POLS ON THE STREET: Labor Day Parade Signals End Of Labor Peace

FEISTY demonstrators led by city-workers’ unions rallied outside GOP headquarters on S. 4th Street last week to protest Mitt Romney’s impending nomination in Tampa.

BY JOE SHAHEELI/ It rained cats and dogs, and in fits and spurts, and that rain successfully overcame umbrella and poncho protection to soak everyone to the skin Labor Day Monday. But the rain failed to dampen the spirits and purpose of everyone who took part in the annual AFL-CIO Parade and Family Fun Festival along Columbus Boulevard. In fact, it fueled the undercurrent of anger and unrest among the city’s many unions long stoked by the administration of Mayor Michael Nutter, who was forewarned by the AFL-CIO president his appearance at the Parade kickoff would not be a wise move.

The city unions have been battling with the Mayor for his refusal to negotiate with DC 33 and DC 47, while at the same time ignoring legally binding arbitration decisions that found in favor of the Fire Fighters union. Nutter is now in violation of an arbitration decision he grant the firefighters a new contract which a neutral arbitrator twice ruled was fair and affordable. District Councils 33 and 47 – representing, respectively, the City’s blue- and white-collar workers – have been without a contract for four long years and are furious with Nutter.

Joining them this time as well are the Utility Workers Union of America – the city’s gas-workers’ union – which is fighting the Nutter Administration over its proposed sale of PGW. The union maintains a sale will lead to massive job loss and endanger tens of thousands of the city’s poor, who rely on city subsidies for gas to cook their meals and heat their homes.

On other labor fronts, the member local unions of the Philadelphia Building Trades continue their nearly yearlong picketing of a nonunion apartment construction project at 11th & Wood Streets. The Building Trades also are engaged in a fight with the Philadelphia Housing Authority, which is trying to end its long-standing relationship with the Trades.

STATE REP. Jim Roebuck appeared at anti-Romney rally to support protestors like AFSCME retiree Denise Eubanks.

Adding insult to injury was the importation of a non-union-operated crane to erect the stage at the Made In America two-day show on the Parkway, further incensing the general public which has not been given details on what would be the City’s financial portion of that extravaganza.

The Mayor took the hint and stayed away, presumably using the time to further prepare himself for his appearance on the stage of the Democrat National Convention in Charlotte. Much depends on his appearance there. If he comes off well received, odds are the Obama Administration will consider him for a cabinet post or a national appointment of some significance.

That is, if Philadelphia comes through with the kind of majority – at least 400,000 votes – to give Obama Pennsylvania in the general election. Pete Matthews, president of DC 33, who has worked hand in glove over the past several years with Nutter to help save costs and trim the City’s yearly budgets, has threatened to sit out this election in retaliation … which means the union’s vast fleet of vans and manpower used in past elections to get out the Democrat faithful will not be there for this election.

If Obama’s campaign guru David Axelrod, who’s had a taste of mayoral campaigns here, doesn’t feel, in his sit-down chats with Nutter this week, the votes will be held down by union retaliation to Nutter, the Mayor will not announce his intention to settle with the unions, even though tax and fee revenue has climbed significantly. But if Axelrod lays down the law, then the Mayor will finally do what is expected of him. Our advice is he should not think lightly of union threats to boycott the election.

LATER THAT same night, City Commissioner Al Schmidt fires up large crowd at United Republican Club with dynamic speech last Thursday as party loyalists watched their national convention.

70 FINDS FAULT WITH PHOTO-LESS VOTER ID

The new state photo ID, touted by state officials as a cure for voters who don’t have a photo ID that will be accepted at the polls on Nov. 6 and can’t get one, is easier to get for voters born in other states and countries than those born in Pennsylvania.

Most voters born outside Pennsylvania are eligible for a new state ID, available on the same day they apply for it. But most Pennsylvania-born voters must make two trips to a PennDOT Driver’s License Center and produce more documents than an out-of-state-born voter. “The new state ID has been hyped as a ‘safety’ net for voters unable to get the documents required to get a photo ID in order to vote,” said Zack Stalberg, Committee of Seventy’s president and CEO. “The same ‘safety net’ should be available to every voter. As it turns out, the process of getting a photo ID to vote on Nov. 6 for most Pennsylvania-born voters is virtually unchanged from what it was.”

Noting 2010 census data reporting 74.5% of the state’s residents were born in Pennsylvania, Stalberg said it’s fair to predict most of the state’s registered voters were also born here.

The same-day state ID will be issued by a PennDOT Driver’s License Center only to voters who cannot find or obtain either of two documents required to get a photo ID for voting – a birth certificate or Social Security card – or cannot obtain these documents without paying a fee. This applies to most voters born outside of Pennsylvania, since almost all states and foreign countries require a fee in order to obtain a birth certificate.

By contrast, a voter born in South Philadelphia must make two trips to a PennDOT Driver’s License Center. The first trip is to fill out a request to certify his/her birth record. After receiving a letter certifying, or failing to certify, their birth record up to 10 days later, the voter must return to the Driver’s License Center with the letter, a Social Security card and two proofs of residency. A voter whose birth record is certified is eligible for a PennDOT photo ID, which can be used for voting or other purposes. A voter whose birth record cannot be certified is eligible for the new state ID, which can only be used for voting. Both IDs are free.

INSIDE United Republican Club last week, key city GOP leaders spoke of making gains in fall election, among them, from left, State Rep candidate Dave Kralle, Phila. Republican Leadership Council Chairman Mike Cibik and Romney Campaign Director Joe DeFelice.

“Many voters are finding it difficult just making one trip to a PennDOT Driver’s License Center,” Stalberg observed. “Two trips are exceedingly difficult, especially for senior voters or voters who live far from one of the Centers. If a same-day state ID is available for out-of-state-born voters, it should also be available for in-state-born voters. There is no justification for prejudicing a voter who happened to be born in Pennsylvania.”

PHILLY HAS 65 DELEGATES AT DEM CONVENTION

Philadelphians will be able to exert their combined social skills to making sure the Democrat National Convention in Charlotte, N.C. is full of brotherly and sisterly love. Included are elected officials, aides, labor leaders, financial contributors among others.

In the list are Ryan Boyer, Sekela Coles, Katherine Huggins, Mary Isaacson, Theodore Kirsch, Deborah Landau, John Linder, Mindy Posoff, Mark Segal, Elizabeth Washo, Robert Rovner, Lynne Abraham, N. Nina Ahmad, Priscilla Brown, Elizabeth McElroy, Patrick Murphy, Brian Sims, Neil Deegan, Council President Darrell Clarke, State Rep. Angel Cruz, Mayor Michael Nutter, Councilwoman Maria Quiñones Sánchez, DA Seth Williams, Tobias Wolff, Kevin Greenberg, Quetcy Lozada, Adam Bonin, Chairman Bob Brady, State Rep. Ronald Donatucci, Mark Aronchick, Councilwoman Cindy Bass, Stephen Cozen, Eleanor Dezzi, Nancy Fox, State Sen. Vincent Hughes, Councilman Kenyatta Johnson, Raye Johnson, Jerry Jordan, William Leopold, Joseph Meade, Jerome Mondesire, Councilman Blondell Reynolds Brown, Michelle Singer, Jacquelyn Smalley, Heather Steinmiller, Andrew Toy, Jalond Levin, Nelson Diaz, Erin Dougherty, Susan Jacobson, Marjorie Margolies-Mezvinsky, Gwen Snyder, Councilman Curtis Jones, Jr., Sherrie Cohen, Frances Fattah, Jonathan Goldman, Aubrey Montgomery, Omar Woodard, Congressman Chaka Fattah, Edward Rendell and Councilwoman Marian Tasco.

Congresswoman Allyson Schwartz was tapped to be among the speakers along with Mayor Michael Nutter. Schwartz has been a strong female leader in Pennsylvania politics for some time. She was the third woman to serve in the State Senate, is the only current Congresswoman from Pennsylvania and the only Jewish legislator from the state serving in Congress.

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