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Political/Legislative
Department
Rich Michalski, Director
Under the leadership of
our International President, R. Thomas Buffenbarger,
the
Political/Legislative Department has set goals in order that we are
prepared to advance economic opportunities for the benefit of our members.
President Buffenbarger is committed to providing the resources which will
ensure that IAM stays in the forefront of political and legislative action
as we move into the new millennium.
The IAM is constantly asking
members of Congress what kind of new and innovative approaches to job
creation and job retention are they taking, in order that our members and
the companies they work for do not become vulnerable to international
competition caused by a global economy.
While the primary
functions of the Political and Legislative Department include the
promotion of workers rights, job security, job creation, training and
political education through work with the Executive and Legislative
Branches of the federal government, the Department must continually be
prepared to confront the attacks presented to us by the Right Wing
Radicals of Congress.
The agenda these Right Wing Radicals have
promoted has brought a battery of assaults to the overall economic
security of the working men and women of our country. There are those in
Congress who are content in promoting the following agenda, an agenda that
only serves the best interest of corporate money mongers and
multi-nationals and not working families.
-
Weakened OSHA Standards
through attempted budgets cuts which would affect oversight and
compliance.
-
The Team Act - Nothing more
than a move by the Right Wing and Corporate America to avoid Unions and
their representatives and revert back to company unions.
-
Service Contract Act -
Attempts are currently being made to weaken the Act by allowing federal
contractors to subcontract work they bid on and avoid paying prevailing
wages.
-
The Fair Labor
Standards Act is under assault by a bill the Right Wing has been trying
to push called "Comp Time". If Comp Time were to be passed it would
drastically undermine the 40 hour work week and paying a "premium" for
overtime.
Thanks to the grassroots
efforts of our State Councils, District and Local Lodges and the overall
solidarity of the labor movement, these types of issues have been beaten
back. However, it is also these types of issues that prevent us from being
proactive on our own legislative agenda.
The Legislative Department
will continue to work with all the levels and branches of
government to
develop sound economic policies to rebuild our nations once strong
industrial base--policies that will provide high wage jobs with good
benefits, job security, jobs with dignity and ultimately the economic
security and well being of the men, women and families of this great
nation.
The Political / Legislative Department of the IAM
The United States Senate This site includes links to
Senators' offices and also includes bills, calendars, notices of committee
hearings, and a daily digest of Senate action (usually with a one day
delay)
U.S. House of Representatives This site includes
Member Offices, schedule of hearings, "real time" reports on floor action,
a schedule for the week and other current information.
Congress.org This
site has been updated for the 105th Congress. It includes a page for each
U.S. Senator and Congressman. All committee assignments are listed as
well. The site provides a guide for contacting your Senator or Congressman
and an e-mail form for doing so.
THOMAS Full text of
legislation, all versions of House & Senate bills are searchable by
keywords or by number. Full text of the Congressional Record from 1994.
This site has links to other useful government information and historical
documents.
Political Action by
State
The Illinois State Legislature
Office addresses, e-mail addresses and other important
information about the Illinois State Legislature.
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