Employee Free Choice Act What It Means for You
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JUNE 2009 54224_P01_32_x2.indd 1 6/21/09 11:00:58 PM President’s Page Employee Free Choice Act What It Means For You uch that is written on the front pages of tively—free from coercion, intimidation, and retali- Mnewspapers all across America on the Em- ation, exactly what is needed to rebuild the middle ployee Free Choice Act (EFCA) has been about class. We know the erosion of the middle class fol- the battle lines drawn by Big Business and La- lows in the footprints of the steady decline of work- bor on this issue. It is easy to get caught up in ers’ rights over the past several decades. Below are the politics of it all, but the American public de- some of the reasons the Act is so important, and serves an answer to the question, “Is this good why the Iron Workers and the building trades have for America right now?” The U.S. House of Rep- supported passage of the EFCA in Congress: resentatives passed the EFCA on March 1, 2007 When workers in a non-union workplace at- by a 241-185 majority. However, though a ma- tempt to form support for a union, they are of- jority of the Senate supported the EFCA, a Re- ten times harassed and intimidated; 25 percent publican fi libuster blocked it. Published reports of companies unlawfully fi re pro-union workers. state approximately 60 million unrepresented The current laws against such corporate mis- Americans would join a union if given a chance. conduct are so weak companies often treat them The U.S. Chamber of Commerce is claiming as a cost of doing business, and a cheap way of that EFCA is bad for American businesses. They persuading workers away from their support say, “Big Business is concerned for workers’ of a union. Under the new law, the civil penal- JOSEPH HUNT right to a private vote.” They claim workers are ties can be up to $20,000 per violation against General President being forced to join unions against their will, and companies found to have willfully or repeatedly once a contract is in place, work rules will be dic- violated employees’ rights during an organizing tated by government. campaign or fi rst contract negotiations. To date the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and cor- The EFCA increases the amounts of back porate America has spent over 300 million dollars pay to employees of companies found to have to combat the efforts of the labor movement on this been discharged or discriminated against dur- issue. And, they intend to spend whatever it takes ing a campaign to be repaid at three times the to see that the legislation never comes to fruition. current levels of the existing laws. Their battle cryyp hopes to deter one of the founding You may ask why we, as Iron Workers, need principles of unionism— the Employee Free Choice Act. We already have for workers to exercise union representation, and we already work for “The Employee Free Choice Act would their freedom to bar- union contractors, so what does this do for us or gain, allowing the middle our contractors. In the competitive workplace that give workers the right to organize and class to achieve economic is our world, we need to be aware that playing by prosperity through hard the rules, as we know them, isn’t always the way bargain collectively—free from coercion, work and perseverance it is everywhere else. We need this legislation to with protected rights and help level the playing fi eld for the contractors wages. Over the past de- who we work for everyday, who do the right thing intimidation, and retaliation, exactly cades, wages for working everyday, but have to bid for jobs against these men and women have non-union contractors. The ironworkers in the what is needed to rebuild the middle class.” stagnated, while pay and fi eld, who enjoy the benefi ts of a collective bar- bonuses for corporate gaining agreement, sometimes don’t realize they CEOs have skyrocketed. have something many want, but will never pos- Some of the same CEOs have crippled our nation’s sess — representation through a union contract. economy with bad business decisions and greed. As The Employee Free Choice Act helps to guaran- if that was not enough, their unfounded fears push tee workers the right to join a union, a right they them to deny any worker the right to chose to join a now don’t enjoy. President Obama has stated he union and have a voice in their own workplace. will sign this legislation into law once it hits his The claim now being circulated by corporate desk. So join with us in support of the Employee front groups in a massive media campaign is Free Choice Act, and let everyone who chooses the Employee Free Choice Act “will take away union, be union. Visit www.ironworkers.org, go a worker’s right to vote” on having union repre- to the IPAL page, and log onto the Ironworker sentation in his or her workplace. This could not Legislative Action Center link. You can use be further from the truth. In fact, the Act would your zip code to fi nd the contact information of let workers decide if they want union represen- your U.S. Congressperson and U.S. Senator, and tation through majority sign-up or an election. write them to let them know you support the The distortions by corporate America are what Employee Free Choice Act and workers’ rights. fueled the campaign to block the Employee Free Choice Act as it stands now. The Employee Free Choice Act would give workers the right to organize and bargain collec- 554224_P01_32_x2.indd4224_P01_32_x2.indd 2 66/21/09/21/09 111:01:041:01:04 PPMM Official Publication of the International Association of Bridge, Structural, Ornamental and Reinforcing Iron Workers 1750 New York Ave., N.W. • Suite 400 • Washington, D.C. 20006 • (202)383-4800 www.ironworkers.org E-mail: [email protected] INTERNATIONAL OFFICERS Volume 109 June 2009 Number 6 JOSEPH J. HUNT EDWARD J. WALSH General President Fifth General Vice President Suite 400 505 White Plains Rd. 1750 New York Ave., N.W. Suite 200 Washington, DC 20006 Tarrytown, NY 10591 Office: (202) 383-4810 Office: (914) 332-4430 REBAR: THE NEXT GENERATION Fax: (202) 638-4856 Fax: (914) 332-4431 Email: [email protected] WALTER WISE General Secretary Suite 400 JAY HURLEY 4 Local 1 Builds Trump International Hotel & Tower 1750 New York Ave., Sixth General Vice President Washington, DC 20006 191 Old Colony Ave., P.O. Box 96 Office: (202) 383-4820 S. Boston, MA 02127 Fax: (202) 347-2319 Tel: (617) 268-2382 Local 416 Remaking Las Vegas Fax: (617) 268-1394 7 EDWARD C. McHUGH E-mail: [email protected] General Treasurer Suite 400 JOE STANDLEY Rebar: The Next Generation 1750 New York Ave., N.W. Seventh General Vice President 10 Washington, DC 20006 1660 San Pablo Ave., Suite C Office: (202) 383-4830 Pinole, CA 94564 Fax: (202) 383-6483 Office: (510) 724-9277 Fax: (510) 724-1345 GORDON STRUSS First General Vice President P.O. Box 319, 122 Main Street TADAS KICIELINSKI Luck, WI 54853-0319 Eighth General Vice President DIRECTORY INFORMATION Office: (715) 472-4250/4251 212 N. Kingshighway Blvd., Fax: (715) 472-4253 Ste. 1025 St. Louis, MO 63108 GEORGE E. KRATZER Tel: (314) 454-6872 Departmental Reports Second General Vice President Fax: (314) 618-8328 16 Franklin Square Office Center E-mail: [email protected] 8401 Claude Thomas Road Suite 37 ERIC DEAN Local News Franklin, OH 45005 23 Ninth General Vice President JUNE 2009 Office: (937) 746-0854 Fax: (937) 746-0873 205 West Grand Avenue, Ste. 101 White Pines Office Center Bensenville, IL 60106 Lifetime Honorary Members RICHARD WARD 28 Third General Vice President Tel: (630) 238-1003 5964 Dayton Boulevard Fax: (630) 238-1006 Chattanooga, TN 37415 Office: (423) 870-1982 RONALD C. GLADNEY 29 Official Monthly Record Fax: (423) 876-0774 General Counsel Email: [email protected] Bartley, Goffstein, L.L.C. 4399 Laclede Avenue FRED MARR St. Louis, MO 63108 Fourth General Vice President Office: (314) 531-1054 1350 L’Heritage Drive Fax: (314) 531-1131 Sarnia, Ontario N7S 6H8 Headquarters Office: Canada (202) 383-4868 Office: (519) 542-1413/1414 Headquarters Fax: Fax: (519) 542-3790 (202) 638-4856 INTERNATIONAL DEPARTMENTS Apprenticeship and Training LU/DC Staff Retirement and Shopmen’s Pension Fund Tel: (202) 383-4870 54224_IW_Jun09.indd 1 6/9/09 1:31:42 PM Fax: (202) 347-5256 Tel: (202) 383-4874 Fax: (202) 628-6469 On The Cover Computer Department Tel: (202) 383-4886 Magazine Over all 26,000 tons or reinforcing Fax: (202) 383-4895 Tel: (202) 383-4864 steel was placed by Local 1 (Chicago) Davis-Bacon Department Mailroom Tel: (202) 834-9855 Tel: (202) 383-4855 ironworkers at the Trump International Fax: (202) 347-1496 Fax: (202) 638-1038 Hotel & Tower, with a total of 298,277 Maintenance and Jurisdiction man-hours. Local 1 takes pride in tak- Department of Ornamental, Tel: (202) 383-4860 Architectural & Miscellaneous Fax: (202) 347-1496 ing part of the construction of a new Metals (DOAMM) Tel: (630) 238-1003 Organizing Chicago landmark, one to be admired Fax: (630) 238-1006 Tel: (202) 383-4851 by many, and to be a leader in reinforc- Fax: (202) 347-1496 Department of Reinforcing ing ironwork. Ironworkers Safety Tel: (866) 336-9163 Tel: (202) 383-4829 Fax: (356) 736-9618 Fax: (202) 383-6490 EDITOR: Scott Malley, 1750 New York Ave., N.W.