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The U.S. Should Not Reward Mauritania for Slavery Practices

Wed, 08/23/2017 - 08:04

The U.S. Should Not Reward Mauritania for Slavery Practices

Thousands of men, women and children in Mauritania live in slavery. Under the direct control of their masters, they are treated as property and receive no payment for their work. Meanwhile, Mauritania receives preferential access to U.S. markets under the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) trade benefits program.

AGOA is designed to spark economic development in Sub-Saharan African countries by expanding duty-free benefits and opening U.S. markets to African goods. As part of the program, AGOA beneficiaries are required to improve the rule of law, human rights and respect for core labor standards, including the eradication of forced labor. This week, the AFL-CIO and its affiliated unions, along with labor rights organizations worldwide, are calling on the U.S. Trade Representative to review Mauritania’s eligibility for AGOA trade benefits.

Mauritania outlawed slavery in 1981, the world’s last country to do so. Yet in 2017, the practice of slavery is still widespread in Mauritanian society. Slave status is inherited, so children born to a mother in slavery also are considered property and can be rented out, loaned, given as gifts in marriage or inherited. Men and children in slavery typically herd animals or work in agriculture, while women perform domestic work. They face verbal and physical abuse, and girls and women are subject to sexual abuse and rape.

The government of Mauritania routinely fails to conduct investigations into cases of slavery, rarely pursues prosecutions for those responsible for the practice. Anti-slavery activists and trade unionists are regularly harassed, intimidated and jailed. Survivors of slavery have little access to justice or victim support initiatives, and face ongoing discrimination in society and the workplace.

Mauritania is failing to eradicate slavery and forced labor and to promote core labor rights. The AGOA Implementation Subcommittee must review Mauritania’s eligibility for trade benefits with the United States.

Find out more about the situation in Mauritania by watching this Equal Times investigation with testimony from former slaves.

Kenneth Quinnell Wed, 08/23/2017 - 09:04

Working People Have 17 Recommendations for NAFTA. Here’s #2

Tue, 08/22/2017 - 11:23

Working People Have 17 Recommendations for NAFTA. Here’s #2

By now, you’ve probably heard of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). You might have heard that some businesspeople think it’s a great deal, while average working families—and those who stand with us—think it only works if you’re already at the top.

If you’ve been reading our blog regularly, then you know NAFTA is being renegotiated. That means working people like us have an opportunity to fix it. And we laid out the first step: open the negotiations so that average citizens, not just corporate lobbyists and CEOs, can participate. So far, it’s not clear the negotiators heard us—but you can help us keep up the pressure.

Even if they do keep the doors closed on the talks, we have to address the rules of the deal. The first rules that need replacement are the labor rules. The labor rules determine whether the playing field is fair for all workers or whether global corporations can treat us like pawns, bidding down our wages and working conditions as they increase their profits at our expense.

Given our long experience of trying to use trade rules to protect rights and freedoms for working people, we know what works and what doesn’t. We won’t fall for vague promises about NAFTA being the best deal ever for working people. Instead, we will be looking for specific provisions.

A fair North American deal will:

Ensure that all three countries protect fundamental labor rights as set for in the International Labor Organization’s eight core conventions.
Establish an independent monitoring and enforcement entity so that governments can’t use delay tactics to deny our rights.
Establish prompt enforcement tools.
Ensure that goods traded between the countries are made by workers being paid living wages.
Protect migrant workers from fraud and abuse.
Protect all workers from discrimination and trafficking.
Contain effective tools to continually lift our wages and working conditions, rather then putting a ceiling on what we can achieve.
Ensure that no communities are left behind—we must all prosper together or we won’t prosper at all.

Since the dawn of the modern trade era (roughly 1990), no trade deal has ever put working families first. But we know the rules we need to make it happen. But no one will fight for those rules if we don’t lead.

Are you ready to join us? Urge your representative to call for open, transparent NAFTA renegotiations.

Kenneth Quinnell Tue, 08/22/2017 - 12:23

Tags: NAFTA

Federal Whistleblowers Should Be Praised, Not Punished

Tue, 08/22/2017 - 10:20

Federal Whistleblowers Should Be Praised, Not Punished AFGE

Without federal whistleblowers, the Watergate scandal that led to the resignation of President Richard Nixon might not have come to light. We might never have discovered the FBI’s failure to follow up on evidence about terrorist plots before the Sept. 11 attacks. And the waitlist scandal that resulted in veterans being denied timely access to medical care might have remained a secret.

As those three examples illustrate, federal workers serve as a vital watchdog against waste, fraud, abuse and mismanagement occurring in our government agencies.

Every civil servant takes an oath to support and defend the Constitution—and that includes ensuring that our taxpayer dollars are spent wisely and to the benefit of the American people.

That’s why the current war on whistleblowers being waged by President Donald Trump and others in his administration is not only disgraceful, but downright dangerous to our democracy.

We have a right to know that Trump administration officials have ordered U.S. Department of Agriculture employees to stop using terms like "climate change" and "greenhouse gases"—since it could be a deliberate attempt to discredit scientific evidence that humans are contributing to our warming planet. But without USDA staff sharing those conversations with the press, we might still be in the dark.

We should know why the Department of the Interior has involuntary reassigned about 50 senior career employees to other jobs—including a scientist who was moved to an accounting office after speaking publicly about the danger that climate change poses to Alaska Native communities. But we wouldn’t know about it at all if that scientist didn’t step forward.

It’s in the public interest to know that Scott Pruitt, administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, is pushing to undo dozens of environmental regulations—largely without the input of the agency’s scientists and other career employees. Yet, we wouldn’t know the scope of this regulatory rollback if EPA employees didn’t come forward.

Federal employees have a right—and even an obligation—to speak out on issues that affect taxpayers and citizens. And by the same token, journalists are just doing their job when they reach out to federal workers for information on the activities of political appointees.

Obviously, there are instances where disclosures may be inappropriate, like when the information is classified or would jeopardize our national security. But those are the exception, not the rule.

Attorney General Jeff Sessions thinks whistleblowers should be prosecuted—and he’s devoting lots of taxpayer dollars to go after them. He attempts to demonize these brave patriots by referring to them as "leakers." He even says that the number of disclosures is "undermining the ability of our government to protect this country."

That’s ridiculous. A free and open press is one of the fundamental tenents of our democracy. So is having a non-political civil service that’s beholden to taxpayers, not their political bosses.

Whistleblowers aren’t the problem. But the White House’s preoccupation with them certainly is.

This post originally appeared at Medium.

Kenneth Quinnell Tue, 08/22/2017 - 11:20

Right to Work Founder Was a Klan Fan

Tue, 08/22/2017 - 09:35

Right to Work Founder Was a Klan Fan

AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka didn’t pull punches when he announced Aug. 15 that he and Thea Lee, former AFL-CIO deputy chief of staff, were exiting President Donald Trump’s American Manufacturing Council.

"We cannot sit on a council for a president who tolerates bigotry and domestic terrorism," Trumka said in a statement. "President Trump’s remarks [last Tuesday] repudiate his forced remarks [last Monday] about the KKK and neo-Nazis. We must resign on behalf of America’s working people, who reject all notions of legitimacy of these bigoted groups."

Today, the North Dakota AFL-CIO posted a statement on its website pledging that the federation "will always stand against such racist, hateful and vile beliefs. Nazism, fascism and white supremacy are abhorrent to everything labor stands for and they always have been."

The statement, written by North Dakota AFL-CIO President/Secretary-Treasurer Waylon Hedegaard, pointed out that "one of the Nazis’ first acts in Germany was to crush the labor unions. Knowing that organized labor was a real threat to Nazi control, the fascist government spent two years outlawing unions, jailing leaders who stood up for workers and setting up a state-run system of worker control. Using ruthless violence, intimidation and murder, the Nazis destroyed everything unions had fought for."

The Ku Klux Klan hates unions, too, because in a union everybody is equal.

Trumka added: "It’s clear that President Trump’s manufacturing council was never an effective means for delivering real policy that lifts working families, and his remarks [last Tuesday] were the last straw. We joined this council with the intent to be a voice for working people and real hope that it would result in positive economic policy, but it has become yet another broken promise on the president’s record. From hollow councils to bad policy and embracing bigotry, the actions of this administration have consistently failed working people."

No legislation has failed working people more than "right to work" laws. Trump ran on a platform with a plank supporting "the right of states to enact right to work laws and calling for a national right to work law." On the campaign trail, Trump said he preferred right to work states to non-right to work states.

Naturally, the Republicans would prefer that the racist roots of right to work not be exposed.

"The drive for such laws was fueled by Texas businessperson and white supremacist Vance Muse, who despised the doctrine of human equality represented by unions," wrote Roger Bybee in The Progressive.

Muse, a Klan fan, was "the Karl Rove-meets-David Duke brains behind the whole right to work movement," wrote Mark Ames.

Under a right to work law, workers at a union shop can enjoy union-won wages and benefits without joining the union or paying the union a service fee to represent them. The idea is to weaken strong unions, destroy small unions and keep workers from organizing.

The Texas Legislature passed a right to work law in 1947 but changed the measure to its current form in 1993.

Muse, who also was rabidly anti-Semitic, saw right to work as a twofer: Right to work would help smash unions and help maintain segregation and white supremacy in Texas and elsewhere in the Jim Crow South. Without right to work, "white women and white men will be forced into organizations with black African apes whom they will have to call ‘brother’ or lose their jobs," he harangued.

In 1936, Muse started the reactionary, racist Christian American Association in opposition to President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal. Muse allied the group with the KKK. FDR was running for re-election and Muse bitterly opposed him.

The year before, a Democratic Congress passed the National Labor Relations Act. Also known as the Wagner Act, the legislation gave workers legal protection to organize and bargain collectively.

"The appallingly racist views of Muse and his Christian American Association coincided with the mentality of corporate managers dedicated to holding down wages and maintaining the tight control over workers dating back to the days of slavery," Bybee wrote. "The CEOs of the 1930s recognized that Muse’s segregationist ‘right to work’ concept would break up unified worker efforts to claim the rights granted under the 1935 National Labor Relations Act."

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. also recognized the racist origins of right to work.

"In our glorious fight for civil rights, we must guard against being fooled by false slogans, such as 'right to work,'" he warned in 1961. "It is a law to rob us of our civil rights and job rights. Its purpose is to destroy labor unions and the freedom of collective bargaining by which unions have improved wages and working conditions of everyone….Wherever these laws have been passed, wages are lower, job opportunities are fewer and there are no civil rights. We do not intend to let them do this to us. We demand this fraud be stopped. Our weapon is our vote."

Also in 1961, Dr. King told the AFL-CIO Convention, "Our needs are identical with labor's needs—decent wages, fair working conditions, livable housing, old age security, health and welfare measures, conditions in which families can grow, have education for their children and respect in the community. That is why Negroes support labor's demands and fight laws which curb labor.

"That is why the labor-hater and labor-baiter is virtually always a twin-headed creature spewing anti-Negro epithets from one mouth and anti-labor propaganda from the other mouth."

This guest post from Berry Craig originally appeared at Kentucky State AFL-CIO.

Kenneth Quinnell Tue, 08/22/2017 - 10:35

Missourians Get Nearly Triple the Needed Signatures for November Right to Work Repeal Referendum

Fri, 08/18/2017 - 14:05

Missourians Get Nearly Triple the Needed Signatures for November Right to Work Repeal Referendum Greater St Louis Central Labor Council AFL-CIO

Extremists and outside interests representing big corporations rammed through a Right to Work bill, against the will of the people of the state. The bill signed into law by Gov. Eric Greitens in February. Today, Missourians spoke up loudly and, pending the certification process, a ballot referendum on Right to Work will appear on the November 2018 ballot.

In order to get on the ballot, supporters must gather approximately 107,510 signatures in 6 of 8 congressional districts. Hundreds of Missourians showed up to cheer along campaign representatives, who delivered 163 boxes filled with 57,277 pages, containing 310,567 signatures, nearly three times the required amount. All of the state's 115 counties were represented, and the numbers were sufficient to qualify in all eight congressional districts.

Here is what Missouri's working people said about right to work and the referendum:

"Right to Work is wrong. It's wrong for Missouri workers. It's wrong for Missouri families. It's time for Governor Greitens and extreme politicians to stop doing the bidding of their dark money donors and begin fighting for Missouri families," said Lori Giannini, a 12-year grocery clerk at Schnuck's from St. Charles County.

"This referendum will guarantee that Missouri employers and their employees can work together in the best interests of their businesses without government interference," said Dennis Palmer, a small business owner from Columbia.

"Extreme politicians and dark money interests may not like it but the facts are the facts. Workers in Right to Work states make $681 dollars less per month than workers in non-Right to Work states and the chances of being killed on the job is 49% higher in Right to Work states," said Quiema Spencer, a master pipefitter from Kansas City.

"We've come together and put in countless hours gathering signatures from voters at festivals, community events, door-to-door canvasses, parades—you name it," said Bobby Dicken, an electrician from Butler County. "These folks who've signed the petition want their voices to be heard—they want voters—not politicians—to make the final decision on whether so-called Right to Work becomes law in Missouri.

Why I Quit: The Working People Weekly List

Fri, 08/18/2017 - 13:10

Why I Quit: 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.

Richard Trumka: Why I Quit Trump’s Business Council: "On Tuesday, President Trump stood in the lobby of his tower on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan and again made excuses for bigotry and terrorism, effectively repudiating the remarks his staff wrote a day earlier in response to the white supremacist violence in Charlottesville, Va. I stood in that same lobby in January, fresh off a meeting with the new president-elect. Although I had endorsed Hillary Clinton for president, I was hopeful we could work together to bring some of his pro-worker campaign promises to fruition."

AFL-CIO Chief Denounces Trump's 'Spirited Defense of Racism and Bigotry': "Five members of President Trump's manufacturing council have resigned since Monday, after Mr. Trump's controversial response to the Charlottesville protests. The president of AFL-CIO, Richard Trumka, is the latest to leave the council. He said in a statement: 'I cannot sit on a council for a president that tolerates bigotry and domestic terrorism.' Trumka joins CBS This Morning to discuss why the labor movement had to 'follow its conscience' and why Mr. Trump's comments were unacceptable."

Top Labor Leader Resigns from Trump’s Jobs Council After Trump Blames ‘Both Sides’ for Charlottesville Violence: "Richard Trumka, president of the AFL-CIO, the largest group of labor unions in the country, quit President Trump’s manufacturing council Tuesday evening, with the labor leader saying he refused to accept any tolerance of 'bigotry and domestic terrorism.'"

At The Top-Secret NAFTA Re-Negotiation Table – 85% Corporate Voices, 5% Labor: “The AFL-CIO’s Celeste Drake is at the NAFTA renegotiation table for working people. She says working people need a complete rewriting of NAFTA rules to eliminate the corporate domination. ... ‘I want to emphasize it’s not a tweak here, you know, add a comma there, delete a sentence and then we’re done. And the labor issues are critically important.’”

AFL-CIO Urges Trump not to Abandon 'Dreamers': AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka called on President Donald Trump to defend the DACA program, which benefits thousands of young Mexican immigrants known as "Dreamers." The program could be canceled if the government does not respond to a potential lawsuit.

AFL-CIO Demands Transparency in NAFTA Talks: "'We are setting the bar high. We will only accept a deal that is renegotiated the right way. That means having a transparent process in which working families have a seat at the table, and ensuring that our freedom to stand together is protected and that all of us can receive a fair return on our hard work,' AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka said in a statement Monday."

Union Leaders Condemn Alt-Right-Caused Deaths in Charlottesville: "Union leaders, from AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka on down, strongly condemned the hate groups whose adherent, deliberately driving his car into a crowd of anti-hate counter-protesters in Charlottesville, Va., killed one woman and injured dozens."

Corporate Intimidation Threatens Worker Freedom: "Anyone surprised by the outcome of last week’s union election at the Nissan plant in Canton, Miss., hasn’t been paying attention. To get a sense of how ugly the tenor of the Nissan union vote got, one need only have tuned to WYAB talk radio in central Mississippi, where one caller warned that pro-union Nissan workers would 'go right back to' 'picking cotton and plowing fields or digging ditches.'"

Lori Pelletier: ‘Either You Respect Collective Bargaining or You Don't': "Lori J. Pelletier, the president of the Connecticut AFL-CIO, raised eyebrows by organizing a picket line outside the state Democratic Party’s annual fundraiser last year to protest a Democratic governor and legislature for opting to lay off unionized state workers instead of raising taxes on the rich."

Kenneth Quinnell Fri, 08/18/2017 - 14:10

Trumka Leaves Presidential Business Council

Thu, 08/17/2017 - 15:00

Trumka Leaves Presidential Business Council Wikimedia Commons

This week, AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka resigned from President Donald Trump's Manufacturing Jobs Initiative. The move came after Trump responded to the racist terrorist attack in Charlottesville, Virginia. In resigning from the Initiative, Trumka said:

His response to the white supremacist violence in Charlottesville was the last straw. We in the labor community refuse to normalize bigotry and hatred. And we cannot in good conscience extend a hand of cooperation to those who condone it.

Here are some of the top pieces of media coverage about Trumka's response to Trump:

The New York Times: Richard Trumka: Why I Quit Trump’s Business Council.
CBS This Morning: AFL-CIO Chief Denounces Trump's 'Spirited Defense of Racism and Bigotry.'
CNBC: AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka Resigning from President Trump's Manufacturing Council.
Washington Post: Top Labor Leader Resigns from Trump’s Jobs Council after Trump Blames ‘Both Sides’ for Charlottesville Violence.
Associated Press: The Latest: AFL-CIO Leader Resigns from Trump Jobs Council.
New York Daily News: AFL-CIO Pres. Richard Trumka Latest to Leave Trump's Manufacturing Council.
Perez Hilton: Trump's Defense of the Confederacy Just Lost Him America's Unions!
CBS News: AFL-CIO President Trumka Resigns from Trump's Manufacturing Council.
CNN Money: AFL-CIO Chief Leaves Trump's Manufacturing Council after President's Latest Remarks.
Politico: Trumka Quits White House Manufacturing Initiative.

Kenneth Quinnell Thu, 08/17/2017 - 16:00

Working People in the States Reject Hate and Terror

Thu, 08/17/2017 - 10:20

Working People in the States Reject Hate and Terror Wikimedia Commons

In the wake of the terrorist attack in Charlottesville, Virginia, that led to the deaths of Heather Heyer and two Virginia state troopers, Lieutenant H. Jay Cullen and Trooper-Pilot Berke M.M. Bates, and the injuring of more than 30 others, organizations representing working families in numerous states have spoken out rejecting the violence and the ideas that precipitated the violence.

Here are the statements of AFL-CIO state federations:

Virginia AFL-CIO President Doris Crouse-Mays:

Allow me to be clear–the working people of Virginia do not and will not stand for discrimination and hate in our communities.

Yesterday's disgraceful display of beliefs from the alt-right was simply that–a disgrace to the citizens of the Commonwealth and all that we stand for. Virginia’s working families have fought long and hard to overcome the discriminatory policies of our past and to create an environment of inclusion and fairness in workplaces across the Commonwealth. We will continue to devote every ounce of our abilities to ensure that the rights and safety of all Virginians are preserved.

Furthermore, our thoughts and prayers extend to each of the peaceful counter-protesters who were injured or killed in the resulting violence from yesterday’s rally. We also extend our deepest condolences to the Virginia State Police and the families of Lt. H. Jay Cullen and Trooper Pilot Berke M.M. Bates. No working person expects this shift to be his last, but these brave men and thousands of other first responders put their lives on the line each and every day to keep our communities safe.

Colorado AFL-CIO:

The Colorado AFL-CIO stands with union members and working people across the country against hate and bigotry. We will continue to stand up with our black brothers and sisters and reject the fascist violence that occurred in Charlottesville.

White supremacy is a tool used by those who want to divide and conquer people who would otherwise work together to secure their freedom and their fair share, which is why the labor movement is committed to addressing racism and bigotry within our own ranks and in our larger society.

Georgia AFL-CIO:

Over the weekend in Charlottesville, Va., the nation and the world witnessed the hateful views and terrorist acts committed by white supremacists and neo-Nazis. This racism and bigotry has no place in America. In this country, we have always fought, in solidarity, for equality and justice and against these and other diabolical prejudices.

This is the time for leadership. Our leaders, both in D.C. and under the Gold Dome, must acknowledge this for what it is: domestic terrorism rooted in bigotry.

The hearts and prayers of Georgia’s labor movement are with all the victims, but especially the families of those who lost their lives: Heather Heyer and state Troopers Lieutenant H. Jay Cullen and Trooper-Pilot Berke M.M. Bates. We pray for everyone’s safety. The labor movement condemns this domestic terrorism and remains committed to eradicating the despicable causes of hatred and intolerance.

Green Mountain Labor Council:

The recent events in Charlottesville call upon us all to speak out boldly against white supremacy, neo-Nazism, and white nationalism in all forms. Racism, anti-Semitism, hatred, and fear should have no home in America.

We grieve for the lives lost and pray for those critically injured because of the domestic terrorism committed in Charlottesville. The Green Mountain Labor Council promises to organize in our workplaces and communities to fight racism, fascism and bigotry.

Trump’s failure to call out neo-Nazi’s and other bigots is not surprising. Some of the supremacists even chanted “Heil Trump.” Trump’s campaign of hate against non-whites, threats to punch opponents in the face, and his plan to deport immigrants and build walls embolden the forces which were unleashed on Charlottesville. Trump is simply unfit to be president....

The Iowa Federation of Labor shared the words of Progress Iowa:

This weekend we watched in horror as white supremacists marched in Charlottesville, Va., waving Nazi symbols, chanting hateful Nazi slogans, and committing violent acts of terrorism. Their hatred and their violence should be condemned, and has no place in our country. But those words aren’t enough.

It’s not enough when Governor Reynolds and Senators Grassley and Ernst make statements of condemnation (David Young and Rod Blum have done so as well). They should condemn President Trump for continually fanning the flames of hatred, from his lead role in the birther movement, to statements he made during the campaign, refusing to denounce former Ku Klux Klan leader David Duke, and even having advisers with ties to hate groups.

Reynolds, Grassley, Ernst, Young, Blum, and King should condemn the president they helped put in office for his role in emboldening white supremacists. It’s politically easy to condemn Nazis—it would show true political courage if they called out the president of their own party. And they should use their elected office to bring about real, meaningful change. Here are just a few of the many ways they could move forward, and policies we should all call on them to enact....

Read the rest of the statement.

The Kentucky State AFL-CIO shared the words of the Rev. John Ballenger:

As we gather to worship, a word about the past couple of days in Charlottesville.

I trust you’re all aware of the events there. The kind of hatred and evil incarnate there cannot go unchallenged by those who follow God in the way of Jesus. Neither can any false equivalence between white supremacists and counter-protesters.

They are not the same.

We can no more afford to be surprised at what festers despicably in our culture, nor can our world afford for us to be silent about it—at what was made manifest in Charlottesville, yes, but also at the loud rhetoric of fear-mongering and violence, religious and ethnic blaming and shaming, attitudes of exclusiveness and superiority, an ongoing barrage of unchecked lies, the perversions of theology, scripture and God, and also the systemic racism embedded in our own ways of life—the countless ways we’ve begun trying to name how many of us benefit from privilege and how many of us suffer the consequences all of which can so easily be manipulatively effective and beneficial for the few, unquestionably making room for the worst of who we can be to be more comfortably made public.

In the name of God, we reject it all. in the name of Jesus, we commit to his alternative way of love, grace, welcome, justice, and peace, and in the name of the Spirit, we pray hope for the journey before us.

Massachusetts AFL-CIO President Steven A. Tolman:

With you, I have watched with heartbreak the hateful and violent actions of white supremacists and neo-Nazis in Charlottesville this week and the subsequent offensive and troubling reaction from President Trump. The Massachusetts AFL-CIO joins AFL-CIO President, Richard Trumka in condemning last Saturday’s act of domestic terrorism in Charlottesville. We mourn with the families and friends of Heather Heyer and state Troopers Lieutenant H. Jay Cullen and Trooper-Pilot Berke M.M. Bates. We call on President Trump to unequivocally reject white supremacy and racism.

As a labor movement, as a Commonwealth and as a nation we have a moral obligation to stand up for the right of all people to live without fear and to stand against racism, anti-Semitism and bigotry in all forms. Hatred thrives on silence.

Minnesota AFL-CIO President Bill McCarthy:

Minnesota’s working people echo AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka’s condemnation of Saturday’s act of domestic terrorism in Charlottesville. Our hearts go out to the families of Heather Heyer and state Troopers Lieutenant H. Jay Cullen and Trooper-Pilot Berke M.M. Bates in their time of loss. White supremacists like Nazis, the KKK, and other so-called “alt-right” groups have long used bigotry, violence, and fear to divide working people. Minnesota’s labor movement resolutely rejects these poisonous ideologies that have no place in our country. We call on President Trump to apologize for the comments he made on Tuesday and strongly reject the white supremacists who support him. Working people in Minnesota and across the country renew our commitment to justice and eradicating the despicable causes of hatred and intolerance.

Missouri AFL-CIO:

President Trump's actions have not met up with the promises he made to working people during the campaign. His embrace of white-nationalist, neo-Nazis and the alt-right is un-American and we will not be a part of the president's PR sham.

It is simple. Saturday's attack was an act of domestic terrorism. The labor movement has always led the fight for equality and ending racism. This time is no different. White supremacists and neo-Nazis are racist and we will not stand with a president that does not unequivocally condemn these racists.

The true values of our country and the labor movement are values of equality and solidarity. This racism and bigotry is evil and does not represent the true values of this country.

Nebraska State AFL-CIO President/Secretary-Treasurer Susan L. Martin:

The Nebraska State AFL-CIO is speaking out against the horrific events that happened in Charlottesville, Va., this past weekend. We cannot and will not condone the vicious, hateful actions of white supremacists, neo-Nazis groups and bigots. This type of racism is immoral and has no place in America or anywhere. We, as a labor movement, value equality and solidarity and have fought long and hard to overcome these prejudices. Now is a moment for all Americans who believe in freedom and justice, to stand up and speak out. I urge you to participate in a vigil or community event in support of the true values of our country. Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims of this horrific event and my hope is that we continue to have the important conversations with each other against this intolerance.

New Jersey State AFL-CIO:

As the nation begins to heal from the vicious act of terror committed in Charlottesville, we will keep in our hearts the memory of those who were injured or lost their lives. Those who stood up against the hatred and bigotry of white supremacists and intolerance of any kind, demonstrate the true values of this nation. Those who carry the banner of hate, bear the responsibility of this tragedy, and must be unequivocally condemned. We have come too far as a nation to turn back.

North Carolina State AFL-CIO Secretary-Treasurer MaryBe McMillan:

The North Carolina State AFL-CIO condemns white supremacy. It is a tool used by those who want to divide and conquer people who would otherwise work together to secure their freedom and their fair share, which is why the labor movement is committed to addressing racism and bigotry within our own ranks and in our larger society. All of us including President Trump have a moral obligation to speak out against not only racist, fascist violence but also the racist, fascist ideology behind such violence—an ideology which thrives on silence and inaction, particularly that of white people like me. We cannot expect our black and brown brothers and sisters to both bear the burden of white supremacy and do the work of dismantling it because this is our fight too, and together we can triumph over hatred. Lest we forget, when Adolf Hitler was consolidating his power, Nazis specifically came after union members because they feared the inclusiveness and collective strength of a united labor movement. By building a broad, inclusive movement, we can overcome the forces trying to divide us, and that is what we intend to do.

North Dakota AFL-CIO President/Secretary-Treasurer Waylon Hedegaard:

Sadly, white supremacy and Nazi ideology are on the rise across the nation and here in North Dakota. Four years ago, we all watched as Nazis and white supremacists tried to take over the small town of Leith for their own enclave, and many of us went down to protest the Nazi rally.

We stood against the hate and aggression they represented. Regular everyday North Dakotans, friends and neighbors, young and old, stood shoulder to should against the Nazis. People of all backgrounds and colors flocked to Leith because they could not stand by while fascists terrorized other North Dakotans.

The North Dakota AFL-CIO and organized labor will always stand against such racist, hateful and vile beliefs. Nazism, fascism and white supremacy are abhorrent to everything labor stands for and they always have been....

We must stand up! We must fight back! We must call them out on their murderous beliefs. We must not let this hate-filled infection spread!...

The source of working people’s issues are not people of a different color, gender, religion or belief. This has never been true and remains a lie today. Working people’s problems come from an unfair economic system that increasingly takes money and power from them to benefit the wealthy and powerful.

The North Dakota AFL-CIO stands against hate. It has always stood against hate, and it always will. We stand against blaming other poor people for our problems. We stand against white supremacy, and we stand against Nazis.

We will proclaim this message until it rings in every labor hall, every workplace and every neighborhood in our state. We will not accept the racism and hatred that the swastika represents. We will not tolerate the threats of violence and fear, and we will not be quiet....

Oregon AFL-CIO President Tom Chamberlain:

Saturday in Charlottesville, Va., the nation and the world witnessed the hateful views and violent actions of white supremacists and neo-Nazis. This racism and bigotry is the worst kind of evil in our world and does not represent the true values of America. The true values of our country, values like equality and solidarity, are what have always overcome the most abominable prejudices.

Any response must begin with our leaders, starting with President Trump, acknowledging this for what it is: domestic terrorism rooted in bigotry. My heart goes out to the victims especially the family of those who lost their lives including a young woman named Heather Heyer and state Troopers Lieutenant H. Jay Cullen and Trooper-Pilot Berke M.M. Bates. I pray for everyone’s safety. Oregon’s labor movement condemns this domestic terrorism and remains committed to eradicating the despicable causes of hatred and intolerance.

Pennsylvania AFL-CIO:

The Pennsylvania AFL-CIO wholeheartedly supports the statement made by President Trumka. We condemn violence perpetrated by bigotry, racism, and hatred anywhere. Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims, their families, and the Charlottesville community.

Texas AFL-CIO President John Patrick:

We condemn the armed white supremacists and neo-Nazis who set the stage for and carried out the acts of terrorism that took place in Charlottesville.

Nothing anyone can say can take away the horror of what we witnessed yesterday, but in times like this we look to our leaders to comfort us, bring us together and shape our moral response as a nation. Sadly, the president failed miserably in those tasks. He glossed over 'Sieg Heil' salutes, KKK symbols, Confederate flags and other evidence of hatred in suggesting that 'all sides' were somehow to blame.

Instead of sending in the Justice Department, President Trump left room for David Duke to praise him and gave comfort to extremists who can claim with plenty of justification that they have a valued place in his presidency. At his most crucial moment in this tragedy, with the eyes of the nation on him, this president failed miserably.

As we grieve for those who lost their lives, with all our hearts the labor movement redoubles our commitment to fighting racism, anti-Semitism and other forms of hatred at every turn. We will never be divided in turning toward the lights of justice for all and solidarity.

Washington State Labor Council President Jeff Johnson:

On behalf of the Washington State labor Council, AFL-CIO, we want to send our condolences to the families of Heather Heyer and the two police officers who died in Saturday’s terrorist attack by white supremacists in Charlottesville, Va., as well as the nineteen individuals injured in the attack. We also want to honor the bravery of Ms. Heyer and all of those who stood up against the hatred, bigotry and violence of the white nationalists. There is no place in the United States of America for these racist and supremacist beliefs. Once again the president is wrong – there are not “many sides” to this violence and hatred. There is only the moral courage and values of those who stand up against racism and white supremacy and there is the hatred and violence of white supremacy. Only two sides, right and wrong. It is time for us all to choose sides. Labor chooses the side that condemns racism and white supremacy in all of its forms.

Wisconsin AFL-CIO:

"The Wisconsin labor movement stands strong against white supremacy, hate and racism," said Phil Neuenfeldt, president of the Wisconsin AFL-CIO. "As a movement, we remain steadfast in eradicating the despicable causes of hatred and intolerance in the world. The labor movement was built on the values of equality, justice, respect and solidarity. These are the values that have and will always overcome the most repulsive prejudices."

"Racism and bigotry is the worst kind of evil in our world," said Stephanie Bloomingdale, Secretary-Treasurer of the Wisconsin AFL-CIO. "Wisconsin’s working people soundly condemn Saturday’s domestic terrorism and remain committed to standing together to end hatred and intolerance. As we grieve for the families who have lost loved ones, the labor movement redoubles our commitment to fighting racism, anti-Semitism and all other forms of hatred and evil at every turn."

Kenneth Quinnell Thu, 08/17/2017 - 11:20

Why I Quit Trump’s Business Council

Wed, 08/16/2017 - 15:41

Why I Quit Trump’s Business Council AFL-CIO

On Tuesday, President Donald Trump stood in the lobby of his tower on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan and again made excuses for bigotry and terrorism, effectively repudiating the remarks his staff wrote a day earlier in response to the white supremacist violence in Charlottesville, Virginia. I stood in that same lobby in January, fresh off a meeting with the new president-elect. Although I had endorsed Hillary Clinton for president, I was hopeful we could work together to bring some of his pro-worker campaign promises to fruition.

Unfortunately, with each passing day, it has become clear that Trump has no intention of following through on his commitments to working people. More worrisome, his actions and rhetoric threaten to leave America worse off and more divided. It is for these reasons that I resigned yesterday from the president’s manufacturing council, which the president disbanded today after a string of resignations.

To be clear, the council never lived up to its potential for delivering policies that lift up working families. In fact, we were never called to a single official meeting, even though it comprised some of the world’s top business and labor leaders. The AFL-CIO joined to bring the voices of working people to the table and advocate the manufacturing initiatives our country desperately needs. But the only thing the council ever manufactured was letterhead. In the end, it was just another broken promise.

During my January meeting with Trump, we identified a few important areas where compromise seemed possible. On manufacturing, infrastructure and especially trade, we were generally in agreement. Trump spoke of $1 trillion to rebuild our schools, roads and bridges. He challenged companies to keep jobs in the United States. He promoted “Buy America.” He promised to renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement.

Here’s the thing: Working men and women have been promised the moon by politicians. Year after year. Campaign after campaign. Republican and Democrat. Too often, those promises have ended up being hollow; election year sound bites are often discarded as quickly as they are made. I told Trump that this time must be different. I made clear that we would judge his administration on its actions.

Nearly seven months in, the facts speak for themselves.

Trump’s $1 trillion infrastructure bill is nowhere to be found. And according to an analysis from the University of Pennsylvania, even if Trump did bring such a plan forward, his own budget proposal would wipe it out, leading to a net loss of $55 billion for highways, water facilities and public transit. Trump also has remained silent on the future of the Davis-Bacon Act of 1931, which requires contractors on federally assisted construction projects to pay their employees at rates prevailing in the communities where they perform the work.

What about NAFTA? First, Trump promised that the United States would withdraw. Then his administration sent a letter to Congress indicating the treaty needed only minor tweaks. Now renegotiation is underway with no clear principles for reform or negotiating goals in sight. Meanwhile, NAFTA remains firmly in place.

Although Trump has promised to protect the social safety net, his budget would slash $1.5 trillion from Medicaid, $59 billion from Medicare and up to $64 billion from Social Security over 10 years. It would strip funding for workplace safety research by 40%, even though about 150 workers die each day from hazardous working conditions. And it would force the people who make our government work to endure a 6% pay cut.

Trump championed the Republican plan to gut health care and raise taxes on working people to line the pockets of the rich. And his executive orders that deport aspiring Americans and impose a religious litmus test for refugees are both morally bankrupt and bad economic policy.

Finally, rather than “draining the swamp,” Trump has filled his Cabinet with the authors and beneficiaries of our broken economic rules. He has elevated an anti-worker judge to the Supreme Court and appointed union-busting lawyers to the National Labor Relations Board.

In some ways, Trump presented himself as a different kind of politician, someone who could cut through the gridlock in Washington and win a better deal for America's workers. But his record is a combination of broken promises, outright attacks and dangerous, divisive rhetoric. That’s why we opposed him in the campaign. And that’s why he is losing the support of our members each and every day.

This post originally appeared in the New York Times.

Kenneth Quinnell Wed, 08/16/2017 - 16:41

In Their Own Words: Why Immigrant Worker Protections Must Be Extended

Tue, 08/15/2017 - 10:03

In Their Own Words: Why Immigrant Worker Protections Must Be Extended AFT

A primary goal of the labor movement is to make every job in our country a good job. To do that, we must and we will stand with every worker in the fight for basic rights and dignity on the job. More than 1 million working people are in danger of having their work permits stripped away if the Trump administration ends the Temporary Protected Status and Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals programs. This is unacceptable. We will fight for and with them just as they have fought for and with all of us.

The DACA and TPS programs help working people and they help the country. Here are just a few stories of union members whose lives have been changed because of these programs. Please send us your story of how DACA and TPS made your life better and helped you exercise your basic rights and find dignity on the job.

Reyna Sorto, Painters and Allied Trades (IUPAT) member:

Employers exploit immigrant workers because they think our fear will keep us silent from speaking out against abuses, even though TPS is not permanent, it does provide a level of protection that can give a worker strength to speak truth to power and denounce exploitative working conditions.

Karen Reyes, DACAmented teacher in Austin, Texas, and member of AFT:

DACA made me visible. It made me realize that those opportunities that I thought were not for me—were now possible. DACA made it possible for me to be able to find a job in teaching. It made it possible to be able to earn money to be help out my mom while she went through numerous health issues. DACA made it possible for me to teach children who are deaf and hard of hearing. DACA made me find my voice and made me be able to live without fear. We must #DefendDACA because after living here for 26 years—I am here to stay.

Gerdine Vessagne, housekeeper in Miami Beach, Florida:

TPS has allowed me to provide for my five children, including two back home and three born here. But this isn’t just about me. Over 50,000 Haitian nationals working in the U.S. have this protected status. We are the engine of Florida’s hospitality industry, much of which greatly depends on our labor.

Cecilia Luis, housekeeper in Orlando, Florida.:

I know a lot of people here that don't eat or sleep because they're worried they'll be sent back to Haiti. It's not as easy to leave when you're sending money to your family to help them survive. My God knows everything, and I'm asking him to speak to their hearts so they don't do this. A lot of people will suffer.

Areli Zarate, DACAmented teacher in Austin, Texas:

DACA allowed me the opportunity to come out of the shadows and lose the fear of deportation. I have a social security number and work permit which gives me the opportunity to follow my dream and teach. I am about to begin my fourth year of teaching with a big heart filled with love and passion for my profession. I am dedicated to my students and it's hard to see myself doing something else. Yet, every time I have to renew my DACA I am reminded that my status is temporary. I am currently pending a decision on my renewal and I am praying to God that I will be allowed to teach for another two years until my next renewal.

Maria Elena Durazo, UNITE HERE General Vice President for Immigration, Civil Rights and Diversity, spoke for many working people in the hospitality industry:

The American hospitality industry runs because of the women and men on DACA and TPS working in it. These immigrants prove their value to this country every day, and many have been living in and contributing to America for more than a decade. These men and women have deep roots in this country, and are longtime employees, spouses, parents, neighbors and community members. Losing DACA and TPS would destroy both their families and the hotel industry that is built on their work. We must extend TPS and protect DACA—for our sisters and brothers working under them, for their families and for the health of the American economy.

These stories make it clear that the ability to exploit any worker undermines standards for all working people. Increasing the pool of vulnerable workers in our country directly threatens the labor movement’s mission of raising wages and improving working conditions. We call on our nation’s leaders to reverse the destructive course we are on and take these immediate steps to reduce the fear in our workplaces:

Defend DACA and protect this vital young workforce;
Continue TPS for all affected countries; and
Protect labor rights by preventing immigration enforcement from interfering with other important roles of government.

The words of AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka sum it up:

DACA and TPS holders are members of our families, our unions and our communities who have made positive contributions to our society for many years. We will not allow them to lose their rights and status. We will stand with them in the fight to defend these programs as a necessary part of our long-term struggle to ensure that all working people have rights at work and the freedom to negotiate together for fair pay and conditions.

We call on the Trump administration to demonstrate a genuine commitment to lifting up the wages, rights and standards of all working people by acting to defend and extend vital DACA and TPS protections.

Sign our petition today to stand up in support of DACA and TPS.

Kenneth Quinnell Tue, 08/15/2017 - 11:03

Tags: DACA

Working People Respond to Domestic Terror in Virginia

Tue, 08/15/2017 - 09:53

Working People Respond to Domestic Terror in Virginia Stephen Melkisethian on Flickr

Working people across the country were shocked by the act of domestic terrorism perpetrated by white nationalists in Virginia on Saturday. Here are excerpts of how leaders for working family organizations responded:

AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka:

Yesterday in Charlottesville, Va., the nation and the world witnessed the hateful views and violent actions of white supremacists and neo-Nazis. This racism and bigotry is the worst kind of evil in our world and does not represent the true values of America. The true values of our country, values like equality and solidarity, are what have always overcome the most abominable prejudices. Any response must begin with our leaders, starting with President Donald Trump, acknowledging this for what it is: domestic terrorism rooted in bigotry. My heart goes out to the victims, especially the family of those who lost their lives, including a young woman named Heather Heyer and state Troopers Lieutenant H. Jay Cullen and Trooper-Pilot Berke M.M. Bates. I pray for everyone’s safety. The labor movement condemns this domestic terrorism and remains committed to eradicating the despicable causes of hatred and intolerance.

Virginia AFL-CIO President Doris Crouse-Mays:

Allow me to be clear—the working people of Virginia do not and will not stand for discrimination and hate in our communities. Yesterday's disgraceful display of beliefs from the alt-right was simply that—a disgrace to the citizens of the Commonwealth and all that we stand for. Virginia’s working families have fought long and hard to overcome the discriminatory policies of our past and to create an environment of inclusion and fairness in work places across the Commonwealth. We will continue to devote every ounce of our abilities to ensure that the rights and safety of all Virginians are preserved.

AFT President Randi Weingarten and numerous educational leaders:

We are angered and heartbroken by the largest open mobilization of white supremacists in the United States in decades. We grieve the murder of Heather Heyer and the injury of other peaceful protesters against racism and anti-Semitism who, numbering in the thousands, courageously exercised their First Amendment rights in Charlottesville this weekend.

At the same time, we are sick with the knowledge that the racist uprising they protested is of a piece with a long history of racist ideology and terrorism that has afflicted every region of our beloved country....

We enjoin President Trump and his administration to take this opportunity to correct their course. They must reflect on their role in normalizing racism through statement and policy, and on their responsibility in creating the sense of moral license that enabled racist terrorism to manifest itself in the streets of Charlottesville and on the grounds of the University of Virginia. They must denounce white supremacy and white supremacist terrorism in the strongest terms....

Most importantly, we call upon the president, state elected official, and all those in positions with the power to do so, to enforce the law, protect Americans who justifiably fear racist violence, and investigate these events and bring the perpetrators of racist hate crimes to justice.

Read the full statement and list of educational leaders who endorsed it.

Communications Workers of America (CWA):

Members of the Communications Workers of America reject the vile actions and rhetoric of the white supremacists who paraded their hatred and bigotry this weekend in Charlottesville, Va. These evil actions, which President Trump couldn’t be bothered to condemn, instead offering a weak 'violence on many sides' throwaway line, resulted in the tragic death of a young woman and injuries to many more.

Our government’s failure to condemn these evil people emboldens them, and sets us back in our determination to realize our goal of a nation where all people are respected, all have opportunity and all are full participants in our democracy.

CWA members are determined to bring about that nation, and we will continue to work with our allies to ensure that hatred, racism and bigotry have no place in our nation. We also commend the law enforcement officers who stood together to end this demonstration of hate.

Jobs With Justice:

We grieve for the lives lost and pray for those critically injured because of the domestic terrorism committed in Charlottesville. Jobs With Justice condemns hatred, bigotry and violence against our friends and neighbors. Our hearts pour out to everyone in the Charlottesville community and those watching around the country traumatized by witnessing such barbaric acts of racism.

We recognize the progress achieved as communities finally remove the white supremacist monuments that stain our country. When tearing down symbols of hate sparks such vitriolic backlash, the work to fully dismantle racism from our society is far from over. Our nation needs more healing, unifying and transformation to live up to our values of respect, equality, diversity and freedom....

The Jobs With Justice network is called upon to combat the violent and exclusionary systems of white nationalism and white supremacy smoldering in our communities and institutions more than ever. We demand a future full of love, equity, diversity, peace, safety and opportunity. It is up to us to build the America that we and our future generations deserve.

National Nurses United (NNU) Executive Director RoseAnn DeMoro:

There can be no doubt that the appalling display of white supremacy and hatred on display in Charlottesville today was the precipitator of the violence. As a society, it is incumbent upon all of us to forcefully repudiate all expressions of white supremacy, racial hatred and bigotry. Anyone familiar with the history of how white supremacy has stained our nation and our democracy can not be surprised that continued expressions of that virulent philosophy would lead to violence today. All of our nation’s elected leaders, starting in the White House, have a responsibility to condemn racial hatred and the violence it encourages, and disassociate from those promoting it.

North Carolina AFL-CIO Secretary-Treasurer MaryBe McMillan :

The North Carolina State AFL-CIO condemns white supremacy. It is a tool used by those who want to divide and conquer people who would otherwise work together to secure their freedom and their fair share, which is why the labor movement is committed to addressing racism and bigotry within our own ranks and in our larger society. All of us including President Trump have a moral obligation to speak out against not only racist, fascist violence but also the racist, fascist ideology behind such violence—an ideology which thrives on silence and inaction, particularly that of white people like me. We cannot expect our black and brown brothers and sisters to both bear the burden of white supremacy and do the work of dismantling it because this is our fight too and together we can triumph over hatred. Lest we forget, when Adolf Hitler was consolidating his power, Nazis specifically came after union members because they feared the inclusiveness and collective strength of a united labor movement. By building a broad, inclusive movement, we can overcome the forces trying to divide us, and that is what we intend to do.

Pride At Work Co-Presidents Shellea Allen and Tim Schlittner and Executive Director Jerame Davis:

Pride at Work stands firmly against all forms of white supremacy and terrorism in this country and around the world. What we saw on Saturday in Charlottesville was a horrible act of bigotry and hate and a reminder that we have a lot of work to dismantle all forms of white supremacy that are still present today.

We cannot achieve racial justice without economic justice. Pride at Work and our allies will never stop standing up to hate. We will confront evil wherever it exists. Our hearts are with the community of Charlottesville and the family of Heather D. Heyer who died standing up for what she believed in. The best way to honor her memory is to never stop organizing for economic, racial and social justice.

UAW President Dennis Williams:

The events in Charlottesville this weekend will long serve as a reminder that time has a way of washing away the tears of the past where hate bullied many Americans, both in society and in the workplace through intolerance.

The UAW condemns the hate and intolerance of the alt-right groups that led to such violence in Charlottesville. Every woman and every man is equal in their civil and workplace rights regardless of race, gender, religion or sexual orientation in society and in the workplace. We cannot take our freedom for granted, and we cannot forget the lessons that history forged through the sacrifice of many brave Americans in our military, in labor and in our civil rights struggles to secure those freedoms.

Union Veterans Council Executive Director Will Attig:

The actions of domestic terrorists in Charlottesville, Va., wearing U.S. military uniforms and defaced American flags spits in the face of every true American patriot who has fought or died for the better values of our nation.

The graves on the hallowed fields of Arlington do not check to see if you are white, black, Hispanic, Jewish or Catholic. They only care about one thing, did you serve your country?

We denounce white supremacy, Neo-Nazis, fascism and white nationalism. It's un-American. It's hateful, dangerous and dishonors hundreds of thousands of Americans who fought and died in World War II. And it has no place in our country.

Kenneth Quinnell Tue, 08/15/2017 - 10:53

NAFTA Can’t Be Fixed Behind Closed Doors

Mon, 08/14/2017 - 10:23

NAFTA Can’t Be Fixed Behind Closed Doors AFL-CIO

This week, the governments of the United States, Canada and Mexico will begin renegotiating the North American Free Trade Agreement, better known as NAFTA.

NAFTA, which has been governing our economy since 1994, is a bad deal. It has held down wages across North America. It has empowered global corporations to offshore jobs, shutter factories and drive small farmers out of business. It has driven away more than 850,000 U.S. jobs. It has made our economy more unequal and unfair.

Renegotiation offers a chance to give North America’s working families a new economic deal, so that any benefits of international trade can be shared broadly instead of being captured by the largest global corporations and their CEOs.

The first step to replacing NAFTA with a new economic deal is to negotiate in an open and transparent manner. If the proposals to fix NAFTA are only developed and discussed behind closed doors, how will ordinary people have a fair chance to review and influence these rules? If the negotiators claim we must trust them to do what’s best, but they won’t show us the new rules we will have to live under, the likelihood of a better deal is slim.

There is an old saying in the labor movement that if you are not at the table, you’re on the menu. We can’t hold our government accountable if we don’t know what it’s doing in our name.

Now is the time to eliminate old-style, secretive trade negotiations and usher in open, 21st-century negotiations that allow citizen participation. Isn’t that what democracy is all about anyway? Click here to send a message to your elected official about the kind of new trade deal that working people need now!

Kenneth Quinnell Mon, 08/14/2017 - 11:23

Tags: NAFTA

The Failure of Corporate Responsibility Campaigns: The Working People Weekly List

Fri, 08/11/2017 - 15:33

The Failure of Corporate Responsibility Campaigns: 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.

Why ‘Corporate Responsibility’ Campaigns Fail: "Oddly, in an age of global cosmopolitanism, 'corporate social responsibility' campaigns, and technocratic regulations, we haven’t evolved out of medieval labor practices like enslavement and child labor. But could technology hold the key to cleaning up the global supply chain?"

Restaurant Jobs Now Dominate the Workforce. That's a Bad Thing: "Unemployment remains low, and job creation is up, according to the latest employment report. But a closer look reveals that it’s restaurant work — not the coal-mining or manufacturing Donald Trump likes to champion in speeches and on Twitter — that is bolstering the economy. A serious shift away 'from making things to serving people' is happening in America, reports the Atlantic."

Graduate Students on These 7 Campuses Are Fighting for Their Labor Rights: "Over the past academic year, graduate students across the country were busy organizing for better working conditions. Currently, there are 33 officially recognized graduate-student unions; 23 are fighting for university recognition. With increasing tuition and plummeting wages, meager health-care benefits and overwhelming workloads, these graduate students are coming together to demand better treatment and recognition."

School’s Out: Teachers Union Chief Randi Weingarten Says Trump Leads 'Most Anti-public-education” Administration Ever: "A strong educational system is the bedrock of a healthy democracy. There is a corollary to this fact: A poorly educated public is more likely to be tempted by tyrants, more easily seduced into believing that avarice, greed and consumerism are virtues, and will more readily betray the common good. In many ways, an educational system that does not encourage critical thinking and speaking truth to power is doing the work of authoritarianism."

Strong as Hell: In the States Roundup: "It's time once again to take a look at the battles for the rights of working families in the states. Here is what the unions in the states are talking about this week. Click on any of the links to follow the state federations and labor councils on Twitter."

In Missouri, a Race to the Bottom: "The NAACP took the unusual step this week to declare a travel advisory to African Americans for the state of Missouri. This bold action came in response to legislation passed by the Missouri Legislature limiting workers’ ability to sue over discrimination. 'With the Missouri Human Rights Act gutted, employers who want to engage in illegal workplace discrimination will have no fear of being held accountable,' Missouri House Minority Leader Gail McCann Beatty told Ebony magazine. 'While S.B. 43 might not quite return us to the days when businesses were free to hang 'minorities need not apply' signs in the window, it certainly reinforces the sentiment.' For that reason, the Missouri AFL-CIO opposed S.B. 43."

Kenneth Quinnell Fri, 08/11/2017 - 16:33

Make Sure Your Back-to-School Supplies are Union Made

Fri, 08/11/2017 - 10:13

Make Sure Your Back-to-School Supplies are Union Made Labor 411

As sad as we will be to see summer come to an end, the approach of a new school year is an exciting time and ushers in the busiest buying season outside of the winter holidays. Get your young learners fired up for the start of school with new school supplies! Check out our list of ethically made products from companies that treat their employees fairly.

Paper Supplies:

ACCO brands
At-A-Glance Academic Daily Planner
Five Star Reinforced Filler Paper
Industries for the Blind Inc. Composition Books
Mead Spiral Notebook
Roaring Spring Pocket Folders
Swingline Stapler
Trapper Keeper Folders
Wilson Jones Binders

Keepin’ It Sanitary:

Kleenex Tissues

Clothing:

All USA Clothing
Carhartt
Union House Apparel
The Union Shop
Wigwam

Quench the Thirst:

Crystal Springs Water
Gatorade
Minute Maid Juice
Mott’s Juice
Snapple
Tropicana
V8
Welch’s Juice

This post originally appeared at Labor 411.

Kenneth Quinnell Fri, 08/11/2017 - 11:13

Tags: Union Made

The Answer to Exploding Inequality: Working People Standing Together

Thu, 08/10/2017 - 13:09

The Answer to Exploding Inequality: Working People Standing Together New York Times

The New York Times published a chart this week that perfectly summarizes how the United States has gone from having the healthiest middle class in the world to a land of increasing economic inequality that shuts out far too many families from the American dream.

A well-known team of inequality researchers—Thomas Piketty, Emmanuel Saez and Gabriel Zucman—has been getting some attention recently for a chart it produced. It shows the change in income between 1980 and 2014 for every point on the distribution, and it neatly summarizes the recent soaring of inequality.

The line on the chart (which we have recreated as the red line above) resembles a classic hockey-stick graph. It’s mostly flat and close to zero, before spiking upward at the end. That spike shows that the very affluent, and only the very affluent, have received significant raises in recent decades.

While instructive, this chart leaves one very important question unanswered: Why? When you dig a little deeper into the data, one striking fact simply can’t be ignored: The decline of union membership tracks perfectly with the rise of inequality.

In 1979, roughly 25% of all U.S. workers were union members. For those workers, that meant regular raises, decent benefits such as health care and retirement security, and workplace safety protections on the job. But even if you didn’t belong to a union, you indirectly benefited from high union density. Strong unions drove wages in nonunion industries upward, CEO-to-worker pay ratios were much lower than they are today, and there was a powerful counterbalance to corporate greed.

But in the ensuing years, corporate special interests, backed by the politicians they bankroll, engaged in an all-out assault on unions. As union membership declined, the wages that used to go into workers’ pockets instead went straight into the bank accounts of corporate CEOs and well-heeled executives. Today, just 1 in 10 workers belongs to a union. And with current attacks through the courts and the Trump administration on working people’s freedom to stand together in unions, that number could dip even lower in coming years.

The bottom line is this: There’s only one way out of this abyss. It’s giving working people the opportunity to stand together to negotiate with their bosses for fair wages, good benefits and a better life. All other solutions to inequality are just nibbling around the edges of the problem. Without strong unions, inequality and its disastrous consequences for our future will never go away. Time to give workers back some of the power they’ve lost. Time for America to become #UnionStrong once again.

This post originally appeared at California Labor Federation.

Kenneth Quinnell Thu, 08/10/2017 - 14:09

Strong as Hell: In the States Roundup

Tue, 08/08/2017 - 08:36

Strong as Hell: In the States Roundup

It's time once again to take a look at the battles for the rights of working families in the states. Here is what the unions in the states are talking about this week. Click on any of the links to follow the state federations and labor councils on Twitter.

Alaska AFL-CIO:

The Alaska AFL-CIO supports .@NissanUSA workers in their fight to organize. #DoBetterNissan #1u https://t.co/X3qnfMwyag

— Alaska AFL-CIO (@AKAFLCIO) August 3, 2017

Arizona AFL-CIO:

There's good news coming out of Tucson. Contract aircraft-maintenance workers employed by DynCorp International... https://t.co/BunNGXoyYs

— Arizona AFL-CIO (@ArizonaAFLCIO) July 28, 2017

Arkansas AFL-CIO:

https://t.co/XPtDIdYtUM

Arkansans should not remain the cheap labor hub of the country. We deserve better. #1u #arkansaslabor #arpx

— Arkansas AFL-CIO (@ArkansasAFLCIO) August 1, 2017

California Labor Federation:

One month till our favorite holiday: #LaborDay2017! Celebrate working people at an event near you! Find one at https://t.co/E9tFFHds2E pic.twitter.com/N1xyBXPlW6

— California Labor (@CaliforniaLabor) August 4, 2017

Colorado AFL-CIO:

Black women in the labor movement are #strongashell and deserve equal pay for equal work #BlackWomensEqualPayDay https://t.co/lEthVCNnjz

— Colorado AFL-CIO (@AFLCIOCO) July 31, 2017

Connecticut AFL-CIO:

State Rep. Mike D’Agostino: Our state employees have done their part, now it’s time for us to do ours. https://t.co/eN8F8NdKwT @AFTCT @c4mc

— Connecticut AFL-CIO (@ConnAFLCIO) July 31, 2017

Georgia AFL-CIO:

Demand @Nissan respect everyone's right unionize ,have democracy @ work. Sign the petition: https://t.co/AMH3KFNMGh #1u #organizethesouth

— AFL-CIO Georgia (@AFLCIOGeorgia) August 2, 2017

Idaho AFL-CIO:

.@USTradeRep If NAFTA is going to be renegotiated, it MUST put working people first https://t.co/Hw1TPStl96 via @AFLCIO #1u

— Idaho State AFL-CIO (@IdahoAFLCIO) July 28, 2017

Illinois AFL-CIO:

The pay gap for black women is extreme, only 63 cents on the dollar, costing each woman’s family more than $800,000 over her lifetime

— Illinois AFL-CIO (@ILAFLCIO) July 31, 2017

Indiana State AFL-CIO:

Teachers should NEVER have to pay out of pocket for supplies, especially when they are underpaid as is. #1uTeachers https://t.co/xG65Wm4L5s

— Indiana AFL-CIO (@INAFLCIO) August 1, 2017

Iowa Federation of Labor:

Leveraging the Power of Black Women - Center for American Progress https://t.co/nphomRITzJ

— Iowa AFL-CIO (@IowaAFLCIO) August 7, 2017

Kansas State AFL-CIO:

KOSE and lawmakers alike speak out to the urgent dangers facing Correction Officers and call for action. https://t.co/c4kkr9yihF

— Kansas AFL-CIO (@KansasAFLCIO) August 2, 2017

Kentucky State AFL-CIO:

Check out our partners at Kentucky Together, as we work to ensure that "tax reform" in KY works for working... https://t.co/rN7WuHrGNm

— Kentucky AFL-CIO (@aflcioky) August 2, 2017

Massachusetts AFL-CIO:

It's #BlackWomensEqualPay Day! Hey Congress: we need tools & solutions to close the gender #paygap NOW! https://t.co/CFuvWb6VX4

— Massachusetts AFLCIO (@massaflcio) July 31, 2017

Michigan AFL-CIO:

This looks like a smart plan to fighting outsourcing and help Michigan manufacturers and workers compete https://t.co/3mcvRDe4tr

— Michigan AFL-CIO (@MIAFLCIO) August 2, 2017

Minnesota AFL-CIO:

Workers Remember the I-35W Bridge Collapse, Fight for Change https://t.co/8eZ9xlX2l7

— Minnesota AFL-CIO (@MNAFLCIO) August 7, 2017

Missouri AFL-CIO:

Union members providing some light for America's favorite past time. https://t.co/pfUtU3dl92 pic.twitter.com/GhIGmP8zS3

— Missouri AFL-CIO (@MOAFLCIO) August 6, 2017

Montana AFL-CIO:

Don't buy into the Family Foundation's bigotry and fear mongering. #mtpol #No183 #dontsign

— Montana AFL-CIO (@MTaflcio) August 2, 2017

Nevada State AFL-CIO:

Exec Sec Treasurer Rusty McAllister calling on NV labor, community, and activists to keep up the fight on campaign to #ProtectOurCare pic.twitter.com/R0o6UIgWGQ

— Nevada State AFL-CIO (@NVAFLCIO) July 29, 2017

New Hampshire AFL-CIO:

Our @PresBrackett & @evergreen707 presenting @NHAFLCIO #LindaHoranScholarship award prize to a young #laborwarrior! #NHLabor pic.twitter.com/ai8F0DV8p8

— NewHampshire AFL-CIO (@NHAFLCIO) July 31, 2017

New York State AFL-CIO:

Wealthy lobbyists want to control the state of New York. You can stop it from happening. #VoteNoNY
https://t.co/xovIqmKWyh

— VoteNoNY (@VoteNoNY) July 31, 2017

North Carolina State AFL-CIO:

What does labor want? https://t.co/JeNEZYMTp7

— NC State AFL-CIO (@NCStateAFLCIO) August 4, 2017

Ohio AFL-CIO:

Thanks @dscc & @SenSherrodBrown for sponsoring "Medicare at 55 Act" & advancing real solutions to fixing healthcare https://t.co/moksVNfoxm

— Ohio AFL-CIO (@ohioaflcio) August 4, 2017

Oregon AFL-CIO:

Labor can go on the offensive, as proven by the 2017 Oregon Legislaturehttps://t.co/nIt1QR9fOy

— Oregon AFL-CIO (@OregonAFLCIO) August 4, 2017

Pennsylvania AFL-CIO:

I have stood w/ @CWAUnion members on the Verizon & ATT picket lines in their fight for fairness! @GovernorTomWolf #CWAStrong #CWA2017 #1u pic.twitter.com/aj6Ec5t1m6

— PA AFL-CIO (@PaAFL_CIO) August 7, 2017

Virginia AFL-CIO:

Real #WomenWhoWork : The home health aide supporting her family on less than $20k/year. https://t.co/1rmtAIUUkT

— Virginia AFL-CIO (@Virginia_AFLCIO) August 3, 2017

Washington State Labor Council:

Thank you for your principled opposition, Sen. Murray. https://t.co/9I5ojOl8FF

— WA State AFL-CIO (@WAAFLCIO) August 2, 2017

West Virginia AFL-CIO:

A statement on behalf of the WV AFL-CIO Executive Board regarding @WVGovernor #wvpol #wvgov https://t.co/NVnwL1nSVK

— West Virginia AFLCIO (@WestVirginiaAFL) August 4, 2017

Wisconsin State AFL-CIO:

WPR: WI AFL-CIO tells Assembly committee Foxconn incentive deal "lacks guarantees related to working conditions" https://t.co/ZkKL0ZJHAY

— WI AFL-CIO (@wisaflcio) August 4, 2017 Kenneth Quinnell Tue, 08/08/2017 - 09:36

In Missouri, a Race to the Bottom

Fri, 08/04/2017 - 13:41

In Missouri, a Race to the Bottom

The NAACP took the unusual step this week to declare a travel advisory to African Americans for the state of Missouri. This bold action came in response to legislation passed by the Missouri Legislature limiting workers’ ability to sue over discrimination. "With the Missouri Human Rights Act gutted, employers who want to engage in illegal workplace discrimination will have no fear of being held accountable," Missouri House Minority Leader Gail McCann Beatty told Ebony magazine. "While S.B. 43 might not quite return us to the days when businesses were free to hang 'minorities need not apply' signs in the window, it certainly reinforces the sentiment." For that reason, the Missouri AFL-CIO opposed S.B. 43.

Since legislators in Missouri passed a "right to work" law undermining the freedom of workers to negotiate for a better life, they have continued to expand these unfair attacks. Earlier this year, they overturned local powers to set minimum wages, effectively lowering the wage floor in St. Louis from $10 an hour to $7.70. This will have a major impact in one of the nation’s poorest cities.

Right to work is deeply rooted in racism. A 1915 South Carolina law mandated total racial segregation in textile mills, from separate bathrooms, entrances, punch clocks and even windows. This was the real agenda of right to work: preventing the appearance of equality that cross-racial membership in a union implies. Vance Muse, the greatest advocate for right to work, made his sentiment clear about the failings of the Wagner Act: "From now on, white women and white men will be forced into organizations with black African apes whom they will have to call 'brother' or lose their jobs." The result of this animus is that black workers are more likely to live in states with right to work laws, the lowest minimum wages and the least access to unemployment insurance.

Yet the problem does not stop there. Right to work states are highest in incarceration, lowest in per student investment in education and lowest in supporting the incomes of single mothers. People misconceive these problems to only affect communities of color, which causes elected leaders to manipulate this into a wedge issue that will pass over white workers. Union members know that nothing could be further from the truth.

The problem doesn’t start or stop with state-sanctioned discrimination, and it is more than black workers who need to be on guard while traveling to Missouri. The state is racing to the bottom—a race that hurts all workers.

At the bottom of these worst practices now is Mississippi, a state whose laws insure it will continue to have the highest poverty rate in the nation. Today, the brave workers at Nissan in Canton, Mississippi, can strike a blow against the poverty machine. Rather than be meek, they are standing up. They get the vote they have fought so hard for to have their own voice—to bargain as equals with their bosses and start the process of reversing trends.

"Change does not roll in on the wheels of inevitability but comes through continuous struggle. And so we must straighten our backs and work for our freedom. A man can’t ride you unless your back is bent." —Martin Luther King Jr.

Kenneth Quinnell Fri, 08/04/2017 - 14:41

Medicare for All: The Working People Weekly List

Fri, 08/04/2017 - 13:01

Medicare for All: 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.

Counterpoint: How We Invest in Our Infrastructure Matters: "Strong infrastructure and a well-functioning transportation system are vital to the health of our economy, but for too long we’ve treated our infrastructure as though it doesn’t matter. And for too long, working people have paid the price."

AFL-CIO Executive Council Backs Medicare for All: "The council’s health care statement, issued from the three-day meeting in late July at the George Meany Center in the Washington suburb of Silver Spring, Md., first denounced congressional Republicans for trashing the Affordable Care Act."

While Boeing Touts Profits, Workforce Shrinks: "Boeing executives are gushing over the company’s stock, up a whopping 58% over the last 12 months. Washington state’s homegrown aerospace giant left the Paris Air Show with 571 orders worth $75 billion. Its chief competitor, Airbus, had 336."

The Economy Adds 209,000 Jobs in July, and Unemployment Little Changed at 4.3%: "The U.S. economy added 209,000 jobs in July, and unemployment was little changed at 4.3%, according to figures released this morning by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. This continues the recovery of the labor market at a tempered rate, which means the Federal Reserve’s Open Market Committee should continue to let the economy grow and not raise interest rates."

Joe Smith Jr.: Laborer by Day, Boxing Champion by Night: "Quick, what's the first thing you think of when you hear about a boxer who holds the World Boxing Council international light heavyweight championship and who sent boxing legend Bernard Hopkins into retirement with a TKO that literally knocked Hopkins out of the ring? You certainly wouldn't think of Joe Smith Jr., the boxer who ended Hopkins' career and who is an active member of Laborers (LIUNA) Local 66."

Bull Connor, Martin Luther King Jr. and the Labor Movement: "In the first week of May 1963, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. faced a painful dilemma as he sought to conclude the great Birmingham, Ala., campaign. The labor movement helped solve this dilemma and a great civil rights victory was won. Jerome A. 'Buddy' Cooper, my mentor in the Birmingham union law firm where I worked years later, told me and others of his small but fascinating role in these events. It’s a story of how our labor movement has sometimes lived up to its role in the larger civil and human rights movement."

Organizing in Digital Media Continues to Grow: Worker Wins: "Our latest roundup of worker wins begins with a hard-fought victory at The New School. Other successes include the growing trends of digital media newsrooms organizing and progressive organizations living up to their professed values by voluntarily recognizing employees who choose to join together for collective bargaining purposes."

Black Women's Equal Pay Day: "Today, we commiserate Black Women’s Equal Pay Day. The gap between the earnings of black women and white men is so large that, essentially, up to today black women have been working for free. Think of it as the modern-day equivalent of the constitutional count of slaves as three-fifths of a person."

A Big Week for Your Health Care: "Sometimes failure is a good thing. That was especially true last week when the U.S. Senate failed to pass legislation repealing the Affordable Care Act. It meant that Congress was stopped from taking health care away from tens of millions of Americans, at least for now."

‘Skinny Repeal’ and the Senate Health Debate: "Yesterday, two major proposals that would have rolled back the Affordable Care Act’s progress in expanding coverage were defeated by bipartisan majorities. Senate leadership is now pulling together a so-called 'skinny' bill, which they hope will attract the 50 votes needed to pass the chamber and move to a conference committee with the House."

AFL-CIO Honors Korean Labor Leader Han with Human Rights Award, Call for His Release from Prison: "President Han Sang-gyun of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions has spent his life fighting for the rights of workers and has paid a high price. Han has been in jail since December 2015, serving a three-year sentence for defending trade union rights and fighting back against corporate corruption and the repressive government of former President Park Geun-hye. For his perseverance in the face of anti-democratic repression, the AFL-CIO Executive Council this week honored President Han with the AFL-CIO’s annual George Meany-Lane Kirkland Human Rights Award, and joined the global labor movement in calling for his release."

Republican Joint Employer Legislation Takes Away Worker Freedoms: "In our fragmented workplaces with perma-temps, contracted workers, agency employees and subcontracting, we must be vigilant so every worker is protected and paid fairly, and that goes double when it comes to protecting the freedom to stand in unity for better pay and working conditions."

Trump Administration Attacks Overtime Pay: "The Trump administration has begun a process to undo President Obama’s overtime pay rule and deny working people a pay raise."

Kenneth Quinnell Fri, 08/04/2017 - 14:01

Bad Faith and Bad Service: Charter Turns Its Back on Customers, Union Members

Fri, 08/04/2017 - 12:46

Bad Faith and Bad Service: Charter Turns Its Back on Customers, Union Members IBEW

Charter/Spectrum is one of the most profitable cable companies in the United States, taking in more than $29 billion in revenue in 2016. And Tom Rutledge is the highest-paid CEO in the nation, making nearly $100 million last year.

Yet Charter is demanding cutbacks that would be devastating to some 1,700 members of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 3 in New York, who have been on strike against the company since March 28. These include:

Forcing employees to bear most of the burden of health care costs.
Elimination of company contributions to the pension and medical.
Elimination of weekend overtime pay.
Flexibility to subcontract work normally done by union members.

Charter/Spectrum has refused to come to the table, much less negotiate. It also has ignored New York City’s political leaders, including Mayor Bill de Blasio and many members of the City Council, who have called on the company to negotiate a fair contract.

And while the company is making record profits, customer service continues to deteriorate. New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman sued the company earlier this year for reneging on a promise to upgrade internet speeds. And former Missouri Attorney General Chris Koster sued the company in 2015, alleging it made telemarketing calls to consumers on the state’s Do Not Call list.

That’s why IBEW members have handed out leaflets at Charter/Spectrum pay stations across the county, letting consumers know about the company’s unfair practices.

"We would much rather be partners with companies we do business with, but IBEW members are battling a corporation that has little regard not just for its employees’ welfare, but also for the customers it serves," IBEW President Lonnie R. Stephenson said. "That’s disheartening, but it’s a battle we can win."

This is a guest post from Alex Hogan of IBEW.

Kenneth Quinnell Fri, 08/04/2017 - 13:46

The Economy Adds 209,000 Jobs in July, and Unemployment Little Changed at 4.3%

Fri, 08/04/2017 - 10:26

The Economy Adds 209,000 Jobs in July, and Unemployment Little Changed at 4.3% BLS

The U.S. economy added 209,000 jobs in July, and unemployment was little changed at 4.3%, according to figures released this morning by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. This continues the recovery of the labor market at a tempered rate, which means the Federal Reserve’s Open Market Committee should continue to let the economy grow and not raise interest rates.

In response to the July jobs numbers, AFL-CIO Chief Economist William Spriggs tweeted:

Job numbers up 209,000 in July, May revised down, June up for a net adjustment of +2,000 @AFLCIO