January-February-March 2015
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Jan.-Feb.-Mar. 2015 Volume 33, Number 1 The Newspaper of the Graphic Communications Conference / IBT www.gciu.org Executive Privilege Bruising Election Commentator Jim Hightower says GOP midterm rout a setback for same old story: CEO pay races worker rights but union leaders vow ahead while family income stalls. PAGE 6 to get labor back on its feet by 2016. PAGE 3, 8-9 Immigration PAGE 5 Justice Boston local aids ‘model citizen’ press operator Hazardous Condition unfairly threatened IBT and GCC/IBT offi cials join with deportation. campaign to protect residents from dangers of waste site PAGE 4 near St. Louis. ALSO INSIDE : A ‘Top-Notch’ Trio Retires............................................. 4 GCC/Candidates on Midterm Ballots .............................9 Mackell Asks: What Went Wrong? ................................ 9 Quad Graphic Group Comes Aboard ...........................11 Printed in the USA As I See It BY GEORGE TEDESCHI, GCC/IBT PRESIDENT Middle Class was Big Loser in November t’s been a couple months since and voted against their best interests. As for the agenda of organized labor INovember midterm balloting but the That’s a shame and another reason why – it’s hard to be optimistic. results don’t look any better now than Democrats should have shown some There hasn’t been talk of the on election night. backbone and reminded people that it Employee Free Choice Act (EFCA), a Almost everywhere, Democrats got was Obama that pulled measure streamlining clobbered. Republicans are proclaiming the nation out of the the organizing process, a mandate. On Capitol Hill, the GOP economic hole dug by since the early days of 7 controls the House and Senate. There Wall Street and George the first Obama term and Jolley Good Fellow are Republican governors in most state W. Bush. little hope the proposal Veteran GCC/IBT organizer houses. Legislatures around the country Now we’ve got a seri- will be resurrected. Sure Tom Jolley reflects on his are dominated by the Party of the 1 ous situation. to come under the gun ‘opportunity to serve.’ Percent. Prospects for legis- is the National Labor Democrats have no one to blame but lation that favors ordi- Relations Board, a favor- themselves. nary Americans – or the ite target of the right. They ran away from the accom- labor movement – have Gone, too, is any hope 10 plishments of the Obama administra- next to no chance with of fair-minded, com- As If We tion – and from the President, too. In Republicans running prehensive immigration Didn’t Know one nutty episode, Alison Lundergan Congress. reform. Congressional Budget Grimes, the Democrat opposing Mitch You can pretty much kiss good-bye Sometimes I hear GCC/IBT peo- Office report affirms the McConnell in the Kentucky senatorial action on a federal minimum wage hike, ple say unions are too close to the obvious: things never race, refused to acknowledge she voted for instance. Republicans hate the idea of Democratic Party and prejudiced toward have been better for the rich. for the President even though she was paying low-earning workers a living wage – Republicans. Baloney. We are for any an Obama delegate at the Democratic bad for business, they say, without evidence party willing to give workers a fair shake. convention in 2012. Grimes went down – and one of the incoming GOP senators, But this crop of Republicans – pushed 11 to defeat, anyway, and now McConnell Joni Ernst of Iowa, says there should be no to extremes by Tea Party types – doesn’t Vermont Visitor is majority leader. U.S. law establishing base pay. like labor. They treat us like the enemy. Straight-talking But let’s not worry about the politi- Forget about tougher restrictions How can we be friends with the GOP? Sen. Bernie Sanders greets cians. Few have to worry about pay- on investment banks and Wall Street, For all its faults, the Democratic Iowa union supporters ing the mortgage or putting gas in too. Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Party has a record of protecting the with 2016 Presidential the car or finding money for the kids’ a great friend of labor and the mid- middle class and respecting unions. Yes, bid in mind college tuition. My concern is for the dle class, said in a Washington Post Democrats did a poor job in November. people who really got swamped in the piece that the “lobbyists’ agenda is not They ran scared. They showed too little Republican “wave” – the forgotten folks America’s agenda” but that’s not how spunk. Too often, they tried to pass as of the middle class. Republicans and their friends in big Republicans. For the sake of working 16 Sure, I know that many ordinary business see things. For the GOP, the people, let’s hope Democrats shape up Final Round Americans bought the Republican line privileged few always come first. – and fast. We’re a year away from 2016. After 88 years, UPIGA golfers will call it quits this June in North Myrtle Beach, S.C. MANAGING BY JAMES HOFFA, IBT GENERAL PRESIDENT EDITOR’S NOTE Outlook FEATURES November midterm elections As I See It/ solidified Republican control of George Tedeschi....... 2 the House of Representatives, Stand Firm Against TPP gave the GOP a majority in the ur government should take a long look Rim nations, that is not likely. The TPP Senate and put Democrats on the Oat the proposed 12-nation Pacific Rim would allow Chinese government-owned Outlook/ defensive. As our extended cov- trade deal and how it could take away the firms in Vietnam to undercut American James Hoffa .......... 2 erage makes clear, labor was a federal government’s ability to enforce a law businesses in order to gain U.S. government loser, too. Reporter Zack Dowdy allowing it to favor American companies business. They can do that because the aver- Managing Editor’s Note/ taps into the worries of GCC/IBT when purchasing goods. age minimum wage salary Fred Bruning ......... 2 leaders who warn that the union The Buy American pro- in Vietnam is 52 cents an movement must quickly rebound curement program has been hour. But does it make sense from the autumn defeat (Page on the books for more than to allow such Communist- Editorial.............. 6 3) and an election overview in 80 years. But it has become a owned companies to han- the centerfold reflects broader target, thanks to the Trans- dle work dealing with, for Cartoon/ concerns about voter turnout and Pacific Partnership (TPP) instance, U.S. national secu- Mike Luckovich ....... 6 mood of the country. Stories in deal being negotiated. The rity? Hell no! this edition also deal with union pact would allow foreign And, while the Senate has Bottom Line/ efforts to confront an environmen- companies to compete for yet to take up that legisla- Jerry Morgan ......... 7 tal threat near St. Louis, the suc- the tax dollars of Americans. tion, Sen. Debbie Stabenow cessful intervention of a Boston Under the trade agree- (D-Mich.) has also shown local on behalf of an immigrant ment, the U.S. government she is willing to stand up Guest Spot/ worker who unfairly faced depor- would be required to grant for American manufactur- Tom Jolley............ 7 tation and a feelgood Local Stops all firms operating in any ing. She has reintroduced item about a union golf tourna- TPP country the same access as American the “Bring Jobs Home Act” that would give All the Best ........... 7 ment that raises scholarship companies to federal government procure- tax breaks to businesses that bring back jobs money. In other news from the ment contracts over a certain value. The ban to the U.S. from overseas. Local Stops ..........11 fairway, the Union International would result in the off-shoring of hundreds America became the world power it is Printcraft Golf Association says of millions in tax dollars now recycled into today by taking tough stands. Congress its June event will be the last. the U.S. economy. needs to assert U.S. independence now by Française/Espanol ....12 Nothing goes on forever but, after While some might suggest that American standing firm against this TPP provision 88 years, the annual UPIGA out- companies will make up for any such losses and allowing the Buy American program to Funny Business.......16 ing almost did. – Fred Bruning through increased trading with other Pacific flourish. 2 Graphic Communicator Graphic Communicator The Newspaper of the Graphic Communications Conference / IBT Volume 33, Number 1 Jan.-Feb.-Mar. 2015 (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] Internet: www.gciu.org GEORGE TEDESCHI Bouncing Back from ‘Brutal’ Midterms Editor FRED BRUNING Managing Editor By Zachary Dowdy Special to the Communicator ‘ is is not a Republican-Democrat AFFILIATIONS Change to Win Coalition hen the fi nal midterm election numbers were counted, GCC/ issue,’ said GCC/IBT President George IBT leaders didn’t need analysts to tell them the news was Canadian Labour Congress not good – not for labor, working people, or America. Tedeschi. ‘ is is a common sense Member of International Democrats, traditionally friendly to labor, had been Labor Communications handily beaten in state after state. A Republican rout gave the matter. We cannot a ord a complete Association of Labour Media WGOP control of the Senate and strengthened the party’s grip on the House of Representatives. Democratic governors were ousted while Republican chief execu- takeover of the government by a party tives – including the fi ercely anti-labor Scott Walker of Wisconsin – scored one victory after the other.