Last Second Candidate Filings Flood In
It’s not that Alaska politics isn’t always interesting but the drudgery of the last couple of months has been draining. The Republican run state capitol has been nothing but frustrating – not passing anything of meaning for an entire session. Including a budget. So today, the last day to file as a candidate suddenly it suddenly became VERY interesting. There’s awesome news, some bittersweet news and some &^%*$ what is going on sort of news. Let’s get to the awesome news first. Friend of TheMudflats and life of the Union party, Vince Beltrami is running for State Senate. Now, while that’s pretty…
Mudflats’ Top 13 of 2013
Since it’s two millennia plus a baker’s dozen on the calendar, we thought that it seemed appropriate to give a nod to the top 13 Mudflats stories of 2013. We noticed that six of the top 13 posts are about a certain former half governor who used to steer Alaska’s ship of state. We’re not quite sure what to make of this. We’re not ones to pat ourselves on the back, but that option is less horrifying to us than thinking that Sarah Palin is still all that important. We prefer instead to believe that she has simply morphed, devolved…
Assemblyman Admits Back Room Shenanigans
Tuesday’s Anchorage Assembly meeting promised to be more interesting than usual, but no one was expecting the jaw-dropping admission of blatant politicking by a supporter of the Mayor on the Assembly, and that the peoples’ referendum to repeal a draconian labor ordinance was being set up as a casualty of electoral manipulation. The Anchorage Assembly passed its anti-union, anti-public-employee Ordinance 37 back in March of 2013 despite hours and hours of testimony against it. In fact, Chair Ernie Hall even cut off testimony with many still waiting for an opportunity to speak. That led to the filing of a petition to…
Solidarity Picnic Photo Album!
Yesterday, labor leaders of all stripes, and the middle class who loves them joined together in solidarity on the Park Strip in downtown Anchorage. It couldn’t have been a nicer day – sunshine, gentle breeze, none of that wet stuff falling from the sky. Hundreds of people and their families were there. Candidates, and elected officials milled about – all there to show their support for the middle class. Alaska has the second-highest union density of any state (New York is first), so Alaskans understand the importance of organized labor and how it improves the quality of life for all…
UNITE HERE Wins a Victory Over Unfair Labor Practices at Anchorage Sheraton
It’s always nice to report good news, and today’s news was really good. The Mudflats has had ongoing coverage of the protests against the Anchorage Hilton and the Anchorage Sheraton, and on Friday a federal judge issued a preliminary injunction against Remington Hospitality (which demonstrates none.) ~The President of the AFL-CIO, Richard Trumka in Alaska protesting Remington’s illegal treatment of Anchorage workers in August of 2010. U.S. District Court Judge Timothy Burgess’s 34-page injunction was issued late Friday. Among other items, it includes provisions requiring Remington Lodging and Hospitality to restore paid lunch breaks and employer-paid health care and reduce…
Solidarity with Wisconsin: Alaska’s Capital Rallies For Working Families
“We have all been reading about Wisconsin and the other attacks against public employees throughout the country. The time is at hand to stop wringing our hands and start taking some action.” —Pete Ford, Alaska Public Employees Association (APEA-AFT) (Juneau, AK)—With almost no advance notice, a large crowd in Alaska’s Capitol converged on Dimond Courthouse Square near the State Legislature Building to stand in solidarity with embattled public employees in Wisconsin. In the middle of a sunny day in Juneau, union and non-union folks alike made their voices heard in defense of working families and basic standards of decency when…
Pop, Ooze, Dung, and the Alaska Personnel Board.
Lots of good stuff floating around the internets. Here’s a little smorgasbord of tasty treats you may have missed. POP! Gubernatorial candidate Bob Poe wrote an excellent compass piece for the Anchorage Daily News that begins like this: I support equal rights for all people. And I support banning discrimination in Anchorage due solely to someone’s sexual orientation. I support a comprehensive equal rights ordinance because it’s the right thing to do, period. Sh. sh. shhh. Listen. Do you hear those faint little noises, like Pop Rocks? Remember all those people in red shirts who testified at the Anchorage Assembly…