LETTER Labor Advisory Board DECEMBER 2012 Vol

Published By american income life & national income life LETTER Labor Advisory Board DECEMBER 2012 Vol. 44 No. 7

News From the AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka said The AFL-CIO’s election night AFL-CIO, CtW, “The bottom line of what working people polling, done by Hart Research, found that International & voted for is this: to rebuild America and union members voted for Obama at a rate the middle class, not tear it down. That’s of 65 percent to Romney’s 33. In Wiscon- National Unions the lesson we have to turn into action.” sin, for example, exit polls showed Presi- Trumka also pledged, “Unlike in prior years dent Obama had a 66 percent to 33 percent After turning out record num- when we tore our structure down the day lead among the one in five voters who said bers of union families in support of Presi- after Election Day, they’re staying in place someone in their household belongs to a la- dent Obama’s reelection on November 6, right now.” Mary Kay Henry, President of bor union. Wisconsin is the home state of organized labor turned its attention to the the 2.1 million-member Service Employees Romney’s running mate, Rep. Paul Ryan. upcoming legislative battles in Congress International Union (SEIU), said America The margins were even larger in the peren- and building power within its ranks. Last voted for “a vibrant middle class fueled by nial battleground of Ohio, where 70% of month, unions sponsored rallies in roughly good jobs, where everyone has a fair shot at union voters backed Obama. The Service 100 cities to protest against cuts in Medi- the American Dream.” She vowed working Employees Union alone reportedly put care, Social Security or other social insur- Americans “will stay in the streets until our more than 100,000 activists into the streets ance programs as a way to cut the deficit. agenda for working people is a reality.” on behalf of the president.

President Obama's Election Night Rally. Flickr.com photo used under Creative Commons from WCHI News. 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

The 2012 elections marked the In October, Ford said the car assem- Britain’s biggest union, blamed the com- first time, as a result of the Supreme bly plant in Genk, Belgium would shut pany for “betrayal” of its loyal workforce. Court’s Citizen’s United decision, that down with production transferred to organized labor could legally reach out to Spain and the Transit cab-chassis factory Canadian Customs and Immi- non-union voters as part of its political ac- in Southampton and tooling and stamp- gration Union national president Jean- tion program. Even though union voters ing units in Dagenham, United King- Pierre Fortin said suspicious shipping are shrinking as a share of the population, dom would close. If implemented, 4,300 containers are passing customs without polls showed that labor’s ability to mobi- workers in Belgium and 1,400 workers inspection at the Port of Montreal because lize working Americans played a critical in UK would lose their jobs. European customs agents lack resources. He said less role in winning key battleground states trade unions representing autoworkers than one per cent of cargo is inspected by for President Obama. Lee Saunders, presi- appealed to the European governing in- an agent. “It gets to the point where (cus- dent of the 1.6 million-member American stitutions in a statement adopted at the toms agents) are letting shipping containers Federation of State, County and Munici- recent IndustriALL European Trade in (that they think are suspicious) because pal Employees, said the labor’s political Union automotive meeting held on Oc- we don’t have the manpower,” Fortin said. program was “the smartest, the biggest tober 30 in Luxemburg. “We call on the He said lack of funding is hurting security and the broadest effort that labor’s ever European institutions to address without at all of the country’s major ports. He also run.” Mike Podhorzer, the AFL-CIO’s delay a socially acceptable management said intelligence reports about port security political director, said labor’s outreach to of restructuring and the anticipation of cited the presence of Chinese organized non-union voters helped raise President change. A European framework should crime at all major ports, Vancouver, Halifax Obama’s numbers above 40 percent among ensure that change is properly managed and Montreal. Fortin said the federal gov- white, blue-collar workers, compared to through anticipation and the social cost ernment “has already started” eliminating polling in the low 30 percent nationally of restructuring limited,” said the state- jobs at the Canada Border Services Agency among them. ment. Belgian unions announced mass as part of its plan to cut to up to 1,350 posi- rallies on November 11 in reply to the tions at CBSA. The union represents 11,200 Teamsters union reported announced plans. Unite the Union, customs and immigration agents. their largest political effort ever in the wake of the November 6 balloting. The union said that tens of thousands of Team- sters volunteered for the union’s massive member mobilization efforts, and General President Jim Hoffa and General Secre- tary-Treasurer Ken Hall barnstormed key battleground states across the nation “mo- tivating Teamsters to volunteer and go to the polls for Obama.” “President Obama stood up for working families during one of our nation’s most difficult economic times. That’s why he won wherever unions put their resources,” said Hoffa. Accord- ing to the union, there were more than 500,000 worksite contacts and 100,000 contacts through the national Teamsters phone bank. The union also developed more than 124 direct mail pieces and more than 3 million pieces of mail were sent to Teamster members. International Labor News European unions protested Ford Motor Company’s decision to close several factories in the United King- Canadian Customs and Immigration Union National President Jean-Pierre Fortin. Flickr.com photo dom and Belgium due to “overcapacity.” used under Creative Commons from CAW Media. LABOR LETTER Pg 3

to be stigmatizing,” said the 210-page re- Several state ballot measures port, authored by Australian human rights supported by the extremist American Leg- lawyer John Godwin, an Australian human islative Exchange Council (ALEC) went rights lawyer. “The term ‘sex work’ is pre- down to defeat on election day, reported the ferred.” The Prostitutes Collective’s national Center for Media and Democracy. Most coordinator says it was a huge struggle to notably, Michigan voters passed a state decriminalize sex work in New Zealand, but referendum that overturns a controversial the UN report shows it was worth it. ALEC-inspired “financial emergency” law passed by the legislature. The voter-rejected law allowed Gov. Rick Snyder (R) to declare National & a “financial emergency” in a city or school Political Events district and appointed a manager with broad powers, including the ability to fire Both political parties, candi- local elected officials, without public input. Greek Protesters. Flickr.com photo used under dates and their supporters spent a total of In Minnesota, voters defeated an ALEC- Creative Commons from 0neiros. nearly $6 billion leading up to the Novem- designed voter suppression/ID initiative ber 6 vote amid fears by democracy rights’ and voters in Alabama, Florida, Missouri, Greece’s two biggest unions advocates that big money would buy elec- Montana and Wyoming beat back ALEC- representing civil servants and private sector tions. Despite the Supreme Court’s Citi- inspired measures to block parts of the Af- workers waged a 48-hour strike marred by zens United ruling, which allows unlimited fordable Care Act. violence to protest new austerity measures. independent political expenditures, people The action came after the government an- power seems to have trumped deep pock- The U.S. trade deficit declined nounced a package of spending cuts and tax ets in many elections. “President Barack to its lowest level in nearly two years as ex- hikes it plans to introduce over the next two Obama’s decisive victory in Tuesday’s elec- ports rose to a record high. The deficit nar- years, as well as a draft budget for 2013, the tion proved that unions’ political ground rowed to $41.5 billion in September, the Associated Press reported. “We will strike to game may be as potent as ever in the new Commerce Department said recently, 5.1 stop the measures from being voted in par- age of super PACs,” said the Huffington percent below the August deficit and the liament,” Ilias Iliopoulos, general secretary Post. Labor observers also pointed to sev- smallest imbalance since December 2010. of public sector union ADEDY said. “We eral results where effective grass-roots or- Exports climbed 3.1 percent to an all-time won’t allow the government to hurt Greek ganizing efforts succeeded in the face of high of $187 billion following two monthly people any more.” Greek legislators must increased campaign expenditures by the declines. The increase reflected stronger approve the latest austerity measures before wealthy and corporation increase. Victories sales of commercial aircraft, heavy machin- international lenders will release €31 billion by Senator Sherrod Brown in Ohio, Tammy ery and farm goods. But the gain may not in loans. Greece has been in recession for Baldwin in Wisconsin, Elizabeth Warren in last because Europe’s debt crisis and slower five years and previous general strikes have Massachusetts and Tim Kaine in Virginia, global growth in emerging markets weak- been waged in the debt-stricken country. and the defeat of an anti-union California ened demand for U.S. goods overseas in the ballot initiative, overcame millions of dol- previous months. The U.S. deficit is running New Zealand is one of the best lars of outside money spent against them. at an annual rate of $554 billion, slightly be- countries in Asia for sex workers because low last year’s $559.9 billion imbalance. But they don’t face the repressive laws that exist the U.S. deficit with China, which increased elsewhere in the region, according to a re- to $29.1 billion in September, is running 6.8 cent U.N. report that calls for the decrimi- percent higher than last year’s record pace. nalization of the voluntary sex trade. The America’s 2011 deficit with China was the UN Development Program’s Sex Work and highest imbalance ever recorded with a sin- the Law paper assessed how policies and law gle country. enforcement affect the rights of sex workers and handling of HIV in 48 countries in Asia and the Pacific. The study praised New Regional & Zealand and New South Wales which have Local Labor decriminalized sex work. The study also said News New Zealand’s prostitution laws are working and even improving public health and Labor made huge electoral human rights. “The terms ‘prostitution’ and Grass-roots campaing getting out the Obama gains in California, calling the results “a ‘prostitute’ have negative connotations and vote. Flickr.com photo used under Creative game changer” in the state. Unions defeated are considered by advocates of sex workers Commons from Barack Obama's Photostream. Proposition 32, which would have banned Pg 4 LABOR LETTER voluntary payroll contributions by union in Jersey City, for example, reportedly aver- in the “final stages.” The agreement allows members to their union’s political action aged one per minute for 24 straight hours for flexible schedules, lower overtime and fund, and helped push Proposition 30 to when Sandy hit. Transport Workers mem- “work-sharing” provisions. The “work- victory. Prop 30 is a tax initiative pushed by bers worked so efficiently that a majority of sharing” provisions allow unions of dif- Governor Jerry Brown that will raise bil- New York’s flooded subway lines were back ferent trades to work together on various lions in new revenues for the state through on track for limited service two days after projects, regardless of union jurisdiction. temporary income-tax increases on high the storm. Postal letter carriers delivered The unions also accepted changes to the earners and a quarter-cent surcharge on mail until the last possible moment, and health plan which are expected to generate sales. “This election proved to be a game- never stopped home deliveries during the $5 million in annual savings for the CTA. changer,” wrote Steve Smith, a spokesman two days when the storm ripped through Mayor Rahm Emanuel, whose abrasive for the California Federation of Labor. Washington, D.C. bargaining tactics forced Chicago teach- “And it couldn’t have been possible with- ers to strike in September, participated in out a galvanized, motivated labor program these negotiations. on the ground.” The labor federation said In the Public 40,000 volunteers made more than 3.7 mil- Sector lion voter contacts on the phone or at the Significant door. The anti-union Prop 32 was supported American Federation of Gov- Legal and NLRB by the notorious Koch brothers. Democrats ernment Employees strongly opposed any Decisions also won super-majorities in both the As- legislation that cuts the nation’s safety net, sembly and Senate, the first time since 1933 reduces federal jobs or lowers the living The United States Court of Ap- that a single party has held a super-majority standards of the middle-class men and peals for the D.C. Circuit upheld a National in the legislature. women who comprise the federal work- Labor Relations Board ruling that found a force. AFGE National President J. David Maryland janitorial supply company guilty New Jersey and New York Cox Sr. warned that “corporate and Wall of unfair bargaining with the Drivers, union members were deeply involved as Street interests” are forming groups such Chauffeurs and Helpers Local Union 639, first responders and in the clean-up result- as the Campaign to Fix the Debt to push International Brotherhood of Teamsters, ing from the devastating effects of Super for deficit reduction cuts that will be “a which represents the firm’s drivers. In April Storm Sandy. “Many of the organizations very bad bargain for federal employees” 2010, the company had declared an impasse dealing with Sandy’s devastation empha- and the nation. “The American people re- with the union after 10 negotiating sessions size the importance of union workers’ ex- jected this tax plan on Election Day,” Cox and implemented its final offer. The union pertise and skill, as well as of sufficient gov- said. “They said ‘No’ to eliminating the workers went on strike because of the unfair ernment financial support for rebuilding mortgage interest deduction and having labor practice. The company later refused to physical structures and roads and, in many to pay income taxes on the value of em- take them back after the workers offered to cases, people’s lives,” reported the AFL- ployer-sponsored health insurance. They return. The board said the company prema- CIO. Nearly one third of the members of said ‘Yes’ to tax fairness, including plans to turely declared impasse in negotiations with the International Association of Fire Fight- restore Clinton-era tax rates to high earn- its employees’ union and unlawfully failed to ers lived in Sandy’s path and they were in ers, unearned income and corporate prof- reinstate workers after they went on strike action nonstop responding to emergency its.” He said “the pretense of post-election to protest that declaration. The court en- calls even while their own families and conciliation” is an attempt to revive the forced the NLRB’s order that the company homes were threatened. Emergency calls widely repudiated recommendations of reinstate all striking employees and make the Erskine-Bowles commission that them whole for any losses incurred because would be an “unmitigated disaster” for the of the refusal to rehire them earlier. middle class. A dozen labor unions representing workers at the Chicago Transit Authority recently agreed to work-rule Labor Letter concessions in exchange for a five-year provided through contract that guarantees no layoffs. The five-year agreement covers more than 1,200 workers in 12 unions but doesn’t in- clude CTA bus drivers or motormen. Ac- cording to news reports, talks for similar Clean-up of Sandy. Flickr.com photo used under agreements with Amalgamated Transit Protecting Working Families Creative Commons from Luna Park Coney Island. Workers Union Locals 241 and 308 were www.ailife.com AGENDA DECEMBER 2012

labor as part of the problem to restoring friends in power and labor still has influ- our economy, not as part of the solution. Of ence in many important regions of the course, they are wrong – dead wrong. country. But that is not enough. Labor and Yes, fewer American workers today its allies must become even more commit- belong to a union despite the best efforts ted to the agenda in the years ahead. over the years to organize. They have never Jobs remain the top concern. We see worked under a collective bargaining agree- signs of economic improvement, but we Roger Smith ment. They have never had a union voice on must intensify our push for a speedier re- CEO of American the job. They have no personal experience covery and economic policies that benefit Income Life to challenge the anti-union lies they hear. working Americans. Insurance Company We must never give up our efforts to make The debate still rages over whether fair changes to labor laws to guarantee their the wealthy should pay their fair share Working right to belong to a union free of employer in taxes. Cuts in Medicare, Medicaid, intimidation and harassment. Social Security and other programs that Americans Win There also was a time when the major Americans rely on are still on the table. Big with Obama political parties saw union political activ- Doing something about the deficit is im- ism as a positive thing for the country. An portant, but not at the expense of work- Labor posted a huge victory with the educated voter was a better voter, it was ing families and the most vulnerable reelection of President Obama, an election believed, and Republican and Democratic among us. he could not have won without the millions candidates competed for the union vote. Our challenges also are political. of votes from union families and the efforts Now Republicans are going after unions as We sent a message to right-wing Amer- of vast numbers of union volunteers work- part of their political agenda and this year ica on November 6 that the labor move- ing on his behalf. Union families were the adopted the most anti-worker, anti-union ment still has teeth. Earlier this year, we firewall which guaranteed his reelection. platform of any major party in the history turned back the anti-union attacks of Although few of the TV talking heads of the United States. Gov. Kasich in Ohio through the bal- on election night talked about it, President The forces against collective bargain- lot box. We can succeed elsewhere. We Obama knows that organized labor was ing and the rights of workers to organize must commit to year-round mobilization his secret weapon. According to the AFL- are powerful. The election results have not of union members, educate and inform CIO, in the last four days of the presiden- changed that situation. We still have our them about the issues and inspire their tial campaign, 128,000 union volunteers knocked on 5.5 million doors, made 5.2 million phone calls and passed out 2 million leaflets in six targeted states. Union leaders should be justifiably gratified about the role their members played. Our nation’s economic future now is much brighter with a friend in the White House who puts people before profits, jobs before tax cuts for the wealthy and social justice before selfish individualism. But regardless of the winners and los- ers on November 6, union workers and their families face difficult challenges ahead. The corporations and wealthy billionaires are already planning how to pressure Congress to support their agenda. We must continue the fight to make sure that our elected leaders address our concerns. The fact remains that unions and collective bargaining rights are under attack as never before in my lifetime. Many political leaders, economists and talking heads see Obama's Election Night Victory. Flickr.com photo used under Creative Commons from Kevin Gebhardt. Pg 2 AGENDA participation and contributions on behalf of labor’s political friends. Labor and Union workers in construc- tion, government, industry, everywhere, must stand together and stand with each other. Whether it is on the picket line, a demon- stration, or a contract negotiation, union families must be there for each other. Labor can’t look to others to win their fights. Labor and its allies must win the fight together. Our victory on November 6 was just the first step in a long campaign to restore the American Dream. I am confident in the future because I know that union people are tough and resilient. When the Paul Ryans, Scott Walkers, John Kasichs and their like have long passed from the scene, America’s unions will still be here defend- ing working families, bringing the benefits of unionism to new workers and standing for the values that make our nation great. Missouri AFL-CIO Stresses Political Action AIL representatives attended the recent Missouri AFL-CIO Biennial Convention held in Kansas City. Shown at the company’s booth are (from left) AIL’s Paul Winslow, Robin Denham, SGA Dorian Oldham, AIL's Cindy Cleary and SGA Director Murray Horowitz. Political action was a major focus of the convention with an emphasis on reelecting Sen. Clair McCaskill who is being challenged by right-wing Republican Todd Akin. At the end of the convention, delegates volunteered for a labor-to-labor canvass in Kansas City to educate and identify union voters for McCaskill.

IBEW Women’s Conference AIL sponsored a booth (shown above) at the recent International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers’ International Women’s Conference in Washington, D.C., reports AIL representative Laurie Onasch. AIL also donated a union- made Carhartt jacket with an IBEW logo to Oklahoma Labor Award raffle off in support of the event. Nearly 300 IBEW women attended the conference, which Tim O'Connor (center), AIL Oklahoma Public Relations presents the Friends of Labor focused on getting more women involved Award to Woody Guthrie's sister-in-law at the Oklahoma Speaks performance. The in the political process, combatting voter award, presented by the Central Oklahoma Labor Federation, was given posthumously to suppression and empowering women to Woody Guthrie. AIL is a sponsor of the event. become leaders. AGENDA Pg 3

AIL Plays Big Role in Hawaii Labor Day Celebration AIL’s Altig-Orlovic Agency in Hawaii played a big role in the 2012 Hawaii Labor Day Unity event. AIL Public Relations Representative Dion Dizon, volunteer organizer of the Labor Unity picnic, committed, developed the flyer and arranged distribution to all unions. She also arranged the participation of Kam’aina Kids, which provided games, events, climbing walls and supervision for children who attended the unity picnic. Nearly 6,000 people attended the picnic. In cooperation with Aloha United Way, every person who attended the event brought a donation for the Aloha United Way food bank and entered a drawing for a trip to Las Vegas. Approximately 50 containers of food were collected and the Teamsters of Hawaii arranged the delivery of the goods to the food bank. Senior managers of the Altig-Orlovic Agency and 30 sales agents also attended the event. In the photo, Dizon welcomes the large crowd to the event after receiving recognition for her efforts.

OPEIU Backs Honolulu Mayor

Dion Dizon, AIL Public Relations, recently presented a campaign as a tireless campaigner who began the year in a distant third in contribution check to Kirk Caldwell, newly elected Democratic the race. He was backed by most of the state's labor unions and Mayor of Honolulu, on behalf of OPEIU Local 277, which pro-rail development. Shown in the photo are (left to right): Randy represents AIL employees. Caldwell is a staunch supporter of Perreira, President Hawaii AFL-CIO, Mayor Caldwell, Dion Dizon, new infrastructure for rail transportation. Caldwell is described and Hawaii AFL-CIO COPE Director Jason Bradshaw. Pg 4 AGENDA

Warren Receives OPEIU Endorsement

AIL’s Susan Kelleher participated in a joint check presentation for Shown in the front row are AIL’s Robin Andrade and Susan Kelleher, Massachusetts Senate candidate Elizabeth Warren on behalf of the Senator-elect Elizabeth Warren and Edward Kelly. The back rows are the Office and Professional Employees International Union Local 277, which PFFM board and members. represents AIL employees. Joining her were the Professional Fire Fighters of Massachusetts, President Edward Kelly, and his executive board. Warren defeated incumbent Republican Senator Scott Brown on November 6.