Posted on 09/05/2004 2:28:24 PM PDT by mylife
Union Investigating 'Steelworkers For Bush' Supporters
By JOSELYN KING
STEUBENVILLE -Local steel union officials are investigating whether the "Steelworkers for Bush" - those supporters dressed in black who stood with President George W. Bush at his rally last week in Wheeling - are all really steelworkers. It was steelworkers wearing blue who turned out Saturday in Steubenville to show support for Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry and stood behind him at the podium. While he addressed many of their concerns, he said very little directly about the steel industry.
"The men of coal and steel are the men who kept the faith and built this country," Kerry said.
"What I believe, and what I will fight for, is that when the time comes for a steelworker to leave the steel company, we must make sure that nobody takes their retirement and health benefits away."
Kerry advocated raising the health care tax credit from 65 percent to 95 percent for steel retirees and their spouses, "so they don't get left behind."
Kerry also reminded the crowd that Bush, himself, "flip-flopped" when he told steelworkers that he would impose steel tariffs for three years, but cut them off half-way through.
Prior to the rally at Old Fort Steuben, John Saunders, a steelworker and former local union president who now serves as co-chair of the Ohio County Democratic Party, said the union has a tape of Bush's speech in Wheeling last week and is now attempting to identify those steelworkers who came out for Bush.
At least one was definitely a member of the United Steelworkers of America, according to Saunders, while some of the others were identified as workers for Weirton Steel and members of the Independent Steelworkers Union. The ISU recently announced its support for Kerry.
"I'm not convinced that all the men were steelworkers," Saunders said. "But even if they are, they have a right to express their choice."
He added that he believed most of the union membership supported Kerry, and that the union was "in the process of trying to educate" the others.
Saunders did give Bush credit for enacting steel tariffs to help the steel industry, especially "when (former president) Bill Clinton and (former Democratic presidential candidate) Al Gore didn't want to.
"But I'm not convinced that the tariffs saved the industry," he said. Saunders cited that there are now 1,200 fewer jobs at the Wheeling-Pittsburgh Steel Corp. than there were four years ago, and 1,400 less at Weirton Steel.
"Many of the retirees also lost their insurance," he explained. "The legacy costs alone (saved the companies) $500 million to $600 million." Saunders added that steel unions were lobbying Kerry to raise the health care tax credit.
Steubenville Mayor Domenick Mucci said he did a bit of lobbying himself over the past week as he met with members of the Kerry campaign to plan Saturday's event.
"I wanted them to understand our history, and the important part in building America that Steubenville has played," he explained. "I also want us to be a part of building America stronger today."
Mucci admitted that Kerry's visit did cost the city a great deal of money. "There is always a price tag for events like this," he said. "It might cost us money today, but it is an investment in the future. I would be happy to host another Kerry or presidential visit if it means we can talk about Steubenville's economic situation."
Are they trying to intimidate any steelworkers who would publicly declare their support for Bush?
Mr Moderator, could you fix that title from "nion" to "Union"? Thanks
Damm NIONS!
L0L!
It looked like it might have been NION -- Not In Our Name, the Lefty "anti-war" group.
I'm not sure I like the way unions try to "educate" the ones who stray off the reservation.
Yes.
Thuggery is fixin' to happen. The union leaders don't like dissention.
There is no entity more responsible for the death of the steel industry than the union itself.
Problem is, while she had indeed worked for a ribbon company and had been laid off, the company had also asked her to come back to work well before the Kerry rally.
She answered the ribbon company with a "no" after apparently checking in with her union for permission to return to work -why she has to ask I don't know- and they told her not to return to work. And that's convenient given that she was scheduled to appear with Kerry as one of those "spontaneous" supporters who "just happens" to get picked out of a crowd, and I suppose someone thought it would be pushing luck a wee bit too far to have an employed person trying to spin a story about not having a job.
So while she was a laid-off ribbon worker, it wasn't because of "the Bush economy." It was her choice to stay unemployed and she appeared at the Kerry rally and gave her little rant-speech knowing full well that she was lying her butt off.
you said it brother
typical rat union crap
If this is the best they can come up with, kerry is toast.
NIONS with BEEBERS! I'm STUNED!
Hmmm. Dodgy plan, that. "Let's pick a Senator who has had exactly four bills in twenty years in congress. Of which one was a private bill enriching some contributor or other."
I mean, these guys don't actually think JFK Lite is gonna win, do they? If that's how dumb steelworkers are, no wonder the industry is in trouble.
d.o.l.
Criminal Number 18F
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