| 6/3/11 ATTACK ON DAVIS-BACON DEFEATED IN CONGRESS |
Dear fellow IBEW member,
Last evening, the U.S. House of Representatives debated and voted on the Homeland Security Appropriations Bill. During those proceedings, Rep. Paul Gosar (R-AZ) offered an anti Davis Bacon Amendment which was defeated by a wide margin, 183-234. 52 Republicans voted with us to defeat this amendment, while Rep. Mike McIntyre (D-NC) was the lone Democrat to vote in favor of the amendment.
Additionally, Rep. Steve Scalise (R-LA) offered an amendment to prohibit consideration of Project Labor Agreements by Federal Agencies. We successfully defeated the anti-PLA amendment by a vote of 207-213 with one Democrat (Rep. Dan Boren of Oklahoma) voting wrong and 28 Republicans voting with us.
This is our second victory in the U.S. House of Representatives this year on PLAs and we expect future PLA votes, perhaps again as soon as today (Friday, June 3). The Department and its Legislative Task Force will continue its outreach efforts to Democrats and all key Republicans to protect The President's Executive Order and the ability of federal agencies to implement it.
CLICK HERE TO SEE WHICH GOP REPRESENTATIVES VOTED WITH US ON THESE TWO AMENDMENTS
This was a significant victory for all Building Trades Unions!
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| 6/1/11 SHAME ON SENS. CHAMBLISS AND ISAKSON |
Dear fellow IBEW member,
Last night, Rep. Paul Ryan’s (R-Wis.) Tea Party-inspired budget didn’t even come close to passing the Senate. It was voted down 40–57.
But 40 senators, including yours, voted for Rep. Ryan’s budget that would replace Medicare’s guaranteed health care funding for seniors with underfunded vouchers for private insurance—forcing a typical 65-year-old to spend $6,359 more a year in out-of-pocket costs by 2022.
Forty senators, including yours, voted to make $4.3 trillion in drastic cuts—hitting everything from education and food aid for children to job training and Medicaid.
And 40 senators, including yours, voted for $4.2 trillion in tax cuts, which go disproportionately to corporations and the rich.
Your senator needs to be held accountable for this outrage. As Sen. Harry Reid (D-Nev.) said before voting “no” last night, “The Republican plan to kill Medicare is a plan to make the rich richer and the sick sicker.”
Let Sens. Chambliss and Isakson know last night’s vote to end Medicare as we know it is inexcusable—and working people won’t stand for it.
Politicians like Sens. Chambliss and Isakson clearly will work actively to further enrich the rich at any cost to working families, at a time when inequality already stands at historic levels.
There are no excuses for this vote. And no acceptable explanations. We all need to make sure voters know where Sens. Chambliss and Isakson stand. That starts right now, with letting your senators know this vote will have serious consequences.
Act now: Let your senators know you’ll hold Medicare-scrapping politicians accountable.
Last night’s vote sent a loud and clear message to the American public that, according to Republican leaders in the House and Senate, sacrifice is for the weak, while the powerful and well-connected get tax cuts.
Politicians who forget that the majority of voters work for a living do so at their own political peril. We’ll make sure voters know the truth—and they’ll make the point at the ballot box, just as voters in New York’s 26th congressional district did Tuesday.
Act now: Let Sens. Chambliss and Isakson know yesterday’s vote won’t be forgotten by working people.
Thanks for making it clear this shameful vote won’t go unnoticed.
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| 6/13/11 VICTORY IN THE HOUSE |
VICTORY IN THE U.S. HOUSE!
Once Again, Building Trades Secure Bi-Partisan Majorities to Defeat Attacks on PLAs and Davis-Bacon
On June 13, and for the 3rd time in approximately three months, the U.S. House of Representatives rejected language that would prohibit the federal government from utilizing project labor agreements (PLA).
In this instance, the House voted 204-203 in favor of the LaTourette Amendment that eliminated anti-PLA language that was contained in the FY 2012 Military Construction appropriations bill. Left intact, the language would have prevented ANY federal agency from using a project labor agreement.
Prior to the vote on the LaTourette Amendment, the House overwhelmingly defeated an amendment that would have stripped Davis-Bacon protections from military construction projects. The vote to reject the amendment offered by Representative Justin Amash (R-MI) failed by a margin of 232-178.
In each instance, strong bi-partisan majorities emerged to support PLAs and prevailing wage standards. 28 Republican representatives stood with America's Building Trades Unions in support of PLAs, while 54 GOP members supported Davis-Bacon.
SEE THE FINAL VOTE TALLIES HERE
These results were all the more incredible given the fact that thse votes were specifically timed to coincide with the ABC's National Legislative Conference here in Washington.
I want to thank all of our affiliated union International and General Presidents who mobilized the troops for this effort like never before. Secondly, the Building Trades National Legislative Task Force was superb. Their tireless lobbying efforts were almost super-human! And last but not least, I want to thank every state and local building trades council across this nation that put forth untold amounts of time and energy into this effort. I can't tell you how many reports we received throughout the day yesterday on both Republican and Democratic members.
Without question, these votes represent an historic occasion for America's Building Trades Unions. I have never been more proud to be associated with a movement so predicated upon conviction, honesty, hard work, patriotism and staying true to its word. We have made a statement, brothers and sisters, and that statement is all about delivering "Value on Display...Every Day" in everything we do, and delivering it repeatedly for those that choose to work with the best that America has to offer.
In the aftermath of this vote, I am strongly encouraging all affiliated unions, state and local building trades councils, and individual local unions to take immediate, appropriate and necessary measures to thank those that stood with us on these two very critical votes.
Republican members should be encouraged to send a forceful message to their leadership in the U.S. House to stop these unnecessary and politically motivated attacks, and get down to the business of putting American workers back to work.
Thank you once again for all of your efforts.
Sincerely and fraternally,
Mark H. Ayers
President
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| 8/5/11 STATEMENT FROM MARK AYERS |
STATEMENT OF BCTD PRESIDENT MARK H. AYERS ON JULY 2011 JOBS REPORT
WASHINGTON, DC -- Today's jobs report released by the US Department of Labor is simply the latest piece of evidence that we are a nation in desperate need of a sustained and credible effort to create American jobs, especially in the construction industry where the unemployment rate in July was 17.3 percent.
And the dismal performance of the stock market represents a double whammy for American workers, who must now suffer the indignity of watching their retirement portfolios evaporate before their eyes as they also seek to find meaningful and sustained employment. The three major stock indexes have in recent days erased ALL OF THEIR GAINS FOR 2011.
The question that weighs heavily on the minds of the members of America's Building Trades Unions, and of American workers in general, is quite simple:
Where are the Leaders?
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The Building and Construction Trades Department is an alliance of 13 national and international unions that collectively represent over 2 million skilled craft professionals in the United States and Canada
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| 8/9/11 TELL VERIZON: STOP ATTACKING MIDDLE CLASS |
Dear Ben E,
As of midnight Sunday, more than 45,000 Verizon Communications Inc. workers from New England to Virginia—members of the Communications Workers of America (CWA) and the Electrical Workers (IBEW)—went on strike to stop the company’s attacks on the middle class.
These Verizon workers are in the fight of their lives, and they need our support. This is a huge deal that has broad implications for our entire economy.
Verizon is bringing in money hand over fist. In the past four years alone, the company made more than $19 billion in profits—and compensated its top five executives more than a quarter of a billion dollars.
Yet this highly profitable company is insisting on $1 billion in concessions from 45,000 workers—or $20,000 for every family.
It’s outrageous. Even as Verizon continues to rake in record profits, it’s trying to outsource more jobs, demand workers pay more for benefits and undermine workers’ retirement security.
Despite Verizon’s outrageous tactics, the workers still have been more than willing to continue to meet at the table, but Verizon has been unwilling to bargain seriously.
Verizon is trying to strip away 50 years of collective bargaining gains for middle-class workers and our families. But the company won’t succeed. Workers won’t let Verizon destroy the middle-class jobs and benefits generations of Verizon workers gained through collective bargaining. They won’t give up their bargaining rights.
What’s happening at Verizon is part of a massive problem that affects virtually all of us: Corporate profits are eating up more and more of our national income, leaving less and less for the rest of us. This weekend, The New York Times reported that wages as a percentage of national income are the lowest they’ve been since 1965 and falling.(1)
The vast majority of us who are lucky enough to have jobs are being underpaid—while corporations rake in obscene profits. If we allow highly profitable corporations like Verizon to keep leading a race to the bottom in American wages, our country’s middle class may not survive.
By going on strike, these courageous Verizon workers aren’t just standing up for themselves, but for all of us.
In solidarity,
IBEW Political Action Center
P.S. Verizon has spent millions of dollars to try to build a wholesome public image. But Verizon is far from wholesome: The company already has outsourced some 25,000 jobs. And it’s trying to destroy middle-class jobs and the middle-class standard of living that workers have gained over the past 50 years. Verizon is counting on the media and customers to miss this story. But with every letter from someone like you, Verizon will know we’re watching its every move.
Please add your voice. Make sure Verizon knows you’re paying attention.
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