Director's Report
Don’t Let Business Wrap Itself in the Flag

Region 4 Director Dennis Williams

Although it’s been about six months since the Region 4 special convention, I have not had a real opportunity to say thanks to all of you who supported me for regional director.

A special thanks goes out to the delegates you sent to the convention, as well as the Region 4 veterans of Local 1268 for posting the colors that day. The job of director of this great region is a challenging one, but with the assistance of our dedicated staff and local union leadership, I know it will also be a rewarding one.

As you know, we are in one of the most difficult times in our nation’s history. The terrible attack on the United States cannot and has not gone unanswered.

We mourn and say prayers for all the victims, many of whom are union members. As of this writing, approximately 1,000 union members are dead or missing, including 343 firefighters.

In response, union members across our nation are donating blood and contributing money. More than $1 million was raised for the AFL-CIO Union Community Fund.

Firefighters and EMS workers have raised $12 million to help families of fallen firefighters, and $150 million was raised by the All-Star Relief telethon.

UAW locals throughout the country set up blood drives, held support events and collected money. Here in Region 4, examples include Local 879 in Minneapolis, which raised $10,200 in just two days, and Local 974 in East Peoria where members held a well-attended candlelight service. I know there are many others I haven’t heard about. You all did an excellent job in response to a tragic situation.

As you may know, I was in the Marine Corps. Along with all veterans, I share a special place in my heart for our military forces currently serving around the world, especially in Afghanistan.

We handed out flags at our region’s fall conference in October because they serve as symbols for unity in our country. In 1777, the Secretary of the Continental Congress Charles Thompson reported to Congress on the seal of the United States. He described what the colors used in the flag of the United States symbolized:

• White signifies purity and innocence,
• Red, hardiness and valor,
• Blue, the color of the commander-in-chief

Over the years, we have found that with freedom comes sacrifice--the sacrifice of our men and women in the armed services who protect and secure that freedom. I believe all of us feel we must support our president in the fight to eliminate terrorism.

While saying we support him in these efforts, we cannot forget that we have an obligation and a duty to protect working men and women, senior citizens and our children. It appears that the president will again try to pass fast track legislation.

We cannot and will not support him in this effort. The effects of the North American Free Trade Agreement are clear. Nearly 700,000 jobs have been relocated to Mexico, many of them from this region, and our trade deficit has grown to $434 billion.

Wrapping a corporate agenda in the American flag and attempting to force it through Congress under the guise of patriotism is plain wrong. It is bad news for American workers, and it has nothing to do with stimulating our economy or the security of our country.

While Congress and the president put the necessary budget together to get America back to work and the economy going again, they should make sure that our men and women in uniform have everything necessary to win. We should all be aware of those individuals who worry more about Wall Street than Main Street.

And if we want a strong economy and to put Americans back to work, let’s do our part the old-fashioned way by buying American-made products.

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