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BA’s Desk: Local News: (KC, Topeka, & St. Joe) Annual Local 12 Picnic: Saturday August 26th, at the Longview Lake Shelter House #9. Beginning at noon, Local 12 will provide the meats & drinks, please bring a covered dish and have a good time with family and friends. Retiree’s luncheons: August 31 - Hometown Buffet, 8350 N. Broadway, K.C. Mo (816) 436-5336 Sept 28 – Hometown Buffet, 13720 E. 40 Highway (Noland Rd), Independence, Mo See web site for more info. WWW.IUEC12.Com Land of Oz & Beyond: (Wichita, & Springfield) Commentary: “Holding down inflation”… never seems to apply when it comes to salaries or bonuses of Board of Director’s, CEO’s, Congressperson’s, Political appointee’s, or the price of oil, healthcare, and prescription drugs. The Republican-controlled Senate refused Wednesday to raise the minimum wage from the $5.15 per hour it has been since 1998. We need a living wage with Inflation indexing that guarantees low-wage workers a wage that keeps pace with the rising costs of goods and services. (Like what Congress has given themselves.) Indexing for inflation provides a sustainable solution to the problem of declining real wages for the lowest-paid workers. If a true living wage were paid, more citizens would pay more taxes into the system, lowering our entire tax burden. If those at the bottom of our social-economic scale were paid a living wage they could pay into the services they use, such as healthcare, which would reduce all of our cost. There would be job losses in some sectors, but this would be quickly resolved as prices adjust to the new wages. Not unlike the price of oil and how businesses adjust the extra cost into there prices. (Why is minimum wage sacrosanct and the price of oil is not.) Prices will rise and inflation is to be expected, however, the inflation will be spread out among all social classes. “No inflation” is great if your income is rising and goods and services are not, like the politicians & CEO’s. But a “little inflation” is not that bad for the common man. That mortgage you took out five years ago will stay the same, and you will have more money in your pocket to pay it down.
Notice years the Republicans took control of all three branches of government.
If working man’s wages had kept up with the true inflationary costs in this country the tax dollars would be there for Social Security, Medicare, education, defense, and every other program that benefits our nation. And the most important reason to increase and index the minimum wage: “It’s the right thing to do.” WWJD Did you ever notice that the “Blue States” always seem to have higher wages and a better standard of living than the “Red States”? Opposing views are good…Email me! Jim Linn
Local 12 retiree’s Bill Steinman, Roger Miller, Kenny Rogers and Local 12 President Carl Bonsignore Matt O’Brien Donated Motorcycle for PAC Raffle
Members of Local 12 in attendance at the 2006 Labor Rally |
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