news & views October 2010_News & Views December 2008 10/21/10 8:39 AM Page 2 RETIREE news && views A PUBLICATION OF LOCAL 237 RETIREE DIVISION • VOL. 16 NO. 10 • OCTOBER 2010 Campaign to Stop Cuts One Nation Working Togeth er in Social Security Spreads ver 100 members of Congress have action, can pay at least 75 percent of all signed a letter to President Obama benefits thereafter. Because Social Security Odemanding that the National Com - is funded separately from the general trea - mission on Fiscal Responsibility and Re - sury and has no borrowing authority, it has form keep its hands off Social Security. not contributed to the federal deficit. De - They say that if the deficit commission tries spite these facts, some Commission mem - to cut the program, it will not make it bers have repeatedly alleged the need to cut through Congress. The commission must Social Security for budgetary reasons. make its recommendations by December 1. If any of the Commission’s recommen - Some 175,000 people from across the nation In addition to the letter, which was initiat - dations cut or diminish Social Security in any converged on the Lincoln ed by Reps. Raul Grijalva (D-AZ), John way, we will stand firmly against them. We Memorial in the nation’s Conyers (D-MI), and Dan Maffei (D-NY), urge you to join us in protecting and strength - capital October 2 for the One Nation Working To - Senators Bernard Sanders (I-VT) and Sherrod ening Social Security rather than letting it fall gether March called by the Brown (D-OH) have introduced a resolution victim to a misguided attempt to reduce bud - labor movement, the get deficits on the backs of working families. NAACP, and hundreds of in the Senate (S. Res. 664) in opposition to organizations. The four- raising the retirement age, privatization, and In Abany, a coalition of labor unions, the hour program—made up cutting Social Security benefits. The resolu - of speeches, poetry, musi - NAACP, the Alliance for Retired Americans, cal performances and tion has 11 co-sponsors so far. A similar reso - and other groups launched a statewide cam - readings of historical lution in the House, H. Res. 1670, the Giffords paign as part of the national campaign to speeches—highlighted Resolution, has 56 co-sponsors. jobs and the economy, publicize the benefits of Social Security and public education, civil The letter to President Obama says in part: defeat cuts expected to be proposed by the rights and justice, and fiscal commission. peace. The message was: You have charged the National Com - Vote, Vote, Vote. Two bus - mission on Fiscal Responsibility and Re - Eric Kingson, co-chair of the Strengthen loads of Local 237 mem - form with proposing recommendations that Social Security Campaign, a coalition of bers, led by President Greg Floyd, went, among improve the long-term fiscal outlook and over 125 national and state organizations, them retirees Winston Ed - address the growth of entitlement spending. said, “Our coalition stands with elected offi - wards and Jacob Hill (left). It is our view that Social Security—which cials when they stand with the American is prohibited by law from adding to the na - people in support of Social Security. That What to Do tional budget deficit—does not belong as support is growing, across the country and Congress could face proposals that part of those recommendations. on the Hill. We stand for the core American would cut Social Security benefits dur - By 2023, Social Security will have built values of reward for hard work, honoring ing the lame-duck session, should they up a $4.3 trillion surplus, and without any our parents and caring for our neighbors.“ be recommended by the Fiscal Commis - sion on December 1. Call, write, or e-mail your senators Welcome New Welfare Funds Director and representatives, and President Obama, to urge them not to raise the re - arnell Joyner Jr., has joined the Local 237 staff as director of the union’s Welfare tirement age or take any other action Fund and Retirees’ Benefit Fund. Joyner, succeeds Paul E. Juergensen, who is that will cut Social Security benefits. retiring from the position he held since 1998. C CAPITOL SWITCHBOARD Joyner is experienced with union welfare funds, having served 202-224-3121 as the benefit funds administrator for six funds at Plumbers and Steamfitters Local 21 in Peekskill, N.Y., and for three funds at U.S. S ENATE Stagehands Local One, IATSE, in Manhattan. He holds a Bachelor Washington, DC 20510 www.senate.gov of Arts degree in Human Resource Management from City College of New York and is completing post-graduate work to earn his Cer - U.S. H OUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES tified Employee Benefits Specialist (CEBS) designation. Washington, DC 20515 As director of Local 237’s Welfare Fund and Retirees’ Benefits www.house.gov Fund, Joyner says he looks forward to exploring methods to continue to effectively PRESIDENT AND VICE PRESIDENT and efficiently service the membership and deliver the benefits they are entitled to as comments line: 202-456-1111 Local 237 members and retirees. www.whitehouse.gov news & views October 2010_News & Views December 2008 10/21/10 8:39 AM Page 3 Page 2 RETIREE NEWS & VIEWS October 2010 ne Nation Working Together. ued tax cuts for the wealthiest 1 percent That’s what we were on October A Message of the population. If we don’t win in O2 at the Lincoln Memorial at the from the these midterm elections, the country One Nation Working Together Rally could go in the wrong direction very fast. called by hundreds of unions, civil and President We voted for change in 2008, but if we human rights organizations and peace don’t vote, we may end up with changes and community groups to carry on the that we don’t want. message of jobs and justice that the Rev. People may be frustrated, but we Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. spoke about at well as testimonials from out-of-work elected Obama to do a job, and we need the rally at the same site 47 years ago. Americans, immigrants, veterans, Native to elect people who will help him do it. Our message, loud and clear, was, we Americans, and other ordinary people. 10-2-10 is very much connected to 11- want the changes we voted for in No - The October 2 rally, known as 10-2-10, 2-10, Election Day. Please use the short vember 2008. We want good jobs first was called last April to energize our time remaining to talk to your families and foremost, quality and affordable ed - vote—the working men and women of and neighbors about the issues and the ucation, and justice and equality for all. our country, those who are out of work, candidates, and to turn out the vote. We had two busloads of Local 237 those who may have lost hope. members and retirees. We were proud to Our country is generally going in the be part of this historic event, and we right direction, although not as fast as were inspired. some of us would like. Unemployment The crowd was diverse—women and remains high, and the Census Bureau men; Black, Latino, Asian, and white; gay just released numbers showing that the and straight; all ages, creeds and ethnici - income gap between the richest and ties; workers, unemployed, retirees, and poorest Americans grew last year to the students. People came by bus, plane, widest amount on record. Poverty in train, and car from from every part of the America is growing faster than ever. But country. As NAACP President Benjamin the Republicans have opposed every Jealous said,"This march was inclusive. program President Obama has proposed This is about moving the country with to fix the economy, including extending the spirit of unity and hope, and getting unemployment compensation. And there the country beyond the divisiveness." are Republican and Tea Party candidates The more than four-hour program in - who would repeal all or part of the cluded poetry, music and speeches by well- health reform law; who are actually op - known activists such as Harry Belafonte, posed to a minimum wage, Social Securi - President Greg Floyd, in the center, with his Rev. Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton, Marian ty, and Medicare; who oppose financial son, Jonathon, 8, and Local 237 members at the One Nation Working Together rally Wright Edelman, and union leaders, as regulation reform; who support contin - n August, celebrations marking Social House and the Senate are pursuing a strategy Security’s 75th birthday were held all Build the Movement to obliterate any proposal that would cut ben- Iover the country. We can be proud that to Save efits or privatize Social Security. the events organized by our coalition at Social Security We can help build this movement. Talk Taino Towers in East Harlem, which drew to your children and grandchildren. Tell By Nancy B. True 400 people, and Hunter College were the them that there is no crisis in the Social Se- Director, Retiree Division largest in the country. curity Trust Fund because adjustments were The nationwide celebrations highlighted made in 1983 in preparation for the retire- Social Security’s accomplishments. Since Pres- alone. Without Social Security, millions of ment of baby boomers. Actuaries say that ident Roosevelt signed Social Security into people of all ages would be living in poverty. the fund will still be able to pay 76 percent law in 1935, it has benefited millions of se- Yet, since Social Security became law, of benefits in 2037 even if the fund were ex- niors, people with disabilities and survivors— there have been continuous efforts by some hausted, which is unlikely.