LEAP Conference Report.

March 16, 2004

Opening of the day.  During the course of the early group meeting Senator John Kerry called the Conference to thank the Boilermakers there for raising over $5,000.00 towards the Kerry for President campaign.  Also Senator Gephaart was a guest speaker shortly before our Washington State delegates had to leave for meetings.  At the Congressional reception the Washington State delegates had a photo opportunity with President Jones.  None of the Congressional delegates from Washington were able to attend as the Congress was in a late session and the Senators were home with a week off.

Meetings report:

Senator Patty Murray's Labor Rep, William Kamela, very productive. Sen., Murray has been a good supporter on labor issues and all of the Washington delegation except Bruce and Skip was in attendance.  (Local 290, 104 and 502)  We all expressed our appreciation for the work the Senator has done in supporting union labor in her state.  Key issue's of the Asbestos bill was discussed and we learned that the Senator Murray is supporting the fight to get victims their due compensation as well as heading up the campaign in the Senate to put a complete ban on all Asbestos in the USA.  This to be announced in the coming week or so.  Sen., Murray has strongly opposed the 40 hour work week sponsored by the President and was a co-sponsor of the Haerkin Amendment to protect overtime rights for workers.  On the Energy bill we brought forward the point of the unfinished cogeneration plants due to the Enron scandal in response to the cost of power for smelters and reasons why they are closing.  The energy bill in a narrow way would help get the funds for the completion of those projects as well as sponsoring clean coal plants such as the one in Alaska that coast $7 million a year to let sit not running.  We offered our opposition to deregulating power companies as it would drive the price of power ski high.   In every aspect I felt well herd by Staff Director William Kamela and feel we will see good things come from Senator Murray that will strengthen our state and union labor.

Senator Maria Cantwell's Liaison Jennifer Brooks.  We felt also on the meeting that we were well received and asked Jennifer to convey our thanks for the Senator's stand on issues that affect union labor.  Local 502 and 242 delegates spoke with Jennifer on the issues and was reassured that Senator Cantwell will continue to back union labor and strive to see that issues affecting Job, Asbestos and the Energy bill will be dealt with on that same lines as she has in the past.  Her aid did not know much about these two areas of concern but we have contact information to bend the ears of the right people in the Senator's office.

Representative George Nethercutt.  This was not a productive meeting.  Delegates from 502 and 242 were disappointed to learn of the Congressman's view on the 40 hour work week policies of the President.  Meeting with the Congressman himself he sided with the president on this issue but back stepped on the effects it would have on over all jobs not just those affecting administrative jobs of  $60,000.00 and year and up who as he clams it is targeted for.  We expressed our strong opposition to this legislation and urged him to consider our view point.  He attempted to side line the topics we wanted to bring to the meeting and talk rather on the logging industry witch he supports.  He stated he was for fare trade not free trade as it is killing our fruit growers back home and was supporting to a small degree the energy bill.  But after server side lining attempts to keep us off our issues and on his, we ended the meeting feeling that we did not have a very strong supporter for union labor and their interests.

Representative Norman Dicks Labor liaison.  A short but sweet meeting as we (Delegates from 502,290 and 104) met with him.  Congressman Dicks has continued his support in union labor issues and like both Senators Murray and Cantwell will continue to sponsor and support the legislation that is good for all union crafts as a hole.

Representative Doc Hastings's Legislative Assistant Jennifer Spurgat.  A somewhat disappointing meeting as delegates from 502 met with Jennifer learning of Congressman Hastings support of the 40 hour work week legislation.  For the same reasons as Congressman Nethercutt gave.  She was not very familiar with some of the other issues in regards to Asbestos, but was a strong supporter of the Energy bill.  We expressed our concerns on the deregulation of power and our supporting the clean coal initiative.  We also was joined briefly by the Congressman but to only check his schedule and hardly acknowledged our presence in the room, not even stopping long enough for introductions.  All in all we felt avoided on some issues and by the Congressman all together.

Alaska's Senator Lisa Murkowski.  I my self did not attend this meeting but Bruce and Skip did.  The overall report I got from them was they were well received.  Although the Senator does not feel the 40 hour work week legislation will affect the people in Alaska, our delegates concluded to her on that issue that the Boilermakers are opposed to it.  She was reported to be avoidant on the Asbestos issue and agreed on the Energy bill and the clean coal initiative.  Skip put his plug in for the clean coal plant that was built in Alaska and how it never was given a chance.  In urging the Senator to keep it in mind in regards to how it being up and running will benefit Alaskan's.

March 17.2004

Meeting report:

Congressman Rick Larson.  Delegates from 502,104 and 290 met with the congressman to discussed the issues of Department of Defense Personal Systems Legislation.  This legislation is having an immediate effect of the union ship yard civil service workers for our brothers working out of local 290 in Bremerton.  The congressman was aware of the poor position this legislation has put our brothers in 290.  This legislation in it's basic form strips the rights from our union members by giving them no bargaining power or right to due process under union regulations.  It takes their right for grievances away ect.  The congressman and others has opposed the presidents stand on using the home land security act to brake up unions in government.  At present, only an executive order will be able to put a stop to the travesty of our brothers right.  On other  issues the congressman has also been a strong supporter of union labor and assured us that he will continue to do all in his power to thwart all attempts made by the president and his constituents as much as possible.  After the meeting we had a brief photo session and thanked the congressman for all his hard work and support.

March 18,2004

Meetings Report: Delegates in attendance Local 502,104,290 and 242.

Congressman Adam Smiths Liaison for Labor.  We were unable to meet directly with the congressman as he was home sick.  We met with Milt Reimers and was able to review all the issues of Labor (i.e. no over time), Asbestos, Energy, Free Trade Act and DOD.  As we were aware of the congressman has been very supportive on all issues affecting labor and has been a very strong supporter of protecting our rights as union labor.  We had a good meeting.  Milt was very up to speed on all the issues and said he would convey our gratitude to the congressman for all he has done to support union labor and workers rights.

Congressman Brian Baird.  We had a very enjoyable meeting with the congressman over all the issues we brought to the table.  Once again we were meeting with a strong supporter for labor.  The congressman shared the same concerns about the DOD legislation and also on the Energy bill and conveyed some very interesting facts about how the Vice President refused to step in and stop power companies as they increased rates 100% telling congressman Baird and Inslee they did not under stand economics.  Once again the White House has shown their true colors when it comes to the best interests of the people in this nation.  We thanked the congressman for his support and hard work and took a few moment for photo's.

Congressman Jay Inslee.  We concluded the days meeting with visiting congressman Inslee.  We thanked him for his tremendous support in the labor issues.  He was very well versed on all matters we presented to him.  The meeting was short as the congressman had one other meeting and had to return to the house floor.  He too recited the same story about the meeting with the Vice President in regards to the 100% power rate hicks and assured us he would continue to work agents the current Presidential regime as long as they attempted to strip basic right and standards from our nations workers and serviceman in the armed forces.

Conclusion:

In the three days of meetings with congressman, their aid and senators aids.  We the delegates of 502 feel that for the majority we were herd and supported.  As is in every situation there is a few rotten apples in the barrel that will need to be weeded out.  In regards to the issues most of them stood the same ground supporting union labor on all fronts, rights, pay for hours worked, jobs, compensation for asbestos and trade.  There is not much at this point that can be done to reverse the damage our brothers in local 290 are going through but they know that they are supported by us all.  After all what is happening to them may soon happen to us if the leadership in the White House is not changed this November.  I can not stress enough the importance of getting out and voting this November.  If things do not change we could see the same things take place with our local as 290 is experiencing this very moment.  Every Boilermaker and their family needs to vote and spread the word that to allow this type of leadership to continue into another term would damage our union so severely that we may never recover from it.  I do not know about any of you but, I am not going to start over again some place other than Boilermaking after what I have already invested into my career.  ARE YOU!     GET OUT, GET INVOLVED AND VOTE!

Thank you,

Richard T. Jones

LEAP Chairman Local 502