Iraq-Afghanistan Veterans Unemployment: A Quiet Crisis
Since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks a decade ago, some 2.3 million military members have served in Iraq and Afghanistan. Thousands more continue to deploy leaving their families at home while they serve our country overseas.
But when these brave men and women return home, many face a new enemy: unemployment. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that unemployment rate for Iraq and Afghanistan veterans was 12.4 percent in July, up from 11.8 percent in July 2010. In August, the jobless rate for these veterans had dropped slightly to 9.8 percent, but it does not include veterans who are underemployed or have stopped looking for work.
UAW Local Fundraiser Buys Phone Cards for Troops
Robert Cebina, president of UAW Local 723 in Monroe, Mich., sends us this on the local’s recent fundraising effort.
We recently raised $2,300 during a fundraiser to buy phone cards for U.S. troops overseas. We held the fundraising event, which included a silent auction raffle for donated items and a 50/50 raffle, at the UAW Local 723 Union Hall in Monroe, Mich.
Fundraisers to buy troops phone cards, called “Mikies Minutes,” came about after Sgt. Mike Ingram, who was killed in Afghanistan while on patrol, said there was never enough time to call home and not enough phone cards to go around.
UAW Local 723 Veterans Committee and union members played a key role in making this the first fundraiser for Mikies Minutes. It was headed up by Dana Forbes, a member of the Veterans Committee and the chairman at the Frenchtown JCIM plant one. Forbes is also a veteran of Desert Storm.
America’s Vets Fought for Our Future
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As chairman of the AFL-CIO Union Veterans Council, Building and Construction Trades Department (BCTD) President Mark Ayers salutes America’s veterans.
Memorial Day is a time to reflect upon those fallen American heroes who have given their lives and health to keep this nation safe. Memorial Day is also the perfect time to honor those brave soldiers who are still with us, to thank them for the freedoms we enjoy every day and to do all that we can to improve their quality of life.
But, in many aspects, Memorial Day has simply morphed into the day when we kick into high gear for the summer season.
International Women’s Day, March 8: Time to Recommit to Equal Rights
Women make up more than half the American workforce and are approaching half of union members. On International Women’s Day, March 8, the AFL-CIO is recommitting itself to continue the struggle for equal rights, dignity and respect for all working women.
This past week, the AFL-CIO Executive Council pointed out that much needs to be done for women workers to gain equal footing. For example, the council cites a United Nations report, which shows the majority of the world’s 1.3 billion absolute poor are women. On average, women receive between 30 percent and 40 percent less pay than men earn for the same work. Women also continue to be victims of violence, with rape and domestic violence listed as significant causes of disability and death among women worldwide.
