Fellow members,

Yesterday I spoke at the state legislature building along side fellow union public sector employees, state senators, and house representatives to promote HB 750, the bill that will repeal the ban on collective bargaining. This bill gains strength each year. Last year we had 6 co-sponsors for the bill, this year we have 17 co-sponsors. The bill would lift the 50 year ban on collective bargaining for public sector employees in North Carolina. While this legislation is important there is also another bill that appears to be in a more likely position to pass this year. This federal bill will grant all police officers and first responders the right to collective bargaining and the president has vowed to sign it when it comes across his desk.

Due to the low turnout at our last meeting and no major issues on the horizon I have canceled our April meeting. Our local 391 is having a rededication to the union hall in Greensboro on April 18. I will be attending this meeting. This should be a very large meeting and if anyone is interested in seeing our Greensboro office I encourage you to attend. Our Governor, Beverly Perdue and our International Union President, Jimmy Hoffa, will also be in attendance.

Rick Armstrong