“Something is wrong in America when our own government views us as the enemy and wages a war against us,” IAM President Tom Buffenbarger told delegates to the IAM Legislative Conference in Washington, D.C.

IAM Releases ‘Mind Games’

Today the IAM launched a vigorous yet humorous virtual ad campaign. The Internet ad, called “Mind Games,” explores the moves and motivations of a group of autocrats who are intent on destroying the American Labor Movement.

IAM Legislative Conference Kicks Off

More than 300 IAM activists converged on Washington, D.C. for the 2005 IAM Legislative Conference. Spread out over four days, the conference offers attendees an opportunity to meet with their U.S. Senators and Representatives and remind members of Congress who they really work for.

“We have a lot of work to do,” IP Tom Buffenbarger stressed in his keynote address. “If you care about your family, your community, your jobs, leaving a better country for the next generation, you have to ‘work’ the Hill.”

Buffenbarger outlined the attacks on our families and livelihoods. “Something is wrong in America when our own government views us as the enemy and wages a war against us,” he said. Buffenbarger then listed the fights for justice facing our railroad, government, forestry, defense and airline workers.

GVP Bob Thayer, who chaired the conference, reiterated IP Buffenbarger’s call for action saying, “You all have what it takes; pride, commitment and dedication.”

President Sweeney On the Attack

AFL-CIO President, John Sweeney delivered a hard-hitting address at the IAM Legislative Conference. “Brothers and sisters, it’s all of you working back in your local communities who will determine if our movement succeeds or fails in growing stronger and winning what America’s workers need,” said Sweeney.

“I know each of you is ready to help us fight our way into that future and that we all share the belief that where there is solidarity, there is hope and there is justice.”

CAFTA Debate Heats Up

With hearings set to begin in the House of Representatives, groups for and against the proposed Central American Free Trade Agreement CAFTA are gearing up for a fierce political battle. Thousands of activists flooded congressional offices recently with phone calls on April 13 during a National Call-In Day against CAFTA and again yesterday at anti-CAFTA rallies in Wisconsin and North Dakota.

If approved, CAFTA would eliminate tariffs from the United States, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua. It would extend to Central America the disastrous job loss and environmental damage caused by ten years of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).

U.S. workers lost 879,280 jobs and wages in Mexico have fallen as a result of NAFTA in the past ten years, according to the Economic Policy Institute.

President Bush has made CAFTA one of his top legislative priorities this year and is pushing for an early vote on the accord.

SeaCode Latest Offshoring Scheme

The latest scheme in offshore outsourcing is a proposed cruise ship outfitted to house up to 600 foreign information technology engineers who will write code day and night.

However, the scheme is nothing more than a loophole for two California businessmen to get around the U.S. H-1B visa requirements and pay lower wages.

The engineers will be classified as seamen. By locating the ship just outside the three-mile limit in international waters it will be exempt from California labor and environmental regulations. Because the ship will be under a foreign registry, the workers won't need H-1B visas. This will also allow the company avoid U.S. payroll taxes on the foreign workers.

LL 1613 Wraps up Agreement with Graham Packaging

IAM Local Lodge 1613 in Vandalia, Illinois ratified a new five-year labor agreement with Graham Packaging on Saturday, April 30, 2005. IAM Local Lodge 1613 has 412 members at Graham Packaging.

IAM District 111 Business Representative Gary Stuessel proudly said, “The Local 1613 shop committee at Graham Packaging did a great job during negotiations. Our membership stood squarely behind the committee and myself enabling us to bring back a contract that contains the wages, benefits and working conditions they deserve.”

The new agreement includes several significant improvements. The new contract provides for the IAM Pension Plan with increases of 80 cents, 90 cents and one dollar in the first 3 years of the agreement. Temporary employees will be phased out over the term of the agreement with 35 of those temps becoming IAM members effective July 1, 2005. There will be four three percent across-the-board increases and one four percent across-the-board increase over the term of the contract. Insurance benefits remained the same with a minimal increase in the employee portion of premiums.

IAM Midwest Territory GVP James E. Brown praised BR Gary Stuessel and the Local 1613 shop committee saying, “The proof of a job well done is in the numbers. With an overwhelming majority of our members voting in favor of this agreement, it’s obvious the negotiating team brought back a package worthy of ratification. We congratulate our members at Local 1613 on their new contract and wish them continued success in the future.”

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