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Best Candidates for Working People, 2018: Sherrod Brown
AFL-CIO
This November's elections are shaping up to be among the most consequential in recent U.S. history. Throughout the summer and fall, we are taking a look at the best candidates for working people. Today, we feature Sen. Sherrod Brown from Ohio.
Here are some of the key reasons why Brown is one of the best candidates for working people in 2018:
Brown opposes trade agreements that negatively impact American manufacturing and he voted against the North American Free Trade Agreement, the Trans-Pacific Partnership and other bad deals.
He supports steel and aluminum tariffs to protect America's manufacturers against being undercut by cheap imports from countries that don't play by the rules.
Brown has fought to crack down on currency manipulation, which he argues is effectively an unfair subsidy supporting Chinese manufacturers.
He fought to save the U.S. auto industry, protecting hundreds of thousands of jobs in Ohio.
Brown has secured millions of dollars to invest in job creation and training for manufacturing and helped...
NALC Opposes State Department Decision to Leave UPU
This post comes from Fredric Rolando, president of the National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC).
The U.S. State Department announced last week that the United States will withdraw from the Universal Postal Union (UPU) after a special meeting of the UPU failed to adopt pricing policies (so-called terminal dues) advocated by the United States at the urging of private delivery companies (i.e., UPS and FedEx). The proposals were outlined in an August 2018 memorandum, just a few weeks before the September 2018 meeting of the 192-nation UPU in Ethiopia. The private companies have complained that the UPU terminal dues rules result in business going to the USPS by offering below-cost delivery to the U.S.—especially from China.
NALC opposes the decision to withdrawal from the UPU— the problems identified by the August memorandum are best solved through multilateral diplomacy. Leaving the UPU could have unintended negative consequences on American citizens and businesses and hurt the Postal Service financially. This is certainly what is driving the private shippers, which are targeting...
Steps to Protect Your Vote: 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 this week’s Working People Weekly List.
What to Do if You're Turned Away at the Polls: "Last week, reports came out that because of Georgia's 'exact match' law, 53,000 residents of the state who registered to vote have had their registration marked as 'pending,' raising questions about whether or not those voters will be allowed to cast their ballots in this year's election. An analysis of the pending applications by The Associated Press showed that they overwhelmingly belong to African American applicants. The American Civil Liberties Union of Georgia responded to the news by ensuring Georgians that the 'pending' status does not prohibit them from voting if they have proper identification."
Dispatches from Hurricane Michael Relief Efforts in Florida: "AFL-CIO National Media Manager Carolyn Bobb was given access to see how a multifaceted union disaster response comes together. What follows is her experience documenting a...
Best Candidates for Working People, 2018: Tom Wolf
AFL-CIO
This November's elections are shaping up to be among the most consequential in recent U.S. history. Throughout the summer and fall, we are taking a look at the best candidates for working people. Today, we feature Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf.
Here are some of the key reasons why Wolf is one of the best candidates for working people in 2018:
He approved nearly $1 million in new training programs across Pennsylvania to give job-seekers the skills needed for careers in manufacturing.
Wolf passed a tax credit to spur investment in manufacturing in the commonwealth.
His programs have helped train more than 120,000 workers.
Wolf investments in infrastructure repaired or rebuilt 1,300 roads, 600 bridges and more than 6,000 miles of roadway. This $6 billion investment has created jobs across Pennsylvania, and Wolf plans to invest $2 billion more over the next 10 years.
He created a one-stop shop that has assisted more than 7,000 business owners, helping to spur job growth.
Wolf created more than 15,000 jobs by investing in the Port...
Make Your Halloween Union-Made!
Union Label
With Halloween only two weeks away, people across the country are getting ready to go shopping to buy the candy and snacks that are a staple of the holiday's tradition. But did you know that when you do your Halloween shopping, you can use the power of your paycheck to support good jobs that pay well and respect the rights of working people? Here is a handy guide to the union-made treats that will make your holiday not only fun, but will help working people, too.
Annabelle Candy Company
Abba-Zaba peanut
Big Hunk
Rocky Road S'mores
U-No
American Licorice**
Black and red vines
Strawberry ropes
Bachman
Cheese curls
Corn chips
Jax Cheese Curls
Keystone Snacks Party Mix
Pretzels
Ghirardelli Chocolates
All filled and nonfilled squares
All filled and nonfilled bars
Chocolate chips
Nonpareils
Hershey Products*
Cadbury Dairy Milk Bar
Cadbury Fruit & Nut Bar
Cadbury Roast Almond Bar
Cadbury Royal Dark Bar
Caramello Bar...
Union Strong: 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.
Alaska AFL-CIO:
#akelect #akgov #VoteUnion #VoteBegich pic.twitter.com/m6lBQY1BlN
— Alaska AFL-CIO (@AKAFLCIO) October 23, 2018
Arizona AFL-CIO:
Educator and Arizona AFL-CIO endorsed candidate for Arizona Superintendent of Public Instruction, Kathy Hoffman, has earned the support of the Arizona Republic. https://t.co/75OlyAuHiL
— Arizona AFL-CIO (@ArizonaAFLCIO) October 19, 2018
California Labor Federation:
Our #UnionStrong candidate of the day is Josh Harder! He's running in #CA10 to strengthen workplace protections, fund apprenticeship programs and create more good jobs in the Central Valley! Go Josh! #IVoteUnion #1u @joshua_harder pic.twitter.com/jRC7zBiM2Y
— California Labor Federation (@CaliforniaLabor) October 23, 2018
Connecticut AFL-CIO:
.@CBIANews is lying again. @...
A Landmark Moment
UNITE HERE
After a five-week organizing election, catering workers at United Airlines have overwhelmingly voted to join UNITE HERE. After celebrating late last night, 2,700 United employees in Cleveland, Denver, Honolulu, Houston and Newark, N.J., will soon head to work with the hard-earned rights and dignities that come with a freshly printed union card.
“This is a landmark moment in our union, representing the largest organizing victory of the year,” said UNITE HERE International President D. Taylor. “Welcoming workers in United Airlines’ catering kitchens into our union will not only change thousands of lives for those individual workers, but it’s a tipping point in the airline catering industry. It’s no secret that airlines like United continue to enjoy profits in the billions. Fifteen thousand food workers have organized to tell major airlines that they refuse to be treated like second-class citizens—workers deserve their fair share of this industry’s success.”
The overwhelming vote comes after nearly a year of organizing. Check out a few of the key facts that drove this groundbreaking...
What to Do if You're Turned Away at the Polls
Last week, reports came out that because of Georgia's "exact match" law, 53,000 residents of the state who registered to vote have had their registration marked as "pending," raising questions about whether or not those voters will be allowed to cast their ballots in this year's election. An analysis of the pending applications by The Associated Press showed that they overwhelmingly belong to African American applicants. The American Civil Liberties Union of Georgia responded to the news by ensuring Georgians that the "pending" status does not prohibit them from voting if they have proper identification.
Early voting already has begun in Georgia, and the voter registration deadline has already passed. Since many applicants were unaware that the exact match law applied to them, many don't know that their voter registration wasn't approved. They are still legally allowed to vote.
Sean J. Young, legal director of the ACLU of Georgia said:
The Secretary of State’s Office has confirmed that if your voter registration application is deemed ‘pending’ because of the exact match law, you...
A Series of Firsts: Worker Wins
NNU
Our latest roundup of worker wins begins with more victories for working people in digital media and includes numerous examples of working people organizing, bargaining and mobilizing for a better life.
Thrillist Editorial Staff Approves First Union Contract: After a contentious campaign that included the first-ever strike authorization at a digital news site, the editorial staff at Thrillist unanimously ratified its first union contract, which cements financial gains and improves workplace protections. Lowell Peterson, executive director of the Writers Guild of America, East, said: "The hard work of the WGAE negotiating committee, backed by the solidarity of the entire bargaining unit, have made this excellent agreement possible. Collective bargaining works; people who craft content can make concrete improvements in their pay and working conditions by unionizing, and can gain a real voice on the job."
Writers at Salon Unanimously Ratify First Collective Bargaining Agreement: About the victory, Lowell Peterson, executive director of the Writers Guild of America, East, said: "Our...
Best Candidates for Working People, 2018: Chris Smith
AFL-CIO
This November's elections are shaping up to be among the most consequential in recent U.S. history. Throughout the summer and fall, we are taking a look at the best candidates for working people. Today, we feature Rep. Chris Smith from New Jersey.
Here are some of the key reasons why Smith is one of the best candidates for working people in 2018:
Supports Collective Bargaining. A proven friend of working people, Smith has supported the labor movement at every turn since he was first elected in 1980. He was the original sponsor of the Employee Free Choice Act and still maintains that all workers should have the right to join a union.
Defended Public Service Workers. Smith condemned the Supreme Court’s attack on public service workers in Janus v. AFSCME, Council 31. He pushed to ensure public employees have the right to organize.
Protecting Davis-Bacon and Project Labor Agreements. Smith supports the Davis-Bacon Act, which ensures fair wages on construction projects and project labor agreements that set important safety and skill standards....