Georgia Briefly

CWA announces tentative agreement

ALBANY (Herald) — Communications Workers of America announced Tuesday afternoon that their bargaining teams have reached tentative agreements in negotiations with AT&T Southeast, AT&T Utility Operations and BellSouth Billing on contracts covering a total of 28,000 workers.

Details are being provided to CWA members for ratification votes, the organization said. Union officials said the contracts would provide an improvement in wages, pension safeguards, improvements in job security, a better work/home life balance and “many other gains resulting in real economic improvement for workers.”

Negotiations with AT&T Southeast on contracts covering workers in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, the Carolinas and Tennessee had been ongoing since the contracts expired on Aug. 8. CWA members have worked without a contract since. that date.

Senate sanctuary cities bill fails

WASHINGTON (Herald) – U.S. Sens Johnny Isakson, and David Perdue, both Georgia Republicans, voted Tuesday to stop federal funds from going to cities or states that ignore federal immigration laws and harbor illegal immigrants, but the measure was derailed in the Senate by Democrats through a procedural vote.

The measure, co-sponsored by Isakson and Perdue, would have redirected the funds to states and localities that were following federal law.

“So-called ‘sanctuary cities’ undermine the rule of law, and they are simply unacceptable,” Isakson said. “Our immigration laws must be followed, and I stand in full support of cities and local communities that work with federal officials to enforce these laws. I will continue working to hold accountable those who choose not to follow the rule of law, and I will seek solutions that allow local law enforcement to coordinate with the Department of Homeland Security to detain those who pose a threat to our families and local communities.”

Perdue said, “Sanctuary cities have become safe havens for criminals in the United States illegally. Too often we have seen the real-life consequences they have on American families. Kate Steinle and other innocent Americans would be here with us today if our country had a government that enforces the law. Today, I took steps to stop federal funding of sanctuary cities, and I will keep fighting to stop this lawlessness in order to protect all Americans.”

The legislation would have required the Department of Homeland Security to publicly list the more than 300 jurisdictions that are refusing to follow immigration laws. It also would have established Kate’s Law, requiring a mandatory minimum sentence of five years for illegal immigrants who are convicted of re-entering the United States after being convicted of an aggravated felony or being convicted of having illegally re-entered the United States twice.

Currently, there are approximately 170,000 convicted criminal aliens who have been ordered to be deported, but who remain at large in the United States. Over 300 cities currently provide safe haven as sanctuary cities. In 2009, Georgia passed a law to prohibit sanctuary cities.

Ports Authority to spend $152 MM

BRUNSWICK (Herald) — Speaking Tuesday at the annual Brunswick State of the Port event, Georgia Ports Authority Executive Director Curtis Foltz called for another $152 million in improvements over the next decade, tripling the $46.2 million spent on infrastructure at the Port of Brunswick in the last 10 years.

“In order to ensure efficient processing of cargo, our capacity must remain higher than current demand,” Foltz said. “To that end, we will be improving Brunswick facilities serving each of our major business sectors here, including automotive, breakbulk and bulk cargo.”

In one of the projects, the GPA intends to add a fourth berth to serve roll-on/roll-off cargo at Colonel’s Island Terminal. The GPA has submitted a permit request to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for the new berth, and hopes to begin construction in 2016.

Brunswick’s Fiscal Year 2015 automotive tonnage made the port the fastest-growing major roll-on/roll-off terminal in the U.S., with a 10-year cumulative annual growth rate of 12.8 percent. The national growth rate average for Ro/Ro ports from FY 2005 to FY 2015 was 4.5 percent, GPA officials said.

The GPA is currently preparing 40 acres on the south side of Colonel’s Island to be pad ready for new port customers. Fiscal Year 2016 projects include additional earthwork on the south side of Colonel’s Island, the next phase of the Anguilla Junction Rail Yard expansion, the first phase of a berth upgrade at Mayor’s Point, East River Terminal improvements and continued upgrades at the Colonel’s Island agribulk facility.

Linzer bringing 200 jobs to state

ATLANTA (Herald) — Gov. Nathan Deal announced Tuesday that Linzer Products Corp., a leading producer and provider of painting accessories, will create 200 new jobs and invest $4 million in Candler County by 2016.

“Our pro-business climate, highly-skilled workforce and manufacturing infrastructure continue to attract top-notch companies like Linzer to Georgia,” Deal said. “Metter is an ideal location that will allow Linzer to continue growing as a leader in the paint manufacturing industry. With this new facility, Linzer is utilizing Georgia’s competitive assets while yielding economic benefits for the Candler County community.”

At full capacity, the Governor’s Office said, the new facility will house a 222,000-square-foot manufacturing and distribution center, becoming Linzer’s largest operation in the U.S.

“‘This investment is key to meeting the needs of our customers, allowing us to produce high-quality products with greater efficiency and to deliver those products quickly throughout the Southeast region of the United States,” Brent Swenson, president of Linzer Products, said. “We’re also pleased to contribute to the economic growth of this community.”

Linzer has existing operations in California, New York, New Hampshire and Illinois. The Metter facility will be its first enterprise in the Southeast.