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Ann Widger addresses the Convention

Deputy Director Office of External Affairs, U.S. Department of Health and Human Service’s Ann Widger addressed the convention, focusing her discussion on the recent passage of the Affordable Care Act.

“Thanks to all of you in the BCTGM for all the hard work you did for passage of this historic health care legislation. It may not have everything we all wanted – but is an excellent first step,” Widger told delegates.

Widger explained the Affordable Care Act signed into law by President Obama on March 23. The law puts into place comprehensive health insurance reforms that will hold insurance companies more accountable and will lower health care costs, guarantee more health care choices, and enhance the quality of health care for all Americans.

Widger concluded her address to the convention by encouraging delegates to check the Health & Human Service’s special web page, www.healthcare.gov, regularly for additional details of the Act.

 

Allison Beck Speaks

Allison Beck, the Deputy Director of the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service (FMCS), served as the general counsel of the IAM prior to taking her post in 2010. She detailed her 30 years of labor experience and explained how that experience enhanced her current position at the FMCS.

“I am passionate about collective bargaining and about encouraging real relationships between honest companies who want to share their success with their workers. We know that committed workers can help make these companies a success,” Beck told delegates.

Click here to download Allison Beck's Power Point Presentation

 

 

Click here to download the full Convention Reporter for Day 4 (PDF)

Click here to download the Post-Convention Issue of the BCTGM NEWS

**All photography is available to view and purchase online through Hank deLespinasse Studios, the official photographer of the 2010 Convention.  The photo site is: www.bctgm2010conv.com.

 

DAY FOUR of the convention focused on Collective Bargaining...

Reflecting on the day’s theme, International President Frank Hurt said, “I believe this theme is highly appropriate considering the bargaining environment we found ourselves in over the last four years.

“On the one hand, in the face of an economic collapse of the like we have not witnessed since the Great Depression, we had to get defensive and protect what we had. We had to protect our health coverage, which employers went after. We had to protect our wages and pensions, which employers tried to cut. And we had to protect our workplace security, which employers tried to water down,” reflected Hurt.

 

U.S. Economic Crisis Explained

Jack Marco, Chairman of the Marco Consulting group, spoke to the delegation about the economic crash of 2008 and its aftermath. Using a Power Point presentation to help illustrate his points, Marco began by discussing the collapse of the U.S. housing market and how the flow of money has halted.

He explained that in the first half of 2008 overall lending slowed and was frozen in risky areas. In the second half of 2008, Marco discussed the bankruptcy of Lehman Brothers and how that caused the freezing of lending across the board in prime mortgages, corporate bonds, and interbank lending.

“Imagine a world where people can’t get mortgages; people can’t get car or student loans; Companies can’t raise funds for new factories or new products; companies have to stash more cash to cover payroll or operating costs; and, banks don’t want to lend to each other,” Marco recalled.

Click here to download Jack Marco's Power Point Presentation

	Convention Pays Tribute to Troops In a special tribute, President Hurt asked delegates to honor and show gratitude to American and Canadian troops currently serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. “We honor their heroic service and we offer our lasting gratitude for the daily personal sacrifices they have made in these conflicts,” he said. “As citizens of two grateful nations, let us now pause to offer in silence our thanks, and our prayers. For those whose lives have been lost or have been wounded in Iraq and Afghanistan; for the safe return home of those now serving, and for a joyful reunion with their families and those they love.”