Latest News

• Jan 18 Drawing Inspiration from Lincoln, King on the Eve of President Obama's Second Inauguration Lee Saunders, Huffington Post It is time for all of us to pull together and fight for the enduring ideals of justice, equality and the rights of working men and women.
• Aug 31 Labor Day and the Future of America Lee Saunders, Huffington Post We must do more to insure that future Americans live in a country where their voices can be heard and their freedom is secure. This Labor Day, and throughout the crucial next two months, we must show that we are equal to the task.
• Jul 12 The Road to More Jobs New York Times The Republicans’ relentless opposition to constructive policies has kept unemployment high…
• Jul 08 Newsmakers with Lee Saunders C-SPAN AFSCME’s president discusses his plans for the union, the upcoming presidential election and related issues.
• Jul 03 Economic Pressures On Local Governments Diane Rehm Show, NPR Kerry Korpi discusses economic pressures on local governments and the push to privatize public services.
• Apr 04 They stood their ground for respect Local 1733 Exec. Dir. Chad Johnson, Sec.-Treas. Lee Saunders, Commercial Appeal The Memphis sanitation workers' strike and its aftermath continue to inspire AFSCME today.
• Feb 01 Florida Prisons Bill Would Expand Private Management, Netting A Big Win For Political Contributors Chris Kirkham, Huffington Post State could hand over a major slice of its prison system to private, for-profit businesses.
• Dec 14 Don't blame government workers' pensions Gerald W. McEntee, USA Today The big players on Wall Street have devastated our economy and our retirement savings.
• Dec 12 Sharpton's Jobs March Hits 25 Cities on Same Day Claudio E. Cabrera, The Root Sharpton and his organization, the National Action Network, along with partners such as AFSCME, held a 25-city rally on Friday to expose the issues affecting African Americans and other minority groups in this country.
• Nov 18 How Progressives Won the Labor Rights Showdown in Ohio Amy Dean, Truthout To understand how progressives pulled off this remarkable win, I spoke with Paul Booth, one of the chief strategists behind the campaign to repeal SB5.
• Nov 14 Public Service Workers Are Helping to Cut Taxpayer Costs Gerald W. McEntee, Wall Street Journal Union members are pulling together to find real solutions to our economic problems.
• Nov 11 What the Ohio vote means Gerald W. McEntee, Reuters Voters will not tolerate unnecessary cuts to vital programs and attacks on working families.
• Sep 27 State Worker Benefits Threatened as U.S. Supercommittee Considers Cuts Jennifer Oldham and Holly Rosenkrantz , Bloomberg A congressional supercommittee is seeking another $1.5 trillion in deficit reduction, which may cut deeply into federal aid to states and cities amid an already slowing economy.
• Aug 03 The ALEC Cabal: How Influence Peddlers Undermine Democracy Gerald W. McEntee, Firedoglake Corporate lobbyists work secretly with right-wing state legislators to draft far-reaching legislation.
• Aug 02 Fewer cops, more potholes: How debt deal could hit states hardest Patrick Wall, Christian Science Monitor The debt-and-deficit bill will slash aid to states already reeling from the recession.
• Jul 10 Idled Minn. public employees holding on -- for now Associated Press Nation’s longest state government shutdown in a decade poses challenges for 22,000 public workers.
• Jun 24 Austerity Is Already Here, and It's Killing the Recovery Daniel Indiviglio, The Atlantic State and local government spending has already declined, dampening growth and hiring.
• Jun 22 Memphis saves jobs of union championed by King Associated Press Sanitation workers score a victory as city council passes budget without privatizing solid waste collection.
• Jun 21 Scott Walker finds making bumper stickers is easier than creating jobs Dana Milbank, Washington Post Where are the jobs, Gov. Walker? He hasn't created many.
• Jun 21 Budget cuts force libraries to re-examine roles Kristen Wyatt, Associated Press Some forced to charge for premium services, sell passport photos and offer commercial movie-rental boxes.
• Jun 20 Financial Manager Repeal Effort Begins in Michigan FOX 2 Detroit Opponents of law giving financial managers broad powers over local governments step up efforts to get repeal on the ballot.
• Jun 18 Cuomo and Pensions: A View From a Union Leader Gerald W. McEntee, New York Times Pension costs grew due to the financial crisis, not because benefit levels are too high.
• Jun 17 Anti-union Republicans seize their moment Melissa Maynard, Stateline The pace and magnitude of change for the state’s public employees have been startling.
• Jun 17 Privatization At The Heart Of Divisive Battles In Wisconsin Amanda Terkel, Huffington Post Secretary-Treasurer Lee Saunders: what Walker is doing is "a power play, pure and simple."
• Jun 17 SB5 repeal effort exceeds 700,000 signatures Jim Siegel, Columbus Dispatch We Are Ohio has collected triple the number needed to get on the November ballot.
• Jun 03 Ordinary workers took extraordinary stand, made history Hilda L. Solis, Secretary of Labor, Memphis Commercial Appeal Memphis sanitation strike an important turning point in the fight for civil rights, workplace equality
• May 31 The short-sighted attack on collective bargaining David Weil, Boston Globe Attacks on collective bargaining and workers rights are likely to backfire in the long run, by making relations with public employees less predictable - and more costly.
• May 31 Private prisons see opposition Jessica Cuffman, Marion Star A proposal to privatize six prisons in Ohio faces opposition from a coalition of non-profit groups.
• May 31 Everyone out of the pool: Cities close public swimming pools, say they're budget-busters Jeffrey Collins, Associated Press Public pools across the country are being closed permanently thanks to revenue and budget problems.
• May 26 Judge strikes down Walker's collective bargaining law Mary Spicuzza, Wisconsin State Journal A judge has struck down Gov. Scott Walker's controversial new collective bargaining law.
• May 25 Election officials wary as Walker signs voter ID bill into law Clay Barbour, Wisconsin State Journal Controversial Wisconsin law includes a measure requiring voters to use photo IDs.
• May 25 Unions File Unfair Labor Practice Against Montana Legislature Kacey Drescher, KFBB News Channel 5 Legislature rejected a deal with state employee unions already negotiated with Gov. Brian Schweitzer.
• May 23 Middle class jobs focus of event in Kent Kyle McDonald, Record Courier Small business owners, public and private employees united to show support for the middle-class workforce.
• May 23 Historical civil rights figures weigh in on pension debate Karina Rusk, ABC-7 News Video: Participants in the Memphis sanitation strike speak out in San Jose, Calif.
• May 20 GOP Govs' Popularity Plummets John Avlon, The Daily Beast Over-reach by Republican governors leads to voter backlash from Ohio to Florida to Wisconsin.
• May 19 Private Prisons Found to Offer Little in Savings Richard A. Oppel Jr., New York Times Data from Arizona suggests privately operated prisons can cost more to operate than state-run prisons.
• May 18 California Protesters Refuse to Become 'Wisconsin of the West' Allison Kilkenny, The Nation Hundreds of San Jose city workers gathered at City Hall to oppose proposed budget cuts.
• May 18 Poll shows Ohio Senate Bill 5 will be repealed Darrel Rowland, Columbus Dispatch Senate Bill 5 would easily be repealed by voters if the referendum were held now, a new poll today shows.
• May 17 Scott Walker Quietly Consolidating Power In Wisconsin Amanda Terkel, Huffington Post Secretary of State Doug La Follette: "It's a power grab. He wants to control everything."
• May 13 Connecticut Unions Agree to $1.6 Billion in Givebacks Peter Applebome, New York Times Representatives for 45,000 unionized state employees agreed Friday to $1.6 billion in concessions over two years to help balance the budget.
• May 11 NYC Parents Rally For Child Care NY1 News Thousands rallied outside of City Hall Wednesday in support of child care for working families.
• May 09 Efforts by GOP lawmakers to curtail private-union powers faltering in most state capitols Associated Press Of the 14 states where 'right-to-work' bills were considered, only NH has passed the legislation.
• May 05 Unions refocus political activity Fredreka Schouten, USA Today Larry Scanlon, AFSCME's political director, said, "People have woken up to the fact that they have to be more aggressive in electoral politics in the states."
• May 03 Threat to Blacks in the Public Sector Lee A. Saunders, The Root Radical conservative politicians want to slash city, county and state jobs — and undercut economic security.
• Apr 28 Budget cuts hurt probation efforts Rupa Shenoy, Minnesota Public Radio Many cash-strapped MN local governments have cut funds for probation departments during December budget deliberations.
• Apr 28 Budget cuts slice programs for ex-inmates Kevin Johnson, USA Today Cuts in probation and parole programs could undermine recent successes in shrinking bloated prison populations
• Apr 28 California Voters Favor Taxing the Rich to Fend Off School Cuts Michael B. Marois, Bloomberg Voters support raising the top rate of state income taxes to prevent public-school funding cuts.
• Senators reject Rick Scott’s pitch to fight unions
• Apr 19 Book bind: Public libraries feel strain of budget cuts Tony Pugh, McClatchey The tough economy is forcing many branches to cut staff, hours and programming.
• Most Ohio big city mayors do not like collective bargaining law
• Thousands Rally In Times Square Against Job Cuts
• Union supporters launch effort to overturn SB5 with rally
• ‘All cuts’ budget moves to Washington House floor despite protests
• Thousands gather for Chicago pro-union rally
• Protesters Demand Washington Legislature Close Corporate Tax Loopholes
• Proposed closing of center leads to Vineland protest
• Maryland firm to take over 3 California libraries as debate grows over privatization
• Public-sector workers get no respect
• At California Mental Hospitals, Fear Is Part Of The Job
• 27-year-old with slim résumé resigns from state government
• Kloppenburg declares victory over Prosser in Supreme Court race
• In history's footsteps: Memphis rally in King's memory follows historic trail
• Supporters of union rights rally in downtown Wilmington
• Workers rally against cuts and commemorate King
• Hawaii labor unions rally against government cuts
• Voters in St. Louis, KC agree to keep earnings tax
• Union backers express anger
• Union workers march on King death anniversary
• 2,000 Protesters March On Koch Industries’ D.C. Office
• Hundreds march for worker rights in Detroit
• Statehouse rally ties labor movement to MLK's legacy
• Unions rally against budget cuts at state Capitol
• Dump the prison privatization plan
• Sep 16 California Braces For Showdown On Emissions Adam Nagourney, New York Times Ballot Proposition 23 would roll back the state's landmark greenhouse emissions law. (New York Times, 9/17/2010)