Sunday December 19, 2004

WITH JUST 635 workers on the picket line, the lockout at farm equipment maker CNH Global might seem to be just one small battle in the endless corporate war on labor.

In fact, it’s a struggle that tests whether the United Auto Workers (UAW) is capable of maintaining any power in the agricultural implement industry--and whether organized labor as a whole can defend the dwindling number of good-paying manufacturing jobs.
more on this story
taken from ZNET Labor Watch

You realize the challenges workers face when they try to organize a union and negotiate with their employers.  You know that employers aren't supposed to intimidate, coerce or fire employees for trying to form a union.  And you understand that the U.S. labor law system is failing to protect workers' rights.

But most people have no idea.  And that's why we need your help.

America has a duty to uphold and protect workers' rights to form unions and collectively bargain, and we’re launching a letter-writing campaign to remind President Bush that America can do better. 
more on this story
taken from Kansas Workbeat site

Monday December 6, 2004

 SPEEA Charges Unfair Practices

(Nov 24) The Boeing Company violated a settlement agreement related to its Employee Incentive Plan (EIP), according to an unfair labor practice charge filed with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) on Monday, Nov. 22, by the union representing technical and professional employees.

 The Society of Professional Engineering Employees in Aerospace (SPEEA) IFPTE Local 2001, AFL-CIO, filed the charges after the aerospace giant published a story in the November issue of Boeing Frontiers magazine that states: the EIP provides cash bonuses to eligible nonunion employees  In June, Boeing agreed to stop stating the EIP was limited to nonunion employees. The magazine is available monthly to more than 100,000 Boeing employees. more
Taken from the Kansas Workbeat

Boeing’s Unions Eye Changes

Molly McMillin reported in Sunday’s Wichita Eagle “As an announcement about the future of Boeing Wichita's commercial operations nears, Boeing Wichita's unions are preparing for change.

“For one, each bargaining group would likely split into two -- one group representing workers at Boeing's military division, which is not for sale; a second representing Boeing workers who become employees of the new buyer. more
Taken from the Kansas Workbeat

NLRB Strips Temp Workers of Bargaining Rights

Late last week, the George W. Bush appointed majority of the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) announced its decision to strip temporary workers of their ability to collectively bargain jointly with permanent employees, reversing a four-year precedent. 

The NLRB’s decision is yet another in a series of recent rulings weakening protections for workers.  Earlier this month, American Rights at Work reported how many disabled workers  are losing their right to organize, and this summer they  shared details about the Bush Board denying graduate research and teaching assistants the basic right to form unions and negotiate the terms of their working conditions.  
Taken from the Kansas Workbeat

For more details, see this Washington Post article

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A20828-2004Nov29.html
posted at 4:21 PM

Sunday November 21, 2004

Organizing Drive raffle results

If you’re name is listed below you have won one of the organizing drive prizes! Please bring a photo ID to the district to claim your prize!

Riffle--------------------------Travis Stotler

TV ---------------------------Carla Andres

TV----------------------------John Reed

Watch ------------------------Sammi Harris

TV ---------------------------Jackie Allen

DVD--------------------------Les Morse

Watch ------------------------Tom Simpson

DVD -------------------------Larry Andres

Watch ------------------------Mike Tomlinson

DVD -------------------------Greg Kopecinski
posted at 12:57 PM

Saturday November 20, 2004

Nominations were held for the following offices at the Local Lodge 774 meeting. In order to be eligible to run for office you must have attended 50% of the union meetings in the past year. If you were nominated but you did not attend 50% of the required meetings your name will be removed from the ballot. If the amount of nominations is equal to or less then the amount of openings there will be no election for those positions. Good luck to everyone! Qualifications for office was taken directly from the IAM Constitution.

Qualifications for Office

4- SEC. 6. Any member in good standing who is

5- not barred from holding union office by applicable

6-civil law, or ineligible therefore under applicable

7- provisions of this Constitution, is qualified for elec-

8- tion as a D.L. officer provided that such member has

9-one year continuous membership and shall be work-

10- ing at the trade as defined in Sec. 4, Art. II, for 6

11- months immediately prior to nomination and also

12- meets the requirements of the D.L. bylaws. D.Ls.

13- may, through their bylaws, provided approval has

14- been granted by the I.P., require a member to attend

15- up to 50% of the regular lodge meetings held during

16- the 12-month period ending the date of close of

17- nominations in order to qualify as an officer or

18- delegate. Members who are confined because of

19- verified illness, or on vacation, or on official I.A.M.

20- business approved by the L.L., D.L. or G.L., or

21- working for an employer on regular or travel assign-

22- ment, or reserved military leave, at the time the L.L.

23- meeting is held, shall be excused from attending

24- L.L. meetings. Officers and editors of D.L. publica-

25- tions shall qualify, therefore, in accordance with Sec.

26- 5, Art. I.

27- Further, officers of D.Ls., who shall be found to

28- be indebted to any L.L. or D.L. by reason of any

29- shortage of funds, accounts or securities entrusted to

30- them, shall immediately forfeit their offices and

31- thereafter be permanently disqualified from holding

32- any office within the province of any L.L., D.L.,

33- council or conference or the G.L., provided, how-

34- ever, that exceptions or modifications to such dis-

1 -70 ARTICLE XXII

2 -qualification may be made at the discretion of the

3 -E.C. in cases where it is determined, after due

4 -investigation or audit by a G.L.A., that unintentional

5 -mistakes or errors were made and no intent to de-

6 -fraud the lodge is evident.

The following offices were open for nominations and the nominees were as follows:

President (1)

Tony Cadena

David Philpot

Vice President (1)

Brian Alexander

Recording Secretary (1)

Susan Chambers

Secretary Treasurer (1)

Susan Strotkamp

Conductor/Sentinel (1)

Bill Hourigan

Ed Ratcliffe

Bob Koch

Trustees (3)

Steve Elder

Bob Mendoza

Lynne Strickland

Kevin McKinney

Bob Gainer

District Lodge 70 Delegates (10)

Steve Elder

Steve Groom

Susan Chambers

Eddie Wheelock

Frank Molina

Ed Ratcliffe

Danny Guitierez

Bob Mendoza

Tammy Hourigan

Lynne Strickland

Kansas State Council (3)

Gary Hall

David Philpot

Brian Alexander

Kansas State Federation (3)

Charlotte Washington

Gray Hall

Benita Windsor

Wichita Union Label (15)

Ed Ratcliffe

Tom Simpson

Brian Alexander

Tom Turner

Charlotte Washington

Gary Hall

Kenny Alvis

Lucena Clark

Bill Hourigan

Bud Powell

Rex Glaze

Ed Osborne

John Wilson

Rita Jack

Danny Gutierez

Negotiators (4)

Cassie Reicher

Tom Turner

Steve Elder

Bob Gainer

Kevin McKinney

Bob Koch

Ed Osborn

Eddie Wheelock

Bob Mendoza

Patty Dorrell

Susan Chambers

Benita Windsor

Rita Jack

Cornelius Adkins

Aerospace Delegates (4)

Tony Cadena

Charlie Cowell

Steve Groom

Rick Harvey

Terry Carrington

Tom Turner

Tammy Hourigan

Frank Moilna

Wichita Hutchinson Labor Federation (9)

Teresa Vasquez

Tom Turner

Tony cadena

Bud Powell

David Philpot

Bon Gainer

Cassie Reicher

Ed Osborn

Tammy Hourigan
posted at 8:41 PM

Tuesday November 16, 2004

Quote of the Day

About half our problems would go away overnight if everybody in this country who wanted to work had a job.
President Bill Clinton, 1993
posted at 6:19 PM

Help us provide a Merry Christmas for laid off workers in our area!

If you would like to adopt an Angel, they will be ready for you to pick up, November 23, 2004, at the above listed locations. Ideas for gifts will be on the Angel Cards. We hope you enjoy shopping for your "adopted angel". Gifts must be turned in no later than December 13, 2004 at District 70.

We will have a large Christmas box at District 70 if you would rather just donate a toy. You may also make cash donations to Peer Counselors Carolyn Summers or Kerry Battles. All proceeds will be used to purchase gifts for the Children of our laid off members. This year because of the limited resources available, we are expecting a larger demand and can really use your HELP!

If you have any questions or would like to volunteer (delivering gifts & misc.) or should need additional information please call

Carolyn Summers or Kerry Battles

(316)529-4929 Fax: (316)524-1357

E-Mail cjs@d70iam.org or kerry@d70iam.org

Thank you for your support for this Project.
posted at 5:48 PM

Tuesday November 9, 2004

take from cbsnews.com

Bush Cabinet Shakeup Begins

(CBS/AP) Attorney General John Ashcroft, a favorite of conservatives, and Commerce Secretary Don Evans, one of President Bush's closest friends, resigned Tuesday, the first members of the Cabinet to leave as Bush heads from re-election into his second term.

Both Ashcroft and Evans have served in Bush's Cabinet from the start of the administration.

Ashcroft, in a five-page, handwritten letter to Bush, said, "The objective of securing the safety of Americans from crime and terror has been achieved."

"Yet I believe that the Department of Justice would be well served by new leadership and fresh inspiration," said Ashcroft, whose health problems earlier this year resulted in removal of his gall bladder.

"I believe that my energies and talents should be directed toward other challenging horizons," he said. Ashcroft's letter was dated Nov. 2, Election Day. more on this story

Wednseday November 3, 2004

Union Members Made the Difference for Working Families

Sunday, October 31, 2004

Happy Holloween

DON'T FORGET TO VOTE TEUSDAY!!!!!

Are you better off now than you were four years ago? That’s an important question to ask before casting your vote for president—because on the big, everyday issues of the economy, jobs and health care, presidential leadership is what makes the difference for working families.

Check the facts, decide for yourself and
VOTE NOV. 2:

• America has lost 2.7 million manufacturing jobs and 558,000 information jobs since January 2001.
  Overall, we’ve had a net loss of more than 1.6 million private-sector jobs since January 2001.
  8 million U.S. workers are officially unemployed—14 million are jobless, underemployed or have given up looking for work.
  45 million Americans are uninsured—5 million more than in 2000.
  Typical household income fell $1535 between 2000 and 2003.
  4.3 million more Americans are poor than in 2000.
  
• Personal bankruptcies rose 33.9 percent between 2000 and 2003.

America has a jobs crisis and a health care crisis. We need a president who will tackle them.

When you cast your vote for president on Nov. 2, you have a choice—vote for more of the same or vote for change. American can do better.

Please think about this when you vote, and share the information in this e-mail with co-workers and your family members.

Thanks for all you do.

In solidarity,

Working Families e-Activist Network, AFL-CIO
Oct. 28, 2004

Sources: American Bankruptcy Institute, Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, Economic Policy Institute, Public Citizen, U.S. Census Bureau, U.S. Department of Labor.

WOW! a site that tracks our jobs going over seas check it out!
Working America
posted at 9:35 PM

Quote of the Day

"Where the people possess no authority, their rights obtain no respect.”
To the Workingmen of Northampton, Boston Courier, Oct. 22, 1834, George Bancroft; American historian
posted at 9:41 PM