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Vermont's Economy in Crisis

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Vermont's Economy in Crisis A Seasonal Publication of News, Politics, And Counter-Culture For The Working Vermonter, Fall/Winter, 2008-9 #21 FREE VERMONT’S 2008 GENERAL ELECTION And the Future of the Green Mountain Electoral Left GREEN MOUNTAIN EARTH FIRST! Takes Action Against VT Yankee/PSB By Slug Brattleboro, VT, November, 3rd, 2008- Demanding the closure of Vermont Yankee By David Van Deusen nuclear power plant in mid 20s, with two on‐ Democratic President‐ Vernon, a group calling Montpelier, VT, No‐ themselves Green Mountain vember 10th, 2008‐ If going, unpopular wars elect Barack Obama Earth First! challenged the afoot, with the econ‐ (who received 67.4% there were ever a year Vermont Public Service omy crashing harder of the VT vote), this for an incumbent Re‐ board at their State Street than the US has seen was the year that the office in Montpelier Mon- publican Governor to since the Great De‐ left hoped to demon‐ day morning. Dressed as be shown the door it pression, and with strate definitively that elves and Santa Claus, the was 2008. With Presi‐ group entered the office in- droves of Vermonters Jim does not equal dent George W. Bush’s sisting that the Public Ser- going to the polls to jobs and that Jim Vermont approval rat‐ vice Board (PSB) revoke enthusiastically place represents the same ing hovering in the (Continued Page 17) their bet with the now (Continued on P. 10) RALLY AT STATE HOUSE MAY 1st, 2009. HEALTHCARE! HEALTHCARE! 2009. 1st, MAY HOUSE AT STATE RALLY VERMONT’S ECONOMY IN CRISIS THE SHRINKING JOB MARKET & THE REAL NUMBERS Part 1 in a 2 part series What little we hear about the Ver- mont economy from TV or newspapers Call In Sick! By Vermont Economist Doug Hoffer is limited to a few simple measures May 1st, 2009 such as the unemployment rate, job Burlington, VT- I don’t pretend to P.7 know what’s happening on Wall Street growth, and per capita income. But these are all terms of art and can be Catamount Tavern News (who does?). But I do know something Vermont’s Only misleading. For example, the unem- about what’s happening in Vermont Union Affiliated and I would like to share some infor- ployment rate is a very limited meas- Newspaper, mation with you. Some of it is a little ure. Lithographers Local 1L Teamsters wonky but almost everything seems *If you have not actively looked for Circulation: 1200+ complicated compared to the superfi- work in the last four weeks, then you cial coverage we get in the mainstream Statewide are not considered part of the labor Est. Winter 2003 media. Stay with me. (Continued on Page 14) VT POPULATION: 623,908 Catamount Tavern News/Fall-Winter 2008-9 Page 2 Notes From The Editor, What is The With the election of Democrat Barak Obama to US Catamount President, hope is running high among working people that we, as a nation, will turn a corner, get out of Tavern? Iraq, and put the people, and not the rich, first. But is Obama, the fist Black President, up for the In the task? Can he turn back the looming Depression? Will The Catamount Tavern he tow the line of his Wall Street big money sup- 1770’s there porters, or will he take the road of FDR & and a New Deal? was a pub in Bennington, VT Would Black Panther Fred Hampton have voted for Obama? My guess to the last question is no, although he certainly called the Green Mountain would have distained McCain. Real change, if it does come, Tavern (informally known as will come from below anyway. So let us keep the heat on. –CT the Catamount Tavern because of a stuffed mountain lion lo- cated outside). It was within it’s walls that the Green Moun- Is a worker-owned, union affiliated newspaper (Lithographers Local tain Boys planned a revolu- 1L-Teamsters). We, the Staff of CT News, believe that journalism best serves the community when it challenges capitalist policy and power; tion. The rest is history. not when it repeats it as spoken by its advocates. With this in mind, CT News pledges to print factual, honest, hard hitting news which is writ- ten from the perspective of the working class Vermonter. CT News is available at the following locations: Our publication supports the building of a Vermont wherein regu- NORTHEAST KINGDOM lar and frequent Town Meetings, in cooperation with directly democ- Newport: Newport Natural Foods, Derby: ratic worker and farmer unions, are the basic decision making bodies TBA, St. Johnsbury: The Co-op, Glover: of the Green Mountains. We intend on helping to build this society General Store, Bread & Puppet Museum, West Glover: Lake Parker Country Store, based on basic principles of equality, wherein all persons have, among Hardwick: Buffalo Mtn Co-op, East Hard- other things, access to decent housing, healthy food, acceptable health wick: The Gas Station care, quality childcare, higher education, and meaningful jobs. NORTHERN VERMONT Swanton: TBA, Alburg: TBA, Winooski: THIS IS FREEDOM & UNITY The Cafe, Burlington: West African Gro- cery, City Market, Muddy Water’s, Radio Bean, Peace & Justice Center, Food Catamount Tavern News The Republic of Vermont 1777-1791 Not Bombs News Editor: David Van Deusen, Montpelier, Vermont CAPITAL REGION Photo & Image Editor: Jeremy Ripin Montpelier: Hunger Mtn Co-op, Langdon Street Café, Downstairs Video, Matt’s, Obituaries Editor: Xavier Massot M&M Beverage, Barre: Dente’s, Barre Staff Writers: Traven Leyshon, Jacob “Black Jack” Banis, Natasha Books, LACE, Middlesex: Middlesex Coun- Voline, Jeremy Ripin, David Crawford Milton try Store, Moretown: The General Store Special War Correspondent: Jake From Rutland CENTRAL VERMONT White River Junction: Bus Station, Spring- Contributing Writers: Jaqelyn Rieke, Will Dunbar, Doug Hoffer, field: Citgo Station, Rutland: The Co-op, Nancy Welch, Helen Scott, Slug, Will Bennington Coffee Shop, Bristol: The Café, Middle- Contributing Copy Editor: Beth Cate bury: The Co-op. Layout: David Van Deusen SOUTHERN VERMONT Bennington; South Street Café, Bennington Contributing Distribution Coordinator: Will Dunbar Pizza, Old Books, Marlboro: Sweeties, Editor Emeritus: Jonna Jamie, Jack Dunken Marlboro College, Putney: The Co-op, Bel- Publisher: The Lynch Hill Compound lows Falls: The Coffee Shop, Guilford:, The Country Store, Brattleboro: Gougers, The News Service: Vermont Independent Media Center (a Co-operative) CT News Masthead By Xavier Massot Indian Grocery, Kipling's (aka Mike’s), Printer: First Step Printing (Lithographers Local 1L-Teamsters shop) The Hemp Store, Mocha Joe’s, Everyone’s Books, The Weathervane Contact Us With Submissions, Letters & News Tips: Email: [email protected] & GENERAL STORES IN BETWEEN! CT News, PO Box 76, Montpelier, VT, 05601, USA- Vermont Worker s’& Farmers’ News/Fall-Winter 2008-9 Page 3 V ERMONT WORKERS’ & FARMERS’ NEWS VT Milk Commission Falters would go a long way in helping the Milk Commission, headed by farmers get through bad times, Roger Allbee, a Jim Douglas ap- and would kick the processers in pointee, appears to be second the ass a bit for the ongoing and guessing their own figures and historical low pay given to farmers have decided to hold more hear- for their raw milk. The original ings before they decide what, if findings of the commission were anything,Photo Ripin by Jeremy to do. that the processers would be able to afford this charge, and that it The next hearing will be held Staff Writer would not need to be past on to on November 18th, others are ex- consumers. pected to follow. CT News strongly St. Johnsbury, VT –The Vermont urges all dairy farmers to attend Milk Commission is currently con- However, at a recent hearing these meetings and to make their sidering whether or not to man- the processors and the large gro- voice heard! For detailed infor- date a premium for retail milk cers provided “professional” testi- mation on the hearings (location/ sold in Vermont. The proposed mony stating that they could not time/etc) go to the Vermont Milk premium would be paid by the afford to the fee and that if it were Commission’s web page at: milk processers, and would be implemented, they would be www.vermontagriculture.com/ transferred directly to farmers as forced to pass the cost down the milkcommission or call the De- a way to stabilize their income. chain consumers. After listening to partment of Agriculture at: Advocates contend that this fund this not-so-surprising testimony, 828-2426 –CT Faculty Union Wins Victory at UVM By Helen Scott and Nancy Welch, United Academics-AFT/AAUP ulty governance and academic free‐ leader Tony Bradley. dom but it also gained ground in These lessons‐‐strong rank‐and‐ crucial areas for both tenure‐track file involvement, preparation for a and non‐tenure‐track faculty. public battle, rejecting the logic of The deal includes a 15 percent concessionary bargaining‐‐will be salary increase over three years, a important for the part‐time faculty 37‐percent increase in professional union as well as the staff union on development funds and new paid campus, and for other upcoming parental and family leave provisions regional labor struggles. BURLINGTON, Vt.‐‐Members of that bargaining team member Beth Colin Robinson of the Vermont United Academics‐AFT/AAUP won Mintz called "the best in the coun‐ Livable Wage Campaign said, "With an important victory at the Univer‐ try." multiple contracts coming up this sity of Vermont, voting 214‐to‐1 in “[The administration] realized year in Burlington, it is exciting that favor of a new three‐year contract that faculty were prepared to fight United Academics has reached a for full‐time faculty on September long and hard over these issues, and contract that sets such a great 25.
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