News
Workers
continued from page 9
Elise Gould, director of health policy
research for EPI, said that 70 percent of
income comes from wages, wage-based
equity or transfers related to work and that’s
why wages have are critical in reducing
poverty.
“We need to use all the levers we have at
our disposal. We need to look at [Temporary
Assistance For Needy Families], we need to
look at food stamps, we need to look at
unemployment insurance,” said Gould. “We
need to strengthen the social safety net and
become more and more elusive for more
and more working families.”
He recalled that the basic bargain was that
if you work hard and take responsibility for
yourself and for your family, you’ll have a
chance to punch your ticket to the middle
class, that has always defined America, is
being called into question for millions of
workers and their families.
“Worker productivity has increased about
90 percent since 1979. Wages for produc-
tion and non-supervisory workers have
‘Everywhere I go across this country people are
working harder and falling farther behind’
we have seen over the last 30 or 40 years
that the social net has made progress in
reducing poverty.”
Gould said that if we don’t try to close
some of these gaps, we’re failing American
society.
“If we don’t do anything to change where
these rungs are in wage distribution, if we
don’t change what this income distribution
looks like, some people are always going to
be at the bottom and we know those low
rungs are not a great place to be,” said
Gould.
During a keynote speech at the launch of
the “Raising America’s Pay” initiative, Sec-
retary of Labor Thomas Perez said that
we’re making progress toward economic
progress, but we still have a long way to go.
“Everywhere I go across this country peo-
ple are working harder and falling farther
behind,” said Perez. “Opportunity has
barely budged,” said Perez. “The workers
are receiving a smaller slice of the pie that
they helped bake.”
Noting the increase of women in the labor
force, Perez said that the nature of work is
evolving and we need to make sure that we
are working hard to reflect the fact that our
workplace has changed.
“We’re in the ‘Modern Family’ universe
but we’ve got public policy that is more like
‘Leave it to Beaver’ [an old TV show] and
we need to change that,” said Perez. “You
shouldn’t have to make a choice between
the family you love and the job that you
need.”
Perez continued: “I know you ought to
make sure that you make enough money to
put food on the table, but I think it’s equally
important that you’re at home to eat that
meal with your family, and too many people
I know are not able to do that.”
We honor the many
accomplishments of African
Americans.
It is our primary goal as a
labor union to better the
lives of all people working
in the building trades
through advocacy, civil
demonstration, and the
long-held belief that work-
ers deserve a "family wage" - fair pay for an honest day's work.
A family wage, and the benefits that go with it, not only strength-
ens families, but also allows our communities to become
stronger, more cohesive, and more responsive to their citizens'
needs.
Our family wage agenda reflects our commitment to people
working in the building trades, and to workers everywhere. In this
small way, we are doing our part to help people achieve the
American Dream. This dream that workers can hold dear regard-
less of race, color, national origin, gender, creed, or religious
beliefs.
The Pacific Northwest Regional Council of Carpenters
Representing more than 5.000 construction workers in Oregon State.
Do you want to know more about becoming a
Union carpenter?
Page 10 The Portland and Seattle Skanner June 18, 2014
Seniors Need Extra Care
to Beat the Summer Heat
by Lavdena Orr, M.D.
Courtesy of
AmeriHealth Caritas
Special to the NNPA
from The Washington
Informer
Summer is fast approach-
ing. The days will be long.
Your grandchildren will be
out of school. You will
want to spend time out-
doors enjoying barbecues
and other activities that are
part of this season.
You should have a won-
derful time. But you also
need to be careful. Day-
time
summer
high
temperatures are often
above 90 degrees here in
July and August. The
humidity can make it feel
even hotter.
People over age 65 are at
higher risk of suffering a
heat-related illness, such as
heat exhaustion or even
heat stroke. They may be
slower to adjust to higher
temperatures. Some may
have medical conditions or
take medication that affects
their ability to cope with
heat. While seniors can and
should get outside, they
need to take steps to stay as
comfortable, and as safe,
as possible.
Use air conditioning to
stay cool
If you have air condition-
ing in your home and — if
you have one — your car,
use it. In addition to keep-
ing you cool, the dry, air
conditioned air will feel
much more pleasant than
the humid air outside. If
the evening weather hap-
pens to be cooler and dry,
you can turn it off for a few
hours during the evening.
But keep it on during the
day.
If you do not have air
conditioning, you can use
electric fans. But you
should spend as much time
as possible during the day
in an air conditioned envi-
ronment, such as a library
or an indoor shopping
mall.
protect your head and skin
from sunburn.
Drink water
While not really a heat-
related illness, dehydration
occurs much more quickly
in hot weather because
you’re sweating. Even if
you don’t feel thirsty, make
sure you drink plenty of
water. You may want to
take a water bottle if you
are going to be outside for
While seniors can and should
get outside, they need to take
steps to stay as comfortable,
and as safe, as possible.
Go early or late
The heat and sun are
strongest in the late morn-
ing and afternoon. If
possible, you should save
outdoor activities for the
early morning (before 9
a.m.) or very late afternoon
(after 5 p.m.).
Dress for the weather
This is not the weather
for cardigan sweaters or
wool suits. If you plan to
be outside longer than for
just a short walk, like
going from your front door
to your car, you should
wear light, loose-fitting
clothing. Lighter colors are
best, as they reflect more
of the sunlight and heat
than darker colors.
You should also wear a
hat and put on sunscreen to
any length of time.
Cool down when you
come home
Even if you follow the
tips above, you should cool
down when you return
home. A shower, bath or
even a sponge bath can
help. If it is the middle of
the day and you have the
time, taking a nap is also a
good idea.
If you start to feel weak
or dizzy from the heat, you
should go into an air condi-
tioned building as soon as
possible. If those feelings
don’t go away, you should
call your doctor.
Even during the summer,
it is still important to get
outside and do physical
activities. With a few sim-
ple steps, your summer can
be a pleasant one.