Did you know that you can access the latest information on BMWE activities, communicate with members of Congress, shop for union-made goods and even access breaking news, the most up-to-date sports scores and your neighborhood's weather forecast with a simple click of a mouse? Sounds too good to be true, doesn't it? But it's not. It's time to Log On and Belong.

There is no questioning the fact that interest in computers and the Internet is exploding across the globe. As always, union members are ahead of the curve. A whopping 66% of working union members own computers compared to 53% of the general public. And since the Fall of 1997, the number of union computer owners using the Internet has grown from 12% to an astonishing 56%. The Internet is truly changing the way we communicate.

And it is changing the way we communicate faster than any other medium ever has. While we cannot imagine a world today without radio or television, it took more than 20 years for these mediums to reach 25% of the American population. The Internet only took seven years to reach the same proportion of the population! And the impact has been astounding.

At Grand Lodge, we are committed to ensuring that our members have an up-to-date and effective means of communication. Our goal is to constantly explore innovative ways to provide our members with information important not only to their professional lives, but their personal lives as well. BMWE's new and improved web site is our latest, exciting step forward in communicating with you. And it will launch a whole new way for you to communicate with us, with your union brothers and sisters, with members of Congress and, for that matter, anyone else who has Internet access.

The AFL-CIO has established a unique mechanism to enhance union communication called a portal. The Working Families portal, created by iBelong, is basically an easy way for you, a BMWE member, to find the information you need by simply logging on to one site. Instead of searching through the often complex maze of the world wide web for information, you can have it all at your fingertips by merely logging on to the BMWE site.

The AFL-CIO endorsed Working Families portal is a one stop shop for information. It's information central not only for union activities, but for news and resources on any topic you desire ranging from education to health to travel to entertainment and much more. For those of you who are Internet savvy, it's My Yahoo for the labor movement!

By taking advantage of the Working Families portal, we are able to become stronger and more active members of the AFL-CIO working families on-line community. It allows us to meet, share, learn and participate simply by logging on. It brings us together even when we are miles apart.

So, how do you take advantage of this new site? First, you'll need a connection to the Internet, which many of you already have. Then, you simply log on at bmwe.workingfamilies.com and explore. At bmwe.workingfamilies.com you will find a whole new world at your disposal. A world with endless resources for working families.

In fact, click on Resources for Working Families and you'll get continuously updated advice on everything from helping your kids with their homework to elder care to even talking about unions to kids. Click on BMWE Connection and you'll receive all of the latest material about BMWE activities. Click on BMWE Action Center and you can receive information about critical Congressional issues and actually send your Member of Congress an e-mail telling them what you think. Go to Top News Stories and you'll get breaking national, world, business and technology news.

And this is only the beginning. Through a simple click of your mouse, you can also get the 2-day weather forecast for your area, your stock portfolio, your horoscope, the latest on music, movies and even local TV listings. And for those of you whose morning papers don't always give you the scores from your favorite team's late night game, you can log on and get up-to-the minute sport scores and news.

One of the most exciting features of our new site is our union shopping connection. Not only is bmwe.workingfamilies.com a one stop shop for information, it is a one stop shop for union made goods as well. If you are looking for the union label, you need look no further than bmwe.workingfamilies.com.

Through our site, you can immediately access the workingfamilies.com department store which features a multitude of household items, gift ideas, electronics, computers, video games - and you can even buy bones for the family dog. The site offers hot buys and specials on a regular basis so that you get the best value for your hard-earned money. There are also special union travel deals and, in the near future, union negotiated discounts on items such as computers and Internet access. And all you have to do is log on, click the Shopping icon and browse away. When you find an item you like, a simple click adds it to your shopping cart. You might never leave home again to look for quality union-made items for you and your family!

While these features are exciting, we must not lose sight of the fact that this new site enables us to communicate better with each other and with the entire labor movement. The stronger our means of communication, the stronger we will be as a union and a national movement.

Through this site, you will be able to talk directly to union members in chat rooms about crucial labor issues - or even about the challenge of finding quality, affordable child care in your area. The site will also enable your local to share information with another local. Instead of endless hours of telephone tag, or busy signals on the fax, you can now log on and communicate. And the new site can also be a critical weapon in our never ending battle to build and mobilize our resources to improve the quality of lives for all working families. Our brothers and sisters at the United Steelworkers of America, for example, have successfully used the Internet in hard fought union organizing victories. As we begin the twenty first century, the Internet is the latest and greatest tool for mobilization. And I am proud that the BMWE can bring this new venture to you.

Of course, the exciting part of Internet communication is also the most challenging - keeping up with all the information and access it can offer. We want bmwe.workingfamilies.com to be the best it can be and encourage you to send us your thoughts and ideas. It's a whole new world out there waiting to be grabbed - so, log on, come aboard and belong.