URGENT LEGISLATIVE ACTION:
Defend Prevailing Wage & Project Labor Agreements
Support those congressmen who support the UA
Contact your representative today!
DAVISBACON_ROLLCALLVOTE_6_2_2011[1]
The Political and Legislative Affairs Department would like to inform you on Thursday, June 2nd the House of Representatives held its second set of floor votes on PLAs and Davis-Bacon. As part of the House Homeland Security budget bill, Rep. Steve Scalise (R-LA) offered an anti-PLA amendment while Rep. Paul Gosar (R-AZ) offered an anti-Davis Bacon amendment. Similar in effect to the hostile PLA and Davis Bacon amendments defeated by us in February, the provisions were meant as political attacks to undermine the usage of PLAs by the federal government and prohibit prevailing wages on federal projects. The good news is that we won, but the battle will continue.
·       The UA along with the other Building Trades affiliates won these critical votes with bipartisan support.
·       The anti-PLA amendment was defeated with the help of 28 Republican members and 185 Democrats.
·       The anti-Davis Bacon amendment was defeated with help of 52 Republicans and 182 Democrats.
In order to see how your Congressional member voted,
the roll call tallies are included.
If you do not know who your Congressional representative is, enter your zip code here: http://www.congress.org/congressorg/dbq/officials/?lvl=L.
While this was a close victory and should be celebrated, we must not let up as more anti-union votes are expected in the coming weeks. This is where the UA needs your help.
Each congressional member is returning home this upcoming week for recess, June 6-10. It is critical that you reach out to your representative via phone, email, or personal visit regarding these votes. They must hear from you. The opposition, specifically the ABC and the AGC, are putting a TREMENDOUS amount of pressure on those representatives who stood-up with us for working families. We must combat their rhetoric by supporting those who have supported us and our top job-creating legislative priorities this Congress: protecting Davis-Bacon and PLAs.
The Department asks you, the members of the local, and your apprentices to do the following:
- If your Representative voted “No” to one, or both, of the Amendments, call, email, or set up a personal meeting to say thank-you. To find the District phone number for your Congressional representative, enter your zip code here: http://www.congress.org/congressorg/dbq/officials/?lvl=L.
- If your Representative voted “Yes’ to one, or both, of the Amendments call, email, or set up a personal meeting to express your deep concern. To find the District phone number for your Congressional representative, enter your zip code here: http://www.congress.org/congressorg/dbq/officials/?lvl=L.
This effort is being done in conjunction with all of the Building Trades unions of the AFL-CIO. As such, we are tracking all contacts. Once this has been completed please either call the Department in Annapolis at 410-269-2000, ext.5029, or e-mail me at rickt@uanet.org to confirm your Congressional communication. The Department may also follow-up with Local Unions to ensure this communication has been completed.
General President Hite has continuously advocated for local union political participation. Now is the time to become involved. When a congressman or woman hears from you, it has a direct impact on their vote in Washington, D.C. The House has spoken, now twice, in favor of PLAs and Davis-Bacon. However, future victories are not assured. The opposition has already begun coordinating hundreds of calls and grassroots activities to these same representatives to persuade them to flip their vote. We cannot let them overturn this victory. Please reach out yourself as well as ask each local member and each apprentice to make a call. The goal is to generate hundreds of calls per Local Union.
If you have any questions,, please contact the Department of Political & Legislative Affairs at 410-269-2000 or e-mail me, rickt@uanet.org.
Thank you for everything you do for the United Association as well as for our Department.
When we work together, we all win.
In solidarity,
Rick Terven
Director
United Association, Department of Political & Legislative Affairs