Welcome to the Virginia AFL-CIO!

FEBRUARY 2007

General Assembly Wrap-up

The General Assembly adjourned on Saturday, February 24. Our major issue was raising the minimum wage. 51 Republicans and two Independents, who traditionally vote with the Republican caucus, blocked an increase in the minimum wage that would have helped tens of thousands of low wage workers. It is our understanding that Republican Speaker William J. Howell made the issue a caucus vote, thus binding Republicans to vote against the increase -- except for Delegates Callahan, Ingram and Rust. Several other Republican delegates who had indicated their support for the bill simply did not vote.

Below is a brief report on legislation that we worked on in the 2007 session.

Minimum Wage – SB1327-A bill that would have raised the minimum wage to $6.50 on July 1.	Support	Passed Senate 31-8 Failed House on a procedural motion 53-43
Utility Transfers – HB 1755-A bill that removes SCC oversight for telephone company sales of assets.	Oppose	Passed House and Senate
Illegal Immigrants – HB 2937-A bill that prohibits non-profit organizations from receiving state funds if they are found providing services for undocumented immigrants.	Oppose	Passed House Failed in Senate Rehabilitation and Social Services Committee.
Public Employees – HB 2725-A bill to establish safety and health regulations for public employees.	Support	Failed in House Commerce and Labor Committee.
Virginia Procurement Act – SB 861, HB 1917-Bills to require the state to ask and report to the General Assembly on service contracts that are outsourced overseas.	Support	Failed in the Senate General Laws and Technology Committee. House bill struck at labor’s request.
Unemployment Benefits – HB 2066-A bill to increase the maximum unemployment benefit to $363 per week.	Support	Passed the House and Senate.

Menhaden – HB 2082-A bill to establish harvest quotas for the Chesapeake Bay.	Support	Passed the House and Senate.
Workers’ Compensation ADR Program for Building Trades – SB 1013, HB 2219-Bills to establish an Alternative Dispute Resolution Program for the union construction trades.	Support	Failed in the Senate Commerce and Labor Committee. House bill struck at labor’s request.
Mine Safety – HB 2897-A bill to require motorized transport at the working face of mines.	Support	Failed in House Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources Committee.
Occupational Safety and Health – SB 1073-A bill that raised the penalty for certain violations that resulted in a fatality to $25,000.	Support	Failed in the Senate Commerce and Labor Committee.
Mobile Work Camps – SB 1423-A bill to establish standards for railroad mobile work camps.	Support	Failed in the Senate Courts Committee.

The session concluded with the Republicans passing a transportation package that the Governor has said he will amend and a failure by the Payday Lending Industry to support a bill that allowed for reasonable reform from predatory lending.

August Political Conference

We are in the process of securing a site and hotel for our upcoming political conference in August. It is at this conference where we will discuss and vote on recommendations for the November General Assembly elections. Local unions must have their per capita paid through February 2007 and Councils must have paid the annual fee to receive a call to the conference.

JRL:csj

OPEIU 334, AFL-CIO