www.goiam.org Tuesday, October 22, 2002 Economic Issues Drive Election Despite all the drum-beating and chest-thumping about regime changes in Iraq dominating the airwaves, next month’s mid-term election hinges on other issues. Even President George Bush acknowledged as much with a belated plan to hold down prescription drug prices in the face of rising discontent on that issue. With good reason, both the White House and the Republican Party would prefer to blur the lines on economic issues. Since President Bush took office two years ago, unemployment has risen, health care costs scored the biggest increase in more than 10 years, the number of Americans without health care is up 1.4 million, the poverty rate went up, household incomes fell for the first time in a decade. At the same time, both the S&P 500-stock index and the Dow Jones industrial average dropped 18 percent, the worst in 15 years, during the third quarter of this year. “Working families hold the key to which party controls Congress next year,” noted IP Tom Buffenbarger. “Our votes can make the difference in this election. Take a long hard look at the candidates and their voting records. See where they stand on protecting American jobs, protecting our retirement security, keeping our workplaces safe. Don’t be fooled by their campaign promises. Take a look at how they voted on issues that impact working families. We can make a difference.” To see how your lawmaker voted on issues of importance to working families, visit http://goiam.org/politics.asp. Just type in your zip code, click on "Issues & Legislation," then click on "Key Votes."
UPS Negotiations to Continue “We are determined to reach an agreement that fully addresses our members’ primary concerns: pay, pensions, and health benefits,” said Boysen Anderson, overall coordinator for the IAM team. “Obviously, these are also the most costly and difficult issues to resolve. We intend to reconvene as soon as possible to finish the job we started.” “I want to express my thanks to each member of this negotiating committee,” said Anderson. “We came together in the finest IAM tradition to bargain in a united, coordinated fashion. Ultimately, we will prevail.”
IAM Workers at Boeing Key to Legal Victory Despite being ordered by the Washington State Department of Labor to pay 100 percent of seven work-related hearing loss cases, Boeing appealed, arguing that hearing loss was a function of aging. The argument was rejected by the Board of Industrial Insurance Appeals, the lower court and ultimately, by the State Supreme Court. “A worker’s age is irrelevant to establishing the existence and extent of a worker’s disability,” wrote Washington Supreme Court Justice Charles Johnson in the unanimous decision. “These two machinists put a human face on a case that was quite technical, both legally and factually,” said Christine O. Gregoire, Attorney General of Washington State in an Oct. 3, 2002 letter commending their involvement. “Without the contributions of Mr. Heidy and Mr. McGraw, the case could have turned out very differently.”
Corporate Scandals
Cost USA $200 Billion
House Rejects Jobless
Pay Benefit
Congress Agrees on
‘Lame Duck’ Session
HPWO: Working Together Pays
IAM Shutterbugs Notch Honors The IAM Communications Department announced the winners of the 2002 Photography Contest. The top award went to LL 2061's Edward W. Griffith for his photo, Ready for Blastoff. LL 1426's Eric Waldon took second-place honors for Moving Along. Third place was a draw between LL 837b's Thomas Pinski with Loading a Missile Launcher, and LL 2458's Dave Francis with Par Kicker Maintenance. Four entries received honorable mention, including Fire in New Mexico (shown above) by Jozef J. Drozdowski from FL 2086. The 2003 IAM Calendar features the first, second and third place winners, as well as all of the honorable mentions. Preview the winning entries right now at: http://www.iamaw.org/publications/2002photocontest/winners.htm |