See Netroots Video with Shuler on Fighting Economic Inequality
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AFL-CIO Secretary-Treasurer Liz Shuler joined Rep. Debra Wasserman-Schultz (D-Fla.) Melissa Bradley from the Tides Foundation, Rha Goddess at The Opportunity Agenda and researcher Anat Shenker-Osorio yesterday’s at Netroots Nation plenary session.
Click here to view the entire session. After each participant made an opening presentation, the panel explored ways to break down the barriers working families must hurdle on the road to prosperity and dug deep into the inequality that is so pervasive in today’s economy.
Shuler’s presentation—it begins about 35 minutes into the session—explored the attacks on collective bargaining in states across the nation and who is behind them, and how workers can gain a stronger voice when they organize. She shared the trio of videos (click here to view) the AFL-CIO produced with Laughing Liberally to convey the importance of collective bargaining with humor, showing just how bad things can get if workers don’t have a voice at the bargaining table.
The panel discussion begins about 64 minutes into the session.
Reclaiming Our Middle Class, State by State
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I’m at a Netroots Nation panel with some folks who have been on the front lines of state battles in Wisconsin and Missouri, along with Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.). In the panel, they’re discussing their on-the-ground experiences, and how their strategies can be used by other states facing similar challenges (and, ultimately, used to build a national movement to take back the American Dream).
At the state legislative level, we’re facing one of the worst environments for workers in a generation because there are more anti-worker politicians in state offices than at any time since 1928.
According to today’s panelists, the reason for the successes we’ve had is a combination of unprecedented coalition-building on the ground and new organizing techniques, utilizing social media and other technologies. Republican overreach is a big part of the reason unions and progressives have been successful, too. As Schakowsky said, Americans are realizing they have been sold “snake oil” by Republican politicians and are suffering buyers’ remorse.
Shuler at Netroots: Breaking Down Barriers on Road to Prosperity
We’re live-tweeting AFL-CIO Secretary-Treasurer Liz Shuler’s presentation at Netroots Nation in Minneapolis. In a panel on breaking down barriers to inequality, Shuler joins Melissa Bradley from the Tides Foundation, Rha Goddess at The Opportunity Agenda and researcher Anat Shenker-Osorio.
Choose Union: Raise a Glass for the Working Class
When you’re out with friends on a beautiful summer Thursday night in Minneapolis, supporting good union jobs might not be the first thing that comes to mind. At the Netroots Nation conference, we’re working to change that. One glass of beer at a time.
Here at the conference, all you have to do is take actions that support workers’ rights, like signing up for Working America, the AFL-CIO’s community affiliate, and taking our Real or Not quiz, to get free union-made beer to wash down your union-made Pop-Tarts (distributed at the Alliance for American Manufacturing booth).
Today, I washed down my frosted brown sugar cinnamon Pop-Tarts (made by the United Steelworkers) with two excellent union-made beers: Schell’s Zommerfest from New Ulm, Minn., a local farming community just under two hours from Minneapolis, and Leinenkugel’s, from Chippewa Falls, Wis.
Wish you were here? Well, you’ll soon be able to sign up for Netroots Nation 2012. But until then, I’d recommend you sample these great union-made beers.
Working Together to Elect Gov. Dayton: Coalition Campaigns in Minnesota
For the rest of the week, I’m with Tula Connell at the Netroots Nation conference in Minneapolis. You can follow the conference on Twitter at #nn11.
In many ways, the big difference between Minnesota and Wisconsin is Minnesota’s Democratic-Farmer-Labor (DFL) Gov. Mark Dayton, who has fought tirelessly to beat back Republican attacks on workers’ rights. His victory in a very difficult electoral environment was truly incredible—especially given that, until his election, there hadn’t been a DFL governor in the state in 24 years.
A key to Dayton’s 2010 victory in a difficult election year—a year where the Tea Party was making the headlines—was an unprecedented coalition called the Alliance for a Better Minnesota. The coalition involved labor, progressive organizations, women’s groups and environmental groups.
Lots More Union Events at Netroots Nation
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- The California Labor Federation is taking part this year with a panel on the strategies behind its 2010 electorial victories. In Microtargeting to Win: Lessons from California, panelists discuss how progressives in California used the most sophisticated microtargeting program in the country to identify swing voters and communicate with them using a convergence of online, field, direct mail and traditional media. As a result, Jerry Brown defeated Republican gubernatorial candidate Meg Whitman by 13 points, even though Whitman ran the most expensive campaign in state history, spending more than $170 million.
- AFT President Randi Weingarten will speak at the opening session on June 16, which begins at 7 p.m. CST. AFT also is sponsoring the panel, ”Bullies and the Blogosphere: Creating Safe Spaces in Our Schools and Online.” The panel Read the rest of this entry »
Union and Progressive Activists Join Forces at Netroots Nation
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Netroots Nation, the annual conference for online activists, is on next week, June 16-19, in Minneapolis. The union movement has a big presence there, as we seek to work more closely with our progressive allies in the netroots community. Here are some highlights:
• AFL-CIO Secretary-Treasurer Liz Shuler is taking part in a June 17 lunch panel to talk about breaking down economic barriers that keep many Americans from moving ahead, especially young people, women and communities of color. She is joined by communications consultant Anat Shenker-Osorio and hip-hop artist Rha Goddess.
• Minnesota local labor and progressive activists will showcase how they created strong coalitions to elect a Democratic governor in 2010 and move key progressive priorities, including Tax the Rich legislation. ”Working Together: How Coalition Campaigns Saved the Day in Minnesota,” The panel offers a spot of sun in this ugly state legislation session and an opportunity to meet local activists.
• A group of stellar bloggers are joining on a panel, “Countering Hate Speak that Villainizes Workers and Unions,” and offer suggestions for proactive strategies to build a new understanding of unions and collective power. Panelists are Read the rest of this entry »
Chavez-Thompson: A Hug for the Prez
Linda Chavez-Thompson, candidate for lieutenant governor in Texas, had the honor of introducing President Barack Obama to the state Democratic National Committee yesterday. But she refused to shake his hand. Instead, she
walked up straight to him, stared him in the eye and greeted him with a warm abrazo [hug]. Because that’s the way you greet a fellow laborer.
And yes, I consider Barack Obama a laborer.
Labor Caucus at Netroots Nation
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Elana Levin, communications director for the Writers Guild of America, East (WGAE), joined us at the recent Labor Caucus during the Netroots Nation 2010 conference of bloggers and online activists.
We had a lot to cover at this year’s Labor Caucus at the Netroots Nation conference in Las Vegas last week. Some 70 participants took part—the largest-ever since we met five years ago at the first such national blogger conference. Participants included union staff, union members, political activists, labor bloggers, community organizations and candidates both past and present. The moderators were the AFL-CIO’s own Tula Connell and Matt Browner Hamlin of SEIU. We focused our discussion on young workers/young people in labor and how to improve public perception of labor unions.
Browner Hamlin brought up how the enemies of the netroots are the same pro-greed forces who are enemies of working people and the union movement. We have a lot of experience fighting against the corporate lobbies who sponsor astro-turf campaigns against the public interest and it would be good for the labor movement and the netroots to work together to stand up to the usual suspects that vex us all. Read the rest of this entry »
Trumka at Netroots Nation: New Industrial Policy for a Globalized World
AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka laid out a 21st century U.S. economic policy at today’s lunchtime keynote session at Netroots Nation before a diverse crowd of 2,000 progressive political activists. Restoring the nation’s middle class in part means returning to a “real economy”—one in which we make things, rather than move around complex financial products, Trumka said. Strengthening U.S. manufacturing must be part of the process to reverse five decades of stagnating wages.
We have to think big and we have to go big. We have to let go of this notion that we can’t compete in this world. We can compete. Other countries are already doing this and so can we. We can’t get left behind.
Speaking as part of a panel on Building a Progressive Economic Vision, Trumka outlined the need for the the nation to invest in infrastructure, implement fair trade policies, change our tax policies, enact comprehensive immigration reform and reform our broken labor laws. The full panel included consumer advocate Elizabeth Warren, progressive Florida Democratic Rep. Alan Grayson, Center for Community Change Executive Director Deepak Bhargava, Green for All’s Phaedra Ellis-Lamkins and National People’s Action Executive Director George Goehl. (Watch it here.)
