AFL-CIO Leaders Headed Back to Pittsburgh to Fight for a Fair Economy

by Seth Michaels, Sep 23, 2009

The new leaders of the AFL-CIO will meet up today in Pittsburgh to prepare for the G-20 conference, finishing up a listening tour among workers to kick off their administration and set out a strong progressive agenda.

Advocating on issues like housing, financial reform and health care reform that includes a public option, AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka, Secretary-Treasurer Liz Shuler and Executive Vice President Arlene Holt Baker have been sending a clear message to big banks, insurance companies and others whose greed and irresponsibility have left us with a broken economy.

Over the next few days in Pittsburgh, the AFL-CIO leaders will meet with elected officials and global union representatives from around the world, asking for international coordination of efforts to create jobs and raise standards for all workers. They’re pushing a broad, global economic agenda spelled out in a resolution approved last week at the 2009 AFL-CIO Convention. 

While the efforts at the G-20 summit are focused on global issues, the new leadership team also is keeping a close eye on building a fair economy here at home. In New York, after a major address yesterday on Wall Street, Trumka led a community meeting on job creation in the Bronx, while Shuler met with students from the City University of New York to talk about what unions can offer young people.

Meanwhile, in Philadelphia, Holt Baker spoke out yesterday in favor of real health care reform and against insurance company greed, joining a national day of action on health care. 

Appearing on CNBC yesterday, Trumka talked about how the nation can’t afford to go back to business as usual. What’s needed, Trumka said, is regulation of Wall Street and the banking industry, a public option for health insurance that will lower costs for families and an agenda focused on creating good, sustainable jobs.

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