olitical

Last Updated 08/12/2006

Political/Legislative Department
Rich Michalski, Director

Under the leadership of our International President, R. Thomas Buffenbarger, the
Political/Legislative Department has set goals in order that we are prepared to advance
economic opportunities for the benefit of our members. President Buffenbarger is committed to
providing the resources which will ensure that IAM stays in the forefront of political and
legislative action as we move into the new millennium.

The IAM is constantly asking members of Congress what kind of new and innovative
approaches to job creation and job retention are they taking, in order that our members and the
companies they work for do not become vulnerable to international competition caused by a
global economy.

While the primary functions of the Political and Legislative Department include the
promotion of workers rights, job security, job creation, training and political education through
work with the Executive and Legislative Branches of the federal government, the
Department must continually be prepared to confront the attacks presented to us by the
Right Wing Radicals of Congress.

The agenda these Right Wing Radicals have promoted has brought a battery of assaults to the
overall economic security of the working men and women of our country. There are those in
Congress who are content in promoting the following agenda, an agenda that only serves the
best interest of corporate money mongers and multi-nationals and not working families.

• Weakened OSHA Standards through attempted budgets cuts which would
affect
oversight and compliance.

• The Team Act - Nothing more than a move by the Right Wing and Corporate
America to avoid Unions and their representatives and revert back to company
unions.

• Service Contract Act - Attempts are currently being made to weaken the Act by
allowing federal contractors to subcontract work they bid on and avoid paying
prevailing wages.

• The Fair Labor Standards Act is under assault by a bill the Right Wing has been
trying to push called "Comp Time". If Comp Time were to be passed it would
drastically undermine the 40 hour work week and paying a "premium" for
overtime.

Thanks to the grassroots efforts of our State Councils, District and Local Lodges and the
overall solidarity of the labor movement, these types of issues have been beaten back.
However, it is also these types of issues that prevent us from being proactive on our own
legislative agenda.

The Legislative Department will continue to work with all the levels and branches of
government to develop sound economic policies to rebuild our nations once strong industrial
base--policies that will provide high wage jobs with good benefits, job security, jobs with
dignity and ultimately the economic security and well being of the men, women and families of
this great nation.

Political Activity

Political Action

The Political / Legislative Department of the IAM

The United States Senate This site includes links to Senators' offices and also includes bills,
calendars, notices of committee hearings, and a daily digest of Senate action (usually with a one
day delay)

U.S. House of Representatives This site includes Member Offices, schedule of hearings, "real
time" reports on floor action, a schedule for the week and other current information.

CAPWEB This site has been updated for the 107th Congress. An Internet Guide To The U.S.
Congress. This is an excellent site and one of the most complete guides to Washington politics.

Congress.org This site has been updated for the 107th Congress. It includes a page for each
U.S. Senator and Congressman. All committee assignments are listed as well. The site provides
a guide for contacting your Senator or Congressman and an e-mail form for doing so.

THOMAS Full text of legislation, all versions of House & Senate bills are searchable by
keywords or by number. Full text of the Congressional Record from 1994. This site has links
to other useful government information and historical documents.

Political Action by State

The North Dakota State Legislature Look for the words " 56th Legislative Assembly (1999)"
in the middle of the page and click on Senate or House of Representatives.

The South Dakota State Legislature Rosters, District maps and listings by district.