176 CONFIRMED COVID-19 CASEs IN ST. LAWRENCE COUNTY
4/27/20
176 people have tested positive for COVID-19 in St. Lawrence County, according to St. Lawrence County health officials. The St. Lawrence County Department of Public Health says they will update this map semi-regularly. This is where cases were as of 4/24.
ANDREW CUOMO, RIGHT NOW, IS A HOT COMMODITY
By: JAy jacobs
originally in: newsday
4/2/20
The Siena Research Institute poll released Monday confirmed what many have been saying for the past two weeks: Andrew M. Cuomo, right now, is a hot commodity. Virtually, wherever you go, people want Cuomo for president — not in 2024, but today.
As a “Draft Cuomo 2020” account popped on Twitter, the governor has made it clear, most recently on his brother Chris’ news show, that he is not running for president. So, why is Cuomo’s handling of the coronavirus outbreak creating such a political paradigm shift? What is the shelf-life of his dramatic rise in popularity? And, how long can it last, and where could it take him?
For the rest of this article, visit Newsday.
As a “Draft Cuomo 2020” account popped on Twitter, the governor has made it clear, most recently on his brother Chris’ news show, that he is not running for president. So, why is Cuomo’s handling of the coronavirus outbreak creating such a political paradigm shift? What is the shelf-life of his dramatic rise in popularity? And, how long can it last, and where could it take him?
For the rest of this article, visit Newsday.
WHAT CORONAVIRUS MEANS FOR ST. LAWRENCE COUNTY
3/20/20
With the spread of COVID-19 to over 7,000 residents of the state of New York, it is only a matter of time until St. Lawrence County starts to see confirmed cases of the virus. At the direction of the governor, non-essential employees of NY State businesses have been asked to stay home and shelter in place.
This is being urged in the interest of public health as the state government tries to contain the virus so that our hospitals do not get overwhelmed. Here we will keep an updated list of resources that St. Lawrence County residents can use to stay informed about the current status of the pandemic and its impact on NY State. Below you will find some data about how this disease could impact St. Lawrence County if it spreads to our area.
As St. Lawrence County has very limited public health resources and an elderly population, the impact on our communities could be particularly devastating. This is why social distancing is incredibly important to the health and well-being of our neighbors, our families and our friends.
ELISE STEFANIK BROKE HOUSE ETHICS RULES & STEFANIK VOTERS GROW WEARY OF HER RECENT CONDUCT
2/28/2020
Yahoo News broke a story today that reveals that Stefanik violated House Ethics rules by using official floor proceedings in fundraising appeal(s) for her election campaign. A formal complaint has been filed with the House Ethics Committee. To put it simply, she used taxpayer funds to raise money for her re-election.
To read the full story, click here.
The Conversationalist published an excellent piece on this district and the differences between Stefanik and Tedra. We were really happy to see the author quote some reformed Stefanik voters who seem pretty upset with her recent conduct.
To read that story, click here.
To read the full story, click here.
The Conversationalist published an excellent piece on this district and the differences between Stefanik and Tedra. We were really happy to see the author quote some reformed Stefanik voters who seem pretty upset with her recent conduct.
To read that story, click here.
AMERICAN FEDERATION OF GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES LETTER TO ELISE STEFANIK
2/27/2020
Ms. Stefanik:
In July 2018 you signed a bipartisan letter advocating that EO’s 13836, 13837, and 13839 be rescinded.
As you may know, implementation of these EO’s has continued unfettered by any meaningful regard for
the Labor-Management Relations Statute (5 U.S.C. Chapter 71, also referred to as the “the Statute”) and
in some cases not even by the stipulation in the EO’s themselves that they would not be implemented
without bargaining. These Executive Orders continue to be used to abolish Union rights of Federal
Employees under the Statute. But they are not the only documents to come out of the White House
with the intent of eradicating the rights of Federal workers to Union representation.
I am writing today to ask you to take action opposing the Trump Memorandum delegating authority to
the Department of Defense to exclude “Department of Defense agencies or subdivisions thereof” from
the provisions of the Statute. Taking away the rights of Department of Defense Employees, likely
including people you represent in the 21 st District including those at Fort Drum, the largest single-site
Employer in New York, serves no positive purpose for our country.
The letter in question can be found on the White House webpage using this link:
https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/presidential-memorandum-delegation-certain-
authority-federal-service-labor-management-relations-statute/
The premise of this letter is that the Department of Defense cannot accomplish its national security
mission if its workforce has union rights. I was a Department of the Army Civilian for 32 years and
President of AFGE Local 400 at Fort Drum for over 18 years. I can attest to the fact that this is a false
assumption if not a deliberate mistruth. DoD agencies for years have accomplished their national
security interests without the need to negotiate with their employees prior to implementing those
interests. Specifically 5 USC 7112(b)(6) already provides the means to exclude certain employees from a
bargaining unit (Union) because they are engaged in security work which directly affects national
security. These decisions are made at the work place where the bargaining relationship exists and
should not be made at the level of a political appointee who is far removed from the workplace. It is
clear that the intent here is to equate “national security” in the Statutory sense with the work done by
Defense Employees at any level or location and in order to strip them of their representational rights.
This tactic of equating security of any type and at any level with “national security” in the Statutory
sense was tried in the past with law enforcement personnel – and it failed, for good reason: it’s contrary
to Statute.
Furthermore, the insinuation that Union rights are some type of security threat is both insulting to
patriotic Department of Defense employees and just plain wrong. It is insulting because we are patriots
proud to be serving our country. Many of us are veterans who served on active duty and who continue
to serve the United States in our present roles. And it is wrong because under the Statute federal
agencies have always had the authority to do what they need to in a crisis or to protect national security
interests, with zero adverse impact on mission. The White House memorandum is for one purpose only:
to further the Administration’s goal of busting Unions in the Federal workplace.
The Union serves as a valuable check on those who violate law, rule and regulation pertaining to
management of the Federal workforce and the mission. It is wrong and foolhardy to abolish such checks
and balances. For the good of your constituents and for the good of the Department of Defense, I ask
that you take every action available to you to get the letter, and yes the Executive Orders, rescinded
before damage to the rights of the Federal workforce is permanent.
In July 2018 you signed a bipartisan letter advocating that EO’s 13836, 13837, and 13839 be rescinded.
As you may know, implementation of these EO’s has continued unfettered by any meaningful regard for
the Labor-Management Relations Statute (5 U.S.C. Chapter 71, also referred to as the “the Statute”) and
in some cases not even by the stipulation in the EO’s themselves that they would not be implemented
without bargaining. These Executive Orders continue to be used to abolish Union rights of Federal
Employees under the Statute. But they are not the only documents to come out of the White House
with the intent of eradicating the rights of Federal workers to Union representation.
I am writing today to ask you to take action opposing the Trump Memorandum delegating authority to
the Department of Defense to exclude “Department of Defense agencies or subdivisions thereof” from
the provisions of the Statute. Taking away the rights of Department of Defense Employees, likely
including people you represent in the 21 st District including those at Fort Drum, the largest single-site
Employer in New York, serves no positive purpose for our country.
The letter in question can be found on the White House webpage using this link:
https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/presidential-memorandum-delegation-certain-
authority-federal-service-labor-management-relations-statute/
The premise of this letter is that the Department of Defense cannot accomplish its national security
mission if its workforce has union rights. I was a Department of the Army Civilian for 32 years and
President of AFGE Local 400 at Fort Drum for over 18 years. I can attest to the fact that this is a false
assumption if not a deliberate mistruth. DoD agencies for years have accomplished their national
security interests without the need to negotiate with their employees prior to implementing those
interests. Specifically 5 USC 7112(b)(6) already provides the means to exclude certain employees from a
bargaining unit (Union) because they are engaged in security work which directly affects national
security. These decisions are made at the work place where the bargaining relationship exists and
should not be made at the level of a political appointee who is far removed from the workplace. It is
clear that the intent here is to equate “national security” in the Statutory sense with the work done by
Defense Employees at any level or location and in order to strip them of their representational rights.
This tactic of equating security of any type and at any level with “national security” in the Statutory
sense was tried in the past with law enforcement personnel – and it failed, for good reason: it’s contrary
to Statute.
Furthermore, the insinuation that Union rights are some type of security threat is both insulting to
patriotic Department of Defense employees and just plain wrong. It is insulting because we are patriots
proud to be serving our country. Many of us are veterans who served on active duty and who continue
to serve the United States in our present roles. And it is wrong because under the Statute federal
agencies have always had the authority to do what they need to in a crisis or to protect national security
interests, with zero adverse impact on mission. The White House memorandum is for one purpose only:
to further the Administration’s goal of busting Unions in the Federal workplace.
The Union serves as a valuable check on those who violate law, rule and regulation pertaining to
management of the Federal workforce and the mission. It is wrong and foolhardy to abolish such checks
and balances. For the good of your constituents and for the good of the Department of Defense, I ask
that you take every action available to you to get the letter, and yes the Executive Orders, rescinded
before damage to the rights of the Federal workforce is permanent.
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HAMMOND ANNOUNCES BID TO UNSEAT WALCZYK
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Union officials tell state Labor commissioner, farm workers need better overtime deal
Original Article From NNY360.com
Written by W.T. Eckert
GOUVERNEUR — Protecting the rights of the voiceless farm workers in the north country was of chief concern to members of the Lewis, Jefferson and St. Lawrence Counties Central Trades and Labor Council Wednesday night when they had the opportunity to speak with State Commissioner of Labor Roberta Reardon.
Ms. Reardon visited the council during its meeting at Mullin’s Family Restaurant on Route 11 to highlight Governor Andrew M. Cuomo’s proposed budget, which she told the Times following her nearly hour long presentation, was a pro-union budget.
“The budget is an incredible document of vision. I think he is a rare human being,” Ms. Reardon said, when speaking about Mr. Cuomo. “It’s no bologna, this is a governor who cares about the citizens of New York. He’s very deeply concerned about people’s rights to collectively bargain. It is in the New York State Constitution and he supports that and he is against anything that would take that away from the citizens of the state.”
Following her presentation labor council President Ronald P. McDougall, who is also the mayor of Gouverneur, said that the union members in the room believed in the rights of all people and that immigrant farm workers were being denied the rights of many labor workers.
“The Farm Workers Bill, there is a lot of resistance in Northern New York by big farmers,” Mr. McDougall told Ms. Reardon. “When you are negotiating you don’t get everything you want,” but he said that he felt that some workers are being taken advantage of.
The Farm Laborers Fair Labor Practices Act provides for the right of farm workers to collectively organize, although not to strike, to collect overtime pay after 60 hours of work, and for a full day off per week, with the option to work during the day of rest at one and a half times their normal hourly rate of pay.
Ernest J. LaBaff, president emeritus of the Aluminum, Brink and Glassworkers International Union said the 60 hour limit before allowing overtime for farm laborers is “making slaves out of those people.”
Mr. LaBaff said that the north country farms have immigrants from working from a variety of places around the world, such as Guatemala.
“We know the farm worker is a tough job and they are good people and they are immigrants. I don’t understand the immigrant policy of this president when agriculture needs the immigrants,” he said. “What worker that works for a union, or anywhere else, wants to go work where you can only get overtime after 60 hours of work . . . Why should you establish a position on farm workers that separates them from every other human being who works for a living.“
Ms. Reardon said by Friday there will be an announcement by the state of the appointment of members of a new wage board that will hear testimony throughout the state from concerned workers and advocates of farm employees, including their concerns on the overtime issue.
“We have to have three meetings within 45 days of the first meeting, so the first meeting will be the end of February and the other two meetings will be held in March and we are thinking about having two other meetings as well, just because we want to make sure we have meetings around the state, because these are farmers and their workers and they’re not going to travel all over the state to testify, we are aware of that,” she said. “And the charge in the rule is to determine what overtime should be set at and what schedule they need to arrive at. So it is going to be a big conversation and I welcome it.”
Jason A. Clark, the council’s recording secretary said since the 2010 loss of abut 96 farms in St. Lawrence County, there are about seven farms that milk more than 2,500 cows a piece.
“I mean, that’s huge, and to Ernie’s point, that is corporate farming. This is not small town family dairy. This is a massive million dollar corporate operation,” he said. “These are folks that need a voice and they simply don’t have a voice otherwise. The extra $6 an hour for overtime at 40 hours, when you are a multimillion dollar operation, you can afford the extra kernels. It might not mean a lot to guy who has a $20 million farming operation,but that guy who is trying to buy Cheerios for his kid? It matters to him.”
As she was leaving the meeting, Ms. Reardon told the Times the voices in the room did not go unheard.
“I think they are very appreciative of the work the governor and his administration has done and that is really great news,” she said. “I heard some wonderful stuff in there tonight. People speaking up for the rights of people who often are voiceless. Ernie talking about the farm laborer’s plight.
“This is small town American and it is small town America going in he right direction,” she said. “They’re saying everybody has a right to be here and they are saying how can we help the farm workers that we know are not going to speak for themselves. That is truly remarkable.”
Written by W.T. Eckert
GOUVERNEUR — Protecting the rights of the voiceless farm workers in the north country was of chief concern to members of the Lewis, Jefferson and St. Lawrence Counties Central Trades and Labor Council Wednesday night when they had the opportunity to speak with State Commissioner of Labor Roberta Reardon.
Ms. Reardon visited the council during its meeting at Mullin’s Family Restaurant on Route 11 to highlight Governor Andrew M. Cuomo’s proposed budget, which she told the Times following her nearly hour long presentation, was a pro-union budget.
“The budget is an incredible document of vision. I think he is a rare human being,” Ms. Reardon said, when speaking about Mr. Cuomo. “It’s no bologna, this is a governor who cares about the citizens of New York. He’s very deeply concerned about people’s rights to collectively bargain. It is in the New York State Constitution and he supports that and he is against anything that would take that away from the citizens of the state.”
Following her presentation labor council President Ronald P. McDougall, who is also the mayor of Gouverneur, said that the union members in the room believed in the rights of all people and that immigrant farm workers were being denied the rights of many labor workers.
“The Farm Workers Bill, there is a lot of resistance in Northern New York by big farmers,” Mr. McDougall told Ms. Reardon. “When you are negotiating you don’t get everything you want,” but he said that he felt that some workers are being taken advantage of.
The Farm Laborers Fair Labor Practices Act provides for the right of farm workers to collectively organize, although not to strike, to collect overtime pay after 60 hours of work, and for a full day off per week, with the option to work during the day of rest at one and a half times their normal hourly rate of pay.
Ernest J. LaBaff, president emeritus of the Aluminum, Brink and Glassworkers International Union said the 60 hour limit before allowing overtime for farm laborers is “making slaves out of those people.”
Mr. LaBaff said that the north country farms have immigrants from working from a variety of places around the world, such as Guatemala.
“We know the farm worker is a tough job and they are good people and they are immigrants. I don’t understand the immigrant policy of this president when agriculture needs the immigrants,” he said. “What worker that works for a union, or anywhere else, wants to go work where you can only get overtime after 60 hours of work . . . Why should you establish a position on farm workers that separates them from every other human being who works for a living.“
Ms. Reardon said by Friday there will be an announcement by the state of the appointment of members of a new wage board that will hear testimony throughout the state from concerned workers and advocates of farm employees, including their concerns on the overtime issue.
“We have to have three meetings within 45 days of the first meeting, so the first meeting will be the end of February and the other two meetings will be held in March and we are thinking about having two other meetings as well, just because we want to make sure we have meetings around the state, because these are farmers and their workers and they’re not going to travel all over the state to testify, we are aware of that,” she said. “And the charge in the rule is to determine what overtime should be set at and what schedule they need to arrive at. So it is going to be a big conversation and I welcome it.”
Jason A. Clark, the council’s recording secretary said since the 2010 loss of abut 96 farms in St. Lawrence County, there are about seven farms that milk more than 2,500 cows a piece.
“I mean, that’s huge, and to Ernie’s point, that is corporate farming. This is not small town family dairy. This is a massive million dollar corporate operation,” he said. “These are folks that need a voice and they simply don’t have a voice otherwise. The extra $6 an hour for overtime at 40 hours, when you are a multimillion dollar operation, you can afford the extra kernels. It might not mean a lot to guy who has a $20 million farming operation,but that guy who is trying to buy Cheerios for his kid? It matters to him.”
As she was leaving the meeting, Ms. Reardon told the Times the voices in the room did not go unheard.
“I think they are very appreciative of the work the governor and his administration has done and that is really great news,” she said. “I heard some wonderful stuff in there tonight. People speaking up for the rights of people who often are voiceless. Ernie talking about the farm laborer’s plight.
“This is small town American and it is small town America going in he right direction,” she said. “They’re saying everybody has a right to be here and they are saying how can we help the farm workers that we know are not going to speak for themselves. That is truly remarkable.”
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COBB RAISES $1M IN A WEEKEND!
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LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR HOCHUL IN CANTON TO MEET WITH DEMOCRAT CANDIDATES!
10/22/2019
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Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul tooks some time out of her busy schedule in Albany to spend some time in St. Lawrence County and understand the issues facing north country voters. Pictured above, Kathy met with Janet Otto Cassada, candidate for St. Lawrence County Clerk and Alex Hammond, Waddington Town Supervisor. She also offered this endorsement of Mayor Cassada:
“As Waddington village mayor, Janet Otto-Cassada has the necessary experience and skills to serve in public office,” said Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul. “As mayor and a previous longtime employee of the St. Lawrence Department of Motor Vehicles, Janet has gone above and beyond in her roles. As a former Erie county clerk, I am proud to endorse Janet for St. Lawrence County Clerk. I am confident that she will help to ensure residents are provided with the information and services they need and improve their quality of life.”
“As Waddington village mayor, Janet Otto-Cassada has the necessary experience and skills to serve in public office,” said Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul. “As mayor and a previous longtime employee of the St. Lawrence Department of Motor Vehicles, Janet has gone above and beyond in her roles. As a former Erie county clerk, I am proud to endorse Janet for St. Lawrence County Clerk. I am confident that she will help to ensure residents are provided with the information and services they need and improve their quality of life.”
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DEMOCRATS COME OUT FOR PARADE IN CANTON!
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ARC COMMUNITY ARTS SHOWCASE IN POTSDAM
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SLC DEMS AT NYS DEMS MEETING
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NEW LEGISLATORS SWORN IN
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