A Message from the President                                                                                  
Re: May 1, 2008 Notified Union Meeting:-Disbursement ($0.50 increase for 6-1-08)-Nominations for LU Officers
 
Hello members. It’s that time of year again! Spring is near, and so is our next wage/benefit disbursement.

The ALSC (American Labor Studies Center) has a booklet published by the N.Y. State AFL-CIO. This booklet is entitled Labor’s Untold Story by Paul F. Cole. It is filled with interesting facts and observation. Here is an excerpt I would like to share with you.
“From December 1993 to January 2001, Americans’ feelings toward labor unions went from a 35% positive to a 41% positive rating while negative feelings declined from 34% to 24 % according to a poll by Hart Research. While the net positives increased for all categories, there were significant differences among groups. Overall approval of labor unions went up from 55% to 60% from August 1981 to January 2001 while disapproval declined from 35% to 25 %.According to the same research, Americans said that their chief sources of knowledge about labor unions were personal experience (37%), people in unions (26%) and the media (25%). Significantly, learning about unions in school was not even mentioned. Of all adults, 46% said they knew a fair amount or a great deal about unions while 54% said they knew just a little or did not know much about unions. Among adults neutral to unions, only 24% were in the former category while 76% were in the latter. Thus, three out of four Americans who don’t have strong opinions about unions know little or virtually nothing about them.”                                                                                    Denis Beaudoin

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Since I’ve been sworn in as a member of a Union and the day’s progress and the month’s progress and the year’s progress, I see the ongoing need to belong.

Over the years I have witnessed the membership of Local 490 in job actions and in political environments and it has reminded me of a poem that I received from an "Ol Timer" years ago:

WHICH ARE YOU?

Some members keep their Union strong,
While others join and just belong.
Some dig right in, some serve with pride,
Some go along just for the ride.

Some volunteer to do their share,
While some lay back and just don’t care.
On meeting nights some always show,
While there are those who never go.

Some always pay their dues ahead,
Some get behind for months instead.
Some do their best, some build, some make,
Some never give, but always take.

Did You Know...?

The monthly “per capita” tax for “A” members will increase from $21.80 to $23.50. This will take effect January 1, 2007.

Your membership dues have a specific structure. The monthly amount that a member pays is divided into three funds:

   a. International General Fund                           $11.00
   b. International Pension Benefit Fund               $12.00
   c. Local Union General Fund                                $0.50

Did You Know...?
The first time "490" was used for a Local Union Charter number was April 1, 1906 for Provo, Utah. This Local became defunct shortly after.

The next emergence of the great number "490" was in Dallas, Texas on April 10, 1913. That Local was amalgamated with Local 69, Dallas, Texas, on September 19, 1914, thus making the number 490 again available for the next Charter.

The number 490 lay dormant for the next 2 years before being issued to Centralia, Illinois on October 24, 1916.
December 9, 1931, Centralia, was amalgamated with Local 702, West Frankfort, Illinois.

Seven years and 12 days later, it was a cold Wednesday on December 21, 1938. Twelve men gathered into a room in Dover, NH to sign a document. This parchment was issued number "490" by then International President D.W. Tracy, becoming the present day charter that is hanging in our Hall today.