Supreme Court is Ground Zero for Nuclear Option

Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) holds petition with more than one million signatures from Americans opposed to GOP plan to pack the federal courts with right-wing judges.

More than one million signatures from Americans opposed to far-right judicial nominees were delivered this week to lawmakers in Washington D.C. during a rally on the steps of the U.S. Supreme Court.

Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) accepted the petition from representatives of the nation’s leading civil rights and civil liberties organizations who are sounding the alarm over threats by Republican leaders to invoke a rule change known as the “nuclear option.” The parliamentary gambit calls for Vice President Dick Cheney to declare filibusters are unconstitutional and illegal, a move that would eliminate the last meaningful opposition to President Bush’s most ideologically extreme judicial nominees.

Calling the fight to preserve an independent judiciary the most important battle in his twenty-three year career as an elected official, Sen. Reid warned that Republicans are seeking the power to name lifetime judges who are out of step with traditional American values. By eliminating the filibuster, President Bush and Senate Republicans could easily push through highly partisan judicial nominees, including as many as four Supreme Court nominees in the years ahead.

NLRB Rules for IAM at AutoNation

The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) once again ruled against Desert Toyota of Las Vegas, a dealership in the notoriously anti-union AutoNation family. The NLRB found that Desert Toyota unjustly disciplined two workers and ordered the dealership to give them their jobs back; pay for all lost earnings and benefits and restore their records. The two were strong union supporters during an IAM organizing campaign.

“These workers have had a long and tough battle for recognition, and have shown amazing determination and resiliency,” said Western Territory GVP Lee Pearson. “They shouldn't have to fight this hard for their rights, but with employers like this it is necessary.” Pearson credited the hard work and perseverance of the IAM staff, including GLRs Don Whitaker and Charles Toby for standing up to AutoNation and getting them to obey the law. “In addition, Dennis London of the Organizing department, as well as our research and legal staffs have been great. I'm proud of them all," said Pearson.

The NLRB also reaffirmed its order for the dealership to bargain in good faith with the IAM and required the dealer to post the NLRB Order showing that the dealership has been found guilty of violating numerous federal labor laws. Since May 2003, the Las Vegas AutoNation dealer was found guilty of 27 separate violations of federal labor law.

Desert Toyota is not alone in its refusal to take the legal system seriously. Another AutoNation dealership, Power Ford in Southern California, where auto technicians voted to join the IAM, tried similar tactics. The NLRB recently found merit to twelve separate charges filed by the IAM, and issued a complaint against Power Ford. A trial on the charges is scheduled to begin in late May.

IAM Legislative Dept. Holds Political Education Class

2005 Political Education Class.

More than 50 local and district lodge activists traveled to the IAM’s William W. Winpisinger Education and Technology Center in Southern Maryland for the union’s annual Political Education Seminar.

The class provides participants with insights into how state, local and national political campaigns are run and the impact of grassroots activism. Students also learn lobbying tips, communications skills and how to talk with the media and fellow members about politics. The current assault on unions, union members and collective bargaining rights by right wing extremists makes this year’s class especially relevant.

“The biggest mistake any union member could make today is to think that we should not be involved in politics,” said Mike Gilman of Local 2339C in Cleveland, OH. “Every member needs to understand how much they stand to lose if they remain on the sidelines; their job, their paycheck and their pension are all in the crosshairs. These fights are underway right now, and they’re going to be decided in the political arena.”

‘Pour a Cup of Union Made’

Coffee loving union members who want to put their money where their beliefs are can now purchase coffee that is union grown and union harvested. ShopUSAcoffee.com, a Hawaii-based company, is offering a line of premium coffees that proudly claims to be “100 percent American from Tree to Cup.”

“Our complete product line is grown, harvested, shipped and roasted all in the United States because we do not believe in outsourcing to or importing from other countries,” declares the company’s website. “Our Mission is to stimulate USA domestic economic growth by helping create jobs here in the United States.”

Coffee prices worldwide are notoriously unstable. According to Fair Trade Labeling Organizations International, coffee farmers sell only about 20 percent of their product at a fair trade price. The rest is sold at a much lower World Price, allowing increased profits for retailers, but squeezing farmers and pickers.

More and more Americans are finding online opportunities to shop for union-made products and services. In addition to union grown and union-harvested coffee at http://shopusacoffee.com, the AFL-CIO Union Label Department maintains a comprehensive listing of union-made products and services at www.unionlabel.org.

Southern Territory Welcomes New Members

District 96 in Savannah, GA is welcoming 17 aircraft maintenance technicians employed at Hunter Army Airfield into the IAM. “High health insurance costs and stagnant pay was the big issue for the workers,” said Directing Business Representative Wayne Wallace. “They had one pay raise in three years, yet their portion of health insurance keeps going up. They had heard from other aircraft maintenance workers around the country and contacted us. I’d like the thank Curtis Maglonico for his hard work organizing his fellow workers.”

The victory at Hunter is the latest in a string of recent wins this year for the Southern Territory, including 11 workers at General Dynamics Network systems at Tyndall AFB, FL, four workers at End to End Inc. in Elizabeth City, NC, 11 workers at Transmission Crafters, LTD in Albany GA, and nine workers at Yulista in Biloxi, MS.

“Unionization isn’t just for large facilities,” said Southern Territory GVP Bob Martinez. “Every worker deserves the respect, higher pay and benefits that an IAM contract brings. The IAM provides great representation for small groups as well as large. I want to welcome all our new members.”

New Economic Report Tracks Manufacturing Jobs

Starting with this month's report, the AFL-CIO Working for America Institute is changing the format of their popular monthly Economic Update. In addition to changes to the general data provided, the report now features an in-depth jobs analysis for the manufacturing sector and looks at employment trends for selected high-wage manufacturing industries. The changes are designed to help readers track what is happening to the country's best manufacturing jobs.

Last Call For Basic Web Development

Monday, April 11, 2005 is the cutoff day for applications to the June 12-17, 2005, Basic Web Development school at the Winpisinger Technology Center in Hollywood, Maryland. Those interested in attending the school, which provides all the tools needed to build or maintain a local or district lodge website should contact the IAM Communications Department immediately at 301-967-4520.

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