ASHLAND MILL WORKERS

GET FOOD BANK HELP

Unions Can Help Workers with Donations
 

DONATION INFORMATION
Call Wendell 435-6955
Call Brenda 435-6062

 Ashland area mill workers who are out of work due to the closing of two lumber mill operations are getting help from the Good Shepherd Food Bank which recently delivered 30,000 pounds of food and other needed products (such as health supplies and pet food) for free distribution from the Ashland Odd Fellows hall. Good Shepherd said the gifts were made possible by the success of holiday fund raising efforts.

Union officers in the area are appealing to Maine union members and locals to support the effort to help the workers by making a donation. They noted that it is unusual to have two mills close at the same time.

PLEASE HELP THESE BROTHERS AND SISTERS
 WITH YOUR DONATION

April 23, the U.S. Senate failed to get the 60 votes needed to vote on a bill that would have enabled women who are paid less than their co-workers doing the same job to challenge the inequity. Sens. Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama took time from their campaigns to vote for the Fair Pay Restoration Act.

McCain didn’t show up. But he did make it a point to say that had he bothered to vote (McCain has cast the fewest votes in the Senate of any senator not seriously ill), he would have opposed it.

“I am all in favor of pay equity for women, but this kind of legislation, as is typical of what’s being proposed by my friends on the other side of the aisle, opens us up to lawsuits for all kinds of problems,” the expected GOP presidential nominee told reporters. ” This is government playing a much, much greater role in the business of a private enterprise system.” 

Senate Republicans killed the bill Wednesday night on a 56–42 vote that denied the measure the 60 votes needed to advance it to full debate and a vote. The Fair Pay Restoration Act, also called the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, would have reversed a 2007 U.S. Supreme Court decision dismissing a suit by Lilly Ledbetter, an employee for 19 years at a Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. plant in Alabama. Her suit alleged she was paid less than her male counterparts.

For Complete Information on This Issue>>>>>
 

NEW WORKING FAMILIES NATIONAL WEB SITE

This new national AFL-CIO site is a "hub" at all levels of the AFL-CIO to "push the concerns of working families front and center in the national political debate." You can use it to get information on issues, candidates and much more. It's an on-line voter guide and provides a way for you to make your voice heard!  Click on the logo and give it a try

MAINE LABOR ROUND-UP
April 2008

A Report on Activities of the
Maine AFL-CIO

www.maineaflcio.org 
 
NOTE- Text  in blue or red is a direct web link to a full Internet source

MAINE WORKS TO SHOW WORKERS

THE TRUTH ABOUT JOHN MCCAIN

FROM THE DESK OF THE SECRETARY-TREASURER
Bruce Roy
Secretary-Treasurer
Maine AFL-CIO

Matt Schlobohm, Maine AFL-CIO Public Policy & Political Mobilization Director, told the March meeting of the Maine AFL-CIO Executive Board that labor has already begun a strong effort to show Maine workers that John McCain is the “wrong choice” for President. The media is attempting to show that McCain is a maverick and a pro-war candidate, said Schlobohm, and they are largely ignoring McCain’s “pitiful” record on workers’ issues.

Distribution of leaflets about the McCain record has begun as well as “one-on-one” worksite meetings. If you need worksite leaflets for your local let Matt know, matt@maineaflcio.org, 786-0035.

Presentations Available
Matt also reported that the Maine AFL-CIO has presentations available to present to local unions including the John McCain jeopardy game and presentation, an Economy that Works for All  educational presentation that looks at how & why this economy is not working for working families and what we can do to change it and a good Healthcare Security presentation.

If you’re interested in any of these presentations, contact Matt, matt@maineaflcio.org 786-0045.

Maine AFL-CIO President Edward Gorham noted that a large number of these presentations have been made very effectively and that they have led to a number of locals to begin working on affiliation or re-affiliation with the state organization.

McCain “Jeopardy”
Labor needs to find more creative ways to get the truth out about McCain, said Schlobohm. One effort is playing the “McCain jeopardy game” at union meetings so that workers find out about McCain “from the horses mouth.” Also Matt said that the first e-mail newsletter has gone out to help keep members informed of upcoming events. It also has a section on McCain:

JOHN McCAIN REVEALED

Sen. John McCain calls himself a “straight talker.” But do you know what he really believes?

He’s a self-described “free trader” who supports bad trade deals like NAFTA and CAFTA. He wants to tax your health care benefits. He supports Social Security privatization and Right to Work for Less laws. And he opposes the Employee Free Choice Act, legislation to protect our freedom to form unions and bargain.

Want to learn more about what McCain really believes and stands for. Go to: http://www.mccainrevealed.com   

The AFL-CIO recently launched a "McCain Revealed" campaign to expose Sen. John McCain's record and his allegiance to the failed policies of President George W. Bush.  The campaign includes a great website:  http://www.mccainrevealed.com   

The site gives you all the information you need on McCain’s anti-worker positions and statements.  It is a great resource. Please share it with members. http://www.mccainrevealed.com

SEE ALSO THESE NEWS ARTICLES ABOUT MCCAIN:

For the complete Roundup Report>>>>>
 

JOHN McCAIN – NO “MODERATE”

ON WORKING FAMILY ISSUES

McCAIN IS FOR:
 

FOR NAFTA AND EVERY FREE TRADE ACT CONSIDERED BY CONGRESS

FOR NATIONAL A RIGHT TO WORK FOR LESS LAW

FOR PRIVATIZATION OF FEDERAL JOBS

FOR TAX CUTS FOR THE RICH

FOR BUSH PRIVATIZATION OF SOCIAL SECURITY

FOR SLASHING MEDICARE FUNDING

McCAIN IS AGAINST:

AGAINST MORE FUNDING FOR SCHIP CHILDRENS’ HEALTH PLAN

AGAINST DAVIS-BACON IN DISASTER AREAS

AGAINST PROTECTING WORKER’S OVERTIME PAY

AGAINST EMPLOYEE FREE CHOICE ACT

AGAINST HIGHER MINIMUM WAGE

AGAINST UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFIT EXTENSION

Please find below an overview of John McCain’s record on working families issues.

 Please share this with your members.

From: Karen Ackerman [mailto:Kackerma@aflcio.org]

Brothers and Sisters,

You may have heard the news: Gov. Mitt Romney has dropped out of the race for the Republican nomination, leaving Sen. John McCain as the only candidate with a reasonable path to the nomination. That means we have an opponent, and one we'll have to define early if we want to win this race for working people across America.

It's up to all of us to make sure union members know that Sen. McCain is not the moderate many make him out to be, and certainly not on the issues that count for working men and women. To that end, we've put together a research document, which is attached, that highlights some of Sen. McCain's positions on working family issues. At a time when the economy is  the top concern for a majority of Americans, Sen. McCain has stated that economic issues are something he's "never really understood." A quick look at his record makes that all too clear:

McCain on Trade

Sen. McCain has cast vote after vote for every free trade agreement under the sun, including the most devastating agreement in our history, NAFTA. He's gone on to praise NAFTA and its effects, and has voted to make it easier for the President to enter into agreements without strong Labor protections.

McCain on Workers

Sen. McCain supported a Republican filibuster of the Employee Free Choice Act and supported a national Right-to-Work-for-Less law. He went on to support President Bush's tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans while voting against raising the minimum wage.

McCain on Jobs

Sen. McCain has made it a point to tell audiences that some jobs "aren't coming back" What he doesn't often explain is his role in exporting those jobs in the first place. McCain voted against an amendment that would prohibit the overseas outsourcing of government contracts and voted for the privatization of federal jobs. He also voted to support the contracting out of federal jobs. And McCain has certainly done little to aid those who have lost their jobs, voting against the extension of federal unemployment insurance benefits.

McCain on Social Security

Sen. McCain voted for President Bush's Social Security privatization plan, and has stated that the only solution to fixing Social Security is through private accounts.

McCain on Health Care

Sen. McCain has routinely ignored the issue of America's health care crisis throughout his campaign. His plan will force working families out into the private market to fend for themselves, and will chip away at employer-based health care. In addition, Sen. McCain has voted to slash funding for Medicare and opposed the reauthorization and new funding for SCHIP.

As you can see, we'll have a real fight on our hands.

In Solidarity,

Karen Ackerman

MAINE LABOR UPDATE
April 2008
 
Please Forward to Working Families



FROM THE PRESIDENT'S DESK
Ed Gorham
President
Maine AFL-CIO

MASSIVE JOB LOSSES SHOW NEED FOR

BETTER UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE

The loss of tens of thousands of American jobs in the first three months of this year clearly showed the need for new measures to help American workers.

It also showed, as the Democratic candidates for President but not the Republican candidate recognized, the need for substantial permanent improvements in our system of unemployment insurance.

This is again one more strong indication of why workers in Maine and the nation need to strongly support the election of a Democratic candidate for President as well as electing candidates to Congress and the state legislature that will see reality and act to help workers.

Employers Slash Jobs
Employers slashed jobs for the third straight month in March and unemployment rose to a nearly three-year high, offering the latest signs that the economy has fallen into a recession.

This is no news to working families who have been feeling the economic pain for months. Polls show concern about the economy is now the top election issue.

By a wide margin -- 56% to 30% -- more Americans say the economy and health-care issues trump terrorism and social issues when it comes to casting their vote for president, according to the latest Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll.

The same poll finds that more Americans -- 50% to 37% -- would prefer that a Democrat occupy the White House.

Lose 80,000 Jobs

The Labor Department's much anticipated report, released Friday, showed a net loss of 80,000 jobs last month. That marks the third straight month that jobs have fallen - the longest period of decline since early 2003.

And if this was not bad enough the Labor Department new report also pegged job losses in January and February at 76,000 each month. Those revisions added an additional 67,000 job losses to previous readings.

"The revisions are the real surprise in the report," said John Silvia, chief economist for Wachovia. "If we had known it was anything like that, there would not have been any debate going on about whether we were in a recession. It's pretty stark."

Lose 232,000 Jobs
The Labor Department now estimates that the economy has shed 232,000 jobs in the first three months of this year. And even this is not the complete picture since a growing population means that the nation needs to add more than 100,000 new jobs monthly “just to stay in the same place.”

The net result is that, in just three months the nation is down more than a half million jobs.

The job losses were widespread, with the battered construction sector losing 51,000 jobs and manufacturing employment falling by 48,000. But there were also losses in key service sector industries. Retail employment dropped by 12,000 jobs, and business and professional service employers cut staff by 35,000.

For the Complete Labor Update>>>>>
 

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