement is on the line. What about their children and grandchildren, will they ever be able to retire? For the awakening of older voters to grow, seniors will need more reliable information than is provided by a news media easily distracted by sideshows of birth certificates and royal weddings. Americans must know that Social Security does not cause our deficit: It is supported by worker and employer taxes and has a $2.6 trillion surplus. Additionally, we cannot allow people to fall for Ryan’s shrewd but cynical
ploy exempting those overTHROUGH age 55 from WED. help them better understand the issues FRI. and where the candidates stand. It’s Medicare privatization. It’s not only SINGLE • 9-12 bad policy, but also8-11 the Sun.-Wed. tired politics ofFri. & Sat. also important that they educate their children and grandchildren. It’s truly divide and conquer. In the 2012 elections, the Alliance for time to bring people of all ages together to help save the American dream of a Retired Americans will use organizers safe and secure retirement when our in key states, paid and earned media and LOUNGE retiree-tailored fliersIN andOUR fact sheets to working days are done. Social Security and Medicare are two help develop and mobilize politically THURSDAY - LADIES stories. Before, savvy seniors who know the issues and NIGHTgreat American TWINsuccess BAKEDSTUFFED 8 PM 11 PM where the candidates stand. too many people worked until the day FREE BAR APPETIZERS they died or lived out their final years in The past few months – marked by FOR THE LADIES pain and poverty. Our nation has come a irresponsible spending votes that break W/BEVERAGE the promise of Social Security andPURCHASE long way, and in the 2012 elections, we cannot turn back. Medicare – have been both a sobering reminder and a wake-up call that a safe John A. Pernorio is president of the Rhode Island Alliance for Retired and secure retirement should not be EVERY SUNDAY 9:30-1:30 ✭ All dinners served Americans. Contact him at with taken for granted. $ 99 Children $ 99 French Fries, Spaghetti or Ziti & Soup or Salad The most importantAdults thing seniors(3-12 yrs) japernorio_riara@hotmail.com, or ✭ can do between now and November go to www.newenglandsenior.com and 1537 NEWPORT AVE. is to start separating fact from fiction click on the RIARASpumonisRestaurant.com logo on the right. PAWTUCKET, RI Cannot be combined in election year rhetoric. Retirees 726-4449 with any other promotion or coupon. must reach out to their neighbors to
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Common Ground
FEBRUARY 2012
National Labor News NLRB pushes for union-friendly rules According to National Association of Convenience Stores (NACS) Online, now that the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) has its necessary five members to operate, the group isn’t wasting time on moving a unionfriendly agenda. NLRB Chairman Mark Pearce told the Associated Press (AP) that one change the board wants to make is to require businesses to hand over lists of employee phone numbers and e-mails to
union leaders before an election, NACS Online reports. He would also like the board to consider rule changes it didn’t have time to approve last year such as the use of electronic filings and quicker timetables for certain procedures. “My personal hope is that we take on all of these things and consider each one of these rules,” Pearce said. Pearce’s comments come three weeks after President Obama made recess appointments of two Democrats
and one Republican to the NLRB. Republican leaders have challenged the appointments as unconstitutional, saying the Senate was not technically in recess when Obama acted. NACS Online further explains that if the NLRB decides to propose the new rules, it would expand on sweeping regulations approved in December that speed up the process for holding union elections at work sites after unions collect enough signatures from
employees. Those rules are slated to take effect April 30, according to the AP. Business groups and GOP members are concerned that the NLRB is wellequipped to approve even more unionfriendly rules to organize new members. The National Association of Convenience Stores is an international trade association, representing more than 2,100 retail and 1,600 supplier company members.
Congress makes it more difficult for airline, railroad workers to organize Congress made a deal that makes it more difficult for airline and railroad workers to organize. The bill increases the steps a union needs to take to hold an election. Unions would have to collect signatures from 50 percent of workers to indicate their support for an election to be held, raising the previous threshold of 35 percent. Additionally, the bill would allow a runoff election between the top two vote-getters, even if one of those two were the option of “no union.” Below is a statement from 19 unions asking for a clean Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Reauthorization without dramatic changes to the Railway Labor Act (RLA). “We remain strongly committed to passage of a clean FAA Reauthorization bill. An aviation safety and security bill is no place to impose unrelated and controversial labor provisions that will ultimately serve to harm both airline and railroad workers. The proposed Railway Labor Act changes would drastically rewrite a statute that was crafted by labormanagement cooperation and has not been changed for over 75 years without the agreement of both employer and employee representatives. Airline and rail workers would suffer significant losses as contracts are jettisoned, collective bargaining rights are cut and legal hurdles will be placed in the way of gaining a voice at work. “A rewrite of long standing labor law deserves proper and due consideration through the normal
deliberative process. Acting otherwise directly conflicts with the nonpartisan recommendations of the 1994 Report of the Dunlop Commission on the Future of Worker-Management Relations. This is particularly true of this law, which was uniquely created through labor and management negotiations. Unilaterally changing that law without labor’s input and without due deliberation, threatens to unravel its carefully balanced goals of labor stability and uninterrupted commerce. “Rewarding the House Republican leadership’s desire to rewrite decades of long standing labor law in a flash by inserting an unrelated and controversial labor provision in a much needed aviation safety and security bill, without notice, hearing or debate, sets an extremely dangerous precedent. We urge the Senate to delete the provisions of the bill that would amend the RLA and pass the clean FAA Reauthorization that all concerned recognize this country sorely needs and supports.” The collaborating unions that issued the above statement are the Communications Workers of America, Association of Flight Attendants, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, American Federation of Government Employees, International Association of Machinists, National Education Association, Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen), Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employees, Brotherhood of Railroad Signalmen, Service Employees Local
32BJ-National Conference of Firemen and Oilers, Sheet Metal Workers, United Steelworkers, Teamsters; American Train Dispatchers
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Common Ground
FEBRUARY 2012
Page 11
Conn. Speaker of the House Donovan running for Congress
With multiple endorsements from fellow lawmakers and unions, Connecticut House Speaker Chris Donovan’s campaign for Congress is well under way and gaining speed. In his campaign material, Donovan states he is a proven and recognized Chris Donovan Democratic leader, with a broad, deep history of fighting for health care, promoting job growth, improving the environment, standing up for women’s issues and fighting for clean government. According to Donovan, his work on behalf of Connecticut’s working families in the legislature and in the community has produced landmark results, including a first-in-the-nation statewide paid sick leave law to ensure workers can care for themselves and their families; a statewide health care pooling plan that uses bulk purchasing power
to decrease risk and lower premiums; one of the strongest public campaign finance systems in the nation for all elections to state offices; increased protections for domestic violence victims through expanded access to protective orders and critical information; and protecting Medicare and Medicaid eligibility and benefit levels from cuts. If elected, Donovan says his top priorities will be to fight to bring jobs to Connecticut and to preserve Medicare and Social Security. Unions endorsing Donovan include the American Federation of Teachers in Connecticut, Uniformed Professional Firefighters Association, Connecticut Education Association, Connecticut State Council of Machinists, United Association of Plumbers and Pipefitters’ Local 777, United Autoworkers Region 94 and American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees’ Council 15. Other organizations endorsing Donovan include the Newton Democratic Town Committee and the Working Families Party. Donovan has been House speaker since 2009.
A resident of Meriden, Conn., he has been a state representative for 18 years. In addition to his legislative work, Donovan is a faculty member in the political science and sociology departments at the University of Hartford. According to campaign literature, Donovan is a member of the University of Connecticut School of Social Work Advisory Committee and the Collegiate Education for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Persons Advisory Board. He has also worked with the Connecticut Family Leave Task Force. He holds a bachelor’s degree in biology from Villanova University in Pennsylvania and a master’s degree in social work with a concentration in community organizing from UCONN. As a community organizer in Meriden, he fought for progressive outcomes on environmental, energy and housing issues, according to his campaign. Donovan and his wife, Elaine Gallen Donovan, have two children, Sarah and Aaron.
Coalition: T.F. Green expansion critical to economic development By Laurie White, Gregory A. Mancini and Michael F. Sabitoni T. F. Green Airport and the recently completed Interlink connecting rail project provide multiple transportation functions for people traveling to and from Southern New England with unmatched ease and efficiency. The unique transportation hub has laid the foundation for our state’s economic success in a very competitive global environment. A critical component of ensuring the success of the hub is expanding the runway at T.F. Green to allow access to nonstop service to the West Coast for businesses in Southern New England and local residents. Before deciding to allow the runway to expand, the record of decision (ROD) rendered by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) completed a long and exhaustive environmental impact statement (EIS) study for the proposed runway extension. That process is federally regulated and designed to identify environmental impacts of the project and design measures to offset the effects. The process has been public,
providing an opportunity for input from local residents, business professionals, city and state leaders and members of the Warwick City Council. While we recognize the council’s right to challenge the ROD, it is nevertheless troubling that a means within the EIS process could not have accommodated the body’s interests. Commencing a formal legal challenge has already increased costs and delayed the employment of construction trades people in a time of severe economic hardship. For years, our respective members have supported the project, which would be beneficial because: • The runway extension and associated construction projects will produce more than 1,300 well-paying jobs.Job creation is challenging in Rhode Island and with an unemployment rate of 10.8 percent and an unemployment rate approaching 40 percent in the construction industry, it is critical to our
construction and trades workers, many of whom are Warwick residents, to have this opportunity. • The development of the Station District remains a top priority for Gov. Chafee. Delaying the project will impede the ability to market the area. The runway extension is expected to offer increased air service opportunities to carriers. There is a direct correlation between the success of the airport and that of the Station District Development in that area will result in hundreds of more construction jobs as well. • A critical need exists to build a safer, better economic engine that will become a hub for businesses and leisure travelers in the 21st century. The thousands of members that we represent have voiced their support and want the project to move forward. Collectively, they believe the economic benefits will yield an important payback
for the host community and the state in the years to come. We ask the Litigation Subcommittee: City Council President Bruce Place, Councilman Steven Merolla and Councilwoman Camille Vella-Wilkinson, who also chairs the city’s Economic Development Committee, to handle this matter with the urgency that it deserves. It is important to the state, Warwick and the Station District, which is an important focus of the city’s economic development efforts. Improving and enhancing the state’s largest commercial airport is a key initiative for economic growth and job creation, which makes it critical that we move forward. Laurie White is president of the Greater Providence Chamber Commerce, Gregory A. Mancini is executive director and general counsel of BuildRI and Michael F. Sabitoni is business manager for Local 271 of the Construction and General Laborers and vice chairman of BuildRI’s Executive Committee.
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Common Ground
FEBRUARY 2012
Mass. teachers’ union files complaint on ballot question Massachusetts’ largest teachers’ union, Massachusetts Teachers Association (MTA), filed a complaint last month with the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court asking that the Stand for Children initiative petition be barred from the November ballot on the grounds that it violates the state constitution. MTA President Paul Toner said that the initiative is a distraction from “serious, collaborative, ongoing education reform efforts” and that it will not improve the quality of education for students. “We have been working extremely long and hard with parents, business groups, state officials and other education stakeholders to implement a new evaluation system that is designed to improve the quality of instruction in our schools,” said Toner. “This lengthy and complicated ballot initiative throws a monkey wrench into the process. It’s no wonder so many organizations, as well as education leaders in Governor Deval Patrick’s administration, are strongly opposed to it.” Secretary of Education Paul Reville addressed the ballot question in an email last November. “I fear that the ballot initiative would set up a distracting and divisive battle, engendering an over-simplified public
dialogue that would alienate educators and prevent us from achieving a variety of reform goals,” Reville wrote. The lawsuit, filed by the MTA on behalf of seven plaintiffs, asserts that the ballot proposal violates state constitutional requirements for initiative petitions and that the summary of it is incomplete. The complaint alleges: • The measure confuses the voters by including unrelated matters in one petition. • The measure affects the powers of the courts. • The Attorney General’s summary of the petition is incomplete, failing to inform the voters of ways in which it impairs teacher collective bargaining rights. The plaintiffs in the lawsuit are all registered voters. They are three recent Massachusetts Teachers of the Year, the president of the Massachusetts Parent Teacher Association, a Boston public school parent, an expert in teacher education and evaluation and a member of the Scituate School Committee. According to the complaint filed by the MTA: “The purported purpose of the Petition is to impose a teacher evaluation system that will support ‘merit-
based’ personnel actions in the public schools. In operation, however, the Petition is a confusing hodgepodge of eleven separate sections that amend and/or repeal numerous provisions of two comprehensive statutes governing public schools in conceptually unrelated areas. The diverse subjects that would be presented to the voters range from the introduction of new timelines in teacherdismissal arbitrations to employee rights in school regionalization to the method of computing years of service required for professional teacher status. “Further, the amendment would significantly alter the scope of judicial review of arbitration awards in teacher terminations. “Additionally, the summary prepared by the Attorney General is neither ‘fair’ nor ‘concise.’ While four pages long, the summary is nevertheless incomplete and fails to inform the voters of the magnitude of the substantive and procedural changes to existing law that would result from the Petition’s enactment, including that the measure would end the right of school districts and teachers to collectively bargain over the material aspects of numerous personnel actions and other subjects.”
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Common Ground
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FEBRUARY 2012
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Eligibility: To take advantage of the savings you must be a member of the New England Association of Labor Retirees Senior Care Medicare Plan, Rhode Island Alliance for Retired Americans HealthLink Wellness OR a Rhode Island Alliance for Retired Americans affiliated retiree chapter. You must be registered with these organizations with an eligibility ID number. If you are a HealthLink Wellness member use your HealthLink ID number. If you are NOT a HealthLink Wellness member call 401-722-2770 and an ID number will be issued to you. How do I schedule a free hearing evaluation? Simply contact Ocean State Hearing Aid Center at 401-231-2444 or 401-521-2580 to schedule an appointment in any one of our 4 convenient locations. Just let us know you wish to use the Hearing Benefit through the New England Association of Labor Retirees and supply your member ID number.
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Page 14
Common Ground
FEBRUARY 2012
Workers’ safety committee wants flock lung disease issue resolved By James Celenza
It has been almost 15 years since Dr. David Kern, then a Rhode Islandbased occupational medical specialist, first published his findings about what is known as flock lung disease. Dr. Kern had uncovered an outbreak of a chronic lung disease among workers in the manufacture of nylon flock and flocked fabric at Microfibres located in Pawtucket. Workers were experiencing breathlessness, dry coughs, pulmonary functional abnormalities and in some cases, an asthma-like hyper responsive bronchioles. Other researchers found similar abnormalities in workers in flocking plants in North Carolina, Massachusetts and Canada. Flocking is an industrial process in which short lengths of synthetic fibers such as nylon, rayon, polyethylene and polypropylene are chopped and dyed, finished, dried and bagged to be applied to products, including upholstery and clothing. Recently, Dr. Kern resurrected the issue by reviewing the medical records of the workers he had studied earlier with the assistance of the Rhode Island Cancer Registry in an
effort to assess the long-term chronic effects of flock lung disease. He has published his findings, which express the concern that the spectrum of exposures to workers in this industry might pose an excessive risk of lung cancer. Among other things, he found that one of the subjects in his prior study had an unusual type of lung cancer. Dr. Kern’s concern is that a flock worker’s lung may be very much like idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), a lung disease suspected of increasing the risk of lung cancer. When Dr Kern first discovered the connection between the flocking process and lung disease, he was threatened with legal retaliation if he brought any of his findings to the attention of medical and public health authorities. Despite the threat, Dr Kern presented his findings to the American Thoracic Society; published the findings in medical journals; and reported the outbreak to the Rhode Island Department of Health. Subsequently, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), which includes the National Institute of
Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), conducted an independent investigation of flocking plants. It was concluded that work in the nylon flocking industry poses substantial risk for an occupational lung disease, and that nylon fiber is the suspected cause of the condition. Also, it was recommended eliminating blow down cleaning of equipment using compressed air and installing engineering controls. While the clinical picture was being clarified, the situation became ever more sordid. Dr Kern was dismissed from his faculty position at Brown University’s Medical School, and the occupational clinic at Memorial Hospital in Pawtucket that he directed was shut down. The Rhode Island AFL-CIO and public health agencies and advocates, including RICOSH, the American Lung Association and the Rhode Island Medical Society, sought unsuccessfully to have those decisions reversed. The case quickly became notorious as a hallmark of attempts to repress public health information, especially as it affected workers. Articles
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appeared in newspapers such as the “Providence Journal,” “Boston Globe” and “New York Times;” national magazines such as the “Atlantic Monthly” and “Science.” The Kern case was among the topics at the major Science and Secrecy international conference at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. In addition the Providence office of the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) issued discrimination charges against Microfibres and the university under Section 11C of the OSHA Act of 1970, it was determined that the case was not covered under the statute. Whether the observed increased risk of lung cancer is a true risk and is due to nylon flock is unknown. What is needed are a more thorough evaluation of the carcinogenicity of nylon fragments; monitoring of workers’ respiratory health; and implementation of controls that reduce the overall risk of the disease. James Celenza is director of the Rhode Island Committee on Occupational Safety and Health.
Scott G. Mello, Secretary JOSEPH A. ANDRIOLE, Vice President John HANOS, F. Woodard, Treasurer DAVID Secretary Treasurer MARCEL E. FONTENAULT, JR., Exec. Bd. Chairman
Executive Board Representatives 1ST DISTRICT V.P. John Silva
Christopher J. Jannitto Joseph P. Moreino Hans Ramsden 3RD DISTRICT V.P. Michael Stevens Wayne C. Oliveira Robert K. Neill, Jr., Staff Representative Zachariah Kenyon Anthony PAUL L. VALLETTA, JR.,Toro Legislative Agent 2ND DISTRICT V.P. Steve Rodrigues
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Common Ground
FEBRUARY 2012
Page 15
College, from page 6 $65,000 with no gift tax liability. Earnings on unqualified withdrawals or withdrawals in excess of qualified expenses are included in the beneficiary’s gross income and are subject to a 10% penalty. Qualified expenses include tuition and fees, books,
supplies, equipment and room and board. In August 2006, the “Pension Protection Act of 2006” permanently removed the 2010 Sunset Clause for 529 Plans that was in the 2001 “Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act.” Losses on investments in 529
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The account owner can claim the loss as a miscellaneous itemized deduction on Schedule A of Form 1040, subject to the 2%-of-adjusted-gross-income limit. If you have distributions from more than one 529 Plan during the year, you must combine the information (amount of distribution, basis,
etc.) from all such accounts in order to determine your taxable earnings for the year. By doing this, the loss from one QTP account reduces the distributed earnings (if any) from any other QTP accounts. Gary Carpenter is the Executive Director of the National College Advocacy Group.
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Common Ground
FEBRUARY 2012
PROVIDENCE FIRE FIGHTERS LOCAL 799
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Affiliated with the INTERNATIONAL BROTHERHOOD OF TEAMSTERS 121 BRIGHTRIDGE AVENUE, EAST PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND 02914 www.teamsterslocal251.org Joseph J. Bairos Kevin Reddy Secretary-Treasurer Principal Executive Officer Steven Labrie Kevin Reddy Daniel Manocchio President Douglas Teoli Steven Capobianco Asst. Business Agent Vice President David Demuth Michael Nunes Organizer & Recording Secretary Asst. Business Agent Dennis Mello Linda Russolino Trustee Asst. Business Agent Susan Folan Trustee James Croce Anthony Scivola Asst. Business Agent Trustee
Common Ground
FEBRUARY 2012
Page 17
R.I. UNAP optimistic about Landmark merger
By Common Ground staff Officials of the United Nurses and Allied Professionals (UNAP) are “cautiously optimistic” about the outlook for Steward Health Care’s bid to merge with Landmark Medical Center and the Rehabilitation Hospital of Rhode Island in Woonsocket. Chris Callaci, general counsel for the Providence-based UNAP, said the union feels the merger is on the right track after the state’s Office of Attorney General Peter Kilmartin and Department of Health (DOH) concluded the hospital conversion application submitted by Steward and Landmark is complete. Kilmartin’s office and the DOH issued a joint announcement on Jan. 18 about the application, also stating the two departments would be starting a formal review and evaluation of the application. The state has 180 days to complete that step of the process, according to the announcement. Callaci said UNAP was concerned when regulators determined the initial
application from the Boston-based Steward and Landmark was deemed incomplete. The state did not disclose what information was missing, according to Callaci. The applicants submitted the information by the state’s Jan. 11 deadline, which led to a favorable outcome. According to the attorney general, it’s anticipated a public meeting on the merger will take place later this month or in early March. Also, the public will be able to submit written comments, and instructions for doing so will be included in a public notice for the meeting. An exact date for the hearing should be announced within a couple of weeks. Steward’s bid for Landmark and the Rehabilitation Hospital surfaced after the institutions were in receivership for almost three years. Rhode Island Superior Court Judge Michael Silverstein ruled last spring that the merger could move forward. Steward and UNAP Local 5067 already have
a negotiated a four-year contract that would be effective once the Steward and Landmark transition is complete, according to Callaci. “We are pleased that Judge Silverstein pushed hard for a collective bargaining agreement to be reached before the merger was finished,” Callaci said. “We hold him in high regard for that.” In the Jan. 18 announcement, Dr. Michael Fine, DOH director, stated approval of the application “highlighted the success of a collaborative approach,” with officials “recognizing the importance of health care jobs to the Woonsocket community and the availability of accessible and affordable health services in Northern Rhode Island.” Callaci and UNAP are hoping that the fate of Westerly Hospital is similar to what appears will be a positive outcome in Woonsocket. The hospital’s petition for receivership was approved in December by Superior Court
Associate Justice Brian Stern, allowing institution officials to start the process of restructuring its debt and stabilizing its finances. Callaci said he is pleased that Mark Russo, a special master appointed by the court to oversee the hospital while it is in receivership, decided to honor UNAP’s collective bargaining agreement during the day-to-day operation of the facility. Westerly Hospital is the largest employer in the community. Callaci said about 730 people work there, and that 500 positions are in the union. While it is too early to tell what will happen, Callaci said “the outcome you want is for the institution to be a fullservice hospital from a public interest standpoint,” especially with the number of jobs at stake and what Westerly Hospital means to the local economy area residents’ access to health care services.
Medical Care, from page 9 also must improve the quality of care, and this is the fifth tenet. One aspect of this is the promotion of integrated data systems and open communication, which can unify the patient’s health records and provide valuable statistics to doctors and researchers. The sixth tenet requires Medical homes to expand access to care, and the last tenet is to promote payment reforms. It is expected that new forms of payment will be reflective of medical home’s value in terms of increasing accessibility and improving providerpatient communication through superior coordination among the medical home team. The medical home model attempts to build a personal and friendly relationship between a patient and his or her physician, who acts as a link between the patient and any specialized care the
patient might need. The primary care physician acts as the patient’s liaison to the healthcare system. National governing bodies such as the American Medical Association support the principles of the patient-centered medical home. In Rhode Island, the House and Senate have passed laws that established an advisory council that will oversee the implementation of the patient-centered medical home core tenets or principles. The council will also provide guidance to the state on developing a payment scheme to help Rhode Islanders cover the costs of their medical care, as well as provide incentives for care providers that improve the quality and access of their medical care. Rhode Island is working to strengthen its implementation of some of the core medical home principles
as well. For example, Rhode Island’s initiatives to build an integrated electronic health record system are an important part of the patient-centered medical home, which is the overarching model for health care in Rhode Island. The Ocean State also has several programs underway to fund and support medical homes. The Chronic Care Sustainability Initiative, a program convened by the Office of the Health Commissioner, corresponded with a state investment in twelve sites to date. CEDARR Family Centers provide a medical home environment to serve Medicaid and CHIP-eligible children with special needs. Blue Cross Blue Shield of Rhode Island implemented a three-year pilot program for medical homes that resulted in lower rates, higher quality, and better electronic
health record usage across the board. Other programs include Connect Care Choice, which is targeted at Rhode Island Medicaid recipients above the age of 22 who are at high risk for chronic conditions. Rhode Island also receives funding from the federal government to expand the use of medical homes. Medicare and Medicaid are both using federal funding to fund medical homes and medical home services. Additionally, the federal government has named Rhode Island a “Beacon Community” for its health initiatives, which provides Rhode Island with some additional medical home funding. For more information, visit http://www.healthcare.ri.gov. Elizabeth Roberts is Lieutenant Governor of Rhode Island
Rhode Island Judicial, Professional and Technical Employees’
LOCAL UNION 808 Frank A. Ciccone Business Manager
Pasquale Zompa Norma M. Sousa President Vice President
Claudia Porrazzo Recording Secretary
David Garzone Executive Board Member
Dominick J. Ruggerio Secretary-Treasurer
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Page 18
Common Ground
FEBRUARY 2012
Entertainment
Boston comedy tour comes to R.I. By Common Ground staff WOONSOCKET -- The comedy of Boston will invade Rhode Island at the Stadium Theatre and Performing Arts Centre, 28 Monument Square, on Feb. 24 at 8 p.m. Headlining the show will be Paul Nardizzi, who has made numerous appearances on “Late Night with Conan O’Brien” and “Comedy Central” and who won the Boston Comedy Festival Competition, according to Jordan Harris, marketing and advertising manager for the Stadium. Opening the night of jaw-dropping hilarity will be Graig Murphy, who specializes in Boston sports comedy. Following Murphy and leading the way for Nardizzi will be Matt D, who was voted the best comedian in Boston by the “Boston Phoenix” and who beat out 88 other comics to make the top eight finalists of the Boston Comedy Festival in 2010. Nardizzi began his comedy career in 1990, quickly becoming a Boston area favorite and a national headliner within four years, according to Harris. He is one of the most requested acts on XM Satellite Radio and one of the top stand-up comedians in New England. Nardizzi is also the author of the comedy books “602 Reasons to Be Pissed Off” and “602 Reasons to Be Ticked Off,” which are available in major bookstores. He has compiled two compact discs – “Sucking a Cow’s Udder During a Solar Eclipse” and “Live at the Music Hall.” According to Harris, Murphy is wowing audiences with his impressions of local sports owners and players. He has gained notoriety from his appearances on Boston sports radio station WEEI. In 2011, Matt D was one of 20 comics across the country invited to perform in the Johnny Carson Great American Comedy Festival in Norfolk, Neb., where he went on to be a top eight finalist. That same year he was invited to perform at the Eugene Mirman Comedy Festival. Admission is $40 for a meet and greet and seating in the orchestra center first two rows; $27 for orchestra center seating; and $21 for orchestra side seating. Tickets can be purchased at the box office,8 by calling (401) 762-4545 or going online to www.stadiumtheatre.com. Page Common Ground
DECEMBER 2010
R.I. Music of Fame to induct first class There areHall many volunteer By Common Ground staff
opportunities to help animals
Village will be unveiled. PAWTUCKET – History will be made on Feb. 26, Besides the Beaver Brown Band, Roomful of Blues when the first class of musicians is inducted into the and McKenna, the first class of the hall will consist recently formed Rhode Island Music Hall of Fame of Eileen Farrell, who died in 2002, and Oliver Shaw, (RIMHOF). who died in 1848, as well as Archive Hall of Fame By “This will be anTabella historic party,” said Robert Dennis members Ken Lyon, Anders & Poncia and Gerry Billington, chair of the board of directors for the Defenders of Animals is an organization Granahan. Hall of Fame, who believes the induction ceremony that has been animals Rhode After 40 years, Beaver Brown is still an in-demand is going to behelping a “where was Iinwhen Woodstock took Island for more than 30 years. You can be attraction and one of the best-selling Rhode Island place” type of event. acts of all time, according to the board. Roomful part “You will want to be there. You willby want to be in of the highly-regarded organization of Blues is one of most successful blues acts of the the room,” he said. becoming a member for $25 per year. second half of the 20th century, with more than 20 The ceremony at The Met, which is located at The Defenders of Animals is strictly albums in its catalog, and it has garnered five Grammy Hope Artiste Village, 1005 Main St., is scheduled atovolunteer organization. There are no nominations as well as dozens of awards. start at 7 p.m. It will be followed by a concert McKenna, a Woonsocket native, burst onto featuring two inductees John paid staff members so that--all the Cafferty funds & the Beaver international reputations as musicians.” the jazz scene in the late 1940s and was quickly Brown Band and Roomful of Blues – and a tribute raised are used for direct services such as Billington said the initiative is an offshoot of the recognized as one of the finest pianists to ever set to another inductee – the late Dave McKenna. He veterinary attention, spaying and neutering Rhode Island Popular Music Archive Hall of Fame fingers to a keyboard and became a highly respected will be honored in a performance by his sister, Jean administered by Rick Bellaire, vice chair of the and adoptionO’Donnell, for stray animals and pets sideman, accompanist and soloist. Although a native (McKenna) and friends. RIMHOF. According to Billington, Bellaire the ofgets Connecticut, Farrell spent her teenage years at families “The are Cohans forced(legendary to give up.entertainer George M. local government meetings. The“is organization also involved with guts” of the organization, bringing forth nominations Woonsocket High School before becoming one of the Cohan) and so on have been recognized in the Rhode Some volunteers are involved in letter-writing campaigns regarding educational issues and works with students on school projects. and overseeing the musical archives. finest American sopranos of the 20th century and one Island Hall of Fame, but the depth of the story has animal issues; others wish to be involved with making arts and crafts Defenders of Animals conducts low-cost spay/neuter clinics, which In aorstatement from the board of directors, Bellaire of the best-selling classical artists of all time. not been told,” Billington said, explaining why it is baked goods fundraising events.hall. volunteers help coordinate in cooperation Humane Association of says, “This initiative provides a great opportunity to with the Based in Providence during the early 19th century, important to for establish the music RhodeRhode Island’s musical greats Your Shaw The organization fosterIsland dogs or cats; helpnot toonly acknowledge Northwestern Island’s Spay/Neuter Pet Program Pascoag. as a composer of sacred, is bestinremembered “Most people havehas novolunteers idea of thethat Rhode and celebrate their achievements, but to put in place brass band, musical he said. “Astowehospitals work onorthis transportgreats,” companion animals newproject, homes; or walk In addition, there are opportunities to be involved in the topical pet lostmusic and and popular songs, an organization whose primary goal is to promote and according to information from the RIMHOF. A we are learning about more and more people who dogs. Some active members attend protests, or testify at state and program that the Defenders operates. The organization preserve Rhodefound Island’s rich musical heritage inofallAnimals its Newport native and a lifelong Rhode Island resident, born here that have gone on to earn great national and works who have found dog andlegendary status in southern New forms.with Withindividuals actual exhibit Lyon’sa cat hasor achieved space,who coupled witha companion an those have lost animal. England as a “godfather” of the blues. online archive, we have in The duo of Peter Anders and Vini Volunteers can make a big difference in Providence-born the welfare place the tools to curate Poncia first achieved success in 1960, when their dooof animals throughout the state by being involved with and showcase the best of wop group, The Videls, went national with an original Defenders of Animals, which has been recognized by the Rhode Island’s musical song, “Mister Lonely.” They parlayed their success artistry.”Assembly for its achievements. General into a decade-long career as writers for well-known PleaseThe RIMHOF is of Animals singers then 461succeeded on their own. Granahan contact Defenders Inc.and at (401) a nonprofit organization, has been a Rhode 1922 or send an e-mail to defendersanimals@aol.com.Island We resident for the last 50 years Flamingo Beach Villas, st. Maarten and it plans on holding and reached the heights of the music business as a also encourage Rhode to view group’s Web site at annual inductions. AtIslanders the performing singer-songwriter and producer, earning 2 Bedroom • lock-Out • 15th Week http://www.defendersofanimals.org. inaugural event, mockups three Gold Record awards. of what will become Dennis Tabella is director of Defenders of Animals The Met willInc. open at 6 p.m. Tickets are $20 in $20,000 / obo permanent displays in the advance and $25 at the door. For tickets, go online to hallways of Hope Artiste CAll 451.1305 www.rhodeislandmusichalloffame.com.
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FEBRUARY 2012
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