An Injury to One is an Injury to All!VOL. 124

NO. 11NOVEMBER 29, 2017WEDNESDAY

(ISSN 0023-6667)

See Essentia...page 3

Duluth Federation of Teachers President Bernie Burnhamled an earned sick and safe time rally at City Hall Nov. 20prior to a city council meeting. As a teacher she said shetoo often sees sick children in school because parents can’ttake time off work to care for them. Sometimes olderbrothers and sisters miss school to care for them. Later thecouncil heard recommendations from a task force theycreated over a year ago to address the issue. While havinga majority of councilors in favor of having ESST extendedto the many workers here without it, they again delayeddirectly addressing the issue. The task force has done theirjob but the council will not as they cave to business inter-ests. It appears the issue will now run into next year.

Central Body white ballots2018/2019 executive board

At the Nov. 9 meeting of the Duluth Central Labor Body awhite ballot was moved for a slate of officers and executiveboard members for 2018/2019.

The total number of members for that group will go from 14to 10 for the term. There will no longer be a three member groupof trustees as the Central Body no longer has any fiduciaryresponsibilities. Those functions are carried out by the NorthEast Area Labor Council. Also the positions of secretary andtreasurer have now been combined into one office.

The following executive board (officers and executive boardmembers) will be sworn-in at the December 14, 2017 meeting byNEALC President Alan Netland:

President Beth McCuskey, Vice President Chad McKenna,Secretary/Treasurer Todd Gustafson, Reading Clerk LarrySillanpa, Sergeant-at-Arms Lori Doucette, Assistant Sergeant-at-Arms Glenn T. Jackson, Executive Board Craig Olson, MaryKirsling, Scott Dulas, and Dan Olson.

All those members served in the 2016/2017 term.

Rep. Nolan leads on new pension bill to create agency to protect retirees

Unions battle Essentia firing over flu shots

tax loopholes the rich now usefor buying art and creating“tax-advantaged savings,” afact sheet on the new bill says.It gave no dollar figures.

Today the Subcommittee onHealth, Employment, Laborand Pensions will hold a hear-ing on “Financial ChallengesFacing the Pension BenefitGuaranty Corporation: Impli-cations for Pension Plans,Workers, and Retirees.”

Achieving the REHAB goalmay be difficult. Ruling Re-publicans enacted a short-termfix just for the Mine Workers’pensions as part of a short-termspending plan covering manygovernment agencies lastDecember. There’s been littleaction since. One key lawmak-er, Sen. Mike Enzi, R-Wyom.,opposes all relief for the multi-employer plans and their bene-ficiaries. He charges that anylegislation is “a bailout.”

That didn’t stop the law-makers or the unionists in thecrowd.

“We stand for no cuts!”Brown declared, to cheers.“Now go out and do what youneed to do to get this passed.”

Rep. Nolan is co-founder ofthe new Pension Protection forWorking Americans Caucus inCongress. He also championsthe “Keep Our PensionPromises Act,” to stop cut-backs in benefits, bolster thePension Benefit GuaranteeCorporation, and help preventbankrupt companies fromreneging on their obligations tomillions of workers andretirees. The legislationrestores anti-cutback provi-sions in the law to ensure thatno retiree in a multi-employerpension plan could have theirbenefits cut.

Millers, speakers said.In those cases, plan trustees,

with Treasury Department OK,can cut current benefits by hun-dreds and thousands of dollarsper current retiree or survivor.

Kaptur estimated 100 planscovering 50,000 retirees are introuble in Ohio alone. TheTeamsters’ troubled CentralStates plan covers retireescoast to coast including north-ern Wisconsin and northernMinnesota.

“It’s time for Congress toensure that retirees whoworked hard for a lifetimereceive every penny they werepromised,” Nolan said. “Thesimple fact is, retirees con-tributed every nickel and pennythey had contracted for, but asmany as 13,000 companies didNOT make their owed paymentinto the Central States PensionFund. This is corporate irre-sponsibility, plain and simple,and it absurd to suggest thathardworking Americans sufferfor it. I will continue fightinguntil every American who paidinto a pension fund receives thefull benefits that they workedfor and earned.”

“The retirement plan youwork for and pay for shouldn’tbe bait for Wall Street’s insa-tiable gambling enterprise thatleaves retirees in the lurch,”Kaptur said. “How many timeswill working Americans beasked to pay for the casino-likeinvestment schemes that putsafe and secure retirement atrisk?”

Besides the loans, thePension Benefit GuarantyCorp., which insures privatepensions and takes them overwhen firms go broke, wouldinclude a “legacy fund” for thetroubled plans. Money for thefund would come from closing

(PAI)--Unions and congres-sional Democratic allies likeMinnesota’s Rep. Rick Nolanare taking another crack at fix-ing problems with the nation’smulti-employer pension plans.

Their REHAB Act estab-lishes the Pension Rehabilita-tion Administration (PRA), anew agency within the Treas-ury Department to sellTreasury-issued bonds to largeinvestors, and subsequentlylend the money from the sale ofthe bonds to the financially-troubled pension plans. Thelegislation, unveiled Nov. 16,would reverse a 2014 law thatlet financially troubled multi-employer plans cut pensions ofcurrent recipients by millionsof dollars in order to preservethe plans for future retirees.

Instead, the measure, craft-ed by Nolan, Rep. MarcyKaptur and Sen. SherrodBrown, both D-Ohio, and Sen.Bernie Sanders, Ind-Vt., wouldestablish low-interest 30-yearloans and other methods topump funds into pension plans,thus preventing benefit cuts.

The multi-employer pen-sion plans, run by joint labor-management boards, are com-mon in industries such as min-ing, baking, trucking and foodprocessing. But the plans sufferwhen employers go belly-upand the number of contributorsgoes down while the numberof pensioners goes up. Thathappens to Teamsters -- whohave the largest troubled plan -- Mine Workers, Machinists,Food and Commercial Workersand Bakery, Confectionery andTobacco Workers and Grain

At least five unions havecollective bargaining agree-ments with the huge EssentiaHealth system that started inDuluth as St. Mary’s MedicalCenter on the Central Hillside.

It appears all the unions arein a battle with what one retiredunion agent called “The EvilEmpire” over a new policy this

fall that requires all employeesto have influenza vaccinations,the flu shot, or be fired.Essentia that policy alsoextends to all vendors they useand a construction workers ontheir premises.

The deadline for firing thosewho haven’t succumbed to thedictate was to have been Nov.20. On Nov. 21 Essentia report-ed that they had fired “about50” of their over 14,000 work-ers in four states. Unions havenot been informed of any fir-ings.

Rick Fuentes, PublicRelations for the MinnesotaNurses Association said, “Wehave not had any confirmationof our members being termi-nated, even though we werepromised we would onMonday (Nov. 20).”

Gary Morgan of UFCW

Local 1189 also said they havenot been told of any firings oftheir members.

USW Local 9460, Opera-ting Engineers Local 70, andAFSCME Local 3454 alsohave members employed byEssentia. USW has gone tocourt to block the policy.

MNA and UFCW said theywill file grievances on behalf ofany members fired. They andAFSCME have filed chargeswith the National LaborRelations Board over the poli-cy.

The unions have said thatEssentia management toldthem they were proceedingwith the policy and were notinterested in anything a unionhad to say about flu shots.

“Essentia Health showednurses they did not intend to

Central Body Holiday Party Dec. 14, bring a gift for needy, volunteer

Laborers 1091’s Food Drive seeks donations

The Duluth AFL-CIO Cen-tral Labor Body will be holdingtheir annual holiday party onThursday, December 14 in theLabor Temple’s Wellstone Halland you’re invited!

The party will follow theregularly scheduled CentralLabor Body monthly meetingwhich begins at 7:00 p.m. Allunion brothers and sisters,political allies, communitypartners, and friends are invitedand welcomed to help celebrateanother year of work for work-ing families. The recent sweep

Laborers’ Local 1091’s 6thAnnual Food Drive in theDuluth Labor Temple has start-ed and will continue untilFriday, Dec. 22nd. The union

Mayor Emily Larson listeningsession in Gary Dec. 12

Duluth Mayor Emily Larson continues to reach out to Duluthresidents through City Hall in the City Community Listeningsessions which allow residents to have one-on-one conversationswith the Mayor and/or a City Councilor. The sessions run from5:30 to 7:00 pm. These events are open to all residents.Department staff will also be available to address questions.Children are welcome to attend and will have access to art sup-plies. The final session for this year is Tuesday, Dec. 12 at theGary New Duluth Recreation Center, 801 101st Ave West.

of local elections by CentralBody endorsed candidates andthe street ballot questionshould make for a festiveevening. Food and refresh-ments, including adult bever-ages, will be provided.

All those attending areasked to bring an unwrappedgift, book, or winter clothingitem for a child or adult. Cashdonations will be accepted inlieu of a gift. All proceeds willgo to the AFL-CIOCommunity Services HolidayProgram for local union fami-

lies in need.Gift and financial donations

will be used to make for a greatKid’s Holiday Party Saturday,Dec. 16 in the Labor Temple’sWellstone Hall from 11 a.m. to1 p.m. A light lunch is served tofamilies. Games and other funevents keep the children occu-pied as they prepare to havegifts wrapped for their parents.And parents are able to presentgifts at Christmas because ofyour donations.

Community Services hasbeen busy presenting needy

families Thanksgiving foodbaskets this month. They’llcontinue that effort for theChristmas holiday as well.

All the efforts to help fami-lies in need are always in need

of volunteers. To help theCommunity Services Programcontact Rachel Loeffler-Kempat rloeffler-kemp@hlunited-way.org or by calling 218-726-4775.

hopes to continue their suc-cessful efforts that started in2012 to help alleviate hunger inthe Twin Ports area.

“There are too many people

in our communities who arephysically or mentally unableto work and they need ourhelp,” said Laborers BusinessManager Dan Olson. “Home-lessness, poverty, and hungerare affecting too many amongus and the high number of hurt-ing children is heart breaking.We see them in our neighbor-hoods, but far too many wenever see. We are asking oursisters and brothers to help usin providing a little comfort tothose who have so little as weapproach the holidays.”

Collection boxes and tablesfor donations of non-perishablefood items are available at theend of the Labor Temple’s firstfloor hallway (enter via 20thAvenue East entrance belowLondon Road and take a right).

Financial contributions forthe food drive will also beaccepted. They can be madeout and sent to Laborers Local1091 Food Drive, Room 119,2002 London Road, Duluth,MN 55812.

Olson said all proceedsfrom the food drive will bedonated to CHUM Food Shelf.

PAGE 2 LABOR WORLD NEWS, WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 2017

SHEET METAL WORKERSDuluth-Superior AreaDuluth-Superior Area

Your Christmas Party is Monday, Dec. 11, 5:00 p.m., at the Sheet Metal Workers’ Training Center & Local 10Union Office, 6279 Indus-trial Road, Saginaw, MN.

Iron Range AreaIron Range AreaYour Christmas Party willbe Tuesday, Dec. 12, 7:00p.m., at the Hibbing Park Hotel.

Food and beverages will be provided. All membersand retirees are encouraged to attend. It is mandatory that all apprentices attend the

Christmas Party as it is their union meeting night. ~Doug Christy, Business Rep.

This was the Black Friday crew that kept the Laborers FoodDrive rolling. Left to right, Laborers Dan Olson, BricklayersStan Paczynski, and IBEW 31’s Nancy Carlson.

Sheet Metal Workers’ Local 10Retirees’ LuncheonTuesday, Dec. 5, 1:00 p.m. The Boat Club (Fitger’s)

Sheet Metal Workers Local 10 honored their long timeapprenticeship coordinator Dick Barlage by naming theirSaginaw Training Center school after him this month.Dick started his apprenticeship in 1960, retired in 2000,and has trained apprentices ever since. You could evenfind him there last Saturday with two apprentices. Oh,and he coordinates activities for their retirees as well!

Look for theUnion Label andMade in the USAas you shop thisHoliday Season!

THANK YOU!

I.U.O.E. Local 70Monthly Arrowhead Regional Meeting

Tuesday, Dec. 12, 2017, 5:00 P.M. Duluth Labor Center, Hall B

Dave Monsour, Business Manager, (651) 646-4566

INJURED at Work?Lost Wages?

Medical Bills?Permanency?

QRC?Return to Work?

All Questions?Free Consultation • No Recovery, No Fee

STOCKMANSTOCKMANLAW OFFICE

Office 218.576.8599Anytime 218.393.5239

stockmaninjurylaw@gmail.comwww.stockmaninjurylaw.com Louis A. Stockman

Attorney

After six years of researchand writing Dr. RichardHudelson had his new book,“Legacy Costs: The Story of aFactory Town,” published lastmonth. It has a Feb. 5, 2018release date but will be avail-able at hardballpress.com thisweek. A long time Duluth resi-dent and retired college profes-sor, Hudelson co-authored “Bythe Ore Docks: A WorkingPeople’s History of Duluth” in2006 with the late Carl Ross.

New Castle, Indiana isHudelson’s hometown. It grewinto a labor town in conserva-tive east/central Indiana. Hisfather, Paul, worked at aChrysler auto parts plant therethat was organized by theUnited Auto Workers in 1937.As his parents aged Hudelsonand his siblings wondered howthey were to care for theiraging parents. A UAW pensionwon in a 104 day strike in 1950took away many of their fears.

His family’s history and hisgrowing up in New Castle pro-vide a great context for thebook. As Hudelson states early

on, “It is a little bit memoir anda large part labor history, com-bined with a vigorous defenseof labor unions.”

An often heard complaint oflabor leaders and retired unionmembers is that young mem-bers don’t know how it is thatthey receive such good wages,benefits, and working condi-tions. Legacy Costs is anopportunity for them to learnthe history of workers fightingfor dignity and unions in theirworkplace. Here’s a chance forthem to understand the big pic-ture. The book is a great readand great educational tool.

You’ll learn about the autoindustry, the UAW and unionorganizing, the American econ-omy and history, capitalismand philosophy, inequality andprospects for the future forworkers. It addresses the roleof politics and government inthe lives of workers right up toDonald Trump and BernieSanders. Reading the 184 pagebook you come away feelinglike you now get how all thoseforces have collided since thenot too distant horse and buggydays and how it is that theyhave affected our work lives.

You’ll understand whyHenry Ford was willing to giveworkers an incredible $5 a dayin 1914 for piecework. Hisshops had 370% turnover. Butnear the end of the GreatDepression workers hadenough and strikes brought inthe UAW. The Wagner Act of1935 brought in the NationalLabor Relations Act that gaveworkers rights after employersfailed in trying to establishindependent unions and laborcouncils. The battle betweenthe bosses and workers was on.

As a child Hudelson turnedinto a union man when a vio-lent strike at New Castle’sPerfect Circle piston ring plantfound gun shots and martiallaw. News media blamed “out-side goons” for the trouble butHudelson’s research of old citydirectories found it was the sol-idarity of “brothers and sisters,neighbors, relatives andfriends.”

By 1946 the tide had turnedaway from union workers andthe elections found a Republi-can sweep that brought theTaft-Hartley Act in 1947 thatseverely weakened unionrights. In 1957 Indiana becamethe first northern right to workstate.

Hudelson writes a great dealabout right to work, which putsit in our wheel house todaywith 28 right to work states andbusiness interest’s eyes on

more. He writes about a Taft-Hartley clause for unionauthorization polls that wasdiscarded because 97% ofthose polls found 77.5% of vot-ers favoring unions.

You’ll come to better under-stand economic theory fromAdam Smith to MiltonFriedman and why free mar-kets haven’t produced broadbased prosperity. How bankshave been the problem andwhy the Federal ReserveSystem of 1907 and the Glass-Steagall Act of 1933 weremeant to prevent bank failuresand depressions. But govern-ment manipulating the econo-my with interest rates and taxeswasn’t good enough. Moniedinterests wanted free marketsand Reagan and Thatcher gaveit to them. President BillClinton signs NAFTA andrepeals Glass-Steagall and WallStreet takes over businesses itknows nothing about other thanprofit. And it takes over gov-ernment. Shareholders aremore important than workers.Private equity firms becomethe boss.

Opponents say unions are toblame for deindustrializationbut the same scenario playedout in non-union areasHudelson writes.

In his chapter “The WayNot Taken” Hudelson looks atthe economic model used inwestern and northern Europe.Walter Reuther and PhilipMurray had tried to get the U.S.to go in that direction afterWorld War II but were stoppeddead. So unions come to becharacterized as a special inter-

est and have no place here witha social democratic Europeanmodel. Union density goes intoa decades long decline thatbegan with the downturn of the1980s and Reagan andThatcher. Yet Hudelson writes“The American people wouldbe much more secure, muchfreer, and much richer if theywere protected by stronger,more powerful unions.”

Throughout his new bookHudelson documents his workwith an incredible array ofthoughts from other writersand thinkers, which he alsocites in “Sources.” But thebeauty of the book is that hebrings you into his argumentsby talking about people fromhis hometown that lived theexperience with him, he as achild and young man, they asworking adults.

Hudelson views the 2016presidential contest and findshope for the future because“the ideological shell has beencracked” by both DonaldTrump, in spite of his actionssince, and Bernie Sanders’popularity. As it was in thewinning union organizingdrives of the 1930s and battlessince that were won, solidarityis the answer. It must be soli-darity that has diverse racialand ethnic inclusion, some-

thing unions do not have agood history of in their past.

Union organizing is moredifficult than it has ever beenHudelson admits. Outsourcing,subcontracting, part time work,and franchising make definingbargaining units more difficult.

Don’t be discouraged Hud-elson says, change can comequickly and a national laborand social justice movementwill be the vehicle.

“The millions of voters whosupported Bernie Sanders forPresident and his social demo-cratic platform have clearlyshown that many of theAmerican people no longer fallfor the idea that free marketcapitalism will create broadbased prosperity.”

Just ask the folks still inNew Castle, Indiana. In 2000after a century of being thebackbone of the economy, thenthrough many ownershipchanges, the Chrysler plantclosed. Hudelson writes, “Thehammers stopped. The townwas silent. The night wasempty.”

Hudelson’s Legacy Costs isa masterful job of writing, atidy, easy read that tells us howwe got to where we are, like itor not. It is an important, schol-arly work, well written for therank and file.

LABOR WORLD NEWS, WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 2017 PAGE 3

LABOR WORLD(ISSN#0023-6667) is published

semi-monthly except one issue inApril, June, December (21 issues).The known office of publication isLabor World, 2002 London Road,Room 110, Duluth, MN 55812. Periodicals postage is paid at

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Send address changes to: Labor World, 2002 London Rd.,Room 110, Duluth, MN 55812

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Duluth AFL-CIO Central Labor BodySubscriptions: $25 Annually

Larry Sillanpa, Editor/ManagerDeborah Skoglund, Bookkeeper

Board of DirectorsPres/Treas Al LaFrenier, WorkersUnited; VP Stacy Spexet, USW

9460; Sec Kathleen Adee, Education MN; Mikael Sundin,

Painters & Allied Trades 106;Dan O’Neill, Plumbers &

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Steve Risacher, Carpenters 361; Tom Cvar, UFCW 1189Scott Dulas, NALC 114

S-70T W I N C I T I E S

D U L U T H

7

Essentia power plays flu...from page 1bargain with us in good faith,” said Steve Strand, co-chair of

the bargaining unit in Duluth. “We tried to sit down with man-agement, but Essentia executives told us they intend to followthrough with terminations and mandatory flu shots regardless.”

MNA nurses proposed a voluntary program that rewardsemployees for participating in the flu shot, rather than a con-tentious mandatory policy. The nurses negotiating team alsosought protections for nurses who have any adverse reactions tothe flu shot, including allowing nurses to use sick time withoutfacing discipline from Essentia.

“It was clear that Essentia had no intention to negotiate,”Strand said. “MNA nurses were obligated to fight this clearlyillegal policy implementation with the filing of an Unfair LaborPractice charge. We will file grievances to fight for any nursesterminated for sticking to their beliefs and contract language.”

Nurses continue to oppose the mandatory flu shot policy formany reasons. Voluntary programs have been shown to easilyincrease participation; such policies often do not take intoaccount employees’ religious or moral convictions; and health-care workers are often disciplined for using sick time within aperiod of time – even if the sick time is a result to an adverse flushot reaction.

The Minnesota Department of Health is on the record thatthere is no evidence to suggest that healthcare systems mandat-ing flu shots see a significant reduction in influenza cases in theirfacilities.

MNA will announce the number of terminations of nurses asinformation becomes available.

Essentia had stated that they will consider exempting em-ployees from flu shots for religious or medical reasons but theyhave made securing those exemptions very difficult. Nurseshave filed for exemptions on religious and medical grounds butexpect very few, if any, to be honored.

Dr. Rajesh Prabhu, Essentia’s patient quality and safety offi-cer, reported that 99.5 percent of their employees had flu shotsby Nov. 20.

LegacyCosts:

The Story of aFactory Town

by Richard

Hudelsonwww.hardballpress.com

~NOTICE~Labor World next issues:

Dec. 13 (Holiday Issue);Jan. 10, 31; Feb. 14, 28;

Act 10 has significantly damaged Wisconsin’s public education systemWisconsin’s 2011 Act 10

virtually eliminated collectivebargaining rights and slashedbenefits for most public-sectorworkers. On Nov. 15 the Cen-ter for American Progress Ac-tion Fund’s American WorkerProject unveiled research onhow damaging Act 10 has been

to public education. In Wisconsin’s public

schools, teacher compensationand experience have droppedsignificantly and turnover rateshave increased—all of whichnegatively impacts familiesand students. The analysis wasunveiled with Wisconsin Sen-

ate Democratic Leader JenniferShilling, Illinois Senate ProTempore Don Harmon (D), andMinnesota State Rep. CarlosMariani (DFL).

“Gov. Scott Walker andRepublican elected leaders inWisconsin said that Act 10would benefit schools and fam-ilies alike. They couldn’t havebeen more wrong,” said DavidMadland, co-author of theanalysis. “What has actuallyhappened is that Wisconsin’spublic education system hassuffered a major blow since

anti-union legislation wasenacted. An attack on teachersand other public sector workersdoesn’t just hurt those employ-ees—everyone in Wisconsinwill bear this impact.”

Shilling said, “Rather thanencouraging the best and thebrightest to become teachersand remain in the fieldthroughout their career, Act 10has demonized and devaluedthe teaching profession anddriven away many teachers.”

The analysis, using data col-lected by the Wisconsin Dept.

of Public Instruction, found:• In the year immediately

following the law’s passage,median compensation forteachers decreased by 8.2% ininflation-adjusted terms, withmedian benefits being cut by18.6% and the median salaryfalling by 2.6%. Mediansalaries and benefits continuedto fall during the next fouryears so that median compen-sation in the 2015-16 schoolyear was 12.6%—$10,843 dol-lars—lower than before Act 10.

• The percentage of teacherswho left the profession spikedto 10.5% after the 2010-11school year, up from 6.4% theyear before Act 10. Exit rateshave remained higher thanbefore, with 8.8% of teachersleaving after the 2015-16school year—the most recentschool year with data.

• The percentage of teacherswith less than five years ofexperience increased from19.6% in the 2010-11 schoolyear to 24.1% in 2015-16.Average teaching experiencedecreased from 14.6 years inthe 2010-11 to 13.9 in the2011-12, which is where itremained in 2015-16.

• Higher rate of interdistrictmoves—when a teacher leavesone district to teach at anotherthe next school year—hasincreased from 1.3 percentbefore Act 10 to 3.4 percent atthe end of the 2014-15 year.

• Peer-reviewed research onAct 10’s effects on student out-comes has yet to be published,but several academics haveproduced working papersexamining the law’s impact onWisconsin students. Thisresearch is consistent with theauthors’ findings that Act 10has led to reduced teacherexperience, increased exitrates, increased interdistrictteacher transfers, and thus haslikely reduced student out-comes. A recent working paperfound that Act 10 had reducedstatewide student achievementon science and math.

The research is relevantbecause members of Congressas well as state elected officialsin Illinois and Minnesota areconsidering similar legislation.Walker has announced his bidfor a third term. The U.S.Supreme Court will also soonhear arguments in Janus v.American Federation of State,County, and MunicipalEmployees, a case that couldsignificantly weaken public-sector unions and teachers’ability to collectively bargain.

PAGE 4 LABOR WORLD NEWS, WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 2017

Thank You, Duluth Voters!We were overwhelmed with the support the Street Improvement Program Ballot Question received! An unbelievable 76.5 percent

of voters approved of the plan on November 7. It won in all 34 city precincts!

We appreciate the support we received from Labor in the effort.We will need even more help to get it passed in the Minnesota

Legislature, which convenes February 20, 2018. Our legislativedelegation is very supportive but we need to convince many of

their colleagues. We’ll need all the help we can get.Paid for by the Yes for Streets Campaign, Bill Burns, Treasurer

As spouses and family of Union Members

Let us work for you!Licensed in MN & WILynn Marie Nephew • 218-310-7790

Elyse Strapple • 218-348-6190Candy E. Lee • 218-591-6452 (MN)

we know how hard you work.

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A march and rally of 500 Superior Federation of Teachersmembers and other public education supporters protestedAct 10 on Feb. 16, 2011 in Superior. (Labor World file photo)

Opposition to tax cuts for rich grows as opponents try to end it in SenateBy Mark GruenbergPAI Staff Writer(PAI)—With the Senate

planning to vote on the massiveGOP tax cut for the rich by theend of November, unions andprogressive groups cranked uptheir campaign to convinceenough dubious lawmakers tovote “no” and kill it.

Urged on by the Teachers’Randi Weingarten and LilyEskelsen-Garcia of the Nation-al Education Association, testi-mony from people who’d gethurt, and e-mail blasts fromDemocracy for America,Indivisible.org and MomsRising, Capitol Hill was flood-

ed with phone calls and e-mails Tax cut foes got ammuni-

tion Nov. 21, when non-parti-san sources’ analysis of theSenate GOP’s bill revealed by2025 it would lower taxes onthe rich but raise them for morethan half of the U.S. populationat all other income levels. Itcould also take away healthcare coverage from 13 millionpeople, the non-partisan JointCommittee on Taxation warns.

The mobilization is needed.Senate Majority Leader MitchMcConnell, R-Ky., plans topass the tax bill by Nov. 30using special budget “reconcil-iation” rules. They require only

50 GOP votes for it, plus GOPVice President Mike Pence as atie-breaker. Rules bar oppo-nents from talking it to deathwith a filibuster. McConnellhas only 52 GOP senators towork with. Wisconsin’s RonJohnson already unexpectedlydefected. He says it gives toomuch to big business and notenough to small business.

Several other Republicans –notably Maine’s Susan Collins– are on the fence. In lobbyingher, the Maine People’s Alli-ance, which includes the stateAFL-CIO, neatly summed upthe tax bill’s impact: “The richwill get richer and the sick will

get sicker.”“Most Republicans are sid-

ing with big business, big-time,at the expense of America’shardworking working- andmiddle-class families,”Weingarten said.

Even McConnell and HouseSpeaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis.“will admit this is going toraise the taxes of a large num-ber of middle-class families” –those earning less than $75,000yearly, the Joint Committeesays.

The tax hike would be$6,167 next year alone for atypical middle-class family,Weingarten said, quotinganother foundation analysis.

Democracy For Americaechoed those points and addedits own, saying the tax cutwould blow such a big hole inthe federal budget that “seques-tration” – mandated cuts inspending – would kick in andcost Medicare and Medicaidbillions of dollars.

“Republicans are out to rigthe tax system to benefit bigcorporations and wealthy indi-viduals even more than italready is -- but if we mobilizeright now, we can stop them.As we saw with Trumpcare thissummer, we just need a fewRepublican senators to flip andvote no in order to stop thishorrible tax plan,” DFA’sRobert Cruickshank added.

NEA’s Eskelsen-Garcia said

“Their plan takes from workingfamilies and students to pay fortax giveaways to corporationsand the wealthy: it eliminatesthe state and local deductionsfor people but keeps it for cor-porations. It leaves 13 millionAmericans without healthinsurance while cutting taxrates for corporations andboosting the incomes ofwealthier people. It is irrespon-sible to put funding for 370,000education jobs at risk.”

NEA drew pungent com-ments against the tax cut onsocial media. “New tax bill in anutshell: Jet owners can writeoff jets. Teachers can’t write offschool supplies,” Zach Brafftweeted. Teacher DeborahClark replied: “I spend $500-$1000 annually” on schoolsupplies for her kids “and get toclaim $250. Not even that ifthis goes through. I need adamn jet apparently.”

“The congressional tax billscould cost Western states $1.3billion annually in federal oil,gas, and coal payments -- fundsthose states use to pay forroads, schools, firefighters, andother public services. Auto-matic sequestration cuts trig-gered by the tax bill would zeroout all mineral leasing pay-ments made to states over thenext decade,” The Stand, theelectronic newspaper of theWashington State LaborCouncil, reported.

LABOR WORLD NEWS, WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 2017 PAGE 5

T h a n kT h a n k Y o u ,Y o u , T h a n kT h a n k Y o u !Y o u !The Carlton County Labor Day Celebrationwants to thank these unions, organizations, and businesses for their generous support of our 98th Annual Celebration!

Irving Community Association Cloquet Office of TourismSappi Fine Paper USW Local #11-63, Cloquet

USW #9460 IBEW #242 Enbridge Pipeline Minnesota AFL-CIOTeamsters #346 IBEW #31 Painters #106 Roofers #96

Northwoods Credit Union NCFO #939 Operating Engineers #49Carpenters #361 Parsons Electric Super One Foods

Marine General AFSCME #545 Boldt Construction Union Optical Aardvark Septic Pumping

Ironworkers #512 Duluth Building & Construction Trades Twin Ports/ArrowheadChapter National Electrical Contractors Association Bricklayers #1Members' Coop Credit Union WKLK/WMOZ Radio Cloquet Muffler Clinic

Harley Davidson Sport Center Stock Tire The Medicine Shoppe /Raiter PharmacyLaborers #1091 Service Printers Holiday, Cloquet Super One Liquor

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Keystone Pipeline may have gotten the last green light it needs...maybe

USPS in black except for stamp price drop

By Mark GruenbergPAI Staff WriterThe Northern Leg of the

Keystone XL heavy oil pipe-line from the Canadian borderto Oklahoma got the final con-struction “green light” Nov. 20,from the Nebraska PublicService Commission – maybe.

The panel voted 3-2 for thepipeline, which U.S. construc-tion unions strongly support,on condition it take a more-easterly route. TransCanada,the project’s sponsor, says itwill evaluate options, andmake a decision next month.

Get connected to resources in Minnesota and WisconsinFor services provided by the Community Services Program

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But the leading Nebraskapipeline foe, Jane FlemingKleeb, says the new routemeans years more of fights andlawsuits. She says the U.S.government never gave thealternate route a required envi-ronmental impact statement.

“Today was a victory foreveryone working to stopKeystone XL. TransCanada didnot get their preferred route,which means years of newreview and legal challenges,”Kleeb said.

The Operating Engineers,Laborers, Teamsters and three

other building trades unionssigned a Project Labor Agree-ment years ago to have unionworkers construct KeystoneXL. It would carry 890,000barrels of oil daily from theAlberta Tar Sands across theMontana-Alberta border theDakotas and Nebraska to theterminal at Guthrie, Okla.

It also would create up to40,000 jobs, the unions said.The federal government, in itsKeystone studies, lowered thatnumber. In its 400-page sub-mission to the PSC, Trans-Canada said Keystone’s con-

struction would create 3,397Nebraskan jobs, paying $326.5million in wages. Not all areconstruction jobs. Many are infirms serving Keystone.

But other unions, led byNational Nurses United, theSteelworkers, the Amalga-mated Transit Union, and theBlueGreen Alliance, opposedKeystone’s construction onenvironmental grounds. Theyargued, as did President BarackObama, that the heavy “dirty”oil and the chemicals used toextract it, would increasegreenhouse gas emissions andresult in more global warming.

They warned about the eco-logical threat of oil spills, awarning reinforced days beforeby a 210,000-gallon spill thatshut a TransCanada pipeline inSouth Dakota. TC claims dam-age is contained and minimal.

NNU Communications Di-rector Chuck Idelson said alter-native energy “green” projects

would create more well-payingfamily supporting jobs for con-struction workers.

“We have longstandingopposition to Keystone, nomatter what the route,” saidIdelson. “Keystone is a mas-sive threat to public health andto the future of the planet” dueits carbon emissions. “It pres-ents a clear and present dangerat every level from extractionand transportation” of the oil“to refining” on the U.S. GulfCoast.

North America’s BuildingTrades are “still assessing theruling,” spokesman TomOwens said.

Michael Brune, head of theSierra Club – a Steelworkersally that opposes Keystone –said the PSC ruling gives envi-ronmental groups, their alliesand the public more time tolobby banks to refuse to loanTransCanada any money forKeystone’s construction.

(PAI)—If the price ofstamps hadn’t dropped lastyear, the U.S. Postal Servicewould have finished fiscal2017 with a $1.2 billion operat-ing profit, not an $800 millionloss, Letter Carriers PresidentFredric Rolando says. Becausethe rollback occurred, USPSlost $2 billion in revenue.

Postmaster General MeganBrennan announced the finan-cial results for the independentUSPS – which receives no tax-payer dollars -- Nov 14. It wasthe 11th consecutive year theUSPS ran in the red, but thelast several years, since theofficial end of the GreatRecession, it has run a profit onoperations.

Officially, USPS kept run-ning in the red overall because

in 2006, a GOP-run Congressenacted “reform” legislation.The law forced USPS to prepay$5.5 billion yearly to coverfuture retirees’ health care costsfor at least a decade. The pay-ments have technically thrownthe agency into deficits since.

Brennan’s predecessor triedto stanch the red ink byschemes to fire 100,000 work-ers, let another 100,000 go byattrition, close thousands ofpost offices and hundreds ofmail sorting centers and priva-tize stamp sales through non-union, low wage Staples stores.

Postal workers, their con-gressional supporters and amass public campaign stoppedhis schemes, except for theStaples plan, and courts ruled itbroke USPS union contracts.

Rolando alluded to the pre-paid retirees’ health care costsin his statement. Both postalunions and Brennan want thecurrent GOP-run Congress torepeal that mandate.

“With the original stampprice, the annual figure wouldbe on a par with those of thepast three years, which had acombined operating profit of$3.2 billion,” he pointed out.

“We would be talking abouta government entity producingan impressive operating profitthrough earned revenue. TheApril 2016 rollback in stampprices was the first since 1919,and it makes little financialsense because the PostalService already has the indus-trial world’s lowest rates.”

The federal Postal Regula-tory Commission is nowreviewing postal rates, as the2006 law mandates, and mayadjust them above the inflation,Rolando noted.

“Meanwhile, Congressshould address the pre-fundingburden, which requires USPS -- alone among all public andprivate entities -- to prefundfuture retiree healthcare bene-fits decades into the future.This produces an onerousannual burden of billions ofdollars. Addressing these exter-nal financial burdens wouldallow USPS – which is basedin the Constitution and whichenjoys broad public and politi-cal support – to continue pro-viding Americans and theirbusinesses with the industrialworld’s most affordable deliv-ery network,” he concluded.

Unions also back a bill bySen. Bernard Sanders, Ind-Vt.,to let the USPS earn moneyother ways, such as becoming abasic “bank” offering accountsin unbanked areas of the U.S.,letting it ship beer and wine,and letting it offer notary pub-lic services.

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Lawsuit seeks to stop illegal TrumpAdministration equal pay rule rollback

Report landline internet issuesST. PAUL, MN – With so many people struggling to get reli-

able internet service, Representative Rob Ecklund (DFL-International Falls) is encouraging residents to report problemsto state officials.

“It is no secret that we need better access to reliable highspeed internet,” said Rep. Ecklund. “While we are waiting onreliable internet service we are missing out on opportunities forour students to learn. Businesses, workers and students in ourcommunities are at a disadvantage trying to compete in a 21stcentury economy with outdated technology. We don’t deploysoldiers with muskets and we certainly shouldn’t continue to letour communities sit idly by while a web page tries to load.”

The Public Utilities Commission (PUC) is one of the stateregulators with oversight over landline internet connections.However, the Public Utilities Commission does not have over-sight over broadband internet. Reporting issues to state regula-tors will help hold internet providers accountable for their serv-ices they provide. Consumers can file a complaint form https://m n . g o v / p u c / a s s e t s / C o m p l a i n t % 2 0 F o r m % 2 0 -%20November%202017_tcm14-289957.pdf

Volunteer as a tax preparer!Community Action Duluth is recruiting volunteers to help

our union members and neighbors with low to moderateincomes file their tax returns. By volunteering at one ofCommunity Action’s free tax site clinics, you can do your partto keep our local economy strong while helping fellow unionmembers, neighbors and maybe even yourself!

An hour of your time could help an eligible family claim anaverage of $1,895 in tax refunds while you learn a lot abouttaxes. In today’s market, that’s a great return on investment!

Last year, Community Action Duluth’s Free Tax Site helped1400 families claim $2.7 million in tax refunds! In 2018, taxseason runs from January 27 to April 17. Volunteers can preparetax returns, conduct intake interviews, and assist with clericalduties. No previous tax experience is required. Training beginson Tuesday, January 2.

For more information or to sign up, call the Tax Site ProgramCoordinator at 218-726-1665, ext. 225 or you can emailjulia@communityactionduluth.org. For online information,visit http://www.communityactionduluth.org/taxes

Since 1957, the Duluth AFL-CIO and United Way havejointly committed resources and support to serve local healthand human service programs that create real and lasting changefor individuals and families in our community.

For more information on the community services partnershipand opportunities for involvement, please contact RachelLoeffler-Kemp via phone at 218-726-4775 or by emailing herat rloeffler-kemp@hlunitedway.org.

Democracy Forward andthe National Women’s LawCenter filed a lawsuit Nov. 15against the Trump Administra-tion on behalf of NWLC andthe Labor Council for LatinAmerican Advancement forillegally rolling back criticalpay transparency requirementsintended to root out discrimina-tion and close the wage gap.The suit was filed against theOffice of Management andBudget, the Equal Employ-ment Opportunity Commis-sion, and government officials.It seeks to reinstate the require-ment that companies with 100or more employees report howmuch they pay their workers byrace, gender, and ethnicity.

The suit, filed in the U.S.District Court for the District ofColumbia, follows Trump’sabrupt reversal in August of thepreviously approved EEOCcollection of pay data. Thisequal pay data collection wasthe result of a six-year process,which included multiplelengthy public notice and com-ment periods. Even though theEEOC determined that collect-ing pay data was “necessary”

to enforce equal pay laws, theAdministration claimed it hadno “practical utility” and elimi-nated this essential tool withvirtually no explanation and noopportunity for public com-ment. Roughly 60,886 em-ployers covered by the rule—who collectively employ 63million workers—are empow-ered to continue to shield raceand gender pay gaps.

“It’s crystal clear now:women--and the families rely-ing on women’s paychecks--are at the bottom of the TrumpAdministration’s agenda,” saidEmily Martin, NWLC GeneralCounsel. “By stopping theequal pay data collection, thisAdministration has shown thatits loyalties lie with corporateemployers who want to hidepay discrimination under therug. We will not allow this togo unchallenged.”

Despite President Trump’sclaim that women will “makethe same if you do as good ajob” as men, U.S. women cur-rently are paid $0.80 for everydollar their white male counter-parts make. For women ofcolor this gap is even bigger,with Latina and African-American women making

$0.54 and $0.63 on the dollar,respectively, compared towhite, non-Hispanic men.

“Workers’ rights are underattack by the Trump Adminis-tration and Latinas are amongthe most adversely affected,”said Hector E. Sanchez Barba,Executive Director of theLabor Council for LatinAmerican Advancement.“Latinas are a growing force inthe labor market but over a 40-year career will be paid over $1million less than white, maleworkers—and the TrumpAdministration’s decisionmakes it easier for this under-payment to go unchecked.”

“The Trump Administrationhas shown that it is willing totake illegal actions to suppressthe facts about pay discrimina-tion and shut down a key toolneeded to close the wage gap,”said Democracy ForwardExecutive Director AnneHarkavy. “In an economywhere 40 percent of mothersare either the sole or primarybreadwinners in their homes,President Trump isn’t justshortchanging women, he’sshortchanging entire familiesand communities.”

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Mayor Paine, Superior councilors seek payroll disclosure from developer Dozens of Northern Wis-

consin Building & Construc-tion Trades Council (NWB-CTC) members rallied insideand outside Superior City Hallthe evening of Nov. 21. Theywere there to thank Mayor JimPaine and city councilors asthey entered the building for asession. Later, on a 7 to 3 coun-cil vote, city administrationbroke with policy under formerMayor Bruce Hagen in askinga developer to present payrollrecords prior to receiving anymore public money for itsCottages of Superior Project.

Paul Gerrard and hisLaCrosse-based GerrardCorporation have built threephases of that project near thefair grounds. In receiving pub-lic money he was required topresent certified pay rollrecords to see if he was com-plying with Davis Bacon Actrequirements for prevailingwages. Reportedly a friend ofHagen’s, Gerrard never did thatin the first three phases say theconstruction unions, andHagen looked the other way,allowing Gerrard to skirt hisrequirements.

Because it is federal Com-munity Development BlockGrant (CDBG) dollars and theagreement came beforeWisconsin Republican Gov.Scott Walker ended prevailingwages in the state, unions saythe agreement provisions stillhave merit.

Now seeking $295,000 forthe next phase of the project,Paine and city councilors aretelling Gerrard he has to openhis payroll records to see if heis in compliance.

NWBCTC President NormVoorhees said, “We were thereto show support to those whostand with labor and feel thatthose doing business need to beheld accountable when receiv-ing incentives for develop-ment. Those incentives are ourtax dollars. It is unclear as towhy councilors Jack Sweeney,Brent Fennessey, and KeithKern wanted to reward a badplayer. Our Council has alwayssupported responsible develop-ment which helps all in thecommunity not just a chosenfew who want to cheat andmake back door deals.”

Voorhees said CouncilPresident Dan Olson, andcouncilors Tylor Elm, RuthLudwig, Craig Sutherland,Esther Dalbec, Jenny VanSickle, and Warren Benderneed to be thanked “for beingfiscally responsible and fair.Hopefully the City will not paymore than agreed to for theinfrastructure work that wasoriginally agreed to, Becauseof a lack of due diligence bythe developer there wasapproximately an $100,000over run that will probably beasked for in the near future.”

The 22-page agreementbetween the City of Superior,the Superior Housing Authorityand Cottages of Superior isvery specific about reporting ofhours and wages for all work-ers on the project. It requiresextensive record keeping andthat all records will be madeavailable to city representa-tives. It further states all partieson the project must be in com-pliance with Title 24 of FederalRegulations Part 570 for HUD

regulations on CDBG Grants.Carpenters Local 361

Representative Jeremy Browendoubts the project is. In anemail blast Browen wrote,“Gerrard has hired the majorityof its contractors from outside

of the local area while not pay-ing area standards wages whichputs our local contractors at adisadvantage.” He said numer-ous requests for certified pay-roll to Mayor Hagen had nodocumentation forthcoming.

Browen says he has heardthat Gerrard is preparing to suethe City of Superior for thegrant money in spite of its non-compliance with requirementsfor receiving the grant.

PAGE 8 LABOR WORLD NEWS, WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 2017

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Dozens of Northern Wisconsin Building Trades Council members rallied at Superior CityHall the evening of Nov. 21 to thank Mayor Jim Paine and city councilors for helping themuphold area standards against Gerrard Corporation.