Published By AMERICAN INCOME LIFE & NATIONAL INCOME LIFE LETTER LABOR ADVISORY BOARD JUNE 2015 Vol. 47 No. 3

NEWS FROM THE federation’s headquarters in Washington, The AFL-CIO Transportation AFL-CIO, CTW, he added, “Any candidate who wants to Trades Department (TTD) said May 5 INTERNATIONAL & appeal to workers has to put forth a bold that the Senate should take up a $7.8 bil- and comprehensive raising wages agenda.” lion funding bill for Amtrak that was passed NATIONAL UNIONS Trumka also said unions are for “good trade earlier this year by the House. While Con- deals” but against the Trans-Pacific Part- gress is focused on the deadline involving An average of 150 workers is nership which he described as “a bad trade federal highway funding that is set to ex- killed each day from workplace injuries and deal.” Income inequality is worsening and pire, AFL-CIO TTD President Ed Wyt- other job-related conditions, a recent report he said that CEO pay has skyrocketed over kind said the Senate should make room on by the AFL-CIO found. Released in con- the last four decades while the wages of av- its calendar for Amtrak. “The House has junction with the annual Workers Memo- erage Americans have gone the other way. now spoken on the need to give Amtrak rial Day observance on April 28, the report “We want action. We want big ideas, and we predictable funding and longer term stabil- was entitled “Death on the Job: The Toll of want structural change. We want ‘Raising ity,” Wytkind said. “The Senate must now Neglect.” The AFL-CIO found that work- Wages,’” Trumka said. He said that work- finish the job by boosting funding levels and place injuries killed 4,585 workers in 2013, ers have “swallowed the politics of hedged resisting wrongheaded reforms that would while another 50,000 died from occupa- bets for almost two generations” and will no threaten our national passenger railroad and tional diseases. “America’s workers shouldn’t longer accept half-measures. the 20,000 employees who keep Amtrak have to choose between earning a livelihood and risking their life, yet every day too many end up on the wrong end of that choice,” AFL-CIO’s Trumka said in a statement. He blamed the workplace deaths on poor oversight from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), and weak penalties for companies that break the rules. He noted federal OSHA has the resources and staff to inspect workplaces on average only once every 140 years. The average pen- alty for serious violations was only $1,895, and the median penalty for worker deaths was only $5,050. “We have created an agenda for shared prosperity called raising wages. It will be our inspiration and our measuring stick throughout the presidential campaign,” AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka said in a message aimed at the 2016 presidential candidates. Speaking April 28 at the labor Amtrak train. Flickr.com photo used under Creative Commons from Bruce Fingerhood.

TERRY O'SULLIVAN, President - Laborers International Union of North America, Chairman - AIL/NILICO Labor Advisory Board VICTOR KAMBER, Vice President - American Income Life Insurance Company, Executive Director - AIL/NILICO Labor Advisory Board ROGER SMITH, President & Chief Executive Officer - American Income Life Insurance Company, President - AIL/NILICO Labor Advisory Board DENISE BOWYER, Vice President - American Income Life Insurance Company, Secretary - AIL/NILICO Labor Advisory Board Pg 2 LABOR LETTER trains rolling across America.” The House basic human rights. “The bottom line is that More than 1,000 workers at a bill called for spending approximately $1.7 these agreements must be revised, modi- local clothing factory in the southern Chi- billion annually over the next four years fied or terminated,” he said. If approved, the nese province of Guangdong took to the on Amtrak, a slight increase from current TTIP would turn the EU and US into the streets in protest on May 1 for the return funding levels. largest free-trade area in the world. of two months’ missed pay checks, reported Radio Free Asia. Beating drums and hold- Unions around the world ob- ing banners, workers at the Houhong Gar- INTERNATIONAL served Workers Memorial Day with May ment Factory in the manufacturing city of LABOR NEWS Day parades, local events, services and other Dongguan staged the walkout to coincide activities to draw attention to the hundreds with International Workers’ Day, a strik- Australia needs to limit the of thousands of men and women who are ing worker surnamed Fang told RFA. “The number of temporary working visas being killed and suffer illness and injury on the police, security guards and riot police are approved, declared Australian Council of job. The International Trade Union (ITU) all here, holding their shields, and wear- Trade Unions (ACTU) president Ged Ke- said the theme for this year’s observance ing bullet-proof vests, and they have police arney. In a submission to the Senate inquiry would be “removing exposure to hazardous dogs,” Fang said. “It’s really over the top.” into temporary working visas, the ACTU substances in the workplace.” “Chemicals She said four people detained by police said that the number of international work- we would have imagined by now would be during the stand-off weren’t even the strike ers needs to be restricted in favour of per- globally banned keep popping up,” the con- leaders, RFA reported. Chen Mao, founder manent migration. “We need to focus on federation’s general secretary, Sharan Bur- of the Shenzhen-based Migrant Workers’ creating job opportunities for Australians, row, said in a recent telephone interview. Centre, said that workers are often exploit- we must ensure our permanent migration “We see emerging fears around some of the ed by bosses of financially pressed compa- system is robust, and we must limit the use new technological issues such as nanotech- nies who drain cash from the business be- of temporary visas to reflect genuine skills nology... it’s extraordinary, really. There’s a fore it goes bankrupt and disappear, leaving shortages,” said Kearney. New Zealanders lot of fear amongst workers.” In a new re- the workers unpaid. form the largest pool of temporary work- port, the confederation cited what it calls a ers with the next largest migrant groups “cautious estimate” from the International coming from China, and the UK. The Sen- Labor Organization that puts the annual NATIONAL AND ate inquiry was established in March by death toll from workplace toxics at 651,279 POLITICAL EVENTS Labor and the Greens as both parties felt worldwide, one death every 52 seconds. The that a review commissioned by the Govern- Brussels-based ITU represents 176 million The Connecticut Senate ap- ment had not probed the 457 visa program workers belonging to 328 national affiliates, proved a bill May 6 that directs the state far enough. There are currently 1.2 million including the AFL-CIO. Department of Education to provide temporary entrants in Australia who have the right to work and, of these, 167,000 have “457” visas, 160,000 have working holiday visas and 623,000 are New Zealand special visa holders. Alfred de Zayas, a UN human rights campaigner, called for a moratorium on Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) talks between Europe and the U.S. because the inclusion of a sys- tem of secret courts used by major corpora- tions would undermine human rights. Un- der the proposed agreement, companies will be allowed to appeal against regulations or legislation that depress profits, resulting in fears that multinationals could stop govern- ments reversing privatizations, he said. De Zayas is the UN’s special rapporteur on pro- motion of a democratic and equitable inter- national order. He warned that adoption of a separate legal system for the benefit of multinational corporations was a threat to Workers' Memorial Day 2015. Flickr.com photo used under Creative Commons from hartlepoolfe. LABOR LETTER Pg 3 schools with a curriculum on labor his- has affected all occupational groups but not were reported in California from 2010-2012. tory. Labor unions had been pushing for uniformly. The biggest fall off in the private Many more go unreported. Nationwide, the bill for several years. This version also sector has occurred in construction, trans- more than 19,000 healthcare workers report includes a provision that the education portation and maintenance and repair, the being assaulted annually or one every 30 min- department develop a curriculum on free most heavily unionized sectors. “More jobs utes. “We shouldn’t be afraid to go to work. market capitalism and its role in develop- require a college education,” said Harry We shouldn’t worry that we might not make ing the U.S. economy. Schools will not be Holzer, economist at the McCourt School it home at the end of our shift,” said Kathy mandated to teach labor history nor does of Public Policy at Georgetown University, Hughes, RN, co-lead of the California Safe the bill allocate additional funds to pay for “and those jobs are traditionally less likely Care Standard campaign. The demonstration the development of the curriculum. “This to be unionized.” But in a separate poll, also marked the fifth anniversary of the mur- is critically important for people to under- Pew found that 52 percent of Americans der of psych tech Donna Gross by a known stand the history of this country and how it say the decline in union representation has violent patient at Napa State Hospital. was formed,’’ said Senate President Martin been mostly bad for workers, compared Looney, D-New Haven. “The children of with 40 percent who say it has been mostly United Steelworkers (USW) Connecticut have to know that many of good. Membership in labor unions is far Local 235A members spoke at the an- the things they take for granted in terms higher in Europe than the U.S., with a 22 nual shareholders meeting of Glencore of rights were not freely given by employ- percent average union membership in the in Switzerland to press for an end of the ers but had to be fought for by workers who European Union. lockout at Sherwin Alumina. Glencore showed great courage and made great sac- is the corporate owner of the Texas alu- rifice.’’ The measure moves to the House of mina facility in Corpus Christi, Texas Representatives for consideration. REGIONAL & where 450 workers have been locked out LOCAL LABOR of their jobs since October 11. “Over the Americans’ satisfaction with NEWS past seven months, we have repeatedly of- the federal government’s efforts to address fered to return to work while we continue poverty has never been high, but a new California nurses held a major to bargain for a new contract that is fair Gallup poll showed a new low at only 16 demonstration May 6 at the Capitol in Sac- to both the company and its workers. We percent satisfaction with government efforts ramento to call attention to the tens of thou- have always been ready, willing and able to on behalf of the poor. The high point of 26 sands of healthcare workers who are attacked continue to work,” said Local 235A Vice percent satisfaction with the government’s on the job each year. The California Safe Care President Rey Hererra. “The company anti-poverty policies was in 2001, the first Standard campaign, spearheaded by Service has refused these offers and continues to year the measure was surveyed. The public’s Employees International Union 121RN and keep us out of work.” According to news satisfaction with the government’s handling SEIU Nurse Alliance of California, is push- reports, the USW members spent the week of poverty ranks last this year just below its ing Cal/OSHA to put a regulation in place in Switzerland with fellow union members handling of the nation’s finances (23 per- around workplace violence prevention for all and Glencore workers from South Africa, cent) and immigration policy (24 percent), of California’s healthcare workers. Accord- Australia and Columbia, holding solidar- Gallup said. Americans are most satisfied ing to Cal/OSHA, nearly 5,000 incidents ity events and meeting with political lead- with mail delivery, at 90 percent. “The lower of workplace violence in healthcare settings ers and human rights activists. level of satisfaction is partly a function of political dynamics whereby Republicans are more likely to be satisfied with government activities when a Republican is president. Republicans typically are also less likely than Democrats to see poverty as an impor- tant problem,” Gallup explained. In 2014, about 11 percent of all wage and salary workers in 2014 were in a union, down from 22 percent in 1983, ac- cording to Bureau of Labor Statistics data analyzed in a report from the Pew Re- search Center, a Washington, D.C.-based nonpartisan think tank. The peak year for unionization was in 1954 when nearly 35 percent were union members. The BLS data showed that the decline of union workers Healthcare workers demonstration. Flickr.com photo used under Creative Commons from peoplesworld. Pg 4 LABOR LETTER

and painted other movers as unreliable. non-perishable food donations as they Signers included U.S. Rep. Jerrold Nadler, delivered mail along their postal routes. the borough presidents of Manhattan, Carriers delivered the food to local food Brooklyn and the Bronx and 12 members banks, pantries or shelters, including of the City Council. many affiliated with Feeding America, which is a national partner in the drive, as are the U.S. Postal Service, United IN THE PUBLIC Way Worldwide, the National Rural Let- SECTOR ter Carriers’ Association, the AFL-CIO, Valpak and Valassis. After six months of fruitless negotiations with the Chicago School Board, the Chicago Teachers Union filed SIGNIFICANT an unfair labor practice complaint May 6 LEGAL AND NLRB with the state’s labor relations board. The RULINGS union says it’s asked for a mediator three Washington, D.C. federal Fast food workers protesting. Flickr.com photo used times, but the school board refuses. “The under Creative Commons from Annette Bernhardt. board has to stop delaying, stop trying to Judge Amy Berman Jackson denied a tem- subvert the process of negotiations and ne- porary injunction to a Washington, D.C., U.S. McDonald’s workers gotiate in good faith. They are not doing construction firm seeking to stop a union mounted “the biggest ever protest” at the that right now,” said Jesse Sharkey, vice organizing election under the National La- company’s shareholder meeting May 21 president of the Chicago Teachers Union. bor Relations Board’s new, expedited elec- in Chicago with a demand to end “pov- The union also blamed Chicago Public tion procedures. In her ruling, she said the erty wages” paid to many of its 420,000 Schools and the board for mishandling firm, Baker D.C. LLC, failed to prove that staff. Fight for $15, a union-backed protest money. One major issue is the pension it would suffer “irreparable harm” if the elec- group, said McDonald’s workers are “fed up” pick-up, which means the board has paid tion was allowed. Among other issues, Bak- with pay that drives them to rely on public most of the teacher pension costs, and the er objected to the release of employee infor- assistance. They dismissed the company’s teachers pay a smaller portion. The union mation to the union. “The court acknowl- recent announcement to increase its mini- said the board wants to end the pick-up, edges that the individual employees have a mum wage to $9.90, from the current av- which equates to a 7 percent pay cut. The valid interest in the privacy of their personal erage hourly wage of $9.01 as a “publicity current contract ends June 30 and memo- information,” the opinion said, but Jack- stunt.” The workers “would not be coming ries are still fresh about September 2012 son found that “the threat of such harm is alone” to the protest, Fight for 15 said in a when teachers went on strike for the first largely speculative, and that any harm Baker statement, and will be “armed with one mil- time since 1987. would suffer from these provisions is not of lion signatures from everyday Americans the certain, irreparable kind that would war- calling on McDonald’s to pay workers $15 The National Association of rant injunctive relief.” The case involved the an hour and respect their freedom to join Letter Carriers conducted its 23rd annual United Construction Workers Local Union together in a union”. food drive on Saturday, May 9 in more No. 202-Metropolitan Regional Council of than 10,000 cities and towns in all 50 Carpenters which filed a petition April 15 New York Teamsters Local 814 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto to represent Baker’s employees working as launched an offensive to discourage busi- Rico, the Virgin Islands and Guam. The carpenters and laborers at construction sites nesses from hiring nonunion or pseudo- Stamp Out Hunger National Food Drive in the District of Columbia area. union commercial movers. Joined by their is the largest annual food drive in the na- commercial moving employers, other local tion. “With the extreme weather experi- union organizations and elected officials, enced this winter by much of the coun- the campaign uses print, media and online try, along with the economic struggles advertisements and political pressure. The many Americans face, the Letter Car- LABOR LETTER Teamsters and their allies have complained riers’ Food Drive never has been more provided through for several years about groups forming with important. Letter carriers are honored to the veneer of traditional unions but not the be able to help people in need,” NALC pay and benefits packages that union mem- President Fredric Rolando said. “We see bers typically enjoy. Many of the union’s po- the needs in the communities we serve, litical supporters released a letter on Mon- and we believe it’s important to help meet day, May 4, which noted that the Teamsters those needs.” America’s 175,000 city let- Protecting Working Families local is the only commercial moving union ter carriers collected canned goods and www.ailife.com AGENDA JUNE 2015

James P. Hoffa General President that much government cash, no wonder Pressure is building to reexamine the International these airlines are expanding! With no U.S. Open Skies policy. The Teamsters Brotherhood of pressure to earn profits, provide a living are proud members of the Partnership for Teamsters wage or control costs, these state-funded Open & Fair Skies, a coalition of indus- enterprises jeopardize American business- try and union groups formed to restore a es, threatening jobs and consumer choice level playing field under the Open Skies WHEN ‘OPEN in the process. agreements with Qatar and the UAE. A SKIES’ MEANS It’s as if a foreign government were bipartisan group of 262 House lawmakers UNFAIR manufacturing cars on the cheap in its is pushing the Obama administration to own country and then selling them by the investigate the unfair subsidies Qatar Air- ADVANTAGE thousands in U.S. cities at below-market ways, Etihad Airways and Emirates have rates. That’s not competition — it’s a tactic received since 2004. Unfair labor practices are once again straight out of the old monopolist play- A survey of American voters con- hurting U.S. workers and threatening jobs book. It’s also one the U.S. government ducted in April shows that more than 79 across America. This time, the threat is has rejected for decades. percent of American voters believe that coming from overseas, as three airlines To make it worse, these airlines op- the US government should act to fix trade from the Middle East — Qatar Airways, erate with minimal oversight. In stark violations of Open Skies Agreements and Etihad Airways and Emirates — are em- contrast to the U.S., airline regulators in stand up for American workers. Ameri- bracing shady financial practices and anti- Qatar and the UAE are anything but in- cans broadly agree that the US govern- worker policies to undercut U.S. companies. dependent. The chairman of Emirates, for ment needs to act to end aviation trade These Persian Gulf region air carriers example, also serves as the president of the agreement violations: are distorting the market with unfair ad- Dubai Civil Aviation Authority, Dubai’s *74 percent feel the US government vantages, and hoping no one notices. U.S. equivalent of the FAA. He is also a direc- should take action to remedy violations if airlines are accountable to their sharehold- tor of the UAE’s General Civil Aviation it were proven that foreign partners were ers and operate as private businesses. They Authority. This would be an absurd con- violating the Open Skies agreements they respond to pressures in the marketplace flict of interest anywhere else, but for big signed with the United States. and must negotiate contracts with their companies in these countries, it’s just how *79 percent of voters feel that the US unionized employees. they do business. government should take action to resolve In contrast, Qatar Airways, Etihad The Gulf airlines tilt the playing field these subsidy violations rather than wait- Airways and Emirates are run as exten- through other, more sinister policies en- ing for the consumer-driven marketplace sions of the countries they serve. In direct forced by their governments. Both Qatar to work out a solution. violation of the international Open Skies and the UAE outlaw labor unions and of- *79 percent of voters feel it is a nation- agreement, recent evidence shows the gov- fer almost no protection for their workers. al security risk to allow the viability of our ernments of Qatar and the United Arab The abysmal treatment of workers in Qatar aviation infrastructure to be threatened Emirates (UAE) are pumping billions has already drawn widespread condemna- due to its important relationship support- of dollars into these companies through tion in the lead up to the World Cup, for ing the US military in times of crisis. subsidies, supportive public policies and example, and rightfully so. Conditions for The Teamsters and other airline state-funded construction. These billions workers in these countries are so poor that unions, the airline industry and the Amer- provide the airlines with an enormous ben- their jobs are often compared to inden- ican people urge U.S. negotiators to revisit efit that upends the international aviation tured servitude. Workers are suffering in the Open Skies protocols with the coun- market and undermines global competi- Qatar and the UAE, but the airlines save tries that are receiving governmental sup- tion standards. billions as a result. port to ensure fairness. American workers A recent report shows that these sub- Access to our skies must be equitable. can compete with anyone in the world sidies and unfair benefits have totaled $42 Like any international accord, these agree- when the playing field is level, but every- billion over the last decade alone. With ments must be enforced. one has to play by the same rules. Pg 2 AGENDA

AIL Works “To Raise the Wage” “Raise the Wage” rallies were staged in more than 200 cities in the U.S. Raising the Minimum Wage and around the world on April 16 in support of increasing the minimum wage to $15. PR Director Michelle Baxter, PR Vice President Denise SGA Simon Arias (left) testifies at the PA statehouse on behalf of raising Bowyer, PR Manager John Keliher and PR Manager Dawn Trudden the minimum wage. Pictured with Simon are Robert Fry, CEO Bar Marco, participates in one of the rallies to show the company’s support for the Senator Tina Tartaglione and Alissa Barron-Menza (VP of Business for a “Raise the Wage” campaign. Fair Minimum Wage.

Speaker Jim Wright, 1923-2015 AIL/NILICO notes with sadness the Hastings Meeting passing of former Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives Jim Wright, AIL/NILICO Public Relations Tim O’Connor who died Wednesday, May 6. He was (left) recently met with U.S. Rep. Alcee Hastings 92. Speaker Wright was a close personal (Fla.-D) (center). Hastings made news recently friend of AIL Founder Bernard Rapoport when he called Texas policymakers “crazy” for and for many years was a consultant for rejecting millions in federal dollars for Medicaid AIL after his retirement from Congress. expansion under Obamacare. He served in what he often called “the NALC Food Drive people’s house” for 34 years, first elected to the House by his Fort Worth (TX) area AIL Public Relations Jermaine Moore sorting district in 1954. food in LA for the NALC food drive.