My name is Meme Edwards. I have worked for General Motors in Michigan for more than two decades, but right now I'm on strike along with tens of thousands of colleagues from 70 facilities in 19 states. Let me tell you why I know General Motors is a special place that can do better. I met my husband working at this plant. We raised our daughters and bought a home in the time we've been here. We have been able to make a stable, middle class living through this work. But General Motors isn't keeping up with the times, and workers are getting left behind. For instance, there's an increased reliance on "permatemps," workers who are not given the benefits of full-time employees even though they work just as hard. Let's be honest here. General Motors made billions of dollars in profits last year. We build the products that made those profits possible. We're just asking for a fair share based on all that General Motors workers do for the company and the American public. GM needs to come to the table in good faith and negotiate an equitable contract. Whether you are a union member, supportive friends and family, or a concerned member of the public, we hope you sign this petition to support hard working American families.

DNLR proposed a bill that significantly increases the slip fees in all the State of Hawaii Boat Harbors. The bill was approved by the Land Board and Governor Ige in August, to take effect November 1, 2019. One aspect of the bill is quite expensive and unfair to boaters. Until now, boaters have been charged by the length of their boat, but the new legislation allows the harbor to charge for the maximum length of the dock, which in some cases can be 9 feet of 'airspace.' We are asking the Governor to intervene and order the DNLR to charge the new fee according to the size of the boat. Then, in the upcoming year, DNLR can work on the legislation to abolish the size categories (within the harbor). Boaters who want to move to shorter slips are NOT currently allowed to do so because it would upset the waitlist, which is approximately 5 years. Charging by the 'length of the dock' puts an extra financial burden on the smallest boats. The size 'Category' system used for the waitlist and placement of boats in the harbor should be abandoned. Each size 'Category' is 10 feet in length so the boats with lengths on the cusp of categories will be paying for 'airspace'. This aspect of the rate increase was not fully thought out by the boating division. DNLR-Boating administrators have suggested that people in this situation 'move to shorter dock', yet the Harbormaster says we must reapply and wait potentially 5 years for a smaller slip. Please start the new fee using the established 'per foot of boat length' as each boat has already been measured. Do not use the length of the dock for pricing. We are asking Governor Ige to make the emergency provision regarding this matter during the 'grace period' between the signing of the law and before the new fees take effect, November 1, 2019. For example, I have an O'Day 35 sailboat in a 'Category C' slip. (The base rate does not include Dock Box, Bathroom Keys, Taxes, Electricity, or proof of Insurance.) My current Base rate per month is $253.00 My New November 1 rate based on the length of my boat would be $468.00 My New November 1 rate based on the length of my dock could be $ 585.00 depending on how the dock is measured. The current dock permittees have not been notified in writing what their exact individual dock measurements are. The harbor agents are still measuring the docks and can't give exact individual bill amounts yet. We do not know exactly what will be charged on November 1, 2019. Staying with the per foot of BOAT length is a better way the start the new fee. Mahalo.

It’s a great place to eat. I don’t know why this has not happened already. Many of us would enjoy to have it around.

We are hoping to save lives, jobs, and emergency response times by having an under or overpass built in our town.

Wellesley College is currently in contract negotiations with IMSEUA, Wellesley’s labor union for food service workers, custodians, grounds people, tradespeople and many others. The Wellesley administration is proposing a set of disturbing and anti-worker contract terms, including: 1. 15% pay cuts to new employees in dining. This is the lowest paid, most diverse, and most female group in the Union. These pay cuts would mean new employees coming would earn less in inflation-adjusted dollars than new employees in the early 90’s. These cuts would mean that a lot of new employees will not be earning a living wage (as a base wage) if they have kids or other dependents. By trying to set current union-represented employees against their future coworkers, the Wellesley administration attempts to undermine the union through the creation of a two-tier system. This ignores the solidarity and care for one's fellow workers that are at the heart of unionism. 2. Cuts to leadership positions within the Union with lower rates for new employees who would hold these positions. These are positions that people spend years working toward. The cuts would put Lead Custodian and Head Groundskeeper below early 90’s levels when adjusted for inflation. 3. Reductions in what counts as overtime. They would like that most paid time off not be counted toward overtime. If you call out sick or at a funeral, and come in and work 16 hours the next day you will not get overtime. This includes vacation, personal time and Jury duty. The workers represented by IMSEUA are an integral part of the Wellesley community. Foodservice workers, for example, go above and beyond the duties described in their job descriptions to support students and create a sense of community on campus, particularly for minority, low-income, first-generation, and other students who need that support the most. The administration’s proposed contract terms also betray the values of the Wellesley community. Dining workers are the lowest paid, most diverse, and most female group in the Union. In the past thirty years, every woman newly hired into a Union position, with one exception, was hired into one of these dining positions. The proposed cuts would only widen the already significant pay gap between male and female Union employees. This undermines our community’s cherished feminist commitments. The administration’s proposal to cut leadership positions within the Union and pay new workers in those positions less is also shocking, coming from an institution which claims to value and support women’s leadership. This disrespectful treatment of IMSEUA in recent contract negotiations is part of a larger anti-worker agenda that the Wellesley administration seems to have adopted in recent years. Two years ago the College proposed to eliminate several union jobs at the Greenhouse and replace these positions with non-union workers, a move which would have pushed beloved Greenhouse staff members into lower-paid jobs requiring far different skill sets right before retirement. We demand that the Wellesley administration reverse this trend and adopt pro-worker values which treat all campus employees with dignity and respect, as equal members of our community.

On August 20th, Members of the executive board of CWA 1168 conducted a series of concerning votes. In addition to always pushing the local for more member participation and decision-making, Patrick Weisansal has fought for open bargaining for the last 2 contracts. Open bargaining means inviting members to bargaining sessions so that any member can sit in the bargaining room and see and hear what is happening live. During this bargaining, Patrick was always pushing for more updates and more member participation. He felt that members should know day to day what was happening at the bargaining table. Unfortunately, much of the executive board did not support this. Patrick has been fired from his position as Organizing Director at the local. Mary Nowocien has also been fighting for open bargaining and more transparency and participation of members during bargaining. She runs a program to reach out to all new members to welcome them to CWA, see how they are, and serve as a mentor for our new members. She also was a vocal supporter of open bargaining, brought in new stewards, and involved/educated rank and file members as mobilizers/organizers. Mary also vocalized her opinion on the contract especially on the lump sum bonus and changes in language. Mary has been fired from her position as New Hire Committee Chair. Mary and Patrick are leaders in a national initiative through our national union called CWA Strong. This is a program that encourages member participation and wins with members leading the fight. Some of the executive board suspended funding for this project that our membership voted on and fired the facilitator from the trainings. This project has been in place and moving forward for over a year. A couple of examples of CWA Strong initiatives: - Staffing letter. A group of CWA members communicated with members throughout Buffalo General to gather their staffing issues and bring them to management in a meeting in the spring. This was leading up to bargaining and was to prepare us for the fight to take Kaleida Health on for better staffing. - When members came out strong against uniform color rules, CWA Strong and Patrick led a fight to and deliver a pile of petitions and won. This was a big win and made news. - Mary Nowocien led a fight against the closing and cutting of the cafeteria hours at DeGraff and won from working closely with the workers affected and including them in the fight. - The New Hire Committee that worked with new CWA members to welcome them to their new position, support, and mentor them through their probationary period. - Pennies for Evelyn: when Kaleida wanted to take away a pay differential for a longtime lower wage union member, CWA Strong made sure she didn’t lose her differential. We, the undersigned, are against the firing of Patrick Weisansal, Mary Nowocien, and the cutting off of the CWA Strong Program. Instead, we believe in the following principles: - Fighting for issues that are deeply and widely felt by members. - Putting the issues that are widely and deeply felt above the relationships of union leaders and management - “Nothing about us, without us”. Members affected by a particular working condition get the biggest say in how and when it is fixed or changed - including total transparency around bargaining and the inner workings of our union. - No more two-tiered systems. We won’t sell younger or newer workers out for the benefit of any other members. It is unacceptable for union leaders to fire their fellow members for being outspoken and wanting to do things differently. We wouldn’t allow the employer to do it and we can’t let our own local. Initiated by the following executive board, special directors and bargaining committee members, Cori Gambini - President - CWA Local 1168 Sarah Buckley - Legislative & Political Action Director, CWA 1168, Millard Fillmore Registered Nurse Michele Murray - Area Vice-President, Buffalo General Hospital, Technical, Clinical, Clerical Bargaining Unit Nadine LaFalce - Area Vice-President, Millard Fillmore Hospital Technical, Clinical, Clerical Bargaining Unit Myriah Kin - Chief Steward, Bargaining Committee Member, BGH, Technical, Clinical, Clerical Elaine Morley - Chief Steward, Bargaining Committee Member, Buffalo General Hospital Registered Nurses Frank Jurgens - Chief Steward, Bargaining Committee Member, MFS, Technical, Clinical, Clerical Denise Abbott - Healthy & Safety Director, CWA 1168, DeGraff Memorial Hospital Registered Nurse Kim Kornowski - Steward, Bargaining Committee Member, Millard Fillmore Hospital Registered Nurses Mary Nowocien - Chief Steward, Bargaining Committee Member, DeGraff, Technical, Clinical, Clerical, Service Former Chairperson for the New Hire Committee Patrick Weisansal II - Former Mobilizing and Organizing Director, CWA Local 1168

This is about UNFAIR TAXATION and, as a hybrid owner, this definitely affects me.

The Trump Administration's Department of Labor just posted harmful regulatory changes in the Federal Register that would drastically reduce wages and job opportunities for US workers and protections for workers on H2A visas. The 489 pages of complex regulations announced by the Trump Administration would devastate protections for all farm workers and we must keep them from rolling out. The public comment period has just opened and will be open until September 24. Please help us do all we can to make sure these changed regulations do not go in effect by taking action today. Please sign and add personalized comments to your signature as personalized comments get a better response.

Lake Associations throughout NJ have relied upon PREDFDA (Planned Real Estate Development Full Disclosure Act) to help meet the rising cost of maintenance issues for lakes and dams. Amendment A5043/S3661 will gut the law and make it impossible to maintain over 180 dams in more than 1000 lakes. Majority of these dams and lakes are maintained by private Lake Associations. Without all residents paying a fair share, these dams and lakes will fall into disrepair and eutrophication. Dam disrepair could put property and people's lives at risk , and the lakes could become an environmental nightmare. Eventually the taxpayers will be on the hook for the remediation. Governor Murphy Veto these amendments and set up a committee of experts to evaluate what neglect of these lakes will cause. PS. Thanks to your efforts with emails and phone calls A5043 was conditionally vetoed and left to expire. We now have a new nemesis even more cruel to the lake environments. This bill is A2480/S908. We must start this fight all over again with letters and phone calls if we want to save our lakes! Call your Assembly and state Senators and of course Gov. Murphy 609-292-6000.

Guaranteed basic income has been demonstrated to be an incredibly effective method of alleviating poverty and many ancillary problems associated with poverty. UBI is also a powerful tool in the fight for social and racial justice. Lastly, UBI is good for the economy.

Waiting tables is an extremely involved job. It requires more than what meets the eye as the general public has very little idea of what it entails. It’s extremely demanding and people can be so rude, they act as if they are the only person in the restaurant. The idea that the customer is always right is a fallacy that allows this behavior. It should be within reason of course to receive the best service, however often times people take things out on the server that is out of their hands such as the kitchen’s mistakes. A bad tip takes away from a good tip and when you’re forced to pay 3% of your sales to hosts, bussers, and bartenders a 20% tip is already a 17% tip. To do a job where you are constantly moving for 8 hours, never sitting down, hot, sweaty , rude people and you still have to smile is a performance that is NOT easy. People will sit in your section and take their time to order an appetizer and water, spend 1 .5 hours in the seat playing on their phone on a Saturday night. Not realizing the window a server has to make their money is about 3 hours and we do this by flipping our tables, so tipping by percent then is really a slap in the face. Also the federal government taking away gratuity for large parties really cut our income by a 1/3 . Same thing a large party takes up your whole section so let’s say they stay 3 hours and don’t tip, you actually end up paying for their food, losing money. If the kitchen messes up, the food is comped but there’s no recourse or respect to servers time or compensation. In order to balance this out servers should at least make 6$ hour or minimum wage . I feel the time that corporate restaurants not paying their staff and using servers to pay with their hard earned money needs to end . I’m waiting on change !!!!!!

Recently when several workers at the UCLA Green lab inquired about establishing equitable pay scales for all of the employees at the lab, management's response to the meeting request was to fire, the day after the request was made, a woman who was thought to have organized the group. Though this reaction is appalling in any workplace, it is exceptionally disgusting when it takes place at a public institution which is tasked with studying and helping those with mental illness and the known link of hostile work conditions with causing mental illness (study link below). You can’t be of true service to the study & care of those with mental illness if you help create conditions that can cause it. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1757742/pdf/v056p00302.pdf