The
Governor renewed his campaign commitment to work with the Labor Movement in the
Commonwealth at the Massachusetts AFL-CIO's Gompers-Murray-Meaney education
conference in North Falmouth, MA. He has already delivered on his promise to
create a new cabinet level position, the Secretary of Labor and Workforce
Development and has appointed George Noel, former IBEW Local 1505 Business
Manager/Financial Secretary, as the Director of Labor.

Governor
Patrick also talked about several of his major initiatives, including an
economic incentive plan to create 100,000 new jobs with good wages in the
Commonwealth. He mentioned the importance of a $1.5 billion bond bill to invest
in state infrastructure. He also touched upon the state's new health care
program, highlighting the 125,000 people who were uninsured last year who are
now covered.

Governor Deval
Patrick's Secretary of Labor and Workforce Development, Suzanne Bump, spoke
before the Massachusetts AFL-CIO at their annual Gompers-Murray-Meaney
education conference. She said she and the Governor were working hard to
straighten out the backlog of cases before the various state agencies that
oversee disputes between labor and management.

Secretary Bump
said that it is clear that the current Massachusetts Labor Commission, made up
of appointees by the Romney administration, has gone out of its way to side
with management and to stall the case brought before the agency. "Justice
delayed is justice denied," Bump said, and vowed to streamline the
bureaucracy to deliver speedy resolutions to labor management disputes.

President
Sullivan praised Secretary Bump as well as the Governor for their concern and
constant vigilance over the recent National Grid contract negotiations.  “It helps when the Gov. and the Secretary of
Labor show an interest in your negotiations.”

President Sullivan also sat
on a panel on “Opportunities in energy”. 
Before commenting on opportunities in energy President Sullivan
criticized regulators and legislators for their part in Utility Deregulation pointing
out that most states have completely reversed direction and have started to
reregulate.  On opportunities in energy
President Sullivan spoke in favor of alternative energies, but cautioned the
Labor Movement to make sure we are fair about jurisdiction.  “Communication is the key!” exclaimed
Sullivan “What we don’t want to do is end up fighting over the work amongst
ourselves.  We need to remain unified
through the process.”