AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka opened the fourth day of the AFL-CIO 2017 Convention talking about the Workers' Bill of Rights:
Sisters and brothers, working people need a bill of rights.
A collective bargaining agreement for America.
This will serve as a platform for our members to rally around. It will give prospective members a clear statement of our values. And it will provide political candidates and elected officials with a litmus test for our support.
We simply refuse to accept the reality of struggling to make ends meet in the richest country in the world at its richest point in history. And so we demand rights that ensure we are able, through our work, to lead better lives.
Read more about the Workers' Bill of Rights and other resolutions adopted at today's convention:
- Resolution 1: Workers' Bill of Rights: "AFL-CIO calls for the creation of a Workers' Bill of Rights."
- Resolution 9: Rewriting the Rules: Making the Freedom to Join Together and Negotiate a Reality for All Workers: "AFL-CIO will undertake the process of fundamentally reforming America's labor laws in order to make the freedom to join together and negotiate a reality for all workers."
- Resolution 19: Diverse and Inclusive Leadership for a Thriving Labor Movement: "The AFL-CIO must recommit itself to diversity and inclusion at all levels and in all parts of our movement. It’s clear that resolve is not enough; we need accountability and action."
- Resolution 20: Full Employment and a $15 Minimum Wage: "The AFL-CIO supports a $15 minimum wage and full employment."
- Resolution 23: Safe Jobs-Every Worker's Right: "The right to a safe job is a fundamental worker right and a core union value. Every worker should be able to go to work and return home safely at the end of the day."
- Resolution 26: The Solidarity Center-Twenty Years of Standing Up For Workers Around the World: "In honor of its 20th anniversary, we recognize the achievements and role of the Solidarity Center in the fight for global justice, and call on convention delegates and unions to become a sponsor of the next 20 years of Solidarity Center programs, participate in Solidarity Center exchange programs and contribute expertise to its programs, and join solidarity campaigns led by the Solidarity Center to protect trade union rights around the world."
- Resolution 27: Resolution Celebrating Ullico Inc.'s 90th Anniversary: "The AFL-CIO recognizes the critical role Ullico has played as a financial services provider to the American labor movement and working men and women; and congratulates the Ullico Family of Companies on 90 years of service to working people and the labor movement, and looks forward to working with the Ullico Family of Companies in the years to come."
- Resolution 36: Celebrating DPE: 40 Years of Growing Professional Union Membership: "Professional and technical members are part of almost every union. Regardless of their concentration of professional members, all DPE affiliate unions recognize that professionals need to see themselves in their union and in the labor movement."
- Resolution 38: National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund Museum and Memorial: "The AFL-CIO endorses and supports the efforts of the NLEOMF to honor the law enforcement officers who have been killed in the line of duty by permanently etching their names on the memorial and the museum’s effort to build mutual respect and foster cooperation between the public and the law enforcement profession."
- Resolution 50: War Is Not the Answer: "The AFL-CIO promotes and advocates for a foreign policy based on international solidarity of all workers, mutual respect of all nations and national sovereignty, and calls upon the president and Congress to make war truly the last resort in our country’s foreign relations, and that we seek peace and reconciliation wherever possible, calls upon the president and Congress to bring the war dollars home and make our priority as a nation rebuilding this country’s crumbling infrastructure and will advocate for the necessary federal funding to meet the needs of veterans by providing them comprehensive services for health care, housing, education and employment, and to establish outreach to at-risk veterans who may not be availing themselves of existing programs."
See all the resolutions that were adopted at the convention.
More about today's convention:
International Convention Guests Visit Granite City and Learn How Bad Trade Policies Affect Illinois Steelworkers: "More than 60 international labor guests attending the AFL-CIO convention in St Louis crossed the river to Granite City, Illinois, to visit the United Steelworkers Locals at the US Steel plant that has operated there for decades."
A Workers' Bill of Rights Passed at the AFL-CIO 2017 Convention: "At the 2017 AFL-CIO Convention, the delegates passed a resolution calling for the creation of a Workers' Bill of Rights. Speaking in support of the resolution, President Richard L. Trumka said...."
Imprisoned KCTU President Han Honored with Human Rights Award, Global Labor Movement Calls for His Release: "At the AFL-CIO convention in St. Louis, President Richard Trumka honored the imprisoned president of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU), Han Sang-gyun, with the George Meany-Lane Kirkland Human Rights Award. Han has been in jail since December 2015, serving a three-year sentence for defending trade union rights and fighting back against corporate corruption and the repressive government of former President Park Geun-hye."
Professionals Win Together: "This morning, under the blue glow of the lights in St. Louis’ America’s Center the leaders and members of America’s unions voted to recognize the dramatic growth of professionals in unions and professionals’ role in the future of the labor movement."
Check out the videos that were played during today's plenary session:
Watch a playlist of all the videos from plenary sessions: