February 15, 2008

Fair Share Facts: Make Sure your Members Know Them

One More of Ten…
Good Reasons to Support
Prevailing Wage Legislation

 Reason #9:  Holding the line against falling labor standards.  Unlike many low-wage industries, the construction industry has established, and been able to hold onto, fair and equitable levels of pay, benefits, training, etc.  These standards are established by locality, so that what is standard in Texas, is not necessarily standard in Iowa. 

What is standard in Decatur County, may not be standard in Linn County.  A prevailing wage law prevents contractors from outside a certain locality, who pay low wages and provide little or no benefits, from undermining standards in another locality.

There’s a lot of baloney out there about Fair Share legislation.  Here’s a sample—and the facts to fight back with.

Myth:  Fair Share would be a new law mandating that union membership dues be taken out of every Iowa worker’s paycheck.

Truth:  The legislation would apply only to public sector workplaces, and would permit unions and management to negotiate about the inclusion of a fair share clause in their collective bargaining agreement, just as they negotiate other items in the contract; and just like unions and management do in a majority of states.

Good Jobs , Green Jobs: 
Help Make Labor Part of the Debate 

The “greening” of the economy and the creation of "green jobs" goes far beyond the renewable energy sector.  The greening of the economy includes modernizing the electrical grid, clean coal, energy efficient appliances, quality infrastructure, advanced automotive technology, mass transit, renewable energy and more.  Our members and workers everywhere, with their knowledge, skills and experience, have valuable insights to offer for the greening of the workplace and their community. The greening of America means that every job that contributes to a low carbon future is a green job.

A Good Jobs Green Jobs Conference sponsored by the USW, AFL-CIO and 80 other organizations will take place in Pittsburgh March 13-14.  The conference will launch a nationwide dialogue about moving our country rapidly toward leadership in promoting the benefits of a new green economy. 

The conference will bring together advocates representing local, state and federal policy makers; labor; business; the environment and public health; economic and workforce development specialists; investors; and scientists and technology experts.  Participants will share best practices about how we can revitalize our manufacturing sector, drive green building, promote safer chemicals, and realize the economic benefits of global warming solutions.   

Crossing the Line—Again

Striking Writers Guild members met Mike Huckabee with angry resistance Feb. 7th as he crossed a picket line on one of its last nights of the strike, to be a guest on “The Colbert Report.”  This is how the Guild website described the episode:

“As his black SUV arrived outside the set, 20 or so picketers swarmed in close, shouting things such as “Don’t cross Governor!” and “This is a struck show!”

“As Mr. Huckabee’s security team led him toward the guest entrance WGA members persisted in their attempt to persuade him not to cross, shouting and holding up signs that read “Huckabee Don’t Cross (Again)” & “Huckabee Supports Scabs.” This strong union action was captured on film by reporters from CNN and NBC, who were there on the scene to record his appearance.

 “Mr. Huckabee gained notoriety by being the first guest for Jay Leno the night the TV host returned to work without his writers on January 3rd.

“On Jan. 30, Republican front-runner Sen. John McCain (Ariz.) crossed a writers’ picket line to appear on the Leno show.”  (aflcio weblog, 2/08/08)

The Writers Guild of America members have been fighting to win a fair share of revenue for their work distributed online, through DVDs and other new media.  The strike has been settled with gains for the union in this and other areas.

Bills

to

Watch

HF 2150 EARNED INCOME TAX CREDIT  Raises the state Earned Income Tax Credit to 7.5% of the federal credit.   IFL supports

 HF 2157 CIVIL RIGHTS COMPAINTS  Extends the deadline for filing a civil rights complaint to 300 days from time of the alleged discrimination.   IFL supports  

HF 2201 INTEREST AND DIVIDEND EXEMPTION  Exempts interest and dividends from municipal securities from individual and corporate income tax.   IFL opposes  

HSB 613 FIRE SPRINKLER LICENSING  Establishes statewide licensing of fire sprinkler installers and fire sprinkler maintenance workers.   IFL supports  

HSB 640 ALARM SYSTEMS INSTALLERS  Relates to requirements pertaining to applicants for alarm system contractor and installer certification, and to specified exceptions to electrician licensure provisions.   IFL supports

Unbelievable NLRB Decisions!  But Don’t Worry.  They can be Reversed Under a New Administration

   1.  Don’t use your work e-mail for union organizing – or any union business.  The Republican majority on the NLRB says that an employer did not violate Section 8(a)(1) by maintaining a policy that prohibited employees from using the employer’s e-mail system for any “non-job-related solicitations.”  The dissenting board members argued such communication in today's modern workplace should be protected speech, because e-mail should be no different from " a telephone, a television set, a bulletin board, or a slip of scrap paper."   Guard Publishing, 2007

   2.  Don’t talk union organizing – or any union business with co-workers on your own time.  Republicans on the NLRB upheld security firm Guardsmark’s rule directing employees not to "fraternize on duty or off duty, date, or become overly

friendly with the client's employees or with co-employees."  While the law allows employers to ban association among co-workers during work hours, Guardsmark's rule was broader in that it applied to the off-duty association of co-workers.  On June 7, 2005, the Board ruled 2 to 1 that Guardsmark's fraternization rule was lawful.  The Democratic dissenter, Wilma Liebman, argued that employees could reasonably interpret the employer’s ban on employee fraternization as prohibiting employees from meeting to discuss terms and conditions of employment. Because the rule already banned dating and becoming overly friendly, she argued that employees could reasonably assume that the ban on fraternization must apply to other activities.
Guardsmark, 2005. 

McCain Watch:  John McCain on the economy and war —“something we can all rally behind” (?)

   John McCain’s platform, in the words of  former Republican Congressman and MSNBC pundit Joe Scarborough is based on his promise of “less jobs and more wars. Now that’s something we can all rally behind.”  So what were McCain’s exact quotes?

Jobs    “I’ve got to give you some straight talk: Some of the jobs that have left the state of Michigan are not coming back.”   “Jobs have left and are not coming back, but we’re going to create jobs.”  McCain also told reporters that any candidate who says traditional auto manufacturing jobs "are coming back is either naive or is not talking straight with the people of Michigan and America.” (Michigan Jan 13)

 War    “There’s going to be other wars. … I’m sorry to tell you, there’s going to be other wars. We will never surrender but there will be other wars.” (1/27/08)

   "[M]ake it a hundred" years in Iraq and "that would be fine with me." [Derry, New Hampshire Town Hall meeting, 1/3/08]

   On how long troops may remain in Iraq: "A thousand years. A million years. Ten million years. It depends on the arrangement we have with the Iraqi government." [Associated Press, 1/04/08]  [VoteVets.org]

“A Whole Lot of Nothing.” 

“...a majority of Republicans in the U.S. Senate told thousands of struggling American families that as far as they are concerned, unemployed workers are pretty much on their own.  Workers who have been laid off  because of the slowing economy will not get an extension of unemployment benefits.  Families who can’t pay the skyrocketing costs of fuel will be left literally in the cold. The very people who need help the most will get what they have routinely gotten from this Administration and its right-wing Republican supporters: a whole lot of nothing.” John Sweeney, AFL-CIO President, talking about the Senate’s inadequate stimulus package.

Recession? What recession?  

Business is still booming — in the luxury yacht industry, Reuters News reported recently.  Shipyards that specialize in yachts as long as football fields are enjoying “enormous demand,” says Pieter Koenders, a Dutch maritime executive who sees “no impact whatsoever from the economic situation.”  The world’s largest yacht owned by a private citizen remains the Rising Sun, a 453-footer that, in 2004, set software CEO Larry Ellison back over $200 million. You can fit a good bit into a boat that size — 82 rooms and a movie theater, for starters — but not everything.  The Rising Sun’s basketball court has to double as a helicopter pad . . .Too Much 2/4/08

 IFL Legislative Conference

          Feb. 25-27

Adventureland Inn

Legislative Hospitality:
  5-7 pm, February 25th.

Iowa Federation of Labor, AFL-CIO

 C.O.P.E. Convention

April 12

Iowa Federation of Labor,  AFL-CIO

Lobbyist Meetings

10:00 Monday Mornings
(except Feb. 25)

You are cordially invited to attend a retirement dinner being held in honor of Mark Smith, who has retired after serving over 28 years as a full-time officer of the Iowa Federation of Labor,  AFL-CIO, including over 10 years as President.

Mark has been a dedicated and principled labor leader who has made an indelible mark on Iowa’s labor movement.   Tom Vilsack, former Governor of Iowa, will be among the featured speakers.   Please use the form on the right to let us know that you will be attending the retirement dinner on March 29, 2008.

 IOWA FEDERATION OF LABOR, AFL-CIO

 Cordially invites you to attend a Retirement Celebration for

 MARK L. SMITH

 Saturday, March 29, 2008

$50 per person

 Cash Bar 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.

Dinner 7:00 p.m.

Ticket includes dinner and donation towards retirement gift.

MARK L. SMITH

 RETIREMENT

Names of those who will be attending:

____________________

 ____________________

 ____________________

____________________

Meal Choice: 

(Please indicate quantity of each)

 ______Chicken Cordon Bleu

 ______Roast Pork Loin

 $50 per person
Return this form with check made payable to: 
SMITH RETIREMENT

 In the event you will be unable to attend this function, please feel free to send a message to Mark at the address below.

 Mail to: