TOY AND FOOD DRIVE

In keeping with tradition, Local 302 collects and donates toys and canned goods, and non-perishable foods to our regional labor agencies and labor food banks. If you would like to help brighten the holidays for less fortunate families, please bring a new, unwrapped toy and canned goods and non-perishable foods to the next union meeting in your district.  We will deliver them to the Labor Agency to be wrapped and for the food to be distributed in time for Christmas.

Questions about the Individual Mandate?

Here is a link to the IRS website where you can get more information about the Individual Mandate.
http://www.irs.gov/uac/Questions-and-Answers-on-the-Individual-Shared-Responsibility-Provision

WSDOT Hwy 99 Tunnel Time Lapse- Video

New coal train report released, kept under wraps for 5 weeks

A new city report has positive things to say about coal trains in Seattle, so is that why it spent five weeks in Mayor Mike McGinn's office before it was released?

Please read the KIRO article

Alaska drops statewide preferential hire for public jobs

Alaska officials have dropped statewide preferential hiring of residents for public jobs.

Thanks to your efforts and the efforts of Operating Engineers across the country
proposed anti-worker changes to the Davis-Bacon (Federal Prevailing Wage Laws) were defeated.

Oppose Amendment to Repeal Davis-Bacon Prevailing Wages!

At a time when unemployment in the construction industry is nearly 10% and over 800,000 construction workers remain out of work, Congress should be doing everything it can to put people back to work in the construction industry. Instead, right-wing Republicans are attempting to slash our wages and benefits by repealing the Davis-Bacon Act, which requires that construction workers get paid the prevailing wage on projects that receive federal support.

In the next few days, the House of Representatives will consider an amendment, offered by Congressman Steve King (R-4 Iowa), to H.R. 2609, the Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2014. This amendment would repeal Davis-Bacon prevailing wage requirements from the legislation. We must defeat this amendment!

The prevailing wage law, the Davis-Bacon Act, requires that contractors on a project with federal support – whether through federal loans, grants, or other types of financing – pay construction craft workers a wage that is established by the U.S. Department of Labor through a local survey of wages and benefits.

The Davis-Bacon Act ensures that bottom-feeding contractors must compete for public works contracts on a level playing field with IUOE union contractors; bottom feeders can’t win a public construction project by lowering workers’ wages in a never-ending race to the bottom. More importantly, the law supports the quality of life and living standards of members of the IUOE.

As General President Callahan has said, “We must be engaged and hold politicians at every level accountable. Together, we can successfully combat these anti-worker attacks against the members of the Operating Engineers.”

As a member of the IUOE, you have a chance to voice your support for protecting all construction workers’ living standards.  Click on this link now to send your elected official an email on this fundamental issue of fairness.

You can also call your Representative at the Capitol Switchboard at 202-224-3121. Ask your Representative to oppose efforts to strip or weaken prevailing wages from H.R. 2609, the Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2014.