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Terry & Team have been watching our website for information and talking trash instead of the issues I brought to the memberships attention by running for office, I merely gave my supporters a voice that day. Did I really think I would win that day? YES, and more importantly WE did too, by making a stand!
I wanted to give Terry & his Boys time to make the rounds to all the locals and the local picnics so they could CROW about how they won by a landslide through their TEAMWORK proudly proclaiming 4 more years of dictatorship. Of course they might not mention that the election was RIGGED by the sheer number of paid council staff that voted that day Business Agents, Organizers, and JATC instructors, maybe 40-45. Then you have to factor in the FAMILY members too, you know brothers, nephews, cousins, uncles, and sons maybe another 10-15 for a total of 70 solid votes along family ties. Then you’ve got the wanna-be’s and the spineless…those who will do anything to suck their way to the top and those who do not have enough backbone to make a stand. So, that makes a total of 104 TEAM SUPPORTERS who believe they are unaccountable to those they are supposed to represent. In reality, they did not win…they only delayed the reckoning day.
Election day played out with 104 of them ignoring our 400 working and retired members who showed up to demand a change of leadership and restoration of their union voting! As we climbed the stairs to cast our votes our loyal brothers cheered us on. When Terry, “Baby-Bear”, and the TEAM went into the building to vote their pocketbooks, the 400 members booed in unison and must have been heard a mile away. It’s obvious that we have the numbers to REPLACE every single one of them next election for LU office and CDC delegate by a margin of 4 to 1! All we have to do is merely elect good union Brothers & Sisters next time. All we have to do is wait, plan it out, nominate our candidates, and stand up for them on election night in force. They didn’t get 4 more years, they only bought 2 ½ years at the most and it might not be the most pleasant of times for RATS in a union house.
The whole point of my running was to expose the union corruption on the Council level and Terry, and his TEAM, came through as expected. Bullying a candidate or members on the jobsites while on union time, stopping work to campaign on union time, or having captive meetings with the apprentices to campaign on union payroll makes my case all by itself. Their outright disregard for the law, and utter arrogance as to their place in this union is repulsive. They do not serve, they dictate!
The second point of my running was to get important information out to the membership so that they could decide for themselves. Over the last ten years I’ve worked outside along side you, and the majority of you can’t stand Terry, Travis, or his TEAM members. How many of you have got a job out of the hall? How many of you work all year round? How many of you have health insurance with 1,200 hours per year or more? Anyone have a DOUBLE-DIP Pension plan? How about FREE health care for every year of service on the CDC? Paid vacations or paid holidays…anyone? Perhaps your family is knocking down over $376,000 per year on the CDC payroll? The web links I’ve provided will give you access to their pay and underscores that WE are not alone in this fight to regain our Union. CDUI is a Brotherhood wide effort by other good members engaged to restore our RIGHTS and control of our union. I accomplished what I set out to do, and in the process, YOU did too! I believe that there were even more than the 400 who where there on election day who were delayed by weather or were afraid to be blackballed for attending the rally and being seen. I believe that the vast majority are on our side and will come out when the time is right next time.
It is extremely important to keep the pressure on them every day. Keep me informed so that I can publish this headline news for the membership to stay informed at home by using my secured e-mail, I will not name names. Turn your anger and disgust into action and focus on what WE can do together! Stay united and protect each other from abuse by the bullies. WE have the numbers to make this change with them or without them in less than 2 ½ years. The 2009 UBC General Convention is coming up. We need to be ready to elect stand-up members to represent our interests after we have rooted out the TEAM just months before it.
There will be another leader from our ranks by then, perhaps they were outside the hall that day supporting what was right but, EVERYONE who had the guts to show up there that day was a leader so start thinking about running for LU office & CDC delegate next time. We witnessed a new shade of RED on Terry’s face on Election Day and now EVERYONE knows him, not only for what he is but, who he controls.
In closing, I could not be prouder of the people who stood with me and wish to thank each and every one of you for your time, effort, and balls for standing up for what is right. Each of YOU are my hero…just as every American fighting overseas for freedom & democracy. Let’s continue to give them HELL! We will not stop until we take back what is OURS!
Yours In Brotherhood,
Douglas M. Cornett There’s more to come, stay tuned in!
Terry Davis has the smallest membership, fewest BA's, lowest assets, yet makes more per member than any other EST in the Nation
2005 Data Source: Department Of Labor | Total Assets | Membership | # of BA's | Exec/Sec Salary | Salary Per Capita |
| Los Angeles | $119,681,269 | 52,464 | 158 | $244,543 | $4.66 |
| Chicago | $75,553,465 | 46,028 | 97 | $270,313 | $5.87 |
| Oakland | $44,769,202 | 38,595 | 161 | $177,986 | $4.61 |
| New York | $23,138,518 | 22,855 | 29 | $250,937 | $10.98 |
| St. Louis | $19,875,663 | 21,436 | 40 | $152,400 | $7.11 |
| Kent, WA | $17,065,971 | 19,915 | 54 | $137,208 | $6.89 |
Kansas City 2004 (05' not avail) | $11,486,974 | 10,100 | 17 | $214,302 | $21.22 |
Although your Union rights have been stripped under Terry Davis, you still retain your rights as American citizens to gather in large numbers and lobby your Delegates. Let’s join together for a peaceful, yet determined, DEMONSTRATION in front of your Council for a CHANGE of LEADERSHIP!
FREEZE DUES CHECK OFF!
The membership rejected Dues Check-Off 3 times, resulting in the largest voter turnouts in council history. Their wishes were bypassed by taking a one time special dispensation granted to the Council by the UBC that took the matter out of the hands of the members and gave the vote only to the council delegates. Dispensation can only be granted once, involving one matter of business. When Terry took over he took advantage of the dispensation, turning it into standard policy. Dues check off started at 2.5% Terry Davis has raised it to 5% during his reign of power.
In 1992 the CDC was broke. A motion was passed to enact dues check off at 2.5% so that we, the members, could help the council get itself out of the red. When the CDC assets reached 2 million it was to be reduced and ½% rolled back to the local union treasuries to help them but instead Terry took it for the CDC, after the assets reached 4 million. Now it’s the main source of income of the CDC, growing each year automatically with each contract. In 2004, total assets of the CDC were $11,486,97. Yet they are still making us pay!
Have we given enough yet? Have YOU given enough yet?
GIVE FINANCIAL CONTROL BACK TO YOUR LOCAL!
Terry Davis has removed your Locals ability to control the CDC, which is supposed to represent the will of the majority…that’s you and me! Dues are no longer controlled by the Locals, as was agreed upon when the Locals formed the CDC. Why was that agreement made? To prevent the danger of a DICTATORSHIP!!!
No longer does the Local cut a check to the CDC and the UBC. Instead, Terry collects the fees directly through the BA’s and your employers. Bypassing the Locals bank account, TD banks it, collects massive amounts of interest on it, and then cuts a check to the Locals and to the UBC. Locals no longer benefit from the interest…the CDC does.
Not long after taking control of the membership finances, TD also stripped the Locals of their membership records and stopped all monthly financial reporting to the Locals. He controls the Locals, instead of the Locals controlling him.
You okay with that?
VOTE FOR BUSINESS AGENTS!
Terry Davis took away your right to vote for BA’s in 1997! He convinced the majority of the delegates that they knew better than the members what was needed and that they had the power to take the members voting rights away! Doug Cornett quit the CDC in protest of what was the final straw in a very long list of blatant violations of the By-Laws and the UBC Constitution.
There were 7 delegates to vote against the slaughter of our right to vote. The most vocal opposition came from LU 1262 and LU 1635. Not long after, both unions were stripped of their Charter. Doug’s Local, 1635, fought for their rights all the way up to a FEDERAL COURT…AND WON!
Will you help fight for your rights?
VOTE ON YOUR UNION CONTRACTS! …AND HOW THE MONEY IS SPENT!
Terry Davis also took away your right to vote on your contracts, and on how your contract money should be spent. Does he know your needs better than you?
For example, your ability to vote on your contract is the difference between getting a $0.75 raise or a $1.50 raise. Your input on how the money is spent is the difference between seeing 30% of your raise on your check or seeing 70% on your check.
The last UBC convention, Doug, and another delegate, stood and shouted, “NO” to this rape of the rank and file members of our District! They did this for you! They did this for the brotherhood.
Now…will you stand and shout, “NO” in protection of your rights?
STOP THE SLOW-BLEED OF THE PENSION FUND!
Terry Davis took office in 1992, and in1995 our pension percentages began to decline. Now we are paying 40 cents/hour into a pension fund, which we’ll never get credit for.
Most are not aware of the CDC’s actions regarding our pension money because Terry Davis goes above-and-beyond when it comes to keeping you in the dark.
Will you continue to let your pension fund bleed-out until there’s nothing left for you?
END CONFLICT-OF-INTEREST AND FAVORITISM!
Terry Davis does not support the age-old democratic way of freely electing working Council Members. At least 45% of your Council Delegates are paid staff of the Council. This means they get to vote on matters involving their wages, employment benefits, Yukon’s, and other expenses. Voting against Terry’s wishes borders on financial suicide. Now where do you think their loyalty resides? With the member, or to Terry…who can hire and fire at will?
In fact, HE can HIRE whom HE wants…and not whom YOU want!
Why? Because, above all else, HE must control who is on the CDC! If HE doesn’t control them, then that leaves YOU to control them!
YOUR control would keep him from moving his inexperienced Son from Assistant Exec/Sec to head of the Council. You see, when Terry retires, or steps down, he has made it clear that his Son will fill his shoes. His son has worked as a Union Carpenter for about 6 years and has only served on the Council for 3 years.
Do you REALLY want Travis “Baby Bear” Davis running the Carpenter’s District Council?
I wanted to give Terry & his Boys time to make the rounds to all the locals and the local picnics so they could CROW about how they won by a landslide through their TEAMWORK proudly proclaiming 4 more years of dictatorship. Of course they might not mention that the election was RIGGED by the sheer number of paid council staff that voted that day Business Agents, Organizers, and JATC instructors, maybe 40-45. Then you have to factor in the FAMILY members too, you know brothers, nephews, cousins, uncles, and sons maybe another 10-15 for a total of 70 solid votes along family ties. Then you’ve got the wanna-be’s and the spineless…those who will do anything to suck their way to the top and those who do not have enough backbone to make a stand. So, that makes a total of 104 TEAM SUPPORTERS who believe they are unaccountable to those they are supposed to represent. In reality, they did not win…they only delayed the reckoning day.