Every week, we bring you a roundup of the top news and commentary about issues and events important to working families. Here’s the latest edition of the Working People Weekly List.
No Más! Campaign Calls for Chilean Government to Protect Human Rights: "Since last October, sparked by a hike in public transportation fares, a broad alliance of Chile's unions and other social movements have been protesting against low wages, the high cost of basic necessities and persistently high social inequality. The country's extreme model of privatization of most public services and basic programs in health care, social security and education has guided most public policy since the Augusto Pinochet dictatorship (1973–1990). Since October, the Central Unitaria de Trabajadores (CUT), Chile's largest labor organization, has convened three general strikes, the largest of which brought more than 1 million people into the streets."
Washington Labor Leader Jackie Jeter Retiring: "Longtime labor activist Jackie Jeter (ATU), president of the Metropolitan Washington [D.C.] Council, AFL-CIO, will retire at the end of January after a lifelong career in the labor movement."
A Friend of the Workers: 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."
Safety in the Skies: What Working People Are Doing This Week: "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."
‘State of the Unions’ Podcast: Healing a Community: "On the latest episode of 'State of the Unions,' podcast co-hosts Julie and Tim talk with the Rev. Leah Daughtry, CEO of 'On These Things,' about Reconnecting McDowell, an AFT project that takes a holistic approach to revitalizing the education and community of McDowell, West Virginia, and how her faith informs her activism."
Get to Know AFL-CIO's Affiliates: Plasterers and Cement Masons: "Next up in our series that takes a deeper look at each of our affiliates is the Plasterers and Cement Masons."
A Win for Nurses and Patients: Worker Wins: "Our latest roundup of worker wins begins with nurses banding together to make patients' lives better and includes numerous examples of working people organizing, bargaining and mobilizing for a better life. The end of 2019 saw a flurry of wins for working people, so this is the first in several posts over the next week that will cover the victories of the last quarter of the year."
Greater Boston Labor Council Makes History with Latest Election: "The Greater Boston Labor Council (GBLC), AFL-CIO, made history last week with the election of the first woman of color to its top office. Darlene Lombos takes over as executive secretary-treasurer, replacing Richard Rogers, who officially retired after leading the GBLC for the past 16 years."
Economy Gains 145,000 Jobs in December; Unemployment Unchanged at 3.5%: "The U.S. economy gained 145,000 jobs in December, and the unemployment rate was essentially unchanged at 3.5%, according to figures released Friday morning by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Preliminary data from BLS also shows, for the first time since 2010, the majority of workers on U.S. payrolls are women, underscoring the importance of addressing the gender wage gap."
A Future That Works for Workers: "At this year’s Consumer Electronics Show, the AFL-CIO is partnering with SAG-AFTRA to host the second annual Labor Innovation & Technology Summit. The summit, led by AFL-CIO Secretary-Treasurer Liz Shuler (IBEW), SAG-AFTRA President Gabrielle Carteris and UNITE HERE International President D. Taylor, brings together union, technology, entertainment and media leaders to explore how these industries intersect and the potential impact for America’s workers and for the country’s creative culture."