News & Views February 2009:News & Views February 2009 2/9/09 10:54 AM Page 2 RETIREE news & views A PUBLICATION OF LOCAL 237 RETIREE DIVISION • VOL. 14 NO. 2 • FEBRUARY 2009 On January 20, the Local 237 executive board hosted an open house reception for working members, retirees, and staff to view What Should Obama Do? and celebrate the inauguration of Barack Obama as 44th president of the United States. As the group watched on two large TV screens rented for the occasion, cheering and applaud- ing, they shared the experience with millions of people across the nation and around the world who viewed the event on huge outdoor screens, at work, at house parties or alone at home, in department and electronics stores, movie theaters, bars and restaurants, and many other sites, including, of course, in Washington, DC, where Local 237 President Gregory Floyd attended the inauguration. A few days before the inauguration, Local 237 retirees attended the Retiree Division’s an- (l-r) Mavis Andrews, Millicent Stewart, and Ray nual tribute to the legacy of Martin Luther Marquez interact with actress Leslie Dockery King, which featured “Songs for Obama,” a Barbara Hazelwood, wearing a shirt with pictures playing a TV talk show host at the Retiree Division’s multimedia presentation that also honored of Martin Luther King and Barack Obama and annual Martin Luther King tribute January 15 quotes from them about change and the “dream Obama and visionary women Marian Ander- ‘we can believe in.” son, Lena Horne, and Eleanor Roosevelt, who RAY MARQUEZ. What do I want Obama traced the civil rights movement that led to the tion. Obama came out of nowhere, no one to do? Close Guantanamo. Out of Iraq. Out election of the first black man as president of the believed he could win. I’m going to sup- of Afghanistan. Bring our troops home with nation. Following are interviews with retirees port him in any way I can. I just pray for honor, and appropriately—not like Bush. who attended the program about what they his safety. Bailout for the people, not for the banks. Follow and obey the Constitution. hope Barack Obama will do as president. GRACE EUBANKS. I hope Obama is suc- cessful, for the whole United States of MAVIS ANDREWS. Obama is president of CRISTOBAL BERMUDEZ This year is the America. I have a feeling all the people, and he will represent them beginning of new hope for a lot of people. I he will be. We have to with compassion and dignity, with toler- sense that everything is give him time. He’s not ance—gays, Latinos, blacks, immigrants. going to change. Maybe going to get to do every- That’s fundamental. That’s why I voted for not today or tomorrow, thing—he says so him- him. He’s a wonderful man on paper; I just but over time. It’s impor- self—in his first term. I hope it’s real. tant for people to start hope he will in his sec- [During interaction between the actors and thinking another way, for ond, God willing. I pray I audience, Andrews said, “I worked at the polls. change. Forget about the will live to see it. We African Americans At about 3 p.m. a guy came, said he was 40 past. Start now with have to realize he’s not just there for us. years old and had never voted, but he had to hope in this year. Obama is not only for the He’s there for the whole United States of come out to vote for Obama.”] people in the United States but for the peo- America and our allies. I’m thankful God MILLICENT STEWART. I hope the na- ple of the world. let me see Obama elected. Martin Luther tion will be tolerant. Obama’s promises King predicted it. Unfortunately my par- BARBARA HAZELWOOD. I hope Obama will take time, but will come to fruition. I ents didn’t get to see it, but my 95-year-old will do just what he says he will do. He says hope people remember him in their aunt is blessed. he wants change, and that’s what I want. He prayers everyday and are patient. He has says he’ll end the war in a peaceful way. WILFRED FERGUSON. a lot on his plate, but he’s dealing with it. Some are going to blame Obama for Every so often an indi- He has a good team to help him. everything, but we have to say that things vidual comes along who [Also during interaction between the ac- are going to take time. It’s not going to hap- can make a difference. tors and audience, Stewart said, “My uncle is pen overnight. Because he’s the first black With this guy, everyone 70 and just voted for the first time. I never president doesn’t mean he’s a miracle work- thought it was an impos- knew he had never voted. But people from the er. It’s going to take Congress, the Senate, a sibility. But God was in Obama team kept calling him and telling him lot of folks who are going to make it happen. the works, he’ll be giving to vote. So he came out for the first time, to We were so tired of the old administra- Obama spiritual guidance. vote for Obama.”] News & Views February 2009:News & Views February 2009 2/9/09 10:54 AM Page 3 Page 2 RETIREE NEWS & VIEWS February 2009 his year Black History Month cel- today (12.32 percent in 2006) as it did in ebrates a truly historic event, the A Message 1968 (12.8 percent) The most recent eco- Tinauguration of Barack Obama, nomic data, however, support King’s view the first African American president of from the that the right of workers to organize, to the United States. His election signals a President bargain collectively, and, when necessary, new era. to strike, offers an important path to But we still have a long way to go, counter-acting the rise in economic in- many obstacles to overcome. Let’s not equality, to the benefit of all workers. forget that 60 percent of black children The EFCA is actually a supplement to unionization boosts the wages of all low- are living in low-income families and 34 the American Recovery and Reinvestment wage workers by 20.6 percent, on aver- percent of black children are living in Plan. More workers in unions, with high- age. Unions have a substantial impact on poverty. While the nation is entering the er salaries and more money to spend, will the wages of workers earning higher second year of a recession, people of speed the nation’s economic recovery. wages, as well. All workers benefit from color have been experiencing a recession U.S. businesses have made defeat of union membership. for five years, according to a report is- EFCA a top priority. They are using the eco- Higher wages makes it possible for sued in December by Fair Economy, nomic crisis as an excuse, waging a working families to spend more, which “State of the Dream 2009: The Silent De- multimillion dollar publicity campaign to economists say is important to the na- pression.” Key findings include: argue that now is not the time to create tion’s economic recovery. • Black unemployment is 11.9 percent, more requirements for business. But Presi- Clearly, unionization should be part compared to a general unemployment dent Obama disagrees. Obama said, “I don’t of the plan to stimulate the economy and rate of 7.2 percent (now 7.6 percent); see organized labor as part of the problem; begin to correct racial inequities. In con- • Unemployment is 32.8 percent for to me, it’s part of the solution.”And he crete terms, that means passage of the black males ages 16-19 signed three pro-labor executive orders and Employee Free Choice Act (EFCA), which • The median household income of appointed a task force charged with ensur- will make it easier for workers to join blacks is $38,269 and $40,000 for Latinos, ing that economic recovery policies help, not unions and penalize employers who in- while the median household income of hurt, the working middle class. timidate and fire workers for seeking whites is $61,280. So I am optimistic. unionization. A report issued last May by the Cen- Early this month, thousands of Team- To put this in a historic context, the ter for Economic and Policy Research sters and and other union members ral- CEPR’s Union Advantage report said: (CEPR), “Unions and Upward Mobility lied at the Capitol and delivered petitions for African-American Workers,” found Martin Luther King’s fateful trip to with 1.5 million signatures to pressure that unionized black workers receive 12 Memphis 40 years ago was part of his ef- Congress to pass the EFCA. We need to percent more in wages and benefits than forts to expand the cause of civil rights to keep the pressure up. We also need to black workers who were not in unions. the economic realm. King would almost urge our representatives and senators to The union difference on health insurance certainly have been shocked to find that, implement the American Recovery and and pension coverage was even larger. despite substantial economic growth over Reinvestment Plan without further delay. Another CEPR report, “The Union the last four decades, the increasingly un- You can reach them online, by mail, Advantage for Low-Wage Workers,” re- equal U.S.