Labor & Employment Law

Steve Earle Releases Digital Single to Support Workers Under Attack

By James Parks

In support of the protests in Wisconsin and other states, singer Steve Earle has released the songs, ?Harlan Man? and ?The Mountain? as a special two-track digital single.

All the profits will benefit The America Votes Labor Unity Fund, a special fund that unites the AFL-CIO and labor organizations, allied progressive groups and individuals to fight for workers on the ground and on the airwaves. Contributions help activists campaign for workers? rights in 11 states, including Ohio, Wisconsin and Indiana.

Originally appearing on Earle?s 1999 bluegrass album with the Del McCoury Band, ?The Mountain,” both ?Harlan Man? and ?The Mountain? depict life as a card-carrying union miner. ?Harlan Man? features the lyrics:

I?m a union man, just like my daddy and all my kin, I took a union stand, no matter what the company said, I got me two good hands, and just as long as I?m able I won?t give in.

  The digital single is available now on iTunes here.

Earle, a longtime champion of working people, says:

Unions are a fundamental component of democracy throughout the free world. All eyes are on Wisconsin.

The America Votes Labor Unity Fund helps promote fair labor-management relations in the private and public sectors and defend workers and their unions against state legislation, ballot measures and executive orders that are aimed at undermining or destroying organizing and bargaining rights and unemployment standards.  

If you or your labor organization would like to donate to the America Votes Labor Unity Fund, please visit www.SaveWorkers.org for details.

Full post as published by AFL-CIO NOW BLOG on March 11, 2011 (boomark / email).