LEAP delegates from Local 154, Pittsburgh, accept the award for the highest CAF contribution by a local.
Money helps pro-worker candidates, builds strong member education
BOILERMAKERS WHO EXCELLED at raising money for CAF and LEF in 2007 received recognition during the annual LEAP conference in Washington, D.C., April 21. Bridget Martin, Director of the Boilermakers’ Government Affairs Department, presented crystal “capitol dome” awards to vice-presidential sections and individual local lodges for exceptional performance.
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, and will not directly contribute to a 2008 presidential primary or general campaign.
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 2007 — $181,257.33. Local 154, Pittsburgh, garnered the award for largest contribution by a local lodge, raising $69,633.26. Local 193, Baltimore, won for highest contribution per member at $198.20 ($32,107.07 total CAF contribution).
Local 57 (Portsmouth, Va.) won the award for most improved lodge, raising their CAF contributions from $502.74 in 2006 to $2,815.31 in 2007. The Western States Section (IVP Tom Baca) won the award for most improved section, increasing their CAF contributions from $26,432.86 in 2006 to $44,422.25 in 2007.
Retirees contributed a total of $119,913.04 to CAF in 2007, including $115,561.04 from the National Pension Trust, and $4,352 from the Officers & Employees Pension Plan.
International staff and officers contributed another $38,095.75.
In all, Boilermakers donated $554,790.64 to CAF in 2007, with just 56 locals out of 270 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, now available online.
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 2007 went to the Southeast (IVP Sam May), which raised $41,922.50. This marked the fifth straight year the Southeast has claimed this distinction.
For the fourth time, Local 40 (Elizabethtown, Ky.) won the award for the highest contribution by a local, with $11,709.25.
The award for most improved section went to the Great Lakes (IVP Larry McManamon) for the second year in a row, with $38,639.95 raised in 2007, compared to $16,481 in 2006.
Local 1622 (Alliance, Ohio) won the award for most improved LEF contributions by a local, with $183 raised in 2007 compared to $15 in 2006.
LEF contributions in 2007 totaled $184,860.22, with 170 locals out of 270 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, they raised $2,780 for CAF.
Allen Phillips, Local 455 (Sheffield, Ala.), contributed another $200, from the proceeds of his shirt sales.
And some delegates made check presentations from their lodge CAF and LEF fund-raisers in person at the conference.
In all, donations made during the conference totaled $17,502 for CAF and $13,037 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 | $69,633.26 | Local 40 | Elizabethtown, Ky. | $11,709.25 |
| Local 105 | Chillicothe, Ohio | $42,438.70 | Local 83 | Kansas City, Mo. | $10,232.57 |
| Local 744 | Cleveland | $41,030.62 | Local 60 | Peoria, Ill. | $8,712.75 |
| Local 13 | Philadelphia | $39,800.00 | Local 154 | Pittsburgh | $4,939.50 |
| Local 193 | Baltimore | $32,107.07 | Local 104 | Seattle | $3,923.50 |
| Local 374 | Hammond, Ind. | $23,305.85 | Local 693 | Pascagoula, Miss. | $3,418.00 |
| Local 92 | Los Angeles | $17,887.19 | Local 374 | Hammond, Ind. | $2,948.75 |
| Local 5 | New York | $12,322.21 | Local 647 | Minneapolis | $2,652.25 |
| Local 40 | Elizabethtown, Ky. | $11,053.92 | Local 92 | Los Angeles | $2,400.00 |
| Local 45 | Richmond, Va. | $10,519.58 | Local 667 | Charleston, W.Va. | $2,228.00 |
