By JOHN CHEEVES

In response to a stinging audit that criticized its spending practices, including no-bid contracts and University of Kentucky athletics tickets going to top managers for no identifiable business purpose, the governing board of Kentucky Employers’ Mutual Insurance on Friday recommended that its chief executive take a pay cut and lose his long-term job contract in favor of year-to-year probation.

KEMI’s board of directors unanimously voted to change the terms of CEO Jon Stewart’s employment after a three-and-half-hour closed-door meeting in Lexington with representatives from the offices of the state auditor and the attorney general.

“The board has authorized the executive committee to work with Mr. Stewart to implement a probationary contract at a reduced salary for a one-year term, with opportunity for annual renewals,” the board said later in a prepared statement. “As evidenced by the board’s audit request, we continually look for opportunities to make improvements for the benefit of Kentucky’s employers.”

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Rolling Pickets Kickoff: April 30th at 7:30am Kaiser Santa Rosa Medical Office Building 2 

 Let’s show Kaiser Management we are fed up with their delays and blatant disrespect. It’s time for a fair contract—NOW! Out of the area but have the day off? Hop in your car and join us! Looking for another way to show support? Ask your Contract Action Team leader about an action we are asking all Home Health Therapists to take in solidarity with those walking the picket line. 

The battle lines are drawn in local elections. The anti-worker establishment candidates are receiving record floods of money and favorable publicity. Our side has only us! Join the army for working families by contacting AFL-CIO Political Director Lorraine Montemayor at 214-448-1557. A long list of scheduled activities is below. Right now, advocates for working families can volunteer to take shifts to poll greet during early voting April 22-30. 

April 27 will begin with our big rally. It will include barbeque, refreshments, door prizes, and gas cards for those going out to canvas voters.

Progressive families are lining up on the working families’ side. AFL-CIO endorsed mayoral candidate Scott Griggs recently picked up endorsements from Dallas Firefighters, the Sierra Club, and Texas Alliance for Retired Americans. The retirees’ vote may be especially important since the Dallas newspaper recently revealed that half of all expected Dallas voters are 62 or older.

One of the candidates who did not seek our endorsement recently announced on Facebook, “I’m very proud to have earned the endorsement of Randall Stephenson, Chairman & CEO of AT&T…”  https://www.facebook.com/JohnsonForDallas/ Coincidentally, Communications Workers and their allies plan to protest Stephenson and AT&T at their stockholders meeting on April 26 because the company took giant tax rebates and promised more jobs, then they laid off 12,000 workers! The protest begins at 7AM at Moody Performance Hall, 2520 Flora Lane in the Arts District of Dallas.

At the monthly AFL-CIO meeting on April 18, principal officer Mark York pointed out that these elections will determine who gets to make critical appointments to the Airport Board, DART Board, Parks Board, and other agencies that control aspects of our lives.

A major issue at the meeting was the need to win a paid sick time ordinance for 320,000 workers in our area. Advocates will gather at City Hall, 1500 Marilla, at 8 AM on Wednesday, April 24. Meantime, advocates should call their own councilpersons and encourage a “yes” vote. A list of phone numbers is on our web site at https://www.texasaflcio.org/dallas/news/labor-mobilizing-win.

Local elections determine our future. The fight is on!

Rally for Early Voting

Increasingly, the early vote...

The Fairfield County Labor Chapter and Fairfield County Building Trades invite you to the remembrance of the L’Ambiance Plaza collapse on Tuesday, April 23. This ceremony marks the 32nd anniversary of the disaster that took place on April 23, 1987. Due to faulty lift slab construction, 28 workers were crushed to death at the site of the L’Ambiance development.

Every year, organized labor, family members and friends have gathered to remember and pay tribute to the workers who died, the families, the rescue workers and all those who assisted in any way during and after the collapse.

The ceremony will begin at 10:45 a.m. at the Bridgeport City Hall located at 45 Lyon Terrace.