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Blog

Black History Month: IBEW Leader Breaks Down Voting Barriers for People of Color in Mississippi

… It took years of hard work, but Electrical Workers ( IBEW ) Local 2262 member and former local president Charles Horhn didn't give up on his dream. … Fear in Mississippi and worked with the Mississippi AFL-CIO, the NAACP, as well as other community and faith groups to register voters of color all over the state starting in the 1960s. … Back when Horhn began his advocacy, only  6.7% of … of color in Mississippi  were registered to vote and faced intimidation and violence when they tried to exercise their right to vote. Empowered by the Civil Rights Act, Horhn was able to dispel fear and help register more and more people to …
Speech

Trumka to Pennsylvania AFL-CIO Delegates: The Face of Labor is Changing

… Brothers and sisters, thank you! We’re doing it right now. We’re doing it right now. We’re building solidarity. We’re broadening our movement. We’re reaching out to each other. We’re standing together. And it feels good! This is what unionism looks like! Thank you, Brother Rick … Thank you for being my union brother. We’ve been through a lot together, and we’re not done yet. You see, the landscape of work here in Pennsylvania is changing. Not long ago, most union members looked like me, and you and you and you. And most of …
Speech

Trumka: A United Labor Movement Runs Deep in the Heart of Texas

… Virtual Constitutional Convention: Brother Rick Levy, I appreciate that gracious introduction. And I’m immensely grateful to you, Brother Leonard Aguilar and all our union family in Texas for inviting me to kick off your convention. Next year, we … attacks have not discouraged you! The uphill climb has not stopped you. Since the pandemic hit, you’ve done the hard work. You’ve made your voices louder. And you’ve made your communities and state stronger. So it should come as no surprise … on Black Lives Matter Plaza. Together, we sent a clear message: this fight is about our vote and our voice! Without the right to vote and without the right to organize, there is no democracy. The survival of democracy anywhere depends on working …
Legislative Alert

Letter Opposing Bill That Would Weaken Wage Protection Laws

… Representative: On behalf of the 12 million working women and men represented by the unions of the AFL-CIO, I am writing to urge you to oppose H.R. 3441, the “Save Local Business Act.” Proponents of the legislation claim that it is designed to … the line workers, and had authority over numerous other conditions of employment. In order to ensure that the employees’ right to form a union and bargain over workplace issues was protected, the NLRB held that Browning Ferris was a joint … realities of the arrangement at Browning Ferris and was rightly decided in order for the line workers to have a meaningful right to bargain over their terms and conditions of employment. Before the ink was dry on the Browning-Ferris decision, …
Executive Council Statement

A National Worker Center - AFL-CIO Partnership

… In a number of instances, worker centers have tried organizing or they have referred workers seeking union representation to established unions. Worker centers have grown significantly in number over the past decade.  Ten years ago, there were … there are over 140 in 31 states, in rural areas as well as in large urban centers. Many of these centers are important to the immigrant community and play an essential role in helping immigrant workers understand and enforce their workplace … state federation and/or local central labor council in order to build ties between these organizations and enable them to work cooperatively on issues of mutual concern.  Such affiliation will entitle the worker center/association of worker …
Executive Council Statement

Support for Affirmative Action in Florida

… New Orleans, LA The AFL-CIO has long supported affirmative action as an effective way to promote diversity and to remedy past and present discrimination. At our most recent convention, we strongly reaffirmed our commitment to … through executive order; Applauds the Florida labor movement and Floridians Representing Equity and Equality for their work to save affirmative action; and Urges unions and union members everywhere to lend their support to their union brothers …
Executive Council Statement

Conscience to End Child Labor and Sweatshop Abuses

… promote policies of economic integration without protection of workers' rights, workers are being dragged into "a race to the bottom." In industrial countries, the effects are clear: high unemployment in Europe, stagnant wages and growing … labor, women's and student organizations initiated by the National Labor Committee has called for a Day of Conscience to End Child Labor and Sweatshop Abuses on October 4, 1997. The Day of Conscience will feature simultaneous actions in … The coalition is also circulating a petition calling on President Clinton, Congress and the White House Task Force to End Sweatshop Abuses to adopt policies that will assure the payment of a living wage to all workers, independent …
Blog

Pride Month Profiles: Temika M. Cook

… For Pride Month this year, the AFL-CIO is spotlighting various LGBTQ+ workers who have worked and continue to work at the intersection of civil and labor rights in the United States. Today's profile is Temika M. Cook of the San Diego … fight for workers’ rights and community well-being go hand in hand. Cook’s unwavering commitment and leadership continue to pave the way for a more just and equitable future. …
Blog

Did Your Representative Vote to Protect Workers in 2023?

… year and then we release our AFL-CIO Legislative Scorecard—the definitive grade of whether your representative voted to protect or take away your rights. Today, we released our new AFL-CIO Legislative Scorecard. How did your representative … but support for unions is at one of the highest levels it’s been in decades, especially among young workers. Workers want to join unions to make our lives better—and we want leaders on Capitol Hill who will have our backs when we do. The best way to protect our right to join a union is to hold our representatives accountable for the votes they take to protect existing labor laws or …
Legislative Alert

Letter to Senators Urging Them to Vote Against the Callous and Anti-Immigrant "Immigration Rule of Law Act of 2015"

… Dear Senator, The AFL-CIO urges you to vote against the “Immigration Rule of Law Act of 2015” (S. 534). S. 534 is a callous and anti-immigrant bill that would … for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program that were announced by President Obama on November 20. It also undermines efforts to clarify enforcement priorities and inappropriately uses the Affordable Care Act (ACA) as an excuse to strip away … an important step toward rational and humane enforcement of our nation’s immigration laws. By extending relief and work authorization to an estimated 4 million people, the new deferred action programs will help prevent unscrupulous …