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Thur
Bush Tax Cuts: Welfare
for the Wealthy The Journal puts a different slant on them. “The federal tax cut, which slashed the tax rate on dividends and prompted many companies to increase their payouts, is proving to be a boon for some corporate executives who are reaping millions in after-tax gains.” Poor, working-class and middle-income families see little of the riches flowing upward from those massive tax cuts. Indeed, working families know the pain of the millions of jobs lost since President Bush moved into the White House. More than 3 million jobs have disappeared in barely three years, most of them in the hard-hit manufacturing sector. At the same Bush and his economic advisers offer rosy scenarios from his Crawford, Texas, hideaway, real people pay a heavy price to finance the “millions in after-tax gains” for those corporate executives. Working families saw the jobless figures edge up again last month as more and more factories close their doors and export jobs.
“It might be time for
President Bush to take a look at what he’s doing to this country and to
working men and women,” said IP Tom Buffenbarger. “Maybe he should visit a
few homeless shelters and see whole families struggling to survive the
catastrophes of losing their jobs. Maybe then he might understand what we
all know. ‘America works best when Americans have work.’”
‘Grow Kansas’ Aims to
Keep Raytheon Jobs The drive to save more than 350 jobs gets underway immediately with an urgent appeal to send a flood of e-mails to Raytheon CEO Bill Swanson. A sample e-mail letter is available at http://ksworkbeat.org/Action/action.html and calls on Swanson to halt the export of these high value U.S. aircraft assembly jobs. “Every Machinist and all working families should send this letter,” said Southern Territory GVP Bob Martinez. “If these jobs are moved out of the country, they won’t be coming back. The time to act is now.” If Raytheon’s decision stands, the Wichita workers, mostly women, would become the latest victims of the outsourcing frenzy sweeping the light aircraft industry and threatening to permanently cripple the Kansas economy.
The ‘Grow Kansas’
campaign got a boost recently when Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius signed a
proclamation supporting the effort to keep jobs in the state. “We must do
our part to keep good jobs in Kansas,” said the governor. “I support the
‘Grow Kansas’ campaign and I encourage others to do so as well.”
IAM in Court Fight for
Jobs at Pratt & Whitney IAM District 26 is charging Pratt with violating terms of the current agreement that requires the company to work with union leaders to find alternatives before contracting out any work that is not directly tied to engine making. “Once these jobs are gone, they’re gone for good,” said Jim Parent, District 26 assistant directing business representative, who added that Pratt officials rejected proposals by the union that could have saved the company millions annually.
The IAM is seeking a
court injunction to prevent the move and plans to hold a rally on Sept. 10
in Hartford to keep the jobs in Connecticut.
Battle Over Rumsfeld
Plan Heats Up
To help stop this
dangerous attack on federal workers, contact your U.S. House member and
urge them sign on to Rep. Inslee’s “Dear Colleague” letter to strip out
the “Rumsfeld Plan’s” harmful provisions from the final bill. You can call
202-224-3121 or to send an e-mail message, go to the “Action Alert”
section of
www.goiam.org and click on “Tell Your Representative to Stop the
Attack on Federal Workers.”
Southern Territory
Scores Organizing Wins The Eglin workers maintain top-of-the-line fighter aircraft at the bustling USAF facility. In a related development, 16 new members came into the IAM under somewhat unusual circumstances. Management at the new Total Maintenance Center, part of Wise Alloys, waived an election and recognized the union following a card check for 16 workers at the facility in Muscle Shoals, AL. “It’s a growing company, said DBR Steve Humphries of IAM District 92. They plan to have 150-200 people working there in the next year or two. I hope this signals a good working relationship for the future. These new members will be part of Local 1199.
“I am happy to see the
hard work and diligent efforts of our organizing team pay off so
handsomely,” said GVP Bob Martinez. “Congratulations to everyone and
welcome to our new members.” Read Past iMail | Email Your Opinion | Visit www.goiam.org | Print Version | Sign-Up for iMail
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