A Magazine for the Federation of Private Employees A D IVISION OF THE N ATIONAL F EDERATION OF P UBLIC AND P RIVATE E MPLOYEES (AFL-CIO)

Transcription

1 Private_Fall Cover 10/14/08 4:03 PM Page 2 A Magazine for the Federation of Private Employees A D IVISION OF THE N ATIONAL F EDERATION OF P UBLIC AND P RIVATE E MPLOYEES (AFL-CIO) Affiliated with District 1-MEBA (AFL-CIO) Fall 2008

2 Private_Fall_Inside 10/14/08 3:54 PM Page 1 INDEX Feature Stories Members Only Insurance In an Economic Crisis Learn the Truth About Barack Obama The Employee Free Choice Act P r e s i d e n t s M e s s a g e Dear Members, There are many reasons every union member should exercise their right to vote. This presidential election may be the most important for labor and working families since FDR. There is more at stake for working men and women as the past decades have shown the decrease in unionization, decrease in affordable healthcare, less regulation of big business, tax breaks for big business, energy crisis, mortgage meltdown, devaluation of homes Guy T. Masters Division President and properties, higher food prices and trickle down economics, and the current attach on pensions and social security, none of which has helped working families. A very important issue concerning labor will be decided by our next president, the Tree Choice Act 9. What will the Free Choice Act do for union and working families? It will help strengthen workers rights in three (3) ways; In Every Issue President s Message Federation Contact Information Front Cover Change We Can Believe In 1 14 First, employee s demonstrating majority signing status would replace secret ballot election thus eliminating highly paid union busting consultants who mislead employees about facts relating to union representation (during union election campaigns) as a means to keep unions out of the work place. Second, initial labor/management contracts would be submitted to final binding arbitration if after ninety (90) days the employer and the union can not come to terms on the outstanding issues. Third, the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) would strengthen enforcement penalties and triple the fines imposed on employer s who have terminated or otherwise violated employee rights under the NLRA. Our country needs change that can put us in the right direction. Our Union is endorsing Barack Obama for President. We urge each of you to vote Barack Obama for President of the United States of America. Senator McCain has stated he would veto the Free Choice Act and ruin social security through privatization. Senator Barack Obama has promised to pass the free choice and protect our social security system. Don t waste your vote on more of the same for true change by electing Barack Obama as President. Fraternally yours, 1 Fall 2008 Guy T. Masters Division President

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4 Private_Fall_Inside 10/14/08 3:54 PM Page 3 AN IMPORTANT MESSAGE FROM THE AFL-CIO IN AN ECONOMIC CRISIS Who s on Our Side? JOHN McCAIN Still thinks the fundamentals of the economy are strong (9/15/08) Built his campaign on lobbyists and Wall Street special interests Promises tax breaks to the rich and Big Oil Supports job-killing trade deals Wants to gamble Social Security funds in the stock market Wants to tax our health care benefits Opposes workers freedom to form unions and bargain for better wages, benefits and working conditions John McCain: Fundamentally Wrong BARACK OBAMA Understands this economy is devastating working families Turned down a lucrative job on Wall Street to help his community Promises tax relief to middle class families Opposes bad trade deals and wants to block tax breaks for companies that ship jobs overseas Would strengthen Social Security, not privatize it Would fight for high-quality health care for all Supports our freedom to form unions and bargain for a better life to restore the middle class Barack Obama: Is On Our Side Paid for by the AFL-CIO PA SOURCES: John McCain: New York Times, 2/21/08; The Washington Post, 2/22/08; Fortune, 2/19/08; McCain Campaign Press Release; Politico, 3/28/08; MSNBC, 5/27/08; The Washington Post, 4/2/08, 5/7/08; McCain remarks, Jacksonville, Fla., 9/15/08; Reuters, 3/10/08; Center for American Progress Action Fund, 3/27/08; Vote 395, 11/20/93; Vote 251, 9/19/00; Vote 190, 6/29/06; Vote 170, 6/30/05; Vote 318, 7/31/03; Vote 319, 7/31/03; Vote 353, 11/3/99; Vote 115, 5/16/02; Vote 117, 5/21/02; Vote 207, 8/1/02; Vote 292, 11/4/97; Wall Street Journal, 3/3/08; Health08.org, Forum, 10/31/07; Vote 8, 2/6/08; Associated Press, 2/6/08; AFL-CIO Congressional Voting Record, Vote 227, 6/26/07. Barack Obama: Obama for America website; my.barackobama.com/page/content/newenergy; Americas_Promise.pdf; cio.org/issues/ politics/obama_healthcare.cfm; S.Amdt to H.R. 5140, Vote 8, 2/6/08; 3 Fall 2008

5 Private_Fall_Inside 10/14/08 3:54 PM Page 4 IMPORTANT UNION MESSAGE LEARN THE TRUTH ABOUT BARACK OBAMA A lot of unfair, false rumors are being spread. Here are the answers to some of the honest questions you may have about Barack Obama. ABOUT BARACK OBAMA CHECK THE FACTS DOES HE WEAR A FLAG PIN ON HIS LAPEL? Yes, but not always. Like many presidential candidates, sometimes he wears a flag pin, sometimes he wears a breast cancer awareness pin, sometimes he wears his U.S. Senate membership pin and other times he wears no pin at all Rutenberg, Jim and Zeleny, Jeff. The Politics of the Lapel, When It Comes to Obama, The New York Times, 5/15/08. Available at: www. nytimes.com/2008/05/15/ us/politics/15flag.html. IS HE A CHRISTIAN? Yes. He is a committed Christian. In 1985, he began working as a community organizer with a Christian church-based group seeking to improve the living conditions in poor Chicago neighborhoods Pulliam, Sarah and Olsen, Ted. Q&A: Barack Obama, Christianity Today Magazine, 1/23/08. Available at: com/ct/2008/ januaryweb-only/ html?start=1. WAS HE SWORN IN ON THE BIBLE? Yes. Barack Obama took the oath of office on his personal family bible. It was Minnesota Representative Keith Ellison who was sworn in on the Koran Fiore, Faye. He s the Hill s King for a Day, but Senate Has Other Plans, Los Angeles Times, 1/5/05. Available at: articles.latimes.com/2005/ jan/05/nation/na-obama5. WAS HE BORN IN AMERICA? Yes. Barack Obama s birth certificate proves he was born in the United States on August 4, 1961, at 7:24 P.M Malcolm, Andrew. Barack Obama s birth certificate revealed here, 6/16/08. Available at: com/washington/2008/06/ obama-birth.html. DOES HE PLACE HIS HAND OVER HIS HEART WHEN HE SAYS THE PLEDGE? Yes. Barack Obama always places his hand over his heart during the pledge of allegiance. 5 Barack Obama Will Fight for Working Families He ll Build an Economy That Works for All 5. Dobbs, Michael. Obama Nabbed by the Patriot Police, com, 11/2/07. Available at: blog. washingtonpost.com/ fact-checker/2007/11/ obama_nabbed_by_the_ patriotic.html. FEDERATION 4

6 Private_Fall_Inside 10/14/08 3:54 PM Page 5 AN IMPORTANT MESSAGE FROM AN IMPORTANT MESSAGE FROM [YOUR UNION] THE FEDERATION OF PRIVATE EMPLOYEES, AFL-CIO JOHN McCAIN OPPOSES The Employee Free Choice Act We need the Employee Free Choice Act to rebuild America s middle class by restoring workers freedom to form unions and bargain for better wages, health care and working conditions. McCain Voted Against the Employee Free Choice Act. McCain said he is strongly opposed to this important bill to level the playing field for workers trying to form unions and voted against it in the Senate. (Congressional Record, page S8389, 6/26/07; H.R. 800, Vote #227, 6/26/07) And He Wants to Roll Back Our Rights Further With a National Right to Work for Less Law. McCain voted for a national right to work for less law that would attempt to eliminate unions altogether. (S. 1788, Vote #188, 7/10/96) The Employee Free Choice Act removes the barriers workers face when they try to form unions and more union members means stronger bargaining power for everyone. Union Members Know Their Union Card Is Their Ticket to the Middle Class: Union members make $200 more per week than nonunion workers on average. That s $10,000 a year! Union members are 59 percent more likely to have employer-provided health insurance. Union members are much more likely to have paid vacation and pension benefits. (Sources: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Union Members in 2007, 1/25/08; Bureau of Labor Statistics, National Compensation Survey: March 2007, 8/07; Economic Policy Institute; Employee Benefits Research Institute, 5/05) To: The New President and Congress I urge you to enact the Employee Free Choice Act immediately. This crucial legislation will protect workers freedom to choose a union and bargain, without management intimidation. Allowing more workers to freely join unions and bargain with their employers will help rebuild the middle class by expanding health care, improving retirement security and raising the standard of living for America s working families. Bargaining rights are worth working for and voting for! SIGNATURE NAME (PLEASE PRINT) ADDRESS CITY/STATE/ZIP UNION/LOCAL Detach Detach lower lower portion portion and and mail mail in in an an envelope envelope to: to 1700 [address]. NW 66th Ave., Suite 100 Ft. Lauderdale, Florida Fall 2008

7 Private_Fall_Inside 10/14/08 3:54 PM Page 6 Private Sector Organizing Welcome Nelson Tree Service employees to the Federation of Private Employees newest addition as January 2007 Nelson Tree Service, Inc. employees voted in favor of Federation representation in three (3) separate regions in the state of Ohio s, Northern region with 92% of the vote. Central region with 89% of the vote and the Eastern region with 65% of the vote. June 2008 concluded sixteen (16) months of intense negotiations involving Labor Board charges filed by the Federation, a strike vote and finally several sessions with the Federal Mediation then Nelson employees ratifying their Federation contract with a total of five (5%) percent wage increases, benefits and other terms and conditions of employment for a two (2) year duration. A few Nelson employees at the start of their day at various yard locations. Thank you to all the employees who participated in the election victory and a special thanks to the six members who represented the employees at the bargaining table. Employee dismantiling large tree. Employee working with a chipper. Nelson employees at work with electrical line clearance. FEDERATION 6

8 Private_Fall Cover 10/14/08 4:03 PM Page 1 FEDERATION CONTACT INFORMATION A FEDERATION OFFICE HOURS MONDAY-FRIDAY 8 A.M. - TO 6 P.M. OUR STAFF Be Sure To Vote November 4th Guy T. Masters Division President Office: ext. 244 Cell: Glynda Linton Division Secretary/Treasurer Office: ext. 239 Cell: Administrative Staff Nadezda Martinez Editor; Project Coordinator Yvette Fishman Secretary Janeth F. Gutierrez Accounting Clerk II Chris Mahadeo Membership Coordinator Maria Miller Secretary; Receptionist Valerie Pigatt Controller Pilar Forero Secretary Presidential Election 2008 Obama/Biden Phone: The Federation of Private Employees A Division of NFOPAPE (AFL-CIO) Affiliated with District 1- MEBA (AFL-CIO) 1700 NW 66th Avenue, Suite 100 B Fort Lauderdale, Florida PRSTD FIRST CLASS US POSTAGE PAID FT LAUDERDALE, FL PERMIT #439 Your vote is important for working class America Contact your local Supervisor of Elections Office To find early election locations in your area