Democratic hopefuls try hard to show differences
The Board of Directors and Staff of
IBEW & United Workers
Federal Credit Union
would like to congratulate
Barbara Mathey, CEO/President
on her recent completion of her Executive MBA
program. We appreciate her devotion and hard
work in achieving this monumental goal. Barbara
has been dedicated to the credit union movement
for many years and continues to strive to offer our
union members and their families outstanding
products and services. Great job, Barbara!
Edwards went on to tout unions as
a key to improving the lives of mil-
lions of Americans. “I intend to be the
President of the United States who
walks onto the White House lawn and
explains how important unions are to
the economic security of the country,”
he said.
“Isn’t it time to cover every Ameri-
can with a not-for-profit system,” said
Rep. Dennis Kucinich on health care.
“Furthermore, 46 million Americans
without any health care, 50 million
Americans uninsured, you know and I
know this is the issue at the bargaining
table.”
In response to a question on glob-
alization, Obama said, “The question
is: On whose behalf is the president
negotiating ... on behalf of the people
in this stadium or are you only negoti-
ating on behalf of corporate profits? ...
We’ve got provisions in our tax code
that reward companies that are mov-
ing jobs overseas instead of compa-
nies that are investing right in the
United States of America. And that is
a reflection of the degree to which
special interests have been shaping
our trade policy.”
In response to a question from Jim
McGovern, an Iraq war veteran who
returned to find that his Maytag plant
had closed, Richardson said, “I would
protect (workers’) pensions from this
restructuring. I would protect their
health care. I would ensure that what
you have in the future is job protec-
tion.”
The forum was a key part of an in-
tensive six-month program to engage
union members and their families in
the AFL-CIO’s presidential endorse-
ment decision-making process. Begin-
ning in April, the AFL-CIO held town
hall meetings in cities across the
United States with presidential candi-
dates to discuss issues of importance
to working families like health care,
jobs, retirement security, trade policy
and the freedom to form and join
unions.
For more information on the AFL-
CIO’s “Working Families Vote ‘08
campaign, go to www.workingfami-
liesvote08.org.
September
2007
September 3-8,
4-9, 2006
Union Label Week
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Electricians, Carpenters, Laborers, Glaziers, Sheetmetal Workers, Floorcoverers, Bricklayers, Cement Masons, Roofer, Asbestos Workers, Family, Millwrights, Painters, Elevators, Plasterers
CHICAGO — The top seven De-
mocratic candidates for President out-
lined their plans to create a more fair
and equitable economy for all Ameri-
cans Aug. 7 at the AFL-CIO Presiden-
tial Forum.
In a 90-minute forum attended by
17,000 union members at Soldier
Field here and nationally broadcast on
MSNBC and XM Radio, the candi-
dates responded to questions posed by
moderator Keith Olbermann and
working families on core issues like
health care, jobs and the freedom to
form and join unions.
“Tonight thousands of working
people at Soldier Field and millions
across the country heard these candi-
dates discuss how they would create
fundamental economic change that
would restore the hope and promise of
the American Dream to working fami-
lies,” said AFL-CIO President John
Sweeney. “While political pundits are
debating which candidate won or lost
here tonight, it’s clear the real winners
are the working women and men of
this country whose issues and priori-
ties are central in this campaign.”
One-by-one, the candidates —
Senators Hillary Clinton of New York,
Joseph Biden of Delaware, Barack
Obama of Illinois and Chris Dodd of
Connecticut, Gov. Bill Richardson of
New Mexico, Rep. Dennis Kucinich
of Ohio and former Sen. John Ed-
wards of North Carolina — outlined
their plans to improve America for
working families. The candidates re-
sponded to questions posed by audi-
ence members, submitted by working
people online and Olbermann’s own.
Asked by Olbermann about infra-
structure, in particular the nation’s
bridges, Biden said, “We don’t need
any more studies. We don’t need any
more operations. What we need is to
put America back to work. Put them
to work at a prevailing wage. Make us
safer as a consequence of that.”
Clinton invoked local workers’ ef-
forts to join a union at a local hospital.
“When I am president, we’ll have a
Department of Labor that actually
cares about labor,” Clinton said. “And
when it comes to organizing at Resur-
rection Hospital, I will be the presi-
dent who signs the Employee Free
Choice Act.”
“Having the kind of first respon-
ders at home, like the firefighters and
police and EMS services that have the
tools and the ability to stand up and
defend our country has not been
funded ... I think we’re vulnerable to-
day, more so than we were right after
9/11,” said Dodd in response to a
question on the Homeland Security
Department.
In a moving moment, Steve
Skvara, a worker from Indiana who
lost his pension and health care when
his company, LTV Steel, filed bank-
ruptcy, asked the candidates what’s
wrong with America and how they
would fix it.
“My view is that we ought to treat
the pensions and the retirement of the
chairman and CEOs of companies ex-
actly the way we treat every other
worker in the country,” Edwards said.
Electricians, Carpenters, Laborers, Glaziers, Sheetmetal Workers, Floorcoverers, Bricklayers, Cement Masons, Roofer, Asbestos Workers, Family, Millwrights, Painters, Elevators, Plasterers
Working people’s issues
are front and center
before national TV
audience and more than
17,000 at Soldier Field
Have a safe and enjoyable
Labor Day Holiday! From
your “Union” Credit Union.
9955 SE Washington
PO Box 16877
Portland, OR 97216
IBEW & United Workers Federal Credit Union
would like to thank our members for your
loyalty since 1954. The Credit Union
continues to succeed due to the support of our
devoted union brothers and sisters.
Call or visit us today to learn more about our innovative products and services.
www.ibewuwfcu.com
503-253-8193 * 800-356-6507
Glaziers, Carpenters, Laborers, Electricians, Sheetmetal Workers, Floorcoverers, Bricklayers, Cement Masons, Roofers, Asbestos Workers, Family, Millwrights, Painters, Elevators, Plasterers
AUGUST 17, 2007
NORTHWEST LABOR PRESS
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