AFL-CIO Blog

  • Introducing the 'State of the Unions' Podcast
    Introducing the 'State of the Unions' Podcast AFL-CIO The AFL-CIO has launched another tool to bring you the issues and stories that matter to working people. Our new podcast, “State of the Unions,” officially debuted today with an interview with Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha, the pediatrician who helped expose the Flint, Michigan, water crisis. One in four Americans listen to podcasts on a monthly basis. “State of the Unions” will capture the stories of workers across the country. It’s hosted by two young and diverse members of the AFL-CIO team: Political Mobilization Director Julie Greene and Executive Speechwriter Tim Schlittner. A new episode will drop every other Wednesday featuring interesting interviews with workers and our allies across the country, as well as compelling insights from the podcast’s hosts. Learn more about Julie and Tim in their inaugural episode and check out their interview with Dr. Hanna-Attisha. The upcoming schedule is as follows:
    • Wednesday, Oct. 31: Mayor Dahlia Vertreese (IUOE) of Hillside, New Jersey.
    • Wednesday, Nov. 14: Post-election recap and analysis.
    “State of the Unions” is available on iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher and anywhere else you can find podcasts. Kenneth Quinnell Wed, 10/17/2018 - 12:12     — Oct 17
  • Best Candidates for Working People, 2018
    Best Candidates for Working People, 2018 . 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. Here are the candidates we've covered so far! Check back regularly for more between today and Election Day! Kenneth Quinnell Wed, 10/17/2018 - 11:30 Tags: Elections 2018 — Oct 17
  • Best Candidates for Working People, 2018: Paulette Jordan
    Best Candidates for Working People, 2018: Paulette Jordan 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've been taking a look at the best candidates for working people. Today, we feature Idaho gubernatorial candidate Paulette Jordan. Here are some of the key reasons why Jordan is one of the best candidates for working people in 2018:
    • She will look at every opportunity to raise the minimum wage gradually.
    • Jordan wants to expand and further develop the state's renewable energy resources, including wind, solar, water, geothermal and biomass.
    • She will invest in STEM education at the high school level.
    • Jordan plans to create public-private partnerships among universities, technology companies and the Idaho National Laboratory that will expand job opportunities in the information technology sector.
    • She will pursue a strategic national marketing campaign to boost the state's tourism industry and create jobs.
    • Jordan is proposing a plan for a statewide transportation system that will link rural areas to urban areas and increase tourism opportunities.
    • She will expand broadband access, particularly in rural areas and on tribal lands.
    • Jordan wants to implement an opt-in statewide universal preschool program to help prepare more students for participation in higher education and the workforce and create more education jobs.
    • She wants to improve teacher pay to make Idaho competitive with neighboring states.
    • As a legislator, she introduced a bill to forgive teachers' student loan debts if they worked in rural schools and she wants more programs like this to be instituted.
    • Jordan wants to expand advanced placement and dual-credit classes in high schools to help students be more prepared for higher education.
    • She favors expanding Medicaid.
    • She will pursue a public medical school to increase the number of doctors, nurses, physician assistants and pharmacists working in the state.
    • Jordan wants to expand Idaho's participation in the clean energy and sustainability sector.
    To learn more about Jordan, visit her website. Kenneth Quinnell Wed, 10/17/2018 - 08:03 Tags: Elections 2018     — Oct 17
  • National Hispanic Heritage Month Profiles: Baldemar Velásquez
    National Hispanic Heritage Month Profiles: Baldemar Velásquez NC State AFL-CIO Throughout National Hispanic Heritage Month, the AFL-CIO will be profiling labor leaders and activists to spotlight the diverse contributions Hispanics and Latinos have made to our movement. Today's profile features Baldemar Velásquez. Baldemar Velásquez was born in 1947 in Pharr, Texas, the son of migrant farm workers who were the second generation to work in that field in the United States. By the time he was five years old, Velásquez joined his family picking sugar beets and tomatoes. He used that experience, along with the inspiration of Mahatma Gandhi, César Chávez and Martin Luther King Jr., to pursue a career improving the lives of migrant farm workers. At the age of 12, he led his first strike, helping migrant workers at his summer job win better wages. After high school, he attended several colleges, graduating from Bluffton College in 1969 with a degree in sociology. He continued working while in college, and in 1967, Velásquez founded the Farm Labor Organizing Committee (FLOC) with his father. The initial idea behind the committee was to organize farm workers to seek improvements in pay, housing and education for pickers. Soon, Velásquez and FLOC were organizing strikes and other actions to convince growers to raise wages and improve working conditions. FLOC had significant success until the American Farm Bureau Federation convinced some growers to withdraw from the market and others to refuse to honor contracts. In the 1970s, FLOC shifted its attention toward national and international companies, with Velásquez saying that the previous focus on local growers was a mistake and that real change would come from confronting farm-related corporations instead. The new strategy led to victories, including the 1978 strike against the Campbell Soup Co., which was the largest agricultural labor action in the history of the Midwest and which led to the first three-way contract with industry, grower associations and workers. That success led to expanded actions in the South, most notably with successful campaigns for workers at the Mt. Olive Pickle Co. in the 1990s and at R.J. Reynolds tobacco in the 2000s. FLOC became a fully chartered international union and full affiliate of the AFL-CIO in 2006. His many years of activism on behalf of farm workers led to widespread recognition for Velásquez. In 1989, he was awarded a MacArthur "Genius Grant" Fellowship. In 1994, he received the Hispanic Heritage Leadership Award from the National Council of La Raza and the Aguila Azteca Award, the highest honor Mexico gives to non-citizens. He also has been awarded honorary doctoral degrees from several universities, including Bowling Green State University, Bluffton University and the University of Toledo. Velásquez continues as president of FLOC today and advocated on behalf of all workers as a member of the AFL-CIO Executive Council. Kenneth Quinnell Mon, 10/15/2018 - 10:56 — Oct 15
  • An Upsurge in Collective Action: The Working People Weekly List
    An Upsurge in Collective Action: 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. AFL-CIO's Trumka Is Optimistic About the Midterms: "Big labor is optimistic about the 2018 midterm elections because, AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka said, progressives have been working together to oust anti-labor Republicans. 'There’s been this real upsurge in collective action where people say the political system isn’t working for me, the economic system isn’t working for me, so how am I going to make change?' Mr. Trumka said in an interview last week. 'They’ve worked with each other.'" A Record Number of Women Are Running for Office. This Election Cycle, They Didn't Wait for an Invite: "A record number of women are running for the U.S. House, Senate and state legislatures this year—more than any other election in U.S. history. Traditionally, the major political parties scout out their potential candidates. And typically, says Debbie Walsh, director of the Center for American Women and Politics at Rutgers University, men are sought after more than women." AFL-CIO Says Ad Investment Marks 'Historic' Initiative in Communities of Color: "GOTV Radio Ad Airing on African American and Spanish-Language Radio. The AFL-CIO this week launched a massive get-out-the-vote campaign, airing ads on African American and Spanish-language radio in 26 targeted media markets across the country. The high six-figure buy marks the largest such investment in communities of color in the AFL-CIO’s history. The ad buy includes multiple media markets throughout Georgia, including Atlanta, Albany, Columbus and Augusta." Why Nearly 8,000 Marriott Workers Are Striking in 8 Cities: "Thousands of hotel employees are refusing to go to work at Marriott-owned hotels in eight major U.S. cities, citing mounting frustration over stalled negotiations for higher wages and safety measures. As of Wednesday, nearly 8,000 housekeepers, bartenders, and other service workers had walked off the job at 23 hotels in Detroit, Boston, San Diego, San Jose, Oakland, San Francisco, Maui and Oahu, according to their labor union, Unite Here, which represents more than 20,000 Marriott workers in the United States and Canada." Trade Talks Episode 57: It's Fun to Discuss the USMCA—the New NAFTA: "Soumaya Keynes and Chad Bown describe key elements of the United States–Mexico–Canada Agreement, or USMCA, announced on October 1, 2018. Beneath the spin, they analyze what the deal really does, including where new market access has been granted, and where new rules have been written. Will the new deal generate American jobs in car manufacturing? Will it strengthen Mexico's labor standards? Will it stop Canada from signing a future trade deal with China?" Best Candidates for Working People, 2018: Tammy Baldwin: "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. Tammy Baldwin from Wisconsin." National Hispanic Heritage Month Profiles: Henry L. 'Hank' Lacayo: "Throughout National Hispanic Heritage Month, the AFL-CIO will be profiling labor leaders and activists to spotlight the diverse contributions Hispanics and Latinos have made to our movement. Today's profile features Henry L. 'Hank' Lacayo." Best Candidates for Working People, 2018: Julie Blaha: "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 Minnesota state auditor candidate Julie Blaha." Economy Gains 134,000 Jobs in September; Unemployment Down Slightly to 3.7%: "The U.S. economy gained 134,000 jobs in September, and unemployment was down slightly to 3.7%, according to figures released this morning by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Continued slow wage growth means the Federal Reserve's Open Market Committee is premature in raising interest rates." Kenneth Quinnell Mon, 10/15/2018 - 10:38 — Oct 15