A new group formed for union
members who like to hunt and fish
A new group for union members
who hunt and fish is offering discounts
on magazines and outdoor gear — and
inviting members to bring the power of
the union idea to conservation efforts.
The Union Sportsmen’s Alliance
(USA) kicked off in January as a project
of the Theodore Roosevelt Conserva-
tion Partnership (TRCP), a group that
advocates to protect fish and wildlife
habitat and preserve public access to
outdoor recreation. USA, based in
Nashville, Tennessee, is open to AFL-
CIO-affiliated union members and their
families, and so far has the backing of
20 national labor unions, plus the AFL-
CIO Building and Construction Trades
Department.
Members join via the group’s web
site, www.unionsportsmen.org or by
calling 1-877-USA-2211 toll-free.
Membership is $25 a year, and comes
with a subscription to the club maga-
zine, a decal, a $25 Beretta gift certifi-
cate, and a year’s subscription to Guns
& Ammo, In-Fisherman, or Petersen’s
Hunting magazine. Members also get
access to the members-only portion of
the Web site, which contains deals and
discounts on hunting and fishing gear.
USA spokesperson Kate Cywinski
says in offering the discounts, the group
looks first for union-made, then for
U.S.-made, where possible. Products in-
clude union-made Corwin Knives and
U.S.-made fishing rods from several
makers.With a $40 charter membership,
members also get a USA hat and DVD.
Also on the Web site — help plan-
ning hunting and fishing trips, a mem-
ber forum to share hunting tips, a place
to post pictures from hunting trips, and a
members-only Trading Post to buy and
sell outdoor gear and equipment.
A survey of USA’s 20 union affili-
ates found that 70 percent of their mem-
bers hunt and fish.
Any AFL-CIO-affiliated union
member or retiree in good standing, or
their family member, can join.
So far, national unions to formally
affiliate include International Brother-
hood of Electrical Workers; the Ma-
chinists; Plumbers and Fitters; Interna-
tional Association of Fire Fighters;
Sheet Metal Workers; Iron Workers;
Bakers Union; the International Union
of Painters and Allied Trades; Trans-
portation Communications Interna-
tional Union; Bricklayers and Allied
Craftworkers; Boilermakers; Operative
Plasterers and Cement Masons Interna-
tional Association; Elevator Construc-
tors; Roofers and Asbestos Workers.
Tom Buffenbarger, president of the
International Association of Machinists,
and Ed Sullivan, president of the Build-
ing and Construction Trades Depart-
ment, are members of the TRCP board.
Though it advocates for conserva-
tion, USA doesn’t get involved in polit-
ical campaigns. And its parent organi-
zation, TRCP, is strictly non-partisan.
Recent campaigns include efforts to
support reauthorization of a federal fish-
eries conservation law, and opposing oil
and gas exploration leases in Wyoming
and Colorado that would have threat-
ened prime mule deer habitat.
Donations
needed for
Nov. 10 Labor
Arts Festival
It’s crunch time for the upcoming
Pacific Northwest Labor Arts Festival,
to be held at Portland State University
from 1 to 9 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 10.
For several months now, Jim Cook,
organizer of the inaugural event, has
been busy raising money and reserving
venues for the show. November is La-
bor History Month in Oregon, and in
recognition, the Northwest Oregon La-
bor Council’s Labor History Committee has always held a special event.
This year, Cook came up with the idea of a labor arts festival. The labor
council signed off as a co-sponsor and Cook, a member of Letter Carriers
Branch 82, has been working diligently to put put it together.
Cook set a budget goal of $15,000. To date, he has raised $5,000.
All of the planning and committee work is being done by volunteers. Fi-
nances are needed to rent the venues, for printing costs, to pay performers and
more. Anne Feeney, who is considered one of the best labor singer/songwrit-
ers in America, will be a featured performer. Rebel Voices of Washington State
also is scheduled to appear.
In addition to music, the festival will showcase art exhibits, films, poets,
and panel discussions. If you are an artist and would like to participate, con-
tact Cook at 503-703-1693
To make a donation, call Cook or the Northwest Oregon Labor Council at
503-235-9444. Or, send your donation, made payable to Northwest Oregon
Labor Council, to NOLC, 1125 SE Madison, Suite 100D, Portland, OR
97214.
Karl Bik, Co-Chairman
Cement Masons Trust Funds for Northern California
The bank of labor
has on-the-job experience in Taft-Hartley trust fund management
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offers investment solutions to build and protect your hard-earned funds
gives workers the benefit of customized health and retirement plans
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Invest in you
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Labor Management Trust Services
Stephen Heady, Vice President, (503) 450-1270
Louis Nagy, Vice President, (503) 450-1273
Labor Management Deposit Services
Diane Williams, Senior Vice President & Manager, (213) 236-5085
John Mendoza, Vice President & Relationship Manager, (415) 705-7112
Visit us at unionbank.com
PAGE 12
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SEPTEMBER 21, 2007