Painters Lend Helping Hand in the Construction Trades
Work in the construction trades is very physically and mentally demanding. For some workers, those conditions, combined with other factors, can lead to the need for support from the community. The Painters and Allied Trades (IUPAT) union is stepping up to provide that support for workers who are dealing with depression or substance abuse with IUPAT Helping Hand, a new program designed to raise awareness and provide resources for working people who are struggling.
Construction workers have the highest rate of suicide and drug abuse of any job category in the United States. Many of these addictions begin as treatment for work-related pain or injury. Workers often return to the job before they are fully healed in order to start earning a full paycheck again. Others come back to work still using painkillers that may affect job performance and safety.
IUPAT Helping Hand is designed to help construction workers and their family and friends get access to resources that can identify warning signs and prevent or alleviate these problems before they get out of hand.
Watch the video above and visit the Helping Hand website to learn more.
Kenneth Quinnell Wed, 02/13/2019 - 08:34No More Shutdowns: 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 AFL-CIO:
After learning OMB Director Donna Arduin and Governor Dunleavy's plan for the budget as well as this newly rolled out supplemental budget, all we can say is someone needs a dictionary.
trans·par·ent:(of an organization or its activities) open to public scrutiny. #akleg #akgov pic.twitter.com/JqgYph6Exw
Arizona AFL-CIO:
Congratulations to former UFCW member Cardi B on making history at last nights Grammy’s! https://t.co/yIdRhdgr8Q
— Arizona AFL-CIO (@ArizonaAFLCIO) February 11, 2019California Labor Federation:
"Most gig economy workers are still classified as contract workers, meaning that they aren’t covered by federal minimum wage laws & other labor protections." We need to stop greedy corporations from cheating workers! #CaLeg must vote #YesOnAB5! https://t.co/Y3hoyx5iq8 @LorenaAD80
— California Labor Federation (@CaliforniaLabor) February 8, 2019Connecticut AFL-CIO:
Sotonye Otunba-Payne, court reporter & member of @AFSCMECT4: "We believe that outsourcing will lead to the destruction of middle-class jobs that are the backbone of our economy" #ThriveTogetherCT #1u pic.twitter.com/76CwOCoPrz
— Connecticut AFL-CIO (@ConnAFLCIO) February 11, 2019Florida AFL-CIO:
“There is a lot of uncertainty, and there is a high stress level in the people. It’s affecting the home life of people. Now they don’t know what their future is.” #NoMoreShutdowns https://t.co/rpipMtFYGI
— Florida AFL-CIO (@FLAFLCIO) February 7, 2019Georgia AFL-CIO:
Instead of 4 beautiful words stamped on cars, we need 5: "UNION MADE in the USA". #1u #SOTU
— AFL-CIO Georgia (@AFLCIOGeorgia) February 6, 2019Indiana State AFL-CIO:
“The GOP tax cut didn’t help. The free trade agreement hasn’t helped. There’s nothing Trump has done that has helped.” #1uhttps://t.co/OKnFM4jaEg
— Indiana AFL-CIO (@INAFLCIO) February 7, 2019Iowa Federation of Labor:
Black Civil Rights Activists https://t.co/RyMY1W3IfC
— Iowa AFL-CIO (@IowaAFLCIO) February 11, 2019Kentucky State AFL-CIO:
“Janus hasn’t had any effect at all on us,” said the Kentucky AFL-CIO president, Bill Londrigan, whose state gained 5,000 new public union members after a series of dramatic teachers’... https://t.co/iFFpkxtN4g
— Kentucky AFL-CIO (@aflcioky) February 8, 2019Maine AFL-CIO:
Federal workers Bill and Rob speak to fellow area union members about the impact of the lockout, aka shutdown, had on their members and families. Never again! @AFGENational #mepolitics #1u pic.twitter.com/R7PYr4e0vr
— Maine AFL-CIO (@MEAFLCIO) February 7, 2019Massachusetts AFL-CIO:
Thank you to our union brothers and sisters working extra hard to keep the #MBTA running safely this morning during heavy use for the #PatriotsParade @carmensunion589 @IAM264Boston @IBEW103 @IBEW104
— Massachusetts AFLCIO (@massaflcio) February 5, 2019Metro Washington (D.C.) Council AFL-CIO:
DC's JW Marriott engineers join IUOE 99 https://t.co/mTbMguthIY
— MetroDCLaborCouncil (@DCLabor) February 8, 2019Michigan AFL-CIO:
Wherein he passes the torch to all of us. Rest in power, John Dingell. #1u https://t.co/p60l38TK2E
— Michigan AFL-CIO (@MIAFLCIO) February 9, 2019Minnesota AFL-CIO:
The Fight Against Labor Trafficking Expands https://t.co/Ev2ECr027Y (via @workdaymn) #1u pic.twitter.com/6gM0pvlKVU
— Minnesota AFL-CIO (@MNAFLCIO) February 8, 2019Missouri AFL-CIO:
The enemies of open government in Missouri have made clear they have no regard for either the principle of transparency or the overwhelming will of the people. #moleg https://t.co/eVBiG2cjOM
— Missouri AFL-CIO (@MOAFLCIO) February 8, 2019Nebraska State AFL-CIO:
Mark your calendars now to help Stamp Out Hunger. pic.twitter.com/YawTXOzhYq
— NE State AFL-CIO (@NEAFLCIO) February 6, 2019Nevada State AFL-CIO:
Bright and snowy opening of #nvleg ❄️❄️❄️ Looking forward to warmer days and passing legislation to help NV working families #1u pic.twitter.com/7AtQxaU3IG
— Nevada State AFL-CIO (@NVAFLCIO) February 5, 2019New Mexico Federation of Labor:
#StoptheShutdown ! Give our Brothers and Sisters the dignity they deserve! #Solidarity #1u pic.twitter.com/ukLH9JdheU
— NMFL (@NMFLaflcio) February 11, 2019New York State AFL-CIO:
Labor leaders optimistic bill penalizing companies for outsourcing call-center jobs will pass in Dem-controlled Albany https://t.co/AJqcvdG2wE
— NYSAFLCIO (@NYSAFLCIO) February 11, 2019North Carolina State AFL-CIO:
We need you in Raleigh Feb. 27th for 2019 Medicaid Expansion Advocacy Day! RSVP at https://t.co/Qwf0ZDcDGA https://t.co/cl4WQ3wju7
— NC State AFL-CIO (@NCStateAFLCIO) February 10, 2019North Dakota AFL-CIO:
Rep. Nelson stands with North Dakota Firefighters and Police and their right to join together and negotiate the terms of their employment. Thank him! menelson@nd.gov - 701-550-9731 #HB1463 #NDPOL #1u pic.twitter.com/ealExPZn1T
— North Dakota AFL-CIO (@NDAFLCIO) February 5, 2019Ohio AFL-CIO:
Fear @wrightstate faculty, staff, students & @aaupwsu,
Thank you for standing united in #solidarity for a better university. The lessons taught on the picket line will last a lifetime (and beyond).
Congratulations and in the best way possible, we say, “Now get o work.”
??✊ https://t.co/w2z6FyymlF
Oklahoma State AFL-CIO:
Check out IBEW 1141 member Joshua Matthews giving back to his community! https://t.co/NvNHGF7EKX
— Oklahoma AFL-CIO (@OK_AFL_CIO) February 11, 2019Oregon AFL-CIO:
This blocks working peoples' pathway to prosperity. Enough is enough. #YESonSB608 is our chance to fight the housing crisis head on. https://t.co/q5NC433lib
— Oregon AFL-CIO (@OregonAFLCIO) February 5, 2019Pennsylvania AFL-CIO:
10s of thousands of Pennsylvanians are shut out of our workforce. If we want to address workforce development we NEED to address our criminal justice system! @GovernorTomWolf #BudgetAddress #CriminalJustice #CleanSlate pic.twitter.com/5lTNrXJlM2
— PA AFL-CIO (@PaAFL_CIO) February 5, 2019Rhode Island AFL-CIO:
RI labor movement suffered a great loss when Teamster Assistant Business Agent Dennis Lavallee passed away unexpectedly. A planned fundraiser has been set for Saturday, February 23 a trust has been established to assist the Lavallee family.@IBT251 #1U #Teamsters #IBT pic.twitter.com/LMNF6xt4YK
— Rhode Island AFL-CIO (@riaflcio) February 11, 2019South Carolina AFL-CIO:
Workers, AFL-CIO, Democrats open legislative push for $15 minimum wage https://t.co/h83fE8brTY
— SC AFL-CIO (@SCAFLCIO) February 9, 2019Tennessee AFL-CIO Labor Council:
Electrolux fired 658 employees, contract workers in Memphis the year before closure announcement https://t.co/V9ZzWtVCZo
— Tennessee AFL-CIO (@tnaflcio) February 10, 2019Texas AFL-CIO:
Write your Texas senator now: Vote NO on David Whitley https://t.co/Z4ZqoaPYLt
— Texas AFL-CIO (@TexasAFLCIO) February 9, 2019Virginia AFL-CIO:
Raising the federal minimum wage to $15 by 2024 would lift pay for nearly 40 million workers | Economic Policy Institute https://t.co/y7yegm4gRw
— Virginia AFL-CIO (@Virginia_AFLCIO) February 5, 2019Washington State Labor Council:
Our time counts—at work and away from it (WSLC Legislative Update) https://t.co/CGHD5Ve2Bs re: Secure Scheduling, funding community colleges, honoring labor on the 100th anniversary of the Seattle General Strike #waleg #1u pic.twitter.com/gotmegIqN3
— WA State AFL-CIO (@WAAFLCIO) February 8, 2019West Virginia AFL-CIO:
Here’s an explanation for why Corrupt @SenCarmichaelWV is pushing an "omnibus" education bill no one wants. #hatesworkingfamilies https://t.co/ZcDMAiOL3y
— West Virginia AFLCIO (@WestVirginiaAFL) February 3, 2019Wisconsin State AFL-CIO:
Unions Join Together to Challenge Wisconsin’s Lame Duck Laws, https://t.co/77fTdYIdIo
— WI AFL-CIO (@wisaflcio) February 9, 2019 Kenneth Quinnell Tue, 02/12/2019 - 09:17US Unions Bring Solidarity to Striking Mexican Workers
A delegation of union leaders from the national AFL-CIO, the Texas AFL-CIO, the UAW and the United Steelworkers (USW) traveled to Matamoros, Mexico, last week to support tens of thousands of factory workers who have launched a wave of strikes to demand wage increases and democratic control of their unions.
Since Jan. 25, at least 48 factories that produce auto parts and other goods for export to the United States have signed agreements to increase wages by 20% and pay a bonus of 32,000 pesos (about $1,750). This is a huge victory for the workers, most of whom make around $2 per hour. In the past week, the strike wave has spread beyond the factories to supermarkets and other employers, with all the workers demanding "20/32." The leaders of the Matamoros unions, which historically have been close to the employers, were forced to endorse the workers’ demands.
The delegation visited the picket line at Advanced Scientifics, a subsidiary of Massachusetts-based Thermo Fisher Scientifics, which produces medical supplies. Some 70 workers have been camped outside the plant 24 hours a day in near-freezing temperatures.
"It’s heartbreaking to see workers who make life-saving equipment treated with so little respect," said USW District 13 Director Ruben Garza. "This is what happens when we sign trade agreements like [the North American Free Trade Ageement] that have no real protections for workers’ rights."
While the wage increase and bonus are a huge victory, the employers and the Confederation of Mexican Workers unions are striking back already. In the past week, as many as 2,000 strike leaders have been fired and blacklisted, despite legal prohibitions and non-reprisal agreements signed by the employers. The U.S. delegation met with fired leaders from several factories who are planning a public protest to demand reinstatement. Here are their testimonies:
- "We were told we were fired because we offended the company."
- "The union never helped us, they deceived us. So we had to put our own courage on the line to confront them."
- "We need to be firm. I have a family, too. My greatest wish is that justice is served. I don’t want just a salary, I want justice!"
"These workers—many of whom are working mothers—are fighting for the pay they’re owed, for better working conditions and for respect on the job," said Texas AFL-CIO Secretary-Treasurer Montserrat Garibay. "They are using their voices, and it is time to listen. The Mexican and U.S. governments must both demand that these U.S. companies honor their agreements and stop firing and blacklisting these courageous workers."
Kenneth Quinnell Mon, 02/11/2019 - 12:51Tags: Mexico
Get to Know AFL-CIO's Affiliates: Amalgamated Transit Union
Next up in our new series of taking a deeper look at each of our affiliates is Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU). The series will run weekly until we've covered all 55 of our affiliates.
Name of Union: Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU)
Mission: To fight for the rights of transit workers and promote mass transit.
Current Leadership of Union: Lawrence J. Hanley is the current international president of ATU.
Oscar Owens serves as international secretary-treasurer and Javier M. Perez Jr. serves as international executive vice president.
Current Number of Members: Nearly 200,000.
Members Work As: Metropolitan, interstate and school bus drivers; paratransit, light rail, subway, streetcar and ferry boat operators; mechanics and other maintenance workers; clerks, baggage handlers, municipal employees and others.
Industries Represented: Mass transit and related industries.
History: As industrialization advanced in the United States in the late 1800s, more and more workers needed transportation and workers to run that transportation. Mass transit workers in the early days largely worked with horses that pulled streetcars. The drivers often worked 18-hour days while the horses actually only worked four hours a day or less. The harsh treatment, lack of benefits and low pay set the seeds for the rise of ATU.
Early on, there were numerous attempts to form a union of transit workers, but efforts had little success until 1888, when Samuel Gompers, president of the American Federation of Labor, led efforts to organize the streetcar workers. In 1892, the first convention of what would become ATU was held in Indianapolis.
Although the year after the first convention was challenging, the union became a beacon of hope for transit workers. Within that first year, 28 local divisions were formed and the first Canadian local was chartered in 1893. Seven years later, membership had reached 8,000.
In the years that followed, ATU would continue to expand rapidly amid an era of strikes and violence. The stronger the organization got, the more impact it had. ATU not only pushed for labor reforms such as the six-day workweek and the eight-hour day, but championed technology and rules that make mass transit safer for both workers and riders.
Current Campaigns: Stop Assaults on Transit Workers, Make Sure Transit Operators Have Bathroom Breaks, End Fatalities and Injuries Resulting from Poor Transit Bus Design.
Community Efforts: ATU has community partnerships with a wide variety of organizations in pursuit of their values and mission, including: the AFL-CIO, Americans for Transit, the BlueGreen Alliance, the Coalition for Smarter Growth, Good Jobs First, the Industrial Areas Foundation, Jobs With Justice, the Labor Project for Working Families, the Partnership for Working Families, the Sierra Club, Transit Riders for Public Transit, the Transportation Equity Network, Transportation for America, U.S. PIRG, USAction and Working America.
Learn More: Website, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube.
Kenneth Quinnell Mon, 02/11/2019 - 08:02Profiling African American Labor Champions: 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.
Black History Month Labor Profiles: Arlene Holt Baker: "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. Our first profile this year is Arlene Holt Baker."
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."
Writers Unite!: Worker Wins: "Our latest roundup of worker wins begins with writers organizing and winning new contracts and includes numerous examples of working people organizing, bargaining and mobilizing for a better life."
The State of the Union Is…: "When President Donald Trump takes to the House floor to deliver his State of the Union address this evening, we hope to hear a concrete plan to fund the government and make the economy work for those of us who work the hardest. But so far, his actions in office suggest otherwise. Ahead of the big speech, let’s break down his record."
Get to Know AFL-CIO's Affiliates: Air Line Pilots Association: "Next up in our series of taking a deeper look at each of the AFL-CIO's unions is the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA). The series will run weekly until we've covered all 55 affiliates."
Thousands of NASA Contractors Still Without Pay After 5-week Shutdown. Can Congress Step In?: "Contractors are at the mercy of the deals that companies sign with federal agencies. In the case of the Space Coast and NASA, several workers represented by the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers Local 2061 in Cape Canaveral, including [Dan] Faden, say their contracts have changed in recent years to cut out the provision that previously guaranteed them back pay in the event of a shutdown. Some of the 600 Space Coast contractors represented by the union have already been told outright they won’t see those two paychecks. Others are in limbo, waiting for their companies to determine if they can scrape together back pay."
Hundreds of Federal Workers Haven’t Received Back Pay from Shutdown: Report: "Numerous federal workers still owed back pay have not received all of the compensation they are due from the recent 35-day partial government shutdown, The Associated Press reported Wednesday. The news outlet spoke to workers from various agencies that were shuttered from the end of December and through much of January, a period during which hundreds of thousands of federal employees missed two paychecks. Michael Walter, who does food safety inspections for the Department of Agriculture (USDA), told the AP that he got his back pay on Wednesday, nearly two weeks after the shutdown ended. Two co-workers told him they had not yet received back pay."
SAG-AFTRA Launches Podcast; First Two Episodes Available Now: "SAG-AFTRA today announced the launch of the SAG-AFTRA podcast. Hosted by President Gabrielle Carteris and National Executive Director David White, each episode features in-depth interviews, industry insights and compelling stories affecting the entertainment and media industry. The podcast soft launched in January with the introductory episode 'Making a Revolution.' The next two episodes are available now with subsequent releases available every other Tuesday. 'We are so excited to bring this podcast to the members. It is an opportunity for us to discuss the critical issues that affect our livelihoods within the industry, and will help us to continue laying the groundwork for the future,' said Carteris."
Raise the Wage Act Would Hike Salaries for 40 Million: "Backed by a wide range of unions and women’s groups, veteran lawmakers, Rep. Rosa DeLauro, D-Conn., and Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., have reintroduced the Paycheck Fairness Act—a measure designed to put enforcement 'teeth' into the nation’s 56-year-old equal pay law....The Coalition of Labor Union Women enthusiastically backed the Paycheck Fairness Act and helped ensure every House Democrat, plus one Republican is a co-sponsor....Other union signers were the AFL-CIO, the Pennsylvania Federation of Labor, the Government Employees (AFGE), both teachers’ unions, Graphic Communications Conference Local 24M/9N, IBEW District 3 and Local 29, the Machinists, the Auto Workers, the Letter Carriers, the Steel Workers and their District 10 and Local 1088, the Mine Workers, IATSE, the Service Employees and their Local 668, the Transport Workers."
Golden Invites Maine AFL-CIO Leader to Trump's State of the Union Speech: "In a move meant to send a message to Maine’s blue-collar workers, U.S. Rep. Jared Golden invited Cynthia Phinney of Livermore Falls, president of Maine’s AFL-CIO, to be his guest at Tuesday’s State of the Union speech. 'One of my top priorities in Congress is fighting for Maine’s working people,' the 2nd Congressional District Democrat said Friday. 'That’s something Cynthia has done every day for decades.' 'I am feeling tremendously honored,' Phinney said Friday. She said 'it’s a big deal' to be among the few able to attend “this most symbolic and substantial event.'"
GM to Start Laying Off 4,000 Salaried Workers on Monday: "Layoffs for about 4,000 salaried staff at General Motors are due to start Monday—a previously announced move that comes just as President Donald Trump prepares to trumpet American manufacturing at next week's State of the Union address. The layoffs are part of a 15% reduction in white collar jobs in North America that the automaker first announced back in November. At the same time, it announced plans to close four U.S. plants as well as a fifth in Canada."
Being a Union Member Offers Opportunities: "There are certainly many arguments regarding the pros and cons of unions. I spent time engaging with these arguments during my training to become a social scientist. Ultimately, I began to see the issue of union membership differently as I transitioned from primarily identifying as a student to identifying as a worker. Some economist's detached perspective on unions seemed much less important after I personally encountered issues with working conditions, wages or benefits across different employers. I came to a point where I was ready to join a union, and fortunately one was available to me."
Kenneth Quinnell Fri, 02/08/2019 - 14:45Black History Month Labor Profiles: Arlene Holt Baker
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. Our first profile this year is Arlene Holt Baker.
Arlene Holt Baker began her work in the labor movement in Los Angeles in 1972. As a member of AFSCME, she began organizing clerical employees who worked for the city. That process taught her that collective bargaining was the way to empower people economically. Her undying optimism was boosted by the fact that soon after she started her organizing work, William Lucy took office as AFSCME's secretary-treasurer, the first African American to hold one of the union's top offices. Her belief in the work she was doing was strengthened when she saw Lucy's picture hung on the wall in AFSCME's LA office. "I felt somehow that it was destiny to be there with an organization that believed in social and economic justice," she said.
Arlene's mother, Georgia Louise Leslie, was a domestic worker who sacrificed daily to make sure that Arlene and her six brothers and sisters could thrive despite not having much. Georgia taught Arlene and her siblings to support their community and instilled in them the value of volunteerism. She inspired Arlene to continue fighting even when times got tough.
In the ensuing years, Arlene moved through the ranks of AFSCME while successfully helping organize California's public-sector workers and winning contracts that improved wages and secured equal pay for women. She worked as the international union area director for AFSCME from the late 1980s up until 1995. During that time, she worked on the state's Comparable Worth Task Force Committee and the Southern California Industrial Relations Research Association. She also worked on AFSCME's political activities, particularly in mobilizing voters.
In 1995, she joined the AFL-CIO as Executive Vice President Linda Chavez-Thompson's executive assistant. Among her successes in that role, she helped defeat the anti-working people Prop. 226 in California and helped organe support for migrant workers who wanted to unionize. She was chosen as the first director of the AFL-CIO Voice@Work campaign in 1999, launching a program to engage elected officials, religious and community leaders, and others to support workers' freedom to form unions. In 2004, she served as president of Voices for Working Families, an effort to register and mobilize women and people of color from under-registered communities. In 2006, she returned to the AFL-CIO to lead recovery efforts on the Gulf Coast, helping to bring good jobs and affordable housing in the aftermath of Katrina and other devastating hurricanes.
In 2007, Arlene was unanimously approved to serve the remainder of Linda Chavez-Thompson's term as executive vice president after Chavez-Thompson retired. Arlene became the first African American to hold one of the AFL-CIO's three highest offices. As executive vice president, Arlene fought for working people in many areas, with particular focus on collective bargaining rights, health care, fair trade, immigrant rights, LGBTQ+ rights, voting rights and the right for all union members to fully participate in democratic unions that reflect the rich diversity of the workplace. She was elected to a full term in 2009 and served the federation until her retirement in 2013.
Check out all of our Black History Month labor profiles.
Kenneth Quinnell Fri, 02/08/2019 - 10:50Tags: 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
- Ella Josephine Baker
- Rachel Bryan
- 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
- Bree Newsome
- OUR Walmart workers
- Lucy Gonzales Parsons
- A. Philip Randolph
- Fred Redmond
- Keith Richardson
- Bayard Rustin
- Umi Selah
- Augusta Thomas
- Rosina Tucker
- Robert Walker
- Sue Cowan Williams
Check back throughout February as we add even more names to this prestigious list.
Kenneth Quinnell Wed, 02/06/2019 - 09:51Tags: Black History Month
Writers Unite!: Worker Wins
Our latest roundup of worker wins begins with writers organizing and winning new contracts and includes numerous examples of working people organizing, bargaining and mobilizing for a better life.
Dodo Staffers Ratify First Contract with WGAE: Staffers at online publication, the Dodo, voted unanimously to ratify their first union contract. The publication, which is dedicated to compassion for animals and animal-related causes, has nearly three dozen covered employees. The bargaining committee for the workers said: "This contract was achieved through the collective action and mutual support of all of our colleagues, and we are so proud of the standards we established together. We are very excited to join our colleagues at Thrillist as we ratify the second union contract at Group Nine, and we look forward to other shops in digital media working together to provide themselves with the same fair and basic protections."
Slate Editorial and Podcast Staff Ratify First Collective Bargaining Agreement: Editorial and podcast staff at Slate, ratified their first collective bargaining agreement with the Writers Guild of America, East (WGAE). The 51 members will see annual pay increases, anti-harassment policies, a diversity task force, paid time-off and numerous other benefits. The bargaining committee issued a statement that said: "It’s a new day at Slate! Our contract is built on principles of equity and diversity. And yes, we have union security! Management recognized our profound objections to a 'right to work' provision and honored our demand for a union shop. We will all pay our fair share for the representation we receive. One of our primary reasons for undertaking this process was our profound love of Slate. We felt so lucky to work with management last week to put our shared goals into action. Our contract reflects our fundamental values as a company and a workplace. We’re very proud of it."
Writer-Producers at Peacock Productions Ratify First Collective Bargaining Agreement: Writer-producers at Peacock Productions, Comcast/NBCUniversal's nonfiction television division, ratified their first collective bargaining agreement. The workers, represented by WGAE, addresses one of the most pressing challenges in the field, portable health benefits. Lowell Peterson, executive director of WGAE, explained the importance of portable health benefits: "Nonfiction television writer-producers move from company to company as their shows wrap. Some producers make health benefits, but those benefits don’t mean much to freelance employees as it takes too long to qualify, the benefits aren’t worth the out-of-pocket cost, and employer-paid coverage terminates when the employee moves on. By contrast, if an employer pays contributions to the Entertainment Industry Flex Plan on behalf of a WGAE member, those contributions remain at the flex plan even if the employee changes jobs. The money can still be used to buy flex plan insurance or cover eligible benefits. As the WGAE negotiates more and more contracts that provide for employer contributions to the flex plan, health benefits in nonfiction television will become truly portable."
VICE Media Staffers Ratify Four New Contracts: Workers at VICE Media have approved four new collective bargaining agreements with WGAE. The contracts cover WGAE staff at VICE Editorial, VICE News, VICELAND and VICE Digital. WGAE's Peterson said: "Collective bargaining ensures that WGAE-represented employees have the opportunity to discuss what’s most important in their work lives, what needs to be changed and what needs to be strengthened. We are very pleased by the concrete gains negotiated for people who craft content on the entire range of platforms, and we look forward to a productive relationship with VICE management for years to come."
Unionized Cannabis Retailer Opens in Oregon: Seattle-based cannabis retail chain Have a Heart opened its first store in Oregon and quickly ratified a collective bargaining agreement with the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW). Have a Heart workers at five stores in Washington state are already represented by UFCW. The new contract provides health care, pension benefits, holiday pay, paid time off, bonuses, a joint labor-management committee to address safety and other benefits.
Steelworkers Ratify Six-Year Agreement with National Grid: After a lockout that lasted nearly seven months, members of the United Steelworkers (USW) at National Grid ratified a new collective bargaining agreement. The new contract includes wage increases, increases safety and preserves affordable health care for the 1,200 members covered under the contract. USW International President Leo W. Gerard said: "This agreement is a testament to the commitment these hardworking union members have to their community and to each other. They demonstrated their strength and solidarity every day, and they should be proud of what they’ve achieved with this contract."
Iowa General Mills Workers Join RWDSU: More than 500 workers at General Mills in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, voted to join the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union (RWDSU). The union will now begin contract negotiations with General Mills. Employee Tim Sarver said: "I'm proud to say I’m now part of the RWDSU and I know everyone who works alongside me knows that representation from the union will change our future here. It’s about time General Mills workers had a real seat at the table with the company and we’re ready to get to work on a fair contract."
Workers at Irvine Marriott Join UNITE Here: More than 100 housekeepers, cooks, dishwashers and servers at the Mariott in Irvine, California, voted to be represented by UNITE HERE. Housekeeper Araceli De La Rosa said the resolve of the workers was enough to overcome a campaign from management that led to the filing of seven unfair labor practices with the National Labor Relations Board. She said: "Management used every trick in the book to try to confuse, intimidate and divide us. But I’m proud to say that we stood strong and we won! We voted 'yes' and now we can fight for the respect and the compensation we deserve."
Maine Millwrights Win Significant Wages Increases in New Contract: Millwrights in Skowhegan, Maine, represented by the Machinists approved a new contract that includes a significant wage increase and avoids a strike. The new contract between the union and Sappi North America lasts three years. Sarah Bigney, of the Maine AFL-CIO, said: "The contract ratification comes after an earlier contract offer was unanimously rejected in a vote last week, when the union then voted to authorize a strike. The union went back to the bargaining table with Sappi and won significant improvements. They voted last night to ratify that offer."
Kenneth Quinnell Tue, 02/05/2019 - 14:25Tags: Organizing
The State of the Union Is…
When President Donald Trump takes to the House floor to deliver his State of the Union address this evening, we hope to hear a concrete plan to fund the government and make the economy work for those of us who work the hardest. But so far, his actions in office suggest otherwise. Ahead of the big speech, let’s break down his record.
Over the past two years, the Trump administration has overseen a wide-ranging and deeply harmful assault on the rights, dignities and livelihoods of working people. Here are just a few of the president’s worst anti-worker actions:
-
Denied a pay check to 40% of the federal workforce through the longest government shutdown in history.
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Jammed through massive corporate tax cuts on the backs of working people, encouraging further outsourcing and automation.
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Derailed the Department of Labor’s overtime rule, blocking millions of workers from receiving a pay raise.
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Proposed widespread cuts to health care, targeting critical funding for Medicare and Medicaid, as well as the health coverage of millions of Americans with pre-existing conditions.
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Undermined the new conflict of interest rule, potentially costing working people more than one-quarter of our retirement savings.
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Stacked the National Labor Relations Board with union-busting corporate lawyers.
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Made workplaces more dangerous by rolling back important federal safety regulations.
Get to Know AFL-CIO's Affiliates: Air Line Pilots Association
Next up in our series of taking a deeper look at each of the AFL-CIO's unions is the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA). The series will run weekly until we've covered all 55 affiliates.
Name of Union: Air Line Pilots Association, International (ALPA)
Mission: The mission of ALPA is to promote and champion all aspects of aviation safety throughout all segments of the aviation community; to represent, in both specific and general respects, the collective interests of all pilots in commercial aviation; to assist in collective bargaining activities on behalf of all pilots represented by the association; to promote the health and welfare of the members of the association before all governmental agencies; to be a strong, forceful advocate of the airline piloting profession, through all forms of media, and with the public at large; and to be the ultimate guardian and defender of the rights and privileges of the professional pilots who are members of the association.
Current Leadership of Union: Capt. Joe DePete is the 11th president of ALPA and was elected in 2018. Since joining the association in 1986, he has held several key positions, most recently as first vice president and national safety coordinator. Capt. Bob Fox serves as ALPA’s first vice president, Capt. Bill Couette is the organization’s vice president–administration/secretary and Capt. Joseph Genovese is the vice president–finance/treasurer.
Current Number of Members: More than 61,000.
Members Work As: Airline pilots.
Industries Represented: The airline industry in the United States and Canada; serving as the bargaining agent for pilot groups from 33 commercial airlines, including both passenger and cargo operations.
History: As the 1920s concluded, life for airline pilots was difficult and dangerous, with many companies treating this employee group like an expendable commodity. Consequently, many airline pilots died in aircraft accidents during this period.
In 1931, pilots in the United States came together to form the first professional union of pilots, ALPA, to promote aviation safety and give these flyers a greater voice in their workplace. During World War II, the union began advocating for the creation of an independent safety board (which would finally take shape in the 1960s, after decades of work).
After the war, ALPA would band together with pilot unions from around the world to form the International Federation of Air Line Pilots’ Associations (IFALPA) to influence international travel and safety standards.
With new technological advances in air transportation, ALPA created an air safety structure to fight for crew fatigue rules and rest requirements, along with other safety priorities. The association began working with aircraft manufacturers to improve cockpit features. In addition, the rise of terrorist attacks on aircraft represented a new safety concern for ALPA, identifying the need for greater security measures.
The Airline Deregulation Act of 1978 would also change the landscape for the airline industry, reinventing the way airlines conducted business but also introducing a new wave of safety concerns. ALPA continued to fight to make the skies safer and achieved numerous victories (including securing mandated “fasten seatbelt” signs in aircraft cabins and policies such as a nationwide anti-skyjacking strategy, which was adopted by federal regulators).
The 9/11 terrorist attacks revitalized the need to revisit security, and ALPA responded, successfully pushing for programs to provide more thorough screening of passengers and cargo.
Decades of hard work on air safety concerns also paid off, as the total number of airline accidents in the United States and Canada dropped by more than 70% in the decade ending in 2007.
These and other accomplishments in recent years have not diminished the union’s focus on safety and security, with top priorities including science-based fatigue rules for all airline pilots, improved pilot training and professionalism, and the safe integration of commercial space vehicles and remotely piloted aircraft (such as drones) into civil airspace.
On the collective bargaining front, ALPA continues to promote a system of pattern bargaining to ensure that its members receive fair pay and benefits for the services they perform, safe and reasonable working conditions, and a better quality of life.
Current Campaigns: Known Crewmember helps improve the efficiency and effectiveness of security procedures for airline employees. Jumpseat works to establish guidelines and fairness in the use of airplane jumpseats. Cleared to Dream recruits new pilots into the industry. Trained for Life focuses on training and expertise in order to reduce airline-related death and injury.
Community Efforts: Pilots for Pilots helps ALPA members and their families who have been harmed by natural disasters.
Learn More: Website, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube.
You can also check out this video to learn more about ALPA's history:
Kenneth Quinnell Mon, 02/04/2019 - 08:46Get To Know Us: 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 this week’s Working People Weekly List.
Get to Know AFL-CIO's Affiliates: Actors' Equity: "This is the first post in our new series that will take a deeper look at each of our affiliates. The series will run weekly until we've covered all 55 of our affiliates. First up is Actors' Equity (AEA)."
Government Reopens, But Federal Workers Won’t Forget: "AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka said he’s glad the shutdown is over, but he isn’t giving the president credit for it. According to Trumka, the president was forced to give in and capitulate to the people. 'President Trump didn’t want to end this shutdown—the collective action of working people demanded it,' stated Trumka. 'By marching, rallying and protesting together, we forced him to the table and ensured that the labor and dedication of our public servants will not be taken for granted.'"
House Approves Pay Raise for Federal Workers: "The House passed legislation to provide a pay increase for federal government workers on Wednesday, less than a week after the end of the partial government shutdown. Twenty-nine Republicans joined Democrats in supporting the measure, which cleared 259-161. The Federal Civilian Workforce Pay Raise Fairness Act, introduced by Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-Va.), would provide a 2.6% pay raise, matching what was approved for the military earlier this year."
While Everyone Was Focused on the Shutdown, the White House Rolled Back Worker Safety Rules: "During the president’s 35-day partial shutdown of the federal government, the White House quietly dissolved a 2016 regulation requiring certain employers to electronically submit reports of workplace injuries to the Department of Labor.... The process to amend the regulation was 'clearly rushed,' Peg Seminario, the safety and health director of AFL-CIO told Vox, 'because the Trump administration wanted to relieve employers of having to report their injury data.'"
Undocumented Worker Who Worked for Trump Golf Course to Attend State of the Union: "An undocumented worker who recently worked for Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster, N.J., and left after she publicly disclosed her immigration status will attend President Trump’s State of the Union address next week. Victorina Morales, who was born in Guatemala, will be a guest of Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman, a New Jersey Democrat, when the president speaks to a joint session of Congress Tuesday night. Watson Coleman’s office confirmed the decision Wednesday."
AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka on Mornings with Maria: "AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka discusses the fallout from the government shutdown."
AFL-CIO President Shuts Down Fox Host's Attack on Immigrant Workers: "What we want to do is make sure every worker in this country has the same rights so that they can't be exploited, because what happens right now with undocumented workers is, they're great when no one's around; when they try to organize and get a voice, then they start squeezing them."
NASA Is Reopened, But Thousands of Contractors Are Still Waiting on Paychecks: "While the federal employees who returned to work Monday received backpay for the 35 days the federal government was shut down, Americans like [Michele] Seeley who work as contractors for federal agencies don’t have the same protections. Millions of contractors lost a month of paychecks, and legislation to get them backpay hasn’t made it out of committee in either the Senate or the House."
The Lowest-Paid Shutdown Workers Aren’t Getting Back Pay: "Unlike the 800,000 career public servants who are slated to receive full back pay over the next week or so, the contractors who clean, guard, cook and shoulder other jobs at federal workplaces aren’t legally guaranteed a single penny. They’re also among the lowest-paid laborers in the government economy, generally earning between $450 and $650 weekly, union leaders say."
Unionists, Allies to Keep Pressure on After Trump Lockout Ends: "Organized labor is not resting on its laurels after the nation’s unions led the people power movement that beat down GOP President Donald Trump’s partial federal government lockout/shutdown. 'Trump didn’t want to end this shutdown—the collective action of working people demanded it,' the AFL-CIO said. 'By marching, rallying and protesting together, we forced him to the table and ensured the labor and dedication of our public servants will not be taken for granted.'"
So Much for the Labor Movement’s Funeral: "Something funny happened on the way to the labor movement’s funeral. 'Folks were writing our obituary. They thought this was going to be our death knell. They failed,' Lee Saunders, AFSCME’s president, crows. 'They overreached. Now we’ve got the momentum. We’re organizing like never before.'"
Improving Safety: 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."
Kenneth Quinnell Fri, 02/01/2019 - 10:35
Economy Gains 304,000 Jobs in January; Unemployment Rises to 4%
The U.S. economy gained 304,000 jobs in January, and the unemployment rate rose to 4%, according to figures released this morning by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Wage growth of 3.2% is positive but insufficient to restore labor's share of national income, and too low to conclude that labor markets are tight. Because 19 states boosted their minimum wage, wages in leisure and hospitality (the bulk of whom are fast-food workers) gained 4.7% in wage growth, while in manufacturing wages only rose 2.4%. The Federal Reserve's Open Market Committee made the right decision to hold back on further rate increases.
In response to the January job numbers, AFL-CIO Chief Economist William Spriggs tweeted:
#JobsDay #NumbersDay In one sign the government shutdown effected today's @BLS_gov report, Investigation and security services show a drop of 4,800 jobs @AFGENational @AFLCIO @IAMBobMartinez
— William E. Spriggs (@WSpriggs) February 1, 2019
#JobsReport #NumbersDay Another sign of the government shutdown, payrolls for services to buildings and dwellings (janitorial support) shows a drop of 100 @AFGENational @AFLCIO
— William E. Spriggs (@WSpriggs) February 1, 2019
#JobsReport #NumbersDay another sensitive area to the federal government shutdown, payrolls at museums, historical sites down 200. Some employees at these facilities are private contractors @AFGENational @AFLCIO
— William E. Spriggs (@WSpriggs) February 1, 2019
#JobsReport in the broadest measure of unemployment (U-6 including part-time workers who wanted full-time work) jumped up to 8.1%. Suggesting some private contract workers got reduced hours instead of being totally laid off during the shutdown @AFGENational @AFLCIO pic.twitter.com/1jpznG7YGE
— William E. Spriggs (@WSpriggs) February 1, 2019
#JobsReport Not a good sign, Hispanic unemployment rate increased in January from 4.4 to 4.9%, partly from an increase in participation but also a drop in employment of 122,000 @AFGENational @AFLCIO @LCLAA @Marietmora @WeAreUnidosUS
— William E. Spriggs (@WSpriggs) February 1, 2019
#JobsReport A likely outcome of the federal government shutdown was the 560,000 increase in workers reporting part time work who wanted full-time work, but had reduced hours because of business conditions @AFGENational @AFLCIO
— William E. Spriggs (@WSpriggs) February 1, 2019
#JobsReport Compared to last January, wages were up 3.2%. A good gain, but still modest for now the longest streak of monthly job gains. The @federalreserve FOMC made the right call to keep rates constant. @AFLCIO
— William E. Spriggs (@WSpriggs) February 1, 2019
#JobsReport @BLS_gov revisions upward for November, but downward for December means a net decline of 70,000 in previously reported job gains over those two months. @AFLCIO
— William E. Spriggs (@WSpriggs) February 1, 2019Last month's biggest job gains were in leisure and hospitality (74,000), construction (52,000), health care (42,000), professional and business services (30,000), transportation and warehousing (27,000), retail trade (21,000), manufacturing (13,000), mining (7,000) and federal government (1,000). Employment showed little change over the month in other major industries, including wholesale trade, information and financial activities.
Among the major worker groups, the unemployment rates rose for teenagers (12.9%), blacks (6.8%) and Hispanics (4.9%). The jobless rate declined for Asians (3.1%). The jobless rate for adult men (3.7%), adult women (3.6%) and whites (3.5%) showed little change in January.
The number of long-term unemployed (those jobless for 27 weeks or more) declined in January and accounted for 19.3% of the unemployed.
Kenneth Quinnell Fri, 02/01/2019 - 09:58Improving Safety: 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.
A. Philip Randolph Institute:
D.C. Labor chorus: ‘The musical arm of the resistance’ https://t.co/dZfKQd1Tva
— APRI National (DC) (@APRI_National) January 24, 2019Actors' Equity:
For the 43rd year, the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program (VITA), will welcome members beginning Monday, February 4.
Visit the Member Portal today to download the necessary tax forms - https://t.co/ThcMrDCO5c pic.twitter.com/CnZgn4KhdO
AFGE:
This @AFGENational TSA officer reflects on the impact of the government #shutdown. #1u https://t.co/EVLTc7A1Ui
— AFGE (@AFGENational) January 28, 2019AFSCME:
AFSCME President Lee Saunders blasted lawmakers for providing just a three-week reprieve from the government shutdown. What’s needed is a permanent solution – and an end to the poisonous brinkmanship over a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border. https://t.co/WH1DrZPK1c
— AFSCME (@AFSCME) January 25, 2019AFT:
This #RedForEd crowd in Richmond wants more resources for students and teachers. And there are a LOT of people in the crowd. #VirginiaEducatorsUnited #PublicEd pic.twitter.com/lwSlf2BPZN
— AFT (@AFTunion) January 28, 2019Air Line Pilots Association:
ALPA's statement on the reopening of the federal government after the 35-day #Shutdown pic.twitter.com/gsqIp37J2e
— ALPA (@WeAreALPA) January 25, 2019Alliance for Retired Americans:
Americans are forced to choose between paying for medicine and paying for other necessities like food and rent as drug costs continue to skyrocket. Congress must do the right thing and take action to lower prices NOW! https://t.co/PRGDEB9imJ #RxForAll #ProtectOurCare pic.twitter.com/vMpeoMBTZJ
— Alliance Retirees (@ActiveRetirees) January 28, 2019Amalgamated Transit Union:
Let's make #publictransit safer for all - women, bus operators and all riders https://t.co/nP583YDsEi #transit #1u #p2 #safebus
— ATU, Transit Union (@ATUComm) January 24, 2019American Federation of Musicians:
It's hard enough for working musicians to earn money from streaming—now there are fake “bands” on playlists.https://t.co/aH1N33fe0C
— Amer. Fed. Musicians (@The_AFM) January 28, 2019Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance:
This administration won't pay its workers for an inhumane & ineffective wall #StoptheShutdown, and yet they have funding to continue targeting and deporting refugees of war. Follow #RefugeeResilience this week to learn more about the rampant and quiet deportation of SE Asians. pic.twitter.com/j5IplELJbZ
— APALA (@APALAnational) January 23, 2019Association of Flight Attendants-CWA:
.@afa_cwa's @FlyingwithSara statement on deal to end the 35-day government #shutdown: https://t.co/ABWiW7SYii pic.twitter.com/Xd5IY8sGOx
— AFA-CWA (@afa_cwa) January 25, 2019Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers:
This week’s #MemberMonday features Sister Denise Gallegos-Cruz. Talented Cake Decorator at Smith’s Bakery and proud Union Member. Denise agrees that being a Decorator is sweet but being a Union Decorator is the icing on the cake! ??? pic.twitter.com/Jba5dBBO3f
— BCTGM Local 351 (@BCTGMLocal351) January 21, 2019Boilermakers:
We want to be part of the climate-change solution. We CAN be a part of the solution. Visit https://t.co/aAomuuTgcs. Watch the video. Take action. Spread the word that #CCS needs to be part of the solution! pic.twitter.com/ArnVS6q5Zf
— Boilermakers Union (@boilermakernews) January 23, 2019Coalition of Labor Union Women:
CLUW sisters rallying at the @AFLCIO before the #WomensMarch in DC. #WomensWave pic.twitter.com/TNX5OJa3XE
— CLUW National (@CLUWNational) January 19, 2019Communications Workers of America:
HAPPENING NOW: Follow @TMSprintFacts for live updates from the Hill briefing on the T-Mobile & Sprint merger. CWA’s comprehensive economic analysis finds the #TMSprintMerger will result in the loss of 30,000 U.S. jobs. #StopTMobileSprint pic.twitter.com/zmTz3ESNu7
— CWA (@CWAUnion) January 29, 2019Department for Professional Employees, AFL-CIO:
“Like the shortfalls for education West Virginia, Oklahoma, Arizona and Los Angeles, Virginia would need to invest $1bn in order to return to its pre-recession funding levels” - @AFTunion President @rweingarten #1u #RedForEd https://t.co/bR36bDHhb5
— Department for Professional Employees (@DPEaflcio) January 29, 2019Electrical Workers:
#IBEW collaborates with entertainment unions to fight harassment on the job https://t.co/FIY3CuqtYf
— IBEW (@IBEW) January 29, 2019Farm Labor Organizing Committee:
— Farm Labor Organizing Committee (@SupportFLOC) January 23, 2019Fire Fighters:
Retirees demand answers at Ohio Police and #Fire Pension Fund Board meeting https://t.co/j1tNCMyVH5
— IAFF (@IAFFNewsDesk) January 28, 2019Heat and Frost Insulators:
Advanced skills training taught in our numerous facilities across North America assist in delivering the expertise required in the precise, quality needs in specialized fabricating. To learn more about what they do, visit our website: https://t.co/AekNAQtBP5
— Insulators Union (@InsulatorsUnion) January 29, 2019Ironworkers:
Ironworkers are working through the ice and snow on the I-74 bridge. https://t.co/tQglcTdasX @I74Bridge
— Ironworkers. (@TheIronworkers) January 28, 2019Jobs With Justice:
Amazon's robots make its warehouse employees less safe, so what's the solution it proposed? Safety belts that ward off robots. (and no, this is not from the Onion). https://t.co/wbSl3vsbd7
— Jobs With Justice (@jwjnational) January 29, 2019Labor Council for Latin American Advancement:
Trump's businesses have relied on the work of undocumented immigrants, even as he rallied the nation and demanded Congress for a budget to build a wall on the southern border to keep immigrants out.https://t.co/kYMqIWm4CS
— LCLAA (@LCLAA) January 28, 2019Laborers:
The US will export more energy than it imports in 2020 for the first time since 1953. #UnionStrong #PipelinesAreLifelines #LIUNA #energyhttps://t.co/avY3mAapmS
— LIUNA (@LIUNA) January 25, 2019Longshoremen:
ILA President Harold Daggett fought hard to keep automation away from East and Gulf Coast ports. He's looking like a genius now. Port of LA longshoremen protest plan to increase automation at one terminal https://t.co/0y3uRCvRlx
— Int'l LongshoreAssoc (@ILAUnion) January 25, 2019Machinists:
For Machinists Union members who work as federal contractors at @NASA, the effects of the shutdown continue. https://t.co/4GnXzy9b39
— Machinists Union (@MachinistsUnion) January 29, 2019Metal Trades Department, AFL-CIO:
ALEC's new union-busting toolkit illustrates the goal is to bankrupt unions not protect workers
"This latest set of lawsuits and strategies is aimed simply at bankrupting unions," said Gordon Lafer, Associate Professor at the University of Oregon's... https://t.co/fHe6bcuyew
Mine Workers:
129 years ago a group of coal miners, mostly immigrants, came together in Columbus OH and formed the #UMWA. They forbade discrimination against any member because of race, color, creed, religion or national origin. That remains our foundation today. Our door is open to all! #1u pic.twitter.com/UssgSU5UvS
— United Mine Workers (@MineWorkers) January 25, 2019National Air Traffic Controllers Association:
Harry Smith on NBC Today Show Sunday praised the work and commitment to exceptional public service of air traffic controllers, TSA employees, and other federal employees who worked without pay during the #shutdown and, he added, "had the country's back." https://t.co/NOw7gJtBqE
— NATCA (@NATCA) January 29, 2019National Association of Letter Carriers:
#StampOutHunger Food Drive full-color poster is now available for purchase! Download this order form and send it to us by April 12, 2019.
???????? ????? ????: https://t.co/TGxD91173m
All artwork here: https://t.co/10G9XA6yal#foodrive #endhunger #zerohunger pic.twitter.com/cM9Ad9sRrp
National Day Laborer Organizing Network:
A workers justice parade in #Pasadena. Beautiful celebration and #resistance against the fear and dehumanization that opens the door to further exploitation. #CityofRaises #Fightfor15 https://t.co/JklV9YEP3H
— NDLON (@NDLON) January 26, 2019National Domestic Workers Alliance:
"I am an enthusiastic defender of women."
In their new PSA for #MeToo, survivors including NDWA's Daniela Contreras make it clear:
✊?We hear you.
✊?We see you.
✊?We believe you.https://t.co/jylNuxN42l
National Federation of Federal Employees:
“It is an honor to be arrested if that is what it takes to get the government reopened and paychecks to working families. The damage done to American working families is unforgivable. It's sad that it has come to this.” Randy Erwin, NFFE National President pic.twitter.com/KGdWzm1aOH
— NFFE (@NFFE_Union) January 24, 2019National Nurses United:
"The union is the great equalizer, the place where every issue is ultimately addressed in the field, in the trenches, in the workplace, where people’s rights are on the line."
- @NNUBonnie, NNU Executive Director
Read more: https://t.co/6zkO1UaROy #UnionStrong #1u pic.twitter.com/6MRHvmQ1uw
National Taxi Workers Alliance:
From the streets to the air, workers make the world go round. https://t.co/E3rlkI6hcY
— NY Taxi Workers (@NYTWA) January 27, 2019The NewsGuild-CWA:
It might seem you could never get people in your local to do that. We had hesitant people The question is, can we convince them? Putting in that one-on-one work is the key. https://t.co/ltUIELbztO
— NewsGuild (@news_guild) January 26, 2019North America's Building Trades Unions:
With #BlackHistoryMonth beginning this week, it serves as a reminder to take a step back and LISTEN to those whose voices aren’t amplified as much as they should be.
With that in mind, let’s hear from @ibew586 apprentice Andrew John on life as a Black apprentice: https://t.co/6RHXkoob3a
Office and Professional Employees:
We are thankful for a temporary end to the pain and suffering of federal employees, but we are still concerned about the fact that federal contractors—many of whom are OPEIU members—won't receive back pay for the unnecessary and foolish government shutdown https://t.co/NjCkQ2ShwZ
— OPEIU (@opeiu) January 25, 2019Painters and Allied Trades:
Those who can, do. Those who can’t (yet) get the training to #doitright. If you’re willing to learn, we’re ready to teach you the skills to succeed in the painting & finishing trades. Learn more: https://t.co/h40Q3Dmyfp pic.twitter.com/hndcYzRRUT
— GoIUPAT✊? (@GoIUPAT) January 24, 2019Plasterers and Cement Masons:
"Together, we can lay the groundwork for infrastructure investment that delivers for generations to come." HERE HERE! Thank you @RepPeterDeFazio -- Let's ReBuild America!? https://t.co/pC1M0PeVId” https://t.co/oVR12HGtIF
— OPCMIA International (@opcmiaintl) January 29, 2019Printing, Publishing and Media Workers-CWA:
Our brothers and sisters held a rally outside New Era Field to protest closure of the hat maker's local production facility. https://t.co/6lRychyluY
— CWA Printing Sector (@CWAPrintingSect) January 28, 2019Professional Aviation Safety Specialists:
Thanks @PASSNational members in NH who braved frigid temps to picket at MHT this weekend. While shutdown has been ended for now, serious concerns about aviation safety remain. Thanks to our union brothers & sisters who joined picket @NHAFLCIO @NHLABOR_NEWS https://t.co/VVCghYBloG
— PASS (@PASSNational) January 28, 2019Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union:
How many confirmations does it take to end $3 billion in subsidies for @Amazon's #HQ2 in Queens? https://t.co/8dVOOLxlZR
— RWDSU (@RWDSU) January 29, 2019SAG-AFTRA:
Nearly 1,000 SAG-AFTRA members and allies marched to a rally this week held at the La Brea Tar Pits’ Great Lawn. WATCH this video to see labor leaders and members come together to fight against ad agency @BBHblacksheep #StrikeBBH #AdsGoUnion pic.twitter.com/wHfcuQT93B
— SAG-AFTRA (@sagaftra) January 28, 2019Seafarers:
A Recapitalizing Sealift Fleet Is the Nation’s Most Important Military Program https://t.co/9GEoE5mGsd
— Seafarers Union (@SeafarersUnion) January 24, 2019Solidarity Center:
New report from @BHRRC documents how the hotel and construction industry in #Qatar and #UAE are failing migrant workers: https://t.co/JgPqBk41at pic.twitter.com/tV4aaXNCOy
— Solidarity Center (@SolidarityCntr) January 29, 2019Theatrical Stage Employees:
We give IATSE locals & members access to training & education so we can continue to provide excellent representation to the workers we represent & the best, most advanced and highly-skilled workforce to our employers. Check out some of our offerings here: https://t.co/pyWQR9xEtj pic.twitter.com/8APqikFK66
— IATSE (@IATSE) January 28, 2019Transport Workers:
TWU International President John Samuelsen appeared on @CNBC discussing the temporary end of the govt shutdown. "Opening for only three weeks is like putting a Band-Aid on a deep, gaping wound." https://t.co/wjqNofuwTl pic.twitter.com/GmQfpZIdWe
— TWU (@transportworker) January 25, 2019Transportation Trades Department, AFL-CIO:
Let's be clear: locking out 800,000 federal workers for 34 days never should have happened. Shuttering the government jeopardizes this nation's safety, security, and economic vitality, and we cannot allow it to happen again. Read TTD's full statement here: https://t.co/R9kXNhm08D pic.twitter.com/7g6NLqOSJ9
— Transp. Trades Dept. (@TTDAFLCIO) January 25, 2019UAW:
Americans overwhelmingly oppose tax giveaways for corporations and the superrich. It's time for the officials we sent to Washington to do the same. https://t.co/6DE1JxY6Do
— UAW (@UAW) January 28, 2019Union Label and Service Trades Department, AFL-CIO:
The iconic Sweethearts had been a union-made staple for Valentine's day. Will they be union again when they return in 2020? https://t.co/WjpQPju4am
— Union Label Dept. (@ULSTD_AFLCIO) January 24, 2019Union Veterans Council:
UVC Executive Director @WillAttig took a stand for those affected by the government shutdown today during a peaceful protest. Attig was arrested, along with other labor leaders and federal workers outside Senator Mitch McConnell’s office on Capitol Hill. #StopTheShutdown pic.twitter.com/MNoS4fUm2y
— Union Veterans Council (@unionveterans) January 23, 2019UNITE HERE:
Anyone wanting to support Pablo and his coworkers can donate via UNITE HERE’s hardship fund. Federal contract workers like Pablo, a cook at a Smithsonian museum cafeteria, aren’t set to get backpay when the #shutdown ends. #1u https://t.co/gFsxrcy9te
— UNITE HERE (@unitehere) January 25, 2019United Food and Commercial Workers:
MT @PaulMeinemaUFCW: #UFCW Local 500 members at Metro Plus in Lac-Mégantic, Québec have achieved a new union contract that provides higher wages, more bereavement leave & extra vacation pay. Fantastic work! Details here:https://t.co/Fx0ZS8QOcP #canlab pic.twitter.com/Est1txK6Ns
— UFCW (@UFCW) January 28, 2019United Steelworkers:
. @RepPeteKing Thank you for your support for the Butch Lewis Act (H.R. 397). Our members deserve what they’ve worked for! #ProtectOurPension pic.twitter.com/xhGZHFOVIE
— United Steelworkers (@steelworkers) January 29, 2019Utility Workers:
Last November, several UWUA members and their families were severely impacted by the deadliest and most destructive wildfire in California’s history—the Camp Fire. Please take a brief moment to support their rebuilding efforts: https://t.co/VRTOsHOYav
— UWUA National (@The_UWUA) January 24, 2019Working America:
We're in line at the Virginia State Capitol as part of the @Virginia_AFLCIO lobby day. We're asking our legislators to fund our schools, grant workers access to paid sick leave, protect our fed employees & contractors and give us the right to join a union at work. #VAleg pic.twitter.com/MuM1DKMmrO
— Working America (@WorkingAmerica) January 28, 2019Writers Guild of America, East:
Workplace woes got you down? Company culture taking you from "always-on" to "always on-edge"? Unions are proven to treat several major causes of employee burnout—including pay inequity, high workloads and much, much more! Talk to your coworkers about organizing a union today. #1u https://t.co/0H5puJUOFw
— Writers Guild of America, East (@WGAEast) January 28, 2019 Kenneth Quinnell Wed, 01/30/2019 - 10:20Get to Know AFL-CIO's Affiliates: Actors' Equity
This is the first post in our new series that will take a deeper look at each of our affiliates. The series will run weekly until we've covered all 55 of our affiliates. First up is Actors' Equity (AEA).
Name of Union: Actors' Equity Association
Mission: To foster the art of live theater as an essential component of society. To advance the careers of members through negotiating wages, improving working conditions and providing a wide range of benefits, including health and pension plans.
Current Leadership of Union: The current president of Equity is Kate Shindle. Shindle was elected in 2015 and is the youngest person to ever hold the Equity presidency (and only the third woman). She originally joined in 1999 and was first elected to Equity's national council in 2008 before starting a three-year term as eastern regional vice president the next year. As an actor, she made her Broadway debut in "Jekyll & Hyde" before appearing in "Cabaret," "Legally Blonde" and numerous other shows. She was an associate producer on the Broadway premiere of the Tony-nominated "A Christmas Story: The Musical." Before joining Equity, she earned the title of Miss America in 1998 and used her platform to advocate for HIV prevention and education, work she continued as a member of Equity. She is a board member of the Actors’ Equity Foundation, the Actors Fund, Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS and has been a vocal supporter of marriage equality and anti-discrimination laws for the LGBTQ community. Mary McColl currently serves as the executive director for Equity.
Current Number of Members: More than 51,000.
Members Work As: Actors, stage managers, dancers and singers.
Industries Represented: Equity has more than 40 contracts in the theater industry, from Broadway to dinner theater.
History: In the early 1900s, theater acting was alluded to with the phrase "life upon the wicked stage," as actors and stage managers were forced to rehearse without pay, left stranded throughout the country when shows closed on the road, required to pay for their own costumes and worse. In 1913, 112 actors in New York decided they'd had enough. They formed a union that day and adopted the name suggested by William Courtleigh, Actors' Equity. In 1919, the new union was recognized by the American Federation of Labor and shortly thereafter Equity launched the first actors' strike in American theater history. During the strike, chorus and ensemble members also went on strike and formed Chorus Equity, which would later formally merge with Actors' Equity in 1955. At the conclusion of the strike, the theater producers signed a five-year deal that met most of Equity's demands.
Equity has long fought for civil rights. In 1947, Equity resolved that its members would not play at the National Theatre in Washington, D.C., when the theater banned black audience members. This was an early bold stance that not only worked (the theater closed and re-opened with a nondiscrimination policy), it set the tone that Equity would follow to this day, fighting against discrimination in the theater, both on stage and off, and increasing employment opportunities for actors and stage managers of color, women, seniors and those with disabilities. The union has consistently fought to raise wages, expand benefits and protections, preserve historic and advance other reforms that benefit actors and stage managers in the theater and working people broadly.
Current Campaigns: Equity's Annual Report gathers and collates data about employment, finances and membership. Equity’s Regional Theatre Report examines annually the density of work opportunities for Equity members across the country. Equity's annual awards recognize the contributions of Equity members to the theater industry. The Actors' Equity Foundation provides grants to nonprofit theaters and institutions serving the arts community. The #ChangeTheStage campaign fights for inclusive hiring across the entertainment industry. Ask if it's Equity! helps fight back against nonunion productions in areas covered by collective bargaining agreements. The Everyone On Stage petition is focused on getting chorus and ensemble performers the Tony Award recognition they deserve. The Not A Lab Rat campaign looks to win better wages and profit participation for Equity members working in the early stages of developing new Broadway shows.
Community Efforts: Equity supports many service organizations, including The Actors Fund, the Career Center, Actors Federal Credit Union, Artists Health Insurance Resource Center, Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, Career Transition For Dancers, the Conrad Cantzen Shoe Fund, Phyllis Newman Women’s Health Initiative, The Actors Fund Home and The Samuel J. Friedman Health Center for the Performing Arts.
Learn More: Website, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube
Kenneth Quinnell Mon, 01/28/2019 - 10:13Stay Strong: 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 this week’s Working People Weekly List.
Los Angeles Teachers Stay Strong; Win Improvements: "Less than a month into 2019, the teachers of Los Angeles have proven that last year’s wave of collective action isn’t quieting down. After taking to the streets in a strike that has captured the country’s imagination, members of United Teachers Los Angeles (UTLA) are returning to classrooms today after overwhelmingly approving a paradigm-shifting contract that delivers on key demands."
Honoring Dr. King's Legacy: A Special Conversation with Andrew Gillum: "Julie and Tim talk with the former Tallahassee mayor and 2018 Florida gubernatorial candidate, Andrew Gillum, who calls himself a 'living, breathing, walking, talking result of [Dr. King's] legacy.' Gillum shares his experience on the campaign trail and previews the important fights ahead on voting, worker and civil rights.'"
The Fierce Urgency of Now: "Hundreds of labor and social justice activists descended on the nation’s capital this weekend for the 2019 AFL‑CIO Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Civil and Human Rights Conference. AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka kicked off the gathering by telling participants that this is our moment for action: 'We’re living in the fierce urgency of now. This is a time to take risks. This is a time to get uncomfortable. That’s when real progress is made.'"
We've Had Enough; Do Your Job: 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."
Future of Work Commission Urges Bargaining Rights for Digital Platform Workers: "A landmark report by the International Labor Organization’s (ILO’s) Global Commission on the Future of Work, released today, calls for giving full rights and protections, including collective bargaining rights, to digital platform workers. The ILO is the United Nations agency charged with promoting decent work and global labor standards."
The Government Shutdown Creates Headwinds for Airlines: "The Washington impasse comes at a time when the travel and hospitality industries have been reporting healthy profits but face strong headwinds from higher jet fuel prices and increasing costs for employee salaries and benefits. Meanwhile, a coalition of unions representing pilots, flight attendants and other airline workers issued a statement Thursday, calling for an end to the impasse, saying it is threatening the safety of the industry. 'The longer the shutdown goes on, the greater that threat becomes,' the coalition, dubbed the Transportation Trades Department, AFL-CIO, said. 'Lawmakers have a responsibility to preserve the safety and integrity of our nation’s aviation system by re-opening the federal government.'"
It’s Not a Shutdown, It’s a Lockout and a Shakedown of Federal Workers: "'Let’s call this shutdown what it is: It’s a lockout,' says AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka. American Federation of Government Employees President J. David Cox Sr. says this 'effort at extortion is more of a lockout than a shutdown. But maybe an even more accurate description of this is that it’s a shakedown.'"
Aviation Professionals Warn of Dire Risk Amid Shutdown: "The unions that represent the nation’s air traffic controllers, pilots and flight attendants issued a dire warning on Wednesday, calling the government shutdown an 'unprecedented' and 'unconscionable' safety threat that is growing by the day and must end. The union presidents—Paul Rinaldi of National Air Traffic Controllers Association, Joe DePete of the Air Line Pilots Association and Sara Nelson of the Association of Flight Attendants—did little to assuage those concerns in their statement, saying that the 'air safety environment' is 'deteriorating by the day.' They noted that 'staffing in our air traffic control facilities is already at a 30-year low and controllers are only able to maintain the system’s efficiency and capacity by working overtime.'"
Labor Voices: GM Leaves Workers' Futures Uncertain: "The focus of General Motors’ November announcement shutting down plants in Lordstown, Ohio; Hamtramck and Warren, Michigan; and Baltimore, Maryland, shouldn’t be about money. It should be about people. UAW GM members are dedicated and committed to making a great product, supporting the success of a company, and supporting a solid, prosperous community. Unfortunately, that’s not how it's playing out. UAW GM members are facing the disruption of their families."
At MLK Conference Andrew Gillum Talks About His Gubernatorial Race: "'You can’t call them racist,' Gillum said of the Trump supporters, replying to a question after his speech to the AFL-CIO’s Martin Luther King commemorative conference, in D.C., on Jan. 18. 'If we’re going to win, we have to put in the work, and it’ll require some conversations with people with whom we don’t really feel comfortable. We have to get them to a higher level where we can talk with them' on issues the two sides may have in common, he added."
Nurses Are Calling Out for Job Protections and Marching in the Women's March: "For our patients’ and our own safety, nurses must have the power to speak up. That’s why the right to form a union—what we call 'organizing'—is so important. Not only are the rules about our working conditions, wages, and benefits spelled out in a union contract we negotiate directly with our employers—a process known as 'collective bargaining'—the union harnesses our group power. With the strength of our numbers, we’re able to hold our employers accountable for prioritizing people and not just profits."
Kenneth Quinnell Mon, 01/28/2019 - 08:35Stories of the Shutdown
As the government lockout of hundreds of thousands of government employees goes into its second month, the burden on working people continues to grow. Many of the affected Americans have shared their plight via the #ShutdownStory hashtag. Here are the real stories of the people harmed by this shutdown.
My #cancer isn’t stopping working due to the #shutdown, so I’ve been busy seeking opinions on treating a rare mutation I have during a time of no income. Check out @washingtonpost’s update to my #shutdownstory #colorectalcancer #crcsm https://t.co/VrqopyCZjh
— Violet Kuchar (@ViolentKuchar) January 15, 2019#ShutdownStory @CNN @MSNBC @FoxNews
So I can’t pay my 9 year old daughter’s private school tuition because I’m not receiving a paycheck. She’s missing valuable classroom learning time. The baby suffers because the grownups can’t act as such.
My #ShutdownStory was highlighted - how the shutdown is impacting my small business. What the Shutdown Means to Business Owners: ‘Time Kills Deals’ https://t.co/bjSIUuyQT9
— Katherine Watier Ong (@kwatier) January 24, 2019Meet Leo. He's from Ohio, and because of the #TrumpShutdown he can't afford his life-saving prescription. Read his #ShutdownStory now! https://t.co/anH5dawSLq
— Joyce Beatty (@RepBeatty) January 8, 2019Pregnant federal contractor: My bills are piling up and there won't be back pay to help me #TrumpShutdown #ShutdownStory https://t.co/6NoiQbcRtA
— Carpe Diem (@VinVinPhilly) January 24, 2019@CNN you may want to state that eventhough we've, as in federal employees, have been called back to work without pay. How are we supposed to get there. Gas and tolls aren't payed with prayers and thoughts. Food or tolls, and I've got two small kids #ShutdownStory
— Bill Hankammer (@oljick) January 21, 2019Before we went to the free dinner @MODPizza tonight, we explained to our 4yo that we were sharing pizza since we don’t have $ to spend out. We went to checkout & she had a meltdown b/c we couldn’t buy choc milk. Cried all dinner. This is impacting our kids too. #ShutdownStory
— Hilary Ann (@hilaryann86) January 24, 2019This is what the #governmentshutdown looks like. #shutdownstory #sellingfurnituretopaybills pic.twitter.com/OIei0NJ3Fe
— Charles (@CharlesGue1) January 23, 2019One of my Operation ABLE senior interns was told that her federally funded senior housing would end in March bc of government shutdown. She is frightened bc she will be homeless for the second time as a senior citizen. #ShutdownStory #ThisMustNotHappen
— zackboston (@zackboston) January 24, 2019An eatery offers free food to federal government employees, and the line forms around the block. #shutdownstory #shutdown2019 pic.twitter.com/z34trZonvj
— Chantal Snowden (@chantalsnowden1) January 17, 2019The FBIAA has compiled stories from active FBI Special Agents about the #GovernmentShutdown's impacts on their work in a report titled "Voices from the Field." Below are some excerpts on FBI operations. The full document can be downloaded at https://t.co/X9MwpvFCIq. pic.twitter.com/UKqS586f2V
— FBI Agents Association (@FBIAgentsAssoc) January 22, 2019@crookedmedia here’s our #ShutdownStory - two millennials trying to figure out rent and medical bills. Partner has worked 30+ days and no paycheck. Thanks for reaching out to listening to us. #fanofthepod pic.twitter.com/rtHhtc3yuY
— DeeLane? (@Resist_Repeat) January 23, 2019#shutdown2019 update: It’s been 16 days since the #Smithsonian shut down along with the rest of the gov’t and I have since finished data entry and am now using my living room as lab space to count soybeans. #ShutdownStory pic.twitter.com/e8rLGMq7kQ
— Kathryn Bloodworth (@k_bloodworth) January 16, 2019Want to help some Seacoast #NH pets affected by the federal #shutdown? A local business is collecting pet food and cash donations to help feed furloughed workers' furry friends. https://t.co/ls74DV96ml @FostersDailyDem #ShutdownStory
— Kyle Stucker (@KyleStucker) January 23, 2019Such a heartwarming story! A teen in Virginia shares some of his lifetime supply of peanut butter w/ workers affected by the shutdown. https://t.co/wjRqoVp899@BeanPhilosopher is a superhero in my book!! @LidlUS is pretty darn awesome, too. #ShutdownStory
— Jim Gillespie (@jgillespie_us) January 24, 2019Today we launched our #SoulPantry to share the #blessing of Bella’s Sweet Scrubs. Sharing food & love during the #shutdown. “Love is the most durable power in the world.” - Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. #MLK2019 #soulpantry #bellasweetscrubs #takewhatyouneed #shutdownstory pic.twitter.com/ZiLKKGwwTL
— Bella Berrellez (@BellaBerrellez) January 21, 2019 Kenneth Quinnell Fri, 01/25/2019 - 08:39Tags: Government Shutdown
A Driving Force in This Election
We did it!
The labor movement helped elect a wave of union members and pro-worker allies across the country last night. We proved that if you support working people, we’ll have your back. And we sent a resounding message to every candidate and elected official that if you seek to divide and destroy us, we’ll fight back with everything we have.
While many races have yet to be called, make no mistake: This is a historic election for working people. Union members in every community, city and state were a driving force in this election. We fought for our issues, union candidates and proven allies, and we filled the halls of power with our own.
AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka (UMWA) and AFL-CIO Mobilization Director Julie Greene spoke to the press early this morning. Check out what they had to say about this victory for working people here.
We’re still gathering and compiling the data, but here are four key takeaways from our work last night:
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Seven hundred and forty-three (and counting!) union members were elected to office from the U.S. Senate to state capitols, including U.S. Sen.-elect Jacky Rosen (UNITE HERE) of Nevada; Michigan Gov.-elect Gretchen Whitmer (AFT); Minnesota Gov.-elect Tim Walz (Education Minnesota); and U.S. Reps.-elect Jahana Hayes (CEA and AFSA) of Connecticut and Ilhan Omar (AFSCME) of Minnesota.
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We sent union-busting Govs. Scott Walker (Wis.) and Bruce Rauner (Ill.) packing, and we elected an army of pro-worker governors in Wisconsin, Illinois, Pennsylvania, Nevada, Colorado, Maine and Kansas.
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Union members knocked on more than 2.3 million doors this election cycle.
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We distributed 5 million fliers at more than 4,600 worksites, sent more than 260,000 texts and delivered over 12 million pieces of direct mail.
Working People Respond to Midterm Election Results
Across the country, yesterday's elections showed that where candidates appealed to working people and championed policies that support us, working people will support those candidates. Working people provided winning margins in races across the country, sending a clear message that the pathway to winning elections in the United States goes through the labor movement.
Here is what the leaders of the AFL-CIO's affiliates and other national organizations said about yesterday's results.
AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka (UMWA):
Union members made our voices heard loud and clear last night. Working people trust our unions, and that trust was at the core of an unmatched political program. For months, street by street and person by person, we talked about the issues that matter most and the candidates who will put working families first. We have been mobilizing on a scale that I’ve never seen in my 50 years in the labor movement. In every corner of the country, working people showed up to fill the halls of power with union members and our allies. We made clear that we won’t stand for those who prioritize the demands of an elite few—whether they’re anti-labor Republicans or pro-corporate Democrats.
AFGE National President J. David Cox Sr.:
For the last two years, the administration and its allies in Congress have run roughshod over the federal workers who keep this country running, and have launched a series of unprecedented attacks on our union in the process. Now, thanks to tremendous voter turnout and enthusiasm, we can once again count on Congress to provide checks and balances on the White House.
No longer will the president and his congressional allies have free reign to politicize the civil service and reduce civil service protections or union rights. We expect the new Congress to respect the apolitical civil service and our union rights in order to promote a better tomorrow for federal workers.
We expect the 116th Congress to respect workers’ voices in the workplace, respect the collective bargaining process, and respect the important work federal employees do on behalf of the American people. And with narrow-majority Senate returning, there will be opportunities for bipartisan efforts.
We look forward to working with leaders on both sides of the aisle to protect union rights and protect federal pay and retirement. We will also work with the bipartisan majority that opposes costly and unaccountable outsourcing of federal government work.
We are extremely proud of the efforts put forth by our members this year.
AFGE activists turned out in unprecedented numbers, and spent a tremendous number of hours knocking on doors, mailing literature, holding candidate town halls, making phone calls and texts and working tirelessly to get out the vote. We endorsed candidates from both major political parties in federal, state, and local races and we know that our efforts had an important impact on tonight’s outcome.
Today is a win for America’s workforce, and we look forward to working with members of Congress the next two years on progressive change. This wouldn’t have happened without the hard work of our 318,000 members nationwide, and we know tonight they are celebrating the election of Congressional leaders who will stand by their side and fight for them in Washington.
AFSCME President Lee Saunders:
With great courage and conviction, working people fought back in this election against the rigged economy, standing together and sending a message to the wealthy special interests.
For the first time in nearly a decade, the U.S. House of Representatives will have a pro-worker majority. And in many states, where extremist governors have spent years viciously attacking the rights of public service workers, we fought back and prevailed. Bruce Rauner, the multimillionaire governor of Illinois who was the original plaintiff in Janus v. AFSCME Council 31, was trounced in his re-election bid. Scott Walker, the governor of Wisconsin who stripped away our collective bargaining rights in 2011, also went down. Pro-worker governors in Pennsylvania and Oregon retained their seats. And in Nevada, Minnesota and Michigan, voters elected new governors who are champions of working people. Governors will receive help in advancing a pro-worker agenda from newly elected allies in state legislatures across the country.
Some important races have yet to be called, but we know this: AFSCME members organized and mobilized in overwhelming numbers during this election. Working with our allies, we harnessed the power of grassroots organizing to make a powerful case for real change.
The corporate CEOs and the politicians that do their bidding do not relinquish power without a struggle. And they rig the rules not just of our economy but our democracy—giving themselves a built-in and unfair electoral advantage.
But AFSCME members and their allies are resilient. We woke up today even more confident in our values, more determined than ever to stand up for our union, our families and our communities. Because we never quit.
AFT President Randi Weingarten:
In a sharply divided electorate, the American people sent two very important messages. First, on a federal level, they voted for a check and balance on President Trump and were inspired by the women on the ballot. Our values and aspirations as a nation were on the ballot, and, in district after district, the American people chose decency over cruelty, fairness over prejudice, and democracy over demagoguery, by electing a new majority in Congress.
Second, on a state level, people voted for problem solvers as governors and in their statehouses—governors committed to finding solutions that make life better for children and families, and who believe in public education, good healthcare and rebuilding roads and bridges and water systems. Voters flipped statehouse after statehouse by electing new Democratic governors in Illinois, Kansas, Maine, Michigan, Nevada, New Mexico and Wisconsin, and they maintained Democratic governors in every state Democrats already held. And the wins were even more impressive in state legislatures, from New York to Colorado to Oregon to pro-worker, pro-civil rights, pro-public education ballot initiatives.
Working people in many of these states have faced years of attacks on their rights, disinvestment of public schools to fund tax breaks for the rich, and attacks on healthcare and voting rights. When public education was on the ballot, voters overwhelmingly chose to invest in public schools and stand with teachers, even electing AFT members as governors in Michigan and Minnesota. And while the safe staffing initiative narrowly lost in Massachusetts, we will continue to fight for affordable healthcare and safe staffing across the country.
Trump spent this campaign doubling down on hate, division and lies. And in a divided country, it’s disappointing that this demagoguery helped some of Trump’s acolytes narrowly win in places like Florida and Ohio. But even with this divisiveness, voters in Florida also restored voting rights for felons, which is not just a win for democracy but shows what is possible when lies, racist attacks and misrepresentations aren’t front and center.
On balance, it was a night in which a majority of Americans voted for a check on Trump’s cruel and inhumane agenda, and for leaders who will find solutions to make life better for people.
Alliance for Retired Americans Executive Director Richard Fiesta:
Voters over the age of 50 rejected Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s mid-October pledge to cut Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security to pay for the deficit created by last year’s tax cuts for the wealthy.
Older voters shifted their votes significantly toward House Democrats last night, with 49% voting for the Democrat for the House and 50% for Republicans, an increase of 13% over 2014, according to the national exit polls. Health care and protection for people with pre-existing conditions were clearly on the ballot, and older voters crossed traditional party lines to vote for candidates who would support them.
The most engaged voting bloc in the months leading up to the election, comprising 56% of the mid-term electorate, was over the age of 50. For the last two years we’ve seen unprecedented political engagement by retirees, with more attending candidate events and rallies, contacting their representatives and donating to candidates.
Now we must go to work to bring drug prices down, expand Social Security and make health care more accessible and affordable.
All elected officials should be on notice that retirees are watching their actions closely and will vote for those who fight for them.
Amalgamated Transit Union International President Larry Hanley:
Workers across this great country mobilized for the midterm elections. It is time for our nation to move forward and continue the fight for economic and social justice for all Americans.
Throughout this politically divisive and bruising midterm election season, we are proud of the role ATU members across the country played to mobilize transit riders to vote and elect more diverse, pro-transit, and pro-worker candidates like Jennifer Wexton in Virginia, Susan Wild in Pennsylvania, Mikie Sherrill in New Jersey, Abby Finkenauer in Iowa, and others. Public transit was also a winner on election night with transit ballot initiatives passed including in Connecticut and Tampa.
From Pensacola to Las Vegas, to Lansing and many other cities, our brothers and sisters reached out to passengers at bus stops and transit centers, and provided transportation to voters who could not get the polls to vote.
On behalf of the more than 200,000 members of the Amalgamated Transit Union, we pledge to continue to fight for better public transit, health care for all Americans, and the right for workers to have a voice in the workplace as the assault on the middle class across the United States continues.
Communications Workers of America President Chris Shelton:
This election represents a beginning, not an end. CWA members are ready to make sure that a progressive pro-worker agenda that puts the needs of working families ahead of corporate CEOs and Wall Street bankers is at the center of the discussion in Congress, in state capitals and in communities across the country.
Working families needed a victory in the midterms and CWA helped deliver it. We now have a check on the whims of a president who prefers attacking people on Twitter to addressing the real problems that our communities face and a Congress that focused on tax cuts to corporations and the one percent at the expense of programs that help everyone else. And in the states we have powerful new voices that will advocate for the advancement of the priorities of working families.
Electrical Workers International President Lonnie R. Stephenson:
Last night, I was in Madison, Wis., watching the election results come in, and I was overwhelmed with gratitude for all of the hard work so many of you put in over the last many months.
I was the Sixth District vice president in 2011 when Gov. Scott Walker decided to make destroying unions the centerpiece of his right-wing agenda, and to be back in that state on the night we sent him packing was quite a moment. Governor-elect Tony Evers will be a friend to working families, and I’m proud of the work IBEW members did to put him in office.
More importantly, I’m proud that we stuck to the issues. Whether it was protecting Social Security and Medicare or making sure that folks with pre-existing medical conditions can get the care they need; or making sure that working people have the right to join together in union and negotiate for a fair deal at work; or putting an end to the partisan gerrymandering that stacks the political deck against the least powerful; we stood up and made ourselves heard and backed candidates—regardless of party—who pledged to put working people first.
We didn’t win every race that we wanted to, but there are signs for hope. Gov. Bruce Rauner in Illinois—another politician who decided unions were the enemy—is looking for a new job this morning. In Michigan, Gretchen Whitmer reclaimed the governor’s mansion in a union stronghold that inexplicably went right-to-work in 2012. Now, we start to turn the tide.
There were victories from IBEW members running for office and family members of IBEW members, and I hope even more of you will choose to run in the future.
Moving forward, there are area where we can work together, Republicans and Democrats alike. America’s infrastructure badly needs an upgrade, and IBEW members are ready to roll up our sleeves and get to work. On trade and jobs and workplace safety, we can find common ground and make real progress over the next two years. I look forward to getting started.
But, for now, for every one of you that made phone calls, sent letters, knocked doors or talked about the candidates and the issues on the jobsite, thank you from the bottom of my heart. Whether your candidate won or lost last night, you made a difference, and you did the IBEW proud.
Longshoremen International President Harold J. Daggett:
Americans voted in record numbers in yesterday’s 2018 mid-term elections where ILA members and working families everywhere help return the U.S. House of Representatives to a Democratic Majority. The ILA celebrates the reelection of our endorsed candidates Senator Robert Menendez in New Jersey and Governor Andrew Cuomo in New York and applauds the efforts of Andrew Gillum in Florida; Beto O’Rourke in Texas and Stacey Abrams in Georgia.
The face of American politics is changing for the better and for the ILA. A record number of women were elected to the House of Representatives which will now serve as a much-needed check on an anti-union president and Senate. Labor’s voice has returned to Washington and to many state houses across the nation.
Machinists International President Robert Martinez Jr.:
The American people have chosen action over distraction. This is a clear sign that the political pendulum had swung too far in favor of Wall Street and corporate CEOs.
It is past due for politicians in Washington and across the country to set aside their differences and unite to find real solutions. Instead of pursuing policies that hurt working people, like so-called ‘right-to-work’ laws, our elected officials need to put power back in the hands of working families.
The answer is not another tax break to pad the pockets of millionaires. Nor is it to slash Social Security and Medicare, which we have paid for and count on. Attacks on working people and our unions will not be tolerated.
We stand ready to work with this Congress and the administration to stop the outsourcing of jobs, raise wages, defend pensions and healthcare, strengthen laws against discrimination of all kinds and protect the right of every worker to join unions.
I want to especially thank Machinists Union members who took time out of their busy schedules to vote and volunteer this election cycle. The voice of working people was heard loud and clear thanks to you.
With much of the national focus on changing control of the House, National Nurses United today highlighted what may be the most significant, and lasting election development—ongoing momentum for grassroots activism, especially on the critical issue of health care.
NNU welcomed the unmistakable rebuke to the corporate agenda, especially on health care—as reflected in multiple House races, and in the election of many candidates who better reflect the diversity of the nation, and said the new majority in the House should serve as a brake to some of the worst abuses on worker’s rights and public protections.
In particular, NNU hailed “the movement led by RNs around the country, including Florida and Texas, that put Medicare for All at the center of the national debate,” said NNU Co-President Jean Ross, RN.
Numerous NNU endorsed candidates were elected Tuesday, including Governors Gavin Newsom in California and Tim Walz in Minnesota, and dozens of House candidates from coast to coast who will strengthen support for the growing movement for Medicare for All.
They include the first two Muslim women in Congress, Ihlan Omar in Minnesota and Rashida Tlaib in Michigan, Deb Haaland in New Mexico, in a breakthrough for Native American women, and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who becomes the youngest woman elected to Congress and a national progressive champion.
Widespread dismay over health care costs, and access, especially for people with pre-existing conditions made health care the leading issue for voters.
Public demand for real solutions on health care were seminal in flipping the House; expanding Medicaid coverage in red states Nebraska, Idaho, and Utah; and electing additional advocates for guaranteed health care through Medicare for All.
NNU, said NNU Executive Director Bonnie Castillo, RN, will work with the growing House Medicare for All caucus to press for action on Medicare for All, while also continuing to escalate movement building in states from coast to coast.
NNU also hailed the passage of several additional ballot measures such as votes in Arkansas and Missouri to raise the minimum wage.
Most notably, said Castillo, was the passage of Amendment 4 in Florida which will restore voting rights to about 1.5 million formerly incarcerated people, including about 20 percent of Florida’s African American adult population—“a huge victory for voting rights, that will also have a major impact on national and state politics.”
At the same time, Castillo said, the demagogic incitement of racism and anti-Semitism, and widespread cases of voter suppression, especially evident in Georgia, cast a dark shadow over the future of democracy and must be directly challenged.
“We must do everything we can to encourage and assist this process, including continuing to build a broad movement for the transformative social change we need on issues that unite people, from health care to environmental protections to voting rights and confront the enormous powerful interests who dominate our economic and political system,” Castillo said.
The best antidote to those politics, like the campaign for real health care reform, is activism, said Castillo. “Mass action by a diverse array of activists, especially young people—the defining development in this election year.”
Office and Professional Employees President Richard Lanigan:
To put the blue wave in context, 46,466,425 people voted for Democratic Senate candidates and 33,239,469 people voted for Republican Senate candidates, resulting in Democrats losing a net 2 seats in the senate.
While that might not be considered a blue wave, millions of working people mobilized to vote for representatives who support their issues. Yesterday’s midterm results mean there will not be a rollback of Social Security or the elimination of safeguards for the millions of Americans with pre-existing health conditions.
With more women and people of color in history now taking their place in the House and anti-worker governors such as Scott Walker roundly voted out of office, the working people of this nation have made it clear they want leaders who reflect them and their values and who will work to protect their hard-fought rights and freedoms.
Theatrical Stage Employees International President Matthew D. Loeb:
Last night’s results were a victory for working people all across the country.
Worker champions defeated anti-worker governors in Wisconsin and Illinois. We elected labor-endorsed congressmembers in New York and California. New and returning labor-friendly Senators will head to the Senate from Nevada, Pennsylvania and several other states.
IATSE-supported candidates won in almost every state where we competed, and even where the final result didn’t go our way, the hard-fought organizing of IATSE members and allies from across the labor movement made races competitive in places we never thought we had a chance before.
This election marks an important beginning to our efforts to return power to the working families of this country, and we will not rest until every IATSE member is represented by people who understand the value of our work and of workers’ rights.
This vote was a loud statement by Americans that they want action on jobs, healthcare, education, fair trade, income growth and a future for their children. If 2016 was a statement about being fed up with politics as usual and wages being too low to make ends meet—2018 was about working people telling politicians they want less rhetoric and more action and progress. It is time to come together and deliver for working families in this country and future generations. We must not go backwards.
UAW members demand progress and unity from all our elected leaders. They want an end to fear mongering and bickering. They insist on real progress on trade, creating more good paying jobs, raising wages, and lowering health care costs. Progress is needed for not just their sake but for them on their children’s and grandchildren’s future—and they want politicians to stop their constant attacks on their health care, social security, job protections and civil/human rights. Enough is enough.
The American people told our elected leaders yesterday that it is time to stop dividing us and to start uniting us and work for all of us. For UAW families this should mean an end to the constant assault on common sense health and safety protections in the workplace; on the right of workers to join together to organize; and on economic policies that favor billionaires over working families. This means an end to constant attacks on our right to affordable and comprehensive health care and the ability to retire with dignity. This means putting an end to schemes from special interests and wealthy campaign contributors to gut Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security. Skyrocketing prescription drug and education costs must be curtailed. Powerful special interests must be directly confronted. No more kicking the can. Americans sent a message that they demand an end to divisive politics on civil rights and human rights. Congress must work to protect the dignity of all Americans. The message is clear—it is time to unite and it is time for our politicians to represent all Americans and discard the poll-driven politics of hate that have become so dominant in recent years.
In Statehouses across the country, voters also made their message clear on Tuesday. Voters expect government to focus on quality of life issues like the water we drink, the roads we drive on, the education of our children and the jobs of the future. The working men and women of this country are tired of partisan attacks on working families, on workplace health and safety, on privatization schemes that benefit wealthy donors who focus less on public services and more on profit. Tuesday, voters told governors and legislatures across the nation to stay out of stoking partisan fires over our private lives and focus instead on our public services. It was a back to basics message.
Kenneth Quinnell Wed, 11/07/2018 - 15:45Tags: Elections 2018
Get Out and Vote
It's finally here! Election Day! The day you get the opportunity to express your voice and cast your ballot for candidates who support working people.
Here are some key resources you might need today:
- Need to find your polling place or have other questions? Go here.
- My Union, My Vote also has information on our endorsed candidates. In addition, you can learn more about some of the best candidates for working people by checking out our blog series.
- Have trouble casting your ballot? Call 1-866-OUR-VOTE (1-866-687-8683), text "OUR VOTE" to 97779 or visit 866OurVote.org.
- Here's what you can do if you are turned away at the polls.
- Follow us on Twitter (@aflcio) to keep up with the latest results and what they mean for working people.
OK, now get out there and vote to improve the lives of working people!
Kenneth Quinnell Tue, 11/06/2018 - 09:57Tags: Elections 2018
Who Says Union Organizer Debriefs Can't Be Fun?
We are coming off of an exciting two days of Debriefs: Successful Strategies and Tactics for Winning Campaigns! This Organizing Institute (OI) Exchange Clinic took place Oct. 22-23 and was held at the historic AFSCME Local 1733 union hall in Memphis, Tennessee. Sixteen advanced and lead level organizers from Ironworkers International Union and Communications Workers of America (CWA) leading campaigns across the country participated. The clinic focused on how lead organizers understand and apply the components of effective debriefs into their campaigns.
It was amazing to have so many engaged, energetic and thoughtful lead organizers share their experiences with each other and reinforce best practices of incorporating effective debriefs into their campaigns. Bringing organizers together to reinforce best practices is always the highlight of the OI Exchange Clinics, and best practices are also key to winning organizing campaigns!
Some of the organizer's takeaways from the clinic were:
- How to be more deliberate about having planned debriefs after meetings, one-on-one conversations and actions;
- Timely follow-up/debriefs with organizers, activists, and leaders;
- Creating an open, honest and learning environment for feedback/critique during debriefs;
- Incorporating role-playing into the debriefing process;
- Being intentional about including the organizing committee and workplace leaders in debriefs;
- Challenging our current practices by digging deeper during debriefs;
- Why we need to ask the right questions during debriefs;
- Being intentional about using debriefs as a campaign planning tool.
We want to send a very special thank you to AFSCME 1733 Executive Director Gail Tyree for opening AFSCME's historic local union hall for this clinic; CWA Organizing Director Sandy Rusher for committing to be the primary anchor for this clinic; CWA District 3 Organizing Coordinator Tom Smith and CWA District 9 Organizing Coordinator Vic Serrano for helping to facilitate this clinic. Lastly, big shout-outs to OI Senior Trainer TJ Marsallo (lead), Tiffany Bender (co-lead) and OI Administrator Camille West-Eversley for leading this clinic, and the CWA and Ironworkers organizers for making this a success!
Lastly, space is very limited for the Dec. 5-7 Advanced Organizing Workshop taking place at the Tommy Douglas Conference Center in Silver Spring, Maryland. Should you be interested in registering your organizing staff, please email OI Senior Trainer Tiffany Bender at tbender@aflcio.org at your earliest convenience for information regarding the training and the registration link.
Kenneth Quinnell Mon, 11/05/2018 - 16:04Tags: Organizing
