Tuesday, November 22, 2005

IAM Announces ‘Unforgivable Turkey’ Award

The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers applauds the spirit of forgiveness that regularly inspires U.S. presidents to “pardon” one turkey each year who would otherwise find holiday fame among gravy, relish and stuffing.

Beginning this year, the IAM will grant its own “Unforgivable Turkey” award to one deserving individual whose actions are so egregious and so offensive, that no amount of holiday spirit or good will can justify a pardon of any kind.

Despite a cornucopia of worthy candidates, this year’s award will go to Steven Miller, CEO of Delphi. Corp., for his eagerness to force 33,000 U.S. workers into poverty while setting aside $90 million in bonuses for himself and top executives at the bankrupt auto parts company.

“This is one turkey who deserves the axe,” said IP Tom Buffenbarger. “All the free market gravy in the world can’t cover this outrageous bid to destroy the livelihoods of Delphi workers and their neighbors.”

Miller typifies the yawning pay gap between corporate executives and the solidly middle class workforce at Delphi. A typical worker at Delphi would have to work a bit less than 189.8 years in order to make the $3.75 million that Delphi CEO Steve Miller earned in his first six months with the company.

Guide Dogs Annual Banquet Raises $1 Million

Guide Dogs of America (GDA), the Sylmar, CA-based foundation established with IAM donations in 1948, held its annual fundraising banquet on Nov. 19 in Las Vegas, NV.

In addition to raising more than $1 million to support GDA services, the event honored IP Tom Buffenbarger, Kelly Press President Kevin Kelly and K&R President Mark Egan with Gift of Sight Awards for their support of the non-profit foundation.

GDA selects, raises and trains puppies for use in the program as well as providing specially designed harness, individualized in-residence training and lifetime follow-up, at no cost, to more than 2,500 blind recipients.

Rally Highlights Boeing Strike Issues

IAM members in California joined with the Alliance for Retired Americans for a rally in Huntington Beach, CA to highlight the issues that drove nearly 1,500 Boeing workers in California, Alabama and Florida to the picket lines. 

The decision to strike followed a last best and final offer from Boeing that included steep takeaways in existing employee medical expenses and elimination of health care coverage for all new hires.

PBGC Reports $22.8 Billion Deficit

The Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC), the federal agency that insures the private pensions of 44 million workers, reported a deficit of $22.8 billion. Concern over the agencies financial footing is mounting since airlines in bankruptcy continue to dump liabilities.

In an annual report the PBGC states that as of Sept. 30 it had $56.5 billion in assets to cover $79.2 billion in pension liabilities.

The agency's executive director, Bradley D. Belt warned that the PBGC eventually will run out of money to pay the pension claims of the retirees of companies whose plans it has assumed unless there is a legislative overhaul of the private pension system.

Traditional employer-paid pension plans, giving retirees a fixed monthly amount based on a combination of salary and years of employment, are now estimated to be underfunded by $450 billion.

The figure represents an estimate of the total amount in benefits due to all current and future pension plan participants, and does not represent a shortfall currently due to pensioners.

Countdown to International Human Rights Day

Less than three weeks remain before what is shaping up to be the largest union mobilizations in decades. The week leading up to International Human Rights Day on Dec.10 will include events across the country and around the world aimed at restoring workers’ right to form and belong to a union of their choosing.

Solidarity on Display in Boeing Strike

Southern Territory GVP Bob Martinez visited picket lines this week established by members Local Lodge 1163 on strike at Boeing facilities in Cape Canaveral , Florida.

“I’m very proud of our members here at the Cape,” said GVP Martinez. “They are highly-skilled people, and no one else should be doing their very dangerous work. I would urge NASA to stop the work of all replacement workers until our member’s return, for the sake of the mission and everyone’s safety.”

IAM-represented technicians employed by Boeing at Cape Canaveral struck on November 2 after Boeing proposed massive concessions in health care for current and future employees. The same proposals led to a costly 4-week strike at Boeing’s Commercial Aircraft facilities in Kansas, Oregon and Washington.

Congress Weighs Tax Loopholes for Wealthy

Congressional lawmakers are currently debating legislation that would extend temporary tax concessions for capital gains and dividend income, a move that would primarily benefit the wealthiest 1 percent of Americans.

A November 18 Citizens for Tax Justice report finds extending the tax loopholes, which were enacted in 2003 and are set to expire in 2009, would result in the richest 1 percent of Americans, with an average income over $1 million, enjoying 53 percent of the tax breaks. Meanwhile, 78 percent of Americans would get no tax cut and an additional 10 percent would get less than $100.

“At a time when important public services for the poor are facing sharp reductions, it’s hard to believe that Congress could see more tax cuts for the rich as a priority,” said CTJ Director Robert S. McIntyre. “We can only hope that more sensible members of Congress will stop the misguided policy.”

Extending the tax breaks would also increase the already massive federal budget deficit by $31 billion in 2009 alone.

Did Oil Executives Commit Perjury?

Congressional Democrats are asking the U.S. attorney general to investigate whether the chief executives from some of the country’s top oil companies lied before Congress in a hearing last week when they claimed they did not participate in Vice President Dick Cheney’s energy task force.

In the hearing on record oil profits, executives from Exxon Mobil Corp., Conoco, Shell Oil Co. and BP America Inc. said they did not participate in Cheney’s 2001 task force, which issued a report calling on a broad plan very friendly to oil industry interests.

However, a White House document shows executives from these companies did, in fact, meet privately with Cheney aides who were involved in outlining the administration’s energy policy, according to a report by the Washington Post.

While most Americans had to cut back on various expenses to pay for gas topping $3 a gallon following Hurricane Katrina, the oil industry has seen record profits. Exxon Mobil Corp. recorded a $9.92 billion profit in just three months, up 75 percent from a year ago. ConocoPhillips, meanwhile, saw profits jump 89 percent from a year ago to $3.8 billion.