Michael Goodwin Re-Elected International President Delegates Elect Mary Mahoney As Secretary-Treasurer
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WHITE COLLAR AFL-CIO-CLC OFFICE AND PROFESSIONAL EMPLOYEES INTERNATIONAL UNION, AFL-CIO, CLC No. 510 Issue 3, Summer/Fall 2010 Michael Goodwin Re-Elected International President Delegates Elect Mary Mahoney as Secretary-Treasurer o the sounds of great applause, balloons and con- fetti, the delegates to the 25th OPEIUConvention Tunanimously re-elected Michael Goodwin to his sixth term as OPEIU International President. Former International Vice President Mary Mahoney was also elected as International Secretary-Treasurer, a position she was appointed to in January following the retirement of Nancy Wohlforth. The convention hall erupted in cheers and applause as President Goodwin and Secretary-Treasurer Mahoney were elected to their positions. International President Michael Goodwin and International Also elected were 14 International Vice Presidents and Secretary-Treasurer Mary Mahoney are elected by the 25th three International Vice Presidents for Diversity.For informa- OPEIU Convention by acclamation. tion about this and other convention highlights, see page 8. OPEIU Provides Towing/Service Benefit to All Members! Convention Approves New Towing/Service Calls Benefit pon the recommendation of the Drivers (NSD). Each OPEIU member will be hundreds of dollars on website and in-store Executive Board, convention dele- provided with a key card, wallet-sized card, purchases through national retailers, at restau- Ugates approved a second national membership number, producer code and plan rants, on movie tickets and numerous other benefit for all OPEIU members, effective letter in the mail this month. The benefit is items, at no additional cost to the member. October 1, 2010, with the addition of up to available in the continental United States, OPEIU strongly believes that adding two towing/service calls per year, per house- Hawaii, Puerto Rico, Canada and Mexico. membership benefits, directly provided by hold, valued at up to $100 each to all family The PerksCard national discount program the Union, is a good way to increase mem- members living in the same household of the will be continued through the next Convention bership satisfaction, attract new members member, provided through Nation Safe in 2013. The PerksCard provides savings of and grow the Union. INSI DE OPEIU One Nation Working OPEIU Mourns Together March MAGE’s Dale 55 16 Threehouse Diversity is our strength! Convention Scholarship Winners 88 Highlights 22 2 I White Collar I Editorial Be Careful What You Wish For! By Michael Goodwin, International President n November 2, 2010,Americans will choose representatives have to wonder what would happen if the Republican party of “NO” in Congress to work with President Obama over the next were to regain control of Congress. In politics, the time between elec- Otwo years. He himself will be up for election in 2012. tions can seem like a lifetime, and oftentimes the memories of the pub- I am dismayed about all the talk that 2010 will be anti-incum- lic are blurred over time. But if you look back to what happened in bent. Members with progressive views are saying that they will not the elections of 1994, when the Democrats lost 52 seats in the House vote for the Democratic Party incumbent or that they will sit out this and the Republicans took control of Congress, it wasn’t long before year’s election. I understand the frustration that we all feel following workers were faced with dealing with the “Contract on America,” the emotions of the 2008 elections, where our expectations of hope which ripped apart so many progressive values. Workers spent years, and change peaked. Because of the high level of expectations, there not in winning pro-worker executive orders, not in winning support is somewhat of a disappointing feeling in the air, even in the face of for state and local governments, fair pay act legislation, funding for the most successful revision in federal health care policy in history! work protection agencies or putting the reins on Wall Street — but And when you examine the record closely, the Obama adminis- month after month, and year after year, defending against efforts to tration has done more for workers in two years than the Clinton destroy workers’ rights and organization. I am sure many of you administration did in eight. For example, billions of dollars were pro- remember those difficult years. Do we really want to go back to those vided for aid to state and local governments, education jobs, high kinds of times? Be careful what you wish for! speed rail and clean energy. They saved the domestic auto industry Everyone has to remember how the economy got into the shape and placed trade sanctions against China to stem disruptive imports it was in when President Obama took office. It got there because the of tires. Bush administration and the policies put forth in Congress drove the President Obama issued five pro-worker Executive Orders and economy into the ditch. It’s common sense that when you drive a signed the Lilly Ledbetter Fair PayAct, and with the new appointee car into a ditch and somehow miraculously are able to get the car to the National Mediation Board, a new rule now allows workers to out, what you don’t want to do is put it in “R” for reverse and go decide on union representation by the majority of votes cast. For right back into the ditch again. What you want to do is put it in “D” decades, every worker who did not vote was counted as a “NO” vote. and drive forward toward progress and make your way home. The administration provided new funding for worker protection Members who vote against their values or sit out the election are agencies and stepped up enforcement of the Occupational, Safety facilitating the American economy right back into the ditch. So it and Health Administration (OSHA), the Mine Safety and Health is important that all Americans rethink where we were and how far Administration (MSHA) and the federal Wage and Hour Division. we have come. We should continue on the road of progress for all And, the administration reversed Bush policies that led to the contract- workers and not let our emotions trick us into voting against our ing out of federal employee jobs. best interest. Wall Street reform legislation was passed — the most compre- This election is not about where a mosque is located or where the hensive reform of the financial sector since the 1930s – a major win president was born — it is about jobs, jobs, jobs! The only way we for workers and the middle class over the forces of greed. Key appoint- are going to see a continuation of the progress being made in creat- ments have been made including Employee Free Choice Act sup- ing or saving new jobs is to continue the team we have in Congress. porter Hilda Solis as Secretary of Labor, former Flight Attendants Already, working with the Congress, the administration has saved President Linda Puchala as chair of the National Mediation Board, or created 3.5 million jobs — but 11 million are needed to keep up formerAir Line PilotsAssociation President Randy Babbitt as admin- with the growing economy. istrator of the FederalAviationAdministration, four union lawyers to Progress is being made in the creation of jobs and reducing unem- key posts, and appointments of a diverse group of judges to the fed- ployment, and it won’t be long before the economy is working again eral bench, including a record number of minorities. for everyone. Please be patient and consider what really is in the best In light of all of these accomplishments, you have to wonder what interest of workers in this election. I am sure you will make the right would have happened if President Obama wasn’t there. You would choice — but be careful what you wish for! Issue 3, Summer/Fall 2010 I 3 President Obama Tells AFL-CIO Executive Council, “We’re On the Right Track” n August 4, 2010, President Barack Obama addressed works for everybody, not just for a privileged few. We want an the AFL-CIO Executive Council meeting in Washington, economy that rewards, once again, people who work hard and OD.C., saying that his administration is working with fulfill their responsibilities, not just people who game the sys- organized labor to better the lives of hardworking men and women tem. And that’s been at the heart of the economic plan that we put in this country and that “it’s going to take some time to reverse in place over the past year and a half. all that’s been done, but we’re on the right track.” Following are And I want to thank the AFL-CIO for all you’ve done to fight highlights of Pres ident Obama’s speech: for jobs, to fight for tax cuts for the middle class, to fight for “It’s going to take some time to reverse all that’s been done, reforms that will rein in the special interests, and to fight for but we’re on the right track. We’re moving forward. And that’s policies that aren’t just going to rebuild this economy but are what I’m going to want to talk to you about briefly today. Many actually going to put us on a long-term path of sustainable growth of those who’ve been hit hardest by the economic upheaval of that is good for all Americans. recent years have been the people that you represent. For gener- Because of you, we’ve been able to get a lot done over the last ations, manufacturing was the ticket to a better life for the 20 months.