Plain Dealer, 08/2009

plaindealerVol. 91 Issue 11 “A Voice for Working Kansans since 1919” August 2009th

eThe PlainDealer(316) 529-8513

3830 S. Meridian Ave.Wichita, KS 67217–3704

IN THIS ISSUE...Workforce Board Adds Union Members —2

CWA Member Saves Little Girl’s Life —3United Way and AFL-CIO Partnership —5Texas: Chávez Unfitting Role Model? —7

Engineers Deliver Resounding Rejection to Spirit’s Contract OfferA contract offer by SpiritAeroSystems that had no guaran-teed wage increases, could requirefour hours of unpaid overtimebefore receiving overtime pay and

(Continued on following page)

doubled medical premiums wasrejected by 91% of the votingmembers in the Wichita Engineer-ing Unit (WEU).Voting by mail and counted by

Midwest Tellers today, the tallyshowed 292 votes to reject and 28votes to accept the company’soffer for a new 3½-year contractfor its 774 engineers.“I’m hopeful that the company willpay attention to this vote,” saidRay Goforth, SPEEA executive

director.“We need a contract that rewardsemployees for the success theybrought to Spirit since thedivestiture from The BoeingCompany.”Main table negotiations betweenSPEEA and Spirit opened June 9.

Employees have been workingunder a contract extension sinceJuly 11. With the offer rejected,SPEEA will inform the companyand discuss how to proceed.“Our team is ready to work withSpirit management to get theimprovements engineers need to

Trumka AnnouncesCandidacy forAFL-CIO PresidentPosted by Mike Hall on AFL-CIO NOWBlog, July 9, 2009: http://blog.aflcio.orgAFL-CIO Secretary-TreasurerRichard Trumka today announcedhis candidacy for president of theAFL-CIO. Trumka’s slate includesLiz Shuler for AFL-CIO secretary-treasurer and Arlene Holt Baker forexecutive vice president.AFL-CIO Secretary-TreasurerRichard Trumka this morningannounced his candidacy forpresident of the AFL-CIO tosucceed the retiring JohnSweeney. Trumka has served asAFL-CIO secretary-treasurer since1995.Gregory Junemann, president ofthe International Federation ofProfessional and TechnicalEngineers (IFPTE), announcedJune 8 he is running for secretary-treasurer.At a rally that drew severalhundred supporters at theUniversity of the District ofColumbia in Washington, D.C.,Trumka also introduced hisrunning mates. Joining Trumka onthe ticket are Liz Shuler, executive

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August 20092 — The PlainDealer

Finished reading this issue of The PlainDealer? Pass it on to a laid-off brother or sister.

Engineers Reject Spirit Offer, continued from Page 1

Local Union Members Namedto Workforce Alliance of SouthCentral KansasRichard Taylor, Plumber and Pipefitters Apprenticeship Training ofKansas, and Tony Naylor, Director of the Wichita Electrical Apprentice-ship program have been announced as members of the 2009 board ofdirectors for The Workforce Alliance of South Central Kansas.The Workforce Alliance is the Local Workforce Investment Boardserving Butler, Cowley, Harper, Kingman, Sedgwick and Sumner coun-ties. Other members of the board include:Mark Conway, Remediation Contractors Inc., board chairman; DebbyAlford, Bombardier Aerospace; Mike Beene, Kansas Department ofCommerce; Brian Black, Spirit AeroSystems; Rod Blackburn, WBConstruction; Bill Bolin, SCKEDD; Roberta Cadman, American IndianCouncil; Anne Corriston, John S. and James L. Knight Foundation; TimCotter, Envision; Nikki Freeman, Wesley Medical Center; Robert Giesen,B&B Electric Motor Co.; Slade Griffiths, Cowley College; Carl Harris, CarlHarris Co.; Pat Hanrahan, United Way of the Plains; Lisa Harms, Cessna;Heidi Hill, Cowley First; Arthur Hoopes, Koch Siedhoff Hand & Dunn;Linda K. Jolly, El Dorado Inc.; Patrick Jonas, Cerebral Palsy ResearchFoundation; Keith Lawing, Workforce Alliance of South Central Kansas;Paul Meals, Wichita Regional SRS Office; Scott Moore, city of Wichita;Beverly Morlan, American Red Cross; Tony Naylor, Wichita ElectricalApprenticeship; Steve Porter, Hutchinson Community College; RonaldRatzlaff, Larksfield Place; Timothy Rick, GE Aviation; Phyllis Robertson,Wichita Metro Chamber of Commerce; Larry Seger, TECT Aerospace;Donna Smith, Hawker Beechcraft; Mikel Semler, Royal CaribbeanInternational; Richard Taylor, Plumber and Pipefitters ApprenticeshipTraining of Kansas; Debra Teufel, Greater Wichita Economic Develop-ment Coalition; Dale Tower, Flinthills CDDO; Dave Unruh, SedgwickCounty commissioner; Jacqueline Vietti, Butler Community College; JohnWeber, Manpower Professional; Rene White, Intrust Bank; MakalaWiese, Johnson Controls; and Donna Wright, MidAmerica MinorityBusiness Development Council.

continue making this company asuccess,” said Bob Brewer, SPEEAMidwest director.Among the items in the offer thatcaused rejection was a lack of anyguaranteed wage increases forindividuals, doubling of existingmedical premiums from 10% to20% in the second year of thecontract and the creation of“casual overtime” which couldresult in employees receiving nopay for the first four hours ofovertime during a week. Thecompany also wanted an agree-ment that allowed them to tempo-rarily layoff, or put on short workweek, regular employees whileretaining contract workers.Union membership surged sincenegotiations concluded andballots were mailed July 10. Morethan 127 bargaining unit employ-

ees joined as full, union memberssince details of the company’soffer became known.With only 33% of employees in thebargaining unit as full unionmembers when negotiationsconcluded, the union’s Negotia-tion Team had recommendedmembers “accept” the companyoffer. The union’s bargaining unitcouncil issued a “neutral” recom-mendation. Membership surged to48% as WEU Negotiators talkedwith employees about the need tojoin and increase union member-ship if they wanted a bettercontract.“And, we received more member-ship applications today,” saidBrewer. “As employees readthrough the offer they saw theneed to band together and sayno.”

UPDATE from SPEEA.org:SPEEA WEU and Spirit willrestart negotiations July 30Following the rejection of Spirit AeroSystems contract offer, repre-sentatives from the SPEEA Wichita Engineering Unit (WEU) Negotia-tion Team and Spirit AeroSystems agreed today (Friday, July 24) toreturn to Main Table negotiations. Talks resume Thursday, July 30. Asecond session is also scheduled for Friday, July 31.WEU Negotiators are preparing a counter proposal that will addressconcerns in the following areas:* Overtime* Benefits – including medical premiums* Compensation* Job Security/Contract LaborWith the overwhelming 91% rejection of the Spirit contract offer, weare hopeful Spirit comes prepared with realistic improvements thatrespect the contributions engineers have made to help build thecompany since its divestiture from The Boeing Company.As we prepare to return to negotiations, our team thanks all membersfor their support during these negotiations. Your votes, along withthe increase in membership, are making a difference!

Help Now Available for Union Plus CreditCard Holders Facing Job LossUnemployment in America is now the highest it’s been since 1983. Millions of working families are cuttingback to the bare necessities and trying to make ends meet. That’s why Union Plus has created Job LossGrants, as part of a $3 million Union SAFE initiative designed to help union members struggling financially intoday’s economic crisis.Union Plus Job Loss Grants are for Union Plus Credit Card holders. They do not need to be paid back and areput towards the member’s credit card balance. So far 132 Union Plus Credit Card holders have received a totalof $32,000 in Job Loss Grants. To qualify for a grant, the job loss must have been in the previous six monthsand last at least 90 days.When Paul Stevenson of Jamestown, NY, was unexpectedly laid off from a job he’d held for over 6 years, hereceived a $250 Union Plus Job Loss Grant.“I recommend this program to any union member who finds themselves hurt by the current economy,” saysStevenson. Union Plus Credit Card holders can also take advantage of skip pays, a layoff helpline, memberadvocate and disaster grants.Other Union SAFE programs include:

• Disability Grants of up to $2,000 to help Union Plus Credit Card holders who have lostincome due to a recent illness or disability

• Hospital Care Grants of $1,000 to help union members with a Union Plus Credit Card,Mortgage or Insurance cope with large, unreimbursed hospital expenses.

• Mortgage Assistance to help Union Plus Mortgage holders who become unemployed,disabled or go on strike, to make their mortgage payments.

• Education Grants of $500 to help union members or retirees save for college with 529 or pre-paid college savings plans.

If you are a Union Plus Credit Card holder, visit UnionPlus.org/JobLoss for more information on job lossgrants.Even if you do not have a Union Plus Credit Card, you can still access help through Union SAFE includingfree budgeting help and credit counseling at 1-877-833-1745 or call the Save My Home Hotline at 1-866-490-5361.How can you help? Become a Fan of Union Plus on Facebook and we’ll donate $100 to the union memberhardship fund. See UnionPlus.org/SocialMediaHardship Help Contact Information:

• Free Credit Counseling and Budgeting: 1-877-833-1745, UnionPlus.org/CreditCounseling• Prevent Foreclosure with the Save My Home Hotline: 1-866-490-5361, UnionPlus.org/SaveMyHome• Unemployment resources from Working America: www.UnemploymentLifeline.com• Union SAFE offers special grant programs: UnionPlus.org/UnionSAFE• UnionDebtHelp.org includes advice, tools and calculators to help you cope with debt

OSHA Plans SurpriseInspectionsOSHA plans to make unan-nounced inspections of up to4,500 of the nation’s mostdangerous workplaces over thecoming year, the agency said.According to the Bureau ofNational Affairs, the sitesselected for inspection will bedrawn from more than 13,500establishments with injury andillness rates “considerablyhigher” than the nationalaverage.The high hazard worksites areidentified with the help of anannual survey of about 80,000nonconstruction worksites.Each year, OSHA selectsbetween 3,500 and 4,500 sitesfor its site-specific plan.

The PlainDealer — 3August 2009

Read The PlainDealer online through a link at www.D70iam.org!

The Plaindealer (ISSN 0898-4360)Periodicals Postage Paid at Wichita, KSPOSTMASTER:Send address changes to:The Plaindealer3830 S. Meridian Ave.Wichita, KS 67217–3704(316) 529-8513Melanie Jenney, Editoremail: [email protected] of DirectorsJudy Pierce, President, Labor FederationTim Franta, Sec./ Treas. (IAM Local 733)Stuart Elliott (APWU Local 735)Deb Boatright (Local 708)Dave Philpott (IAM Local 774)Kathy Petersen (IAM Local 839)Ralph Stout (Local 834)John Shepherd Jr. (UA Local 441)Advertising and stories are due by the 15thof each month. Subscription rates are $15per year. Special rates available to unionmembers and locals subscribing as a body.Founded in 1919 by Tom Tilma, thePlaindealer is the official publication of theWichita/Hutchinson Labor Federation, AFL-CIO, and covers news of interest to workingpeople.Story suggestions and letters to the editorshould be sent to the PlainDealer at 3830 S.Meridian Ave., Wichita, KS 67217–3704;by email to [email protected], orcall (316) 529–8513 with your ideas. To beconsidered for publication, letters to the editormust be signed and include the author’stelephone number. Views expressed inletters to the editor are not necessarily theviews of the Plaindealer, its Board ofDirectors or affiliated unions.Published monthly by PlaindealerPublishing, Inc. at 3830 S. Meridian Ave.,Wichita, KS, 67217.

Would you like to advertisein the 2009 Labor Day issue?

Labor Day is the first Monday in September.This federal holiday celebrates achievements of workers and the labor movement.

Labor Day traditionally marks the end of the summer recreational season in America.According to Wikipedia: Labour DayLabour DayLabour DayLabour DayLabour Day or Labor DayLabor DayLabor DayLabor DayLabor Day is an annual holiday celebrated all

over the world that resulted from the labour union movement, to celebrate theeconomic and social achievements of workers. The majority of countries celebrate

Labour Day on May 1, and it is popularly known as May Day and International Work-ers’ Day, while some celebrate on the first Monday of September.

The celebration of Labor Day has its origins in the eight-hour day movement, whichadvocated eight hours for work, eight hours for recreation, and eight hours for rest.

Honor your members and the labor movementin the September 2009 issue of The PlainDealer!Call (316) 529-8513 or email [email protected] for details!

On the Job:CWA Member SavesLittle Girl’s LifePosted by James Parks on AFL-CIO NOW BlogJuly 26, 2009: http://blog.aflcio.orgAn ordinary workday turned into a day of extraordinary heroics forBobby Click, a technician for AT&T and member of the CommunicationsWorkers of America (CWA) Local 6139.As he fixed a phone line in a Vidor, Texas, backyard on a sweltering daylast month, Click saw a family pull the lifeless body of a three-year-oldgirl from the family’s above-ground pool. The girl was black and blue inthe face and not breathing.Click ran toward the girl and put the CPR training he receives every threeyears at AT&T into practice. In a story on the CWA website, Click says:

I can’t remember everything that happened. It was so emo-tional. I know I grabbed her and I laid her on the ground and Istarted CPR.

Two other technicians and Local 6139 members, Mark Ferguson andDavid Clifton, called 911 and helped keep the adults calm, Click said:

Just as the ambulance arrived, she began to cry, and that’s whatI was hoping for.

The medics told Click and the child’s mother that the little girl wouldn’thave lived if someone hadn’t immediately given her CPR.Click says:

If you had asked me, how do you do CPR on a child, I probablycouldn’t have told you. But it all came back to me. Traininggives you the courage to act.

He was calm until the ordeal was over. Then, he says he was “shaking allover.”

I drove to my daughter’s home right down the street because Ijust had to hug my two little granddaughters.

His granddaughters are one and two years old.Click, 52, received an award from the local ambulance service at aceremony that included the girl and her family.He told a local TV station he doesn’t consider himself a hero.

I was just a person who God put in the right place at the righttime. She was a little girl that needed some help. But to some-body, she was their world.

The AFL-CIO Convention will conveneat 3 p.m., Sunday, Sept. 13, 2009, atthe David L. Lawrence ConventionCenter in Pittsburgh and continuethrough Thursday, Sept. 17.Delegates to the AFL-CIO Conventionare meeting at a historic time. Delegateswill elect a new slate of AFL-CIO officersand Executive Council members.Nationally, working families are facingsome of the greatest economicchallenges of our lives—but also takingpart in unprecedented legislativeopportunities for crafting labor lawreform, health care reform andeconomic revitalization.

assistant to the Electrical Workers(IBEW) President Edwin Hill, forsecretary-treasurer and incumbentAFL-CIO Executive Vice PresidentArlene Holt Baker for re-election.This marks the first time twowomen have run for the AFL-CIO’stop offices.No other candidates for the topthree leadership positions haveannounced. Earlier this year, AFL-CIO President John Sweeneyannounced he was retiring whenhis fourth term as president expiresin September. Delegates to theAFL-CIO’s 26th ConstitutionalConvention meeting in PittsburghSept. 13-17 will elect the AFL-CIO’s new officers.In a joint statement, Trumka,Shuler and Holt Baker note thatthe labor movement “facestremendous challenges,” includingan unregulated global economy,labor laws that favor employersover workers and a politicalsystem in which the wealthy wieldfar too much influence.At the same time, we have historicopportunity, with a president andCongress we elected, to overcomethese challenges. Our mostimportant task is to make sure oureconomy creates jobs. And we arekeenly aware that we must lookwithin our movement for answersabout how we can create fullemployment, organize workers andmake sure workers prosper in the21st century.Before being elected AFL-CIOsecretary-treasurer in 1995, thesame year Sweeney took the helmof the AFL-CIO, Trumka served aspresident of the Mine Workers(UMWA) from 1982 to 1995. He isa third-generation coal miner andgraduate of Pennsylvania StateUniversity and holds a law degreefrom Villanova University LawSchool.Shuler is the highest-rankingwoman in the IBEW and hasserved as Hill’s top assistant since2004. In 1993, she joined IBEWLocal 125 in Portland, Ore., whereshe worked as an organizer andstate legislative and politicaldirector.In 1998, she was part of theIBEW’s international staff inWashington, D.C., as a legislativeand political representative.Holt Baker has served as AFL-CIOexecutive vice president sinceSeptember 2007. The longtime

AFSCME member and leader cameto the federation in 1995 asexecutive assistant to ExecutiveVice President Linda Chavez-Thompson, who was the firstwoman to become a top AFL-CIOofficer.Holt Baker was AFSCME’sinternational union area director inCalifornia from the late 1980s to1995 and also worked as anorganizer and internationalrepresentative.IFPTE President GregoryJunemann is running an indepen-dent campaign for AFL-CIOsecretary-treasurer.Junemann has served as IFPTEpresident since 2003. He alsoserved three terms as the union’ssecretary-treasurer, IFPTE Mid-west area vice president from 1986to 1994 and president of IFPTELocal 92 in Milwaukee.At his website, Junemann statesthat

Coming from a decentralized,member-driven union, I am wellaware of the gains that can bemade by building the power ofthe local unions while reinforc-ing the strength that can berealized when differing sectorswork in solidarity.

That same model can work withour national federation as it setsits sights on building the power ofits affiliates and reinforces theneed for grassroots supportacross various fields of employ-ment.For more information on the Trumka,Shuler, Holt Baker ticket, visitwww.TogetherWeCanTogetherWeWill.com.For more information on Junemann,visit www.Junemann09.org.Article printed fromAFL-CIO NOW BLOGhttp://blog.aflcio.org

[Trumka Announces Candidacy, continued from Page 1]

Don’tAgonize,

ORGANIZE!



Kansas Coal Plant Halted by EPAGood news for some, bad for othersThe federal Environmental Protection Agency has thrown a wrench intothe expansion of the Sunflower coal-fired power plant in western Kansas.Many Kansas unions have disparate views on the controversial project.Kansas Gov. Mark Parkinson allowed the expansion in May, but the EPArecently told the state and Sunflower Electric that it must re-apply for anair permit before building the massive 895MW coal-fired power plant.Richard Taylor, Business Manager of Plumbers and Pipefitters LU 441,has supported the expansion, in part because of the eventual prospectof job opportunities.“Sunflower is viewing this as a revision of the current application that isbefore the KDHE,” said Taylor. “They participated in a meeting on May 28 with KDHE and EPA, so werenot surprised by EPA’s letter to Secretary Bremby. They anticipated therequirements summarized in the letter and will work to meet the require-ments that are deemed necessary. “Our anticipation is that the project will break ground sometime aroundsummer or fall of 2010. Given that, a project of this magnitude will takeseveral months to get to the point in which the Building Trades will see abenefit from the project in terms of manpower needs. Realistically, we areprobably looking at the 2011 timeframe before the employment needsramp up.”The permit process must address potential emissions, including hazard-ous pollutants and dirty particulates, and consider the possibility ofcleaner technology.

Obama’s New Trade Enforcement Measuresa Welcome First StepPosted by James Parks on AFL-CIO NOW Blog, July 16, 2009: http://blog.aflcio.orgThe Obama administration unveiled new trade enforcement measures aimed at saving jobs and creating newjobs in the United States by leveling the global playing field for American workers and businesses.U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk, speaking today at a U.S. Steel plant in Braddock, Pa., near Pittsburgh, saidthe administration is committed to better enforcement of America’s trade laws, including workers’ rights aroundthe world.AFL-CIO President John Sweeney praised the commitment to better oversight and enforcement of trade laws.

This is a welcome and long-overdue initiative, and we look forward to working with USTR, Commerceand Labor, among others, to identify and address unfair trade practices that disadvantage domesticproducers and workers.We hope this is only a first installment in President Obama’s pledge to reform our flawed tradepolicies, however. Enforcement is crucial, but we also need to revisit and strengthen our trade policiesand trade laws if we are to rebuild our economy with a vibrant and thriving manufacturing sector.

Sweeney added that President Obama’s ambitious economic recovery agenda will not succeed if the nationcontinues to run enormous trade deficits, borrowing from the rest of the world to fund consumption and assetbubbles.United Steelworkers (USW) President Leo Gerard said Kirk’s speech

identified that trade enforcement is a priority, and it’s about time. Our government must ensure thatthe products of our manufacturers and farmers have access to foreign markets and are not forced tocompete with unfairly subsidized or dumped products here at home. The success of the USTR’sspeech and the policy he intends to implement will be measured in the days ahead by the number ofjobs that are created.

The key measures Kirk outlined today include:• Steps to spot and address trade barriers, particularly those affecting America’s agricultural producers

and manufacturers, such as rules restricting U.S. agricultural exports and technical barriers thatimpede our producers’ ability to trade worldwide.

• Increased coordination with the departments of State, Labor, Commerce, Agriculture and other federalagencies to spot and respond to trade barriers.

• A commitment to closer observation of foreign labor practices and redress of substandard practicesthat tilt the playing field away from U.S. workers in violation of labor obligations in our trade agree-ments.

Kirk said, “America’s workers need to know that this administration has their backs in the global tradingsystem.”

These new enforcement measures will help Americans to receive the benefits promised by our existingtrade agreements—the better-paying jobs and economic growth that come home to America when ourpartners keep their commitments to trade fairly with the U.S.

Scott Paul, executive director of the Alliance for American Manufacturing (AAM), says the initiative iswelcome news for those U.S. manufacturers and their employees who have seen a flood of importsflow into our market, often aided by subsidies and other unfair practices by their governments.

Food Bank Wins Grant for Aidto Laid-off WorkersA matching grant from the SunflowerFoundation of Topeka has been provided to TheKansas Food Bank to help pay for food donated tothe Laid-Off Workers Center, a United Way-basedendeavor that offers one-stop help for thosewho need assistance.The challenge grant matches every dollar raisedby the Food Bank with another three dollars of its own. Under the termsof the grant, up to $13,250 raised by the Food Bank will be matched with$41,250, bringing the total value to $55,000. That will buy about 3,000boxes of food for distribution to laid-off workers.

In June, the Kansas Food Bank sent 360 foodboxes to the center. With unemployment

rising, that number is expected to grow.The Kansas Food Bank is seekingdonations through a direct-mail campaign.For more information, or to donate to thisfundraising effort, please call the KansasFood Bank at (316) 265-4421.



AFL-CIO Community Services and United Way PPPPPararararartnertnertnertnertnershipshipshipshipshipBy Mario Cervantes, AFL-CIO Community Services Liaison, United Way of the PlainsAs we approach the 2009 United Way of the Plains campaign, we expect to face many challenges: rising unemployment and increased demand for services, to name just two.Rising unemployment means fewer individuals have the capability to give to United Way at the workplace this year and those who are left at the workplace may fear that they could be laid-off next and may pull back on donations to protect their families. Also, rising unemployment results in increased demand for basic health and human services, shelter, utilities, food andhealth care.Fewer individuals contributing mean the inability for United Way of the Plains to fully sustain over 90 current programs at over 30 agencies. Programs for children, healthy and disabled,hospice care, meals for seniors, health prescription and vision care. In addition to these programs and many more being funded, the United Way of the Plains has responded to thiseconomic crisis by establishing the Help Center for Laid-Off Workers, a one-stop resource center.Services at the Laid-Off Workers Center include:

• Emergency financial assistance (mortgage/rent, electric, gas and water).

• Budget and debt management counseling• Arrangements for utility bill payment plans• Help applying for government programs• Job training and job search assistance• Continuing education information• Gas cards• Food assistance• Community volunteering information• On-site child care during appointment

What program services can we eliminate and/or reducefunding? I feel none!For several years I have expressed the importance ofthe United Way & Labor Partnership, and that partner-ship has never been more vital for our union familiesand our communities that are in crisis here and acrossAmerica.As union members we stress the importance of buyingunion-made and American-made products when andwhere available and/or purchasing products fromunion-friendly vendors.Why is this? Is it because we want to support thosethat are union like ourselves or those who are friendlyto unions and believe in the mission of unions andsupport our causes? I’d say “yes!” to both!Should supporting charities be any different? I believeit shouldn’t be!United Way is a Union product and believes stronglyin the Union mission of helping others.The United Way & AFL-CIO Community ServicesPartnership began over 60 years ago and is NOT apartnership in words and title only. United Way is theonly national non-profit agency that employs 200 full-time AFL-CIO Community Services Liaisons whichstaffs United Ways in over 160 communities through-out the United States, three of those liaisons right herein Kansas.My answer does NOT mean that other charities do not dogood work and are not worthy of our support. But by thinkingUnited Way first we can insure that our dollars we are investing inUnited Way are supporting a wide array of programs at agencies which benefit many people in the community. When you get calls and mailings soliciting money for help, have you everwondered how much money raised by those groups actually go to help people. Their fund-raising costs alone may exceed 50%. By giving to United Way you can insure that 88 cents ofevery dollar is going out in direct client assistance, which beats the national average of 65 cents set as a standard by the Better Business Bureau for non-profits. And those programs beingfunded by your investment are being held accountable by over 200 community volunteers that review each and every program every year and insure that they are worthy of continuedfunding. (Ten of those volunteers came from Labor Organizations last year!)So this year, please consider “The Partnership” when filling out your United Way pledge form and/or donating to charity. Now is the time for labor to value the partnership we have withUnited Way by doing all we can to make the 2009 campaign and future campaigns a success for our Union families and the communities in which we live. Although we do face challenges Iknow that we as union members can rise up to this challenge.If you currently do not have a United Way employee campaign at the work place or have contractors that do not currently participate, please contact us as we would be glad to ask thoseemployers and contractors to consider doing so in this important year.



Direct PipelinePLUMBERS & PIPEFITTERS LU441

Richard L. Taylor, Business Managerand Financial Secretary-Treasurer

LocallyWork continues to be slow in the area and several Members have been unemployed formuch too long. However, there are signs that indicate work is starting to break. Severalprojects are scheduled to come out for bid over the next few months, but for those thatare off, it can’t happen soon enough. Those that have remained employed through thisdifficult time have been very fortunate. If you are in a position that allows you to makedecisions pertaining to hiring manpower consider this, contact the Dispatcher and lethim know the positions that need to be filled. He will then go down the out-of-work listensuring that the Members that have been without work the longest get their opportu-nity to gain employment.We have golf balls, tee shirts, and hats. Come by and get outfitted with Local 441 apparel.Please take time to view your web site. The address is: www.ua441.org.DeathsWe are sorry to report the death of Brother Robert “Bob” E. Nelson, 77 Ret. Plumber, residing inManhattan, KS, passed away on July 12, 2009. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family.PoliticalThere is not much activity on the local political front other than the recent announcements concerningnext year’s races for the open Kansas Senate seat and the 4th District Congressional race. It appearsboth these races are shaping up to be very competitive on both sides of the ticket. There will also be agubernatorial race next year and thus far there has not been, in my opinion, a viable candidate an-nounced for the Democratic ticket.We will continue to build a long-lasting establishment in the political arena of our jurisdiction. We feelthat it is critical to maintain a presence politically so that when issues arise; the local will already havean established voice that will be heard. Thank you to all Local 441 members for your support boththrough your participation in the PAC fund and your involvement and support with various politicalgroups.MeetingsLocal Union 441 meetings are being conducted on the second Monday of each month at 7:00 PM at theUnion Hall located at 1330 East First Street in Wichita. If other meetings are scheduled, you will be dulynotified.NOTE: We have recently upgraded our system used to teleconference the monthly Union meetings.Please take the opportunity to attend a meeting in your area. The new system has much better soundand video quality and is being provided at no additional cost to Local 441.Retirees ClubThe next Retirees meetings will be on August 5th, September 2nd and October 7th at 10 a.m. at the Hall.Please come and join us!Breakfast is the second Wednesday at 9 a.m. We are meeting at Spears Restaurant,4323 W. Maple from January through November.All retired members and their families are invited to join us. Come enjoy thefellowship!For more information, call Jim Wilbert at 722-6859.

Richard Taylor

At the RailColumn by Martin Hawver 7/6/09Yes, he’s said it over and over again. Gov. MarkParkinson, who ascended to the governorshipwhen Kathleen Sebelius became U.S. Secretary

of Health and Human Services, keeps saying that he won’t seek electionto a full term as governor next year.He may not. It would be keeping his word, and there’s never a downsideto that.But, if he manages to get the state through this difficult budget year andputs together a reasonable budget for the coming fiscal year, well, thatwould be the equivalent of Lassie pulling a child out of a burning barn.That’s what Lassie did each week, and we all kept watching.Now, is balancing the budget the political equivalent of that level ofheroics? With the fiscal problem facing Kansas, it just might be.Look for some interesting political insider maneuvering in the next fewweeks, some by Parkinson to make sure that if he doesn’t seek electionnext year, he’ll be remembered as the guy who saved Kansas from itsmost severe budget crisis in memory.Some of that maneuvering may be by Republicans to make sure thatParkinson at some point has to do something so distasteful and drasticto save the state’s budget that he virtually kills his chances for popularelection. Republicans are happy to hear Parkinson say he won’t seekelection, but being the party of belts and suspenders, they’d like to makesure he couldn’t be elected, anyway.So far, it’s all about the budget, about Kansas digging out from therecession, and Parkinson proposes the least-political-heat approach,cutting the already-in-law budget for this fiscal year and borrowing fromagency reserve funds in hopes that no more budget cuts are necessary.He’s taking an approach that disrupts government - as the Legislaturefunded it - as little as possible, making small cuts in spending approvedby lawmakers.The trick will be to see whether Republicans go along with Parkinson’sapproach, which so far is likely to generate the minimum political splash-back on the man who says he won’t seek the governorship.For long-time political junkies, this seems easy. Too easy.This is going to be an interesting one for political junkies to watch.Whether you believe Parkinson won’t run, or if he decides that he is thetruth and the light and the way and must run, this is going to be a funcouple months for political junkies.Syndicated by Hawver News Company LLC of Topeka; Martin Hawveris publisher of Hawver’s Capitol Report. www.hawvernews.com

Flight Festival Free This YearAt least 10,000 people are expected to turn out to enjoy free events at the Flight Festival from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.on Aug. 29 and 30 at Colonel James Jabara Airport, 3512 N. Webb Road.The festival will include aerial acrobatics, skywriting, a flying circus and an act featuring a Dodge Ram truckand an outhouse, both powered by jet engines.There will, however, be a $5 admission to the opening-night twilight aerial show and musical performance byLiverpool, a Beatles tribute band. (Last year, admission to the festival was $5 and tickets to the Otis Day andthe Knights concert were $40.) Tickets for the event are available in advance through www.WichitaTIX.com orat the gate.Employment specialists will also be available during the weekend to help people build interviewing skills, giveresume tips and answer job-search questions.A full schedule of events and detailed information on performers can be found atwww.WichitaFlightFestival.com. Those interested in becoming volunteers or vendors at the event can accessapplications online, or call (316) 268-4351.



LOCAL UNION BULLETIN BOARD

Hammond, Zongker & Farris, L.L.C.ATTORNEYS AT LAWCity, State, Federal, Trial & Appellate Practice

•THOMAS E. HAMMOND

•JAMES B. ZONGKER

•DAVID H. FARRIS

Cases involving:Workers Compensation,

Auto Accidents,Injury and Wrongful Death

NO RECOVERY • NO FEEFREE INITIAL CONSULTATION

262-6800727 N. Waco • River Park Plaza • Wichita

Mailing Address:P. O. Box 47370 • Wichita, KS • 67201

Saturday, August 1Machinists LL639— E-board Meeting 8 a.m., Regular meeting 9 a.m.

LOCAL 639 STRIKE SANCTION VOTEfrom 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at the Machinists Hall, Wichita

Machinists LL733— Regular meeting at 10 a.m.Thursday, August 6Operating Engineers LU101— Regular Meeting, 7 p.m., 3830 S. Meridian, WichitaSaturday, August 8Machinists Local 2328— E-Board Meeting, 9 a.m., 2055 S. Ohio, Salina

Regular Meeting, 10 a.m., 2055 S. Ohio, SalinaMachinists Local 834 & 839— Regular Meeting, 10 a.m., 3830 S. Meridian, WichitaMonday, August 10APWU Local 735— Regular Meeting,7:30 p.m, 6920 W. Pueblo, WichitaNALC Branch 201— 7:30 p.m., NALC Br 201 Union Office

227 S. Pattie, WichitaUSW Local 01350— Regular Meeting, 7:30 p.m., Union Hall

427 N. Main, Hutchinson, 67501SPEEA/IFPTE Local 2001— Membership Recruitment / Organizing Committee

973 S. Glendale, WichitaPlumbers & Pipefitters LU441– Regular Meeting, 7 p.m., 1330 E. 1st, WichitaTuesday, August 11Machinists Local 708— Regular Meeting, 7 p.m., 3830 S. Meridian, WichitaCWA Local 6402— E-Board, 5:30 p.m., 530 E. Harry, Wichita

Stewards, 7 p.m., 530 E. Harry, WichitaWednesday, August 12IBEW Local 1523— Regular Meeting, 5:30 p.m., 530 E. Harry, WichitaMachinists Local 1989— E-Board, 3:40 p.m., Regular meeting, 3:50 p.m.

2005 Kansas Ave., Great Bend, 67530LU 441 Retirees— Breakfast, 9 a.m., Spears, 4323 W. MapleThursday, August 13SPEEA— Midwest Council Meeting, 973 S. Glendale, WichitaWichita Area Union Label— E-board, 6:30 p.m.; Regular Meeting, 7:30 p.mSaturday, August 15Machinists LL2799— E-board meeting 9:30 a.m., 3830 S. Meridian, Wichita

Regular Meeting, 10:30 a.m.Machinists Local 774— 10 a.m. Regular Meeting, 3830 S. Meridian, WichitaMonday, August 17SPEEA/IFPTE Local 2001— Membership Recruitment / Organizing Committee,

4:30 p.m., 973 S. Glendale, WichitaSPEEA/IFPTE Local 2001— L&PA, 4:30 p.m. at SPEEA Hall, 973 S. GlendaleGlaziers Local 558— 5 p.m., 1330 E. 1st St., Wichita, KSTuesday, August 18CWA Local 6402— Membership Meeting, 6:30 p.m., 530 E. Harry, WichitaWednesday, August 19SPEEA/IFPTE Local 2001— Governing Documents Committee, 5 p.m.,

973 S. Glendale, WichitaThursday, August 20Salina Labor Federation— Regular Meeting, 7 p.m., 2055 S. Ohio, SalinaSteelworkers Local 13417— Regular Meeting, 7:30 p.m., 530 E. Harry, WichitaSaturday, August 22Graphics Union Local 575— 10 a.m., 3830 S. Meridian, WichitaThursday, August 27Wichita Hutchinson Labor Fed— 5:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m., 3219 W. Central Ave., WichitaDistrict 70 Retirees— Luncheon, 11:45 a.m., 3830 S. Meridian, Wichita

Texas May Bar Students from LearningAbout César Chávez, Thurgood MarshallPosted by Tula Connell on AFL-CIO NOW Blog, July 16, 2009: http://blog.aflcio.orgCésar Chávez and Thurgood Marshall: Outlaws in Texas?United Farmworkers founder César Chávez is an unfitting role model for students, and former Supreme CourtJustice Thurgood Marshall is not an appropriate historical figure. So say “expert reviewers” in their report tothe Texas State Board of Education, which recommends removing the two U.S. leaders from the social studiescurriculum taught to its 4.7 million public school students.The ranting of these extremists has the potential to turn into mass censorship—Texas is such a mega-pur-chaser of textbooks that the state’s required curricula drives the content of textbooks produced nationwide.The Texas Freedom Network, which monitors actions by religious reactionaries on the state’s school board,points out that two of the “expert reviewers” are unqualified to be on the panel and were appointed mainlybecause of their background as religious ideologues.David Barton, founder of the conservative Christian advocacy group WallBuilders, and the Rev. PeterMarshall, an evangelical minister from Massachusetts who runs Peter Marshall Ministries, were appointed tothe state school board in March.The Texas Freedom Network describes Barton and Marshall this way:

Barton, former vice chairman of the Texas Republican Party, is a self-styled “historian” without any formaltraining in the field. He argues that separation of church and state is a “myth” and that the nation’s lawsshould be based on Scripture. He says, for example, that the Bible forbids taxes on income and capital gains.Yet even such groups as Texas Baptists Committed and the Baptist Joint Committee have sharply criticizedBarton’s interpretations of the Constitution and history.

The Peter Marshall Ministries website includes Marshall’s commentaries sharply attacking Muslims, character-izing the Obama administration as “wicked,” and calling on Christian parents to reject public education for theirchildren.Chávez, of course, devoted his life to organizing migrant farmworkers, among the most exploited and voicelessof any workforce. Marshall, the grandson of a slave, in 1967 became the first African American Supreme Courtjustice and was instrumental in shaping the landmark 1954 school desegregation case, Brown v. Board ofEducation.As an editorial in Go San Angelo puts it:

This struggle has less to do with the quality of education than it does with religion and social values. The[state school board] has become a battleground in the endless and tiresome culture wars. Texas has wit-nessed one fight after another over matters like language arts standards, public school Bible classes, theadoption of mathematics textbooks, trying to dilute the treatment of evolution in the state’s biology classes.

Clearly, the Texans opposed to teaching students about Chávez and Marshall think those who stand up for therights of workers and people of color are a threat. Because for those wielding the power, they are.

The AFL-CIO Convention will convene at 3 p.m., Sunday,Sept. 13, 2009, at the David L. Lawrence Convention

Center in Pittsburgh and continue throughThursday, Sept. 17.

Your purchases can support your Union brothers and sisters.For more information: www.unionlabel.org or www.shopunionmade.org

Education Grants Now Availableto ALL Union Members$500 Grants Help Members Save for CollegeMore union members can now receive $500 Union Plus College SavingsGrants to help seed their savings for the future. Union Plus has extendedthe due date and expanded the availability of the grants—making themavailable to all union members and retirees.You do NOT have to participate in a Union Plusprogram to apply for a grant.All union members or retirees who open a newtax-free “529” college savings or prepaid tuition plan after January 1,2009 and contribute $1,000 to it, can apply for a grant.For more information or to apply, please visit UnionPlus.org/CollegeSavingsThe college grant is part of a $3 million initiative called Union SAFE,which assists union members facing financial hardship. Union SAFEprovides a wide array of benefits including financial counseling to helpwith hospital payments to job loss protection to help avoiding foreclo-sure. Information available at UnionPlus.org/UnionSAFEStay up-to-date on Union Plus benefit information by joining the UnionPlus Facebook fan page.Union Plus will donate $100 to the AFL-CIO Mutual Benefits Trust – thefund that provides the financial backing for Union SAFE grants – forevery union member who joins. Learn more at Facebook.com/UnionPlus

United Teachers of Wichita ReachesTentative Agreement with USD 259 BOEOn July 20, 2009, the United Teachers ofWichita and the USD259 Board of Educationcame to a tentative agreement for the 2009-2010 school year. The agreement freezes the salary schedule, stepadvance and longevity pay. Only teachers who have achieved enoughcollege hours (at their own expense) will see any increase in pay.“We understand that our community is hurting,” said UTW PresidentLarry Landwehr. “We understand that we are going to share in thatburden.”“However, we wish the board would have worked with us to make thingsbetter for teachers in areas that would have cost them no new money.”

“History is a great teacher. Noweveryone knows that the labormovement did not diminish the strengthof the nation but enlarged it.By raising the living standards ofmillions, labor miraculously created amarket for industry and lifted the wholenation to undreamed of levels ofproduction. Those who attack laborforget these simple truths, but historyremembers them.” Martin Luther King Jr.

Unions Raise Wages —Especially for Women and Workers of Color

MEDIAN WEEKLY EARNINGS OF FULL-TIMEWAGE AND SALARY WORKERS, 2008

Union membership helps raiseworkers’ pay and narrows theincome gap that disadvantagesminorities and women. White maleunion workers earn 23 percentmore than nonunion white maleworkers, according to the U.S.Department of Labor’s Bureau ofLabor Statistics.Their median weekly earnings forfull-time wage and salary workwere $967 in 2008, compared with$789 for their nonunion counter-parts.

The union wage benefit is evengreater for women and workers ofcolor. Union women earn 32percent more than nonunionwomen, African American unionmembers earn 28 percent more

than their nonunion counterparts,for Latino workers, the unionadvantage equals 43 percent andfor Asian American workers, theunion advantage is 6 percent.