Melrose man heads state labor commission
Melrose resident Michael A. Byrnes, a former union business agent, is the new chairman of the state Labor Relations Commission, which decides unfair labor practices charges and other labor issues for public employee unions.
Byrnes, a labor lawyer, was appointed by Governor Deval Patrick. He replaced former chairman John F. Jesensky, who remains a member of the three-member panel. Byrnes's first day on the job was Monday. He'll receive an annual salary of about $109,000, he said.
"I want to make this the best labor relations agency in the country," Byrnes, 43, said in an interview. "That's truly my goal."
It will be a big challenge. The commission now has a backlog of about 600 cases awaiting action by the commission. Of that number, about 170 need more documentation before they can be scheduled for hearings, Byrnes said.
"I would very much like to take the existing resources and utilize them to the best of our ability to help reduce our current case backlog,"he said.
In addition to deciding unfair labor practice charges, the commission also acts on petitions filed by public employees to form unions. It also must approve any changes in the governance structure of existing unions.
Byrnes is the former business manager of the National Conference of Firemen & Oilers, SEIU, Local 3, in Charlestown. The 1,300-member union includes housing authority workers in Revere and Chelsea. He represented management as a labor lawyer in private practice in Quincy, as legal counsel for the state Department of Correction, and as a labor representative to the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority. "I have almost an equal amount of experience representing management as I do the union," said Byrnes, a graduate of Northeastern University Law School. "I'll be able to see issues from both sides."
N.H. is expecting strong fall season
Labor Day, the third busiest travel weekend of the year in New Hampshire, this year is expected to draw 560,000 out-of-state visitors, a 1 percent increase over last year, according to the state Division of Travel and Tourism Development.
In Portsmouth, the arts have been a major draw this summer. A performance of "The Sound of Music" drew over 100,000 visitors to the Prescott Park Arts Festival. At the Seacoast Repertory Theatre, "Rocky Horror Picture Show - Live" has been so successful, it was extended to one final midnight showing last night. The Granite State Opera had its second straight year of record subscription growth, with all six New England states represented, according to the Greater Portland Chamber of Commerce.
Fall visitors also are expected to spend 4 percent more this year, or about $80 million,, on accommodations, dining, and other tourism spending, according to estimates prepared by the Institute for New Hampshire Studies at Plymouth State University.
A strong fall tourism season also is expected. Over the next three months, 7.8 million visitors are expected to roam the Granite State, to peep at leaves and pick pumpkins, among other rites of fall in New England. The season attracts more visitors from outside New England than any other. Bookings at hotels, motels, and campgrounds are expected to increase about 1 percent. Total spending for September, October, and November is expected to be $1.085 billion, a 3 percent increase over 2006, researchers estimate.
Home-buying seminar offered
The Danvers Housing Assistance Trust this month will present a four-part First Time Homebuyers Seminar. The seminars are open to the general public, not just Danvers residents.
Sessions will be on four consecutive Tuesdays, starting Sept. 10, from 6:30 to 9 p.m. at the Senior Center on Stone Street. Issues such as banking and finance, legal aspects of owning a home, finding a home, and home inspection will be included. A registration fee of $25 is required by Sept. 7 and is payable to the trust.
People who complete the seminar will receive a certificate from the nonprofit Citizens' Housing and Planning Association. Some lending agencies and banks require first-time buyers to have completed an association-approved seminar to qualify for loans and special mortgage rates. Call Kristan Tarricone at 978-777-0001, ext. 3095.
Bank to award new scholarships
Deserving graduates from Ipswich, Newburyport, and Triton Regional high schools will get a start on paying for college with new scholarship money pledged by the Institution for Savings, a community bank in Newburyport.
The bank, through its charitable foundation, will award a $15,000 scholarship to a graduating senior from each school, starting next spring. The criteria will include grades, community service, and financial need. Applications are to be available at each school in February, the bank said.
Kathy McCabe can be reached at kmccabe@globe.com.
