Verizon Workers: ‘We Need To Draw A Line Here’
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Picket lines are strong and growing at Verizon and Verizon Wireless locations as workers across the country join the more than 45,000 Verizon workers on strike from New England to Virginia. The members of the Communications Workers of America (CWA) and the Electrical Workers (IBEW) are on strike to stop the company’s attacks on the middle class.
Workers in New Hampshire will rally today at a Verizon Wireless store in Manchester. Tomorrow, strikers and supporters will rally in downtown Washington, D.C., at 1314 F Street NW at 11:00 a.m. And on Monday, Aug. 15, workers from across Missouri will rally at the Verizon Wireless Store in Creve Coeur, a suburb of St. Louis. Click here to join the Missouri rally.
‘Right to Work’ Stalls in Missouri
With some 500 workers in the Missouri state Senate gallery last night, backers of a so-called right to work bill, were unable to muster enough support to bring the legislation to a vote.
Senate Minority Leader Victor Callahan (D) said supporters of “right to work” for less legislation who claim it will attract more businesses to the state might as well be arguing “let us race to become more competitive by emulating the Third World…
through unions and good jobs we created a middle class. The middle class didn’t cause recession, Big Banks did.
Working Families Take Health Care Reform Message to Capitol Hill
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With the Senate poised to consider comprehensive health care reform soon, more than 100 workers and activists from two dozen states converged on Capitol Hill yesterday to remind lawmakers that the union members and working families who worked so hard on their campaigns last fall are the same people who strongly back health care reform.
They delivered more than 42,000 personally written letters from members of unions and Working America calling on Congress to pass comprehensive health care reform legislation.
California Labor Federation Executive Secretary-Treasurer Art Pulaski was encouraged after his meetings with members of the Golden State delegation. He said both senators and a large number of representatives, including Blue Dog Democrats, are coming out in support of health care reform.
Trumka: AFL-CIO Strongly Committed to Diversity
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| At the AFL-CIO Diversity Conference today, AFL-CIO Secretary-Treasurer Richard Trumka pledged the AFL-CIO will recommit to embracing diversity at every level. |
The union movement is becoming more diverse and the new leadership of the AFL-CIO is committed to working harder to reach out to young workers, people of color, women and lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender workers, AFL-CIO Secretary-Treasurer Richard Trumka said today at the AFL-CIO National Summit on Diversity. Trumka told the more than 500 participants the federation’s commitment to diversity is on its way to becoming a reality:
I’m here to tell you that we must change. That is why we’re seeking out and encouraging young people, people of color, people of all backgrounds and beliefs and sexual orientation. These are the labor leaders of tomorrow.
