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Action in Alaska
A report from IUPAT Local Union 1959

You may have noticed some changes at the International Union of Painters
and Allied Trades this summer. On July 1, 2008 Local 1140 in Anchorage
merged with Local 1555 in Fairbanks to create Local 1959. The 360
members of this new local are industrial, commercial and residential
painters, as well as drywall finishers, floor coverers, and glaziers.

Local 1959 is currently in contract negotiations on behalf of painters
and tapers in Fairbanks. Separate negotiations are underway on behalf
of floor coverers in Anchorage.

Even with so much going on, Business Manager Chris Gregg set aside time
to talk about the political issues that are important to IUPAT members.
“We’ve got to elect representatives who will pass House Bill 361,” says
Gregg. HB 361 would require subcontractors without employees to secure
payment for workers’ compensation. With out this legislation, large
projects such as the Convention Center in Anchorage are able to
subcontract and subcontract again to get out of paying for necessary
worker safeguards. Chris explains, “As it stands now, contractors who
do the right thing and pay workers’ compensation, social security and
unemployment insurance for their workers are at a 25 to 30% cost
disadvantage. HB 361 would help level the playing field.”

HB 361 was introduced last year in the legislature, but has been held up
without a vote. Similar legislation is possible on a federal level, but
only if union members turn out and elect candidates who will make it
happen. According to Gregg, “The AFL-CIO has endorsed a number of
candidates who support working people this year, including IUPAT member
Bronson Frye for the State House.”

The Labor 2008 campaign is reaching out to union member through local
union mail, member to member phone banks, work site leafleting, and
labor walks. Gregg urges his fellow Painters to participate, “I’ve
personally been out on three labor walks this summer, and I will
continue to do more. People trust information when it is delivered from
one union member to another. It would be great to get more Painters
active in Labor 2008.”
Click HERE to watch Gregg in action during a door-to-door effort.

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