Hawaii’s public workers became the first in the nation to win the legal right to strike—by illegally striking.

An Excerpt from Joe Burns' second book Strike Back! Rediscovering Militant Tactics to Fight the Attacks on Public Employee Unions. This short selection is a good example of Hawaii as a hub of labor militancy in the US. Top image features a panel of a ceramic labor mural by Isami Enomoto.

libcom.org
Cook County stands with public servants as feds purge workers

Those who keep government running are being told their work does not matter. That is simply not true.

Chicago Sun-Times
The feeling when you build a genuinely useful spreadsheet and see a colleague use it as intended to support a critically important data cleanup process. 💪🏼😁
#PublicWorkers #PublicSectorDataScience #SpreadsheetsFTW
Climate Action Project Specialist, Grant Service specialist III - Department of Planning

THIS IS A NON-CIVIL SERVICE POSITION POSTING DATE: 06/11/2024 CLOSING DATE: 09/10/2024 AT 12:00AM MIDNIGHT SALARY RANGE: $58,370.00 - $100,344.00 ANNUALLY CLASS DESCRIPTION The Baltimore City Office of Sustainability is recruiting for a Project Specialist to coordinate climate and resiliency initiatives, particularly a grant-funded project that will install solar power and back up batteries at several Community Resiliency Hubs sites. Baltimore’s Community Resiliency Hub Program is an innovative and impactful community-centered initiative that increases community capacity to prepare for, withstand, and respond to natural hazard impacts and emergency situations. The goal of this program is to better connect frontline community organizations with focused support and resources so that, in the event of a natural disaster or emergency, there is improved provision of emergency response and recovery services to under-resourced neighborhoods and their most vulnerable residents. The Program is a partnership between service-based community organizations in Baltimore’s most climate-vulnerable neighborhoods and the Office of Sustainability (BoS), Office of Emergency Management (OEM), and Department of Health (BCHD). The Office of Sustainability is the lead agency that is responsible for growing and managing the Program as a key strategy of Baltimore’s Disaster Preparedness Plan (DP3). The Project Specialist will ensure that the project incorporates, advances, and operationalizes equity in all activities and engagement processes, and will seek opportunities to create co-benefits to address other community needs through projects as possible. The Project Specialist will contribute to efforts to expand the Community Resiliency Hub program and other climate action projects that increase resiliency and safety in frontline communities. This position is grant funded however it may continue beyond the grant period if additional funds are secured. ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS Develop and/or maintain accurate project scopes, schedules, and budget in coordination with the project partners, funders, and contractors. Manage grant-funded projects within the Project Specialists’ portfolio, including submitting reports and remaining in contact with funders. Coordinate the development and management of agreements and contracts required to successfully complete projects, including supervising contractor work. Identify, evaluate, and manage project risks, ensuring that appropriate mitigation strategies are in place. Coordinate and manage project team members, including City and State representatives, contractors, Community Resiliency Hub manager, partners and other stakeholders or community members, to ensure that projects are completed on time and to the highest quality standards. Ensure that all project documentation is complete, accurate, and up to date, including project plans, schedules, budgets, and progress reports. Maintain regular communication with the project partners, ensuring that their needs and expectations are being met. Monitor project progress and budget, taking corrective action as needed to ensure that projects are completed on time and within budget. Oversee the commissioning, contracting and start-up of projects, ensuring that they are operating as expected and meeting performance guarantees. Promote projects within local neighborhoods and the broader Baltimore community, including making presentations, organizing events, attending meetings, and other activities to increase recognition of the climate action and disaster preparedness projects occurring in Baltimore, especially related to solar installation projects at Community Resiliency Hubs. Assist with the coordination of the programs related to projects in the Project Specialist’s portfolio, particularly the Community Resiliency Hub program, including planning, network and stakeholder engagement, and operations. Proactively seek additional funds related to the project expansion or additional projects identified in City of Baltimore plans as directed. Be an active member of the Baltimore Office of Sustainability team by contributing to the smooth overall functioning and promotion of its work. EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS EDUCATION: Have a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or in project management, urban or regional planning, sustainability, environmental studies, environmental science, environmental policy, public administration, project management or a closely related field such as environmental education or social work. OR NOTE EQUIVALENCIES: Have an equivalent combination of education and experience. LICENSES, REGISTRATIONS AND CERTIFICATES: Have a valid Maryland Class C Non-Commercial driver's license or an equivalent driver's license and eligibility to obtain a Baltimore City driver’s permit. Project management certification or experience is desirable. KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES Knowledge of administrative practices and procedures. Knowledge (where required) of public health services and practices. Knowledge (where required) of specified oral and written non-English language grammar, spelling and punctuation and associated cultural idioms, customs and norms. Knowledge of research techniques and methodology. Skill in grant writing and grant administration. Skill in formulating public policies Skill in coordinating responses from multiple public and private agencies, institutions and community resource organizations. Skill (where required) in speaking, reading and writing a specified non-English language and interacting within associated cultural idioms, customs and norms. Ability to plan, implement and administer a high-level, high profile special initiative program or project. Ability to establish and maintain effective liaisons with people of varied backgrounds, including clients, families, neighbors, government representatives and officials and public and private community institutions, service providers and personnel. Ability to deal with emergency or crisis situations with calm, tact and dispatch. Ability to promote program activities. Ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing. Supervisory experience. Administrative experience. NOTE: Those eligible who are under final consideration for appointment to some positions in this class will be required to authorize the release of criminal conviction information. Financial Disclosure: This position is required to complete a Financial Disclosure pursuant to Sections 7-7, 7-8, and 7-9 of the City Ethics Law. BALTIMORE CITY IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER In the City of Baltimore we hire great people and provide them with the skills and opportunities to grow toward their career aspirations. If you are looking for a career change or interested in learning more? Explore our opportunities and benefits programs. We are excited to have you as a part of the City of Baltimore Team! Questions regarding the application process should be directed to the Department of Human Resources Office of Recruitment at (410) 396-3860, 711 (TTY), 7 E. Redwood Street, 16th Floor, Baltimore, MD 21202 or send an email to Recruitment

Come work with me as part of the Baltimore City Capital Improvement Program team at the Department of Planning! https://baltimorecity.wd1.myworkdayjobs.com/en-US/External/job/Capital-Budget-Analyst--Operations-Officer-I--NCS----Department-of-Planning_R0008099-1

This is an analyst role good for someone with decent Excel skills, reasonably patient with weird bureaucracy, and an enthusiasm for helping the city spend money on essential improvements.
#BaltimoreCity #PublicWorkers

Capital Budget Analyst, Operations Officer I (NCS) - Department of Planning

THIS IS A NON-CIVIL SERVICE POSITION POSTING DATE: 07/02/2024 CLOSING DATE: 10/02/2024 AT 12:00 MIDNIGHT SALARY: $70,338.00 - $112,807.00 USD Annually DEPARTMENT BACKGROUND: The Department of Planning prepares and manages the City’s six-year Capital Improvement Program (CIP) and capital budget, which is how the City funds improvements to its physical infrastructure. The capital budget covers investments in roads, bridges, sidewalks, bike infrastructure, parks, recreation facilities, municipal buildings, solid waste collection yards, water and sewer pipes, water and sewer treatment plants, stormwater management facilities, vacant/abandoned buildings, and much more. The City is seeking a budget analyst who will be responsible for a portfolio of agencies to analyze capital budget requests, make recommendations for funding, and manage the annual schedule to prepare the CIP. In addition, the analyst will monitor and report on spending/status on capital projects. They will identify issues preventing efficient execution of projects and write policy briefings to describe issues and make recommendations for solutions. JOB DESCRIPTION: The position involves detailed analysis of infrastructure project proposals for select City agencies. It also includes managing the schedule for the annual process that involves a wide variety of stakeholders, including communicating internally and externally about milestones and ensuring that deadlines are met. DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES Lead development of six-year Capital Improvement funding recommendations for a portfolio of agencies. Ensure complete and accurate budget submissions. Identify priorities for funding. Communicate recommendations to decision makers. Ensure all fund sources are accounted for and match fund source targets in the budget. Manage the schedule for the annual capital improvement process, including: Coordinating with all stakeholders to determine milestones and deadlines, Preparing and communicating a schedule internally and publicly, Coordinating with stakeholders to gather information required to ensure that deadlines are met, and Updating schedules and adjusting public communications as needed. Monitor capital spending for portfolio of agencies, including review and approval of fund transfer requests, monitoring implementation of capital projects and report on project status, and reviewing projects that are behind schedule for potential reallocation of funds. Write policy briefings on issues related to agency capital budgets for portfolio of agencies to internal and external stakeholders. Make recommendations for capital budgeting policy and process improvements to internal management team. Work with portfolio of agencies to continuously improve asset data collection. Identify asset classes owned by agency and maintain status of data collection for those assets. Work with agencies to identify mechanisms (budget requests, systems, etc.) to improve asset data. Coordinate with neighborhood, design, and regulatory planners to ensure City projects are aligned with adopted and accepted neighborhood plans and follow required regulations. EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS Bachelor’s or master’s degree in public administration, public policy, urban planning, political science, business, or related field or related experience. KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES Impeccable organizational skills. Curiosity about problems facing government agencies, data, and feedback from customer agencies and willingness to explore solutions. Ability to use Microsoft Excel and other standard business software programs for data analysis and presentation. Excellent written and oral communication skills Understanding of basic principles of policy research and analysis Ability to analyze budget data and write briefings and recommendations. Knowledge of federal, state, and local government roles in maintaining infrastructure NOTE: Those eligible candidates who are under final consideration for appointment to positions in this class will be required to authorize the release of criminal conviction information. BALTIMORE CITY AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER In the City of Baltimore we hire great people and provide them with the skills and opportunities to grow toward their career aspirations. If you are looking for a career change or interested in learning more? Explore our opportunities and benefits programs. We are excited to have you as a part of the City of Baltimore Team! Questions regarding the application process should be directed to the Department of Human Resources Office of Recruitment at (410) 396-3860, 711 (TTY), 7 E. Redwood Street, 16th Floor, Baltimore, MD 21202 or send an email to Recruitment

I'd love to participate in a #RStats and data science for local and state government conference. Does such a thing exist?

It feels like a small but growing community and I'd love to talk to more #PublicWorkers so we can to compare notes on the labor and policy context for this work.

Back at work after a week away and I'm reminded that difficult and fulfilling work is the fucking absolute best.

I'm an imperfect public servant but I give myself points for effort and enthusiasm. #PublicWorkers

Right-wing establishes ‘government-in-waiting’ for second Trump term, plans firing of 50,000 public workers

WASHINGTON (AP)—With more than a year to go before the 2024 election, a constellation of conservative organizations is preparing for a possible second White House term for Donald Trump, recruiting thousands of Americans to come to Washington on a mission to dismantle the federal government and...

People's World
Nothing like happy hour with work friends to get you talking about salary distributions across city agencies.
#publicworkers #BaltimoreCity

I’d love to hear from other #PublicSector workers on how your jurisdiction handles project tracking and sharing project info across agencies.

IMHO Baltimore City desperately needs better information management systems and practices - especially around transportation and capital projects of all kinds.

After a year on the job, I’m starting to get the shape of the problem although uncertain how to “fix” anything from my limited position.
#BaltimoreCity #PublicWorkers #LocalGov