99% Confront the 1% at Conservative Conference
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This is a report from the Metropolitan Washington Labor Council by Chris Garlock and Julia Kann.
More than 1,200 labor and community activists turned out in force at two demonstrations Friday outside the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC). Chanting “Whose America? Our America!” as many as 700 labor and community activists shut down Woodley Road at noon with an impromptu sit-in and a brief take-over of the Marriott Wardman Park Hotel driveway.
Well-heeled CPAC attendees gawked as the huge crowd turned Woodley Road into a multi-hued street festival of music, “Occupy”-style tents, the snappily-attired “Tax Dodgers” and their giant “Mitt.” Read the rest of this entry »
Labor, Management Partner to Create Jobs in Wash. State
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Here’s a bipartisan solution: Labor and management working together to create jobs.
In Washington State, where construction workers are experiencing up to 50 percent unemployment, a labor-management coalition is working to push a jobs bill through the state legislature to alleviate the jobs crisis and rebuild infrastructure.
The Washington State Labor Council, the Washington State Building and Construction Trades Council, the Association of General Contractors are sponsoring the Infrastructure Jobs Bond legislation and have released lists identifying which capital construction work around the state could be funded through the legislation.
Says Dave Myers, executive secretary of Washington State Building and Construction Trades Council:
These jobs will become a reality right away for thousands of laid off constructions workers and returning veterans. The projects will also be targeted toward key sectors of economic development including construction of aerospace training facilities and college research facilities, both of which will spin off other economic development.
Read more here.
10,000 Hoosiers Pack State Capitol to Protest RTW
AFL-CIO Field Communications staffer Cathy Sherwin sends us this from the Indiana statehouse.
More than 10,000 working people are filling the Indiania statehouse to protest “right to work” for less legislation. Inside the House and Senate chambers, legislators are battling between the interests of everyday working people and those of the big corporations and out of state special interest groups who are pushing this deceptive legislation.
As the Senate prepares to vote on final passage of its version of RTW today, the House will be considering key amendments today and the final version could be ready for a vote as early as Tuesday.
Big corporate dollars and national politics are threatening Hoosier wages and middle-class jobs. Worse, politicians like Speaker Brian Bosma and Gov. Mitch Daniels are playing fast and loose with the democratic process. They want to push our unions right out of Indiana.
But we aren’t going to let that happen.
Closing doors and cutting off debate is no way to represent Indiana voters. Our legislative process—and the upcoming Super Bowl—shouldn’t be hijacked by extremist politicians. Today, we’ve seen a stark divide between legislators working for lobbyists and special interests and those working for their constituents to stop the rush to ram through RTW. Tomorrow we must stand with the elected officials that are standing up for us.
This week, we’re taking our state back.
Follow us on Twitter with the hashtag #InUnion.
In Online Townhall, Mich. Gov. Snyder Opposes RTW
AFL-CIO Field Communications staffer Cathy Sherwin sends us this report.
Following the State of the State address last week, Michigan’s Gov. Rick
Snyder held an online town hall meeting. Participating on Twitter using the
hashtag #AskGovSnyder, union workers, the Michigan State AFL-CIO and progressive allies kept the questions coming – on jobs, needed infrastructure investments and education.
Many of the #AskGovSnyder tweets reflected priorities outlined in the Michigan 2012 Jobs Plan, introduced by Michigan State AFL-CIO President Karla Swift. The Jobs Plan has the support of a broad coalition of affiliate unions of the Michigan AFL-CIO and allies, including the Michigan League for Human Services, Progress Michigan and We Are the People. Many of the same organizations – and individual union members – joined in the Twitter Town Hall. The diverse voices asking tough questions were noted by Michigan Public Radio.
The Town Hall was also a great opportunity to educate the community on “right to work” for less. When Snyder answered a question by opposing “right to work,” workers and community groups spread the news far and wide. With extremist politicians in Michigan, as well as Indiana, New Hampshire and across the country pushing so-called “right to work,” educating the public about these unnecessary and divisive anti-worker laws couldn’t be more timely. Check out some of the #AskGovSnyder Tweets … and look for opportunities to #AskYourElectedOfficials about the issues that matter. Read the rest of this entry »
Swedish Multinational AAK Tries to Bust Kentucky Union
Amy Masciola, campaign consultant for the National Conference of Firemen and Oilers District of Local 32BJ/SEIU (NCFO/SEIU), sends us this.
This week at the Biennial Convention of the Kentucky State AFL-CIO, union members from around the state kicked off a campaign in support of workers at AAK in Louisville. Nearly 50 employees of the oils and fats processor, formerly Golden Brands, are currently working without a contract after voting overwhelmingly to reject the company’s final offer in November. According to unfair labor practice charges the union filed, workers describe a hostile atmosphere in the workplace after managers threatened to fire members of the bargaining committee if they did not recommend the contract offer to co-workers. One worker was fired after he spoke to authorities about management’s threats.
Union Families Bring Holiday Cheer to Pittsburgh-Area Families in Need
Andy Richards on our Field Communications staff sends us this.
With the holidays only days away, Pittsburgh-area faith leaders, community members and union families came together Friday to hand bring holiday cheer and hand out hundreds of toys and donations to families in need.
At the Allegheny County Labor Council’s annual Labor of Love/Stuff the Bus Toy Drive, they gave out toys, gift cards and other donations collected earlier this month. The annual toy collection is one of the largest holiday toy drives in Pittsburgh and union members and their families kick it off each year by filling a 40-foot transit bus to the brim with gifts for children in need. Says Bob Mazzie, a retired member of ATU Local 85 who donated toys at the kick-off event earlier this month: Read the rest of this entry »
Symposium: Building Bridges to Labor’s Community Allies
Marvin Bing, a member of the AFL-CIO Special Committee on Labor-Community Partnerships, sends us this report on a meeting of AFL-CIO constituency groups in Phoenix.
AFL-CIO constituency groups kicked off the “We Are One Moving America Forward” symposium late last week with a series of great speeches by William Lucy, Ben Jealous, George Gresham, Danny Ortega and Judith Browne-Dianis. A resounding theme: “We can’t let the 1 percent trick us into believing we are different—We are the 99 percent, we are one and if we don’t work together on issues that bring us together, we will fall together.” We are the people who fight for working families, we are the people who fight to protect our students, children, seniors and families. We are the labor movement and together with the community we are unbeatable.
Constituency members include: The Coalition of Black Trade Unionists (CBTU), A. Philip Randolph Institute (APRI), Pride At Work (PAW), Coalition of Labor Union Women (CLUW), Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance (APALA) and the Labor Council for Latin American Advancement (LCLAA).
Maria Elena Durazo, secretary-treasurer of the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor, closed the panel, “Organizing in Our Communities: How African Americans and Latinos Have Strength in Unity,” by saying: Read the rest of this entry »
NYC Marchers Want an Economy ‘for All Working People’
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On a brisk and sunny day in New York City, Christy Thornton stood at the corner of Broadway and 31st streets.
“We’re facing the same issues as everyone else…high unemployment, mountains of debt and a lack of opportunity,” said Thornton, a doctoral student in history at New York University. “I’m here to stand in solidarity with the labor movement and all working people.”
Thornton is a member of the NYC Student Assembly, which formed this fall when students came together at Occupy Wall Street in lower Manhattan.
Standing in the shadow of the Empire State Building, Thornton mixed with an assortment of New Yorkers—union members from the Electrical Workers (IBEW) and the UAW, as well as three retired men who reminisced about strikes back in the 1940s. Read the rest of this entry »
L.A. Union Members Raise Funds for Homeless Vets, Donate Food to Jobless
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Kudos to Los Angeles union members who helped out those in need over the recent holiday. The Los Angeles County Federation of Labor and Labor Community Services, AFL-CIO sponsored the Homeless Heroes Team, with more than 200 union members, their families and veterans taking part in a 5K run/walk and raising $10,000 for homeless vets.
The Los Angeles County Federation and Labor Community Services also provided Thanksgiving dinners for 2,000 unemployed union families, with more than 50 volunteers filling up 2,000 grocery bags with food and turkey certificates.
Says Maria Elena Durazo, executive secretary-treasurer of the Los Angeles County Federation:
The continuing hardship our members face in the current uncertain economy has had huge impact here in Los Angeles County. The continuing support of our members to assist others less fortunate than themselves highlights the strength and might of the labor movement.
Indiana Working Families Occupy State Capitol
AFL-CIO Field Communications staffer Cathy Sherwin sends us this report.
Two thousand working Hoosiers occupied the Indiana Capitol this week, sending a strong message of unity to politicians, including House Speaker Brian Bosma and Senate Pro Tem David Long. Bosma and Long have announced that a so-called right to work bill is their top 2012 legislative priority, ignoring the jobs crisis and pandering instead to shady special interest groups and CEOs. In response, workers from all walks of life—steelworkers, teachers, jobless workers and retirees—packed the statehouse, demanding that Indiana elected officials start representing their constituents.
Many workers wore stickers and buttons reading, “We are the 99%,” while many more chanted that message while rallying outside. Many carried signs, including a banner that read “Shame on You” and called out Indiana politicians for pushing policies that support only the 1 percent.
This is just the beginning of a renewed battle against this divisive and politically Read the rest of this entry »
