Agency, Representation and Justice: What Working People Are Doing This Week
Welcome to our regular feature, a look at what the various AFL-CIO unions and other working family organizations are doing across the country and beyond. The labor movement is big and active—here's a look at the broad range of activities we're engaged in this week.
Actors' Equity:
You're invited to attend “Claiming Our Power: AAPI Agency, Representation and Justice in the Workplace,” a webinar addressing the urgent issues facing people of the AAPI diaspora in the workplace and in society. This event is open to all.
RSVP today - https://t.co/7WyqevwlAa pic.twitter.com/XYVGreDvQa
AFGE:
May is Mental Health Awareness Month. The OPM is urging federal agencies to focus on employees’ mental health and work-life balance. Focusing on mental health is even greater now, after workers have lived for more than a year of a deadly pandemic. https://t.co/PI5twGMmky
— AFGE (@AFGENational) May 19, 2021AFSCME:
The AFSCME family is heartened by the bipartisanship in the House and the Senate to pass the #COVID19 Hate Crimes Act to help address rising hate and violence aimed at the AAPI community. #StopAsianHate https://t.co/VbANGHuc5H
— AFSCME (@AFSCME) May 18, 2021Alliance for Retired Americans:
Forty-three state legislatures have introduced over 250 bills to restrict voting access.
It's time we take action and ensure all eligible Americans can safely and easily vote by passing S1, the #ForthePeople Act! https://t.co/0o9po5yNKN
Amalgamated Transit Union:
#CovidVaccine #1u #Transit pic.twitter.com/JZulHrQNOy
— ATU, Transit Union (@ATUComm) May 19, 2021American Federation of Musicians:
#Musicians of the Ft Wayne Philharmonic need your help. Sign the letter before May 20 https://t.co/V0XxbIE2kS
Stand with the musicians and call on the management to promptly negotiate a fair contract that doesn’t destroy one of Ft. Wayne’s oldest cultural treasures. #
American Federation of Teachers:
Return, Recover and Reimagine: Toward a Renaissance in America’s Public Schools #FreedomToThrive https://t.co/e3LgmRSLzD
— AFT (@AFTunion) May 13, 2021American Postal Workers Union:
Congratulations to Amber McReynolds & Ron Stroman, who have been confirmed as USPS Governors by the Senate.
Next we need a vote scheduled for Anton Hajjar. Send a message to your senators here. #SaveThePostOffice https://t.co/c45Ukwe1ig
Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance:
APALA’s Labor Toolkit on Anti-Asian Racism is available for download!
You’ll find concrete actions for leaders and staff of international and local unions as well as state feds and CLCs, and individual rank and file workers.
Download: https://t.co/7PEEIAG98s#APAHM #1u pic.twitter.com/NqBjLUP7cM
Association of Flight Attendants-CWA:
#Illinois Flight Attendants, family, & friends: We need you to call your State Reps and tell them to support Senate Bill 645 so that Flight Attendants & other aviation workers can be protected by the Illinois Sick Leave Act. Make your call: https://t.co/GaCwWOviLG
— AFA-CWA (@afa_cwa) May 19, 2021Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers:
“I love my job. There is always something that makes my work interesting and challenging.” - BCTGM Local 125 Fin. Secy Rudy Gomez #unionleader #shopsteward #1u https://t.co/u10RANAOIt
— BCTGM International (@BCTGM) May 13, 2021Boilermakers:
RIP? to a true Boilermaker trailblazer who created pathways to advance Black #Boilermakers into leadership roles. Read more: https://t.co/KwTsThvn80#BoilermakersUnion pic.twitter.com/FPwI5v80jY
— Boilermakers Union (@boilermakernews) May 19, 2021California School Employees Association:
We work collaboratively with our certificated colleagues every day to make sure our students receive the best education possible. We value your camaraderie, your friendship and your dedication. Happy #TeacherAppreciationDay! @WeAreCTA @CFTunion pic.twitter.com/7WOJH5bEOV
— CSEA (@CSEA_Now) May 4, 2021Coalition of Black Trade Unionists:
— CBTU (@CBTU72) May 3, 2021Coalition of Labor Union Women:
A Working Women’s History of Mother’s Day https://t.co/1qaRGuXU5o pic.twitter.com/hWP6OyKZro
— CLUW National (@CLUWNational) May 9, 2021Communications Workers of America:
Urgent Illinois Action: Call your state representative and tell them to support Senate Bill 645 so airline workers can be protected by the Illinois Sick Leave Act. Make your call now! https://t.co/FWN08x7fZ5
— CWA (@CWAUnion) May 19, 2021Department for Professional Employees:
As many professionals know, cool perks don't pay to fix your car or pay the rent. To create sustainable careers, professionals like those at the Secretly Group are joining together in union. #1u @secretlyunion https://t.co/WLr9UMkB6e
— Department for Professional Employees (@DPEaflcio) May 19, 2021Electrical Workers:
"Everyone knew it was coming." The Texas power crisis of 2021, and what comes next. https://t.co/ouBllHbUYu
— IBEW (@IBEW) May 19, 2021Fire Fighters:
Cancer-cautious #fire stations are the new normal in Goodyear https://t.co/EdDgrh3jai
— IAFF (@IAFFNewsDesk) May 19, 2021Heat and Frost Insulators:
Mechanical insulation installed by members of the HFIAW provides long-term energy efficiency, emission reduction, cost savings and safety benefits. The Insulators Union is known as the Energy Conservation Specialists and has been Green since 1903. https://t.co/VHwrdWFP3d
— Insulators Union ? (@InsulatorsUnion) May 19, 2021International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers:
Even with a boss fight that would make Jeff Bezos proud, @ALDFUnited won their union. https://t.co/hCyrwZu1qu
— IFPTE (@IFPTE) May 19, 2021Ironworkers:
Construction on the nation’s first commercial-scale offshore wind farm is expected to begin this summer, after the Biden administration gave final approval Tuesday to a project it hopes will herald a new era of wind energy across the United States.https://t.co/P0bPIB1IxW
— Ironworkers. (@TheIronworkers) May 17, 2021Jobs With Justice:
TODAY is the DAY ?️?️?️
Fast food workers NATIONWIDE are on STRIKE ?
Why? McDonald’s made nearly $5 billion in profit last year during the pandemic -- they don't need to wait for Congress to make them pay $15/hr. They can do it NOW. Tell them: https://t.co/StTcX3RwcT pic.twitter.com/W2G9QPWMxU
Labor Council for Latin American Advancement:
REMINDER: filing your taxes will NOT impact your immigration status! The #stimulus payment is an advanced tax credit (not considered in a public charge test) & the #EIP is a tax refund + is NOT counted towards eligibility for federal programs like #Medicaid & #SNAP.
— LCLAA (@LCLAA) May 17, 2021Laborers:
Today, #LIUNA GP Terry O'Sullivan joined @SecMartyWalsh, @PeteButtigieg, @StenyHoyer, @EleanorNorton, and @MurielBowser on a tour of the #FrederickDouglassMemorialBridge restoration project today in Washington DC. #BuildBackBetter #AmericanJobsPlan pic.twitter.com/SiKjcA3LUv
— LIUNA (@LIUNA) May 19, 2021Machinists:
This is what we do at the IAM, we launch rockets like the #AtlasV @ulalaunch into space. Congratulations to all the IAM members out there making history! #MadeByMachinistshttps://t.co/2oLAHmWcBV
— Machinists Union ✈️?? (@MachinistsUnion) May 19, 2021Metal Trades Department:
Do you know what the #PROact is? Well you should, the bill seeks to grant workers the right to organize, as well as to help protect them from employer interference with their right to organize and speak out against unjust labor practiceshttps://t.co/fs3y2icY2l.
— Metal Trades Dept. (@metaltradesafl) May 19, 2021Mine Workers:
“NO CONTRACT NO COAL” #UnitedWeStand#MinersSavedWarriorMet#Solidarity#1u pic.twitter.com/QViYTRCQ9t
— United Mine Workers (@MineWorkers) May 19, 2021Musical Artists:
The Met AGMA Negotiating committee is pleased to announce a tentative agreement with the Metropolitan Opera. We will begin our ratification process on May 24 and have more details to share with you. pic.twitter.com/M20AnPgkKY
— AGMA (@AGMusicalArtist) May 12, 2021National Air Traffic Controllers Association:
In part three of their four-part conversation, NATCA's Jamie Sanders (Denver/Centennial ATCT, APA) and Major Katie Cook, a third-generation military aviator and the first female Navy Blue Angels pilot, focused on pilot-controller communications.
https://t.co/6q8dkwkURq pic.twitter.com/at2Y7kkvSZ
National Association of Letter Carriers:
Do you have an interesting hobby, talent or side gig? Tell us about it, and The Postal Record could write about you. Email your full name, branch and about your hobby to postalrecord@gmail.com. Here's one such story about letter carrier Nannette Cassidy: https://t.co/VW4T2BKH8A pic.twitter.com/Z1W8Jy7JuH
— Letter Carriers (@NALC_National) May 18, 2021National Day Laborer Organizing Network:
#Release. NDLON and California day labor worker centers respond to @SenAlexPadilla about US Senate hearing on essential workers
Read the letter here: https://t.co/5gGzhAHQ37 #DALE #WorkerMigrantJustice #AllLaborIsEssential #EssentialWorkers #EssentialAndExcluded #YNosotrosQue
National Federation of Federal Employees:
“While the leave flexibility granted by Secretary Vilsack may seem like a small gesture, it shows tremendous attention to detail and consideration of the value and challenges facing the workforce at #USDA,” stated NFFE National President Randy Erwin. https://t.co/J4H5f23bZM
— NFFE (@NFFE_Union) May 13, 2021National Nurses United:
If nurses aren't safe, patients aren't safe.
The mighty RNs of @CookCtyHealth in Chicago, Illinois are speaking out against the County's egregious practice of forcing nurses & social workers to show up in person after exposure to #Covid19.#ProtectNurseshttps://t.co/kweyh929px
National Taxi Workers Alliance:
History repeats itself, first as tragedy, second as farce.https://t.co/ihMAPxP5Vx
— NY Taxi Workers (@NYTWA) May 19, 2021NFL Players Association:
Where there is no accountability or transparency, there can never be real justice. Do your part and email your Senator in support of the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act by texting ‘ACJR’ to 52886. #JusticeInPolicing #JusticeInPolicingAct pic.twitter.com/O5feNzROlP
— NFLPA (@NFLPA) May 19, 2021North America's Building Trades Unions:
NEW: NABTU, @LeanInOrg and @AFLCIO announce ‘Lean in Circles for Tradeswomen’ program to address the issues tradeswomen face head-on.
Learn more about this innovative program built by tradeswomen, for tradeswomen ?
?: https://t.co/2qegRCGXAf pic.twitter.com/jQc4lCwf0a
Office and Professional Employees:
"...while #PROAct opponents claim that freelance and contract work allow women the flexibility to care for their families, unionized workers are more likely to have access to paid benefits like sick days, vacations, and family and medical leave." ???https://t.co/PdON7WNFgu
— OPEIU ║ #PassThePROAct ✊ (@OPEIU) May 18, 2021Painters and Allied Trades:
Unions and collective bargaining are the greatest tool we have to ensure racial and gender pay equity.
? Women unionists make 23% more
? Black unionists make 20% more
? Latino unionists make 20% more pic.twitter.com/t6675Bcnw2
Plasterers and Cement Masons:
“Why are employers allowed to intervene in union elections at all? ... Joining a union is a federal right, one that employers have no business infringing upon.” Pass the #ProAct #1u https://t.co/LW3mQjqfI4
— OPCMIA International (@opcmiaintl) May 17, 2021Professional Aviation Safety Specialists:
PASS member Michael Carandang works for the Federal Aviation Administration on Guam! @FAA_Steve @SecretaryPete @governorcalvo #AAPIHM #aviationsafety #publicservice #unionsolidarity https://t.co/rPIKBrrJwa
— PASS (@PASSNational) May 14, 2021Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union:
None of us are free while members of our union are unfree. That’s why we always fight to ensure #BlackLivesMatter, in and out of the workplace. #1u pic.twitter.com/YM2ryEoI7c
— RWDSU (@RWDSU) May 19, 2021Roofers and Waterproofers:
Using the wrong hand tool, or the right tool the wrong way, can injure your hand, wrist, or arm. Learn how to protect yourself at: https://t.co/56UXItsoqI #roofersafety365 pic.twitter.com/4475AcAis8
— Roofers Union (@roofersunion) May 5, 2021SAG-AFTRA:
“The epidemic of invisibility continues to persist and with serious consequences,” according to a new @USCAnnenberg report. Over 13 years and 1,300 films, only 3% have Asian and Pacific Islander leads. It's beyond time for a change. #AAPIHM https://t.co/PzLIqTtdt2
— SAG-AFTRA (@sagaftra) May 19, 2021School Administrators:
A Statement on Reopening Schools. "Yes, let’s reopen our schools. But let’s also rethink how our schools operate." https://t.co/Jz4AGoxGIm
— The School Leader (@AFSAUnion) May 13, 2021Seafarers:
In Defense of the Jones Act #JonesAct #1u #Maritime https://t.co/LoMb5YgqQ5 via @raylehmann
— Seafarers Union (@SeafarersUnion) May 19, 2021Solidarity Center:
Within 6 months of leadership trainings among #domesticworkers in Latin America, union membership surged, w/ 9,000 new members joining 26 organizations! Hear more from @Adriana_PazRami @IDWFED on Solidarity Center Podcast! @fenatrad @SINACTRAHO @FETRADOMOV https://t.co/PHfy2D5V2i pic.twitter.com/1vZb8Xau3k
— Solidarity Center (@SolidarityCntr) May 19, 2021The NewsGuild-CWA:
Great work! https://t.co/WpSjwE6ROr
— NewsGuild-CWA (@newsguild) May 19, 2021Theatrical Stage Employees:
Local 114 gathered an energetic crew to fix over 30 lighting fixtures to assist @ridingtothetop, a therapeutic riding center dedicated to enhancing the health and well-being of children and adults with disabilities. pic.twitter.com/BnLVx8nauj
— IATSE // #PROAct (@IATSE) May 19, 2021Transport Workers Union:
TWU members from Corpus Christi, Texas organizing new workers and advancing the fight for the #PROAct pic.twitter.com/WAmWMF8dgV
— TWU (@transportworker) May 19, 2021Transportation Trades Department:
TTD President Greg Regan before @EnergyCommerce: Innovation and change have always been hallmarks of the #transportation industry. @Teamsters @transportworker @ATUComm https://t.co/dHv9C4wGo0 pic.twitter.com/cUspV5Ysow
— Transp. Trades Dept. (@TTDAFLCIO) May 18, 2021UAW:
UAW President Rory L. Gamble greeted @POTUS at the legendary Ford Rouge plant to help launch the Ford F-150 Lightning. Gamble stressed that Ford Motor Company is doing this the right way with good-paying union jobs. https://t.co/feDceuH1Vk
— UAW (@UAW) May 18, 2021Union Label and Service Trades Department:
Today's News & Commentary --- May 18, 2021 | OnLabor https://t.co/ic97Gf7p92
— Union Label Dept. (@ULSTD_AFLCIO) May 18, 2021Union Veterans Council:
The #PROAct is the battle plan veterans need to secure fulfilling careers. Pass it on.
— Union Veterans Council (@unionveterans) May 19, 2021UNITE HERE:
Ericka lobbies for TPS alongside #WeAreHome sisters and brothers.
She tells @SenJackyRosen how immigrant workers are essential.
?️We no longer want to live w/o knowing what may happen to our lives. It is time to value our work & sacrifices by providing a path to citizenship. pic.twitter.com/4Ar4N8syQE
United Steelworkers:
. @SenatorBurr-The working class deserves the freedom to organize without employer interference. Support the #PROAct! #1u pic.twitter.com/6J8pknHK0f
— United Steelworkers (@steelworkers) May 19, 2021United Students Against Sweatshops:
Garment workers are severely exploited in this violent capitalist system, and one change that would improve sweatshop conditions in CA would be abolishing the piece rate system, which is why we support the #GarmentWorkerProtectionAct. @Portantino @SenToniAtkins - pass #SB62 now! https://t.co/i9ZvjNwANy
— USAS (@USAS) May 11, 2021Utility Workers:
The results are in! Union apprenticeships are vital to a strong career path and fair wages. ✊
Check out @UWUA_P4A’s for more info on our apprenticeship programs for military veterans!
[Image credit ? @jwjnational @centralfljwj] pic.twitter.com/hhbjCedxK9
Working America:
The American Families Plan would infuse $1.8 trillion into critical programs like child care, paid leave, & universal Pre-K.
While decaying bridges are a popular symbol of infrastructure reform, services for kids/families are equally important to our economic present & future! https://t.co/rjZSU9BvcB
Writers Guild of America, East:
Giving domestic workers “the respect, recognition, and compensation they are due is not only essential and necessary but it is just the beginning of what we must do to address the long history of racial exclusion that this workforce has faced." #1u https://t.co/GHGlt8yTwx
— Writers Guild of America, East / #PROAct (@WGAEast) May 19, 2021 Kenneth Quinnell Wed, 05/19/2021 - 16:47Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month Profiles: Editha Adams
For Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month this year, the AFL-CIO is spotlighting various Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders who have worked and continue to work at the intersection of civil and labor rights in the United States. Today's profile is Editha Adams.
Editha Adams is a home caregiver who was born in the Philippines and raised in Japan. Now she serves as statewide president of a union, United Domestic Workers, AFSCME Local 3930, representing more than 140,000 care workers, the majority of whom are women of color. Adams wins for her members by working with allies such as the Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance (APALA) and the California Alliance for Retired Americans (CARA) to strengthen community bonds and to lift up social justice, justice in aging and disability rights in the labor movement.
Kenneth Quinnell Wed, 05/19/2021 - 09:44Service + Solidarity Spotlight: Washington State Labor Movement Applauds Historic Farmworker Overtime Pay Law
Working people across the United States have stepped up to help out our friends, neighbors and communities during these trying times. In our regular Service + Solidarity Spotlight series, we’ll showcase one of these stories every day. Here’s today’s story.
Washington Gov. Jay Inslee signed legislation earlier this week at the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 1439 union hall in Yakima that will make Washington the first state in the nation to bring the 40-hour workweek and overtime pay to all agricultural employees. Passage of legislation ensuring the 40-hour workweek and overtime pay rights for all Washington farm workers has been a priority for the Washington State Labor Council and its affiliated unions, including the United Farm Workers and Familias Unidas por la Justicia. S. 5172 establishes a three-year phase-in period for the new requirement that agricultural employers pay overtime to their employees.
“S. 5172 will end a racist legacy and correct an injustice that has existed for too long,” said Larry Brown (IAM), president of the Washington State Labor Council. This major victory for farmworkers has drawn national attention. Inslee also signed bills that will increase worker safety protections and expand support for frontline workers during public health emergencies.
Kenneth Quinnell Wed, 05/19/2021 - 08:30Tags: COVID-19, Community Service
Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month Profiles: Zenei Triunfo-Cortez
For Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month this year, the AFL-CIO is spotlighting various Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders who have worked and continue to work at the intersection of civil and labor rights in the United States. Today's profile is Zenei Triunfo-Cortez.
Zenei Triunfo-Cortez is an RN who serves as one of the presidents of National Nurses United (NNU) and one of the presidents of the California Nurses Association/National Nurses Organizing Committee (the state affiliate of NNU). She is an inspiring advocate for Asian Americans in the labor movement. Her work has long inspired nurses of Filipina descent, which has been especially critical during the pandemic, when COVID-19 has had a disproportionate impact on Filipina registered nurses, who compromise nearly one-quarter of all RN COVID-19 deaths.
Kenneth Quinnell Tue, 05/18/2021 - 09:00Schools Must Be Open in Fall: 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.
President of Key Teachers’ Union Shares Plea: ‘Schools Must Be Open’ in Fall: "Randi Weingarten, president of the nation’s second-largest teachers’ union, called on Thursday for a full reopening of the nation’s schools for the next academic year, saying: 'There is no doubt: Schools must be open. In person. Five days a week.' 'It’s not risk-free,' Ms. Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers, which has 1.7 million members, said. She argued that the health risks can be managed through a range of practices—some of them relatively simple, such as masking and handwashing, and some of them more difficult to achieve at scale, such as decreasing class sizes to maintain distance and procuring additional spaces to meet outside cramped school buildings."
Want a Healthier Workplace Culture? Unionize: "A workplace’s culture is shaped by many factors. In my personal experience—as both a labor advocate and a manager—a positive workplace culture starts with employees knowing that their contributions are appreciated by management. Unfortunately, this is not the case for far too many working people who have no collective voice on the job. The exceptions are the 14.3 million workers—including more than six million professionals—in the United States who are represented by unions. These workers are able to secure respect by creating a healthy and collaborative workplace culture through negotiating with their employers."
Green Future Needs to Be Built with Union Jobs and Prevailing Wage: "While the future of clean energy jobs is a hot topic of debate these days, the Joe Biden administration is right to connect labor standards to renewable energy tax credits, pushing the industry towards good, union jobs."
Dozens of Large Companies 'Rigged' CEO Pay During Pandemic, Study Claims: "'CEO pay last year revealed the dirty secret that CEOs are not really paid based on their own individual performance,' said Brandon Rees, deputy director of corporations and markets at the AFL-CIO. 'When you compensate CEOs based on share prices, it incentivizes destructive behavior, but also contributes to economic inequality.'"
Fearing for Their Pensions, Union Members See Hope in Federal Aid: "While the pandemic has brought a lot of economic doubt, there is hope now. Tucked into the $1.9 trillion federal American Rescue Plan is special financial assistance to save more than 200 failing pension plans like Whitaker’s. This will impact millions of workers, including roofers, truck drivers, machinists and musicians—many of whom would have faced huge losses to their retirement benefits but are now breathing a collective sigh of relief."
Lean In Circles Bring Tradeswomen Together to Navigate Bias and Ask for What They Deserve: "Today, LeanIn.Org, North America's Building Trades Unions (NABTU), and Canada's Build Together announced Lean In Circles for Union Tradeswomen, a peer mentorship and training program to help women break new ground in an industry that's been historically dominated by men. 'Unions are all about collective voice, and this innovative program offers the perfect opportunity to enhance that solidarity,' said AFL-CIO secretary-treasurer Liz Shuler. 'We need more women in the trades, more women in leadership roles, and having programs like this is a meaningful step to create lifelong leadership skills and real tools that will guide tradeswomen throughout their careers. Connecting with other women in similar situations and sharing strategies through networks is invaluable.' Two years in the making, the program was developed by LeanIn.Org in partnership with AFL-CIO and NABTU leaders, subject matter experts, and tradeswomen to address the specific experiences of women in the building trades. The program was piloted in St. Louis, Missouri, and throughout Canada in 2019 and 2020 and received positive feedback from participants: 95% of Circle members said they built strong connections, and 90% of group moderators reported gaining leadership, facilitation, and organizing skills."
Labor Unions Lodge First USMCA Complaint Against Mexican Factory: "The U.S.’s largest labor union is leading a complaint over working conditions at an auto-parts factory in Mexico, the first case to test whether enforcement provisions in a new trade agreement can help to improve working conditions. 'USMCA requires Mexico to end the reign of protection unions and their corrupt deals with employers,' said AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka. 'The ongoing harassment of Susana Prieto and SNITIS members is a textbook violation of the labor laws Mexico has pledged to uphold.'"
Don't Pin So-Called Labor Shortage on Workers: Economy Was Broken Before COVID-19: "For over a year, COVID-19 has wreaked havoc on working people and the communities where we live and work. Millions of front-line workers are going to work today, as they have every day during the pandemic, with few—if any—protections from a virus that has killed 580,000 Americans. But there are also millions of working people who are out of a job through no fault of our own. Today, there are 8.4 million fewer jobs in the U.S. economy than there were in February 2020."
Longtime AFL-CIO Official Takes Up Key Labor Post In Biden Administration: "Today, [Thea] Lee became one of those people in charge when President Biden named her head of the Labor Department's Bureau of International Labor Affairs. In that key post, she will will oversee enforcement of labor provisions in U.S. trade policy, including those in President Donald Trump's major trade deal, the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement, or USMCA. Among other things, the deal requires Mexico to offer workers greater protections, including against forced labor and violence."
The PRO Act: What’s in It and Why Is It a Labor Movement Priority?: "Enter the Protecting the Right to Organize Act of 2021. Better known as the PRO Act, this bill would be the first major worker-friendly labor law reform since the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) of 1935, would significantly expand workers’ ability to join and organize unions, and level heavy penalties on employers who stand in their way. There are a number of exciting reforms in the bill, including a federal override of so-called right-to-work laws that weaken unions by allowing members to opt out of paying dues; an end to the hated 1947 Taft-Hartley Act’s ban on secondary strikes (also known as solidarity strikes, these are collective actions that employees in different workplaces can undertake to support another group of workers on strike); an update to the union election process to allow workers to vote online or by phone; enhanced protections for whistleblowers; and a response to the issue of worker misclassification that would give independent contractors—a group left out of the original NLRA that is still denied basic labor rights (especially those who are part of the so-called gig economy)—the right to organize collectively."
Kenneth Quinnell Mon, 05/17/2021 - 11:51Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month Profiles: Shwe Aung
For Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month this year, the AFL-CIO is spotlighting various Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders who have worked and continue to work at the intersection of civil and labor rights in the United States. Today's profile is Shwe Aung.
Shwe Aung has overcome many obstacles as an inspector and member of the Seafarers (SIU) to bring about change to the treatment of vulnerable workers on ships. His story is one of perseverance and proves that standing up for those you work with can make a difference in the world. Aung worked as a Burmese merchant mariner before coming to the United States as a refugee. Once here, Aung became an American citizen, a labor activist and a highly effective international labor leader.
Watch this video to learn more about Shwe Aung, Burmese cowboy:
Kenneth Quinnell Mon, 05/17/2021 - 09:43Service + Solidarity Spotlight: Texas AFL-CIO Continues to Fight Against Voter Suppression
Working people across the United States have stepped up to help out our friends, neighbors and communities during these trying times. In our regular Service + Solidarity Spotlight series, we’ll showcase one of these stories every day. Here’s today’s story.
The Texas House last week passed S.B. 7, the dominant voter suppression bill in a legislative session in which monkeying with elections became a top leadership priority despite near-universal agreement that the November election was clean from top to bottom.
The House’s version differs from the Senate’s, creating the possibility of a House-Senate conference committee adopting the worst of both bills because one political party is making the decisions.
Texas AFL-CIO President Rick Levy (CWA) issued this statement on the 78-64 vote:
S.B. 7 gives new momentum to an ugly legacy of Texas voter suppression, making voting harder, especially for Texans who are Black, Latino, Asian American, immigrants or persons with disabilities. The bill will cost working families jobs, now and in the future, and it will suppress votes, not protect them. S.B. 7 is yet another illustration of how this Legislature has chosen to divide, rather than unite, and to put a purely partisan political playbook ahead of the people of Texas.
Kenneth Quinnell Mon, 05/17/2021 - 08:33Tags: COVID-19, Community Service
Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month Profiles: Michael Carandang
For Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month this year, the AFL-CIO is spotlighting various Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders who have worked and continue to work at the intersection of civil and labor rights in the United States. Today's profile is Michael Carandang.
Michael Carandang is one of 30 Federal Aviation Administration employees who work in Guam to support the U.S. aviation system. He is an active member of the Professional Aviation Safety Specialists (PASS) and a union representative for his fellow employees, most of whom are also PASS members. He is proud of his Pacific Islander heritage and is a dedicated federal employee, serving his country since 1982.
Kenneth Quinnell Fri, 05/14/2021 - 09:30Service + Solidarity Spotlight: BAC Joins Forces with Indian Union to Demand Justice for Construction Workers in New Jersey
Working people across the United States have stepped up to help out our friends, neighbors and communities during these trying times. In our regular Service + Solidarity Spotlight series, we’ll showcase one of these stories every day. Here’s today’s story.
The Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers (BAC) and Indian labor union Pathar Gadhai Mazdoor Suraksha Sangh (PGMSS) are joining forces to raise the alarm about forced labor allegedly taking place at a construction site in Robbinsville, New Jersey. The unions are fighting for the more than 200 Indian immigrant workers there who are being exploited in the construction of a new Hindu temple. In their legal filing on Tuesday, the workers allege shocking levels of wage theft, coercion and fraud by an employer who lied to them and to the U.S. government, claiming that they were religious volunteers who did not seek or expect pay in return for their skilled labor.
“The shocking levels of exploitation alleged in this case are a stark reminder that injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We applaud the BAC and PGMSS for their work to support these brave temple stone workers, and America’s unions will stand proudly with them in their fight,” said AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka (UMWA). “To fix the systems that have failed working families, we must be united across borders. Only then can we rewrite the rules of the economy and ensure that workers are no longer treated like disposable commodities in our global supply chains. The labor movement will remain steadfast in this struggle until all people, regardless of where we were born, are able to live and work safely and with dignity.”
Click here to read more.
Kenneth Quinnell Fri, 05/14/2021 - 08:30Tags: COVID-19, Community Service, India
15 Ways the American Families Plan Will Help Working People
President Biden recently announced the American Families Plan, legislation that is designed to invest in children, families and our economic future. Here are 15 provisions from the proposal that will help working people:
- Invests in education from early childhood to postsecondary so that young people can learn, grow and gain skills they need to succeed.
- Provides universal, high-quality preschool for all three- and four-year-olds, which not only helps prepare those children to be lifelong learners, it lessens the stress on working parents.
- Provides Americans two free years of community college, including to Dreamers.
- Investments in making college more affordable for low- and middle-income students, including providing assistance to colleges that serve communities that have been historically marginalized, including Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs), institutions such as Hispanic-serving institutions, Asian American, Native American and Pacific Islander-serving institutions, and other minority-serving institutions (MSIs).
- Invests in teacher training and support.
- Provides direct support to families to insure that we spend no more than 7% of our income on child care and to ensure that this child care is of high quality.
- Creates a national paid family and medical leave program that will bring us in line with similar countries.
- Reduces childhood hunger by providing nutrition assistance to families in need.
- Extends key tax cuts that benefit lower- and middle-income working families, including the Child Tax Credit, the Earned Income Tax Credit and the Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit.
- Extends expanded health insurance tax credits, which would help 9 million people maintain health insurance and allow 4 million more to gain it.
- Expansion of Pell Grants for students seeking a certificate, two- or four-year degree.
- Modernize the unemployment insurance system to make access more equitable while continuing to prevent fraud.
- Lowers prescription drug costs by letting Medicare negotiate prices.
- Extends health care tax credits and invests in various health care programs so that millions of Americans will gain health insurance.
- Reforms the tax code, which will result in fewer loopholes for the wealthy and create more opportunity for working families.
Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month Profiles: Sheila Ivy Traister
For Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month this year, the AFL-CIO is spotlighting various Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders who have worked and continue to work at the intersection of civil and labor rights in the United States. Today's profile is Sheila Ivy Traister.
Sheila Ivy Traister has given 44 years of cumulative service to the labor movement. She has held elected positions in the Colorado AFL-CIO and she has served SAG-AFTRA since before the merger. She has served on dozens of local committees across the broad spectrum of activities SAG-AFTRA participates in. Traister particularly focuses on committees that help expand the inclusiveness of her industry and the labor movement, including committees for performers who are Asian American and Pacific Islander, performers with disabilities and expanding equal opportunity in the industry. She created the acting department at the Colorado Film Schools and she conducts workshops and lectures for film students, educating them about SAG-AFTRA and the benefits of union membership. Traister is an actor, director and writer who works in television, film and theater. She is also a highly sought-after coach and mentor.
Kenneth Quinnell Thu, 05/13/2021 - 09:30Service + Solidarity Spotlight: AFM Members Rally for a New Contract in Fort Wayne
Working people across the United States have stepped up to help out our friends, neighbors and communities during these trying times. In our regular Service + Solidarity Spotlight series, we’ll showcase one of these stories every day. Here’s today’s story.
With wages, benefits and working conditions on the line, members of the American Federation of Musicians (AFM) were joined by the Hoosier Heartland Labor Council as they rallied in Fort Wayne, Indiana, over the weekend to draw attention to their fight for a new contract with the Fort Wayne Philharmonic. AFM International President Ray Hair spoke at the rally in support of the orchestra musicians, who have been furloughed because of the pandemic since August 2020. “Why are these musicians out on the street? Why haven’t they had paychecks since last summer? It’s because the management doesn’t want them to,” Hair told WPTA. “They’re lining their own pockets. Nobody in management would have a job if it weren’t for us.”
Kenneth Quinnell Thu, 05/13/2021 - 08:30Tags: COVID-19, Community Service
Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month Profiles: Sharon Soper
For Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month this year, the AFL-CIO is spotlighting various Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders who have worked and continue to work at the intersection of civil and labor rights in the United States. Today's profile is Sharon Soper.
Hired by Hawaiian Airlines in 1965 as a flight attendant, Soper retired 55 years later in 2020. She served in the leadership of the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA (AFA-CWA) for more than 50 years, including time as president of her local. She helped negotiate nearly every AFA-CWA contract with Hawaiian Airlines to date. She has been a leader and voice for several generations of flight attendants and continues to be an inspiration for flight attendants today.
Kenneth Quinnell Wed, 05/12/2021 - 09:30Service + Solidarity Spotlight: IAM Raises About $100K for Southern Maryland Veterans Home
Working people across the United States have stepped up to help out our friends, neighbors and communities during these trying times. In our regular Service + Solidarity Spotlight series, we’ll showcase one of these stories every day. Here’s today’s story.
The Machinists’ (IAM’s) commitment to military veterans was on full display at the IAM 2021 International President’s Capital Classic Golf Tournament. More than 130 golfers and 50 sponsors joined together on Monday, May 3, at Breton Bay Golf and Country Club in Leonardtown, Maryland. The tournament raised about $100,000 for capital improvement projects for U.S. military veterans at Charlotte Hall Veterans Home in southern Maryland. “The Machinists union has a special bond with the military and the men and women who serve in our armed forces,” said IAM International President Robert Martinez Jr., a U.S. Navy veteran. “Many of our members are veterans themselves and help support the mission of service men and women every day. This is just one more way we can give back to our community here in Maryland and to our nation’s heroes.”
Kenneth Quinnell Wed, 05/12/2021 - 09:02Tags: COVID-19, Community Service
A Very Bad Joke: 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.
Elon Musk Hosting SNL: A Very Bad Joke on Working People: "Before we even find out if Elon Musk can do comedy, we know this: Letting him host 'Saturday Night Live' is a joke. Musk has used his social-media megaphone to spread misinformation about COVID, endanger employees’ health and violate their organizing rights. He’s exactly the kind of union-busting CEO who proves why American workers need the PRO Act, a bill sitting in the Senate that will help us reclaim our power."
Nurses Are Striking Across the Country Over Patient Safety: "On May Day outside of St. Vincent Hospital here, there was a sing-along going on. It was the 55th day that the nurses, members of the Massachusetts Nurses Association, had been on strike at the hospital, and the sunny weather and blooming flowers meant morale was high."
Sports Unions Come Together to Fight for the PRO Act: "The PRO Act is about as important a piece of labor legislation as we’ve seen in some time. It holds the potential to open the door for workers and organizers to step up and reverse 40 years of losses for organized labor. The law, whose initials stand for Protecting the Right to Organize, aims to do just that: protect workers from being harassed or fired if they try to organize a union or if they try to help their already existing union become more active in their workplace. This is seen as the number one legislative priority for organized labor. Its chances of passing are regarded as slim in the Senate, but that isn’t stopping the union movement from trying to get it passed. Now the PRO Act has very loud and proud support from another group of 'pros,' the major sports unions of the United States. The Major League Baseball Players Association, the NBA Players Association, the NFL Players Association, and the NHL Players Association."
Death on the Job Report: Years of Progress, Long Way to Go: "In the decades since the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) was established, there’s been a lot of progress in cutting worker deaths and injuries on the job. However, there’s still a long way to go. That’s a big conclusion from the data in the AFL-CIO’s 30th annual Death on the Job report, released May 4, a week after OSHA’s 50th anniversary. The Occupational Safety and Health Act, strongly pushed by organized labor, has helped cut deaths on the job from nine per 100,000 workers 30 years ago to 3.5 per 100,000 in 2019. The report with the latest available data shows this. The death rate has stalled at that level ever since the anti-worker anti-safety GOP Trump regime took over in 2017. And the 3.5/100,000 rate still translates into having 275 workers die every day from hazardous working conditions, the report says. Those figures actually understate the case, AFL-CIO Secretary-Treasurer Liz Shuler told the Zoom press conference unveiling the report. 'About 95,000 workers a year die from occupational illnesses,' often contracted long before, she pointed out. And illness and death disproportionately hit workers of color, she added."
COVID-19’s Full Effect on Workers Will Likely Remain Unknown, AFL-CIO’s Death on the Job Report Claims: "The full extent of the COVID-19 pandemic’s effect on the nation’s workforce will likely remain unclear because of the lack of a comprehensive national system to gather such information, according to the AFL-CIO’s annual report on the state of safety and health protections for U.S. workers. The 30th edition of Death on the Job: The Toll of Neglect―released May 4―states that 'employer reporting of COVID-19 cases still is mandatory only in a few states with specific standards or orders.' During a May 4 press conference, AFL-CIO Safety and Health Director Rebecca Reindel noted that the Bureau of Labor Statistics states on its website that it won’t produce COVID-19 estimates. 'The Survey of Occupational Illnesses and Injuries relies on OSHA recordkeeping requirements, which mandate employers record certain work-related injuries and illnesses on their OSHA 300 log,' BLS says on its website. 'While the SOII may capture some recordable COVID-19 cases reported by employers, the SOII will not produce estimates specifically covering COVID-19 illnesses.'"
AFL-CIO Demands OSHA Boost After Worker Deaths Report: "The AFL-CIO on Tuesday called on the Biden administration to take action to strengthen federal enforcement of workplace safety standards, on the heels of a report showing more than 5,300 workers died on the job in 2019. The report the labor organization released at a virtual press conference found that workplace deaths rose slightly in 2019, according to the most recent data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, though the rate of injuries per 100,000 workers remained steady. The report found the fatality rate for Latino workers hit its highest level since 2008 at 4.2 per 100,000. AFL-CIO Secretary-Treasurer Liz Shuler said the Occupational Safety and Health Administration's power eroded under the administration of President Donald Trump and she is hopeful President Joe Biden will help lead the agency to take a more forceful stance. 'Obviously, we'd like to rebuild the agency, and the commitment does come from the top,' Shuler said."
Unemployment Benefits Are Not Creating a Worker Shortage: "William Spriggs isn’t buying that. The chief economist at the AFL-CIO labor federation, Spriggs said it is 'self-evident' that millions of people are trying to find work. Just because an employer hasn’t found them yet―at the wages the employer is willing to pay―doesn’t mean the workers aren’t out there. Spriggs said the normal hiring networks that employers rely on were blown up by the pandemic. Some employers who received forgivable government loans were able to keep their workers on the payroll, but many firms simply let them go during lockdown. A year later many of those workers have taken other jobs, moved on or even died."
President Richard Trumka Joined Bloomberg TV to Discuss the PRO Act: "President Richard Trumka joined Bloomberg TV to discuss the PRO Act, worker safety and how President Joe Biden is delivering for working people."
Elon Musk Might Be Hosting SNL, but Tesla Workers Aren’t Laughing: "Saturday Night Live recently announced its upcoming lineup, and I was shocked to see that none other than Elon Musk—the brash CEO of Tesla, my former employer—would be hosting on May 8. There’s a lot to be impressed by when it comes to Tesla’s electric vehicles (EVs) and other cars of the future. But in my mind, there’s nothing funny about how Tesla has treated workers."
Kenneth Quinnell Tue, 05/11/2021 - 12:05Thank You, Mom: 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.
Alabama AFL-CIO:
— Alabama AFL-CIO (@AlabamaAFLCIO) May 10, 2021Alaska AFL-CIO:
The House voted down an amendment that would have allowed the #akgov to waste more money on frivolous lawsuits seeking to undermine our rights to bargain collectively. #UnionStrong #akleg https://t.co/gjYYUjtPBz
— Alaska AFL-CIO (@AKAFLCIO) May 10, 2021Arizona AFL-CIO:
Pass the #PROAct https://t.co/xStwc58JHf
— Arizona AFL-CIO // #PassThePROAct (@ArizonaAFLCIO) April 29, 2021California Labor Federation:
To all the Moms out there, we're so grateful for everything you do. We appreciate you and thank you! From all of us @CaliforniaLabor, #HappyMothersDay! pic.twitter.com/ymzjbHbA4f
— California Labor Federation (@CaliforniaLabor) May 9, 2021Colorado AFL-CIO:
Pass #SB87 #coleg #copolitics #agworkersrights https://t.co/nfBgVJwSra
— Colorado AFL-CIO (@AFLCIOCO) May 5, 2021Connecticut AFL-CIO:
Barry Williams, former Secretary-Treasurer of the Connecticut AFL-CIO, passed away last week. Our thoughts are with his family going through this difficult time. https://t.co/O5ONdf38fw
— Connecticut AFL-CIO (@ConnAFLCIO) May 10, 2021Florida AFL-CIO:
"We still have an unemployment insurance system that is not working," Templin contended. "And it doesn't matter if we're in a pandemic or the normal ups and downs of our economic cycles. Our unemployment insurance system is a joke."https://t.co/nz5Fw0qY71
— Florida AFL-CIO (@FLAFLCIO) May 10, 2021Georgia AFL-CIO:
Georgia's hair and makeup artists deserve dignity and respect on the job, in real time. It’s past time for The Georgia Opera to do better for their workers. Take action! #1u pic.twitter.com/SEVY5pkOtW
— Georgia AFL-CIO // Pass The #ProAct (@AFLCIOGeorgia) May 7, 2021Indiana State AFL-CIO:
Protect your coworkers, get vaccinated. ?
— Indiana AFL-CIO (@INAFLCIO) May 10, 2021Iowa Federation of Labor:
Iowa Federation of Labor Hall of Fame 2021 https://t.co/85ZpKRRcCB
— Iowa AFL-CIO (@IowaAFLCIO) May 11, 2021Maine AFL-CIO:
Beautiful story about Senate President Jackson (@GoIUPAT) & his mother Colleen.
“He was always a champion for the underdog,” she said, relating that when in second grade Troy wrote to President Carter when he felt a student with special needs was being mistreated at school. https://t.co/RuJCwG9uJf
Maryland State and D.C. AFL-CIO:
Happy #InternationalWorkersDay!
— Maryland State and DC AFL-CIO (@MDDCStateFed) May 1, 2021Massachusetts AFL-CIO:
Secretary Walsh is 100% right. Gig workers are employees and deserve the same benefits and protections as other employees. @SecMartyWalsh #mapoli #1u https://t.co/XXAUQS0LXY
— Massachusetts AFL-CIO // Pass the #PROAct (@massaflcio) April 29, 2021Michigan AFL-CIO:
.@GovWhitmer has proclaimed it Nurses Week in Michigan! Everyone in the Michigan labor movement is so grateful for the selfless sacrifices our frontline heroes have made over the last year. THANK YOU!! pic.twitter.com/hS8IO7l5WZ
— Michigan AFL-CIO ? (@MIAFLCIO) May 10, 2021Minnesota AFL-CIO:
Labor Law Is Stuck in 1947. It’s No Surprise Companies Keep Winning. https://t.co/OrHdj642OO Pass the #PROAct #1u
— Minnesota AFL-CIO (@MNAFLCIO) May 10, 2021Missouri AFL-CIO:
Paying workers a living wage attracts workers, good for business, and boosts the economy. #1u pic.twitter.com/X3NtPrfS9f
— Missouri AFL-CIO (@MOAFLCIO) May 11, 2021Nebraska AFL-CIO:
Support LB 241 today in the Nebraska Unicameral, Meatpacking workers deserve safe jobs during COVID. #1u #passtheproact #EssentialWorkers pic.twitter.com/00MQB7KpKk
— NE State AFL-CIO (@NEAFLCIO) May 6, 2021Nevada State AFL-CIO:
AB227 is up for a work session this morning.
This legislation as written is NECESSARY to curbing contractor misclassification, exploitation, and abuse.
Will you show your support? ⤵https://t.co/mGPRvLW5kD https://t.co/LJMRcCABrl
New Hampshire AFL-CIO:
The @steelworkers are right—"right to work" is WRONG for New Hampshire.
All NH working families will suffer if SB-61 is passed. We're not standing for it. #NHPolitics pic.twitter.com/st9AuF2WuE
New Jersey State AFL-CIO:
The New Jersey State AFL-CIO shares our deepest gratitude for all the ways these essential workers stepped up throughout the last year of the pandemic.https://t.co/PUE7tDASWA
— New Jersey AFL-CIO (@NJAFLCIO) May 6, 2021New Mexico Federation of Labor:
We support our Sisters and Brothers @UA_UNM in their fight for a fair contract.@AFTNM @AFLCIO https://t.co/V3kBXWl0d1
— NMFL \\ Pass the PROAct // (@NMFLaflcio) April 29, 2021New York State AFL-CIO:
NYS AFL-CIO Pres. Cilento Applauds Signing of NY HERO Act - “We thank the Dem Majorities in both houses, the bill sponsors, @SenGianaris and Assemblymember @KarinesReyes87 and @NYGovCuomo for making workplace health and safety a priority, particularly now during the pandemic.” https://t.co/CmEYyxlkt0
— NYS AFL-CIO // #UnionStrong (@NYSAFLCIO) May 6, 2021North Carolina State AFL-CIO:
??? URGENT: A self dealing NC Senator, himself the target of multiple retaliation lawsuits, is trying to take away your right to pursue legal action when you experience retaliation at work! ACT NOW -> https://t.co/HPN6pWJfk5 #ncga #ncpol #1u
— NC State AFL-CIO // Pass the #PROAct! (@NCStateAFLCIO) May 6, 2021North Dakota AFL-CIO:
Today, April 28th, Workers Memorial Day and the 50-year anniversary of OSHA, we remember the 18 workers who died on the job in North Dakota last year.
— North Dakota AFL-CIO (@NDAFLCIO) April 28, 2021Ohio AFL-CIO:
The #Ohio @AFLCIO is proud to be a part of the #Votercade to stop voter suppression. pic.twitter.com/jUitA9AsjJ
— Ohio AFL-CIO (@ohioaflcio) May 8, 2021Oklahoma State AFL-CIO:
The Transportation Trades Department of the AFL-CIO did a good job of compiling the best parts of of President Biden's Address before Congress yesterday.
Click below to hear highlights of one of the most Pro-Union Presidential Speeches!https://t.co/IGRdPCbsul
Oregon AFL-CIO:
Learn more about the incredible work Oregon’s entertainment unions have done to support members out of work and keep workers safe on the job during the pandemic on our latest podcast episode. #1u @IATSE @sagaftra @The_AFM @AFLCIOhttps://t.co/5NcP11LEWN pic.twitter.com/twY1B8CFfX
— Oregon AFL-CIO / PASS THE PRO ACT (@OregonAFLCIO) May 9, 2021Pennsylvania AFL-CIO:
U.S. Steel should honor the generations of PA workers who made them a global leader in the industry and reinvest in our Commonwealth.
We stand with the @steelworkers ✊https://t.co/plA83A86Ef
Rhode Island AFL-CIO:
At-will employment is a pandemic tragedy for older workers https://t.co/EQFJdAvFbR via @OnLaborBlog
— Rhode Island AFL-CIO (@riaflcio) May 10, 2021Tennessee AFL-CIO Labor Council:
Do not be fooled by this false narrative. Tennesseans want to work. Unfortunately, our state leads the country in the # of minimum wage jobs & this overflow of available jobs pay wages that are not able to sustain an individual, let alone a family. #1u https://t.co/UZWXFjVSH4
— Tennessee AFL-CIO (@tnaflcio) May 11, 2021Texas AFL-CIO:
Solidarity! The @steelworkers @USWBat light ? shines bright tonight on Exxon Mobil who is locking out over 600 workers in Beaumont, TX. #1u #UnionStrong #solidarity pic.twitter.com/UfMkNKOgck
— Texas AFL-CIO (@TexasAFLCIO) May 11, 2021Virginia AFL-CIO:
.@MarkWarner , may the 4th be with you today to sign on to the #PROAct pic.twitter.com/pkLXyyor3J
— Virginia AFL-CIO (@Virginia_AFLCIO) May 4, 2021Washington State Labor Council:
A well-deserved shout out for the entire staff of @TheStandWA aka the one-man powerhouse David Groves, WSLC Communications Director. #1u https://t.co/0sxAP0LIxf
— Washington State Labor Council, AFL-CIO (@WAAFLCIO) May 5, 2021Wisconsin State AFL-CIO:
PRO Act will protect workers, their bargaining rights, and their bank accounts https://t.co/H5qdL86Mdv #passthePROAct
— WI AFL-CIO (@wisaflcio) May 11, 2021 Kenneth Quinnell Tue, 05/11/2021 - 10:02Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month Profiles: Angela Chan
For Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month this year, the AFL-CIO is spotlighting various Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders who have worked and continue to work at the intersection of civil and labor rights in the United States. Today's profile is Angela Chan.
Angela Chan joined the American Federation of Musicians (AFM) Local 369 in Las Vegas in 2002 when she joined a touring show of "South Pacific." After some time in Dallas, she moved back to Las Vegas and, in 2015, she won a seat on the local’s board of trustees. About her union membership, Chan said: “Unions exist so that you can have fair wages, and fair and safe working conditions. A lot of times, especially for musicians, we want to play so badly that we forget we should be treated as professionals.” Recently, Chan founded The Cre8sian Project, with the goal of increasing the number of Asian women in the arts world “by creating a cast of diverse superheroes for children.” She is a classically trained pianist and an active theater musician.
Kenneth Quinnell Tue, 05/11/2021 - 09:30Service + Solidarity Spotlight: AFL-CIO and Others Announce Filing of First USMCA ‘Rapid Response Mechanism’ Labor Case
Working people across the United States have stepped up to help out our friends, neighbors and communities during these trying times. In our regular Service + Solidarity Spotlight series, we’ll showcase one of these stories every day. Here’s today’s story.
The AFL-CIO, the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), the Sindicato Nacional Independiente de Trabajadores de Industrias y de Servicios Movimiento 20/32 (SNITIS) and Public Citizen announced Monday that they have filed the first complaint under the Rapid Response Mechanism of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) against Tridonex, an auto parts factory located in Matamoros in the state of Tamaulipas, Mexico. The case will test whether Mexico’s labor reforms and USMCA’s Rapid Response Mechanism can deliver for Mexican workers denied their fundamental right to organize and bargain for better wages and working conditions.
“USMCA requires Mexico to end the reign of protection unions and their corrupt deals with employers,” said AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka (UMWA). “The ongoing harassment of Susana Prieto and SNITIS members is a textbook violation of the labor laws Mexico has pledged to uphold.” Read the full story here.
Tags: COVID-19, Community Service
Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month Profiles: Bethany Khan
For Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month this year, the AFL-CIO is spotlighting various Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders who have worked and continue to work at the intersection of civil and labor rights in the United States. Today's profile is Bethany Khan.
Bethany Khan is the director of communications and digital strategy at the Culinary Workers Union, UNITE HERE Local 226. She graduated from the University of Minnesota and used the skills she learned in college to fight for justice. Khan has family members who are undocumented immigrants and this has inspired her to work with the Culinary Workers Union to fight for comprehensive worker-centered immigration reform. Khan was named one of "40 under 40" to watch at the American Association of Political Consultants in 2018. She serves as a board member for Planned Parenthood of Nevada, the Progressive Leadership Alliance of Nevada, the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, Latinx Voices of Southern Nevada Advisory Board and the Las Vegas Sun’s Community Editorial Review Board, where she represents the interests of the 57,000 members of the Culinary Workers Union and their families.
Kenneth Quinnell Mon, 05/10/2021 - 09:30Service + Solidarity Spotlight: AFGE Local 2328: Union Holds Workers Memorial Day Event at VA Medical Center
Working people across the United States have stepped up to help out our friends, neighbors and communities during these trying times. In our regular Service + Solidarity Spotlight series, we’ll showcase one of these stories every day. Here’s today’s story.
Dozens of workers from AFGE Local 2328 showed up and showed out for a rally at the Hampton Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Virginia commemorating those who lost their lives on the job, while urging U.S. Sen. Mark Warner to pass the PRO Act, in an April 28 rally.
“[We honor] all workers who died over the past year in the line of duty, committing and doing their jobs,” said Local 2328 President Sheila Elliott in an article by the Virginia Daily Press. “We are working on regulations and guidance that are many years old, and a lot of this stuff needs to be updated. We still have a long way to go.”
“At the very beginning of the pandemic, it was chaos. There was mixed messaging, there was not enough equipment,” added Local 2328 Vice President Stacy Shorter. “It’s been a horrible, horrible year. And we’ve been suffering and struggling in this constant battle. We really were trying to make sure that our staff had adequate protections in the workplace. It took us a while to really get to the place where we feel comfortable right now.”
Kenneth Quinnell Mon, 05/10/2021 - 08:30Tags: COVID-19, Community Service
