por Christin Brown | 14 de mayo de 2025 | reportaje, Comunicados de prensa
FILADELFIA, PA - 14 de mayo de 2025 - Hoy, el presidente del Comité de Política Demócrata del Senado, Nick Miller, celebró una audiencia para examinar las formas de proteger la infraestructura y la economía de Pensilvania con una mano de obra calificada, protegida y confiable.
"El testimonio que hemos escuchado hoy de las partes interesadas envía un mensaje claro: debemos promulgar políticas fuertes y eficaces para proteger a los trabajadores y garantizar su seguridad", dijo el senador Miller. "El senador Kane, junto con los senadores Tartaglione, L. Williams, y Robinson, están desarrollando activamente la legislación para fortalecer la Ley de Pensilvania sobre la clasificación errónea en el lugar de trabajo de la construcción. Espero con interés apoyar y abogar para proteger a nuestros trabajadores y garantizar la equidad en toda nuestra Commonwealth."
>/div>"Estoy muy agradecido por tener esta conversación en este lugar, una casa sindical construida por gente del sindicato". dijo el Senador Hughes, Presidente Demócrata de Asignaciones del Senado. "Avancemos y hagamos realidad la entrega de más protecciones a los trabajadores".
"Estamos aquí porque todos los trabajadores de Pensilvania merecen un trato justo, un salario justo y condiciones seguras, simple y llanamente", dijo el senador Tartaglione. "He pasado mi carrera luchando por estos valores, y estoy orgulloso de estar con colegas como el senador Miller a medida que avanzamos en la legislación que refleja lo que los trabajadores nos han dicho que necesitan. Con este impulso y la creciente unidad en torno a estos temas, realmente creo que podemos ofrecer un cambio real y duradero."
"La clasificación errónea de los trabajadores cuesta a los contribuyentes de Pensilvania más de 141 millones de dólares al año, pero el coste humano es aún más devastador", dijo el senador Kane. "Esta práctica ilegal priva a los trabajadores de Pensilvania de protecciones básicas como la compensación de los trabajadores, las prestaciones por desempleo y el subsidio por enfermedad. Se trata de familias reales que luchan por llegar a fin de mes cuando se les niegan estas protecciones fundamentales. Con el SB 72, tenemos una oportunidad real de acabar con estas prácticas injustas y garantizar que los trabajadores de Pensilvania reciban el salario, las prestaciones y el respeto que se han ganado". Además del daño a los trabajadores de la construcción, nuestros contribuyentes están siendo estafados. Esto tiene que parar, y no voy a dejar de luchar hasta que consigamos esto ".
"La seguridad de los trabajadores es la seguridad de la comunidad. En todos los sectores, los trabajadores están expuestos a riesgos y peligros que pueden prevenirse, desde jefes que roban salarios mediante clasificaciones erróneas hasta la denegación de derechos colectivos cuando una empresa se dedica a romper sindicatos", dijo el senador Saval. "Basándonos en la historia de Pennsylvania de fuertes protecciones en el lugar de trabajo, podemos y debemos consagrar mecanismos de seguridad para empoderar a todos los trabajadores, dentro y fuera del trabajo."
"Organizarse es una responsabilidad fundamental para proteger a los trabajadores y garantizar la rendición de cuentas a los contribuyentes que los apoyan", dijo el senador Street. "Fue genial escuchar el testimonio de la administración y de las partes interesadas de primera línea que defienden los derechos de los trabajadores todos los días".
Christopher Hallock, Subsecretario del Departamento de Trabajo e Industria de Pensilvania, declaró que se trata de algo más que un problema de los trabajadores.
"Cuando los empresarios clasifican erróneamente a los trabajadores, las empresas respetuosas de la ley sufren porque se ven obligadas a competir en el mercado en condiciones desiguales contra empresarios que eluden las contribuciones al impuesto sobre nóminas, los impuestos de compensación por desempleo, las primas del seguro de compensación de los trabajadores o el pago de horas extraordinarias", declaró Hallock. "Las comunidades también sufren al no recibir la totalidad de los ingresos fiscales que les corresponden. Esto significa que los parques, las escuelas y los departamentos de policía y bomberos se ven afectados negativamente por la clasificación errónea, además de la presión adicional que se ejerce sobre el sistema sanitario."
Michael Ford, secretario/tesorero del sindicato State Building Trades, que representa a 130.000 trabajadores de la construcción en la Commonwealth, declaró cómo está afectando esta cuestión a los lugares de trabajo financiados con fondos públicos.
"Los contratistas que incumplen las normas pagando mal a los trabajadores pueden pujar por debajo de las empresas que respetan la ley", dijo Ford. "Esto crea una carrera a la baja que desincentiva la competencia leal y rebaja los niveles de calidad en todo el sector de la construcción. Esto no ayuda a nadie en el proceso, excepto a los malos actores que están cosechando los beneficios de pagar mal a sus empleados."
Ed Dupree, empleado de Whole Foods desde hace 8 años y miembro del sindicato UFCW Local 1776, destacó la importancia de organizar un sindicato.
"Esta audiencia trata de proteger a nuestros trabajadores, y no se me ocurre mejor protección que formar un sindicato", dijo Dupree. "Un sindicato significa tener voz en el lugar de trabajo. Un sindicato significa un asiento en la mesa. Y mis compañeros de trabajo y yo dimos un paso histórico cuando fuimos el primer grupo de trabajadores en la nación en votar con éxito para sindicalizarnos en un local de Amazon Whole Foods el 27 de enero de 2025."
Dionne Gary, Presidenta del Distrito 1199C de AFSCME, NUHHCE, y primera mujer negra en dirigir su sindicato, que representa a los profesionales de la salud y el cuidado de niños en Filadelfia, testificó en apoyo de la legislación, incluidos los proyectos de ley 308, 812, 926 y 956 de la Cámara de Representantes, destinados a proteger la mano de obra.
"Como alguien que empezó a organizarse en 2000 en el Hospital Hahnemann, y que ha estado al lado de los trabajadores en salas de arbitraje, luchas contractuales y pasillos de hospitales, puedo decirles que estos proyectos de ley no son teóricos", dijo Gary. "Se necesitan desesperadamente, ahora mismo, en centros de todo el estado".
Entre los panelistas de la audiencia de hoy figuraban:
- Chris Hallock, Subsecretario - Departamento de Trabajo e Industria de Pensilvania
- Ron Meischker, Director de Industria y Cumplimiento Laboral - Eastern Atlantic States Regional Council of Carpenters
- Thomas Lepera, Director Político - IBEW Local 98
- Joseph McMonigle, Agente Comercial - Sindicato Local de Fontaneros Local 690
- Tony Seiwell, Representante Internacional - LIUNA
- Mike Ford, Secretario-Tesorero - Pennsylvania State Building & Construction Trades Council
- Bryan Bush, Presidente/Director Comercial - Local 19 de Sheet Metal Workers
- Todd Farally, Director Político y Legislativo - Local 19 de Sheet Metal Workers
- Antione Little, Vicepresidente - AFSCME Consejo de Distrito 33
- Ed Dupree, Miembro - UFCW 1776
- Dionee Gary, Presidenta - AFSCME Distrito 1199C, NUHHCE
El senador Nick Miller fue elegido Presidente de Política del Grupo Demócrata del Senado en diciembre de 2024. La de hoy ha sido su sexta audiencia como presidente.
###
Testimonio
Panel 1: La Administración del Gobernador Shapiro sobre la situación actual
- Chris Hallock, Subsecretario - Departamento de Trabajo e Industria de Pensilvania
Panel 2: Clasificación errónea de los trabajadores de la construcción y fabricación a medida
- Ron Meischker, Director de Industria y Cumplimiento Laboral - Eastern Atlantic States Regional Council of Carpenters
- Thomas Lepera, Director Político - IBEW Local 98
- Joseph McMonigle, Agente Comercial - Sindicato Local de Fontaneros Local 690
- Tony Seiwell, Representante Internacional - LIUNA
- Mike Ford, Secretario-Tesorero - Pennsylvania State Building & Construction Trades Council
- Bryan Bush, Presidente/Director Comercial - Local 19 de Sheet Metal Workers
- Todd Farally, Director Político y Legislativo - Local 19 de Sheet Metal Workers
Panel 3: Seguridad en el lugar de trabajo
Testimonio adicional
by Christin Brown | Marzo 15, 2022 | News Releases
PHILADELPHIA, Marzo 15, 2022 – State Senator Katie Muth (D- Berks/Chester/Montgomery), Chair of the Pennsylvania Senate Democratic Policy Committee, joined Senators Sharif Street, Nikil Saval, Amanda Cappelletti, Tina Tartaglione and Art Haywood to host a public hearing on housing scarcity and contemporary houselessness yesterday at Temple University.
“We need to tackle the issue of economic injustice – from raising wages to actual living wages and ensuring rent and housing prices are fair, transparent, and flexible according to each individual’s financial situation,” Muth said. “All levels of government need to implement policies that ensure public dollars are actually helping the public, not the wealthy, private real estate and private equity firms making billions off of taxpayer funded subsidies and evicting people who can’t afford to pay skyrocketing rent and housing rates. I hope our hearing and the impassioned testimony provided by actual Pennsylvanians living these challenges forces this conversation into the ongoing budget debate and into all 67 counties and local government priorities.”
The policy hearing featured three panels of participants who presented testimony and discussed personal stories about housing scarcity, houselessness, and the government’s responsibility to provide safe, affordable, and accessible housing in Pennsylvania.
“The recent tragic fire in Philadelphia’s Fairmount community that claimed the lives of 12, including 9 children, began with a failure of government. A family was forced to make the untenable choice of cramming eighteen individuals into a single unit because of a lack of resources. Housing is security and dignity. Years of divestment from every level of government have been an abdication of government’s duty to protect the communities they serve,” Street said. “The fundamental question for society and government is ‘how do we create accessible, safe and affordable housing for all?’ I look forward to joining my colleagues in creating policy to address the critical issue of housing scarcity.”
Testifiers at the hearing included Gail Loney, a North Central Philadelphia resident; Alisha Robinson, a Frankford resident; Kelvin Jeremiah, president and CEO, Philadelphia Housing Authority; Aaron Zappia, Senior Government Relations Manager, Housing Alliance of Pennsylvania; Andrew Frishkoff, Executive Director, Philadelphia Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC); and Stephanie Sena, Anti-Poverty Fellow & Housing Advocate, Villanova University Charles Widger School of Law.
“The housing crisis is not unsolvable—we need to act to ameliorate it at every chance we get,” Saval added. “That means raising wages, building equity into our systems, and preserving affordable housing by giving people what they need to repair and maintain and stay in their homes.”
All submitted testimony from the policy hearing and the full video is available at SenatorMuth.com/Policy.
# # #
Testimony
Panel 1: Lived Experience
- Gail Loney, North Central Philadelphia Resident
- Alisha Robinson, Frankford Resident
Panel 2: The Philadelphia Housing Authority
Panel 3: Policy Solutions
Testimonio adicional
by Christin Brown | Enero 20, 2022 | feature, News Releases
HARRISBURG, Enero 20, 2022 – State Senator Katie Muth (D- Berks/Chester/Montgomery), Chair of the Pennsylvania Senate Democratic Policy Committee, today joined Senator John Kane (D-Delaware/Chester) and Senator Christine Tartaglione (D-Philadelphia) to host a virtual public hearing on the recovery challenges associated with substance use disorder.
“Today’s hearing was an opportunity to hear about what we are currently doing here in Pennsylvania and whether our current treatment system is providing positive outcomes for those in recovery from substance use disorder – and more importantly, if it is not working, how can we improve our systems and programs,” Muth said. “We need to ensure that the Commonwealth and our treatment and recovery programs are effective and are providing the best means for sustained, lifelong recovery.”
The virtual policy hearing featured three panels of expert testimony that focused on funding issues faced by the recovery community; the oversight of recovery houses in Pennsylvania; and the challenges with relapsing during recovery from substance use disorder.
“This issue is personal for me – I’ve been sober for almost 40 years. And I know firsthand how difficult recovery is,” Kane said. “Individuals in recovery are facing massive challenges. But as legislators, we have the chance to make that journey a little bit easier. I’m grateful to all the panelists who testified at today’s hearing, and I’m looking forward to getting to work to make sure safe and effective recovery options are available for everyone.”
It is estimated that Pennsylvania is set to receive up to $232 million of the $26 billion global opioid settlement in 2022 and up to $1 billion total over the next 18 years. Of that funding, nearly 70 percent of all funds will be distributed to county authorities to fund initiatives that include medication-assisted treatment, naloxone distribution and services for pregnant and parenting persons suffering from opioid use disorder.
“Having been in recovery for more than 18 years, I know first-hand how important it is to ensure people in recovery have the resources they need as soon as they reach out for help,” Tartaglione added. “The 2nd Senatorial District is no stranger to the challenges substance abuse brings. My community, Philadelphia, and Pennsylvania as a whole need to know that there are elected officials that are dedicated to helping end substance abuse and to expanding access to treatment. The hearing today has helped to open people’s eyes to how crucial timely treatment is.”
Testifiers at today’s hearing included Jennifer Smith, Secretary, PA Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs (DDAP); Bill Stauffer, Executive Director, Pennsylvania Recovery Organizations Alliance (PRO-A); Deb Beck, President, (Drug and Alcohol Service Providers Organization of PA (DASPOP); Jessica Molavi, Clinical Manager of Specialty Programs at Mirmont Treatment Center; and Adam Al-Asad and Sarah Laurel from Savage Sisters Recovery.
All submitted testimony from today’s hearing and the full video is available at SenatorMuth.com/Policy
# # #
Testimony
Panel 1: Recovery Funding
Panel 2: Oversight of Recovery Houses
Panel 3: Chronic Relapsing
Additional Written Testimony
by Christin Brown | Enero 14, 2022 | Advisory
ROYERSFORD, Enero 14, 2022 – State Senator Katie Muth, chair of the Pennsylvania Senate Democratic Policy Committee, will join Senators John Kane and Christine Tartaglione to host a virtual public hearing next Jueves at 10 a.m. to discuss recovery challenges associated with substance use disorder.
The hearing will be held Jueves, Enero 20 at 10 a.m. on Zoom. Interested participants can register in advance by clicking here.
The policy hearing will feature testimony from three panels of experts that will discuss the challenges facing individuals in recovery from substance use disorder. The panels will include representatives from state agencies, treatment clinics, and local recovery houses who will each discuss their specific needs and challenges.
The hearing will also be livestreamed at SenatorMuth.com/Policy and on Senator Muth’s Facebook page.
Media participation is encouraged.
# # #
by Christin Brown | Diciembre 6, 2021 | News Releases
READING, Diciembre 6, 2021 – State Senator Katie Muth (D- Berks/Chester/Montgomery), Chair of the Pennsylvania Senate Democratic Policy Committee, today joined Senators Judy Schwank and Christine Tartaglione to host a public hearing on evaluating and improving drug treatment centers in Pennsylvania.
“The alarming rates of substance abuse and drug overdoses have been magnified throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. And when individuals and their families reach out for help and seek treatment, they do not have the resources and information available to make an informed choice about treatment facilities. Pennsylvania families deserve better,” Senator Muth said. “Today’s policy hearing allowed our Committee to hear from families who have tragically lost loved ones to addiction, and it also afforded us an opportunity to discuss possible legislative solutions and policy changes that can improve the evaluation process and treatment outcomes of Pennsylvania’s drug treatment centers. Patient outcome survey data should be guiding treatment plans, not insurance companies that often deny coverage for the care required for successful recovery.”
Pennsylvania has one of the highest rates of drug overdose in the nation and drug overdose deaths have increased in 46 of 67 counties in Pennsylvania throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. The Center for Disease Control’s National Center for Health Statistics indicated that there were over 100,000 drug overdose deaths in the United States during the 12-month period ending in Abril 2021, an increase of 28.5% from prior year.
“We must rethink our approach to adequately address the ongoing opioid epidemic, and one way to do that is to look at drug treatment centers. Individuals taking the crucial step of seeking treatment for addiction need to be given access to all the information they need to make the right decision for their own particular circumstances,” Schwank said. “This hearing provided us an opportunity to learn directly from individuals impacted by addiction, treatment providers and state regulators. It will give us a chance to better understand what factors make drug treatment more effective.”
Senator Schwank has introduced two bills – Senate Bill 975 and Senate Bill 976 – to address issues with Pennsylvania’s drug treatment facilities and recovery homes. Senate Bill 975 would require the Pennsylvania Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs (DDAP) to distribute an annual survey to all substance use disorder treatment centers and recovery homes operating in PA, record, and publish online for public access the responses provided by those treatment centers and recovery homes. Senate Bill 976 would prohibit any treatment center in PA to refuse admittance to anyone reporting to a treatment facility requesting medical or psychological services addressing substance use disorder – even if an individual is under the influence of drugs or alcohol at the time they report. It would also prohibit any health insurance company operating in PA from refusing coverage for admittance and provision of medical and psychological services.
“Today was a crucial step in addressing the crisis that is addiction, and the failure of treatment that surrounds it,” Tartaglione said. “The shifting demographics of addiction and overdoses show us that there is no community in this commonwealth that has not been touched by its devastation, from Erie to Philly and Allentown to Pittsburgh, the PA Senate Democrats are dedicated to bettering and expanding addiction treatment services offered.”
The Senate Democratic Policy Committee heard from several panelists at Reading Area Community College that included representatives from the Opioid Crisis Action Network, the Self-Help Movement, the Caron Foundation, the Council on Chemical Abuse, and the Pennsylvania Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs.
All submitted testimony from today’s hearing and the full video is available at SenatorMuth.com/Policy
# # #
Testimony
Panel 1: Affected People
Panel 2: Care Providers
Panel 3: Policy Solutions
by Christin Brown | Noviembre 15, 2021 | feature, News Releases
PHILADELPHIA − Noviembre 15, 2021 – State Senator Katie Muth (D- Berks/Chester/Montgomery), Chair of the Pennsylvania Senate Democratic Policy Committee, today joined Senators Nikil Saval, John Kane, Christine Tartaglione and Lindsey Williams to host a public hearing to discuss issues related to worker misclassification in Pennsylvania.
“Worker misclassification isn’t just about building trades or construction, this issue impacts a whole segment of our workforce that deserves to be protected and paid fairly by their employers,” Senator Muth said. “I appreciate all of my colleagues and the panelists that participated today to shine a light on another instance of corporate greed – employers that are prioritizing profits over workers. It is time that we stand up for our workers in the state Senate.”
The Senate Democratic Policy Committee heard from several panelists at the Sheet Metal Workers Union Building in Philadelphia who all discussed the problems workers are face with when they are misclassified by their employers. The Keystone Research Center indicates that if Pennsylvania has rates of misclassification in the construction industry comparable to those in other states, it loses about $10 million in unemployment insurance taxes, at least $15 million in income tax revenues (and possibly three times as much), as much as $83 million in workers compensation premiums, and $200 million in federal income taxes.
“Worker misclassification is pervasive, and the resulting damages cut across all sectors of employment and all facets of our communities. Pennsylvania is a labor state with a long history of protecting workers’ rights, and it’s imperative that we continue this work in our swiftly changing economy,” Senator Saval said. “Just as companies that exploit workers can take these practices from state to state, Pennsylvania can create a model for worker protections that other states can adopt. How we approach this right now will impact the future of work.”
The hearing featured representation from various regional and statewide labor unions, including the Steamfitters Local 420, Painters DC21, Philadelphia Building and Construction Trades Council, PA AFL-CIO, and the Eastern Atlantic States Regional Council of Carpenters. Senator John Kane spent four decades as a union plumber prior to serving in the Senate and also served for twelve years as the Business Manager for one of the largest plumbers’ unions in the Commonwealth.
“My members earned good, family-sustaining wages and had good benefits. They had protections for workplace injuries and safe working conditions. When workers are misclassified as independent contractors, they lose these protections,” Senator Kane said. “I want to be clear – the misclassification of workers is a form of theft, plain and simple. Businesses cut costs to help their bottom line, and our workers pay the price. It’s long past time we took action to end worker misclassification, and I’m grateful to all our panelists for sharing their perspective in today’s hearing.”
The hearing also highlighted the worker misclassification issues experienced by workers in the app-based gig economy and discussed potential policy solutions to address the issue of worker misclassification. One bill discussed was Senate Bill 879 which was introduced by Senator Saval. This bill would hold general contractors responsible for paying any employees up and down a worksite, even if they are hired by a subcontractor.
“For too long unscrupulous employers have cut costs and corners by misclassifying Pennsylvania’s workers. The Pa Senate Democrats have and will continue to fight for the workers of this commonwealth,” Senator Tartaglione said. “Every worker deserves the protections that come with being an employee not a contractor. The cost of doing business cannot and should not be shifted onto a businesses’ employees.”
“Misclassification hurts workers, hurts employers who are doing the right thing by their workers, and it hurts taxpayers,” Senator Williams added.
All submitted testimony from today’s hearing and the full video is available at SenatorMuth.com/Policy
# # #
Testimony
Panel 1: Local Unions Roundtable
- Gary Masino, Sheetmetal Workers Local 19.
- Tom Redden, Steamfitters Local 420
- Tyler Honschke, Painters DC21
- Brian Eddis, Philadelphia Building Trades
Panel 2: Statewide Unions Roundtable
Panel 3: The Gig Economy
Panel 4: Policy Solutions
by Christin Brown | Mayo 20, 2021 | News Releases
Harrisburg – Mayo 20, 2021 – At the request of Senator Tina Tartaglione (D- Philadelphia), Democratic Chair of the Senate Committee on Labor & Industry, the Pennsylvania Democratic Policy Committee held a virtual public hearing to discuss Senate Bill 310 and OSHA protections for public employees.
“For more than 50 years, America’s private-sector employees and federal employees have benefitted from the safeguards and the peace of mind provided by the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA). It is a travesty that Pennsylvania’s public employees don’t have the same protections,” Senator Tartaglione said. “All workers have the right to a safe and healthy workplace, and they have a right to know they won’t face retribution when they speak out about deficient and dangerous conditions. My Senate Bill 310 would extend critical OSHA protections to all Pennsylvania workers.”
Senate Bill 310 would establish the Pennsylvania Occupational Safety and Health Review Board within the Department of Labor and Industry. Currently, Pennsylvania workers at state and local government agencies do not have Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) protection. This proposed legislation would extend OSHA safety rules to public employees of the commonwealth, all legal political subdivisions, public schools, public transit systems, and non-profit organizations in Pennsylvania.
“Workers deserve to know that when they come to work, their health and safety is a priority and not an afterthought. No one should have to accept that life threatening conditions are just part of a job, and workers in every profession and field should have OSHA protections. I am proud to support Senate Bill 310, and I am so grateful to Senator Tartaglione for championing this bill in the Senate and making workplace protections a priority in our caucus,” Sen. Katie Muth (D- Berks/Chester/Montgomery), chair of the Senate Democratic Policy Committee, said.
“According to the AFL-CIO Death on the Job Report, 8.1 million public sector workers lack OSHA protection nationwide. In 2019, their injury and illness rate were 64 percent higher than employees in the private sector,” Mike Maguire, Director of Political & Legislative Affairs at AFSCME Council 13, said. “Since the establishment of OSHA in 1971, more than 627,000 worker’s lives have been saved. Let’s extend those protections to our commonwealth’s public sector workforce.”
In opposition to the Senate Bill 310 were Keith Wentz, Manager of Risk Management & Underwriting at the County Commissioners Association of Pennsylvania (CCAP), and Stuart Knade, Esq., Chief Legal Officer of the Pennsylvania School Boards Association.
Wentz noted in his testimony that he and his organization do not believe that further OSHA protections are needed for public employees because there are already voluntary safety boards and random inspections of facilities.
Knade said that implementing OSHA protections for public employees in Pennsylvania would be difficult because OSHA was not written with them in mind, creating issues with implementation. He also said that the implementation would be cost prohibitive.
Both Wentz and Knade agreed to continue further conversations with Senator Tartaglione on Senate Bill 310 and public employee protections.
“Costs actually go down when you make your workplace more safe,” Rick Bloomingdale, President of the Pennsylvania AFL-CIO, said. Bloomingdale said in his testimony that the same arguments that Wentz and Knade gave today were used in the 1970s when OSHA was first enacted. However, over the years, OSHA has proven to be a draw for employees and employers in the private sector.
Bloomingdale said that there is less employee turnover, higher morale, and less incidents leading to injury and need for workplace compensation because of OSHA regulations in private sector workplaces.
“According to the National AFL-CIO’s Annual Death on the Jobs report, in 2016, state and local public-sector employers reported an injury rate of 4.7 per 100 workers, which is significantly higher than the reported rate of 2.9 per 100 among private-sector workers,” Bloomingdale said.
Jeff Ney, Treasurer of the Pennsylvania State Education Association (PSEA), explained in his testimony that teachers are also excluded from OSHA protections.
“Like me, so many public employees are shocked to learn that these basic protections don’t apply to them or to their place of employment,” Ney said. “The common-sense protections contained in SB 310 will also ensure that our students have a safe and healthy educational environment – which is the most basic and indispensable factor in fostering academic excellence. School employees’ working conditions are students’ learning conditions.”
Maguire, of AFCME said in his testimony that workers are more than just resources, they are human beings and they deserve workplaces that treat them that way.
“This is the most important bill to AFCME,” concluded Maguire.
Below are all who participated in today’s hearing:
- Keith Wentz, Manager of Risk Management & Underwriting, County Commissioners Association of Pennsylvania (CCAP)
- Stuart Knade, Esq., Chief Legal Officer, Pennsylvania School Boards Association
- Rick Bloomingdale, President of the Pennsylvania AFL-CIO
- Mike Maguire, Director of Political & Legislative Affairs, AFSCME Council 13
- Jeff Ney, Treasurer, Pennsylvania State Education Association
- Dr. David Levine, UC Berkeley, Haas School of Business
Senate Democratic Leader Jay Costa (D- Allegheny) also attended this hearing, as did Senators Anthony H. Williams (D- Philadelphia/Delaware), Lisa Boscola (D- Lehigh/Northampton), Lindsey Williams (D- Allegheny), John Kane (D- Chester/Delaware), and Amanda Cappelletti (D- Delaware/Montgomery).
The full recording of this roundtable, as well as the written testimony from participants, can be found at senatormuth.com/policy. A full recording of this hearing can also be found on the PA Senate Democratic Facebook page.
###
by Christin Brown | Abril 30, 2021 | News Releases
Harrisburg – Abril 30, 2021 – At the request of Pennsylvania State Senators Judy Schwank (D- Berks), Tina Tartaglione (D- Philadelphia), and Sharif Street (D- Philadelphia), the Senate Democratic Policy Committee held a virtual policy hearing to discuss the issue of food insecurity in Pennsylvania.
“The pandemic has exposed many issues over the last year, but perhaps most striking of all is the issue of food insecurity,” Schwank said. “I know few of us will forget seeing the long lines of families waiting for food assistance. Today we learned how our local food banks met the extraordinary challenge of feeding our communities and what we need to consider moving forward as the issue of food insecurity is far from solved.”
Pennsylvania Secretary of Agriculture Russell Redding said that reports compiled by the organization Feeding America show that the number of Pennsylvanians facing food insecurity in 2020 grew substantially to 1.77 million individuals, an increase of 30 percent. The number of children in Pennsylvania facing food insecurity rose to 537,080, an increase of nearly 40 percent in just one year.
“Food Insecurity is defined as the lack of access to enough food for a healthy and active life and at its core equals hunger. Across the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, it is estimated that 11% of the population is food insecure with the highest percentage right here in Philadelphia county,” Dixie James, President and COO of Einstein Healthcare Network, said.
Second Lady of Pennsylvania, Gisele Fetterman, also testified at the hearing about her work to address food insecurity through Free Store 15104 and 412 Food Rescue.
“My work exists because of failures in policy,” Fetterman said.
She said that making a state law to prevent perfectly good food from going to waste, as numerous other states have done, would help to address food insecurity by redirecting resources, and also addressing the environmental impact of discarding perfectly good food that could otherwise feed populations.
“We know it is not a lack of food, it is how food gets distributed,” Dr. Kathy Reeves, Senior Associate Dean of Health Equity, Diversity & Inclusion and Director at the Center for Urban Bioethics and Professor of Pediatrics Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University, said.
Dr. Reeves also advocated in her testimony to treat food as a prescription to address the overall health of Pennsylvanians.
“Food insecurity is intertwined with so many of Pennsylvania’s chronic ills, problems like poverty and health disparities that have been exacerbated by the lingering coronavirus pandemic,” Senator Tartaglione said. “This thorough conversation is imperative as we seek to make nutrition universally accessible in the Commonwealth.”
Loree Jones, CEO of Philabundance which serves five counties in Pennsylvania, said that 40 percent of the 60 percent increase Philabundance has seen in need this past year were people using the emergency food system for the first time. She said that Feeding America is projecting that nationally more than 42 million people, including 13 million children, may experience food insecurity due to COVID-19.
Secretary Redding said that additional funding to provide food in the pandemic has come from both federal and state resources, providing additional funding for United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) foods purchases through The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP). As of Abril 17, 2021, food banks in Pennsylvania report having distributed in excess of 2.4 million of these food boxes, weighing more than 51.5 million pounds.
“The lessons learned over this past year have provided us a fresh lens to look at our grant programs to ensure they are equitable and meeting the needs of those we serve. The gaps in the system have been highlighted such as meat processing delays and lack of access to fresh foods. We will continue to enhance our current programs and investigate additional ways to address these needs,” Sec. Redding said. “Additionally, expanding broadband access throughout the commonwealth will assist in providing equal access to resources and e-commerce platforms.”
Scott Cawthern, Acting Deputy Secretary for the Office of Income Maintenance at the PA Dept. of Human Services, also testified about the work that the Dept. of Human Services did in expanding services during the COVID-19 pandemic, and how increased and continued investment in these programs will address food insecurity and improve long-term health outcomes for Pennsylvanians.
“On the state level, we would like to see more coordination between all the food 9 systems in the state including the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), SNAP, NSLP, and others to ensure that eligible families are receiving all the food assistance for which they qualify and to ensure that children and families receive the nutrition supports as they grow,” Cawthern said.
Jay Worrall, President of Helping Harvest Food Bank, testified to the importance of community partners in the distribution of food and resources to families and how increasing funding for its signature food insecurity programs, the State Food Purchase Program (SFPP), and the Pennsylvania Agricultural Surplus System (PASS), and increase the flexibility for how those funds can be expended would assist even more Pennsylvanians in need.
“Unfortunately, many Pennsylvanians have been and still are struggling to meet their basic needs. Working families across our state face countless situations, such as jobs paying only poverty wages due to wealth inequality and corporate greed, food deserts, unexpected bills for car maintenance or medical treatment, layoffs, and now a global pandemic, all of which cause temporary or permanent financial instability, food insecurity and hunger. Pennsylvania food insecurity rates have increased from 11.1% in 2018 to over 33% as of Marzo 2020. According to the PA Department of Agriculture, before the COVID-19 pandemic, more than 1.53 million Pennsylvanians endured chronic hunger every day, including 478,500 older Pennsylvanians and about 437,000 children,” Sen. Katie Muth (D- Berks/Chester/Montgomery), chair of the Senate Democratic Policy Committee, said. “Food insecurity makes it impossible to survive let alone thrive. Every human should have guaranteed access to reliable and nutritious meals. We need to act urgently to end food insecurity in Pennsylvania and across our nation.”
Below are all who participated in today’s hearing:
- Dixie James, President & COO, Einstein Healthcare Network
- Gisele Fetterman, Second Lady of Pennsylvania
- Secretary Russell Redding, PA Department of Agriculture
- Scott Cawthern, Acting Deputy Secretary for the Office of Income Maintenance at the PA Dept. of Human Services
- Dr. Kathy Reeves, MD. FAAP, Senior Associate Dean, Health Equity, Diversity & Inclusion Director, Center for Urban Bioethics – Professor, Pediatrics Lewis Katz School of Medicine, Temple University
- Andy Toy, Development and Communications Director, SEAMAAC
- Tyler Ray, Neighborhood Community Organizer, Urban Creators
- Maddy Booth, COO, Vetri Community Partnership
- Mark Edwards, President & CEO, Food Trust
- Loree Jones, CEO, Philabundance
- Jay Worrall, President, Helping Harvest Food Bank
The full recording of this roundtable, as well as the written testimony from participants, can be found at senatormuth.com/policy. A full recording of this hearing can also be found on the PA Senate Democratic Facebook page.
###
por Christin Brown | 18 de enero de 2021 | Salario Mínimo, Comunicados de Prensa
Harrisburg - 18 de enero 2021 - A petición de los senadores estatales Art Haywood (D-Montgomery / Filadelfia), Christine Tartaglione (D-Filadelfia), y John Kane (D- Chester / Delaware) el Comité de Política Democrática del Senado de Pensilvania celebró una audiencia pública virtual sobre el aumento del salario mínimo para los residentes de Pensilvania. La audiencia se celebró el Día de Servicio de Martin Luther King, Jr. para honrar su legado de lucha por los derechos de los trabajadores y la justicia económica.
"Es inaceptable que Pensilvania siga permitiendo que su salario mínimo sea el salario de pobreza de 7,25 dólares la hora", dijo Haywood. "Celebramos esta audiencia hoy en Martin Luther King, Jr. Día de servicio para continuar el trabajo que el Dr. King comenzó exigiendo dignidad y respeto para todos los trabajadores, y eso empieza por pagar a los trabajadores un salario digno."
La Asamblea General de Pensilvania elevó por última vez el salario mínimo en julio de 2007 a 7,25 dólares por hora. Los seis estados limítrofes con Pensilvania han promulgado leyes de salario mínimo superiores a los 7,25 dólares vigentes en la Commonwealth. Maryland, Nueva York, Nueva Jersey, Delaware, Virginia Occidental y Ohio han promulgado salarios mínimos superiores al de Pensilvania, que lleva más de una década estancado en el mínimo federal.
Alissa Barron-Menza, Vicepresidenta de Business for a Fair Minimum Wage, recordó que el salario mínimo se introdujo por primera vez en 1938, durante la Gran Depresión, y que un salario mínimo digno es una herramienta esencial para la recuperación económica.
"Este aumento es una herramienta vital para la recuperación compartida que será buena para las empresas, buena para los clientes y buena para la economía", dijo Barron-Menza.
Morris Pearl, Presidente de Patriotic Millionaires, también afirmó que un aumento del salario mínimo es bueno para la economía. Dijo que una economía fuerte necesita gente con dinero para gastar a fin de mantenerla.
"Los inversores están abrumadoramente a favor de aumentar el salario mínimo", dijo Pearl.
Actualmente, 29 estados y el Distrito de Columbia tienen salarios mínimos superiores al salario mínimo federal de 7,25 dólares por hora, incluidos todos los estados que rodean Pensilvania.
"El hecho de que la Asamblea General de Pensilvania no haya aumentado el salario mínimo desde la aprobación de mi legislación en 2006 es censurable", dijo Tartaglione. "Aunque he seguido patrocinando nueva legislación sobre el salario mínimo en cada sesión desde entonces, la mayoría no ha tomado medidas, dejando que el último aumento que los trabajadores han visto sea un aumento federal de 10 centavos en 2009. Los trabajadores con salario mínimo de Pensilvania merecen algo mejor".
El senador Tartaglione es el principal patrocinador del proyecto de ley 12 del Senado. Esta legislación aumentaría inmediatamente el salario mínimo de Pensilvania a 12 dólares la hora para todos los trabajadores de Pensilvania, con un camino a 15 dólares la hora en 2027. Este proyecto de ley también eliminaría el salario mínimo por propina en Pensilvania, asegurando que todos los trabajadores ganen un salario digno que no dependa de la generosidad o falta de generosidad del patrón.
"Fui fontanero sindicalizado durante casi cuatro décadas, y sé lo importante que eran los salarios dignos y de sustento familiar para mí y para todos nuestros miembros", dijo Kane. "Es un gran problema que nuestros trabajadores de salario mínimo no han visto un aumento en más de una década - tenemos que garantizar que todos los residentes de Pensilvania se les paga un salario digno."
Gene Barr, Presidente y Consejero Delegado de la Cámara de Comercio e Industria de Pensilvania, declaró que su organización no cree que un aumento del salario mínimo en Pensilvania sea la forma más "eficaz de impulsar la asistencia".
Barr dijo que un aumento del salario mínimo perjudicará a las pequeñas empresas, dará lugar a una mayor automatización, y que seguir trabajando con el Estado para reducir las barreras al empleo y ampliar el Crédito Fiscal por Ingreso del Trabajo (EITC) son mejores soluciones.
"Existe un apoyo empresarial mayoritario al aumento del salario mínimo por encima de los niveles actualmente promulgados -a pesar de lo que pueda escuchar de la oposición", replicó Barron-Menza a Barr. "Por ejemplo, una encuesta de 2016 realizada por LuntzGlobal para el Consejo de Cámaras Estatales a 1.000 ejecutivos de empresas de todo el país reveló que el 80% de los encuestados dijeron que apoyaban el aumento del salario mínimo de su estado, mientras que solo el 8% se oponía."
"Nadie debería tener un trabajo a tiempo completo, o varios trabajos a tiempo completo y parcial, y seguir viviendo en la pobreza porque su empleador no está obligado a pagarle un salario digno", dijo la senadora Katie Muth (D- Berks/Chester/Montgomery), presidenta del Comité de Política Demócrata del Senado. "Todos los trabajadores merecen la dignidad y el respeto de un salario digno, y debemos aumentar el salario mínimo para Pensilvania".
William Spriggs, catedrático de Economía de la Universidad Howard y economista jefe de AFL-CIO, declaró en su testimonio que el aumento del salario mínimo también es esencial para acabar con las diferencias salariales entre hombres y mujeres y entre razas, cuya existencia reconocen ampliamente los economistas.
Spriggs también dijo que el salario mínimo está pagando menos a la gente en la industria de servicios (2,83 dólares en Pensilvania para los trabajadores de restaurantes) o está sesgado en función de donde viven, y también tiene, "raíces muy racistas".
Ashona Denise Osborne se unió a la lucha del SEIU (Sindicato Internacional de Empleados de Servicios) por un salario mínimo de 15 dólares la hora después de trabajar en empleos con salario mínimo toda su vida, criar a su hijo como madre soltera y darse cuenta de que, incluso obteniendo su título asociado en cuidado de niños, "sigue sin ser suficiente".
Muchos otros senadores también asistieron a esta audiencia, entre ellos el líder demócrata del Senado Jay Costa (D- Allegheny), Amanda Cappelletti (D- Delaware/Montgomery), Carolyn Committa (D- Chester), Maria Collett (D- Bucks/ Montgomery), Wayne Fontana (D- Allegheny), Vincent Hughes (D- Montgomery/Philadelphia), Tim Kearney (D- Chester/Delaware), Steve Santarsiero (D- Bucks), Nikil Saval (D- Philadelphia), Judy Schwank (D- Berks), Sharif Street (D- Philadelphia), Anthony H. Williams (D- Delaware/Filadelfia), y Lindsey Williams (D- Allegheny).
A continuación figuran todos los que han testificado en la audiencia de hoy:
- Gene Barr, Presidente y Director General de la Cámara de Comercio e Industria de Pensilvania
- Alissa Barron-Menza, Vicepresidenta de Empresas por un Salario Mínimo Justo
- Morris Pearl, Presidente de Patriotic Millionaires
- Manuel Rosaldo, Centre County Wage Justice Coalition, Profesor Adjunto de Relaciones Laborales, Penn State University
- Jacqui Rogers, Coalición de Defensa de las Mujeres del Condado de Bucks
- William Spriggs, Catedrático de Economía, Howard University y Economista Jefe, AFL-CIO
- Kadida Kenner, Directora de Campañas del PA Budget and Policy Center
- Ashona Denise Osborne, trabajadora del SEIU de Pittsburgh
- Lateefah Curtis, trabajadora de Filadelfia
- Adesola Ogunleye, trabajador de Filadelfia
La grabación completa de esta audiencia puede consultarse en senatormuth.com/policy.
###
por Christin Brown | 28 de octubre de 2015 | Comunicados de prensa
Harrisburg - 28 de octubre de 2015 - A petición del senador estatal Vince Hughes (D-Phila.), El Comité de Política Demócrata del Senado celebró hoy una audiencia sobre el impacto devastador que el impasse presupuestario de 120 días del estado está teniendo en las escuelas de todo el estado.
"Aunque muchos de los puntos de controversia presupuestaria siguen sin resolverse, lo que está claro es que las consecuencias de este estancamiento son de gran alcance", dijo la senadora Lisa Boscola (D-Northampton), que preside el comité. "Esta audiencia da a los legisladores una idea de cómo las escuelas están manejando el déficit de financiación, y qué problemas se enfrentarán si este estancamiento se prolonga."
Hughes añadió: "Un número cada vez mayor de escuelas se han visto obligadas a pedir dinero prestado y a solicitar líneas de crédito sólo para mantener sus puertas abiertas. Esperemos que el enfoque de esta audiencia sobre el empeoramiento de la crisis financiera en todo el estado fomente una mayor urgencia, cooperación y compromiso en las negociaciones presupuestarias en curso."
Durante la audiencia, el Auditor General del Estado, Eugene DePasquale, declaró que al menos 27 distritos escolares han solicitado préstamos por un total de más de 431 millones de dólares. Proyectó que los pagos de intereses ascenderán a $ 30 millones si el estancamiento llega a mediados de noviembre.
Los que testificaron denunciaron cómo el punto muerto ha perjudicado a los estudiantes, ha agotado las reservas y cómo los contribuyentes tendrán que cargar innecesariamente con el pago de los intereses del creciente número de préstamos y líneas de crédito que las escuelas están obteniendo para mantener sus puertas abiertas.
El Superintendente de las Escuelas Públicas de Erie, Jay Badams, lamentó que su distrito necesitará pedir prestados 30 millones de dólares sólo para llegar a enero.
"Son 114.000 dólares en intereses malgastados que podrían haberse utilizado para muchos gastos educativos muy necesarios", dijo Badams.
El Dr. Joseph Roy, que trabaja como superintendente del Distrito Escolar del Área de Bethlehem, en el condado de Northampton, añadió que "las decisiones a nivel estatal siguen machacando a los distritos escolares". Dijo que el desvío de fondos a las escuelas chárter y cibernéticas y un enfoque "punitivo" de la educación pública han disparado los gastos escolares.
La Dra. Rula Skezas, que se desempeña como superintendente del Distrito Escolar del Área de McKeesport en el condado de Allegheny, señaló que incluso si el distrito recibe su financiación propuesta, todavía estaría por debajo de lo que recibió durante el año escolar 2011. Ella dijo que McKeesport ha tomado una línea de crédito de $ 5 millones para llegar a diciembre. Dijo que el distrito ya ha eliminado 110 puestos de personal para tratar de llegar a fin de mes.
Hughes, presidente demócrata del Comité de Apropiaciones, dijo que las escuelas públicas, concertadas y privadas ya se están tambaleando tras años de falta de financiación. Señaló que el Distrito Escolar de Filadelfia ya ha pedido prestados 275 millones de dólares durante el impasse. Fran Burns, que se desempeña como director de operaciones del Distrito Escolar de Filadelfia, testificó que el distrito ha luchado para hacer frente a un "déficit estructural".
Lamentando el impacto en las familias trabajadoras locales que financian las escuelas a través de impuestos a la propiedad, Boscola señaló una encuesta educativa realizada a principios de este año que muestra que casi el 75 por ciento de los distritos estaban planeando imponer aumentos de impuestos a la propiedad, el 30 por ciento estaban planeando hacer recortes adicionales en los programas, y el 41 por ciento estaban haciendo más recortes de personal. Dijo que el estado ha retenido aproximadamente $ 3 mil millones en fondos escolares desde que comenzó el estancamiento presupuestario en julio.
Junto a Boscola y Hughes en la audiencia del comité del Capitolio estaban los senadores John Blake (D-Lackawanna), Jim Brewster (D-Allegheny), Andrew Dinniman (D-Montgomery), Christine Tartaglione (D-Phila.) Y Sean Wiley (D-Erie),
Entre los testigos se encontraban:
- Honorable Eugene DePasquale
Auditor General de Pensilvania
- Fran Burns
Directora de Operaciones, Distrito Escolar de Filadelfia
- Joseph Gorham
Superintendente de Escuelas, Distrito Escolar del Área de Carbondale
- Dr. Joseph Roy
Superintendente de Escuelas, Distrito Escolar del Área de Bethlehem
- Dr. Jay D. Badams
Superintendente, Escuelas Públicas de Erie
- Dra. Rula S. Skezas
Superintendente, Distrito Escolar del Área de McKeesport
- Marjorie Neff
Presidenta de la Comisión de Reforma Escolar
- Anthony Pirrello
Director General de Montessori Regional Charter School of Erie y Vicepresidente de Pennsylvania Coalition of Public Charter Schools
- Matt Przywara
Miembro, PASBO
Director Financiero y de Operaciones, Distrito Escolar de Lancaster
- Bill LaCoff
Presidente de la Asociación de Consejos Escolares de Pensilvania
- Susan Gobreski
Votantes por la Educación de Pensilvania
- Dra. Pearl English
Enfermera escolar, Distrito Escolar de Filadelfia
# # #
