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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.
Political /
Legislative
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
Minnesota State Legislature Click on "State
Legislative Directories."
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