Happy Labor Day !

August 29, 2009

Letter to the Editor, Bemidji Pioneer, submitted for publication

At election time all the politicians come looking for Native American votes and our money--- dollars derived from Indian Gaming revenues. The real story of what these politicians are doing for Indian people is told in the employment statistics of local county governments:

Beltrami County:….16 Native Anishinabe out of a workforce of between 385 -400 employees

Cass County:……... 6 Native Anishinabe out of a workforce of 300 employees

Itasca County:……...1 Native Anishinabe out of a workforce of between 380-400 employees

Hubbard County:….. Unknown Native Anishinabe out of a workforce of 195 employees

Crow Wing County:...1 Native Anishinabe of a workforce of 489 employees

Our counties receive tremendous resources from the state and federal governments not to mention local tax revenues paid by Indian people, too.

How can anyone claim that affirmative action guidelines are being adhered to when we find this kind of racism in hiring practices at the county level of government?

Is there any wonder unemployment on Indian Reservations is over 50% and poverty is all pervasive?

Is there any doubt that the disgraceful and deplorable conditions of poverty among Native Americans is not the result of an official government policy of institutionalized racism permeating the highest to lowest levels of government?

How can we expect that affirmative action in hiring policies will be enforced on all these huge construction jobs now receiving billions of dollars in “stimulus funds” if no one has monitored and enforced affirmative action guidelines at the county government level where employment practices are easiest to control?

Obviously, this situation results because we have not one single Native American sitting in the Minnesota State Legislature demanding accountability from any level of government and none of those making the claims they are looking out for our rights are doing anything.

Fewer than 30 Native Americans are employed out of over 1,500 workers employed in the five county governments comprising Senate District 4; how does the present Senator explain this?

This situation is a disgrace; just like the poverty which institutionalized racism in hiring practices breeds.

Report Number 2 Enbridge Pipeline Project

I have submitted to U.S. Pipeline 30 applications from the ranks of our member rolls . After many conversations with the Union Stewards and Business Agents of Local Union 1097 Laborers, Local Union 49 operating engineers and Local Union 798 Pipeliners and the Teamsters Local Union 346 we have received an offer to get on the "D" list of Local Union 1097 Laborers out of Virginia, Mn .

I had 15 confirmations to travel to Virginia,Mn and was on hand there to assist this welcomed opportunity,and as of today we got Two (2) Men dispatched out of this Hiring Hall and hope for many more . I was informed that 35 Native Americans either by word of mouth or Local T.E.R.O. Tribal offices also Put The Word Out, Much to the Malaise of Business Manager Tim McCauley of 1097 Laborers. He Did Mention when this Pipeline Work was over" There Would Not Be Any More Jobs"and i thanked him for the ones, these members of ours are being considered upon receipt of a Monthly 30.00$ fee required to be on this "D" list.

I Sincerely hope someone can help us continue our efforts to be a tool for all Unions to provide for their AFFIRMATIVE ACTION Goals.