On Monday February 22, 2010 Mayor Kasim Reed will join John C. Mellott for a presentation to the Pension Reform Panel on the current state of Atlanta’s Pension Plan. The panel is comprised of Subject matter experts and key stakeholders from the public and private sections. John C. Mellott was named Chairman of the Pension Reform Panel after Mayor Reed’s transition into his Administration. (See City of Atlanta Webpage for more details)http://www.atlantaga.gov/media/mediastatement_salaryanalysis_021210.aspx

On February 4, 2010 PACE met with Pension Board Committee member Alfred Berry to gain a better understanding of pension rumors and facts such as:

1. Cause of Actions is based on 2008-09 negative CPI

2. 45-75 Total Retirees will be impacted by the negative CPI (recent 2008-09 retirees)

3. Negative CPI will only affect COLA and NOT base salaries

4. COA Code only allows for 3% COLA increases with anything over going into a reserve

PACE will have a seat on the Mayor’s Pension Task Force that was announced on February 3, 2010. Jon Calloway will be the representative on that Committee for PACE. COO Peter Aman released preliminary data on Employee Salary vs CPI Analysis in an email to City Council Members on February 12, 2010. (See the City of Atlanta Website for this article dated 02/12/2010). http://www.atlantaga.gov/media/mediastatement_salaryanalysis_021210.aspx

Kasim Reed is now in office as the new Mayor of the City of Atlanta, as well, several new Administration cabinet Personnel. PACE is now preparing to schedule a meeting with the new Chief Operating Officer (COO) Peter Aman appointed by Mayor Reed. PACE will discuss future endeavors for the City of Atlanta Employees/PACE Members. PACE President Gina Pagnotta intends to speak directly to the Honorable Mayor Kasim Reed concerning PACE Union, and how the City of Atlanta Union Members together can create a special bond to make the City of Atlanta the best that it can be.

Union Information and Meeting schedules are now posted on the PACE Website. PACE will hold Union Meeting on every Tuesday of each month, in Committee Room 1 (any changes will be posted).

Quarterly General Assembly Meeting will be held Jan 19, Apr 20, Jul 20, and Oct 19. PACE members in 2010 must stay abreast of the Cities agenda and voice their concerns representing one voice to the City Administration, as we prepare for a bigger and better City Government for employees in 2010, along with the City Council and our New Mayor Kasim Reed.

Union Membership is encouraged as we prepare our open member enrollment for 2010. PACE has many Benefits for union membership in 2010. To find out more about PACE Benefits, please contact your Union Stewards or Union President.

**Website technical support in progress, updates coming soon**** Time shown on Calender of Events (Front Page) should read 5:30pm not 4:30pm.Our Website Clock is off by one hour. Your patience is Appreciated.

During the runoff election campaign between the two Mayoral Candidates Kasim Reed and Mary Norwood, PACE President Gina Pagnotta remained focused on which candidate would best support the PACE Union Members objectives, as she Talked personally with Kasim Reed last week. PACE now has it's sights on Kasim Reed for his ideas and agenda for the employees of the City of Atlanta as well as the citizens of Atlanta, the answers he gave to questions and his direction for Atlanta seems genuine Ms Pagnotta stated, and his can do attitude is to be desired.

PACE is asking all members to get to the Polls on 1 December and Vote. Your voice will be heard by going to the Polls to help elect the City of Atlanta Next Mayor. PACE would also like to thank all the individuals who works so hard to help PACE Members during this important election period and ask that all members and citizens please bring the correct form of Identification to the Polls when voting.

PACE would like to thank all the Union Members who worked diligently throughout the campaign trails of the candidates we endorsed. We also want to thank the members who went to the polls and cast your votes for the next Mayor of our City. Although the candidate that we endorsed for Mayor did not succeed, we still remain confident in our endorsement that the candidate we chose was the best person for the needs of our membership and employees. At this time PACE has not yet considered endorsing the remaining candidates (Mary Norwood/Kaseem Reed) in the runoff for Mayor. However, we are requesting for all Union Members to assist us in making that decision by emailing your suggestion of what you would prefer PACE to do, whether to endorse a candidate or to remain neutral. Your suggestion should be emailed to gpagnotta@paceatlanta.org no later than Monday, November 23, 2009.

In either decision, PACE encourages all members that can vote, to make sure you exercise your rights in going to the polls on December 1, 2009 and mark your vote in the upcoming elections runoff. Please stay tune to the PACE Website for more information.

As the City employment environment continues to become more instable for those who are not employed by a component of the City of Atlanta’s Public Safety services, circumstances demand that existing City Employees take unprecedented measures to assure their jobs with the City.

One of the most severe threats to the continued employment of non-Public Safety persons is the frequently used strategy of hiring private companies (privatization /outsourcing) to provide services that have been traditionally provided by the City.

You may recall a previous effort to hire the United Water Company to manage the water services for the City of Atlanta. This particular effort was a tremendous failure. Today, as the result of the overall economy and the impact on City costs more emphasis is placed on the prospect of Privatizing. Each of the three (3)Mayoral candidates, Mary Norwood, Jesse Spikes and Kasim Reed, have declared they plan to significantly privatize City services.

If for no other reason than to meet the demand for more Police and Fire employees. These potential Mayorial candidates cannot accomplish this task alone. The Mayor will need the majority of the City Council’s support to accomplish this goal. For that reason among others, it is critical that PACE members pay close attention to the upcoming elections and do everything they can to influence the election in a manner that respects their interests. This screening process was intended to move in that direction. (For more information on the intent of Lisa Borders and PACE support click the link) http://www.bordersforatlanta.com/2009/10/16/atlanta-city-employees-suppo...

In October 2009 Pace will host its First Annual Fund raiser “Car Show” in conjunction with the City of Atlanta Employee Credit Union. PACE is asking for Volunteers to help form the committee for this special event. Future details will be provided to all employees on date,time, events, booth sales, etc. Pace is looking forward to creating a better Employee environment and service for Union Members and their families. If you would like to Volunteer To be on the committee for this event please contact Pace President , Gina Pagnotta at 678-414-8982 Or email her at: mail@paceatlanta.org

The 2009 SEIU/NAGE Union Conference was held in Boston MA. Pace Union President Gina Pagnotta attended the week long conference. She will be representing all the PACE Union members at the conference. Improved labor standards, Employee Free Choice Act, news of Union agenda's in Washington DC and what improvements the Union will be providing for it's members will be information Gina will bring back for PACE members. SEIU now has a union specific Visa Prepaid Card that all union members are approved to receive, members without financial institutions will also be able to have direct deposits to the SEIU Visa Card with the same financial standard as a regular banking institution. Only union members will be able to obtain the Visa Logo Credit Card. See your Union President upon her return and make sure to visit the PACE website for Union News from the Conference during the week of June 10-14.

All Union Members, as a team standing together we would like to have your support for this prestigious event. Your support and standing representation is another way we band together.

Please plan to come and bring a friend.

Feel free to copy and share this flyer with others.

****Right Click to Open Flyer in Different Window for Viewing****

We would like a representative to be present at each of the five (5) fire stations outlined on the flyer. To include: Station #2, 16, 19, 30 & 25 (Main Attraction). We are only asking coverage for Saturday’s event only June 6. If you live near either of the fire stations or can support any of the fire stations listed please attend. As stated earlier Mayor Franklin and the President of Pace Union ask the employees of the City of Atlanta to help with this event. To find out more please contact:

Claudie Nash @ 404-392-0040 or email: cnash@atlantaga.gov

On Wednesday April 29, 2009 Gina Pagnotta, PACE/NAGE Local President along with other Union Leaders met with COO Greg Gionelli to speak on the 2010 budget due June 30, 2009. Mayor Franklin announced to the council on April 30th her Administration recommendations for the upcoming FY2010 budget. These are the Highlights for Mayor Franklin proposed budget:

•The elimination of the furlough that was introduced during FY2009 as a cost savings measure. All City employees – including public safety personnel – will return to a 40 hour work week.

•Savings initiatives of nearly $60 million.

•The authorized General Fund workforce will be less than 4,000, a reduction from approximately 5,600 in 2001.

•A three mill increase in the property tax millage rate. For the average City of Atlanta (in Fulton County) homeowner this represents a 7% increase in the total property tax bill or a $20 per month increase in property taxes. (Posted on City of Atlanta Website at: http://www.atlantaga.gov/media/nr_fy2010_043009.aspx )

Union Members if you are in need or know of a family that is unemployed and in need of Food for a lesser price, a Grocery Relief program has been established. Please go to the “Arms of Love” “Grocery Relief Program” website at: http://www.groceryrelief.org/ Helping Families in need during change times is the GRP motto. Grocery Relief is a for-profit Atlanta based food co-op distribution program currently serving GA families in need due to the current economic situation of our country. The ultimate mission of GRP is to make available affordable and nutritional foods to all who are in need. Initially it is the goal of GRP to provide food relief for over a million families identified by public school social workers. These families have lost employment and are waiting for state unemployment benefits. Food Packages can be purchase for $28.00 for example the following items: