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Across the Country, Celebrating Labor Day with a Call to Action |
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From California to Maine and everywhere in between, union members and allies will celebrate Labor Day by taking action to make the nation work for everyone again—which means taking action on the economy, health care and the Employee Free Choice Act.
Congress is nearing the end of a monthlong recess, during which thousands of union members and a broad coalition of supporters around the country have been rallying, calling, writing letters and letting their elected leaders know that Employee Free Choice must be a top priority. This Labor Day weekend, Sept. 5-7, they’ll make that message heard at more than 180 public events.
In a message to union members, AFL-CIO President John Sweeney says Labor Day marks a critical moment for union members and working families—despite the economic crisis, there’s a chance to make real change and improve people’s lives.
Labor Day marks the beginning of the final push for Congress to consider key major working family issues, including health care and labor law reform. All hands are needed on deck to make sure Congress understands they must seize the moment to make real changes in both arenas.
Workers have waited too long to win real freedom to form unions and bargain for better lives….The Employee Free Choice Act will finally restore some much-needed balance to our economy.
At the more than 180 Labor Day weekend parades, picnics, rallies and public meetings, union members and allies will continue to gather public support for the Employee Free Choice Act. They’ll be joined by elected officials, faith leaders, civil rights organizations and community groups large and small.
And, as always, union members and allies will continue to deliver thousands of phone calls, petitions and handwritten letters to key Senators to make sure they stand with working people and support the Employee Free Choice Act.
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Where are the “thousands of union members and a broad coalition of supporters around the country (that should be) rallying, calling, writing letters and letting their elected leaders know that the Treasury Department and the Pension Benefit Guarantee Corporation (PBGC) is discriminating against the IAM, the IBEW, the IUE-CWA, the USW, the IUOE, and the salaried workers of the bankrupt GM and Delphi?
Here’s a good sample letter to get you started;
Dear Congressperson, Senator, President,
This letter addresses concerns I have about the General Motors/Delphi bankruptcy outcomes and how they affect the non-UAW splinter group retirees. I have been told that the automaker, the Treasury Department, and the Pension Benefit Guarantee Corporation (PBGC) will be discriminating against the IAM, the IBEW, the IUE-CWA, the USW, the IUOE, and their salaried workers and others, allowing this even though most of their contracts had the same words and “memorandum of understanding” as the UAW’s.
Why, after the PBGC put liens on all of Delphi’s overseas operations last fall to get money for the pension fund, did the Treasury Department decide to remove the liens?
Why is GM discriminating against the non-UAW retirees and other splinter groups on direction of the Treasury Department? Why are overseas companies being protected and American workers (and taxpayers) being left out in the cold?
Particularly discriminatory is that the non-UAW groups are being left out of the Voluntary Employees’ Beneficiary Association (VEBA) and the supplement to Social Security.
I’m asking you to please do the following:
1) Support H.R. 3455, sponsored by Congressman Tim Ryan of Ohio, or any similar bills, to make available funds from the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 for funding a VEBA with respect to former employees of Delphi Corporation.
2) Request that the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (the H.E.L.P. committee) look into why the IAM and other unions were left out of the pension supplements when their contracts had the same wording as the UAW contracts that are being honored.
3) Intercede on behalf of all non-UAW retirees and dependents and instruct Treasury Secretary Geithner, the Treasury Department, and the PBGC to treat them equitably.
4) Join the Ohio House delegation, all of which have signed a letter to the Treasury Department, in supporting the non-UAW groups and protecting their interests.
Thank you for your time.
Sincerely,
[your name]
Looks like it’s still not too late to get justice, you splinter groups are no longer working for the US Treasury (I mean GM), but the people who run the Treasury are working for YOU!!
Time for all you who’ve been cheated by GM, Delphi, and the Obama treasury Dept. to step up to the plate and get involved in this on the political end! The IUE is making some headway on the political end, we need to let the politicians know this is important to us!
Start calling / writing / email your Congressmen, Senators, Pelosi, Obama, and anyone else who has a say over the Obama Treasury that cheated you (and the taxpayers)). Ask them to intercede on behalf of all non-UAW retirees and dependents and instruct Treasury Secretary Geithner, the Treasury Department, and the PBGC to treat them equitably.
There’s never been a single act by an administration that’s hurt my family more financially than this has.
Here’s a yahoo group to share info;
OURGMPENSIONS
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ourgmpensions