Brothers and Sisters,
"It's Friday. And it's pay day for many of you working for the Commonwealth. But, I realize that many of you are opening up that paycheck not with excitement, but with dread. You came to work. You did your job. Yet somehow your hours worked will be greater than your hours paid. This is an emotional time for all of us, but brothers and sisters, you are not alone.
Pictures from across the state are still coming into my office from our statewide Day of Action held Tuesday. Take time to look at this slide show from activists across the state and this slide show from activists at your capitol and know that you are not alone. Know that AFSCME has been doing everything we legally can to stop this. And know that today AFSCME has filed a Class Action grievance against the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania for withholding your pay!
Your representatives at Council 13 are doing everything we possibly can to keep you informed, to get our message out and to get a budget passed. But, we are not at the bargaining table. Our lawyers have filed every viable lawsuit regarding the use of state employees as annual hostages. The PA Supreme Court will not hear our case until September. This is not negotiable. We were able to prevent contract concessions and rolling furloughs (which would have meant no pay at all). But the governor has decided because of the Pennsylvania Constitution that he cannot pay you with no budget signed.
We have kept this website updated on a daily, sometimes hourly basis. I talk to reporters every day. I lead a rally on the capitol steps where 600 activists came together in protest. But we need your help!
Now that you have received a partial paycheck, call the U.S. Dept. of Labor numbers PROVIDED ON THIS WEBSITE to file a FLSA complaint. Go to the the E-Activist Link PROVIDED ON THIS WEBSITE to plead your case directly to your legislators in less than a minute. Contact your local media and talk to them about what a payless payday means to you and your family -- they want to hear from you. Keep wearing your orange armbands in protest, keep breaking out on your lunch hour to be heard, keep writing letters to the editor and KEEP CALLING YOUR LEGISLATORS!
Some members have said we should go on 'strike'. First, it is illegal as you are still under contract. That is a very important point. All of your contractual issued benefits, including the grievance procedure, are in full force and effect during this ridiculous impasse. Also, a 'strike' would play into the hands of the politicians as they WOULD NOT pay you, and they would keep you out to save money. As repulsive and unnecessary this budget impasse is, you will get all your money back to July 1.
It's been a very stressful couple of months leading up to this day. Tempers are short. Frustration is an understatement. But, brothers and sisters, we will get through this and, unlike many workers across this nation, you will get paid when this budget is signed and you will get paid with the 3% increase guaranteed by the contract AFSCME negotiated for you...the contract I refused to let this governor open for concessions!
In solidarity,
David R. Fillman
Executive Director
AFSCME Council 13
