NC State A.F.L. – C.I.O.

Together, the NC State AFL-CIO and Central Labor Councils endorsed a total of 34 candidates with primary opposition in the May 6 election. Based on unofficial primary results, 79% of our candidates won their primary election.

Nine candidates competed for statewide office, and of that group, 77% will advance to the general election November 4. The remaining 25 labor endorsed candidates competed for local or legislative office, and 80% won their primary.

In the race to be the Democratic nominee for Governor, in which we made no endorsement, Lt. Gov. Bev Perdue defeated Richard Moore 56% to 40%.

Our candidate for Lt. Governor, Hampton Dellinger, lost to Sen. Walter Dalton 34% to 46%.

One candidate, Mary Fant Donnan, will face a runoff election to be the Democratic candidate for Labor Commissioner. As of this writing, who her runoff opponent will be is too close to call.

James Wynn and Kristin Ruth, our candidates for the Court of Appeals, both advanced and will face Jewel Farlow and Sam Ervin IV, respectively, in November.

Congratulations to the Winners

These labor endorsed candidates won their primary (sorted by region, office):

Democracy North Carolina, a nonpartisan elections reform organization, called for an investigation of an automated phone message that it says is designed to depress participation by black voters in North Carolina’s May primary.

The Lie: The “robo” calls are from a “Lamont Williams” and tell voters to wait for a voter registration form to come in the mail, which they need to complete and mail in - THEN they can vote on Tuesday. Listen to the call: http://www.democracy-nc.org/nc/spprncall.wav

The Truth: anyone not already registered who wants to vote in the NC Primary can go to any One-Stop Early Voting location through Saturday, May 3, register to vote on the spot, and cast a ballot.

It is a Class I felony in North Carolina “to misrepresent the law to the public through mass mailing or any other means of communication where the intent and the effect is to intimidate or discourage potential voters from exercising their lawful right to vote.”

Said Bob Hall, Executive Director for Democracy NC:

“This is another in a long line of deceptive practices used in North Carolina and elsewhere that particularly target African-American voters. In our view, this phone message plainly violates North Carolina law. We ask the Attorney General, State Bureau of Investigation, and the State Board of Elections to investigate, expose, and prosecute the sponsors of these calls.”

Voter Protection Hotlines

If you believe you or someone you know is the victim of voter intimidation or interference, call toll-free to 888-OUR-VOTE or 866-OUR-VOTE or the State Board of Elections hotline: 866-522-4723.

You only have until Saturday to vote early by absentee ballot with no excuse. If you haven’t registered, you can - for the first time ever in North Carolina - take advantage of our state’s new same-day registration law. Same-day registration allows voters to register and immediately cast a ballot at any one-stop early voting location.

Same-Day registration is only available during Early Voting - not on Primary Day, May 6.

For One-Stop Early Voting locations in your area, visit the State Board of Elections online or call (919) 733-7173 to get the number for your county board of elections.

The Southern Piedmont Central Labor Council is organizing a special welcome party for Sen. John McCain as he makes a stop in North Carolina on Monday, May 5.

What: Union welcoming party for Sen. McCain

When: Monday, May 5, 2008 at 4:45 PM

Where: The Westin, 601 South College St, Charlotte NC

Download the flyer for this event.

For more information contact CLC President Will Cashion at 704-953-3033.

2008 will surely be the most expensive election in history, and political parties at every level will need to raise and spend vast sums of money to secure victories in November.

But when Theresa Kostrzewa, contract lobbyist for Smithfield Foods and Smithfield Packing, came with check in hand, the NC Democratic Party said, “Thanks but no thanks.”

In typical fashion for a company that profits from the abuse of their workers, Smithfield responded with threats and intimidation. Well the NCDP is apparently not to be cowed by Smithfield.

Party Chair Jerry Meek wrote a scathing indictment of Smithfield and the company’s history of law breaking, union busting, and malicious corporate behavior. You can view the letter in PDF here.

The Colombia Free Trade Agreement (FTA) represents a continuation of the Bush administration’s failed trade policies, an agenda that has contributed to the loss of more than 3 million manufacturing jobs since 2000, skyrocketing trade deficits and shrinking paychecks.

The Columbia deal was drafted and signed by the Bush administration before the expiration last summer of its “fast-track” trade authority - authority that required the House and Senate to vote up or down without amendments on trade agreements within 90 days of their being introduced to the Congress, which the President did last week.

Unable to amend the language of the Columbia FTA, the Democratic controlled House voted to change House rules and eliminated the deadline, without which this dangerous “free trade” agreement hopefully will just die in the Congress.

How did your Congressman / Congresswoman vote on the rule change?

Colombia remains the most dangerous country in the world for union members–39 trade unionists were murdered in 2007 and another 17 to date in 2008. Of the more than 2,500 murders of trade unionists since 1986, only some 70 cases–about 3 percent–have resulted in convictions.

Balanced trade agreements must guarantee the right to organize, lift the lives of workers in both countries and prevent exploitation. But this can’t happen in a country where workers who try to organize are killed.

Sen. John McCain has a long history of supporting the kind of trade deals like the Columbia FTA that have devastated our economy and sent our jobs overseas. He continues to proclaim his support for new trade agreements despite evidence of how harmful agreements like NAFTA and CAFTA have been. He supported allowing China to enter the WTO despite its horrible worker safety and product safety record, exposing our children to toxic toys and our families to contaminated food. McCain has added insult to injury by voting against measures intended to help stem the flow of jobs lost due to these agreements.

Sen. McCain has not protected workers from the ill-effects of these trade agreements:

McCain Supported President Bush’s Outsourcing Efforts. McCain voted to allow overseas outsourcing of government contracts after President Bush’s economic advisers released a report saying America should outsource its jobs. [S.1637, Vote #32, 3/4/04]

McCain Voted Against Limiting Tax Breaks to Companies That Re-Import Foreign Manufactured Goods. He voted against a bill to tax multinational companies on income from foreign factories when goods are shipped back to the United States and to require companies to notify employees and give a reason before they move their jobs overseas. [S.1637, Vote #83, 5/5/04]

McCain Supported Waiving and Weakening Buy American Laws. McCain voted to allow the Secretary of Defense to waive Buy American laws for defense systems and place our defense manufacturing industry in jeopardy. He also voted to exempt defense goods from six European countries from Buy American requirements that traditionally have required most military equipment and defense systems to be manufactured in the United States. [S. 2400, Vote #135, 6/22/04; S. 1050, Vote #191, 5/21/03]

McCain Voted to Allow Unsafe Foreign Trucks on U.S. Roads. McCain voted against an amendment to prohibit Mexican trucks from operating beyond a limited border zone because they are not held to the same safety standards as U.S. trucks. [H.R. 2299, Vote #252, 7/26/01]

McCain Abstained from Voting to Protect Steel Jobs. McCain abstained from a vote to filibuster a bill to protect steelworker jobs from illegal dumping after 10,000 steelworkers lost their jobs. [H.R. 975, Vote #178, 6/22/99]

McCain Voted Against Providing Health Insurance for Employees and Retirees of Bankrupt Steel Companies. McCain voted against a measure that provided temporary health insurance assistance to retirees of bankrupt steel companies. [S.Amdt. 3433, Vote #117, 5/21/02]

Starting Thursday, April 17, North Carolinians can vote early by absentee ballot with no excuse. Simply go to any one-stop early voting location in your county between April 17 and May 3 to cast your ballot.

Would be voters that missed the April 11 deadline to register to vote on May 6th can - for the first time ever in North Carolina - take advantage of our state’s new same-day registration law. Same-day registration allows voters to register and immediately cast a ballot at any one-stop early voting location.

For One-Stop Early Voting locations in your area, visit the State Board of Elections online at www.sboe.state.nc.us or call (919) 733-7173 to get the number for your county board of elections.

Union members know too well what it means to not have a friend of workers in the White House. The last thing working families need out of this presidential election year is more of the same.

The AFL-CIO has launched the “McCain Revealed” campaign, an effort to expose Sen. John McCain’s record and his allegiance to the failed policies of President George W. Bush.

The intent of the campaign is to inform voters that McCain is no “moderate” or “maverick,” but a Bush McClone when it comes to jobs, trade, Social Security privatization, health care and other vital working family issues.

The biggest misconception union members have about John McCain is that he is some sort of moderate….But the reality is he does not have a moderate record when it comes to Social Security. He does not have a moderate record when it
comes to trade. He does not have a moderate record when it comes to the minimum wage. He does not have a moderate record when it comes to the freedom to join unions. People need to know that and we’re going to let them know. — New Hampshire AFL-CIO President Mark MacKenzie

Research candidate McCain at www.mccainrevealed.com

The state federation has developed a strategic plan that includes hands-on support for central labor councils, APRI and the Alliance for Retired Americans.

We have conducted two very successful trainings for Labor 2008 political coordinators. At the meetings in Charlotte and in Fayetteville, President Andrews and Secretary-Treasurer McMillan facilitated the discussion and got commitments from local leaders on a number of action points.

Special thanks to Southern Piedmont CLC president Will Cashion, Greater Sandhills CLC president Tony McKinnon and area labor leaders.

In addition to the regional political coordinator trainings, the North Carolina State AFL-CIO is sponsoring a one day training session on the national AFL-CIO economic education effort called “An Economy that Works for All.” This training is intended for political coordinators, legislative chairs and union staff who, after going through the training, will be able and willing to deliver the presentation to their local union and other unions in the area. This training session will take place at our state office on Thursday, Feb.28, 2008.

Also, to support Labor 2008 and other important programs, we are working to re-build central labor councils around the state. This work includes some financial assistance to staff some of the program work in each area.

Already we can report the Southeastern CLC in Wilmington is now re-building its membership base with the help of the North Carolina State AFL-CIO and has just elected new officers.

As of this writing, the following local unions and central labor councils have made donations to the NC State AFL-CIO Victory Fund:

• AFGE 1738
• AFT of NC
• APWU 984
• ATU 128
• BCTGM 229
• Triangle Labor Council
• IAFF 682 of Winston-Salem
• IAMAW 1859
• IAMAW 2296
• IAMAW 2297
• IAMAW 757
• IAMAW NC Council
• IAMAW W369
• IBT 391
• ILA 1426

The State Federation exists in part to coordinate a unified political effort among our member unions and state councils. 2008 will see elections in North Carolina for the U.S. president, U.S. House and Senate plus N.C. governor, lieutenant governor, council of state, state legislature, and others. The Victory Fund was established so that members could make donations to offset the considerable additional expenses involved in mounting an effective Labor 2008 strategy.

Money donated to this fund will not be used to communicate with the general public or as contributions to candidates.

For more information about how your local union or council can join the Victory Fund drive, contact our office at 919-833-6678.

A successful Labor 2008 campaign will depend on having trained political coordinators working for victory at the local union level. Political Coordinators (PCs) play an essential role in fulfilling the mission of your State Federation to build and carry out a unified political campaign that advocates for working families in the election of all state level candidates.

PCs are the first point of contact between your membership and the State Federation on political issue education, material distribution, and member mobilization.

The NC State AFL-CIO will be holding PC training sessions this January:

• Southern Piedmont CLC meeting and PC training
  • 6:30 PM on Thursday, January 24 at
    IAMAW 1725 union hall
    3100-C Piper Lane, Charlotte, NC
• Fayetteville
  • 6:30 PM on Thursday, January 31 at USW 959 union hall
    280 McCloskey Rd, Fayetteville, NC

Last week we told you about the veto by President Bush of the bill that would reauthorize the State Children’s Health Insurance Program and expand its coverage to include 4 million more children of families that make too little to buy their own insurance.

This week we’ve launched a letter writing campaign through our web site so our members can join in the discussion of the Bush veto, which has sparked heated debate in local newspapers across our state and around the country.

The NC State AFL-CIO lobbied against funding the expansion of SCHIP on the backs of tobacco workers and their jobs through an increase in the federal tobacco excise tax. We lost that debate.

Even so, we believe that the reauthorization of SCHIP for the over 110,000 kids in NC who depend on it for their basic health care needs is too important not to support the legislation now before the Congress. Their health and the health of tens of thousands of other children still without coverage in our state depend on an override of Bush’s callous veto.

We urge those of you reading this e-mail to go to http://www.unionvoice.org/campaign/schip_veto_letters/ and use the form to send your own letter to the editor in support of the State Children’s Health Insurance Program.

At the letter writing campaign web site, we’ve provided a list of talking points you can use to help get you started. Letters only have to be 250 words or less. When you provide your zip code, our system will pull up a list of local newspapers in circulation in your area. You can choose to send your letter to one or to all of them.

The veto of SCHIP renewal means 6.6 million children of low-income families will lose their health care when funding expires on November 16 unless the Congress acts quickly to override. An additional 4 million children from low-middle income families that would have gained coverage will continue to go without any health insurance.

It takes a two-thirds majority to override a veto, but the 265 to 159 House vote falls about 25 votes short of what is needed.

An override will almost certainly count on two North Carolina Democrats who voted against SCHIP renewal - Rep. Bob Etheridge of the 2nd Congressional District and Rep. Mike McIntyre of the 7th CD.

President George W. Bush wielded his veto power Wednesday - only the 4th time during his presidency - to deny renewal of the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP).

The veto of SCHIP renewal means 6.6 million children of low-income families will lose their health care when funding expires on November 16 unless the Congress acts quickly to override. An additional 4 million children from low-middle income families that would have gained coverage will continue to go without any health insurance.

It takes a two-thirds majority to override a veto, and the 67 to 29 Senate vote to approve children health bill is expected to hold up. But the 265 to 159 House vote fails about 25 votes short of what is needed to override the veto.

An override will almost certainly count on two North Carolina Democrats who voted against SCHIP renewal - Rep. Bob Etheridge of the 2nd Congressional District and Rep. Mike McIntyre of the 7th CD. The North Carolina State AFL-CIO calls on our members, friends, families, and allies to contact Etheridge and McIntyre and urge them to override Bush’s callous veto.

SCHIP renewal would have allocated an additional $7 billion a year over five years to cover children from families with gross incomes too high to qualify for medicaid but too low to afford private health insurance. Bush, Etheridge and McIntyre think that’s just too much cost to bare for 4 million more kids to have health care.

In related news, the Bush Administration has requested an additional $189 billion this year for the war in Iraq.

Call Bob Etheridge and Mike McIntyre and tell them get their priorities straight and to vote to override the President’s callous veto of SCHIP renewal. You can download this flyer with a toll-free number and talking points to use during your call.

Please Call:
1-866-544-7573
Ask to be connected to Etheridge and McIntyre’s offices

Many union members and allies of working families have their sights set on putting a friend of workers in the White House in 2008, but they don’t have to wait until then to exercise their strength at the ballot box. October 9, 2007 is Election Day in many cities and counties across our state.

Central Labor Councils, the local union movement of the AFL-CIO, have made endorsements for mayor, city council, county commissioner, and school board races in Durham, Wilmington, Charlotte, Greensboro, and elsewhere. Union members can request a list of endorsed candidates in their communities by contacting their Central Labor Council.

As Mike Okun likes to remind students at every Labor School, elected officials can make just about any law or policy they want as long as they don’t violate the Constitution. If we want worker friendly policy in our local communities, it is incumbent upon us to support worker friendly candidates on October 9th.