Pittsburgh Local 154 delegates accept the award for the highest CAF contribution by a local from Intl. Pres. Newton Jones (holding award), with IVP Sean Murphy (4th from left) and Political Affairs Director Bridget Martin (r.).
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Money helps pro-worker candidates, builds strong member education
BOILERMAKERS WHO EXCELLED at raising money for CAF and LEF in 2008 received recognition during the annual LEAP conference in Washington, D.C., March 18. International President Newton B. Jones presented crystal “capitol dome” awards to vice-presidential sections and individual local lodges for exceptional performance.
BY ACTION OF delegates to the Thirty-First Consolidated Convention, all local lodges must contribute no less than 25 cents per member, per month, to the Legislative Education Fund (LEF).
The fund pays for the publication or purchase of educational materials regarding candidates, issues, and the legislative process, and for their distribution to members and local lodge leaders. Educational materials include congressional directories, issue alerts, and informational DVDs. The fund also pays for the Legislative Education Action Program (LEAP) Web site and the annual LEAP conference in Washington, D.C.
Lodges should include their LEF contributions with their monthly per capita payments to the International (all in one check). The only exception: should a local choose to contribute to LEF from its state PAC instead of its general fund, then the check should be made payable to LEF.
CAF stands for Campaign Assistance Fund. It is the only way our union can contribute money to those running for federal office. It is used primarily to make contributions to election campaigns for the United States House and Senate.
Because CAF is a political action committee (PAC) fund, donations to it are completely voluntary. CAF money cannot come from a lodge’s treasury or dues; it can only come from donations or fund-raising activities. And only active and retired Boilermakers, and their immediate families, may give.
The LEAP conference recognized the Northeast Section (IVP Sean Murphy) for the highest CAF contribution by a section in 2008 — $183,819.74. Local 154, Pittsburgh, garnered the award for largest contribution by a local lodge, raising $67,947.90. Local 193, Baltimore, won for highest contribution per member at $122.52 ($32,222.08 total CAF contribution).
Local 107 (Milwaukee) won the award for most improved lodge, raising their CAF contributions from $81.08 in 2007 to $3,357.25 in 2008. The Western States Section (IVP Tom Baca) won the award for most improved section, increasing their CAF contributions 48.38 percent, from $44,422.25 in 2007 to $65,913.88 in 2008.
Retirees contributed a total of $124,781.34 to CAF in 2008, including $101,122.64 from the National Pension Trust, and $13,041.70 from the Officers & Employees Pension Plan, and over $10,000 from a letter campaign.
International staff and officers contributed another $44,484.29.
In all, Boilermakers donated $631,434.15 to CAF in 2008, with just 68 locals out of 255 participating. Nearly all of the locals forwarding large contributions have included a CAF payroll deduction in their contracts. Payroll deductions are the easiest way to raise money. Most people hardly notice a payroll deduction of $2 a week. Yet donating a couple of dollars a week to CAF can raise more than $100 over a year’s time.
And every dollar is put to good use, supporting pro-worker candidates.
To learn how to begin contributing to CAF and how to include a voluntary CAF payroll check-off clause in a contract, call the Government Affairs Department at 703-560-1493 or view p. 13 of the LEAP manual.
Conference recognizes top LEF donors
THE BOILERMAKERS LEGISLATIVE Education Fund (LEF) pays for virtually all Boilermaker political education activities. This fund can make use of dues money, since the purpose of LEF is education. Convention delegates approved a constitutional change in 2006 that requires all U.S. lodges to contribute at least 25 cents per member per month from the lodge’s treasury. Of course, lodges may contribute more than that if they wish, and some lodges were contributing a higher amount before the constitutional change.
The award for the highest LEF contribution for a section in 2008 went to the Great Lakes (IVP Larry McManamon), which raised $60,184.10. Local 83 (Kansas City, Mo.) won the award for the highest contribution by a local, with $13,799.40.
The award for most improved section went to the Northeast (IVP Sean Murphy), increasing their contribution 95.3 percent, from $25,648.64 in 2007 to $50,109.73 in 2008.
LEF contributions in 2008 totaled $208,647.07, with 162 locals out of 255 participating.
Conference delegates raise money, too
DELEGATES TO EACH LEAP conference get an up-close look at politics. One thing they quickly learn is the road to elected office carries a high price tag. Getting good pro-worker candidates in office — and keeping them there — requires all the financial help we can muster. And maintaining a strong Boilermaker presence on Capitol Hill also requires resources. With that understanding, delegates take the opportunity of making on-the-spot donations at each conference.
This year, conference delegates raised $6,584.60 for CAF, including $200 from the proceeds of T-shirt sales by Allen Phillips of Local 455 (Sheffield, Ala.). Some delegates also made check presentations from their lodge CAF and LEF fund-raisers in person at the conference. In all, donations made during the conference totaled $22,951.60 for CAF and $33,049.50 for LEF.
| Top 10 Local Lodge CAF and LEF Contributors |
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| Top 10 locals giving to CAF | Top 10 locals donating to LEF | ||||
| Local 154 | Pittsburgh | $67,947.90 | Local 83 | Kansas City, Mo. | $13,799.40 |
| Local 13 | Philadelphia | $37,326.59 | Local 40 | Elizabethtown, Ky. | $12,761.05 |
| Local 744 | Cleveland | $37,128.89 | Local 154 | Pittsburgh | $10,705.75 |
| Local 193 | Baltimore | $32,222.08 | Local 57 | Portsmouth, Va. | $10,306.50 |
| Local 92 | Los Angeles | $27,061.61 | Local 60 | Peoria, Ill. | $6,238.50 |
| Local 105 | Chillicothe, Ohio | $26,907.06 | Local 45 | Richmond, Va. | $5,660.75 |
| Local 85 | Toledo, Ohio | $26,039.76 | Local 104 | Seattle | $3,806.50 |
| Local 374 | Hammond, Ind. | $25,204.82 | Local 627 | Phoenix | $3,660.25 |
| Local 40 | Elizabethtown, Ky. | $20,756.07 | Local 693 | Pascagoula, Miss. | $3,289.50 |
| Local 5 | New York | $13,669.53 | Local 906 Local 374 |
Donora, Pa. Hammond, Ind. |
$3,133.50* $3,133.50 |
* With only a $0.50 differential, Locals 906 and 374 tied for 10th place.
