|
Brothers and Sisters of 1009,
I would like to take this opportunity to thank the membership for electing me to a third term as Vice President of your great union. It is a privilege to work with President Dwyer and Sec.-Tres. Fitman and the members of the E-Board. They are all dedicated and hardworking and continue to proudly represent you and move our union forward.
I remind all of you once again that L1009 is a trade union. We are not a social club or a religious organization. We only focus on LABOR ISSUES. These issues include but are not limited to, firefighter safety (manning), wages and benefits (healthcare), and our pensions. Your family should have a good place to live, enjoy a family vacation, your children should have an opportunity to go to college and have a better life, and you and your spouse should have the ability to have a healthy and happy retirement.
As a public employee we have many challenges to overcome if we wish to maintain our collective bargaining benefits. We need to speak with ONE voice and be heard loud and clear as a UNION. We need to make sure we support and help elect the people who will support our rights as union workers. This presidential election could not be any more important to your way of life. President Obama and republican challenger are polar opposites in their views of labor in this country. Obama/Biden would sign a national collective bargaining bill, funded SAFER and FireACT (WFD nearly 50 ff. since 2008, purchase of L-5 and new SCBA’s), support defined benefit pensions, they believe in growing the economy from the middle out(that’s you) and having millionaires(not you) pay their fair share.
Romney/Ryan support right to work states and Gov. Walker in Wisconsin, believe that collective bargaining and public pensions are to blame for America’s economic problems. They will 0 (Zero) fund the SAFER and FireACT and change our pensions to defined contribution plans (401k) at best or dump us in to social security, which is most likely.
These are just some of the glaring differences between the Democrat and Republican platforms that concern us as firefighters. The AFL/CIO, IAFF, PFFM and Local 1009 have all endorsed OBAMA/BIDEN. Please protect you livelihood and your family’s future and VOTE OBAMA/BIDEN.
Our second political battle is the race for senate. The PFFM and Local 1009 have endorsed Democrat Elizabeth Warren. The sitting senator, Scott Brown, claims to be independent, yet has sided with millionaires and allowed politics to influence his votes in Washington. Sen. Brown has voted against or sponsored then filibustered issues that are important to firefighters.
He signed on to a national collective bargaining bill as a sponsor and voted to hold it in the senate and let it die. (FILIBUSTER) He voted against the 9-11 Zadroga Bill until the Bush era tax breaks for millionaires were extended, He voted to fund SAFER, but it will sunset in 2014. He also voted against a Teacher/1st Responder jobs act ,that would have created 22000 jobs in MA., mostly jobs for vets because he would not support a .5% tax increase to income over a million dollars. He is a supporter of the Ryan CUT, CAP AND BALANCE budget.
A Brown win could tip the balance in the senate and give the Republican Party the majority. Scott Brown has picked his side and it is with McConnell, Enzi and Hatch, NOT with Firefighters. It’s now time for you to pick a side. This is a package deal. You cannot pick the Scott Brown that talks a good game and wears a barn coat while driving a pick-up and not get the man who votes with his party leadership 84% of the time. YOUR CHOICE!!
Our country is in trouble. Our nation continues to battle a huge debt and uncontrolled deficit. The people we elect in November will be charged with fixing these problems and there are only two solutions. Either the richest elite (not you) and corporate giants will be asked to pay their fair share, or the budgets will be balanced on the shoulders of the working middle class. (definitely you) Simply said someone has to pay, and if the wrong people are elected to run our government, our collective bargaining, pensions, pay, and benefits will be the first to go.
PLEASE SUPPORT AND VOTE FOE OBAMA/BIDEN FOR PRESIDENT and ELIZABETH WARREN FOR U.S. SENATE
VP Doug Courville
|
