February 19, 2015

Climate protester pays $300 for arrest at Sen. Whitehouse office

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Peter Nightingale, the University of Rhode Island physics professor arrested during a civil disobedience sit-in at Senator Sheldon Whitehouse’s Providence office last December, left court today after settling all charges by agreeing to pay a $300 fine.

Shortly after the court decision, at a press conference held outside the Garrahy Court Complex, Nightingale reiterated the science behind his position, saying that when he thinks about the future, “and my grandchildren in particular, I do not know how to explain the destruction we are visiting upon the Earth they shall inherit.”

Though Senator Whitehouse “is the one of the nation’s most well-known climate activists and the senate’s most committed member to addressing climate change,” many environmentalists feel that the Senator’s continued support of plans to expand the Spectra natural gas pipeline calls this reputation into question.

Citing studies from scientific journals, Nightingale notes that “shale gas and conventional natural gas have a larger GHG (greenhouse gas footprint) than coal or oil.” The United States policy of fracked gas as a bridge fuel, say Nightingale, “flies in the face of this science.”

Nightingale further maintains that “the US is not acting according to this science and is in violation of Article 3 of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, which states that “The Parties should protect the climate system for the benefit of present and future generations of humankind, on the basis of equity and in accordance with their common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities.” and that therefore all three branches of our government are delinquent in their fiduciary duty to safeguard the natural resources they hold in trust for present and future generations.

Also speaking at the press conference was Sherrie Andre, who noted that Spectra is trying to break its “massive pipeline project into smaller pieces,” so that it won’t seem to be much of an environmental concern. “But in reality this is a $5 billion project being built to export gas out of Canada and to hook New England on fossil fuels.” It has nothing to do with energy independence for Rhode Island.

Andre says that “environmental impacts must be considered cumulatively and federal law is clear on this.” She says that 27 groups have signed a letter exposing this “impermissible segmentation” and urging that the law be followed.

The last speaker at the press conference was Nick Katkevich of FANG, (Fighting Against Natural Gas). Katkevich announced that the groups are planning a 26 mile walk from Burrillville to Providence during the first week of March, regardless of the weather. He also noted that 350 Connecticut plans to protest outside Yale University on February 28 where Senator Whitehouse is scheduled to speak to the Environmental Law Conference.

Katkevich promised that even if the Spectra pipeline expansion is approved, that will not end FANG’s commitment to stopping it. “Federal approval of this project does not mean permission from the people. So we’re going to continue to use diverse, non-violent tactics to make sure that this project is not built.”

February 19, 2015February 20, 2015

Rhode Island is ALEC-free

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Rhode Island is now an ALEC-free zone.

When the year 2014 expired on December 31, so did Warwick Senator William Walaska’s membership in the American Legislative Exchange Council, a once-controversial right-wing bill mill that partnered corporate interests with state lawmakers to draft conservative model legislation to be shopped to Statehouses across the country.

Walaska, a Democrat, was the last local legislator who was an ALEC member – and the only one to renew membership since 2012. His lapsed membership means that the Rhode Island State House will not receive any copies of ALEC’s monthly magazine.

“We do not get their literature any more since we have no members any longer,” said House spokesman Larry Berman.

ALEC had existed in the background of state politics all over the country for decades. But the Koch-aligned group became a toxic in 2012 when its model Stand Your Ground Law exonerated George Zimmerman in the killing of Trayvon Martin.

At the same time, ALEC was quietly enjoying significant influence in the Rhode Island General Assembly. Former Woonsocket Rep. Jon Brien, a Democrat and member of Speaker Gordon Fox’s leadership team, was named to ALEC’s national board of directors and more than 20 percent of the state legislature were members – at the taxpayers expense. Organized labor took issue as local legislators started quickly denouncing their affiliation. At the height of ALEC’s influence in Rhode Island, 24 local legislators, half of whom were Democrats, were members. By 2013, there were only six ALEC members in the General Assembly (though on p. 39 ALEC lists 12 members in 2013).

In June, New York Times columnist Joe Nocera said Woonsocket suffered from an ALEC mindset and in July CVS, based in Woonsocket, dropped its membership in ALEC, which at the time was the last corporate ALEC member in Rhode Island. Brien was was defeated in his bid for reelection that fall.

Nationally ALEC membership dropped 5.6 percent from 2011 to 2013, according to internal ALEC information leaked by first released by The Guardian (p.37). Jay Riestenberg, a researcher for Common Cause, said ALEC has likely picked up some new legislators in 2014 because of a “historic number of Republican state legislators in office.”

Corporate sponsorship has dropped dramatically though, with more than 100 leaving since 2011 and financial support down 19 percent in 2013. But while the ALEC organism has been diminished, its DNA is still being effective, even here in Rhode Island.

Riestenberg said some of the corporate money that has been divested from ALEC has matriculated to the State Policy Network and cited Microsoft, Facebook and Kraft as examples. The State Policy Network, or SPN, is funded by corporations and Koch-aligned special interests to push conservative ideology at the state level. PR Watch has pushed a campaign linking SPN and ALEC saying it is a right wing think tank pushing the ALEC agenda in the states.

stenhouse — Mike Stenhouse, “CEO” SPN-aligned Center for Freedom and Prosperity

Riestenberg identified the Rhode Island Center for Freedom and Prosperity as the SPN affiliate in Rhode Island, as has this blog. In an email to me, RICFP “CEO” Mike Stenhouse confirms a connection between SPN and ALEC.

“The RI Center for Freedom & Prosperity and ALEC, as part of their respective missions, each seek to advance market-based policy ideas that have a track-record of success in other states,” he said. “ALEC is also a close national partner of SPN, the national association of which our Center is a member. SPN has been very helpful over the years in helping our Center put together strategic operating plans, in getting us pointed in the right direction in our formative years, in making us aware of certain RFP grant opportunities, and by continuing to sponsor participation in highly valuable public policy and organizational development regional and national workshops.”

February 19, 2015February 19, 2015

2,200 RI Hospital employees authorize labor strike

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Rhode Island Hospital employees represented by the Teamsters Local 251 voted to authorize a strike Wednesday.

“Rhode Island Hospital employees have sent a clear message,” said Teamsters Local 251 President Paul Santos. “It’s time for Lifespan to listen to the employees and the community and agree to common-sense proposals for good jobs and quality care.”

An FAQ sheet sent to union members and the media says the vote doesn’t mean there will be a strike – but it does move the 2,200 hospital employees one step closer to that. “Voting to authorize a strike notice does not mean we will issue a 10-day notice right away,” it reads.

According to a press release from Jobs With Justice sent late last night, “Sticking points in negotiations include job security, fair wage increases and retirement benefits, and Lifespan’s rejection of proposals to address unsafe staffing and equipment and supply shortages that undermine patient care.”

According to an FAQ sent by Rhode Island Hospital, “the hospital wants to make it clear that neither a strike nor the threat of a strike will make bargaining more productive nor will it force the hospital to take any action that it does not believe is in the best interest of its patients, employees or the hospital.”

In a statement, hospital spokeswoman Beth Bailey said, “The vote process came despite recent movement by the hospital on key wage and benefit proposals. The initial union proposals called for more than $20 million in wage and benefit increases, an amount that is unsustainable in the current healthcare environment. The union proposals included: wage increases twice the hospital average, additional hospital contributions to health insurance, a second retirement plan, and additional vacation days, among other requests. The hospital responded with proposals that increase wages for all three years of the contract … the hospital is not asking the union for any give-backs for wages, retirement or benefits.”

According to a press release from the union, “Sticking points in negotiations include job security, fair wage increases and retirement benefits, and Lifespan’s rejection of proposals to address unsafe staffing and equipment and supply shortages that undermine patient care. Lifespan executives have angered employees and the community by rejecting common-sense proposals, including a proposal to require the Hospital to ‘maintain sufficient staff and adequate supplies.'”

Local 251 represents 2,200 employees at Rhode Island Hospital, including non-medical staff, such as secretaries, janitors and landscapers. “But they also represent the unit assistants, the folks who check on patients to make sure everything’s okay, and the CNAs,” said Jesse Strecker of Jobs With Justice.

“This campaign is about workers and the community working together for a better Lifespan,” Strecker said. “The overwhelming vote shows that workers are sticking together and the community will stick with them.”