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

It was disturbing watching news reports of the Tea Party rally that was held in Washington, D.C. on Saturday, which was hosted by FOX Commentator Glenn Beck and featured Sarah Palin as its main speaker.  Billed as a “Restoring Honor” rally, the event reportedly drew a crowd of about 100,000 - who were mostly white - and unfortunately fell on the anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King’s “I Have A Dream” speech that was delivered on the same steps of the Lincoln Memorial.  Look – I think we all get it.  These people are upset.  They don’t like the fact we have high unemployment.  Nobody does.  They don’t like the fact the Federal Government bailed out the Automakers and Wall Street.  But, if Washington hadn’t – we’d be in an even bigger hole that the one where we are now – compliments of George Bush and the GOP.  Okay, I understand that they don’t like the guy in the White House who’s running the show.  Yeah, yeah – They’re all mad as hell and aren’t going to take it anymore!  By the way, where have we – in Western New York – heard that one before?  Does the name Carl ring a bell?  But once you cut through all the rhetoric and all that screaming and fist-pumping, what remains is the Tea Party movement in devoid of ethnicity and culture.  Tell me, where are the African-Americans?  Where are the Hispanics?  Where are the Asians?  And for that matter, where’s the Middle Class?  I don’t know about you, but how many Middle-Class, Working Americans could have dropped what they were doing, leave their jobs and travel to Washington to listen to Beck – who’s got more people testifying that he’s a true nut case and who reportedly had a major drug problem years ago – and Palin (who I am continually having a very hard time understanding why so many Americans are dazzled by what comes out of her mouth because there’s nothing of substance there)?  Those that attended this Beck Event must have had the time – as well as the money – to get up off their best intentions in order to travel to Washington and blow off some steam.  But I ask you, how many Hard-Working Middle-Class Americans do you know that can do that?  Personally, I don’t know of too many nowadays.  And they say they represent Hard-Working Americans across our country?  C’mon - Gimme a break.  Then just today, The New York Times (www.nytimes.com/2010/08/29/opinion/29rich.html) ran an interesting Op-Ed piece that detailed several billionaires – including Rupert Murdoch and Brothers David and Charles Koch – who are bankrolling the Tea Party behind-the-scenes.  Why?  Writes the article’s author – Frank Rich: “The Koch brothers must be laughing all the way to the bank knowing that working Americans are aiding and abetting their selfish interests.”  It’s not a surprise those with the greatest amounts of money don’t like what’s going on and will do anything to get back to their good old days of a Republican-led Washington.  After all, this is not about doing what’s right for Middle-Class Americans.  If it was - it would be about helping people with a hand up and not a hand out, and it certainly would be about bringing people together more than it being pushing people apart.  Just ask those African-Americans who held their own march in Washington yesterday in response to Beck’s claim of the need to recapture the essence of the Civil Rights Movement in this country.  What this is doing is working to further polarize our Nation, and we cannot afford to become even more polarized than we currently are.  There are even tougher days ahead and if we’re truly going to weather this storm and return all to prosperity, we must all be pulling the same rope.  That’s why Organized Labor and a multitude of community organizations from across the country are coming together for the One Nation March on Washington that will take place on October 2nd.  Already, more than 20 buses from Western New York and Rochester have been lined up by area Unionists in order to take part in what will truly become a historic event – not to be compared to a rally on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial that’s hosted by a pseudo television personality, who – by the way – is making a hell of a lot more money than the average and everyday Working American.  WNYLaborToday.com will report on the One Nation March later this week, interviewing several local Labor Leaders who will tell you that everyone deserves the opportunity to achieve the American Dream – a secure job, a safe home and quality education – and the need to come together in order to stand up to those in the Financial Community, including the Rupert Murdochs and Koch Brothers of world.  As stated on the onenationworkingtogether.org website: In this time of economic crisis, it is easy for fear-mongerers to pit groups against each other and to find convenient scapegoats for the problems that plague us.  ONE NATION seeks to transcend our superficial differences and bring us together in a common quest for equal opportunity and justice for all.

I don’t know if you read the article in The Buffalo News during the week, but Erie County is making more Working Families eligible for child care subsidies after having cut hundreds out of the program earlier this year.  This is what The News reported:

As recently as 2009, Erie County allowed child care subsidies for families earning up to 200% of the poverty level.  But the Social Services Department cut that back to 125% at the start of this year because state aid for the program had declined.  County officials expanded their program again because they have learned Albany will send along $6 million more in the state's current budget year.  The state Office of Children and Family Services announced the new allocations August 13th.  "While our allocation was delayed by the elongated state budget process, the increase in funding for this critical service allows us to support families who are working toward independence," Social Services Commissioner Carol Dankert said. "Providing child care subsidies to the working poor is an important component of helping them become more self-sufficient."  Dankert was unable to estimate Monday how many more families might now be eligible.  Many of those who were shut out of the program early this year made other arrangements and may not want to change them, she said.  Some 1,100 children from almost 700 working-poor families were affected when eligibility went from 200% to 125% of the poverty level.  At the time, Dankert and County Executive Chris Collins explained they had to spend less because the state was providing less and the County's program was running a deficit.  With the program still running a deficit weeks later, they stopped taking new applications for a time.  The actions by the Collins Administration fueled emotional protests as disqualified recipients said they were being forced to consider the welfare rolls. Child care subsidies were still flowing to families already on welfare.  Further fueling the anger, Collins had cut the program for the working poor even when his government, serving one of the nation's poorest cities, was receiving tens of millions of dollars in federal stimulus aid.  The group VOICE-Buffalo had been among those protesting Collins' decision months ago and urging him to change course.

It was interesting that announcement was made after The News ran an extremely flattering piece on Erie County Executive Collins’ wife – Mary – in last Sunday’s edition.  Among other things, it detailed Mary Collins’ ballroom dancing lessons and the Collins’ $1 million, 6,000-square-foot home in the ritzy, exclusive and suburban Spaulding Lake development in Clarence.  “She’s a Laura Bush –but with a lot more style,” said a close friend of the couple, Jane L. Corwin, who was their neighbor for many years and is now a (Republican) state assemblywoman – The News story stated. 

A couple of days later, the following Letter to the Editor, which was headlined, What exactly was the point of article on Mrs. Collins?, appeared in The News.  It was authored by Mary Privatera of Grand Island and read: After reading “Mary Collins steps up,” I wondered why this article was put in The News.  In this bad economy - especially Buffalo, where people are losing their jobs and homes, and families are being torn apart because of hard times - the public has to hear how Collins received a 3.5- carat diamond and then traded it in for a 10-carat diamond and that she lives in Spaulding Lake.  How wonderful that there are people who can enjoy that luxury, but why is that important?  The article was fluff and in these times I cannot even believe that someone can justify printing it.  I would have appreciated an article about the mother in Darien Center who has nine natural children, two adopted children and has been a foster mother for 19 years.  She lost her husband six years ago and on July 29, she lost her home to a fire.  There were still eight people living in that house at the time of the fire.  That is a human interest story, not someone taking dancing lessons!

It was interesting how these news pieces all followed each other last week and led right into Saturday’s Big Beck Event in Washington – followed by The New York Times piece on just who is pulling the strings - behind-the-scenes - when it comes to the Tea Party.  But once one takes a moment to put some of these pieces together – anyone can begin to get a clearer picture as to where those who have both money and power want to herd Working People.  So, take the time to educate yourself to what is truly going on and make a decision to involve yourself in One Nation, which unites so many in comparison to so few. 

Over the past several days a number of Labor Organizations and Unions have reached out to WNYLaborToday.com to make the Western New York Labor Community aware of and to remind us all of the following and upcoming events.  So please note the following and mark your calendars:

Buffalo Professional Firefighters Association Local 282 is hosting a fundraiser on September 1st at the City Tavern - located at 51 West Chippewa Street in downtown Buffalo from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. - to help to defray the cost of travel and accommodations to Colorado Springs, Colorado, for the families of fallen firefighters Lt. Charles “Chip” McCarthy and Firefighter Jonathan Croom.  The families of both men will be attending the September 11th ceremony that will add their names to the National Fallen Fire Fighters Memorial.  Firefighters McCarthy and Croom perished in an East Side blaze August 24th, 2009.  Both men left behind many loving family members, friends and colleagues.  Due to the personal sacrifice and loss of their lives in the performance of their duty to protect life and property each of them will be remembered and honored in Colorado Springs.  The families will also be recognized during the event.  Also accompanying the families, as tradition dictates, will be two Buffalo Firefighter escorts and four members of the Buffalo Firefighters Honor Guard.  Local 282 welcomes anyone interested in helping to defray the cost of travel and accommodations to join them for the evening to honor and remember both firefighters.  The suggested donation is $20 and may be paid at the door.  If you’re unable to attend and want to make a monetary donation or prize for the raffle, contact Local 282 at 716-856-4130.  Donations may also be mailed to Fallen Firefighters Fundraiser at 255 Delaware Avenue in Buffalo, New York (14202).

The Buffalo AFL-CIO Central Labor Council is expecting to have more than 100 area Labor Unions take part in the 2010 Labor Day Parade on Monday, September 6th in South Buffalo, with recently-retired Labor Leader Bill Greeley serving as its grand marshal.  “The theme of the 2010 Labor Day Parade is ‘Jobs,’” Buffalo AFL-CIO President Michael Hoffert tells WNYLaborToday.com – which is the number one concern facing all Americans – both Union and non.  Thousands of Union Members and their families, as well as Working People from across the board, are expected to be in attendance to celebrate the gains made on behalf of American Workers over the years as the parade kicks off on the corner of Abbott and Stevenson at 12 Noon.  Individual Unions and floats begin lining up at 11 a.m.  The Labor Day picnic will be held in Cazenovia Park at the end of the parade route.  Prior to this year’s Labor Day Parade, the annual St. Joseph Guild Labor Day Mass - sponsored by the St. Joseph Guild - will be held at 9 a.m. at the St. Joseph The Worker Shrine, which is located at St. Thomas Aquinas Church at 450 Abbott Road.  Those attending the Mass are invited to bring their tools of their trade (pencils, keyboards, trowels, hammers, axes, etc) for blessing.  Immediately following the Mass, coffee and doughnuts will be served in the parish hall.  A collection, meanwhile, will be taken up at the St. Joseph Guild Labor Day Mass to help defray the mounting costs incurred by the Stone Family.  The son of Western New York Union Member Christopher Stone - Nick - lost his left leg and suffered severe damage to his right leg while serving his country in Afghanistan.  Nick is currently recovering from his injuries at the Walter Reed Medical Hospital in Washington, D.C.

The Niagara-Orleans Labor Council will host a presentation for the Western New York Labor Community entitled: How to Win Past Practice Grievances, which will be delivered by Buffalo Labor Attorney Cathy Creighton on Wednesday, September 15th, at 5:30 p.m. at the United Auto Workers Local 686 Union Hall at 524 Walnut Street in Lockport.  A handbook will be provided to all who attend.  Refreshments will also be served.  Anyone interested must RSVP by Friday September 10th and can do so by contacting Niagara-Orleans CLC Community Services Liaison Bill Jakobi at 716-285-8461 or via e-mail at bill@uwgn.org

And Independent Health Labor will be holding its next scheduled Labor Roundtable Event on Thursday, September 16th.  For more information, contact Independent Health Labor Liaison Maureen Wilk at 716-635-3762 or via e-mail at mwilk@independenthealth.com.  The Independent Health Labor Roundtable Events are open to all within the Western New York Labor Community, whether or not your Union is affiliated with Independent Health.  Over the course of time, Independent Health’s Labor Roundtables have been well-attended by a variety of local Labor Leaders, as a variety of important and vital information regarding the state of Health Care is presented and offered to by during these meetings.

And finally – WNYLaborToday.com would like to thank Paddock Chevrolet and its President and CEO Duane Paddock for coming aboard as WNYLaborToday.com’s latest advertiser in our Union Mall Section.  Paddock Chevrolet’s Service Department Technicians are United Auto Workers (UAW)-Represented and the Chevy Dealership lays claim to being ranked as the #1 General Motors automotive dealership in the United States.  Paddock spoke passionately during the May 2009, UAW Region 9-sponsored Save America Rally in Lockport, where he challenged all Western New Yorkers to give American/UAW-made cars another chance, and told those attending the rally they will be more than pleasantly surprised by what they see, feel and drive.  Paddock Chevrolet is just the latest advertiser to come aboard WNYLaborToday.com’s Union Mall.  Stay tuned for several more announcements regarding a slew of new advertisers - businesses and companies that offer an array of Union-Represented and Union-Friendly products and serves, as well as American- and –Locally-made products and services - on Your Regional, On-Line Labor Newspaper.