Labor Education Assistance Program - IATSE Local 8 Philadelphia

President’s Newsletter
Continued from Page 4
many seniors and others with their health care needs.
In the early 1970’s, and in 2003 landmark legislation
was signed that greatly increased Medicare benefits.
In September, the AFL-CIO Convention held in Pittsburgh
also adopted a resolution supporting singlepayer
health care and supported President Obama’s
plan with the public option and single-payer as a
long-term goal. I am asking all members of the IATSE
to continue to help in our efforts to secure health
care reform now. Let Congress know that the current
health care in the United States is unacceptable. I am
asking that each and every one of you contact your
representatives in the House and Senate by phone,
fax and mail to insist they support the single payer
and public options in the Health Care Reform Bills
they are currently debating.
While Health Care Reform has been on the top of
everyone’s list because President Obama is working
hard to get a bill passed in short order, the Employee
Free Choice Act (“EFCA”) is still an important issue and
must not be pushed aside. It would enable workers to
bargain for better wages, benefits and working conditions
by removing current obstacles to collective bargaining;
guaranteeing that workers can achieve a
contract; and allowing card-check certification. The
International’s efforts continue with representatives
assigned to work with local and regional staff of the
AFL-CIO to get labor’s message out that this legislation
is also much needed. The rights of individuals to form
unions and bargain for a better life must be protected.
Workers who belong to unions earn 28% more than
non-union workers; are 52% more likely to have
employer-provided health coverage and nearly three
times more likely to have guaranteed pensions. The
stakes are high. The unfettered right of working men
and women to choose union representation must be
returned.
With the 2010 elections right around the corner, we
must let elected officials at all levels of government
know they are elected to office by us and for us, and
that we will hold them accountable. Complacency is
unacceptable and apathy worse. We must pressure our
legislators and the administration to simply do the right
thing on all counts!
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All contributions to the IATSE-PAC are
voluntary, and not tax-deductible.
A person’s contribution to the IATSE-
PAC may not exceed $5,000.00 per year.
The contribution amounts listed are suggestions
only, and you may contribute
more or less than the suggested amount.
Federal Law requires the IATSE-PAC to
use its best efforts to collect and report
the name, mailing address, occupation
and the name of the employer of individuals
whose contributions exceed
$200.00 in a calendar year.
The amount contributed, or the decision
not to contribute, will not be the basis for
the IATSE or any of its locals to benefit
or disadvantage the member or his/her
family. Neither the IATSE nor any of its
locals will retaliate against a member for
deciding not to contribute, or based
upon the amount of the contribution.
10 Official Bulletin
By Kent Jorgensen,
Chairman, IATSE Safety Committee
Calling All Safety Educators!
What a great convention. The
spirit of unity and solidarity was
amazing. It was great to see the
acknowledgment of President
Emeritus Tom Short’s crucial role
in turning the IATSE away from the rocks and on to a
new course, and the feeling of promise and anticipation
of things to come from the leadership of President Matt
Loeb.
This was my first convention as the Chairman of the
IATSE Safety Committee and I found my time filled with
talking to sisters and brothers from all over the continent
about the direction of the Safety Committee, and
safety and training issues.
People, for the most part, like the work of the committee,
and there seems to be a wide spread theme that
our members need and want better training to protect
themselves and those around them in their workplaces.
Locals are spending money on facilities, developing
programs, and searching for content. Conversations
included: What kinds of training are available? How do
you fund training? What is the difference between a
certificate and a certification? What should a safety
committee be doing?
Out of all of these conversations came the feeling
that one direction the Safety Committee could take
would be to help identify what resources are available
that locals can share and take advantage of.
The start of the process was to collect information
about what is out there. I began collecting business
cards from brothers and sisters from all over. Some had
information about the programs they have at their
locals. Others were the Chairs of their safety committees.
Many cards were from people who are interested
in how to provide safety, education, and training in
their part of the world.
As I gather the cards I find I need more information
to put together a more comprehensive picture. So I
have a task I would like to ask the membership to help
me with. If you are aware of programs, classes, seminars,
committees, training, or knowledgeable individuals
in your locals, please send me an email
(safety@iatselocal80.org) and tell me about them. These
can include programs your local does alone or in a
partnership with others. Include classes utilized from a
vendor, an employer, an adult education facility, or
local college. What resources do you use to educate
and train your membership? In your email include
descriptions of the resources, contact information, links
to Websites, samples of materials, or anything else you
think is important. The Safety Committee can gather
this information and then make it available to those
interested.
Fourth Quarter 2009 11