What I found was that our members do extraordinary works every day and heroic work when necessary. MSHA inspectors place themselves in harm's way each day, to inspect the mines and protect the miners. 'they share the danger and eliminate the hazards with expertise and knowledge.

When there is a mine disaster they arrive at the first alarm and stay until the bitter end. Some successful like the nine miners who were rescued in PA. And other times, when it is not successful and we lost the 13 miners in the explosion in Alabama last year.

These mine rescue teams go anywhere they are needed. They were there at Ground Zero after 9 11. They are dispatched anywhere in the world that their expertise is needed.

Hundreds of OSHA inspectors volunteered to go to Ground Zero at WTC and the Pentagon. Those selected went for many weeks, working long shifts, providing expertise and protection to the rescue workers This research has renewed my pride in what our members do and how well they do it. They do what is needed whenever it is necessary, And it proclaims proudly the NCFLL motto, "WHERE AMERICA WORKS, WE ARE WORKING FOR YOU!"

FOR MORE LOG ON TO www.ncfll644.org

LOCAL 644 CONDUCTS GET OUT THE VOTE CAMPAIGN
Local 644 is conducting an aggressive Voter Registration and GET OUT THE VOTE campaign. Utilizing lists of registered voters, who are union members, those who were not listed as registered were contacted and urged to correct the errors in registering or to register.

It matters not to the union how someone is registered; Democrat, Republican or Independent, but only that they register and vote in the General Election.

All DOL employs are urged to vote in this General Election, which may be the most important election cycle of our times. This cycle will determine the future of the .federal work force. Vote for the candidate of your choice, but that candidate should be sensitive to issues of federal employees. But the main thing is register and VOTE.

Jim Weyrauch
President
Philadelphia, PA
215 597 5183

Dave Berestecky
Executive Vice President
Pittsburgh, PA
412 395 4718

Sigmund Kozierachi
Treasurer
Philadelphia, PA
(215) 861-5336

THE UNIONIST PAGE 2

Craig Dotson
Vice President ETA/BAT/Job Corps
Pittsburgh, PA
412 395 5037

John Newby
Vice President MSHA M/NM, Safety Coordinator
Manchester, NH
603 666 7691

Cindy Peist
Vice President OSHA
Allentown, PA
610 776 0592

John Savine
Vice President MSHA Coal
Hunker, PA
724 925 5159 Ext. 118

John Lechman, Vice President, ESA
Greensburg, PA
412 644 4694

THE UNIONIST is a participating member of the International Labor Communications Association, the Pennsylvania labor Communications Association and the AFGE Editors Association and prescribes to the required code of ethics of each one.

NOTIFY UNION ON ANY CHANGES UV YOUR STATUS

In addition to a change in address or name change members need to notify local 644 if there is change in pay status such as Leave Without Pay or a temporary promotion.

The dues deductions stops but Local 644 still is paying the per capita to all the various union structures unless we put a stop order on it.

Then let the union know when you return so you can be reinstated to all the union structures.

CHANGE OF ADDRESS OR NAME

Name and change (if any)

Street address

City, state and Zip code

Telephone number

THE UNIONIST PAGE 3

LABOR DEPT. CLARIFIES RULING ON UNDOCUMENTED WORKERS
The U. S. Supreme Court ruled last March that undocumented workers are not entitled to back pay awards under the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) if they are fired during organizing campaigns. In the wake of the decision known as HOFFMAN PLASTICS, many immigrant workers have reported being told by employers that their rights on the jobIncluding fair have been reduced.

The website of Project Vote Smart provides candidate information and issue positions for candidates at all levels of government, includes extensive state by state listing of such data as ballot measures, voter registration, judicial and executive branches, along with information on campaign finances, special interest groups and voting records. The site also features a voter hotline, a toll free number where researchers will answer questions. 888 VOTE SMART

www.politics1.com

Provides information on political parties, federal and state officeholders and key issues. Links include progressive and conservative websites and information on such issues as health care and trade. A calendar provides visitors with a daily list of activities and deadline for the countdown to Election Day.

www.ncfl1644.org

Local 644 super website provides information regarding the Local union with links to AFGE and the NCFLL as well as the AFL CIO.
Provides information on the union contract, officers, stewards and timely information.
Commentary and the ability to join the union on line.

But in an important clarification, Labor Solicitor Eugene Scalia, said recently that the ruling should not affect the payment of wages under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).

Scalia told a meeting of the Industrial
Research Association that HOFFMAN was about receiving pay for hours not worked because of a wrongful determination, but a typical award under the FLSA covers payment for hours already worked but not compensated.

Scalia also noted, that though the NLRA allows but does not require back pay after a discharge is found to be unlawful, the FLSA's _" sole purpose" is guaranteeing wages.

Therefore, the FLSA should not be trumped by immigration laws, as the NLRA was under HOFFMAN, Scalia said


COURT DECISION ON SAFETY ISSUES After twenty years of litigation, a federal appeals court in Cincinnati ruled that "objective evidence" of health and safety concerns makes it legal for workers to walk off the job. Protecting oneself from workplace hazards now doesn't require a government finding. However, proving conditions are dangerous enough to walk out is expected to be tough. In the suite that brought this ruling, the court didn't objective evidence of danger existed.

THE UNIONIST PAGE 4

President Bush's budget for the 2003 fiscal proposed a 6% cut for Mine Safety and Health Administration resources. Then MSHA told Congress in its semi annual report that it is "unable to complete statutorily mandated inspections" of mines in part because of the rapid growth in mine operations and reductions in the number of mine inspectors. President Bush met with the nine miners who spent three days trapped in a mine in Pennsylvania on August 5, hailing their rescue as a an example of "the spirit of America, the great strength of our nation." Mine Workers union President Cecil Roberts called on the Bush Administration to stringently enforce safety standards .....

KNOW YOUR RIGHTS ...AGAIN
If you are interviewed by management and the Office of the Inspector Genera! is management or an agent of management, ask for a union representative to be with you.
You have a right to ask the management representative what the interview is about, if you are the target of this investigation and whether it is criminal or not. If it is criminal then you have a right to an attorney. In every other case you have a right to a union representative.
Even if you are told you are not the target but only to supply evidence, you have a right for a union representative. BUT YOU MUST ASK FOR THE UNION REPRESENTATIVE!

WORKERS ORDERED TO LIMIT BATHROOM RUNS OR ELSE

Employees at the Jim Beam bourbon distillery in Clermont, KY, are getting sow over restrictions on bathroom breaks. Worker on the bottling line are fuming about being limited to four breaks per 8 '/Z how shift, only one of which can be unscheduled. Extra trips to the bathroom can result in reprimands. Workers with six violations can be fired. The UNITED FOOD AND COMMERCIAL WORKERS Local said that some of the 100 affected employees have urinated in themselves because they are afraid to leave the
line.