Several Change to Win locals sign Education Association partners with AFL-CIO
Since last summer, the AFL-CIO
SAN DIEGO — The national economy that works for all Ameri-
‘Solidarity Charters’ with WSLC
has issued 852 Solidarity Charters to
AFL-CIO signed an historic agree- cans.”
SEATTLE — A number of local
unions that are part of the Change to
Win labor federation have signed AFL-
CIO Solidarity Charters with the Wash-
ington State Labor Council.
Among the returning unions are
Washington Public Employees Associa-
tion/United Food and Commercial
Workers Local 365; UFCW Locals 21,
81 and 44; UNITE HERE Local 8; Ser-
vice Employees Local 925; and Team-
sters Locals 117 and 252.
“I urge other CTW unions to apply
for charters so that together we can re-
build and improve the Washington State
Labor Council, making our state federa-
tion an even more effective advocate for
Washington’s working families,” said
WSLC President Rick Bender.
Chartered Change to Win locals pay
the same per-capita fees as they did prior
to their international union’s disaffilia-
tion from the AFL-CIO, and maintain
the same rights and obligations as other
affiliates, including participation in
WSLC governance and affairs, and eli-
gibility of their members to hold WSLC
office.
Solidarity Charters are effective for
one year.
Carpenters benefit golf tourney July 27
The Pacific NW Regional Council
of Carpenters is looking for sponsors
and players for its fifth annual Schol-
arship Endowment Golf Tournament.
This year’s event is slated for July
27 at Trophy Lake Golf and Casting
Club in Port Orchard, Wash.
The nonprofit scholarship fund
helps Carpenters’ children and grand-
children attend college.
Entry fee for the four-person
scramble is $150. Sponsorships range
from $250 to $5,000 for a Title Spon-
sorship.
For more information, call Dee
Chilenski at 800-573-8333, ext. 8847.
ment with the 2.8 million-member
National Education Association Feb.
27 and it approved two new Solidar-
ity Charters for the independent
United Transportation Union and the
Farm Labor Organizing Committee.
Under the terms of the AFL-
CIO/NEA Labor Solidarity Partner-
ship, announced at the AFL-CIO Ex-
ecutive Council’s winter meetings,
NEA affiliates can join the AFL-CIO
at the local and state levels.
Edward McElroy, general presi-
dent of the American Federation of
Teachers, a member of the AFL-CIO
for 90 years, welcomed the action.
“The American Federation of
Teachers and NEA have become part-
ners on many education endeavors,”
he said. “Having the support of NEA
affiliates inside the AFL-CIO’s local
and state labor bodies will give educa-
tors an even stronger voice inside the
labor movement and will help our
unions become more powerful advo-
cates for quality education and for an
In approving national charters for
the two independent unions, the na-
tional AFL-CIO will add 65,000
members from the United Trans-
portation Union and 10,000 members
from the Farm Labor Organizing
Committee.
516 local unions of the national unions
that disaffiliated from the federation
last year. Solidarity Charters allow lo-
cals of disaffiliated unions to remain
united with AFL-CIO at the local and
state levels, with full representation
and voting rights.
Senate sidetracks asbestos bill
WASHINGTON, D.C. (PAI) — By
a 58-41 vote, the Senate on Feb. 14
sidetracked a controversial asbestos
trust fund bill being opposed by labor.
Though most senators backed S. 852
—including Oregon Republican Gor-
don Smith — it needed 60 votes to
overcome a filibuster by senators who,
citing studies, said the $140 billion trust
fund for asbestos victims would run out
of money, forcing future funding from
the U.S. Treasury.
The strongest proponents of the leg-
islation are large corporations like Hal-
liburton and Honeywell, which have
billions of dollars in asbestos liabilities.
Companies with asbestos liability
would be shielded from all asbestos
lawsuits by paying into the govern-
ment-administered trust fund.
Asbestos-harmed workers and their
families would be barred from suing for
damages in court. Asbestos is known to
cause mesothelioma and asbestosis —
forms of cancer — and other diseases.
Labor unions and victims’ groups
have lobbied against the bill, claiming
it’s not enough money to cover sick
workers and because it exempts too
many others who have been exposed.
Everyday Heroes
Winter storms don’t watch the clock.
Or the calendar. So you can’t count on them to roll in on schedule,
weekdays between 9 and 5.
Storms slice through when they feel like it, uprooting trees, flinging
ice or dumping buckets of rain. It might be just past midnight.
It might be on a weekend. Or even on a hard-earned holiday.
That’s when we go to work. Plans are put on hold. Meals are kept
waiting. And family is asked to understand.
This winter has seen a parade of nasty storms. They’ve put our line
crews to the test, and tested the patience of some customers. PGE
would like to thank you, our customers, for your support. We also
thank our dedicated line crew members, dispatchers, support
staff, and customer service reps who have answered the call and
kept the power flowing.
We Do This Every Day.
MARCH 3, 2006
NORTHWEST LABOR PRESS
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