Jim Wasser served in Navy combat during the Vietnam War. His father fought in World War II, a veteran of the Pacific theater.

Wasser, a member of the Electrical Workers (IBEW) union, respects Sen. John McCain's military service—but not his record in the Senate. Wasser puts it this way:

He wants us to keep spending $10 billion a month in Iraq, just like Bush. We could use that money to build schools, and roads, and create jobs with livable wages and benefits and insurance. He even took sides with Bush against increasing health care benefits for veterans.

People should let John McCain know: His agenda is not what we need, not now.

XPosted on MyDesert.com and on Calitics.com

The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 440 has endorsed Greg Pettis, Candidate for the 80th Assembly District, in his race to replace Bonnie Garcia.  IBEW Local 440 has long been active in Coachella Valley politics and Progressive Democratic circles.

Chuck McDaniel, an IBEW Local 440 leader and activist, is also Vice-President of the newly formed Desert Hot Springs Democratic Club, is a member of the Riverside County Democratic Central Committee, and had previously endorsed Pettis for 80th AD.

More below the flip...

XPosted on MyDesert.com and Calitics.com

Leading Democratic Candidate for the CA 80th Assembly District seat vacated by the termed-out Bonnie Garcia (R), Greg Pettis, has cultivated Labor support throughout the Coachella and Imperial Valleys.  Pettis serves in his 14th year as Cathedral City Councilmember, having been elected thrice in a City with about fifty-eight percent of its population identifying as ethnic or racial minority.  Pettis has also served as Mayor Pro-Tem of Cathedral City.

More below the flip...

XPosted 5/25/2008 2:21 AM PDT on Calitics.com by BlueBeaumontBoyz and on MyDesert.com by BluePalmSpringsBoyz

U.S. Representative Barney Frank (D-MA), dean of the Massachusetts Congressional delegation and Congressmember from the Massachusetts 4th CD, gave a stirring speech early this evening to spur local Progressive Democratic activists to action on behalf of Cathedral City Councilmember Greg Pettis in his bid to replace the termed-out Bonnie Garcia (R) in the CA 80th Assembly District.  Pettis is in his 14th year as Cathedral City Councilmember and has served as Cathedral City Mayor Pro-Tem.  Frank noted in his talk that State government always benefits from having someone of Pettis' caliber move from local government to the State Assembly.

More below the flip...

Crossposted at EENR Blog and Keystone Politics

This diary will be relatively brief because it's a very straightforward item.  It's almost primary day here in the Fifth District and another organization is making it known that Rick Vilello is the man they want down in Washington, D.C. fighting for them.  Follow me below the fold to hear all about it.

IF IT’S TUESDAY, THIS MUST BE BELLEFONTE:

The headline says it all as it was a very busy and sometimes hectic week.  I started out the week Sunday and Monday in Harrisburg where I was attending the County Commissioners Association of Pennsylvania spring conference.   I really wish I could have been in State College to see Senator Barack Obama’s historic visit to Penn State but, I had already scheduled to attend the CCAP conference several weeks ago.   I’ve heard from people who attended and they were all still buzzing late in the week from the rally.

Contact: Victor M. Ordonez
Email: vmo1701@gmail.com
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

McCRACKEN RECEIVES MAJOR LABOR ENDORSEMENTS
Electrical Workers'' and Iron Workers'' Union Endorses McCracken Campaign

Mark B. McCracken, Democratic candidate for United States House of Representatives in the 5th Congressional District of Pennsylvania is proud to announce that he has received the endorsements from the 2,760 plus members of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local Union #5 and the 263 member International Association of Bridge, Structural, Ornamental & Reinforcing Iron Workers Local Union #772.

I'm not a good writer nor am I even a good speaker. What I do know is what's in my heart and a little bit more about computers and a little something about politics. I was at the rally for John Edwards today at the IBEW union hall (International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers). The steelworkers were there, Mark Taylor was there and former Georgia governor Roy Barnes.

Crossposted from AFL-CIO Now blog

Marcy Rein, a communications specialist with the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) Organizing Department, took part in the International Labor Communications Association annual meeting in New Orleans and describes how the reality of New Orleans is not the one portrayed by traditional media.

We pile onto our buses during a break between late-season thunderstorms. Muggy skies hug the city's flat streets as the tour heads out through the busy Central Business District.

The International Labor Communications Association (ILCA) has set up a media center here, gathering nearly 100 of us labor communicators to spotlight the real stories of Hurricane Katrina and her aftermath (check out more of our work here). Before we begin our reporting, we get a tour.

A supervisor with CPS Energy (San Antonio public utility) displays a hangman's noose over two separated bibles -- a symbol of white supremacy -- in his cubicle at the downtown office.  Photo here.  Management has not responded to numerous complaints about it.

(Note that this is a compilation of several posts from both Calitics and Working Californians)

One of the best reasons to have a strong labor movement is that unions tend to advocate for issues that benefit many more people than their actual members.  Take what two IBEW Locals are up to in LA, warning the public about the dangers of the Department of Water and Power's (DWP) failure to ensure the department is prepared to respond in an emergency.

I don't know what to think of Lou Dobbs, frankly.  I used to pretty much detest the man.  I still find him jingoistic in his immigrant bashing.
Perhaps he is worse than an idiiot, or perhaps he's just an idiot, or perhaps he's a useful idiot.
But while addressing the 37th International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers convention held in Cleveland, Ohio from Sept 11th to the 15th, CNN pundit Lou Dobbs called himself "a fool."
More below the fold.

"LABOR UNIONS are more than just 'the folks who brought you the weekend,' as the bumper stickers say. A union contract may be the best bulwark against the widening income gap afflicting America even as worker productivity climbs."

-- Boston Globe Editorial September 4, 2006

On Monday I was able to attend the annual NH AFL-CIO Labor Day breakfast held at the Chateau Restaurant in Manchester, NH. It was quite a large turn out, I'd say 500 and maybe more. Most of the people that I talked to were happy to be there to see Edwards, represent their crew and have a great time. And most of them were concerned about the possible Verizon sale that could affect thousands of jobs in Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine.

The story that I heard over and over is that unions are getting weaker because their numbers continue to decline. NH-erites that I spoke to on Monday were fairly upbeat and positive about their local union, but union participation among American workers has steadily declined in the past 30 years. So why fewer unions and union members? Well may you ask...