Trumka Congratulates Doris Harakay on 70 Years of Union Membership
AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka (UMWA) sent the following letter to Doris Harakay, who, at nearly 90 years of age, has been a member of IUE-CWA Local 775 for 70 years and is both the longest-serving and oldest employee at General Electric (GE) Aviation.
The letter:
Dear Sister Doris,
As president of America’s labor movement, I want to congratulate you as you celebrate 70 remarkable years of union seniority. It is clear you understand that the strength of America’s labor movement is measured by the steadfast dedication, determination and devotion of its members.
Undoubtedly, a lot has likely changed since you joined IUE-CWA Local 775 and started to work at GE Aviation. I know the company changed owners five times. But during dark passages and on bright days, what has always remained constant for all these years is you. Every day, your brothers and sisters could count on you to punch in every morning and punch out after a hard day’s work.
Of course, you will just say you were doing your job, and that’s true. You will say you were trying to provide a better life for your family, and you certainly have. But I know you did not plan to stay for 70 years. Well, God bless you for it and for doing your job with grace and ceaseless optimism.
Union members like you are how we are building a stronger labor movement—a movement not just for today, but for decades to come.
Once again, congratulations on this monumental milestone. And thank you for your service.
In Solidarity,
Richard Trumka
President, AFL-CIO
Black History Month Profiles: Akua Dixon
This year, for Black History Month, we're taking a look at a group of leaders who are currently active making Black history across the labor movement. Check back daily for a new profile and meet some of the people working to improve not only their community, but also to improve conditions for working people across the country. Today's profile is Akua Dixon.
Looking back after nearly 50 years in the union, jazz cellist and composer Akua Dixon reflected on how much she's depended on the American Federation of Musicians (AFM) throughout her career: “I’ve seen a lot of progress since the 1970s when the change started. You had a group of people band together to form the Symphony of the New World, which had a lot of African American players in it and as part of the foundation of the orchestra’s board. To go through the legal system to try to change the hiring practices at places like the New York Philharmonic, and having an organization like Local 802 to march with you and be with you was a wonderful thing.”
Kenneth Quinnell Fri, 02/19/2021 - 09:32Tags: Black History Month
Service + Solidarity Spotlight: Los Angeles County Federation of Labor Hosts Vaccination and Food Distribution Event
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 Los Angeles County Federation of Labor and its nonprofit partner, Labor Community Services, held a vaccination and food distribution event in Los Angeles over the weekend. The combined event was held in partnership with St. John’s Well Child and Family Center and state Sen. María Elena Durazo (not pictured). In addition to the vaccination, the event also provided food to more than 200 families. The labor council thanked volunteers who helped out, including members of the Labor Council for Latin American Advancement’s Los Angeles chapter and members of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 47.
Kenneth Quinnell Fri, 02/19/2021 - 08:30Tags: Community Service, COVID-19
Black History Month Profiles: Micheal Davis
This year, for Black History Month, we're taking a look at a group of leaders who are currently active making Black history across the labor movement. Check back daily for a new profile and meet some of the people working to improve not only the conditions for working people in our community, but also across the country. Today's profile is Micheal Davis.
Micheal Davis is a member of the UAW and a labor organizer who's been on staff with the Michigan AFL-CIO for years, as campaign director, organizing director, and health and safety director for the state federation's Workforce Development Institute. Davis is a dedicated, passionate and creative leader and valued member of the Michigan AFL-CIO team.
Kenneth Quinnell Thu, 02/18/2021 - 09:32Tags: Black History Month
Service + Solidarity Spotlight: NABTU Offers All Training Centers and Union Halls for National Vaccine Distribution
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.
On Thursday, North America’s Building Trades Unions (NABTU) President Sean McGarvey (IUPAT) issued a statement offering its more than 5,000 union halls and training centers for vaccine distribution across the country:
“We know there is still more to be done, so we are now making available all of our infrastructure in every state, major metropolitan and rural area to assist in the Biden Administration’s taskforce’s mass distribution of vaccines. In our continuing commitment as citizens, our proud men and women stand ready to serve in this wide vaccination distribution. Our members and facilities are uniquely prepared to aid immediately from the many blood drives and other mobilizing community service events we’ve hosted throughout our history, and we look forward to being available to the President’s Taskforce to do whatever it takes to help support our country, lessen the suffering of this pandemic and get America vaccinated.”
Kenneth Quinnell Thu, 02/18/2021 - 08:36Tags: COVID-19, Community Service
Black History Month Profiles: Wilfred Arceneaux
This year, for Black History Month, we're taking a look at a group of leaders who are currently active making Black history across the labor movement. Check back daily for a new profile and meet some of the people working to improve not only the conditions for working people in our community, but also across the country. Today's profile is Wilfred Arceneaux.
Wilfred Arceneaux is a server at the Atlanta Airport and an LGBTQ advocate. He canvassed in Atlanta as part of UNITE HERE's Take Back the Senate campaign to elect labor-endorsed candidates to the U.S. Senate. About the experience, he said: "I really, really understood what the union is all about, when my sister and Shop Steward Tee Tee Dangerfield was murdered because she was trans. I decided to step into Tee Tee's shoes and am now a leader with my union. I canvassed to get out the vote for the Rev. Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff because we need a city where all airport workers get to have strong union jobs."
Kenneth Quinnell Wed, 02/17/2021 - 09:30Tags: Black History Month
Service + Solidarity Spotlight: DPE Announces Legislative Push to Advance Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
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 arts, entertainment and media unions affiliated with the Department for Professional Employees, AFL-CIO, (DPE) last week announced their diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) policy agenda during a digital press conference with union leaders, staff and members. The DEI policy agenda details the legislative action the unions will urge members of Congress to support to help make their industries more representative. “Diversity is a strength,” said DPE President Jennifer Dorning. “Creative professionals and their unions know this, and continue to prioritize making their industries more accessible to underrepresented people. Advocating for policy changes at the national level is a natural continuation of the work arts, entertainment, and media unions have been doing to advance DEI in their creative industries.”
Kenneth Quinnell Wed, 02/17/2021 - 08:33Tags: Community Service, COVID-19
Black History Month: Interview with Actor and Activist Danny Glover
Few artists have contributed more to the growth and development of our society than actor Danny Glover. A civil rights leader and labor activist to his core, Glover has transcended the silver screen to become part of our cultural identity as Americans. As we celebrate this year’s Black History Month, the AFL-CIO spoke with him about the history of the labor movement and the civil rights movement, and where we go from here.
Glover began by talking about growing up in a union household where his parents were active members in their local chapter of what was then called the United Postal Alliance. “It’s about the history I lived with my parents,” Glover explained. “I watched my parents emerge and grow as union members and see how proud they were. And I watched the civil rights movement through that lens.” For a time, his father was treasurer and his mother served as the secretary of their local union. He recalled how they placed their struggles in the community and at the workplace within the broader struggle for justice that is still happening across the country.
Throughout his career, Glover has been part of many films, playing groundbreaking roles for an African American actor. “We’re part of a large framework where there’s manufactured consent around how we look at cultural production. Sometimes we hail a film like “The Color Purple” or we hail something like “Lethal Weapon,” but does that actually shift the narrative?” He pointed to the deaths of Breonna Taylor and George Floyd as two glaring examples of the need to wrestle with the continuation of racial injustice.
“Dr. King said that the best anti-poverty program he knew was a union. He said that,” Glover recalled. Of the connection between the civil rights movement and the labor movement, he said, “[m]ore generally, it’s the human rights movement. They’re both movements for justice. They’re both movements for justice, whether it’s justice in the workplace or justice on the street. All that they do is connected to that. That is the umbilical cord that can’t be broken between the two.”
Looking to the present, the AFL-CIO asked him about an ongoing organizing drive that has captured headlines across the world. In the town of Bessemer, Alabama, some 5,800 warehouse workers are voting now on whether to form the first union at Amazon. “I think it’s amazing,” Glover said. “I think it’s a big step. We know that new technology and new ways of transporting goods and services run through Amazon.” Some 85% of the workers at the Amazon warehouse in Bessemer are Black. “It’s absolutely stunning, important—essential that we can move beyond this place. COVID-19 has exposed the underbelly, in a different way, of what this country is about,” he said of the potential for these workers to form a union and fight for their rights in the workplace.
Glover reflected on what Black History Month means to him. “I live as if Black History Month is every month. I work in the service of honoring and recognizing the past in relation to that beautiful African American anthem, 'Lift Every Voice and Sing.' It talks about the past, the present and the future,” he said. “To me, it’s important that we celebrate the context of Black History Month, which is not only the context of past struggle, but the continuation of struggle.”
Kenneth Quinnell Tue, 02/16/2021 - 10:02Tags: Black History Month
Black History Month Profiles: Corean Holloway
This year, for Black History Month, we're taking a look at a group of leaders who are currently active making Black history across the labor movement. Check back daily for a new profile and meet some of the people working to improve not only their community, but also to improve conditions for working people across the country. Today's profile is Corean Holloway.
A longtime union leader, Corean Holloway works as a laundry attendant at the Warwick Hotel Rittenhouse Square in Philadelphia. She canvassed her city full time to get out the vote for Biden-Harris during the general election for president. "I was born and raised in South Carolina, and my siblings and I were the ones to desegregate our elementary school, so we know a little bit about standing up to take what's ours," she said.
Kenneth Quinnell Tue, 02/16/2021 - 09:32Tags: Black History Month
Service + Solidarity Spotlight: Major Labor and Environmental Initiative Announced in Rhode Island
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.
Rhode Island AFL-CIO President George Nee (OPEIU) announced a new state federation initiative called Climate Jobs Rhode Island. The initiative’s coalition will be chaired by Priscilla De La Cruz, the Rhode Island director of Green Energy Consumers Alliance, and Patrick Crowley (NEA-RI), secretary-treasurer of the Rhode Island AFL-CIO, and is committed to working to make Rhode Island a national leader in a 21st century economy grounded in the principles of economic, environmental, racial and social justice.
“The Rhode Island AFL-CIO is proud to stand with our friends and allies in the Rhode Island building trades and the environmental movement as we work together to build a green economy in Rhode Island,” Nee said. “The labor movement believes working people don’t just need a seat at the table, but many seats, speaking for all of those fighting for a more just Rhode Island. The fight against exploitation, injustice and racism can only be won when workers have more power. We are proud to add the voices of our 80,000 members in Rhode Island to this effort.”
Kenneth Quinnell Tue, 02/16/2021 - 08:30Tags: COVID-19, Community Service
Black History Month Profiles: Robert K. Cook
This year, for Black History Month, we're taking a look at a group of leaders who are currently active making Black history across the labor movement. Check back daily for a new profile and meet some of the people working to improve not only the conditions for working people in our community, but also across the country. Today's profile is Robert K. Cook.
A ship captain, marine pilot, historian and mentor, Capt. Robert K. Cook is a founding member and president of the Organization of Black Maritime Graduates (OBMG). OBMG was formed in 1994 by six graduates of the SUNY Maritime College who wanted to help improve the education possibilities for young African American and minority students. OBMG's goal is to provide assistance and encouragement to Black and other minority undergraduates who are full-time students and pursuing a career in the maritime profession.
Kenneth Quinnell Mon, 02/15/2021 - 08:50Tags: Black History Month
Black History Month Profiles: Sandra Parker Murray
This year, for Black History Month, we're taking a look at a group of leaders who are currently active making Black history across the labor movement. Check back daily for a new profile and meet some of the people working to improve not only the conditions for working people in our community, but also across the country. Today's profile is Sandra Parker Murray.
Sandra Parker Murray is an executive board member for Communications Workers of America (CWA) Local 7777 in Denver and a telecommunications worker with more than 20 years of experience at AT&T, Lucent Technologies and Avaya. Parker Murray is a political activist and fierce advocate for the rights of working people. Whether it is testifying in front of lawmakers, fighting to win job protections, advocating for her community or organizing at her local, Parker Murray has been at the forefront always making her voice heard and inspiring others to do the same.
Kenneth Quinnell Sun, 02/14/2021 - 09:40Tags: Black History Month
Black History Month Profiles: Sherese Williams
This year, for Black History Month, we're taking a look at a group of leaders who are currently active making Black history across the labor movement. Check back daily for a new profile and meet some of the people working to improve not only the conditions for working people in our community, but also across the country. Today's profile is Sherese Williams.
A second-generation bus driver and union member, Sherese Williams has a good job and a livable work schedule, for which she credits her union. Her love for the work she does, combined with a talent for connecting people, led to her volunteering for increasing levels of responsibility at the Portland Community College Federation of Classified Employees (PCCFCE), American Federation of Teachers (AFT) Local 3922. Williams serves as vice president of organizing for PCCFCE. She launched the Member Organizer Institute in 2018.
Kenneth Quinnell Sat, 02/13/2021 - 09:32Tags: Black History Month
A Big Deal: 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.
The Amazon Warehouse Union Vote in Alabama Is a Big Deal: "Amazon responded quickly to the pandemic spike in online shopping. It added 400,000 employees in the first nine months of last year. It added new facilities and new airplanes to deliver goods. And across the company’s fulfillment centers, the pressure on Amazon workers to get orders out fast, to 'make rate,' became more intense than ever. That dogged pursuit of efficiency has pushed some workers to a breaking point. This week, employees at an Amazon warehouse in Bessemer, Alabama, are voting on whether to unionize. On Thursday’s episode of What Next, I talked to Washington Post reporter Jay Greene about what the workers want, how management is fighting back, and what this action—the first of its kind at Amazon in seven years—could mean for future unionization efforts at the company. Our conversation has been condensed and edited for clarity."
Hollywood Unions Join AFL-CIO Push for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Public Policy Agenda: "Hollywood’s major unions have signed on with the AFL-CIO’s push to advance public policy initiatives involving diversity, equity and inclusion issues. The broad goal is to strengthen collective bargaining and copyright protections on the state and federal level. On Thursday, a clutch of entertainment industry union representatives gathered for a virtual news conference to detail the policy proposals and underscore the urgency for the need for action to better protect middle-class and low-rung workers. 'We stand solidly behind the missions and goals. We believe very strongly in copyright protections. It’s how our members receive appropriate remuneration for their work,' said David White, national executive director of SAG-AFTRA. 'And we feel very strongly about the importance of showcasing the full variety of the American scene' in entertainment content."
These House Bills Could Make Life Better for Millions of U.S. Workers: "'Increasing the minimum wage makes economic sense, it makes political sense and it makes moral sense. When working people take home our fair share, we spend more, boost demand and create jobs. This is a no-brainer,' John Weber, a spokesman for AFL-CIO, said in an email."
As Amazon Union Vote Starts, AFL-CIO's Tech Think Tank Considers Future of Labor: "On Monday in Alabama, more than 5,800 of them will be able to vote on whether to become the first Amazon warehouse in the United States to unionize. 'Now it's our turn to be a disruptor,' said Elizabeth Shuler, secretary-treasurer and second highest-ranking officer of the AFL-CIO, the largest federation of unions in the United States. It's a big day for the AFL-CIO. Not only is it providing guidance to the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union, which is organizing the Amazon warehouse workers. It also recently launched a think tank, the Technology Institute, partly meant to help workers at tech behemoths like Amazon organize."
AFL-CIO Leader: Clinton, Obama Let Down Unions: "'Joe Biden has surrounded himself with people that are worker-friendly, so that in the multitude of decisions that are made every day without the president being involved, they're going to think about the impact it has on workers,' Trumka said. 'That's a significant difference and a beneficial one for workers in this country,' Trumka added. 'And it's one of our reasons for optimism and hope.' Barack Obama and Bill Clinton—the last two Democratic presidents—'didn't understand the importance of labor and the importance of collective bargaining,' he said."
The Economist Placing Value on Black Women’s Overlooked Work: "Every year women do trillions of dollars’ worth of unpaid household work. In the United States alone, that total amounted to roughly $1.2 trillion in 2019, a figure nearly the size of the New York State economy. In Britain, the statistics agency has a calculator that lets you learn the value of chores like doing laundry, child care and taking others where they need to go. Thirty-five hours of child care and five hours of cooking is valued at about 570 pounds ($779) a week."
Beltrami to Retire from AFL-CIO After 15 Years: "The Alaska AFL-CIO announced today that President Vince Beltrami is retiring after 15 years as the head of the state’s largest labor organization. According to an announcement from the organization describing the change as 'a bittersweet leadership change,' AFL-CIO’s Director of Operations Joelle Hall has been selected by the group’s leadership to serve the remainder of Beltrami’s term. 'Vince Beltrami has been an incredible force for the Alaska Labor movement. He leaves behind a legacy as he closes this chapter as President for the Alaska AFL-CIO. Since his early days as an IBEW organizer, Vince has made life better for all working people in Alaska. Through his leadership, Vince brought us into a new century. He will retire in power knowing we are all stronger and better able to do what is right for Alaska workers,' said AFL-CIO Secretary-Treasurer Jake Metcalfe in a prepared statement. 'Vince, you did a hell of a job and we thank you from the bottom of our hearts.'”
Kenneth Quinnell Fri, 02/12/2021 - 13:30Take a Stand for What We Deserve: 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:
In December of 1939, Butterfly McQueen became the first Black lifetime member of Equity. This rare membership is assigned to members for extraordinary volunteerism and involvement in our union. #BlackHistoryMonth pic.twitter.com/eAZcVXhNT6
— Actors' Equity (@ActorsEquity) February 11, 2021AFGE:
@POTUS promised to be the most 'pro-union president', and within his first three weeks in office he has already restored many vital protections for 2.1 million federal workers across the country. #1u pic.twitter.com/yT3EqTbEbP
— AFGE (@AFGENational) February 10, 2021AFSCME:
“You don’t get things done just by going to management or HR... We as workers need to take a stand for what we deserve.” – Jenny Suarez, a respiratory therapist at University of California, Irvine’s, Medical Center, and a member of @AFSCMELocal3299. https://t.co/cZ6e5ktC6l
— AFSCME (@AFSCME) February 10, 2021Alliance for Retired Americans:
Only 5.4% of all COVID vaccine doses administered in U.S. went to long-term care facility residents: https://t.co/AUUWdgZQsH
— Alliance for Retired Americans (@ActiveRetirees) February 9, 2021Amalgamated Transit Union:
An ATU hero at Local 1385-Dayton, OH. https://t.co/wHHSRcwBzg #1u #RTA #PublicTransit #Transit
— ATU, Transit Union (@ATUComm) February 11, 2021American Federation of Musicians:
The #SuperBowl entertainment, featuring @ericchurch and @jsullivanmusic singing the #NationalAnthem and @HERMusicx singing #americathebeautiful, is covered by @afm_union contract. #PepsiHalftime with @theweeknd and backup singers is covered by @sagaftra. TY to all #unionmembers? pic.twitter.com/72kihtvUst
— AFM (@The_AFM) February 7, 2021American Federation of Teachers:
"We need to meet fear with facts, and we need to get vaccinations into poeple's arms - teacher's arms, other educators's arms - as quickly as possible, to have another layer of protection."
ICYMI: @rweingarten talked to CNN about what it will take to #ReopenSafely. pic.twitter.com/apKHqLojHg
American Postal Workers Union:
There's one boss who we all love. #brucespringsteen #SuperBowl pic.twitter.com/zF11JIavNG
— APWU National (@APWUnational) February 8, 2021Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance:
#GeneralStrike #Burma This is what labor solidarity looks like! https://t.co/Wd0BNfIyQ6
— Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance, AFL-CIO (@APALAnational) February 9, 2021Association of Flight Attendants-CWA:
Aviation is critical for vaccine distribution & essential frontline aviation workers need priority vaccination. We will continue to update this page for aviation workers to find your current state vaccine priority & resources to register for the vaccine. https://t.co/rssh23JmBZ
— AFA-CWA (@afa_cwa) February 10, 2021Boilermakers:
Stronger unions mean:
higher wages ✔️
safer working conditions ✔️
dignity for all people who work ✔️
Passing the PRO Act will be the first step in getting there. Find our toolkit w/ graphics, info, sample messages and more at ➡️ https://t.co/qCBTPAOZxm #BoilermakersUnion pic.twitter.com/7hYj2Cgvz4
Coalition of Black Trade Unionists:
CBTU is thrilled to congratulate our sister Clayola Brown, on her appointment as the AFL-CIO’s new Civil, Human and Women’s Rights Director. Clay’s stellar career has prepared her for this challenge, and she will be a fierce champion of equity. Congrats sister! @APRI_National pic.twitter.com/8HYLqAuhWJ
— CBTU (@CBTU72) February 3, 2021Communications Workers of America:
Scabby is an ICON. https://t.co/QrCnliHxSm
— CWA (@CWAUnion) February 11, 2021Department for Professional Employees:
“The importance of this vote transcends this one facility. Amazon is transforming industry after industry, and, especially given its size, is determining what the future of work will look like.” - @RWDSU President @sappelbaum #1u https://t.co/GEqaIpaCwL
— Department for Professional Employees (@DPEaflcio) February 11, 2021Electrical Workers:
Carbon capture, energy storage, wind, solar and advanced nuclear technologies are all winners in a recent Congressional spending bill. And that means energy jobs, now and into the future. https://t.co/iNlCjYnbcb
— IBEW (@IBEW) February 11, 2021Fire Fighters:
Three Local 1664 members talk about the effects our profession can have on the minds & well-being of fire fighters. From long ago calls that stir emotion to full blown PTSD, it can impact people differently. @IAFFNewsDesk @mcfrsPIO https://t.co/w6QFhWuHHc
— IAFF Local 1664 (@IAFFLocal1664) February 11, 2021Heat and Frost Insulators:
Thank you Local 34 Sister Hartse for sharing these great pictures! And congratulations on working at your first brewery -- you did a great job! ??? pic.twitter.com/dsKsYPG9m3
— Insulators Union ? (@InsulatorsUnion) February 11, 2021International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers:
We stand with, @RWDSU/@BAmazonUnion and @ACLUStaffUnited as they fight for their unions! #SolidarityForGood https://t.co/YQVuL3AEdL
— IFPTE (@IFPTE) February 6, 2021Ironworkers:
The House of Representatives has approved legislation that seeks to expand apprenticeship programs to train workers in a range of industries, including construction, and authorizes $3 billion over five years to achieve that goal. https://t.co/umIvHSwhKW
— Ironworkers. (@TheIronworkers) February 9, 2021IUE-CWA:
This fight is not just for the 80 jobs already on the chopping block. If our LED product line leaves, it is just a matter of time before the whole plant shuts down." - Will Evans, IUE-CWA Local 84704 Pres.
Sign the petition to save jobs: https://t.co/mFEzNNgS4t pic.twitter.com/vdr48bsa4i
Jobs With Justice:
Tyson refused to increase #COVID19 protections for workers, despite raking-in billions. Now, 39 are dead.@Vanguard_Group, @blackrock & @TRowePrice -- will you hold @TysonFoods accountable? Or is your "socially responsible investing" line just PR fluff?https://t.co/Cm5j2v9Oqy
— Jobs With Justice (@jwjnational) February 11, 2021Labor Council for Latin American Advancement:
Ongoing human rights violations, including slavery, in #Mauritania make safe return impossible. #TPS was created to protect people from deportation to countries where their lives or freedom would be at risk and @DHSgov must designate for 18 months now! #Act4BlackImms
— LCLAA (@LCLAA) February 10, 2021Laborers:
#RightToWorkIsWrong https://t.co/t2K2ytk3mL
— LIUNA (@LIUNA) February 10, 2021Machinists:
Protecting aerospace and defense jobs has brought labor and industry together to fully support this critical workforce @AIAspeaks. https://t.co/3fCg9n4Txn
— Machinists Union ✈️?? (@MachinistsUnion) February 11, 2021Metal Trades Department:
On the 11th day of #Blackhistorymonth Elizabeth Powell, Secretary-Treasurer of the APWU. Powell is the first woman in the position. In 2019 she was awarded the Coalition’s Addie Wyatt Award and the Shirley Chisholm Breakthrough Leader Award in 2020. Thank you for your dedication. pic.twitter.com/U8uhHRmUQO
— Metal Trades Dept. (@metaltradesafl) February 11, 2021Mine Workers:
"The United Mine Workers of America is backing the bill, writing: “Without an industry-wide, enforceable standard, miners are left to the whims of coal operators regarding protective measures that are employed at the mine to limit exposure to the virus.”https://t.co/chEQTv2enb
— United Mine Workers (@MineWorkers) February 11, 2021Musical Artists:
Today AGMA begins negotiations with the Met. Changes at the Met can influence the way opera is produced, rehearsed, and performed throughout the entire industry, across the globe. This is a fight for ALL Artists. Read full statement: https://t.co/ZGWXbqmBJN pic.twitter.com/xi2sXCkCe0
— AGMA (@AGMusicalArtist) February 8, 2021National Air Traffic Controllers Association:
— NATCA (@NATCA) February 10, 2021National Association of Letter Carriers:
Nalcrest is winter-ready! Residents of Nalcrest created ice sculptures of a swan, llama and snowman for their winter decorations. Nalcrest is a union-made retirement community for our members. #1u #Florida pic.twitter.com/BQ7w8jrW0C
— Letter Carriers (@NALC_National) February 11, 2021National Day Laborer Organizing Network:
Our statement on the disgraceful Senate votarama: “Yesterday’s vote was a signal that Trumpism did not end on Jan 20th, and it was a reminder to those of us who experience anti-immigrant racism that we cannot be complacent in the days ahead” (cont…) https://t.co/q8tgfKcgwS
— NDLON (@NDLON) February 5, 2021National Domestic Workers Alliance:
“It’s really sad … in my experience, the business model is based on wage theft—how to cut corners,” says NDWA attorney Rocío Avila. https://t.co/Qdrm3WW1V1
— Domestic Workers (@domesticworkers) February 11, 2021National Federation of Federal Employees:
The #COVID leave provisions in the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA), helped to prevent more than 15,000 cases per day nationwide during the pandemic last year. https://t.co/9V6albeK4H
— NFFE (@NFFE_Union) February 10, 2021National Nurses United:
“We see it as much of a civil-rights battle as a labor battle.” - @RWDSU President Stuart Appelbaum
Nurses stand in solidarity with the courageous Amazon workers in Alabama organizing — and voting— #UnionYes!#BAmazonUnionhttps://t.co/tGvlfYyhvf
National Taxi Workers Alliance:
Cabbies have taken the Brooklyn Bridge and are sending an SOS to Congress for help with medallion debt relief. pic.twitter.com/he43GUirG9
— NY Taxi Workers (@NYTWA) February 10, 2021NFL Players Association:
Also joining us at the #AthleteAnd Workshop next week is Acho brothers @TheSamAcho + @EmmanuelAcho to talk about how players can leverage their power for good. pic.twitter.com/MV59fighLU
— NFLPA (@NFLPA) February 11, 2021North America's Building Trades Unions:
NABTU is pleased to announce the unanimous decision by our Governing Board of Presidents to provide our over 5,000 union halls and training centers as injection sites for public distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine.
?: https://t.co/00cbwVKObP pic.twitter.com/zxQTttKIsH
Office and Professional Employees:
✍️✍️✍️https://t.co/REZxvjcjk9
— OPEIU #PassThePROAct ✊ (@OPEIU) February 10, 2021Painters and Allied Trades:
54% of American workers say they're threatened with job loss if they vote to unionize.
40% of the time during union elections, employers break the law.
20% of workers who engage in union organizing are fired.
This is why we need labor law reform. This is why we need the PRO Act. pic.twitter.com/8kviDEs02i
Plasterers and Cement Masons:
Our proud member Liz “Knuckles” Nichols of Local 555 is on @ToughAsNailsCBS premiering tonight. On behalf of our Steel Edge Women and all your #OPCMIA brothers and sisters, we are cheering for you, Liz! https://t.co/Tq9O5KP6Ji
— OPCMIA International (@opcmiaintl) February 10, 2021Professional Aviation Safety Specialists:
PASS thanks @TransportDems for hearing today giving voice to frontline transportation workers. PASS also thanks leaders @RepPeterDeFazio & @RepSamGraves for support of these essential workers. Our union brothers & sisters need assistance now. #COVIDTransportationStories #1u https://t.co/Yac1KgB3S6
— PASS (@PASSNational) February 4, 2021Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union:
“It’s significant that it’s a movement of primarily Black workers & women—the workers that have been most impacted by the pandemic." The #BlackLivesMatter movement inspired #BAmazonUnion workers to fight for the dignity and respect they deserve. #UnionYeshttps://t.co/wGS6mrJKnZ
— RWDSU (@RWDSU) February 11, 2021SAG-AFTRA:
Tales of the Windy City! With the production trifecta of Chicago P.D./Med/Fire, #sagaftramembers can get an insider's view about the many hats performers wear to thrive in a local market. Watch live now! https://t.co/1cb8yxIW4n
— SAG-AFTRA (@sagaftra) February 11, 2021School Administrators:
We especially know Cardona's experience as a principal provides him the greatest understanding of what school leaders need to create, implement and enhance the proper school learning environment for all children to learn and grow academically and personally. @CNN @MSNBC @FoxNews
— The School Leader (@AFSAUnion) February 8, 2021Seafarers:
Biden to Free Up Billions in Delayed Puerto Rico Storm Aid https://t.co/uhJe7qXS9L
— Seafarers Union (@SeafarersUnion) February 4, 2021Solidarity Center:
A 14-yr old girl was among 28 garment workers killed in a factory disaster in #Morocco. The factory operated illegally. “Where were the local govt authorities? Where were the investors?” asked Amal El Amri, a rep in Parliament & union member. @cleanclotheshttps://t.co/ChxibFglko
— Solidarity Center (@SolidarityCntr) February 11, 2021The NewsGuild-CWA:
We are! https://t.co/uespeFZUml
— NewsGuild-CWA (@newsguild) February 10, 2021Theatrical Stage Employees:
Local 665 President Tuia’ana Scanlan’s shares his journey to IATSE and the call that spearheaded his life and career as a Stagehand. #IATSEDiversity
Read Scanlan's story here: https://t.co/00XFZrTuiR
Transport Workers Union:
TWU members continue to put their lives at risk to serve the public during #Covid19. As our economy struggles to recover, more jobs will be lost if we do not put pressure on Congress to act fast and save OUR jobs. Act fast & send a letter to Congress now!https://t.co/H8icWQJ2hR
— TWU (@transportworker) February 10, 2021Transportation Trades Department:
Amtrak workers like Katrina Coleman need:
? Job security
? A safe work environment
? Dedicated funding
? Unwavering employment protections #COVIDTransportationStories @TCUnionHQ pic.twitter.com/NklxQzmW6g
UAW:
Despite claims that the cost wage increases will be passed onto consumers, researchers found that a 10% increase in the minimum wage raised McDonald’s food prices by just 1.4%. https://t.co/Wj8lyb9p4G
— UAW (@UAW) February 10, 2021Union Veterans Council:
Many unions have successful programs that help connect veterans with federally registered apprenticeship programs. Through greater public investment in these programs, @POTUS is working to connect veterans with good careers for life. #BuildBackBetter #1u https://t.co/Je9D0pu8EH
— Union Veterans Council (@unionveterans) February 10, 2021UNITE HERE:
STATEMENT from UNITE HERE President @DTaylorUH on the re-introduction of the 'Worker Health Coverage Protection Act" by @SenatorDurbin & @SenCortezMasto.
“We need 100% emergency COBRA coverage now. 80% of our workers are out of work, out of health insurance, out of money.” pic.twitter.com/6jEWsrbX1I
United Food and Commercial Workers:
#EssentialWorkers are still bravely stepping up to keep our communities fed during #COVID19. Now more than ever, we need to have their back!
Stand with customers around the country to support hazard pay for #EssentialWorkers. #1u
⬇️ ⬇️
United Steelworkers:
Texas Regulators Consider Tougher Rules for Above-Ground Chemical Storage Tanks https://t.co/7fnVzjlXNv #USWUnity
— United Steelworkers (@steelworkers) February 11, 2021Utility Workers:
We're celebrating #BlackHistoryMonth by highlighting the work of our members towards equality and racial justice in the workplace!
Have a union sister or brother who deserves to be highlighted for their work? Email webmaster@uwua.net pic.twitter.com/tnESgeW7q3
Working America:
✉️ Take Action to save our USPS! ✉️
Join the call for a USPS Board of Governors that wants to continue Benjamin Franklin's vision for a fair, affordable postal system that ensures every person has the freedom to communicate, regardless of ZIP code! #1u https://t.co/7gmbfaqf9W
Writers Guild of America, East:
"The 3-year contract includes a $5k increase to the salary floor, converts remote contractors to full-time employees, renews a $15k annual commitment to address equity & inclusion issues, & establishes Juneteenth as a work holiday." @OnionIncUnion #1u https://t.co/7Tt4xNVgUA
— Writers Guild of America, East (@WGAEast) February 10, 2021 Kenneth Quinnell Fri, 02/12/2021 - 12:01Black History Month Profiles: Rayneese Primrose
This year, for Black History Month, we're taking a look at a group of leaders who are currently active making Black history across the labor movement. Check back daily for a new profile and meet some of the people working to improve not only the conditions for working people in our community, but also across the country. Today's profile is Rayneese Primrose.
In August 2020, artist Rayneese Primrose, a member of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) Local 764, discovered that her Lady Liberty artwork was selected by the Rockefeller Center as part of the Flag Project, in which artists designed flags that fly high from the iconic flagpoles surrounding the Rink at Rockefeller Center. Inspired by the Statue of Liberty and influenced by Maya Angelou’s poem "Still I Rise," Primrose said she reimagined the Statue of Liberty as a symbol that truly represents everyone.
Kenneth Quinnell Fri, 02/12/2021 - 09:32Tags: Black History Month
Service + Solidarity Spotlight: St. Paul Labor Federation Distributes Food to Community
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 St. Paul Building and Construction Trades Council, in partnership with the St. Paul Regional Labor Federation, hosted a free-food distribution event on Feb. 3. Volunteers loaded up 30-pound boxes of food and made them available to anyone in need, free of charge. The operation, which was a contactless, drive-through operation, provided hundreds of boxes of food to people in the community of St. Paul, Minnesota.
Last week, union members volunteered to distribute 117,000 pounds of food to families in the area, with several distribution events scheduled.
Kenneth Quinnell Fri, 02/12/2021 - 08:03Tags: COVID-19, Community Service
Pathway to Progress: Baltimore Caulkers Take Charge of Their Own Future
History has long been portrayed as a series of "great men" taking great action to shape the world we live in. In recent decades, however, social historians have focused more on looking at history "from the bottom up," studying the vital role that working people played in our heritage. Working people built, and continue to build, the United States. In our new series, Pathway to Progress, we'll take a look at various people, places and events where working people played a key role in the progress our country has made, including those who are making history right now. Today's topic is the story of Baltimore caulkers who bought their own shipyard in the face of systemic discrimination.
Pro-slavery forces before the Civil War often used racist appeals to labor in their efforts to sway public opinion. They fear-mongered that freed Black workers would undercut White workers in the labor force and would cost jobs and drive down wages. Free Black workers, before and after the war, were often used as scabs, and they couldn't refuse the offer, as other work options were limited or non-existent.
As a response, Black workers began forming their own labor associations. Among the first formed was by caulkers in Baltimore in the early days of the Reconstruction Era. Before the war, White caulkers used violence and intimidation to scare Black caulkers out of the trade. The violence continued after the war, and in October the White caulkers, supported by ship carpenters, went on strike to get Black workers fired as caulkers and longshoremen. The strike was successful with the support of city government and local police. More than 100 men found themselves out of work.
One of those men, Isaac Myers (pictured) proposed that they form a union and raise funds to purchase their own cooperative shipyard and railway. The campaign began and they issued stock that quickly raised $10,000 from the Black population of Baltimore and beyond. One of the first stockholders was Frederick Douglass. They secured a $30,000 loan from a ship captain and were able to buy an extensive shipyard and railway and founded the Chesapeake Marine Railway and Dry Dock Company in 1866.
They soon employed 300 Black workers and paid them an average wage of $3 a day. They were able to win several government contracts, and they paid off the debt from the loan early. The shipyard expanded and soon they were hiring White workers, too. The Colored Caulkers' Trade Union Society of Baltimore was a success under the leadership of Isaac Myers, who was elected president. He established relations with the White caulkers union and the two groups began to work together to address common problems.
The model used by the caulkers worked well in the North, but raising similar funds in the South was much more difficult. But they still took inspiration from the Baltimore success and began to organize and strike, leading to some of the largest mass demonstrations in the history of the South. Some had success and a growth of Black entrepreneurship was an outgrowth of the Baltimore caulkers' efforts as was the fact that the Black working class had now joined the labor movement.
Source: "Organized Labor and the Black Worker, 1619-1981" by Philip S. Foner, 1974.
Kenneth Quinnell Thu, 02/11/2021 - 12:07Tags: Organizing, Pathway to Progress
Black History Month Profiles: C. Faye Harper
This year, for Black History Month, we're taking a look at a group of leaders who are currently active making Black history across the labor movement. Check back daily for a new profile and meet some of the people working to improve not only the conditions for working people in our community, but also across the country. Today's profile is C. Faye Harper.
C. Faye Harper currently serves as the 10th international vice president for the Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE). She also serves as a trustee and business representative for IATSE Local 834. She has been with the union for nearly 30 years. She said her activism was driven by never having seen a person of color on the IATSE General Executive Board. "As a leader, it’s necessary that someone of color see that there is representation and somebody represents who they are," Harper said. In 2016, Harper was elected to the General Executive Board, becoming the change she wanted to see in the world.
Kenneth Quinnell Thu, 02/11/2021 - 08:37Service + Solidarity Spotlight: FLOC Hosts Vaccination Clinics
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 Farm Labor Organizing Committee (FLOC) is working to ensure Black and Brown communities in Toledo, Ohio, have access to the vaccine. The union held its first vaccination clinic, where 30 members of the community who are older than 75 or have underlying health conditions received their first shot. FLOC held another vaccination event this past Friday. “We’re succeeding in getting health officials to re-think distribution to reach Latinos and Black folks who are having the highest mortality rates,” said FLOC President Baldemar Velasquez (not pictured). Throughout the pandemic, communities of color have experienced much higher rates of mortality from COVID-19.
Kenneth Quinnell Thu, 02/11/2021 - 08:36
