From the Fields to Facebook: Union Organizing Online
Tom Dalzell is business manager and financial secretary of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 1245, which represents electrical workers in the state of Nevada (excluding Las Vegas) and Northern California. He describes how online organizing complements traditional organizing—and why both need to work together.
When I started with the United Farm Workers of America in 1972, some of the old hands taught me a trick: Before you organize people, you have to meet them. To meet them, you have to know where they are. Back then, that meant fields, parking lots where crews gather in the morning, their homes and the occasional bar. Now, with more than 500 million people on social networks like Facebook, that means going online.
In 2010, the local I represent, Electrical Workers (IBEW) 1245, started the Shame on NVEnergy campaign to shine a light on abusive labor practices the utility engages in—not the least of which is clawing back pensions and benefits of retirees who worked and negotiated with the company in good faith for decades.
AFL-CIO Nevada Flier: Don’t Let Them Silence Your Voice
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The AFL-CIO and Nevada’s unions reacted quickly to efforts by a Republican operative to suppress the Latino vote in that state. Late last week, union activists began distributing fliers in English and Spanish with the message: “Outside groups are trying to silence our voice. But we can’t let that happen.”
The fliers go on to say the outside forces are afraid of the political power of working families and suppressing voter turnout weakens the Latino community and hurts workers.
Latino Leaders: ‘Don’t Vote’ Ad Is Irresponsible, Dangerous
With less than two weeks to go, a Republican operative has been roundly condemned for trying to suppress the Latino vote, this time through a TV ad that Latino leaders say is both irresponsible and dangerous.
The Spanish-language network Univision on Tuesday pulled an ad funded by the front group, Latinos for Reform, urging Latinos in Nevada not to vote in the upcoming election, supposedly because Democrats had not reformed immigration laws. Latinos, who make up 15 percent of Nevada’s voters, overwhelmingly support Democrats.
Nevada’s Latino vote could be decisive in the race between Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and tea party-backed Sharron Angle in one of the most high-profile races in the country. Nationally, Latino voters also will most likely play critical roles in races in California, Florida, New Mexico and Illinois, and Latino voter participation also will be watched closely in Arizona and Texas.
Trumka: Union Votes Can Beat False Populism and Economic Treason
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When U.S., corporations sit on more than $800 billion without creating jobs, when banks hoard more than $1 trillion in profits without lending to small businesses and consumers and when health insurance companies with tens of billions in profits demand huge premium increases, there are only two words to describe such greed says AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka:
“Economic treason!”
Addressing the Ohio AFL-CIO convention in Columbus today, Trumka called on union members to mobilize and rally behind “economic patriots” in a “knock down drag-out” fight against the “false populism and name calling” that Tea Party and Republican leaders like House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) are employing in this fall’s elections.
Jobs? Not Part of My Job Description, Says Angle
Most of us, especially the jobless among us, agree with Rep. Xavier Becerra (D-Calif.), who yesterday said, “Jobs is Job One for this Congress.” But then there’s Sharron Angle.
The Tea Party/Republican candidate for the U.S. Senate in Nevada says that if she unseats Sen. Harry Reid, she’s not going to be wasting her time worrying about putting Americans back to work. After all, she’ll have to get started on eliminating Social Security and Medicare. Here’s what she says about jobs and Congress:
As your senator, I’m not in the business of creating jobs….People ask me, what are you going to do to develop jobs in your state? Well, that’s not my job as a U.S. senator.
Get the Latest on Pulte Homes
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Keep up with the latest news about Pulte Homes, one of the nation’s largest home builders, on Building Justice’s updated website, http://poorlybuiltbypulte.info/. The site also enables homeowners to complete a survey about their experiences with Pulte.
Building Justice is a partnership of the Painters and Allied Trades union (IUPAT), the Sheet Metal Workers (SMWIA), the AFL-CIO, Pulte homeowners, community members and elected officials to improve conditions at Pulte developments.
Workers in three Western states employed by contractors hired by Pulte report unpaid wages and overtime, pressure to work through break periods and pressure to bypass safety precautions. They report sexual harassment and discrimination on the job. Some workers also report that appropriate construction materials, safety equipment and potable drinking water are not available.
