Unions

May 26, 2009 -- WASHINGTON DC -- Statement of Change to Win Chair and SEIU Secretary-Treasurer Anna Burger on President Barack Obama’s nomination of Judge Sonia Sotomayor to serve on the Supreme Court of the United States:

“Some choices are made for today; others are decided with the future in mind: this choice is right on both counts.    » read more »

Cites Her Strong Interpretation of Law; Enforcement of Statutory Rights for Workers

May 26, 2009 -- PITTSBURGH, -- The United Steelworkers (USW) today commended President Obama on his nomination of Judge Sonia Sotomayor for the U.S. Supreme Court. First nominated by President George H.W. Bush to the federal court, Sotomayor would be the first Hispanic justice -- and only the third woman justice -- in the history of the nation's highest court.

"Judge Sotomayor is a sound, progressive judge who is blessed with a brilliant legal mind," said USW International President Leo W. Gerard. "Her journey from a South Bronx housing project to the pinnacle of the legal profession proves that the American Dream is true: with hard work and perseverance, nothing is beyond imagination."    » read more »

Rise in Firings, Intimidation Show Need for Employee Free Choice Act

May 20, 2009 -- (Washington, DC) — A new study by renowned labor expert and Cornell University professor Kate Bronfenbrenner reveals that private sector employer opposition to workers’ efforts to form unions has intensified and become more punitive than in the past. Employers are more than twice as likely to use 10 or more tactics – including threats of and actual firings – in their campaigns to thwart workers’ organizing efforts.

Today’s anti-union activities include a greater focus than in the past on more coercive and punitive tactics designed to intensely monitor and punish union activity.    » read more »

Citizens for Tax Justice, Health Care for America Now & SEIU Unveil Proposals to pay for healthcare reforms without creating excessive burdens of families & business

May 21, 2009 -- Washington, DC - Today Citizens for Tax Justice joined Health Care for America Now and the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) to unveil a report outlining an array of revenue options that can provide the necessary funds to implement President Obama's proposals to reform healthcare. The report describes progressive revenue options to fund health care reform and the amount of revenue they are likely to raise.    » read more »

Washington, DC (May 22) – The United Steelworkers (USW) called today’s affirmative vote by the U.S. International Trade Commission to proceed with the trade case investigation against China imports of oil country tubular goods an urgent step for the thousands of laid-off workers at idled pipe production facilities of seven domestic companies.

“The OCTG producers and jobless pipe workers are paying the price of China’s massive government subsidies and unfair dumping of imports in our market,” USW President Leo W. Gerard declared. “More than a third of this industry’s 6,000 workers are now laid off, threatening the future of a critical product used in our energy extraction industry.”    » read more »

May 25, 2009 -- CAW members working at General Motors in Oshawa, Windsor, St. Catharines and Woodstock, Ontario have voted overwhelmingly in favour of a new collective agreement, ratifying the deal by 86 per cent after a series of meetings were held over the past two days.

CAW President Ken Lewenza said this new deal should provide a much-needed sense of security to the thousands of active members and tens of thousands of retirees at General Motors in Canada.    » read more »

May 22, 2009 -- WASHINGTON, DC-- "Rebia Mixon Clay is a full-time home care worker in Chicago who gets up each day and provides quality care to a man with cerebal palsy. She's paid for eight hours a day, but she gives much more. Because she does not have paid sick days, Rebia has not seen a dentist in 13 years. She hasn't gotten the glasses she needs. She hasn't had time to get a mammogram.

"Hard-working Americans like Rebia deserve to know that they can go see a doctor without losing their job," said SEIU Secretary-Treasurer Anna Burger, following the introduction late yesterday of "The Healthy Families Act" by Senator Kennedy. Representative DeLauro introduced the legislation into the House of Representatives earlier this week.    » read more »

May 22, 2009 -- Washington, DC – U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA) yesterday reintroduced the Vietnam Human Rights Act to address systematic human rights abuses in Vietnam, including religious and political persecution.

Senator Boxer said, “Unfortunately, another year has gone by and Vietnam has yet to significantly improve its human rights record. The Vietnamese government continues to arrest democracy and human rights activists, trade union leaders, journalists, bloggers, and many others. I support a strong U.S.-Vietnam relationship, but for that relationship to grow further, Vietnam must make some key changes. It's time for Vietnam to end its religious and political persecution once and for all.”    » read more »

May 19, 2009 -- "Today’s agreement on nationwide fuel economy standards is a major step forward and a victory for America’s workers, consumers and the environment. The agreement lays the groundwork for building a new generation of cleaner and more fuel efficient vehicles that will be manufactured here in the United States.

President Obama showed tremendous leadership by bringing together workers, the automakers, environmental groups, the federal government and the state of California. The plan shows that protecting our environment and creating good paying jobs can go hand in hand and America’s workers are proud to do their part towards achieving this deal.    » read more »

May 19, 2009 -- (Washington, DC) – People who have lost jobs in the economic downturn are being saddled with the high costs of health care, according to preliminary results of an ongoing online health care survey sponsored by the AFL-CIO (www.healthcaresurvey.aflcio.org).

Of 16,000 people who have taken the online survey to date, nearly 4,000 report that they or someone in their household have lost their health care due to losing or changing jobs. Survey responses will be accepted through May.    » read more »

May 19, 2009 -- WASHINGTON, DC -- SEIU Secretary-Treasurer Anna Burger released the following statement after today's overwhelmingly bipartisan vote in the Senate to pass the Credit Card Accountability Responsibility and Disclosure Act:

"It's not only unethical to trap people in an unending cycle of credit card debt--it's also fundamentally unsustainable. Today, we are seeing the outcome of a financial system that has put expedient, short-term profits over long-term economic growth. Until we hold credit card companies accountable for intentionally trapping consumers into debt from which they cannot recover, we will continue to put the overall health of our economy at risk.    » read more »

May 19, 2009 -- Washington, D.C. – The United Steelworkers (USW) today urged Congress and the Administration to reject any taxpayer-supported plan to restructure automobile companies that would export jobs instead of strengthen the domestic industry.

North America’s largest industrial union made the point today at a “teach-in” on Capitol Hill sponsored by mayors, workers, business leaders, and labor officials to educate lawmakers about the impact on their communities.

Nationwide, more than 7.2 million jobs are related to the auto industry in supply and manufacturing, as well as in health care, education, civil services and many more areas. Thousands of small businesses and local communities could be irreparably damaged if the auto industry is allowed to fail.    » read more »

May 14, 2009 -- (Washington) The stars of stage and screen – actors, musicians, Broadway performers, comedians, writers and crew – are coming out in support of the Employee Free Choice Act through a new online video called “Artists4WorkersChoice.” Many have Oscar, Grammy, Emmy and Tony awards and nominations, and they have one thing in common – they’re all union members, and they all share the experience of working every day for a living, struggling to find jobs and pay the bills.    » read more »

Hotline and Website to Support Workers and Small Business Owners as Big Banks Push to Liquidate

May 14, 2009 -- Washington, DC--Today, the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) launched a toll-free hotline and website--Keep America Working--to support small business owners and workers facing job loss because of frozen credit and liquidation at the hands of bailed-out banks. The new hotline number is 877-286-1Job and will be open Monday-Friday from 8 am to 6 pm EDT, and the new website is www.keepworkinghotline.org.    » read more »

May 14, 2009 -- Washington, D.C. - From May 11 to May 14, thousands of workers whose paychecks are tied to the U.S. auto industry joined bus tours through 11 states to showcase the ripple effect of economic devastation and lost jobs in industries ranging from steel and paper to shops on Main Street and public education. For highlights from the 11-state bus tour, visit www.madeinamericatour.org.    » read more »