News, Notes & Observations collected while covering the Western New York Labor Community over the past several days:

Now that the ambitious UB 20/20 program has been redefined as UB 20/30, there’s more than enough time for all involved – including the University at Buffalo, the Buffalo Building & Construction Trades Council, the United University Professions (UUP) and several other Labor organizations – to sit down at the table and get on the same page in order to move the project forward.  While the Building Trades Unions got firmly behind the then-UB 20/20 project – which ultimately means putting hundreds of Western New York Construction workers to work doing what they do best – UUP and others had major problems with the overall plan, with some claiming it would have given the right to UB on whether or not future UB educational hires would be Union-Represented or not.  Throw in a number of differences of opinion regarding increases in student tuition and there’s certainly enough to be discussed, fine-tuned and then supported as all those who have a stake in its future come together and really work together to make the project reality.  All should know that once you shed the egos, the personalities and the politics – if that can really and truly be done here in Western New York – and come to the table with a united agenda that can work for all, then UB 20/30 can and will become reality in a form that will truly benefit all who are involved.  But if the current situation continues where one is excluded or one is pitted against another – then in the end, nothing will happen.  And haven’t we’ve seen too much of that over the years across Western New York?

And speaking of things not happening, was it just me or was it very strange to see Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown and local developer and Republican Gubernatorial Candidate Carl Paladino lined up shoulder-to-shoulder this past week – along with Buffalo Sabres official Larry Quinn – and working together to put pressure on the City of Buffalo Common Council to move quickly in order to make sure that a parking lot in front of HSBC Arena was secured for HSBC Bank, with the hope Buffalo can ultimately save several thousand jobs as the bank ponders a decision whether to stay or leave.  After Bass Pro said no go to Buffalo Congressman Brian Higgins’ ultimatum to finally make up their mind after nine years of waiting and building that dangled mega-store at the old Memorial Auditorium site in front of the entire Western New York Community for far too long, the HBSC situation literally materialized out of thin air right afterward – which caused this strange group of heavy political hitters to come together, and – once again – paint a picture of doom and gloom if the Council did not do what they wanted.  In the process, some pretty harsh and insulting words were delivered by Quinn and Mayor Brown, including the mayor scolding the Council for “not working together” with his office to get the land transfer/sale done is a more appropriate manner.  After watching this embarrassing political/community theater play out in numerous television reports – as well as a subsequent newspaper report on the mayor’s PR guy spewing obscenities at a local businessman who was part of a local lawsuit that attempted to stop the Bass Pro process – it should have left this community with more than just a sick feeling in the pit of our collective stomach.  The threats, the insults, harsh words and the all-to-familiar rhetoric that we have all become soooo tired of continues to drive this area down into a hole.  I won’t further tick people off by listing what’s not happened over the past several decades on Buffalo’s Waterfront, but there’s a true need to begin to weed out and altogether remove and/or banish those who have personal agendas of benefit in these efforts where great amounts of public assistance is being offered.  It truly was ludicrous to watch Mayor Brown – on TV – lambaste the Common Council for not working together.  Looking back, this mayor and his staff have literally done what they wanted over the years without looking to involve others who not only have a stake in the process, but have been elected in a system of checks-and-balances to make sure things do happen and truly benefit all.  And, when you boil this down to the bottom of the pot, it really shows how this area’s infrastructure of electeds and so-called power brokers have not been able to do what is best for the Western New York Community.  There’s too much tug-and-pull and holding onto one’s own turf.  And, there’s not too many of us out here who truly believe the current colors can be changed.  But the only way that Buffalo and Western New York may truly pull its own dinosauric feet out of a continually deepening tar pit and move forward is for those whose tax dollars are being used for these massive projects get involved themselves.  You need to come out, attend hearings and speak your mind.  You need to scream loudly.  We all need to hold these public officials publicly accountable, regardless of being screamed at and left to contemplate fear of retribution down the line – especially if you’re doing business with the City of Buffalo.  The thing is – it will make a difference.  Our sleeping giant – the Working Class of Western New York, both Union and non, as well a Young Unionists – must be awaken.  Labor Unions can do that by communicating and educating its collective150,000 members across Western New York and motivating to get them involved, and I’m talking about much, much more than just taking part in yearly elections.  If we don’t, the prognosis for a bright and rosy future that we deserve will never be seen.

Speaking of politics, WNYLaborToday.com recently sat down with Working Families Party/Western New York Chapter Chairman Jim Lakeman of the United Auto Workers.  During our interview, Lakeman singled out candidate Brad Rybczynski, who is running in the 146th Assembly District.  Lakeman said, in so many words: “This is the one candidate that I think all of Organized Labor should get behind in this year’s election.”  Rybczynski, who once served as executive director of the Buffalo Building & Construction Trades Council, has been gaining steam in his run for the Assembly on the theme of Bringing Your Voice To Albany.  Rybczynski informs WNYLaborToday.com his support and endorsement list is growing and now includes: The New York League of Conservation Voters; The Working Families Party; The United Food and Commercial Workers; Cement Masons Local 111; Bricklayers Local 3; International Union of Operating Engineers Local 17; Buffalo Professional Firefighters Local 282; The Buffalo Building Trades Council; AFSCME 650; Elevator Constructors Local 14; Painters District Council 4; Boilermakers Local 7; Sprinklerfitters Local 669; The Communications Workers of America; Teamsters Joint Council No. 46; United Auto Workers Region 9; Laborers Local 210; and CSEA Local 1000.  In addition, Rybczynski has been recommended by the Western New York AFL-CIO Area Labor Federation to the New York State AFL-CIO for endorsement.

WNYLaborToday.com, meanwhile, will travel to Williamson, New York on Monday to report on the on-going strike by 300 Unionized manufacturing workers at the Dr. Pepper/Snapple-owned Mott’s plant just outside Rochester.  The strike by workers represented by the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union (RWDSU)/United Food & Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 220 has become the latest poster child across our Nation for what’s wrong with American business and the out-of-control and spiraling greed of management.  Over the past couple of months, WNYLaborToday.com has continued to report on the strike by workers after company executives demanded a $1.50-per-hour wage cut and reductions in their Health Care benefits as Mott's - a subsidiary of the Dr. Pepper/Snapple Group, which just enjoyed a record year of $555 million in profits.  WNYLaborToday.com, meanwhile, has reported that 10 of the 300 striking workers at the Mott's plant are also battling cancer and are dealing with an uncertain future regarding their Health Care coverage and treatment that can cost upwards of $10,000 a month.  Your Regional, On-Line Labor Newspaper, which hopes to also speak to some of those workers who are battling cancer while walking the picket line, will also be taking our Labor Video News Team with us and will both publish and post a print story and video news report on WNYLaborToday.com later this week.

WNYLaborToday.com hopes our viewers/readers saw the following story that appeared on our On-Line Labor Newspaper last week, headlined: Meeting With The National AFL-CIO Executive Council, President Obama Says: “If I Was A Worker In A Factory And I Wanted To Improve My Life, I Would Join A Union.”  For those who did not, here’s what happened; After President Obama finished delivering his speech to the National AFL-CIO Executive Council yesterday in Washington, AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka asked the president the following question:  “We’re going into a Congressional Election three months from today and I think it’s fair to say that workers’ hopes for Congressional action to protect Workers’ Rights and to create jobs have been frustrated by a Republican minority that has filibustered every matter in front of them - every single thing that’s been good for us.  I just want to ask you, what advice do you have for workers as the election approaches, particularly for workers who are trying to organize to have a voice on the job?”  President Obama’s responded: “Well, you guys don’t need advice from me, but let me tell you what I see out there.  We were hurt by this recession, badly hurt.  This is going to take some time to recover.  Unemployment is at unacceptably high levels.  But as I said before, we’d had challenges before the crisis hit.  A lot of your membership had been hurting long before, partly because we just live in a more competitive world.  There’s nothing we can do about that, that’s just the truth.  But a lot of it also had to do with the fact that we put policies in place that were not good for Working Families.  There’s a reason why incomes, wages, were stagnant for average workers, even while the costs were going up.  And part of it had to do with the fact that we had a philosophy that said that providing help to workers, allowing them to collectively bargain, allowing them to negotiate for better benefits, that that all was something of the past instead of something we need for the future.  So on one hand, I think everybody here understands we’ve got to be competitive in America.  We’ve got to have competitive price structures.  We’ve got to make the best products possible.  Workers have to be invested in trying to help the companies they work for succeed.  With respect to public employees, we’ve all got to work together to make sure that whatever we’re doing, whether it’s as firefighters or as teachers or postal workers, whatever it is, that we’re providing the best possible service.  I think everybody understands that there’s no operation in the United States of America that shouldn’t be efficient and effective in doing what it does.  But it is my profound belief that companies are stronger when their workers are getting paid well and have decent benefits and are treated with dignity and respect. It is my profound belief that our government works best when it’s not being run on behalf of special interests, but its being run on behalf of the public interest, and that the dedication of public servants reflects that.  So FDR (President Franklin Roosevelt) I think said - he was asked once what he thought about Unions.  He said, “If I was a worker in a factory and I wanted to improve my life, I would join a Union.”  Well, I tell you what.  I think that’s true for workers generally.  I think if I was a coal miner, I’d want a Union representing me to make sure that I was safe and you did not have some of the tragedies that we’ve been seeing in the coal industry.  If I was a teacher, I’d want a Union to make sure that the teachers’ perspective was represented as we think about shaping an education system for our future.  And that’s why my administration has consistently implemented not just legislative strategies but also, where we have the power through executive orders, to make sure that those basic values are reflected.”  WNYLaborToday.com hopes the National AFL-CIO continues to capitalize on what the president said in the weeks and months to come as it continues its march to organize the unorganized and make a difference for all Working People in the upcoming elections.

And a reminder from the Coalition for Economic Justice (CEJ): Remember The Strike for Justice - Bowl for a Good Cause.  The CEJ will hold its annual Strike for Justice bowling event on Saturday, August 14th from 7-to-9 p.m. at Kenmore Lanes.  Cost is $15/person or $50 for a team of four.  Whether fighting to reform Industrial Development Agencies at the state level or to ensure a real return on the public investment in Buffalo's waterfront development, proceeds from this year's CEJ fundraising event will support the organization’s ongoing accountable development work.  For more information and registration forms are available by calling CEJ directly at 716-892-5877.