July-August-September 2014 3 Visit to GPO Continues a Tradition of Mutual Respect Radition Counts
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July-Aug.-Sept. 2014 Volume 32, Number 3 The Newspaper of the Graphic Communications Conference / IBT www.gciu.org AMERICA WORKS ‘Shameful’ Decision At a NANC meeting in Scottsdale, Ariz., As though Citizens United wasn’t bad enough, offi cials urged immediate political action the latest Supreme Court campaign fi nance PAGEWHEN 3 to block a conservative surge this fall. ruling gives the super-rich an extra edge. PAGE 5 PAGEWE 10 SAY... PAGE 8 Internal Organizing LostLabor.com website honors Union offi cials strive to expand the membership base Vanished Workers the men and women who built and counter decertifi cation moves. America in the 20th Century. ALSO INSIDE : Gearing up for Midterms ................................................. 3 Warm Welcome at GPO .................................................. 4 Meyerson: ‘Downward Mobility’ .................................... 6 Mackell: Age of Fractured Dreams ................................ 14 Printed in the USA As I See It BY GEORGE TEDESCHI, GCC/IBT PRESIDENT Fall Elections a Wakeup Call for Labor t’s crunch time. This is the party that opposes an security comes a feeling of self-satisfaction I The 2014 midterm elections are just increase in the minimum wage but wants and ease with the status quo. We’ve all a few months away and there could be to expand tax benefits for the rich. The heard talk from friends that makes it clear trouble ahead. GOP trashed Employee Free Choice Act they’ve been listening to the wrong politi- Many political forecasters say legislation but protected cal message. Some find Republicans will hold the House of Wall Street after the disas- the phony rhetoric that Representatives and take the Senate, too. trous recession of 2008- comes from right wing For union members, the chance of a disas- 09. Republicans want to personalities – and radio 7 trous GOP takeover should be a four- limit collective bargaining hosts like Rush Limbaugh Point of Pride alarm wakeup call. but pass right-to-work – enticing. They may even A New York artist tells At the North American Newspaper legislation. hint they’re going to vote why he honors the heritage Conference in Scottsdale, Ariz. last month, The party has been GOP. of blue collar workers. I took every opportunity to make sure kidnapped by Tea Party Bad business – for GCC/IBT delegates understood the grav- darlings like Sen. Ted union members and all ity of the situation. Cruz of Texas, Sen. Rand working families. 11 I told them to start volunteering now Paul of Kentucky and With control of the Uplifting Effort for labor-friendly candidates and reach into Gov. Scott Walker of House and Senate, we Labor helps pass a their wallets to help build campaign war Wisconsin. can kiss goodbye any pro- Seattle law to boost chests. Pay attention to the news, I urged. Even the party’s establishment figures labor legislation. We can expect more minimum wage. Make sure you are informed and able to – House Speaker John Boehner, Senate sniping at the National Labor Relations hold up your end of any political debate. Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and Board. We can forget about stopping Information is power. Keep it in mind. House Budget Committee Chairman Paul fast track trade agreements. For sure, an And let’s be honest. As the GOP lurches Ryan – tirelessly bash government pro- emboldened GOP majority on Capitol 14 further to the right, it increasingly loses grams aimed at helping the middle class Hill will take every opportunity to under- Executive Action touch with working people – people like us. and take every opportunity to badmouth cut decent wages and working conditions. Gannett shareholders back When Republicans had in their ranks unions. The AFL-CIO rates Ryan a mere All elections are important. We should IBT proposal to reform moderates like Dwight Eisenhower and 7 percent on union issues. Seven percent! have learned that lesson long ago, and par- management pension Nelson Rockefeller and Sen. Jacob Javits IBT General President Jim Hoffa often ticularly in 2010 when Republicans rallied benefits. of New York, to name just a few, it was tells union members to stay focused – to vote because traditional Democratic constitu- conceivable that union people might have in the best interests of their families, the labor encies – union people, included – failed to voted GOP in one race or another. movement, and the country. He sometimes get politically involved and vote. 16 No more. Now the Grand Old Party says that unions have done such a good job That was a terrible mistake and we ‘Cash for Class’ is a society of zealots so isolated from the of guaranteeing a decent middle-class life can’t let it happen again. Don’t kid your- Teamsters announce mainstream that, frankly, a union person that members are turning into Republicans. selves. Republicans don’t care about us. latest James R. Hoffa would have to be completely clueless to Hoffa is right and we should admit it. On Election Day, let’s show them the feel- Scholarship essay contest vote Republican. With a bit of comfort and economic ing is mutual. FEATURES MANAGING BY JAMES HOFFA, IBT GENERAL PRESIDENT EDITOR’S NOTE Outlook As I See It/ A series of vintage photos in our George Tedeschi....... 2 centerfold shows 20th Century print industry workers on the job. New Setbacks for Koch & Co. Outlook/ The shots are from a website he annual state legislative folly that spurs makers to defeat a measure current before collection called “Lost Labor” Tpro-corporate lawmakers to introduce the House. Many lawmakers there realize the James Hoffa .......... 2 honoring the men and women legislation to hack away at workplace rights measure is an attempted power grab by the who helped build the American and wages for millions of middle-class families same corporate cronies who have outsourced Managing Editor’s economy. Many of their jobs is well under way. And it is failing—again. middle-class jobs overseas and offshore their Note................. 2 have disappeared in the digital Despite the best efforts profits to avoid paying taxes. age – a worry evident at the of the Koch brothers and Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon, a Editorial.............. 6 North American Newspaper their friends at the American Democrat, has promised to Conference in Scottsdale, Ariz. As Legislative Exchange Council veto any such bill that makes Point of View/ our NANC story indicates, GCC/ (ALEC), right-to-work mea- it to his desk. Harold Meyerson...... 6 IBT President George Tedeschi sures have already gone down Right-to-work is a ruse. told delegates they must take in flames in Kentucky, New These laws depress wages, Cartoon/Matt Wuerker. 6 an active part in crucial midterm Hampshire and Oregon. And resulting in workers making elections and counter the enor- the path to victory for big about $1,500 less than those Bottom Line/ mous influence of wealthy con- business is far from assured living elsewhere. They are Jerry Morgan ......... 7 tributors. That disparity is made in Maine, Missouri, Ohio or also more likely not to receive evident in a Communicator piece Pennsylvania, either. health insurance and more Guest Spot/ on a recent Supreme Court deci- It seems the public is likely to work in a dangerous sion to further liberalize campaign becoming wise to their argu- workplace. In addition, it is Raymon Elozua ....... 7 spending. Though the privileged ments. People see how the proven not to be a deciding always have an edge, the resolve corporate class is putting a reduction in factor in where businesses locate. All the Best ........... 7 of union people cannot be under- business tax rates first and investment in Lawmakers must resist the cheap corpo- estimated. Another story reports the future of our communities last. It’s just rate rhetoric pushed by ALEC and others Local Stops ..........11 on a successful Teamster attempt another attempt by rich CEOs to tip the eco- that makes right-to-work seem like a solu- to limit executive compensation nomic scales even more in their favor at the tion. It isn’t. All it seems to help create is Francaise/Espanol ....12 at Gannett Co. – a small vic- expense of hard-working Americans. less pay, less freedom in the workplace and tory but evidence that our union is In Missouri, for example, approximately maybe most important of all, a smaller mid- In Memoriam........13 alert, resourceful and committed. 1,000 right-to-work opponents showed up at dle class. If that’s seen by some as progress, – Fred Bruning the capitol in Jefferson City to call on law- government should be taking a pass on it. Funny Business.......16 2 Graphic Communicator Graphic Communicator The Newspaper of the Graphic Communications Conference / IBT Volume 32, Number 3 July-August-Sept. 2014 (USPS 410-750) Offi cial organ of the Graphic Communications Conference/International Brotherhood of Teamsters 25 Louisiana Ave. NW Washington, D.C. 20001 202-508-6660 e-mail: [email protected] NANC Reps Told: ‘Be Prepared’ for Midterms Internet: www.gciu.org By Fred Bruning weak Election Day turnout allowed Republicans to regain the House GEORGE TEDESCHI Graphic Communicator majority they had lost four years earlier. Editor It soon became clear that the GOP victory – Republicans picked up traight-talking GCC/IBT offi cials said it, and so did delegates 63 seats – spelled trouble for President Barack Obama who saw every FRED BRUNING and guests in the hallways: Labor has plenty on the line in the signifi cant legislative initiative blocked by Capitol Hill opponents. Managing Editor November mid-term elections and union members better get Democrats complained that obstructing the White House had become busy if they hope to make a difference. more a priority than doing the nation’s business but the GOP was AFFILIATIONS S “If you think you can sit back and do nothing, you’re wrong,” unyielding.