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‘They Have Forgotten the Lessons of Rana Plaza’
Solidarity Center
Following the Rana Plaza collapse in which 1,134 garment workers were killed and thousands more injured in Bangladesh, the horror of the incident spurred international action and resulted in significant safety improvements in many of the country’s 3,000 garment factories.
But five years after the April 24, 2013, disaster, Bangladesh garment worker-organizers say employers often are not following through to ensure worksites remain safe, and the government is doing little to ensure garment workers have the freedom to form unions to achieve safe working conditions. Since the Tazreen Factory fire that killed 112 garment workers in 2012, some 1,303 garment workers have been killed and 3,875 injured in fire-related incidents, according to Solidarity Center data.
“Pressure from the buyers and international organizations forced many changes," said Tomiza Sultana, a garment worker-organizer with the Bangladesh Independent Garment Workers Union Federation (BIGUF), among them less interference by police and factory management.
“We organized trade unions...
Mack is charged with sex trafficking and other crimes in connection with the secret group Nxivm, which prosecutors call a cult.
Mack is charged with sex trafficking and other crimes in connection with the secret group Nxivm, which prosecutors call a cult.
Left with the Bill
While President Donald Trump continues to tout his massive tax giveaway to corporations, working people aren’t buying it. Gallup found that a majority of Americans disapprove of the law, and it’s easy to understand why: We know we’re being left with a bill for $1.5 trillion.
The Gallup poll is the most recent in a string of surveys finding that Americans are rejecting the new tax law. Even the law’s own backers are starting to run away from their handiwork.
While corporations are pocketing billions in tax cuts, most working people aren’t seeing a cent. In fact, 82% of Americans say they haven’t seen any difference in their taxes—or that they’ve even gone up.
A report this week from the Joint Committee on Taxation found that one provision alone funnels $17.4 billion to people making at least $1 million per year.
What’s more, despite promises that corporate tax cuts would lead to higher wages and more bonuses, working people are being left empty-handed.
In fact, less than 0.0015% of U.S. businesses have followed through and shared anything with their employees.
Kenneth Quinnell
Tue,...
In a 5-4 vote, the court refused to revive lawsuits that sought to hold Arab Bank responsible for attacks against foreign nationals in the Middle East.
In a 5-4 vote, the court refused to revive lawsuits that sought to hold Arab Bank responsible for attacks against foreign nationals in the Middle East.
In a 5-4 vote, the court refused to revive lawsuits that sought to hold Arab Bank responsible for attacks against foreign nationals in the Middle East.
New Jersey: Labor Makes History with Signing of Equal Pay Bill
New Jersey AFL-CIO
Today, a historic milestone was reached in the fight for women’s equality and universal workplace justice as Gov. Phil Murphy (D-N.J.) signed the Diane B. Allen Equal Pay Act into law. This legislative effort, which was spearheaded by organized labor in New Jersey, represents years of hard work, testimony, meetings, campaigning, outreach and coordination with stakeholders all around the state.
The New Jersey State AFL-CIO was proud to work hand in hand with the prime sponsors of this bill, state Sen. Loretta Weinberg (D) and Assemblywoman Pamela Lampitt (D), and recognizes their tireless work that enabled this historic victory. We further thank state Senate President Stephen Sweeney (D) and Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin (D) for making this issue a top priority and ensuring a prompt vote on this pressing matter that has been allowed to persist for far too long.
“No organization has been on the frontlines longer or done more to address the gender wage gap than organized labor,” said New Jersey State AFL-CIO Secretary-Treasurer Laurel...
DC LaborFest: We're in the Same Boat
DC LaborFest
The fifth annual DC LaborFest—anchored by the 18th DC Labor FilmFest runs May 1-31 in Washington, D.C. Check out the complete festival schedule, including event descriptions, film trailers and links to RSVP or buy tickets. The essay below, by Working America’s Karen Nussbaum, is featured in the LaborFest’s 2018 program guide.
My favorite moment this awards season was when Jane Fonda, Lily Tomlin and Dolly Parton came out on stage together at the Emmys. The stars of “9 to 5” conversationally used the most famous words in the 1980 smash hit—“sexist, egotistical, lying, hypocritical bigot”—and got a prolonged standing ovation. “How cool,” I thought, “to be associated with an iconic movie.”
The movie about turning the tables on a boorish boss was inspired by 9to5, the national organization of women office workers I helped organize in 1973. And it was a hit because it reflected the hidden truths of an invisible workforce, 20 million women office workers. Fonda and the writers spent hours talking with our members. The movie changed the national debate about women and...
The state wants to keep in place 11 congressional and legislative districts that opponents say were intentionally drawn to dilute black and Latino votes.
