Published By american income life & national income life LETTER Labor Advisory Board FEBRUARY 2012 Vol. 44 No. 1

News From the more than $300 billion in assets, cited the The Association of Flight At- AFL-CIO, CtW, world’s biggest retail chain’s labor practices tendants-CWA, AFL-CIO (AFA) January as the reason. The fund said it was pulling 6 filed with the National Mediation Board International & out of Walmart because it hasn’t complied (NMB) for a union election to represent National Unions with the United Nations Global Compact U.S.-based flight attendants for Aer Lin- principles, which promote human rights, gus. Aer Lingus Limited and United Air- In a behind-the-scenes story, labor standards, and environment and anti- lines entered a joint venture in 2009 for a organized labor and its allies in December corruption efforts. The fund had invested flight between Washington, DC and Ma- launched a successful, intensive pressure $121 million in the retailer as of June 2011. drid. Aer Lingus employs the workers based campaign in the home districts of congres- According to news reports, ABP’s decision in Washington, DC. “This joint venture was sional Republicans who refused to approve was four years in the making, having first dreamed up by management for the sole a Senate plan to extend a payroll tax cut and warned Walmart about its labor practices purpose of avoiding the legal obligations jobless aid. The AFL-CIO, international in 2008. In 2006, Norway’s Government of a contract and a commitment to work- and national unions and other advocacy Pension Fund sold more than $400 million ers,” said AFA International President Veda groups such as Working America and the shares in Walmart, also in a rejection of the Shook. Aer Lingus flight attendants in Ire- National Employment Law Project worked company’s labor practices. land are unionized as are United’s 25,000 to push the Republicans into eventually vot- ing for the two-month deal which expires at the end of Feb. AFL-CIO spokesperson Amaya Tune said labor hit them “in the me- dia in their home districts” and other ways to “shame Republicans for this horrible vote.” The National Employment Law Proj- ect, for example, mobilized thousands of its constituents from unemployed Americans to community advocates to call Republican lawmakers. Other labor organizers also held a protest outside Republican House Speak- er John Boehner’s office in Ohio. The United Food and Com- mercial Workers International Union hailed the decision of the Netherlands’ largest pension fund to withdraw its invest- ments from Walmart. UFCW President Joseph T. Hansen described the action as a “wake-up call” for the company to start treating its employees better. Algemeen Burgerlijk Pensioenfonds (ABP), with On the left AFA President Veda Shook. Flickr.com photo used under Creative Commons from aflcio. james williams, General President - International Union of Painters and Allied Trades, Chairman - AIL/NILICO Labor Advisory Board VICTOR KAMBER, Vice President - American Income Life Insurance Company, Executive Director - AIL/NILICO Labor Advisory Board ROGER SMITH, 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 flight attendants. Veda said U.S.-based Aer More than 200 Teamsters in Lingus flight attendants preform the same Pennsylvania and West Virginia walked duties as their Irish and United counter- off their jobs in early January following a parts, but do not receive the same pay, ben- breakdown in negotiations with the Pipe efits and work rule protections. Shay Cody, Line Contractors Association. According General Secretary of IMPACT, the union to the union, the national agreement be- that represents flight attendants at Aer Lin- tween the Teamsters and the contractors gus in Ireland and England, pledged “the expired Jan. 31, 2011, but was extended full support of the IMPACT Trade Union” twice, ultimately expiring Dec. 31. The for the AFA organizing drive. Teamsters said the contractors association wants to force its members into a 401(k) Laborers International Union savings plan and ultimately eliminate all General President Terry O’Sullivan called traditional defined benefit pensions. “The on Congress to “get serious” about passing a association’s ultimate goal is to gut work- Highway Bill that “fully invests in rebuild- ers’ security and gamble their retirement in ing our deteriorating bridges, roads and the stock market with a 401(k) plan,” said transit systems.” He noted that at a time James J. Hoffa, Teamsters general president. when the national jobless rate is dropping, “This is yet another example of the rich TUC General Secretary Brendan Barber. Flickr.com construction industry unemployment rose getting richer on the backs of the middle photo used under Creative Commons from tuc.org. from 13.1 percent in November to 16 per- class.” The strike halted work on projects cent in December. “Such a jump indicates related to the Marcellus Shale play in West United Kingdom’s Trade many long-term, jobless workers who gave Virginia and Pennsylvania, and could lead Union Council dismissed assertions from up hope looking for work last year have to stoppages across the country. “But this is the Prime Minister’s Office that UK busi- started looking again,” he said. O’Sullivan a national strike that could expand to other ness are in a “stranglehold” of health and criticized “too many Republicans in Con- sites as the days go on,” Hoffa said. safety rules and compensation claims. gress” who did nothing but “play poli- “Every government report on the UK’s tics, even as working families suffered.” supposed compensation culture has shown He warned that the hopes of discouraged International it to be a myth, and in fact claims have workers to find jobs “may be disappoint- Labor News been declining over the past decade. De- ingly dashed” unless Congress takes mean- spite this, the government seems hell- ingful action in 2012. “There’s a lot of work Nearly ten thousand employ- bent on trying to stop workers injured by to be done, and 1.3 million construction ees of the Chengdu Steel & Vanadium their employers’ negligence being able to workers who, based on today’s jobs num- Company (CSVC) in Sichuan province claim compensation,” said TUC General bers, are ready to do it,” he said. went on strike January 4 over pay raises. Secretary Brendan Barber. “It is clear that According to news reports, workers com- Downing Street does not have a clue about plained that public servants in govern- what life is like for the millions of ordinary ment organizations receive pay raises ev- people who work in shops, offices, schools, ery year, which raises the country’s over- factories, call centers and other workplaces all consumer demand. However, wages across the UK. Instead it is making policy of company employees are relatively low in response to grumbles from elements of and seriously lag behind expenses. On the the small business lobby and the risible first day of the strike, some 5,000 workers rantings of right-wing commentators.” marched from the factory to the entrance of the Chengdu-Mianyang Expressway Nigerian workers began a na- where they were stopped by more than tional strike January 9 after the govern- 1,000 policemen. Three workers were ment scrapped fuel subsidies at a time injured and five arrested after police dis- when fuel costs have more than doubled. persed the crowd with force and the use The strike, called by the Nigeria Labor of pepper spray. News reports said 2,000 Congress and the Trade Union Congress, workers from the Sichuan Chemical En- the country’s biggest labor union federa- gineering Group Company (CEGC) lo- tions, threatened to close ports and dis- cated in the same area as CSVC went on rupt output from Royal Dutch Shell and strike December 30 and blocked traffic. Chevron Corp. Nigeria is Africa’s largest Failing Bridge. Flickr.com photo used under They won monthly salary and annual bo- crude producer. “The objective is that the Creative Commons from mihradio. nus increases. government must reverse the fuel price LABOR LETTER Pg 3 increases before we end the strike,” Owei AFL-CIO head Richard Trumka com- Regional & Lakemfa, secretary-general of the Nige- mended the President “for exercising ria Labor Congress, told the news media. his constitutional authority” to keep the Local Labor Banks, businesses, schools and most of- board operating. Obama also appointed News fices were shut and streets deserted except Richard Corday to head the Consumer for protesters in Lagos, the West African Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) af- United Steelworkers Union nation’s economic center, and Abuja, the ter his nomination was blocked by Sen- called for congressional and state hear- capital. Nigeria produced an average 2.2 ate Republicans which now makes that ings to investigate the proposed closure million barrels of crude a day in Decem- agency operational. of three Philadelphia area refineries and ber, according to data compiled by Bloom- the subsequent replacement of U.S. oil berg, and is the fifth-largest provider of oil The average CEO of the top production with oil imports. As reported imports to the U.S. 500 corporations listed by Standard & in a union statement, Sunoco announced Poor’s now collects 343 times the amount in September that its Philadelphia and in compensation as the median paycheck Marcus Hook, PA refineries would close National & received by workers, according to newly in July 2012 if a buyer was not found. On Political Events released statistics. But a new group has December 1 the company announced it formed to blunt public criticism of the na- was shutting down its Marcus Hook re- All of the Republican candi- tion’s top one percent in the wake of the Oc- finery because of poor margins. At the end dates for president share a deep antipathy cupy Wall Street Movement. The so-called of September, ConocoPhillips announced to organized labor and the right of work- Job Creators Alliance ( JCA) offers speakers it was immediately idling its Trainer, PA ers to engage in collective bargaining. and media booking services for 17 featured refinery. The union said the closures will Their anti-union attitudes have been on business leaders who say they aim to “shape have negative effects on employment and display during the GOP presidential de- the national agenda,” according to the JCA Northeast oil product supplies and prices bates and in their campaign ads as each website. Among the alliance’s founding “Among the impact issues being cited will has tried to out-do the other by demon- members is Bernie Marcus, co-founder of be the fuel oil needs of the Northeast for izing unions. In Iowa, Newt Gringrich Home Depot. JCA is particularly targeting heating, diesel, jet and auto fuel; direct blamed the auto unions for the problems the Dodd-Frank bill that requires publicly- employment of 2,500 workers plus thou- of the U.S. auto industry. Leading can- traded corporations to disclose the ratio be- sands of other jobs dependent on the re- didate Mitt Romney has repeatedly at- tween their CEO’s compensation and the fineries; and national economic security tacked the independent National Labor median pay package given employees. when supplies will have to come from Relations Board for supposedly siding with workers. “The National Labor Re- lations Board, now stacked with union stooges appointed by the president, says to a free enterprise like Boeing ‘you can’t build a factory in South Carolina because South Carolina is a ‘right to work’ state,” he said in one commercial in a blatantly false statement. The NLRB never issued such a ruling. Other candidates have said unions have too much power and should be curbed. President Obama threw down the gauntlet to congressional Republi- cans with several high-profile recess ap- pointments. With Congress recessed for the holidays, Obama named Democrats Sharon Block and Richard Griffin and Republican Terry Flynn to the National Labor Relations Board. Without the ap- pointments, the NLRB would not have had the required quorum to operate and make decisions due to the expira- Signing of the Dodd-Frank bill. Flickr.com photo used under Creative Commons from Leader Nancy Pelosi's photostream. tion of Craig Becker’s term on January 3. Pg 4 LABOR LETTER imports, which are subject to uncontrolled Federal law that protects workers’ right price hikes and shortages that cause price to engage in concerted action overrides spikes,” the union said. any arbitration agreement that bars them from bringing group claims, the board de- Ohio AFL-CIO predicted the termined. The decision applies to all non- 30-cent increase in the state minimum wage management private sector workers, union to $7.70 hourly on January 1 will provide a and non-union, from low-wage janitors to much-needed boost to the local economy. higher paid workers. “The board has long The state labor federation and Ohioans for a held, with uniform judicial approval, that Fair Minimum Wage coalition successfully the N.L.R.A. protects employees’ ability to placed a constitutional amendment on the join together to pursue workplace grievanc- ballot in 2006 which tied Ohio’s minimum es, including through litigation,” the ruling wage rate to the Consumer Price Index. The said. The board issued the decision in a case CPI increased more than 4 percent, which Flickr.com photo used under Creative Commons involving a nationwide homebuilding com- led to the wage hike. “After over a decade from matt.hintsa. pany, D. R. Horton, in which workers were without a minimum wage increase, Ohio- required to waive their right to sue in court ans overwhelmingly passed the amendment The International Federation of and instead bring all claims to an arbitrator taking rate increases out of the hands of Professional and Technical Engineers (IF- on an individual basis. politicians and adjusting them in a fair and PTE) Local 195, and the Service Employ- reasonable manner,” said Ohio AFL-CIO ees International Union (SEIU) Local 518 Although it is an independent President Tim Burga in a prepared state- reached new four-year contracts with the agency, the National Labor Relations Board ment. He said minimum wage earners are state of New Jersey. The pacts cover more is under historic political pressure from Re- “essentially just surviving” and the increase than 5,000 state employees and are the first publicans to restrict its rulings on behalf of will help lift all wages. “These modest in- agreements under the Christie administra- working people. The board, for example, was creases can generate revenue for our local tion since all state workers’ contracts expired forced recently to delay by three months a economies – something we are in desperate in June. IFPTE represents employees at the simple requirement that U.S. employers post need of here in Ohio,” he said. colleges, department of transportation, hu- notices in workplaces informing workers of man services and some areas of state police their rights to form a union. Pushing the ef- and corrections. SEIU represents approxi- fective date of the rule to April 30 from Jan- In the Public mately 190 employees at the state Motor uary 31 “would facilitate the resolution of Sector Vehicle Commission. The pact provides no the legal challenges,” the NLRB said. Now salary increases for the first two years, a 1 the agency is under fire for proposing new Federal union leaders react- percent hike in year three, and a 1.75 per- long overdue procedures for streamlining ed tepidly to President Obama’s pro- cent increase in the fourth year, which would representation elections. The board said the posed 0.5 percent federal employee pay begin on July 1, 2014. “We have no problem new rules, which have been in the works for raise for 2013, the first in two years. “The with it,” said Local 195 President Tim Ru- months, would reduce unnecessary delays fact is, this increase is well below the rate dolph about negotiations. “It didn’t get hos- and litigation, especially in the 10 percent of inflation of 3.6 percent, and will be tile.” Twelve other unions are in ongoing ne- of cases when employers file formal chal- wiped out by higher costs for health care, gotiations with the Christie administration, lenges to unionization votes, a move that groceries and other essential needs,” said including the Communications Workers of often delays such votes by a month or more. American Federation of Government America, the largest union. The new rules are scheduled to take effect Employees National President John on April 30. But Sen. Lindsey Graham (R., Gage. He noted the proposal also ef- SC) pledged he will keep blocking Obama’s fectively freezes locality pay for anoth- Significant nominations to the NLRB because of its er year as he urged Congress to pass a Legal and NLRB perceived pro-worker tilt. “meaningful” pay raise for federal work- Decisions ers. National Treasury Employees Union Labor Letter President Colleen M. Kelley expressed The National Labor Relations provided through “disappointment” at the size of the pro- Board ruled January 6 that employers could posed raises but said “the good news” is not prevent workers from filing work-re- the ending of the pay freeze. She noted lated group or class actions, a decision op- that private sector pay as measured by posed by many businesses. The ruling ef- the employment cost index (ECI) has fectively bans employment agreements at grown a total of 4.7 percent over the past companies that require workers to pursue Protecting Working Families three years. all claims individually through arbitration. www.ailife.com AGENDA FEBRUARY 2012

Communications Workers of America a union in both word and deed. Over the President Morton Bahr, now CWA presi- decades, AIL has donated millions of dol- dent emeritus. Our Canadian representative lars financially and in services to labor and is legendary labor leader Dave Barrett, for- labor-related causes from its national head- James mer premier of British Columbia. quarters in Waco, Texas to each and every Williams Since the founding of this company local office in the field. No other employer General President, by Bernard “B” Rapoport more than 60 in the United States can make that claim. International Union years ago (and its more recently estab- The AIL/NILICO Labor Advisory of Painters and lished New York State subsidiary National Board plays a significant role in suggesting Allied Trades Income Life), American Income Life In- where the company’s contributions and in- surance Company has demonstrated time kind services can do the most good, whether and again that it believes a company can be it’s the fight for labor law reform or setting AIL/NILICO Labor highly profitable with a union workforce. up a food bank for unemployed or strik- Advisory Board This company has continued this tradition ing workers. Membership on the Advisory Serves Labor’s under “B’s” successor, Roger Smith, who has Board constitutes neither an endorsement received numerous national recognitions for of American Income Life Insurance Com- Interests the company’s involvement in labor causes. pany nor its products. The only obligation With its fairly-paid union agents and of membership on the Board is to provide Union people know that there are two employees, AIL/NILICO consistently guidance on how AIL might best serve the kinds of employers: union employers who breaks sales records every year and grows its interests of their respective members and pay fair wages and benefits, and nonunion union workforce at a time when many other the labor movement. employers who often pay substandard wag- companies are downsizing. AIL/NILICO At a time when organized labor is es and try to prevent their employees from is 100 percent union, which is one of the under sustained attack, corporate friends joining a union. Good union companies are reasons why the AFL-CIO Union Label such as AIL/NILICO are valuable allies worthy of our support and patronage. Non- and Service Trades Department cited it and partners. The AIL/NILICO corpo- union companies should be boycotted and among those “All-Union-Wall-to-Wall” rate mission statement says it all for me: denied our hard earned dollars. companies. All of the union-eligible agents “American Income Life and National AIL/NILICO would fall under the and employees throughout North America Income Life have a commitment and dedi- category of a great union employer. I am are represented by a union. In the United cation to helping working families in their so proud to serve as chairman of the AIL/ States, they are members of the Office times of need. We take pride in rallying to NILICO Labor Advisory Board with & Professional Employees International union members’ aid by walking picket lines, true friends of the labor movement in my Union Local 277. AIL agents and employ- setting up food banks, and offering other partners Roger Smith and Victor Kamber. ees in Canada are represented by UFCW support as needed. Our union members Good union employers deserve the support 1518 and CEP 247. fight locally, state-wide, and nationally for of union families, and AIL/NILICO is one AIL/NILICO actively supports orga- what really matters – good jobs, affordable of the best union employers in the world. nized labor and the right of workers to join health care, and the right to organize.” The board consists of more than 45 of my national and international union col- leagues who provide guidance on the com- pany’s labor support programs and insurance products needed by working families. A ma- jor focus of the AIL/NILICO Labor Advi- sory Board is to advise the company on the labor and labor-related causes to fund. That’s what makes the AIL/NILICO Labor Ad- visory Board unique in corporate America. The members of the board include the most respected leaders of the North Ameri- can labor movement whose photographs are presented in this issue of the Labor Letter. My predecessor as chair was former AIL's national headquarters in Waco, Texas. Pg 2 AGENDA LABOR ADVISORY BOARD These outstanding union leaders are members of the American Income Life Insurance Company’s Labor Advisory Board. With their advice, American Income Life Insurance AIL might best serve the interests of their respective Company provides substantial financial assistance to labor members and the labor movement. and labor-related causes, and develops programs to best meet the needs of union members and their families. Labor Advisory Board members recognize that AIL is a fully organized, 100 percent union company that offers Membership on the Advisory Board constitutes neither supplemental insurance plans primarily to union members. an endorsement of American Income Life Insurance AIL is honored to be among those “All-Union Wall-to-Wall” Company nor its products. The only obligation of companies cited by the AFL-CIO Union Label and Service membership on the Board is to provide guidance on how Trades Department.

James Williams Victor Kamber Denise Bowyer Roger Smith Bernard Rapoport General President, Vice President, Vice President, Chief Executive Officer, Founder, International Union of American Income Life American Income Life American Income Life American Income Life Painters and Allied Trades and National Income Life and National Income Life and National Income Life Chairman, Executive Director, Secretary, President, Labor Advisory Board Labor Advisory Board Labor Advisory Board Labor Advisory Board

Paul E. Almeida Stuart Appelbaum Ronald Ault Morty Bahr Dave Barrett Theodore Bikel James Boland President, President, President, President Emeritus, Former Premier of Province President, President, Department Retail, Wholesale and Metal Trades Communications Workers of British Columbia Associated Actors and International Union for Professional Department Store Department, AFL-CIO of America Honorary Member, Artistes of America of Bricklayers and Employees, AFL-CIO Union, UFCW Chairman Emeritus, Labor Advisory Board Allied Craftworkers Labor Advisory Board

Hon. David Bonior Clayola Brown Samuel Cabral Rose Ann DeMoro Barbara Easterling Patrick Finley Hon. Richard Gephardt Chair, President, President, Executive Director, President, General President, Former US Congressman American Rights at Work A. Philip Randolph International Union California Nurses Association Alliance for Retired Operative Plasterers’ Honorary Member, Honorary Member, Institute of Police Associations Americans and Cement Masons’ Labor Advisory Board Labor Advisory Board International Association of the US and Canada

Robert E. Gleason James Grogan, Jr. Raymond Hair John Hegarty Mary Kay Henry James J. Higgins, Jr. Edwin D. Hill Secretary-Treasurer, General President, International President, National President, President, Assistant General President, President, International International American Federation of National Postal Mail Service Employees International Union of International Longshoremen's Association of Heat and Musicians Handlers Union International Union, Elevator Constructors Brotherhood of Association Frost Insulators and CTW, CLC Electrical Workers Asbestos Workers AGENDA Pg 3

William Hite James Hoffa Arlene Holt-Baker Ken Howard Frank Hurt Mike Jewell Lorretta Johnson President, General President, Executive Vice National President, International President, President, Secretary-Treasurer, United Association of International President, Screen Actor's Guild Bakery, Confectionery, Marine Engineers’ American Federation of Journeymen and Apprentices of Brotherhood AFL-CIO Tobacco Workers and Grain Beneficial Association Teachers the Plumbing and Pipe Fitting of Teamsters Millers International Union Industry of US and Canada

Newton B. Jones Greg Junemann D. Michael Langford James Little Matthew Loeb William Lucy Hon. Ray Marshall International President, President, National President, International President, International President, President, Former US Secretary International Brotherhood of International Federation Utility Workers Union of Transport Workers International Alliance Coalition of of Labor Boilermakers, Iron Ship Builders, of Professional and America, AFL-CIO Union of America of Theatrical Stage Black Trade Unionists Honorary Member, Blacksmiths, Forgers and Helpers Technical Engineers Employes Labor Advisory Board

Mary McColl Sean McGarvey Terence O’Sullivan Oscar Owens Jules Pagano Anthony “Marc” Perrone W. D. “Dan” Pickett Executive Director, Secretary-Treasurer, President, International Executive Director Emeritus, International President, Actors’ Equity Association Building and Construction Laborers International Secretary-Treasurer, Labor Advisory Board Secretary-Tresasurer, Brotherhood of Trades Department Union of North America Amalgamated United Food & Commercial Railroad Signalmen Transit Union Workers Int’l Union

Roberta Reardon Jeff Rechenbach Paul Rinaldi Clyde Rivers Robert Roach, Jr. Cecil Roberts Kinsey Robinson President, Executive Vice President, President Emeritus, General President, International President, American Federation President Emeritus, National Air Traffic California School Secretary-Treasurer, United Mine Workers United Union of Roofers, Communications Workers International Association of of Television and Radio of America, Controllers Association Employees Association of America Waterproofers and Allied Artists Machinists and Aerospace Workers AFL-CIO, CLC Workers

Arturo Rodriquez Milton Rosado Michael Sacco Veda Shook Elizabeth E. Shuler Bruce R. Smith Andy Stern President, President, President, International President, Secretary-Treasurer, President, President Emeritus, United Farm Workers Labor Council For Latin Seafarers International Union Association of Flight AFL-CIO Glass, Molders, Pottery, Service Employees of America American Advancement President, Attendants-CWA, AFL-CIO Plastics and Allied International Union Maritime Trades Dept, AFL-CIO Workers International AFL-CIO, CLC

John J. Sweeney George Tedeschi Richard Trumka Baldemar Velasquez Walter Wise Diann Woodard Hon. Jim Wright President Emeritus, President, President, President, General President, President, Former Speaker of the House AFL-CIO Graphic Communications AFL-CIO Farm Labor Organizing International Association American Federation of Honorary Member, Conference / International Committee of Bridge, Structural, School Administrators Labor Advisory Board Brotherhood of Teamsters Ornamental and Reinforcing Iron Workers Pg 4 AGENDA

LAB Adds Three New Members AIL/NILICO CEO Roger Smith announced three nationally recognized labor leaders have joined the Labor Advisory Board. They are Robert Roach, Jr., General Secretary-Treasurer of International Association of Machinists, James J. Higgins, Assistant General President, Elevator Constructors (IUEC) and Dr. Lorretta Johnson, Secretary-Treasurer, American Federation of Teachers. “Each of these outstanding union officials offer a unique perspective to the board that reflects their industries and professions,” said Smith. “We look forward to their participation and contributions on the board.”

Robert Roach (IAM) James J. Higgins, Jr. (IUEC) Dr. Lorretta Johnson (AFT) Robert Roach started in the IAM as In June 2008, IUEC General In July 2011, the executive council a ramp serviceman for TWA and a President Dana Brigham appointed, of the American Federation of member of Local Lodge 1056 in New and the IUEC General Executive Teachers unanimously elected York. Soon after, he transferred to Board confirmed, James J. Higgins to Lorretta Johnson as secretary- Local Lodge 1445 in Newark, NJ. He serve as the IUEC Assistant General treasurer. Before becoming AFT was elected as a shop steward in 1976 President filling the unexpired term of secretary-treasurer, Johnson was and served as Grievance Committee Timothy Smith who retired. Higgins the union’s executive vice president Chairman from 1979 through 1992. started in the IUEC in the late 1980's (2008 to 2011). And she chaired the He held other offices in Local Lodge with Local 1, New York, working as AFT Paraprofessionals and School- 1445, including trustee, vice president a helper with the Peelle Company. Related Personnel (PSRP) program and president. In 1984, he was He moved on to construction and policy council from 1979 until elected District Lodge 142 trustee work with Fujitec of America and October 2011. Prior to that, she was and also served as coordinator for the eventually to the modernization an AFT vice president for 30 years. District's Human Rights Committee. department of General Elevator. Johnson also served as president Roach became a District 142 General Jim became a NEIEP instructor of the Baltimore Teachers Union’s Chairman in 1992. in 1993 and five years later, was paraprofessional chapter for 35 appointed NEIEP Administrator years and as president of AFT- In 1994, Robert was appointed for Local 1. In this capacity, he Maryland for 17 years. Transportation Department Special established the standards for the Representative and a Grand Lodge Local 1 apprenticeship and training In October 2011, Johnson was Representative (GLR) in 1996. From program, and became the NEIEP elected treasurer of the AFT GLR, Robert became General Vice Director in 2001. Educational Foundation and chair President of the Transportation of the AFT Benefit Trust. Two Department on June 1, 1999. Roach In addition to Jim's on-the-job- months prior, she was elected a vice earned a Bachelor of Science degree training, he has earned a Bachelor president of the AFL-CIO. Johnson in Labor and Management Relations of Science degree in business also serves on the board of directors at the Empire State Labor College management from Villanova of the Albert Shanker Institute, the and is a graduate of the Labor Studies University, a Masters of Business AFL-CIO’s Union Privilege program program at the Cornell School of Labor. degree in business management and the AFL-CIO Transportation from Dowling College and has Trades Department. Johnson pursued labor studies at Cornell also was honored as 2005 Labor University School of Industrial Leader of the Year by the Maryland Labor Relations. Democratic Party.