Amerikai Magyar Szó, 1985. január-június (39. évfolyam, 1-26. szám)
1985-03-28 / 13. szám
10. AMERIKAI MAGYAR SZÓ Thursday, March 28. 1985. Mw T HE 99TH CONGRESS enters its I98S session facing a series of critical issues, most of them tied to the Reagan Administration’s continued arms buildup and saber-rattling foreign policies, and to the ongoing offensive against working people and their unions by the Administration and the corporations. Here is a summary of key legislative issues related to policies adopted by UE’s 49th convention Jaar September. UE local political action and legislative committees should plan now to work on these issues during the coming year. UNEMPLOYMENT COMPENSATION UP FOR RENEWAL The federal extended benefits program for unemployment compensation terminates at the end of March unless renewed or modified by new legislation. Under the program workers who run out of their basic 26 weeks of unemployment compensation under the state UC program are eligible for additional weeks' benefits under the federal program. A strong campaign of grass-roots mobilization. lobbying, letter-writing and meeting with members of Congress and the Senate is needed to win extension of the federal supplemental program. SOCIAL SECURITY ON THE CHOPPING BLOCK The Reagan Administration has indicated that its promise to leave hands off Social Security-such a prominent part of its 1984 election campaign-was an empty one. The Administration wants Congress to initiate cuts in Social Security by means of a delayed or lowered cost-of-living increase, but has said it would go along with the cuts. Working people and retirees, led by their unions and senior citizen organizations, will have to build a strong alliance to halt cuts in Social Security. BEWARE THE FLAT TAX SCAM UE’s 1984 analysis of federal tax laws and their effect on plant closings and runaway shops helped spark a broad reconsideration of the tax system. Now, however, the Reagan Administration is attempting to seize the initiative on the tax question by proposing a “reform" package that would ultimately help the wealthy and the corporations even more than the current giveaway system does. While it closes a few loopholes, the Administration proposal embodies a “flat tax" method that would tax high and low income citizens at the same rate. Under the guise of "simplification" a flat tax system would destroy the principle of progessive taxation-a tax system based on ability to pay. The need for tax reform is undeniable. Many of the loophole-closing moves should be adopted. But UE will have to work hard along with other unions and citizens groups to maintain the principle of progressive taxation in any tax reform package that moves through Congress. HANDS OFF OUR BENEFITS A dangerous element of the Administration's tax reform proposals is the move to tax the premiums on health, life and other insurance benefits as ordinary income. Its real goal, Administration spokesmen say, is to force workers to stop seeking improvements in their benefit programs. UE members will have to lobby hard to keep their members of Congress and the Senate from going along with such a tax. THE U.S. WAR IN CENTRAL AMERICA The Reagan Administration is seeking congressional approval for stepped-up support to the military-dominated government of El Salvador and to the former backers of the Somoza dictatorship in Nicaragua. In both countries, workers and peasants have moved to halt the domination of their lives by U.S. multinational corporations. American workers have a direct interest in their success, which would foreclose the use of those countries as haven for job-destroying runaway shops from the United States. Important congressional votes on these issues will be coming up early in the 99th Congress. UE will be joining the effort to stop the U.S. war in Central America. MILITARY SPENDING: A NEW CYCLE IN THE ARMS RACE Ignoring demands even from conservative Republicans in Congress, the Reagan Administration is insisting on huge new jumps in the military budget, with development and deployment of dangerous new weapons systems that put the world on a “hair trigger” for nuclear war. A sharp fight is certain to erupt as Reagan’s policies cut deeper into the bone and marrow of social welfare and civilian-oriented programs while padding the Pentagon’s expanding wasitline. Reagan is seeking billions for his "Star Wars" space system which is judged by every responsible scientist to be unworkable. The Administration is continuing its deployment of Pershing and Cruise missiles in Europe, which can only be used as first-strike weapons that would unleash a nuclear holocaust. Reagan and Defense Secretary Caspar Weinberger are still pushing the MX missile, but this is one area where UE and its allies might succeed in blocking this wasteful, dangerous expenditure. UE will be acting to reverse the arms race by joining with a growing number of unions in again supporting proposals for a nuclear weapons freeze. NEXT TARGET: MEDICARE Both the Reagan Administration and Congress are now eyeing the Medicare Trust Fund as another big source of budget reductions. They are looking to cut Medicare benefits, raise monthly premiums paid by retirees, and boost out-of-pocket expenses before Medicare begins coverage. UE will be joining the effort to halt the cutbacks. We will take the opportunity to again raise the call for a National Health Service program that will end the jumble of private and public insurance programs that leave millions of Americans with inferior or non-existent health protection. FEDERAL WORKERS: GUINEA PIGS FOR ALL LABOR Having destroyed the air traffic controllers union to signal open season on the labor movement, and having just stuffed a two-tier wage system down the throats of postal workers, the federal government is now aiming at across-the-board wage and benefit cuts for all current and retired federal employees. The government wants a 5 percent wage cut and general reductions in monthly pension benefits and health insurance coverage for retirees. As in the case of PATCO, such a move would be taken as encouragement by all employers to institute such cuts. The entire labor movement must join in defense of federal employees to prevent such a snowballing effect. preparing to offer the Conrail freight transport system for sale to Norfolk Southern railroad. Most analysts suggest that such a move would dismantle the single system that now serves the Northeast and Midwest sections of the country. Norfolk Southern, they say, would integrate the most profitable Con- rail lines into its own system and close up the rest. UE and other unions that want a growing rail transport system will have to work hard to convince Congress not to impose such a death sentence on Conrail. In addition, the UE rail program calls for funding boosts for Amtrak, Conrail and mass transit systems-just the beginning of a long- range program to rebuild and revitalize the nation’s rail system. TIME TO MOVE ON PLANT CLOSINGS Trade unions and their allies in Congress are trying to formulate new legislation to address die plant closings crisis in communities around the country. UE’s experience in the Charleston, S.C. economic conversion campaign at the GE turbine plant there, and in the effort to reverse the closing of the Black & Decker plant in-Allentown, Pa., can help sharpen the legislative approach to plant closings. Unions need a strong plant closings bill that will halt the massive shutdown assaults of the corporations. CIVIL RIGHTS AND CIVIL LIBERTIES IMPERILED Critical issues of civil rights and civil liberties are on the congressional agenda for 1985. A bill to reverse the Supreme Court’s Grave City decision will be quickly introduced; this bill will halt discrimination in pro* grams and activities of institutions receiving federal dollars. Immigration reform will again be considered by Congress. As in the Simpson-Mazzoli struggle, UE will again join with unions and civil rights groups to make sure that any immigration reform legislation will not result in discrimination. The Reagan Administration and its allies will again take up a campaign to dismantle the Freedom of Information Act so that the public will be kept in the dark about government operations. UE will work to defeat such a move. On the plus side, efforts will be made to repeal the McCarran-Walter Act which permits the government to deny visas to foreign visitors on the basis of political beliefs. This Cold War law has been used to deny entry to foreign trade unionists seeking to improve ties with American unions. The United Electrical Workers Union is one of the socially most advanced trade unions in the United States. Their "Legislative Roundup", reprinted above, can serve as a guide for political action to all patriotic Americans.- Editor. TRANSPORTATION: A CONRAIL GIVEAWAY? The Reagan Administration is apparently
