Hundreds protest at site of Bush LV speech

Thursday, Aug. 12, 2004 | 11:12 a.m.

Hundreds of protesters lined the street outside the carpenters union facility in Las Vegas where President Bush held a campaign event.

The AFL-CIO -- the umbrella organization for most labor unions in Nevada, but not the carpenters union -- organized the protest.

"It's a bad sign that they (carpenters union) are speaking for labor and they don't. They're just one small union," said Danny Thompson, executive secretary treasurer of the Nevada AFL-CIO.

Bush toured the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America International Training Center in Las Vegas before his speech.

Most of the protesters were union members who say Kerry will do a better job for America's workers. Dozens of members of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 357, the Sheet Metal Workers International Association, the Bricklayers Union Local 13 and other unions were at the protest.

Other protesters -- including one in a Hazmat suit -- spoke against bringing nuclear waste to Yucca Mountain.

Most shouted or displayed anti-Bush slogans.

One sign read, "Bush -- Hands off overtime." Some protesters shouted, "No more Bush." Others booed.

Some union members attacked the carpenters union local for hosting Bush.

"I don't understand why the carpenters are supporting him, but that's their decision," said Raymond Keen, president of the bricklayers union.

"We're the backbone of the economy and he (Bush) doesn't care about us," Keen added.

Jeffrey Westover, assistant business manager for the electrical workers union,said, "Kerry's more (pro-)labor. He's not sending American jobs out of the nation. He's not shrinking down jobs we need."

Rick DeVoe, a Democratic congressional candidate in District 3 and a member of the insulators union, was also at the protest.

Devoe said he's voting for Kerry because "Bush does everything in his power to undermine workers, from pay to safety."