Thursday, July 28, 2005 |
GOP Pushes Through CAFTA Republican leaders in the House dusted off their favorite trick of late night votes and last minute arm twisting to win passage of the Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA). “CAFTA is for multinational companies who want to make a profit by shutting plants in the United States and moving to places with cheap labor,” said Ohio Representative Dennis Kucinich (D) as he condemned CAFTA during the House debate. “President Bush and his free trade allies keep telling us these deals will create U.S. jobs, but where are they?” said IAM President Tom Buffenbarger. Only 15 out of 202 House Democrats voted for CAFTA while 205 out of 232 Republicans voted in favor. The Democrats who supported the legislation: Bean (IL), Cooper (TN), Cuellar (TX), Dicks (WA), Hinojosa (TX), Jefferson (LA), Matheson (UT), Meeks (NY), Moore (KS), Moran (VA), Ortiz (TX), Skelton (MO), Snyder (AR), Tanner (TN), Towns (NY). Delegates Elect AFL-CIO Leadership Team Wearing shirts and carrying banners that declared “One Strong Voice for Workers Rights,” nearly 1,000 cheering delegates at the AFL-CIO Convention in Chicago elected John Sweeney, Richard Trumka and Linda Chavez-Thomson to lead the labor federation for the next four years. Sweeney called for union members to be prepared for an aggressive campaign to protect the labor movement from anyone who would do it or its members harm. Delegates also passed several constitutional amendments and resolutions changing the structure of the federation’s governing bodies. Raytheon IAM Workers Fight for the FutureIAM workers at Raytheon Aircraft in Wichita and Salina, Kansas are fighting for their future – for a fair and just contract. After Raytheon’s demands of substandard health care, no raises and no pension increases, the IAM negotiating committee and the workers held a rally. “The rally worked,” said District Lodge 70 Directing Business Representative Steve Rooney. “After the rally, Raytheon returned to the table with the beginnings of a good contract.” IAM negotiators reached a tentative agreement early Thursday morning after an all-night bargaining session. “Now it’s up to the members,” said Aerospace Coordinator Ron Eldridge. “They’ll make the decision on their future.” Southern Territory General Vice President Bob Martinez expressed support for the membership, saying “The Machinists want a fair and just contract, and they’ve proven their willingness to fight, if need be." Machinists Union Seeks Jobs Pledge From MaytagThe IAM called on Maytag’s board of directors to withhold approval of any sale that would result in the widespread loss of jobs or the transfer of the company’s manufacturing facilities to low wage locations in the U.S. or overseas. “The nightmare of ruined families and destroyed communities in the name of boosting shareholder value must end,” said IAM International President Tom Buffenbarger. Thousands of jobs were lost when Maytag closed its Galesburg, Illinois facility and moved production to Reynosa, Mexico. Analysts say thousands of additional jobs will be destroyed as the ripple effect of the closure continues to spread. The IAM represents nearly 4,000 workers at Maytag facilities in Iowa, Illinois and Ohio. President’s Social Security Plan Losing SteamAfter extensive road trips this Spring and a recent appearance with his mom, President Bush’s effort to dismantle Social Security is losing steam. His whistle-stop Social Security tour managed to decrease public support for private accounts and the reception in Congress isn’t much better. GOP leaders in Congress are backing away from the President’s plan for private accounts. A new proposal, called the Growing Real Ownership for Workers Act of 2005 (H.R. 3304) was introduced by House Ways and Means Social Security Subcommittee Chairman Jim McCreary (R-LA). Republican Senator Jim DeMint from South Carolina introduced a similar proposal in the Senate. The proposals mask some serious economic flaws, according to an analysis by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. Both assume large transfers of general revenues from the federal budget, more than $600 billion in the House version. GOP lawmakers had planned to have overhaul legislation by this summer, but now concede little will be done until the Fall at the earliest. Send Wal-Mart Back To SchoolBack to school shopping has begun for most families, this year take the pledge to send Wal-Mart back to school. Wal-Mart has a lot to learn. The conglomerate retailer has failed to provide for their employees and failed the communities they do business in. When shopping for the children on your list, think of the $135,000 settlement Wal-Mart paid for child labor law violations. Consider Wal-Mart’s discrimination against women and the 1.6 million female employees that have been affected. As families scrape by to provide new clothes and school supplies remember that Wal-Mart routinely forces communities to subsidize their employees’ health care and with their low wages, does little to help their own associates out of poverty. Make a stand for the children you’re buying for, don’t shop at Wal-Mart for their back to school needs, sign the pledge and send Wal-Mart back to school. |