Good Read..

[vcs]

POLITIC’S AND LEGISLATIVE ACTION

WHAT WE MUST FIGURE OUT HOW TO DO.

Many of us who have served on the Council and now work for the Council have been trying for years to figure out how to motivate our membership. We need members to participate in campaigns, in legislative action and generally in our locals. Yet, we can’t seem to connect our members to how putting people in office helps their work lives.

Take our current situation. Many in the Council would not work for our vote for Former Vice President, Al Gore, whether it was personality, or that President George W. Bush would be more fun to have a beer with, we couldn’t connect the issue of person and work life.

When President Clinton left office we were staffed at 96 % on average nationwide. We had access to the White House through AFGE and the Vice President’s office. In fact, in 1996, then National President, John Sturdivant was asked to help BOP union members when it became obvious we were under attack by management. At one point 14 percent of union official’s nationwide were either under investigation, under proposed discipline, or on "home duty". By early 1997, NP Sturdivant had gone through Vice President Gore’s office and the Attorney General (through her Deputy, Eric Holder) set up meetings with AFGE, CPL and the BOP.

This resulted in new rules on the use of home duty and many of these cases being cleaned up. We also finally had a new contract. This information was all put out prior to VP Gore running for President. Yet, we could not get prison worker’s to rally’s, we couldn’t get them to raise or buy into AFGE PAC, or even register to vote.

This happened again when in 2004, John Kerry became the nominee. Even though he pledged to stop the privatization of prisons, take staffing back to the time of President Clinton, and work to increase union rights, we couldn’t get many locals to even engage.

And so what do we have now.....14 private prisons housing federal inmates, management who pushes things like Mission Critical and Searching of Staff down are throat’s without bargaining, 86.6 percent average staffing levels, 2,300 cut’s to positions, prison construction basically at a stand still, and more inmates coming into the system.

So the question becomes how do we activate people to work on campaigns, give PAC money, register to vote, and vote for candidates who will help us?

As in every election year we are asking you to join Labor 2008. Work at the grass root’s level for candidates that support Federal Employee issues. Give PAC money or at least donate to the campaign of your choice. I started out this year supporting Senator Joe Biden, He had been the Chairman of the Judiciary Committee, he is a foreign affairs expert, was a great presenter. As the primary process has moved on, he is now out. So, I have found a new candidate to support. There are three left. McCain, Clinton and Obama are who eventually will be the President of the United States. Each of them will still be sitting Senator’s after this election is over. So, please pick a candidate, take a little of your time, give a little money, and work for someone. This get’s connections going with their campaign staff and personal staff. It build’s your influence in your state. As prison worker’s we need to be on the agenda and this is a way to get there.

So please, come out and help. All of us would appreciate it.

In Unity,

Phil Glover

[BikerRN]

One thing I've noticed, and really detest, is that the Union always supports a democrat.

I have to look at issues outside of work when deciding whom I will vote for. The Clinton Assault Weapons Ban did more to harm me, and general society than it helped. Why do we keep having California Liberals and Northeast Pansies running everything?


I will not be involving myself with campaigning for any Presidential canidate as I don't like the choices offered. I will however be looking at the issues and voting for whom I think will do the least damage to the Amendments to the Constitution that I hold dear.

[vcs]

I agree with you BikerRN! I worked for alot of companies who all had unions and they all do the same crap!

[robeans]

Originally Posted by BikerRN

One thing I've noticed, and really detest, is that the Union always supports a democrat.

I have to look at issues outside of work when deciding whom I will vote for. The Clinton Assault Weapons Ban did more to harm me, and general society than it helped. Why do we keep having California Liberals and Northeast Pansies running everything?


I will not be involving myself with campaigning for any Presidential canidate as I don't like the choices offered. I will however be looking at the issues and voting for whom I think will do the least damage to the Amendments to the Constitution that I hold dear.

Unions like democrats because republicans (the parties) hate unions. One of the cornerstones of the republican party is that unions are anti free economy and anti capitalism.

The lines have blurred significantly in recent years because the republican party has seen that unions are strong enough that they are an inevitability. But if you look at the map of "Right to Work States" they tend to follow democratic vs republican held states.

One thing I'll say about living in a left wing state is that I get paid way better than I did when I worked in a right wing state.