(ISSN 0023-6667) Greg Gilbert endorsed for Mayor Delegates to the May 10 wide ranging support from 60 also ensured that taxpayers’ Duluth AFL-CIO Central delegates from 26 unions, dollars are wisely used by Labor Body meeting gave including public employees, pushing Duluth Economic Duluth mayoral candidate building trades, and others such Development Association and Greg Gilbert’s campaign a as UNITE HERE Local 99, for JOBZ regulations that will hold resounding vote of confidence. his history of supporting all developers more accountable With a difficult two-thirds labor issues. to taxpayers. Yet he’s tried to of voting delegates required for A member of Education ensure that low wage workers, an endorsement, Gilbert came Minnesota and the Duluth City who are often employed at An Injury to One is an Injury to All! away with 73 percent of the Council’s longest serving those developments once WEDNESDAY VOL. 112 vote, which was counted by per member at 10 years, Gilbert they’re built, are not just pawns MAY 23, 2007 NO. 22 capita. The motion that was authored and carried Duluth’s in the process for someone’s voted on was either a “yes” for living wage ordinance in 1997, profits. endorsing Gilbert, or a “no” to which he called “a model for His support for UNITE endorsing him. the nation.” That from an attor- HERE’s organizing of low “I’m proud to receive the ney with 22 years of experi- wage workers is characteristic Central Labor Body’s endorse- ence working in the business of his hope for a better life for ment for mayor,” Gilbert said world, and representing the all working poor. Gilbert led in a press release that night. least likely labor district on the the effort to make card “With my background in busi- council, east Duluth’s District 2 check/neutrality labor peace ness, this endorsement sends in the Congdon area. agreements part of public sub- the message that people in The cornerstone of the sidy discussions for develop- Duluth want to work together.” Central Body’s criteria for ments. Gilbert went on to say the endorsement is their Working He also has been the leader endorsement puts him in the Families’ Agenda and no elect- in making Duluth’s eating and “unique position of being able ed official has covered it better drinking establishments to bring together business than Gilbert. He said this will smoke-free. interests and working families be his sixth electoral campaign Gilbert said the city’s obli- across the community for the and he has always had a histo- gation to its active and retired betterment of Duluth.” ry of support for the WFA. employees health care cover- Gilbert, Meg Bye, Don “I stand up and say so and age must be fully funded. That Ness, Charlie Bell, and Jim work at it in the city council,” issue came up repeatedly dur- Pratt, the five mayoral candi- Gilbert said during the screen- ing the screenings. Gilbert said Greg Gilbert answers a question from the audience during dates who have announced, ing. “I’ve been with you every the city must sit down with the the Duluth AFL-CIO Central Labor Body’s mayoral screen- attended the Central Body step of the way and will be in unions and settle their contracts ing May 10th. He went on to receive their endorsement with screening. At the regular the future.” first. 73 percent of the vote. monthly meeting, which fol- A strong supporter of eco- “The basic unit (AFSCME) lowed the screening, the nomic development, Gilbert hasn’t had a meeting since DFLers: Session a success endorsement was considered has been steadfast in his sup- January,” Gilbert said. He said with much discussion and port of project labor agree- another positive step would be in spite of shortcomings vigor. ments and is working on PLA to clean up the administration Gilbert’s endorsement had language for the city. Yet he has of the plan, which he said the In spite of what he called “missed opportunities” Democratic city is trying to do. Farmer Labor House Majority Leader Tony Sertich (Chisholm) “When the people in this called the recently completed Minnesota legislative session very Screenings for council room stick together in solidari- productive for northeastern Minnesota and the state as a whole. ty, we can change the world,” The glaring missed opportunities included funding for the district races June 14 he told delegates in his opening DECC expansion in Duluth and an Iron Range steel plant. remarks. Sertich and Senate Majority Leader Larry Pogemiller The Duluth AFL-CIO Central Labor Body will screen the three city council district races that will be up for election this It was evident early on in (Minneapolis), House Speaker Margaret Anderson Kelliher the evening that no candidate (Minneapolis), and Assistant Senate Majority Leader Tarryl year. Districts 1, 3, and 5 are up as are two at-large seats that will be screened this summer. other than Gilbert stood a Clark (St. Cloud) held news conferences in Duluth, Bemidji, chance of receiving an Moorhead, St. Cloud, Mankato, and Rochester in a DFL fly Candidates in districts 1, 3, and 5 will be screened at 6:00 p.m. in Wellstone Hall of the Duluth Labor Temple prior to the endorsement. The question was around the state to discuss the session, which ended Monday at whether or not he could midnight. regular monthly meeting on Thursday, June 14.. Central Body endorsed incumbents Laurie Johnson in far achieve the necessary two- The DFL controlled both the House and Senate for the first thirds. A Gilbert campaign time in ten years, but they still had trouble getting their agenda eastern District 1, and Russ Stover in far western District 5 will seek re-election. staffer handed out a “10 home because of Republican Governor Tim Pawlenty and his Reasons to Endorse Greg allies. Minnesota has not had a DFL governor for 20 years. The District 3 seat is open with Central Body endorsed incumbent Russ Stewart not seeking re-election. He has given Gilbert for Mayor” flyer to The DFL contingent said the session’s good news was that for arriving delegates that laid out the first time in more than eight years a special session will not his support to AFSCME Local 66 member, and Central Body delegate, Sharla Gardner. his years of supporting labor. be necessary to complete a budget. Gilbert said “in this day and Clark said the budget, which is about $35 billion to cover the Also announcing his candidacy for the District 3 seat is Dan Hartman, a recent UMD graduate and former Student age the job of the mayor is to next two years, isn’t “sexy, but is honest and balanced with no improve the lives of working See Session...page 2 Association president. Possible endorsements will be considered at the regular families” and he promised to monthly meeting of the Central Body following screenings. not enter into contracts for city Chicago unionists win See Gilbert endorsed...page 7 CHICAGO (PAI)--Unionists scored another big win in Chicago’s April 17 aldermanic runoffs, the Chicago Federation of Labor and the People’s Weekly World reported. Five union- ists won city council seats and eight of the 12 CFL-backed can- didates triumphed. The key issue was Democratic Mayor Richard M. Daley’s prior veto--which the council narrowly upheld--of a “big box living wage ordinance” aimed mostly at Wal-Mart, or keeping it from town. AFSCME member Joanne DFL leaders Sen. Pogemiller, Rep. Anderson Kelliher, Rep. Thompson defeated incumbent Shirley Coleman, who--with Sertich, and Sen. Clark were in Duluth Tuesday to talk Daley--boasted of low-cost housing being built non-union. about the legislative session, which ended Monday night. Session successful with shortcomings...from page 1 gimmicks and will count increases for nursing home critical needs in state infra- inflation in the future.” workers. structure were again ignored. “Democrats have succeeded “We got our work done and Pawlenty had vetoed a 5 in producing a reasonable and we got it done on time,” said cent gas tax increase that responsible budget that stabi- Pogemiller. “Not everyone got would have provided funding lizes schools, reforms health everything they wanted, but we for transportation needs. He care and cleans up Minnesota made real progress on a num- prefers to borrow money to pay waters,” said Speaker ber of important issues. Our for projects, which will put the Anderson Kelliher. “This hope is that we can use the payments on the backs of budget invests in Minnesota’s momentum from this positive future taxpayers. A DFL chart future by covering more kids session to continue to work showed by 2017 it would take a who have no health insurance across party lines to achieve 7.5 cent gas tax to pay off the and making sure all-day our goals of property tax relief, interest on borrowing for trans- kindergarten is an option at all affordable health care, and a portation projects. of our schools.” transportation system that will Anderson Kelliher said The education bill invests help spur economic develop- “House Republicans threw a nearly $800 million into K-12 ment all around the state.” tantrum” to keep important leg- AFSCME 3558’s Marlene Hart and 66’s Vi Peterson help and early education. It contains Clark said the DFL led leg- islation like the bonding bill Kermit Nelson and his son, Phil, unload during the increases to the basic education islature helped ensure an hon- from being passed. She said if National Association of Letter Carriers Food Drive May 12.