JAMES E. HOWARD'S OPEN LETTER TO ARTHUR A. COIA

THE FRONT COVER STATES IN BOLD TYPE "VOTE-MAKE YOUR VOICE HEARD".

I, AS MEMBER OF UNION LOCAL #152 HIDHLAND PARK, ILLINOIS WHICH IS A MEMBER OF THE CHICAGO DISTRICT COUNCIL OF LABORERS', DO NOT HAVE A VOTE OR SAY AS TO WHO HOLD'S OFFICE ON THAT DISTRICT COUNCIL. THE INTERNATIONAL UNION, TELL US TO "VOTE-MAKE YOUR VOICE HEARD" .

WHEN A CONTRACT COMES UP WE DO NOT HAVE A VOICE OR A VOTE. THE OFFICER'S, WHO WE DO NOT ELECT, WILL AGREE TO TERMS OF OUR CONTRACT AND TELL THE MEMBERSHIP WHAT THEY WILL GET. IT DOSEN'T, MATTER WHAT THE MEMBERSHIP MAY OR MAY NOT WANT. YET, THE MAGAZINE FOR LIUNA MEMBERS AND THEIR FAMILIES STATES ON IT'S COVER "VOTE-MAKE YOUR VOICE HEARD".

ON PAGE 3 OUR INTERNATIONAL PRESIDENT SAY'S "APATHY AMONG UNION MEMBERS ABOUT GOING TO THE POLLS NOVEMBER 3 COULD WELL MEAN THE END OF LIFE AS WE KNOW IT FOR OURSELVES AND OUR CHILDREN. THIS IS NO JOKE, THIS IS OUR WAKE UP CALL". WHAT I WANT TO KNOW IS WHAT ABOUT THE LIVES OF MEMBERS WHO DO NOT HAVE A RIGHT TO VOTE ON UNION MATTERS SUCH AS WHO THE OFFICERS ARE, WHO HOLD OFFICES ON THE DISTRICT COUNCIL,THE HEALTH AND WELFARE AND PENISON BOARDS?

THE WAKE UP CALL SHOULD BE FOR YOU MR.COIA AND ALL THE OFFICERS WHO THINK THEY KNOW WHAT IS BEST FOR THE MEMBERS OF THIS GREAT UNION. THIS UNION IS A GREAT UNION BECAUSE OF THE MEMBERS, NOT BECAUSE YOU HAVE A VOICE IN THE WHITE HOUSE OR JUSTICE DEPARTMENT OR LABOR DEPARTMENT OR WITH ANY UNITED STATES CONGRSSMAN.

MR COIA ALSO STATES "THE PRESIDENT'S TROUBLES ARE NOT A COMPAIGN ISSUE". I BEG YOUR PARDON MR.COIA I WILL MAKE UP MY OWN MIND ON THAT ISSUE! I DON'T NEED SOMEONE LIKE YOU WHO HAS CHARGES OF MOB CONNECTIONS HANGING OVER HIS HEAD TRYING TO TELL ME YOU HAVE ALL THE ANWSERS FOR ME AND MY FAMILY.

BY THE WAY, HOW COME YOUR HEARINGS WERE SECERT? AND WHY HAVEN'T THEY BEEN REPORTED IN THE LABORER'MAGAZINE FOR LIUNA MEMBERS AND THEIR FAMILIES?. IS IT POSSIBLE THAT IF YOUR HEARINGS WERE REPORTED IN THE LABORER', IT WOULD BE THE END OF LIFE AS YOU KNOW IT?

ON PAGE 8 THE HEAD LINE IS "WHEN WORKERS DON'T VOTE , WORKERS DON'T COUNT". IS THIS WHAT OUR INTERNATIONAL REALLY THINKS? OUR MEMBERS IN THE CHICAGO DISTRICT COUNCIL WHO DON'T VOTE ON THEIR CONTRACT EVEN WHEN IT'S UNDER TRUSTEESHIP, IS THE INTERNATIONAL UNION SAYING THEY DON'T COUNT BECAUSE THEY DON'T VOTE ON THEIR CONTRACT OR FOR THE OFFICERS WHO HOLD OFFICE ON THE HEALTH AND WELFARE , PENISON FUNDS?

ON THE BACK INSIDE COVER OF THE LABORER' MAGAZINE YOU GIVE A PAGE TO SECRETARY OF LABOR ALEXIS M. HERMAN. SHE HAS HER OWN PROBLEMS WITH AN INDEPENDEND COUNSEL AND LIUNA'S APPELLATE OFFICER NEIL EGGLESTON IS SECRETARY OF LABOR ALEXIS M.HERMAN LAWYER.

NOW I HAVE A QUESTION.

WHY IS THE SECRETARY OF LABOR GIVEN A PAGE IN THE LABORER WHEN IF A MEMBER HAS A PROBLEM WITH A MEMBER UNION THEY CAN GO TO THE LABOR DEPARTMENT FOR HELP WITH THAT UNION?

WHAT HELP CAN BE EXPECTED FROM A LABOR DEPARTMENT AGAINST A MEMBER UNION OF LIUNA WHEN IT'S APPELLATE OFFICER IS THE SECRETARY OF LABOR'S LAWYER AND THE MAGAZINE "THE LABORER" GIVES THE SECETARY OF LABOR A PAGE TO VOICE HER OPINION?

WILL YOU GIVE ALL MEMBERS OF LIUNA THE SAME OPPORTUNITY?

JAMES E. HOWARD MEMBER LABORERS' LOCAL #152-HIGHLAND PARK, ILLINOIS - RETIRED

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