(ISSN 0023-6667) AFL-CIO, DFL endorsing the same folks Last Friday the Minnesota al endorsement. need him as our state’s chief AFL-CIO joined the Demo- The AFL-CIO also finally executive.” cratic-Farmer-Labor Party in came around in the Secretary Ritchie is also well-quali- endorsing current Attorney of State’s race by endorsing fied for the office, Waldron General Mike Hatch for Mark Ritchie June 23rd. said. “Mark has worked for Governor. He will face Becky These two endorsements years to expand voter partici- Lourey in the September 12 give union volunteers a full pation in Minnesota elec- DFL Primary Election. slate of candidates and issues tions—and that work is the Lourey is being pressured to work on in Labor 2006. heart and soul of the Secretary from some quarters to drop out “With more than 300,000 of State’s job. It’s another An Injury To One Is An Injury To All! after losing at the June 10 DFL people in Minnesota’s AFL- good endorsement.” WEDNESDAY VOL. 112 convention. She maintains she CIO unions, we can mobilize a The DFL is also happy JUNE 28, 2006 NO. 1 will continue to run to keep lot of volunteers and reach a with the slate of candidates. her issues alive on the cam- lot of union voters during the “We stand united in offer- paign trail. coming months,” said Ray ing Minnesota voters a gov- Hatch has named former Waldron president of the erning agenda focused on State Auditor Judi Dutcher, a Minnesota AFL-CIO. quality public education, former Republican, as his run- An upbeat Waldron said, affordable and accessible ning mate. Lourey has named “Mike’s a committed candi- health care, safer roads, living- a former Minnesota Viking, date and he’s got a great track wage jobs, clean air and water Tim Baylor, now a successful record. He’s been advocating and middle-class tax justice,” businessman, as her Lieuten- for working people 24/7 for said Minnesota DFL Chair ant Governor choice. years. Mike’s a guy who can Brian Melendez. Four years ago Dutcher and go toe-to-toe with corpora- The AFL-CIO had previ- Lourey had lost out to Roger tions, insurance companies ously joined the DFL in Moe for the DFL gubernatori- and HMOs—and win. We endorsing Hennepin County Attorney Amy Klobuchar for WHAT’S INSIDE THIS ISSUE? the open U.S. Senate seat up this fall vacated with Mark All’s quiet so far after News-Tribune sale...page 2 Dayton’s retirement. Ditchview, MN: Okay, so I have class envy....page 3 Other state constitutional Thanks for supporting DADS fundraiser.....page 3 officer endorsements have gone to Matt Entenza for attor- Molly Ivins.....page 4 ney general and Rebecca Otto Unionfacts.com in bed with your Dept. of Labor...page 7 for auditor from the two How about rewarding patriotic corporations...page 9 organizations. Health care is best organizing tool.....pages 10,11 In endorsements for the Author: Unions the solution, not the problem.....page 14 U.S. House of Represen- tatives Jim Oberstar (8th Dis- Ehrenreich: Go ahead say “class warfare”.....page 15 trict), Collin Peterson (7th), IBEW 31 awards four more scholarships.....page 16 and Betty McCollum (4th) Trades scholars named.....page 18 were endorsed for re-election. Labor/enviro group has headquarters in MPLS.....page 19 Tim Walz has been endorsed USW talks resume in Hibbing....page 20 for District 1 and Elwyn Tinklenberg in District 6. Diane (AFSCME 1092) and Jerry Firkus (AFSCME 3887) GOP pulls dirty deal on minimum wage.....page 20 drove from Moose Lake to help Labor kick off their politi- See Endorsements...page 8 cal campaign, Labor 2006. They doorknocked union households in the UMD area. Not finding anyone home Some rich willing to pay more in state taxes here, they left a note and a survey asking residents what You’d better sit down public infrastructure. They Their “Real Prosperity” issues were most important to them for the fall elections. before you read this. believe all state residents strategy says the two percent With a true Minnesota spir- should have access to high- of the most affluent Labor kicks off politics 2006 it more than 200 state residents quality opportunities at an Minnesotans should pay about The AFL-CIO’s political campaign for the important fall have stepped forward to say affordable price. two percent more than they’re elections got started in Duluth and the rest of Minnesota last they are able and willing to Their strategy worked as currently paying. week. About a dozen union members joined with a similar num- pay more in state taxes. In a more than 100 additional “And we believe in raising ber of volunteers of the America Votes! coalition for a kick-off full page Star Tribune ad and Minnesotans signed up on the the money fairly,” the ad stat- in Wellstone Hall June 20 that sent the groups out separately to at www.growthandjustice.org first day according to the web- ed. “It’s wrong that middle- doorknock. The union members knocked union households. the group, calling itself a pro- site. class families pay a bigger Wellstone Hall was sporting banners from unions, America gressive economic think tank, Gov. Tim Pawlenty, of proportion of their income in Votes!, Clean Water Action, and the Sierra Club. That was says the state is not investing course, invited the group to state and local taxes than encouraging to Duluth AFL-CIO Central Labor Body President enough in the future success of start sending in their checks to upper-income families.” Alan Netland. “It’s great to see so many diverse groups coming all residents. state government, not under- You can support Growth together,” he told the gathering. “We’ve all known that’s the They say they support a standing that higher state taxes and Justice’s work by sending direction we need to go for success and it’s finally happening.” strategy of higher taxes on across the board for the rich donations to same at 2324 The tide appears to be turning in this country against the con- high earners to invest more in would generate a larger, more University Ave. West, Suite servative administrations that have shown an inability to lead the state’s future. Known as steady revenue stream. 201, St. Paul, MN 55114. the nation for the people and progressive groups have a great “Invest for Real Prosperity,” The full page ad says as a opportunity speakers said. the strategy defines real pros- share of personal income “Trade unionists joining with others for an early start on an perity as not just income we’re actually about $3 billion election that’s ours to win is a good thing,” said the Minnesota growth at the top but at all lev- behind what we invested a AFL-CIO’s Bill Moore, who helped coordinate the kick-off els, and not just wealth but decade ago. here. “But it won’t happen on its own.” civic health. Among things that need to In talking about the issues while doorknocking union house- The June 22 Star Tribune improve the ad signers said we holds the volunteers sought to make sure they’re registered and ad lists 203 names of those need more people able to get a intend to vote, and finding out if they want to get involved. whose taxes would rise the postsecondary degree, all kids “We’re talking issues not candidates,” said Moore. “That’s most. It invites others to sign need to have health insurance, not the way most activists think.” on to Invest for Real Prosper- and we need to do something Call the Central Body at 218-724-1413 to get involved. ity for education, health and about transportation options. 1896--110 YEARS!--2006 All quiet so far at the Duluth News-Tribune Following a few legal pro- 7, ends 70 years of K-R own- Forum, which has been a pri- cedures Monday with Knight- ership of Duluth’s only daily. vate corporation owned by the Ridder shareholders and gov- The K-R empire dissolved Black family since 1917. ernment anti-trust investiga- when a few shareholders Forum will actually buy the tors, the Duluth News-Tribune decided they weren’t getting DNT from McClatchy Co. of was sold to family-owned enough return on their invest- Sacramento, which bought K- Forum Communications Co. ment from the third largest R for $6.3 billion. Of the 32 of Fargo, North Dakota. newspaper chain in the nation. publications in the sale, The deal, announced June That shouldn’t happen under McClatchy decided to keep only 20, selling off 12 that it Next on Minnesota At Work considered to be in markets June 29--The Iraq-U.S. Labor Solidarity Tour--Iraqi labor that will not show growth. It leaders toured the U.S. talking about conditions in their homeland will sell off the St. Paul and answering questions from U.S. union members. While these Pioneer Press to avoid a con- leaders had opposed the Hussein regime, they also opposed U.S. flict with its ownership of the occupation and saw withdrawal as a precondition for peace and Minneapolis Star Tribune. economic progress in their country. Occupation forces and their All the DNT’s holding Iraqi allies have continued Saddam’s anti-union policies, putting were part of the sale including down labor protests by force. The tour contributed to a grassroots the Duluth Budgeteer, the resolution at the 2005 AFL-CIO national convention calling for the Superior Daily Telegram, Sheldon Christopherson (Operating Engineers 70) of the removal of U.S.