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Right from Mitt Romney’s Web site. 

What’s at Stake

Over the years, unions have made extraordinarily important contributions to American society. Many of the protections and benefits enjoyed by workers in the 21st century are the result of sacrifices and struggles and hard-won battles fought by unions in an earlier era. But today, the effects of unionization have changed in ways that need to be recognized. Too often, unions drive up costs and introduce rigidities that harm competitiveness and frustrate innovation.

The statistics tell an unkind story. Studies conducted by non-partisan scholars have shown that labor unions reduce investment and slow job growth. Right-to-Work states have added millions of jobs over the past decade while states with pro-union policies have shed nearly a million jobs. In a recent Gallup poll, a majority of Americans said that labor unions “mostly hurt” the American economy.

Yet as unionization becomes less and less popular—union membership in the private sector has declined from 36 percent in the 1950s to less than 7 percent today—Big Labor is fighting harder and harder to maintain its power. The question is: whose interests should come first, those of workers and businesses or those of organized labor?

*Clearly Mitt has the Republican view on destroying Unions.  The attacks we have seen in the past couple of years at the state level will only escalate if he is to take office.  The attacks on Health Care, Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid will suffer as well.  Think about your future when you go to vote.  I”ll be glad to show anyone that facts on the Right To Work states and their dismal economies.

        David Bumbaugh

Steelworker Solidarity Pantry (SSP)

A group of USW Local 809 members have joined together in an effort to help their union brothers and sisters.  The SSP committee has established a food pantry for Local 809 members that are off work and in need of a help.  The intention of the pantry is to fairly help members in need and build solidarity with co-workers.  The food bank was initially stocked by a donation made from the solidarity account.  The pantry will receive 25% of the bi-monthly 50/50 proceeds. 

Guidelines

The food pantry is for USW Local 809 members that are in need.  The pantry is not an entitlement.

The member in need must be off work at least 2 weeks.

The member / co-worker must identify a need for help to an SSP committee member.  Delivery will be once a month.

The committee does not and will not have a list of members off work.

 It is the members responsibility to notify the committee of a need and to notify the committee when they no longer need assistance.

At this time we do not have any members on the list and we will not run more 50/50’s until we have a need. Questions? Please contact Kara Lemler.

   Located on U.S. 30 East of  Warsaw, Indiana our Union makes DePuy Implants. Currently we are 405 members strong.

   Some of the benefits we enjoy are Major Medical, Dental, Vision, Prescription Plan, Bereavement Pay, Retirement Plan, 401k Retirement, Up to 6 weeks of Vacation, Short Term and Long Term Disability Plans.

   Our current contract is in effect until July 1st, 2013. 

Video of the Week

Your Average CEO’s

According to the Federal Reserve, U.S. corporations held a record $1.93 trillion in cash on their balance sheets in 2010. But they are not investing to expand their companies, grow the real economy or create good middle-class jobs. Corporate CEOs are literally hoarding their company’s cash-except when it comes to their own paychecks.

   In 2010, Standard & Poor's 500 Index company CEOs received, on average, $11.4 million in total compensation - a 23 percent increase in one year.[1]  Based on 299 companies “most recent pay data for 2010, their combined total CEO pay of $3.4 billion could support 102,325 median workers“ jobs. [2]    

   Fortunately, the 2010 Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act contains new tools to help limit runaway CEO pay.  Shareholders now have a ”say-on-pay” vote on executive compensation, and companies must disclose the ratio of CEO-to-worker pay at each company.

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