by Mike Hall, Jan 2, 2008

Some 60,000 New York child care workers were among the many thousands of workers who won a voice at work last year, despite employers’ growing anti-union tactics and the Bush labor board’s war on workers.

The Bush National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) repeatedly twists and guts the laws that protect workers’ freedom to form unions.

Many employers engage in unprecedented union-busting. But one thing no one can twist or bust is the perseverance and determination of workers to win a voice at work.

In 2007, workers continued to fight back and win their unions. Here are a few highlights.

• Some 28,000 New York City child care workers voted to join the United Federation of Teachers/AFT—the first of 60,000 state child care workers to exercise their new right to form and join unions after an executive order from Gov Eliot Sptizer (D) allowed them the right to join unions…In Kansas and Pennsylvania 10,000 child care workers formed unions with AFSCME and an AFSCME/SEIU coalition.

• Several thousand casino dealers and workers around the country dealt themselves winning hands by voting to join the UAW, despite fierce opposition from casino owners.

• Nearly 1,800 analysts at the Government Accountability Office banded together and convinced agency management to abandon its anti-union campaign and hired union-buster. Free from harassment, the workers overwhelmingly voted to join the Professional and Technical Engineers (IFPTE).

• More than 2,000 nurses chose a voice at work with United Nurses Associations of California/Union of Health Care Professionals (UNAC/HCP), AFT Healthcare and California Nurses Association/National Nurses Organizing Committee (CAN/NNOC).

• Some 350 workers at Dannon Yogurt got a boost from global union solidarity in their drive to form a union with the Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers (BCTGM).

Below are the links to these and more stories from 2007 about workers overcoming the odds and winning their unions.

Workers from Colorado to Guam Sign Up with AFL-CIO Unions

Casino Dealers Pick a Winning Card: UAW

800 Kaiser Nurses Join Union Via Process in Employee Free Choice Act

Workers in Oklahoma, West Virginia Gain a Voice

770 Aviation Repair Techs Join Machinists

Health Care Workers, Bus Drivers Win Union Votes

Dealers Win Union at Wynn Resort

Executive Order Gives 60,000 N.Y. Child Care Workers Voice

Technicians, Writers, Theater Workers and More Choose Unions

2,000 Rutgers Staff Join AFT

Flush with Victory: Atlantic City Bally’s Workers Join UAW

Denver Drivers Choose ATU

10,000 Child Care Providers Getting a Voice on the Job

Turn Off the Laugh Track—Comedy Writers Win Contract

Casino Workers Say ‘Pay the Dealer’ and Vote for UAW Card

Indianapolis School Transportation Workers Choose AFSCME

Workers Joining AFL-CIO Unions at Highest Rate in Two Generations

Federal Analysts Choose Union in First-Ever Vote at GAO

Workers Join Unions from Jersey to Vegas

Bus Drivers Join AFSCME and Lots More

It’s a Good Day in New York: 28,000 Child Care Workers Have a Union

2,600 Casino Dealers Get a Winning Hand by Joining UAW

Nurses Declare Their Independence, Choose Union

Working Women Respond to Postal Workers’ Woman-to-Woman Organizing

Pennsylvania Child Care Workers Unite for a Voice at Work

Dannon Victory Shows Value of Global Solidarity

500 Nevada Nurses Join CNA/NNOC

Bankers, Bus Drivers, Aircraft Workers All Join AFL-CIO Unions

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