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Press Release

Supreme Court Tramples on Voting Rights in Wisconsin

… decision regarding voting in today’s Wisconsin election: It’s unconscionable that Wisconsin voters are being forced to choose between their health amid a pandemic and their constitutional right to vote. This anti-American decision silences tens of thousands of our citizens. That’s rank ideology, not blind … We will not sit idly by as this becomes a country of, by and for the wealthiest few. Taking away the fundamental right to vote that so many have fought and died for is disgraceful. Democracy in our country is dying, and those meant to …
Speech

Redmond: The Labor Movement Must Do What's Right

… be a leader of the national AFL-CIO. I am, at heart, still a regular guy—a Black kid from the south side of Chicago trying to navigate my way through life—working in the aluminum mill—getting involved in the Steelworkers local—and then leading it—and always trying to do the right thing for our members. That’s the key. To do what’s right. Whether it’s for an individual, a community or a country. To do what’s right. That’s our guiding light in the labor …
Blog

The Battle Continues to Protect the Sacred Right to Vote

… Jamal Watkins is national outreach director of the AFL-CIO. It is shocking that in the 21st century, we are still fighting to ensure that all eligible citizens have the right to vote—nevertheless, the battle to protect one of our most sacred rights continues. In 2016, we witnessed judges in … real finish line. With every new tactic comes a time and cost intensive fight that drains precious resources from the core work of moving an agenda that works for working men, women, families and the communities they live in. With every legislative …
Blog

Supporting Workers’ Rights Is Critical to Ukraine’s Future

… American Federation of Teachers (AFT) President Randi Weingarten meeting with a group of displaced teachers who came to Lviv from eastern Ukraine. … As Russia’s war on Ukraine continues, Ukrainian workers and their trade unions have become an … law and introduced precarious “zero-hour” contracts into Ukrainian labor relations. These contracts create a more perilous work situation because employers are not obliged to provide a minimum number of working hours to workers. Although these … permanent . Other equally troubling bills focus on eliminating worker protections on  working hours , transfer rights, the right to organize unions, collective bargaining, social assistance funds, pension rights and administration, safety and …
Blog

It's a Good Day to Be a Champion for Voting Rights in Maryland

… The Maryland state Senate today made a step in the right direction in making sure that elections are fair and open to all of the state's residents. The Senate overrode Gov. Larry Hogan's veto of legislation that would restore voting rights … believe in second chances and that citizens who have completed their sentences be allowed to exercise the constitutional right to vote. …
Executive Council Statement

Preserving Airline Workers' Collective Bargaining Rights

… attacks by the nation's major air carriers. Led by American, FedEx and Delta, the industry has mounted a campaign to enact legislation that would impose "baseball style" arbitration in airline negotiations, thereby replacing a delicately … in management's favor. The AFL-CIO deplores the nation's airlines' pursuit of this hostile legislative initiative and will work to defeat it if it surfaces in any form in the House or Senate. Last fall, the airline industry secured a multi-billion …
Speech

Trumka: Rise of the Right a "Disturbring Transatlantic Pattern"

… Welcome to the AFL-CIO! Thank you Cathy [Feingold] for that introduction and for your leadership. Thank you to our partners FES and … for your commitment to workers around the world. Let’s face it, we can no longer afford to dismiss the rise of the right and the impact it is having on working people in the United States and abroad. Last week, Donald Trump became the … percent to just over 11 percent, with only 6 percent of private sector workers organized today. Americans are fed up. We work hard, play by the rules and take care of ourselves and our families. Yet we keep being asked to do more with less. Less …
Executive Council Statement

2016 George Meany-Lane Kirkland Human Rights Award

… In recognition of his dedication to and effectiveness in highlighting the widespread denial of fundamental human rights at work and in society, the AFL-CIO is proud to present the 2016 George Meany-Lane Kirkland Human Rights Award to Maina Kiai, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the …
Executive Council Statement

2014 George Meany-Lane Kirkland Human Rights Award

… Sochi, Haitians in Brazil and Nepalese in Qatar, the games often result in extreme exploitation and even the loss of life. To secure a bid to host global sporting events, countries often undercut workers’ rights, wages and health and safety protections. The … human trafficking and forced labor. Their migration is generally not driven by choice, but by poverty and a lack of decent work. To secure work, many workers must utilize international labor recruiters, who force them to pay high fees to obtain a …
Speech

Trumka: Fight Climate Change the Right Way

… President Richard Trumka delivered the following remarks at the Global Climate Action Summit :  Good morning and thank you to Governor (Jerry) Brown for inviting me here to say a few words on behalf of the 12.5 million working women and men who … is a tough issue for us. But, in the labor movement, we’re used to tough issues and hard choices. We’re prepared to do the right thing for our people and our planet. And we know that this fight can–and must–be about investing in a better, more … demanding that plants, industries and projects be stopped or shut down, with no plan for the people who are put out of work...no call for shared sacrifice...and no dialogue or solidarity with those whose lives and communities are dependent on …