Politics And Labor

[Checking it Out]

Why Labor is in Politics

Labor unions have always been under attack from business and industrial organizations and, often, from state and national legislatures and political leaders. Every time the U.S. Congress or a state legislature opens a new session, a flood of bills intended to restrict the rights of workers and their unions is introduced.

If working people can help elect friendly candidates, passage of such bills becomes less likely and the passage of proposals good for TWU workers and their families become a reality.

Workers have learned through bitter experience that there is a powerful link between the bread box and the ballot box. Unfortunately, gains won at the bargaining table or through sacrifice on the picket line can be wiped out by unwise actions of state or national legislatures and political leaders -- today's wage increase can be erased by tomorrow's inflation, or today's job can vanish in tomorrow's wage of unemployment.

Unions are in politics to protect and advance the interests and concerns of their members and families. The TWU COPE Committee supports all Party affiliations, Republicans, Democrats, and Independents at all levels of our government who are going to be supportive of the thousands of TWU members in this country.

We encourage our TWU members to get involve in the political process -- to run for elected office in the Central & State labor councils and to get involved in the political Party of their choosing. As well as run for Public office, to be able to represent labor’s interest at all times and anywhere--at the school board, the town and city councils, state and federal positions -- from the East Coast to the West Coast --we support our members in the airline, transit, and railroad divisions "to stand up and be counted in the political process


Learn More!

COPE!

 

[TonyB]

Maybe you can learn more CIO. Put down the sports section and the remote and take the time. See how your beloved AFL-CIO (starting with Samuel Gompers and the AFL) has sold veryone out from the begining

 

[TonyB]

...or you can just keep doing what you do best....

 

[Bob Owens]

Here is a good site:

http://www.opensecrets.org/pacs/lookup2.as...8268&cycle=2004


Please note that the TWU has reported a 43% DROP in COPE contributions from their members. (Once the $83146 from International officers is subtracted).

As CIO brags about the TWUs growth contributions decline!

Depending on what figures you use, the LM-2 100,000 or CIOs 130,000 members the average contribution is 30 cents per member per month or 23 cents per month. (election cycles are every two years.)

COPE contributions are voluntary. The low, and rapidly declining rate of contributions to COPE can be seen as a reflection of how the members feel about the TWU's ability to represent them.

One can see how the large contributors are desperately trying to keep the program viable. In 1998 large donors-$200 or more) only made up $4645 of the $1269724, in 2000 they actually went down to $4325 out of $1243851 but in 2002 they jumped up to $14609 out of $ 1253242 followed by a huge jump to $83146 out of $809701 for 2004.

Most of these large contributions are from International officers. One name is absent. Apparenty Bobby Gless, despite his $120,000 has not made the list. Back when he was President of Local 562, despite making $96,000 from the Local Gless only contributed $2 per month, yet he insisted on going to the COPE Conference. So for his $104 per year he got a little expense paid Vacation in DC.(Cant miss an expense paid party you know.) It looks like in that respect Gless has stayed the same-cheap!

How can Peggy Olstien go out to members who have seen huge paycuts and ask them to give anything, never mind more, when top earners like Gless hardly give anything?

That brings me to another question. Who pays for the COPE Conference? And what about all the other expenses related to COPE, mailings, sweaters, shirts and hats? What about all the people they pull off the clock to work with the AFL-CIO around election time? I'm pretty sure that during the 2002 cycle when they pulled a 562 member off the clock to work with the CLC his lost time exceed the total COPE deductions for the whole Local (I think it was around $260 a month from our Local) Does it come out of the COPE fund? If so there would not be much left for the politicians.

 

[AMFAMAN]

Why Labor is in Politics


Workers have learned through bitter experience that there is a powerful link between the bread box and the ballot box.

Yes we will fix that next when we vote your company union out next year.

Unfortunately, gains won at the bargaining table or through sacrifice on the picket line can be wiped out by unwise actions of state or national legislatures and political leaders -- today's wage increase can be erased by tomorrow's inflation, or today's job can vanish in tomorrow's wage of unemployment.

Or just through the actions of the most company friendly union on the planet; the TWU.

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