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.
One of the Most Important Union Fights in Years Is Happening in South Carolina Right Now: "If a Boeing plant of 3,000 workers successfully unionizes, it will represent a major victory for labor in the Deep South."
AFL-CIO Meets with Trump on Labor: "The president of the AFL-CIO federation of labor unions says he is hopeful that Donald Trump will deliver on his campaign promise to improve the job market and wages for working-class Americans."
House Begins to Map Out Infrastructure Strategy: "Richard Trumka, president of the AFL-CIO, also called for increased user fees and a more stable Highway Trust Fund. Trumka thinks a package in the $1 trillion-range is the “right scale," but urged lawmakers to ensure so-called Buy America rules and Davis-Bacon worker wage protections are included in any measure."
Organized Labor Making a Comeback in America Under Trump: "The American public may be falling in love with labor again under President Donald Trump. Just a week after the president held a special “listening” session for building trade unionists at the White House, a new poll finds a positive shift in public opinion about organized labor. Sixty percent of American adults view unions favorably, according to a new Pew Research Center survey released Monday."
Most Americans See Labor Unions, Corporations Favorably: "About six-in-ten adults today have a favorable view of labor unions (60%) and business corporations (56%), according to a new Pew Research Center survey. Views of both have grown more positive since March 2015, when roughly half of adults (48%) expressed a favorable view of each."
Teachers, Parents, Kids Protest DeVos Education Nomination Ahead of Senate Vote: "A crowd of teachers, parents and children gathered near the U.S. Capitol on Sunday to protest Betsy DeVos’ nomination to be education secretary, calling the Michigan billionaire a threat to public education and urging the Senate to reject her. Using drums and noisemakers, the group of protesters chanted 'Toss DeVos' 'Betsy is a threat-sy' and 'A, B, C, D, E, F, G, Betsy DeVos is not for me.'"
Leaked Executive Order Will Harm Workers’ Rights on the Job: "AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka issued the following statement in response to a leaked executive order from President Donald Trump's administration."
Know Your Rights When Interacting with Immigration Agents: "The 2016 election featured a heavy focus, in races at all levels of government, on immigration. President Donald Trump's post-election actions have signaled that this will continue. Here are some key things that working people need to know about our rights that will make sure that we have the resources to defend ourselves and our immigrant members and their families and communities in the event of workplace or community raids."
Attacking Immigrants and Refugees Hurts All Working People: "President Donald Trump has announced three executive orders addressing immigration that are an affront to core union and American values. Building a wall on our border, scapegoating immigrants and refugees, and shutting out people of Muslim faith will do nothing to uplift working people in our country. To the contrary, these orders sow fear of raids among workers, promote racial profiling and erode core constitutional protections. As such, they are a clear attack on our members, and elevated fear is a direct obstacle to workers’ rights to organize and bargain collectively. We call on President Trump to revoke these orders."
What Working People Want from a Supreme Court Nominee: "It is expected that Donald Trump will announce his nomination for the Supreme Court seat previously occupied by Antonin Scalia. As always, working families take a keen interest in judicial appointments, as the courts have a significant impact on so many aspects of our lives, including our work lives. The Supreme Court rules on whether we are paid properly for the time we work; we have jobs to return to after caring for a sick family member; we are safe from harmful substances on the job; and we are protected from illegal firings when we choose to form unions."
Union-Made Super Bowl Party Shopping List: "On Super Bowl Sunday, some of our larger and faster union brothers—members of the NFL Players Association (NFLPA)—will be battling it out in Houston at Super Bowl 51. While the Super Bowl carries a union label, from players to broadcast crews to stadium workers—your Super Bowl party spread can, too, with union-made in America food and drinks."
6 Facts You Need to Know About a Federal Hiring Freeze: "Last week, President Donald Trump instituted a federal hiring freeze with no end in sight. Beyond this, he directed the Office of Management and Budget to develop a long-term plan to reduce the federal workforce through attrition. Here are six facts you need to know about the hiring freeze."