Local 510 News
Machinists Leaders Vote to Oppose
Health Benefits Tax
There is a good reason
why we ask you to stay in contact with your legislators regarding
the current Health Care proposal's. That is because the proposals
are changing constantly. Every day there are lobbyist's paying off
your legislator, in campaign supports. What started out as a well
intentioned idea, has been transformed into a tax on your benefits,
that will cost you a lot of money. Follow the link below to see how
the Health Care Industry and Corporate leaders use lobbying
pressure to control Congress.
Here you will find a
must-watch
video, witch details the currently supported Obama health
plan. It should motivate you to get involved.
Despite the so-called agreement announced today by various labor
organizations, the International Association of Machinists and
Aerospace Workers (IAM) reiterated its opposition to any health
care reform legislation that is funded by taxing the value of
workers’ existing health care benefits.
“The IAM opposes the excise tax, period. We believe it is unfair to
our current members and particularly unfair to those members we
hope to organize in the future,” said IAM President Tom
Buffenbarger. “If a temporary exemption is the best this Congress
can offer the American people after the promises of the last
election, they will have earned the wrath of voters in the next
election."
“By stringing this 'fix' out until 2018, our members will be
pressured to agree to benefit cuts year after year in the vain hope
they will be able avoid the excise tax. Companies will seek to
shift costs while still cutting benefits to avoid eight years of
health care premiums accelerating at fifteen to twenty percent per
year.
“This is a huge ping pong ball that our elected leaders are trying
to shove down the throats of hard-working Americans,” said
Buffenbarger. “On the installment plan or all at once, a 40 percent
excise tax on their health care benefits is hard to swallow. But
the White House and the House and Senate Democratic leadership
appear determined to play ping pong with this legislation until
they get the votes they need.
“We will continue our opposition to this egregiously unfair tax.”
The IAM is among the largest industrial trade unions in North
America, representing nearly 700,000 active and retired members in
dozens of industries.
TELL THEM NOW ONLINE or call 1-877-3AFL-CIO.
Tell Congress: No Taxes on Family Health Care Benefits
As the fight to shape a final health care bill moves through
Congress, working families can help stop the effort to tax their
health care benefits by joining millions of fellow workers in the
AFL-CIO’s National Call-In Blitz to the U.S. House of
Representatives on Wednesday, January 13, 2010.
Call your Representative using the toll-free number 1-877-323-5246.
Tell your Representative that you want health care reform that:
Does not tax health benefits for working families; requires
employers to pay their fair share and maintains a public option to
reduce costs. Click
here to send an email message to Congress to oppose the tax on
health care benefits for working families.
The House is trying to reconcile its version of health care reform
with the bill passed in the Senate. The House version does not have
a tax on health care benefits, has a public option and stronger
language to make employers pay their fair share of health costs.
But without a strong protest from working families, many of these
provisions could be dropped if the final health care package tilts
more toward the Senate version which has the health care tax
provision.
General Electric
Exports More Jobs
General Electric, exporter of thousands of U.S. jobs, is
running a major ad campaign called
American Renewal. The radio, television and
print ads give the impression that GE is now a champion of
“Made in America.” One print ad boasts “We call it the
American Renewal. And it means making things right here in
America. The American Renewal is happening.”
Maybe the ad agency should check in with GE’s plans for
China.
Bloomberg.com is reporting that GE
announced a new joint venture with the China Aviation
Industry Corp. I to sell avionics systems for new aircraft.
The venture plans to bid on work for the single-aisle C919
aircraft that China is developing to “compete with the
best-selling 737 model from Boeing Co and the A320 from
Airbus SAS.”
The venture will create 200 jobs at GE’s Grand Rapids
facility in Michigan, but there was no mention of how many
jobs will go to GE’s China Technology Center in Shanghai,
which will house a commercial aviation center.
China also announced it will build a research and
development center in Shanghai to develop engines for the
C919 and for a home-grown version of a jumbo jet scheduled
to go into service in 2016, as reported by
chinaknowledge.com. The center will have a floor area of
300,000 square meters and accommodate 3,000 research staff.
The jumbo jet will initially carry engines supplied by CFM,
a joint venture of Europe’s aerospace and defense group,
Safran, and General Electric. CFM also plans to build an
assembly line in China to supply engines for the C919.
Remarks by Richard L. Trumka, President of the AFL-CIO, San
Diego Jobs Rally,
San Diego, CA.
January 06, 2010
The Twisted Saga
of Mercury Marine
While Mercury Marine, the Fond du Lac, WI-based engine builder,
appeared to be an early favorite to take top honors in the Most
Offensive Outsourcing category, it now appears that executives of
Mercury's parent company, Brunswick Corp., are also on track to
take home the prized Bernard Madoff Lifetime Achievement Award,
according to a study released by the non-profit
Institute for Wisconsin’s Future (IWF),‘The
Twisted Saga of Mercury Marine,’
Health Care:
Call your Senators!
Your health care is being hi-jacked by insurance company
lobbyist's!
On Friday, Wisconsin State AFL-CIO President
David Newby took to the radio
to express disappointment in the current Senate health insurance
reform proposal. He insisted that real reform must include a public
option in order to reign in cost and keep insurance companies
honest. He also objected to any new tax levied on the health care
benefits of working people. This interview aired in the Madison
area on WORT’s Labor Radio program. The Wisconsin Radio Network,
which syndicates news stories to about 100 radio stations, filed
this report and featured it on the homepage of their website all
weekend
Radio for Workers
Workers Independent News offers a
radio program that
provides information that is important to all workers. Follow the
link and choose from a list of current worker related news issues.
Listening to the news cast can provide answers to questions you may
have regarding important issues like "Health Care", while you
surf the net.
Members Sign Up For
I-MAIL
Sign
up for IMAIL and keep informed to what is going on around you.
The more information we have, the stronger our union will be.
Frank J. Bauza Scholarship Award
The 2010 Frank J. Bauza Scholarship Award
application time period is now open. This year the Scholarship
Committee has expanded the rules to include Local 510 members
wishing to further their education. Last years $500.00 award has
been increased to $750.00. Details will be provided under the
"Scholarship" tab as soon as the page is updated.
2009 Frank J. Bauza
Scholarship Award Winner
In Frank's
honor, his son Philip presents the award to Katelin
The recipient of the Frank J.
Bauza Scholarship Award for 2009 is Katlin Ann Condon
Katelin is the daughter of
Dennis and Pamela Condon. Dennis is a member in good standing and
has worked as a Journeyman Mechanic for United Parcel Service for
17 years. Dennis has also served local 510 as a Steward and
Committeeman.
Katelin is a Senior and has
many years participating and volunteering in 4H and equestrian
related projects. She participates in Track, Volleyball and
Basketball. She also volunteers at her church and sings in
the choir. She has applied to University of Wisconsin and
Madison Area Technical College. She plans to study in the
Veterinary field. Her essay can also be
found under the "Scholarship" tab.
UPS Freight Jobs
UPS Freight is hiring
mechanics for their
Milwaukee and Kaukauna locations.
Other positions and locations
can be found by visiting their web site at
http://www.ltl.upsfreight.com
Dell Discounts with
IAM
Members should take advantage
of IAM discounts offered through the DELL web site. This site
offers employee pricing plus additional discounts.
Enter member ID PS16626766 when ordering online or call
1-877-289-9437. When ordering, you must reference code: Copy
and paste this code before you click on the above hyperlink.
PS16626766
Union Member Discounts
When you use UNION PLUS you
save 20% or more.
Visit all the discounts and enjoy all the benefits of belonging
to an IAM local union.
Free Choice Act
Please return your
signed cards back to your shop Stewards. You can also mail
them directly to the District 10 office (make sure you have
designated "Local 510" in the bottom of the card). If you
have not turned in a card yet please contact your steward or Local
510 office at 414-774-7140.
Extra
cards are available for family and friends that care to
support.
Out of Work?/Stamp
Books
Contact Financial Secretary Mearl Batchelder
at 262-763-2041 if you are out of work due to layoff or illness. He
will adjust your dues obligations accordingly.
Have you had your stamp books updated?
Call Mearl to make arrangements. Don't wait until too many months
have gone by.
