Mar 5, 2008IDA Reform Needed
IDA reform needed
Agencies have value, but law must stress more accountability
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} The recent dustup over the value of industrial...
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Feb 22, 2008How Time Has Changed the Relationships of Capitalism
Consumers and Citizens: Same Person, Different
Responsibilities Philosopher, Adam Smith, writing in the 1700’s, understood
and explained the basics of supply and demand to our world. He wrote that
rising prices would encourage producers to enter a market, while decreasing
prices would...
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Sep 14, 2007Forum Calls for Oversight of COMIDA
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Jul 27, 2007What's to reform? Wicks Law protects taxpayers
By: James V. Bertolone, President, and Aron J. Reina, Lead Field Organizer Rochester & Genesee Valley Area Labor Federation, AFL-CIO Over the past months we’ve been assaulted with claims that
the Wick’s Law is the only thing preventing our economy from seeing the massive
upswing of...
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Jul 20, 2007Court OKs deal for Delphi to slash UAW pay
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Jun 19, 2007Get Return on Business Tax Breaks
Get return on business tax
breaks
Jesse Lenney Guest essayist
Post Comment
(June 19, 2007) — The outrage over the County of Monroe Industrial
Development Agency subsidy to the Wellesley Inn is a perfect example of why the
statewide...
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May 9, 2007Critics Blast IDA's, Empire Zones
Critics blast Empire Zones, IDAs
They say the economic development programs are costly, miss job targets
Jay Gallagher Albany bureau chief
(May 9, 2007) — ALBANY — Critics ripped two of the state's largest
economic...
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Apr 25, 2007Tax Break for Brighton Hotel Draws Protest
Tax break application for Brighton hotel draws
protest
By RACHEL
E. DEWEY
Messenger Post Staff
Posted: Apr 25, 01:39 PM EDT
An applicant's past history has raised concerns about COMIDA
officials charged with doling out relief dollars the public will never recoup....
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Mar 6, 2007Cutting Upstate Adrift Won't Serve It Well
A statement from the Fiscal Policy Institute Tuesday,
March 6, 2007 Frank Mauro, Executive
Director, 518-786-3156 Cutting Upstate Adrift Won’t
Serve It Well
Like the “Unshackle Upstate” coalition, the Fiscal Policy
Institute strongly recommends a...
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Feb 27, 2007State: Memo to Spitzer: A Better Path to a Better Economy
STATE: Memo to Spitzer: A better path to a better economy
Published by Jon Greenbaum on Feb 27, 2007
Second of two articles. With
Upstate New York mired in one of the nation's most sluggish economies,
business and political leaders are searching for a...
more
Feb 20, 2007State: A Better Way to Boost Upstate's Economy
STATE: A better way to boost Upstate's economy
An alternative to business leader's 'Unshakle' plan
By Jon Greenbaum on Feb. 20th, 2007
First of two articles. On February 15, the people of Sulphur Bay
(on the tiny South...
more
Jun 9, 2006Some 'Unshackle Upstate' proposals pose problems
"Unshackle Upstate, a Growth Strategy for a Stagnant
Economy" is being touted by the Rochester Business Alliance and the
Business Council of New York State as a blueprint for revitalizing our
economy. A careful reading of the
document reveals the same corporate driven Chamber of...
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Jul 29, 2005How the big-box stores threaten national economy
Big box stores are becoming increasingly common across our
nation and right here at home. This type
of approach to retail business is a major threat to the wages, benefits, health
care and livelihoods of workers across the country and around the world. Mega retailers, such as...
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Sep 24, 2004Firm repays community with union-busting tactics
Some of the greatest barriers workers face in winning the
right to bargain collectively and form a union are widespread union busting
tactics which are often illegal but rarely punished. Every employer in our community should be
held accountable for meeting at least a basic standard...
more...
Jan 13, 2006Make time to examine PSC stance on telecom deregulation
In the past I have written of Labor's views on the subject
of deregulation, from trade policies to public services. If you haven't
had enough of deregulation shifting billions in costs to taxpayers from the
airlines bailouts and other private industries defaulting...
more...
Foreign Policy
Mar 19, 2008Remarks of Bruce Popper, Rally on the 5th Anniversary of the Iraq War
Remarks of Bruce Popper First Vice-president, Rochester and Vicinity Labor
Council, AFL-CIO Rochesterians Against War Rally on the 5th Anniversary of
the U.S. Invasion of Iraq Liberty Pole Square Rochester, New
York March 19, 2008 In my own union, Local 1199,...
more...
Aug 30, 2007Congress Must Vote Troops Home
Congress must vote troops home I read with much dismay
but no surprise that Congressman Randy Kuhl once again is attempting to
reinvent history (Aug. 16 essay "Congress mustn't micromanage war").
The fact is that the Republican majority voted to give the president
authority to invade...
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May 27, 2005U.S. workers fear trade agreement repercussions
The Dominican
Republic-Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA), signed May 28, 2004 , between the United States , the Dominican Republic and five Central American
countries is a severe blow to America ’s working families. Debate is...
more...
Aug 21, 2008NYS AFL-CIO Endorses HR 676
New York State AFL-CIO Endorses HR 676 New York City, NY. On August
18th, the 31st Constitutional Convention of the New York State AFL-CIO
unanimously endorsed HR 676 and called upon the national AFL-CIO to support
the single payer legislation introduced by Congressman John Conyers...
more...
Jun 1, 2008Remarks of Bruce Popper, Healthcare Reform
SEIU International Union Convention Resolutions Committee San Juan, Puerto Rico June 1, 2008 Remarks of Bruce Popper, Vice-president 1199 SEIU United Health Care Workers East Re: Proposed Resolution #114 Single Payer Universal Healthcare (submitted by Local 1199 UHE) and Proposed Resolution...
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Nov 13, 2007Expanding SCHIP is right thing, but also makes economic sense
Expanding SCHIP is right thing, but also makes economic sense
John Sweeney and James Bertolone Guest essayists
(November 13, 2007) — The single most compelling reason to expand
the State Children's Health Insurance Program is also the...
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Apr 7, 2006Wanted: Affordable, universal, uniform perscription program
President
Bush recently stopped by our community to promote the new Medicare Part D
program. As far as we are concerned – D
stands for disaster, disdainful, dreadful, damaging and most of all
disappointment.
For
Medicare recipients who truly wanted and needed a...
more...
Jan 30, 2010Metro-Justice President's Address - Metro-Justice of Rochester, Annual Meeting 2010
Presidents Address Metro-Justice of Rochester Annual Meeting January
30, 2010 Last year this time we were excited, we were hopeful, and we
were ready for change. Who could blame us? But lets imagine for
a moment, what wed be thinking right now if John McCain was our President,...
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Jan 27, 2010Howard Zinn, historian who challenged status quo, dies at 87
Howard Zinn, historian who challenged status quo, dies at 87 January 27, 2010 05:40 PM By Mark Feeney, Globe Staff Howard Zinn, the Boston University historian and political activist who was an early opponent of US involvement in Vietnam and a leading faculty critic of BU...
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Sep 26, 2009Unshackle Upstate Salary Comparison Unfair
Unshackle Upstate salary comparison unfair
Kenneth Brynien Guest essayist
September 26, 2009 individual : 4 numChar :2202 --> TOTAL ELEMENTS IN ARRAY: 9 TOTAL CHARACTERS IN ARRAY: 2850 TOTAL CHARACTERS IN PAGES: 2202 LAST PAGE CONTAINS: 648 --> var numDivs ="1";if...
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Sep 16, 2009Promising A New Day, Again
Promising a New Day, Again By STEVEN GREENHOUSE
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/16/business/16labor.html?_r=1&sq=steven
greenhouse&st=cse&scp=7&pagewanted=print
The A.F.L.-C.I.O., the nations largest labor organization, has often
been criticized for...
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Aug 26, 2009Health Insurance Press Conference - Remarks by Bruce Popper
BP health care reform remarks Health Insurance Press Conference Organizing for America Rochester, NY
Chapter Anthony L. Jordan Health Center August 26, 2009 Remarks
of Bruce Popper Executive Vice-president Rochester and Genesee Valley Area
Labor Federation, AFL-CIO...
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Aug 8, 2009Your View: Non-union Contractors Never Shut Out
YOUR
VIEW: Non-union contractors never shut out
By PAUL J.
COUTINHO
Paul J. Coutinho
lives in New
Bedford .
August 08,
2009
In Greg Beeman's
opinion published in Your View, "Union contractors try to shut others out" (Aug.
4), he...
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Jun 26, 2009Unions Must Empower the Next Generation of Leadership
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Jun 11, 2009New York Needs an Update for Unemployment Benefits
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OPINION:
New
York needs an update for
unemployment benefits
BY ANDREW STETTNER
9:43 PM EDT,
June 11, 2009
Andrew Stettner is
deputy director of the...
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Nov 17, 2008It's Wrong to Blast Union Release Time
It's wrong to blast union release time
James V. Bertolone Guest essayist
November 17, 2008 Shame on the Democrat and Chronicle for its so-called
investigative journalism of Nov. 2 ("Double dippers") and Nov. 4
editorial ("One for price of two")...
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Oct 14, 2008Unions Say Kuhl "Failed To Meet Cut," Cancels Oak Hill Fundraiser
Political Scene: From the Rochester Perspective
The latest insights, tidbits and behind-the-scene chatter that
impact the Rochester region's political landscape. Join the discussion with our
reporters and opinion editors in Rochester and Albany.
Tuesday, October 14,...
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Oct 1, 2008Union Members Rally Over Dispute
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Sep 26, 2008Will the Real John McCain Please Stand Up?
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Sep 21, 2008Health Care Workers in Western NY Plan Protest
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Jul 25, 2008Stewardship Is Key
Stewardship is Key By: James V. Bertolone, President, Rochester & Genesee Valley Area Labor Federation, AFL-CIO Assisted By: Aron J Reina, Lead Field Organizer, Rochester & Genesee Valley Area Labor Federation, AFL-CIO Throughout the history of civilized society, we have...
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Jul 17, 2008Newspaper, Union Reach New Contract
Newspaper, union reach new contract
Sean Dobbin staff writer
July 17, 2008
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The...
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Jun 23, 2008Labor Needs to Improve Conditions for Non-Union Workers, Official Warns
Labor Needs to Improve Conditions for Nonunion Workers, Official Warns
Patrick Andrade for The New York Times
All union workers gains are vulnerable, says Ed Ott of the New
York City Central Labor Council.
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Jun 14, 2008State Needs to Approve IDA Reform Legislation
The Buffalo News Saturday, June 14, 2008 Everybodys Column State needs to approve IDA reform legislation Updated: 06/14/08 6:51 AM Lets stop giving tax breaks for Fantasy Island rides and speculative office space. The current system is broken. Critics of a comprehensive industrial...
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Apr 22, 2008Libraries deserve top-shelf financing
Libraries deserve top-shelf financing
Ove Overmyer Guest essayist April 22, 2008
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The state budget passed on April 9 has...
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Mar 29, 2008Remarks of Aron Reina, R&GV ALF Annual Meeting 2008
Remarks of Aron J. Reina
Lead Field Organizer, Rochester and
Genesee Valley
Area Labor Federation, AFL-CIO
Rochester & Genesee
Valley Area Labor Federation, AFL-CIO
Annual Meeting 2008
Monroe Community
College
Rochester , New
York
March...
more...
Mar 28, 2008Assemblymember Susan John Announces an Opportunity for Your Son or Daughter
Assemblymember Susan John Announces an Opportunity
for Your Son or Daughter to Attend SUNY Maritime
SUNY Maritime
College has an opportunity for one student from the 131 Assembly District to
receive a four-year full tuition scholarship. ...
more...
Dec 21, 2007Burying Movement Conservatism: Impeachment is a Good Place to Start
It is time
again to bury movement conservatism and to bury it even deeper than the New
Deal buried it. The question now is will an impeachment process be necessary to
accomplish a return to democracy, equal opportunity,...
more...
Dec 19, 2007City Project Holds Promise
Brian Sharp Staff writer
(December 19, 2007) — A unique project that will build 40 high-end
condos in the popular East End could provide a blueprint for future
development — particularly when it comes to troubled properties in the
city.
The local...
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Oct 23, 2007Workers Seek Education for a Better Job, Better Life
WORKERS SEEK EDUCATION FOR A BETTER JOB, BETTER LIFE By Mark Hare Columnist Rochester) - "I was nervous to go back to school," says Kiesha Girtman of Rochester. "I'm 31 and didn't know what to expect, being in with young kids. But it's what I wanted to do for myself." For those who've...
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Oct 14, 2007Labor is helping to open door to city 'School of Construction Arts'
Labor is helping to open door to city 'School of Construction Arts'
James V. Bertolone and Frank Wirt Guest essayists
(October 14, 2007) — For more than a year and half, organized labor,
particularly building trades unions, have worked...
more...
Oct 4, 2007Negotiations falter
THE CAMPUS-TIMES University of Rochester October 4,
2007 Opinion Negotiations falter By The Editorial
Board Last night, 750 members of the Service Employees International
Union voted to authorize the negotiations committee to set a deadline of
Saturday at midnight to end talks with...
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Oct 4, 2007UR EMPLOYEE ATTACKED IN CITY
THE CAMPUS-TIMES (University of Rochester) October 4, 2007 UR
EMPLOYEE ATTACKED IN CITY By Andrew Bruml (Rochester) - Latasha
Shaw, a 15-year employee in UR Dining Services, was fatally stabbed while
breaking up a fight Saturday night on the west side of the city. Shaw,
36, leaves...
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Oct 1, 2007Long-Time Food Service Employee Latasha Shaw Dies
UNIVERSITY OF ROCHESTER NEWS Office of Communications MEDIA CONTACT:
Sharon Dickman (585) 275-4128; sdickman@rochester.edu October 1,
2007 LONG-TIME FOOD SERVICE EMPLOYEE LATASHA SHAW DIES Latasha
E. Shaw, a 15-year employee in dining services at the University
of Rochester, died...
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Sep 29, 2007U of R Contract Talks Get Tense
RNEWS (Time-Warner Cable) September 29, 2007 U OF R CONTRACT TALKS
GET TENSE by Leah George (Rochester) - Contract negotiations
between the University of Rochester and its service workers union are getting
tense. "It's hard and people are struggling," 1199SEIU Vice Chair Sharon
Hale...
more...
Sep 20, 2007Unions Debate Contract Terms
THE CAMPUS-TIMES (University of Rochester) September 20,
2007 UNIONS DEBATE CONTRACT TERMS By Erin
Philbrick (Rochester, NY) - The contracts of the members of the Local
1199 SEIU and SEIU Local 200 United, comprised of over 1,400 service workers
employed on the River Campus and at the...
more...
Jun 22, 2007Drivers Picket Against Palmer Foods
Drivers Picket Against Palmer Foods
by Seth Voorhees
Photo by Todd Krupa
Published Jun 22, 2007
A union representing...
more
May 8, 2007Unionizing low-wage workers breaks the cycle of poverty
Unionizing low-wage workers breaks the cycle of poverty
Lack of job benefits hurts working poor
By DAVID JONES
Posted Monday, May 7th 2007, 12:00 AM
While certain segments of the city are experiencing the best...
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May 8, 2007Unfair to Bash Public Employees Wages
Unfair to bash public employee wages
Michael Bertolone Guest essayist
(May 8, 2007) — Once again, Gannett's Jay Gallagher has used his
column to bash public employee unions ("Public sector has labor pains,"
March 31). Gallagher...
more...
Apr 27, 2007Workers Distrust Behavior-Based Safety Programs
On April 28, 2007 , men
and women throughout the country will pause to pay their respects for Workers’
Memorial Day. Each year working men and women take time to remember those who
have been killed or injured on the job, while renewing their pledge to make workplaces
safer. Sadly, the...
more...
Apr 19, 2007Speech to Rochester Board of Education
Speech to the
Board of Education Rochester
City School District
Written &
Presented by: Daniel DiClemente,
President BENTE/AFSCME Local
2419
On behalf of the members of BENTE/AFSCME Local 2419, we
extend our congratulations to Dr. William...
more...
Apr 12, 2007Pass Bill to Bolster Unions, Work Force
By James V. Bertolone (April 12, 2007) — The U.S. House recently passed the Employee Free Choice Act, which is needed to restore our nation's middle class. The EFCA would require a company to recognize a union when a majority of workers sign union authorization cards. It also would establish...
more
Apr 6, 2007Congressman Kuhl Gets More Than Expected
By Aron J. Reina, Lead Field Organizer Rochester & Genesee Valley Area Labor Federation (April 6, 2007) Last Saturday, more than 150 Labor
activists converged on Congressman...
more...
Mar 31, 2007Library Was Scene of Forum & Protest: Kuhl Vote Draws AFL-CIO Ire
March 31, 2007
Library was scene of forum & protest:
Kuhl vote draws AFL-CIO ire
Article & photos by Brad Turner
There could be no mistake about it. Democracy was in action at the
Southeast Steuben County Library today. A "Town Hall Meeting" convened by...
more
Mar 31, 2007Kuhl Pressed on Iraq, Labor Issues
By Mary Perham leaderbath@yahoo.com (Corning) - The war in Iraq, a labor act and local poverty topped the agenda at a town hall meeting held Saturday morning by U.S. Rep. John R. "Randy" Kuhl Jr., R-Hammondsport. More than 50 people attended the 9 a.m. meeting at the Southeast Steuben County...
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Mar 9, 2007America’s Workers Are Struggling
By Jim Bertolone, President, Rochester
and Genesee Valley
Area Labor Federation and John J. Sweeney, President of the AFL-CIO
All people want their children to do a little better than
they’ve done. A little better education. A little more saved....
more...
Feb 9, 2007One New York: An Agenda for Shared Prosperity
James V. Bertolone, President, Rochester & Genesee Valley Area Labor Federation This is my second article on the
Fiscal Policy Institute's proposed economic agenda to reverse the negative
economic trends in Upstate NY and improve economic conditions throughout the
state. In this...
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Jan 26, 2007One New York: An Agenda for Shared Prosperity
James V. Bertolone, President, Rochester & Genesee Valley Area Labor Federation
The above is the title for the proposed economic agenda of the Fiscal Policy Institute (FPI), a non-partisan research and education organization that focuses on the economic well-being of...
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Dec 22, 2006Subsidized Businesses May Get Without Giving Back
Jim Bertolone, President, Rochester
& Genesee Valley
Area Labor Federation, Assisted by Jesse Lenney, Organizer for UNITE HERE and Metro
Justice Council Member
On December 11 we celebrated the 59 th anniversary
of the Universal Declaration of Human...
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May 12, 2006Worker safety nets failing as funding, staffinf cut
Picture yourself hanging by a rope, dangling off a 100-story
building cleaning windows without an appropriate safety harness or protective
gear. Think of yourself descending into
a dark mine shaft wondering if there is enough oxygen for you and your fellow
workers if something should...
more...
Dec 2, 2005Human rights rallies to call for recognition of workers' voice
International Human Rights Day is on December 10 th
each year. As part of this important
commemoration, the American Labor movement will mobilize nationwide to demand
that a worker’s fundamental right to a voice at work is recognized socially and
legally. At town...
more...
Oct 21, 2005Workers' Reality Conflicts with Media's Optimism
John Sweeney, President of the National AFL-CIO assisted in
writing this editorial.
Despite media headlines emphasizing recent job creation and
a housing construction boom, America’s workers are anxious about the nation’s
economy and do not hold out much hope for the...
more...
Dec 31, 2004Union members were determined Kerry volunteers, voters
Election Day 2004 was not surprisingly, an enormous
disappointment to the working families represented by the AFL-CIO. Exit polling and independent surveys show
that our members turned out in droves and 65 percent of them voted for
Kerry. One out of every...
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Jul 23, 2004Bush's approach brinds hard times for workers
While admittedly, we in the labor movement have all enjoyed
witnessing public hysteria over Michael Moore’s new film “ Fahrenheit 911” and we shamelessly cheered upon hearing that the
film reached number one at the box office, the fact is that the upcoming
election is crucial to the...
more...
Apr 9, 2004Workers' compensation rates cry out for reform
This year, as the American Labor Movement again prepares for
Worker’s Memorial Day (April 28) the New York Union movement has made Workers’
Compensation reform a priority. Workers
who were injured on the job, through no fault of their own, have been living on
the same Workers’...
more...
Mar 5, 2004Labor working to block four more years of Bush
According to U.S. Education Secretary Rod Paige, the
National Education Association is a terrorist organization. Paige made the
reference on Monday, February 23 at a White House meeting with Governors. NEA is
one of the nation’s largest teacher’s unions.
I am...
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