“We need a union because of the respect that we need and the unity that we need and because of the good salary that we need,” said David Ozuna, who speaks little English and used a translator to communicate with the media.
So far, 32 employees have signed union cards with the International Union of Painters and Allied Trades, District 11. They are primarily sandblasters and hydroblasters, though they perform a variety of chores for Goodison, which does work primarily for the federal government. Sandblasters remove paint from boat hulls. The paint is often highly toxic and sandblasting itself can cause permanent skin and/or eye injuries. It’s very difficult and dangerous work that takes a toll on a body. Starting wages for these workers is between $10 and $12 an hour.
“They don’t give us the safety and the protection that we need to do our job,” said Osuna.
More than 30 workers, in addition to an equal or greater number of union organizers and progressive activists, held court on the Quonset-area road leading to Goodison starting at 6:30 this morning. They chanted, gave motivational speeches and, using a megaphone, implored company officials – who watched the action from afar – to negotiate with the workers.
“The company is going to try to divide you,” said union organizer Sam Marvin. “They are going to try to divide the strength you are showing today. The important thing is you have to be strong today, you’ll have to be stronger tomorrow and you’ll have to be stronger the next day. But you’re going to win this campaign and we’re going to be there with you.”
Another organizer said, “There are two ways the company is going to fight: with fear and with lies. You are going to win with solidarity and the truth.”
One woman who said she came on behalf of her church said, “What you are doing is hard, it is a struggle, but it is of God.”
State Representative Aaron Regunberg, who came from Providence to stand with the workers, said, “I am proud to join you all this morning. I am proud of all the workers who are standing up today to say you deserve better. You know they are not going to give you what you deserve, you have to win it. This is what the labor movement is all about. Keep fighting until you have what you deserve.” He told the employees that there are many in the General Assembly who support their struggle.
So far, 32 Goodison employees have signed union cards, said Jobs With Justice organizer Mike Araujo. There are 55 total employees at Goodison and about 40 have expressed interest in forming a union, he said. The employees and Jobs With Justice have been asking management to voluntarily recognize their union and they plan to file for an election this week, Araujo said. After they file for the election, they have two weeks to hold a vote. If a majority of employees vote for a union, Goodison then has one year to negotiate a contract with the union.
According to the company’s website: “J. Goodison Company was founded in 1999 and incorporated in 2001. It is a veteran-owned small business that has grown from its humble beginnings as a father and son operation to an organization that supports 30 full time employees and an additional 25-50 skilled labor and trade subcontractors. The Company’s list of clients includes but is not limited to government clients such as the U.S. Coast Guard, the U.S. Navy, NOAA, and the U.S. Parks Department. Similarly, the commercial clients list includes Senesco Marine, Boston Towing & Transportation, and Electric Boat to name a few. J. Goodison Company holds a GSA Contract and 9 Multi-Year IDIQ (Indefinitely Delivery Indefinitely Quantity) contracts with the U.S. Coast Guard.”
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Democrat Julie Casimiro is again challenging Republican Rep. Doreen Costa for the District 31 House seat in North Kingstown, RI Future has learned.
Casimiro lost to Costa in 2014 53.1 percent to 46.8 percent.
“Running again was not part of my plan as my family commitments have been exhausting, but the groundswell of support for me to do so has been absolutely overwhelming, from within the district and throughout the state,” she said in a news release. “It’s hard to say no during a presidential election year!”
Casimiro added, ““I am running on a platform of respectable values and a desire to serve my constituents for what’s important to them – creating jobs, improving the economy,” she said in the press release. We need to do things differently in order to move Rhode Island forward…the status quo is not going to cut it!”
In 2014, Casimiro took 2242 votes and Costa won 2547 – a difference of 352 votes.
While Costa, a very conservative tea party Republican is close with Democratic Speaker of the House Nick Mattiello, Casimiro’s press release says she has the endorsement of the Democratic Party. The speaker of the House has great influence with the Democratic Party in Rhode Island.
In 2014, as was reported by RI Future, Casimiro won the endorsement of the Republican Town Council President Liz Dolan, who said at the time, “I have not been impressed with Doreen’s record. “We need to bring this party back to where it is more moderate.” But the North Kingstown Fire Fighters union endorsed Costa, saying, “We looked at who has been in our corner.”
According to her press release: “Casimiro has experience in both the private and non-profit sectors. She has been married to her husband, Richard, for 32 years. She has held several leadership positions on various boards and committees and earned a BS in Marketing from Providence College. She is a graduate of Leadership Rhode Island’s class of 2008 and newly appointed 2nd Vice Chair of the North Kingstown Democratic Town Committee.”
Costa was a guiding force behind the Exeter recall election and mocking then-Governor Linc Chafee for using the term holiday tree instead of Christmas tree. In 2014, she told RI Future she was less conservative than people think. “People have me as this extremist and I find that very offensive,” she said. “I’m not as to the right as people think I am.”
Update: I reached out on Twitter to North Kingstown fire fighters to find out of they would again endorse Costa. In a direct message, that they said I could publish: “@NK_Fire has been burnt by politicians, both local and statewide in the past from both parties. Therefore, we have chose not to be politically active at this point.”
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Almost 40,000 Verizon workers went on strike today, more than 1,000 of them work in Rhode Island. Four of them set up a picket line outside of the Verizon store on Ten Rod Road in North Kingstown.
These Verizon employees told me one of their demands is for more high-speed FIOS to be installed in Rhode Island. This would increase work for employees and service for customers. Verizon reported more than $5 billion in profits last year.
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North Kingstown state Senator Jim Sheehan is backing Bernie Sanders for president.
“Bernie consistently has fought for the working men and women of America,” Sheehan said in an email today. “Specifically, he has fought against unfair trade deals, for free [public] college education, and against the excesses of Wall Street. Most importantly, Bernie is correct to oppose vehemently the corrosive influence of limitless money in politics, which makes systemic change difficult. However, unlike establishment politicians, Bernie will not be obligated to any big money contributors, permitting him to take on the nation’s most vexing problems.”
Sheehan, a high school teacher who champions legislative ethics reform, said he isn’t known as a progressive Democrat but was won over by the Vermont senators’ integrity. “While I do not agree with him on every issue, Senator Sanders is an honest and independent-minded leader whose sound judgment has consistently placed him on the right side of a number of issues critical to our nation’s future.”
Sheehan attended the opening of Sanders’ Rhode Island campaign headquarters today. He previously saw Sanders speak in New Hampshire. His wife Meredith is from Vermont and Sheehan said she encouraged him to consider supporting Sanders.
“Senator Sanders does not strike you as a celebrity or pop star,” Sheehan said in the email. “However, when he began to speak, Bernie’s passion, conviction and sincerity of purpose lit-up the capacity crowd. It was clear to me that day, that Bernie Sanders was not a politician, but a courageous missionary in the cause of renewing the promise of the American Dream. At that point, I guess you can say I was ‘feelin’ the Bern.'”
When asked about Hillary Clinton, Sheehan wrote, “I support Bernie because he has shown a strength of character and consistency on issues critical to the nation’s future. I do not doubt that Secretary Clinton has the experience to be president. But, I am not certain that her connections to big monied interests will permit her to make the systemic changes needed to rebuild the American Dream.”
Sheehan said Sanders might not be able to accomplish his entire ambitious agenda, but noted that America needs to think and act big.
How did we get to where firefighters are treated like scoundrels trying to abscond with the public’s money?
Corporate-controlled media spewing out garbage like this to the masses, that’s how.
Of course, such a breach of journalistic ethic comes via a Providence Journal editorial about legislation that would prevent cities and towns from reducing the number of daily firefighter shifts from four to three supported by some blatant falsehoods and – of course – some grandiose overstatements of the issues importance.
“Rhode Island has suffered for too long from high taxes, a miserably poor business climate and high unemployment,” is actually the lede of the editorial. “Those who have suffered the most are members of the middle class, who struggle to get by, and the poor, robbed of the means to lift themselves out of poverty.”
Spare me the feigned interest in the poor and middle class.
The issue emanates from a longstanding legal feud in North Kingstown. No one in North Kingstown – or anywhere for that matter – is in poverty or will be lifted out of it depending on how many firefighters work on a given day. Fire departments throughout Rhode Island are funded through property taxes. And by and large it’s the rich – not the poor – who pay property taxes. It may seem generous to suggest slashing taxes for the benefit of the poor, but in this instance in particular it isn’t a very efficient way to produce the stated benefit. In other words, it’s at best shoddy economic logic. At worst, it’s deception.
The reality is the assault on firefighters in Rhode Island is being largely led by affluent small government activists, like Barrington Republican Ken Block and ProJo editorial writer Ed Achorn. The two seem to have an unofficial playbook on how to whitewash propaganda.
Block, under the guise of analysis, gins up a report to make it seem like government needs to be smaller. In this case, he cherry-picked random cities around the country and compared their first response costs with Rhode Island’s. First responders say he failed to account for different structures and other anomalies when he did so. Never-the-less, enter Ed Achorn’s role in the scam. The ProJo op/ed page then passes off the fuzzy math as gospel. Thus, despite very fair critiques of Block’s work, the ProJo op/ed page reports it as, “As has been well documented, Rhode Island’s fire costs are dramatically higher than in other states.”
The misstatements get worse. Much worse.
“Some in the Assembly have argued that changing shift structures to run departments more efficiently is an attempt to get free labor out of firefighters or threaten their safety, or the public’s.”
Reality: nobody thinks this is a conspiracy to injure firefighters or the public. Many people, however, think this is a penny-wise and pound foolish way to lower taxes by overworking first responders, which can have life or death consequences. If this is what the writer meant, he or she did harm to this very valid point. I fear that this was not botched writing but rather malevolent writing, intended to misinform the public and belittle an opposing viewpoint. I highly doubt “some in the Assembly” suggested as much; it’s more likely the writer thought a fake argument could be pinned on fictional legislators – a grave abuse of journalism.
“At the very least, this matter cries out for further study and full public debate before the Assembly acts,” reads a line towards the end of the op/ed.
Like all important political issues, this one deserve more than just study and public debate. It deserves honest study and honest public debate, the kind Rhode Islanders aren’t getting from the Providence Journal op/ed page anymore.
]]>Rep. Doreen Costa is too conservative for North Kingstown Town Council President Liz Dolan, a Republican who endorsed Democrat Julie Casimiro for the House District 31 seat.
But Costa’s conservative credentials didn’t stop the local fire fighters’ union from throwing their support behind the tea party right-winger who sponsored a right-to-work bill in the state legislature.
“We haven’t had that conversation yet,” said Ray Furtado, president of IAFF 1651, which represents NK fire fighters, when I asked him about Costa’s support for right-to-work legislation. “We looked at who has been in our corner.”
That’s not how Dolan decided who to support.
The town council and fire fighters are mired in a bitter legal battle over staffing issues, and both House candidates have been advocating that the council drop its lawsuit. Furtado said “in no way, shape or form is this negative about Casimiro” noting they decided to endorse Costa before Casimiro decided to run.
Dolan said she broke ranks and backed a Democrat because “I have not been impressed with Doreen’s record.”
She said Costa’s allegiance to the NRA, her role in the Exeter recall election and her hyper-concern over holiday decorations have made her ineffective at representing the district. “We need to bring this party back to where it is more moderate,” Dolan said.
Costa accused Dolan of lying saying, “I had nothing to do with that Exeter recall.”
She also portrayed herself as a moderate. “People have me as this extremist and I find that very offensive,” she said. “I’m not as to the right as people think I am.”
At least not two weeks away from a general election, she’s not.
When asked why she sponsored a right-to-work bill, Costa said, “I did it because I was asked to do it.” At first she said she didn’t recall who asked her to sponsor this bill, and then she remembered, she said, that it was two union teachers whose names she did not know.
“It’s not something I would ever revisit,” Costa said about right-to-work legislation. “Not right now anyway.”
About her bill to drug test people who benefit from certain public subsidies, Costa said, “I still think it’s a good idea but I am not going to put it in again.”
She is still undecided about payday loan reform and raising the minimum wage, but she walked back her vote against same sex marriage. “If I had that to do over again, I would probably vote yes on marriage equality,” she said.
On guns, though, Costa said she’s as conservative as ever. “I will not change my mind on gun legislation.”
Casimiro chalked up Costa’s tack to the center as typical election-year politics. “I think Doreen is running scared right now,” she said.
But Casimiro also has a reputation for being a conservative – a conservative Democrat. “I am fiscally conservative,” she said.
She said she’s also pro-choice, pro-marriage equality and will support working class legislation. “I would absolutely raise the minimum wage,” Casimiro said. “It’s not a living wage.”
Casimiro is a board member of two charter schools in Rhode Island: Blakcstone Valley Prep in Cumberland and Southside Elementary in Providence. “It doesn’t make me anti-labor,” she said. “It means I’m pro-kid.” She added that she “works in some of the worst performing schools in the state” through her work with Family Services of Rhode Island.
Her husband is a Republican and she says she donated to Allan Fung’s first campaign for mayor of Cranston when they worked together at MetLife. This year Casimiro is voting for Gina Raimondo, whom she said she has been campaigning with. “I’m on Team Raimondo.”
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North Kingstown is the center of Rhode Island’s political universe. Or, at the very least, by far the highest number of statewide candidates hail from this suburban town of 26,000 in the West Bay.
Five of the 15 candidates seeking a statewide office this year live in North Kingstown, as do two of the six candidates running for congress. Providence has three residents running for a statewide seat and one seeking reelection to congress. Warwick has a resident running for governor and congress. Jamestown, Newport, Warwick, Barrington, Cranston, Cumberland, West Greenwich, Pawtucket and Scituate each have a resident on this year’s ballot.
The five candidates from North Kingstown, including the office they seek and their party affiliation, are:
- Nellie Gorbea, secretary of state, Democrat
- Dawson Hodgson, attorney general, Republican
- Kate Fletcher, governor, unaffiliated
- Bill Gilbert, lt governor, Moderate
- Tony Jones, lt governor, unaffiliated
North Kingstown has candidates from all three recognized political parties, with one candidate from each. There are two unaffiliated candidates from North Kingstown and the treasurer’s race is the only statewide contest not to include a North Kingstown resident. Two of the four candidates for lt. governor are from North Kingstown.
But that’s not to be confused with a 50 percent chance that the next lt. governor will be from North Kingstown. According to the latest WPRI/ProJo poll, only one North Kingstown resident is a favorite to win: Gorbea has a 41 percent to 27 percent advantage over her West Greenwich rival John Carlevale. Hodgson was the only other NK resident to win double digit support in the poll, trailing incumbent Peter Kilmartin 46 percent to 32 percent.
Similarly, 33 percent of the candidates in the three congressional races this year are from North Kingstown, or two of the six. Republicans Mark Zaccaria and Rhue Reis, both from NK, are running against incumbents from Jamestown and Warwick in Senator Jack Reed and Congressman Jim Langevin. Congressman David Cicilline is from Providence and Cormack Lynch is from Newport.
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The town of North Kingstown has already spent $450,263 in legal fees trying to force 24 hour shifts upon its fire fighters, according to documents shared today by Town Manager Mike Embury. A court has ruled against the new shifts, but the town is appealing that decision and trying to remove a Carcieri appointed judge for being biased.
“The issues are very involved and important,” Embury said in an email. “The unions from around the state are watching this closely.”
According to the document from Embury, the town spent $200,927.79 in 2013: $84,674.83 was for work on contract arbitration; $29,932.40 for “declaratory judgment work”; and $18,696 for unfair labor practices. In 2012, the town spent $155,641.232 on legal fees concerning the 24-hour fire fighter shift. Embury said the town has already spent $93,694.24 for 2014.
All but $277 of the half million dollar sum, which went to the American Association of Arbiters, was paid to legendary anti-organized labor lawyer Dan Kinder and his firm. Kinder famously made millions defending pay cuts in the East Providence school district. Kinder won that case, but labor responded by supporting a reform slate for the school committee, which beat the group that supported the cuts.
Look for labor to focus on local elections in North Kingstown in 2014 in a similar style.
Embury noted that it was much easier to win concessions from the local police union.
]]>The North Kingstown Town Council bargained in bad faith with local fire fighters when it imposed 24 hour shifts without negotiations, according to a leaked decision by the state Labor Relations Board. Town Council President and Labor Relations Board member Liz Dolan confirmed the leak to NK Patch this morning saying, “From the town’s perspective, we were totally expecting this.”
The NK Town Council imposed 24 hour shifts on the fire fighters after they were unable to negotiate a new contract with them. Dolan told Patch the Council had the authority to do so under the Town Charter. She also said it is rare that the Labor Relations Board is overturned. Dolan recused herself from the Labor Relations Board vote.
“We will appeal it and we will ask the District Court judge for a stay,” she told Patch.
North Kingstown, a middle class suburb with traditionally very contentious local politics, has taken a decidedly anti-organized labor approach to balancing its budget. Last summer, the School Committee outsourced its custodial staff to a private company from Tennessee. The custodians have re-organized as a collective bargaining unit, and it is still unclear if the switch will save money.
NK also hired infamous anti-labor lawyer Dan Kinder to act as its legal counsel. Kinder is best known for successfully defending East Providence against allegations that its cost-cutting measures violated collective bargaining agreements, but he cost the taxpayers of EP more than a million dollars in doing so.
The 24-hour schedule for fire fighters would mean an additional 728 hours a year along with an average $5 an hour pay cut. The fire fighters, who had agreed to less severe pay cuts, are seeking $1.4 million in damages from the town.
Last week fire fighter and union president Ray Furtado tweeted, “Through July 23, 2013, amount of unpaid wages to @NK_Fire members nearing $2.1 million due to Unfair Labor Practice (ULP) @IAFFNewsDesk.”
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