AFL-CIO Is Profiling Labor Leaders and Activists for Women's History Month
For Women's History Month, the AFL-CIO is spotlighting various women who were, and some who still are, leaders and activists working at the intersection of civil and labor rights. First, let's take a look back at women we've profiled in the past:
- Arlene Holt Baker
- Ella Josephine Baker
- Rachel Bryan
- Hattie Canty
- Charlene Carruthers
- Dora Cervantes
- Linda Chavez-Thompson
- May Chen
- Septima Poinsette Clark
- Miriam Frank
- Fannie Lou Hamer
- Elle Hearns
- Velma Hopkins
- Dolores Huerta
- Josette Jaramillo
- Marsha P. Johnson
- Mara Keisling
- Maida Springer Kemp
- Theresa King
- Sue Ko Lee and the Dollar Store Strikers
- Esther López
- Bree Newsome
- Lucy Gonzales Parsons
- Frances Perkins
- Ai-jen Poo
- Kara Sheehan
- Augusta Thomas
- Rosina Tucker
- Velma Veloria
- Sue Cowan Williams
- Diann Woodard
Check back throughout March as we add even more names to this prestigious list.
Kenneth Quinnell Tue, 03/03/2020 - 13:33Tags: Women's History Month
Black History Month Profiles: Stacey Abrams
For Black History Month, the AFL-CIO is spotlighting various African American leaders and activists who have worked at the intersection of civil and labor rights, with a particular focus on voting rights. Without access to the ballot box and an assurance that everyone's vote counts, civil and labor rights are among the first to be taken away from working people. Today, we're looking at Stacey Abrams.
Stacey Abrams didn't let her loss in the 2018 Georgia gubernatorial election stop her from fighting for democracy. The 2018 election in Georgia was a contentious one, with Abrams losing by fewer than 55,000 votes to then-Secretary of State Brian Kemp. As secretary of state, Kemp oversaw the election race that he barely won. From the beginning, Kemp was under fire for allegations of voter suppression; and despite record turnout, Kemp became the state's governor.
At the time, Abrams refused to concede because she saw a Kemp-led election that was plagued with hourslong waits at polls (particularly those in African American neighborhoods), election server security breaches and reports of overly strict signature matching efforts that held turnout down. The election didn't seem fair.
Abrams looked at what she could do to still have an impact on the state and the country.
"What work could I do to enhance or protect our democracy," she said. "Because voting rights is the pinnacle of power in our country."
She launched Fair Fight, to not only protect the voting rights of Georgians and other Americans, but to combat voter suppression as well. She goes around the country speaking on the importance of voting rights and explaining the assault our right to vote is under. Pundits and prognosticators have been focused on whether or not she'll run for president or serve as a vice president on someone else's ticket, but she's steadfastly refused such speculation to focus on voters.
In pursuit of her goals, Abrams launched a 20-state voting rights protection tour. “We’re going to have a fair fight in 2020,” she said, “Because my mission is to make certain that no one has to go through in 2020 what we went through in 2018.” Since it's inception, Fair Fight has raised more than $20 million to fight for voting rights.
Fair Fight is designed to fight back against the many tools used to suppress the vote like strict photo ID requirements, limitations on polling place assistance, cutting of early voting hours, the closing of polling places, purging voters from state voter rolls, gerrymandering districts and others. The fight isn't limited to Georgia, either. After the gutting of the Voting Rights Act by the Supreme Court in 2013, states around the country have been pushing new limitations on voting, often with the direct or indirect effect of suppressing the votes of people of color, in particular.
Abrams' career is just getting started, but she's already made an impact and is shifting the focus of both punditry and money toward the important and growing problem of the assault on the voting rights of Americans.
Kenneth Quinnell Thu, 02/27/2020 - 15:46Tags: Black History Month
Protect Yourself from Wage Theft: Labor Podcast and Radio Roundup
In addition to the AFL-CIO's own "State of the Unions," there are a lot of other podcasts out there that have their own approach to discussing labor issues and the rights of working people. Here are the latest podcasts from across the labor movement in the United States.
Building Bridges: Everything About ‘Medicare for All’ and Can It Provide Universal Access to Health Care?: Donald E. Moore, MD, is a primary care physician and is on the board of directors of the New York Metro Chapter of Physicians for a National Health Program (PNHP); Judy Sheridan-Gonzalez, RN, is president of the New York State Nurses Association; and Steffie Woolhandler, MD, is a primary care physician, professor of public health and health policy at Hunter College, clinical professor at Albert Einstein College of Medicine, and secretary of PNHP.
Heartland Labor Forum: Wage Theft: "It’s one of the most common crimes in the U.S. today. Its victims lose more to this kind of theft than robbery, burglary, auto theft and larceny combined, yet government spends less to protect us from it than all other crimes. What’s the crime? Wage theft, and we’ll have two lawyers to talk about it this week on the Heartland Labor Forum. Tune in to find out how to protect yourself."
Labor History Today (2/23/20): African American Lumber Workers in the Jim Crow South: "William P. Jones on 'The Tribe of Black Ulysses: African American Lumber Workers in the Jim Crow South,' plus a letter from Eleanor Roosevelt to the AFL-CIO urging the formation of a 'Committee on Inquiry Into the Administration of Justice in the Freedom Struggle.' Interviews by Chris Garlock and Alan Wierdak. 2020 Bonus: Patrick Dixon on Chaplin’s 'City Lights' as a labor film."
State of the Unions (AFL-CIO): "Redux: Can't Stop. Won't Shop. Stories from a UFCW Picket Line (2/19)."
Union City Radio: Latest DC Labor News: Updating "The Grapes of Wrath" (2/24).
Union Strong (New York State AFL-CIO): Revenue Options for a More Equitable New York: "We talk to the executive director and chief economist of the Fiscal Policy Institute about New York State's financial plan and our revenue system, which is proving to be unfair and unreliable. Ron Deutsch and Jonas Shaende run down some revenue options, discuss the states' spending cap, income inequality and the results of a recent poll on how New Yorkers feel about taxing the wealthy."
Your Rights at Work (2/20): Harold Meyerson on the "We Own the Future" book discussion and luncheon; Actor Tony Sancho starring in "Mother Road" and the "I'll Be There" speech from "The Grapes of Wrath."
Tags: Podcast
Don't Silence Federal Employees: In the States Roundup
It's time once again to take a look at the ways working people are making progress in the states. Click on any of the links to follow the state federations on Twitter.
Alaska State AFL-CIO:
Valdez students talk about how important the ferries are to them and teachers explain how they must travel by bus on some dangerous winter roads to get around the state. #SaveOurFerries #DOTWTF #akleg #akgov
— Alaska AFL-CIO (@AKAFLCIO) February 10, 2020Arizona AFL-CIO:
The ongoing #AsarcoStrike in Arizona & Texas has reached its 4th month. Thank you to @RickTxAFLCIO and the @TexasAFLCIO for everything y'all are doing for our Brothers and Sisters in Amarillo! #Solidarity #1U https://t.co/mHCpnz4D1K
— Arizona AFL-CIO (@ArizonaAFLCIO) February 19, 2020Arkansas AFL-CIO:
Mark your calendars for March 6th! #ARLabor #ARUnions #ARStruggle #1u #elaine #frankmoore #elaine21 #ARnews #neverforgetelaine https://t.co/88QCXEcgdt
— Arkansas AFL-CIO (@ArkansasAFLCIO) February 25, 2020California Labor Federation, AFL-CIO:
There's only 8 days left before the Primaries! Visit our *NEW* election website to find out who working Californians are supporting. For a list of CA labor endorsements, local GOTV and more click here -≥ https://t.co/UWJXpCWmhY #SuperTuesday #votecalifornia #1u #GOTV2020 pic.twitter.com/JojmSnCbW2
— California Labor Federation (@CaliforniaLabor) February 25, 2020Colorado AFL-CIO:
╭━━━━━━━╮
┃ ● ══ ┃
┃ this account ┃
┃ is going silent ┃
┃ for one hour ┃
┃to stand with the┃
┃@afgenational ┃
┃DOD employees┃
┃being silenced ┃
┃ at work #1u ┃
┃ ○ ┃
╰━━━━━━━╯
Connecticut AFL-CIO:
.@AFTCT President @Hochadel_Jan: "I think we are short on tradesmen, really good tradesmen. And this emphasis on this testing is making everyone child feel like if they don’t go to college, they’re a failure when there are other options" https://t.co/he90MVTRwr
— Connecticut AFL-CIO (@ConnAFLCIO) February 21, 2020Florida AFL-CIO:
LEGISLATIVE UPDATE: Multiple bills are moving through the Florida Legislature that attack citizens' right to amend the Florida Constitution. Find out more here.https://t.co/8DsXQCV6Xl
— Florida AFL-CIO (@FLAFLCIO) February 24, 2020Idaho State AFL-CIO:
— Idaho State AFL-CIO (@IdahoAFLCIO) February 20, 2020Indiana State AFL-CIO:
Join the #USPSFairnessAct National Call-In day.
We need to end the unfair pre-funding mandate that is putting union jobs and our public Postal Service at risk.
Dial 833-924-0085 #USMailNotForSale #1u pic.twitter.com/4VLnoHb27A
Iowa Federation of Labor, AFL-CIO:
Please also contact your legislators to oppose HSB 674 and SSB 3153. These bills ban design-build for all public owners in the state, forever prohibiting a city, county, school district or municipal utility from using the most efficient and cost-effective delivery method
— Iowa AFL-CIO (@IowaAFLCIO) February 14, 2020Maine AFL-CIO:
Nice work! Go Kevin! #mepolitics https://t.co/rUiKdUDx1U
— Maine AFL-CIO (@MEAFLCIO) February 23, 2020Massachusetts AFL-CIO:
12° out today, but that didn’t stop 25+ union members from talking to voters about why we need to elect @CarolDoherty13! Thank you to @roofersunion 33, @SMWLU17, @IUBAC 3, @MassNurses, @Local6Boston, @IUOELocal4, @TheIronworkers 37, @NASRCC_UBC, @OPEIU 6, & more! #1u #Solidarity pic.twitter.com/fRjLWSRBwo
— Massachusetts AFL-CIO (@massaflcio) February 15, 2020Metro Washington (D.C.) Council AFL-CIO:
Union City Radio: Fairfax Connector drivers get TA; strike averted https://t.co/zAHMLtPnKP
— MetroDCLaborCouncil (@DCLabor) February 25, 2020Michigan State AFL-CIO:
“The central story of the 1996 film Space Jam is well-known… Less well-known is that the movie contains barely hidden pro-union messages.” https://t.co/GTAJWxK6aC
— Michigan AFL-CIO (@MIAFLCIO) February 21, 2020Minnesota AFL-CIO:
White House Vows to Veto PRO Act’s Worker Protections https://t.co/FK1wCqTOMi This president has shown time and again that he and his administration will always choose corporate special interests over working people.
— Minnesota AFL-CIO (@MNAFLCIO) February 25, 2020Missouri AFL-CIO:
President Trump has officially granted the Department of Defense the legal authority to abolish the collective bargaining rights of its civilian labor unions representing some 750,000 workers. And you think he is still on the side of workers? #1u https://t.co/vbgWUOcxkj
— Missouri AFL-CIO (@MOAFLCIO) February 21, 2020Montana State AFL-CIO:
Stand in solidarity with the West Yellowstone snowmobile guides and coach drivers this Saturday, February 29. This is the second demonstration in two weeks against Delaware North after they illegally fired workers for trying to form a union. #1u #GuidesDeserveBetter pic.twitter.com/3f767ZGM0W
— Montana AFL-CIO (@MTaflcio) February 24, 2020New Jersey State AFL-CIO:
Are robots coming for your job? The State of NJ Future of Work Task Force wants to hear from you. Share your concerns, hopes, and insights via a brief survey and help us shape the #FutureOfWorkNJ.
?https://t.co/lgZmEl2uoF? pic.twitter.com/7CXB0ZQ1VB
New York State AFL-CIO:
On the latest episode of the #UnionStrong podcast, we talk to the executive director & chief economist of the @FiscalPolicy00 Institute about NY State's financial plan & our revenue system which is proving to be unfair & unreliable. Full episode at https://t.co/Af4e4sQT6v pic.twitter.com/ZgVSH5rMsJ
— NYSAFLCIO (@NYSAFLCIO) February 19, 2020North Carolina State AFL-CIO:
.@marybemcmillan: It’s time for a higher #minimumwage in North Carolina | The Progressive Pulse https://t.co/RrA5uVEuhC via @ncpolicywatch #1u #ncpol #ncga #fightfor15 #15forNC
— NC State AFL-CIO (@NCStateAFLCIO) February 24, 2020North Dakota AFL-CIO:
https://t.co/T68jGHpJdb Great Job Minot!
— North Dakota AFL-CIO (@NDAFLCIO) February 14, 2020Ohio AFL-CIO:
https://t.co/qnDBzJYsW4 pic.twitter.com/iVjhQOwmEj
— Ohio AFL-CIO (@ohioaflcio) February 25, 2020Oklahoma State AFL-CIO:
Number of the day: 502 - Number of emergency certified teachers in Oklahoma elementary education (grades 1-8). This is the highest concentration of emergency certified teachers throughout the state.
[Source: Oklahoma State Department of Education]
Oregon AFL-CIO:
Republican lawmakers walk out AGAIN rather than doing their job. They should listen to the Oregon newspapers who are editorializing against them refusing to compromise and walking off the job. #orleg #orpol #NoMoreCostlyWalkouts #DoYourJobs https://t.co/ZafyHCGh7A pic.twitter.com/usObWCC0ym
— Oregon AFL-CIO (@OregonAFLCIO) February 25, 2020Pennsylvania AFL-CIO:
Our @UAW sisters and brothers are standing strong on the picket line in Langeloth. ✊ https://t.co/AnQYzjit08
— PA AFL-CIO (@PaAFL_CIO) February 21, 2020Rhode Island AFL-CIO:
— Rhode Island AFL-CIO (@riaflcio) February 25, 2020Texas AFL-CIO:
2020 Texas AFL-CIO Women's Summit
May 1-2, 2020
$100- Registration until April 5th, 2020
Register TODAY athttps://t.co/oEdAmOVh8R@TexasAFT @CWA6186 @MachinistsUnion @gcaflcio @dallasaflcio @NationalNurses @NALC_National @AFSCME pic.twitter.com/zun7JDx4xu
Virginia AFL-CIO:
Catch up on the news around collective bargaining
Article 1:https://t.co/0avmta8YBR @jmattingly306 @RTDNEWS
Article 2: https://t.co/Q0JVOoWnTW @lowkell @bluevirginia #strongercommunities #betterbargain #1u #workersfirst
Wisconsin State AFL-CIO:
In Amarillo, Copper Workers’ Strike Enters Fourth Month with No End in Sight, https://t.co/ILvvjkkfIv
— WI AFL-CIO (@wisaflcio) February 20, 2020 Kenneth Quinnell Tue, 02/25/2020 - 11:15Black History Month Profiles: Lottie Rollin
For Black History Month, the AFL-CIO is spotlighting various African American leaders and activists who have worked at the intersection of civil and labor rights, with a particular focus on voting rights. Without access to the ballot box and an assurance that everyone's vote counts, civil and labor rights are among the first to be taken away from working people. Today, we're looking at Lottie Rollin.
Charlotte "Lottie" Rollin was born in 1849, the second of five African American sisters born to a free black family in South Carolina. While older sister Frances would be more well-known and all five sisters were activists, Lottie would have a special focus on voting rights.
Lottie followed Frances into activism after the family moved to Columbia. In March 1869, she argued for women's suffrage before the state legislature, becoming one of the first African American women to formally speak to a state government in the South after the Civil War. The next year she organized a "Women's Rights Convention." She chaired the event and her sister Katherine served as secretary.
In the following years, Lottie founded South Carolina's branch of one of the leading voting rights organizations in the country, the American Woman Suffrage Association (AWSA). She recruited her sisters to the state AWSA and they led a big push for a state constitutional amendment for women's suffrage in 1872. The amendment was defeated as radical Reconstruction ended.
In the years after the failure of the amendment, the Rollin family, particularly Lottie, were more and more in danger from the Ku Klux Klan and other white supremacists. All five sisters eventually would be forced to leave the South. Lottie ended up in Brooklyn.
At the 1870 women's rights convention, Lottie Rollin spoke to her passion:
It had been so universally the custom to treat the idea of woman suffrage with ridicule and merriment that it becomes necessary in submitting the subject for earnest deliberation that we assure the gentlemen present that our claim is made honestly and seriously. We ask suffrage not as a favor, not as a privilege, but as a right based on the ground that we are human beings, and as such, entitled to all human rights...until woman has had right of representation this will last, and other rights will be held by an insecure tenure.
Read more about the Rollin sisters and their activism in Columbia, South Carolina, and beyond.
Kenneth Quinnell Mon, 02/24/2020 - 13:43Tags: Black History Month
AFL-CIO Is Profiling Labor Leaders and Activists for Black History Month
For Black History Month, the AFL-CIO is spotlighting various African American leaders and activists who have worked at the intersection of civil and labor rights. First, let's take a look back at our past profiles:
- Muhammad Ali
- Arlene Holt Baker
- Ella Josephine Baker
- Rachel Bryan
- William Burrus
- Hattie Canty
- Charlene Carruthers
- Septima Poinsette Clark
- Echol Cole
- Fannie Lou Hamer
- Fred Hampton
- Elle Hearns
- Charles Horhn
- Velma Hopkins
- Marsha P. Johnson
- William Lucy
- Doug Moore
- Isaac Myers
- Bree Newsome
- OUR Walmart workers
- Lucy Gonzales Parsons
- A. Philip Randolph
- Fred Redmond
- Keith Richardson
- Kenneth Rigmaiden
- Bayard Rustin
- Umi Selah
- Augusta Thomas
- Rosina Tucker
- Robert Walker
- Sue Cowan Williams
- Diann Woodard
New profiles:
Check back throughout February as we add even more names to this prestigious list.
Kenneth Quinnell Mon, 02/24/2020 - 13:39Tags: Black History Month
Black History Month Profiles: Rev. George W. Lee
For Black History Month, the AFL-CIO is spotlighting various African American leaders and activists who have worked at the intersection of civil and labor rights, with a particular focus on voting rights. Without access to the ballot box and an assurance that everyone's vote counts, civil and labor rights are among the first to be taken away from working people. Today, we're looking at the Rev. George W. Lee.
In 1955, the murder of Emmett Till shocked the United States and was a pivotal moment in the civil rights movement. But Till wasn't the only prominent murder of an African American in Mississippi that year and the murder of the Rev. George W. Lee not only informed the reaction to Till's murder, but Lee's murder was part of the pathway to the passage of the Voting Rights Act a decade later.
Lee lived in Humphreys County, which was only one county away from where Till was murdered later in the year. Before becoming an activist, Lee grew up in Edwards, Mississippi. His mother was an illiterate plantation woman who died when Lee was young. While living with his aunt, Lee successfully graduated high school, which was rare for Southern black men. He later worked in New Orleans before becoming a preacher in Belzoni, Mississippi, in the state's delta area.
Poverty was high in Belzoni, and Lee worked hard to improve himself. He served as pastor at four different churches, opened a grocery store and his wife, Rosebud, ran a printing business out of the house. Lee was the first black person in Humphreys County to register to vote in recent memory. He and a friend Gus Courts, then co-founded a local branch of the NAACP. By 1955, Lee and Courts had registered nearly all of the county's 90 eligible black voters.
But local whites, led by the notorious Citizens Councils were purging black people from the voting rolls through economic pressure, intimidation and violence. Many of Belzoni's black citizens were pressured into dropping themselves from the voting rolls, but Lee and Courts stood firm. Lee was a vice president in the Regional Council of Negro Leadership. The organization not only focused on improving the skills of black people in the state, but they also pursued voting rights and led a successful boycott of gas stations that discriminated against black people.
Before long, Lee had developed into a top-notch public speaker who rallied black voters with words like: "Pray not for your mom and pop. They've gone to heaven. Pray you can make it through this hell." The racists of Belzoni reacted just as strongly. Less than a month after Lee gave spoke those words at the Regional Council of Negro Leadership convention, he was murdered. Just before midnight on May 7, 1955, an assailant fired three shotgun blasts into Lee's car and he died from the shots before he could be treated at the local hospital.
At the time Medgar Evers was a field secretary for the NAACP, and he was assigned to investigate the Lee murder. The work Evers did in this case was a springboard for his later civil rights activism. Evers found that Lee had received a threatening note to drop his voter registration three days before the murder. The autopsy found that lead pellets consistent with buckshot killed Lee, but the local sheriff claimed that the death was a traffic accident and that the lead pellets were "dental fillings" knocked loose during the car crash that ensued from the assault.
Much like Emmett Till later that year, Lee's funeral was a media event for black newspapers. Rosebud Lee decided to hold an open-coffin ceremony. Black newspapers shared the photo of Lee's mutilated corpse. When Till was lynched, his photo in black newspapers was an important part of spurring action in the civil rights movement. Lee's funeral was a precursor to that type of communication to the public during the civil rights movement. Civil rights activists continued searching for evidence to pinpoint Lee's killers, but the FBI investigation ran out of steam because potential witnesses were afraid to talk. No one was ever charged with Lee's murder. Later, Lee's partner Gus Courts was also shot, although he survived the assault.
The efforts of Lee (and Court) were important in showing how to register black voters in the South in the face of violent opposition. Rosebud's decision to reveal the violence against her husband to the world would set the table for the successes of the civil rights and voting rights movements.
Kenneth Quinnell Thu, 02/13/2020 - 13:20Tags: Black History Month
Responsible Investors Overwhelmingly Reject SEC Proposals to Entrench CEOs
Earlier this month, responsible investors filed thousands of comments with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to oppose a rule making that will entrench corporate CEOs from accountability on environmental, social and governance issues. Pension plans, socially responsible investors, faith-based funds, individual investors and investor rights groups strongly opposed the SEC power grab by CEOs and their corporate lobbyists.
AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka (UMWA) said: “We strongly oppose the SEC's shareholder proposal rule changes that will limit the ability of working people and their pension plans to have a voice in the companies that we invest in.” The SEC voted to propose these pro-CEO rule changes in a partisan 3–2 vote in November last year.
The SEC’s proposals include a variety of new restrictions on the ability of shareholders to file proposals. These shareholder proposals encourage reforms on topics including executive compensation, workers’ rights and board diversity. The SEC estimates that its proposed rule changes will reduce the number of shareholder proposals by more than 37%.
Secondly, the SEC has proposed to allow companies to undermine the independence of proxy advisers who recommend how shareholders vote at company annual meetings. The SEC proposal will allow companies to “pre-review” proxy voting advice before it is given to investors. Companies may threaten to sue if proxy advisers do not make their requested changes.
In two letters to the SEC, the AFL-CIO defended the rights of union members’ pension plans to file shareholder proposals and to vote proxies using independent advice. “The SEC should protect the rights of working people as the real main street investors, not the interests of overpaid and unaccountable corporate CEOs,” Trumka explained.
Kenneth Quinnell Tue, 02/11/2020 - 15:18The Trump Budget: The Other Shoe Drops
When Congress passed a nearly $2 trillion tax cut for corporations and the wealthy in 2017, we warned that the obscene cost of this tax cut bill would be used as a pretext to cut programs that benefit working people.
AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka (UMWA) said at the time that the 2017 tax bill was:
Nothing but a con game, and working people are the ones they’re trying to con. Here we go again. First comes the promise that tax giveaways for the wealthy and big corporations will trickle down to the rest of us. Then comes the promise that tax cuts will pay for themselves. Then comes the promise that they want to stop offshoring. And finally, we find out that none of these things is true, and the people responsible for wasting trillions of dollars on tax giveaways to the rich tell us we have no choice but to cut Medicaid, Medicare, Social Security, education and infrastructure. There always seems to be plenty of money for millionaires and big corporations but never enough money to do anything for working people.
Now those predictions are coming true, as President Trump has released his new budget plan for the coming year.
The president proposes to cut $2 trillion from safety net programs, which is about the same amount as the cost of the 2017 tax bill. His budget plan would cut $1 trillion from Medicaid and subsidies for the Affordable Care Act. The Labor Department gets whacked by $1.3 billion. Adjustment assistance for people who lose their jobs to imports is slashed by nearly $400 million, and a program to help U.S. manufacturing companies create jobs is eliminated. The budget plan also eliminates subsidized student loans and the public service student loan forgiveness program.
While supporters of the 2017 tax bill promised it would benefit working people, almost all of its benefits have gone to corporations and the wealthy, and very little has trickled down to working people. Paychecks are still flat, and too many working people still have to work more than one job just to make ends meet. Wages grew by only 0% in September, -0.1% in October, -0.1% in November and -0.1% in December, when adjusted for inflation.
To make things worse, the president’s budget proposes another tax cut that goes disproportionately to the wealthy—extending the tax cuts from the 2017 tax bill for another 10 years at a cost of $1.4 trillion over the next decade. Two-thirds of these tax cuts would go to the richest 20% of all taxpayers. Here we go again.
They keep running the same play because it keeps working. Since 2001, the wealthiest 1% of all taxpayers have gotten $2 trillion in tax cuts, and federal tax revenues have been reduced by $5.1 trillion. This is money that should have been used to make life better for working people—for example, by rebuilding our crumbling infrastructure, funding quality public education for every child and guaranteeing retirement security for our seniors—rather than building up the fortunes of the 1%.
Kenneth Quinnell Tue, 02/11/2020 - 11:48New Trump Rules Are a Sneak Attack on Medicaid
There are the things politicians say, and then there are things they do. When Donald Trump was running for office, he promised there would be no cuts to Medicaid. As president, he promised “health care for everyone.” His aides promised “no one will lose coverage” and “no one will be worse off.” These promises sounded great and reassured voters.
But then last week, the administration quietly released a new policy that is the equivalent of a ticking time bomb—a health care IED that looks harmless but has the potential to cause tremendous financial damage to state Medicaid programs and take health care away from people who can least afford it.
The new policy caps what the federal government will pay for health care under Medicaid. Currently, the federal government pays for at least half of the cost of all of the health care needed by everyone eligible for the coverage. Under the new policy, there will be a ceiling on federal funding for those people who qualified for Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act (ACA). That lump sum payment may not be enough, if for example, the cost of medical care rises faster than expected. Since the goal of the policy is to save money, it is expected that states will reduce the level of coverage or limit eligibility if they bump up against the ceiling of federal funding.
According to Kaiser Family Foundation, some 12 million additional people in 35 states have used the ACA to get coverage through the Medicaid program. Many of these are workers who were not eligible for traditional Medicaid.
We often do not appreciate how access to Medicaid has improved the health of working families. According to the Center for American Progress, Medicaid expansion under the ACA has reduced mortality rates by 6% in the newly eligible beneficiary population and reduced racial disparities in cancer treatment. Medicaid expansion has also reduced the rate of hospital closures, lowered uncompensated costs, raised wages in the health care field and increased state revenue. States that expanded Medicaid saw an average 13% decline in residents with medical debt—further evidence of how the Medicaid benefit improves the living standard of working families that would otherwise face major medical bills.
A block grant would allow states to reduce benefits for this group of people that are new to Medicaid and cut funding for a range of “optional” services like dental care and prescription drug coverage traditionally offered under the program. Medicaid cuts would hurt immigrant enrollees, but it would also harm their U.S. citizen children. As FamiliesUSA notes, when parents have a hard time accessing Medicaid, their children are likely to lose access to care as well.
The guidance issued by the administration ignores the historical lessons of the past: We need a flexible health care program that helps individuals and communities respond to recessions, epidemics or natural disasters. Would Houston or Iowa be better off with reduced Medicaid spending after the devastated floods in their community? Would California be better off after an awful series of wildfires destroyed whole communities? Would the country be better able to handle the thousands of people who may need emergency care in a medical pandemic with capped funding?
Replacing the open-ended federal commitment to state Medicaid programs with block grants is a gamble for governors, and the odds are this bet will end up devastating state budgets and forcing harmful cuts in coverage and benefits.
Maybe that is why the administration’s new Medicaid policy was rolled out as if the president has something to hide. Department of Health and Human Services officials have purposely issued the policy through an administrative process that doesn't allow for public comment. Taking this quiet approach makes sense, though, since this is the same policy that was rejected three times by Congress in 2017 and was unpopular at the polls in 2018. We can only hope that voters will take the same notice of it in 2020 and let their state officials know that this is not a good option for their communities.
Kenneth Quinnell Fri, 02/07/2020 - 14:52Economy Gains 225,000 Jobs in January; Unemployment Unchanged at 3.6%
The U.S. economy gained 225,000 jobs in January, and the unemployment rate was essentially unchanged at 3.6%, according to figures released Friday morning by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Over the year, wages were up 3.1%. This was very tepid wage growth for this level of unemployment, and shows the labor market has not reached full employment.
In response to the January job numbers, AFL-CIO Chief Economist William Spriggs tweeted:
Since last January, @BLS_gov reports wages were up 3.1% for all workers. This is modest for this point in a recovery with sustained low unemployment rates. @AFLCIO There is clear room for the @federalreserve to hold its policy as we remain far from indicators of escalating wages
— William E. Spriggs (@WSpriggs) February 7, 2020
Construction had continued gains, +44,000 for January, but manufacturing showed losses, led by a drop of 10,600 in autos and auto parts. Retail trade continued weakness, led by drops in department stores -16,900. And transportation showed gains led by messengers +14,300 @AFLCIO
— William E. Spriggs (@WSpriggs) February 7, 2020
After many months where the adult white and Latino male unemployment rates were equal, the unemployment rate for Latinos jumped to 3.4% from 3.0%, while the white rate barely edged up from 2.8 to 2.9% @AFLCIO
— William E. Spriggs (@WSpriggs) February 7, 2020
The unemployment rate for non-veteran women fell since last January from 4.0 to 3.7%, but rose for women veterans from 2.7 to 3.2% (it fell for male veterans) mostly because of a jump for the most recent Gulf War II era veterans. @AFLCIO
— William E. Spriggs (@WSpriggs) February 7, 2020
226,000 jobs was a good number, but job gains (moving to the right in the chart) were not broad across all industries. The Education & Health sector continued to be the strongest. Higher (moving up in the chart) and lower wage industries were mixed in gains and losses @AFLCIO pic.twitter.com/I8RRNn8pkd
— William E. Spriggs (@WSpriggs) February 7, 2020
January is a trigger date for many states to automatically adjust their minimum wages. Average wages for retail trade jumped 4.1% since last January and 3.4% for leisure & hospitality (food services mostly) compared to the 1.5% in education & health (an average wage industry).
— William E. Spriggs (@WSpriggs) February 7, 2020
In a good sign for January, more women who were unemployed in December found a job (844,000) than quit looking and dropped out of the labor force (701,000); and the 2.633 million who found jobs, from having been out of the labor force, were 75% of net gains in women's employment.
— William E. Spriggs (@WSpriggs) February 7, 2020
Payroll employment +226,000 in January, @BLS_gov reports that their benchmark estimate for job gains in 2019 were revised downward by 12,000 from previous reports. There were also adjustments to the household survey effecting the counts of employed and work force size. @AFLCIO
— William E. Spriggs (@WSpriggs) February 7, 2020
January proves December was no fluke, women remain the majority of US workers. Education & health (77.4% female) a sector with 24.5 million workers is almost twice the size of the male dominated (72.3% male) manufacturing sector (12.8 million workers) and comparable average wages
— William E. Spriggs (@WSpriggs) February 7, 2020Last month's biggest job gains were in construction (44,000), health care (36,000), leisure and hospitality (36,000), transportation and warehousing (28,000) and professional and business services (21,000). Manufacturing declined (-12,000). Employment in other major industries, including mining, wholesale trade, retail trade, information, financial activities and government, changed little over the month.
Among the major worker groups, the unemployment rates for teenagers (12.2%), blacks (6.0%), Hispanics (4.3%), adult men (3.3%), adult women (3.2%), whites (3.1%) and Asians (3.0%) showed little or no change in January.
The number of long-term unemployed (those jobless for 27 weeks or more) was unchanged in January and accounted for 19.9% of the unemployed.
Kenneth Quinnell Fri, 02/07/2020 - 12:46Sisters, Rebels and Social Justice: Labor Podcast and Radio Roundup
In addition to the AFL-CIO's own "State of the Unions," there are a lot of other podcasts out there that have their own approach to discussing labor issues and the rights of working people. Here are the latest podcasts from across the labor movement in the United States.
Building Bridges: Peter Dolack, an organizer with Trade Justice New York Metro and author of It’s Not Over: Learning From the Socialist Experiment and What Do We Need Bosses For: Toward Economic Democracy, discusses the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement.
Heartland Labor Forum: "Very few newspapers have labor reporters any more, but these days there’s a proliferation of podcasts and blogs on the internet. We’ll find out about a website called organizing dot work. Then UAW Local 31 President Clarence Brown led his local in their 40-day strike against General Motors. We’ll talk to him about the strike and the future of labor and the UAW."
Labor History Today: "Jacquelyn Dowd Hall discusses her new book, Sisters and Rebels: A Struggle for the Soul of the South in an excerpt from the Working History podcast. Also this week, Karen Nussbaum on Iris Rivera’s historic refusal to serve coffee, Jessica Pauszek reads poetry by a striking British miner’s wife and Tom Zaniello remembers Charlie Chaplin’s 'Modern Times.'"
UCOMM Podcast: "Shedding light on UAW coup/corruption and Trump tries to ban impeachment talk, Remembering Kobe Bryant, Will C has some reflections, Trump is going out of his way to privatize the Post Office, Illinois wants to ban 'Right to Work,' Amazon employees are protesting climate change, [Brian] Schneck talks about his efforts to take the UAW back for the members, Trump bans impeachment talk and we have bets on the Iowa Caucus and the Super Bowl."
Union City Radio: "Big turnout for Murray Women's Club candidate education forum; how labor can help battle addiction; Washington labor leader Jackie Jeter retires; 'a slap in the face'; new online labor bookstore."
Union Strong (NYS AFL-CIO): "New York state has had a call center outsourcing problem that has resulted in the loss of tens of thousands of call center jobs over the past several years. Companies packed up and moved either out of state or out of the country and often after receiving state grants, guaranteed loans and tax benefits. On this podcast, Hae-Lin Choi, the statewide legislative and political director for CWA District 1, explains how a new law aims to change that."
Willamette Wake-Up: "Labor Report with Don Mcintosh on pensions and retirement."
Your Rights At Work (WPFW 89.3 FM, Washington, D.C.): D.C. Attorney General Karl Racine and Assistant Attorney General Randy Chen on recent wins against wage theft, Dolly Parton's pro-labor song from the film "9 to 5" and "Case Closed" with Bob Samet, senior partner at Ashcraft and Gerel.
Kenneth Quinnell Fri, 02/07/2020 - 11:43Tags: Podcast
‘State of the Unions’ Podcast: A Refugee’s Journey
On the latest episode of "State of the Unions," podcast co-host Tim Schlittner talks with AFL-CIO Executive Vice President Tefere Gebre (UFCW) about his journey from being an Ethiopian refugee to success in the labor movement in Orange County, California, and in Washington, D.C., and the people and institutions that helped him along the way.
Listen to our previous episodes:
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A conversation with the Rev. Leah Daughtry, CEO of "On These Things," about Reconnecting McDowell, an AFT project that takes a holistic approach to revitalizing the education and community of McDowell, West Virginia, and how her faith informs her activism.
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Talking to Fire Fighters (IAFF) General President Harold Schaitberger about the union’s behavioral health treatment center dedicated to treating IAFF members struggling with addiction and other related behavioral challenges. The discussion also addresses the toll of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on firefighters and their families, the response of the IAFF in its wake, and the life of a firefighter.
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A chat with the podcast team on their favorite episodes of 2019.
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A discussion with Cas Mudde, a political scientist at the University of Georgia, on the resurgence of right-wing politicians and activists across the world, much of it cloaked in populist, worker-friendly rhetoric.
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Talking with Guy Ryder, the director-general of the International Labor Organization, about the international labor movement, the idea of “decent labor” and the future of work.
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A discussion with Union Veterans Council Executive Director Will Attig about his work connecting the labor movement and the veterans community.
“State of the Unions” is available on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher and anywhere else you can find podcasts.
Kenneth Quinnell Wed, 02/05/2020 - 13:29Tags: Podcast
Media Unionization Wave Continues: Worker Wins
Our latest roundup of worker wins begins with organizing efforts at a publishing giant and includes numerous examples of working people organizing, bargaining and mobilizing for a better life. The end of 2019 saw a flurry of wins for working people, so this is the second in several posts that will cover the victories of the last quarter of the year.
Employees at Media Giant Hearst Magazines to Join Writers Guild: Employees at one of America’s oldest major magazine publishers are forming a union, becoming the latest big media organization to join the ranks of organized labor. Editorial, photo, video and social media employees working at 24 major Hearst publications voted to be represented by the Writers Guild of America, East (WGAE). The publications covered include Elle, Esquire, Town & Country, Cosmopolitan and others. Elle Culture Editor Julie Kosin, also a union organizer, said: “We’re excited to be a part of the labor movement among our peers, and most importantly create a fair and equitable workplace for the future of this industry.”
Chicago Teachers Union End Strike with New Contract: After an 11-day strike, the Chicago Teachers Union went back to work after approving a new contract. More than 25,000 teachers will be covered under the new contract and 300,000 kids returned to classes. Jesse Sharkey, president of the union, said: “This contract is a powerful advance for our city and our movement for real equity and educational justice for our school communities and the children we serve.”
New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority Workers Approve New Contract: The largest union representing Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) workers approved a new contract after six months of tense negotiations and no contract. Previous offers by the MTA sought to cut back on overtime, increase worker health care contributions and limit vacation time accrual for workers, proposals the union called "insulting." The workers are represented by Transport Workers (TWU) Local 100, whose president, Ton Utano, said: “I am happy to report that we have reached a negotiated settlement with the MTA that I believe the Local 100 membership will ratify in overwhelming fashion.”
Massachusetts Marijuana Workers Join UFCW: Working people at Sira Naturals, a marijuana company in Massachusetts, voted to be represented by Local 1445 of the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW). More than 100 workers will be covered by the new unit. Sira's chief executive, Mike Dundas, said the company voluntarily recognized the union. He said it would help attract and retain employees.
Musicians Reach New Film and TV Contract: Musicians represented by the American Federation of Musicians (AFM) have reached an agreement on a new contract for film and television with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers. The two-year deal was reached after the two sides settled issues relating to residuals for films and television shows made for streaming services.
Los Angeles Proterra Electric Bus Assemblers to be Represented by Steelworkers: Working people at Proterra's electric bus assembly line plant California voted to join the United Steelworkers (USW) Local 675. The company's leadership was amenable to the drive and worked with USW to help workers understand the need to a carbon-neutral economy. Blanchard Pinto, a supervisor at the plant, said: “This is my first time being in a union, and I’m actually excited about it. It was a no-brainer for me that it was something we could use for the job stability.”
Cedar Rapids General Mills Workers Ratify New Contract: More than 500 workers represented by the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union voted to approve a new three-year contract with General Mills. The workers had threatened to strike before the deal was reached. Tim Sarver, who has worked for General Mills for more than 37 years, said: “I am thrilled to know we will all be going to work tomorrow with the peace of mind of a strong union contract. Over 500 families can sleep well tonight knowing their needed benefits are secure for the next three years. The strength of our union during these first contract negotiations was extraordinary. I am proud to say that a union contract is now part of every balanced breakfast that comes from our General Mills plant.”
NBC News Universal Editorial Staff Vote to Join The NewsGuild: Editorial staffers at NBC News Digital voted overwhelmingly to affiliate with the The NewsGuild of New York (TNG-CWA). After the vote, the editorial workers requested that NBC voluntarily recognize the unit. The new unit covers staff from nbcnews.com, today.com, StayTuned, Left Field, msnbc.com and NBC News Now. Nigel Chiwaya, a data journalist and member of the new unit, said: “NBC News is a storied name in journalism, and we all feel proud to be a part of it. Forming the NBC NewsGuild is our way of protecting the legacy for everyone here now and for those who will come after us. We are organizing to make our newsroom stronger and safer for all.”
Content Producers at Philadelphia's WHYY Join SAG-AFTRA: Journalists and other content producers at WHYY in Philadelphia have voted to join SAG-AFTRA. The vote was nearly unanimous, and the 90 workers represented by SAG-AFTRA will next negotiate their first collective bargaining agreement. In a statement, the union said: “We’re thrilled by our strong showing. We look forward to beginning a democratic process to hear from our members about what they would value most from a contract with management.”
UAW and Ford Reach Agreement: The UAW reached a tentative contract in November. The contract covers 55,000 hourly Ford workers in the United States, the most of any domestic automaker. Rory Gamble, vice president of the UAW Ford Department, said: "Our national negotiators elected by their local unions have voted unanimously to recommend to the UAW-Ford National Council the proposed tentative agreement. Our negotiating team worked diligently during the General Motors strike to maintain productive negotiations with Ford. The pattern bargaining strategy has been a very effective approach for UAW and its members to secure economic gains around salary, benefits and over $6 billion in major product investments in American facilities, creating and retaining over 8,500 jobs for our communities."
Kenneth Quinnell Tue, 02/04/2020 - 14:49Tags: Organizing
No Más! The Working People Weekly List
Every week, we bring you a roundup of the top news and commentary about issues and events important to working families. Here’s the latest edition of the Working People Weekly List.
No Más! Campaign Calls for Chilean Government to Protect Human Rights: "Since last October, sparked by a hike in public transportation fares, a broad alliance of Chile's unions and other social movements have been protesting against low wages, the high cost of basic necessities and persistently high social inequality. The country's extreme model of privatization of most public services and basic programs in health care, social security and education has guided most public policy since the Augusto Pinochet dictatorship (1973–1990). Since October, the Central Unitaria de Trabajadores (CUT), Chile's largest labor organization, has convened three general strikes, the largest of which brought more than 1 million people into the streets."
Washington Labor Leader Jackie Jeter Retiring: "Longtime labor activist Jackie Jeter (ATU), president of the Metropolitan Washington [D.C.] Council, AFL-CIO, will retire at the end of January after a lifelong career in the labor movement."
A Friend of the Workers: Labor Podcast and Radio Roundup: "In addition to the AFL-CIO's own 'State of the Unions,' there are a lot of other podcasts out there that have their own approach to discussing labor issues and the rights of working people. Here are the latest podcasts from across the labor movement in the United States."
Safety in the Skies: What Working People Are Doing This Week: "Welcome to our regular feature, a look at what the various AFL-CIO unions and other working family organizations are doing across the country and beyond. The labor movement is big and active—here's a look at the broad range of activities we're engaged in this week."
‘State of the Unions’ Podcast: Healing a Community: "On the latest episode of 'State of the Unions,' podcast co-hosts Julie and Tim talk with the Rev. Leah Daughtry, CEO of 'On These Things,' about Reconnecting McDowell, an AFT project that takes a holistic approach to revitalizing the education and community of McDowell, West Virginia, and how her faith informs her activism."
Get to Know AFL-CIO's Affiliates: Plasterers and Cement Masons: "Next up in our series that takes a deeper look at each of our affiliates is the Plasterers and Cement Masons."
A Win for Nurses and Patients: Worker Wins: "Our latest roundup of worker wins begins with nurses banding together to make patients' lives better and includes numerous examples of working people organizing, bargaining and mobilizing for a better life. The end of 2019 saw a flurry of wins for working people, so this is the first in several posts over the next week that will cover the victories of the last quarter of the year."
Greater Boston Labor Council Makes History with Latest Election: "The Greater Boston Labor Council (GBLC), AFL-CIO, made history last week with the election of the first woman of color to its top office. Darlene Lombos takes over as executive secretary-treasurer, replacing Richard Rogers, who officially retired after leading the GBLC for the past 16 years."
Economy Gains 145,000 Jobs in December; Unemployment Unchanged at 3.5%: "The U.S. economy gained 145,000 jobs in December, and the unemployment rate was essentially unchanged at 3.5%, according to figures released Friday morning by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Preliminary data from BLS also shows, for the first time since 2010, the majority of workers on U.S. payrolls are women, underscoring the importance of addressing the gender wage gap."
A Future That Works for Workers: "At this year’s Consumer Electronics Show, the AFL-CIO is partnering with SAG-AFTRA to host the second annual Labor Innovation & Technology Summit. The summit, led by AFL-CIO Secretary-Treasurer Liz Shuler (IBEW), SAG-AFTRA President Gabrielle Carteris and UNITE HERE International President D. Taylor, brings together union, technology, entertainment and media leaders to explore how these industries intersect and the potential impact for America’s workers and for the country’s creative culture."
Kenneth Quinnell Tue, 02/04/2020 - 12:42Get to Know AFL-CIO's Affiliates: Seafarers
Next up in our series that takes a deeper look at each of our affiliates is the Seafarers.
Name of Union: Seafarers International Union (SIU)
Mission: To represent the best-trained, most efficient crews in the world as a dynamic, politically active organization dedicated to protecting the membership’s job security in the face of the ever-changing needs of the industry.
Current Leadership of Union: Michael Sacco serves as president of the Seafarers International Union of North America, having first been elected to the position in 1988. He also serves as president of his home union, the Seafarers International Union; Atlantic, Gulf, Lakes and Inland Waters, which he has been a member of since 1958. Sacco also serves as president of the AFL-CIO's Maritime Trades Department. The Brooklyn-born Sacco served in the U.S. Air Force and he and his wife, Sophie, have four children.
Augustin Tellez serves as executive vice president, David W. Heindel serves as secretary-treasurer and SIU has six vice presidents.
Number of Members: 80,000.
Members Work As: Professional merchant mariners sailing aboard U.S.-flag vessels in the deep sea, Great Lakes and inland trades.
Industries Represented: Members work on a wide variety of vessels, including commercial container ships and tankers, military support ships, tugboats and barges, passenger ships, gaming vessels and many more.
History: Before the Seafarers International Union was formed in 1938, there were several other unions that organized maritime workers, including the International Seamen's Union (ISU), which formed in 1892 and was chartered by the American Federation of Labor. Pressures from the Great Depression and internal division led to the downfall of the ISU, despite some successes, including securing the passage of the Jones Act in 1915.
The SIU was formally given a charter in 1938 with nearly 7,000 members. World War II had a major impact on the maritime trades. SIU members were a huge part of the war effort, providing military support to the Allies and serving as the underpinning of the Allied supply lines. The casualty rate for merchant seamen was higher than any other branch of the armed services. The union managed to secure hazard pay for those sailing into war zones. After the war, the SIU made tremendous gains with organizing drives, a general maritime strike and the creation of AFL's Maritime Trades Department.
Paul Hall was a charter member of the SIU and, by the late 1940s, he was in charge of daily operations of the union, and he took the union in a more militant direction. Hall stressed civic engagement and negotiation and took SIU to the streets in solidarity with other AFL unions. Reform and expansion were key among Hall's achievements, including securing the first hospital and death benefits for members, creating the Seafarers Vacation Plan and strengthening seniority provisions in hiring.
In the 1950s, the SIU continued to expand by merging with other smaller maritime unions. The union also opened up several training facilities to help Seafarers hone their professional skills. The union was successful in the 1960s in calls to modernize the U.S.-flag-bearing fleet. The 1970s would see the union successfully fight for the passage of the Merchant Marine Act, which gave a boost to the maritime industry, including boosting jobs.
The rapid changes in technology, trade and world politics in the 1980s and 1990s provided both opportunities and challenges for the SIU. The expansion of global trade and the growth in military conflict around the globe directly affected SIU's membership. SIU members were among the first responders after the terrorist attacks of 9/11, transporting evacuees from affected areas and served as crew on the USNS Comfort, a ship that served as a center for medical care for first responders and survivors. SIU members also would be key in stories in more recent years, such as the “Miracle on the Hudson” aircraft incident in 2009 and when the Maersk Alabama ship was hijacked by Somali pirates.
Whether it be in times of war, times of peace or in reaction to a tragedy, Seafarers are part of the solution; and they continue to do what they always do: "turning to and delivering the goods."
Current Campaigns/Community Efforts: The Seafarers provide training and apprenticeships through the Paul Hall Center for Maritime Training and Education and the Harry Lundeberg School of Seamanship. The Seafarers Disaster Relief Fund helps members and retirees who are hurt by hurricanes and other disasters. The Seafarers also assist members with pensions and share news and information through The Federal Mariner and the Mobile News Network.
Learn More: Website, Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, Instagram.
Kenneth Quinnell Mon, 02/03/2020 - 10:47Washington Labor Leader Jackie Jeter Retiring
Longtime labor activist Jackie Jeter (ATU), president of the Metropolitan Washington [D.C.] Council, AFL-CIO, will retire at the end of January after a lifelong career in the labor movement.
In addition to her incredible leadership with the council, Jeter served as an elected official with the Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) Local 689 in Forestville, Maryland, for more than 25 years. She began as a shop steward for rail operations in 1994 and was elected assistant business agent, first vice president and financial secretary-treasurer before becoming president in 2007. With every new position, Jeter set a historical precedent as the first African American woman to hold those offices.
Jeter also made history at the council when she became its first female president in 2016. Previously, she served on the council’s executive board from 1996 to 2002.
Jeter told the council that now is the right time for this decision. “When I retired from the ATU, I promised myself that I would give back to those who have given me energy, strength and unconditional love all these years, and that’s my family,” Jeter said. “My tenure at the Metropolitan Washington Council, AFL-CIO, has been a special experience capping a long career in the labor movement, and I’m especially grateful to the council’s board and staff, as well as to all of our wonderful affiliated locals who work so hard and so effectively every day for working men and women throughout the region.”
AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka (UMWA) thanked Jeter for her service: “Throughout her career, Jackie never stopped protecting and championing the rights for working people. The labor movement has deeply benefited from her hard work and dedication, and we will miss her dearly.”
The entire AFL-CIO wishes her a long and happy retirement.
Kenneth Quinnell Tue, 01/28/2020 - 10:36No Más! Campaign Calls for Chilean Government to Protect Human Rights
Since last October, sparked by a hike in public transportation fares, a broad alliance of Chile's unions and other social movements have been protesting against low wages, the high cost of basic necessities and persistently high social inequality. The country's extreme model of privatization of most public services and basic programs in health care, social security and education has guided most public policy since the Augusto Pinochet dictatorship (1973–1990). Since October, the Central Unitaria de Trabajadores (CUT), Chile's largest labor organization has convened three general strikes, the largest of which brought more than 1 million people into the streets.
The government reacted to the protests with repression and violence reminiscent of the Pinochet era, leading to the deaths of at least 29 people, thousands of grave injuries and numerous rapes while protesters were in police custody. In response, 18 members of the U.S. House of Representatives called on the U.S. Embassy in Chile to defend the fundamental rights of the Chilean people and encourage the pursuit of peaceful, democratic dialogue.
The constitution drafted and imposed by the dictatorship in 1980 has blocked substantive changes to the extreme free-market model that has created a small wealthy class while making working peoples' and retirees' lives precarious and stressful, with most jobs paying too little to afford expensive privatized education, health care and pensions while investing little in public systems in these basic areas.
For too long, Chile has been held up as an example for developing countries to follow to advance economically by extreme free-market measures while avoiding larger issues of sustainability, democracy and inclusion. With recent sustained protests, Chileans are overcoming that legacy in the face of excessive violence by the government and are claiming their rights. As result of sustained protest, nearly all Chilean political parties agreed to hold a referendum in April about replacing the constitution written under the Pinochet dictatorship. Chile has the opportunity to build a sustainable future with social justice.
During this transition, the government must protect and respect human rights. As the CUT opened its 12th national congress on Jan. 24, bringing together its unions and an international delegation representing more than a dozen countries, CUT launched the campaign Chile: No Más! to mobilize the international community to increase attention to ongoing human rights violations in Chile and pressure the government to honor its commitments to human rights and democracy. The AFL-CIO has joined this effort.
Tags: Chile
A Friend of the Workers: Labor Podcast and Radio Roundup
In addition to the AFL-CIO's own "State of the Unions," there are a lot of other podcasts out there that have their own approach to discussing labor issues and the rights of working people. Here are the latest podcasts from across the labor movement in the United States.
Building Bridges: Which of the 2020 Candidates Is a Friend of the Workers?: "With Shaun Richman, program director for the Harry Van Arsdale Jr. Center for Labor Studies at SUNY Empire State College....[We] talk about what the top Democratic Party contenders for the presidency are proposing to better the 'state of the state' of working men and women, as they ready themselves for the Iowa caucuses. We’ll also discuss who supports and the likelihood of the passage of the Protecting the Right to Organize Act, which is scheduled to be introduced in the House of Representative in early February."
Heartland Labor Forum: Neoliberalism: "This week on the Heartland Labor Forum: Recently workers in France and Colombia have shut down their economies when confronted with pension reforms, which attacked their livelihoods. Tune in Thursday to the Heartland Labor Forum to hear from union leaders in both countries about why they’re in the streets and what a general strike is. Thursday at 6 p.m., rebroadcast Friday at 5 a.m. on KKFI 90.1 FM or streaming at kkfi.org."
Labor History Today: UAW’s Punch Press Strike Daily: "The Cool Things from the Meany Archives' crew features the Punch Press, an autoworker strike publication. Also this week, Saul Schniderman remembers contributions to labor history by both Johnny Paycheck and Bruce Springsteen."
Union City Radio: Latest D.C. Labor News: "Bus strike ends; D.C. wage theft; NABET-CWA members at CNN win $76 million in back pay; the toll on firefighter health; repealing the Veterans Affairs' fraudulent “right to work.”
Union Strong: Television Diversity Tax Credit: "The Television Diversity Tax Credit Bill has been signed into law. We talk to Lowell Peterson, executive director of the Writers Guild of America, East, to find out how it will change what we watch on television and the new opportunities it will create for writers and directors, who until now were overlooked."
WorkWeek Radio: Iran War and Labor And Fraud in California: "WorkWeek looks at the growing war threat of war by the U.S. when Donald Trump ordered the murder of the Iranian General Qasem Soleimani. We interview retired International Longshore and Warehouse Union Local 10 Secretary-Treasurer Clarence Thomas, who visited Iraq and met with trade unionists, Kambiz Sakhai, a labor political educator from Iran, and Alison Weir, with If Americans Knew. Then WorkWeek looks at the growing corruption scandal at the Fraud Assessment Commission, where the former Gov. Jerry Brown appointed disgraced former director Christine Baker of the Department of Industrial Relations to the FAC. We interview former Cal-OSHA Medical Director Dr. Larry Rose and former SEIU 250 Executive Board member and Kaiser Sacramento worker Dina Padilla. She is a longtime advocate for injured workers."
Your Rights at Work (WPFW 89.3 FM, Washington, D.C.): "Big win against wage theft in the District; Cinder Bed Road bus strikers win new contract; women leaders get empowered."
Kenneth Quinnell Fri, 01/24/2020 - 12:39Tags: Podcast
Safety in the Skies: What Working People Are Doing This Week
Welcome to our regular feature, a look at what the various AFL-CIO unions and other working family organizations are doing across the country and beyond. The labor movement is big and active—here's a look at the broad range of activities we're engaged in this week.
Actors' Equity:
Members representing all 28 Equity Liaison Areas convened last July in Minneapolis, MN for a two-day conference w/ staff & members of Council to focus on ways to grow leadership capacity & advance the goals of Equity 2020.
Read more in the Member Portal- https://t.co/ieOIUylvmn pic.twitter.com/ozf9fxVAjG
AFGE:
The @USDA's request to the FLRA is not consistent with the law or the facts. #1u https://t.co/AOEIFDKlx6 pic.twitter.com/jF0Qg3C6df
— AFGE (@AFGENational) January 23, 2020AFSCME:
Public service workers in Puerto Rico work 24/7 to make their communities better. They never quit on their neighbors or fellow residents or on each other, which is why their union will never quit on them! ?? https://t.co/DfEqyuv133
— AFSCME (@AFSCME) January 23, 2020AFT:
No child should have to learn in schools full of mold. And no educator should have to teach in one either. It's time to #FundOurFuture #FundOurFacilities and create safe, healthy environments for learning and teaching. https://t.co/s1jq1P4LOW
— AFT (@AFTunion) January 20, 2020Air Line Pilots Association:
Safety in the skies is truly a team effort that revolves around the most important and effective safety feature on any passenger aircraft—two well-trained, highly-skilled, and experienced pilots. #TrainedForLife https://t.co/LUpvqZXJn7
— ALPA (@WeAreALPA) January 17, 2020Alliance for Retired Americans:
After hobnobbing with billionaires at Davos, President Trump revealed that the door is open for Social Security and Medicare cuts. #Shame pic.twitter.com/ad7Rftpk2V
— Alliance Retirees (@ActiveRetirees) January 22, 2020Amalgamated Transit Union:
Florida lawmakers, #HART spearhead bills to improve transit worker safety https://t.co/25NNlmjz7u #1u #UnionStrong #transit #SafeBus
— ATU, Transit Union (@ATUComm) January 21, 2020American Federation of Musicians:
#UnionMusicians ratified a new 2 yr. contract w/major studios that includes for the first time—screen credits for musicians. It also includes yearly 3% wage increases & increased residuals for shows rented & purchased online. #1u https://t.co/qaWis6JsCe pic.twitter.com/ckY39maI4N
— AFM (@The_AFM) January 23, 2020American Postal Workers Union:
Be like Will E Bear.
Support your public Postal Service. #usmailnotforsale https://t.co/2HOEXm33GA
Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance:
As a @CAPAC member, Rep Speier must protect immigrant families by cosponsoring the #ReunitingFamiliesAct! https://t.co/oMn7IeSITv
— APALA (@APALAnational) January 21, 2020Association of Flight Attendants-CWA:
We're contacting our airlines in an effort to put in place info & precautions for crewmembers. We're sharing what we know about virus now, although health officials are still determining full implications of virus & how it's spread. https://t.co/l75GhDrEic #CoronavirusOutbreak
— AFA-CWA (@afa_cwa) January 23, 2020Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers:
No Duh. #Organize
“Strengthening labor unions and worker power represents the most effective strategy to combat America’s economic inequality and corporations’ sway over the economy and politics.” https://t.co/P8OnjoP2mP
Boilermakers:
Read how this #Boilermaker member from L-290 (Bremerton, Washington) and his wife used the @UnionPlus advantage here ➡️ https://t.co/cqR1TUU6e8 pic.twitter.com/ZcEMo2yCTW
— Boilermakers Union (@boilermakernews) January 23, 2020Bricklayers:
⛑️✅?✅?✅ #WednesdayWisdom https://t.co/68Fhbg65xx
— Bricklayers Union (@IUBAC) January 22, 2020California School Employees Association:
The labor movement is for everyone! Read about how milennials are picking up the torch: https://t.co/TR5tBNTEIn
— CSEA (@CSEA_Now) January 16, 2020Coalition of Labor Union Women:
Workers lose $31.9 billion in wages each year that Congress refuses to pass #ChildCare4All & #PaidLeaveForAll.
Call your representative and tell them that families can’t afford to wait another year. https://t.co/JitrZ1yH0Z pic.twitter.com/TsFGlV8jYl
Communications Workers of America:
"It’s time to fundamentally reform our political system by passing the #ForthePeopleAct. It’s time for Mitch McConnell to do his job and put this bill up for a vote.”
— CWA (@CWAUnion) January 22, 2020Department for Professional Employees:
"The number of unionized professional employees, for example, increased by more than 90,000 people. About 6.27 million professional workers were union members last year, an all-time high." https://t.co/Z6CnwkvYBF
— Department for Professional Employees (@DPEaflcio) January 22, 2020Electrical Workers:
Good riddance to the Cadillac Tax. https://t.co/80wG3qtqAW
— IBEW (@IBEW) January 23, 2020Farm Labor Organizing Committee:
We are thankful for churches and other religious groups who stand with us. Will more of you join us? https://t.co/WF20tfe6hD
— Farm Labor Organizing Committee (@SupportFLOC) January 21, 2020Fire Fighters:
AGP @jimmyjam1967 and @DougWStern lead an important discussion on how to communicate in a multi-cultural world at #ALTSHR20 pic.twitter.com/Y19MBqBNY8
— IAFF (@IAFFNewsDesk) January 22, 2020Heat and Frost Insulators:
More from the Shakamak Jr. – Sr. High School Trades Career Fair yesterday in Indianapolis! We've got opportunities for joining the Registered Apprenticeship Program with Local 18 https://t.co/eVC8s9kFTG pic.twitter.com/lB0mLrmYQu
— Insulators Union (@InsulatorsUnion) January 23, 2020International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers:
the #UnitedProfessionals of @IFPTE and @TheSocietySays stand with out @UniforTheUnion sisters and brothers! https://t.co/eVtGRe9hqZ
— IFPTE (@IFPTE) January 23, 2020Ironworkers:
"Mykka Ellis, who joined the Ironworkers Union as a trans woman in 2016, says she got a lot of support when they would send her out to jobsites." #LGBTQ #transrights #BeThatOneGuy
https://t.co/7uPjRT9ecH
Jobs With Justice:
Big business thought it could take the new $15 #minimumwage in Minneapolis to court and win. Welp, they lost and working people WON. #fightfor15 https://t.co/IOB7MMWjwU
— Jobs With Justice (@jwjnational) January 23, 2020Labor Council for Latin American Advancement:
LCLAA supports the Prince George's County NAACP chapter, as it is imperative that our communities are accurately represented in order for our voices to be heard!https://t.co/4f8gxEysiR
— LCLAA (@LCLAA) January 23, 2020Laborers:
In honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.... #MLK #MartinLutherKingJr pic.twitter.com/JkWv8nBtqj
— LIUNA (@LIUNA) January 17, 2020Machinists:
The @MachinistsUnion is urging members to write House members, urging them to pass the #PROAct, legislation that would bolster worker rights https://t.co/hsVuTNmq8B
— Machinists Union (@MachinistsUnion) January 22, 2020Metal Trades Department:
The value of union membership. Have you checked out the Metal Trades Free College Benefit? Did you know that we now have a low-cost Bachelor's degree option? https://t.co/iMevQOKxjG pic.twitter.com/NmW4iqpVLZ
— Metal Trades Dept. (@metaltradesafl) January 23, 2020Mine Workers:
UMWA International President @CecilRoberts met with @senatemajldr yesterday to thank him for his critical role in passing the Bipartisan American Miners Act. #TheyEarnedIt #PromiseKept pic.twitter.com/zMCTBN815g
— United Mine Workers (@MineWorkers) January 8, 2020Musical Artists:
We had an amazing Delegate Training session today with some of our incredible Concert Singers! #WeAreAGMA #AGMA #UnionStrong #KnowledgeIsPower #UnionPower pic.twitter.com/e2SzD5GcMT
— AGMA (@AGMusicalArtist) January 16, 2020National Air Traffic Controllers Association:
In a single year, nearly one billion passengers will take to the skies — more than twice the population of the U.S., and the number increases each year. The use of geospatial technology enables precision time-management for controlling air traffic. https://t.co/BrYhNf78c8
— NATCA (@NATCA) January 23, 2020National Association of Letter Carriers:
One hot summer day, as carrier Joseph Loeser was delivering on his route, he saw one of his customers suffering from heat stroke. Joseph comforted the man and asked a security guard to call 911. Paramedics arrived and took the man to the hospital. Thanks, Joseph! #Heroes #1u pic.twitter.com/Wg6cPESyjC
— Letter Carriers (@NALC_National) January 23, 2020National Domestic Workers Alliance:
Last week, NDWA leaders in Vancouver met with @HerreraBeutler about the personal importance of passing the national #DomesticWorkersBillofRights! Thank you for listening to our stories. We strongly encourage you to become a co-sponsor of this important legislation! pic.twitter.com/T6l8RXd07h
— Domestic Workers (@domesticworkers) January 23, 2020National Federation of Federal Employees:
2019 was an huge year for our union and federal employees across the country.
Take a look at some of our biggest wins. #NFFE #IAMAW #1u https://t.co/1cLXat3wL0
National Nurses United:
"We joined the union so that we can have a stronger voice on #SafeStaffing." ??
Welcome to the #UnionStrong family! ✊ https://t.co/oPZu8nmz4d
National Taxi Workers Alliance:
NYTWA taxi medallion owner-drivers packed @TheNCUA board meeting in VA this morning to make our demands for debt relief heard. pic.twitter.com/vaDjuWV1GJ
— NY Taxi Workers (@NYTWA) January 23, 2020The NewsGuild-CWA:
And we're off to a strong start in 2020! Three weeks into the new year, journalists at 5 publications have announced union drives with @NewsGuild @CWAUnion: Sports Illustrated, South Bend Tribune, Springfield News-Leader, Miami New Times & Phoenix New Times. https://t.co/tjRIad8JwA pic.twitter.com/bfXq9BV7Na
— NewsGuild (@newsguild) January 23, 2020NFL Players Association:
These community superheroes together impacted thousands of lives through donations and special events. One of them will earn $100,000 for their charity as the Alan Page Community Award winner! @GenoSacks @BCarr39 @bcope51 @demario__davis @Bwagz pic.twitter.com/BK2Obb4j0s
— NFLPA (@NFLPA) January 22, 2020North America's Building Trades Unions:
Hosting construction career fairs is a great way to show today’s youth that a #BuildingTrades union career is secure, safe & reliable ?
“A lot of us are told that college is our only option, but it’s really neat to see that it’s not"https://t.co/UPgi2SifS5
Office and Professional Employees:
Best of luck to our union family in Nevada, which is growing larger by the day! @NVAFLCIO #1u https://t.co/9PIXoujNXY
— OPEIU (@OPEIU) January 21, 2020Painters and Allied Trades:
#TBT In January 1970, the union got a name change - from "Brotherhood of Painters and Decorators of America" to “International Brotherhood of Painters and Allied Trades." It would take another 30 years to settle on the IUPAT. In 1970 and 2020, we're fighting for working people. pic.twitter.com/7lN11UDf7k
— GoIUPAT✊? (@GoIUPAT) January 23, 2020Plasterers and Cement Masons:
Read about 7 interesting construction industry trends — especially #1, Virtual reality, augmented reality and mixed reality, where the #OPCMIA International Training Fund Apprenticeship Program is on the cutting edge of the technology of the future!https://t.co/vYffyph9d1
— OPCMIA International (@opcmiaintl) January 22, 2020Professional Aviation Safety Specialists:
Congrats @TheWNBPA on new contract! Fair pay, work/life balance & workplace protections are what all unions bargain for so that our members can do their jobs without distractions. Like PASS members @ FAA & DoD. And like DC's own @WashMystics WNBA champs! #1u #unionsolidarity
— PASS (@PASSNational) January 15, 2020Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union:
R.I.P. to Charlie Mae Brown Snowden, a 35-year employee at @Saks Fifth Avenue in Chicago and officer with RWDSU Local 291.
Read more about her amazing life: https://t.co/OAtLAf7X4K pic.twitter.com/S6uqM4i2u2
SAG-AFTRA:
And a few more from the #SeeHer platform at the 2020 @SAGawards. ♥️ pic.twitter.com/J4c5BiXvZS
— #SeeHer (@seeher2020) January 21, 2020Seafarers:
#1u #JonesAct #Puerto Rico #Maritime #Unions
PMCs & Affiliates Deliver Badly Needed Relief to Puerto Rico Earthquake Victims https://t.co/IIhX9LQ9PC
Solidarity Center:
Union power, pass it on! pic.twitter.com/RdC9CcFpuN
— Solidarity Center (@SolidarityCntr) January 23, 2020Theatrical Stage Employees:
Our @GolfChannel crews continue to fight for a safe and fair contract ✊ Let them know you stand with them! https://t.co/5b6pi9EiU8
— IATSE (@IATSE) January 23, 2020Transport Workers:
"Our society can rewrite the rules to put power in working people's hands, and strengthen our democracy, ensuring that no one is left behind." https://t.co/ZheD6v4uV2
— TWU (@transportworker) January 23, 2020Transportation Trades Department:
After reuniting a lost boy with his family, MTA bus operator Tyrone Hampton said - and as many transit workers know - the good deed was just part of doing his job. https://t.co/81wtYcP8ek
— Transp. Trades Dept. (@TTDAFLCIO) January 19, 2020UAW:
"Overhauling the North American Free Trade Act may have been a start, but the work has just begun."
Read the latest Labor Voices from UAW President Rory Gamble >>> https://t.co/S9OqZC9dwm
Union Veterans Council:
Shout out to the members of @PASSNational and @AFGENational working on the @AFLCIO #MLKconf day of service! pic.twitter.com/x4X1tGntue
— Union Veterans Council (@unionveterans) January 18, 2020UNITE HERE:
"Is [@Marriott's] 'Make a Green Choice' about sustainability, or reducing labor costs? Real change, or customer-assuaging greenwashing?"@Sierra_Magazine investigates. READ: https://t.co/czaUxxqykV#GreedyChoice pic.twitter.com/ERHAndqs7M
— UNITE HERE (@unitehere) January 21, 2020United Food and Commercial Workers:
Every year our @UFCW75 members in #Ohio honor Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s legacy and continue his work to help hardworking families build a better life.
Thanks to all who joined the #Cincinnati and #Dayton march remembering #MLK. We’re proud to stand with you. #1uMLK #TBT pic.twitter.com/VcGdo02bLr
United Steelworkers:
Union Against Public Funding for Company Hiring Nonunion Custodians | Cleaning & Maintenance Management https://t.co/cqAZ2R7O1r #1u
— United Steelworkers (@steelworkers) January 23, 2020United Students Against Sweatshops:
VICTORY!!! USASers at the UCs have been fighting alongside @AFSCMELocal3299 workers for the past 3 years. Today, service workers signed a historic agreement that sets the highest union standard at UC. This is a major win for USAS and for workers everywhere. When we fight, we win! pic.twitter.com/iYiAQ75J3J
— USAS (@USAS) January 23, 2020United Union of Roofers and Waterproofers:
Hear workers recount their own experiences falling from ladders. https://t.co/KyrweOq0YY #roofersafety365 https://t.co/BmKqdbP2yd
— Roofers Union (@roofersunion) January 15, 2020Utility Workers:
"When you look at wages that apprenticeships and other career areas pay and the fact that you do not pay four years of tuition and you're paid while you learn, these paths really need some additional consideration." https://t.co/ZP4a9upDx7 @UWUA_P4A @ashleykgross @JonMarcusBoston
— UWUA National (@The_UWUA) January 23, 2020Working America:
In 2018, Amazon paid $0 in U.S. federal income tax on over $11 billion in profits before taxes, but somehow it's always the poor and elderly that get blamed for our budget deficit.
— Working America (@WorkingAmerica) January 23, 2020Writers Guild of America, East:
Our statement on reports that @Spotify is in talks to purchase @Ringer. #RingerUnion pic.twitter.com/xU3Lj6fnqe
— Writers Guild of America, East (@WGAEast) January 21, 2020 Kenneth Quinnell Fri, 01/24/2020 - 10:23
