NE/NY: Verizon Business workers finally get into union

Wow, it's about time, Verizon has been written about here at Joe's for quite some time.

From the AFL-CIO Now blog, written by James Perks

Verizon Business Workers Join Unions

Kevin Leppman and his co-workers at Verizon Business in New England and New York spent their first Labor Day as union members this month.

In August, as part of its new three-year contract with the Communications Workers of America (CWA) and the Electrical Workers (IBEW), Verizon agreed to extend union recognition to more than 600 former MCI technicians at Verizon Business.

The new union members will be covered by the contract beginning in December.

Says Leppman, a 10-year veteran at Verizon Business:

It is nice to know that we will soon have the same rights and benefits as other Verizon techs. To finally have a voice at work, it’s a good feeling.

When a majority of Verizon Business technicians throughout New England and New York signed cards to form unions with IBEW and CWA, the company refused to recognize their union. Instead, management began a fierce anti-union campaign, which the company abandoned after a grievance over nonunion workers performing union work went into arbitration. The agreement to recognize the union settled the arbitration.

Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.), who along with several members of Congress supervised the vote count, joined the Verizon workers for a celebration of their victory at a Labor Day breakfast sponsored by the Greater Boston Labor Council.

Pictured above: Verizon Business technicians celebrate their organizing victory with Sen. John Kerry (center) at the annual Labor Day breakfast of the Greater Boston Labor Council.

550,000 sign Employee Free Choice Act petition

Wow, I haven't even submitted the physical signatures from my own home local yet, this is great news, I gathered a few from the union hall last week and noticed that the membership is taking this serious, not only have the union members signed, but there is also family members and friends signatures for the measure, here's the latest info from AFL-CIO now

550,000 Sign on in Million-Member Effort for Employee Free Choice
The union movement’s nationwide drive to get at least 1 million signatures in support of the Employee Free Choice Act is past the halfway mark and is growing rapidly.

In just five months, more than 550,000 people have signed postcards to tell the new president and Congress that working families across America want them to immediately enact the legislation.

The cards will be presented to the new Congress after the November elections in a ceremony at the U.S. Capitol. (You can show your support for the Employee Free Choice Act by clicking here to sign our online card.)

The Communications Workers of America (CWA) is among the most active groups building support for the bill. As of Aug. 20, some 37,101 CWA members had signed the postcards, as local unions and activists gear up for actions centered around the final two months of the 2008 elections.

This week, members of IUE-CWA Local 83761 sent more than 900 cards. Local union stewards had distributed the cards among members at a GE appliance plant in Louisville, Ky., where employers have threatened to close the plant. More than 40 percent of the local’s members have signed up.

Says William Spires, president of Local 83761:

Passage of the Employee Free Choice Act is key to helping us organize and build bargaining strength in our troubled industry. The Employee Free Choice Act would allow workers to decide freely how they want to choose a union without employer interference.

The AFL-CIO Executive Council voted in March to launch the Million-Member Mobilization. In a statement, the council lays out the urgent need to pass the bill:

America’s workers must regain their bargaining power to maintain and expand the middle class. The American middle class was created by the ability of workers to form unions and bargain collectively after the passage of the Wagner Act in 1935.

More and more Americans are beginning to understand that collective bargaining can promote broadly shared economic growth and prosperity, higher wages, better jobs, better and more extensive health care coverage, retirement security and respect for workers on the job.

You can sign the petition by clicking the image below

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

Joe's Union Review welcomes another Labor blog, a letter to the editor that made my day, SEIU performs ABBA at John McCain camp

Was noticing where my links were coming from and saw a new blog out there, I'm used to the US Chamber of Commerce and other anti-union agencies websites popping up unexpected, but it's always a pleasure to find yet another person who has been motivated enough to jump into the action and help promote our struggle, from the upcoming election and explaining that in his field videography, The Employee Free Choice Act is as necessary as in my own, the construction industry, so without further ado, a big welcome to Decision List, who's latest post is a great music video.

WHICH SIDE ARE YOU ON - NATALIE MERCHANT

Though many folks try to make things more complex than they really are, it really always comes down to a simple question.

WHICH SIDE ARE YOU ON?

Hope to be reading more, and I hope he checks out Broadcast Union News, who has a lot of entertainment and broadcasting news.

Speaking of broadcasts, UnionGal posted a great video on her site, from 7/17, of a SEIU(Service Employees) theater production outside of John McCains headquarters on her site called "McCain as the "Loophole King"

Last week SEIU protested outside of McCain's campaign headquarters in Virginia. How they got ABBA to join them, I'll never know...

Richard at Union Review and Kirsten at UnionGal have been crazy busy, Richard attended Netroots Nation and Kirsten is running for office in DC, I will eventually be posting about all that sooner or later, I'm still reading through it, but I have a ton of stuff on my plate and a guy I worked with has passed away, a great guy who would give you the shirt off his back if you were in need, I feel really bad, I'm gonna miss him.

So I'm kinda doing all sorts of stuff, including getting more information about The Employee Free Choice Act petition for my own local to sign up, I'm meeting with the NYS AFL-CIO rep here in NYC tomorrow to get that stuff. Found a great article from over a year ago entitled "Who's afraid of The Employee Free Choice Act" from Common Dreams.

It's also nice to see Omaha Steve is still posting away at Democratic Underground, especially a letter to the editor he spotted from a The Providence Journal :

Brian Wilder: What union have brought us

01:00 AM EDT on Thursday, July 17, 2008

It’s tiresome reading such nonsense as the letter from Steve Lemois (June 18) who claims to know what unions are doing.

Here are some of the programs and laws that union workers have fought hard to create, many of which we still protect from regular attack by wealthy interests: Social Security, Medicare, the 40-hour work week, overtime pay, child-labor laws, family/medical leave with employer-paid insurance, unemployment insurance, temporary-disability insurance, workers’ compensation insurance, and the minimum-wage law. And we have much more hard work ahead of us, such as the need for affordable access to health care for everyone and human-rights protections for workers making our products both here and abroad.

We union workers sure do manage to do an awful lot for non-union people while just “looking after our own behinds,” which Mr. Lemois claims is all we do. Can he even be serious?

BRIAN WILDER

Cranston

Spread the word people, the American worker, the heart of the labor movement, will not go down without a fight.

That's about it for now, sorry for the lapse in covering recent news, maybe if we had a few more writers, ah, but we can all just dream a little...

Todays news from Union City

Union City is the Labor Council in Washington DC, when you think of the fact that most of the International unions offices, as well as most of our Federal Government offices reside in Washington DC, you can imagine how much is going on there on a daily basis. Their E-Mail newsletter helps keep me in the know, heres the latest E-Mail and they send me one daily. It's like the newspaper for unionists. You can subscribe to Union City by clicking this link

There are also many other publications on the AFL-CIO Working Families E-Activist Network
that you can sign up and get delivered to your inbox.

You can even get the Joe's Union Review Newsletter by entering your E-mail address into "Get updates in your inbox" on the right hand side, so heres todays news from DC Labor:

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TODAY'S LABOR NEWS Labor Updates: MontCo Profs & Delta Workers Walking & Talking Healthcare in NoVA DC Cops Call Fenty "Anti-Union" CWA and Verizon Resume Early Negotiations NLRB Upholds Trump Plaza Dealers' Vote for UAW Weekend Labor History ON THE LINE THIS WEEKEND Friday, June 6 9:45A WPFW's Gloria Minott "Metro Watch" Radio Show with John Boardman Friday, June 6 10A AFGE's "Inside Government" Radio Show Friday, June 6 10:30A AFL-CIO Organizing Training Saturday, June 7 9A NoVA Health Care Walks

Friday, June 6, 2008

LABOR UPDATES: Union Victory for MontCo Profs: Hundreds of part-time faculty at Montgomery College won a months-long battle to unionize this week (DC Jobs with Justice Corner: PT MontCo Profs Organize 4/24/08 UC), voting overwhelmingly for SEIU Local 500, reported Marcus Moore in Wednesday's Gazette. "The opportunities we now have to win improvements for ourselves and our students are endless," said part-time faculty member Terilee Edwards-Hewitt. The vote is the first successful unionization drive by part-time instructors in Maryland, reported Moore. Delta Workers Vow to Continue Campaign After Failed Union Bid: Delta flight attendants (Flight Attendants Hold Union Vote at Delta 5/9/08 UC) will continue to fight for a union voice following a worker vote last week that fell short because of an intense voter suppression effort by Delta management, reports the CWA District 2 website. "Managers plastered crew rooms with posters urging flight attendants to throw out their official voting information" and "prevented workers from exercising their right to post pro-union materials in crew lounges," reports District 2. The Association of Flight Attendants-CWA (AFA-CWA) plans to file interference charges against Delta. Workers are optimistic, though, that another union vote - following the probable merger between Delta and Northwest - will be successful. Click here to read the full story.

WALKING & TALKING HEALTHCARE IN NOVA: Northern Virginia activists will door-knock on the healthcare issue tomorrow in Northern Virginia Central Labor Council's health care walk. "We will have doughnuts, bagels, juice and coffee in the morning and Iron Workers General Secretary Walt Wise and AFGE National Secretary-Treasurer J. David Cox will do a send-off," says Northern Virginia CLC President Dan Duncan. Lunch will be provided after the walk. For more info or to RSVP, contact Roxy Mejia or Steve Mendenhall at the NoVa CLC 703-750-3633.

DC COPS CALL FENTY "ANTI-UNION": Calling DC Mayor Adrian Fenty "anti-union," DC police union official Kristopher Baumann said Fenty "has shown absolute disdain for front line workers." Contract negotiations between the District and DC police officers are heating up after what Baumann called "outrageous" contract proposals from the city, reported WTOP Radio Monday. "Negotiators for the city have not acted in good faith, they're trying to run over the frontline officer and destroy the union," Baumann told WTOP. City proposals would take away guaranteed pay increases, reduce hazardous duty pay, technical work, and clothing allowances, give commanders more power in determining overtime compensation for officers, weaken workers' due process rights and rights to appeal disciplinary actions, reported WTOP.

CWA AND VERIZON RESUME EARLY NEGOTIATIONS: Talks between CWA and Verizon resumed last week, according to a report in the CWA 2108 News. "CWA Districts 1, 2 and 13, together with the IBEW, have agreed to resume early negotiations with Verizon, covering the Verizon 'East' contract," says a report in the June edition of the 2108 News. The contract, covering 55,000 CWA members, expires on August 2. "The parties initially engaged in early contract bargaining beginning last November but the talks were suspended earlier this year. Verizon has continued to agree to limit its bargaining agenda to health care while the unions have an unrestricted agenda and the discussions will cover the ability of members to have access to jobs of the future in the growth areas of the company." CWA is bargaining jointly with the IBEW.

NLRB UPHOLDS TRUMP PLAZA DEALERS' VOTE FOR UAW: More than a year after they voted for a union, dealers at Trump Plaza Hotel and Casino in Atlantic City, N.J., finally can celebrate their victory. The National Labor Relations Board (NRLB) last week certified the UAW as their union. On June 21, a united labor movement, backed by community supporters, will hold a major demonstration in downtown Atlantic City to demand that casino owners end their stalling tactics and come to the bargaining table. Click here for details on buses from DC. "We've been trying to get to the bargaining table for over a year," said Trump Plaza dealer Doug Migliore. "Now we can move forward to get a contract." Click here for the complete story by James Parks on the AFL-CIO Now Weblog.

WEEKEND LABOR HISTORY: Speculator mine disaster. 164 killed at Butte, MT (6/6/1917); A general strike by some 12,000 autoworkers and others in Lansing, MI. shuts down the city for a month in what was to become known as the city’s “Labor Holiday.” The strike was precipitated by the arrest of nine workers, including the wife of the auto workers local union president: the arrest left three children in the couple’s home unattended (6/6/1937); Labor Party founding convention opens in Cleveland, OH (6/6/1996); Militia sent to Cripple Creek, CO, to suppress Western Federation of Miners strike (6/7/1904); Sole performance of Pageant of the Patterson Strike, created and performed by 1,000 mill workers from the silk industry strike, New York City (6/7/1913); Unemployed riot in London (6/8/1886); A battle between the Militia and striking miners at Dunnville, CO ended with six union members dead and 15 taken prisoner. Seventy-nine of the strikers were deported to Kansas two days later (6/8/1904); More info & ammo for unionists is available online from Union Communication Services and from the 2008 Slingshot Collective Organizer booklet.

Material published in UNION CITY may be freely reproduced by any recipient; please credit the Council as the source. Published by the Metropolitan Washington Council, an AFL-CIO "Union City" Central Labor Council whose 200 affiliated union locals represent 150,000 area union members. JOSLYN N. WILLIAMS, PRESIDENT. Story suggestions, event announcements, campaign reports, Letters to the Editor and other material are welcome, subject to editing for clarity and space, and should be directed to:

Editor: Chris Garlock/Assistant Editor: Andy Richards/streetheat@dclabor.org/Voice: 202-974-8153/Fax: 202-974-8152

Todays news from Union City

Union City is the Labor Council in Washington DC, when you think of the fact that most of the International unions offices, as well as most of our Federal Government offices reside in Washington DC, you can imagine how much is going on there on a daily basis. Their E-Mail newsletter helps keep me in the know, heres the latest E-Mail and they send me one daily. It's like the newspaper for unionists. You can subscribe to Union City by clicking this link

There are also many other publications on the AFL-CIO Working Families E-Activist Network
that you can sign up and get delivered to your inbox.

You can even get the Joe's Union Review Newsletter by entering your E-mail address into "Get updates in your inbox" on the right hand side, so heres todays news from DC Labor:

---

TODAY'S LABOR NEWS Labor Updates: MontCo Profs & Delta Workers Walking & Talking Healthcare in NoVA DC Cops Call Fenty "Anti-Union" CWA and Verizon Resume Early Negotiations NLRB Upholds Trump Plaza Dealers' Vote for UAW Weekend Labor History ON THE LINE THIS WEEKEND Friday, June 6 9:45A WPFW's Gloria Minott "Metro Watch" Radio Show with John Boardman Friday, June 6 10A AFGE's "Inside Government" Radio Show Friday, June 6 10:30A AFL-CIO Organizing Training Saturday, June 7 9A NoVA Health Care Walks

Friday, June 6, 2008

LABOR UPDATES: Union Victory for MontCo Profs: Hundreds of part-time faculty at Montgomery College won a months-long battle to unionize this week (DC Jobs with Justice Corner: PT MontCo Profs Organize 4/24/08 UC), voting overwhelmingly for SEIU Local 500, reported Marcus Moore in Wednesday's Gazette. "The opportunities we now have to win improvements for ourselves and our students are endless," said part-time faculty member Terilee Edwards-Hewitt. The vote is the first successful unionization drive by part-time instructors in Maryland, reported Moore. Delta Workers Vow to Continue Campaign After Failed Union Bid: Delta flight attendants (Flight Attendants Hold Union Vote at Delta 5/9/08 UC) will continue to fight for a union voice following a worker vote last week that fell short because of an intense voter suppression effort by Delta management, reports the CWA District 2 website. "Managers plastered crew rooms with posters urging flight attendants to throw out their official voting information" and "prevented workers from exercising their right to post pro-union materials in crew lounges," reports District 2. The Association of Flight Attendants-CWA (AFA-CWA) plans to file interference charges against Delta. Workers are optimistic, though, that another union vote - following the probable merger between Delta and Northwest - will be successful. Click here to read the full story.

WALKING & TALKING HEALTHCARE IN NOVA: Northern Virginia activists will door-knock on the healthcare issue tomorrow in Northern Virginia Central Labor Council's health care walk. "We will have doughnuts, bagels, juice and coffee in the morning and Iron Workers General Secretary Walt Wise and AFGE National Secretary-Treasurer J. David Cox will do a send-off," says Northern Virginia CLC President Dan Duncan. Lunch will be provided after the walk. For more info or to RSVP, contact Roxy Mejia or Steve Mendenhall at the NoVa CLC 703-750-3633.

DC COPS CALL FENTY "ANTI-UNION": Calling DC Mayor Adrian Fenty "anti-union," DC police union official Kristopher Baumann said Fenty "has shown absolute disdain for front line workers." Contract negotiations between the District and DC police officers are heating up after what Baumann called "outrageous" contract proposals from the city, reported WTOP Radio Monday. "Negotiators for the city have not acted in good faith, they're trying to run over the frontline officer and destroy the union," Baumann told WTOP. City proposals would take away guaranteed pay increases, reduce hazardous duty pay, technical work, and clothing allowances, give commanders more power in determining overtime compensation for officers, weaken workers' due process rights and rights to appeal disciplinary actions, reported WTOP.

CWA AND VERIZON RESUME EARLY NEGOTIATIONS: Talks between CWA and Verizon resumed last week, according to a report in the CWA 2108 News. "CWA Districts 1, 2 and 13, together with the IBEW, have agreed to resume early negotiations with Verizon, covering the Verizon 'East' contract," says a report in the June edition of the 2108 News. The contract, covering 55,000 CWA members, expires on August 2. "The parties initially engaged in early contract bargaining beginning last November but the talks were suspended earlier this year. Verizon has continued to agree to limit its bargaining agenda to health care while the unions have an unrestricted agenda and the discussions will cover the ability of members to have access to jobs of the future in the growth areas of the company." CWA is bargaining jointly with the IBEW.

NLRB UPHOLDS TRUMP PLAZA DEALERS' VOTE FOR UAW: More than a year after they voted for a union, dealers at Trump Plaza Hotel and Casino in Atlantic City, N.J., finally can celebrate their victory. The National Labor Relations Board (NRLB) last week certified the UAW as their union. On June 21, a united labor movement, backed by community supporters, will hold a major demonstration in downtown Atlantic City to demand that casino owners end their stalling tactics and come to the bargaining table. Click here for details on buses from DC. "We've been trying to get to the bargaining table for over a year," said Trump Plaza dealer Doug Migliore. "Now we can move forward to get a contract." Click here for the complete story by James Parks on the AFL-CIO Now Weblog.

WEEKEND LABOR HISTORY: Speculator mine disaster. 164 killed at Butte, MT (6/6/1917); A general strike by some 12,000 autoworkers and others in Lansing, MI. shuts down the city for a month in what was to become known as the city’s “Labor Holiday.” The strike was precipitated by the arrest of nine workers, including the wife of the auto workers local union president: the arrest left three children in the couple’s home unattended (6/6/1937); Labor Party founding convention opens in Cleveland, OH (6/6/1996); Militia sent to Cripple Creek, CO, to suppress Western Federation of Miners strike (6/7/1904); Sole performance of Pageant of the Patterson Strike, created and performed by 1,000 mill workers from the silk industry strike, New York City (6/7/1913); Unemployed riot in London (6/8/1886); A battle between the Militia and striking miners at Dunnville, CO ended with six union members dead and 15 taken prisoner. Seventy-nine of the strikers were deported to Kansas two days later (6/8/1904); More info & ammo for unionists is available online from Union Communication Services and from the 2008 Slingshot Collective Organizer booklet.

Material published in UNION CITY may be freely reproduced by any recipient; please credit the Council as the source. Published by the Metropolitan Washington Council, an AFL-CIO "Union City" Central Labor Council whose 200 affiliated union locals represent 150,000 area union members. JOSLYN N. WILLIAMS, PRESIDENT. Story suggestions, event announcements, campaign reports, Letters to the Editor and other material are welcome, subject to editing for clarity and space, and should be directed to:

Editor: Chris Garlock/Assistant Editor: Andy Richards/streetheat@dclabor.org/Voice: 202-974-8153/Fax: 202-974-8152

I'm sick

So I'm gonna take a few days off, thanks for the rest people. Heres a few quick updates.

New GI Bill passes Senate

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Consumers Union Collects $8,500 in first 24 hours

We raised $8,500 in just the first 24 hours. Help us reach our goal of $15,000 by tomorrow! Donate right now! Dear Joseph, This is the last chance to help keep dangerous toys and other hazardous goods out of our homes by passing strong product safety reform. The CU Action Fund needs just $15,000 to pump up our efforts and make sure the new law really protects our loved ones. It’s crunch time. President Bush wants a watered down compromise; we are fighting for the strongest reforms possible. Now is our best chance to stop the endless stream of dangerous imports that put all of us at risk.

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INDIAN GUEST WORKERS RALLY AT CAPITOL:

Six more workers joined the week-old hunger strike by Indian guest workers Wednesday at a rally outside the Capitol to pressure Congress to support their struggle against exploitation. At the action, workers reported that hunger striker Christopher Glory was admitted to George Washington University Hospital Wednesday for dangerously low blood pressure. The workers' families and dozens of DC area activists also participated in a day-long solidarity fast Wednesday to support the campaign. Following the rally, workers and their supporters met with Congressional representatives and pressured them to hold hearings on abuses of workers under the guest worker program and ask the Department of Justice to protect the workers during an ongoing criminal anti-trafficking investigation against their former employer Signal International. A community meeting with representatives of the campaign will be held today at 7P. If the workers demands are not met, they will continue their strike outside the Capitol through Sunday, May 25 then move to Dupont Circle. Click here for ways you can support the campaign.
- report/photo by Andy Richards

More at the AFL-CIO Web Blog
Hunger Striker Hospitalized, Others Rally on Capitol Hill

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Take The CWA Speed Test

Dear Joseph, Millions of Americans—especially in rural and low-income urban areas—don’t have high-speed Internet access. Millions more who have, what we in America call, “high-speed” Internet pay much more for slower speeds than people in Europe or Japan. How fast is your Internet access? How does your speed compare nationwide and around the globe? Are you getting what your Internet provider says you’re paying for? Take the Communications Workers of America Speed Matters test to find out: www.speedmatters.org/wfn2008

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I'm sick

So I'm gonna take a few days off, thanks for the rest people. Heres a few quick updates.

New GI Bill passes Senate

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Consumers Union Collects $8,500 in first 24 hours

We raised $8,500 in just the first 24 hours. Help us reach our goal of $15,000 by tomorrow! Donate right now! Dear Joseph, This is the last chance to help keep dangerous toys and other hazardous goods out of our homes by passing strong product safety reform. The CU Action Fund needs just $15,000 to pump up our efforts and make sure the new law really protects our loved ones. It’s crunch time. President Bush wants a watered down compromise; we are fighting for the strongest reforms possible. Now is our best chance to stop the endless stream of dangerous imports that put all of us at risk.

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INDIAN GUEST WORKERS RALLY AT CAPITOL:

Six more workers joined the week-old hunger strike by Indian guest workers Wednesday at a rally outside the Capitol to pressure Congress to support their struggle against exploitation. At the action, workers reported that hunger striker Christopher Glory was admitted to George Washington University Hospital Wednesday for dangerously low blood pressure. The workers' families and dozens of DC area activists also participated in a day-long solidarity fast Wednesday to support the campaign. Following the rally, workers and their supporters met with Congressional representatives and pressured them to hold hearings on abuses of workers under the guest worker program and ask the Department of Justice to protect the workers during an ongoing criminal anti-trafficking investigation against their former employer Signal International. A community meeting with representatives of the campaign will be held today at 7P. If the workers demands are not met, they will continue their strike outside the Capitol through Sunday, May 25 then move to Dupont Circle. Click here for ways you can support the campaign.
- report/photo by Andy Richards

More at the AFL-CIO Web Blog
Hunger Striker Hospitalized, Others Rally on Capitol Hill

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Take The CWA Speed Test

Dear Joseph, Millions of Americans—especially in rural and low-income urban areas—don’t have high-speed Internet access. Millions more who have, what we in America call, “high-speed” Internet pay much more for slower speeds than people in Europe or Japan. How fast is your Internet access? How does your speed compare nationwide and around the globe? Are you getting what your Internet provider says you’re paying for? Take the Communications Workers of America Speed Matters test to find out: www.speedmatters.org/wfn2008

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Stop Big Media: Huge Senate win!

second good news, E-Activism works, even if it takes a while, when the FCC on December 17th. 2007, went against 99% of American peoples wishes and overturned a rule that 1 company can not own more than one of either print, tv or radio in any one region, FreePress went to work, getting people like you and I involved in stressing to our Senators that we the people can not take this blatant disregard of our wishes. I wrote "Now Big Media can hurt workers better" at the FreePress Blog on Dec. 19th., the CWA and AFTRA joined in the fight

From the E-Mailbox

Dear Joseph, Just moments ago, by a near-unanimous vote, the Senate stood up to Big Media. They voted to throw out the FCC decision to let the largest media companies swallow up even more local media. This is simply an astounding victory, and it would not have happened without the massive grassroots effort by you and thousands of others who called their senators, sent more than a quarter million letters, posted thousands of pictures and stories on StopBigMedia.com, and testified at public hearings held by the FCC. It was your dedication that made today's Senate win possible. Today was a huge step forward, but there is still much to do. The fight against the FCC now moves to the House, where our elected representatives need to hear from us. President Bush has promised that he will try to veto this bill. But tonight the Senate and the American people have spoken with one voice. This historic vote sends a clear message that the only people who support more media consolidation are Big Media lobbyists and the White House. We are in this struggle to bring more minority ownership, diverse perspectives and independent voices to the media. We need to make media consolidation an election-year issue. And we need to start talking about how to break up the giant conglomerates. Corporate news today -- with its propaganda pundits, horse-race election coverage, and celebrity gossip -- undermines our democracy. We must continue to speak out and demand that the public airwaves be used to actually serve the public. In just three weeks, thousands of people will be gathering together in Minnesota to build the movement for better media. You can join them at the National Conference for Media Reform, just visit www.freepress.net/conference. For today, know that you played a key role in the fight for better media for all. Thank you, Josh Silver Executive Director Free Press Action Fund

StopBigMedia.com is a project of Free Press and the Free Press Action Fund, on the Web at www.freepress.net.

Davenport, Iowa: ATT workers say Union Yes

From the Quad City times (4/20/08) :

AT&T call center workers opt for union
By Jennifer DeWitt

Employees at the new AT&T Customer Care Center in Davenport have voted to be represented by the Communications Workers of America, AFL-CIO, the union president said Friday.

Francis Giunta, the president of CWA Local 7110, said a majority of the call center employees agreed to unionize in a card-check drive that began Monday. In the first six hours of the union drive, CWA had received the required 50 percent plus one vote necessary for the workplace to have union representation.

“It was almost unprecedented,” he said of the quick approval. In a card-check drive, employees vote “yes” or “no” for union representation on a union registration card.

He said the vote “tells me people understand the value of a union, the value of healthcare benefits and the value of a voice at work. And it tells me the labor unions are not a thing of the past.”

Giunta did not know how many of the center’s employees had voted in favor, but once the union is in place all the employees will be represented by the bargaining unit whether they do or do not join the union.

The AT&T employees will become part of Local 7110 and will be covered by an existing contract, which expires Feb. 7, 2009.

Across the nation, CWA and AT&T have a voluntary card-check and neutrality agreement.

“AT&T has a long-standing agreement with its unions that allows them to organize bargaining units wherever and whenever employees choose to join one of the unions,” Bob Beasley, AT&T spokesman, said.

The new $19.3 million call center at 5348 Elmore Circle eventually plans to employ between 500 and 600 employees. Giunta estimated the current employment at about 130. The center opened with 60 employees in January.
Jennifer DeWitt can be contacted at (563) 383-2318 or jdewitt@qctimes.com. Comment on this story at qctimes.com.

Read Full Story

Again a big thanks to, recovering from surgery, Omaha Steve from Democratic Underground's Labor section for the heads up. Link below

TX, MO: Western Union screwing 640 CWA union workers in favor of non-union, Mexican and overseas operations

"Western Union is an American icon. Today, it has turned its back on the very employees who built the company into a multinational enterprise,"

A corporation is legally bound by law to show a profit to its investors at any cost. Western Union is now joining the group of corporate scum who are moving operations to the lowest bidder, who have subverted U.S. and/or Canadian wages, in favor of areas and countries with lower or almost absent labor conditions, this group includes Carhartt, Red Wing boots, Hersheys, Mens Wearhouse and so many others.

Found this on CWA Local 6377 website (3/21/08):

CWA Slams Western Union Plan to Close U.S. Facilities

CWA is condemning Western Union Financial Services Inc., for its announced plans to close three facilities in Missouri and Texas and shift that work to non-union and overseas operations.

Some 640 workers in Dallas, Texas, and Bridgeton and St. Charles, Missouri, members of CWA Locals 6377 and 6178, were told they will lose their jobs over the next five months.

"It's apparent to me that Western Union has determined that it would prefer to operate as a union-free enterprise," said District 6 Vice President Andy Milburn.

"CWA will do everything legally possible to stop these centers from closing and stop Western Union from moving our work to non-union operations, both in the United States and overseas," said CWA Staff Representative Mike Neumann, who heads the Western Union bargaining team.

Last month, CWA Local 6377 filed unfair labor practice charges with the National Labor Relations Board against Western Union, charging that company managers have tried to coerce union members and subvert the bargaining process. The local also charged that earlier layoffs announced by Western Union – of 150 workers in Bridgeton and Dallas – were an act of retaliation against the workers and the union for refusing to engage in concessionary early bargaining.

Western Union said it plans to transfer the work to non-union locations including Denver and offshore facilities in Costa Rica, Manila, Mexico City and Mexicali, Mexico.

"Western Union is an American icon. Today, it has turned its back on the very employees who built the company into a multinational enterprise," said Earline Jones, president of CWA Local 6377.

Olivia Espinosa, president of CWA Local 6178 in Dallas, said "Western Union is a greedy, profitable company that doesn't seem to care about the excellent customer service our CWA members now provide. And that's bad news for customers."

Thats bad news for American Workers

More H1B Visa abuse news

More supporting news on the story-> Offshoring and H1B Visa abuse, the 1-2 punch to knockout US tech workers

Comment On Offshoring and H1B Visa abuse....

(3/16/08) I was listening to the testimony of Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates and his points on requesting Congress for increase in H1 B visa quotas. He was mentioning that H1 B employees gets paid very high salary and most of the H1 B guys remain in US through Green card. See companies like Microsoft do not abuse H1 B visas program but there are many-2 big Indian companies are abusing these programs and also pay very low salaries to the H1 B workers keep them in a pathetic condition in USA.

Comapnies like Infosys, Wipro, TCS get the job of Software Designer, Architecht, Data Base Adminsitrator done from their employees but pay them the prevaling wage of a junior programmar as they file there H1 in junior category and pay them less salary. He only gets paid as per a Junior Programmer salary say 60 K USD where as his day to day job responsibility should be compensated by 100 K or more.

Indian H1 B employee is completely on the mercy of his Indian employer as the moment H1 is cancelled the person becomes illegal in USA so he continue to bear the abusive practices from his employer. Hiring an American would need the IT consulting to pay almost 30 K more per year for the same job responsibilities. This way of paying Indian engineer less salary brings down the overall salaries for Americans.

Most of the Indian IT consulting do not file Green Card for the employees as they want employee to be temporary for six years in USA and always be dependant on the H1 sposnoring employer. Say if they file H1 B Visa for 1000 employees but only file 10 Green card out of those 1000 H1B guys.

Mr Gates was asking to increase the quota for H1 B but most of the quota would be abused by the Indian IT Companies. Only 20 % of the quota would be used by the big American companies like Microsoft and they might be
utilizing this H1 B program correctly but rest of the 80% would be used by Indian IT consulting companies who would abuse the emoloyees and bring down the entire salary level for American employees.

One H1 B employee works in USA and be a Onsite coordinator but in his team there are 5 engineers in India. So he becomes a coordinator and 5 people work in India. So one h1 B is replacing atleast 5-6 jobs in USA.

I know a very close friend of mine who is on a H1 B program and get paid only 65 K per year whereas the same job being done by an American is getting paid about 90K per year. He cannot raise his voice as his Indian employer would kick him back to India. So this way the abuse continues and if the congress increase the H1 B quota the more Indian employees would get exploited, IT salary would come down further and jobs would continue to get shipped to India.

And From The Star Ledger

Editorial: Going after the skills of foreign workers (3/16/08) Excerpt
A well-intended visa program needs expansion and reform.

Four years ago, the Office of Management and Budget found the program "vulnerable to fraud or abuse" and made several suggestions for reform, none of which has been implemented.

In most cases, the H1-B program does not require that employers hire a U.S. worker who may want a particular job, and a U.S. worker can be displaced from a job in favor of a foreign worker, according to the Department of Labor. In fact, contrary to widely held belief, most employers using the H1-B program do not have to search at all for a U.S. worker willing to fill a job.

Of the 10 companies that filed the most requests for H1-B visas in 2006, seven had headquarters in India. Those companies use H1-B visas mainly to send workers to the United States for training before bringing them back to work in low-wage countries.

Oversight has been less than rigorous. The Department of Labor certified 99.5 percent of the nearly 1 million applications that it reviewed from 2002 to 2005. A check of the same applications by the Government Accountability Office found thousands of instances where the wage rates being paid to H1-B workers fell significantly below the prevailing wage, a violation of the rules. And that GAO review merely looked at the information provided by the employers themselves, without verifying the information's accuracy. In fact, the H1-B program does not require any verification of the information presented by employers. Many of the workers brought in under the program actually earn less than the median U.S. income.
Read Full Story

Thanks to Global Writers, a blog which according to their about: The blog is linked to the ILO International Training Centre course ‘Communicating labour rights’. Blog

Boston Verizon union members proactive in upcoming negotiations.

Attention: Updated (7/25/08)->CWA plans massive Verizon worker rally in New York, IBEW sending members, as contract negotiations continue with Aug.2nd deadline

Update To-> Boston: Stand with IBEW and CWA on March 13th in a practice picket against Verizon

Verizon workers have been proactive in their road to contract negotiations in the coming months, I admire their campaign. Heres some updates and views from their March 13th. practice picketing. From IBEW Local 2222:

On March 6 and 13, telephone workers took to the streets in front of many Verizon facilities to engage in "practice picketing" in preparation for upcoming negotiations with Verizon management for a new labor agreement. IBEW and CWA members are demanding that Verizon honor its existing contract with the unions and "tear down the wall" that is dividing union members in the core telecom business from workers in the Verizon Wireless and Verizon Business subsidiaries.

This is the first of many more Mobilization activities that will be taking place as we approach our contract deadline of August 2, 2008. To view more photos please click HERE.

Boston: Stand with IBEW and CWA on March 13th in a practice picket against Verizon

"I'd rather die on my feet, than live on my knees"
Lyrics from Ballot's Not Bullet's - 24-7 Spyz



In 143 days the Verizon contract with IBEW Local 2222 workers is set to expire, with the recent misdeeds towards Verizon worker in that area, Verizon's union employees are expecting the worst.

Need we remind you of the returning veteran Terry Skiest flag incident. You know the one where Verizon who was terrified of labor organizers literature being hung in a non-union workplace, that they took three time vet Mr.Skiest's USA and Massachusetts's flag down from the public area and a manager claimed that it "could be considered to be propaganda" and "might be offensive to some workers.". I have wrote on this already and you can read more and take action at PutUpTheFlag.org, this just three months ago, two National Labor Relations Board regional directors charged Verizon Business with "interfering with, restraining and coercing employees in the exercise of the rights" to join a union.

Needless to say Verizon is not a friend of the worker, so in preparation of hard fighting negotiation's leading to the contract expiration on Aug. 2nd 2008, The joint IBEW/CWA T6 Mobilization Team is hitting the streets this Thursday March 13th. in a practice picket. You can read about it and download the PDF flyer at IBEW local 2222's Website: Verizon - You Will Hear Us Now

Big thanks to the AFL-CIO's Communications Coordinator, Rand Wilson for bring us (UnionReview,AFL-CIO Weblog,etc.) news of this and all communication matters that deal with workers and communities.

Other Links of interest

• Free Choice At Verizon - Site listing Verizon misdeeds
• American rights at Work report: Verizon Violates Workers' Freedom to Form Unions, Abandons Customers 10-22-07
  

Blogs

• Union Review:Verizon management boasts about creating new jobs while it is eliminating hundreds of jobs 3-11-08
  
• IBEW LU 2222: New Jobs at VZ ??? 3-11-08 - blog story for link on report above
  
• American Rights At Work: Verizon's Broken Promises 10-22-07
• Union Review: Stories on Verizon
• Joe's Union Review: Claiming ignorance, Verizon tolerated illegal alien work force through a subcontractor 2-24-08
• The Bay Ridge Rover: Parents march on Verizon cell store, employees baffled 3-07-08
  

Stop Big Media action alert, help Senate negate FCC ruling

E-Activism can make a difference, nothing shows that more than the campaign by FreePress Action Network to overturn the recent FCC ruling to allow more media consolidation.

For a recap of the ruling, here's an excerpt of an article I wrote on Dec.18th. 2007, entitled Stop Big Media NOW!

The FCC's Republican Chairman Kevin Martin has effectively handed a sweetheart deal to Big Media, by overturning a 32-year-old rule that prevents a newspaper owner from also owning a radio or television station in the same city. Democratic commissioner Johnathan S. Adelstein called the new rule

"a monumental mistake" and, with Copps, called it a gift to media companies that will enable consolidation and restrict the diversity of voices on the airwaves."

When the idea of more media consolidation was put before Americans - during a series of public hearings and requests for public comment - more than 99 percent said bigger media were bad for them, bad for their communities and bad for our democracy.

Can you remember the last time 99 percent of Americans agreed on anything?


The CWA and AFTRA had called for a 90-day comment period after publication of the proposal in the Federal Register and also ask for an "open process" to address localism and diversity, that was not done and both unions have released statements expressing their disappointment.(continued)

How bad is it to labor, my opinion is below, in the first article I wrote at FreepressActionNetwork on Dec.19th. 2007

Now Big Media can hurt workers better

Hello, my name is Joe, I am a rank and file union member and on staff at the independent labor movement website UnionReview.

While we are primarily a labor news site, we also monitors news items that tie directly to the communication of the modern labor movement, such as Network Neutrality, the squelching of free speech and the spin doctoring of main stream media.

This ruling is a tremendous blow to the American working citizen. Information is power, the gathering of ideas based on different points of view is critical. When so very little can brainwash so many, what hope do we have.

Stand up people. Stand up for places such as Workers Independent News and Brain Labor Report, who continuously report on the airwaves about the struggles of the common working man and social injustices that never make it to the main stream.

Labor hardly got any attention in the main stream media before this was passed, and any if broadcast or published almost always portrays union workers as lazy, greedy and enemies of the public. A good case in point is an article I entitled NY Post spin-doctoring and the IATSE Stagehands, in which I retort the Rupert Murdoch News Corp.owned NY Post's so-called editorial about those greedy stagehands that closed down Broadway Thanksgiving week.

Does News Corp., Viacom, Disney, etc. have a stake in portraying unions as bad to the public? Absolutely, they have to negotiate with them at every step of their business, they are the employer, directly and indirectly of writers, screen writers, engineers, truckers, service employees, construction workers, screen actors, communication workers, stagehands, make-up artists and a host of other labor groups. It suits them well that there is a growing majority of ignorant people in this country that believe that unions are bad for them personally. They have the power to repeat in every media form their message and use the theory that if you continuously lie over and over the masses will believe it to be truth.

That suits Big Media and their corporations fine, by leveling the public against workers, by speaking generally without a fact basis, they perpetrate half-truths and outright lies that get embeded into the heart and mind of the public. By instilling hopelessness and fear they divide us into more and more fractions of smaller groups, pitting each against one another, dividing and conquering, making working people feel as if they are lucky to have a job, and that they must accept the final offer by employer.

This is not acceptable for my country, I thank the work of all those who contribute here, I regret that I have found this late, after seeing this at the AFL-CIO WebBlog, I couldn't help but get involved, firstly by writing a story on my new site Joe's Union Review the Anti-Union BlogSpot (theres reasons for the name), porting the story to UnionReview and MySpace, and by posting the links to our site and the AFL-CIO's story globally onto Labourstart, the global newfeed which reaches thousands of labor sites worldwide.

If we do not stop consolidation of the corporate main stream media and we give those same corporations complete control of the internet, our sources for free independent and diversified news and information will dry up.

Sites, such as freepress and UnionReview, that exercise our freedom of speech, that communicate important social matters and move people to take action may no longer be viewable or in the worst case scenario, have nothing to write about.

Thank you for putting this together, please contact me if anything I write at the site is erroneous, or if theres any other way I can help.

I leave you with this

"Such a small percentage try to make the world a better place, leaving the work to a scarce few. If those that did next to nothing did just a tiny bit, the world could be a better place for all." - me 7/7/07"

New Action to take via E-Mail

Dear Joseph, Congress can overturn the FCC's bad rules to further consolidate local media. Take Action Now Now's your best chance to stop media consolidation in New York. The Senate introduced legislation earlier this week that would reverse the Federal Communications Commission’s decision to let the nation's largest media companies swallow up more local and independent news outlets. Congress has just 60 legislative days to pass this bill. By acting now, you can help make it happen: Veto the FCC's Big Media Handout We have Big Media to blame for local news that's steeped in celebrity gossip, corporate hype and sensationalism. If the FCC gets its way, you'll see your local news get even worse. The FCC's decision further consolidates local media markets, taking away the independence and diversity that comes from local ownership. Simply put, this is a sweetheart deal for a handful of companies that have been breaking media ownership rules for years with impunity. In December, 200,000 people called on their senators to take action against the FCC. The Senate has responded with a “resolution of disapproval,” (SJ Res. 28) a type of congressional veto that would throw out the new rules. Now we need to get another 50,000 citizens on the record supporting the Senate’s action. Tell Your Friends: Veto Big Media Companies like News Corp. and Sinclair already have shown their willingness to abuse the public trust for political ends. During this election year, when diverse, quality and unbiased information is essential for voters, we cannot allow Big Media to silence even more independent voices. It’s our turn to use our collective grassroots power to stop Big Media and make sure that our airwaves are used to better serve the public. Onward, Alexandra Russell Program Director Free Press http://www.freepress.net/ http://www.stopbigmedia.com/ P.S. Learn more about this important legislation at: http://www.stopbigmedia.com/blog Take action on this important campaign at: http://free.convio.net/site/Advocacy?pagename=homepage&id=243 Tell your friends about this campaign at: http://free.convio.net/site/Ecard?ecard_id=1109