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Construction Conference Focuses on April 4, 2004 IBEW Construction and Maintenance Director Mark Ayers urged delegates to focus on the basics of delivering the utmost in customer satisfaction to those who use the services of the IBEW. He warned the members against resting on laurels of the past without an aggressive commitment to retaining a top-notch reputation for their work. "We will frame some important messages over the next couple days, but its up to you to listen to the message," Ayers said. "We need to take a thorough, in-depth look at our strengths and, more importantly, our weaknesses." Secretary-Treasurer Jerry OConnor reported on the status of the NEBF and the need to support pension reform legislation that will bring greater security to multi-employer defined benefit plans. OConnor drew loud applause when he said: "The upcoming election is about the destruction of the middle class which many of us worked like hell to be a part of...This is a good year to give more than lip service to political action...George Bush has no viable record to run on. Like Lane Kirkland said: Lets bury the bastards and organize the pall bearers." Coming Soon: read
the full text of speeches by "This administration doesnt want to create jobs and they dont want to help people who lose jobs," Clinton said. "There is a big difference between asking workers to sacrifice and not asking rich Americans to lift a finger." Approximately 1,000 delegates attended workshops Friday afternoon and Saturday morning on a variety of subjects, including solar job opportunities, membership development, the IBEWs plan for the 2004 election and using the Internet for organizing purposes. Delegates cheered as Congressman Dick Gephardt (D-Missouri) entered the Hyatt Regency Ballroom to accept the unions endorsement of Senator John Kerrys Presidential campaign from President Edwin D. Hill. Gephardt said: "Ive served under five Presidents. This one is by far the worst... It makes my blood boil that they can hand out tax cuts to their friends, but they cant get health care. John Kerry will get the job done." IBEW delegates rose to their feet when Gephardt addressed the administrations union-busting policies. He said: "The reason we have a middle class is because of organized labor...the lust for profit is driving wages down and killing unions. Give labor its place at the table! We need card check neutrality, labor law reform, a level playing field. Make no mistake about it. If George Bush gets re-elected, he will drive for federal right-to-work legislation. Every labor union man and woman needs to get out and vote. If they do, we win." Steve Morgan, Business Manager of Local 1516 in Jonesboro, Arkansas said, after listening to the speakers: "We need to carry their message and get it out to our people and take our country back." Mike Daley, President of Local 99 in Providence, Rhode Island, attended the workshop entitled "Well Remember in November-IBEWs Plan for the 2004 Election." He said: "The Presidential election means jobs. Rhode Island is a Democratic state, but nationally, Bush is killing us. Unemployment is starting to catch up. If he gets in again, were all in trouble."
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The
2004 Construction and Maintenance Conference, the IBEWs largest
annual meeting, opened in Washington March 26 with a roster of lively
and motivating speakers. Our Ongoing Quest Becoming the Customers
First Choice," the two-day conferences theme, represented
the IBEWs continuing emphasis on remaining the electrical construction
industrys most professional, affordable, productive, safe and well-trained
human resource. This years conference also provided a special opportunity
for President Edwin D. Hill to announce the unions endorsement
of Senator John Kerry for President of the United States.
The
conference kicked off Friday morning with the presentation of flags
by the U.S. Armed Forces Color Guard and a rousing performance by
the U.S. Marine Band.
President
Edwin D. Hill reported on the construction of the new IBEW headquarters,
a 100% union project. He said: "This is part of our philosophy
to recycle the dollars to generate jobs for our members and new
revenue for the NEBF portfolio." Hill addressed the urgent
need to defeat the President Bush and his anti-labor policies, citing
as one example, Bushs attempt to destroy collective bargaining
for Department of Defense employees "in the name of national
security." Delegates laughed when Hill said: " We cannot
let George Bush win this campaign to get truly elected for the first
time."
New
York Senator Hillary Clinton called the upcoming presidential election
the most important this country has had in 100 years. With a multi-billion
dollar national debt, the government has been dipping into the Social
Security trust fund, the pool of money that has been set aside for
retirees, she said. And to pay the interest on the debt, the United
States is borrowing from overseas investors, the largest of which
are China and Japan. Senator Clinton chided the Bush administration
for failing to extend unemployment benefits. 
Political
strategist James Carville, the "raging Cajun" fired up
the conference. "John Kerry is a better man than Bush. Its
that simple. Hes faced every mans greatest fears-getting shot
at and contracting cancer. Hes come back after humiliating defeat
to be a winner. George Bush, on the other hand is the most entitled
President we have ever had." Carville said that Democrats need
to return Republican attacks and "stop apologizing" for
being Democrats. He summed up what is at stake in this election.
"In 1962 when the U.S. wanted to prove to French President
DeGaulle that the Cubans had Russian missiles, DeGaulle said that
he trusted the word of the President of the United States; he didnt
need proof. Now the word of the President of the United States means
absolutely nothing in the United States or the world. George Bush
cannot be trusted; not on Iraq, not on the deficit, not on healthcare,
not on outsourcing of jobs. This election is about returning credibility
and respect to the U.S. Presidency. Well get that with John Kerry."
