GMP Exhibits Ware at Detroit Notice of Nominations and Elections appear on page 9 Volume 58 June 2008 Number 6 An offi cial publication of The Glass, Molders, Pottery, Plastics & Allied Workers, AFL-CIO, CLC U.S.P.S. No. 215-300 Glass, Molders, Pottery, Plastics & Allied Workers, AFL-CIO, CLC JOHN P. RYAN 608 East Baltimore Pike, P.O. Box 607, Media, Pa. 19063 International President Copyright 2008 by Glass, Molders, Pottery, Plastics & Allied Workers, AFL-CIO, CLC. BRUCE R. SMITH All rights reserved. No part of this periodical may be reproduced without International Secretary-Treasurer the written consent of the Glass, Molders, Pottery, Plastics & Allied Workers. WALTER THORN Vice President PRINTED IN U.S.A. WESLEY ROYSTER Area Director In this Issue: P.O. Box 1978 608 East Baltimore Pike In his Message on page 1, International President Ryan points out the labor- Media, PA 19063 friendly positions of the presumptive Democratic Presidential candidate, Senator FRANK J. BRANDAO, SR. Barack Obama. Vice President P.O. Box 1978 The GMP demonstrated pottery-making skills at the 2008 America @ Work show in 608 E. Baltimore Pike Detroit. See page 2. Media PA 19063 A member of Local 50 in Seattle, Washington, received a Lifeline Trust grant from IGNACIO DE LA FUENTE Union Plus. See page 4. Vice President P.O. Box 1978 608 E. Baltimore Pike Staff Media PA 19063 DAVID DOYLE RICHARD KLINE FRANK GROTTI Vice President Director of Communications Director of Research and Education P.O. Box 20133 Woodstock, Ontario N4S 8X8 Canada FRED NEIBAUER, CPA BRENDA SCOTLAND Controller Director of Organizing EXECUTIVE OFFICERS RUSSELL BABCOCK Published monthly at 4801 Viewpoint Place, Cheverly, Md. 20781, by the Glass, Molders, Pottery, DALE JETER Plastics & Allied Workers. Periodicals postage paid at Media, Pa. and additional mailing offices. RANDY GOULD All Correspondence to HORIZONS should be sent to: 608 E. Baltimore Pike, P.O. Box 607, SONDRA POWELL Media, PA 19063. BRUNO CYR POSTMASTER—ATTENTION: Change of address cards on Form 3579 should be sent to the DONALD SEAL Mailing List Department, Glass, Molders, Pottery, Plastics & Allied Workers, 608 East Baltimore CLAUDE BEAUDIN Pike, P.O. Box 607, Media, Pa. 19063. DAVID POPE CHARLES BOULTINGHOUSE JERRY L. COTTON Change of Address RICKEY HUNTER To change your address please clip this form on dotted line. RICK VITATOE Send all the information required below to: DONALD CARTER Richard Kline, Editor, GMP HORIZONS 608 E. Baltimore Pike, P.O. Box 607 INTERNATIONAL REPRESENTATIVES Media, PA 19063 RICHARD BAUMCRATZ EDWARD BEDOCS Your Name ________________________________________________________________ BENNETT SALLEMI Soc. Sec. No. ______________________________________________________________ LARRY HARRIS New Address ______________________________________________________________ PETE JACKS City ____________________________ State ________________ Zip _______________ KIM MCNEIL Your Local Union Number: ____________ MATTHEW MCCARTY MARK SINGLETON Are you a Retiree? ❑ Yes ❑ No HECTOR SANCHEZ Date your New Address is Effective: ______ / ______ / ______ Signature __________________________________________________________________ See Our Website www.gmpiu.org PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE Opportunity Knocks In Midst Of Bad Economic News he latest economic news is bad. the taxes of the richest Americans Just consider. The nationwide and giving a $1,000 tax cut to the Taverage cost of gas is four dol- rest. He intends to wind down the lars a gallon. On June 6, the stock Iraq war and use the money saved market fell 400 points. Unemploy- on domestic needs. ment jumped to 5.5%. Obama has called for greater Further, the auto industry is in federal action on renewable en- a tailspin, the airlines are ground- ergy and on building a green ing themselves and the housing economy. These approaches to a JOHN P. RYAN International President debacle continues to produce few national crisis would in the long houses but plenty of foreclosures. run strengthen the economy. Meanwhile, back in the race for They would both cut costs and cre- the presidency Sen. John McCain ate new jobs in new industries. “Notably, Obama is pledging to continue the poli- The Democratic candidate cies of George Bush. His proposed wants to protect consumers. introduced the Patriot program of tax cuts benefi ts the Obama will propose legislation to rich. McCain’s small government protect homeowners, create a uni- Employees Act of approaches to major problems in versal mortgage credit and penal- the fi nancial world will produce ize mortgage industry fraud and 2007 to provide a tax little improvement. abusive lending practices. He has Sen. McCain, the presumptive proposed ways to end predatory credit to companies Republican nominee, presumptu- credit card practices. ously tried to steal Sen. Barack Notably, Obama introduced the that maintain or Obama’s campaign slogan. His Patriot Employees Act of 2007 to lame attempt to co-opt “change you provide a tax credit to companies can believe in” was lambasted by that maintain or increase the num- increase the number Republicans and Democrats alike. ber of full-time workers in America However, we should not seek relative to those outside the country. of full-time workers solace from McCain’s poor perfor- The measure calls for other worker- mance on the stump or his lacklus- positive corporate behavior. This is in America relative ter ideas. It is not enough to deride a change we can stand behind. a candidate whose weaknesses are On healthcare, education, So- to those outside ever more evident. After all, McCa- cial Security and many other key in has himself identifi ed “econom- issues, Obama’s positions are sup- the country.” ics” as an area of his ignorance. ported by the Labor Movement. We look to Sen. Obama, the The opposition would move the soon-to-be-annointed Democratic clock back, way back beyond what candidate to energize the elector- George Bush has done. ate. He has begun to do so. Im- We cannot fail to get our eco- portantly, he calls for economic nomic house in order. The 2008 programs to strengthen America. election gives us an opportunity to Obama has expressed an inter- make that happen. est in taxing the oil companies that are feasting on high prices at the pump. He looks forward to raising June 2008 1 GMP Exhibits Ware at Detroit he GMP demonstrated pottery decorating and pottery casting at the America @ Work exhibition of union-made Show Tproducts and services in Detroit, Michigan, in May. Th e America@Work Show, formerly known as the Union-Industries Th e Internationalal UnionUnion ddisplayedisplayed proproductsducts mamadede bbyy mmem- Show, was attended by union members and the general public bers employed by a large number of companies. companies Companies Compani from a wide area around Detroit. included: Anchor Glass, Anvil International, Bronze Craft Cor- Th e GMP exhibit, staff ed by a delegation from the Interna- poration, Fairmount Foundry, Gallo Glass, Graham Packaging, tional and several local unions, was led by International Presi- Hall China, Homer Laughlin China, ITT Engineered Valves, dent John Ryan. Others from the International were: Interna- Metsch Refractories, Neenah Foundry, Oglebay Norton Indus- tional Secretary-Treasurer Bruce Smith and International Vice trial Sand, Owens Corning Fiberglas, Owens-Illinois, Penn- President Frank J. Brandao, Sr. Director of Communications Union Corporation, Spring City Electrical, Tyco Valves, Ward Richard Kline oversaw the operation of the GMP booth. Manufacturing and Weil-McLain. Local Union members on hand to demonstrate and explain Several visitors to the Show were winners of FiestaWare. their work and the benefi ts of GMP membership were: Each winner received a place setting for four of the popular • Local 265 (Constantine, MI) President Timothy Lyke Homer Laughlin China product. • Local 412 (Kalamazoo, MI) President Th omas Kimble Th e America@Work Show gives the thousands of people • Local 417 (East Liverpool, OH) President Sally Winterburn who attend a keener appreciation of the diversity and quality of • Local 419 (Newell, WV) President Luellen Bozek union-made products and services. Th e fi rst such exhibition was • Local 421 (Muskegon, MI) President Bruce Knuppenburg held in 1938. Seen here (L-R): Local 265 President Timothy Lyke, International Representative Bedocs and International Secretary-Treasurer Smith. entering raffl e. Kimble and visitorvisitor entering raffl e. Local 419 Recording Secretary Luellen Bozek and Smith. 2 GMPP HorizonsHorizons Hoping to win FiestaWare. International President Ryan and Local 421 President Bruce Knuppenburg are seen here at the Hall China Company booth. Local 417 President Sally Winterburn and Local 412 President Thomas Kimble. Local 316B Vice President Wayne Leslie, former Local 316B President Denzil Wilson and Brandao at the Weil- McLain booth. Henry Hanna, former Local 412 President, visited the GMP exhibit. Former Local 316B (Michigan City, IN) President Dave Glancy explains the operation of a Weil-McLain boiler. (L-R): International Vice President Brandao, Lyke, Ryan, U.S. Rep. John Conyers (D-MI), Knuppenberg, Winterburn and Kimble. Spectators listen to an explanation of pottery 3lining. Tiffany Beams won a set of FiestaWare. June 2008 Sharing views on unionism and buying American. Lifeline Trust Aids GMP Member in Seattle GMP member suffering from Wiersma is back on the job and narcolepsy and off work for says of Union Plus and the Lifeline Aeight months, received help Plus grant, “It came at exactly the from Union Plus, a $1,250 grant that right, “It came at exactly the right does not have to be repaid. time. I had a stack of bills to pay - Kelly Wiersma, a Local Union electric, car insurance and phone. 50 member employed as a forming The money I received helped me machine operator at Saint-Gobain’s out during those two months when I Seattle plant, found herself becom- didn’t get a paycheck.” ing suddenly drowsy on the job. She Union Plus Credit Card hold- took leave to treat the condition. ers can apply for a grant by calling After six months, her fi nances 1-877-761-5028.