7-21-22 LT Version 2

VOLUME 85 No. 51

Thursday, July 21-27, 2022

What’s Inside

85

YEARS

Working moms suffer in RTW states

‘RTW’

Raising its ugly head in Missouri yet again

When Mom has to work, she does not fare well where RTW is the law THIRD IN A SERIES

Inflation facts and myths

Page 3

By ED FINKELSTEIN Publisher In today’s world, especially in families that don’t have the wage and benefit protections of a union contract, it’s often a necessity that mothers take a job in order to make ends meet. When that happens in a so-called “right-to-work (for less)” state, tragically, working moms suffer.

When you realize that today, women make up almost half of the workforce, and 68 percent of them

Navajo dance troupe at Gene Slay’s Girls and Boys Club Page 4

Biden acts to save pensions

Tharp sworn in as senator

Page 7

Page 13

are working mothers with children under 18, having the phony RTW law is a serious detriment to the mothers and their families.

A new 2022 study from Wallet Hub, using 17 different metrics in three key areas – Child Care, Professional Opportunities and Work-Life Balance – based on the top 25 “best” and the bottom 25 “worst” states for working mothers, shows, again, why RTW has nothing good to offer workers, in this case, working moms.

WORST STATES • WITH RTW: 20 of the “worst” 25 states – 80percent – are RTW states where support for working mothers is the lowest.

• WITHOUT RTW: Only five of the “worst” 25 states – 20 percent – with NO RTW law are in the worst half of all states in support for working mothers.

Periodicals Publication

Rank 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25

State Total Score Massachusetts 74.61 Minnesota 72.55 New York 72.26 Hawaii 71.66 Vermont 70.08 Maryland 67.92 Iowa 67.77 Washington 67.35 Rhode Island 67.31 Connecticut 66.93 Maine 66.48 Wisconsin 65.98 Delaware 65.46 New Jersey 63.1 Illinois 61.33 California 61.24 Virginia 60.5 Oregon 59.12 Michigan 8.36 New Hampshire 8.28 North Dakota 58.14 Colorado 58.04 Nebraska 55.55 South Dakota 54.84 Pennsylvania 54.79

Rank State Total Score 26 Florida 54.68 27 4 Montana 54.66 28 Kentucky 53.73 29 Tennessee 53.72 30 North Carolina 52.04 31 Ohio 50.89 32 Arizona 50.69 33 Utah 49.29 34 Nevada 49 35 Indiana 48.56 36 New Mexico 47.97 37 Wyoming 46.91 38 West Virginia 46.6 39 Kansas 45.96 40 Missouri 45.55 41 Alaska 44.95 42 4 Georgia 43.34 43 Texas 42.52 44 Idaho 41.61 45 Mississippi 38.44 46 Louisiana 38.26 47 South Carolina 37.35 48 Arkansas 35.29 49 Alabama 35.28 50 Oklahoma 34.53

Right To Work States Highlighted In Yellow

See RTW MOMS page 15

Local 562 ‘angels’ lead team upgrading home St. Louis County – Four volunteers from Plumbers and Pipefitters Local 562, plus Integrated Facility Services (IFS) and the Murphy Company, donated labor and materials to assist a disabled homeowner in St. Louis County on July 9.

The commitment was inspired by the success of a long-standing home repair program of the Housing Partnership in Lemay, a non-profit community development corporation in its 25th year of providing residential development services, home-buying assistance and home repair for low-to-moderate-income citizens.

The home repair program helps those with limited incomes keep their homes in good, livable condition and stabilizes the neighborhoods in which they live.

Volunteering their time and expertise were Local 562 members Josh Temple with IFS, an HVAC contractor in Fenton, and Tom Madden, Riley Baumer, and Brett Thuet, all employed by Murphy Co., a regional construction company and mechanical contractor from Olivette.

The Housing Partnership coordinated the effort with Local 562 to help Sue Thompson, a disabled

Best and worst states for women

WORST

Page 2

BEST

Gunby: We CAN beat Wall Street

Union backers taste some support at a Starbucks shop

VOLUNTEERS – from left to right are Josh Temple of Integrated Facility Service, Tom Madden of Murphy Co., homeowner Sue Thompson, and Brett Thuet and Riley Baumer, both of Murphy Co. and Plumbers and Pipefitters Local 562.

homeowner who lives in south St. Louis County.

‘THESE GUYS ARE ANGELS!’ Thompson was delighted by the timely project. “This a blessing that means that I can stay independent in my home as I age,” she said. “I am on disability and could never afford this work. Plumbing is such a huge part of home ownership, and I have asthma and must live in as clean of an environment as I possibly can.

These guys are angels!”

It was the third volunteer initiaSee HOME REPAIR page 14

Follow Us labortribune.com facebook.com/labortribune twitter.com/STLLaborTribune linkedin.com/company/st-louissouthern-illinois-labor-tribune News: (314) 535-9660

STATE REP. BRIDGET WALSH MOORE (second from left) joins other union supporters at the Starbucks in Richmond Heights. From left are Tegan Bouchard of Democratic Socialists of America (DSA); (Moore); Matt Bernico, a United Media Guild member and Service Employees activist; Chris Ottolino of the DSA, and Ellie Gund, a member of Teachers Local 420.

– Labor Tribune photo

By KEVIN MADDEN Correspondent Richmond Heights – More than 50 Labor and community supporters gathered July 11 at a “Solidarity Sip-In” to support employees voting for a union at the Starbucks on Dale Avenue at Hanley Road.

Ballots were mailed the same day to the homes of the 24 eligible employees at the coffee shop.

“We’re pretty confident we’ve got the votes to win this,” barista Sarah Weitzel said.

Supporters packing the Starbucks ordered their coffee and other drinks under the names, “Union Yes” and “Union Strong.”

The two-hour event was organized by Workers United, an affiliate of the Service Employees InternaSee STARBUCKS SIP-IN page 14

Members of the following unions and councils see page 5 for changes in your notices ILLINOIS

• Southwestern Illinois Central Labor Council

MISSOURI

• St. Louis Labor Council

2 • LABOR TRIBUNE • Thursday, July 21-27, 2022

We CAN beat Wall Street in District 2

By TRISH GUNBY Candidate Mo. 2nd Congressional District If the pandemic has taught us anything, it’s that workers are worth more. Yet throughout 2020 and 2021, we’ve watched corporate boards celebrate record profits with unethical stock buybacks and bloated executive bonuses – all while the average worker’s dollar became less and less valuable.

As the saying goes, “Record profits are stolen wages,” and if it were up to politicians like Rep. Ann Wagner, Wall Street’s greed would know no boundaries.

Going up against Wall Street is like going to the casino – the house usually wins. In fact, if you look at the donations that corporations make to political candidates, you might assume they own the House of Representatives.

GUNBY

‘LOOKING TO BUY HER VOTE’ In the 10 years since Ann Wagner made it to Congress, she’s received millions of dollars from big banks, predatory lenders, insurance companies, and real estate firms all looking to buy her vote. Meanwhile, the costs of raising a family, buying a house, and paying for health care have all risen astronomically for the rest of us.

Simply put, if Ann Wagner is “Wall Street’s Biggest Supporter,” she can’t be ours –even though it’s our tax dollars that pay her salary.

But I believe we have a chance to beat both Wagner and her Wall Street donors this November in Missouri’s 2nd Congressional District.

LABOR: STRENGTH IN NUMBERS Unlike the super-wealthy, everyday people possess strength in numbers, and no movement better harnesses their power than Organized Labor.

Here’s a plan to deal with guns

By WILLIAM ENYART

We know the litany. Columbine.

Marjorie Stoneman Douglas High School. Sandy ENYART Hook Elementary School. Las Vegas. Uvalde. And now Highland Park, Ill. and the I’ve witnessed it on strike lines Fourth of July parade. The deadly in St. James and Wentzville with count grows.

Teamsters Local 618 and UAW LoThe Second Amendment consists cal 2250, felt it on election nights of the following 27 words, 33 with UFCW Local 655, and seen words less than the estimatits future at coffee ed number of bullets shops represented fired in a few seconds

by Workers United at the Highland Park throughout the St. parade, killing six and Louis area. wounding 40 or more: Together, I firm“A well regulated ly believe we can Militia, being necesflip the district and Views from Near and Far sary to the security of send a message that a free State, the right this district belongs to workers, not of the people to keep and bear Arms, sell-outs like Wagner who voted shall not be infringed.” against the Bipartisan InfrastrucNowhere in this amendment ture Law and brought home $0 in does it state that people may carry federal projects this year. firearms to defend themselves. It does state that “the right of the HOW TO DO IT people to keep and bear Arms, shall How do we do it? The same way not be infringed” – because a “well you helped me flip my current state regulated Militia” is “necessary to House seat in 2019 – by meeting vot- the security of a free State.” ers on their doorsteps.

MAGIC INTERPRETATION Back then, Labor drove from St. Charles County, Franklin County, The same Supreme Court that Warren County, even Jackson found there is no federal constituCounty (near Kansas City) to can- tional right to privacy for women vass with my team, and we took because it doesn’t appear in the back a district previously held by Constitution magically finds a right a fierce “right-to-work” advocate. to carry firearms for self-protecIf we want to keep fueling Labor’s tion, even though the Constitution national resurgence, we have to clearly states it is as part of a “wellstart by protecting our home turf regulated militia” with no mention from folks who have chosen the of “self-protection.” wealthy over the working.

Since the conservative activist Help me beat Ann Wagner, and justices all believe in “originalism” we’ll all enjoy a victory over Wall – that the Constitution means what it Street. meant when adopted in 1787 – we need (Trish Gunby is a Democratic to consider what “well regulated micandidate for the U.S. House in litia” meant in 1787. Let us consider MO-02 and the current state repre- Virginia’s militia statute of 1775: sentative for Missouri’s 99th House “Be it enacted by the General AsDistrict. For more information on sembly, That all free male persons, her campaign, go online to www. hired servants, and apprentices, trishgunby.com or to team@trish- between the ages of sixteen and gunby.com. The Labor Movement fifty years (exceptions from militia has not yet made an endorsement in service) shall, by the commanding this race. The incumbent is Republi- officer of the county in which they can Ann Wagner.) reside, be enrolled or formed into

Guest

Opinions

companies of not less than thirty two, nor more than sixty eight, rank and file, and these companies shall again be formed into battalions …The free mulattoes in the said companies or battalions shall be employed as drummers, fifers, or pioneers.

“There shall be a private muster of every company once in every month, except the months of January and February, at such convenient time and place as the captain, or next commanding officer, shall appoint, and a general muster in each county, on some day in the months of April and October, in every year.

“Every officer and soldier shall appear at his respective muster-field by eleven o’clock in the forenoon, armed or accoutred as follows: The county lieutenant, colonels, lieutenant colonels, and major, with a sword; every captain and lieutenant with a firelock and bayonet, a cartouch box, a sword, and three charges of powder and ball; every ensign with a sword; every non-commissioned officer and private with a rifle and tomahawk, or good firelock and bayonet, with a pouch and horn, or a cartouch or cartridge box, and with three charges of powder and ball; and, moreover, each of the said officers and soldiers shall constantly keep one pound of powder and four pounds of ball, to be produced whenever called for by his commanding officer.”

NOT OPPOSED TO GUNS

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not a gun-hater. I don’t believe in banning guns for all but the police and the military. I grew up with guns. I got my first shotgun at 12 years of age.

I own guns today.

I keep them safely locked up. I don’t feel the need to carry one in public.

I haven’t carried one in public since the last time I was on duty in Kabul.

After serving on active duty, I spent nearly 30 years in that wellregulated militia more commonly known as the Army National Guard and, courtesy of Uncle Sam, I got to visit some places where it was necessary for me to very publicly carry a loaded, military-grade firearm for self-protection and the protection of fellow soldiers.

I’ve seen what those weapons do to human bodies. Thankfully I haven’t seen what they do to in-

nocent school children in the playgrounds of America. No one should have to see that. And no child should have to suffer that.

WE MUST START SOMEWHERE I’m not naïve enough to believe we can eliminate AR 15s and their kin from the streets and schoolyards of our nation and even if we did there would still be gun deaths.

But we can start somewhere.

• We can adopt some commonsense gun laws. We can demand that legislators stand up to the death profiteering gun lobby and pass legislation that will withstand the intense scrutiny of an activist Supreme Court.

• We can ban the import of AR 15 and similar weapons immediately, ban sales of such weapons effective immediately with a government buyback from retailers at their cost, and a voluntary buyback at cost from gun owners.

• Gun owners would be allowed to retain ownership and possession of lawfully purchased weapons but not allowed to transfer them other than to a government buyback program or to a licensed gun dealer who could accept them in trade on other firearms as part of the buyback program.

All weapons bought back by the government would be destroyed.

• All firearm magazines with a capacity of more than seven rounds would be banned and destroyed.

Larger capacity magazines could be exchanged free for sevenround magazines at licensed firearm dealers.

• Gun manufacturers’ special exemption from lawsuits – an exemption not granted to any other product – would be immediately repealed.

A WAY TO PAY FOR IT A tax would be imposed on .223 or 5.56 mm ammunition and all handgun ammunition, with the exception of .22 caliber, which would fund the firearm buyback and magazine trade-in programs.

An additional tax would be imposed on .223 and 5.56 ammunition and handgun ammunition other than .22 caliber to fund medical and other expenses for persons wounded or killed in shootings determined not to be their fault. I exclude .22 caliber ammunition as it is a sporting round and seldom used in gun violence.

For any Second Amendment absolutist who rejects the above proposal, I expect you to appear on the first Saturday of each month on the village green with rifle, tomahawk, pouch and horn and three charges of powder and ball.

Failure to do so will subject you to forfeiture of five shillings pursuant to an Act regulating and discipling the militia (1775 Commonwealth of Virginia). Close order drill will be conducted by the black-robed and bewigged Supreme Court justices who believe we live in the 18th century.

(William Enyart of Belleville, a former UAW Local 145 member, was a U.S. congressman for Illinois’ 12th District, an Air Force general and Adjutant General of Illinois.)

LABOR TRIBUNE • Thursday, July 21-27, 2022 • 3

Inflation fact: It’s not because of wage growth

With the issue of inflation raising prices that impact all working families, some popular reasons for it gaining traction have not been grounded in the data.

Economic Policy Institute research sets the record straight on the causes of inflation – and how policymakers can best restrain it.

Here’s debunking of the top five inflation myths: • MYTH #1: Workers’ wage growth is driving inflation. Nominal wage growth – while faster relative to the recent past – has lagged far behind inflation, meaning that labor costs have been dampening, not amplifying, inflationary pressures all along.

• MYTH #2: Corporate profits are not contributing to inflation. In fact, fatter corporate profit margins drove over half of the increase in prices in the non-financial corporate sector between the second quarter of 2020 and the end of 2021. This is not normal. From 1979 to 2019, profits contributed only about 11 percent to price growth. Ignoring the role of profits makes inflation analyses a lot weaker.

• MYTH #3: Federal relief and recovery measures overheated the economy and fed inflation. Evidence from the past 40 years suggests strongly that profit margins should shrink and the share of corporate income going to labor compensation should rise as unemployment falls and the economy heats up. But the exact opposite pattern has happened so

Illinois Labor cookout Aug. 16 in Springfield

Springfield IL – The Illinois AFL-CIO will host a Vote Yes for Workers Rights Cookout from 4 to 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 16 to celebrate union members and working families during the week of the Illinois State Fair.

The cookout will take place at the Illinois AFL-CIO, 534 S. 2nd Street, Springfield, and will feature special guests and guest speakers.

Donations to “Vote YES for Workers Rights” are welcome.

Those planning to attend should send an RSVP to the same address.

far in the recovery – casting much doubt on inflation expectations rooted simply in claims of macroeconomic overheating. In short, the labor market is strong, but it’s not overheating.

• MYTH #4: Removing import tariffs would be a major tool to fight inflation. Tariffs were put in place far before early 2021, when inflation began rising, and eliminating tariffs could not significantly restrain it.

Further, removing tariffs would not be costless. Tariff removal could

result in job losses, plant closures, cancellations of planned investments, and further destabilization of the domestic manufacturing base, which would increase domestic dependence on unstable import supply chains.

• MYTH #5: Investments in child and elder care would accelerate inflation. In fact, investments in child and elder care could help restrain inflationary pressures. By subsidizing families’ use of child and elder care, such investments could boost

future labor supply by allowing parents or elders’ caregivers to look for paid employment while remaining confident their family members are receiving care.

(The Economic Policy Institute (EPI) is a nonprofit, nonpartisan

think tank that focuses on the economic interests of workers in research and policy debates in the United States. EPI is widely recognized for its authoritative analyses of economic inequality and is a key institution in the movement for economic justice.)

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4 • LABOR TRIBUNE • Thursday, July 21-27, 2022

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LABOR TRIBUNE STAFF

Ed Finkelstein Publisher ed@labortribune.com

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Gene Slay’s hosting Navajo troupe You’re invited July 28 If you want to see something you’ve never seen before – an award-winning native American dance troupe featuring a 90-plus year-old Navajo grandfather and his family – mark your calendar for 4 p.m., July 28 at Gene Slay’s Girls and Boys Club, 2524 S. 11th Street in St. Louis’ Soulard District.

In a fund-raiser for the club that serves almost 300 children daily, the “Jones Benally Family with Sihasin” will perform, featuring grandfather Jones Benally, his two children and four grandchildren.

“It’s a spectacular performance that’s really a once-in-a-lifetime event,” said Byron Clemens, Teachers Local 420 spokesman, who is a member of the extended family.

They will perform traditional native American dance, a special hoop dance by Benally and a rockand-roll dance (Sihasin) by two of the children.

Benally is a seven-time world champion hoop dancer and an authentic Medicine Man who still practices in Indian Health Service hospitals.

To add to the fun and excitement, adventurous adults and children will be invited to join the Navajo group in one of their dances.

The group is on a national tour, and Clemens invited them to come though St. Louis to perform at the Boys and Girls Club. They have danced here several times over the years to sell-out audiences.

The cost is a donation of $5 per person at the door (children are free) to help fund the club’s extensive summer program. Advance tickets will be available from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on July 22 at the Local 420

JONES BENALLY demonstrates a Navajo dance.

BENNALLY’S TWO CHILDREN and four grandchildren will perform.

office, 2710 Hampton.

Gene Slay’s Girls & Boys Club, in its 93rd year, is the oldest boys club in Missouri and is the only comprehensive youth development facility serving south St. Louis with yearround after-school programming

in athletics, academics, aquatics, character and citizenship building, plus healthy lifestyle living and the arts. The club also offers a full-time summer program for boys and girls.

The club currently serves more than 700 youth ages 6-16.

60+ years of handling workers’ compensation claims in Missouri & Illinois

Sheri Gassaway Correspondent sheri@labortribune.com

Dan Braun, Marketing Director Lynn Alpert, Graphic Designer/Production Manager Subscription Rates: Unions — 83¢ per member per issue; subscriptions paid from member dues.

Individuals — $75 per year (52 issues).

Companies — $150 per year (52 issues).

Subscribing Unions: Awning Tent & Decorators Local 39 • Boilermakers Local 27 • Boilermakers Local 363 • Bricklayers Local 1 • Cement Masons Local 527 • Elevator Constructors Local 3 • Glaziers’ Local 513 • Hoisting Engineers Local 513 • IBEW Local 1 • IBEW Local 309 • IBEW Local 649 • Insulators and Asbestos Workers 1 • Iron Workers Local 396 • Iron Workers Local 392• Laborers’ Local 42 • Laborers Local 110 • Locomotive Engineers & Trainmen Division 48 • Machinists’ District 9 • Machinists’ Lodge 41 • Machinists’ Lodge 313 • Machinists’ Lodge 660 • Machinists’ Lodge 688 • Machinists’ Lodge 777 • Machinists’ Lodge 822 • Machinists’ Lodge 1345 • Machinists’ Lodge 1745 • Machinists’ Lodge 1815 • Machinists’ Lodge 2782 • Mailers Local 3 • Meat Cutters Local 88 • Newspaper Guild/CWA Local 36047 • Operating Engineers Local 399 • Painters’ District Council #2 • Plumbers & Fitters Local 101 • Plumbers & Gas Fitters Local 360 • Plumbers and Pipefitters Local 160 • Plumbers and Pipefitters Local 562 • Plumbers Local 553 • Roofers Local 2 • Sheet Metal Workers Local 36 • Sheet Metal Workers Local 268 • Sprinkler Fitters & Apprentices Local 268 • St. Louis Theatrical Local 6 • Steamfitters Local 439 • UFCW Local 655 • United Steelworkers Local 9014 • USW Steelworkers 1899 • Utility Workers of America Local 335 Member: International Labor Communications Association Midwest Labor Press Association Illinois State Labor Press Association Periodicals Postage Paid at St. Louis, Missouri 63155 Postmaster: Send change of address to St. Louis/Southern Illinois Labor Tribune 505 S. Ewing, St. Louis, Mo. 63103

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LABOR TRIBUNE • Thursday, July 21-27, 2022 • 5 ing 40 more. Tom Mooney, a Labor organizer, and Warren Billings, a shoe worker, were convicted of the crime, but both were pardoned 23 years later.

This Week In

Labor History

JULY 23

www.unionist.com JULY 18

strike by 200,000 postal workers.

1883 – The Brotherhood of Telegraphers begins an unsuccessful three-week strike against the Western Union Telegraph Co. 1919 – Some 35,000 Chicago stockyard workers strike.

1969 – Hospital workers win 113day union recognition strike in Charleston, S.C.

JULY 19 1848 – Women’s Rights Convention opens in Seneca Falls, N.Y. Delegates adopt a Declaration of Women’s Rights and call for women’s suffrage.

1940 – The 1939 Hatch Act, a federal law whose main provision prohibits federal employees from engaging in partisan political activity, is amended to also cover state and local employees whose salaries include any federal funds.

JULY 20 1899 – New York City newsboys, many so poor that they were sleeping in the streets, begin a two-week strike. Several rallies drew more than 5,000 newsboys, complete with charismatic speeches by strike leader Kid Blink, who was blind in one eye. The boys had to pay publishers up front for the newspapers. They were successful in forcing the publishers to buy back unsold papers.

1934 – Two killed, 67 wounded in “Bloody Friday” Minneapolis truckers’ strike.

1971 – Postal unions, Postal Service sign first labor contract in the history of the federal government – the year following an unauthorized

JULY 21 1877 – Local militiamen are called out against striking railroad workers in Pittsburgh. The head of the Pennsylvania Railroad advises giving the strikers “a rifle diet for a few days and see how they like that kind of bread.”

1880 – Compressed air explosion kills 20 workers constructing railroad tunnel under the Hudson River.

1964 – IWW leads a strike at Hodgeman’s Blueberry Farm in Grand Junction, Mich.

1926 – Radio station WCFL, owned and operated by the Chicago Federation of Labor, takes to the airwaves with two hours of music.

The first and only labor-owned radio station in the country, WCFL was sold in 1979.

1984 – A die-cast operator in Jackson, Mich., is pinned by a hydraulic Unimate robot, dies five days later.

Incident is the first documented case in the U.S. of a robot killing a human.

JULY 22 1886 – Newly unionized brewery workers in San Francisco, mostly German socialists, declare victory after the city’s breweries give in to their demands for free beer, a closed shop, freedom to live anywhere (they had typically been required to live in the breweries), a 10-hour day, six-day week, and a board of arbitration.

1916 – A bomb was set off during a “Preparedness Day” parade in San Francisco, killing 10 and injur-

Notices

1892 – Anarchist Alexander Berkman shoots and stabs but fails to kill steel magnate Henry Clay Frick in an effort to avenge the Homestead massacre 18 days earlier, in which nine strikers were killed. Berkman also tried to use what was, in effect, a suicide bomb, but it didn’t detonate.

1913 – Northern Michigan copper miners strike for union recognition, higher wages and an eighthour day. By the time they threw in the towel the following April, 100 had been arrested on various charges and Western Federation of Miners President Charles Moyer had been shot, beaten and forced out of town.

1981 – Aluminum Workers International Union merges with the United Brick & Clay Workers of America to form Aluminum, Brick & Clay Workers.

(Compiled by David Prosten, founder Union Communication Services) Wednesday of each month at the training center, 13963 Route 37, Johnston City, Ill.

Steamfitters Local 439

Meets first Wednesday of each month, 7:30 p.m. in the Donald Bailey Building, 1220 Donald Bailey Dr., Caseyville, Ill. 62232-2061.

MISSOURI CENTRAL BODIES

Plumbers & Gasfitters Local 360

Union meetings are held at 7 p.m. on the 2nd Wednesday of each month at the Knights of Columbus Council 1712, One Columbus Plaza, Collinsville, IL 62234.

Plumbers and Pipefitters Local 101

Third Tuesday of each month at 7 p.m. in the Laborers’ Local 459 Hall, 100 N. 17th St., Belle­ville, Ill.

Union Meetings will be held on the 4th Wednesday of the month except December, which will be held on the 3rd Wednesday. The meetings will be held at the Local 101 Hall located at 8 Premier Drive in Belleville, IL 62220 at 7:30 p.m.

Greater Madison County Federation of Labor

Plumbers and Pipefitters Local 160

Southwestern Illinois Central Labor Council

Fourth Thursday at 7 p.m. at the Machinists Center, 161 N. Shamrock, East Alton.

Southwestern Illinois Building and Construction Trades Council

Third Wednesday of each month at 8 p.m., IBEW Local 309 Hall, 2000 Mall, Collinsville, Ill. Office Address: 2A Meadow Heights, Professional Park Collinsville, Ill. 62234.

BOARD OF BUSINESS AGENTS: Second Thursday of each month, 10 a.m. at IBEW Local 309 Hall.

Egyptian Building and Construction Trades Council

Second Wednesday, 10 a.m. (unless notified) at IBEW Local 702 at 106 N. Monroe St., West Frankfort, Ill.

LOCAL UNIONS Boilermakers Local 363

Meetings are the second Wednesday of each month at 8 p.m. at the union hall, 2358 Mascoutah Avenue, Belleville.

IBEW Local 309

Regular union meetings are held on first Monday of each month at 7 p.m. at Local Union Hall, 2000 Mall Street, Route 157, Collinsville, Ill. Executive Board — Executive board meetings are held at 5:30 p.m. on Thurs­day preceding each regular union meeting at the IBEW Local 309 Hall, 2000A Mall St., Collins­ville.

Iron Workers 392 Operating Engineers 520

Meetings are held at 7 p.m. on the second Friday of the month at the IUOE Local 520 Hall, 520 Engineer Rd., Granite City, IL 62040.

Operators Local 399

Third Tuesday of each month at 6:30 p.m. at 24 East Fer­­­gu­son, Wood River, Ill.

Painters District Council 58

Union meetings are on the second Friday of the month at 8 p.m. at the hall, 901 Mulberry Street, Murphysboro, Ill. 62966.

Greater St. Louis Labor Council, AFL-CIO

Third Tuesday, 6:30 p.m., IBEW Local 1 Hall, 5850 Elizabeth Ave., St. Louis.

St. Louis Building & Construction Trades Council

First Wednesday, 10 a.m., Electricians’ Industry Training Center Auditorium, 2300 Hampton.

St. Louis Union Label & Service Trades Council Third Monday at 6 p.m., Sheet Metal Workers Local 36, 2319 Chouteau. Craig Darrah, president.

Plumbers and Pipefitters Local 553

LOCAL UNIONS

First Tuesday of each month September through May, 7 p.m., 967 East Airline Dr., East Alton, IL 62024.

Sheet Metal Workers Local 268

Caseyville Meetings: Fourth Thursday of each month at 6:00 p.m. in the Sheet Metal Workers’ Hall, 2701 N. 89th Street, Casey­ville, Ill. 62232.

Southern counties: Meetings will be held at 6 p.m. on the first

Boilermakers Local 27

The monthly membership meetings are at 8 p.m. the first Monday at the Boilermakers Hall, 1547 S. Broadway.

Applications for Construction Boilermakers Apprentice will be accepted by the Boilermakers Joint Apprenticeship Committee

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Borowitz Report A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the News

Carlson accuses Biden of lowering gas prices

JULY 24 1968 – The United Auto Workers and the Teamsters form the Alliance for Labor Action (ALA), later to be joined by several smaller unions. The ALA’s agenda included support of the civil rights movement and opposition to the war in Vietnam. It disbanded after four years following the death of UAW President Walter Reuther.

2008 – The U.S. minimum wage increases to $6.55 an hour. The original minimum, set in 1938 by the Fair Labor Standards Act, was 25 cents an hour.

2009 – U.S. minimum wage rises to $7.25 per hour, up from $6.55.

The federal minimum wage has not increased since.

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Washington – In a blistering takedown of the President, Tucker Carlson accused Joe Biden of cynically leveraging the power of his office to lower gasoline prices.

“For weeks, Biden has been saying that he’d do something about the price of gasoline,” the Fox News host said. “Now, lo and behold, gas prices are lower. Joe Biden has been acting in plain sight.”

“The American people aren’t dumb,” Carlson continued. “When they fill up their tanks, they notice that it costs less. They can tell that something’s going on, and they’re not going to put up with it.”

After gas prices showed their biggest one-day drop in almost 15 years, Carlson said, “It’s time to call out the man behind this conspiracy: Joe Biden.”

Carlson demanded that Congress “stop investigating January 6th and focus its attention on a real scandal: Joe Biden’s corrupt plot to lower gas prices.”

“This is worse than anything Hunter has done,” Carlson charged.

on the second Monday of each month at the Local 27 hall, 1547 South Broadway, St. Louis, Missouri 63104, from 8:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m.

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Union meetings on the last Friday of each month at 8 p.m. at the Union Hall, 2500 59th St., St. Louis, MO 63110.

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6 • LABOR TRIBUNE • Thursday, July 21-27, 2022

Your Health Mind, Body, Spirit

Sunscreen even more important now

The Fourth of July weekend is behind us, but it is still sunburn season. The danger of skin cancer certainly hasn’t disappeared during the age of coronavirus, and using sunscreen is more important than ever, experts say. Melanoma, one of the most deadly forms of skin cancer, has been on the rise globally for decades. And while survival rates are getting better, melanoma is still the fifth most commonly diagnosed

cancer in the United States.

CHOOSING A SUNSCREEN Regular daily use of SPF 15 sunscreen can reduce your risk of developing squamous cell carcinoma by about 40 percent and lower your melanoma risk by 50 percent. If you’re inside most of the day with just short intervals in the sun, you can use a sunscreen or cosmetic

product with an SPF (sun protection factor) of 15 or higher. If you spend a lot of time outdoors, especially when and where the sun is strongest, you need a water-resistant sunscreen of SPF 30 or higher.

BURNED? DO THIS It can take several hours for full sun damage to show itself. So at the first sign, get out of the sun and follow this expert advice from the Skin Cancer Foundation.

Here’s a checklist for dealing with bad sunburn, but more importantly, you should not let it happen again. Your risk for melanoma doubles if you’ve had more than five sunburns.

• Act fast to cool it down – If you’re near a cold pool, lake or ocean, take a quick dip to cool your skin, but only for a few seconds so you don’t prolong your exposure. Then cover up and get out of the sun immediately. Continue to cool the burn with cold compresses. You can use ice to make ice water for a cold compress, but don’t apply ice directly to the sunburn. Or take a cool shower or bath, but not for too long, which can be drying, and avoid harsh soap, which might irritate the skin even more.

• Moisturize while skin is damp – Use a gentle moisturizing lotion (but not petroleum or oil-based ointments, which may trap the heat and make the burn worse). Repeat to keep burned or peeling skin moist over the next few days.

• Decrease the inflammation – At the first sign of sunburn, taking a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), such as ibuprofen, naproxen or aspirin, can help with discomfort and inflammation. You

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can continue with the NSAID as directed until the burn feels better. You can also use a one percent over-the-counter cortisone cream as directed for a few days to help calm redness and swelling. Aloe vera may also soothe mild burns and is generally considered safe.

Wear loose, soft, breathable clothing to avoid further skin irritation, and stay out of the sun.

• Replenish your fluids – Burns draw fluid to the skin’s surface and away from the rest of the body, so you may become dehydrated. It’s important to rehydrate by drinking extra liquids, including water and sports drinks that help to replenish electrolytes, immediately and while your skin heals.

• See a doctor – Seek medical help if you or a child has severe blistering over a large portion of the body, has a fever and chills, or is woozy or confused. Don’t scratch or pop blisters, which can lead to infection. Signs of infection include red streaks or oozing pus.

• Bottom line – Your skin will heal, but real damage has been done. Repeat sunburns put you at a substantial risk for skin cancer and premature skin aging. Review the guidelines in The Skin Cancer Foundation’s Prevention Handbook at skincancer.org/prevention/ graphics/handbook.

LABOR TRIBUNE • Thursday, July 21-27, 2022 • 7

Biden acts to prevent pension cuts for workers

By AUSTIN LANDIS Spectrum News Cleveland, Ohio – President Joe Biden has announced an update to a program funded by last year’s COVID-19 relief law that he expects to prevent pension cuts for two to three million workers.

Biden announced a final version of the Special Financial Assistance Program (SFA), which will help keep the pension plans above water for nearly 30 years or longer, preventing cuts from plans that were at risk of drowning in debts.

It will provide nearly $97 billion to dozens of eligible plans, according to the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC), the agency that oversees the SFA program.

“People around the country wake up every day wondering whether they’ve saved enough to provide for themselves and their families before they’ve stopped working,” Biden told union workers and retirees gathered at a high school in Cleveland.

“But the reality is, for so many people, the goalposts keep moving,” he added.

MILLIONS AFFECTED The financial assistance program first began accepting applications with an interim rule last July, but Biden announced the updated

retirement they earned and they deserve,” Biden said.

Secretary of Labor Marty Walsh, whose department oversees the updated program, joined the president in Ohio.

PLANS INSURED BIDEN SPEAKS at a high school in Cleveland on July 6. – AP photo, Evan Vucci

version on July 6. It is designed to aid multi-employer pension plans, which are plans agreed to by a union and multiple employers, usually within the same industry.

More than 200 multi-employer plans were on pace to become insolvent in coming years, according to the White House, impacting two to three million workers. More than 80,000 workers and retirees had already had their benefits cut under a 2014 law that allowed pension plans to trim plans in order to remain financially secure.

RETROACTIVE EFFECT The new assistance program will aid those workers retroactively and boost all plans at risk, in order to keep them financially sound through 2051 or longer.

“With today’s actions, millions of workers will have the dignified

Multi-employer plans are insured by the PBGC, which will also get a boost through the SFA program.

Originally expected to be underwater by 2026, new funding will keep its insurance program afloat until 2055.

Biden criticized Republicans who have said investing taxpayer money in these pension plans was a waste. He specifically called out the lead Republican on the House Education and Labor Committee, Virginia Foxx of North Carolina, who said the investment was like “pouring money down a rat hole.”

Foxx and Rick Allen of Georgia – the top Republican on the Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions Subcommittee – released a statement once again criticizing the financial assistance program.

They called for “long-term structural reforms to the management of multi-employer pension plans.

“Democrats instead chose a deeply flawed bailout of a select group of privately managed retirement plans,” they said.

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8 • LABOR TRIBUNE • Thursday, July 21-27, 2022

Drive

American What You Drive Drives America

Mustang still going strong

By KEVIN WEAKS

2023 model will be seventh generation The first Mustang rolled WEAKS off the assembly line March 9, 1964 and retailed for $2,320. In 2015 the 50th anniversary of the Mustang was celebrated with a special edition limited to a production run of 1,964 units, signifying the year Mustang entered the world. Ford sold a record 122,349 Mustangs in 2015.

The Mustangs produced in the first six months of 1964 were referred to as 1964½ or early 1965 Mustangs. All of the VINs began with a 5, indicating model year 1965.

(Some trivia here: the easiest way to tell a 1964½ Mustang from a 1965, claims themustangsource. com, is that the front edge of the hood was rolled under in 1965, and it was not in 1964.)

Since 1964 there have been six generations of the original pony car.

Ford debuted the sixth-generation Mustang, code named S550, in December 2013. The all-new seventhgeneration Mustang, code named S650, will be arriving very soon as

MUSTANG, which celebrated its 58th birthday this past April, remains the world’s best-selling sports coupe, according to Ford. Shown are the 2022 and 1967 Shelby GT500.

a 2023 model year vehicle that is expected to continue through the 2030 model year. The 2023 Mustang will have a starting price of approximately $28,000.

Ford also markets the Mexicanmade Mustang Mach-E, an electric crossover with all-wheel drive that has turned out to be one of the hottest products at Ford. Mustang Mach-E sales totaled 27,140 vehicles in 2021, making it the nation’s second best-selling full electric SUV behind Tesla’s Model Y. While it runs on batteries, its success should

THE FORD MUSTANG was introduced at the 1964 New York World’s Fair. Since then there have been six generations of the original pony car.The all-new seventh-generation Mustang will be arriving soon as a 2023 model year vehicle.

free up the piston-powered Mustang to remain very much a good oldfashioned Mustang, at least for the current generation.

DEFINITIVE PONY CAR The Mustang is still the definitive pony car, with performance and personalization combinations for everyone. For seven years running, Mustang – which celebrated its 58th birthday this past April – remains the world’s best-selling sports coupe, according to Ford. More than 54,000 were sold in the U.S. in 2021.

The 2023 Mustang will ride on the Ford CD6 platform currently utilized by Ford Explorer and Lincoln Aviator. The platform features a longitudinal powertrain configuration with rear-wheel-drive standard.

The architecture is also capable of all-wheel-drive and electrification, which may ensure the future of the Mustang brand.

The website Ford Authority, citing exclusive sources, says the new Mustang will launch with the same 2.3-liter EcoBoost inline-four and the throaty 5.0-liter V-8 found in the current 2022 models. That V-8, in many opinions, is what truly makes a Mustang a Mustang.

FUTURE ENGINES For 2023, Ford may offer a hybrid version of the turbocharged 4-banger and perhaps a V-8 hybrid, too. Down the road there may be an all-wheel-drive model and a fully electric version. Those engines should get the same 10-speed automatic and six-speed manual transmission options offered today.

The most efficient Mustang is the one powered by the turbocharged four-cylinder with the 10-speed automatic, which earned EPA ratings of 21 mpg city and 32 mpg highway.

The V-8 Mustang earned ratings of 15 mpg city and 24 mpg highway.

Customer retail orders nearly doubled in 2021 compared to the year prior. According to Ford internal data, the United States remains home to the strongest demand for Mustang, representing 76 percent of global sales in 2021. Other markets that saw growth in Mustang sales in 2021 include New Zealand, up 54.3 percent; Brazil, up 37.3 percent; and South Korea, up 16.6 percent.

MUSTANGS FOR EVERYONE Ford is continuing this momentum with five special editions in the 2022 lineup, including Mustang Ice White (also available on Mustang Mach-E), Shelby GT500 Heritage Edition, GT California Special, Coastal Limited and Stealth.

From Mustang EcoBoost to the 700-hp Shelby GT500, there is a special edition at every performance level for muscle car enthusiasts.

The Mustang Mach-E electric crossover has been a critical success, winning the 2021 North American Utility Vehicle of the Year award with its rakish styling, 300-mile driving range, five-seat comfort and 3.5-second 0-60 time. Combined Mustang Mach-E and Mustang sales totaled 79,554 vehicles in 2021 – up 30.2 percent.

NEW COLORS Mustang offered eight new color options for 2022, including Ford Performance-exclusive Code Orange on Shelby GT500, while Brittany Blue Metallic returned specifically for Shelby GT500 Heritage and Coastal Limited models.

Additional new colors are availSee MUSTANG page 9

LABOR TRIBUNE • Thursday, July 21-27, 2022 • 9

Mustang

From page 8

able across the lineup – including Atlas Blue Metallic, Cyber Orange Metallic Tri-Coat, Dark Matter Gray Metallic, Eruption Green Metallic, Grabber Blue Metallic and Mischievous Purple Metallic. (One wonders if there is a whole department dedicated to naming paint colors.)

When you’re competing against the likes of the Chevrolet Camaro and Dodge Challenger, it helps to make a big and bold first impression.

With the exterior of the 20222023 Ford Mustang sticking close to its muscle car roots, the interior harks back to Mustangs of yore.

It’s modern, yet warmly familiar.

The front’s bucket seats snugly hold butts in place during sharp turns, while Ford’s optional Sync 3 infotainment system blasts the hits through Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The Mustang is available with a Wi-Fi hotspot.

Ford Sync Connect, which allows users to control and monitor their vehicle through a smartphone app, is included as standard.

BASE PRICE PREDICTIONS Industry observers predict the base price of the 2023 Ford Mustang

in fastback/coupe format will start around $28,000. This nets you the turbo 4-cylinder and a choice of 6-speed manual or 10-speed automatic. If you want open-air Mustang thrills, the entry-level 2023 Mustang convertible may run about $33,000.

Stepping up to the V-8-powered monsters like the 2023 Ford Mustang GT and Mach 1 will set a shopper back about $38,000 and $54,000, respectively. The 2023 Mustang GT convertible, the ultimate high-speed tanning machine, should list for about $48,000.

While it will take Ford some time to fully flesh out the seventhgeneration Mustang range with performance models like the Shelby GT500, it’s worth noting the 2022 version of the GT500 was about $73,000.

ALL-AMERICAN The Mustang will turn 60 years old in 2024, and it remains as American as apple pie, bald eagles and Big Gulps. With electrification now the avowed goal of all American automakers, the S650 Mustang is expected to be the last Mustang that will be powered by an internal combustion engine.

AN ICE WHITE PACKAGE, available on the Mustang GT and EcoBoost models (but not the convertibles), features white exterior paint, white 19-inch wheels and even a white pony symbol on the grille.

It seems a shame that future generations will be denied the thrilling roar of the muscle car era. Still, says Ford Motor Co. head Kumar Galhotra, “When enthusiasts around the world get into a Mustang, they unlock that feeling of freedom and experience the open road.”

The Mustang is built by UAW members at the Flat Rock Assembly Plant in Flat Rock, Mich.

(Contact Kevin Weaks at kweaks@ labortribune.com.)

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10 • LABOR TRIBUNE • Thursday, July 21-27, 2022

Labor Council meets Trudy Busch Valentine If you were ever looking for a politician who is a sensible, knowledgeable, caring person and doesn’t have to rely on compromising her values for the sake of deep-pocket, monied interests to finance her campaign, meet Trudy Busch Valentine, one of several Democratic candidates running for U.S. Senate to fill the position of retiring Republican Senator Roy Blunt.

She is a member of the storied Anheuser-Busch family, the daughter of Gussie Busch.

In talking with delegates at the

TRUDY BUSCH VALENTINE June 21 St. Louis Labor Council meeting, punctuated by almost

a dozen rounds of applause, Valentine, in a soft-spoken, sincere demeanor not often seen from politicians, outlined her goals if she survives the August primary and is elected to Congress in November: • Lowering the cost of basic necessities like gas, groceries, housing, and prescription medication.

• Better, affordable health care.

• Supporting families struggling with the high costs of child care and elder care.

• Raising the federal minimum wage and passing legislation to protect

TAKING TIME to talk with St. Louis Labor Council delegates after the meeting was Trudy Busch Valentine, U.S. Senate candidate. This is something few politicians do when they visit the delegate meeting.

– Labor Tribune photos

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• Holding companies accountable.

• Getting a grip on the opioid epidemic that killed one of her six children.

• Improving public education and encouraging trades schools.

• Making sure that the wealthiest Americans pay their fair share.

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Without flinching, she asked the key question on people’s minds: “Why can I help when I come from a family that’s had a lot of wealth and lived an incredible life because of it?”

She answered: “Because I know that money doesn’t buy love, doesn’t prevent the losses and sadness and struggles, the things we all go through.”

Her background makes that point: Having lost her husband to cancer when he was 49 and suffered the death of her oldest son from an opioid overdose, she made it clear those tragedies impacted her view of life.

“I worry about the people who worry about those things. The reason I became a nurse was because I wanted to be with people, to understand their needs, help them more.

“What I want to bring to the Senate is the heart of a nurse, someone that really cares about people, someone that wants to make changes for people. We have so many lawyers in the Senate … that we don’t get anything done.”

It was her closing thought that brought the final round of applause: “We should choose people by the contents of their character, with integrity, honesty, who are respectful, who can work across the aisle to negotiate for something that’s for the good of people.”

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LABOR TRIBUNE • Thursday, July 21-27, 2022 • 11

Lincoln County Democrats will rally Sept. 24 The Lincoln County Democratic Club will hold its annual Grassroots Rally to benefit Democratic candidates and causes on Saturday, Sept. 24. 2022 at Lincoln County Fairgrounds Hall in Troy, Mo. Take Highway 47 east to Fairgrounds Road.

Doors open at 5 p.m. for an open bar social hour, followed by dinner at 6 p.m. The raffle of items and baskets will be between 5 p.m. and 7:45 p.m. Speakers will begin at 8 p.m. Winners of the games and pie auctions will be announced after the speaker.

Tickets are $35 and include entry, meal and open bar. The raffle will benefit the Youth in Government Scholarship Fund, and any donated items will be appreciated.

Sponsorships are available at these levels – Red, $100, symbolizing the hardiness and valor of the club’s network; White, $200, symbolizing the purity and innocence the club fights for; and Blue, $300, symbolizing the vigilance, perseverance and justice the club demands.

Tickets and sponsorships can be purchased by sending checks to the Lincoln County Democratic Club, P.O. Box 155, Troy MO 63379. For questions, call Jan Maloney, president, at (636) 734-4199 or Jill Maher, treasurer, at (636) 236-0586. Include name, address, phone number and email address.

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Unions support Jeff Roorda for Senate

THUMBS UP FOR JEFF ROORDA (R) (left photo, third from left) in his COPE-endorsed campaign for Missouri Senate District 22 (Jefferson County) at a Labor fundraiser June 30 at the Operating Engineers Local 148 hall. Among those attending were (from left) Cory Hogan, Fire Fighters Local 2665 executive vice president; Mark Woolbright, Fire Fighters 2nd District vice president; (Roorda); David Cook, UFCW Local 655 president; Jay Schroder, St. Louis Police Officers Association president (SLPO); Larry Tinker, Teamsters Joint Council 13 president and Weylin Harris, SLPO civilian division representative. Right photo, introducing Roorda is Operating Engineers Local 148 Business Manager Keith Linderer. Roorda, former police chief and city administrator in Kimmswick, Mo. is SLPO business manager and a former state representative. His professional experience also includes serving as human resources manager for Gateway Ambulance Service and as an adjunct instructor of political science at Jefferson College.

– Labor Tribune photos

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12 • LABOR TRIBUNE • Thursday, July 21-27, 2022

Golf

Tournaments Coming to Your Area

Union and worker-friendly golf tournaments Area unions, and unionfriendly organizations are hosting the following fundraising and charity golf tournaments.

To have your tournament listed, contact Managing Editor Tim Rowden at tim@labortribune. com, or mail your information to Labor Tribune, 505 S. Ewing Ave., St. Louis, Mo. 63103.

JULY July 23 – 28th Annual Ma-

chinist Local 1745/Ron Hartman Four-Person Scramble at Incline Village Golf Course, 10220 Fairway Drive, Foristell, Mo. The tournament will begin with a 7:30 a.m. shotgun start. Entry of $400 per

team includes 18 holes of golf with a cart, refreshments and a steak dinner catered by Ron’s Catering.

In addition, the tournament will feature 50/50 drawings, Mulligans, an optional skins game and hole-in-one prizes on all par-3s.

Paid entries received by July 9 will be placed in a drawing for free entry into the tournament. Hole Sponsors are $100 and Team Sponsors $400. Combined Hole & Team Sponsors are $500. Mail checks payable to: Machinist Local 1745, P.O. Box 585 Warrenton, MO 63383.

For more information, text or call Adam Conley at 573-953-9206, or Darrell Bollegar at 636-359-7299, or email stmachinislocal1745@ yahoo.com.

AUGUST Aug. 27 – Glaziers Local 513 Charity Fund’s Inaugural Golf Classic at Florissant Golf Club to benefit St. Louis Crisis Nursery. Sign in at 7 a.m., Scramble at 8 a.m. $400 for a foursome; $100 for an individual, includes lunch. $25 lunch tickets for non-golfers. Hole and lunch sponsorships available.

Contact John Deeken, jdeeken@ dc58.org.

SEPTEMBER Sept. 8 – United Way of Greater St. Louis’ Illinois Division’s 12th annual Golf Scramble at Stonewolf Golf Club, 1195 Stonewolf Trail, Fairview Heights, Ill. The event is limited to the first 36 teams that sign up at $500 a team. Greens fees, cart, skins, mulligans, lunch and dinner are included. Registration is at 8 a.m. with a shotgun start at 9 a.m.

Prizes will be for longest drive and closest to the pin. Sponsorships include Gold, $1,750, with three foursomes; Silver, $1,250, with two foursomes; Bronze, $750, with one foursome; Fairway, $400, to provide a game or snack; Dinner Sponsor, $1,000; Lunch Sponsor, $1,000; Beverage Sponsor, $1,000; Closest to the Hole, $400; Longest Drive, $400; Prize Sponsor, $300 and Hole Sponsor, $150. Send checks and the team’s four names with their phone numbers and email addresses to United Way of Greater St. Louis, attention Melissa Fanning, 1124 Hartman Lane, Suite 130, Shiloh IL 62221.

For more information, contact

Melissa Fanning at (618) 5090-6202 Sept. 10 – Iron Workers Local 392 Scholarship Fund Golf Tournament, all proceeds to college scholarships, Saturday, Sept. 10 at Legacy Golf Course in Granite City, Ill. Registration at 7 a.m., shotgun start at 8 a.m., lunch after nine holes, with dinner and awards following the golf. Limited to 36 teams (144 players) so enter ASAP. Fees are $90 per person or $360 per team.

Fee includes golf, cart, lunch, gifts and dinner. Hole sponsorships are $125, event sponsorships $250. Submit registration by Aug. 31. Make checks payable to Iron Workers Local 392 Scholarship Fund, 2995 Kingshighway, East St. Louis IL 62201. For more information call (618) 874-0313. Hole-inone prize is $1,000, sponsored by Brockland GMC; raffle TV from Becker, Schroader & Chapman; $250 gift certificate from Tom Schooley Law Office.

Sept. 16 – Plumbers and Pipefitters Local 101 Annual Golf Tournament will be at the Orchards Golf Club, 1499 Golf Course Drive, Belleville IL, with a Beast Barbeque catered dinner to be served after the round of golf.

Features include an 18-hole best ball four-man scramble, closest to the hole and 50/50, plus cash prizes. Lunch will be served on the course. Registration is at 7 a.m. with the shotgun start start at 8 a.m. Team sponsorship is $90 per golfer and tee sign sponsorship is $175. Call (618) 234-5504.

Sept. 17 – 31st Tri-County Greg Booth/Jack Van Horn Tournament, Country Lakes Golf Course, Warrenton, Mo. Registration-7 a.m., Shotgun start-8 a.m. $400 for 4-man team. Questions: Joe Mueller,636-698-5424. Checks to TriCounty Labor Club, 10 Droste Sq., St. Charles, MO 63301.

Sept. 19 – Joe Pretti Memorial Golf Tournament benefitting the UFCW Charitable Foundation, will be held Monday, Sept.

19 at Sunset Country Club, 555 S. Geyer Road, St. Louis MO 63127. “Because of your kindness, 2021 was one of the most successful events yet.

Please join us in 2022 with your continued generosity to help make it even more successful.

Watch for your registration form in the mail.” For more information, call Nikki Rich at 636-736-2772.

Sept. 29 – St. Louis Port Council Golf Outing & Awards dinner at Forest Park Golf Course. Honored will be St. Louis Building Trades Executive Secretary-Treasurer John Stiffler with the Dick Mantia Leadership Award; Seafarers International Union’s Dan Duncan with the Jack Martorelli Leadership Award; Attorney Jerry Fitzgerald with the Able Helmsman Award; Labor Tribune Publisher Ed Finkelstein with the Lifetime Achievement Award.

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LABOR TRIBUNE • Thursday, July 21-27, 2022 • 13

Kris Tharp sworn in as state senator

5 Fight

He replaces Rachelle Crowe in office and on the ballot

$

To help out-of-work union members, families

By ELIZABETH DONALD Illinois Correspondent The 56th Senate District in southwestern Illinois has a new state senator and candidate for the November election – Madison County Sheriff’s Department Captain Kristopher Tharp, the successor to Rachelle Aud Crowe.

Chief Judge Bill Mudge of the 3rd Judicial Circuit swore in Tharp July 8 at Laborers Local 338 Hall in Wood River. Tharp’s wife Jaime held the Bible, and his two adult sons were present.

“I’m truly honored and humbled by this entire experience,” Tharp said. “We have a lot of important issues to explore this year and I’m eager to serve the residents of the 56th District in this new role.”

Tharp (D-Bethalto) is a captain and jail administrator with nearly 25 years of law enforcement experience as both investigator and crisis negotiator. He worked up through the ranks, serving as deputy commander for the Major Case Squad of Greater St. Louis and graduating from the FBI National Academy.

Tharp is a longtime member of Local 118 of the Police Benevolent Protection Association. His wife is a union probation officer and son Tyler is a police officer in Wood River.

FROM WOOD RIVER Born and raised by a single mother in Wood River, Tharp said he understood the life of working families and remembered the sacrifices his mother made, and her “fighter mentality.”

“Everything I’ve had in my life

Notices From page 1

Painters District Council 58 Plumbers and Pipefitters Local 562

Second Wednesday of each month, 6 p.m., Pipefitters’ Auditorium, 12385 Larimore Rd.

Roofers Local 2

The regular meetings of Roofers’ Local 2 are held on the first Wednesday of each month at 7 p.m. in the Roofers’ Hall, 2920 Locust.

The Executive Board will meet at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday before the regular monthly meeting.

Sheet Metal Workers Local 36

St. Louis Area Regular Monthly Meeting: Fourth Tuesday of each month, 6 p.m., Grand Hall, 2319 Chouteau Avenue, 63103 St. Louis Area Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee Meeting: Third Monday of each month, 5 p.m., Grand Hall, 2319 Chouteau Avenue, 63103 South East MO Area Monthly Informational Meeting: Last Thursday of each month, 7 p.m., Communication Workers Hall, 1131 N. Kingshighway, Suite 2C, Cape Girardeau, MO 63701 Central MO Area Monthly Informational Meeting: Last Wednesday of each month, 7 p.m., Labor Temple, 209 Flora Ave, Jefferson City 65101

Sprinkler Fitters and Apprentices Local 268

Regular meetings at 5 p.m. second Thursday of month at the Union Hall, 1544 S. Third St., St. Louis, MO 63104.

St. Louis Theatrical Brotherhood Local 6 I.A.T.S.E.

Regular monthly meetings are held on the first Tuesday of the month at 5:30 p.m. at 1611 S. Broadway.

Teamsters Joint Council 13 Teamsters Local 688

4349 Woodson Rd, St. Louis, MO 63134

Tile-Marble Setters & Finishers, Mosaic & Terrazzo Workers & Finishers Local 18 MO

Meets at 5:30 p.m. the first Wednesday of the month at ADC Union Hall, 1670 Fenpark, Fenton, MO 63026.

United Food & Commercial Workers Local 655

Office Hours: 8 a.m. to 4:10 p.m. — Monday through Friday.

Closed Saturdays and Sundays. 300 Weidman Rd., Ballwin, MO. Retirees’ Club: The UFCW Local 655 Retirees’ Club meets at the Local 655 Union Hall, 300 Weidman Rd., Ballwin, on the second Tuesday of each month at 10:00 a.m.

Regular Quarterly Business Meetings of the Local: Effective January 1, 2020, The Regular Quarterly Business Meetings of UFCW Local 655 will be on the third Monday of February, May, August, and November at 7 p.m. The meetings are held at the Local 655 Union Hall. You can also view a live stream of our Quarterly Membership Meetings on our Facebook page, www. facebook.com/UFCW655.

United Media Guild Local 36047

Executive board meetings are held at 6:30 p.m. on the second Thursday at the TNG-CWA Local 36047 office, Room 1040 at 1015 Locust St., St. Louis.

Utility Workers Local 335

74 Woodstream, Moscow Mills, MO 63362

for e th

CHIEF JUDGE Bill Mudge swears in Tharp while Jaime Tharp holds the Bible.

I’ve had to work for,” he said. “I know what lean times are. I’m going to fight for you and for our district.”

Tharp founded Madison County Triad in 2018, a partnership between the sheriff’s department and area service providers and seniors to improve the safety and quality of life for senior citizens.

SERVING THE PEOPLE He has worked with Crowe and three county sheriffs on their political campaigns. Crowe was a prosecutor before she was a state senator, and Tharp said when it was time for her to run, he was there to help because he believed in her.

“When she became our senator, she said, ‘Are you willing to come a little bit further?’” he said.

So Tharp worked with Crowe on the Illinois Elder Abuse Task Force and on legislation relating to law enforcement culture. During the primary season, he spoke often about his wish to continue serving the 56th District after Crowe was

confirmed as the U.S. Attorney for the metro-east region.

“I’m a fighter, and I’ll fight for this district,” he said.

Upon Crowe’s resignation, a committee of Democratic Party leaders chose him as her interim successor. He will serve out the remainder of Crowe’s term until the new General Assembly is sworn in on Jan. 11, 2023.

“There is no replacing Rachelle Crowe, but I hope to continue her legacy,” he said.

The Democratic committee has until July 25 to announce a nominee on the November ballot. Petitionsigning events are already being announced on social media to support Tharp’s bid. He is expected to face Erica Conway-Harriss (R-Glen Carbon) in November.

The 56th District includes all or parts of Alton, Caseyville, East Alton, Bethalto, Collinsville, Edwardsville, Fairview Heights, Glen Carbon, Maryville, Granite City, O’Fallon, Roxana and Wood River.

Please BuckUp what you can.

Every dollar counts to help union families in need.

14 • LABOR TRIBUNE • Thursday, July 21-27, 2022

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Home repair tive spearheaded by Tom Madden, who is also a Housing Partnership board member.

“From my beginning as an apprentice, 562 has always been involved in programs helping people who may not be able to do the work themselves or afford to hire a plumbing company,” Madden said. “We are blessed to have these skills that we learn in school and be able to use them to help people in our communities, which is not only rewarding, but the right thing to do.”

The plumbers provided all the necessary materials and labor to complete the job, which included replacing the main plumbing stack, re-piping the kitchen sink, replacing the garbage disposal, and replacing a shower valve. Their ef-

From page 1 fort resulted in a total donation of approximately $5,000.

IT’S ABOUT GIVING BACK

JOSH TEMPLE, at left, and Riley Baumer get to work in the kitchen.

Starbucks Sip-In

739-1600

tional Union.

The campaign to organize Starbucks so far has resulted in victories at four locations, two in St. Louis city and one each in Ladue and Valley Park.

Temple and Baumer cited how much giving back is part of what Local 562 stresses from first joining, but also important in their own lives.

“Family has always been very important to me growing up, and as soon as I joined Local 562, it was basically me joining another family,” Baumer said.

Added Temple: “I grew up in 562 since I was a child, with my father Willie Temple taking me along on different union jobs. He always taught me giving back was a very important thing with being part of 562, and as a young man growing up.”

From page 1

In addition to teachers and members of other unions, activists from Jobs With Justice and the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) attended the event.

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PETER THACHER, a Workers United activist in the organizing campaign, discusses the upcoming union vote with barista Alyssa Bingham.

– Labor Tribune photo

United Steelworkers retiree, drove from her home in Belleville. “Any way I can support a union, I’ll do it,” she said.

Even a state representative drove from her home in St. Louis to buy a “Union Yes” coffee.

“I’m proud to show my support for their organizing a union,” said State Rep. Bridget Walsh Moore, a Democrat whose district covers south St. Louis city and county.

“I fully support workers’ rights because I’ve seen both sides,” she said. “Unions provide meaningful benefits for their members.”

Moore cited the case of her mother, a union teacher who retired on a union-won pension. “The union’s still taking care of her today,” she said.

One barista, who asked to remain anonymous, said she had to be convinced to support the union drive.

“I was hesitant at first,” she said.

But after talking with Workers United organizers and attending meetings, she realized forming a union was a necessary step to achieving fairness at her workplace.

Some of the issues that concerned her were wages, fairness in scheduling breaks and shifts, and having to work at least 20 hours a week in order to qualify for the company’s healthcare benefits.

“Now I know the only way for us to get a say at the table is to get a big seat at that table,” she said.

Starbucks employees said they were told the votes would be counted on Aug. 11 by the NLRB subregional office in Overland Park, Kan.

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LABOR TRIBUNE • Thursday, July 21-27, 2022 • 15

State

BEST STATES • WITHOUT RTW: 18 of the top 25 states – 72 percent – with NO RTW law are considered the “best” states for working mothers.

• WITH RTW: Only 7 of the top 25 states – 28 percent – are RTW states listed in the top 25 “best” states for working mothers.

LOCALLY Once again, the impact of having a majority Democratic, workersupportive legislature like that in Illinois vs. the Republican-controlled, business-over-workers legislature in Missouri is stark: • Missouri ranks 40th worst out of all 50 states for working mothers.

• Illinois ranks 15th best of all 50

Casson is elected Ainad Potentate David E. Casson, Jr. a retired Boilermaker from Local 27, St. Louis, and the son of the late David Casson, former business CASSON m a n a g e r / s e c re tary treasurer of Local 27 and former National Transient Division representative, has been elected to serve as the 109th Potentate of Ainad Temple, East St Louis, covering much of southern Illinois. He also serves on the board of directors for the Children’s Dyslexia Center of Southern Illinois.

Casson’s brother Jeff also retired from Local 27, his brother Bennie was in Local 27, his brother Daryl retired from Laborers Local 42 and his brother Frank is a retired educator.

As he grew up with the trade, he witnessed many men of good character wearing unfamiliar jewelry.

When he asked about the items, he soon became aware of Shrine/ Masonry and started his journey in the craft. After many years as a Shriner/Mason, he was asked to join the Divan of Ainad Temple, and seven years later was elected Potentate.

Throughout the years, he has worked in many positions with major boilermaker companies.

With Babcock & Wilcox Construction Co., Akron, Ohio, he worked in supervisory roles on several major projects and as a safety representative. He also served in the safety department for Scheck Industries of Willowbrook, Ill. He is proud to be a union member from a union family and also a proud member of Shriners International.

He can be contacted at dcassonjr@ yahoo.com.

account of 72 percent – 18 of 25 – of the worst states in America, while only nine RTW states (36 percent) are in the “best” ranking.

Work-life balance issues making up this aspect of the overall report include parental leave policies, average length of a woman’s work week and the average commute time.

Illinois ranks 25th, in the “best” category. Missouri ranks 39th, in the “worst” category for working moms’ work-life balance

states.

ELECTIONS HAVE CONSEQUENCES Given the in-fighting and negative approach in the Republicancontrolled Missouri Legislature over doing anything positive for Missourians, don’t expect this terrible position to change.

The rankings also indicate how positively the Democratic administration in Illinois works on behalf of its workers – a thought for us all in the upcoming August primaries and November elections.

“Regardless of your career field, the negative impact of ‘right-towork (for less)’ is once again obvious,” said Brandon Flinn, business manager of the Kansas-Missouri

BEST

Moms’ work-life balance horrific in RTW states Working moms are real heroes.

But their lives are so much more difficult in states that have the phony, so-called “right-to-work (for less)” law, as our story on Page 1 indicates.

And so, the issue of work-life balance for working moms takes on an even greater meaning. It’s one of the three key criteria considered in the Page 1 story.But looking at that criterion alone, it tells an even more dire story for working moms.

RTW states that are in the “worst” category for mothers’ work-life balance

To remember when you vote

Work-life balance for working moms

From page 1

Massachusetts Rhode Island Washington Oregon Connecticut California New Jersey Vermont Wisconsin Montana Utah New York Maine Minnesota Hawaii Idaho Wyoming Iowa North Dakota Kansas Ohio Alaska South Dakota Arkansas 4 Illinois

Work-Life Balance 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25

State Nebraska New Mexico Indiana Colorado Michigan West Virginia Arizona New Hampshire Kentucky North Carolina Pennsylvania Louisiana Oklahoma 4 Missouri Delaware Alabama Florida Virginia South Carolina Nevada Texas Tennessee Mississippi Maryland Georgia

Work-Life Balance 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50

WORST

RTW moms

This periodic Labor Tribune series on the negative impacts of the phony “right-to-work (for less)” is presented as a reminder to our union members and families, all voters and especially to Missouri legislators, as Republicans continue to try to foist this anti-worker law on us despite the overwhelming public vote rejecting it.

An attempt early in the just-ended Missouri legislative session died, but we know the issue is not dead.

This is something all union members and families should keep in mind when voting for who will represent you in the August and November elections. Your job and your family’s economic future are on the line in your vote!

– Ed Finkelstein

Right To Work States Highlighted In Yellow

Laborers District Council, where a growing number of women are coming into construction crafts as laborers and in many other trades.

“When we vote this fall, we need to remember that the people we send to Jefferson City will have a long-term impact on our lives,” added Pat White, president of the St. Louis Labor Council. “Party should make no difference when it comes to supporting your family.”

EXPERT DATA SOURCES Data used to create this ranking was collected from these sources: • U.S. Census Bureau, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Child Care Aware® of America, Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, Council for Community and Economic Research, Institute for Women’s Policy Research, National Partnership for Women & Families and WalletHub research.

The study is part of the ongoing research efforts of WalletHub, a financial services site based in Washington D.C. that also offers insights on a diverse variety of subjects. Its data and charts are frequently referenced in news articles appearing in Bloomberg News, The Wall Street Journal, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Fox News, USA Today, Forbes, Yahoo and The New York Times.

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16 • LABOR TRIBUNE • Thursday, July 21-27, 2022

Project Labor Agreements, still the answer

By ANDREW MEREDITH President, California Construction Trades Council When it comes to delivering projects on time and on budget, it is widely proven that engaging union workers during construction is key.

Build Trades members around the

state have shown time and time again that there isn’t a project they can’t build, a milestone they can’t reach, or a schedule they can’t meet.

When given the chance, our members always deliver.

Unfortunately, sometimes bad contractors get projects by un-

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dercutting fair bids, putting our workforce on the bench. When that happens, workers are often exploited, projects are less safe, change orders flood awarding agencies, and taxpayers generally lose.

This scenario has played out all across the state, from college projects in San Diego to judicial projects in Redding. Oftentimes, this means out-of-area contractors using outof-area workers to construct these projects – meaning most of the dollars earned by the construction workforce leave the community as soon as they’re earned.

KEEP DOLLARS LOCAL, PROMOTE APPENTICESHIPS To avoid the scary scenario of a bad contractor getting a project on bid day, many awarding agencies have embraced Project Labor Agreements to protect the interests of their communities. These agreements provide peace of mind to cities, counties, school districts and more by providing direct engagement with local skilled and trained workers. Project Labor Agreements are proven to result in more construction dollars staying local than traditional project delivery models, something that appeals to policymakers. Even more, the agreements allow these agencies to prioritize apprenticeship opportunities for people in their own communities.

When projects like the Golden 1 Center or SoFi Stadium were constructed under negotiated Project Labor Agreements, priority apprenticeship slots were created for residents of disadvantaged com-

munities near the projects. Similar agreements statewide have prioritized apprenticeship opportunities for members of indigenous tribes, women, veterans and other specific groups.

By leveraging their projects through these agreements, policymakers have found a powerful tool capable of creating great change in their communities. As we all know in the Building Trades, an apprenticeship in one of our many trades is a ticket to the middle class for workers.

While more and more local agencies continue to enact citywide, countywide or district-wide Project Labor Agreements, there are still areas hesitant to make the commitment. Often, business groups, developers or even outside Labor organizations push weaker alternatives to Project Labor Agreements for their own interests, jeopardizing negotiations toward a powerful local-level agreement.

These alternatives come in many forms but always have one thing in common: workers are less protected than they would be under a Project Labor Agreement.

EVERY CORNER OF THE STATE Building Trades leaders have a mission to organize the construction industry and improve the outcomes of those engaged in the trades. If we’re honest with ourselves, there are few better ways to accomplish our mission than by fighting hard to enact Project Labor Agreements in our own communi-

ties. Our local councils have taken this to heart, enacting strong agreements around the state without settling for weaker alternatives.

Within our office at the state level, we continue to push for and negotiate agreements with state agencies for projects in every corner of California. These collaborative efforts are working, with Project Labor Agreement implementation numbers constantly growing.

We must remain vigilant, though.

The more victories we win for workers, the stronger the calls will become from other groups to weaken our efforts. We must remain united behind the idea that Project Labor Agreements are the best way for us to demonstrate, at the local level, what our programs can do to elevate workers to the middle class.

Project Labor Agreements are a win-win for local communities, and we must never be afraid of saying so. We have the high ground in these debates. When we successfully implement Project Labor Agreements, workers win, and projects are delivered on time and on budget.

Our members today are counting on us to deliver. So are the workers we haven’t yet organized. We must keep pushing, keep organizing, and keep advocating for these agreements until they touch every community in California. When we are united in our efforts, nobody can stop us.

(Andrew Meredith is president of the State Building and Construction Trades Council of California. This appeared in July in the San Mateo County Labor newspaper.)