UNION NEWS&EVENTS - IUPAT

I N T E R N A T I O N A L U N I O N O FP A I N T E R S A N D A L L I E D T R A D E SUNION NEWS &EVENTSThe Black and Gold Army Takes KentuckyOver the weekend ofNovember 3, 2007, volunteersfrom throughout thestate of Kentucky and its surroundingstates joined IUPAT General PresidentJames A. Williams in campaigning forpro-working family candidates for theNovember 6 election.The Cincinnati Enquirer and othernews media were there to captureGeneral President Williams’ addressinga large union crowd. “This is awatershed for next year’s election,”said James Williams, president of theInternational Union of Painters andAllied Trades and an organizer forthe AFL-CIO.“A lot of eyes are on Kentuckyright now,” Williams said beforedelivering a speech at the union rally.“I can see a victory on Tuesday, and Ican see it carry over right into thepresidential election.”Over 100 IUPAT members joinedhundreds more members from otherunions on a state-wide labor walk–the largest in Northern Kentucky history.Our efforts were a great successIUPAT members campaign and rally for pro-working family candidates in Kentucky.as IUPAT-endorsed candidate SteveBeshear beat the incumbent by a marginof 18 percent. Governor ElectBeshear thanked General PresidentWilliams for the IUPAT involvementand promised that he would restorethe position of Secretary of Labor to acabinet level position in his administration.His Labor Secretary will be acard carrying member of a laborunion.Thanks to our union brothers andsisters in the south for the great kickoffand for what promises to be a busycampaign year for the Army of Blackand Gold.DISTRICT COUNCIL 78 (FLORIDA) MEMBERSATTEND COALITION OF BLACK TRADEUNIONISTS CONVENTIONIUPAT District Council 78 members William Roberts fromthe Leon County School Board Employees, Joe Metts from theCity of Deerfield Beach Employees and Gerry Showers fromthe City of Bartow employees, recently attended the Coalitionof Black Trade Unionists Convention in Chicago. Thedelegates returned from the convention ready to work withtheir fellow members to build economic, political and socialjustice within their respective bargaining units. Brother GerryShowers said, “When our membership is organized aroundissues like job safety, pay equity, comprehensive health careand an overall voice in the workplace, it benefits all ourmembers and helps our union contract!”District Council 78 Delegates to the Coalition of Black TradeUnionists convention in Chicago meet with CBTU leadersWilliam Lucy and IUPAT Executive General Vice-President KenRigmaiden at the convention. (Pictured left to right) DC 78Delegate William Roberts, William Lucy, IUPAT EGVP KenRigmaiden, DC 78 Delegate Joe Metts and DC 78 Delegate GaryShowers.12 OCTOBER-DECEMBER 2007 • JOURNAL