Fall 2024

2024 Fall

My Fellow Brothers and Sisters,

I hope this newsletter finds you all safe and well.

I will get straight to the point: as the presidential election approaches, the choices we make at the ballot box will have significant consequences for our jobs, wages, and future. It’s my responsibility to ensure that Local 5 stays informed on issues that directly impact us as union members. I respect that we all hold personal beliefs and concerns, and I’m not here to debate those or tell you how to vote. However, I strongly urge you to take a few minutes to review the issues at hand—issues that could seriously threaten your pay, benefits, and pension as proud, card-carrying union members.

I know that many of you reading this may think that the GOP candidate has nothing to do with this or is unaware of these issues. I urge you to read through this fully and verify the facts I'm presenting before dismissing them entirely. Project 2025 is an 887-page document created by the conservative right-wing think tank, the Heritage Foundation. Several aspects of this report are deeply troubling. There is one section that directly targets us as union members. I urge you to review Chapter 18 carefully, as it poses a serious threat to everyone who holds a union card.

Chapter 18 was authored by Jonathan Berry, who served as the Assistant Attorney General in the Department of Justice from 2017 to 2018 and was part of Former President Donald Trump’s presidential transition team in 2016 and 2017, advising on ethics and legal policy. To address any concerns about Trump’s awareness of Project 2025, note that at least 31 of the authors have deep connections with Trump and his previous administration. These individuals have shown a blatant disregard for union rights and worker protections and are now pushing to dismantle the safeguards that protect our wages and jobs. It outlines 23 points that affect us as union members, but I will focus on three of the most impactful. Please continue your research to understand the other 20 points, as they will also have a significant impact on us laborers.

*Repeal of the Davis-Bacon Act: This act has been a cornerstone of fair wages for decades, ensuring that workers on federal projects are paid prevailing wages that match local standards. Here in Chicago, our wage is the prevailing wage. Without this act, our jobs could be replaced with non-union, low-wageworkers. The foundation of our union, developed over many generations, could be undermined rapidly.

*Ending Project Labor Agreements (PLAs): PLAs are contracts signed with contractors and unions guaranteeing that projects will be built 100% union. This ensures job security and livable wages.

*Amending Overtime Regulations: This proposal would allow overtime hours to be used as make-up days or for missed days, with these hours paid at a straight-time rate instead of time and a half. For example, if you work 80 hours in one week and 0 hours in the next week, both weeks would be paid at 40 hours per week, with no overtime earnings.

Any proposal that threatens our paychecks, pensions, and insurance for ourselves and our families should make this decision clear. I urge you to research this matter thoroughly, consider the implications, and decide if you are willing to trust Trump and the administration behind Project 2025, who claim ignorance about these issues. While Trump may not have explicitly stated that he will adopt every aspect of this document, even a small chance that he might embrace some parts is too risky to ignore.

I encourage you to verify the information I’ve provided by visiting www.liunachicago.org/ know-your-rights/project2025 This site has sources and evidence that I have utilized throughout this newsletter. Review the language yourself and make an informed decision.

Your vote is your voice, and it is crucial that we use it to defend our livelihoods. Let us stand together in solidarity to protect our wages, our jobs, and our families by voting against Project 2025. Remember, LiUNA BUILDS AMERICA.

In Unity,

Frank P. Taffora

President/Business Manager