Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers International Union
March/ April 2012
Volume 14 Number 2
the
T
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
WHY the BCTGM Endorses President Obama for Re-Election
The greatest responsibility “Unions are the cornerstone of the These are policies that benefit only of International and local union the wealthiest among us, multinational officers and staff is to work hard middle class…America cannot have corporate bosses and Wall Street a strong, growing economy without insiders; policies that caused the worst every day to protect the rights and interests of our members a strong, growing middle class and economic crisis and hardship since the and defend the integrity of the Depression; policies that would without a strong labor movement.” Great BCTGM. This is what we do erode the standard of living of working in negotiations and when we families and jeopardize the future for -President Obama, September 5, 2011 enforce the letter and spirit of our children and grandchildren. our contracts with management. If we want an idea of what would be in store for union This is also the reason the BCTGM is actively involved members with a Mitt Romney presidency and a House and in the political process at the national, state and local levels. Senate controlled by Republicans, we need only look to Whether we like it or not, the hard truth is that decisions Wisconsin, Ohio, Indiana, Michigan and other states where made by politicians have an extraordinary impact on the right-wing governors and legislators have declared war on lives of our members and their families. workers and unions, steamrolling into law the most antiIn March, the BCTGM General Executive Board voted union legislation and regulations this country has seen in unanimously and enthusiastically to endorse President decades. Barack Obama for re-election. The members of the GEB In a Mitt Romney presidency, the war on workers and took this action for a number of reasons. unions now centered in the states would be brought to the First and foremost, throughout his presidency, Barack national stage with the very real possibility of a federal Obama has displayed a solid determination to do what “right-to-work for less” law. is best for our nation and all of its citizens, not just the And, we can be certain that our employers would be privileged few. He has taken on the richest and most salivating at the opportunity to take maximum advantage in powerful interests in this country – Wall Street, big banks negotiations of a renewed climate of government-sanctioned and credit card companies, oil companies and the health anti-unionism just as they did during the Bush years. insurance industry – in order to protect the middle class and For the BCTGM, our mission is clear. If we are going the most vulnerable in our society. to meet our primary responsibility of protecting the interests From his very first days in office, the President has of our members and their families as well as defend the consistently opened his door to organized labor, genuinely integrity of our Union, then we must put forth the very best seeking our counsel and input on the most important effort we can muster to re-elect President Obama. There is matters affecting working people. He backed up this talk simply too much at stake to do anything less! with action by placing in senior positions throughout his Frank Hurt Administration people who respect and value the labor BCTGM International President movement and who are sincere advocates for working men and women. When he took office, President Obama inherited from the Bush Administration an economy in freefall with hundreds of thousands of our fellow citizens losing their jobs every month. Entire industries were near collapse. Official Publication of the Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Through principled, skillful leadership and a willingness Workers and Grain Millers International Union to make very difficult, often times politically risky decisions, 10401 Connecticut Avenue, Kensington, Maryland 20895-3961 (301) 933-8600 President Obama and his Administration brought our nation www.bctgm.org back from the brink of economic collapse, stabilized the Frank Hurt, Editor economy and put it on a path of growth and job creation. Corrina A. Christensen, Assistant Editor While there is a long way to go and far too many Americans are still out of work, President Obama’s plan of putting BCTGM General Executive Board President Frank Hurt • Secretary-Treasurer David B. Durkee working families and the middle class first offers the best Vice Presidents Steve Bertelli • Sean Kelly • Micheal T. Konesko hope for a more prosperous future. Arthur Montminy • Robert Oakley • James Rivers • Randy Roark In assessing the Republican candidates, including BCTGM General Executive Board Members the likely nominee Mitt Romney, our Board saw a group Joyce Alston • Thomas Bingler • Edward Burpo • Butch Henley of politicians squarely lined up behind the policies of the Barry Jenkins • Johnny Jackson • Paul LaBuda • Richard Lewis Vester Newsome • Ron Piercey • Donna Scarano Republican House leadership – ending Medicare as we know Brad Schmidt • Doyle Townson it, privatizing Social Security, eliminating controls on the BCTGM News (ISSN 1525-4860) is published bi-monthly by the Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers International Union, 10401 Connecticut Avenue, Kensington, MD 20895-3961. Peribusiness practices of corporations and banks and expanding odicals postage paid at Kensington, MD and at additional mailing offices. Subscription to new members only. Postmaster: Send address changes to BCTGM News, 10401 Connecticut Avenue, Kensington, MD tax breaks for oil companies and corporations that move 20895-3961. jobs and profits overseas.
BCTGM News
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BCTGM News
BCTGM Sugar Locals Meet in Red River Valley
East Grand Forks, Minn.— Thirty-four representatives of 11 BCTGM local unions met April 14 to discuss issues of importance to union members employed in the sugar industry. Chief among those issues was American Crystal Sugar’s (ACS) lockout of 1,300 BCTGM members in Minnesota, North Dakota, and Iowa nearly nine months ago. Participants in the sugar meeting included representatives from Locals 167G (Grand Forks, N.D.), 267G (Crookston, Minn.), 372G (Hillsboro, N.D.), 283G (Twin Falls, Idaho), 369G (Renville, Minn.), 282G (Heyburn, Idaho), 284G (Nampa, Idaho), 285G (Sidney, Mont.), 262G (Croswell, Mich.), 263G (Bay City, Mich.) and 260G (Caro, Mich.). This is the fifth meeting of BCTGM sugar locals since 2008. The group also met in 2009, 2010 and 2011.
March/April 2012
BCTGM International Secretary-Treasurer/Director of Organization David B. Durkee led the meeting and provided a forum for the local union leaders to discuss issues, concerns, bargaining strategies and the lockout of fellow union members at American Crystal. Participants of the meeting represent workers at Amalgamated Sugar Co. in Idaho, Sidney Sugars in Montana (owned by ACS), Michigan Sugar Co., Southern Minnesota Beet Sugar Cooperative, and Minn-Dak Farmers Cooperative. Locked out union members discussed the impact the dispute has had on their families and communities since it began on August 1, 2011. “It was important for us to hold our meeting in the Red River Valley this year so that we could hear from workers affected by this lockout. Also, we wanted to show our solidarity in person,” notes BCTGM Local 260G President Randy Joles, who works for Michigan Sugar. The local union representatives shared information with one another about the state of the www.bctgm.org
sugarbeet industry and the impact the lockout is having beyond Crystal Sugar. “We are seeing competitors of Crystal Sugar paying out higher payments to co-op members and increasing capital expenditures,” said BCTGM Local 369G President Wayne Trager, who is employed by Southern Minnesota Beet Sugar Cooperative. “It’s pretty clear to us that Crystal Sugar’s competitors are seeing great opportunities because of the lockout. This situation is hurting our brothers and sisters here in the Red River Valley, and it’s damaging the company, perhaps for the long term. That’s not good for workers or shareholders.” The BCTGM members visited with locked out workers outside the East Grand Forks factory following the formal meeting proceedings. “The entire BCTGM International is behind the locked out ACS members. We will stand strong with them as long as it takes to win justice,” says Durkee, who also participated in the solidarity rally outside the East Grand Forks facility. The locked out ACS members welcomed the solidarity of the BCTGM sugar locals. “Having our brothers and sisters from across the country join us outside the plant is extremely important in this struggle,” reflects Local 167G member Carla Kennedy, who is locked out of her job at the East Grand Forks ACS factory. 3
BCTGM
Enthusiastically Endorses
Barack Obama in F
ollowing the lead of the AFL-CIO Executive “Moreover, the Republican Council, the BCTGM presidential candidates have announced on April 5 that thoroughly embraced policies the General Executive Board specifically unanimously designed The BCTGM voted to to weaken endorse intends to engage organized labor President and undermine Barack Obama our members and the rights of for re-election. workers in the In their families fully in workplace.” announcing Hurt added, the Board’s this critical campaign “The BCTGM decision, is proud BCTGM for the future of our to endorse International President President great nation. Obama. Frank Hurt Throughout his presidency, explained, “After assessing the Barack Obama has displayed positions of the Republican extraordinary leadership, candidates for President on the vision, courage and issues that matter most to our determination to do members and their families, and what is best for our comparing them with those of President Obama, our Board spoke loudly and clearly. “Each of the Republican candidates for President has lined up squarely behind the policies of the Republican House leadership; policies that benefit only the wealthiest among us, multinational corporate bosses and Wall Street titans. These policies would erode the standard of living of working families and jeopardize the future for our children and grandchildren. 4
2012
nation and all of its citizens, not just the privileged few. “The BCTGM intends to engage our members and their families fully in this critical campaign for the future of our great nation. There is far too much at stake for anything less than the very best effort we can muster.”
BCTGM News
President Obama’s Accomplishments As President Obama’s first term nears its end, it is time to take stock of his accomplishments, as well as to assess progress toward the goals not yet achieved since his historic election. During his first two years in office, the President made substantial progress in dismantling the dangerous legacy left by President George W. Bush and took many steps to put in place a truly progressive, pro-worker agenda. In fact, Obama’s first year in office has been marked by a series of significant achievements, including creating jobs as a result of the economic stimulus, eliminating wasteful spending, increasing government transparency, and expanding federal health insurance programs to cover millions more children. Among the President’s accomplishments: HEALTH CARE REFORM. The historic Affordable Care Act (ACA) puts the U.S. on the path toward quality, affordable health care for all Americans. Already, 2.5 million more young adults have health coverage because parents can keep dependents on their plans until age 26; 54 million additional Americans received preventive coverage without required cost-sharing; 3.6 million Medicare beneficiaries saved more than $2.1 billion on prescription drugs in the Part D “donut hole.” PASSING STIMULUS, GENERATING JOBS. On February 17, 2009, President Obama signed the $787 billion American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, the largest economic stimulus and jobs program in history. In December 2009, the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) issued a report estimating that “in the third quarter of calendar year 2009, an additional 600,000 to 1.6 million people were employed in the United States” due to that legislation. According to the White House Council of Economic Advisers, CBO has increased its estimate to 800,000 to 2.4 million additional employed through the fourth quarter of that year. PROMOTING WORKERS’ RIGHTS. The Obama Administration has moved aggressively to protect workers’ rights, workers’ pay and workers’ health and safety on the job. President Obama named experience worker advocates to the NLRB and the National Mediation Board; with new Democratic majorities, these boards have taken steps to level the playing field for workers who want to form and join unions. One of the first bills the President signed into law was the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, which expands the rights of workers to sue employers over wage discrimination claims. WALL STREET REFORM. To prevent another financial collapse, the Obama Administration proposed and worked to pass the most comprehensive reform of the financial sector since the 1930s. The Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform law is a major win for workers and the middle class over Wall Street greed and irresponsible risk taking.
March/April 2012
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The Largest, Most Efficient Bakery
C
anada’s largest, most of 2012, it is expected that the modern and efficient plant will employ approximately commercial bakery 250 to 300 employees and hire an opened in this fall with additional 31 seasonal workers. BCTGM Local When Canada 264 (Toronto) Bread announced In 2012, it is members it was building the expected that the new “super bakery” producing some of the country’s Hamilton, it plant will employ inclosed most loved bread its bakery approximately products. in Toronto, where The $100 members 250 to 300 million Canada of BCTGM employees and hire Local Bread plant covers 385,000 were an additional 31 264 square feet employed. in Hamilton, seasonal workers. All production Ontario. The from that bakery is a division of Maple Leaf plant was shifted to the Foods, and produces a variety new Hamilton bakery and of fresh baked products, mostly all 80 union members from the Dempster’s and Villaggio affected by the plant closing lines. The bakery, dubbed “The were offered jobs. Local Trillium,” is capable of producing 264 successfully gained 250,000 loaves of bread per day. recognition at the new Local 264 bakers produce Trillium bakery because white and whole wheat breads, it represents workers at buns, English muffins and tortillas Canada Bread’s Nebo using Canadian wheat. Once fully Bakery, also located in operational, the bakery will have Hamilton. The existing at least seven lines. By the end contract with that bakery 6
contains language that gives Local 264 recognition language for any new facility built in the city of Hamilton. Local 264 will gain an average of 195 new members thanks to this effort. BCTGM International President Frank Hurt praised, “Local 264’s tireless efforts to organize the new facility.” The plant is also considered
BCTGM News
y in the World is BCTGM PROUD
one of the most environmentally friendly and most technologically advanced, using new, “green technologies� to help control heating, cooling, lighting, and wastewater. The bakery was built under the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED)
March/April 2012
New Construction program, a green building rating system that covers an explicit set of environmental performance criteria, organized within five categories: sustainable sites; water efficiency; energy and atmosphere; materials and resources; and indoor environmental quality.
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S B O J E F SA S E V I L E SAV F
KEEP THE PROMISE ALIVE
our decades ago, Congress passed the Occupational Safety and Health Act, promising every worker the right to a safe job. Unions and our
allies have fought hard to make that promise a reality – winning protections that have made jobs safer, saved hundreds of thousands of lives and prevented millions of workplace injuries and illnesses. But our work is not done. Many job hazards are unregulated and uncontrolled. Some employers, like Massey Energy and BP, cut corners and violate the law, putting workers in serious danger and costing lives. Each year thousands of workers are killed and millions more injured or diseased 8
because of their jobs. made to make jobs safer and The Obama Administration save lives. Safety laws and has moved forward to regulations don’t kill jobs—but strengthen protections with unsafe jobs do kill workers. tougher enforcement on On April 28, the BCTGM serious violators and all unions Each year and proposed of the AFL-CIO new safeguards thousands of observe Workers for workplace Memorial Day workers are killed hazards. But to remember and millions more those who have business groups and suffered and injured or the Republican died on the job diseased because majority in the and to renew U.S. House of of their jobs. the fight for safe Representatives workplaces. This are attacking these stronger year we will fight to create good measurers, falsely claiming jobs in this country that are they kill jobs. They are pushing safe and healthy. We will fight legislation to make it difficult, if for the freedom of workers not impossible, to issue needed to form unions and, through safeguards to protect workers their unions, to speak out and and the public. bargain for respect and a better We cannot and will not let future. We will demand that the them turn back the clock and country fulfill the promise of destroy the progress we have safe jobs for all. BCTGM News
WORKERS MEMORIAL DAY • APRIL 28 Decades of struggle by workers and their unions have resulted in significant improvements in working conditions. The Obama Administration has moved forward to strengthen worker protections. But business groups and the Republican majority in the U.S. House of Representatives are trying to block stronger measurers and roll back existing protections. It is time to organize, take action and fight for safe jobs for workers including... Defending safety and health protections and workers’ rights from industry attacks. Requiring employers to find and fix hazards and implement a worksite safety and health program to prevent injuries, illnesses and deaths. Winning new workplace safeguards for silica, combustible dust and infectious diseases. Prohibiting employer policies and practices that discourage reporting of workplace injuries. Protecting workers from ergonomic hazards that still cripple and injure more workers than any other workplace hazard. Increasing attention to the safety and health of Hispanic and immigrant workers who are at much greater risk of death and injury. Strengthening protections for miners, including tighter standards for coal dust to protect against Black Lung. Passing the Protecting America’ s Workers Act to provide OSHA protection for all workers who lack protection, stronger criminal and civil penalties for companies that seriously violate job safety laws and improved anti-retaliation protections for workers who raise job safety concerns. Ensuring workers’ right to have a voice on the job, and to freely choose to join a union without employer interference or intimidation.
March/April 2012
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OSHA Scrutinizes
Employer Safety Programs that Discourage Reporting of Injuries In mid-March the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), announced a new policy memorandum, which was sent to all Regional Administrators and Whistleblower Program Managers, outlining the Agency’s policy concerning Employer Safety Incentive and/or Disincentive Policies and Practices. While the memorandum does not create any new protections for workers, it clearly articulates what types of safety programs violate the spirit of the Act. For years, labor unions and occupational safety advocates have been urging OSHA to look more closely at Employer safety incentive programs that either punish a worker for reporting an injury, or offers workers incentives to keep their injuries quiet. The memorandum makes several things very clear: •
Section 11 (c) of the OSH Act prohibits an employer from discriminating against an employee because the employee reports an injury or illness.
•
Reporting a work-related injury or illness is a core employee right, and retaliating against a worker for reporting an injury or illness is illegal discrimination under the Act.
•
There are several types of workplace safety policies and programs that could discourage reporting and could constitute unlawful discrimination and a violation of Section 11 (c).
According to the memorandum, “if employees do not feel free to report injuries or illnesses, the employer’s entire workforce is put at risk. Employers do not learn of and correct dangerous conditions that 10
have resulted in injuries, and injured employees may not receive the proper medical attention, or the workers’ compensation benefits to which they are entitled.” In the memorandum, OSHA outlined the most common potentially discriminatory policies, including: • Policies that take disciplinary action against employees who are injured on the job, regardless of the circumstance surrounding the injury (i.e through no fault of their own). •
Policies that punish workers for being injured on the grounds that they violated a company safety rule.
•
Policies that restrict the time in which an employee can report a workplace injury or illness.
•
Policies that intentionally or unintentionally provide an employee an incentive NOT to report an injury or illness (i.e. safety incentive programs that either offer rewards to employees who do not report an injury, or take away rewards from employees who do report an injury).
OSHA also found that the potential for unlawful discrimination under these types of policies may increase when management or supervisors receive bonuses if injury reporting is low or non-existent. According to BCTGM International President Frank Hurt, this is a good first step in addressing the problem of employer safety programs that punish workers for being injured on the job. “Perhaps further enforcement in this area will force employers to focus on eliminating hazards, instead of punishing our members for suffering an injury on the job,” said Hurt. BCTGM News
Rivers Elected Vice President Region Four
O
n April 1, the BCTGM International General Executive Board elected International Representative James Rivers as Fourth Region International Vice President. He
replaces Anthony Johnson, who announced his retirement at the meeting. International President Frank Hurt said, “I am delighted that the board elected James, as his record of service, combined with his knowledge and skills are outstanding. I am confident that James will do an excellent job in serving the International and our members in the fourth region.” Rivers became a member of BCTGM Local 42 (Atlanta) in May 1974 when he went to work as a warehouseman and forklift operator
at J.H. Filbert, Inc. in Atlanta. He served as a shop steward, contract committee member and an executive board member of the local. In July 1978, Rivers was hired as an International Representative, a position he has served for 35 years. He proudly notes that labor runs deep in his blood. “My father was a member of the Textile Workers Union for 35 years and then a member of BCTGM Local 25 until his retirement. He shaped me as a worker, and I have always believed that all workers are valuable to the success of a business or industry and should be treated accordingly,” concludes Rivers. He and his wife of 39 years, Debra, reside in Fayetteville, Ga. They have three grown sons, Daniel, Timothy and Austin.
Hurt Appoints Woods, Howard as International Representatives
BCTGM International President Frank Hurt has appointed two new International Representatives to the BCTGM staff. Dennis Howard (above), former Business Agent/Financial Secretary of Local 280 (Evansville, Ind.), will serve as a Region Three International Representative. David Woods, former Business Agent/ Financial Secretary of Local 25 (Chattanooga, Tenn.), will serve as a Region Four International Representative. Howard joined Local 280 in 1979 when he went to work at Colonial Bakery (Earthgrains/Sara Lee) in Owensboro, Ky. In 1982, he was elected chief shop steward March/April 2012
for the bakery. He was elected as a Local 280 Trustee to the Executive board in 1985, and soon after was elected as President of the local. In 1998, Howard was elected Business Agent/Financial Secretary, a position he served for 14 years. Howard is the President of the BCTGM Third Region Council. He has sat on the BCTGM Policy Committee, the Credential Committee, and the Committee on Committees at previous BCTGM International Constitutional Conventions – the union’s highest governing body. Howard has been a delegate to the Evansville Labor Council, the Owensboro Council of Labor and serves as the Financial Secretary for the Evansville Labor Temple. He resides in Owensboro. Woods (right) joined the BCTGM in August 1989 when he went to work at White Lilly Foods Co. as a maintenance mechanic. In 2004, he was elected as Assistant www.bctgm.org
Business Agent for Local 25. He was elected the local’s Business Agent/Financial Secretary in 2007, a position he served until his recent appointment. Woods served on the Committee on Constitution at the BCTGM’s 38th Constitutional Convention in 2010. A 2010 George Meany Award recipient, Woods is a Trustee of the Chattanooga Central Labor Council. He has also served as a committee member of the Knoxville-Oakridge Labor Council. He resides in Knoxville, Tenn.
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Panera Bread Bakers
Vote to Join BCTGM
Kalamazoo, Mich. – If you drive by a Panera Bread Café on any given morning, you will be treated to the decadent smell of freshly baking bread and sweet goods, thanks to the artful skills of Panera Bread bakers. These bakers work from 10:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. to make sure fresh breads, rolls, cakes and other baked goods are carefully molded and prepared for the early morning Café opening. And if you were in Kalamazoo, Mich. early on March 23, you may have heard the joyful shouts of the Panera bakers become union, the owners of the celebrating their union victory. Michigan Panera franchise hired a When the 18 bakers, who are law-firm to delay a union vote by employed by the Bread of Life claiming the I-94 Division was not Franchise –which owns all Panera an appropriate unit. The National locations along the I-94 corridor of Southwest Michigan— decided they Labor Relations Board (NLRB) ruled these bakers were indeed had enough of being improperly an appropriate unit and directed compensated as skilled bakers, they reached out to the BCTGM through a secret ballot election be held on March 22. the International’s Bread of Life/ website, These bakers Panera Bread also www.BCTGM.org. work from 10:00 hired one of the The Panera bakers p.m. to 6:00 a.m. largest known union were concerned with to make sure busting consulting inadequate medical insurance, insufficient baked goods are firms to fight the time off, unsafe carefully molded unionization effort. “I felt like we were working conditions and prepared for prisoners of Panera, and improvements the early morning rather than bakers to the bakeries that were being ignored by Café opening. of Panera,” one of the bakers recalls. management. When “They would work us all night and 90 percent of the Panera bakers signed union cards, they approached then force us to attend mandatory captive audience meetings in the management and requested morning.” recognition as a union. Another Panera baker notes, Rather than honoring the “They would keep us sleep request of the skilled bakers to 12
deprived, hungry and then cram us with anti-union Panera propaganda.” The workers stood strong through eight weeks of threats, intimidation and other tactics used by management in an attempt to pressure the workers to vote against the union. Following the NLRB election on March 22, when workers voted at each of the six Panera café locations in Southwestern Michigan, the NLRB Agents counted the ballots and announced the bakers had won by a two-toone margin to be represented by the BCTGM. According to International Representative and Organizer John Price, “The company is doing everything in its power to stop the Panera bakers from becoming union members by filing erroneous objections to the election, which is really an effort to stall, avoid and delay negotiations for a first union contract.” BCTGM News
NDP Choose Mulcair
to Lead Charge Against Harper
T
he New Democratic Party (NDP) of the party maintains its strong position in Quebec Canada turned the page on a sad chapter in now falls to Mulcair, who is no stranger to the its storied history, as delegates at the NDP politics in Quebec. leadership convention in Toronto selected Thomas Mulcair was born in Ottawa, the second oldest Mulcair to become the new leader of the party, of ten children, but was raised in Laval, North taking over for the late Jack Layton. of Montreal. Mulcair, a lawyer by trade, was first “It is with great honour but elected to the Quebec National also with humility that I accept Assembly in 1994 as MNA for this position,” said Mulcair. “The Chomedey. He was reelected three “We won’t rest challenges facing me and my times and served as critic for Justice caucus are significant, but we have and for Industry, as well as Minister until we defeat a tremendous team of dedicated of Sustainable Development, the Harper and hard-working MPs. I know Environment and Parks. that by working together we can At Jack Layton’s invitation, he Conservatives in continue to achieve great results joined Canada’s New Democrats 2015 and form the at the beginning of 2007. Mulcair for Canadian families.” The NDP surprised everyone became the first NDP MP in the first New Democrat in last May’s federal election by province of Quebec in 20 years, by winning an unprecedented 102 winning a by-election in Outremont. government.” seats, becoming the Official He became Jack Layton’s Quebec -new NDP Leader Opposition. The previous NDP Lieutenant and Co-Deputy Leader Thomas Mulcair best was 43 seats in 1988. Much of of the NDP. the credit for the breakthrough was After the leadership convention, given to dynamic NDP leader Jack Mulcair stated that he was ready Layton, and his ability to reach voters in Quebec. to get to work immediately. “There is no time to However, the celebration didn’t last long as Layton lose. With the reckless Conservatives budget cuts died of cancer less than four months later. we know are coming next week, Canadian families Nycole Turmel took over the leadership post expect the Official Opposition to stand up to until a leadership convention could be held to pick a Stephen Harper and hold him to account. And this permanent replacement to Layton. is exactly what the NDP will continue to do, every The challenge of uniting the NDP, and ensuring single day.”
Correction The January/February issue of the BCTGM News included a feature on the 100th Birthday of the Oreo Cookie. We listed the BCTGM locals that proudly manufacture Kraft-Nabisco products throughout North America. Not included in that list was BCTGM Local 426 members who produce a variety of Nabisco (Christie Brown) products in Toronto, Ontario.
March/April 2012
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11 THINGS
THE WEALTHIEST AMERICANS COULD BUY FOR THE U.S. THAT MOST FAMILIES CAN’T AFFORD FOR THEMSELVES Collectively, the richest 400 households in the U.S. own $1.37 trillion dollars; a number so high it’s nearly impossible to comprehend. To help put it in perspective, here’s 11 things that their combined wealth—$1.37 trillion—could buy.
A NEW CAR for every family in the U.S. Fill up every U.S. driver’s tank with GAS - and keep it full for 3 1/2 years. Pay off every STUDENT LOAN for every single person in the U.S. Pay off ALL CREDIT CARD DEBT for every single person in the U.S. MORTGAGE PAYMENTS for every homeowner in the U.S. for 14 months. RENT for every tenant in the U.S. for three years. All FORECLOSED HOMES in 2007 and 2008. Pay the ANNUAL SALARIES of 19 million families for one year. A $10,000 BONUS to every single worker in the country. TRIPLE the TEACHERS in the U.S. and then give each teacher in the U.S. a $30,000 RAISE. Replace 70% of the MONEY lost in the Great Recession of 2008.
Infographic: United for a Fair Economy, faireconomy.org
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BCTGM News
Motor Club for Union Members Beats AAA Take the BCTGM Power/Union Plus Motor Club on your next trip and the next time you have a roadside emergency, you’ll be happy you’re a member. The BCTGM Power/Union Plus Motor Club offers roadside assistance program that’s a better deal than AAA. With the BCTGM Power/Union Plus Motor Club, you can have peace of mind for your entire family for just $69.00 per year. And when you sign up for a full year, you can receive $40 in gas reimbursements.
To enroll call 800-454-8722 or go online to unionplus.org.
Motor Club Features Emergency roadside assistance and locksmith services up to $125 per service call. Three auto service calls per year for you and your family. $40 rebate towards gas purchases when paying for a yearly membership. Roadside assistance plans cover you whether you are the driver or a passenger in any auto. 27,000 independent, dependable auto repair and car towing service providers across the United States to ensure 24-hour emergency roadside assistance. All calls answered in the United States of America. Free maps, road atlases, trip routing, travel assistance, towing services, locksmith services, mobile repair services. ASE certified mechanics available for second opinions on auto repairs and services. March/April 2012
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