Wednesday, April 4, 2012

Call 12 = Call CEA

Tonight's WWBT (NBC) Channel 12 newscasts (from 5:00 to 6:30pm) will feature questions from the public on preparing students for the SOL tests as part of the station's "Call 12" initiative. I will be part of the panel along with the other Richmond Metro Area presidents of our local "teachers' unions," providing another resource for helping families improve educational opportunities for their children. ~FC

Monday, April 2, 2012

Pension Protection Coalition Press Conference: VETO HB1130/SB498


After the success that we had in pushing HB 576 back to committee, we ran into the major problem of what the House and Senate did in the closing hours of the 2012 General Assembly session to the Virginia Retirement System.

The VEA has been working closely with our partners in the Pension Protection Coalition—a group made up of Virginia firefighters, retired teachers, the AFL-CIO, the Commonwealth Institute—to sort through the implications of that sweeping and damaging “pension reform.”   

Below are snippets (posted to YouTube) by the leaders of the Pension Protection Coalition from the joint press conference held this past Thursday.  All of the Coalition members are sharing the same call to action: Contact the Governor and ask him to VETO Joint Conference Report HB1130/SB498.  Please call (804) 786-2211, and email via  http://www.governor.virginia.gov/AboutTheGovernor/contactGovernor.cfm today and everyday until the matter is resolved.

Dr. Kitty Boitnott, Virginia Education Association President 
Kitty Boitnott responds to a question about why citizens should care that public employees are being negatively impacted by this legislative change.
Jennifer McClellan, Virginia Delegate (House District 71) 
Del. Jennifer McClellan highlights how the conference report of HB1130/SB498--dealing with significant changes to the pension system--was rushed to vote.
Michael Mohler, Virginia Professional Fire Fighters President 
Michael Mohler speaks to the sacrifices that public employees have made in return for modest salaries and a modest pension.
Robley Jones, VEA Government Relations Director 
Rob Jones clarifies that the conference bill the GA approved in the waning hours of session flies in the face of JLARC's recommendations in dealing with the VRS.
Michael Cassidy, Commonwealth Institute President and CEO 
Michael Cassidy addresses questions about the economic impact of drastically changing the VRS benefits structure, not just to retirees themselves, but to the larger economic framework of Virginia. 

Please call Governor McDonnell at (804) 786-2211, 
and ask him to VETO Joint Conference Report HB1130/SB498 
out of respect for Virginia's retired public servants.