IAM International President William Winpisinger met with the Pope John Paul II at the Vatican in 1985 where they discussed world peace and problems facing workers all over the world.

Solidarity Pope Dies at 84

Pope John Paul II, the charismatic and endeared leader of the Roman Catholic Church, died Saturday at the age of 84. Born in Poland as Karol Wojtyla, John Paul II was elected in 1978 and was the first non-Italian pope in 455 years.

Regularly traveling around the world to meet with world leaders and reaching out to leaders of other religious faiths, John Paul II made himself more accessible to ordinary people and forever changed the role of the papacy.

John Paul II was also a champion of human rights and solidarity all over the world. Not only did he harshly condemn capitalism and its treatment of the poor, he also played an influential role in the fall of Communism in Russia.

The Pope’s support for the Solidarity trade union movement in Poland in the 1980s was a major factor in the country’s peaceful transition to democracy and the collapse of communism in the Soviet Union.

Strengthening the historical ties between labor and the religious community, then IAM International President William Winpisinger met with the Pope at the Vatican in 1985 where they discussed world peace and problems facing workers all over the world.

“William Winpisinger’s meeting with the Pope symbolized the strong support workers everywhere get from the religious community in their struggle for human rights and economic justice,” said IAM President R. Thomas Buffenbarger. “Catholics and non-Catholics alike have lost a strong voice for economic and social justice.”

Social Security Trust Fund is Secure

The latest government report on Social Security confirms the system is secure well into the future, disputing claims by President Bush and conservative business groups who say the system is headed for bankruptcy.

Trustees of the Social Security Trust Fund reported on March 23 that without changes to address long-term financing problems, the trust fund would be able to pay full benefits until 2041, and there would still be sufficient money coming in to cover 74 percent of benefits thereafter. The report also reflects a 12-year improvement in the outlook since 1997, when trustees projected a shortfall beginning in 2029.

President Bush wants to privatize Social Security by replacing Social Security’s guaranteed benefits with risky private accounts. The Bush plan would slash guaranteed benefits for young workers today by as much as $152,000 even for recipients who did not choose private accounts and saddle future generations with $4.9 trillion in new debt over the first 20 years.

The president’s plan also would worsen Social Security’s financing problems: Under Bush’s privatization plan, Social Security will run out of surplus revenues in 2030, 11 years earlier than now projected.

To help to protect Social Security, the IAM created the Social Security Action Center, where members can get the facts and learn why the president’s privatization scheme is drawing opposition from both Democrat and Republican lawmakers, as well as millions of union members.

IAM members at Richland Grant Telephone Co-Operative work as the marketing and sales force, office personnel, Internet tech specialists, and communication field workers.

First Agreement Telephone Co-Op

IAM District 121 reached a first agreement with Richland Grant Telephone Co-Operative (RGTC) following seven months of negotiations. The Telephone Co-op is in Blue River, Wisconsin and the newly organized members will belong to Local 1406 in Madison, Wisconsin.

“The workers were solid in their resolve to achieve a good contract with the employer,” said Business Representative Scott Thiede. Directing Business Representative Dan Hilbert said “BR Steve Thiede did a great job in building and keeping the trust of the employees at RGTC. From there, all we did was assist them in putting things down in writing for their contract.”

The members at RGTC work as the marketing and sales force, office personnel, Internet tech specialists, and communication field workers.

Wal-Mart Tries Damage Control

Wal-Mart scheduled an unprecedented two-day media conference today attempting to deal with controversial issues ranging from wide spread gender discrimination to child labor law violations. As part of efforts to improve its pariah-like image, Wal-Mart is hosting the media conference for 50 invited print journalists this week near company headquarters in Arkansas. Senior company officials, including CEO Lee Scott, will address reporters during the two-day conference.

“This is clearly, by Wal-Mart's own admission, a damage control tour,” said Christy Setzer, a spokeswoman at the AFL-CIO, at news conference sponsored by the AFL-CIO. Georgia state Rep. Nan Orrock, also speaking at the news conference said a 2002 study found more than 10,000 children of Wal-Mart employees were enrolled in the state's healthcare plan for low-income families, the most of any employer.
Wal-Mart has had very public legal problems, paying a fine to settle federal charges that underage workers operated dangerous machinery, and agreeing to pay $11 million to settle charges that its cleaning contractors used illegal immigrants. They are currently engaged in the largest class action lawsuit ever in the United States, for discrimination of its women workers.

District 9 Signs New Members

IAM District 9 recently organized four companies in the St. Louis Metro area bringing in new members into the IAM. Midwest Territory General Vice President James E. Brown praised District 9 Directing Business Representative Roger E. Poole and the district organizing staff saying, “We appreciate their hard work and wish them continued success in the future.”

After several months of negotiations, District 9 Organizer Mike Musgrove reached a first agreement with the management of Abrasive Sandblasting of St. Louis. The employees of Abrasive Sandblasting sandblast and re-finish a wide variety of components. The new members now enjoy union security, dues check off as well as a very good contribution to the pension plan.

At Mid-America airport in St. Clair County Illinois, new members received substantial pay increases as well as union security and dues check off with their first contract. Along with the pay increase, most of the employees received increases in their benefit package as well. The members are maintenance workers responsible for the day-to-day care of the facility.

Two automotive shops in District 9 also signed new agreements, Cavalier Body Shop, LLC and Schenk Enterprises Inc. Cavalier was acquired by one of our members when management attempted to close the doors in 2004. The members wanted to keep a union shop at the dealership and now look forward to many years of service. The Auto Technicians at Schenk added company paid healthcare and a pension plan to their agreement.

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