Setting the Bush Record Straight on Jobs stimates range put the rally together with less what is going wrong in Ameri- Bush is now on track to be- Efrom 700 to 1,200 than a weeks notice, and despite ca.” come the first president since people who together rain and cold the event was very According to Millne Bush re- the Great Depression to preside in Huntington’s Harris successful. peatedly says the country is in a over net job losses during his Riverfront Park to ask According to Tim Millne, recovery. However, the work- term. President George W. secretary-treasurer of the Labor ing families who attended the Construction workers are Bush one question: Council and assistant business rally have a different reality. among the hardest hit. While “Where are the jobs?” manager for the WV Laborer’s Speakers talked about the the nation’s overall unemploy- Either number puts the count District Council, “Our message need for better employment ment remains high at 5.6 per- of those opposing Bush greater was heard throughout Hunting- opportunities and the hardship cent in early 2004, more than than those showing support ton, most of West Virginia and caused by plant closings, 9 percent of all construction during Bush’s April 2nd visit even across the country. Dif- down-sizing and cut-backs. workers were jobless during to Marshall University. ferent people representing dif- Over the past three years, those months, according to the The Southwestern District ferent agendas came together to America has lost 2.6 million U.S. Bureau of Labor Sta- Labor Council, AFL-CIO, make their voices heard about private-sector jobs. President tistics. The elimination of ‘Respon- sible Contractor’ rules was one of the first actions Bush did when he came to office. Out- lawing project labor agree- VOLUME 13 NUMBER 4 ments, eliminating Davis- APRIL 2004 Bacon protection from Home- land Security spending and cutting important infrastructure spending have all added up to bad news for construction workers and their families. “Working families are tired of being lied to by Bush. We need a President who will fight A PUBLICATION OF for us,” added Millne. THE AFFILIATED The rally started at Hunting- ton’s Harris Riverfront Park CONSTRUCTION and after speeches from a wide TRADES FOUNDATION variety of groups the crowd then marched to the Marshall The ACT Foundation is a division HUNTINGTON MAYOR David Felinton (right) along with Tim Millne (center) and WV AFL-CIO of The West Virginia State President Jim Bowen welcome rally participants. “Mayor Felinton chose to be with working Campus across from where the Building and Construction folks instead of the President,” said Millne. “He’s the kind of politician we need.” President was to speak. Trades Council. Steve Burton, President; Roy Smith, Secretary- Treasurer; Steve White, Director. More Than 200 Supporters At Charleston - (304) 345-7570 Toll Free - (800) 930-9675 www.actwv.org Longview Public Hearing upporters of the developers GenPower who want ers have answered the call,” said The meeting was not without S$950 million Long- to build the project north of Darwin Snyder, president of the some opposition but the topic Longview Power Morgantown. Trades Council. “We’ve called had more to do with environ- Plant made their The large majority of the 200 on local workers at least ten mental issues than what the PSC INSIDE voices heard loud supporters on hand came from times, and each time they have came to hear. Election Nears Pg. 2 and clear at a March members of the North Central answered our call.” “Our folks outnumbered any Bricklayers Win Pg. 2 31st public hearing in WV Building Trades. “The dedication of our mem- opposition,” said Ed Boone, Pile Drivers Pg. 3 front of the Public Union construction workers bers continues to amaze me. Business Manager, Plumbers Marmet Lock & Dam Pg. 3 Service Commission. came to speak in support of the Almost everyone spoke at the and Pipefitters Local 152. “But Labor & Management Pg. 4 The PSC is considering an project during two meetings that hearing; even people who have it still made me mad to sit and Workers’ Memorial Day Pg. 4 application from the 600-mega- lasted until late in the evening. never spoken in public before,” listen to the Sierra Club and watt coal-fired power plant “Once again our local work- said Snyder. Continued on p. 4 PAGE 2 THE ACT REPORT APRIL 2004 Primary Election Nears WV AFL-CIO uesday, May 11 is ber of Commerce vowed to Many doctors have attacked Tprimary election defeat state judges with mas- McGraw, believing he is re- Endorsements day in West Virginia. sive advertising campaigns. sponsible for all of the states Justice of the Supreme Stephens Of the many important con- McGraw was pictured as problems. Some have sent letters Court of Appeals 17th: Richard Thompson; Don tests the race for Supreme one of those targets on the to patients; others posted flyers, Warren McGraw Perdue Court is key for workers. cover of Forbes, a national some illegal, in their offices. 18th: Earnie Kuhn Justice Warren McGraw is business magazine. Insurance companies have U.S. House of Representa- seeking re-election to the Su- “We must do whatever we blamed raising rates on Mc- tives 19th: Greg Butcher; Lidella Wilson Hrutkay; Jeff preme Court of Graw as well. First Congressional District: Eldridge; Bill Wright Appeals and “You have to Alan Mollohan has the backing “WE MUST DO WHATEVER WE CAN wonder about 21st: Harry Keith White Third Congressional of every labor TO SUPPORT JUDGE MCGRAW.” these Doctors organization who believe the District: Nick Joe Rahall 22nd: Richard Browning; STEVE BURTON, PRESIDENT plus a variety of insurance com- Eileen Schlager WV STATE BUILDING TRADES Attorney General other groups. panies in their 23rd: Emily Yeager Darrell McGraw His primary tales about why 25th: Michael Magann opponent has been picked by can to support Judge Mc- insurance premiums have gone State Senate big business as their best Graw,” urged State Building up,” said Roy Smith, State 27th: Virginia Mahan; Kevin chance to defeat McGraw who Trades President Steve Burton. Building Trades Secretary 1st: Andy McKenzie (R) Maynus; Sally Susman; has a reputation for caring “We need to have someplace Treasurer. 2nd: Jeff Kessler Clyde McKnight, Jr.; John Wooton about workers and their fami- to turn to for fairness and if “What business wants is to 4th: David Mullins lies. business has their way the take away our right to a jury, 28th: Tommy Scarles 5th: Bob Plymale The race received national Supreme Court will be off- and that is about as un-Ameri- 29th: Tom Louisos attention when the U.S. Cham- limits to working families.” can as you can get.” 7th: Bruce Hobbs 30th: Bonnie Brown; Bobbie 8th: Margaret Workman Hatfield; Mark Hunt Bricklayers Win Three 10th: Anita Skeens Caldwell 31st: Carrie Webster 11th: Shirley Love 32nd: Jon Cain, Sr.; Curtis International Awards 12th: Bill Adler Robinson; Brian Casto (R) eroy Hunter, Jr., This award was for work on Bricklayer Locals 5 & 9. 14th: Jon Blair Hunter LBricklayers Dis- the Clay Center in Charleston. “We were very excited to 34th: Brent Boggs trict Council of WV, The third award, the Dis- work on the Clay Center. The 15th: Bruce Lee Bennett 35th: Sam Argento recently returned from trict Council received on Bricklayers set the marble, 16th: Gregory Lance Bal Harbor, Florida behalf of Jeffory Ball, Brick- stone, granite and did the 39th: Bill Hamilton (R) House of Delegates where he picked up layers Local 9. Ball won the fancy brickwork.” 40th: Mary Poling three awards. IMI 2003 Craft Award for The competition includes 1st: Joe DeLong 41st: Ron Fragale; Tony The International Masonry Outstanding Craftsmanship all of the United States and 2nd: Jack Yost Institute (IMI) gave the a- in Stone Masonry. Ball was Canada. According to Hunt- Barberio; Richard wards. recognized for his work on er, there were over 400 nomi- 3rd: Orphy Klempa Iaquinta; Tim Miley The first award presented the addition of Sacred Heart. nations this award cycle. This 4th: Ken Tucker 42nd: Diane Parker to the WV District Council “These awards prove what is the largest number of en- 5th: Marikay “Casey” Corliss 43rd: Mike Caputo; Tim was the Western Pennsyl- we’ve been saying all along: tries the IMI has ever had. Manchin; Linda 7th: John “Shorty” vania Golden Trowel Award. the quality of workmanship “This is the first time in my Longstreth Bricklayers Local 15 won and workers in West Virginia recollection that West Vir- Bumgardner (R) 44th: Barbara Fleischauer; this award for its work on the cannot be beat,” said David ginia has received any awards 9th: Jeff Lewis Life Science Building at Carte, Business Agent for of this caliber,” said Hunter. Gene Claypole; 10th: Patrick Radcliff; Steven West Virginia University. Charlene Marshall Whitehair; John Ellem The award category was Early Voting Starts April 21 46th: Stan Shaver (R) “Higher Learning and Edu- Take advantage of new rules that allow early voting. 53rd: Jerry Lynn Burton cation Projects.” The election is May 11 but you can start voting as early as 13th: Dale Martin; Brady 54th: Walter Duke (R) Best Brick Project, 2003, April 21. Just see your county clerk for details. Don’t be Paxton Region 5 was the 2nd award caught out of town on election day. 16th: Susan Hubbard; Dale 57th: Rod Snyder the District Council received. APRIL 2004 THE ACT REPORT PAGE 3 Pile Drivers Hold Training Marmet Lock & he demand for Pile performed for a small group of tors’ productivity and market- TDrivers has been members.