Federal Unions Launch NSPS Truth Tour

Federal workers launch NSPS Truth Tour outside the federal building in Norfolk, VA.

AFL-CIO Metal Trades unions representing federal workers affected by the National Security Personnel System have launched the “NSPS Truth Tour” to highlight the Bush Administration’s attempt to throw out civil service protections and union representation rights for more than 700,000 civilian workers at the Department of Defense.

The first rally was held outside Norfolk Federal Building in Virginia where about 100 federal workers showed up to protest the NSPS. More rallies are scheduled for the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard in Bremerton, WA on May 24 and Pearl Harbor, HI on May 26th.

“The NSPS steamroller is about to flatten federal workers,” said IAM Government Employees Director Frank Carelli. “We must get Congress’ attention to stop this misguided proposal before it goes any further.”

Click here to send message to Congress to stop NSPS.

IAM President Buffenbarger
Elected IMF Vice President

IAM President Tom Buffenbarger was elected Vice President of the International Metalworkers’ Federation (IMF) at their 31 st World Congress being held in Vienna, Austria. “I am sincerely honored to be selected for this position by my sisters and brothers,” said Buffenbarger, who has served on the IMF Executive Board since becoming IAM International President in 1997.

Delegates to the IMF Congress authorized creating a new office of Vice President and Buffenbarger will be the first to hold that position. He will serve with IMF President Jürgen Peters, who is president of the German Metalworkers Union, IG Metall, and IMF General Secretary Marcello Malentacchi.

The IMF is a global federation of trade unions and unites more than 200 metalworkers’ unions from 100 countries and represents more than 25 million workers. The IMF was founded in 1893 and is one of the largest and oldest of the Global Union Federations.

Delegates at this year’s Congress are debating how to stop multinational companies from moving work from one country to another in search of cheaper labor.

Online Hearing Opens
for UAL Pension Crisis

More than 120,000 United Airlines employees facing termination of their pension plans can tell their stories to Congress in the first Online Congressional Hearing in the history of the U.S. House of Representatives.

Representatives George Miller (D-CA) and Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) are sponsoring the hearing. Miller and Schakowsky introduced H.R. 2327, a bill that would impose a six-month freeze on any company in bankruptcy trying to dump its pension obligations onto the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC).

“The Democratic Caucus of the Committee on Education and the Workforce is conducting this Online Congressional Hearing to solicit testimony from the hard-working employees of United who have given years of service to the public and to United Airlines, but in return are losing promised benefits, fair wages, and job security,” said Miller.

United Airlines employees can submit testimony by following the instructions at the hearing website.

Statements should be 500 words or less and describe how United's pension termination affects them and their families.

“Once the hearing record is complete, we will circulate a report to the public, the media, and online, as well as enter the conclusions into the Congressional Record,” said Miller. Statements will be accepted through Friday, May 27, 2005.

“IAM members need to tell Congress how United’s misguided actions are affecting them,” said General Vice President Robert Roach, Jr. “This is our opportunity to make our voices heard and to stop corporate America's attempt to dump its pension promises on U.S. taxpayers.”

Maytag’s Surprise Sale

Maytag surprised investors and workers with the announcement of a proposed sale to Ripplewood Holdings LLC. At a recent Maytag stockholder meeting, Maytag CEO Ralph Hake denied questions that a potential sale of the company was in the works.

During the May 12 th annual meeting of Maytag stockholders the IAM presented Maytag with a new blueprint for manufacturing that closely models that of Harley-Davidson -- build an American classic with American workers.

“The change at Maytag could be positive for our members,” said General Vice President Midwest Territory James E. Brown. For the 2,500 IAM members in Iowa and Illinois working for Maytag, the sale of their company is being looked at with hope.

“We are looking forward to the possibility of continued good labor/management relations with the new owners,” said Brown. “It is our hope the new leadership recognizes the talent and dedication of the U.S. workers who have made Maytag appliances an American classic.”

UAL Negotiating Committee Back in Chicago

The District 141 Negotiating Committee reviewing contract proposals during last week’s marathon negotiations. (l to r) Randy Canale, District 141 President; Tom Brickner, IAM Airline Coordinator; Lorraine Serrini, VP West; Pam King, VP at Large; Rich Pascarella, VP East and Tom Roth, IAM Financial Advisor.

The IAM Negotiating Committee returns to Chicago this week to resume negotiations after Bankruptcy Judge Eugene Wedoff postponed until May 31 his ruling on United’s request to terminate labor agreements covering nearly 20,000 IAM members at United Airlines.

Judge Wedoff urged both sides to return to the bargaining table and negotiate a fair and equitable settlement. IAM attorneys, representatives and financial experts argued in court that the carrier’s financial demands were unfair to IAM members and would have required substantially more sacrifice than other employee groups at the bankrupt airline.

For negotiations updates, go to www.iam141.org.

Nuclear Option Averted at Last Minute

A small group of Senators averted the nuclear option that would have changed Senate rules to ban filibusters against extreme judicial nominees. GOP Republicans had threatened to ban filibusters of judicial nominees, which would have given the Bush Administration unlimited power to appoint pro-business, anti-labor and anti-consumer judges. The deal agreed to by a handful of moderate Democrat and Republican Senators preserves the minority party’s right to filibuster, but lets through some of Bush’s nominees, most likely Priscilla Owen of Texas, Janice Rogers Brown of California and William Pryor of Alabama.

Preserving the filibuster gives Democrats significant leverage to ensure the Bush Administration submits more moderate nominees in the future, especially for expected vacancies on the Supreme Court.

 

 

 

---

Past iMail | Your Email |www.goiam.org | Print Version