Mitra Jalali Nelson Tradeswomen • Ward 5: Amy Brendmoen Build Nations Con - • Ward 6: Nelsie Yang Ference Banner • Ward 7: Jane Prince Parade
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Find out where you vote Nov. 5 at pollfinder.sos.state.mn.us 123rd Year, No. 5, Issue 5432 For union homes in Ramsey, Dakota, Washington and Chisago counties November-December 2019 Labor Union members from across the Endorsed U.S. and Canada Nov. 5 General Election marched together through the St. Paul City Council streets of down - • Ward 2: Rebecca Noecker town Minneapolis • Ward 3: Chris Tolbert Oct. 5 during the • Ward 4: Mitra Jalali Nelson Tradeswomen • Ward 5: Amy Brendmoen Build Nations con - • Ward 6: Nelsie Yang ference banner • Ward 7: Jane Prince parade. Led by an St. Paul School Board: all-tradeswoman Chauntyll Allen, Zuki drum corps from Ellis, Steve Marchese Chicago, the Ramsey County Board parade stretched • District 1: Nicole Frethem across multiple city blocks, as St. Paul Trash: Vote Yes tradeswomen Cottage Grove City proudly celebrated Council: Justin Olsen their crafts, their Falcon Heights City unions and the Council: Adam Sychla, potential for more Yakasah Wehyee women to join their ranks. The Mounds View School conference, organ - Board: Heidi Danielson, ized by North James DeMay, Jonathan America’s Building Weinhagen Trades unions, set Rosemount-Apple Valley- a record for atten - Eagan School Board: dance. Joel Albright, Sachin Isaacs, Jackie Magnuson Union Advocate photos South Washington County School Board: Melinda Dols, Louise BUILDING NATIONS, BREAKING BARRIERS Hinz, Simi Patnaik White Bear Lake School Annual conference draws record number of tradeswomen to Minneapolis Board: Margaret By Michael Moore tradeswomen, labor leaders, elected offi - that you’re not the only one.” Newmaster, Angela Union Advocate editor cials and industry experts to the Hilton in That became even clearer Saturday Thompson, Scott Wilson Tradeswomen from across the U.S. and downtown Minneapolis Oct. 4-6. afternoon, as conference attendees paraded School Referendums - Vote Canada descended on the Twin Cities last Conference attendees came from 48 states shoulder to shoulder through the down - Yes: Burnsville-Eagan- month for the union-sponsored and 10 provinces. town streets, carrying their local union ban - Savage, Lakeville (levy + Tradeswomen Build Nations conference, “On a lot of job sites, you’re the only ners and celebrating the pride trades- bond), Mounds View, the world’s largest gathering of women woman there,” Tamika Foster, a member women take in their craft. Rosemount-Apple Valley- working in the skilled construction trades. of St. Paul Plumbers Local 34, said during a The parade stretched several city blocks Eagan, White Bear Lake In its ninth year, the annual event set a volunteer event on the event’s opening and drew cheers from onlook ers. record for attendance, drawing 2,800 day. “This conference is a nice reminder (C ONTINUED ON PAGE 7) Election 2019 Labor gets behind school bonds, levies in East Metro Organized labor is boosting always pay off in the long run, operating levy and bond refer - efforts to fund new invest - St. Paul Regional Labor endums as down payments on ments in several East Metro Federation President Bobby our economic future.” public school districts, includ - Kasper said. The St. Paul RLF, which ing a record-breaking building “Great schools are the unites local unions from referendum in the White Bear bedrock of every strong com - Ramsey, Chisago, Dakota and Lake Area Schools. munity,” Kasper said. “They Washington counties, has Levy and bond referen - educate our future workforce endorsed levy requests on the well as a separate bond request dums empower communities and attract good employers to Nov. 5 ballot in the Burnsville- in Lakeville. to invest in their schools’ pro - our area. Eagan-Savage, Lakeville, But the referendum in gramming, facilities and tech - “That’s why, as a labor Mounds View and Rosemount- White Bear Lake is the biggest nology – investments that movement, we usually support Apple Valley Eagan districts, as (C ONTINUED ON PAGE 8) 2 • THE UNION ADVOCATE • NOVEMBER -D ECEMBER 2019 Go Figure Letters • Send letters to: 353 W. 7th St., 23% Average effective tax Suite 201, St. Paul, MN 55102 rate paid by the 400 • Fax them to 651-293-1989 richest U.S. families • Email them to: last year [email protected] 24% Average effective tax on the bottom half of U.S. households, Official publication of the marking the first time St. Paul Regional Labor Federation, AFL-CIO in history they have 353 W. 7th St. #201, St. Paul, MN 55102. Phone 651-222-3787 x112; fax 651-293-1989; paid a higher rate e-mail: [email protected] than billionaires Editor: Michael Moore ST. PAUL REGIONAL LABOR FEDERATION 80% Share of households Phone: 651-222-3787 Fax: 651-293-1989 whose combined Website: www.stpaulunions.org wealth matches that Bobby Kasper, President Perry Schmidt, Executive Vice President of the top 0.1% Bernadine Engeldorf, Secretary-Treasurer Source: “The Triumph of Injustice” Jennifer Guertin, Sergeant-At-Arms Theresa St. Aoro, V.P. - Ramsey County Brian Beedle, V.P. - Washing ton County Labor Voices: Ray Waldron Connie Beissel, V.P. - Dakota County Michael Madden, V.P. - Chisago County Trustees: Jamie McNamara, Don Mullin, We won’t win in 2020 without working together Paul Slattery I’m worried Donald Trump will win another term in Executive Board Members At Large : Bob “If we spend too much DeRoy, Mike Dreyer, Kelly Gibbons, Wade the White House, and I know I’m not the only one. Luneberg, Dorothy Maki-Green, Jamie Nearly 20 Democrats are seeking the party’s nomina - energy fighting each other, McNamara, Mona Meyer, Dave Monsour, tion to run against Trump next year. My preferred candi - we will give President Carrie Robles, Mary Sansom, Paul Slattery, Howard Terry, Rick Varco date probably isn’t your preferred candidate. Your candi - Trump a clear run at four date probably isn’t your neighbor’s, your coworker’s or MN AFL-CIO General Board Geographical more years in office .” Representatives: Nick Faber, Ken Gorman, your best friend’s candidate. Jennifer Guertin, Deb Haugen, Mike Many of us who have been active in politics and in the – Ray Waldron Hoppe, Suzanne Markham-Kocurek, labor movement have seen this script play out before. Tom McCarthy, Bob Ryan, Scott Seath, While Republicans fall in line behind President Trump, his Leah Vandassor, Lisa Weed opponents and their supporters are arguing amongst $1 trillion infrastructure investment or a $10 federal mini - Committee on Political Education: Craig themselves. It appears this primary fight will drag on for mum wage. Angrimson, Tom Edwards, Gus Froemke, Martin Hoerth, Mark Krey, Travis Lohmann, months, creating the potential for fractures that may carry And as for that newly renegotiated trade agreement Bob Mayer, Philip Qualy, Josh Wise over into the general election. with Mexico and Canada? It’s just NAFTA with a different State AFL-CIO Retirees Rep: Gerald Beedle Our inability to unite in opposition to this incumbent name, giving a green light to corporations looking to out - is a liability. I’m worried that if we spend too much energy source American jobs, but without strong, enforceable Office staff: Colleen Nocerini, Kera Peterson fighting each other, we will give President Trump a clear labor standards to ensure a level playing field for workers. AFL-CIO COMMUNITY SERVICES run at four more years in office. As the 2020 election approaches, we can expect Phone: 651-222-3787 Fax: 651-293-1989 And we can’t afford four more years of Donald Trump. President Trump to gloss over his failures with lies, Twitter Website: www.stpaulunions.org/lsrc This president has been a disaster for working people. insults and divisive rhetoric. Given the loyalty of his base Lynne Larkin-Wright, Liaison His signature achievement, the tax cut passed in and the deep pockets of his donors, it would be foolish to December 2017, was a windfall for corporations and the underestimate Trump’s chances at reelection. super rich. Already, it’s pushed income inequality to a 50- But as we saw in the midterm elections last year, our year high and increased our national debt, putting Social base is energized to fight back, and polling shows most This issue went to press Oct. 22 Security and Medicare – investments American workers Americans are growing tired of Trump’s act. We can win It was scheduled to go in the mail Oct. 28 and their families count on – at risk. back the White House in 2020, but only if we’re united in Next news deadline: Friday, Dec. 6 Meanwhile, Trump appointees in the Department of our purpose and committed to doing the work. Labor are rolling back regulations that protect working Whatever our differences, as union members and Remaining publication dates in 2019: people from wage theft and other abuses. They succeeded retirees we share a common interest in removing Trump Dec. 16. in blocking a rule issued by the Obama administration from office. Whether you’re a millennial or a retiree, News deadlines precede our publication expanding overtime pay to more Americans. And the whether you live in the city or a small town, whether you dates by 10 days; ad deadlines by 12 days. number of inspectors at the U.S. Occupational Safety and work with your hands or at a computer – that common To advertise, contact the Advocate office Health Administration has steadily fallen since President interest is greater than the things that divide us. for display options and rate information, or Trump took office, reaching its lowest level ever. Let’s remember that as the field of Democratic presi - download an ad flier online at Just a month ago the Republican-controlled Senate dential nominees narrows down over the next few advocate.stpaulunions.org/advertise. appointed a new labor secretary who, throughout his months.