Labor & Employment Law

Paul Krugman: Walker?s Power Play

Posted on February 21, 2011
Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker’s attacks on working families are not about shoring up state finances, economist Paul Krugman correctly points out today. …what?s happening in Wisconsin isn?t about the state budget, despite Mr. Walker?s pretense that he?s just trying to be fiscally responsible...

Walker Over Coffee

Posted on February 20, 2011
Wisconsin Gov. Walker will appear on Fox News Sunday today to defend his assault on middle-class jobs and workers’ right to bargain collectively. (Check local listings for time and station.) Let’s hear what you think. Answer back at the We Are One solidarity page on Facebook...

Egyptian Union Leader: ?Today Is the Day of the American Workers?

Posted on February 20, 2011
Kamal Abbas, general coordinator of the independent Egyptian Centre for Trade Unions and Workers Services (CTUWS), has sent an amazing message of solidarity to U.S. workers under assault by CEO-backed governors and state legislators. From Michael Moore’s website: I am speaking to you from a place very close to Tahrir Square in Cairo, “Liberation Square,” which was the heart of the Revolution in Egypt...

Wis. Teachers Ready to Help?But Not Forfeit Rights

Posted on February 20, 2011
Wisconsin’s public employees have agreed to Gov. Scott Walker’s (R) demands for pension and health care concessions–but they won’t give up their right to bargain collectively, says Mary Bell, Wisconsin Education Association Council president...

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Madison Chamber Slams ?Adversarial? Moves Against Public Employees

Posted on February 20, 2011
The Greater Madison (Wis.) Chamber of Commerce has slammed the “adversarial way elected officials are approaching” public employees in Gov. Scott Walker’s (R) assault on good jobs and collective bargaining rights. Here’s part of the statement: The GMCC supports the work to address the state budget deficit and the efforts toward improving the state’s economy...

Law Enforcement Association Official Regrets Walker Endorsement

Posted on February 20, 2011
Tracy Fuller, executive board president of the Wisconsin Law Enforcement Association, says in a statement on the association’s website that he regrets the endorsement by the Wisconsin Troopers Association of Gov. Scott Walker. The law enforcement union’s members were not included in Walker’s assault on jobs and collective bargaining rights...

Abraham Lincoln Wrote Playbook for Wis. Dems Who Fled the State

Posted on February 20, 2011
This is a crosspost from our friends at ThinkProgress: Wisconsin Democratic state senators who fled the state to block Gov. Scott Walker?s (R) union busting said today they have ?no plans to return to the state until Walker could reach a reasonable negotiation with state employees...

Charles Woodson Sends Support to Wis. Workers

Posted on February 20, 2011
Corner back Charles Woodson of the Super Bowl champion Green Bay Packers today announced his support of the Wisconsin workers protesting Gov. Scott Walker’s (R) assault on good jobs and collective bargaining rights. “Thousands of dedicated Wisconsin public workers provide vital services for Wisconsin citizens,” he said...

Sunday Morning Wrap-Up

Posted on February 20, 2011
Sixty-thousands working people were at the Wisconsin state capitol in Madison yesterday continuing the massive protests against Gov. Scott Walker’s (R) assault on middle-class jobs and workers’ collective bargaining rights–and they’re coming back again today...

Union Plus Can Help with Health Care Costs

Posted on February 20, 2011
    JonDa Tanner            Jennifer Wright Dorr at Union Plus sends us this feature examining Union Plus health care savings plans for union members.   As high health care costs keep working families away from the doctor or dentist, Union Plus is fighting back with a health savings program that can make health care services more affordable...

Day 5 Brings 70,000-Plus to Madison to Protect Workers? Rights

Posted on February 19, 2011
More than 70,000 people?the vast, vast majority of them protesting Gov. Scott Walker?s (R) assault on middle class jobs and workers? rights?rallied in Madison, Wis., today in the fifth straight day of demonstrations against Walker?s union-busting proposals...

Walker?s Claims Can?t Pass the Truth Test

Posted on February 19, 2011
Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker (R) claims with a straight face that his so-called ?budget repair? bill does not take away collective bargaining rights for public workers. Maybe he hasn?t read his own bill, because if had and still made that claim, he would be lying...

Best Protest Signs and Trumka Delivers Speech and Brats

Posted on February 19, 2011
       The serious work of fighting against Gov. Scott Walker’s vendetta against Wisconsin’s teachers and other public workers was the focus all our time and coverage during the past few days. So here are a few things from the lighter side...

Wisconsin Workers Don?t Take the Weekend Off in Fight for Rights

Posted on February 19, 2011
The fight for workers? rights and middle class jobs continues this weekend in Madison with demonstrations against Gov. Scott Walker?s (R) plan to take away collective bargaining rights for some 200,000 public workers. For the fifth day in row, thousands of Wisconsin workers and their supporters are at the Capitol plaza and inside the rotunda...

Labor College Offers Green Workplace Representative Program

Posted on February 19, 2011
       Courses in the National Labor College?s (NLC’s) new Green Workplace Representative Certificate Program will begin on June 26. The program consists of four required, weeklong courses. Students must complete 12 credits to earn the certificate...

BREAKING: Wis. Republican Lawmakers Give Up Until Tuesday

Posted on February 18, 2011
Wisconsin’s Republican legislators have put off a vote on a bill that would undermine good, middle-class jobs and take collective bargaining rights away from some 200,000 public employees, according to JSOnline and other news reports. Democrats in the state Senate left the capitol yesterday, stalling a vote on the measure...

Faith Leaders Offer Wis. Lawmakers Sanctuary

Posted on February 18, 2011
Catholic, Jewish, and Protestant faith leaders from Illinois and Wisconsin today offered sanctuary to the 14 Democratic members of the Wisconsin state Senate who left the chamber Wednesday to prevent Gov. Scott Walker (R) from railroading through his budget measure that would destroy middle-class jobs and eliminate collective bargaining rights for public service workers...

Show Your Support for Embattled Workers!

Posted on February 18, 2011
We are rolling out actions today for people to show support for embattled state and local workers. We’ll have more in coming days. Please join in and pass these along. Add a “We Are One” Facebook and Twitter avatar to show your solidarity with state workers...

Anti-Worker ?Right to Work? Bill on Indiana Fast Track

Posted on February 18, 2011
While the assault on workers in Wisconsin is drawing national attention, the state level coordinated attacks on middle-class jobs and workers’ rights roll on across the country. (Visit our new States of Denial website here for more information.) In a move designed to give Indiana workers and their allies as little time as possible to mobilize against a so-called ?right to work? bill, Indiana Republican state House leaders slipped the bill into next week?s schedule at the at the last minute, setting a vote for 9 a...

AFT, NEA Offer Black History Month Teaching Tools

Posted on February 18, 2011
      AFT and the National Education Association (NEA) have compiled resources to help educators celebrate February as Black History Month. The AFT site here highlights key facts and figures about African Americans, important historical events, influential figures and the continuing contributions of African Americans...

New Yorkers: Solidarity with Cheeseheads

Posted on February 18, 2011
       New Yorkers looked particularily festive in their bright yellow swiss cheese hats today, as hundreds became honorary Cheeseheads while marching in solidarity with embattled workers in Wisconsin. Bob Fertik writes about the event at the Jobs Party blog: In  just 24 hours, NYC supporters of Wisconsin workers organized a spirited Cheesehead Rally in Manhattan to launch the Cheddar Revolution nationwide…...

Comedian Lee Camp: Join in Solidarity with America?s Workers

Posted on February 18, 2011
  Comedian Lee Camp, a friend of working families, urges all of us to join in solidarity with workers in Wisconsin and FOCUS on what’s happening in Wisconsin because: right when we get involved with something that matters, something that could truly make a difference if enough of us came together as one, we’re told to veer over here, look over there, stop looking at the wrongs being perpretated around the world and instead focus on guitar hero or “Jersey Shore...

Get Updated on Ohio Today at Union Edge Radio

Posted on February 18, 2011
Ohio AFL-CIO President Tim Burga will be on the Union Edge radio program today to discuss the assault on the state’s middle class by Republican Gov. John Kasich and Republicans in the state legislature. Listen here between 3 p.m. and 4 p.m. ET.

Time to End ?Vendetta? Politics

Posted on February 18, 2011
Wrapping up a passionate defense of the state?s workers, AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka calls on Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker (R) to end ?vendetta politics? and to ?stop blaming hardworking? people for the state?s budget woes. “Gov. Walker enough of the political games! This country has had it with vendetta politics...

Trumka: Walker ?Can?t Have Our Freedom?

Posted on February 18, 2011
Huge cheers and applause are echoing across the Capitol plaza in Madison as AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka fires up those in the crowd, many of whom have been there for all the weeklong demonstrations. “Incomes have stalled…now leaders like Walker want to take away our basic freedoms – like to have voice on the job...

Walker Manufactured Budget Crisis to Screen Attack on Workers

Posted on February 18, 2011
Under a sunny Wisconsin sky, AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka tells the huge crowd of  union members, students, activists and supporters that Gov. Scott Walker?s (R) real goal is to bust unions. ?Truth: WI’s state emplys said they’d help w so-called fiscal crisis – even tho was manufactured by Gov...

Workers Are Defending American Dream

Posted on February 18, 2011
Here?s more from the speech AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka is delivering to Wisconsin workers at today?s huge rally in Madison. ?You’re stronger because u are united 2 defend the dream that is essence of America? #WIunion #NotMyWI #StateSOS #1u ?All of is who wk hard can have portion of good thing in life: decent pay, health care, retirement in dignity? #WIuniom #StateSOS #NotmyWI ?You’re stronger bc you’re united to protect FREEDOM of every worker in America...

Trumka to Wisconsin Workers: ?No Place I?d Rather Be?

Posted on February 18, 2011
AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka is addressing the more than 20,000 people rocking the state Capitol in Madison, Wis., protesting Gov. Scott Walker?s (R) attack on workers? rights. Our own Eddie Vale is there and sends us these tweets from the speech: ?Brothers and sisters, there’s no place I’d rather be than right here!? – Trumka #WIunion #notmyWI #StateSOS ?You’re inspiring all the ppl of #WI…inspiring ppl of OH who are living thru same kind of attacks? #WIunion #NotMyWI #StandUpOH #StateSOS...

You Can Support Wisconsin Senators Who Are Standing with Workers

Posted on February 18, 2011
Yesterday, the 14 Democratic members of the Wisconsin state Senate left the chamber to prevent Gov. Scott Walker (R) from railroading through his budget measure that would destroy middle-class jobs and eliminate collective bargaining rights for public service workers...

Praise for Wisconsin Workers? Protests

Posted on February 18, 2011
UAW President Bob King says he and the union?s members fully support Wisconsin workers’ “courageous efforts”: to fight back against this thinly veiled, purely partisan effort to destroy unions in favor of a system [Gov. Scott]Walker and his well-heeled political pals will control...

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