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Operating Engineers Local 49 Endorses Republican incumbent Congressman Cravaack in Minnesota’s 8th District
International Union of Operating Engineers (IUOE) Local 49 Announces Endorsement in MN 8th Congressional District
Earlier this week members of the International Union of Operating Engineers Local 49 gathered in Duluth to screen candidates for Congress in Minnesota’s 8th Congressional District. This screening was open to all Local 49 members that lived in the 8th District, and was widely advertised on our website and distributed via email. Members came from across the 8th District to participate.
After hearing from all 3 candidates running in the Democratic Primary, and Congressman Cravaack, we had what turned out to be a very difficult conversation about who we should stand with in this election. The conversation centered around jobs, our union, and the ability of our members to earn a good living. These are the core issues that bind us together as a group, and we decided that this should drive our endorsement.
The members held a secret ballot vote the night of screening Read the rest of this entry
Restoring skilled manufacturing is restoring our economy
All American workers need is genuine opportunity
Despite Clint Eastwood’s Super Bowl commercial, the resulting posturing from GOP insiders such as Karl Rove points out that the President will have a tough time getting political opponents to buy into anything he suggests before the November elections. Rove is upset that an actor played a role? The message about it being half-time was too inspirational for a former GOP mayor to deliver?
With about 9% of all U.S. jobs currently in manufacturing, 35% of all engineers work in manufacturing. In other words, “manufacturing firms are tightly linked to innovation in the U.S. service sector.” Getting back to high-skilled manufacturing with good paying jobs means we’ll also be supporting the engineers. That’s real value for the economy now and into the future, yet real job growth in manufacturing is hostage to political rhetoric that lately places party power above all else.
But there’s still more reason to push for recovering our manufacturing sector:
Busting so-called “Right-to-Work” Myths
You’ve heard of ALEC, right?
The acronym stands for “American Legislative Exchange Council,” an industry-sponsored group dedicated to promoting CEO-friendly changes to laws — that lobbies elected officials. They’re promoting a tempting-sounding change to Minnesota’s constitution, and Minnesota’s Republicans are ignoring the founding father’s warnings about the “tyranny of the majority” as they flex their new-found muscle at the state house.
American workers won the right to bargain collectively; it's like big business using the Chamber of Commerce and ALEC.
Contrary to the talking-points being spread by the Center of the American Experiment, evidence shows that adding new government regulations in the form of so-called “Right to Work” laws actually hurts economic growth and development.
It’s a job killer! Read the rest of this entry
Right to Work Out
Constitutional Amendment: Should MN become a “Right to Work Out” state?
What is a “Right-to-work-out” law?
A “Right to work out” law would prevent health clubs from forcing people to pay dues or membership fees to use the equipment, services, and facilities. Such laws would require gyms and health clubs to admit everybody, whether or not he or she pays a cent.
In other words, “right to work out” laws would allow everybody to get all the benefits of health club membership absolutely free! How cool is that?
Without a “Right-to-work-out” law, can I be forced to join a health club?
No. Membership is voluntary, like joining a union. Incidentally, the U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that no collective bargaining agreement can require anyone to join a union, either.
Look, you already have a “Right to work out,” Read the rest of this entry
Public scorn for U.S. House GOP posturing leads to last minute tax deal
Boehner said the Senate tax-cut bill won’t pass – public outcry results in House GOP retreat
Thursday media coverage of the payroll tax cut extension coverage was at a fever pitch—even outlets that usually criticize Obama Administration rhetoric, goals, vision, and economic policy were calling out the partisan posturing from the House GOP caucus.
Read the rest of this entry
Has the U.S. House of Representatives lost its collective mind?
Boehner says the Senate tax-cut bill won’t pass…
Well this took an unexpected turn, with House Republicans apparently deciding to ask for even more.
Saturday morning 89 Senators had supported ta stop-gap deal, which included extending the tax cuts, a so-called “Doc fix” regarding Medicare payment rates, unemployment insurance, and the Keystone decision acceleration which House Speaker John Boehner insisted had to be in the final bill, but with the Senate already gone from DC but now evidently Boehner doesn’t think it’s worth bringing the measure up for a vote.
In our opinion:
Stay tuned. Gridlock has become more common in DC, obviously. But: Odds of the GOP letting the tax cut expire because the House GOP caucus isn’t communicating effectively just aren’t worth betting on – John Boehner has been in politics a long time, and he knows this would look really, really bad to most of us.
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