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Black Lives Matter: What Working People Are Doing This Week
AFL-CIO
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:
While the latest jobs report shows that 2.5 million Americans have gone back to work, the arts and entertainment industry finds itself still facing record unemployment. Read Equity’s full statement - https://t.co/ohsyln6Q5k pic.twitter.com/rEE4le4O3A
— Actors' Equity (@ActorsEquity) June 7, 2020
AFGE:
Under Trump’s budget proposal, workers who are injured on the job would see steep cuts in their workers’ comp.
Here’s what the administration is proposing→ https://t.co/MR7PsAVIhv pic.twitter.com/69kRGT3lEQ
— AFGE (@AFGENational) June 5, 2020
AFSCME:
“We will not rest until our leaders answer...
Service + Solidarity Spotlight: NFL Players Association Committed to Fight for Racial Equality
During the COVID-19 pandemic, working people across the United States have stepped up to help out their friends, neighbors and communities. In our new Service + Solidarity Spotlight series, we'll showcase one of those stories every day. Here's today's story.
For generations, many athletes have helped lead the fight for social change in America. While NFL players remain physically distant from their teammates because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the members of the NFL Players Association (NFLPA) are coming together in solidarity to demand racial justice. NFLPA Executive Director DeMaurice Smith told ESPN that members of the NFLPA are actors for change in the community. “Our core mission isn’t just to provide an escape for people,” he said. “And when our [members] decide to be part of their community and be agents for positive change, this is a union that is always going to support them and stand shoulder to shoulder with them.”
Kenneth Quinnell
Tue, 06/09/2020 - 14:57
Service + Solidarity Spotlight: Culinary Union Launches Online Safety Resource for Members Returning to Work in Nevada
UNITE HERE
The Culinary Workers Union-UNITE HERE Local 226 has launched a new website, CulinaryClean.org, as a one-stop safety resource for its members ahead of the anticipated reopening of Nevada casinos. After months of advocating for increased transparency, the Culinary Union announced in a statement it is pleased that most major gaming companies have posted their COVID-19 safety plans on their public-facing websites.
“From dealers to bellmen, cooks to guest room attendants, all casino workers deserve to be safe and protected,” said Geoconda Argüello-Kline, secretary-treasurer for the Culinary Union. “The Culinary Union demands that the Nevada Gaming Commission, the Nevada Gaming Control Board and the Clark County Commission mandate all casinos follow the updated guidance from [the Southern Nevada Health District] regarding COVID-19 testing of 100% of front-line workers.”
Kenneth Quinnell
Mon, 06/08/2020 - 12:01
Tags:
COVID-19
We Can't Look Away: 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.
Working People Respond to the Killing of George Floyd with Nationwide Protests: "In response to the killing of George Floyd and the protests across the country, AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka (UMWA) said:
"My heart is heavy at the events of the past few days. I watched the video of George Floyd pleading for his life under the knee of a Minneapolis police officer. No person of conscience can hear Floyd’s cries for help and not understand that something is deeply wrong in America.
"What happened to George Floyd, what happened to Ahmaud Arbery, what happened to far too many unarmed people of color has happened for centuries. The difference is now we have cell phones. It’s there for all of us to see. And we can’t turn our heads and look away because we feel uncomfortable."
Economy Gains 2.5 Million Jobs in May; Unemployment Declines to 13.3%: "The U.S. economy gained 2.5 million jobs in May,...
Union Member Candidate Wins in Massachusetts
NEA
With our nation in crisis, the labor movement is taking the lead to elect hundreds of union members up and down the ballot this year. In Massachusetts, we have already scored an important victory as Carol Doherty (NEA), an educator and union member, won a special election for the state House of Representatives on June 2. A former elementary public school teacher and president of the statewide Massachusetts Teachers Association-NEA (MTA-NEA), she is currently a member of the Taunton School Committee in southeastern Massachusetts.
“Our campaign was one for working families—powered by positivity, determination and the endless support of folks like you,” Doherty wrote in a message to her supporters. The local and statewide labor movement passionately backed her candidacy as she won the 3rd Bristol District’s special election with an impressive 57% of the vote, flipping a seat long held by an anti-worker representative.
“Everyone came together on this. Every single union got involved to support Carol’s campaign,” said Kevin Brousseau (OPEIU), political director of the...
Economy Gains 2.5 Million Jobs in May; Unemployment Declines to 13.3%
The U.S. economy gained 2.5 million jobs in May, and the unemployment rate declined 13.3%, according to figures released Friday morning by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The improvements reflect a limited resumption of economic activity that was previously curtailed because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
In response to the May job numbers, AFL-CIO Chief Economist William Spriggs tweeted:
The @BLS_gov revised the numbers for March and April down, making earlier job losses even greater by 642,000. So, the gains reported for May are an inching back from a worse position than understood. @AFLCIO #JobsDay— William E. Spriggs (@WSpriggs) June 5, 2020
A troubling sign ahead is the continued loss of jobs in local government education. Local governments are strained by the added costs from COVID and lost another 309,000 jobs in education in May. This will make reopening schools difficult. @AFTunion @AFLCIO— William E. Spriggs (@WSpriggs) June 5, 2020
The @BLS_gov reports that food services clawed back 1.37 million jobs in May from its loss of 5.4...
Working People Respond to the Killing of George Floyd with Nationwide Protests
In response to the killing of George Floyd and the protests across the country, AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka (UMWA) said:
My heart is heavy at the events of the past few days. I watched the video of George Floyd pleading for his life under the knee of a Minneapolis police officer. No person of conscience can hear Floyd’s cries for help and not understand that something is deeply wrong in America.
What happened to George Floyd, what happened to Ahmaud Arbery, what happened to far too many unarmed people of color has happened for centuries. The difference is now we have cell phones. It’s there for all of us to see. And we can’t turn our heads and look away because we feel uncomfortable.
Trumka continued:
Racism plays an insidious role in the daily lives of all working people of color. This is a labor issue because it is a workplace issue. It is a community issue, and unions are the community. We must and will continue to fight for reforms in policing and to address issues of racial and economic inequality.
We categorically reject...
Service + Solidarity Spotlight: Philadelphia's APRI Chapter Organizes Food Drive
APRI
The Philadelphia chapter of the A. Philip Randolph Institute (APRI) organized a food distribution for the suburbs of Collingdale and Darby Township, Pennsylvania. Community volunteers joined with members of APRI—including National Vice President Richard Womack (CWA) and chapter President Thelma Clements—to hand out food to some 300 people in need.
“I have been working with the Philadelphia APRI chapter to organize community leaders, elected officials and church leaders to come together at this time to provide breakfast and lunch for kids every Monday and Wednesday, and to do major food distributions once a week in different suburbs of Philadelphia,” Womack said. “APRI is uniting labor and the community together to make a difference.”
Various neighborhood churches and grocery stores donated food, and the event was held in conjunction with Collingdale Mayor Felecia Coffee and state Rep. Maria Donatucci. APRI members said they were glad to be a part of this community event and to represent organized labor by helping working families...
On the Road to Helping Union Families
BCTGM
Driving two 26-foot trucks packed with food, members of the Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers (BCTGM) Local 6 set out on the road to bring urgently needed food relief to union families in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. They started their journey in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, on May 26, loading up the trucks with thousands of pounds of union-made rolls, breads, cereals and snacks.
Their journey lasted three days as they stopped along the way in Muncy, Norristown and Philadelphia. At every destination, they dropped off food for labor councils to distribute to union families in need. They stopped in Mays Landing, New Jersey, to reload their trucks—and added three additional truck to the caravan—before reaching their final stop in Atlantic City for the New Jersey State AFL-CIO’s event on May 28, Operation Feed Atlantic City.
“It’s been a wild ride,” said Hank McKay, the president of Local 6, who was driving one of the trucks. “When I woke up this morning, my back was hurting. But it’s all worth it,” he said with a laugh in his voice. McKay drove 500 miles...
#MemorialDay2020: In the States Roundup
AFL-CIO
It's time once again to take a look at the ways working people are making progress in the states. Click on any of the links to follow the state federations on Twitter.
California Labor Federation:
Instead of providing drivers with a livable wage & the basic protections that all workers deserve during this crisis, @Uber @Lyft & @Doordash are spending $110 million on a deceptive ballot measure. Join us in stepping up for gig workers! https://t.co/Co45JR8DUo #SickofGigGreed
— California Labor Federation (@CaliforniaLabor) May 28, 2020
Colorado AFL-CIO:
Join us June 3 to tell Cory Gardner puts Colorado workers first! We are demanding Senator Cory Gardner join our working family champions to pass meaningful measures based on compassion, science, dignity and common sense.https://t.co/04We21GZSs#copolitics #coleg
— Colorado AFL-CIO (@AFLCIOCO) May 28, 2020
Connecticut AFL-CIO:
We honor the brave men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice. #MemorialDay pic....
