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Speech

AFL-CIO 2017 Convention: Working People Need a Bill of Rights

… been rigged against us for so long… when we keep working harder for less... when corporations and politicians continue to chip away at our health care and retirement… when forming a union feels like climbing a mountain... it can be hard to know the next right step.  I think it’s time to get back to basics.  The policy agenda and political accountability measures passed this … richest country in the world at its richest point in history. And so we demand rights that ensure we are able, through our work, to lead better lives. Let me know turn it over to Liz Shuler.  Liz Shuler, AFL-CIO Secretary-Treasurer: Thank you, …
Legislative Alert

Letter to Congress Opposing Legislation to Strip Rights from Working People Who Work on Native American Land

… Dear Representative: The AFL-CIO urges you to oppose the Tribal Labor Sovereignty Act, H.R. 986, which would deny protection under the National Labor Relations Act … human rights that belong to every worker in every nation. Workers cannot be left without any legally enforceable right to form unions and bargain collectively in instances where they are working for a tribal enterprise which is simply a … These values are at the core of the ILO Constitution and the ILO’s Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work. The Director for the International Labour Standards Division wrote that in the absence of tribal ordinances offering …
Legislative Alert

Letter to Congress Opposing Attacks on Union Rights of Working People at the Veterans Affairs

… Dear Representative: On behalf of the AFL-CIO, I urge you to reject the VA Accountability First Act (H.R. 1259), introduced by Chairman David Roe. H.R. 1259 is a thinly veiled effort to destroy union rights and shift the blame for management failures at the VA onto the backs of front line employees. The … and the crucial role labor organizations play in giving federal workers a voice on the job. For the 120,000 veterans who work at the VA, this bill is not only a slap in the face but a betrayal of the promise that they would be guaranteed fair …
Legislative Alert

Letter to the Senate Indian Affairs Committee in Opposition to Legislation to Take Away the Rights of Working People Who Worker on Tribal Land

… Dear Chair Hoeven and Vice Chair Udall: The AFL-CIO urges you to oppose the Tribal Labor Sovereignty Act (S. 63), which would deny protection under the National Labor Relations Act to a large number of workers who are employed by tribal-owned and -operated enterprises located on Indian land. Among these … human rights that belong to every worker in every nation. Workers cannot be left without any legally enforceable right to form unions and bargain collectively in instances where they are working for a tribal enterprise which is simply a …
Blog

A Workers' Bill of Rights Passed at the AFL-CIO 2017 Convention

… people need a bill of rights. A collective bargaining agreement for America. This will serve as a platform for our members to rally around. It will give prospective members a clear statement of our values. And it will provide political candidates … richest country in the world at its richest point in history. And so we demand rights that ensure we are able, through our work, to lead better lives. Here's what working people said should be in a Workers' Bill of Rights: … Here are the key components of the Workers' Bill of Rights: A Good Job with Fair Wages: Everyone who wants to work has the right to a good job where we earn a fair return on our work and receive a wage that allows us to support ourselves and our …
Legislative Alert

Letter to Congress Opposing Resolution to End Requirement that Companies Who Get Taxpayer-Funded Contracts Comply With the Law and Respect Workers' Rights

… Dear Senator: The AFL-CIO urges you to oppose the Congressional Review Act resolution of disapproval of the regulations implementing the Fair Pay and Safe … Order. The Fair Pay and Safe Workplaces regulations implement the common-sense proposition that companies wanting to receive lucrative taxpayer-funded government contracts should comply with the law and respect workers’ rights. The … similar regulations in the future. This is overkill. If Congress has concerns about aspects of the regulations, it can work with the Trump Administration to modify those provisions through the regular rulemaking process. Congress should not use …
Speech

Trumka Praises "Better Deal" for Working People

… in Congressional Democrats' "Better Deal" platform. Last week, the AFL-CIO held our convention in St. Louis. We listened to working people and came together around a bold agenda that will improve the lives of all working families. And today, we’re here to talk about how the Democrats have also listened and responded with a true workers’ rights agenda as part of the “Better … Supreme Court. Changing the rigged rules of our economy by uniting behind the labor proposals in the “Better Deal” is the right step forward. Not only for the labor movement, but for the Democratic Party, for our country and for our economy. To be …
Convention Resolution

Resolution 4: Organizing to Win Power for Working People

… WHEREAS, working people face every day an economy that doesn’t work for them: stagnant wages, cuts to health care, systematic discrimination and eroding public services are the norm for too many; and WHEREAS, union membership and collective bargaining remains the most effective tool for working people to exercise their power on the job and in the public sphere; and WHEREAS, the promise of winning power and rights on the job …
Press Release

This Labor Day, Working Families Join Together to Change a Rigged System

… (Washington, DC, Sept. 4) – This Labor Day working families across the nation are participating in hundreds of events to commemorate the achievements of workers and to confront a rigged system that has favored CEOs and corporations for decades. More than 200 events are taking place today, from barbecues to parades, where thousands of working people are massing to celebrate work, and urge elected officials to restore the freedom to join together and negotiate for better wages, benefits and time to …
Blog

The Skies Just Got Friendlier for Working People: Worker Wins

… Our latest roundup of worker wins begins with flight attendants and air traffic controllers standing together to make the skies safer for working people and travelers and includes numerous examples of workers organizing, bargaining and … at Mesa Airlines, represented by the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA (AFA-CWA), stood together in efforts to have the work they do as aviation's first responders recognized. They successfully announced that they have negotiated a tentative … at University of Chicago to Hold Election in October : When the university attempted to deny its' graduate employees right to come together to negotiate for a fair return on their work, the working people fought back. Their efforts were …