More union support for Blouin

This was on Blouin's website. It's interesting.

Cedar Rapids/Iowa City Building and Construction Trades Council Endorses Mike Blouin for Governor
Tuesday, December 20, 2005
PRESS RELEASE

For Immediate Release, December 20, 2005

Blouin gets another nod from organized labor

Mike Blouin received yet another endorsement from Iowa’s working families today when the 5,000 member Cedar Rapids/Iowa City Building and Construction Trades Council today voted to unanimously endorse his campaign for Governor.

“I am deeply grateful to have the support of so many of Iowa’s working men and women,” said Blouin. “Together, we will continue to build a 21st century economy so our children and grandchildren don’t have to leave to find good jobs.”

The Cedar Rapids/Iowa City Building and Construction Trades Council includes:


Asbestos Workers Local Union #81
Boilermakers Local Union #83
Bricklayers Local Union #3
Carpenters Local Union #308
Carpenters Local Union #1260
Cement Masons Local Union #561
Glaziers Local Union #581
IBEW Local Union #405
Ironworkers Local Union #89
Laborers Local Union 43
Millwright Local Union #2158
Operating Engineers Local Union #234
Painters Local Union #447
Plumbers & Pipefitters Local Union #125
Laborers Local Union #1238
Roofers Local Union #182
Sheet Metal Workers Local Union #263
Teamsters Local Union #238

Scott Smith, President of the Trades Council said, “Mike Blouin deserves the support of all working men and women in Iowa. He has a proven track record and will bring a wealth of experience fighting for issues important to all Iowans--good paying jobs, quality education and accessible and affordable health care.”

Last week Blouin’s campaign for Governor was endorsed by SEIU Local 199, which represents nearly 5,000 working men and women all across Iowa.

These latest endorsements from organized labor are yet another key organizational step in Blouin’s campaign for Governor. Blouin also has the support of 50 Democratic legislators and a 266-member statewide
steering committee.

I hope that, if he becomes Governor, he rewards Labor for their support a little better than Vilsack has.

Maybe I am mistaken, but you seem to be a Blouin supporter?

Can you help to explain why so many Unions have endorsed Blouin considering his PLA stances in the past? It just seems counter-productive to me, but maybe I am missing something.

CEBA funds have gone to companies who asked for a waiver of IA Administrative Rule 261-53.6(1)h(1) pertaining to wage threshold requirements.

What the hell is that you say?? Basically it states that in order to receive CEBA funds the company has to provide a starting wage equal to 90% of the average county wage or 90% of the average regional wage or average wage cap whichever is lower. Okay, it means in order to get the Community Economic Betterment Account money (forgivable loan) the company has to guarantee that it won't create jobs w/low wages.

The rule cited can be waived, and has been waiver, by the Director of Economic Development on numerous occasions...who was that???? Mike Blouin.

I believe the unions are endorsing Blouin for the very same reason the legislators did...the Governor told them to. We do still have a legislative session coming up and I don't think anyone wants to piss the Governor off at this point. It will be interesting to see who gets what passed and signed in the next session (and who they support for Governor).

on why they endorse Blouin: as director of economic development, Blouin brought jobs into the state. I asked him if they were union jobs or how well paying the jobs were and he had no idea.
I think the question was asked here once before but not answered - the jobs that Blouin is so proud of bringing into the state - are they union? Non-union? How do they pay?

Some of your questions can be answered by going to the IDED web page and look at the minutes of the meetings of the board. I posted this in an earlier posting.

Some of the jobs I know of are union jobs some are not. Depending on what fund they are working from determines the pay guidelines. The Iowa Value Fund is based on 110% of a county's average pay. Other funds use a different formula. All the grants and loans are voted on by a board of directors.

I would suggest going to the site and read the awards going back to 2001 and determining for yourself what is what. Some grants I can agree with and others I don't. I know it isn't a perfect world according to haroldg and have learn to live with others' decisions.

requirements can be waived and were waived by the IDED board. What is the good of creating rules that safeguard livable wages just to have the rules waived?