AFL-CIO Blog

  • Colombian Workers Launch General Strike
    Colombian Workers Launch General Strike Colombia's workers, students, and rural, indigenous and Afro-descendant communities will join together in a national general strike tomorrow, Nov. 21. Unlike the strikes many of America's workers have participated in increasingly in the past five years, Colombians are not striking against any single employer or industry. Since the Colombian labor movement convened the strike some seven weeks ago, this broad alliance of social justice organizations have come together to express their belief that the government of President Iván Duque is taking the country in the wrong direction: suggesting reforms that would reduce even further workers' access to decent work, labor rights and social security, increasing repression and violence against the most vulnerable Colombians and refusing to move forward with the peace process negotiated three years ago. Along with other human rights and social justice organizations based in the United States, the AFL-CIO and some affiliates are sharing with Congress a joint letter of support for this strike and the right to strike and protest as fundamental to building and sustaining democracy.  Unfortunately, some elected leaders, right-wing parties and Colombia's former president Álvaro Uribe and his supporters have described the strike as illegal and unpatriotic. Even worse, the government has conducted raids into the homes and offices of groups organizing the strike and militarized many likely sites of citizen mobilization. Given Colombia's history of violent repression of legal and peaceful protest, the international community has expressed deep concern about Colombia's capacity and will to protect and respect the rights of its citizens exercising those rights and commitment to the peace process. We stand with Colombian workers, their unions and their communities in demanding respect for fundamental human rights before, during and after the national strike. Kenneth Quinnell Wed, 11/20/2019 - 11:23 Tags: Colombia — Nov 20
  • Work Doesn't Hurt: Labor Podcast and Radio Roundup
    Work Doesn't Hurt: 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. AFT in Action: "In the first of three episodes addressing workplace violence, our state federation president teams up with the head of the Connecticut AFL-CIO to introduce the topic to union members. Together, Jan Hochadel and Sal Luciano help lay the groundwork for the future discussions, which will focus on efforts to prevent assaults on health care professionals and public school educators.Their guest for this episode is Connecticut Council on Occupational Safety and Health (ConnectiCOSH) Co-Chair Steve Schrag, who has for decades advocated for better workplace and community conditions. He provides important history and offers valuable context, as well as insightful answers to members' questions about previous and ongoing efforts to ensure that 'work doesn't hurt.'" Building Bridges: The Making of a Democratic Economy, Part 2: "Ted Howard, co-founder of the Democracy Collaborative, and Marjorie Kelly, author of 'The Divine Right of Capital' and 'Owning Our Future,' have teamed up to co-author 'The Making of a Democratic Economy,' a clarion call for a movement ready to get serious about transforming our economic system." Heartland Labor Forum: Medicare for All: "We’ll do a primer on Medicare for All. We’ll ask Dr. Anand Bhat how it would work, whether taxes will go up, if there are hidden costs and, if, as a number of candidates for president say, employer-paid health insurance is better, and if we have it, we shouldn’t give it up. Thursday at 6 p.m., rebroadcast Friday at 5 a.m. on KKFI 90.1 FM or streaming." LABOR [email protected]: Joe Uehlein and the U-Liners: "First Tuesdays, 5 p.m. on WPFW 89.3 FM. Part of Union City Radio in D.C. Classic labor songs and U-Liner originals, plus Joe talks with Chris about the role of music in the movement and hope for the future." Labor History Today: Precarious Work in the Movies: "Tom Zaniello talks with Sherry Linkon about his next book, an exploration of media accounts of precarious work, ranging from Edward R. Murrow's famous 1960 documentary 'Harvest of Shame' to the storytelling of modern video games. Kalmanovitz Associate Director Lane Windham on 'The Uprising of the 20,000' in 1909. October was LGBTQ History Month and for this week’s Cool Things from the Meany Archive, Chloe Danyo digs into the archive’s Pride At Work collection and comes up with a historic pamphlet on organizing for lesbian and gay rights in unions." UCOMM Live: Trump Gets Booed, a Sign of Things to Come?: "AFGE's president is taking a leave of absence after accusations of sexual harassment. Should we cover stories like this? Some say yes, some no, we discuss. Trump is getting booed everywhere he goes, and unemployment is up in important swing states. Chance the Rapper is now the Chicago Teachers favorite after his appearance on SNL. The UAW's president is forced out after leaders listened to last week's show. Elizabeth Warren's education plan is a game changer and the Mets hire Carlos Beltran. Listen to UCOMM Live Thursday's at 4 on Facebook,Twitter and YouTube or anytime on UCOMMLive.com." Union City Radio: Bus Driver Strike, Virginia Election Wins and More: "Weekdays at 7:15 a.m. on WPFW 89.3 FM. Flexing labor's muscle: Congressional Progressive Caucus Co-Chair Rep. Mark Pocan; 'Shut it down!' say striking bus drivers; Transdev cuts health insurance for strikers, walks away from table; labor gets out the vote on Election Day; AFSCME demands safe staffing in Maryland." Union Strong: Keeping New York Moving: "TWU Local 100 is in a contract fight with the MTA. We cover everything from the Trash Train competition to the trash email that went public, all on the day of a massive rally taking place tonight in NYC." Willamette Wake-Up: Vincent Blanco: "Our KMUZ labor radio segment this month will feature an especially inspiring interview with Vincent Blanco Jr. of Oregon's American Federation of Teachers. Brother Blanco will be talking about workers in the Portland Community College system and their fight for union contracts, universal health care, some basics of union organizing and social justice, his union's response to the Janus decision and the PERS crisis and much more. This really is a great conversation, so please tune in on Friday, Nov. 22, at around 8:10 a.m. PST on KMUZ. The station is at 88.5, 100.7." Your Rights at Work: Virginia Elections, Union Veterans Council, Union Plus and More: David Stephen, new political director at the Metropolitan Washington Council; Doris Crouse-Mays (Virginia AFL-CIO president): Labor helps flip Virginia to blue; labor's agenda in 2020; William Attig (executive director, Union Veterans Council): Veterans on the Rise mission on Veterans Day; Jill Cashen (vice president at Union Plus): expert legal help; David Schloss (Koonz McKenney Johnson & DePaolis): Case closed. Thursdays 1-2 p.m. on WPFW 89.3 FM. Kenneth Quinnell Mon, 11/18/2019 - 09:55 Tags: Podcast — Nov 18
  • Protect Survivors: What Working People Are Doing This Week
    Protect Survivors: 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 Association: AFGE: AFSCME: AFT: Air Line Pilots Association: Alliance for Retired Americans: Amalgamated Transit Union: American Federation of Musicians: American Postal Workers Union: Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance: Association of Flight Attendants-CWA: Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers: Boilermakers: Bricklayers: California School Employees Association: Coalition of Black Trade Unionists: Coalition of Labor Union Women: Communications Workers of America: Department for Professional Employees: Electrical Workers: Farm Labor Organizing Committee: Fire Fighters: Heat and Frost Insulators: International Labor Communications Association: Ironworkers: IUE-CWA: Jobs with Justice: Labor Council for Latin American Advancement: Laborers: Machinists: Metal Trades Department: Mine Workers: Musical Artists: National Air Traffic Controllers Association: National Association of Letter Carriers: National Domestic Workers Alliance: National Federation of Federal Employees: National Nurses United: National Taxi Workers Alliance: NewsGuild-CWA: NFL Players Association: North America's Building Trades Unions: Office and Professional Employees: Painters and Allied Trades: Plasterers and Cement Masons: Printing, Publishing and Media Union: Professional Aviation Safety Specialists: Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Workers: Roofers and Waterproofers: SAG-AFTRA: Seafarers: Solidarity Center: TCU/IAM: Theatrical Stage Employees: Transport Workers: Transportation Trades Department: UAW: Union Veterans Council: UNITE HERE: United Food and Commercial Workers: United Steelworkers: United Students Against Sweatshops: Utility Workers: Working America: Writers Guild of America, East: Kenneth Quinnell Thu, 11/14/2019 - 11:12 — Nov 14
  • ‘State of the Unions’ Podcast: Serving Those Who Served
    ‘State of the Unions’ Podcast: Serving Those Who Served On the latest episode of “State of the Unions,” podcast co-hosts Julie Greene Collier and Tim Schlittner talk with Union Veterans Council Executive Director Will Attig about his work connecting the labor movement and the veterans community. Listen to our previous episodes:
    • A conversation with 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. 
    • 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 Unions (NABTU) Chief of Staff Mike Monroe exploring the Department of Labor proposal that would undermine world-class apprenticeships in the construction industry.
    “State of the Unions” is available on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher and anywhere else you can find podcasts. Kenneth Quinnell Wed, 11/13/2019 - 13:35 Tags: Union Veterans Council, Podcast     — Nov 13
  • Get to Know AFL-CIO's Affiliates: National Nurses United
    Get to Know AFL-CIO's Affiliates: National Nurses United AFL-CIO Next up in our series that takes a deeper look at each of our affiliates is National Nurses United. Name of Union: National Nurses United (NNU) Mission: To win workplace and health care justice here in the United States and globally by building the nation’s most powerful union of direct-care registered nurses and by fostering a social movement of nurses allied with the patient public. To achieve these goals, NNU aims to unionize all direct-care registered nurses (RNs) in the United States; promote effective collective bargaining representation to all NNU affiliates to advance the economic and professional interests of all direct-care RNs; organize that collective power to compel the health care industry, governments and employers to be accountable to patients and not solely profits; expand the voice of direct-care RNs and patients in public policy, including the enactment of safe nurse-to-patient ratios and patient advocacy rights in Congress and every state; protect and advance the practice of nursing so that RNs can fully exercise their professional judgment to provide safe, effective, therapeutic care; and campaign to win health care as a human right through a Medicare for All system. Current Leadership of Union: Bonnie Castillo, RN, serves as executive director of NNU, as well as executive director of NNU’s largest founding affiliate, California Nurses Association/National Nurses Organizing Committee (CNA/NNOC). Before being named executive director, Castillo held multiple leadership roles over two decades within the two organizations, including director of the Health and Safety program, director of the Registered Nurse Response Network, an NNU-sponsored program that sends RN volunteers to provide medical assistance after disasters and catastrophes, and director of government relations for CNA/NNOC—among other positions. An intensive care unit nurse for many years, Castillo played a key role in helping unionize her own hospital and naturally transitioned into organizing and representing registered nurses on a larger scale. NNU is also ultimately governed by an elected, 19-member RN executive council headed by a Council of Presidents consisting of nurses Deborah Burger, Zenei Cortez and Jean Ross. Number of Members: 150,000 Members Work As: Primarily direct-care registered nurses, but some affiliates also represent ancillary hospital workers. Industries Represented: Public and private medical institutions, including some Veterans Health Administration facilities. History: With more than 150,000 members across the country, NNU stands as the largest union and professional association of registered nurses in U.S. history. National Nurses United was founded in December 2009 to create an organization to build a powerful, national movement of direct-care registered nurses. NNU unified three of the most active progressive nursing organizations. The vision resulting from the founding convention focused on advancing the interests of direct-care nurses and patients, and winning health care justice for all. Over the past decade, NNU and its affiliates have achieved significant success. In addition to those states represented by its founding affiliates, NNU members now include thousands of registered nurses in Florida, Illinois, Iowa, Nevada, Texas, Missouri, North Dakota and Arizona—many from states traditionally considered hostile to union organizing. NNU has organized tens of thousands of non-union nurses, making it one of the most successful organizing unions in America. NNU RN members also focus on negotiating strong collective bargaining agreements that set the highest workplace, practice and economic standards for their states as well as the entire country. In the legislative arena, NNU has sponsored major federal legislation, including national safe RN-to-patient staffing ratios, a bill to improve and expand Medicare for All in the United States, and stronger protections against workplace violence. Current Campaigns: NNU currently has numerous active campaigns, including: unionizing nurses all across the country,  RN-to-patent ratios, preventing workplace violence, Medicare for All, health and safety and environmental justice. Community Efforts: NNU nurses believe that allying with our patients and the public is key to winning our goal of health care justice. To that end, many of our campaigns include working in coalition with local communities. On a national and global scale, an NNU project, the Registered Nurse Response Network, sends registered nurse volunteers to disaster-stricken areas to provide assistance and emergency care. Nurses have helped victims of floods, earthquakes and fires within the continental United States, as well as Puerto Rico, the Bahamas, Haiti, the Philippines and Guatemala. Learn More: Website, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, Twitter Kenneth Quinnell Tue, 11/12/2019 - 12:20 — Nov 12