V40N3 | The Boilermaker Reporter

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Reporterthe Boilermaker Vol. 40 No. 3May • Jun 2001

The Official Publication of the InternationalBrotherhood of Boilermakers, Iron Ship

Builders, Blacksmiths, Forgers, andHelpers, AFL-CIO

Charles W. Jones, Editor-in-Chief

The State of our UnionA message to our members . . . . . 2Shaffer headsMississippi AFL-CIO . . . . . . . . . . 4Grievance handlingUsing past practices to win . . . . . 5

FTAAAnother road to the bottom . . . . . 7Rising TogetherOr drifting apart . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9SettlementsNew contract summaries . . . . 12

Saying goodbye toPage Groton and Bob Dameron 13

IN THESE PAGES

The 30th ConsolidatedConvention will makehistory in many waysWHEN DELEGATES to the Interna-tional Brotherhood of Boilermakers’30th Consolidated Convention come toorder on July 23 in Las Vegas, the meet-ing will mark the third century inwhich members of our union have beenrepresented in convention.

Boilermakers, and the other crafts werepresent, held their first conventionsin the 19th century. Not only the Boiler-makers union, but also the Blacksmiths,the Stove Workers, and the Metal Pol-ishers trace their roots back that far.

That we have managed to stay intactand represent our members for thislong is testimony to the wisdom ourfounding fathers had in creating aunion guided by a constitution, whichis reviewed and renewed at each con-vention by democratically-elected dele-gates representing all of our lodges.

Their job is not easy. As the supremebody of our union, the consolidatedconvention elects International officersand revises our constitution as neces-sary to keep up with changes withinour Brotherhood.

In order to make wise decisionsregarding these changes, delegatesmust be ready to represent the bestinterests of their own lodge, their ownindustry, and their own area.

But they must also be mindful of theneeds of members from other lodges,other industries, and other areas.

The consolidated convention is theonly meeting at which all areas, all

industries, and all lodges are repre-sented. In a few days’ time, delegatesdiscuss matters of immense impor-tance and make decisions that willguide this International Brotherhoodfor another five years.

It is a daunting task, but our dele-gates always rise to the occasion, andwhen the convention is over, we findour union stronger than ever — andready for another century of service. ❑

The 20 delegatespictured above attended the first convention of the National BoilerMakers and Helpers Protective and Benevolent Union in Chicago in 1881, a meetingthat could rightfully be called the first convention of our union. When they mergedwith the Atlanta-based National Brotherhood of Boiler Makers (below) in 1893, theInternational Brotherhood of Boilermakers was born.

Boilermakers’ first conventionin 21st century begins July 23

A look at past conventionsSOMETIMES RAUCOUS, sometimesquiet, but never dull, our Interna-tional’s 30-plus conventions have madea lot of Boilermaker history since 1881.

The Brotherhood has held “consoli-dated” conventions since two organi-zations consolidated (merged) to formour Brotherhood in 1893. They first metat a common convention in 1894. Just asthey do today, the earliest conventionspromoted solidarity and a sense of pur-pose among Boilermakers.

Chicago’s Local 1 was organized inJanuary 1880, and in October of thatyear, with eight other locals, formed theNational Boiler Makers and HelpersProtective and Benevolent Union. Theyheld their first convention in Chicago inAugust 1881. This organization is theearliest direct ancestor of our union.

Not much is known about this firstconvention, except that 20 menattended and elected Chicago organ-izer Thomas P. Dwyer as the group’sfirst president. He immediatelylaunched a successful organizing drivealong the Great Lakes and the easternseaboard.

In 1888, a second Boilermaker union,calling itself the National Brotherhoodof Boiler Makers, was formed, head-quartering itself in Atlanta. This broth-erhood held a convention every year

from 1889 to 1893, the year they votedto consolidate (merge) with theChicago-based brotherhood to formthe International Brotherhood of BoilerMakers and Iron Ship Builders.

On June 4, 1894, representatives of150 lodges met in Milwaukee, Wis., forthe first consolidated convention of thenew brotherhood. Since then, allimportant questions affecting theBrotherhood have been decided at aconsolidated convention.

Consolidated conventions were heldevery other year from 1894 through1914. Then they were held at three-yearintervals from 1914 through 1930, four-year intervals from 1930 through 1981,and every five years since. The reasonfor increasing the time between con-ventions has always been the same:conventions are expensive.

Even though the Brotherhood tookpains to economize, some years theresimply wasn’t enough money to hold aconvention. In theory, there shouldhave been seven conventions between1920 and 1944, but there were only five.The 1924 convention was postponedfor a year, the 1928 convention for twoyears, and the 1934 convention forthree. In each case it was because of thepressure of outside events on the Boil-ermakers’ financial position.

The devastating 1922 Railroad Shop-men’s strike and the Great Depressionwere especially important. Theyaffected other things besides conven-tion schedules. From 1930 to 1944, noone at International headquartersreceived a raise, including PresidentFranklin, because he felt there simplywas not enough money.

Considerations inside the Brother-hood have sometimes played a role inthe timing and location of conventions.The Atlanta brotherhood’s 1893 conven-tion, its last before the merger, was heldin Topeka, probably because Lee John-son’s local was there. Johnson was theAtlanta vice president who became theconsolidated union’s first president. The1898 consolidated convention wasalmost certainly held in Buffalo becauseJohn McNeil, who had become presi-dent the year before, had been a promi-nent member of Local 7.

The 1914 convention was held in SanFrancisco partly because a world’s fair,the 1915 Panama-Pacific Exposition,was being held there to celebrate theopening of the Panama Canal, whichBoilermakers had played a critical rolein building.

Builders used over 100 million boardfeet of lumber on the exposition, which

Continued on page 3

AS WE PREPARE for our Brother-hood’s 30th Consolidated Convention,our first convention of the new century,I can say with conviction that our unionis stronger than ever and more dedi-cated than ever to our mission — toensure for all of our members better liv-ing in a union environment.

Our proven leadership team and theentire International have been verybusy over the past five years, and wehave accomplished a great deal. I can-not possibly list all of our accomplish-ments in this small space, but I wouldlike to name a few.

Building the union

SINCE 1996, WE have chartered 45new local lodges representing workersin several industries, including indus-tries we had not represented before.

Thirty-one of those new lodges werechartered when the Metal Polishersunion merged with the Boilermakers inOctober 1996. The Metal Polishers haveplayed an important role in the labormovement for over 100 years, and weare proud to have them in our union.

In 1997, we added a new division foremergency medical care workers,which we call PEP — ProfessionalEMTs and Paramedics.

Two independent local unions in themanufacturing sector have chosen toaffiliate with the Boilermakers and wewelcome them into our union.

We have also organized new unitswithin existing lodges, and our in-plantorganizing program continues to bringin new members in those plants wherewe do not have a union security clause.

New work

IN ADDITION TOorganizing, wework hard to ensure our members cankeep working. Out West, ConstructionBoilermakers are building aqueductsbecause Intl. Vice President Don Lace-field took the initiative to make sure ourcontractors bid the work. At first it wasall going to other crafts, but Lacefield,who was an asst. to the Intl. president atthat time, knew we had a decision ofrecord awarding all aqueduct work toBoilermakers. He formed an alliancewith the Laborers union and convincedBoilermaker contractors to submit bids.Now Boilermakers are doing 90 per-cent of the aqueduct work in the West,work that is expected to be plentifulover the next 20 years.

The International is working to keepBoilermakers working in commercialand Navy shipyards. In 1997, Legisla-tive Director Ande Abbott helped get abill through Congress that made it pos-sible for Ingalls shipyard in Pascagoula,Miss., to win a contract for a cruise ship.Now shipyard Boilermakers fromLocal 693 are building the first cruiseship made in a U.S. shipyard in morethan 40 years.

Canadian Boilermakers are enjoyingmore work these days because we haveaggressively pursued work generatedby updates to accommodate the CleanAir Acts and development of oil andnatural gas fields. The Quality ControlCouncil of Canada, our joint venturewith the UA, has also been successful ingetting our members work.

In the U.S., our Boilermaker-Black-smith National Pension Trust invests inthe construction of new co-gen facilities,effectively using our own money togenerate more work for our members.

We also win contracts for ouremployers because of our innovativeMOST programs that reduce costs,improve productivity, and make theworkplace safer.

In 1998, the Construction InnovationForum, a consortium of constructioncontractors and customers, awardedtheir Nova award for innovation to ourMOST programs — the first time aunion has won this coveted award,which has been referred to as the NobelPrize of the construction industry.

The MOST programs earned thataward. Last year alone, Common Arcsaved the industry $90 million in weldtesting expenses, and since 1991, oursafety programs have helped us reducelost-time accidents by 90 percent, sav-ing more than $2 billion in associatedcosts and making our contractors morecompetitive.

MOST has also been successful ingetting DOL and INS approval forCanadian Boilermakers to work in theU.S. on a temporary basis, helping usman Boilermaker jobs at a time whenskilled manpower is at a premiumthroughout the U.S.

Contract negotiations

WE RECOGNIZE THAT our primaryfunction as a union is to make sure thatall of our members work under a strongcontract that gives them good wagesand benefits and protects their job.

Since 1996, Boilermaker lodges havesigned hundreds of new contracts pro-viding for increases in wages and bene-fits in excess of an estimated $1 billion.

Local lodges entering negotiationshave access to the resources of ourResearch and Collective BargainingServices Department, which can doresearch on individual companies aswell as entire industries, and on trendsin insurance and benefits bargaining.This department also provides trainingin understanding contract language.

Training and education

TRAINING IS ONE of our highest pri-orities, whether it is International staff,local lodge officers, stewards, or theapprentices who are the lifeblood ofour union. Good training and educa-tion are essential for good leadership.

Our International representativestravel to dozens of local lodges eachyear to provide training in the skillsnecessary to be a good steward or locallodge officer. Our industry conferencesalso include training sessions.

This August, the Brotherhood willhold our 44th annual summer seminarsat the School for Workers in Madison,Wis. These classes allow local lodgeleaders to study with our experiencedand knowledgeable International staffas well as members of the faculty of theUniversity of Wisconsin.

Our award-winning newspaper, theBoilermaker Reporter, provides educa-tional articles on handling the responsi-bilities of a union steward, as well asvaluable information on union activi-ties, legislation that affects Boilermak-ers and their families, safety and health,and many other topics. These articlesare archived on our web site so mem-bers will always have access to them.

And of course, our apprentice pro-gram is the backbone of our construc-tion division, teaching the skills andknowledge specific to the Boilermakerindustry. Since 1996, we have doubled

the number of new apprentices inden-tured and graduated, and each year theskill and knowledge levels of graduateapprentices seems to go higher. Ournational center has also increased thenumber of journeymen who have com-pleted our course in foreman training.

Members-only benefits

OUR BOILERMAKER-BlacksmithNational Pension Trust has announced19 different improvements since thelast convention. Now pensionersreceive benefits totaling 50 percent oftheir total lifetime contributions eachyear of their retirement. The retirementage for full benefits has been reduced to59 with 30 years of service.

The Boilermakers National Healthand Welfare Fund has also seen manyimprovements, most recently the addi-tion of a searchable online database list-ing participating health care providersin every area of the country (see the arti-cle on page 11). Boilermakers whosehealth care needs are met by this fundcan go to our web site and search forphysicians, hospitals, and clinics by zipcode, city, county, or state.

The Boilermakers National AnnuityTrust has grown at an annualized rateof 8.8 percent since 1988, far better thanmany well-known mutual funds. Since1996, the annuity fund has grown froma respectable $240 million to more thanhalf-a-billion dollars at the end of 2000.

Our Union Privilege benefit pro-grams continue to provide credit cards,mortgages, loans, legal insurance, den-tal plans, discounts, and many otherbenefits for our members.

Since 1996, we have awarded morethan $240,000 in college scholarships tochildren of Boilermaker members. Thatis nearly a quarter of a million dollarsawarded to Boilermaker families forone of our most important responsibili-ties — the education of our children.

Representing our members

ACROSS THE U.S. and Canada, Boiler-makers are leaders in the labor move-ment, representing our members onnumerous local, regional, and statebodies of the AFL-CIO, and membersof our International Executive Councilserve on many national and interna-tional labor committees.

Joe Maloney, a member of LocalLodge 128 in Toronto, Canada, waselected secretary-treasurer of the AFL-CIO’s Building and ConstructionTrades Department, the first Canadianever elected to this seat.

Lodges in the Great Lakes, Northeast,and Southeast areas of the United Stateshave formed the Great Lakes AreaIndustrial Council #1, the Pennsylvania“Keystone” Industrial Council, and theTennessee “Volunteers” IndustrialCouncil, respectively, to allow locallodges to pool their resources for train-ing, contract negotiations, and otheractivities that can seriously drain theresources of a single lodge.

Political action

WE KNOW THATwhatever we gain atthe bargaining table can be taken awayby governmental action, so we aredeeply involved in politics.

By informing our members on theissues, registering them to vote, and get-ting them to the polls on election day,we were able to take back some of theHouse seats that we lost to anti-workerRepublicans in 1994, driving Newt Gin-grich not only out of the speaker’s chair,but out of Congress entirely.

We have defeated numerous billsthat were bad for our members andworking families, including fast-trackauthority to expand NAFTA, paycheckdeception bills, a bill to end the 40-hourweek, and the TEAM Act to legalizecompany-dominated unions.

We were also able to pass many billsthat help workers, including mostrecently the reform of Section 415 of theIRS code (see page six).

Canadian Boilermakers held theirfirst Legislative Education Action Pro-gram conference in 1997, a giant stepinto political action that is alreadyshowing results.

Our political action has helped electmany of our members to office, such asHugh MacDonald, a member of Lodge146 in Edmonton, who serves in theAlberta Legislative Assembly, andHarry Clark, a retired Boilermakerfrom Local 627 in Phoenix, Ariz., whowas elected to the Arizona legislaturein 1993 and served through 2000.

Looking to the future

THIS LIST HARDLY scratches the sur-face of what we’ve accomplished in thepast five years, and we will accomplishmore in the coming five.

As union leaders, we must alwaysremember that the only reason for theexistence of any union, including theBoilermakers union, is to serve theinterest of its members and their fami-lies. Using that principle to guide us,we will be able to take the actions neces-sary to serve our members well. ❑

C O N V E N T I O N M E S S A G E

the Boilermaker Reporter2 May • Jun 2001


Reporterthe Boilermaker The Boilermaker Reporter is the official publi-cation of the International Brotherhood ofBoilermakers, Iron Ship Builders, Blacksmiths,Forgers, and Helpers, AFL-CIO. It is publishedbimonthly to disseminate information of useand interest to its members. Submissions frommembers, local lodges, and subordinate oraffiliated bodies are welcomed andencouraged. This publication is mailed freeof charge to active members and retiredmembers holding a Retired Members Card.Others may subscribe for the price of $10 forthree years. Standard Mail (A) postage paidat Kansas City, Kan., and additional mailingoffices. ISSN No. 1078-4101.

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to:

The Boilermaker Reporter753 State Avenue, Suite 565Kansas City, KS 66101(913) 371-2640; FAX (913) 281-8104

Web sites: IBB.workingfamilies.com and www.boilermakers.org

PUBLICATION AGREEMENT No. 1475908

Printed in the USA

A prize-winning newspaper

May • Jun 2001 Vol. 40 No. 3

Charles W. Jones, International President and Editor-in-Chief

Jerry Z. Willburn,Intl. Secretary-Treasurer

International Vice PresidentsLawrence McManamon, Great LakesMichael S. Murphy, Northeast

Newton B. Jones, Southeast George Rogers, Central

Don Lacefield, Western States

Richard Albright, Western CanadaAlexander MacDonald, Eastern Canada

Jim Hickenbotham, At-LargeOthal Smith Jr., At-Large

Editorial staffDonald Caswell, Managing Editor

Carol Dillon, Asst. to the Managing Editor

The State of Our UnionA Message to All Members of the International Brotherhood ofBoilermakers, Iron Ship Builders, Blacksmiths, Forgers, and Helpers

Charles W. JonesInternational President

covered 76 city blocks in what is nowSan Francisco’s marina district. Eventhough World War I was raging inEurope, every state and every Euro-pean nation had an exhibition.

It took three years to build, and thebuildings were designed to last only ayear and then be torn down after thefair. Almost every one of them did gettorn down, including the centerpiecebuilding, the 43-story Tower of Jewels.

The Boilermakers got to town in thesummer of 1914, and there was plentyto enjoy. The fair’s program stated that“a trip to the Panama-Pacific Interna-tional Exposition not only affords edu-cational advantages equal to a

university course, but is the vacationopportunity of a lifetime.”

The 1920 convention in Kansas Citywas cut short because of fears of theSpanish flu epidemic, which had killedmore people around the world thanwere killed in World War I. It was anurgent consideration because this con-vention was the Brotherhood’s largestby far up to that time. Boilermakerranks in the shipbuilding industry hadswelled during World War I, and over700 lodges were represented. PresidentFranklin caught this deadly diseaseafter the convention, but he recovered.

In 1929, Franklin faced a differentkind of problem. He became the first(and only) International president to beremoved from office by the ExecutiveCouncil. But his exile did not last long.At the 1930 convention, delegates votedhim back into office, and he served untilvoluntarily retiring in 1944.

From 1917 to 1944, all Boilermakerconventions were held in Kansas City,mainly to save money. Being centrallylocated, Kansas City is easy to get to,and delegates could make use of theoffices of International headquarters,which was only a few blocks away.

Since 1944, the convention has beenheld at many locations around the U.S.and Canada, such as Montreal (1949),Denver (1973), and Vancouver (1977).

Boilermakers attending the 21st Con-solidated Convention in Long Beach in1961, had a special experience in Ana-heim. Because Boilermaker weldershad played such a large part in buildingDisneyland, the company gave everydelegate a free pass to visit the world’sfirst theme park. The convention wasadjourned for half a day, and conven-

tion-goers were ferried to the park infleets of buses.

In 1973, the International invitedUnited States Vice President SpiroAgnew to address the convention. Lit-tle did they know what that wouldentail. Although Agnew wasn’t sched-uled to speak until evening, the SecretService shut the convention down atnoon so they could search for weaponsand bombs.

Conventions are always an excitingtime. Although there is a great deal ofwork to be done, Boilermakers havealways delighted in each other’s com-pany. The consolidated convention isthe only meeting of our Brotherhood towhich every lodge sends a delegate. Inaddition to the work they do on theconvention floor, delegates are able tospeak with each other informally andcompare notes on organizing,employer relations, contract negotiat-ing, and whatever else comes to mind.

No doubt this convention will createmany memories for the delegates whoattend, and they will accomplish muchimportant work.

We tend to think of history as eventsthat occurred long ago, but history ismerely a record of what people havedone. Delegates to the 30th Consoli-dated Convention of the Boilermakersunion will be creating the latest ofmany chapters in our union’s history.

We can be confident that they willserve all our members well, and thatfuture Boilermakers will look back onthis convention as one where ourBrotherhood was strong, our decisionswise, and our actions brought honor tothe delegates who were there. ❑

This retrospective was written by JohnHeuertz, who has been hired to write a his-tory of the Boilermakers union, which willbe published by the Boilermakers archives.The writing and printing of this book will bepaid for through donations.

For information on how you can con-tribute money or historical items to this proj-ect, visit the Boilermakers web site athttp://www.boilermakers.org, or phoneDonald Caswell at 913-371-2640.


30T H CO N S O L I D A T E D CO N V E N T I O N


The 1914 Consolidated Convention was held in San Francisco so delegates couldattend the Panama-Pacific Exposition honoring the completion of the PanamaCanal, which Boilermakers helped build. The 43-story Tower of Jewels (above)was built for the exposition, as were the numerous “palaces” pictured below withthe Golden Gate Bridge in the background. Builders used over 100 million boardfeet of lumber to construct the exposition structures. When the fair ended, all ofthem were torn down, except for the Palace of Fine Arts, which still stands today.

Women Boilermakers became an important part of our workforce and our unionduring World War II, particularly in the nation’s shipyards. By the 1951 convention,women were an integral part of our union and served as convention delegates.

Joseph Franklin served more years asInternational president (36 years, from1908 to 1944) and attended moreconventions as president (ten) thanany other president to date. In 1908, Nicholas Quesnel, of Local 128

in Toronto, became the first Internationalvice president elected by a conventionto represent Boilermakers in Canada.

From 1917 to 1944, all Boilermaker conventions were held in Kansas City, many ofthem in the Hotel Baltimore, pictured above from the 1925 convention.

Ready for the barbecue — Intl. Sec.-Treas. Homer Patton (left) and Intl.President William Calvin acceptaprons from Aileen Hernandez of theIntl. Ladies Garment Workers Union.

Continued from page 1

A look at past conventions

Awards also honor Local2000 membersMETRO MACHINE of Pennsylvania,Inc. has earned recognition from Penn-sylvania Governor Tim Ridge forimproving the quality of life withintheir local community.

On October 19, 2000, Labor andIndustry Secretary Johnny Butler pre-sented one state award, one veteran’saward, and ten regional awards for out-standing accomplishments in creatingjobs for Pennsylvania workers. MetroMachine received the state’s Job Creatorfor Veterans award and the Job CreatorAward for the Southeast Region.

Metro was selected by the Pennsyl-vania Department of Labor and Indus-try, and the more than 5,000 employersof the Employer Advisory Council, fortheir outstanding accomplishment injob creation, human resource practices,and service to the community. In 2000,Metro hired 208 employee-owners;over 70 of these workers are veterans.

Metro works closely with both thePhiladelphia and Chester Job Centers torecruit workers for Navy ship repairand Navy ship dismantling. Local 2000,Chester, Pa., has been the exclusive bar-gaining agent for Metro Machine work-ers since September 1994. ❑

Pennsylvania Labor and IndustrySecretary Johnny Butler, center, presentsjob creation awards to Metro MachinePersonnel Manager Kristen Goldbachand Local 2000 BM-ST Phil Evans.

ROBERT SHAFFER, a 32-year mem-ber of Local 903, West Point, Miss., hasbeen sworn in as president of theMississippi State AFL-CIO, effectiveJune 1, 2001.

Shaffer will finish the remaining 12-month term of retiring president, NeilFowler. Prior to becoming president,Shaffer served since 1984 as the stateAFL-CIO’s executive vice president.

Shaffer has been an employee of theBabcock & Wilcox manufacturingplant since 1969, and has served as theLocal 903 president since 1984. In1988, he took over management of theBabcock & Wilcox Employees FederalCredit Union, where assets havegrown to over $6 million and the cred-it union has consistently earned anumber one financial rating.

A staunch trade unionist, Shaffer isa firm believer in 100 percent unionmembership. His organizing effortshave resulted in Babcock & Wilcoxbecoming the largest 100 percentunion shop in a right-to-work state.

Shaffer plans to use his organizingskills to increase local union affilia-tion for the state AFL-CIO. In hisfirst official function as state AFL-CIO president, Shaffer addressedmembers attending a picnic spon-sored by Boilermakers Local S251,Middleton, Tenn. Shaffer not onlyencouraged the members to organizetheir coworkers, but also got thelocal to become an affiliate of theMississippi State AFL-CIO for itsmembers working in Mississippi.

Shaffer’s successful efforts to keep theparent company from closing the WestPoint Babcock & Wilcox facility willalso help him in his new role as stateAFL-CIO president. An affiliate lodgehas already approached him for help inkeeping their plant from closing.

The Mississippi State AFL-CIO rep-resents approximately 69,000 mem-bers. With Shaffer in the president’sseat, those numbers are already start-ing to grow. ❑


N E W S M A K E R S


Joining Robert Shaffer, second from left, at his swearing-in ceremony as presidentof the Mississippi State AFL-CIO, are, l. to r., Local 903 chief steward J. T. Rhea, Intl.Rep. Warren Fairley, and AFL-CIO Mississippi State Coordinator Jim Evans.

Building tanks for the Morse Construction Group, are, l. to r., foreman Ray Peit ofLocal 502, Tacoma, Wash.; Dick Lockyer and asst. foreman Ron “Skip” Holt ofLocal 182, Salt Lake City, Utah; and Cliff Aken of Local 204, Honolulu, Hawaii.

Local 903 president to use his organizing andnegotiating skills to benefit workers all across the state

Tank builders go to Guam

A SLOGAN AT THE Anderson AirForce Base in Guam reads, “WhereAmerica’s Day Begins.” Now that Boil-ermakers have built two jet fuel tanks atthe base, crew member Dick Lockyer,of Local 182, Salt Lake City, Utah, hasmade a slight addition to the slogan:“so does the union tank builder.”

Lockyer sent these photos of theirwork at the base, along with a note thatBoilermaker welders are holding theirown against nonunion tank outfits.Working for the Morse ConstructionGroup, this Boilermaker crew built two40-foot by 50-foot jet fuel tanks.

“We finished both tanks on time,without any injuries, and the client wasvery happy,” said Lockyer. “We had asmall crew and still done good!”

Working with Lockyer on the projectwere foreman Ray Peit of Local 502,

Tacoma, Wash.; asst. foreman Ron“Skip” Holt of Local 182; and Cliff Akenof Local 204, Honolulu, Hawaii. ❑

Boilermakers are building jet fuel tanks atthe Anderson Air Force Base in Guam.

L-667 members will help build$350 million power plantPanda Energy to employover 800 union workersWEST VIRGINIA Governor Bob Wisehas good news for his state and thelabor movement. Panda Energy Inter-national will use local union workers tobuild its $350 million power plant inCabell County.

Building the 1100-megawatt basepower plant will create 800 to 1,000construction jobs for 18 to 20 months.

This is great news for the membersof Local 667, Charleston, W.Va., saidBM-ST George Pinkerman. “The plantwill put a lot of our members to workand keep them close to home. This isan example of what ACT, the buildingtrades, and the governor can do whenthey come together to create some-thing positive.”

Gov. Wise joined Panda Energy Pres-ident Todd Carter and Steve Burton,bus. mgr. of the Tri-State Building

Trades Council and president of theWest Virginia State Building TradesCouncil, in making the announcementon May 7.

The project should start in June withthe expansion of AEP’s substation at thesite. Plant construction should begin inthe fall, which includes building a 16-mile pipeline to the Kanawha River toget the nine-million gallons of waterneeded each day to operate the plant.

Panda is the first of three majorpower plant projects slated for WestVirginia. A number of smaller 300-megawatt peaker units are alreadyunder construction. Unlike other out-of-state power companies coming toWest Virginia, Panda Energy did notrequest any property tax breaks.

Burton said Panda is setting a stan-dard for other power companies byproviding local jobs for local workersand infusing $3 million-plus each yearinto the Cabell County school system. ❑

Shaffer is president ofthe Mississippi AFL-CIO

Metro Machine earnsjob creation awards

IF YOU WERE on a certain mailing list,late last year you’d have received animportant-looking letter with SenatorBob Smith (R-NH) listed on the returnaddress. Because it came in the holidayseason, you might have mistaken it fora solicitation from a charity.

This letter asked for money, all right,but the cause was no charity. Bob Smithwas lending his name to fund-raisingefforts of the National Right-to-WorkFoundation, a consortium of business-men dedicated to destroying unions.

Smith isn’t the only senator workingto drive down wages for Americanworkers. On June 18, several Republi-can senators met with representativesof 60 business groups, anti-union cor-porate executives, and lobbyists inWashington, D.C., at a reception anddinner to raise money for the so-calledright-to-work initiative in Oklahoma.

Outside the posh fund-raiser, spon-sored by the U.S. Chamber of Com-merce and Sen. Don Nickles (R-OK),more than 200 working family activistspicketed and protested. Protestors

showered Sen. Nickles with boos andcries of “shame, shame!” as he crossedthe picket line. Nickles earned a zero onworking family issues in his AFL-CIOvoting record in 2000, and regularlycampaigns against unions.

Rep. Major Owens (D-NY) showedhis support for working families bymarching with the activists, and whenRep. Dale Kildee (D-MI), on his way toanother function, stopped to learnwhat was going on, he smiled andwaved a protest sign over his head.

“Right to Work for Less” lawsweaken unions and depress pay byallowing some workers to enjoy union-negotiated wages and benefits withoutpaying their share of the costs. Accord-ing to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statis-tics, workers who live in states withRight to Work for Less laws earn anaverage of nearly $5,000 less a year thanworkers elsewhere.

Learn about our efforts to stop right-to-work in Oklahoma and other issuesat the Boilermaker’s LEAP web site:http://capwiz.com/boilermaker/home/

Look who’s promotingright-to-work-for-less laws


E D U C A T I O N & T R A I N I N G


ONE HUNDRED twenty-five mem-bers of five Canadian lodges attendedspecial training sessions in February.Each two-day program devoted oneday to construction jurisdiction and one

day to duties of the steward. Intl. Rep.Dwight Harris and Local 359 Asst. Bus.Mgr. Bob Banish conducted the jurisdic-tion sessions. Len Beauchamp, directorof the Boilermakers’ Research and Col-

lective Bargaining Services Depart-ment, conducted the steward training,covering such topics as collective bar-gaining agreements and effective griev-ance handling. Seminars were heldFebruary 3-4 at Local 146 in Edmonton,

Alberta; February 5-6 at Local 532 inRegina, Saskatchewan; February 7-8 atLocal 555 in Winnipeg, Manitoba; Feb-ruary 9-10 at Local 359 in Vancouver,British Columbia; and February 11-12for Local 359 members at Nanaimo. ❑

The two-day education programs, like this one at Local 555 in Winnipeg,Manitoba, split training time between steward duties and construction jurisdiction.

These members attend the first of five training seminars in Canada, at Local 146 inEdmonton, Alberta, on February 3-4, 2001.

Canadian members attend seminars

Shop and construction members of five lodges inCanada participate in steward, jurisdiction training

Using past practice towin grievancesMOST GRIEVANCES are based on aviolation of the contract, but no contractcan cover every minute detail of whatoccurs on the job. On the job, proce-dures and practices are often workedout between the supervisors and theworkers verbally, and nothing evergets into the contract.

These unwritten agreements andstanding policies give rise to the term“custom and practice,” or what wemore often call “past practice.”

Using a past practice as grounds for agrievance is not always easy. Here aresome guidelines for determiningwhether something is a past practice.

First, the practice itself must beunambiguous and easy to understand.If the member can’t explain the practiceto you, or if he says they do it one waysometimes and another way othertimes, the actual practice may not beclear enough to win the grievance.

Second, find out how the practicebegan. It helps if you can show that thepractice was decided jointly. If manage-ment can show they instituted it withno input from the workers or the union,then it will most likely be treated as acompany policy, not a past practice.

If workers started the practice with-out consulting management, you’llneed to show that management knewabout it and made no attempt to elimi-nate it. Arbitrators often say the com-pany should wait until the contract isopened to change an ongoing practice.

Third, you’ll need to be able to showthat the practice continued in a singleform over a period of time. Previousgrievances based on the practice aregood, even if they were handled in thefirst step. If the practice is very new, itprobably won’t carry, and if it has beenhandled inconsistently, you don’t havea good argument.

Fourth, the practice must not conflictwith the law, nor encourage unsafebehavior. No arbitrator will let you con-tinue such a practice no matter howlong you’ve been getting away with it.

Fifth, if the underlying reason for thepractice is gone, then the employer caneliminate it. For example, if the com-pany builds a break room, they can jus-tify stopping the practice of allowingyou to take your break off-premises.

Sixth, the practice should give yourmembers a clear benefit. If you cannotshow that it benefits your member(s),the arbitrator may feel the grievance isfrivolous. Of course, “benefit” is a sub-jective term.

The other side of that coin is that if thepractice causes no inconvenience orexpense to the employer, the arbitratoris likely to rule in your favor.

On many jobs, past practices accountfor a large number of grievances, andall stewards can benefit from learningabout them.

Many contracts include a clause stat-ing that specific past practices must becontinued. This clause can sometimes beused to argue that other practices shouldbe continued, even if they are not specif-ically mentioned in the contract.

Your grievance is always on moresolid ground when you can tie it to thecontract, even if it’s just the generalclause giving you the right to bargainfor wages and working conditions. ❑

Nominate Your Star Steward!

WE HAVEN’T BEEN getting manynominations for Star Steward. That’snot right. Stewards work hard for youand rarely get thanked. Show them youcare. Nominate your favorite steward.Send nominations to:

The Boilermaker Reporter753 State Avenue, Suite 570Kansas City KS 66101

Grievance Handling

But we’ve always done it that way!

A UNION’S STRENGTH can befound in its members. The better edu-cated those members, the stronger theunion. So when it comes time torecruit new members, there’s no betterplace to start than in the classroom,especially if that classroom is a two-year welding program.

Intl. Rep. Dick Hardin visited such aclass on May 1, at Goose Creek ISD inBaytown, Texas, where former Local211 Pipefitter T. W. Mask teaches atwo-year welding class to high schooljuniors and seniors. His industrialtechnology class covers arc, MIG, andTIG welding on plate and pipe.

Hardin spoke with students aboutthe Boilermakers’ apprenticeship pro-gram. Each year, the school graduates

about 30 students who are interestedin pursuing a career in the construc-tion industry. ❑

Attendees of a Local 158 steward training program include, l. to r., Robert Smith,Dave Turner, Jim Dolan, Mike Farmer, L-158 Pres. Kevin Kocher, Dave Deline, LarryHale, Kevin Baldwin, Bill Gast, Ron Adkinson, and Dave Gullette.

Recruitment starts atthe high school level

Intl. Rep. Dick Hardin, at left, joins highschool instructor T.W. Mask at an indus-trial technology class in Baytown, Texas.

Local 158 membersattend steward training

INTL. REP. HOWARD COLEcon-ducted a one-day steward-trainingseminar, January 26, 2001, for membersof Local 158, Peoria, Ill.

Class topics included discussion ofthe local lodge by-laws and collectivebargaining agreement, effective

grievance handling, and duties of aunion steward.

Cole said attendees called the semi-nar “a learning experience,” finding thediscussions beneficial to their role asunion leaders. ❑

Stop HR 877 — asham training billTHREE REPRESENTATIVES haverealized that HR 877, the so-calledSkilled Workforce Enhancement Act, isa sham. This bill purports to promoteand reward excellence in training pro-grams, but as written it would notguarantee skilled training efforts andcould result in federal tax credits goingto sham training programs in a waste-ful and unaccountable manner.

Al Wynn (D-MD), Bob Clement (D-TN), and Jim Saxton (R-NJ) havepledged to withdraw their co-sponsor-ship of the bill. Far from enhancing ourskilled workforce, this bill could actu-ally undermine the strict training stan-dards long maintained by programscertified by the Bureau of Apprenticesand Training.

It would reward uncertified, lowquality programs delivering unaccred-ited instruction of little lasting value toworkers.

America needs high-quality trainingprograms like the Boilermakersapprentice program. We don’t need taxcredits for bad training programs.

Please continue to call your repre-sentatives and urge them not to sup-port HR 877. Your efforts have alreadypaid off! Keep up the good work!

To find out if your representative is aco-sponsor, go to the LEAP web site:http://capwiz.com/boilermaker/


L E A P I S S U E S


CITING HIGH gasoline prices and out-ages in California, President Bush hasdeclared the nation to be in an “energycrisis,” and says the only remedy isimmediate government action to stim-ulate production by rolling back envi-ronmental regulations and increasingsubsidies to energy producers.

But it’s hard to find anyone outside ofWashington who agrees with him thatwe’re in a crisis, and his plan seems likejust another windfall for oil companies.

While consumers were paying highprices at the pumps this spring, profitsfor the five largest oil producers in theU.S. rose nearly 40 percent.

These five companies — Exxon-Mobil, Chevron-Texaco, BP Amoco-Arco, Phillips-Tosco, and Marathon —control more than two-fifths of domes-tic production, nearly half of thedomestic refining, and more thanthree-fifths of the domestic retail mar-ket. And they produce more oil thanSaudi Arabia, Kuwait, and Yemencombined.

Since the announcement or enact-ment of the four largest domestic oilmergers in 1999 and 2000, after-taxprofits for the top five companies haverisen 146 percent, from $16 billion in1999, to nearly $40 billion in 2000,according to a Public Citizenreport.

Oil producers have been getting bil-lions of dollars in subsidies for 75 years,and a new subsidy promises to doubletheir total subsidies over the next fiveyears. By 2006, oil companies areexpected to reap more than $1.2 trillionin tax reductions — a figure equal to thetotal amount spent by all state and localgovernments in 2000.

Meanwhile, the shortages that arecausing these price hikes are alreadydisappearing without governmentintervention because of a basic premiseof economics that the Bush Administra-tion seems to have forgotten: nobodypasses up a chance to make big profits.As one oil executive put it, “Prices goup, and we start drilling.”

Jay Hakes, until recently the directorof the Energy Information Administra-tion in Washington, says the only rea-son prices rose in the first place wasderegulation.

“Washington seems bereft of solu-tions to the real energy problem,”Hakes said. “Deregulation.”

With no guaranteed sales, energycompanies did not want to risk theexpense of expanding production.Now that prices are back up, they’reexpanding with a vengeance.

Power companies plan to add 92,000megawatts of electricity generatingcapacity in the next 18 months, enoughto power 90 million homes — andenough to drive prices back down. ❑

Sweatshopsare all over Your favorite brands maybe made with child labor THE NEXT TIME you buy a blousemade in Bangladesh, or pants madein China, or a shirt from Mexico, askyourself how much more you wouldbe willing to pay to ensure that thepeople who made the item you arepurchasing received a livable wage.

Ten cents? A quarter? Fifty cents? That’s how much the average tex-

tile worker makes per hourin each ofthose countries, respectively.

Workers can sew a lot more thanone item per hour, so the companiesselling these items could easily dou-ble or triple their workers’ wagessimply by adding a dime, a quarter,or a half-dollar to the price you pay— and still have change left over tostuff in their own pockets.

Yet when multinational corpora-tions sat down to discuss the FTAAin Quebec in March, they said theycouldn’t promise to abide by mini-mum labor standards because thatwould make doing business in third-world countries too expensive.

Requiring countries to enact lawsthat protect children from oppressivework conditions is too expensive.

Asking supervisors at Wal-Mart’sQin Shi Handbag factory to stop thepractice of beating workers whoarrive late is too expensive.

Compelling Stride-Rite to use anontoxic glue in their Kunshan SunHwa Footwear plant so the 16-year-old girls who apply it by hand won’tbe poisoned is too expensive.

Companies that raise theirstandards still show a profit

THE TONG YANG Indonesia shoefactory made the same argument afew years ago when consumers com-plained about the working condi-tions at the factory that makesReebok shoes

But in order to keep Reebok’s busi-ness, they spent $2 million of their$100 million annual income to movefrom a toluene-based glue to a water-based glue and add ventilationequipment.

The owner, Jung Moo Young, wassurprised to learn that workers weremore productive when they didn’tbreathe toluene all day. The changepaid off for him and for the workers.

Yet Young still keeps wages low.The labor involved in making aReebok shoe amounts to about a dol-lar, but Jung refuses to raise wages,saying that if he does so, some othercompany will get Reebok’s business.

He’s probably right. Despitehighly-publicized policies requiringtheir suppliers to meet minimumstandards for treatment of workers,most corporations turn a blind eye toabuses unless the public finds out.

In a recent court case in AmericanSamoa, 250 Vietnamese women gar-ment workers sued their employer,Daewoosa Samoa, a garment sup-plier to J.C. Penney, Sears, MV Sport,and other retailers, for operating asweatshop and abusing the women.

The women had paid up to $5,000each for the opportunity of workingin an American factory, but Dae-woosa treated them like slaves, keep-ing them locked in their quarters andbeating them when they objected.

Only after their case got world-wide media attention did these com-panies offer to help them out.

$1,400

$1,200

$1,000

$800

$600

$400

$200

0

1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006FISCAL YEAR

Enhanced Recovery Credit

Depletion Allowance

Tax-based Subsidies of Oil IndustryIn Billions of Dollars

SOURCE:“Weekly Snapshot” of the Economic Policy Institute (EPI),May 23,2001, EPIeconomist Max B. Sawicky.

Bush energy plan misses target

The oil industry has benefited from corporate welfare for 75 years, when the oildepletion allowance was adopted. The more recent enhanced recovery creditpromises to double the cost to taxpayers of oil subsidies over the next five years.

Section 415 no longerunfairly limits retirees onmulti-employer pensionsBOILERMAKERS CAN NOW retireconfident that they will receive all ofthe benefits guaranteed by their multi-employer pension plan. An amend-ment to HR 1836, the Bush tax cut, fixesSection 415 of the Internal RevenueCode, which limits the amount a retireecan receive in benefits from a multi-employer plan, regardless of what theplan guarantees in benefits.

The reform measure raises the dollarlimit to $160,000 at age 62, eliminatesthe rule that benefits cannot exceed theaverage of the pensioner’s highest threeconsecutive income years, and raisesthe limit on annual contributions to 100percent of wages from 25 percent.

These and other reforms will affectmany construction Boilermakers.

The 415 relief will take effect on Janu-ary 1, 2002. For people who havealready retired, the person’s benefitswill be recalculated, as of the date ofretirement, using the new limits. Thehigher benefit will then go into pay sta-tus, starting January 1, 2002. It will notbe retroactive.

Grassroots action gets it done

INTERNATIONAL President CharlesW. Jones thanked politically-activeBoilermaker members for making pas-sage of pension reform possible.

“With your help we were able toinclude language reforming Section415 in the tax bill. We are thankful thatCongress included our provision toallow workers to receive their full pen-sion benefits,” said Jones. “For toomany years, workers have been

deprived of the pensions that they haveearned because Section 415 unfairlyoverrode the benefit rates defined bytheir multi-employer plans, oftendecreasing retirees’ pension benefitswell below what was negotiated.

“We struggled for five years to raisethis issue’s profile on Capitol Hill. Nowworkers will no longer be subject tounfair Section 415 restrictions whenreceiving their pensions. This is anenormous victory. Our ability to workwith members of Congress on bothsides of the aisle was key. Workers willnow get the full pension they have beencounting on for retirement.”

Success came because labor was ableto work with members of both partiesto craft reform language that congress-men in both parties could support.

In the Senate Finance Committee,Chairman Charles Grassley (R-IA) andRanking Minority Senator Max Baucus(D-MT) were extremely helpful inincluding Section 415 relief in the billand protecting it from being strippedout in the final days of negotiations.

All of our members who contactedtheir members of Congress urgingthem to support passage of a completeSection 415 fix are to be commended fortheir work. Our action got results. ❑

Pension reform becomes law

Wall Street will spend $20million to sell privatizationA GROUP OF financial-service firmshas created the Coalition for AmericanFinancial Security, which plans tolaunch a $20 million advertising cam-paign promoting Bush’s privatizationplan, according to theWall Street Journal.

The financial service industry has alot to gain from privatization. The Cen-ter on Budget and Policy Priorities esti-mated that if only two percentagepoints of Social Security’s 12.4 percentpayroll tax were diverted into privateaccounts, that would give Wall Street$86 billion to play with, generatingsome hefty commissions.

The coalition will aim their pitchmainly to blacks and minorities,groups they believe will be vulnerableto exaggerated claims of returns fromstock ownership because historicallythey have not invested in the market.

For at least six years, the Americanpublic has been bombarded with disin-

formation about the Social Security sys-tem. Many otherwise responsiblenewspapers and magazines now print,as though they were fact, statementsabout Social Security that are politicallymotivated and not supported by eco-nomics or history.

For example, many make referenceto Social Security’s crisis, even thoughit is progressing in exactly the way theGreenspan Commission anticipated in1986, and has enough money to pay allbenefits until about 2038.

Others speak about the huge burdenplaced on the funds by our aging popu-lation in the future, even though costs(as a percentage of GDP) are projectedto rise more slowly over the next 20years than they did from 1970 to 1990.

If you believe these misleadingclaims, privatization looks good, eventhough every privatization plan guar-antees reduced retirement benefits. ❑

NAFTA ON STEROIDS. That’s howpeople have described the FreeTrade Area of the Americas(FTAA). The FTAA is a plan to

expand NAFTA (North American FreeTrade Agreement) throughout SouthAmerica, binding 34 nations in North,Central, and South America into onefree trade agreement.

This trade bloc would be larger thanthe European Union or the Asianblocs, with 800 million people and acombined gross domestic product of$10 trillion.

And if President Bush gets his way,his trade negotiators will be able to gobehind closed doors to strike a deal forAmerica’s inclusion in FTAA — a dealthat Congress won’t be allowed to alter.

FTAA grew out of a proposal theClinton Administration made in 1994,at a Summit of the Americas in Miami.Trade ministers from all of Latin Amer-ica, except Cuba, committed to creatingthe FTAA.

Formal negotiations began in 1998, atanother Summit of the Americas inSantiago, Chile. At a press conferenceduring the 2001 Summit of the Ameri-cas in Quebec City, Quebec, Bush askedCongress for fast-track authority tonegotiate FTAA, claiming that removalof tariffs is “a moral imperative.”

Tariffs are not the problem

BUT EVEN AS Bush spoke, 61 sena-tors sent him a letter warning thatthey would oppose any new tradeagreement that did not allow theUnited States to protect its companiesagainst unfair trade practices by for-eign governments.

These senators seem to understandwhat the White House cannot: that tar-iffs are only a very small part of thetrade picture and FTAA is fatallyflawed because it is based on the failedmodel of NAFTA.

As with NAFTA, the FTAA posesserious threats to the environments,labor rights, and social services of thecountries involved. Although NAFTAand FTAA are usually called “trade”agreements, their most significant fea-ture is the liberalization of investment.FTAA would allow speculators andmultinational corporations free reignover the huge new markets created byexpansion into South America.

To an extent never seen before, FTAAwould limit the ability of governmentsin host countries to enact laws protect-ing their citizens. Three key provisionsof the trade pact would allow corpora-tions to dictate which laws are accept-

able and which ones must be struckdown or amended.

“National treatment” requires all sig-natory countries to treat businessesfrom the other signatory countries asthough they were local businesses. The“regulatory takings” provisionrequires governments to compensatebusinesses for revenue lost because ofany law that impedes investment. Anda third provision allows investors tosue governments for compensationwhen they believe the country’s lawshave impeded their production.

Combined, these provisions can beused by manufacturers to bully govern-ments into weakening their environ-mental, health, safety, and workerrights laws. Similar provisions inNAFTA have already generated a hostof problems for the three countries thatagreement covers: Canada, Mexico,and the U.S.

Whose country is it, anyway?

MOST AMERICANS believe that U.S.legislatures should make our laws, andU.S. courts should decide how they areinterpreted. Canadians feel the sameway about Canadian laws. But NAFTA(and FTAA) are changing the game.

When the state of California issuedan executive order phasing out the saleof methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE), agasoline additive, they believed theywere protecting California residents.MTBEhas been found to be an animalcarcinogen with the potential to causehuman cancer, and because of its use infuel, it began showing up in groundwater and drinking wells.

But Methanex, the Canadian corpo-ration that makes MTBE, saw it differ-ently. They sued the U.S. governmentfor $970 million, claiming that Califor-nia’s phase-out violates the company’sspecial investor rights granted underNAFTA by limiting the corporation’sability to sell MTBE.

Companies sue all sorts of people inorder to protect their profit base. Thedifference this time is that the suit willnot be heard in a court, but in a NAFTAtribunal made up of government-appointed trade experts. If they decidethat California’s environmental policyviolates NAFTA’s investor protections,the U.S. government can be held liablefor the corporation’s lost profits fromnot selling MTBE. The tribunal mighteven ask California to lift the ban.

A similar lawsuit was brought by theU.S.-based Ethyl Corporation againstthe Canadian government in 1998.Ethyl asked for $251 million because

Canada banned the import of the gaso-line additive methylcyclopentadienylmanganese tricarbonyl (MMT) becauseof health risks.

Even though the state of Californiahad banned MMT and the U.S. Envi-ronmental Protection Agency (EPA)was working on a similar regulation,Ethyl claimed the Canadian ban vio-lated NAFTA because it “expropri-ated” future profits and damagedEthyl’s reputation. After learning thatthe NAFTA tribunal was likely to ruleagainst its position, the Canadian gov-ernment revoked the ban, paid Ethyl$13 million for lost profits, and agreedto issue a public statement declaringthat there was no evidence that MMTposed health or environmental risks.

Now UPS is suing the Canadian gov-ernment because Canada’s post officeis in the courier business. UPS claimsthat by commingling courier servicesand mail delivery, Canada Post has anunfair advantage over private deliverybusinesses. For UPS, what is at stake isaccess to more business, but for theCanadian government, what is at stakeis their right to provide essential serv-ices to Canadian citizens.

As Canadian trade attorney SteveShrybman has pointed out, “In an erawhen monopoly and commercial serv-ice . . . is commingled, few public serv-ices, including health care andeducation, would be immune fromsimilar corporate challenges.”

As with all decisions regarding inter-national trade agreements, the peoplewho decide will not be Canadian judgesor jurors, but an international tribunalthat meets behind closed doors.

What NAFTA did to Mexico

BUSH AND OTHER FTAA supporterstry to justify this agreement as a way forpoverty-stricken South Americans toincrease their income by increasingtrade. But NAFTA did not improvewages or working conditions for Mexi-cans — it made them much worse.

Mexico’s economy has crumbledsince the passage of NAFTA, sendingnearly eight million people intopoverty. Though NAFTA advocatespoint to increased industrializationalong the border as a sign of prosperity,over one million more workers in Mex-ico earn less than before NAFTA, earn-ing less than the minimum wage of$3.40 a day.

The growth of maquiladoras (foreign-owned plants that import goods dutyfree for assembly and export) in Mexicohas been detrimental not only to work-ers, but also to Mexico’s domestic allyowned base.

Foreign-owned factories grew from11.7 percent before NAFTA to 73.1 per-

cent by 1995, and manufacturing wageshave decreased by 25 percent.

Because of the economic crisis inMexico, floods of people have left theircommunities in search of better oppor-tunities in the urban centers of Mexicoor the U.S. Many emigrants have diedcrossing the border at the hands of theborder patrol, because of exposure tothe elements, or at the hands of banditswho prey on the vulnerability of peopletrying to hide from government agents.

What we can expect

WITH THE PASSAGE of the FTAA,rural and indigenous peoples of Cen-tral and South America will likely beforced into migration seeking employ-ment in new maquiladoras across thehemisphere. Like their Mexican coun-terparts seeking work in urban areas,they, too, will face tremendous risks.

The environmental and public healthproblems of the Mexico’s maquiladoraswill spread throughout all of Centraland South America. As with NAFTA,the failure to include a strong agree-ment on environmental issues in theFTAA would be used as an addedincentive for investors.

By restricting the ability of govern-ment to regulate services — even publicservices — FTAA will lead to morederegulation and privatization, raisingthe cost of health care, education, andsocial services. If companies like UPSsucceed in challenging the right of agovernment to provide certain servicesbecause they unfairly compete withprivate enterprise, we might even seean end to public schools, public hospi-tals, and public transportation.

Loss of jobs is the most visible prob-lem American and Canadian workersface from FTAA. Manufacturing work-ers laid off by companies that movetheir facilities offshore are often unableto find employment at the same level ofincome, because most jobs in the serv-ice sector do not pay well.

Companies don’t actually have toleave the country to reap the benefits oflower wages. By threatening to leave,they can pit U.S. and Canadian workersagainst exploited workers throughoutLatin America, winning concessions atthe bargaining table.

And FTAA opens the door to law-suits arguing that worker protectionsobstruct trade. If an international tribu-nal agrees to hear such an argument,the labor laws of all countries might bemade to mirror the weakest laws in thehemisphere. Under the right circum-stances, that could lead to the virtualelimination of laws protecting workers,even the right to form a union. ❑


F T A A


FTAA: Another road to the bottomBush wants us to roll out the fast track forFTAA — and roll over workers in the process

THE STOCK MARKET expanded at anunprecedented rate during the 1990s.All the major stock price indexes hadgains in every year except 1994. TheDow Jones Industrial Average, the bestknown index, climbed from just over$2,500 to nearly $12,000.

Fueled by the public’s appetite fortechnology stocks, the NASDAQ indexrose from under $500 to over $4,000,scoring an amazing 86 percent gain in1999 alone.

Although the bubble burst in 2000,and the highest flying stocks haveplummeted, the Wall Street boom ofthe 1990s made many people rich.

The executives of dozens of startupinternet corporations, many of themonly in their 20s, became millionairesalmost overnight. A sign of how muchwealth changed hands in the 1990s

because of the stock market boom is thegrowth in the number of billionaires inthe U.S. In 1990, there were 99 of them.By 2000, there were 274.

New venues for stock trading, suchas internet-based brokerages thatcharged very low fees, encouragedpeople who had never traded before totry their hand at investing — or, moreoften, speculating — in the stock mar-ket. People began talking of a new era,in which everyone would own stocks.

But the market rally ended in 2000,bankrupting many companies and dis-couraging many beginning investorsfrom continuing. And as the dust set-tled, it became apparent that mostworkers gained little or nothing fromthe record-breaking bull market.

In fact, they lost ground. The richestone percent owned less than 120 per-cent of all wealth in 1990. By 1998, theyhad nearly doubled their piece of thepie, to 38.1 percent. When the figuresare available, most analysts expect thatportion to have grown even more in1999 and 2000.

Workers did not do well becausemost workers don’t own much stock.The richest ten percent of Americansown nearly 80 percent of all equities.The share for the top one percent aloneis over 42 percent.

George Bush says he would like tochange that by allowing workers toinvest their Social Security money inthe stock market. But considering thepast performance of the stock marketand people in the top income brackets,his plan seems more like an opportu-nity to make himself and his friends agreat deal of money with little work. ❑


E C O N O M I C S


YOUR RETIREMENT savings, thekids’ college funds, and other familyfinances may be victims of runawayCEO pay. Corporations routinelyreward poor CEO performance withmassive pay and perks, jeopardizingworking families’ savings.

While stock prices are falling, CEOpay continues to rise. According to theNew York Times, the average CEO of amajor corporation received a record-breaking $20 million in 2000, includingnearly 50 percent more stock options and22 percent more in salary and bonuses.In contrast, the Standard & Poor 500Index fell ten percent and the NASDAQComposite Index fell 39 percent.

CEO pay often bears no relation to acompany’s performance. This year, onecorporation after another has reportedlower than projected earnings, yet noone suggests cutting CEO compensa-tion. Many CEOs have even led theircorporations into bankruptcy, yet kepttheir jobs, often with a handsome raise.

Defenders of today’s high CEO paypackages like to point out other highlycompensated individuals such assports stars. However, unlike manyunder-performing CEOs, star athletesare paid based on their performance.

While corporate CEOs were enjoyinghuge raises in 2000, the typical hourlyworker received a three percent raise in2000, and salaried employees got aboutfour percent more during the sametime. Over the entire decade of the

1990s, workers pay rose only a few per-centage points more than inflation;CEO pay climbed astronomically.

Pay inequality is accelerating.According to Business Week, the aver-age CEO made 42 times the averageblue-collar worker’s pay in 1980, 85times in 1990, and a staggering 531times in 2000. Academic studies,including those published by the Uni-versity of California, Berkeley, andStanford University, have shown thisinequality hurts employee morale andproductivity and boosts turnover.

Shareholders foot the bill for exces-sive executive compensation packages.Almost two-thirds of CEO pay is in theform of stock options. Stock optionsnow represent the equivalent of 13 per-cent of the average company — a levelthat defies common sense.

Corporations are allowed a deduc-tion for CEO pay of up to $1 million, sothis has become the base CEO salary.Boards of directors determine pay, andsince directors are all executives ofother corporations, they tend to passout high salaries hoping you’ll do thesame when you sit on their board.Companies must keep their CEO paycompetitive, so they raise it when othercompanies raise theirs, regardless ofwhether the boss deserves it.

For more information on CEO pay,visit the the AFL-CIO’s Executive Paywatch page: http://www.aflcio.org/paywatch❑

CEO Pay: Up 443%

Worker Pay: Up 29%

Inflation: Up 22.5%

CEO Pay, Worker Pay, and Inflation 1990-1998

1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998

500%

400%

300%

200%

100%

0%

1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998

Share of Total Ownershipof Stocks, Mutual Funds,and Retirement Accounts,

1998

Top 1% ofhouseholdsown 42.1%

19.9 20.524.8

30.9 31.935.7 37.2 38.5 38.1

Percentage of Household WealthHeld by Top 1%, 1990-1998

CEO Pay as a Multiple ofAverage Worker Pay, 1980-2000

In 1980, the average CEO made 42 times what the

average worker made. By 2000,that multiple had grown to 531.

1980 1990 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000

4285

141

209

326

419

475

531

CEO pay defies senseRaises grow as profits and stock prices decline

Bull market of the 1990s continues totransfer wealth to the already wealthyThe top one percent doubled the size of their pieceof the economic pie to nearly 40% of all wealth

Poor tend tostay poor in U.S.THE LAND OF opportunity is disap-pearing. Poor people in the UnitedStates are less likely than the poor inmost other industrialized countries toleave poverty from one year to the next.

On average, about 28.6 percent of thepoor in the U.S. escape poverty eachyear. The share of the poor leavingpoverty in other industrialized coun-tries ranges from 29.1 percent in theUnited Kingdom, to 43.7 percent in theNetherlands.

The poor in the U.S. are also morelikely to fall back into poverty once theymake it out. American poor are still betteroff than those in third-world countries,but most industrialized nations haveuniversal medical care, better unemploy-ment benefits, and free education. ❑

Average annual exitrate from poverty

0% 10% 20% 30% 40%

Sweden 36%

Germany 37%

Canada 42%

UK 29.1%

United States 28.6%

Source: Oxley, Dang, and Antolin (1999)

Netherlands 43.7%

Bottom90% own

21.3%

Second richest9% own 36.6%


E C O N O M I C S


INCOME GAINS for the wealthiesthouseholds over the past two decadesfar outstripped those of households atthe other end of the spectrum, as well asmiddle income households, accordingto a new government study.

In a comprehensive look at incomesand taxation, the Congressional BudgetOffice (CBO) found that the averagepretax income among the top one per-cent of households (approximately onemillion households total) increased 142percent between 1979 and 1997, to topout at $1 million.

Among the top 20 percent of house-holds, average pretax income rose 52.9percent, to $167,500 from $109,500.

Those two decades were muchharder on poor families and lower-income working families. Pretaxincome for the lowest 20 percent ofhouseholds declined 3.4 percent to$11,400 in 1997, from $11,800 in 1979.

All figures are adjusted for inflation.

The CBO released its study the lastweek of May. Their findings were simi-lar to the conclusions drawn by othergroups that study income trends.

“The distribution of income amonghouseholds grew substantially moreunequal during the 1979-1997 period,”the budget office said.

An analysis of the CBO studyreleased on May 31 by the Center onBudget and Policy Priorities, a liberalresearch group, reached a similar con-clusion. The group said that “incomegaps between rich and poor andbetween the rich and middle classwidened in the 1980s and 1990s alikeand reached their widest point onrecord in 1997.”

Conservative economists immedi-ately attacked the CBO study, sayingthat income inequality is not necessar-ily bad. Some economists say thatincome distribution figures exaggeratethe problem because they do not con-

sider mobility, the fact that many peo-ple who have low incomes at one pointin their lives earn substantially moreand move up the income ladder.

However, a Swedish study con-cluded that Sweden offers moreupward mobility for workers than theU.S. offers. A study of 13 Europeannations conducted by the OECD cameto a similar conclusion — workers inEurope are more likely to move up theeconomic ladder than those in the U.S.

One family in five lost income

CONSERVATIVES also say that thereal issue is not the distribution ofincome but whether people at all levelsare better off. They maintain that mostof the country’s 103 million householdshave benefited from the strong econ-omy of the past 20 years, with four outof five showing income gains.

The other side of that coin is that fourout of five households lost income, anda majority of income losers were in thelowest 20 percent — the group leastable to afford a cut in pay.

In addition, gains for the middle 60percent were very modest. The secondquintile gained only one percent after

adjustments for inflation. The middle20 percent gained 8.9 percent afterinflation. That amounts to an averagegain of about a half a percent a year.

Fortunately, the poorest householdsbenefited from changes in tax policyimplemented under Clinton. After-taxincome in this group reboundedslightly in the 1990s, but they still endedthe 20-year period with lower incomesbecause of severe losses under Presi-dents Reagan and Bush.

Income tax rates fell for all incomegroups over the 18 years studied, withthe top one percent getting the biggestbreak, thanks mainly to tax cuts RonaldReagan gave them in the 1980s.

For workers, tax records are mixed.Income tax rates for most workers wentdown during the period studied, butpayroll taxes — Social Security andMedicare — went up as part of Rea-gan’s reform. Since payroll taxes arepaid only by wage earners, most work-ers saw no real decrease in taxes.

State and local taxes, which in moststates fall more heavily on workers thanon the wealthy, also went up during thisperiod owing to federal budget cuts thatshifted the cost of many programs fromWashington to the states. ❑

Rising togetherRising togetherRising togetherRising together driftingdrifting trapa

For 30 years all Americans were But now we justseem to be

further and further

FOR 35 YEARS AFTER World War II, the U.S.economy grew at a healthy rate. In most years,growth in the gross domestic product (GDP)exceeded three percent, and unemployment

remained low through the 1950s and 1960s, whilewages and benefits grew steadily.

The G.I. bill allowed an unprecedented percentageof the population to attend college, starting an expan-sion in higher education that we continue to enjoy.Mass construction of homes increased home owner-ship, automobile companies were able to design carsthat workers could afford, and advances in the sci-ence of electronics put radios, televisions, and tele-phones in nearly every home.

Americans who had grown up with the depriva-tion of the Great Depression were suddenly floodedby consumer products. Good times led to good spir-its, and most Americans became optimistic that thefuture held great promise, even when they disagreedon what that future should be.

Though civil rights, the Viet Nam War, and the riseof environmentalism often pitted one generationagainst the next, nearly everyone believed theywould experience personal success because it justseemed that everyone was getting richer and richer.

Maybe it seemed that way because, in a sense, itwas true. From 1947 to 1979, family income improved

significantly in every income bracket. Every quintile(one-fifth of the population) saw its income increaseabout 100 percent over that period, adjusting for infla-tion. The nearly equal distribution of income growthover all income levels during this period is whatprompted President John F. Kennedy to observe, “Arising tide lifts all boats.”

Decline of union membership parallelsgrowing inequality of income

IN THE 1980s, things began to change. Hundreds ofvolumes have been written about the profound eco-nomic and political changes that began when RonaldReagan was elected president, changes so profoundand so numerous that we cannot possibly list them allhere. But we can describe their economic impact: therising tide stopped lifting all boats, left many rightwhere they were, and drove a few to the bottom.

From 1977 to 1999, after-tax income (adjusted forinflation) for the top one percent of American familiesrose 115 percent, about the same as it had risen in theprevious 32 years. But at all other levels of income, thetide was not nearly as strong.

The 60 percent of Americans in the middle incomebrackets saw very little increase in their income —from an average of only one percent in the second

quintile to an average of 14 percent in the fourth.Americans in the bottom 20 percent actually lost ninepercent of their income over that period.

What changed? Many things changed from the1940s to the 1990s, from attitudes and expectations, toeducation and demographics, but one of the mostprofound changes was a slow but steady decrease inthe percentage of workers who belong to unions.

In 1953, unions represented one-third of workers.Although this percentage is far below the union rep-resentation in such worker-friendly countries as Den-mark (95 percent) and Germany (90 percent), it wasenough to effectively control the labor market inmany industries, including many of the industries theBoilermakers represent.

Union membership remained fairly strong throughthe 1960s, but in the 1980s they began losing strengthrapidly for a variety of reasons, including loss of jobsto overseas manufacturers and the disappearance ofmany industries that had been union strongholds. By1999, unions represented only 14 percent of all work-ers. Although many factors have influenced wagetrends over the past three decades, few economistsdoubt that the declining influence of unions con-tributed significantly to the unequal growth ofincomes in the 1980s and 1990s. ❑

drifting

Income gap reacheswidest point on record

Change in Family Income, 1977-1999Change in Family Income, 1947-1979

Bottom20%

Second20%

Middle20%

Fourth20%

Top20%

116%

100%111% 114%

99%

86%

-9% 1% 8%14%

43%

115%

Top5% Bottom

20%Second

20%Middle

20%Fourth20%

Top20%

Top1%


S A F E T Y & H E A L T H


WHEN SOME-ONE WANTSto make apoint ofhowunlikelyyourchancesare, they oftensay: “You have a betterchance of being struck bylightning.” But, according tothe National LightningInstitute, more people arekilled by lightning thanby tornado, flood, orhurricane. The number of deathsby natural hazards, 1940-1981,include:

Lightning 7,741Tornado 5,268Flood 4,481Hurricane 1,923

So you should take precautionaround lightning. When you firstsee lightning or hear thunder,suspend activities and go to shel-ter. A metal vehicle or a substan-tial building is a safe place. Waituntil 30 minutes after the lastobserved lightning or thunderbefore resuming activities.

Lightening safety tips:

Avoid: Avoid water. Avoid allmetallic objects. Avoid the highground. Avoid solitary tall trees.Avoid close contact with others –spread out 15-20 ft. apart. Avoidcontact with dissimilar objects(water & land; boat & land; rock& ground; tree & ground). Avoidopen spaces.

Seek: Seek clumps of shrubs ortrees of uniform height. Seekditches, trenches, or the lowground. Seek a low, crouchingposition with feet together withhands on ears to minimizeacoustic shock from thunder.

Keep: Keep a high level of safetyawareness for 30 minutes afterthe last observed lightning orthunder.

Some personal lightningsafety tips:

1. Plan in advance your evacua-tion and safety measures. Whenyou first see lightning or hearthunder, activate your emer-gency plan. Now is the time to goto a building or a vehicle.Lightning often precedes rain, sodon’t wait for the rain to beginbefore suspending activities.

2. If outdoors, avoid water.Avoid the high ground. Avoidopen spaces. Avoid all wires,fences, machinery, motors,power tools, etc. Unsafe placesinclude underneath canopies,small picnic or rain shelters, ornear trees. Where possible, findshelter in a substantial buildingor in a fully enclosed metalvehicle such as a car, truck, or avan with the windows com-

pletely shut. If lightning isstriking nearby when you areoutside, you should:

A. Crouch down. Put feet

together. Place hands over ears tominimize hearing damage fromthunder.

B. Avoid proximity (minimumof 15 ft.) to other people.

3. If indoors, avoid water. Stayaway from doors and windows.Do not use the telephone. Takeoff head sets. Turn off, unplug,and stay away from appliances,computers, power tools, & TVsets. Lightning may strike exte -rior electric and phone lines,inducing shocks to insideequipment.

4. Suspend activities for 30 min-utes after the last observed light-ning or thunder.

5. Injured personsdo not carryan electrical charge and can behandled safely. Apply First Aidprocedures to a lightning victimif you are qualified to do so. Call911 or send for help immediately.

6. Know your emergency tele-phone numbers.

Some myths aboutlightning persist

Myth: Lightning never strikestwice.

Reality: Lightning hits theEmpire State Building about 25times a year.

Myth: Rubber tires will insulateme from lightning.

Reality: Lightning has traveledmiles through space…a few inch-es of rubber means nothing at all.

Myth: Lightning can be prevented.

Reality: Unconfirmed/sheeradvertising.

Myth: First strikes from lightningcan be predicted.


Myth: New high-tech types oflightning rods can controllightning.


Source: National Lightning SafetyInstitute

DON’T TAKE UNNECESSARY RISKS.ALWAYSPLAY IT SAFE.

AND WHEN YOU ARE AT WORK,MAKE IT SAFE!

MAKE IT SAFELightning Safety Awareness

Cancer Prevention TipsMOST BOILERMAKERSare now aware of the role smoking plays in causing can-cer as well as in exacerbating asbestosis. Smokers are seven timesmore likely to die from asbestosis than nonsmokers.

The following tips can also help prevent cancer:

• Eat foods high in fiber and low in fat, espe-cially fresh fruits and vegetables.

• Avoid unnecessary X-rays.

• If you drink alcoholic beverages, do soonly in moderation.

• Avoid too much sunlight; wear protec-tive clothing and/or sunscreens.

• Know the health and safety rules of yourworkplace and follow them. ❑

Exercising and eatingright become even moreimportant as you ageAS A BODY AGES, it becomes less ableto correct diet imbalances, so eatinghealthy becomes more important thanever. A variety of factors places olderadults at an increased risk for develop-ing nutritional deficiencies:• Less saliva — The aging body pro-duces less saliva which can causechanges in the sense of taste and smellaffecting the appetite. • Less hunger contractions — Thestomach has fewer hunger contractionsand dental problems, including gumdisease, can affect one’s ability to chewand swallow.• Less digestive enzymes — A reduc-tion in the number of digestiveenzymes produced and a decline inorgan functions may also impair nutri-ent digestion and absorption.• Less intestinal motion — A decreasein intestinal motility in older adultsadds to the possibility of constipationand gas, which may lead to misuse oflaxatives and self remedies which cancause malabsorption of nutrients anddeplete the body of water and impor-tant minerals.• Less calcium –—Because older adultsoften have trouble digesting milk, animportant source of calcium, a nationalhousehold survey found that morethan 40 percent of older adults con-sumed too little calcium, increasingtheir risk for developing osteoporosis.• Less tolerance — As people age, theyoften have less tolerance to drugs and

experience reactions to drugs and inter-actions between drugs. The more med-ications interacting in the body, thegreater chance of problems. Some med-ications — prescription, over-the-counter, and home remedies —interfere with nutrient absorption.• It’s not all bad news — This list doesn’tmake the aging process very appealing,but if you follow the advice of yourdoctor or nutritionist, you can makeyour golden years even more golden.Just eat right and maintain an activeand healthy lifestyle. (UA Journal) ❑

IF YOU’VE BEEN complaining thatyour job is killing you, you might wantto tell it to your doctor.

A British study has confirmed whatmany physicians have suspected for along time: job stress is related to anincreased probability of heart disease.

The journal Psychological Medicinehas published results of a study show-ing that men in high-stress jobs weretwice as likely to report poor health asmen in low-stress positions, and aboutfive times more likely to report havingchest pains severe enough to requirerest. These results were found evenafter other factors known to affect car-diovascular health, such as smoking,diet, and exercise, were accounted for.

Past studies have found a direct rela-tionship between socioeconomic statusand health status, while smoking, alack of exercise, and poor diets havealso been linked with poor heart health.

In all, 4,350 fully employed Britishmen aged 20-64 years were studied.

While ten percent of men in low-stresspositions reported poor health, 19 per-cent of men in high stress positionsreported poor health.

In this study, job stress was definedas having high job demands but littlecontrol over performance. ❑

Protect thatbaby’s earsREADING ABILITY among school-children near London’s Heathrow Air-port is delayed by about half a year,according to a recent study publishedin the periodical Psychological Medicine.The delay was found even after socialclass, relative deprivation, age, andmain language spoken at home weretaken into consideration.

But exposure to chronic airplanenoise was not associated with mentalhealth problems such as depression. ❑

Job stress tied to heart disease


L O C A L N E W S


Chavez brothers retire

RICH CHAVEZ, at left, a 32-year member, and his brother, Jim, a 33-year member,are either waving goody-bye to work or hello to retirement. Either applies as theyeach decided to retire at the same time. Their fellow members of Local 60, Peoria,Ill., took this picture at their send-off party.

Boilermaker makes gooduse of scrap partsTIRED OF VANDALS destroying hismailboxes, Vincent Parise, a 32-yearmember of Local 154, Pittsburgh, Pa.,decided he would make one that wouldstand up to abuse. Not only is it stillstanding after 22 years, but it serves as amonument to his skill and ingenuity.

Parise built his mailbox to resemble atrain engine, using scrap iron he pickedup at job sites. The body of the engine ismade from a large pipe; the train’ssmokestack is a smaller pipe with aflared end. Parise used various platestock for the engine house framing,standing support, and ground sup-port. And the mailbox’s front door is aninspection door from an old B&Wboiler, with its glass peephole provid-ing an inside view of the mailbox.

Parise has been making metal sculp-tures for about 27 years. He is alwaysbringing home scrap parts, neverknowing what he’ll need for his nextartistic attempt. One day he hopes tomake something really big, that can bedisplayed in the lobby of a buildinglike that of U.S. Steel. “I want to put itsomewhere where people can see it—something that would give me a littlerecognition,” said Parise. ❑

L-154 member Vincent Parise built thismailbox using scrap parts from job sites.

Three generations ofJacksons belong to L-502

THREE GENERATIONS of the Jackson family attended a retiree’s picnic formembers of Local 502, Tacoma, Wash. All three are Local 502 members. Pictured,l. to r., are Andrew, Dan, and Billy Jackson. Billy joined Local 568 in 1957, andretired out of Local 502 in 1995. Dan joined Local 568 in 1981, and is now a memberof Local 502. Andrew was indentured into the Western States Boilermakerapprenticeship program in October 2000, and joined Local 502 in December. ❑

L-110 dedicates facilityto honor Truman HavardTHE MEMBERS OFLocal 110, Hatties-burg, Miss., have dedicated their train-ing facility in honor of retired Local 110business manager, B. Truman Havard,in appreciation of his years of dedica-tion and service.

A 36-year union member, Havardretired on September 1, 2000. Heserved the Local 110 constructionlodge members as president, and fiveyears as business manager and secre-tary-treasurer. ❑

Local 1 — Chicago, Ill.

JOHN SKERMONT, business managerand secretary-treasurer of Local 1,Chicago, Ill., reports presentation of pinsfor continuous years of membership to thefollowing Local 1 members: 40 Years –David Ackmann and Robert Finley; 35Years– Patrick H. Jozefowicz; 30 Years–Jerry Davis, Charles Lyles, and MerrillLynn; 25 Years– Guy Nelson.

Local 374 — Hammond, Ind.

CHARLES VANOVER, business managerand secretary-treasurer of Local 374,Hammond, Ind., reports presentation ofpins for continuous years of membershipto the following Local 374 members: 50Years – Gerald Robbins, Kenneth Silkey,and Everett Timberlake; 35 Years– Jerry L.Epley, James J. Griffin, Gary R. Short, Her-man R.Tuggle, and Ronald Van Conia; 30Years– Jerry L. Bales, Stanley B. Powell,and Gerald A. Rust; 25 Years – Dale A. Kle-

moff, Howard E. Setzer, and Jay F. Wurtz;20 Years– Mickey A. Angotti, Rickey A.Angotti, Doug Arambula, Richard A.Brown, Patrick J. Dougherty, Jerry A.Gramelspacher, George A. Hillier Sr.,Thomas A. Kalies, Joseph A. Kasper,Patrick Krieter, Terrence G. Lukish, JohnB. Rankin, James H. Reed II, Michael S.Sereno, and Danny S. Shaw; 15 Years–Mark Biever, Jerrell L. Clark, Thomas J.Mullligan, and Charles D. Topper.

Local 531 — Amarillo, Texas

GARY ADAMS, business manager andsecretary-treasurer of Local 531, Amar-illo, Texas, reports presentation of pins forcontinuous years of membership to thefollowing Local 531 members: 50 Years–Gene Carney; 45 Years – Hollis Albin; 35Years– Ronnie Hulen and Earl Marlett; 25Years – Ronny Chandler; 20 Years– Bob-bie Alexander, Bill Brown, Tom Kearns,and Johnnie Toler. ❑

Congratulations!Members Earn Pins For Continuous Years of Service

Lodges present membership pins

Letter from member leadsto improvement in serviceBOILERMAKERSwhose health careneeds are covered by the NationalHealth & Welfare Fund can now locatehealth care providers who participatein the First Health network by visitingour web site: www.boilermakers.org.

First Health is providing an onlinedirectory with which you can findphysicians, hospitals, and other healthcare facilities by name, address, zipcode, city, or state.

This new service will make it a loteasier for construction Boilermakers tofind the health care providers theyneed, especially when booming or trav-elling in another part of the country.

A link from the Boilermaker web siteleads to the First Health ElectronicMedical Directory page. Enter theinformation asked for by the searchform, and in a few seconds, you’ll havea list of providers near you, completewith addresses and phone numbers.You can select a provider from the listor print it out for later use.

But that doesn’t mean you have torun out and buy a computer. Boiler-maker lodges will be able to downloadinformation for members who do nothave computers or internet access, andprovider information will continue tobe available by phone.

For Boilermakers who do have accessto the internet, this online directory ismuch more convenient than phoning.If you’re traveling, remember thatmany hotels, motels, and other busi-nesses now provide internet access fora fee, and most public libraries provideinternet access with printing capabilityat no charge.

This improvement in service cameabout because Bill Sweiderk, a con-struction Boilermaker from Local 28,wrote a letter to the International com-plaining that the phone-in service wasinconvenient and difficult to use.

When International President CharlesW. Jones investigated, he agreed. Offi-cers and staff are covered by a differentprogram, so until he looked into it, Pres-ident Jones had no idea how cumber-some the phone-in system was. Whenhe learned, he immediately began look-ing for a better way.

Because the plan covers all 50 states,the number of physicians and facilitiesincluded make publishing a printdirectory for every Health & Welfareparticipant unfeasible. The online,searchable database, which can be eas-ily updated as providers enter or leavethe program, is the best way to makesure all participants have easy access toreliable, accurate information.

The International is now working onestablishing a similar online databasefor the prescription drug program. ❑

Health & Welfare providerinformation is now online

Waste not, want notVICE PRESIDENT Dick Cheneyfavors increasing oil productionbecause, he says, conservation has lit-tle effect on shortages. ● Projected daily output of oil from

the drilling of Alaska’s ArcticNational Wildlife Refuge:42,000,000 gallons

● Projected daily oil savings if allSUVs got three more miles per gal-lon of gasoline: 49,000,000 gallons

Source: Harper’s Index, April, 2001


S E T T L E M E N T S


National Cement LodgeINTL. VICE PRES. J IMHICKENBOTHAM reportscontract ratification,effective May 1, 2001 toApril 30, 2003, for ninemembers of the NationalCement Lodge, St. Louis,Mo., who work at Lone StarIndustries in BonnerSprings, Ks.

L-D12—Oglesby, ILINTL. VICEPRES. JIMHICKENBOTHAM reports con-tract ratification, effectiveMay 1, 2001 to April 30, 2003,for 80 Local D12 members atLone Star Industries inOglesby, Ill., and five LocalD12 members at Lone Starin Milwaukee Wis., whowork in the production andmaintenance of PortlandCement.

M18—Buffalo, NYINTL. REP . ROCCO DEROLLOreports contract ratification,effective June 1, 1999 toMay 31, 2002, for membersof Local M18, Buffalo, N.Y.,who work at Keystone Corp.

D39—Greencastle, ININTL. VICE PRES . JIMHICKENBOTHAM reports con-tract ratification, effectiveMay 1, 2001 to April 30,2003, for 118 members ofLocal D39, Greencastle,Ind., who work in the pro-duction and maintenanceof Portland Cement at LoneStar Industries.

M45—Kenosha, WIINTL. REP . HOWARD COLEreports contract ratifica-tion, effective April 6, 2001to March 5, 2005, for twomembers of Local M45,Kenosha, Wis., who makevalves and strainers for themilk and food industries atL.C. Thomsen & Sons, andeffective March 4, 2001 toMarch 4, 2005, for 24 LocalM45 members who makehand tools for Snap-on-Tools.

M67—Los Angeles, CAMARCO AGUILAR, BM-ST forLocal M67, Los Angeles,Calif., reports contract ratifi-cation, effective Nov. 1, 1998to Oct. 31, 2001, for 36 LocalM67 members who work inproduction and mainte-nance at the AtlasGalvanizing Company, L.L.C.;effective Nov. 1, 2000 to Oct.31, 2002, for 80 Local M67members who make indus-trial and automobile rings atPacific Piston Ring Co., Inc.;and effective March 18, 2000to March 17, 2003, for 90Local M67 members whomake electro-polished weldfittings for the semi-conduc-tor industry, stainless steeltubing, and filters at theValex Corp.

M114—Aurora, ILINTL. REP. HOWARD COLE

reports contract ratifica-tion, effective June 30, 2000to June 30, 2003, for 226members of Local M114,Aurora, Ill., who make

metal tubing at NationalMetalwares, L.P.

S185—Belleville, ILJOHN SANTORO , president ofLocal S185, Belleville, Ill.,reports contract ratifica-tion, effective June 7, 1999to June 20, 2003, for 100members who make corru-gated shipping containers(boxes and sheets) at theWeyerhaeuser Co.

S200—Wichita Falls, TXINTL. REP . HENRY JUAREZreports contract ratifica-tion, effective Aug. 23, 1999to Aug. 23, 2002, for 25members of Local S200,Wichita Falls, Texas, whomake commercial air con-ditioners at Magic Aire.

D234—Inkom, IDINTL. REP . MICHAEL ATCHISONreports contract ratifica-tion, effective August 1,2000 to July 31, 2004, formembers of Local D234,Inkom, Idaho, who work atAsh Grove Cement.

D414—Pryor, OKINTL. VICE PRES. JIM

HICKENBOTHAM reports con-tract ratification, effectiveMay 1, 2001 to April 30,2003, for 90 members ofLocal D414, Pryor, Okla.,who make Portland Cementat Lone Star Industries.

L-482—Wood River, ILINTL. REP . JAMES PRESSLEY

reports contract ratifica-

tion, effective Feb. 1, 2001to Jan. 31, 2006, for 205members of Local 482,Wood River, Ill., who workat National Maintenanceand Repair, Inc.

D486—NewWestminster, BCROB LAUZON, BM-ST ofCement District Lodge D11,reports contract ratifica-tion, effective Dec. 1, 2000to Nov. 30, 2005, for 13members of Local D486,New Westminster, BritishColumbia, Canada, whowork at Imasco Minerals.

L-684—Norfolk, VAINTL. REP. STEVE BEAL reportscontract ratification, effec-tive Feb. 9, 2001 to Feb. 8,2004, for 468 members ofLocal 684, Norfolk, Va.,who build and repair shipsat the Norfolk Shipbuilding& Drydock Corporation(NORSHIPCO).

L-696—Marinette, WIINTL. REP . LEN GUNDERSON

reports contract ratifica-tion, effective Jan. 21, 1999to Jan. 21, 2003, for 460members of Local 696,Marinette, Wis., who buildships for the U.S. Navy andCoast Guard at MarinetteMarine.

L-1086—Cleveland, OHINTL. REP . RON LYON reportscontract ratification, effec-tive June 15, 1999 to June15, 2003, for 75 members of

Local 1086, Cleveland, Ohio,at Drop Die Wyman-Gordon, and effective Dec.12, 2000 to Dec. 11, 2006, for72 Local 1086 memberswho make crankshafts atPark Drop Forge.

L-1240—Wabash, INPRESTON MIRACLE, presidentof L-1240, Wabash, Ind.,reports contract ratification,effective March 15, 2001 toMarch 15, 2005, for 188Local 1240 members whorecycle aluminum atWabash Alloys, Inc.

L-1252—ChicagoHeights, ILEDWARD ESTERAS , president ofLocal 1252, Chicago Heights,Ill., reports contract ratifica-tion, effective Sept. 30, 1998to Nov. 22, 2003, for 500 Local1252 members who make railcars at Thrall Car.

L-1256—Moran, KSINTL. REP. JAMES PRESSLEYreports contract ratification,effective March 4, 2001 to

March 4, 2004, for 20 mem-bers of Local 1256, Moran,Kan., who forge Klein toolsat Klein Tools, Inc.

L-1592—Allentown, PAINTL. REP . ROCCO DEROLLOreports contract ratification,effective Feb. 1, 2001 to July31, 2002, for members ofLocal 1592, Allentown, Pa.,at Bonney Forge.

L-1652—Kenosha, WIINTL. REP. HOWARD COLEreports contract ratification,effective March 4, 2001 toMarch 4, 2005, for 17 mem-bers of Local 1652, Kenosha,Wis., who forge hand tools atSnap-on-Tools.

S1978—Rock SpringsMIKE MURPHY, president ofLocal S1978, Rock Springs,Wyo., reports contract rati-fication, effective Nov. 25,2000 to Nov. 25, 2003, for287 Local S1978 memberswho work in the coal mineshop at Bridger CoalCompany.

New contract summariesA brief listing of recent agreements signed and ratified by Boilermaker local lodges

You don’t get what you deserve . . .. . . you get what you negotiate

UNION LEADERS, like these pictured here, work longhours to negotiate the best benefits they can forBoilermaker members.

Negotiating a four-year contract for Local M45members at Snap-on-Tools, are, l. to r., JayJohnson, James Gamble (in front), Greg Bose (inback), Mike Bierdz, and Bill Grabowski.

Negotiating a four-year contract for members ofLocal 1652 at Snap-on-Tools are, front row, l. to r., L-1652 Pres. John Michelson and committeemanRichard Rego, and standing, l. to r., committeemenJim Loshek and Scot Scholey.

Negotiating a contract for members of Local D234at Ash Grove Cement are, l. to r., Kelly Bell, DeeGilbert, and Wes Kent.

Prepared by the Research andCollective Bargaining Departmentof the International Brotherhoodof Boilermakers

THIS ANALYSIS of the 27agreements outlined below isbased on information providedin the Contract Summary andTransmittal Report formscovering approximately 3,354employees.

Wage IncreasesTWENTY-THREE facilitiesreport pay increases in 2000,averaging $0.42 per hour or3.11 percent, and $0.54 perhour or 3.08 percent in 2001.Twenty-two facilities willreceive pay increases in 2002,averaging $0.53 per hour or3.21 percent. Fifteen facilitieswill receive pay increases in2003, averaging $0.50 per houror 2.50 percent. Seven facili-ties will receive pay increas-es in 2004, averaging $0.53per hour, not enough for anaverage. Two facilities willreceive pay increases in 2005,not enough for an average.

PensionALL OF THE facilities partici-pate in some type of pensionprogram. Seven facilities par-ticipate in the Boilermaker-Blacksmith National PensionTrust. Their contributionsrange from $0.25 to $1.25 perhour for the first year.

Average cents-per-hour con-tributions are $0.76 for thefirst year, $0.79 the secondyear, and $0.83 the third year.

Seventeen facilities offer a401(k); 11 also have company-sponsored plans.

Five U.S. facilities partici-pate in a Profit Sharing pro-gram, and one facility partici-pates in an Employee StockOwnership Plan. OneCanadian local participatesin the Registered RetirementSavings Plan, which is simi-lar to the IndividualRetirement Accounts (IRAs)found in the U.S.

Shift DifferentialTWENTY-FIVE agreementsprovide a second shift premi-um, of which 24 report acents-per-hour premiumranging from $0.10 to $0.70.The average is $0.39 per hour.

Twenty-three agreementsprovide a third-shift premium,of which 22 report a cents-per-hour premium rangingfrom $0.15 to $0.80. The aver-age is $0.51 per hour.

One agreement provides apremium pay percentage.

Sickness & AccidentTWENTY-THREE agreementsprovide weekly sickness andaccident indemnity. Of these,16 pay a set dollar amountranging from $125 to $350 perweek. The average rate for

the first year is $271.56. Theremaining agreements pro -vide a percentage of theemployee’s weekly earnings;the average is 62 percent.Time off ranges from eight to52 weeks. The most commonis 52 weeks found in 12agreements.

The Canadian facility pro-vides short term disability(STD), then long term disabili-ty (LTD), and then theemployee may receiveUnemployment InsuranceCommission (UIC) maximumsuntil the age of 65. Theseamounts are paid on a weekly,monthly, or annual basis.

Life Insurance/AD&DTWENTY-FIVE agreementsprovide life insurance. In 15 ofthese agreements, there is aset dollar amount rangingfrom $5,000 to $46,500. Theaverage benefit for the firstyear is $23,466.67. Theremaining agreements usethe annual wage as the bene-fit, or multiply wages by 2080hours for the benefit amount.

Twenty-two agreementsprovide Accidental Death andDismemberment (AD&D)insurance. In 14 of the agree-ments there is a set dollaramount ranging from $10,000to $70,000. The average bene-fit for the first year is$27,285.71. The remainingagreements use the annual

wage as the benefit, or multi-ply wages by 2080 hours forthe benefit amount.

VacationNINETEEN agreements pro-vide a one-week paid vaca-tion. All 27 agreements pro-vide two-, three-, and four-week paid vacations.Eighteen agreements providea five-week paid vacation,and four provide a six-weekpaid vacation. Seven agree-ments provide vacation paybased on a percentage ofearnings.

Paid HolidaysALL OF THE agreements pro-vide for paid holidays. Thenumber of paid holidaysranges from five to 17 days.The average is ten days.

Other ProvisionsTWENTY-FIVE agreementsprovide funeral leave.

Twenty-two agreementsprovide paid leave for juryduty, union leave language,and all or partial reimburse-ment for the purchase ofsafety shoesand prescriptionsafety glasses.

Four provide a severancepayment package, and 12agreements provide paidleave for those persons whospend two weeks at militaryencampment each year.

A summary analysis of these contract settlements


N E W S M A K E R S


Page Groton, long-timelabor leader, passes awayA staunch lobbyist for worker rights, Groton led theBoilermakers’ legislative efforts for 20 yearsPAGE GROTON, 82, who served theInternational Brotherhood of Boiler-makers as International vice presidentof the Northeast section until hisretirement in 1990, passed away onMay 3, 2001.

In his 1990 farewell address to thedelegates at the Boilermakers’ 22ndannual legislative conference, Grotonshared his views, providing tips onwhat to expect when going to CapitolHill. In his well known, “tell it like it is”way, Groton reminded the delegatesthat the legislators work for you. Hesaid, “You are paying them. They arehere to represent you and you should-n’t have any qualms about telling themthat. You should tell every [representa-tive] you visit, ‘Look, if you guys don’tget your act together, we’re going to getsomebody down here that will.’”

International President Charles W.Jones said Groton “was outstanding inevery way during his career. We’ll cer-tainly miss him.”

Groton joined the Boilermakersunion in 1949, as a member of Local 802in Chester, Pa. On February 1, 1962, hewas appointed a staff representative.

In September 1964, Groton was pro-moted to International representativeand was named director of the IronShipbuilders International MarineCouncil. In September 1970, he wasappointed as an assistant to the Interna-tional president for the MaritimeIndustry, director of the Boilermakers’Iron Shipbuilders Marine Council, andcoordinator for the Boilermakers’ leg-islative program.

In March 1971, Groton wasappointed to the Screening Committeeto review cases submitted to the Build-ing and Construction Trades Depart-ment under the AFL-CIO InternalDisputes Settlement Plan. In July 1973,Groton became a member of the Execu-tive Board of the Maritime TradesDepartment.

In December 1979, the Boilermakersestablished the Shipbuilding andMarine Industry Conference to coordi-nate activities of its local and districtlodge membership in the shipbuildingand marine industry, to assist in orga-nizational work and collective bargain-ing, and to engage in research andrelated activities on an industry-widebasis. One year later, Groton wasappointed its director.

In April 1986, Groton was assignedsupervision of all Northeast lodgeswith shipyard and marine facilities.This assignment included day-to-dayadministration, collective bargainingnegotiations, grievance handling, fil-ing of government reports, and thedirection of a strong and effectivepolitical and legislative activity toadvance the interests of shipyard andmarine members.

At the Boilermakers’ 27th Consoli-dated Convention in August 1986, Gro-ton was elected International vicepresident of the Northeast section. Evenas vice president, Groton continued toserve as director of the Boilermakers’legislative program, a position he heldfor 20 of the program’s now 33-year his-tory—the longest-running legislativeprogram of any International union. ❑

Trade unionists nationwidemourn loss of Bob DameronDameron’s expertise as labor lawyer led to successof Boilermakers’ Fight Back and Solidarity programsROBERT “BUBBA” DAMERON, 50,passed away on April 18, 2001, follow-ing a courageous battle with pancreat-ic cancer.

Dameron was a senior member ofthe Blake & Uhlig Law Firm, where herepresented the Boilermakers union,becoming instrumental to the successof both our Fight Back and Solidarityprograms.

Intl. Vice President JimHickenbotham said, “Dameronplayed a significant role in savinglocal lodges that were raided by anindependent union in the mid 1980s.He devoted many hours to theCement Division, filing unfair laborpractice charges and advising localmembers and International staff ontactics and strategy that resulted inmany satisfactory collective bargain-ing agreements. He will always beremembered for his dedication to thelabor movement.”

Bill Creeden, director of theBoilermakers’ organizing department,often consulted with Dameron regard-ing our Fight Back strategy. “We startedthe Brotherhood’s Fight BackConstruction Organizing Program asan organizing experiment in 1979. Noone had tried to organize the construc-tion industry in the last 40-plus years,so there were no established proce-dures to follow. Dameron helped usdeal with an NLRB that didn’t under-stand the difference between the con-struction industry and manufacturingand service industries. It was due to his

expertise, and that of other members ofthe Blake & Uhlig Law Firm, that a vastmajority of the favorable law changeswere made in the last 22 years.”

Born in Moberly, Mo., in 1951,Dameron played high school footballand was a Missouri state wrestlingchampion. He supported his familywhile attending the UMKC School ofLaw by working nights at the PhillipsPetroleum Refinery, where he was amember of the Oil, Chemical, andAtomic Workers International Union.

Dameron is survived by his wife of29 years, Virginia, and daughters,Rachael, Vanessa, and Lauren.Contributions can be sent to the RobertL. Dameron Memorial Fund, c/o theBrotherhood Bank, 756 MinnesotaAve., Kansas City, KS 66101. ❑

Boilermaker Archives offerswatches, clocks in fundraiser

With a minimum donation of$15, you can support theBoilermakers’ historymuseum and receive a freeman’s or woman’s stylesouvenir watch

With a minimumdonation of at least$20, you can receive asouvenir wall clock

To receive your souvenir, send your donation in U.S. currency — mini-mum donation of $15 for a watch, $20 for a clock — payable to theNational Archives at 753 State Ave., #570; Kansas City KS 66101. Pleaseindicate on your check your souvenir choice: men’s or women’s watchstyle, or wall clock. Shipping and handling is included.

Offers can be combined; i.e., you can donate $30 and receive twowatches, or donate $35 and receive a watch and a clock, etc.

Watches are water resistant and have a black leather strap. Ten-inch clock has abrass-finished frame; requires one AA battery, not included.

Only checks in U.S. currency will be accepted. All donations are tax deductible (less $7 ifreceiving a souvenir watch; less $10 if receiving a wall clock. Tax ID #48-1140537).

In the Hood By Kenny Reed of L-74, Houston, Texas

When asked to take a supervision job, I said, “I would,”Knowing it would be different From being under my hood.It felt good after all these years To have my name mentioned by my peers. They said I would do good,“Go ahead Kenny, put away your hood.” J.R. said, “If you can’t handle the responsibility, Don’t take the job.”I said, “I could,” as I put away my hood.This supervision job wasn’t all that clearAs I soon found out I was wet behind the ear.

Through trial and error, I did the best I could,I knew if things didn’t work out there was always the hood.The rest of this may not rhymeBut I’ll leave this jobBetter educated this time.Let me tell you what I did learnAnd next time you can take a turn.

I’ll have a license to teach kindergarten school,Also be qualified to baby sit from my stool.I’ll have a certificate to be a WWF referee,Also a Ph. D. in Psychology.

You can catch me in the Houston News,As I’ll be in competition with Ann Landers and Abigail, too.So thanks again to all my peersFor considering me after all these years.And if asked again if I would,I’ll take a good hard look at my hood.

NTL Craig, DonaldNTL Fitts, ChesterNTL Matthews, JesseNTL Mougin, RichardNTL Rash, JohnNTL Reynolds, VernonNTL Rutherford, JamesNTL Shorts, LeeNTL Uptain, Roger1 Belt, Linvel1 Mulvihill, William1 Murphy, Thomas1 Rangel, Lupe4 Poyer, Thomas6 Baughman, Berklen6 Jones, Edgar7 Bentzoni, Russell10 Schmidt, Lloyd W.13 Kotarski, Thaddeus19 Labree, George S.26 Hamilton, William26 Martin, George27 Mason, Melvin28 Cariello, Louis28 Potter, William30 Baker, Clarence37 Cowart, Eugene

37 Peretti, Stephen40 Adams, John40 Hudgins, Howard40 Wilson, Edward45 Peterson, Robert45 Shake, Darrell60 Guilliams, Paul60 Rodda, Kenneth72 Beauchamp, John E.72 Carter, Harold R.72 Swanson, Roy C.74 Kaiser, Gene74 Terry, James83 Bowen, Clyde83 Cauley, James83 Collins, Danny83 Everett, Allen83 Head, Clifford83 Owen, Willis85 Andrews, Edwin85 Diaz, Albert85 Jones, Gerald92 Luna, Manuel92 Reynaga, Manuel92 Skelley, Earl92 Tufto, Arnold92 Willis, Kenneth

92 Workman, Thomas104 Bemis, Albert104 Peele, Raymond W.104 Taylor, John104 Vaux, John105 White, Paul110 Griffith, Charles110 Morris, Walter112 Waldrup, Austin132 Mendez, Daniel132 Pietsch, Ervin R.146 Cosman, Robert154 Cafrelli, Albert154 Vavra, Frank154 Weider, Robert158 Arterburn, Everett H.169 Bonnell, Dale169 Little, Chester169 McCloud, Robert169 Smith, Richard182 Bequette, Anthony193 Darch, Richard S.193 Myers, James237 Cicarelli, James242 Ainsworth, Elmer249 Samsom, T. A.D277 Fairweather, Ian

D331 Gardener, BrianD335 Gassman, Ralph 359 Aubertin, Emile359 Barry, John359 Key, Darren359 Komar, Ted359 Mason, William359 Neckel, Herman359 Strandt, William359 Winnig,Warren374 Adams, Kevin374 Marek, Edward374 Miller Jr., Bernard374 Stankovich, Gene433 Johnson, Jesse433 Melton, Smallwood453 Hogan, Dennis453 Walpole, James R.454 Kendricks, Archie455 Eddy, Lee M.457 Dupriest, Clifton W.487 Koehler, Elmer531 Ferguson, Willie549 Huckaby, William549 Marini, Alfred549 Tobin, Lester555 Nykorak, William555 Preprost, Frank566 Bogard, Shelby577 Logue, Orval

582 Boyette, Charles582 Delaughter, Ray592 Ellis, Merlin592 McClary, Mike627 Stanley, Alvin636 Reynolds, Frank647 Himmelspach, Thomas647 Pool, Bonney647 Schantz, Jesse667 Brosten, Alf667 Hoschar, George667 Kemp, John667 McKinley, Benjamin667 Padilla, Joe667 Robinette, Frank667 Waybright, Herman679 Carr, Jesse696 Bawyn, Floyd744 Armstrong, Lloyd G.744 Cutshall, Donald744 McCarty, Robert744 McCullough, James749 Young, Dudley802 Groton, Henry P.1101 Stanko, Michael A.1162 Braggs, Robert L.1234 Sanders, Emmet1603 Vicars, William1620 Jacobs, Robert L.

WITH DEEP SORROWthe International Brotherhood records the death of these members as reported to the InternationalSecretary-Treasurer’s office, and extends its heartfelt sympathy to the bereaved families.

Intl. Menaugh, Ella M. $4,500.00NTL Barrow, Albrey R. 1,500.00NTL Burroughs, Robert C. 4,500.00NTL Dyess, Jerry M. 4,500.00NTL Greer, Eurie C. 4,500.00NTL Jamack, Peter M. 4,500.00NTL Lee, William E. 4,500.00NTL Leopard, Lacy M. 12,000.00NTL Musgrove, Oscar 4,500.00NTL Owen, Welton O. 4,500.00NTL Shorts, Lee M. 4,500.00NTL Wallace Jr., Robert D. 4,500.00NTL Wollet, Carl J. 4,500.001 Beakley, Ray 4,500.001 Creamer, Ervin L. 4,500.001 Tillipman, Sidney 4,500.005 Haig, Robert 4,500.005 Rutigliano, Jerome P. 1,229.606 Cowley, Vard M. 2,250.006 Go, Lester F. 4,500.006 Malaspina, Peter G. 4,500.006 Peer, Leland F. 4,500.006 Picker, Max 4,500.006 Salinas, Ernesto R. 4,500.006 Soto, Manuel R. 4,500.006 Varney, Carl W. 4,500.007 Baun, Clair W. 606.007 Brown Jr., James M. 4,500.007 Salter Sr., Aaron 4,500.0011 Southworth, Leslie A. 919.7513 Falkowski, Thomas S. 4,500.0013 Gangewere, Raymond 4,500.0013 Kotarski, Thaddeus J. 4,500.0013 Novak, Joseph J. 4,500.0013 Orme, George 4,500.0013 Studzinski, Stanley J. 4,500.0013 Swiderski, Edward J. 4,500.0026 Floyd, John J. 4,500.0026 Hickox, Ellis L. 4,500.0026 Pagan, Ralph 4,500.0026 Widener, Walter N. 2,250.0027 Ervin, Melbourne F. 4,500.0027 Nehring, Gustav F. 4,500.0027 Wood, Clark 822.4028 Antos, John T. 6,000.0028 Baran, Frank 9,500.0028 Cawman, David L. 115.1028 Fesniak, Walter F. 9,500.0029 Draheim, John P. 4,500.0029 Packard Jr., Calton R. 4,500.0029 Sullivan, John F. 4,500.0030 Bennett, Zachary W. 4,032.0037 Cowart, Eugene H. 4,500.0037 Maquar, Phillip N. 4,500.0040 McKinley, Arthur L. 4,500.0045 Peterson Jr., Robert H. 4,500.0060 Rodda, Kenneth F. 4,500.00

72 Brown, Donald E. 4,500.0072 Carter, Harold R. 4,500.0072 Krueger, Joyce B. 4,500.0072 Miles, Alvin R. 4,500.0072 Mosely, Marvin A. 4,500.0072 Sabin, Darrell L. 4,500.0072 Wright, Roland D. 4,500.0074 Clark, Everett E. 4,500.0074 Coleman, Rufus C. 4,500.0074 Dubois, Abel V. 4,500.0074 Thurston, John D. 4,500.0074 Turpin, Bill 4,500.0079 Goodman, Edgar L. 4,500.0079 Mossano, Victor P. 4,500.0083 Bowen, Clyde Franklin 4,500.0083 Collins, Timothy F. 6,431.0883 Head, Clifford B. 4,500.0083 Hollingsworth, Danny 4,500.0083 Miller, Harry L. 4,500.0083 Nadelhoffer, Mike G. 280.0084 Bosley, J. E. 4,500.0085 Claus, Thomas I. 4,500.0085 Green, Roy K. 4,500.0085 Molnar, John E. 4,500.0092 Flora, George R. 4,500.0092 Graves, Keith W. 4,500.0092 Hedrick, William H. 4,500.0092 Larsen, Earl W. 4,500.0092 McIntosh, Raymond 4,500.0092 Rafferty, Patrick F. 3,000.0096 Neese, Paul E. 4,500.00101 Elliott, John A. 4,500.00101 Polson, Joe J. 4,500.00104 Bemis, Albert W. 4,500.00104 Boaz, LeRoy Layton 3,000.00104 Chapman, Donald O. 4,500.00104 Freund, Chester C. 4,500.00104 Guillory, Jimmy A . 4,500.00104 Harper, Nelson B. 4,500.00104 Johansson, Bror H. 4,500.00104 Klopotic, Harry H. 4,500.00104 Montgomery, Wallace 4,500.00104 Peele, Raymond W. 4,500.00104 Rebo, Fred H. 4,500.00104 Tamborini, John T. 4,500.00104 Vaux, John C. 6,000.00104 Zosel, William L. 3,000.00105 Dotson, Otis V. 4,500.00105 Kennedy, David E. 4,500.00107 Boerschinger, Peter M. 4,500.00107 Eckola, James A. 4,500.00107 Kelley, Norman A. 4,500.00107 Newkirk, Lawrence P. 4,500.00110 Peeples, David R. 4,500.00112 Knowles, Willie J. 4,500.00112 Turner, Joe 4,500.00113 Wilkins, B. Lester 3,000.00124 Glad, Anthony P. 3,000.00

132 Ross, Billy B. 4,500.00154 Bailey, William D. 4,500.00154 Banko, David 176.00154 Beale Jr., Robert L. 4,500.00154 Cafrelli, Albert R. 4,500.00154 Corcoran, William G. 4,500.00154 Druga, Andrew 4,500.00154 Kletcho, Michael 3,000.00154 Sittig, Norman C. 4,500.00154 Straight, William F. 4,500.00159 Amos, Clarence W. 4,500.00169 Reterstoff, William A. 4,500.00177 Samp, Edward 3,000.00182 Gernandt, Augustine 4,500.00182 Jolley, Malcolm A. 4,500.00193 Darch, Richard S. 4,500.00193 Killian, Joseph B. 171.50193 Takovich, Louis 4,500.00199 Nelson, Allen D. 216.00199 Seigler, Clarence K. 4,500.00202 Gross, Willie G. 4,500.00204 DeSoto, Daniel 4,500.00204 Holi, John H. 4,500.00204 Kamei, Reginald M. 4,500.00204 Sakane, George K. 4,500.00237 Wawrzynowicz, V. 4,500.00242 Reed, Kenneth L. 4,500.00263 Crymes, Tommy B. 572.50300 Helmuth, William J. 4,500.00305 Broussard Jr., C. J. 4,500.00305 Desormeaux, Paul D. 4,500.00316 Hollern, Frank J. 4,500.00358 Rudy, Paul 4,500.00363 Bass, Theodore L. 4,500.00363 Bechel, Lawrence M. 4,500.00363 Haas, William J. 4,500.00363 Hayes, Wendell D. 4,500.00363 Mowery, Donald R. 4,500.00363 Parks, David R. 4,500.00363 Whittington, Clyde 4,500.00374 Berger, Raymond 4,500.00374 Dodd, Eugene D. 4,500.00374 Fleming, Arthur D. 3,000.00374 Gadient, Charles E. 4,500.00374 Kindle, Albert L. 4,500.00374 Morgan, Virgil Lee 4,500.00397 Biondo, Russell 4,500.00433 Douglas, Carl G. 2,250.00433 Slay, Charles E. 8,311.89433 Tanner, Laurence J. 4,500.00449 Konitzer, Raymond C. 4,500.00449 Palazzo, Harry M. 4,500.00453 Kilburn, William A. 4,500.00453 Walpole, James F. 3,000.00454 Jones, Coplin H. 4,500.00454 Marler, Billy W. 4,500.00455 Lamb, John Kelly 4,500.00

469 Everett, Chester 4,500.00500 Lundy, Archie C. 4,500.00549 Allison, William R. 4,500.00549 Deemer, Joseph P. 4,500.00549 Duran, Jose R. 4,500.00549 Miner, Early L. 4,500.00549 Mitchell, Freddie R. 4,500.00549 Thomas, Wadelle V. 1,198.50549 Young, Dudley 4,500.00568 Barnes, Willis J. 4,500.00568 Edmondson, Kenneth 4,500.00568 Hill, Edwin H. 4,500.00568 Lange, Ervin 4,500.00577 Logue, Orval C. 4,500.00582 DeLaughter, Ray K. 4,500.00582 Golmon, Lamar 4,500.00582 Guitreau, Curtis J. 4,500.00583 Gammon, Randolph S. 4,500.00583 White, James W. 4,500.00587 Douga, James L. 4,500.00587 Emmert, Joseph H. 4,500.00587 Jones, Walter L. 4,500.00587 McMillan, Benjamin R. 4,500.00587 Moore, Raymond L. 4,500.00587 Reynard, William C. 4,500.00587 Walters, Richard Earl 4,500.00592 Cain, Louis 4,500.00592 Davis, Odis E. 4,500.00627 Arnett, Eugene M. 4,500.00627 Kanovich, Alphonse E. 4,500.00627 King, Ronald E. 4,500.00627 Slagle, Jack T. 4,500.00647 Czech, Nick 4,500.00651 Johnson, Walter K. 4,500.00667 Burton, Garlen R. 4,500.00667 Karnes, Lewis E. 4,500.00667 Mead, Isaac J. 4,500.00667 Padilla, Joe B. 4,500.00667 Sampson, Samuel E. 4,500.00667 Wallace, Michael L. 4,500.00667 Waybright, Herman E. 4,500.00687 Johnson, George C. 4,500.00687 Thompson, Waymon 4,500.00696 Spitzer, Clarence B. 4,500.00744 Armstrong, Lloyd G. 4,500.00744 Cutshall, Donald G. 4,500.00744 Matolich, John 4,500.00802 Lauer, Clarence W. 4,500.00802 McConell, William N. 4,500.00802 Robinson, Andrew E. 4,500.001212 Bridgewater, Leo F. 4,500.001234 Gomez, Rafael F. 4,500.001234 Sanders, C. Emmett 4,500.001240 Kelly, Jack W. 1,007.601509 Wiza, Edward 4,500.001600 Quintero, Fidencio 3,000.001702 Orsinger, Lawrence H. 3,000.00

THE DEATH BENEFIT PLANunder the Boilermaker-Blacksmith National Pension Trust haspaid the beneficiaries of the following deceased members who were covered by the plansince the last issue of our publication.

IF YOU HAVE NOT yet been furnished this information, contact your local lodge, secure the beneficiaryforms, complete the required information and forward to the Administrative Office of the Pension Fund,754 Minnesota Avenue, Suite 522, Kansas City, KS 66101, at the earliest possible date. NOTE: These addi-tional death benefits can only be derived for members who worked under a collective bargaining agree-ment with an employer contributing to the Boilermaker-Blacksmith National Pension Trust.

LODGE, NAME & BENEF I T

D E A T H B E N E F I T S

LODGE & NAME


I N M E M O R I A M



C O N S U M E R N E W S


Moving? Tell us where . . .Name

New Address

City

State or Province Zip

Local Lodge No. Register No.(Also please notify the secretary of your local lodge.)

Mail form to:Publications Department

753 State Avenue, Suite 565

Kansas City, KS 66101

(Allow five weeks for change of address.)

UNION PLUS CREDIT CARDCall: 1-800-522-4000

MORTGAGE & REAL ESTATEAlso open to your children &parents.Call: 1-800-848-6466

EDUCATION LOANS For college and job skills training. Call: 1-877-881-1022

PERSONAL LOANSAvailable for credit-qualifiedmembers. Call: 1-888-235-2759

MOTOR CLUB Towing and roadside assistance. Call: 1-888-330-8801

LEGAL SERVICEDiscounted legal help — first 30minutes are free. Call: 1-800-452-9425

LIFE INSURANCEFor members, their spouses. andchildren. Call: 1-800-899-2782

DENTAL & VISIONDiscount feesCall: 1-800-257-8352

ACCIDENT INSURANCECall: 1-800-899-2782

HEALTH SAVINGSSave on prescription medicinesand vision care.

Call: 1-800-228-3523

DISNEY WORLD DISCOUNTCall: 1-800-248-7890

CAR RENTAL DISCOUNTS Call and give the ID number:

Avis: 1-800-698-5685 AWD #B723700

Budget: 1-800-455-2848BCD#V816100

HEARING CARE Call: 1-800-766-3363

UNION-MADE CHECKS Call: 1-800-864-6625

FLOWER SERVICE Call: 1-800-667-7779

NORTH AMERICAN VAN LINES Call: 1-800-524-5533

For information on programs, phone

1-800-452-9425BOILERMAKERS UNION

PRIVILEGE BENEFITS*Includes retired members. Program

restrictions apply to members outside thecontinental United States. Phone 1-800-

452-9425 for clarification of eligibility.

The money-saving programslisted below are available onlyto Boilermaker members and

their immediate families.*

Members Only As a union member, you can get $10,000in no-cost accidental death insurance

UNION PLUS ACCIDENTInsuranceis just one of the benefits available toBoilermaker members through theUnion Privilege Program.

As a member of the Boilermakersunion, you can receive up to $10,000worth of no-cost accidental deathinsurance, which covers you on the joband while commuting to and fromwork (at a unionized shop).

Plus, you can also receive an addi-tional $2,000 worth of no-cost 24-hour“worldwide,” all-cause accidentaldeath insurance, just by calling 1-800-899-2782.

More than 8,600 Boilermaker mem-bers have already taken advantage ofthis free insurance. That’s over$86,000,000 in free insurance benefits.

Families of two of our members ben-efited from the free “all-cause acciden-

tal death insurance” benefit of $2,000when Randall Reid of Local 40, andClifford Risden of Local 1622, werekilled in separate auto accidents.

You can get additionalcoverage at low-cost ratesOVER 1,600 Boilermaker membershave already purchased additionalround-the-clock accidental death anddismemberment insurance, represent-ing $132,120,000 in additional coverage.

The Union Plus Accident Insuranceoffers:

• Up to $200,000 worth of additionalcoverage

• An additional $100,000 paid for adeath in an airplane, train, or othercommon carrier

• Optional family coverage • An additional $50,000 paid for an

accidental death at work • An additional $25,000 paid for a

motor-vehicle fatality.

Members who purchase round-the-clock protection also receive “InflationGuard,” which automatically providesan additional five percent of coveragebenefits every two years for ten years— with no increase in premiums.

For example, if you purchase cover-age valued at $100,000 this year, andkeep that policy in force for ten years,your plan would be valued at $125,000in the year 2011.

All Boilermaker members, ages 18 to69, can enroll, and coverage is guaran-teed. A medical exam is not required.Members age 70 or over are eligible for50 percent coverage. For more informa-tion on this program, please call 1-800-899-2782. ❑

Our union members can also purchase additionalinsurance coverage at special member-only rates

1. Twenty percent of the price of anew home is required as a downpaymentFact — There is no set amount thatyou must put down. You might besurprised to learn that some homebuyer programs require as little asthree percent down.

2. Monthly home payments aremore expensive than rentFact — The average monthlymortgage payment in 1998 wasonly $688.

3. One late payment or loan defaultwill disqualify me from getting amortgageFact — Late payments will not nec-essarily keep a mortgage applica-

tion from being approved. Thosewhose past credit problems havebeen resolved may also qualify.

4. The average person does nothave the minimum income toqualify for a mortgageFact — The average qualifyingincome for starter houses duringthe first quarter of 1999, was only$32,696. (Varies depending ongeographical area housing costs.)

Where to BeginMortgage Affordability Estimate. Assoon as you think about buying a homeyou should first get an estimate of themortgage amount you can afford basedon your income and debts.

Preapproval. Chase’s Passport-To-Purchase® Program allows you tochoose a mortgage and either float orlock in a rate for 60-90 days, with theability to shop for a home up to 45days. Then you can shop with confi-dence knowing you have “cash inhand,” which can make your offermore attractive to sellers.

Here, we’ve covered only thebasics. The key to finding the rightmortgage for you is to work closelywith a reputable mortgage lender.Your mortgage professional willwork with you to determine howmuch house you can afford, howlarge of a mortgage you may qualifyfor, help you understand specialmortgages for first-time home buy-ers, and make suggestions that willhelp you get the best mortgage foryou and make your life easier.

Four Mortgage Myths

Boilermakers: Turn your dream into a homeUNION MEMBER MORTGAGE & REAL ESTATE

1-800-848-6466TO BE ELIGIBLE, you must first call this toll freenumber to register. This program is available onlyto union members in the U.S. and some territories.The five percent and three percent down paymentoption are not available in all geographic areas.Your union has no involvement in loan decisions.

MEMBER SAVINGS: Down payments as low as fivepercent, competitive interest rates, and expert guid-ance through the mortgage or refinancing process.REAL ESTATE SERVICES: Money-saving options forbuyers and sellers.HELP FOR FIRST-TIME BUYERS: Down payments aslow as three percent plus special affordability pro-gram options.

Save moneywhen youbuy, sell, orrefinanceyour home

the Boilermaker Reporter16 May •Jun 2001

C O M M E N T A R Y

IN THE PAST five years, a quiet rev-olution has been occurring in theworld of international trade. Youmight even call it a silent coup,

because in a sense a small group of peo-ple is seizing the reins of governmentsall around the world.

No government leaders have beenassassinated, and the media and ordi-nary citizens have not even noticed thatit is occurring, but the World TradeOrganization (WTO) has been helpingits member nations create trade agree-ments that may threaten those nations’ability to enact and enforce laws thatprotect their citizens.

Agreements like the North AmericanFree Trade Agreement (NAFTA) andthe Free Trade Area of the Americas(FTAA) have provisions that can, insome circumstances, compel the signa-tory nations to change their laws or facesanctions. Worse than that, these tradeagreements will cause countries withhigh standards for the environment,safety, labor protections, and other pro-tections, to lower their standards inorder to avoid sanctions

In fact, they already have.

Production methods can’t beused to limit imports

THE WTO WAS formed in 1995, a suc-cessor of sorts to the General Agree-ment on Tariffs and Trade (GATT).After World War II, GATT was createdto facilitate commerce among nations.

The WTO now meets regularly to dojust that. Their main focus is the promo-tion of international trade agreementsthat promote unrestricted investmentand trade across borders.

When a country’s laws restrict trade,the WTO places sanctions on that coun-try until it changes the law. The pursuit

of unrestricted trade threatens the sov-ereignty of all nations in the WTO.

For example, in 1991, Mexico suedthe United States, saying that the U.S.Marine Mammal Protection Act(MMPA) unfairly limited their abilityto export tuna to the U.S. The MMPAsets standards for catching tuna. Mexi-can fishermen didn’t meet those stan-dards, so the U.S. would not allowthem to export tuna into our country.

Mexico took their complaint to aninternational panel. The panel reportedthis finding: the U.S. could not enforcethis law because the law dealt withprocess, not product.

That is, there was nothing wrongwith the product; the tuna met interna-tional standards. The problem was inhow the tuna was produced.

This ruling set two troubling prece-dents.

First, an international panel of gov-ernment appointees (with no Ameri-cans) decided whether the U.S. canenforce a law enacted legally under theU.S. Constitution.

Second, the reasoning behind theirruling paves the way for other coun-tries to use lawsuits to rewrite U.S.laws. And although these countries dothe suing (per international agree-ments), they do so on behalf of the cor-porations producing the goods.

In other words, multinational corpo-rations can use international tradeagreements to strike down laws if thelaw pertains to the process of produc-tion, and not the product.

For example, laws barring imports ofproducts made with slave labor orexploitative child labor would not beenforceable, because those laws dealwith process, not product.

International panels are not requiredto rule on the law itself. In fact, they arebarred from that. They only decidewhether the rules of GATT or NAFTAor some other trade agreement apply.

Their main concern is whether thelaw in question restricts trade. If it does,they may rule in favor of the plaintiff.

The problem with that should beobvious: every developed country hasthousands of laws on the books thatare intended to restrict trade because itharms their citizens.

We restrict what kinds of chemicalsyou can put in food. We restrict whatkinds of pesticides farmers can use. Werestrict trade in unsafe toys, in prescrip-tion drugs, and in hazardous waste.

Not all trade restrictions are evil.Some are necessary for the proper func-tioning of a civilized society.

Corporations rule the WTO

THE PROBLEM IS that multinationalcorporations decide trade policy, notcitizens. Corporations rule the WTO.

In theory, each country’s trade repre-sentatives represent the people of thatcountry; in practice, they represent thecorporations of that country.

Every person in the U.S. trade repre-sentative’s office has a corporate back-ground. No labor leaders are included.No environmentalists. No consumersafety advocates.

The only people at the table are cor-porate representatives. Corporationsalways profit from lowering traderestrictions; the rest of us profit some-times, but often we do not. Our repre-sentatives should be at the table, too.

And trade agreements should benegotiated in full view of the peopleaffected by them. Trade agreementshave the force of law, so they should be

enacted just as laws are. The WTOoperates sub rosa, behind closed doorsin absolute secrecy. We can’t reviewtheir decisions. We don’t hear theirarguments. We don’t even know whois in that room.

Trade agreements brokered behindclosed doors benefit corporations at theexpense of workers — especially theworkers in the third-world countriesthat these agreements are supposed tohelp. Just look at NAFTA. Mexicanworkers are worse off than ever, whilethe multinational corporations thatemploy them are reaping huge profits.

The World Trade Organization isnothing more than an attempt bymultinational corporations to estab-lish a corporate dictatorship overevery nation on earth. If they succeed,our laws will mean nothing, our con-stitution will mean nothing, and thewill of the people will mean nothing.

They will be able to use internationalagreements to drive wages, workingconditions, environmental laws, andhealth standards down to the level ofthe most impoverished countries.

Our courts and legislatures will bepowerless to stop them. ❑

Charles W. JonesInternational President

Trade pacts threaten sovereignty


Letters to the Editors

L-28’s Sweiderk wants torevolutionize health care LAST YEAR WAS the first time I haveever really needed to use our (Health& Welfare) health benefits; I injuredmy spine and have not been able towork since.

I have discovered we have a systemthat does not avail members the useof up-to-date technologies to speed upprocessing of documents and infor-mation; i.e., faxes, online access, a 1-800 telephone number, current healthplan books, a way to match a doctorwith a hospital that is “in the system”without lengthy phone calls, and aprinted directory of system doctorslisting their credentials.

Why can’t we be the innovators ofhealth care coverage for unions andrevolutionize the system for all?

BILL SWEIDERK , L-28Newark, N.J.

Editor’s Note: Thanks in part to thisletter, the Boilermakers NationalHealth & Welfare Plan now hasprovider information online. See storyon page 11.

Spouse thanks members fortheir supportJOHN OUTLAW (a member of Local199, Jacksonville, Fla.) was injured ina head-on collision, Saturday,February 10th. He was flown to St.Joseph Health Center in critical condi-

tion, with a very slim chance of sur-vival. When he didn’t show up forwork on Monday, his coworkers inLacygne, Kan., assumed he had quit,until they read of his accident in alocal newspaper. They then collectedfunds so I could fly out and be withJohn, and the balance of the funds willbe used to move him closer to home.

John has regained consciousnessand can respond by blinking his eyesand squeezing your hand. The doctorbelieves he will improve even moreonce he can be moved home.

Many thanks to the members ofLocal 83 (Kansas City, Mo.) and Local199, Mr. Horseman (L-83 president),and all the others for the nice and car-ing things they did for us.

MRS. BERNICE OUTLAW

Moncks Corner, S.C.

Spouse is grateful to membersof Locals 83 and 592MY HUSBAND, Phillip Fack, a mem-ber of Local 592, Tulsa, Okla., wasworking out of Local 83 (Kansas City,Mo.) when he was injured on May 1,2001. He was taken to the hospital,where he had surgery on his left handand foot.

We want to thank the members ofLocals 83 and 592 for their cards anddonations and wish we could person-ally tell each of them how much weappreciate all that they did.

PHILLIP FACK A N D FAMILYSkiatook, Okla.

Local 7 retiree is having awonderful retirementTHIS IS JUST a note from Florida,from a very happy retiree of theBrotherhood. Our retirement villagerecently honored my wife, Lucy, and I,with a “home of the month” award forour holiday decorations. In August, Iplan to attend the 14th reunion of theWW II 345th Bombardment Group inSan Diego.

I want to thank the International fora wonderful retirement, and in partic-ular, Local Lodge 7 of Buffalo, N.Y.

GEORGE W. HARMON, L-7 retireeLeesburg, Fla.

L-549 retiree wants a voiceand vote at union meetingsTHERE’S SOMETHING WRONGwiththe Brotherhood’s Constitution, Article35.6, which states a retiree has no voiceor vote at a local union meeting.

I started out in the 1950s, whenemployers on the West Coast treatedBoilermakers like dirt. I’m talking 48-hour weeks, no eye protection, no earprotection, no asbestos protection, nocoffee breaks, and hardly any safety.If you complained, you were gone.We fought hard, walked-off jobs, andwent on strike for conditions we havetoday. They didn’t come free.

It is disgraceful when a Boilermakerwith over 40 years in good standingcan’t voice his opinion after he retires.

The constitution needs to be revisedso retirees have a voice.

EDWARD TEDESCHI, L-549 retireePaso Robles, Calif.

Editor’s Note: Article 30.2.1.3 statesthat retirees do not have a vote, butthat they “may, by the consent of theLocal Lodge, speak on the welfare ofthe Union.” The lodge decides whatissues retirees may address.

Got something to say?KEEP IT SHORT and sweet. Avoidprofanity and personal attacks.

SEND A LETTER TO THE EDITOR:

The Boilermaker Reporter753 State Ave. Suite 570Kansas City KS 66101FAX: (913) 281-8104E-mail: [email protected] [email protected]

NAFTA, FTAA, and the WTO may force Canada and theU.S. to lower our standards to match third-world countries

The World Trade Organization istrying to establish a corporate

dictatorship over the entire world.

Documents

V40N3 | The Boilermaker Reporter