April-May-June 2020 in Memoriam
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GCC/IBT ELECTS TOP OFFICERS AND GENERAL BOARD: PAGES 8-9 FEATURES Where I Stand / Kurt Freeman . 2 Outlook / James Hoffa ............... 2 Managing Editor’s Note / Fred Bruning . 3 Commentary / Jim Hightower ......... 3 Point of View / Lawrence Wittner ....... 6 Bottom Line / Jerry Morgan........... 7 Guest Spot / Castro & Sullivan ......... 7 Volume 38 Number 2 The Newspaper of the Graphic Communications Conference / IBT ❘ www.gciu.org ❘ April-May-June 2020 In Memoriam ................... 13 Leaders Warn ‘Roundup’ Government Of New Labor Conference Supervision Setbacks in a Calls Aimed Of IBT Ends 2nd Trump Term At Organizing After 30 Years PAGE 4 PAGE 5 PAGE 14 TOP STORY Once in White House, ‘Workers’ Friend’ Turned Out to Be Exactly the Opposite By Fred Bruning Graphic Communicator DONKEYHOTEY VIA GOOGLE IMAGES WHEN HE RAN FOR THE PRESIDENCY IN 2016, DONALD TRUMP POSED AS A “It’s been a classic double-cross,” said GCC/IBT President Kurt Freeman. “Trump friend of working people and promised to return dignity and hope to those left behind advertised himself as a leader who would make things ‘great again’ for union members by technological change and the punishing demands of a global economy. and all hard-working Americans and he has done the opposite.” But an examination of Trump’s policies, court nominations, labor board and other Freeman also pointed to Trump’s persistent refusal to acknowledge Russian agency appointments, makes clear that the President has turned his back on working interference in the 2016 election – and Moscow’s attempts to do the same this year – as people, labor experts say, and there is little reason to expect his record would improve a sign of the President’s disregard for principles of responsible leadership that union in a second term. Many in the labor movement fear re-election would embolden the officials consider fundamental. President even more. “No labor leader would act this way,” he said. “Members wouldn’t stand for it – and And with Trump facing criticism for his handling of the coronavirus outbreak, he Trump should be held responsible, too.” could be even more inclined to appease his conservative base if re-elected– bad news Trump’s bait-and-switch – and ability to hoodwink workers – was noted recently by for labor. continues on PAGE 4 Union Copes With Senate Action Still Stalled PAGE 10 PAGES 4 & 11 Printed in the USA GOAIM VIA GOOGLE IMAGES WHERE I STAND KURT FREEMAN GCC/IBT PRESIDENT magician,” author Steven Greenhouse, a former New York Times labor reporter, wrote in The American Prospect magazine. We Must Rebuild Ranks In the face of Trump’s obstructionism – and the mischief of anti- union Republicans – comes some good news. Graphic And Show Right Wing Democrats in the House of Representatives passed an important and far-reaching bill called the Protect the Right to Organize Act Communicator (PRO). Labor is Strong, United The measure would The Newspaper simplify the organizing of the Graphic process, mute the worst UNION MEMBERSHIP IS DOWN AGAIN – ONLY SLIGHTLY, Communications but any drop is cause for worry. aspects of right-to-work laws Conference / IBT The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports 10.3 percent of workers and give full “employee” were in collective bargaining units last year – a loss of 0.2 percent. status to thousands of Volume 38 Number 2 In 1983 – when similar figures first were compiled – union members contract workers who want represented 20 percent of the work force. union representation. April-May-June 2020 What happened? But there is a problem. (USPS 410-750) There are plenty of reasons for the dizzying decline in membership For weeks, the bill – – factors ranging from the outsourcing of along with literally hundreds jobs in a global economy to the impact of of others passed by a 90 Digital Age technology on the employment percent bipartisan House Official organ of the scene. vote – has been bottled up Graphic Communications But not much compares to the shrewd in the Senate by Majority Conference/International Brotherhood of Teamsters and cynical efforts by right-wing forces Leader Mitch McConnell to snuff the labor movement and give who won’t even allow debate 25 Louisiana Ave. NW corporate interests even more power. on the measures. This is Washington, D.C. 20001 At every level of government – local, state democracy, GOP-style. 202-508-6660 and federal – conservative elected officials We can’t let McConnell denounce labor leaders and try to undercut get away with stonewalling e-mail: [email protected] unions. Twenty-seven states have right- on a bill so essential to the Internet: www.gciu.org to-work laws, including former union strongholds like Michigan. labor movement. We’ve GEORGE TEDESCHI Incredible. got to let him know union Editor And, as we point out in extended coverage beginning on Page 1, the members are watching – and billionaire reality show star in the White House who won thousands that we’re out of patience. FRED BRUNING of union votes in 2016 by pretending to be a friend of working people, Call his office. Write emails. Managing Editor has proven to be nothing of the sort. Send letters and postcards. President Donald Trump and his crew of anti-labor cabinet Contact your own senator – AFFILIATIONS members have slashed workplace safety requirements, undercut rules then do it again. Don’t let up. Change to Win Coalition barring discrimination and opposed measures that would streamline We have to get energized, brothers and sisters. We have to make Canadian Labour Congress organizing. And that’s just for openers. wise choices in the fall elections. We have to elect pro-labor candidates Member of International But somehow, Trump continues to bamboozle the very people he who want to help us stop the scary slide in union membership. Labor Communications Association has betrayed. Even with his erratic handling of the coronavirus crisis, Donald Trump and his obedient Republican backers promised to of Labour Media Trump keeps the support of hardcore believers. protect working people. Trump may be a magician, all right, but we “When it comes to wowing workers, Donald Trump is an absolute can’t fall for his tricks again. n PRINTED IN U.S.A. GRAPHIC COMMUNICATOR OUTLOOK (ISSN 0746-3626) JAMES P. HOFFA TEAMSTERS GENERAL PRESIDENT is published quarterly in January-February-March, April-May-June, July- August-September, October- November-December for a total of four issues a year for Still Fighting 20 Years After ‘Battle in Seattle’ $12 per year in the United States and Canada and IT’S BEEN MORE THAN 20 YEARS The Battle in Seattle drew worldwide attention. It was the beginning $15 for all other countries by of a movement, one that continues to this day. the Graphic Communications since the “Battle in Seattle” when working Conference/International people and our allies stood up to global The fight remains an uphill one. The pockets of the moneyed Brotherhood of Teamsters, 25 corporations and governments to shut interests are deep and their desire to make even more at times seems Louisiana Ave. NW down the World Trade Organization unquenchable. Despite our best efforts, trade deals have moved Washington, D.C. 20001. (WTO) meetings – a turning point in the through Congress during the past two decades that have hurt workers Periodical postage paid at both here and abroad. Washington, D.C. and debate over unfair trade deals and the additional mailing offices impact on workers in the United States and History shows these deals are not fair to workers. They let big cor- across the globe. porations ship jobs overseas and dump wages and benefits overboard POSTMASTER: Despite the loss of more than a million along the way. They lead to lost jobs, shuttered plants and hollowed- Send address changes to the U.S. manufacturing jobs that began five out communities. GRAPHIC COMMUNICATOR, 25 Louisiana Ave. NW years earlier with the enactment of NAFTA, The Teamsters –joined by others in the labor and environmental Washington, D.C. 20001. the voices of working people were being ignored. Global trade movements – have sounded the clarion call against these broken trade officials wanted to push forward with the approval of permanent agreements and helped raise public attention to the issue. It’s time Publications Mail Agreement normalization of trade relations with China. the productivity of American workers showed up in their paychecks. No. 41461512. Getting mad, however, isn’t going to solve the problem or help this CANADA POST: So we stood together on Nov. 30, 1999 and let trade negotiators Return undeliverables to know that we would not quietly allow them to give into corporate nation. Businesses need to invest at home, not abroad, and elected P.O. Box 2601, 6915 Dixie Rd, interests while emptying out the American heartland of good jobs. officials need to remember who they serve. n Mississauga, ON L4T 0A9. 2 Graphic Communicator MANAGING EDITOR’S NOTE FRED BRUNING MANAGING EDITOR Challenging Times, No Doubt, but Unions Will Prevail LET’S GET REAL: DONALD TRUMP IS NO FRIEND With Trump administration mischief as backdrop, of labor. labor leaders say building union strength has never been As our coverage in this edition makes clear, the fellow more important. who campaigned as a champion of the American worker That is why the GCC/IBT is calling for U.S. Senate action has turned into the opposite (Pages 1, 4). on the Protect the Right to Organize Act, far-reaching Trump and his pro-business legislation passed by Democrats in the House but bottled up cronies have trashed workplace by Republican Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. safety rules, celebrated a tax President Freeman is urging members to call elected official cut that mainly benefits the and demand that the PRO Act get a fair hearing (Page 10).