AAnn IInnjjuurryy TToo OOnnee IIss AAnn IInnjjuurryy TToo AAllll!!VOL. 112

NO. 7SEPTEMBER 27, 2006WEDNESDAY

(ISSN 0023-6667)

See NLRB...page 7

See No endorsement...page 8

The Buffalo House rally with John Edwards (second fromleft) and the AFSCME picnic in the rain last Sunday stillattracted over 700 people and every AFL-CIO-endorsedcandidate. Judi Dutcher, right, was there for the Hatch/Dutcher team as Mike Hatch was committed to an event inBagley. (Photo by Erica Heikel)

NLRB ‘supervisor’ rule another union killer

Phew! No endorsement for county attorney

group of assembly line work-ers from Mississippi. They’recalled the Kentucky Rivercases after the 2001 SupremeCourt Kentucky River NursingHome decision, which told theNLRB to try, try again in

nomic benefits it confers toeveryone, and even to whetherpatients in hospitals live or die.

But by and large, the panelwarned, workers and theirfamilies nationwide are notaware their fate hangs in thebalance. Panelists were Rep.Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.),Ross Eisenbrey of theEconomic Policy Institute, for-mer NLRB member Sarah Foxand former NLRB generalcounsel Fred Feinstein.

The problem facing work-ers is that the Supreme Courttold the board, which has aBush-named GOP majorityled by management-side laborlawyer Robert Battista, toredefine who is a “supervisor”and thus not covered by laborlaw.

The board’s decision“could well change the basicrights of workers in America”and threaten millions withbeing pushed out from underthe law and being open tosummary firing, discipline anddemotion from the middleclass, DeLauro said.

The three NLRB casesinvolved cover two groups of“charge nurses,” from a hospi-tal in California and a nursinghome in Minnesota, plus a

By Mark GruenbergPAI Staff WriterWASHINGTON (PAI)--

The Bush-named NationalLabor Relations Board’slooming rulings defining howmany workers are redefined tobecome “supervisors” couldhave a huge impact on mil-lions of workers, their eco-nomic futures, their labor lawprotection and whether theystay in the middle class, apanel warns.

That’s because the NLRBcould make almost anyone a“supervisor,” rather than con-fining it to those who have thepower to hire, fire, transfer,discipline or instruct otherworkers, they add. Makingworkers supervisors evictsthem from labor law protec-tion--leaving them open to fir-ing, retribution and loss ofincome and middle-class sta-tus.

In a Sept. 22 forum spon-sored by the Center forAmerican Progress, panelistssaid the decisions, in what areknown as the Kentucky Rivercases, could affect not just anestimated 8 million peoplewho are directly impacted, butalso other workers who benefitfrom the legal protectionslabor law provides, the eco-

There’s been a contest run-ning lately looking for theworst road in the area. It mayhave been the one DuluthAFL-CIO Central Labor Bodydelegates traveled Sept. 14 toget to no endorsement in theSt. Louis County Attorney’srace.

For an hour and half Coun-ty Attorney Alan Mitchell andhis opponent, Melanie Ford,who worked in his office forthree years at one time, had acontentious screening beforethree dozen union members.After that it took almost anoth-er hour for delegates, andsome other union members, totry to filter all the bad blood.The political dialysis wasn’tgoing to work and everyoneseemed pleased when amotion for no endorsement inthe race finally passed.

In the course of the eveningjust about every possible pointwas made including CentralBody President Alan Netlandbeing management at thecounty and working on Mit-chell’s campaign. That drew alaugh from Mitchell. Netlandhas also been accused oforchestrating Ford’s run.Those fallacies added to anight of charges and countercharges. Only Perry Masonwas missing.

It wasn’t hard for countyemployees represented byAFSCME Local 66 and

Teamsters Local 320 to findproblems with Mitchell afterhis 28 years on the job. Andbecause of his length of serv-ice, the screening and endorse-ment discussions focussed onhim. Ford was forgotten attimes in fights that got as spe-cific as individual workers’comp and criminal cases.

Ford has lived in Duluthand practiced law for 11 yearsafter working for Cargill incommodities trading in LatinAmerica. That experience withonerous governmental andcorporate policies that weredetrimental to small farmersmade her want to go to lawschool and work as an advo-cate “to better our communi-ties, especially for our mostvulnerable citizens.” She saidshe has a lot to learn aboutcounty government butbelieves she could improvethings for residents andemployees.

Ford said in talking tocounty employees, attorneys,and advocacy groups forminorities, women and chil-dren, it’s evident change isneeded because people aren’tbeing treated with respect anddignity.

That set Mitchell off. Hesaid he has a strong record ofcreating programs to helpthose very groups. He saidhe’s heard many “things goingaround” but the one that gets

him most angry is that he’sracist.

“In 28 years, never oncehave I received a phone callfrom the NAACP,” said anupset Mitchell. “I have neverheard once that I don’t treat allethnicities fairly!”

Ford and others counteredlater that the reason he hasn’theard anything is because he’sarrogant, intimidating andpeople are afraid of him.

Ford had supporters at thescreening. Sam Haddad, saidthe Teamsters endorsed her.

Mitchell defended hisrecord against all accusationsand said the county was muchbetter off for his service.

Among accusations frommembers of both bargainingunits were that Mitchell hascreated a culture that denies allworkers’ compensation claimsHe said that was not true andthat actually 90 percent aresettled within 30 days. He saidpart of the problem is thatunions advise their membersto consult an attorney as soonas they are injured, whichmakes the process slower andmore expensive.

“We are not in the businessof lining attorney’s pockets,”AFSCME Council 5 FieldRep. Marsh Stenersen toldMitchell. Stenersen had askedMitchell if there was a countystrategy to stifle injured work-

U.S. SenateAmy Klobuchar

U.S. HouseDist. 8~Jim Oberstar

MINNESOTAGovernor/Lt. Gov.

Mike Hatch/Judi DutcherAttorney General

Lori SwansonSecretary of State

Mark RitchieAuditor

Rebecca Otto

MN. LegislatureDistrict 3

Senate--Tom Saxhaug3A--Tom Anzelc

3B--Loren Solberg District 4

Senate--Mary Olson4A--Frank MoeDistrict 5

Senate--Dave Tomassoni5A--Tom Rukavina5B--Tony Sertich

District 6Senate--Tom Bakk

6A--David Dill6B--Mary Murphy

District 7Senate--

Yvonne Prettner Solon7A--Tom Huntley7B--Mike JarosDistrict 8

Senate--Tony Lourey 8A--Bill Hilty8B--Tim Faust

St. Louis CountyCommissioner Dist. 1

Frank Jewell

PLEASE VOTETuesday, Nov. 7

MNAFL-CIO Endorsed

Candidateswww.mnaflcio.org

U.S. SenateHerb Kohl

U.S. HouseDist. 7~Dave Obey

WISCONSINGovernor/Lt. Gov.

Jim Doyle/Barbara LawtonAttorney General

Kathleen FalkSecretary of State

Doug La FolletteTreasurer

Dawn Marie Sass

WIS. SenateDistrict 25

Bob Jauch District 29Russ Decker

WIS. AssemblyDistrict 28

Ann HraychuckDistrict 73Frank Boyle

District 74Gary ShermanDistrict 75Mary HublerDistrict 87Dewey Floberg

PLEASE VOTETuesday, Nov. 7

WISAFL-CIO Endorsed

Candidateswww.wisaflcio.org

Forum to address vote count accuracyA recent study by Princeton

University researchers con-firmed the worst fears of manyconcerned about the accuracyof counting votes with elec-tronic voting machines.

Just in time the League ofWomen Voters of Duluth willhold a free, public forum,

“Can We Count onMinnesota’s Voting System?”that will address the state ofelections. Panelists includeRep. Bill Hilty, a leader onvoting issues, St. Louis Coun-ty Auditor Donald Dicklichand Mark Halvorson, Citizensfor Election Integrity MN.

The forum is Thurs., Sept.28, 7-9 p.m. at St. Paul’sEpiscopal Church, 1710 EastSuperior St. (back entrance).

Computer science profes-sor Edward Felten and twograduate students showed thelack of security on a Dieboldvoting machine. They pickedits lock in 10 seconds andinstalled software that theyhad created in less than aminute. That software changedall records, audit logs, andcounters so no record of wrongdoing could be found. Worstyet, that type of machine does-n’t use a paper ballot backup.

There are a number of pri-vate companies making elec-tronic voting machines thatthey sell to local units of gov-ernment. An estimated 80 per-cent of U.S. voters will useone of them this year to deter-mine who will be elected to allseats in the U.S. House ofRepresentatives, 33 U.S.Senate seats, 36 governor’sraces, and countless other con-tests. The last two presidentialelections haven’t gone so welleither and have shown that itdoesn’t take a lot of fouled upprecincts to decide an election.

http://itpolicy.princeton.edu/voting/videos.html is a linkto a short video that showshow easy the fraud can be.

Mark Ritchie committed to protecting MN elections

AFL-CIO- and DFL-endorsed Minnesota Secretary of Statecandidate Mark Ritchie released his “Commitment to Min-nesota Voters on Protecting Our Elections” last week. It cameone week after he released information about a break-in atElection Systems and Software’s (ES&S) Midwest RegionalOffice in August 2003. Two hard drives from their server thatincluded everything “relating to their business and/or clients”and a complete set of CD ROMs were among the items stolen.

“This appears to be one of the most serious losses of data andproprietary software suffered by any election equipment com-pany in America,” Ritchie said. “Learning about this crimereinforced my commitment to ensuring that Minnesota’s elec-tions and our personal information are protected. Although weare more secure in Minnesota than in most other states, we mustcontinue to strengthen the protections of our election and per-sonal information.” He promised to work with lawmakers andelection officials to ensure that happens.

He said up-to-date security, not outsourcing files to privatefirms, contract language with vendors on security, and propercoordination with local, state and federal criminal investigationagencies whenever there are threats to election integrity or iden-tity protection will be part of his Office of the Secretary of State.

Ritchie is the founder of the national voter registration pro-gram NOVEMBER 2. (Visit http://www.markritchie06.net)

A&P NerosAce HardwareAFSCME 66AFSCME 695AFSCME 3558AFSCME 3801

AFSCME Council 5*All American Club

American Postal WorkersApplebee's

Arthur's Formal WearBarker's Island Inn

Bed Rock Bar*Benna FordBetter Brands

Big BottleBoilermakers 647

BlackwoodsBreeze Inn

Bridgeview MotelBurger King

Campbells Do It BestCarpenters 361

Cash Wise CEC Theatres

Cement Masons & Plasters 633Chalet LoungeChalet MotelChina Star

Chopsticks Inn Coney Island DeluxeCountry Inn & Suites

C's Restaurant & LoungeCurly's BarCurtis OilCWA 7214

Daughters HardwareDee Independent Laundry

*Duluth DodgeDuluth Federation of Teachers

Duluth Lawn & SportsEcono Lodge Duluth

Elks LodgeEmbers

European BakeryFichtner's MeatsFirefighters 101

Fire & Industrial SalesFisherman's Corner

Fond Du Luth CasinoFosters Bar & Grill

*Franklin FoodsGerald RobisonGerald Smith

Gopher RestaurantGordy's Farm MarketGrandmas Restaurant

Grizzly's GrillsHammond Bar & Liquor

Hardee's of KenwoodHarley Davidson

Hermantown Fed. Credit UnionHermantown Liquor*Holiday Inn Suites

*Howard WasteIBEW 31IBEW 242

IBEW 31 & 242 RetireesIncline StationInsulators 49

Interstate BatteryIron Workers 512

*JamarJohn Adcock

Judge Gerald Heaney (Retired)*Kapus-Erickson

*Kari ToyotaKeyport Lounge & Liquor

*Kolar Auto World*Kraus-Anderson

*KrenzenLaborers 1091

* Lakehead Constructors*Lake Aire Bottle Shop

Lake Superior Bottle CompanyLarry Caven

Larson ChevroletLa's Place

*Last Chance Liquor*Leef Laundry

*Loiselle LiquorLondon Road Car Wash

*Luther Family ChevroletM&I Bank

Machinists District 1575Mailers 62

MainStream Fashion For Men*Manney International

Marine GeneralMcDonalds

*Midway BarMike’s Western CaféMinnesota SurplusMitch's Bar & Grill

MN Assn. of Professional EmployeesMotel 6

*Mt Royal Liquor*Mt Royal Fine Foods

NALC Branch 114National Bank of Commerce

North Shore BankNorthwest Outlet

Office & Professional Employees 12Operating Engineers 49Operating Engineers 70

Painters & Allied Trades 106Park State Bank

Perkins Restaurant*Pickwick

Pioneer National BankPlumbers & Steamfitters 11

Prop Shop*Radisson Hotel

Rays GrillRJ Sports & Cycle

Roofers 96Runway Bar & Grill

*Rustic BarSammy's Pizza

Sammy's Pizza WestSammy's Pizza DowntownSammy's Pizza Lakeside

Sammy's Pizza Miller Trunk HwySecurity Jewelers

SEIU 956Sell Hardware

Spirit Bottle ShopSuper 8 Motel

*Miners-Super OnesSuperior Inn

Shooters SupplyTappa Keg Inn*T-Bonz Bar

*Reef Bar and LoungeThe Sunset

Teamsters 346Tool Crib

*Twins Bar*Union OpticalUnited Rentals

*United Way of Greater DuluthUniversity Education Assn.-UMD

US BankUSW 1028USW 9460

Wells Fargo Bank *Woodland Liquor

Zenith Administrators

* Signifies a union firm

THANK YOU!The Duluth AFL-CIO Central Labor Body thanks these

unions, businesses, organizations and individuals for makingthe 2006 Labor Day Picnic such a huge success for so many.

And Thanks, VolunteersOn behalf of everyone who enjoyed this year’s LaborDay Picnic, we would like to express our thanks to themany volunteers who made the great event possible.

~Duluth AFL-CIO Central Labor Body PicnicCommittee, Yvonne Harvey, Chair, 728-1779

Sorry if we failed to mention others who helped

PAGE 2 LABOR WORLD NEWS, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 2006

Picnic wrap-upThe Labor Day Picnic wrap

up meeting is Weds., Oct. 4 at4:30 p.m. in Wellstone Hall.

“There are a number ofthings to discuss,” said PicnicChair Yvonne Harvey. “It’sbetter to do it now while thingsare still fresh in our minds. Ihope people bring their ideas,concerns and feelings to themeeting so we can make nextyear’s picnic even better.”

Shoes for TotsThe Community Services

Committee has their Shoes forTots Program up and runningagain with schools in session.

“It won’t be long before wehave snow and many kids willbe needing boots,” said CSCDirector Yvonne Harvey.

Contact her at 728-1779 tofind out how to donate.

Concerned about personal relationships, emotional difficulties, alcohol or drug abuse, or other problems? The Community Services Program sponsored by the

Duluth AFL-CIO Central Labor Body and the United Way ofGreater Duluth can help. If you need to talk Call 728-1779.

Community Services ProgramDuluth Labor Temple

2002 London Road, Room 94Yvonne Harvey, Director

Need Help?

I.U.O.E. Local 70Monthly Arrowhead Regional Meeting

Tuesday, Oct. 10, 2006, 5:00 P.M. Duluth Labor Center, Hall B

Dick Lally, Business Manager (651) 646-4566

Sheet Metal Workers’ Local 10Retirees’ Luncheon

Tuesday, Oct. 3, 1:00 p.m.Seasons (Scanlon, former Golden Gate)

~~NOTICE~~APWU Members

At our 7:00 p.m., Thursday, Oct. 26 monthlymeeting at the All American Club, 1931 WestMichigan St., we will accept nominations for alllocal offices of our Greater Northland AreaLocal. Please make every effort to attend.

~Todd Fawcett, President, American Postal Workers Union, Greater Northland Area Local

Comic books were huge forme as a kid. We didn’t have ahouse full of books so I don’tknow much about Spin andMarty, the Hardy Boys,Charlotte’s Web, etc. Schooland public libraries offered upgood stuff, Puck Grabbercomes to mind, but most of allI remember reading the DuluthHerald, the Duluth News-Tribune, and comic books.

Comic books were cheap,colorful and exciting. I was askinny kid who even loved theMr. America ads, and ads forjudo or karate that talked aboutfocusing all your power fordelivery. I stared at my handtrying to get all my energythere. Never did work.

My favorite comic book

Publication changeAt it’s Sept. 14 meeting, the

Labor World Board of Direc-tors changed the December2006 publication schedule forthe paper. There will be onepaper published in the monthon Weds. Dec. 13.

The change will hopefullyallow the paper’s financialreport to finish 2006 in blackink. Also the way the calendarfalls this year, the second issueof the month would not havebeen mailed until Dec. 20,pushing it into the holiday.

superhero by far was the SilverSurfer. He rode around theuniverse on a surfboardbemoaning his fate, headdown, at warp speed. When hehad to come through healways did, begrudgingly.

I haven’t seen comic booksfor years and don’t know whatthey’re about anymore. If I’mgoing to get away for somepleasure reading now I’ll findJohn LeCarre or someone elsein the thriller genre. Doesn’thappen often enough.

But I just got a couple ofgreat, new, comic books in themail yesterday that I orderedfrom Bill Yunk. Well, callingthem comic books actually isvery unkind to the fine workhe’s done. Bill is a retiredmember of Heat & FrostInsulators & Asbestos WorkersLocal 2 in Clinton, Pennsyl-vania, a labor artist, editor, anda board member of thePennsylvania Labor HistoryJournal. He draws and writesstories that would be greatbooklets for classrooms.

His latest work is“Cooper’s Walk, An IllustratedTale of Pennsylvania Labor.”In about 40 pages of a fine talewith great drawings, Yundgives us the life of a fictionalcharacter, Jack Cooper, born inAlsace in 1822 as JaquesPerdiquer. He gets in troubleand high tails it to America.

Yund works in a history oflabor in America throughCooper that comes full circle.It ends by asking us questionsthat his quick read give uscause to ponder. Questionsthat touch every aspect of aworkers’ life today.

Along the way his storyabout a guy who makes a liv-ing making barrels brings us intouch with a tremendous num-ber of actual events, and per-sonalities, from our labor his-tory. Yund gives us a wonder-ful way to learn rank and filelabor history. He even usesfootnotes if you need them.

You’ll be at the beginningof the labor movement inAmerica when immigrantweavers first started rebellingagainst industrialization, meetMother Jones, be at theHomestead Strike, and learnabout the robber barons.

Another of his works is“What Sid Did” aboutMatewan and West Virginiamining wars. In that same“comic” is a separate taleabout Homestead. Hard to usethe word “comic” for the sub-ject matter.

Yund did the artwork for “Auto Works” written by BillMorgan and available from theCalifornia Federation ofTeachers for $3 (www.cft.org).

Stop in my office to see hiswork, email yund@mac.com,or write Box 1307, Cranberry,PA 16066. “Cooper’s Walk” is$8 with discounts for largereducational orders.

Yund’s work is veryimpressive. The drawingsbring you in and the writinghas great bite to it. A perfectcombination for starting a dis-cussion among adults orschool kids.

Dems need to learn to winEditor: The elephant’s in the room and the Democratic Party does-

n’t want to admit it: “Dems Lose Again!” When are Democrats---supposed champions of the middle class and its backbone,unions---going to take their charge seriously enough to makegetting elected a political issue as Republicans never fail to do?

You’d think the ‘October Surprise’ in its spooky mask hascome to their threshold enough that Dems would be experts atpreemption and beat these tricksters to the draw. But the mas-ter preemptors, Bush & Rove, have put a prohibitive copyrighton that ceremony, and the fictions that await Americans whenthey do win yet another one are bound to eventually do us all in.

Consider what’s happened these last six years: Carte blanchedecision and policy making by the Executive branch with onlycursory oversight ‘looks’ or investigations by both houses ofCongress resulting in our major democratic institutions---polit-ical, economic, military and social---to go in lockstep to thebrink of acquiescent poverty and impending disaster. Enough tomake a person think that one day too many of us may be whis-pering regrets in eulogistic tones to our friends and neighbors ofour now-gone-past good ole’ democracy days.

Learn to win elections, Democrats, and ask unions to showyou how to do it. Especially this one coming up. Our lives andthe future life of our country may depend on it.

Pat Angelo, Edinboro, PA

Melanie Ford best Atty. choice Editor:As a member of AFSCME Local 66, I would like to urge my

union brethren to vote for Melanie Ford for St. Louis CountyAttorney in November. From what I understand, issues such asemployee contracts, health insurance programs, and worker’scompensation may not always be treated fairly under the currentCounty Attorney’s administration.

In these days of globalization, outsourcing, union bustingand the multinational corporate world’s race to the bottom, wehere in St. Louis County need a County Attorney who is goingto be part of the solution, not at times part of the problem.

We’re lucky to have a very competent and ethical person likeMelanie Ford seeking the County Attorney position. She gaveup a lucrative career with Cargill, a multinational corporation,after she saw the devastation that multinational corporate poli-cies can bring to the lives of people in third world countries.

Instead, Melanie enrolled in law school to have a well-founded background for public service. We may have to livethrough another two plus years of the Bush administration, butat least here in St. Louis County we can take a step towards abetter future by voting for Melanie Ford in November.

As her slogan puts it, “For the People, For a Change.”Mary Dosch, AFSCME Local 66, Duluth

God can bless all, can’t He?Editor:I’ve had quite enough!! Enough of George Bush’s calls for

God to bless America at the end of his speeches. His speechesmanipulate the thought process of good people by justifyingwrongful actions of our government through ideological smokescreens. Anything we do is proper as long as we proclaim thatwe are doing it in the name of God.

What biblical passages can we refer to that would deny 45million Americans health care in the past five years? Where dothe scriptures tell us to wage war on a country under the con-cocted theory that they had weapons of mass destruction?Which prophet or disciple wrote a tax code that pads the pock-ets of billionaires while shifting the financial responsibility ofsupporting our nation’s wars and deficit spending to those whocan least afford it?

The word “Christian” according to Webster is “Christ like.”Maybe Mr. Bush and some of his Republican friends couldwork a little harder to fit into this definition. How about bettercare for the young, the old and the less fortunate. Why not adopta foreign policy that includes a passage that reads “thou shallnot kill.” Or maybe treat and tax the average citizen the same asyou would treat an oil company CEO. Bush proclaims to be aman of faith but his actions consistently prove him to be a liar.

I am certainly not qualified to judge another man about hismoral convictions, but it would be interesting enough to attacha polygraph device to George Bush’s hand that is not wavingaround the word of God. My bet is that he will fail, hands down.May God Bless the whole world, no exceptions.

Mike Sundin, Painters & Allied Trades #106, Esko, MN

LABOR WORLD NEWS, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 2006 PAGE 3

LABOR WORLDKnown office of publication

2002 London Road, Room 110Duluth, MN 55812

(218) 728-4469 FAX: (218) 724-1413laborworld@qwest.netwww.laborworld.org

ESTABLISHED 1896Owned by Unions affiliated with the

Duluth AFL-CIO Central Labor Body

Periodical Postage Paid Duluth, MN

Larry Sillanpa, Editor/ManagerDeborah Skoglund, BookkeeperPublished 24 times per year

Subscriptions: $22 AnnuallyPOSTMASTER:

Send address changes to:2002 London Rd., Room 110

Duluth, MN 55812Board of Directors

President/Treas. Mikael Sundin,Painters & Allied Trades 106;V.P. Paul Iversen, BMWED 1710;Sec. Marlys Wisch, CWA 7214;Jim Walters, Plumbers & Steam-fitters 11; Tom Selinski, IBEW242; Laurie Johnson, AFSCMECo. 5; Lynette Swanberg, MNNurses; Mike Kuitu, OperatingEngineers 49; Al LaFrenier,UNITE HERE! Joint Board

6 7

~NOTICE~Next issues of Labor World

are Oct. 11 & 25, Nov. 8 & 21, Dec. 13

The non-profit Labor World,Inc. is the official publication ofthe Duluth AFL-CIO CentralLabor Body. It is an education-al, advocacy newspaper forworkers and unions. The viewsand opinions submitted andexpressed in the Labor World donot necessarily reflect the viewsof the paper, its Board ofDirectors, the Duluth AFL-CIOCentral Labor Body, its affiliat-ed unions, their staff or officers.

This Day In Historyfrom

www.workdayminnesota.org

September 27, 1875In Fall River, Massachusetts,textile workers went onstrike, demanding bread forstarving children. In the lat-ter half of the 19th century,about one out of every sixchildren between the agesof 10 and 15 were working -- in textile mills, print shops,coal mines and factories.Their labor was often criti-cal to their families’ survival.

Trades endorse 3 for Two Harbors councilThe Duluth Building &

Construction Trades Council,which represents 17 localunions with jurisdictions thatinclude all of Minnesota, mostof Wisconsin, Michigan’sUpper Peninsula, and into theDakotas, has endorsed threecandidates in City of TwoHarbors City Council races.

John Dover in Ward 1,Chris Swanson in Ward 2, andJason Kuettel in the At Largerace, all got endorsed follow-ing screenings Sept. 19.

“We’ve been spending a lotof time with local units of gov-ernment trying to make sureprojects go smoothly and

ensuring work for our mem-bers,” said DBCTC PresidentCraig Olson, who is alsoBusiness Representative forPainters & Allied Trades Local106. “In Two Harbors we feela few people have been hold-ing up projects that will bene-fit the community and benefitour members so we need to getinvolved and try to help withthings we believe in.”

Olson said Two Harbors isa beautiful town that is poisedfor growth but not everyonethere seems to like that idea.

“We’ve got a long historyin the Trades of facing thattype of opposition,” Olson

said. “You just need to lookback at what Duluth lookedlike before I-35 was finallyallowed to come through, andwhat it looks like now. Thefreeway has been a hugeimprovement for Duluth in somany ways, but it was sup-posed to be a blight on thetown. Even the Rose Garden isten times better.”

Olson said in Two Harborsopposition to a safe harbor anda hotel on Lighthouse Pointare holding that communityback. “Those are good projectsand hopefully we can help geta city council elected thatagrees with us,” Olson said.

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NWA strike ban appealed(PAI)--Vowing to fight on behalf of all flight attendants--not

just those at Northwest Airlines--the Association of FlightAttendants-CWA said it would appeal a federal judge’s rulingbanning it from striking the Minneapolis-based airline.

“Management and the courts can gang up on us but they can-not defeat us,” said Mollie Reiley, Interim AFA-CWA councilpresident at Northwest. “This is yet another example of how thelegal system fails to protect working families. The courts con-tinue to cater to corporate America”

Acting on a prior NWA demand--and joined by other airlinesand the Bush administration--U.S. District Judge Victor Mar-rero banned 9,300 NWA flight attendants from a general strikeand implementing the union’s patented CHAOS plan of selec-tive strikes, without warning, on selected flights. He said theunion “had not exhausted every reasonable effort” to agree.

AFA-CWA says the Railway Labor Act, which governs air-line relations, lets it strike because bankrupt NWA unilaterallybroke its contract with flight attendants and imposed more than$200 million in cuts in wages, benefits and tougher work rules.That amounted to a 40 percent compensation cut for each atten-dant. NWA imposed that cut after union members rejected asubsequent deal 55 percent to 45 percent.

NWA’s imposition of its prior “final offer,” which the atten-dants, then represented by an independent union, rejected by a4-to-1 margin July 31, let the union invoke “self help,” a strikeor CHAOS, under the RLA, AFA-CWA said. The federal bank-ruptcy referee hearing NWA’s case agreed, but Marrero did not.

Meanwhile, NWA put out a notice that it is recalling all1,000-plus furloughed flight attendants, starting Oct. 1, but it

gave no more details about theirschedules or workloads.

PAGE 4 LABOR WORLD NEWS, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 2006

Fixing Up? Look Up!Stay clear of power lines when using ladders and

other long equipment while working on outdoorprojects. The first rule is to keep looking up andremember the 10 FOOT RULE – equipment needs toclear power lines by ten feet in every direction.

Electric energy is a powerful friend, but if yourequipment comes in contact with a power line, followthe rules, or you could receive a harmful, fatal shock.

A safety message from Minnesota Power.

®

Call Gopher State One Call before you DIG: 1-800-252-1166

Greg RindalMinnesota Power Safety Manager

Motorcade to Wellstone Mem.The Aitkin County DFL is organizing a Tuesday, Oct. 10

motorcade to the Wellstone Memorial and Historic Site. “I guess I’m organizing it,” said Dennis Miller, a retired

IBEW Local 110 member. “We invite everyone to join usalong the way.” He can be reached at 218-426-0008.

The motorcade will leave the 40 Club in Aitkin about noonand travel Hwy. 210 to the Black Bear Casino for lunch around1:30 p.m. From there it’s Hwy. 33 through Cloquet to Hwy. 53to the Bodas Road, which is 400 yards north of where Hwy. 37cuts off. Take a right on Bodas and proceed three miles.

Correction: Picnic had great live, musicThere was a stupid mistake in the last Labor World in the story on Labor Day in Duluth.About two dozen members of Musicians Local 18 tied up their whole weekend in order togive Labor Day Picnic attendees live music. Swede Anderson’s Polka Band performedfrom noon to 1 p.m., followed by the Windjammers, who played until 2:30 p.m. It wasgreat, live music appreciated by all. We are embarrassed by the oversight and error.

Join the National Day of Action Sept. 30

Good time to think about voting absentee

On Wednesday morning,Nov. 8, too many trade union-ists will wake up and realizethat the candidate they wantedto see elected got beat. Toomany will wish then that theyhad done more to help work-ing family friendly politiciansget elected. Don’t be one ofthem.

On Saturday, Sept. 30many area union members willjoin with America Votes alliesnationally in a National Day of

If you will be unable tomake it to your polling placeto vote in Tuesday, Nov. 7’sGeneral Election you shouldtake advantage of an absenteeballot to perform your duty.

“If there’s a chance you’llbe away from home on elec-tion day, you can still helpLabor candidates win,” saysMike Sundin, the MinnesotaAFL-CIO’s Northeast Labor2006 Director. “Anyone whowould be prevented fromgoing to the polls because ofillness, disability, religiousconsiderations, or becausethey will work at anotherpolling place as an electionjudge, can vote absentee--attheir kitchen table if they like.”

Your county auditor or cityclerk’s office can help youwith the easy process that willtake only minutes dependingon waiting lines if you go thereto vote. Counties and somemunicipalities are also openfor absentee voting Saturday,Nov. 4 from 10 am to 3 pm,and Monday, Nov. 6 until 5 pm

You can vote in thoseoffices or you can do itthrough a mail-in process.

By mail you’ll need to getan “Absentee Ballot Applica-tion.” We have them at theLabor World or contact yourcounty auditor or city clerk.

Here are some numbers:Aitkin...927-7354Beltrami...333-8448Carlton...384-9127Cass...547-7281Cook...387-3000Crow Wing...824-1045Douglas(WI)...395-1341Itasca...327-2860

Koochiching...283-1102Lake...834-8317Pine...629-5629Duluth City Clerk is in City

Hall, Room 330, 730-5500. St. Louis County Auditor is

Room 214, Duluth CountyCourthouse, 726-2385.

Superior (WI) Clerk isRoom 200, GovernmentCenter, 395-7200.

Douglas County (WI)Auditor is Room 101,Courthouse, 395-1341.

Minnesota Secretary ofState’s office is 1-877-600-8683 or www.sos.state.mn.usfor general information or tofind your county or city help.

To vote by absentee ballotyou must be an eligible voterand reside at the legal resi-dence you give.

If you wish to vote by mail

you must first fill out anabsentee ballot application.Upon it being returned to theproper office you will be sent aballot in the mail, probably inmid-October, that you canreturn by mail before the endof election day. Ballotsreceived after election day willnot be counted.

Minnesota law providesthat it is a felony to make afalse statement in an applica-tion for an absentee ballot, toapply for an absentee ballotmore than once in an electionwith the intent to cast an illegalballot, to show a ballot markedby a person to another person,or to violate an absentee ballotprovision for the purpose ofcasting an illegal vote or tohelp anyone to cast an illegalvote.

Action five weeks before theGeneral Election.

“We’re going to hit thestreets of Duluth to educate,register and mobilize voters,”said Tony Cuneo, who is lead-ing America Votes efforts here.“We invite everyone whocares about where America isheading to join Mary Theurer,Pastor Kathy Nelson of PeaceChurch and the America Votescoalition.”

The effort will be coordi-

nated out of the Garden Roomon the second floor of theKirby Student Center at UMDbeginning at 10 a.m. on Sat.,Sept. 30.

American Votes is a coali-tion of dozens of union andother progressive organiza-tions. You can learn more atwww.americavotes.org.

If you’ve had enough ofwhat’s happening, now is thetime to get involved.

Cuneo can be reached attcuneo@americavotes.org and341-6852

LABOR WORLD NEWS, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 2006 PAGE 5

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Labor 2006 doorknocks need you to talk to union homesMany labor activists will be part of the Day of Action Sept.

30 but that doesn’t mean Labor 2006 will slow down.“We’re grateful for everything that America Votes has been

doing but we have to continue our work of doorknocking unionhouseholds,” says Mike Sundin, Northeast Minnesota’s Labor2006 Director. “Our volunteers have been doing a good job,but we can put a lot more people to work to get labor-friendlypeople elected.”

The next doorknocks in Duluth will be Tuesdays, Oct. 3 and10 out of the Labor Temple beginning at 5 p.m.

“It’s painless and a good learning experience talking toother union members,” said Sundin. “It just takes showing up,having a short training session, then grabbing a list and goingto a neighborhood.” Mike Sundin can be reached at 391-5911.File for ‘The Pile’ comp now

(PAI)--Out-of-state workers who toiled for months on clean-ing up “The Pile”--the toxic remains of New York City’s WorldTrade Center after the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attack--shouldregister now with the New York state workers’ comp board sothey may file future claims for cleanup-caused illnesses, theNew York Coalition on Occupational Safety and Health says.

Registration for out-of-state workers runs to Aug. 14, 2007,and eligibility for comp is indefinite if the worker is registered.A new law waives the 2-year statute of limitations for claims byworkers on “The Pile,” city morgue, barges, or landfill. Workersmust register--even if they aren’t ill now--by the deadline.Studies show 70% of those workers did not develop 9/11-relat-ed illnesses until years afterwards.

For further information about the program, contactNYCOSH at (212) 227-6440 x23, www.nycosh.org/#911WC.

Remembering Ann Richards(Austin, Sept. 15)--She was so gener-

ous with her responses to other people. If you toldAnn Richards something really funny, she wouldn’tjust smile or laugh, she would stop and break up com-pletely. She taught us all so much -- she was a greatcampfire cook. Her wit was a constant delight. One

night on the river on a canoe trip, while we all listened to the nextrapid, which sounded like certain death, Ann drawled, “It soundslike every whore in El Paso just flushed her john.”

She knew how to deal with teenage egos: Instead of pointingout to a kid who was pouring charcoal lighter on a live fire thathe was idiot, Ann said, “Honey, if you keep doing that, the fire isgoing to climb right back up to that can in your hand and explodeand give you horrible injuries, and it will just ruin my entireweekend.”

She knew what it was like to have four young children and tobe so tired you cried while folding the laundry. She knew andvalued Wise Women like Virginia Whitten and Helen Hadley.

At a long-ago political do at Scholz Garten in Austin, every-body who was anybody was there meetin’ and greetin’ at a furi-ous pace. A group of us got the tired feet and went to lean ourbutts against a table at the back wall of the bar. Perched like birdsin a row were Bob Bullock, then state comptroller, moi, CharlesMiles, the head of Bullock’s personnel department, and Ms. AnnRichards. Bullock, 20 years in Texas politics, knew every sorry,no good sumbitch in the entire state. Some old racist judge fromEast Texas came up to him, “Bob, my boy, how are you?”

Bullock said, “Judge, I’d like you to meet my friends: Thisis Molly Ivins with the Texas Observer.”

The judge peered up at me and said, “How yew, little lady?” Bullock, “And this is Charles Miles, the head of my person-

nel department.” Miles, who is black, stuck out his hand, and thejudge got an expression on his face as though he had just steppedinto a fresh cowpie. He reached out and touched Charlie’s palmwith one finger, while turning eagerly to the pretty, blonde, blue-eyed Ann Richards. “And who is this lovely lady?”

Ann beamed and replied, “I am Mrs. Miles.” One of the most moving memories I have of Ann is her sit-

ting in a circle with a group of prisoners. Ann and Bullock hadstarted a rehab program in prisons, the single most effectivething that can be done to cut recidivism (George W. Bush laterdestroyed the program). The governor of Texas looked at thecons and said, “My name is Ann, and I am an alcoholic.”

She devoted untold hours to helping other alcoholics, andanyone who ever heard her speak at an AA convention knowshow close laughter and tears can be.

I have known two politicians who completely reformed thebureaucracies they were elected to head. Bob Bullock did it bykicking ass at the comptroller’s until hell wouldn’t have it. Fearwas his m.o. Ann Richards did it by working hard to gain thetrust of the employees and then listening to what they told her.No one knows what’s wrong with a bureaucracy better than thebureaucrats who work in it.

The 1990 race for governor was one of the craziest I ever saw,with Ann representing “New Texas.”

Republican nominee Claytie Williams was a perfect foil,down to his boots, making comments that could be construed asracist and sexist. Ann was the candidate of everybody else, espe-cially for women. She represented all of us who have lived withand learned to handle good ol’ boys, and she did it with laughter.The spirit of the crowd that set off from the Congress AvenueBridge up to the Capitol the day of Ann’s inauguration was sofull of spirit and joy. I remember watching San Antonio MayorHenry Cisneros that day with tears running down his cheeksbecause Chicanos were finally included.

Ann got handed a stinking mess: Damn near every state func-tion was under court order. The prisons were so crowded, dan-gerous convicts were being let loose. She had a long, grindingfour years and wound up fixing all of it. She always said youcould get a lot done in politics if you didn’t need to take credit.

But she disappointed many of her fans because she was sobusy fixing what was broken, she never got to change much. The’94 election was a God, gays and guns deal. Annie had told thelegislature that if they passed a right-to-carry law, she would vetoit. They did, and she did. At the last minute, the NRA launcheda big campaign to convince the governor that we Texas womenwould feel ever so much safer if we could just carry guns in ourpurses.

Said Annie, “Well, you know that I am not a sexist, but thereis not a woman in this state who could find a gun in her hand-bag.” © 2006 CREATORS SYNDICATE, INC., www.creators.com

AFSCME COUNCIL 5— President MikeBuesing, Local 1011; VP Deb Bloom, Local66; Treas. Clifford Poehler, Local 2938;Sec. Mary Falk, Local 4001; Director EliotSeide; Area office, 211 West 2nd St., Duluth, MN 55802; 722-0577

AFSCME Co. 5—LOCAL 66—Meets 1stTues. at 7:00 p.m. in the AFSCME Hall,Arrowhead Place, 211 W. 2nd St. Pres. Alan Netland; VP Deb Bloom; Treas.Joe Griffiths, Rec. Sec. Kathy Stevens.Union office, 211 W. 2nd St., Duluth, MN55802, 722-0577

AFSCME Co. 5 - LOCAL 1123—City ofTwo Harbors workers. Meets 1st Wed. ofeach month at 3:30 p.m. in City Hall, TwoHarbors. Pres. Dale Wick, 1512 12th Ave.Two Harbors 55616; VP Mitch Ekstrom;Sec. Karrie Seeber; Treas. Paul J. Johnson

AFSCME Co. 5 - LOCAL 1934—St. Louis Co. Essential Jail Employees.Meets 3rd Wed., 3:15 at Foster’s Bar &Grill. Pres. Dan Marchetti, 726-2345, VP Glen Peterson, Sec. Robert Parker, Treas. Heather Ninefeldt

AFSCME Co. 5 - LOCAL 3558 - Non-profitemployees. Meets 3rd Tuesdays, 5:30p.m.. AFSCME Hall, 211 W. 2nd St. Pres.Michelle Fremling ; VP Todd Kneebone;Sec. Susan Cook; Treas. Yvonne Harvey

AFSCME LOCAL 695 - Meets 4th Tuesdayof even numbered months at Council 5 Duluth offices and odd numbered months at Gampers in Moose Lake. President John McGovern, 393-5718

AFSCME LOCAL 3801 - RepresentingUMD Clerical & Technical employees,Room 106 Kirby Student Center. Meets 2ndWed., 12:00 pm, KSC, 3rd Floor; President Denise Osterholm, 726-6312

AMERICAN POSTAL WORKERS UNIONAFL-CIO Greater Northland Area Local—P.O. Box 16321, Duluth, MN 55816.Membership meetings held monthly inDuluth, bi-monthly on Iron Range (in oddnumbered months), 218-722-3350

ARROWHEAD CHAPTER, COALITIONOF LABOR UNION WOMEN - For infocontact Pres. Lorraine Reinke, 628-2111,VP Yvonne Harvey, Sec Janet Nelson,

BRlCKLAYERS & ALLIED CRAFTWORKERS LOCAL NO. 1—Chap-ter #3, Duluth & Hibbing meetings are listedin the quarterly update newsletter. Chair-man Jim Stebe, Recording Secretary StanPaczynski, Sergeant at Arms Jerry Lund,Field Rep. Jim Stebe, 218-724-8374

BRIDGE, STRUCTURAL, ORNAMENTALAND REINFORCING IRON WORKERSLOCAL 512—Duluth, MN sub-office andmeeting place, Duluth Labor Temple, 2002London Rd., (218) 724-5073. Pres. Frank Vento, B.M./F.S.-T. Charlie Witt,B.A. Darrell Godbout, Rec. Sec. Al Greyson

BROTHERHOOD OF MAINTENANCE OFWAY EMPLOYES DIVISION LODGE1710—Meets 1st Mon. of each month at 7p.m., Pit Stop, Boundary Ave.; Gen.Chair/Sec. Treas. Mike Nagle, 6049 SevilleRd. Duluth, MN 55811, 729-9786; Pres. Frank Malec; 1st Vice Chair AlanCaple; 2nd Vice Chair Jim Sonneson

BUILDING & GENERAL LABORERS LOCAL 1091—Meets 3rd Thursdays, 8 pmDuluth Labor Temple, Wellstone Hall. Presi-dent Larry Anderson, V.P. Bill Cox, Rec.Sec. Dan Olson, Bus.Mgr./Fin.Sec./ Treas.Don Watkins; (218) 728-5151

CARLTON COUNTY CENTRAL LABORBODY—Meets 1st Monday of month ex-cept Sept. which meets last Monday in Au-gust. Meeting 7:00 pm 2nd floor of LaborTemple, 1403 Ave C, Cloquet 55720; Presi-dent Bob Oswold, VP Tom Beltt, Treas DanSwanson, Sec. Diane Firkus, 390-9560

CARPENTERS LOCAL UNION NO. 361—Meets 2nd Tues. of the month at 6:30 p.m.at Training Center, 5238 Miller Trunk Hwy.,724-3297. President Steve Risacher, VP Michael Lowry, Rec. Sec. Rick Berg,Fin. Sec. Larry Nesgoda; Treas. Chuck Aspoas, Field Reps. Tony Radzak, SteveRisacher, Chris Hill,

CEMENT MASONS, PLASTERERS & SHOPHANDS LOCAL 633—Duluth AreaOffice: Denny White, 2002 London Road,#100, Duluth 55812; 218-724-2323; IronRange Area Office: Mike Syversrud, 6061/2 15th St. N., Virginia 55792; 218-741-2300; Meetings to be announced

COMMUNICATION WORKERS OF AMERICA LOCAL 7214 — Meets 3rdThurs., 7:15 p.m. Duluth Labor Temple,2002 London Rd.; President Terri Newman723-4225; VP (Qwest and others) Ken Cusick; Sec.-Treas. Rawn Nilsen, 723-4225

DULUTH AFL-CIO CENTRAL LABORBODY —Meets 2nd Thurs., 7:00 p.m.,Wellstone Hall, 2002 London Rd., (218)724-1413, President Alan Netland, AF-SCME 66; VP Beth McCuskey, Duluth Fed.of Teachers; Rec. Sec. Ellen Hanson, AFSCME 3801; Treas. Sheldon Christo-pherson, Operators 70; Clerk Larry Sillanpa, MN News Guild/Typos 37002

DULUTH BUILDING & CONSTRUCTIONTRADES COUNCIL—Meets 3rd Tuesday,3:00 p.m., Freeman Hall, Labor Temple.Pres. Craig Olson, Painters & Allied Trades106, 724-6466; Treas. Jim Brown, IBEW242, 728-6895; Rec. Sec. Don Watkins, Laborers 1091, 728-5151

DULUTH MAILERS UNION LOCAL ML-62Meets 3rd Monday, Duluth Labor Temple,2002 London Rd., Pres. Wm. Stafford: Sec-Treas. Keith Delfosse, 4215 W. 4th St. Duluth, MN 55807, 218-628-3017.

IBEW LOCAL 31 (UTILITY WORKERS)—Rm.105, Duluth Labor Temple, 728-4248. Officers: Pres. Tim Ryan; VP Mike Arezzo;Rec. Sec. Bob Fonger; Treas. Dan Leslie;Bus. Mgr./Fin. Sec. Robert F. Kasper; Asst.Bus. Mgr. Curt Leno. Monthly Meetings:Duluth: 1st Wednesdays, 7:00 pm, LaborTemple; Iron Range: Gilbert VFW, 2ndTuesdays, 7:15 pm; Grand Rapids BlandinWorkers Hall, 2nd Wednesdays, 7:30 pm; Western Area: 3rd Wednesdays, all at 7:30pm: Jan., Brainerd Legion; Feb., ParkRapids Legion; March, Nisswa Tasty PizzaNorth; April, Little Falls Cabin Fever; May,Ironton Legion; June, Jenkins VFW; July,Park Rapids Legion; Aug., Little Falls CabinFever; Sept./Oct. Brainerd Legion; Nov.,Nisswa Tasty Pizza N.; Dec., Wadena Superior:, all meetings at Shamrock Pizza4th Tuesdays, 7 pm

IBEW LOCAL 242 (CONST., R.T.V., MFG.,MAINT.)—Rm.111, Labor Temple, 728-6895. Pres. Dennis Tammen; Rec. Sec.Dale Carlson; Treas. Stan Nordwall; BusMgr./Fin. Sec. Jim Brown. Meetings 4thWed. of every month at Duluth Labor Tem-ple. Unit meetings - Brainerd, American Legion, 7:30 p.m., 1st Wed. each month.

INTL. BROTHERHOOD OF ELECTRICALWORKERS, LOCAL 294 - Meets 4thThursday, 7:30 p.m., Local 294 Building lo-cated at 503 E. 16th St., Hibbing, MN. Busi-ness Management Scott Weappa, (218)263-6895, Hibbing. I.B.E.W. Local 294 UnitBemidji, meets 3rd Thursdays of the monthat 7 p.m. in Carpenters Hall.

INTL. BROTHERHOOD OF ELECTRICALWORKERS, LOCAL 366—(Electrical, Sig-nal & Communication Workers of C/N) -Meets 3rd Thursdays, Proctor American Le-gion. President/Local Chairman Greg Arras,745 Laurel St. Cloquet MN 55720, 879-6129; VP David Winek; Fin. Sec. David Ostby, 303 Park Ave. Cloquet, MN 55720,879-0941; Rec. Sec. Brian Johnson; Treas.Richard Swenson.

INTL. ASSOCIATION OF HEAT & FROST INSULATORS AND ASBESTOS WORKERS LOCAL NO. 49—Meets 2ndFriday each month, 8 p.m., Duluth LaborTemple. Business Manager Dick Webber,2002 London Rd., Room 210, Duluth55812, 724-3223; Pres. Wade Lee; VPGarth Lee; Rec.Sec. Randy Neumann; Fin. Sec./Treas. Gerry Nervick

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF LETTERCARRIERS, BRANCH 114 MERGED—Meets 1st Tuesdays, 7 p.m., Reef Bar(back room) President Robert Marshall,727-4327 (office), P.O. Box 16583, Duluth55816; VP Don McMillin; Recording Secre-tary Paul Oikarinen; Financial Secretary.Scott Dulas; Treasurer Karl Pettersen

NATIONAL CONF. FIREMEN & OILERSSEIU 956—Meets 4th Saturdays, 9 a.m.Meetings held at Central High School. Pres. Jerome DeRosier, 315 W. 5th St.Duluth 55806; Treas. Dennis McDonald,4007 N. 21st., Superior, 54880, 626-4512;Sec. Steve Lundberg, 8304 Grand Ave,Duluth 55807, 624-0915

NORTHERN WISCONSIN BUILDING & CONSTRUCTION TRADES COUNCIL—Meets the 3rd Wednesdays, Old TowneBar. President Norm Voorhees, (218) 724-5073, 2002 London Rd., Duluth, MN 55812;V-P Dan Westlund Jr., Sec.-Treas. LarryAnderson, (218) 428-2722

OPERATING ENGINEERS LOCAL 49 —Meets 2nd Tues. of month at 7:30 p.m., Hall B, Duluth Labor Temple, 2002 LondonRd., Bus. Rep. Brent Pykkonen, 724-3840,Room. 112, Duluth Labor Temple. All members attend each meeting.

OPERATING ENGINEERS LOCAL 70—Union office, 2417 Larpenteur Ave. W., St.Paul, MN 55113, 651-646-4566. Bus. Mgr.Dick Lally. Meets 2nd Tues. at 5 p.m. in theDuluth Labor Temple, 2002 London Rd.

PAINTERS & ALLIED TRADES LOCAL106 Meets 1st Wed., 6:00 p.m., Duluth La-bor Temple. President Dennis Setter, 4015Grand Ave., Duluth, MN, 55807; VP RonFolkestad; Rec. Sec. Mikael Sundin; Fin.Sec. Brian Koyle; Bus. Rep. Craig Olson,Duluth Labor Temple, Room 106, 2002London Rd. Duluth, MN 55812, 724-6466.

PLUMBERS AND STEAMFITTERS LOCAL 11, U.A.— Meets 1st Thursdays atunion office, 4402 Airpark Blvd. Pres. JeffDaVeau; VP Dave Carlson; Rec. Sec.Butch Liebaert; Bus. Mgr./Fin. Sec. GregSayles, Ass’t Bus. Mgr. Mike Rydberg,(218) 727-2199

SHEET METAL WORKERS LOCAL 10—Duluth-Superior area meets 2nd Mondaysat 5:00 p.m. in Wellstone Hall, Duluth La-bor Temple, 2002 London Rd. Iron Range meets 2nd Tuesday, 7:00 p.m.Regency Inn, Beltline/Howard, Hibbing. Bemidji area meets 3rd Thursday Jan.,April, July & Oct., 6:00 pm, Carpenters Hall Bus. Mgr. Craig Sandberg, 1681 E CopeAve., St Paul, MN 55109, 612-770-2388-89. Duluth-Superior-lron Range area. Bus.Rep. Dennis Marchetti, 2002 London Rd.,Duluth 55812, 724-6873.

UNITE HERE! LOCAL 99 — ExecutiveBoard meetings are held on the 2nd Mon.of each month: 1:30 p.m. in Mar., June,Oct., & Dec., 9:30 a.m. in all other months.Quarterly regular membership meetings areheld on the 2nd Mon. of Mar., June, Oct., &Dec. at 2:30 p.m. Meetings are held at theDuluth Labor Temple. President Todd Erickson, 728-6861

UNITED AUTO WORKERS LOCAL 241 —Meets Ist Tues. of the month, 7:30 p.m.,Duluth Labor Temple, 2002 London Rd., P.Del Soiney; Fin. Officer Eric Sparring, 259Canosia Rd., Esko, MN 55733

UNITED FOOD & COMMERCIALWORKERS LOCAL 1116—Duluth LaborTemple, 2002 London Rd., Rm. 211, P.O.Box 16388, Duluth 55816-0388. PresidentSteve Gilbertson; Sec. Treas. JoyceBerglund, 218-728-5174. Retirees' Club meets 2nd Monday, 1:30p.m., Duluth Labor Temple, Wellstone Hall

UNITED STEELWORKERS LOCAL 1028 -Meets 2nd Tues., Room 212, 2002 LondonRd., Duluth 55812, 728-9534. Pres. BruceLotti, VP, Fin. Sec. Tim Levens, Treas. LeePopovich, Rec. Sec. Dave Lubbesmeyer

UNITED STEELWORKERS 1028 RETIREES ASSOCIATION—Meets 3rdWed., West Duluth Evergreen Center,5830 Grand Ave. at 3 p.m. All retirees fromUSWA 1028 welcome. President RobertJones, Treasurer Mary S. Petrich, Secretary Lois Pelander

T r a d e U n i o n D i r e c t o r y “ T h e w o r l d i s r u n b y t h o s e w h o s h o w u p ! ”

Please Attend You rUnion Meetings!

Find out what’s going on,and prepare for your future!

PAGE 6 LABOR WORLD NEWS, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 2006

By Molly Ivins

NLRB ‘supervisor’ rule another union killer...from page 1defining who is a supervisor.

“Should the NLRB inter-pret ‘supervisor’ broadly, hun-dreds of thousands of nursescould lose their right to union

protection,” DeLauro said.EPI calculations, using federalworkforce data, put that num-ber at 843,000 nurses and 8million workers, total.

But Feinstein pointed outthe three cases involve anyworker who could be consid-ered any type of a “teamleader.” Eisenbrey said thatincludes construction workerswho train apprentices, “chargenurses”--Johnson said almostany RN is a charge nurse atsome point--licensed practicalnurses, post-secondary schoolteachers and even sewingmachine operators and bag-gage porters.

“In construction, the sys-tem for training workers is anapprenticeship system, wherean apprentice is under ‘super-vision’ of a journeyman, who

shows them how to do the joband what to do on it,” saidFox. If the board broadens thedefinition of a supervisor toinclude that role, millions ofconstruction workers becomesupervisors.

And they could. Employ-ers have even gone so far, inone of the 135 pending NLRBcases awaiting the board’s rul-ing on supervisors, to claimthat “one worker who tellsanother at a loading dock, ‘Putthe heavy stuff on the bottomof the truck and the light stuffat the top’ is a supervisor,”Eisenbrey commented.

Wholesale redefinition ofworkers as supervisors not

only strips them of the right toorganize and collectively bar-gain but also lets managementco-opt those millions of new“supervisors” into anti-unioncampaigns, under threat of fir-ing, Fox added.

“The employer callstogether the supervisors andgives them their marchingorders. And if a ‘supervisor’refuses, he or she can befired,” she said.

Johnson, speaking for herunion and as a critical carenurse in Michigan, said theimpact extends to the rest ofthe population, and especiallyto patients in hospitals. Withthe nation facing an acutenursing shortage due to longhours, low pay and lack ofrespect on the job, she saidturning nurses into supervisorswould drive thousands moreout of the profession.

That exodus in turn wouldlead to more nurses toiling for14 hours or more a day, adecline in patient care, andmore needless deaths andinjuries. Johnson cited studiesshowing one-quarter of need-less deaths occur in hospitalsdue to short-staffing. “Thinkof that (short-staffing) the nexttime you’re in a hospital andyou push the call button for thenurse,” she said.

A top NLRB official toldPress Associates the boardhopes to rule on the cases bythe end of the fiscal year, onSept. 30, but that date is notcertain. He said the impactcould vary by industry. Pan-elists predicted that, no matterhow the board ruled, the issuewould return to the SupremeCourt. Thus all workers wouldstill be left with huge ques-tions about whether they weresupervisors or not.

LABOR WORLD NEWS, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 2006 PAGE 7

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“Bob Falsani and JimBalmer make a damn good liv-ing off nothing but workers’comp, I could name a dozenattorneys who do, ask Bob andJim if they have a problemwith the county attorney’s

Honeymoon ending withnew owners of News-Tribune

The honeymoon between the Lake Superior NewspaperGuild and the new owners of the Duluth News Tribune appearsto be over. Management at the paper recently informed theGuild that it intends to give seven, full-time Guild-covered cir-culation district managers additional duties and make themexempt employees effective Oct. 1.

The move means the workers will lose the right to earn over-time and can be on call around the clock. They will lose the pro-tection of the union contract, and any future raises, and indeedtheir very employment, will be at the whim of top managers.

The company says it has the right to “promote” the employ-ees. But as far back as anyone at the paper can remember, thecompany has never tried to force a mandatory “promotion” ontoa Guild-covered employee, forcing them into management. TheGuild will take legal action if the DNT proceeds with its plan.

“Publisher Marti Buscaglia claims that these are new jobs,and the alternative would be to fire the DMs and make themapply for the new positions,” Lake Superior Newspaper GuildPresident Steve Kuchera said. “The truth is the DMs will bedoing the same work as before with some additional duties. Weview this as a raid on Guild positions and an attack on our con-tract. It is especially disappointing considering Buscaglia’srecent claims of wanting a less confrontational relationship withthe Guild.”

office,” Mitchell said inresponse to Ford’s claim thatattorney’s don’t get rich onworkers’ comp.

Falsani said he thinksMitchell has done a great jobas a county attorney in generaland has been able to keep goodpeople under his administra-tion. He said Mitchell has beenno different than other entitiesin handling comp claims.

“The reality is they’re in anadversarial system and handlecomp cases like everyone elsedoes,” Falsani said. “If theyhad an insurance companyhandling their claims they’dprobably be a lot worse.”

At the screening Mitchellwas also accused of not treat-ing employees with respect incontract negotiations. He saidhe wasn’t even involved inthem, that Attorney SteveFecker is hired by the countyto conduct negotiations.

Health care shortcomings,especially for single employ-ees, were also addressed, butMitchell said he has been astrong advocate for healthcare. He said he does not dic-tate policy to the board ofcommissioners, who makethose decisions. He said he is

actually one of those countyemployees who faces high sin-gle coverage premiums.

“I have it, I like it, and I’dlike to keep it,” Mitchell said.

It wasn’t all bad forMitchell from county employ-ees. AFSCME Co. 5 NorthernDirector Mary Theurer saidthat in her 20 years as a unionrep. Mitchell has always calledher back immediately on aproblem. “I may not alwaysagree (with his answer), but healways calls back,” she said.

Theurer also credited Mit-chell with helping make thecounty the first in Minnesotalast December to partner withAFSCME and 420 licensedchild care providers who haveaffiliated with the union.Mitchell cleared the way forthe vote by commissioners,which passed 6 to 1, with onlyDennis Fink, who is beingopposed by Central Bodyendorsed Frank Jewell, votingno. The county regulates child

care providers.While many delegates who

are county employees or repre-sent them wanted to holdMitchell accountable for theircontract negotiations, healthcare coverage, and compissues, other delegates saidcontentious relationships onthose issues are ones that allworkers and unions have withowners and management.

Theurer disagreed. “Thecounty does have a chance towork with their employees in afair manner, regardless of howother employers do it.”

AFSCME has made noendorsement in the race.

The Duluth Building &Construction Trades Councilvoted to endorse Mitchell’s re-election campaign on Sept. 19.President Craig Olson at theCentral Body meeting saidMinnesota has 87 counties andonly one, St. Louis County,has Project Labor Agreements,which are a direct result of

Mitchell’s leadership, whichstarted with the county jailyears ago.

After a night like Sept. 14in the county attorney’s race,Netland had no problem get-ting delegates to agree tobypass screenings in judicialraces.

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County Attorney Alan Mit-chell, never one to hide hisfeelings, was upset at someaccusations made at theCentral Body screenings.

Candidate Melanie Fordspent a lot time listeningduring screenings last week.