Labor & Employment Law

Union, Community Activists Rally to Save Wisconsin High-Speed Rail

Posted on November 15, 2010
Wisconsin AFL-CIO Field Communications Coordinator Karen Hickey sends us this report on a rally to save a high-speed rail project and its nearly 15,000 jobs that Republican Gov-Elect Scott Walker says he will cancel. This afternoon, some 350 concerned citizens representing a broad coalition of labor and community organizations rallied in Milwaukee to protest Gov...

Tell Congress: Maintain Unemployment Help, Not Tax Cuts for the Rich

Posted on November 15, 2010
Congress is back in town and back to work today, and its first order of business should be maintaining the emergency unemployment insurance (UI) benefits program that is a lifeline for the millions and millions of long-term jobless workers. If the program is allowed to expire Nov...

1,750 California Transit Workers Win New Contract?and More Bargaining News

Posted on November 15, 2010
Transit workers in Alameda, Calif., win a new contract after working without one since June 30, and more news from the “Bargaining Digest Weekly.” The AFL-CIO Collective Bargaining Department delivers daily, bargaining-related news and research resources to more than 1,300 subscribers...

Nominate Your Choice for ?Scrooge of the Year?

Posted on November 15, 2010
      It?s the holiday season and time once again to say ?bah humbug? to the most cold-hearted and greedy CEOs, corporations and politicians who exemplify the spirit of Ebenezer Scrooge.  This is the 11th year that Jobs with Justice (JwJ) will ?honor? the person or group that has done the most to ?scrooge? workers...

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Get Ready for Buy Union Week, Nov. 26?Dec. 5

Posted on November 14, 2010
      In these difficult times, it makes sense for union families to use their power to help keep good union jobs in the community by purchasing union-made goods and services. The AFL-CIO Union Label & Service Trades Department (UL&STD) has designated the 10 days following Thanksgiving, Nov...

Labor Book Catalog Offers One-Stop Shopping

Posted on November 13, 2010
      Sometimes it is awful darn hard to find union- and labor-orientated books, whether you?re looking for how to help in the workplace, labor history or even worker-themed fiction. But a free, new 56-page catalog from Union Communication Services (UCS) puts hundreds of titles on dozens of subjects at your fingertips...

?Absolute Insanity? to Keep Bush Tax Cuts for Wealthy

Posted on November 12, 2010
      Republicans on Capitol Hill want to extend the Bush-era tax cuts for the rich, which are set to expire at the end of the year. President Obama and congressional Democrats want to extend the cuts for middle and lower income families, but not for persons making $250,000 or more...

NFL Players to Join State Federations

Posted on November 12, 2010
      It happens too often. Workers become more productive, often risking serious injury on the job, and make the owners more money. But instead of sharing the wealth, the owners demand givebacks and threaten to shut down the company if the workers don?t agree...

Trumka Praises Obama?s Refusal to Accept ?Inadequate? Korea Trade Deal

Posted on November 12, 2010
    Workers in South Korea last year protested the proposed trade deal with the United States.         President Obama showed he is not willing to settle for an inadequate trade deal with Korea that ?doesn’t address the very real concerns of working people and small business,? AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka said yesterday...

Working America Tells Boehner: Stop Stringing Us Along on UI Extension

Posted on November 12, 2010
      The first priority of Congress must be jobs, jobs, jobs, AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka has said.  Earlier this week, members of  Working America, the federation?s community affiliate, delivered thousands of job applications and signatures on jobs petitions?tied with long pieces of string?to incoming House Speaker John Boehner’s (R-Ohio) district office in Troy, urging him to extend crucial jobless benefits for millions during November?s lame duck session...

Apply Now for 2011 Union Plus Scholarships

Posted on November 11, 2010
Since 1991, Union Plus has awarded more than $3 million in college scholarships to 1,900 union members and their families. Applications are now available for the 2011 Union Plus Scholarship Program. They must be submitted by Jan. 31. Click here to download the application...

Honor Veterans by Fighting for Them Like They Fought for Us

Posted on November 11, 2010
      More than 2 million union members are veterans. On this day dedicated to those who have served their country in the military, it’s appropriate to remember that we need to fight for them just as they fought to defend us. Like all workers, veterans are suffering in this tough economy...

Budget Commission to Workers: ?Drop Dead?

Posted on November 10, 2010
Today?s preliminary report from the federal budget deficit commission, says AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka, ?tells working Americans to ?Drop Dead.’? Especially in these tough economic times, it is unconscionable to be proposing cuts to the critical economic lifelines for working people, Social Security and Medicare...

IWJ Issues Red Cross Blood Drive Guide with Focus on Safety, Workers? Rights

Posted on November 10, 2010
The Red Cross has come under fire recently for its blood safety practices and unfair labor practices. Today, Interfaith Workers Justice (IWJ) issued a Congregational Guide urging congregations to hold the American Red Cross accountable for improving its blood safety practices and respecting workers? rights...

Lee on C-SPAN: Stop Outsourcing and Rebuild Middle Class

Posted on November 10, 2010
      If the U.S. economy is going to recover from the recession, we must stop exporting U.S. jobs and figure out a way to produce more products here to compete successfully in the global economy. In the past decade alone, more than 5 million manufacturing jobs and 850,000 information sector jobs have disappeared?many of which have been shipped overseas...

Deliberate Distortions Create False Sense of Urgency for Social Security Cuts

Posted on November 09, 2010
There is so much inaccurate information?much of it deliberately cultivated?about the solvency of Social Security, that it’ss leading policymakers, analysts and lawmakers to believe there is an urgent need to make major changes to Social Security...

Hyatt Hotel Housekeepers in 12 Cities File Injury Complaints with OSHA

Posted on November 09, 2010
      When you check into a luxury hotel you expect a clean room and a nicely made bed. But the work it takes to make that room sparkle often is back-breaking and dangerous for the housekeepers who do it. Today, housekeepers at 12 Hyatt hotels in eight cities across the United States, with the assistance of UNITE HERE, filed injury complaints with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) for repetitive motion and other kinds of injuries sustained on the job...

Reid, Manchin, Quinn Tell Executive Council Union Support, Jobs Message Key to Wins

Posted on November 09, 2010
    Union members join Nevada Sen. Harry Reid (center) to get out the vote.         Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) told the AFL-CIO Executive Council this morning to keep one thing in mind after last Tuesday?s election: ?We still have a lot of unfinished business and we are still in the majority...

Wynn Casino Dealers Approve Historic Contract

Posted on November 09, 2010
      Three years after voting to join a union, dealers at the casino in Wynn Las Vegas late last week ratified a collective bargaining agreement, the first-ever union contract for dealers in Las Vegas. With the contract, the 600 Wynn dealers, who are members of Transport Workers (TWU) Local 721, now have a voice on the job...

Money Managers Want to Cut Social Security to Keep Their Tax Breaks

Posted on November 09, 2010
    Wall Streeters poured millions of dollars into Republican campaign coffers to keep their unfair tax breaks.         The Republicans and their Wall Street buddies are warning that the nation will go bankrupt unless we cut billions of dollars out of two of the most successful-ever federal programs: Social Security and Medicare...

The Voters? Message: Manufacturing a Solution

Posted on November 09, 2010
No doubt voters sent a message last Tuesday. Deciphering it correctly is crucial. Republican cryptographers interpreted the election results that gave the GOP control of one house of Congress as a directive to demolish everything produced over the past two years?health care reform, Wall Street re-regulation and economic stimulus...

Colombia Workers: Keep Fighting Against Free Trade Agreement

Posted on November 09, 2010
      Over the past 24 years, more than 2,800 trade union members have been killed in Colombia and the government?s highly publicized efforts to bring the killers to justice are just a public relations spin to try and convince the United States to sign the U...

Pelosi, ?Tireless Champion of Working Families,? Seeks Leader Post

Posted on November 08, 2010
      During her four years as speaker of the House, Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) ?has been, and always will be, a tireless champion for working families,? says AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka. Last week, Pelosi said she would seek the House minority leader?s post in the next Congress where Republicans will have the majority...

Paul Taps Longtime Anti-Union Group Exec. as Top Aide

Posted on November 08, 2010
When the Republican majorities?especially the newly elected extreme right-wing members?take control of Congress in January, they likely will quickly take aim at workers and their unions. One of the people who might be calling those shots has a long history of trying to undermine workers’ rights...

AFTRA, SAG Reach Agreement with TV, Motion Picture Producers

Posted on November 08, 2010
      The American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (AFTRA) and the Screen Actors (SAG) reached a tentative agreement with motion picture and TV producers on new television and feature film contracts. The workers’ top priority was an increase in pension and health care benefits...

Labor Heritage to Honor Trumka, Lucy and Nussbaum

Posted on November 08, 2010
      For more than two decades, the Labor Heritage Foundation (LHF) has preserved and promoted the cultural heritage of American workers through art, music, poetry, written works, theater and artistic works. Tomorrow, the foundation will honor three inspiring labor leaders at its annual ?Evening of Labor Honors? fundraiser at the AFL-CIO in Washington, D...

Win a New Mexico Turkey Hunt from Union Sportsmen?s Alliance

Posted on November 07, 2010
      Our friends at the Union Sportsmen’s Alliance (USA) have come up with another tremendous giveaway that any hunting enthusiast would love to win? a two-day guided wild turkey hunt in one of the premier hunting destinations in Northeastern New Mexico...

ILCA Conference Nov. 19 Features Awards, Social Media Panel

Posted on November 06, 2010
The nation?s labor press will come together in Washington, D.C., Nov. 19 to celebrate the best in their craft and to learn about new and better ways to deliver the union message at the International Labor Communications Association?s (ILCA’s) annual conference...

Jobs Rise by 151,000, Unemployment Stays at 9.6 Percent

Posted on November 05, 2010
Jobs increased by 151,000 in October and the unemployment rate remained the same as last month, at 9.6 percent, according to U.S. Department of Labor data out this morning. Other positive news: the unexpectedly modest jobs loss in state and local government, although economists say job losses in this sector will likely worsen in future months because of state and local budget challenges...

Piedmont Workers Buck Anti-Union Attacks, Vote CWA by 2 to 1

Posted on November 05, 2010
Despite a massive and vicious anti-union campaign by the notorious, hired-gun union-busting firm, Labor Relations Institute, (LRI) the 3,000 fleet and passenger service agents at Piedmont Airlines voted by a two-to-one (1,170-638) margin to join Communications Workers of America (CWA)...

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