Ensuring Workers’ Voices Are Heard in State Legislatures

by Mike Hall, Jul 23, 2010

Across the country, states are confronting a vast array of critical working family issues, from budget crises and health care to job creation and workers’ rights. This weekend in Louisville, Ky., some 150 union activists and leaders from central labor councils, state federations, affiliate unions and allied organizations are mapping a state legislative battle plan.

The annual AFL-CIO Workers’ Voice Conference sets the stage for union action in the upcoming 2011 legislative sessions. Through workshops and seminars with policy and political experts and activists, the conference will develop the AFL-CIO’s 2011 Working Families State Agenda. It also examines the state-level victories and challenges working families faced in state capitols this year.

One of the key issues is how to raise revenues to deal with the states’ budget crises that have forced layoffs and cuts in vital working family services. Attendees will discuss closing corporate tax loopholes, ways for the very wealthy to pay their fair share, more accountability in government spending and strategy to defeat the anti-tax TABOR movement. (For more on TABOR battles, click here, here, here and here.)

On the jobs front, the Workers’ Voice Conference will explore strategies to create and retain jobs, including investments in green jobs, rebuilding the manufacturing base and strong Buy American rules. Other strategy sessions include:

• State implementation of the new health care reform law;
• Unemployment insurance reform;
• Immigration reform;
• Protecting workers’ rights;
• Outsourcing and privatization of government services;
• Project Labor Agreements and prevailing wage laws.

On Sunday, the members of  National Labor Caucus—state lawmakers who are union members or strong union advocates—will hold its policy meeting and join many Workers’ Voice participants to talk about the 2011 Working Families State Agenda.

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