Archive for September, 2007
Rosie the Riveter Memorial Park Set to Expand
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Even the most history-challenged among us have a passing knowledge of “Rosie the Riveter”—the symbol of the 6 million women of all backgrounds who became the manufacturing backbone of World War II America.
It was an era where most women didn’t work outside the home, let alone in male-dominated occupations, but that all changed as millions of men were called into the military. Rosie worked in airplane plants, tank factories, munitions plants, steel mills and shipyards.
Bush Just Can’t Leave Bad Enough Alone
President Bush signed a temporary spending measure today to keep the government running during his ongoing budget showdown with Congress. And he just couldn’t do it without taking another poke at supporters of health coverage for children.
AFL-CIO Blasts Top Republican Candidates Who Skipped Baltimore Debate
In June, all the Democratic presidential candidates attended the All-American Forum, where they took on tough questions about issues that mattered to people of color—and the the nation. When it came time for the Republicans to take on the same challenge, the front runners were nowhere to be found.
CWA Invites Members to Have Their Say
The Communications Workers of America (CWA) has launched CWA Votes, a new interactive site involving its 700,000 members in discussion about the 2008 presidential election.
CWA also will host an innovative online poll to solicit member input on the union’s 2008 endorsement. It’s an open, democratic and exciting way to get CWA members involved in the endorsement process.
CWA sent all presidential candidates a three-question survey and posted the results at CWA Votes. Check out the candidates responses here, here and here to the questions.
Kudos to Arizona Union Leader
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Rebekah Friend, executive director of the Arizona AFL-CIO, was named one of the state’s Leaders of the Year in Public Policy by the Arizona Capitol Times, the influential, insiders’ newspaper that has been covering Arizona government, politics and legislation since 1946.
The paper says Friend and the other honorees are
…outstanding examples of leadership in the public policy arena. These individuals and organizations contribute a great deal to our community, making Arizona a better place to work and live.
Michigan Union Members Kick Off Fight Against Attacks on Workers
Barbara Stack White of the United Steelworkers (USW) sends us this first-hand account of the USW’s rally yesterday to challenge attempts by well-funded zealots to make Michigan a “right to work” for less state.
In Lansing, Mich., yesterday, an alliance of labor organizations led by the United Steelworkers’ Rapid Response activist network, launched a counterattack to defeat right-wing extremists who have audaciously brought their falsely titled “right to work” campaign to the home of America’s autoworkers union.
Three-hundred trade unionists rallied at the Capitol and then fanned out into lawmakers’ offices seeking signatures on pledges opposing any effort to place “right to work” into law in Michigan.
Oregon Unions Convene Unity Team to Ramp Up Organizing
Jennifer Sargent, the Oregon AFL-CIO research and communications director, sends in this report on the state federation’s first-ever Organizing Summit.
Earlier this month, leaders from more than 20 Oregon unions, representing more than 65,000 union members, including teachers, nurses, plumbers and more, convened in Portland in the largest Organizing Summit ever held in Oregon.
Kicking Ass for the Working Class
This is a cross post from the Firedoglake blog.
Are you in the middle class, upper middle class or among the richest top 1 percent?
Unbelievably, in 2004 when Al Gore dismissed George W. Bush’s plan for tax cuts as a benefit for the richest 1 percent, polls showed that 19 percent of Americans believed they were in that top 1 percent, and another 21 percent thought they would be there in the next 10 years.
Even at the height of the Depression, when a similar poll was taken, most people placed themselves in an economic status much higher than they actually were in.
AFL-CIO’s Acuff Takes on Union-Busters in Debate
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Katrina Blomdahl, the AFL-CIO Voice@Work communications specialist, describes a debate that highlighted the impoverishment of the anti-union cause.
Yesterday in Chicago, AFL-CIO Organizing Director Stewart Acuff hit one out of the park for working people in a debate over the freedom to form unions and the Employee Free Choice Act when he went toe to toe with a member of the nation’s multibillion dollar union-busting industry.
Although the debate was not structured to result in an official “winner,” one audience member described Acuff’s opponent, Michael Flaherty—partner of the infamous union-busting law firm Jackson Lewis—as “out of his league.” As Acuff said after the debate:
The truth is that none of the disingenuous legal mumbo-jumbo of union-busting law firms makes any sense to people who are trying to form a union to bargain for a better life.
Take a Stand Against Brutality in Burma
If you’re in Washington, D.C., and want to take a stand against dictatorial brutality before you begin your weekend, the AFL-CIO Solidarity Center and U.S. Campaign are holding a rally at the Burmese Embassy today between 3:30 p.m. and 4:15 p.m., before marching to the Chinese Embassy for a rally until 6 p.m.
The Burmese Embassy is at 2300 S St., N.W., and the Chinese Embassy is at 2300 Connecticut Ave.
