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‘State of the Unions’ Podcast: Flexing Labor’s Muscle
AFL-CIO
On the latest episode of “State of the Unions,” podcast co-host Tim Schlittner talks to union member and Congressional Progressive Caucus Co-Chair Rep. Mark Pocan (Wis.) about strikes, trade, health care, LGBTQ equality and the freedom to form a union.
Listen to our previous episodes:
A chat with Maine Senate President Troy Jackson (IUPAT, IAM) about his path to power and the experiences that have shaped his life and career.
Talking to Sen. Sherrod Brown (Ohio) about worker power, automation, trade and his decision to stay in the U.S. Senate.
Checking in with AFL-CIO Industrial Union Council Executive Director Brad Markell about the UAW strike at General Motors and interviewing Veena Dubal, an associate law professor at UC Hastings College of the Law, whose work helped pave the way for passage of A.B. 5, the landmark pro-worker legislation in California.
SAG-AFTRA President Gabrielle Carteris discussing the future of work, sexual harassment and her journey from young actor to labor leader.
North America's Building Trades...
UAW Members at GM Ratify New Agreement
UAW
The longest and largest automotive strike in decades came to an end this week as UAW members employed by General Motors Co. ratified the tentative agreement between the union and the automaker. Nearly 50,000 UAW members went on strike Sept. 16 seeking fair wages, affordable quality health care, profit sharing, job security and a defined path to permanent seniority for temps. With the victory of the UAW members, working people across the country lauded the strikers and thanked them for standing up against corporate greed. Here's what people said:
Terry Dittes, UAW vice president and director of the UAW-GM Department:
General Motors members have spoken. We are all so incredibly proud of UAW-GM members who captured the hearts and minds of a nation. Their sacrifice and courageous stand addressed the two-tier wages structure and permanent temporary worker classification that has plagued working class Americans.
UAW President Gary Jones:
We want to once again thank our members’ families and their local communities for their outpouring of support. Our members not...
LGBT History Month Pathway to Progress: The Founding of Pride At Work
AFL-CIO
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 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. In honor of LGBT History Month, we will take a look at the founding of Pride At Work (P@W).
Prior to 1969, the labor movement mostly ignored issues that affected LGBTQ working people. The events at Stonewall Inn and the rebellion that followed woke up many in the ranks of labor to the need to step up efforts to include all workers, including our LGBTQ siblings. After Stonewall, unions began to recognize that discrimination based on sexual orientation was another assault on working people...
Egregious Worker Rights Violations Cause Thailand to Lose Trade Benefits
On Friday, the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) announced it will withdraw preferential tariffs for many imports from Thailand due to egregious, ongoing worker rights violations in the country. As highlighted in submissions by the AFL-CIO going back to 2013, the government of Thailand actively retaliates against workers and allows the worst forms of exploitation and abuse, including forced labor, to proliferate throughout its economy.
Numerous reports document rampant forced labor in the fishing sector, however, extreme worker rights violations are present throughout the Thai economy, with both Thai workers and migrant workers facing repression and abuse. The government severely limits all workers’ ability to form and join unions, does not enforce collective bargaining and prevents workers from striking. The meager protections that do exist are not enforced.
The Thai government targets independent labor leaders and activists. The government fined seven leaders of the State Railway Union of Thailand (SRUT) $760,000 for protesting unsafe conditions following a...
Get to Know AFL-CIO's Affiliates: National Air Traffic Controllers Association
Next up in our series that takes a deeper look at each of our affiliates is the National Air Traffic Controllers Association.
Name of Union: National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA).
Mission: To advance the status, professionalism and working conditions of all air traffic controllers and other aviation safety-related employees through collective bargaining, political action and other lawful concerted activity.
Current Leadership of Union: Paul Rinaldi has served as president of NATCA since 2009. He is the sixth person to hold that position. In July 2018, Rinaldi won re-election to serve an unprecedented fourth three-year term. Prior to being elected president, Rinaldi served as executive vice president for three years. He previously served as an air traffic controller at the Dulles International Airport control tower for 16 years. Working with Rinaldi, Trish Gilbert serves as executive vice president. She also has been in that position since 2009 and is serving an unprecedented fourth term. Prior to her election, Gilbert worked for 21...
Building Pathways: 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.
Alabama AFL-CIO:
Senior Senator from Alabama in the making! #alpolitics https://t.co/E4dUuHqQ7N
— Alabama AFL-CIO (@AlabamaAFLCIO) October 14, 2019
Alaska AFL-CIO:
Congrats to @NEAAlaska member Jesse Bjorkman for winning a seat on the KPB Assembly. Your dedication to students, parents, educators and now citizens of the KPB is just what working people need! #solidarity #1u pic.twitter.com/wIQaO6mTvA
— Alaska AFL-CIO (@AKAFLCIO) October 15, 2019
Arkansas AFL-CIO:
It is a rainy Saturday in Minneapolis but the Women Build Nations ladies did not let that keep them from a HUGE banner parade this afternoon. #1u #nabtu #ARLabor #ARUnions #womeninthetrades https://t.co/foFHsrKhO3
— Arkansas AFL-CIO (@ArkansasAFLCIO) October 5,...
Union Apprenticeship Works: 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.
A. Philip Randolph Institute:
This Friday on the campus of Savannah State, the Savannah State chapter youth program will be having a meet and greet on campus to discuss the importance of being a part of this organization! Please let all know to stop by our table on campus this Fri during Homecomings Yard Fest pic.twitter.com/q0myjLBKxV
— APRI National (DC) (@APRI_National) October 21, 2019
Actors' Equity:
Equity members have voted to ratify the tentative agreement with the Broadway League for a new contract – the last step required to approve the new contract.
Visit the Member Portal for more details - https://t.co/S5cppuLfmC pic.twitter.com/CkXzfOE0sU
— Actors' Equity (@...
Get to Know AFL-CIO's Affiliates: Marine Engineers' Beneficial Association
AFL-CIO
Next up in our series that takes a deeper look at each of our affiliates is the Marine Engineers' Beneficial Association.
Name of Union: Marine Engineers' Beneficial Association (MEBA)
Mission: To elevate and maintain the rights and advance and safeguard the economic and working conditions of its members for their better protection and advancement.
Current Leadership of Union: Marshall Ainley has been MEBA’s president since January 2014. A 1982 graduate of the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy in Kings Point, New York, he worked with the Military Sealift Command at sea and ashore for 10 years and earned his chief engineer’s license and Group 1 membership in the MEBA. He sailed with Maersk as chief engineer for the nine years before his election as MEBA president. Bill Van Loo has served as MEBA’s secretary-treasurer since 2006. Previously, he was elected twice to the position of MEBA branch agent in Baltimore and has served as a delegate at nine national MEBA conventions. He is a third-generation member who graduated from the...
Building Solidarity in the Global Labor Movement: The Working People Weekly List
AFL-CIO
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.
Imagine a President Uniting People: "Imagine a president lifting 40 million citizens out of the poverty he had struggled under. Imagine a president making it easier for people who had been excluded from their nation’s wealth to get decent jobs, basic public services, a college education or technical training. Imagine a president uplifting his country on the world stage as a model for shared prosperity and an economy that works for working people regardless of their race. Imagine that president leaving office after two terms with an approval rating over 80%. Where do you imagine that president should be nine years after leaving office?"
Brazilian and U.S. Workers Confronting Common Threat Build Solidarity in the Global Labor Movement: "This week, the AFL-CIO joins much of the global labor movement in Brazil to participate in the 13th Congress of...
The State of Working America: Labor Podcast and Radio Roundup
In addition to the AFL-CIO's own "State of the Unions," there are a lot of other podcasts out there that have their own approach to discussing labor issues and the rights of working people. Here are the latest podcasts from across the labor movement in the United States.
Belabored Podcast: Riding for Deliveroo, with Callum Cant: An inside look at the gig economy. Plus: updates from the GM strike, a teachers’ strike looming in Chicago and more.
Building Bridges: Your Community and Labor Report: Striking Auto Workers need and deserve to win big!
Community Radio and Workers' Rights Movements: "This show looks at the role of radio in workers’ movements. These workers’ movements interrogate the relationship between a community and its systems of communication. From the mines in Bolivia to tomato fields in Florida, radio has served as a place for workers to organize and mobilize, build up spirits and solidarity. Some stations are worker-owned, supported by union dues or cooperative membership. Some begin as programming on local stations and grow to become their own...
