Wagner Target Of AFL-CIO

Wagner Target Of AFL-CIO

By Scott Wagner

Wagner Target Of AFL-CIO
Sen. Scott Wagner

The purpose of this column is to make you aware of something that I suspect is occurring as a result of my work as a PA State Senator to initiate government reforms in Harrisburg.

I have reported that I view the public sector unions in Pennsylvania as one of the largest obstacles to important government reforms in Harrisburg.

I have also mentioned that I own and operate a waste and recycling company that is based in York, Pennsylvania.

My waste company provides services to numerous municipalities in South Central Pennsylvania.

from an attorney based in Pittsburgh seeking any and all information relating to current waste contracts and all bid documents submitted by my waste company to the municipalities.

A quick Google search brought up a website for the attorney submitting the requests.

The attorney’s profile states that he, “concentrates his work representing labor unions.”

His profile goes on to state that, “he is a member of the AFL-CIO Lawyers Coordinating Committee and serves on its board of directors.”

For informational purposes it is worth noting that the Pennsylvania AFL-CIO states on their website that they represent an “estimated 900,000 members”.

900,000 AFL-CIO union members paying dues each and every month is a cash machine to union headquarters and may amount to more than a half billion dollars or more collected each year from union member paychecks.

Here is their website: www.paaflcio.org

The President of the Pennsylvania AFL-CIO is Rick Bloomingdale.

Rick Bloomingdale is highly irritated by my efforts to make any reforms in Pennsylvania.

Here is a story posted last year: http://watchdog.org/214822/union-scott-wagner-compensation/

It is clear to me that the “Right-To-know”  requests being sent to municipalities throughout South Central Pennsylvania by the attorney are the beginning of a campaign to intimidate me.

The AFL-CIO union opposes any reforms that I believe are urgently needed in Pennsylvania.

Pension reform, liquor privatization and a reduction in the size of state government are a few of the reforms that the AFL-CIO oppose.

It is important to note that the Pennsylvania AFL-CIO union was one of the largest contributors to Governor Wolf’s 2014 campaign for Governor.

In fact, on Jan. 20, 2015 when Governor Wolf was sworn in, Rick Bloomingdale, the Pennsylvania AFL-CIO President had a front row seat with other high level union officials.

Governor Wolf and the public sector unions have partnered to block reforms in Pennsylvania.

It is also important for everyone to know that Governor Wolf has sole authority to negotiate wage and benefit increases with all of the public sector unions that employ state workers (this does not include teacher contracts which are negotiated by each individual school board).

I have said repeatedly and continue to educate the citizens of Pennsylvania that as long as Governor Tom Wolf is the Governor of Pennsylvania, your school taxes will continue to go up and the status quo of Harrisburg will continue.

There is good news and bad news.

The good news is that Governor Wolf’s term ends in 32 months.

The bad news is we still have 32 months of Governor Wolf and his partnership with the public sector unions.

We need a Republican Governor in Harrisburg to work with the growing Republican majority in the State House and Senate to reform Pennsylvania.

Many people are asking if I am going to run for Governor of Pennsylvania, and my answer remains the same: I am considering it.

Pennsylvania needs a real leader who can bring everyone together and move Pennsylvania in the right direction.
Sen. Wagner represents the 28th District in the Pennsylvania Senate.

Wagner Target Of AFL-CIO

4 thoughts on “Wagner Target Of AFL-CIO”

  1. Looks like there is some text missing after the fourth sentence:

    “My waste company provides services to numerous municipalities in South Central Pennsylvania.

    from an attorney based in Pittsburgh seeking any and all information relating to current waste contracts and all bid documents submitted by my waste company to the municipalities.”

    I don’t know if it impacts the article or not.

  2. If Senator Wagner would just recognize the error in his ways in his strong support of SB 974 (the “bathroom bill”) I would be 100% behind his candidacy for governor, but his support of this bill, his failure to recognize its consequences (particularly for our school students) and his arrogant manner in dealing with those who disagree with him on this issue are definite negatives IMO.

  3. I would have been a supporter of the Senator running for governor but his support of SB974, which allows LGBT people to use public facilities (bathrooms) and his response to those who oppose this type of legislation have convinced me that the Senator does not have the temperament to be our Governor. Here is the e-mail sent by the Senator to taxpayers.
    Dear Friend,
    Over the past several months, my office has received hundreds of phone calls and emails regarding my co-sponsorship of SB 974, The Pennsylvania Fairness Act. This legislation would add sexual orientation, gender identity, or expression to the Pennsylvania Human Relations Act, effectively prohibiting discrimination against LGBT individuals as it relates to employment, housing, and public accommodations.
    I have been asked to remove my name as a co-sponsor of SB 974 because of recent events in the news related to how bathrooms are dealt with in other states, as well as President Obama’s recent directive regarding schools and Title IX funding.
    Let me be very clear – I will not be removing my name from this legislation. Allow me to explain why.
    As an employer and a Pennsylvanian, I believe that everyone should be treated fairly and with dignity.
    As an employer, I do not care what your sexual preference is as long as you perform at or beyond the required expectations of your job. The fact remains that without this legislation there are a group of citizens that can legally be fired or overlooked because of their sexual orientation instead of their job performance. This is a step in the right direction to ensure workers are not being discriminated against.
    This is why I put my name on this legislation, and this is what I will continue to work toward. The fact that attempts have been made to intimidate me and other supporters of SB 974 to try to get us to remove our co-sponsorships of this legislation and are trying to change the conversation to make it about men in women’s bathrooms should not deter us from our goal.
    Cities all across Pennsylvania have had ordinances similar to SB 974 for well over 20 years without a single issue as it relates to bathrooms. From a very practical perspective, SB 974 changes absolutely nothing about the way that bathrooms are dealt with, in spite of claims to the contrary that are full of legalese and references to court decisions from states with laws that are very different from Pennsylvania’s.
    I believe that it is critical that we find a way to treat LGBT people with the dignity and fairness that they deserve – that we all deserve. I am equally committed to work with concerned groups to find ways to improve the legislation. If there are valid concerns related to individuals with deeply held religious convictions, we should work to fix them. If there are real, concrete concerns with the way that bathrooms will be handled, we should listen.
    What we should not do, however, is completely abandon all efforts to gain fairness for the LGBT community. What we should not do is use fear as a tool to attempt to bully legislators into just giving up on this important issue.
    Those of you that know me, know this – I will not be bullied.
    I encourage those of you with serious concerns about this legislation to continue to contact me so that we can continue our work on this issue. My staff and I have spent a great deal of time with interest groups on both sides of this issue attempting to find a way to accomplish everyone’s goals, and we will continue to do so.
    I know that fellow Pennsylvanians share my commitment to make our great Commonwealth a state that is open and welcoming to everyone, whether that means changing our Human Relations Act or addressing our oppressive tax and regulatory systems.
    I appreciate your support, and look forward to continuing the effort to create a better Pennsylvania with everyone.
    Sincerely,
    Senator Scott Wagner

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