The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) began a three-state tour today in Calvert City, KY, to educate union members about the Bush administration's $700 billion bailout for banks and investment firms.

With a 40-foot-long banner that declared: "Wall Street Got the Gold Mine - We Got the Shaft!" as a backdrop, IAM International President Tom Buffenbarger urged union members to hold elected officials accountable, not only for their vote on the bailout, but for their silence while Wall Street ran wild.

"For the last eight years, the Wizards of Wall Street have operated an international Ponzi scheme," declared Buffenbarger in a fiery speech to union members in Calvert City. "They created a blizzard of worthless paper and made billions in profits for their firms and millions in bonuses for themselves."

    To view speech, click
 http://www.goiam.org/uploadedFiles/RTBSpeech_ShaftEm.pdf

Local union leaders, elected officials and candidates will join Buffenbarger on the tour. Among those expected to take part in the Calvert City event are Marshall County Judge Mike Miller and Kentucky State Representatives Will Coursey, Fred Nesler, Melvin Henley and Mike Cherry.
The four-day tour will include events in Henderson, KY, Louisville, KY, Cincinnati, OH, Middletown, OH, Toledo, OH, Cleveland, OH and Erie, PA before concluding with a rally in Pittsburgh, PA on October 29, 2008.
    A complete schedule of the tour is listed below:

    Henderson, KY    October 27, 2008    10:00AM    Audubon Mill Park
                                                    101 North Water St.
                                                    Henderson, KY

    Louisville, KY   October 27, 2008    4:00 PM    IAM Local 681
                                                    824 South 2nd St.
                                                    Louisville, KY

    Cincinnati, OH   October 28, 2008    11:30 AM   IUPAT Local 387
                                                    200 Kovach Dr.
                                                    Cincinnati, OH

    Middletown, OH   October 28, 2008    3:00 PM    2320 Wederkind Rd.
                                                    Middletown, OH 45042

    Toledo, OH       October 29 2008     7:00 AM    UAW Local 12
                                                    2300 Ashland Ave
                                                    Toledo, OH

    Cleveland, OH    October 29 2008    11:00 AM    North Shore Fed of Labor
                                                    3250 Euclid Dr.
                                                    Cleveland, OH 44115

    Erie, PA         October 29, 2008    3:00 PM    Perry Square
                                                    6th & State St.
                                                    Erie, PA

    Pittsburgh, PA   October 29, 2008    6:00 PM    IAM Local 1976
                                                    228 Moon Clinton Rd.
                                                    Moon Township, PA 15108

The IAM is among the nation's largest and most politically active trade unions, representing more than 700,000 active and retired members in dozens of industries. Visit www.goiam.org for more information about the Machinists Union.

SOURCE International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers