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The Unfinished Story of Women at Work: 9to5 Yesterday, Today the PRO Act
If you’ve never had to make coffee for your boss, it’s thanks to women who organized in the 1970s. And while the electric typewriter is no more, how women of that era organized is relevant—to current battles like organizing Big Tech, building care infrastructure and winning labor reform by passing the Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act—so women can form and join unions now without fear.
A new documentary, "9to5: The Story of a Movement," captures the history of an organization started by a group of secretaries in the 1970s, and their sister union, SEIU District 925, and offers powerful insight for us today.
They were the biggest sector in the workforce, but women office workers in the 1970s were seen as servants or, like the wallpaper, they weren’t seen at all. The 9to5 organization changed the culture by using creative tactics like public awards for horrible bosses to name and shame bad behavior. They used humor to call it what it was: ridiculous and unacceptable.
The organization became a cultural phenomenon, with a movie starring Jane Fonda. It...
A New Day: 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:
Tomorrow is #SwingDay! We'll be sharing videos from swings and theatre professionals throughout the day, so be sure to follow us and #EquityTeamSwing on IG and FB as well.
Want to join the celebration?
Download social media covers & a story template >> https://t.co/ZjmtWsmX19 pic.twitter.com/mse6dOhhbW
— Actors' Equity (@ActorsEquity) January 26, 2021
AFGE:
A new day is here for federal workers! https://t.co/oNth6IJCL4
— AFGE (@AFGENational) January 22, 2021
AFSCME:
.@JulieSuCA is a fighter for economic justice, a proven and powerful advocate for working people, especially those in low-wage industries. She...
Service + Solidarity Spotlight: NFLPA Boosts RWDSU’s Campaign to Organize Amazon Workers in Alabama
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.
Members of the NFL Players Association (NFLPA) are lending their voice to support Amazon workers who are voting to form a union in Bessemer, Alabama. Lorenzo Alexander, a retired football player and member of the NFLPA Executive Committee, said: “I’ve been an active member of my union for the past ten years, and I understand that taking a vote on such an important decision can be difficult. But I find comfort and conviction that being a part of a union has protected our workers and our rights, especially during these challenging times.” All eyes are on the workers in Bessemer as they get ready to vote on forming a union. Earlier today, The New York Times shared the critical story of how the fight to form a union—supported by the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union-UFCW (RWDSU-UFCW...
Raising Standards for the Tech Industry: Worker Wins
Despite the challenges of organizing during a deadly pandemic, working people across the country (and beyond) continue organizing, bargaining and mobilizing for a better life. This edition begins with:
Tech Workers Union Local 1010 Launched to Raise Standards for Tech Industry: Workers in the tech industry will get a boost with the launch of Tech Workers Union Local 1010, a new initiative from the Office and Professional Employees (OPEIU). The new local's mission is to raise industry standards and provide tech workers with a better future. OPEIU President Richard Lanigan said: “OPEIU has been investing resources in supporting tech workers as they organize to gain rights and raise standards in the workplace for many years, but now we’re focusing and strengthening that effort by having an organization dedicated to, created for and run by tech workers who understand the unique challenges facing the industry. We’re proud to be building solidarity with working people across the sector so together we can ensure tech workers have a strong voice in their workplaces.”
Emily's List Employees...
Service + Solidarity Spotlight: Union Veterans Council and Pride At Work: End Ban on Transgender Service Members
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 Union Veterans Council and Pride At Work issued a joint statement Thursday calling for the immediate reversal of the Trump-era ban on patriotic Americans serving in the military. Banning transgender Americans from volunteer military service is an insult to our troops, the LGBTQ community and our nation’s founding principles, the constituency groups said. They added: “We call on the Biden administration to fulfill their campaign pledge to immediately reverse this failed and unprincipled policy and to commit the federal government to rebuilding the careers of service members already affected.”
Kenneth Quinnell
Mon, 01/25/2021 - 09:34
Big Tech Organizing: 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.
Big Tech Unionizing: "Workers at Google and other Alphabet companies have started the Alphabet Workers Union, in partnership with the Communications Workers of America. This is a breakthrough. It includes all workers. It follows union victories at Kickstarter and Glitch. This is Labor 2.0. Unions are for everyone, in every field. That’s why the labor movement is working to organize Big Tech and fighting for a fair and equitable future of work, in every sector. The AFL-CIO is even starting a technology institute, to leverage innovation for the labor movement, because the benefits of technology should create prosperity and security for everyone, not just the wealthy and powerful."
President Biden Picks Former United Steelworkers Safety Official to Lead OSHA: "President Joe Biden has tapped James S. Frederick, a Pittsburgh-area workplace safety advocate who spent 25 years with the United Steelworkers, to...
Service + Solidarity Spotlight: Inauguration 2021: Brought To You By Unions
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 Wednesday, we witnessed a nearly flawless inauguration ceremony that served to uplift Americans and help unify us on a path toward tackling the significant challenges we face as a country. Much of the inauguration was powered by union members. Leading up to the November election and continuing until the January runoff in Georgia, the labor movement contributed countless hours, including hundreds of thousands of phone calls made, postcards sent and doors knocked. Working people were key in determining which party controlled the White House and Congress.
As for Inauguration Day, the UAW produced the official inauguration masks (pictured, modeled by UAW member Phillip King). IATSE’s production of the event included the beautiful “Field of Flags” art display that lined the National Mall. The Pledge of...
Service + Solidarity Spotlight: Ohio AFL-CIO Mobilizing in Support of Workers First Agenda
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 Ohio AFL-CIO has begun immediately mobilizing to make sure the Workers First Agenda is at the forefront of the first 100 days of the Biden administration as the state federation rolls out its legislative platform for 2021. It has coordinated with Sen. Sherrod Brown to do a series of virtual town halls with his staff in the state. These town halls give front-line workers a chance to provide direct input to Brown about what Ohio's working people, their families and their communities need to be successful. Workers in these forums have demanded immediate additional COVID relief that supports workers, investment in our communities through massive investment in infrastructure, and the right to organize through the immediate passage of the PRO Act. By the time these forums are finished, Brown’s office...
Pathway to Progress: Martin Luther King Jr. and the Scripto Strike
Georgia State University
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 1964-65 Scripto Strike in Atlanta and Martin Luther King Jr.
When talking about Martin Luther King Jr., it's important to note that he was an activist for economic and labor rights, not just civil rights. King's death came while he was in Memphis, Tennessee, supporting sanitation workers and AFSCME members. His support for unions and collective bargaining rights was a key part of his agenda and that support went public in Atlanta during the Scripto Strike...
Service + Solidarity Spotlight: ATU Local Leads Fight for Investment in Baltimore Transit System
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.
A coalition consisting of labor, elected officials and Johns Hopkins University was formed in central Maryland to fight for increased funding for the Baltimore region’s transit system. The group is pushing for $750 million in additional funding for the transit system, which it says is underfunded. President Mike McMillan of Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) Local 1300 spoke out in an interview with Maryland Matters. He said that his members who work on the front lines have to field customer complaints about the transit system, even though they do not control the budget. “Once they get the tools and the buses that are needed to help them perform their job successfully, they will ensure that the public will stay safe and get to where they need to be,” McMillan said of the members of Local 1300....
