Emergency Labor mobilization on Bailout this THURSDAY!

From the E-mail, and my friends at METRO Labor communicators

Dear Joseph, This Thursday at noon, AFL-CIO President John Sweeney will join hundreds of members of the New York City Central Labor Council for an emergency mobilization on Wall Street to protest the current bailout package. As written, the package gives a blank check to the Bush administration and bails out corporate executives at the expense of working people. Please join us at Broad and Exchange Place at noon this Thursday. The current bailout package is unacceptable, and we must state our opposition loud and clear. To truly build an economy that works for all, any bailout package must: Be governed by an independent board with transparency and effective public and congressional oversight. Use the full array of financial and legal tools available to the government to stop foreclosures and restructure home mortgage loans for working families. Address the causes of the crisis on Main Street in addition to the symptoms on Wall Street. Congress should pass a second stimulus package in its entirety. Work to address the weaknesses in our financial regulatory system and corporate governance system that allowed this disaster to happen. Say NO to the blank check for the Bush administration. Join President Sweeney and hundreds of union members for an emergency mobilization at Broad and Exchange Place at noon Thursday. In solidarity, Working Families e-Activist Network, AFL-CIO MEDIA ADVISORY for Thursday, September 25, 2008 NEW YORK CITY CENTRAL LABOR COUNCIL EXECUTIVE BOARD URGES CONGRESS TO PROTECT THE AMERICAN WORKER WHEN ACTING ON WALL STREET BAILOUT PLAN New York City's Labor Leaders To Propose "Seven Conditions for $700 Billion" Bush Big Bailout to provide stronger protections for working families and impose aggressive public oversight on financial institutions WHO: New York City Central Labor Council WHAT: Labor Rally Calling on Congress to Protect Workers In Bush Bailout WHEN: Thursday, September 25, 2008 at 12:00 p.m. WHERE: Broad Street and Exchange Place (Wall Street District, Manhattan) CONTACT: Carolyn Daly, NYC Central Labor Council 917-705-4740 For more information, please contact the Central Labor Council at 212-604-9552 or visit www.nycclc.org.

Got This from Talking Union

NEW YORK, SEPTEMBER 25, 2008 — With the country facing the biggest financial crisis of our time, threatening the homes, livelihoods, retirement savings and financial accounts of millions of working people, the labor movement of New York City today called on Congress to put responsible conditions on the risky Bush Administration “Big Bailout” plan before any action is taken to ensure government accountability and financial benefits for the American worker.

The principals and members of the Central Labor Council Executive Board joined the national AFL-CIO and Change to win organizations to call on Congress to apply strict conditions and oversight to any plan that would bailout troubled businesses and risk worker’s hard-earned money. The Bush bailout proposal comes as the FBI announced it will investigate fraud at the companies whose failure led to the financial crisis, including such powerhouses as Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, Lehman Brothers, and American International Group.

In rising anger, labor leaders proclaimed that “Wall Street’s crisis” has become “Main Street’s problem” as workers struggle to pay their bills, hold on to their jobs and keep their homes. The union delegation urged Congress to approve only a bailout plan that includes a payback and equity investment return strategy for working people who are footing the bill and addresses the concerns of our nation’s health care, education, energy, infrastructure and jobs crisis.

In response to the growing concerns for worker’s needs, the Central Labor Council Executive Board today announced the following “Seven Conditions for $700 Billion Bailout Plan”:

1.Tap Into Financial and Legal Tools to Stop Home Foreclosures. Use the full array of financial and legal tools available to the government to stop home foreclosures and restructure home mortgage loans for working families.
2.Institute Aggressive Public Oversight. Any action of the $700 billion bailout must be governed by an independent board with transparency and effective public and congressional oversight.
3.Stop the CEO Party Train. Restrict executive compensation at any companies that directly benefit from the bailout.
4.Repeal the Bush Tax Cuts. Repeal of Bush tax cuts to finance the bailout; invest money towards national infrastructure investments in highway, bridge and rail maintenance and improvements, and improvements in public educational systems and preservation of public services, mass transit and health care services.
5.Let Wall Street Pay for Wall Street’s Mistakes. Every company that benefits financially from the bailout must present a secure return investment plan.
6.Prey on the predators. Crackdown on predatory lending practices by corrupt financial institutions by using full force of the law.
7.Address Corporate Governance Imbalances. Work to address the disastrous weaknesses in our financial regulatory system and corporate governance structure that allowed our financial future to become so vulnerable.

The Central Labor Council urged Congress and members of the New York Congressional Delegation to act quickly and responsibly, and hold those who caused our national financial crisis accountable.

It was massive, several thousand CWA and IBEW members rallied outside Verizon headquarters, one main objective, stop subcontracting their work

UPDATE to-> CWA plans massive Verizon worker rally in New York, IBEW sending members, as contract negotiations continue with Aug.2nd deadline (7/22/08):

I would have been there in support, but I was attending a rally for New York's 13th Congressional district seat candidate Michael McMahon, who is running for the spot vacated by Vito Fossella. McMahon is a staunch labor supporter, from a NYS AFL-CIO press release (7/1/08):

Upon receiving the New York State AFL-CIO's endorsement, Michael McMahon stated, "I am honored to have the support of the AFL-CIO. As Councilman, I worked every day to improve the lives of the working men and women in my district. As Congressman, I will continue to fight for working families by creating good paying jobs, lowering taxes on the middle class and ensuring that Brooklyn and Staten Island receive our fair share of education, healthcare and transportation funding."

Saturdays Verizon rally in NYC
A Sea of CWA red

From The New York Times article "Unions Rally, Vowing Strike at Verizon" by By Javier C. Hernandez (7/27/08):

The unions representing 65,000 Verizon workers on Saturday resounded a pledge to strike if demands for higher wages, caps on health care payments and limits on outsourcing jobs are not honored.

Joe's Union Review staunchly supports the workers stance against outsourcing, on many occasions Verizon has had low standards on who they use as subcontractors. The Times continues

With one week to go before a contract expires, several thousand telephone workers affiliated with the Communications Workers of America and International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers gathered at Verizon headquarters in Lower Manhattan.

They chastised Verizon executives for proposing sharp increases in health care payments and reductions in coverage for retirees. Some held signs reading “Hands Off Our Benefits,” vowing to take to the picket line on Aug. 3 if the two sides did not reach a settlement.

Joe Connolly, president of Local 1101 of the C.W.A., said that the union was pushing for a 5 percent annual wage increase, larger pensions and expanded medical benefits. “Right now, employees have to make a choice: Are they going to eat or get benefits?” Mr. Connolly said.

In light of the slow pace of negotiations, a strike was likely, he said. “There’s been nothing resolved on any level at this point.”

A major point of contention between the unions and Verizon is the outsourcing and subcontracting of jobs. Union members have said that work like telephone technical support and laying new wires should go to union laborers. But Verizon has said that awarding some jobs to outside firms gives the company the flexibility to create, for instance, a new call center on the spot, or to quickly find laborers for a one-time construction job.

Verizon's use of undocumented workers via subcontractors seems to be wide spread

Flexibility, sure, just pick them up from the corners of 65th. Street in Brooklyn.

Verizon is a scum corporation that puts profits over people every single step of the way. In February I wrote of one such Verizon subcontractor who was breaking every labor law on the books and found themselves fined and a possible jail term in the article "Claiming ignorance, Verizon tolerated illegal alien work force through a subcontractor"

"One worker told agents B&B paid him $100 per day for a 12-hour shift minus $60 a week for housing and utilities, according to records. Some said they were put up in a house off Oceana Boulevard in Virginia Beach."

Just last month a group of undocumented day laborers was protesting against Verizon in the same exact location over unpaid wages from a Verizon subcontractor. ABC news picked up the story on June 24th. in the article entitled "Day Laborers Rally Against Verizon for Unpaid Work"

"We're here today to demand that Verizon pay us," said Nerbin Rodriguez.

Rodriquez, an immigrant from El Salvador, says a Verizon sub-contractor owes him for two months of work, all 10-hour days. "We have the right to recover our money for the work that we've performed," he said.

"Verizon needs to tell the subcontractors to quit cheating the people out of their money in this way," said Carlos Ortiz..

"We certainly don't agree that anyone should do a hard day's work and not get paid for it," said Sandra Arnette with Verizon.

Verizon says they promise to investigate but says it's the responsibility of the contractor or sub-contractor and not Verizon to pay the workers.

When ABC 7 reporter Andrea McCarren tried to ask one of the day laborers protesting if they were in the country illegally or if the subcontractors were hiring illegally, she was interrupted by a CASA de Maryland lawyer. They said McCarren couldn't ask the question.

"We would hope that people are hiring workers that are documented, that can actually do the work and they're not doing it illegally," said Arnette.

Some of the laborers allege they haven't been paid for jobs completed as far back as three years ago. Some workers at the demonstration actually won judgments in federal court against Verizon sub-contractors, totaling more than $200,000.

Oh yeah, did I mention that I'm in Brooklyn and according to a former shop steward friend of mine at Verizon, in NYC, the company hasn't hired a single street mechanic for the last 6 years, guess they want to take advantage of all the day laborers they can muster up to install FIOS around the area. Yeah I'm still waiting.

Verizon, screwing the public and workers every chance it can.

CWA plans massive Verizon worker rally in New York, IBEW sending members, as contract negotiations continue with Aug.2nd deadline

UPDATED ->It was massive, several thousand CWA and IBEW members rallied outside Verizon headquarters, one main objective, stop subcontracting (7/27/08)

Verizon, who has been screwing it's wireless and business workers who want to join unions, who has taken down a veterans flag which was flown over Iraq and Afghanistan from it's Verizon business office, and has allowed subcontractors who enslaved undocumented workers to do Verizons work, is playing hard ball with it's 65,000 union workers on the East Coast, but these workers have been preemptive and are geared to storm New York with a contigent of workers from all around the East coast tomorrow at Verizon's headquarters.

Verizon, where should I start, first off I gave them the goodbye when they sent their tech support to India for their DSL services in favor of services from Optimum Online, which is also staunchly anti-union, but at least the tech support workers are here in Long Island, New York. Both companies are terrible when it comes to workers rights. In fact Verizon business has been so terrified of union organizing, when union leaflets were making their way around the cubicles and onto the common wall of their office up in Massachusetts, the word came down to remove everything from the walls. One of those items was an American flag, a flag that was flown over Iraq and Afghanistan by employee and Air National Guardsman, Terry Skiest. A co-worker of Skiest's reported that a local manager said that the American flag "could be considered to be propaganda" and "might be offensive to some workers."

AT&T is the only wireless company that is completely unionized

Unfortunately before I knew all this and how staunchly anti-union the company was I was already locked into one of their cell phone plans, that will change in a few months when I switch to AT&T, who when taken over by Cingular, continued with the American Free Choice like card check system of getting union representation, if the workers want to be union, all they need is 50+1% of the workforce to sign cards. Now that's a company for working people, they even have a discounts for union members, from the Union Plus website:

"For union families, AT&T is the clear choice for wireless service. AT&T is the only wireless company that is completely unionized, and that believes that fair treatment of employees is good for business and good for customers.

We urge every union member to make AT&T their wireless provider."

— Larry Cohen, president, Communications Workers of America

The scoop, as far as I've been reading

Verizon and the unions, including CWA and IBEW were in early negotiations as far back as about 1 year ago, the company wouldn't budge on health care issues and the CWA walked out until recently, members have on more than one occasion held preemptive pickets in many areas on the North-East, but according to some updates I've scanned through, there does not seem to be too much progress as of yet and according to Crain's New York, 91% of workers voted to authorize a strike if the negotiations fail. More at IBEW LU 2222

A little note, while awaiting the approval of the city of New York to alow inner city people to get FiOS, a high speed fiber optic system capable of delivering faster internet and a wide array of television programming, being the newest crap that Verizon wants to sling at us. Verizon has neglected their core landline and DSL customers to the point that we have all went on to bigger and better ventures, such as VOiP, the cable system phone service and eliminating the landline in favor of cell service. According to a friend and shop steward in my area, Verizon has not hired a single street utility worker in the last 6 years. Can't wait for FiOS, that should take around=, um, forever.

The Rally in New York

Many CWA workers from around the East coast along with affected IBEW member will gather in New York City at Verizon's headquarters to tell them thay will not back down and settle for less than what they deserve.

From PR Newswire:

Workers to Rally at Verizon Headquarters for Fair Contract

Media Advisory for Saturday, July 26

NEW YORK, July 25 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- A mass rally outside Verizon Communications headquarters on Saturday, July 26 will bring thousands of Verizon workers and supporters to lower Manhattan, pressing Verizon to negotiate a fair contract. CWA President Larry Cohen, Vice Presidents Chris Shelton, District 1; Ron Collins, District 2 and Ed Mooney, District 13, among other speakers, will join the call for fairness for Verizon workers.

Contract negotiations between the Communications Workers of America and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers and Verizon are continuing; the contract covering 60,000 workers expires at 12:01 am, Aug. 3.

CWA members from New England to Virginia will join the rally, traveling to show their support for the union bargaining team's determination to achieve workers' goals of quality jobs and quality benefits.

What: Rally to support a fair contract at Verizon

When and Where: Saturday, July 26, at 1 pm, 140 West Street, lower Manhattan.

SOURCE Communications Workers of America

More rally information and pictures from IBEW LU 2222:

Members Rallied at the Allens Ave. Garage in Providence, RI on July 24, 2008 as part of our series of "rolling rallies". Rallies will be held on Saturday July 26 in New York City, and will conclude with a massive rally on Thursday July 31 in Boston (185 Franklin Street, 6 PM)

Good luck CWA and IBEW members,
In solidarity
Joe

Solidarity shown for Atlantic City casino dealers to get a fair contract, a year after winning representation

Another reason for the Employee Free Choice Act, if enacted, when workers vote to join a union, and they win representation, the company must negotiate a contract with the union, not stonewall for over a year, or 11 years, like the workers in the Goya Foods factory, who finally got a contract this year.

Pictures and story directly from The Union Of Rutgers Administrators, AFT (6/21/08):

URA-AFT Supports A Fair Deal

Dealers in Atlantic City casinos organized last year with the United Automobile Workers. While the casinos are bringing in massive profits, dealers are being left behind and lack adequate benefits without a contract. Union members and concerned community members boarded the buses and headed to Atlantic City to show support for the workers.

Rally attendees heard from workers, union leaders and politicians about the situation and marched down Atlantic, stopping at the casinos along the way to demand a contract.

UAW President Ron Gettelfinger (center, light blue shirt)	NJAFLCIO President Charlie Wowkanech (yellow)	Rally stage across from Showboat
AFT: Union of Rutgers Administrators, HPAE, AAUP/AFT		A dealer calls on the casinos to negotiate fairly
March down Atlantic	AFSCME
	Poppy from Temple University	UAW
United Food and Commercial Workers sports AFT shirt
Anthony from Rutgers and Ray Stevers from NJ Industrial Union Council	Communications Workers of America	Holly from AFT
International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers LU#3 from NYC		Laborers International Union of North America
Philadelphia Central Labor Council (Liz McElroy center)	Mauro Camporeale (left) Bergen County CLC
	National Writer's Union	(photo credit: J. Sagi)
Scott from Rutgers AAUP/AFT	URA-AFT (from left): Darlene, Theresa, Lucye and Joyce	Theresa and Nat (photo credit: J. Sagi)
Transport Workers Union	UAW members from PA	United Food and Commercial Workers banner
UFCW for Obama	Solidarity	Transport Workers Union bus

Huge thanks to Nat Bender for pointing these out

Los Angeles: Lawsuit filed after 5 construction organizers brutally attacked

From The LA/Orange County Building Trades News

Five Union Organizers Attacked

Ironworkers Local 433 President Robbie Hunter addresses a "Stop the Violence" rally of over 600 Building Trades and other union members in downtown Los Angeles Mar. 17. Hunter, along with four other organizers, was attacked by non-union contractors while picketing a jobsite.

Click here for photos of rally

Civil Rights Lawsuit Filed Against Non-Union Contractors for Assault

A civil rights lawsuit was filed on Monday, Mar. 17, against several contractors and multiple unnamed defendants after five union organizers were brutally assaulted last Friday while engaged in a lawful picket at a construction site in downtown Los Angeles. The lawsuit filed against contractors Hirex, Golden Gate Steel and its owner, and the unnamed defendants seeks unspecified damages for violations of California Civil Code section 51, assault, battery, and intentional infliction of emotional distress.

More than 15 workers from the jobsite, some of whom were wielding iron rebar and 2x4's, violently attacked the five organizers. As a result, Robbie Hunter, President of Ironworkers Local 433, was hospitalized after suffering multiple injuries including a fractured cheek bone and busted lip. He was punched in the face, struck in the back of the head with a club, and kicked in the face and leg by the defendants.

"The violent assault against these union organizers is not only reprehensible, it is also a violation of their civil rights," said Ellyn Moscowitz, attorney for the plaintiffs. "These men were attacked because of their position as union organizers; that makes this a hate crime in the state of California. Employers who engage in these crimes can expect that the full weight of the legal system will be brought to bear on them."

In response, over 600 Building Trades and other union members and their allies turned out for a "Stop the Violence" rally at the jobsite where the union organizers were attacked.

"We are here to send a message to all of the non-union contractors in Los Angeles that we will not tolerate violence against union organizers or any other member of the Building Trades who are out here fighting for decent wages for construction workers," said Richard Slawson, Executive-Secretary of the LA/OC Building and Construction Trades Council. "We are prepared to use every legal means at our disposal to protect the rights of workers. These non-union contractors may use these violent tactics from 100 years ago, but we won't stand for it."

In addition to the injuries sustained by Hunter, IBEW organizer Larry Henderson was struck by a 2 x4, fracturing his arm. Ironworkers Local 433 organizer Rene Angeles was hit in the face with a 2x4 and suffered bruises. Kevin Norton and IBEW organizer Tommy Faavae also suffered bruises.

Join the Unions and community organizations in 3-19 rally to reverse City and State funding cuts

Got this from my E-Mail

KEEP THE PROMISES! -TO BUILD MORE SCHOOLS -TO FUND FULL-DAY KINDERGARTEN -TO LOWER CLASS SIZE -TO IMPROVE MIDDLE SCHOOLS -TO EXPAND ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS PROGRAMS -TO KEEP AFTER-SCHOOL PROGRAMS AND TUTORING SERVICES We may face uncertain economic times ahead, but this much is certain: We must keep the promises to our kids. Show your support for the KEEP THE PROMISES COALITION BRING YOUR UNION'S BANNER! What: "Keep the Promises Coaliton Rally" Where: City Hall Park When: Wednesday,March 19th Time: 4:00PM

Click the picture below for leaflet, had to convert from PDF to JPG so it isn't very clear

Heres more info from New York Teacher from 2-14-08

‘Keep the Promises’ coalition forms to reverse city, state ed funding cuts

A diverse coalition of education advocacy groups, community organizations, clergy, labor unions and dozens of elected officials has launched a major campaign to fight state and city budget proposals that could cost New York City public schools $700 million.

Members of more than 60 community groups, parent organizations and unions, as well as some 40 state and city elected officials, gathered on the steps of City Hall on Feb. 10 to announce the formation of the “Keep the Promises” coalition in response to budget reductions and proposed cuts in education for city schools. The list of cuts includes the following:

• The city has imposed an immediate 1.75 percent cut to schools — a $100 million, midyear cut that will disrupt schools’ programs, schedules and staffing.
• The mayor’s 2009 budget proposal cuts New York City education by $324 million.
• The state budget proposes to give city schools nearly $200 million less than was expected in the Contract for Excellence, stalling progress in class size reduction, full-day pre-kindergarten expansion, improving middle schools and other programs and services.

The state is also proposing to cap building aid, which will slow school construction.  

“When government promises to safeguard the quality education of our children, parents and the public have a right to expect those promises to be honored,” UFT President Randi Weingarten said to reporters as she stood on the City Hall steps flanked by dozens of her coalition colleagues.

She said that “in the absence of an independent Board of Education and an independent schools chancellor, public school children need champions to intervene and protect them. That’s why we are part of this coalition launching this campaign.” Weingarten said the coalition would fight to have the funds restored because the city’s children deserve the quality education they’ve been promised.

“Make no mistake,” Weingarten added. “School-based educators would never dream of saying, ‘Now that we have less we will do less.’ Instead we will fight the school cuts.”

Geri D. Palast — executive director of the Campaign for Fiscal Equity, which took the state to court to win increased funding for New York City schools — noted that after 13 years of litigation, New York State “legislated a promise” to add $2.35 billion in classroom operating aid for New York City over four years. At the same time, Mayor Bloomberg said the city would add $2.2 billion. The state also said it would provide $11.2 billion to subsidize the city’s $13.1 billion school construction plan to “finally fund the constitutional right to a sound, basic education,” Palast said.

However, she added, both the state and the city are proposing $700 million in cuts in these commitments. “Long overdue funding of these promises tied to accountability for this catch-up plan must be immunized from short-term economic fluctuations,” Palast said. “A generation of kids has already paid the price for delayed funding with their futures.” (Click for: Full Story)