American Standoff
Driven by the inspiring stories of three determined rank-and-file
workers who are willing to put everything on the line, American
Standoff captures the Teamsters union's high-stakes battle against
trucking giant Overnite Transportation.
HBO, June 10, 8pm
Three West Coast governors
–
John A. Kitzhaber,
Gary Locke and
Gray Davis -- were interviewed recently on the IAM’s Third Shift program. Jobs, healthcare and college costs were some
of the issues affecting working families that the governors addressed.
Find out about health care in your state:
The Kaiser Family
Foundation's State Health Facts Online
resource contains the latest state-level data on demographics,
health, and health policy, including health coverage, access,
financing, and state legislation. |
Get Your Convention Gear
Check out gear for the
2004
IAM Convention
The IAM
Executive Council
International President
R.
Thomas Buffenbarger
Secretary Treasurer
Donald
E. Wharton
GVP Western
Territory
Lee
Pearson
GVP Canada
Dave
Ritchie
GVP Midwest
Territory
Alex
M. Bay
GVP Headquarters
Robert
V. Thayer
GVP Southern
Territory
George
Hooper
GVP Eastern
Territory
Warren
L. Mart
GVP Transportation
Robert
Roach, Jr.
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Tuesday, May 28, 2002
Oregon Unions OK ‘New Alliance’
An IAM member played a key role
as more than 200 union delegates approved a historic New Alliance for
Oregon’s labor movement. DBR Chuck Macrae of District W-1 served on the
drafting committee and “exercised strong leadership in brokering an
agreement” that won quick approval from the delegates
Oregon becomes the fifth state to complete the New Alliance process,
which is designed to bring local unions and labor councils together in
one central body. IP Tom Buffenbarger chaired the AFL-CIO committee,
which developed the New Alliance strategy.
The delegates ratified a new constitution for the Oregon AFL-CIO,
adopted ambitious plans for organizing new members and strengthening
their voices in the political process and welcomed commitments to
affiliate an additional 40,000 AFL-CIO union members with the state
federation.
Corporate Taxes:
Welfare for the Wealthy
A surge in corporate tax welfare
outlays could drive corporate income taxes down to their lowest level
since the early 1980’s—when Reaganomics ruled the roost—and the
second-lowest level in at least six decades, reports Citizens for Tax
Justice in a recent report. New corporate tax breaks in President
Bush’s so-called “stimulus” package means the average taxpayer must make
up for more $170 billion in each of the next two years.
“Is it any wonder that the President has to dip into Social Security and
Medicare trust funds?” asked IP Tom Buffenbarger. “This is shameful.”
General Electric, America’s most profitable corporation, reported $50.8
billion in U.S. profits over the past five years, but paid only
11.5 percent of that in corporate taxes Corporate tax welfare has been
growing at a steadily increasing rate, the reports claimed, citing tax
write-offs for stock options, congressional indifference to offshore
corporate tax shelters and other tax breaks. The report said such
benefits allow many companies to earn billions in profits, yet pay
little or nothing in federal income taxes.
General Motors drove away with a fat wallet, as well. The firm paid
no taxes in three of the past five years, despite $12.5 billion
in U.S. profits; GM’s tax rate for the past three years was a
negative 1.3 percent.
Privatization?
What’s in a Name?
Republican campaign strategists
set their sights on senior citizens, Independents and women in the
upcoming election campaign, saying their votes are key to GOP victory.
These political gurus issue specific recommendations for how GOP
candidates should frame the debate on Social Security.
“Don’t say ‘privatization,’” they advise. “Instead, say, ‘personal
retirement accounts.’” Whatever happened to truth in (political)
advertising?
Retiree Group Blasts FTC, Networks
The pharmaceutical industry’s
trade group and the Federal Trade Commission came under blistering fire
from George Kourpias, president of the Alliance for Retired Americans.
The drug industry’s trade association launched a misleading TV ad
campaign supporting a Republican-sponsored prescription drug benefit
with huge benefits flowing to the industry.
When the Alliance and other senior groups asked the FTC to intervene,
that agency turned a deaf ear. But when AARP, a major senior
organization, sponsored a TV campaign urging seniors to save money by
switching from brand-name drugs to generics, the big drug firms demanded
that the TV networks force AARP to tone down their ads, which the
networks tamely did.
“So why is it fair for the drug industry to use front groups to advance
its agenda but a senior group is forced to moderate its message to keep
drug companies happy?” Kourpias asked. “Could it be that the
pharmaceutical industry spends a lot of its exorbitant profits on TV ads
and the networks don’t dare risk offending such a big advertiser?”
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