Local Union Spotlight - IBEW Local 480, Nine Days to Go!

Check Out Ronnie Musgrove at IBEW Local 480's Fish Fry by clicking above.

I wish all of you could have heard former Gov. Ronnie Musgrove address IBEW Local 480’s annual fall family picnic and fish fry yesterday.

In just a few short minutes—after he had spent one-half an hour meeting many of our journeymen, apprentices and their families—Ronnie Musgrove reminded us why he deserves the votes of every union family on November 4.

Gov. Musgrove told us that he was excited about the possibilities of helping to change our nation’s direction in November, but that he was sad about the situation faced by workers who have lost their jobs, or seen the American Dream turn inside out.

“We need to stop giving $40 billion in tax breaks to companies that take our jobs overseas,” he said, drawing a line with Sen. Roger Wicker, who supports unfair trade agreements like NAFTA and CAFTA that destroy jobs in Mississippi paper mills, furniture and tire plants.

Expressing outrage that Wall Street tycoons are getting billions of dollars of our tax money in bailouts, Musgrove likened the situation to an out-of-control football game.  

“We had a good football team in my high school, but I would hate to think of what would happen with no referee,” said Musgrove. “With no referees, the game dissolves,” he said, pledging to go to Washington to pass laws that protect workers, not just wealthy insiders.

Setting the record straight on Roger Wicker’s attack ads that claim he is a “tax and spend liberal,” Musgrove said that—even while his gubernatorial administration had to contend with a recession and the economic collapse after 9-11—he still managed to balance Mississippi’s budget and increase pay for teachers.

Today, said Musgrove, the nation’s biggest newspapers are finally paying attention to Mississippi because his election could give the Democrats a 60-seat majority in the Senate to improve the lives of working families.  

Local 480 members gave Ronnie Musgrove a standing ovation and they want him to win that sixtieth Senate seat.

But, brothers and sisters, it will take more than clapping to win this close election.  It will take more phone calls, more plant gate flyers and more door-to-door visits to union members.  Let’s pour it on in these final days of the campaign. We can’t let this opportunity to change America and change Mississippi slip through our hands.

 

Fish and Politics Cooking at IBEW Local 480 Picnic

Tommy Evans, a 10-year member of IBEW Local 480, stood outside the moon bounce at IBEW Local 480’s annual fall picnic and fish fry.  With the elections only 10 days away—and with former Gov. Ronnie Musgrove table-hopping inside with journeymen, apprentices and their families—his thoughts turned to what the future will hold for the boys and girls jumping around inside the rubber fun house.

Evans once worked for an electrical contractor disconnecting machinery at one of the local Delphi plants that had shut down.  “It broke my heart knowing that I was disconnecting equipment that was going to be sent to Mexico,” he said. What do our kids have to look forward to if politicians keep turning a blind eye to how people are seriously hurting? he asked.

Musgrove, who took the podium inside the hall after a brief introduction by Local 480 Business Manager John Smith, spoke to Evans’ question.

“We need to stop giving $40 billion in tax breaks to companies that take our jobs overseas,” said Musgrove, drawing a line with Sen. Roger Wicker, who supports unfair trade agreements like NAFTA and CAFTA that have destroyed good-paying jobs in Mississippi’s paper mills and furniture, food processing and tire plants.

Expressing outrage that Wall Street tycoons are getting billions of dollars of our tax money in bailouts, Musgrove likened the situation to an out-of-control football game. 

“We had a good football team in my high school, but I would hate to think of what would happen with no referee,” said Musgrove. “With no referees, the game dissolves,” he said, pledging to go to Washington to pass laws that protect workers, not just wealthy insiders.

Agreeing with Musgrove’s message, Tennile Craddieth, a fifth-year apprentice, said, “Jobs are the biggest issue in this election.”  Downtown Jackson is seeing a lot of construction work, said Craddieth, but “our tax dollars are paying for nonunion contractors to bring guys in from out of town to do the work.” 

“People who don’t [usually] vote better get out and vote in this election,” said Jim Carpenter, a journeyman electrician at the Grand Gulf Nuclear Plant.