Mississippi Department of Labor
WHEREAS, the State of Mississippi through its elected leaders for many years has chosen to promote and maintain legislation such as right to work for less; work at will of the employer; retaliatory discharge for workers’ compensation filing (Kelly v. Mississippi Valley Gas, Mississippi Supreme Court); refusal to recognize state teachers, state workers and municipal workers for collective bargaining; barring by law payroll deductions for municipal employees; refusal to enforce federally required laws on child labor; refusal to pass legislation to form a Department of Labor; refusal of Workers’ Compensation Commission to provide booklets free to employees; and a host of other laws that restricts the rights of workers.
WHEREAS, the Mississippi AFL-CIO has for many years through our friends in the legislature introduced a Department of Labor bill. Year after year the bill in many different forms has died in the Labor or Appropriations Committee due to the attacks by the manufacturers, junior colleges, Chamber of Commerce and other organizations that oppose the views of the AFL-CIO and working people.
WHEREAS, these opposition organizations use federal training money to socalled “train” employees of their choosing when much of the time is spent doing production work and federal training money is thereby being used to subsidize corporate profits.
WHEREAS, the construction trade unions have spent millions of dollars to train their members while federal tax money is spent to train employees in or on nonunion jobs.
WHEREAS, the creation of a state Department of Labor would give the AFL-CIO and its affiliated unions a vehicle to pursue their interests as well as all working people of the State of Mississippi. This department would collect data to distribute to interested entities such as out of state companies that want to relocate, labor organizations desiring information and other public information.
WHEREAS, polls reflected that over 70 percent of the population in the state of Mississippi favored a state Department of Labor. Once labor-supported candidates were sworn into office, they ignored their commitments to labor and their constituents.
WHEREAS, the Mississippi AFL-CIO has omitted by action of the convention to pursue passage of a Department of Labor through the legislature or an initiative and referendum.
WHEREAS, an effective Department of Labor in the State of Mississippi will contribute to the overall goal of improving the conditions of workers in the State of Mississippi and, therefore, enhance the protections for the workers in the United States.
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the National AFL-CIO and its Executive Council shall promote, and give the highest priority to, the attainment of a Department of Labor in the State of Mississipp