During the Holiday Season more than ever, our thoughts turn gratefully to those who have made our progress possible. As we near the end of 2011 I would like to thank every member who has supported Cal State over the years and especially during my term as president of the association. 2011 was once again a challenging year for the floral industry. We are united in our resolve to ensure the success of the association. Your recent actions including Legislative Action Day, Calif Flora 2011, new member solicitation and member retention support are just a few of the ways you have contributed to the future success of the California State Floral Association. And in this spirit we say, simply but sincerely.......

Thank you and best wishes for the Holiday Season

and Happy New Year!

The California State Floral Association

Catherine Zikakis

President

Earlier this week, Governor Brown appointed Herbert "Bert" Mason to the Agricultural Labor Relations Board, where he previously served from 1999 to 2002. Mason is a professor emeritus at CSU, Fresno, where he taught from 1983 to 2010. Mason received his doctorate in agricultural economics from the University of California, Davis. In his previous stint on the board, Mason was known as a moderate voice attempting to achieve balance on these contentious issues.  

Pamela Harris has been appointed director at the California Employment Development Department. Harris has served as acting director at the California Employment Development Department since 2009, where she worked in multiple positions since 1979. She was assistant secretary for research and evaluation and acting agency information officer at the California Labor and Workforce Development Agency from 2002 to 2004. The EDD manages the states job training programs and the formulas that determine unemployment rate in regions throughout California.

Non agricultural jobs increased by 6,600 during the month for a total gain of 211,400 jobs since January, according to data released December 16 by the California Employment Development Department. The U.S. unemployment rate also fell in November to 8.6 percent.

In October, California's unemployment rate was 11.7 percent. In November 2010, the unemployment rate was 12.5 percent. Californians holding non-farm jobs totaled 14,170,100 in November. The number of  unemployed Californians was just over 2 million - down by 64,000 from October and 212,000 compared with November 2010.

The unemployment rate is calculated based on a federal survey of 5,500 California households. A larger survey of 42,000 businesses that is less variable statistically shows a  year-over-year  increase of 233,100 jobs, up 1.7 percent.

In what has evolved into a game of political chicken, the GOP-controlled House this week refused to accept a Senate-passed two-month extension of the 4.2% Social Security/payroll tax reduction, insisting on a one-year deal and a conference committee with the Senate to reconcile the two bills. The problem is Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D, NV) has recessed the Senate until after the Christmas holiday, and refuses to call his chamber back for negotiations. Reid contends the Senate two-month approach was negotiated with Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R, KY) at Boehner's request and passed the Senate on an 89-10 vote. House Speaker John Boehner (R, OH), under pressure from fiscal conservatives in his party, says he never blessed the Senate deal and there's ample time to compromise the two approaches and went so far as to name conferees this week. President Obama, sensing a win-win, verbally attacked House Republicans from the White House press room this week, knowing if the extension is passed, he can take credit; it if fails, he can blame the House GOP. Both chambers are technically in session next week and it's known staff discussions are on-going.

The U.S. Supreme Court announced it will review Arizona's controversial immigration enforcement law, a law that led to similar laws being enacted in several states, particularly those with heavy immigrant populations. It's expected the high court will hear arguments in April on a U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit decision that blocked many of the Arizona law's toughest provisions including making it a state crime to be in the country illegally, failing to register with the federal government, making it illegal to work when not authorized, requiring state and local officials to try and determine the citizenship status of arrested persons and allowing the warrantless arrest of anyone deemed with probable cause to have violated the law. The Obama Administration has been fighting the law, which Arizona officials contend is necessary because the federal government is not doing its job keeping illegals out of the country.