From the Blog

• Apr 04 Street Renamed to Honor 1968 Sanitation Strikers Thousands march to commemorate Martin Luther King, Jr.’s work on behalf of Memphis sanitation workers.
• Apr 04 The Struggle Continues in Memphis as Labor and Allies Honor Martin Luther King Jr. Event commemorates Dr. King’s life and his work on behalf of the Memphis sanitation workers.
• Apr 03 Inspired by Dr. King, Member Terry Walker Travels to Memphis California home care provider joins commemorative events honoring Martin Luther King Jr. and 1968 strikers.
• Mar 27 Activists Gather in Memphis to Commemorate Dr. King’s Life Union members, civil rights leaders and community activists will hold events April 3-4.
• Mar 22 Lean In, Learn During AFSCME’s Upcoming Webinar on Eleanor Roosevelt Few in history have been such a fierce advocate for working families.
• Mar 22 Unity Puts Santa Clara Workers Closer to a Contract With United EMS Workers by their side, city workers stand their ground.
• Mar 21 Victory for Humboldt Home Care Workers After two year battle, Humboldt County home care workers reach contract agreement with the county.
• Mar 19 Maryland State Workers Gain Voice on the Job with AFSCME Winning collective bargaining rights was the first step for these public service workers.
• Mar 18 AFSCME Applauds President Obama’s Labor Secretary Appointment: Thomas E. Perez Extensive experience championing civil rights will guide Perez’s actions on behalf of America’s workers.
• Mar 13 New Orleans Cab Drivers Seek Fair Treatment on the Job Taxi cab drivers are partnering with AFSCME Council 17 for fair treatment on the job.
• Mar 06 Mother Jones’ Hit Job on Unions: With Friends Like These... Magazine inaccurately attacks public service employees who work every day to help our communities.
• Mar 04 Happy 100th Birthday, Department of Labor! Celebrating a century supporting workers’ rights, but the fight continues in a new century.
• Feb 27 Protestors Demand More Money for Schools, Local Governments Rally before Gov. John Kasich’s State of the State speech turns up the heat
• Feb 22 Attacks on Workers’ Rights Continue in Indiana Bill would undermine school employees’ unions by ending paycheck deductions for union dues.
• Feb 19 Kansas Lawmakers Seek to Undermine Union Strength ‘Paycheck deception’ bill is designed to weaken workers’ voices in the political arena.
• Feb 14 New Hampshire Rejects Right-to-Work (for Less) The Democratic-controlled House killed the measure with a 212 to 141 vote.
• Feb 14 AFSCME Members Take their Message to the Hill Workers from across the country went to Capitol Hill on Wednesday to lobby their legislators.
• Feb 13 Tea Party Favorite Sets His Sights on Our Rights Sen. Rand Paul introduces national right-to-work-for-less law in Congress.
• Feb 12 Secretary-Treasurer: Immigration Reform Key to AFSCME’s Fight for Workers The American labor movement must challenge unfair working conditions and social injustice for all workers.
• Feb 12 Saunders Calls for Forging Labor Unity Leaders from nation’s major unions say stronger unity is critical to rebuilding the middle class.
• Feb 11 President Saunders: No Time for Fair-Weather Friends AFSCME leader calls out anti-worker tactics of Philadelphia Mayor Nutter and Illinois Governor Quinn.
• Feb 11 Ohio Workers Protest Effort to Make State “Right-to-Work-for-Less” AFSCME members joined other activists at a rally and press conference in Ashland, Ohio.
• Feb 08 Philly Mayor Goes “Full Scott Walker” Borrowing from right-wing governors, Democrat Nutter targets workers’ rights.
• Feb 08 Union Lawsuit: ‘Right-to-Work-for-Less’ Law Violates Michigan Constitution Union coalition and the ACLU file suit, charging law violated Open Meetings Act.
• Feb 05 Celebrating 20 Years of the Family and Medical Leave Act Nobody should have to choose between the job they need and the family they love.
• Jan 24 Thousands in Philly Demand Fairness from Mayor Nutter City workers call on Philadelphia mayor to respect workers’ rights and think about working families.
• Jan 18 In Anti-Nutter Rally, AFSCME Members Support Sisters and Brothers in Philadelphia Mayor Nutter was in DC to chair a meeting of the National Conference of Mayors.
• Jan 18 In Memoriam: Norm Gleichman SEIU Deputy General Counsel helped create partnership with AFSCME.
• Jan 15 Register Now for Dynamic Legislative Conference Want to raise your voice for workers? Come to Washington, DC, and do just that.
• Jan 11 Newtown Cops Deserve Workers’ Compensation Benefits AFSCME calls for changes in Connecticut state law to protect first responders.
• Jan 11 Illinois Governor Quinn Continues His War on Public Service Workers Newest effort is to deny collective bargaining rights to 3,580 employees.
• Jan 10 President Saunders: Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis “a Tireless Advocate” for Workers Cabinet member praised for protecting and preserving the rights of union members and working families.
• Jan 08 Iowa State Employees Launch Statewide Media Blitz Against Governor’s Double Dealing With contract negotiations underway, AFSCME Council 61 members speak out about Gov. Terry Branstad’s hypocrisy.
• Jan 04 Rush to Weaken Illinois’ Pension System Unwise Governor Quinn uses lame-duck session to undermine workers’ retirement security.
• Dec 21 Maryland Council 3 Holds Founding Convention AFSCME’s newest council held its founding convention Dec. 14-15 in Columbia, Md.
• Dec 21 Wall Street Journal Duo: You’re Not Working Hard Enough Right-wing bloggers Biggs and Richwine ignore data that show lay-offs cut public services.
• Dec 20 Saunders’ Focus: Ending the War on Working Families AFSCME president pledges to stay in campaign mode, fight attacks in states across the country.
• Dec 18 In Illinois, the Anti-Worker Fraternity Gets a New Member in Quinn Pat Quinn joins right-wing governors in scapegoating working people.
• Dec 17 Custodians at Saint Michael’s College Unionize The pope called unions indispensable, yet hardly any Catholic colleges have collective bargaining agreements.
• Dec 14 In Memory of a Working Class Hero AFSCME mourns the loss of Juanita Rodriguez, organizer and inspiration.
• Dec 13 Michigan Battle Extends Beyond Labor Right-to-work isn’t the only legislation that ALEC is moving in Michigan.
• Dec 12 Mich. Emergency Financial Manager Law: The Saga Continues In the midst of Michigan’s right-to-work battle, Governor Snyder brings back the Local Dictator Law.
• Dec 11 Thousands Protest Michigan’s Right-to-Work (for Less) Bills Corporate-driven lawmakers pass legislation to weaken workers’ rights.
• Dec 10 President Obama: Michigan Right-to-Work Bill is All About Politics “What they’re really talking about is giving you the right to work for less money.”
• Dec 06 Michigan Anti-Union Advocates Want to Undermine the Middle Class Supporters of “right-to-work (for less)” law launch battle to undermine workers’ unions.
• Dec 06 Ohio County Workers Join AFSCME Employees overcome anti-union campaign to improve their jobs.
• Dec 05 Arkansas Race for Power Reflected National Dynamics AFSCME Council 38 Exec. Dir. Jim Nickels relied heavily on ground game to clinch victory.
• Dec 04 Florida Privatization Scheme Illegal, Judge Rules Decision: State illegally bypassed Legislature to implement Gov. Rick Scott’s scheme.
• Dec 04 Illinois Governor Terminates State Contract, AFSCME Responds With no warning or explanation, Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn terminated the contract with state workers.
• Nov 30 We Won in San Diego AFSCME-endorsed mayoral candidate Bob Filner prevailed over Carl DeMaio, an anti-worker city councilman.
• Nov 28 AFSCME Stands with Walmart Workers Fighting for a Fair Deal Members participated in Black Friday demonstrations for justice at America’s biggest private-sector employer.
• Nov 21 Stand with Walmart’s Workers on Black Friday Workers need our support in efforts to get respect and a voice in the workplace.
• Nov 16 Philadelphia Workers Drive Their Message Home to Nutter, Literally Members of AFSCME District Councils 33 and 47 stage candlelight vigil outside the mayor’s house.
• Nov 15 Rising Income Inequality Revealed, State by State Report: States can mitigate inequality by raising minimum wage, reforming taxes and protecting union rights.
• Nov 14 13,000 Missouri Home Care Workers Win Final Legal Challenge, Now Set to Bargain First Union Contract Victory in four-year struggle for a voice on the job and strengthened quality of care.
• Nov 05 What’s At Stake in Massachusetts AFSCME volunteers getting out the vote for Senate candidate Elizabeth Warren.
• Nov 01 We Are AFSCME: Campaign Volunteer Shares His Story of Activism Public workers are organizing and campaigning for candidates who support working class families.
• Oct 23 Shedding Light on Election Choices in the Sunshine State AFSCME members in Florida urging voters to head to polls early, remember workers’ rights.
• Oct 22 An Education on Activism at One California University UCLA workers’ pensions and rights are under attack but they’re schooling opponents in face-to-face activism.
• Oct 16 Romney and Ryan and Respect for Workers Romney stands against the right of public employees to have a voice on the job.
• Oct 15 In Ohio, the Next Chapter in a Fight for Workers AFSCME campaign volunteers speak up for Obama and fair Congressional representation.
• Oct 15 Vice Presidential Debate Highlights Fight for Fairness On MSNBC, Pres. Lee Saunders says Joe Biden made the case for the middle class.
• Oct 14 Meet the New Mitt. Same As the Old Mitt. With his campaign on the skids, Romney tries on a number of personas – none of them authentic.
• Oct 12 Working People Flying the Unfriendly Skies Aboard Delta Sky magazine praises union-bashing, anti-worker Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker.
• Oct 12 This Campaign Hits Home for Workers AFSCME members, president tackle 1% Mitt Romney’s attack on the 47%
• Oct 11 That Knock at the Door? It’s An AFSCME Member Fighting for Workers. Michigan members hit the streets to rally for candidates and causes that will boost the working middle class.
• Oct 10 AFSCME Michigan Members Stand Up to Local Dictators Thousands of calls focus on threat to democracy from Public Act 4.
• Oct 09 We Are AFSCME: Campaign Volunteer, Retiree Renita Hoover Wisconsin activist urges fellow retirees to get involved. She’s been doing it for decades.
• Oct 03 César Chávez: A Life Devoted to Workers’ Rights Is Honored President Obama to designate Chávez site in California a national monument.
• Oct 02 Romney Doesn’t See Richard and Temo. He Doesn’t Want to Pay Them Either. Videos give a face to the invisible people Romney is disregarding with his tax-avoiding acrobatics.
• Oct 02 EMS Professionals Coast-to-Coast Vote to Join AFSCME Thousands of paramedics and emergency staff for California and New England communities unite for profession.
• Oct 02 Saunders: Trickle-Down Doesn’t Work On Current TV, AFSCME president says we must create jobs to grow the American economy.
• Oct 01 Meet Richard Hayes: He Collects Mitt Romney’s Trash Videos spotlight public service workers, underscore Romney’s arrogant dismissal of nearly half of all Americans.
• Sep 28 Governor Kasich’s Crusade to Privatize Ohio’s Transportation Department Attacks on public employees in the Buckeye State despite the important work they do.
• Sep 28 Weeks Before Election, Concerns Remain in Ohio and Pennsylvania Fate of Michigan collective bargaining proposal might hinge on voter turnout.
• Sep 27 1,800 EMS Workers Vote to Join AFSCME Organizing win comes as professionals across the country look for solidarity, strength through the union.
• Sep 27 AFSCME’s ‘Pat Quinn Truth Squad’ Is on the March in Illinois Union spreads message that governor’s proposed budget cuts will devastate critical services.
• Sep 26 The Referees Are Fighting for All of Us Billionaire team owners are trying to take the professional NFL officials’ pensions away.
• Sep 26 Rising Inequality the Direct Result of Policy Choices New EPI report highlights role of Congress in lives of working families and the poor.
• Sep 25 Eye-Opening Summer: Union Scholar Goes to the White House Darrell Wilson, Jr., participated in the AFSCME/UNCF/Harvard Union Scholars Program this summer.
• Sep 24 Secretary-Treasurer Reyes Urges Latinos to Vote in November AFSCME leaders address New York and DC audiences about hitting the polls on Nov. 6.
• Sep 21 Jindal’s Job Hypocrisy Hurts Louisiana Governor cares about his deep-pocketed campaign donors, not jobs.
• Sep 20 Campaign Activists in Ohio Hear from AFSCME’s President Saunders It’s a family affair as volunteers work the phones for Obama and state candidates.
• Sep 19 Remembering Two Tennessee Labor Leaders Rev. James E. Smith and Willie Joe Alexander from Local 1733 passed away this month.
• Sep 14 Judge Strikes Down Scott Walker’s Law Attacking Collective Bargaining in Wisconsin Unpopular law touched off weeks of protest in Madison by public workers and their allies.
• Sep 12 AFSCME Stands with Chicago Teachers and Public School Children Saunders: Chicago mayor and school board must collaborate with teachers for student success.
• Sep 10 AFT Statement in Support of Striking Chicago Teachers Union Members Statement of AFT President Randi Weingarten in support of striking Chicago Teachers Union members.
• Sep 06 AFSCME Pres. Lee Saunders on MSNBC’s Jansing & Co. Saunders discussed the stark differences in this election and how AFSCME will make a difference.
• Sep 06 AFSCME Next Waver Campaigns for President Obama’s Election – and Her Own For Shannon Schroeder, it’s not enough to vote in the election. She’s running for office.
• Sep 06 DNC Speakers Emphasize Message of Inclusion Bill Clinton, Richard Trumka and Benita Veliz among those who addressed the convention’s second night.
• Sep 05 Vermont Home Care Workers Organize to Amplify Voice Despite attempts to quash union organizing in other states, Vermont caregivers push ahead.
• Sep 04 Collective Bargaining Benefits Non-Union Workers, Too New Economic Policy Institute report ties the declining power of unions to general wage stagnation.
• Sep 04 Democratic National Convention Opens with AFSCME in the House Pres. Lee Saunders addresses AFSCME delegates, warns of the anti-union planks in the GOP platform.
• Sep 04 On PBS NewsHour, Saunders Pledges to Fight Attacks AFSCME Pres. Lee Saunders joined SEIU, Teamsters presidents to discuss the upcoming presidential election.
• Sep 03 Saunders on the GOP Convention: “All Lies and No Solutions” Pres. Lee Saunders appeared on “Washington Watch” to discuss attacks on working families and unions.
• Sep 03 In Letter to AFSCME, Solis Thanks Public Employees for Their Hard Work This Labor Day, U.S. Secretary of Labor tells workers “there’s no challenge we can’t overcome.”
• Sep 01 A Union-Made Labor Day Even firing up the grill is a chance to salute union workers’ achievements.
• Aug 31 Romney Opposes Expanding Collective Bargaining Rights for Public Workers At the Republican National Convention, presidential hopeful declares he will fully embrace an anti-worker agenda.
• Aug 30 Gingrich Takes Both Sides on the Same Issue The Republican also-ran praises big government – then calls for smaller government.
• Aug 29 Warren to Christie: Not So Fast Senate candidate Elizabeth Warren calls out Gov. Chris Christie on his RNC keynote speech.
• Aug 29 They Said What?! Remarks from anti-worker governors at the Republican National Convention had us scratching our heads.
• Aug 28 Michigan Appellate Court: Place Collective Bargaining Amendment on Ballot State Supreme Court to have the last word as corporate-backed politicians appeal decision.
• Aug 27 AFSCME Founder’s Grandson Eyes Seat in Alaska State Legislature Andy Josephson’s candidacy fires up labor and community supporters.
• Aug 24 CSEA Cheers Federal Court’s Ruling to Protect Union Contracts Labor leaders expect positive implications for labor-management relations across the country
• Aug 24 Illinois Gov. Quinn Has a Bad Day at the State Fair AFSCME members, working families make their voices heard during the fair’s annual Governor's Day.
• Aug 23 Wisconsin Private Health Care Workers Vote to Unionize with AFSCME Council 40 boosts membership by nearly 300 following last week’s vote.
• Aug 22 Michigan Politicians Continue to Play Legal Games Over Workers’ Rights An expected court ruling could help Michigan citizens fighting back for collective bargaining.
• Aug 20 A Vote in Favor of Reclaiming Collective Bargaining in Wisconsin AFSCME Local 502 President La Tonya Johnson moves one step closer to Assembly seat.
• Aug 10 Boycott Hyatt AFSCME supports UNITE HERE in opposing hotel chain’s abusive labor practices.
• Aug 08 Florida AFSCME Members Organize, Defeat Privatization Scheme North Miami Beach city council overwhelmingly voted down a plan to privatize sanitation services.
• Aug 08 Report Gives House’s Extreme Anti-Worker Agenda a Failing Grade Right-wing Republicans get an “F” when it comes to creating jobs and protecting workers’ rights.
• Aug 06 Michigan ‘Local Dictators’ Law Will Go On Ballot for Citizen Vote AFSCME-led coalition pushes for 200,000 petition signers’ voices to be heard.
• Aug 03 Things Are Looking Up for MSNBC Host Chris Hayes One-time labor reporter swapped his notepad for a TV studio, kept his pro-union, progressive politics.
• Aug 03 New York Members Speak Out Against Parking Meter Privatization Call for city workers to continue their effective job of raising more than $150 million/year in revenue.
• Aug 02 Study Links Good Jobs and Bargaining Power New study from CEPR blames decline of good jobs on workers’ deteriorating bargaining power.
• Aug 02 Don't Blame Union for Bankrupt Cities Saunders: Scapegoating public workers does not address the real problems facing cities across the country.
• Aug 01 Lexington, Ky., Sanitation Workers Win Vote to Unionize with AFSCME Newest members of Council 62 look forward to having an increased say on the job.
• Aug 01 Remembering a Leader of the Memphis Sanitation Strike Grieving the loss of Joe Warren, a champion in the civil rights and labor movements.
• Jul 30 Communications between Workers and Our Union are Protected, Alaska Court Rules Decision ensures fairness and provides protections for AFSCME public service workers in Alaska.
• Jul 25 AFSCME Members in New York Tell Con Ed to Put Safety First New York City power company locked out 8,500 utility workers in lieu of negotiations.
• Jul 23 HBO Show “Newsroom” Spotlights Scott Walker’s Attack on Bargaining In the latest episode of HBO’s drama, fictional news anchor reports on the Wisconsin uprising.
• Jul 20 Fighting Back Against ‘Local Dictators’ in Michigan State Supreme Court will hear arguments on ballot access from both sides on July 25.
• Jul 19 Romney Protest Shines Light on Why He’s No Good for America Union members, allies, protest Romney’s policies at GOP Presidential candidate’s fundraiser in Toledo, Ohio.
• Jul 11 AFSCME Member Action Saves Florida’s Jackson Hospital Rapid mobilization spiked a hasty attempt to privatize the entire Miami-Dade Jackson Health System.
• Jul 03 Collective Bargaining Works in Puerto Rico Restoration of collective bargaining in Puerto Rico leads to new contracts for workers.
• Jul 02 Remembering Joyce Miller The American labor movement grieves the loss of a hero who passed away this weekend.
• Jul 02 Michigan Coalition Protests Stalling Tactics to Stop Repeal of the Emergency Manager Law Stand Up for Democracy asks court to compel placement of repeal on ballot.
• Jun 29 Muskogee City Employees Win Back Collective Bargaining Rights City council restores rights that were stripped away last spring.
• Jun 25 President Saunders: ‘We Won’t Back Down’ In a New York Times interview, Pres. Lee Saunders lays out his vision for AFSCME.
• Jun 21 Fighting As One Thousands of AFSCME delegates rallied in Los Angeles with their California sisters and brothers.
• Jun 20 AFSCME Members Stand Together, Fight Back Ed Schultz emceed a program highlighting AFSCME's efforts in battles across the country.
• Jun 20 Secretary-Treasurer Saunders: ‘We Don’t Back Down’ In his keynote address, Sec.-Treas. Lee Saunders exhorted delegates to pull together and fight.
• Jun 20 Vice President Biden to Public Workers: ‘We Owe You’ Responding to attacks on public employees, Biden thanks AFSCME delegates for the work they do.
• Jun 15 Michigan to Vote on Anti-Worker ‘Dictator’ Law, Union Rights Amendment Measures to repeal Public Act 4, protect collective bargaining rights to be on November ballot.
• Jun 13 Economic Inequality Linked to Deunionization Study finds as unions decline and workers’ ability to collectively bargain is weakened, inequality rises.
• Jun 12 Romney, Allies Target Public Service Workers Presidential hopeful claims fewer teachers and first responders is what taxpayers want.
• Jun 06 What Happened in Wisconsin The spirit of Wisconsin should continue to inspire our commitment to fight even harder.
• Jun 05 A Fight for the History Books – and Workers Everywhere Wisconsin’s working families fight back against corporate-backed policies that have devastated the state’s economy.
• Jun 05 Volunteers in Walker Recall Election Inspired to Get Out the Vote AFSCME Sec.-Treas. Lee Saunders inspires troops in the final hours of Wisconsin’s recall election.
• Jun 05 For Wisconsin Activist, A Long-Awaited Day Arrives Leah Lipska is ready to recall Scott Walker and win back Wisconsin for working people.
• Jun 05 Solidarity Knows No State Boundaries Support for Walker recall transcends Wisconsin’s borders.
• Jun 05 Returning the Favor: Ohio Workers Get Out the Vote to Recall Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker Volunteers from Ohio’s OAPSE/AFSCME help Wisconsin voters recall Governor Walker.
• Jun 04 Face to Face, and Call after Call, Volunteers Are Making a Difference in Walker Recall Effort AFSCME Council 24 member Paul Spink gets out the recall vote.
• Jun 04 Getting the Walker Recall Vote Out in Wisconsin Two volunteers on the front lines of the fight talk about why they do it.
• Jun 04 The Unsung Heroes behind the Wisconsin Recall Campaign Meet some of the volunteers who perform the less glamorous but essential campaign jobs.
• Jun 03 Right to Collective Bargaining “Not Negotiable,” Declares Wisconsin Worker AFSCME member D.J. Dixon recalls the fight that brought him to this moment.
• Jun 02 Rock the Vote Rally Energizes Wisconsin Recall Effort Campaign to recall Gov. Scott Walker hits a musical high note.
• Jun 01 EMS Workers Circulate Petition to Protect and Improve Services California EMS workers calling on their employer, AMR, to let their union election proceed.
• Jun 01 AFSCME’s Saunders Hits the Airwaves to Discuss The Main Street Moment Book examines the unprecedented attacks on workers’ rights by right-wing politicians and their corporate backers.
• May 31 Romney MIA on Pay Equity When asked if he supports the Paycheck Fairness Act, Presidential-hopeful Mitt Romney ducks the question.
• May 30 North Miami Beach AFSCME Members Fight Sanitation Privatization Member mobilization, community outreach put the brakes on city manager's push to privatize sanitation services.
• May 30 AFSCME’s McEntee and Saunders Release Book: The Main Street Moment Book offers searing look at income inequality and a plan for rebuilding the American Dream.
• May 29 Wisconsin Recall Race in a Dead Heat New polling shows Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett closing in on Gov. Scott Walker.
• May 25 Memorial Day: Support Those on the Frontlines of Taking Care of Veterans Improve veteran care by extending minimum wage and overtime protections to home care workers.
• May 23 Bluff Called on Corporate Deception in California Corporations and the super-rich are pushing a ballot measure that would silence working families’ voices.
• May 22 College Students and Workers Coming Together in Main Street Movement AFSCME is engaging young people and developing young worker activists across the country.
• May 22 “We Are Wisconsin” Documentary film shows the experiences of six regular people who joined the Wisconsin uprising.
• May 21 San Diego AFSCME Members Overwhelmingly Ratify One-Year Agreement One-year deal with the city protects the pay and rights of working families.
• May 15 Walker and Gingrich Share a Donor No surprise: Anti-worker casino owner Sheldon Adelson backs Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker’s re-election.
• May 15 Arizona Legislature Champions the Rich, Corporations, but Attacks Workers Legislature wipes out civil service protections but fails to kill collective bargaining.
• May 11 Romney’s (Lack of) Vision GOP presidential hopeful manufactures an image of public service workers that's just plain wrong.
• May 11 AFSCME Members Fired Up to Recall Wisconsin Governor Walker Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett wins primary. Next step: Beat Governor Walker.
• May 10 Romney: “Governor Kasich Is Doing a Heckuva Job” At a campaign stop in Ohio, presidential candidate praises the state’s unpopular governor.
• May 07 Honor Nurses by Supporting Nurse-Patient Staffing Bill National Nurses Week is a time to honor nurses by helping them.
• May 04 Public Pension Opponents Argue from Both Sides to Distort Truth Dean Baker contends that politicians are “using heaping doses of the politics of envy" to divide workers.
• May 03 Maryland Workers Win Expansion of Collective Bargaining Workers in four previously excluded agencies now enjoy collective bargaining rights.
• May 03 Governor LePage’s Mean Words Maine’s first-term governor steps up his anti-worker rhetoric, adding to his string of outlandish statements.
• May 02 San Diego Businesses Speak Out Against Threat to Retirement Security from Proposition B The measure is being used to score political points at the expense of city employees.
• May 02 Missouri Home Care Providers Win Historic Court Ruling Vote by 13,000 workers for representation with AFSCME upheld by Court of Appeals.
• May 02 Retirees Organize 1,300 in Puerto Rico Joint organizing campaign signs up retired public employees for automatic dues deduction with AFSCME.
• May 01 May Day Commemoration Calls Attention to Workers’ Rights and Economic Justice Occupy protesters organize nationwide actions against corporate greed.
• May 01 Obama Stands Up for Workers’ Rights in Powerful Speech Collective bargaining is at the core of a strong economy, President says.
• Apr 30 Right-to-Work (For Less) Derailed in Minnesota House votes to table the corporate-backed, anti-worker measure.
• Apr 30 Saunders: AFSCME Members Are Everyday Heroes On progressive radio show Rebuild America, Secretary-Treasurer Saunders discusses attacks on public service workers.
• Apr 27 In Michigan, Democracy Loses to a Technicality Voters unfairly denied a chance to decide whether the “dictator law” should stand.
• Apr 27 Random Drug Testing of Florida State Workers Unconstitutional, Judge Rules Suit, brought by AFSCME and the ACLU, overturns Gov. Rick Scott’s executive order.
• Apr 25 Walker’s Cronies Get Bonuses While Working Families Cut Back As Wisconsin leads the nation in jobs lost, governor’s top staff get big payouts.
• Apr 25 Under a Spotlight, ALEC Continues to Lose Supporters The American Legislative Exchange Council loses a member as it pursues its right-wing agenda.
• Apr 20 Memphis School Workers Remind School Board of Public Workers’ Value Future of community’s public education at stake as city-county school systems merger approaches.
• Apr 17 California EMS Workers Fight for Voting Rights Rally calls on American Medical Response to allow workers to proceed with their union election.
• Apr 13 Californians Preparing to Fight Corporate Power Grab New video highlights deceptive ballot measure that would limit union members’ political power.
• Apr 12 Saunders Calls on Labor and Civil Rights Groups to ‘Join Together Like Never Before’ Labor leaders engaged in a panel discussion at the National Action Network’s national convention.
• Apr 12 Louisiana Gov. Jindal Takes Aim at State Constitution Governor could violate state Constitution to impose changes to workers’ pensions, law firm concludes.
• Apr 05 Vigil Honors Dr. King and His Legacy Hundreds gather to remember Martin Luther King Jr.’s quest for civil, human and workers’ rights.
• Apr 04 Students and Labor: A Perfect Union The United States Student Association and AFSCME pull together to fight state battles nationwide.
• Apr 04 Honoring Dr. King by Continuing His Struggle Forty-four years later, AFSCME remembers the legacy of Dr. King and the Memphis sanitation strike.
• Mar 30 Court Strikes Down Portions of Wisconsin Governor’s Anti-Worker Agenda State ordered to reinstate automated paycheck deductions for state workers by May 31.
• Mar 30 AFSCME Converges on Minnesota Capitol Building Over a thousand AFSCME members filled the rotunda in St. Paul to challenge an anti-worker agenda.
• Mar 22 Missouri Public Service Workers Lobby for Their Rights AFSCME Council 72 members defend collective bargaining in meetings with state representatives.
• Mar 21 Democracy Wins a Victory in Michigan Judge’s ruling invalidates ‘dictator law’ in Flint over Open Meeting Law violation.
• Mar 19 Iowans Win Victory Over Gov. Branstad’s Abuse of Power State Supreme Court rules governor defied constitution to close unemployment offices.
• Mar 16 Ariz. Governor Pushing Pro-Cronyism Bill Legislation would wipe out protections for public service workers and promote political cronyism.
• Mar 16 Scaled Back Tier 6 Plan Rammed Through N.Y. Legislature Open government gave way to backroom deals in the middle of the night.
• Mar 14 Saunders: We Must Build a Main Street Movement In radio appearances nationwide, Sec.-Treas. Lee Saunders talked about AFSCME’s history — and its future.
• Mar 14 New Yorkers Say ‘Tier It Down’ to Tier 6 Retirement Plan Hundreds rally to defend the retirement security of New York public service workers.
• Mar 11 Rally Goers March to Take Back Wisconsin Tens of thousands send a powerful message to Gov. Scott Walker and corporate-backed politicians.
• Mar 09 San Jose Workers Vow to Fight Pension Deception Audit ordered after politicians caught inflating pension costs by more than $250 million.
• Mar 09 Ohioans Fired Up – to Support Candidates Who Defend Collective Bargaining Reuters article reveals growing Democratic support in Ohio after attacks on workers’ rights.
• Mar 08 Judge to Florida Legislators: Mandatory Pension “Contribution” is Unconstitutional County court orders lawmakers to return money taken from local government workers with interest.
• Mar 08 Lee Saunders, Memphis Sanitation Workers Join Thousands in March to Protect Voting Rights Activists reenact Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s historic march from Selma to Montgomery.
• Mar 07 Public Sector Workers Rally in New York State Capital for Working Families Nearly 2,000 public service workers gathered in Albany for AFSCME's annual lobby day.
• Mar 06 Kahlenberg and Marvit: Workers’ Rights Are Civil Rights Authors say the right to organize should be enshrined in the Civil Rights Act.
• Mar 02 Arizona’s Republic Columnist: There Is a Concentrated Assault on Workers Column makes the case that public workers deserve respect.
• Mar 02 Santa Clara United EMS Workers Win First Job Action a Week After Certification New AFSCME members stand together against attempted layoffs.
• Feb 29 Workers Must Be Involved in Tennessee School District Merger AFSCME Local 1733 deserves a voice in merger of Memphis and Shelby County school districts.
• Feb 29 Petitions Collected for Repeal Michigan ‘Dictator Law’ Initiative Anti-worker law gives unelected officials the power to negate collective bargaining agreements.
• Feb 27 AFSCME Endorses Kathleen Falk for Wisconsin Governor Falk fought to protect the collective bargaining rights of public service workers.
• Feb 24 Romney Likes Firing People – and Unions, Too Presidential candidate makes right-to-work legislation a key theme of his campaign in Michigan.
• Feb 24 #UnionOscars As the Academy Awards approach, we wondered: what are the best films about workers?
• Feb 22 DiNapoli: ‘Stop Twisting the Facts’ on Public Pensions New York State Controller warns lawmakers 401(k)-style plans provide inadequate retirement security.
• Feb 22 The Truth Behind Right-to-Work-For-Less Corporate-driven, anti-worker legislation will undermine Minnesota’s middle class.
• Feb 17 Asserting a Claim on Democracy As we observe Black History Month, AFSCME members are taking part in a Main Street movement.
• Feb 17 Attacks on Worker Rights Can Be Defeated, Says Ohio AFSCME Leader IVP Joseph Rugola participated in a panel discussion on politics of public sector bargaining rights.
• Feb 16 Author John Nichols Discusses New Book on Wisconsin Protests “Uprising” recounts the historic 2011 events in support of public service workers.
• Feb 15 Poll Doesn’t Show Full Picture of ‘Right-to-Work-for-Less’ in Ohio Questions in new poll were overly simplified and biased in favor of anti-worker legislation.
• Feb 10 Walker’s Attack on Wisconsin Values Anything But Progressive Setting the facts straight about Scott Walker's real record as governor.
• Feb 10 Collective Bargaining Rights Upheld in SD Legislative effort defeated by activists from Council 59 and other supporters of workers’ rights.
• Feb 10 Kasich Fails to Address the Real State of His State AFSCME Council 8 activists demonstrate during Ohio governor’s State-of-the-State address
• Feb 09 #ClintEastwood and Half-Time Hopes The Super Bowl has come and gone, but Chrysler's commercial continues to make waves.
• Feb 07 Arizona Workers Brace for Battle State legislators move quickly to pass several anti-worker bills.
• Feb 03 Right-To-Tweet-For-Workers #superbowledition The Twittersphere responds to right-to-work-for-less law in the Super Bowl state.
• Feb 02 Volunteer Member Organizers Head Out in Tulsa, Okla. City employees organize against privatization and anti-worker threats.
• Feb 02 N.H. Gov. Lynch Stands Up for Public Employees In State of the State address, governor vows to block threats to collective bargaining.
• Feb 01 Indiana Workers Speak Out Against ‘Right-to-Work-for-Less’ Bill Gov. Mitch Daniels disregarded workers’ views when he signed the bill.
• Jan 31 S.D. Workers’ Collective Bargaining Rights Safe – For Now Sponsor of anti-worker bill changes mind, but the bill is not dead yet.
• Jan 25 ‘Our Democracy is Not for Sale’ Arizona retirees, public service workers and community activists protest undue influence of corporate special interests.
• Jan 24 Video: State of the Anti-Union Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels will deliver the Republican address to the State of the Union.
• Jan 23 Middle Class Surprised to Hear Santorum Say They Don’t Exist GOP Presidential candidates charge ‘class warfare’ to protect their own interests.
• Jan 19 Caution, @GovWalker, Roads Are Slippery When Anti-Worker Twitter users react to the more than 1 million signatures collected to recall Wisconsin’s governor.
• Jan 17 Rhode Island Decision Victory for Retirees Judge says City of Pawtucket cannot unilaterally cut health benefits promised to retired employees.
• Jan 17 One Million-Plus Demand Wisconsin Governor Walker’s Recall for Opposing Workers’ Rights Wisconsin voters seek recall of governor, lieutenant governor and four senators for opposing collective bargaining.
• Jan 12 State Employees Deserve Same FMLA Rights as Private Sector Workers Supreme Court to decide if a State of Maryland worker was unfairly denied his rights.
• Jan 11 Scott Walker, the GOP’s Great Uniter The Nation's John Nichols points out one thing the Republican presidential candidates have in common.
• Jan 10 Another Reason to Oppose Right-To-Work-For-Less Study shows right-to-work means less pay, less benefits and less retirement security.
• Jan 06 NH Lawmakers Stand Up for Workers, Their Unions and the Middle Class Legislators try to stop right-to-work proposal that would undermine unions in New Hampshire.
• Jan 06 Pro-Worker Lawmakers, NFL Players Fight Controversial Indiana Right-to-Work Bill Democrats in Indiana team up with NFL players against anti-worker legislation.
• Jan 05 Obama Stands Up for Workers, Consumers with Recess Appointments President fills vacancies at two federal agencies tasked with protecting workers' and consumers' rights.
• Jan 04 Indiana Citizens Welcome at Their Own Statehouse After All As legislative session opens, Gov. Mitch Daniels drops plan to severely limit crowd size.
• Dec 27 And the Award for Worst Governor of the Year Goes to… Help us choose the very worst governor of 2011 by casting your vote on Facebook.
• Dec 22 We’re Not Backing Down In a pivotal year for the working middle class, we pulled together and fought back.
• Dec 16 Historic Ohio Contract Agreement Ratified New contract demonstrates that unions can work together with states to solve economic problems.
• Dec 15 White House Proposes Wage Protections for Home Care Workers Changes announced by President Obama would extend coverage under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).
• Dec 14 A Win for NYC and Good Government City council overrides Mayor Bloomberg’s veto of a bill protecting public services and public employees.
• Dec 14 Time Names “The Protester” Person of the Year; Main Street America’s Protesters Deserve A Bow Before Occupy Wall Street there were hundreds of thousands of protesters occupying Madison, Wis..
• Dec 09 Video: Debunking GOP Claims of Voter Fraud On MSNBC, Sec.-Treas. Saunders explains how the Republican agenda threatens working families.
• Dec 09 Judge Forces Thousands of Minnesota Child Care Providers to Wait for Their Right to Unionize Temporary restraining order blocks election due to lawsuit by union-busting conservative think tank.
• Dec 07 Take an AFSCME Union Break, Change the World Participants get hands-on experience that can lead to a career as an AFSCME organizer.
• Dec 05 Video: Gingrich and the GOP War on the Poor On MSNBC, Sec.-Treas. Saunders discusses outrageous statements by GOP presidential candidate Newt Gingrich.
• Nov 29 What’s In a Name? A Load of Dishonesty The Workforce Democracy and Fairness Act would actually undermine workforce democracy.
• Nov 16 Minnesota Child Care Providers Win Right to Vote for Union Representation Executive order sets the stage for negotiations over standards, funding and quality of care.
• Nov 16 Remembering Taylor Rogers Former AFSCME Local 1733 president led the historic 1968 sanitation workers strike in Memphis.
• Nov 16 Putting Ohio in Perspective The mobilization that led to the resounding defeat of Issue 2 will continue into 2012.
• Nov 15 Attacking Public Workers Is Bad Policy That Ignores the Real Problem: Jobs In their zeal to attack public service workers, right-wing governors overlook job creation.
• Nov 14 Rhode Island Public Employees Call on Legislature to Keep the Promise Over 5,000 union members and supporters rally at the statehouse to oppose pension overhaul plan.
• Nov 09 Think Again: Taking Back Ohio Watch this video to hear from the people in Ohio who made this victory happen.
• Nov 09 Ohio Voters Send a Message Sec.-Treas. Saunders on MSNBC: “This will carry from Ohio across this country.”
• Nov 07 From Alabama to Ohio, the Struggle for Justice Continues BJ Simmons-Talley is determined not to let Issue 2 roll back women’s rights.
• Nov 07 ‘Guerilla Drive-In’ Exposes Billionaire Koch Brothers’ Role in Destroying Middle Class, Crushing Workers Demonstrators focus on corrosive role of corporate money in politics, dangerous agenda of right-wing groups.
• Nov 07 Ohio Zookeeper Worries About Security at Work, Home Matthew De Voe is concerned Issue 2 would impact zoo safety, hit his family’s budget.
• Nov 06 A Different Kind of Sunday Service Retiree Jamie Fant gives up his weekend routine to help defeat Issue 2 in Ohio.
• Nov 06 Fighting for Her Younger Colleagues, Youngest Students School bus driver Karen Holdridge has spent the past eight months working against Issue 2.
• Nov 05 AFSCME Retirees’ $10,000 Boosts Ohio Campaign Donation helps We Are Ohio educate state residents about the anti-worker Issue 2.
• Nov 04 A Pep Talk on Main Street Sec.-Treas. Saunders, Ohio AFSCME leaders encourage volunteers working to defeat Issue 2.
• Nov 04 John Glenn is Voting NO on Issue 2 Famed astronaut, American hero and former U.S. Senator for Ohio opposes Senate Bill 5.
• Nov 04 Remembering Darker Days in Ohio That Could Return OCSEA’s Kathy Stewart never dreamed she’d find herself fighting again for collective bargaining in Ohio.
• Nov 03 Walking the Walk to Oppose Issue 2 AFSCME members fan out across Ohio to make sure voters repeal Senate Bill 5.
• Nov 02 A Safety Net About to Unravel in Ohio Issue 2’s passage would wipe out protections for public workers, including the state’s corrections employees.
• Oct 27 A “No!” Vote on Ohio’s Issue 2 Will Help Protect Public Safety, Says State Meat Inspector Ohio state meat inspector says Issue 2 must be defeated for safety’s sake.
• Oct 26 From Wisconsin to Wall Street Wisconsin public service worker travels to NYC to express solidarity with Occupy Wall Street.
• Oct 25 Romney Was for Issue 2 Before He Was Against Saying He Was Former Massachusetts governor known for his inconsistent positions outdoes himself in Ohio.
• Oct 18 Former Arkansas Gov. Huckabee’s Voter Suppression Remark is No Joke FOX News commentator encourages Ohio voters to suppress turnout to repeal anti-worker law.
• Oct 05 Young Union Members Talk About Being ‘Next Up’ AFL-CIO event brings together over 800 young people to foster political activism and organizing.
• Oct 04 Koch Brothers Make Billions While Flouting U.S. Laws Billionaire tea party financiers raked in tons of money while secretly trading with Iran.
• Oct 03 AFSCME Women Pledge Action in Upcoming Political Fights Conference attendees head home prepared to out-organize, out-fundraise and outlast opponents of America’s workers.
• Oct 02 AFSCME Women Celebrate Key Collective Bargaining Victories, Prepare for Fights Ahead Sec.-Treas. Saunders urges relentless activism on behalf of public service employees and workers’ rights.
• Oct 01 AFSCME President, U.S. Labor Secretary Thank Members, Urge Action on Jobs Act Women's Conference attendees praised for their efforts in the ongoing fight for the American worker.
• Sep 30 AFSCME Members Gather in Milwaukee for Women’s Conference Conference attendees will share experiences, discuss important union issues and develop leadership skills.
• Sep 29 Judge to Arizona Gov. Brewer: Paycheck Deception is Unconstitutional Federal court stops anti-worker measure pushed by extremist politicians to silence political speech.
• Sep 27 Unions Build the Middle Class, Report Concludes A new report shows how closely middle class prosperity is tied to union strength.
• Sep 16 AFSCME Councils 4 and 15 Earn Big Wins Union-supported alderman candidates in New Haven, CT, pledge to combat privatization, layoffs and furloughs.
• Sep 15 GOP Gives Corporations “Get Out of Jail Free” Card AFSCME Pres. Gerald W. McEntee blasts House GOP for vote undermining NLRB’s power.
• Sep 15 Rhode Island Public Workers Win Key Pension Ruling Judge rules R.I. public employees should have their day in court in pension battle.
• Sep 08 Marching for a Fair Verizon Contract AFSCME members join in solidarity with other union members outside a Verizon store in DC.
• Sep 05 Labor Day Isn’t About the Past, It’s About Today AFSCME New Mexico members and their fellow public service workers speak out about workers' rights.
• Aug 31 America’s Future Is at Stake this Labor Day Working families will not turn back the clock. We will fight for the future.
• Aug 31 Obama: Dr. King Marched for Jobs, Economic Justice President urges Americans to remember the civil rights leader died standing with Memphis sanitation workers.
• Aug 29 Cleaning Up After the Storm Thousands of public service workers are cleaning up and keeping us safe after Hurricane Irene.
• Aug 26 Kasich's Call for Compromise Smacks of Desperation Ohio governor, Republican leadership scramble as referendum approaches on unpopular SB 5 legislation.
• Aug 23 Revive the Dream The dedication of the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial is an opportunity to renew our commitments to fight for social and economic justice.
• Aug 17 Wisconsin’s Working Families Win Final Recall Elections State Senate now boasts a pro-worker majority that would have blocked Walker's divisive anti-worker bill.
• Aug 11 Worth a Read: Wisconsin’s Warning to Union Busters Those who oppose efforts to undermine public unions should draw strength from Tuesday's success.
• Aug 10 Fighting Back and Making History AFSCME members pulled together in Wisconsin and accomplished something extraordinary.
• Aug 04 “No” Vote Means Repeal Senate Bill 5 Ohio voters will vote “no” on Issue 2 this November to repeal radical, anti-worker law.
• Aug 03 Anti-Worker Mackinac Center Takes Aim at Univ. of Mich. Graduate Research Assistants Right-wing, anti-worker organization tries to stop graduate research assistants from organizing with a union.
• Jul 29 Coalition of Workers, Religious Leaders, Demand Fiscal Accountability of N.M. Hospital Executives Christus St. Vincent fails to disclose how money intended for indigent care is being spent.
• Jul 27 Petition Urges City of Memphis to Act in Good Faith City council violated contract, imposing a 4.6 percent pay cut for all city workers.
• Jul 22 Madison Meets Cairo A conversation between Wisconsin labor activist Tim Birkley and Egyptian democracy activist Sarah Kamal.
• Jul 21 It's Official: SB 5 Heads to the Ballot Ohio Secretary of State certifies 915,456 signatures to bring repeal to a vote in November.
• Jul 21 Minnesota Public Services to Resume – but Problems Remain The statewide government shutdown is over, but the budget deal won’t solve Minnesota’s many problems.
• Jul 20 Ohio Gov. Kasich: Wake Up and Smell the Polls! Anti-worker, right-wing policies are sinking Ohio Governor Kasich’s popularity with the state’s voters.
• Jul 20 Wisconsin’s Voters Again Reject Corporate Agenda Incumbent state Sen. Dave Hansen (D) retained his seat in the state's first recall contest.
• Jul 19 NLRB: Give Workers a Fair Chance to Vote National Labor Relations Board considers rules making it easier for workers to join a union.
• Jul 18 Iowans Tell Gov. Branstad: No More Corporate Agenda! Des Moines rally calls on the governor to “put people before profits, politics and polluters.”
• Jul 18 Right Trumps Might in Tennessee Activists arrested in March during state Senate hearing on anti-union legislation have been acquitted.
• Jul 16 Newly Released Documents Expose ALEC’s Corporate Agenda Secretive organization writes “model legislation” to advance business interests at the expense of working Americans.
• Jul 14 They Thought Voters Were Dumb. They Were Wrong! Wisconsin voters rejected all six GOP candidates who posed as Democrats in Tuesday's primary election.
• Jul 12 NYC Fire Fighters Get Out the Vote in Wisconsin FDNY members volunteer in recall efforts to restore workers' rights and protect middle class families.
• Jul 10 AFL-CIO Sec.-Treas. Shuler Dives into the Next Wave National labor federation's youngest-ever elected officer addresses the next generation of AFSCME leaders.
• Jul 08 Minnesotans Demand End to Government Shutdown Public service workers and supporters hold massive demonstration at the Capitol steps in St. Paul.
• Jul 07 Need a Job? Go to Prison Thanks to Gov. Scott Walker, Wisconsin public service employees lose work to unpaid inmates.
• Jul 06 AFSCME’s Saunders: Current Fights Are About ‘Direction of the Country’ In magazine interview, Secretary-Treasurer Saunders discusses attacks on workers' rights and the middle class.
• Jun 30 Standing Up for Public Service Workers in San Diego Sec.-Treas. Saunders and Rev. Sharpton speak out against right-wing attacks on city employees.
• Jun 30 Ohio Voters Deliver 1.3 Million Signatures 6,000 union members and community supporters marched in Columbus as part of history-making repeal effort.
• Jun 29 Rachel Maddow Spells Out Koch Brothers’ Influence Tea Party financiers brought several Republican governors to a secret, invitation-only meeting in Colorado.
• Jun 29 Ohio Voters Celebrate End of Petition Drive to Repeal SB 5 Thousands of union members and community supporters march alongside a semi-truck filled with signatures.
• Jun 27 Training for the Bargaining Table in Rhode Island Rank-and-file members learn about the challenges posed by shrinking budgets and right-wing attacks on workers.
• Jun 24 New Jersey Legislature Attacks Workers’ Rights Legislation would roll back benefits and bargaining rights for 750,000 state and local workers.
• Jun 22 Tent Cities Pop Up in Trenton and New York City NJ's “Camp Collective Bargaining” and NYC’s “Bloombergville” were inspired by protests in Madison and Cairo.
• Jun 21 Michigan Voters Launch Campaign to Stop Local Dictator Law Organizers vow to gather 190,000 signatures by Labor Day to put repeal on the ballot.
• Jun 21 A Better New Jersey for All New Jersey public employees talk about the important services they provide to the state.
• Jun 18 Netroots Nation Video: Attack on America's Middle Class Footage from Saturday morning's keynote featuring Sen. Al Franken and AFSCME Sec.-Treas. Lee A. Saunders.
• Jun 17 We Are Ohio Collects Over 714K Signatures for Citizens' Veto Grassroots group reports than triple the number of signatures needed to qualify for the ballot.
• Jun 17 From Memphis to Madison to Minneapolis AFSCME sponsored the reception and opening keynote session to kick off the Netroots Nation conference.
• Jun 16 Netroots Nation Video: Bloggers Unite! Panelists discussed how bloggers in Wisconsin turned the Madison uprising into a national story.
• Jun 16 AFSCME Joins Progressive Activists at Netroots Nation The annual conference for online activists takes place June 16-19 in Minneapolis.
• Jun 16 New Jersey Public Employees Rally Against Union-Busting Legislation Activists protest Gov. Christie's continued assault on public sector workers.
• Jun 15 Wisconsin Supreme Court Rules 4-3 Against Workers' Rights Despite the setback, Wisconsin's pro-worker movement remains as vital and committed as ever.
• Jun 14 Prison Privatization as Political Payback Taxpayers wind up paying more when private contractors cut corners on safety, health and services.
• Jun 13 Ohio Bikers Make Themselves Heard at the Statehouse Motorcycle rally draws attention to the campaign to get SB 5 on the November ballot.
• Jun 13 NY Gov. Reveals Plan to Cut Public Worker Pensions Proposal requires public employees to work longer and pay more for less generous benefits.
• Jun 10 Iowans Protest Frankenstein Bill Omnibus legislation was assembled from a hodgepodge of bills that failed earlier this year.
• Jun 08 State Battles Summit Ends with Commitment to Fight Civil rights leader Wade Henderson energizes AFSCME activists with call to preserve the Middle Class.
• Jun 08 Memphis Sanitation Workers Complete Induction Into ‘Labor Hall of Fame’ Ceremony at the University of Memphis recognizes the courageous strike for dignity and workers' rights.
• Jun 07 Sec.-Treas. Saunders: ‘We're the Last Line of Defense’ for the Middle Class Activists at AFSCME's State Battles Summit learn more about successful efforts to fight back.
• Jun 06 “Walkerville”: Friendly Face of the Budget Battle Tent city springs up near the Wisconsin State Capitol to protest Gov. Walker's anti-worker agenda.
• Jun 06 AFSCME’s State Battles Summit Opens Conference will focus on fighting unprecedented right-wing attacks on public service workers and collective bargaining.
• Jun 02 Nebraska’s AFSCME Activists Uphold Collective Bargaining Rights Deal reached on a reasonable alternative to the corporate agenda to weaken workers’ power.
• Jun 02 Illinois Union Coalition Blocks Bills Attacking Public Service Workers Grassroots outpouring turns back huge increases in pension contributions, health insurance premiums for state employees.
• May 27 Do the Right Thing in Montana Montana's Republican-controlled legislature refuses to honor a fair deal made with state workers.
• May 26 Congress’ Attack on Unemployed Workers Instead of helping Americans get back to work, new legislation would restrict unemployment benefits.
• May 26 Collective Bargaining in Wisconsin Gets Another Reprieve Judge rules open meeting law was violated in rush to pass Gov. Walker's anti-union measure.
• May 25 Wisconsin Voter ID Bill is Morally Wrong Gov. Walker signs fast-tracked law designed to make it harder for Wisconsinites to vote.
• May 24 San Jose Mayor Doesn't Know the Way to a Fair Budget Community members speak out against devastating cuts and attacks on city workers' bargaining rights.
• May 19 Puerto Rico’s Public Service Workers Win Back Rights Bill reinstating collective bargaining was passed unanimously and signed into law by Gov. Luis Fortuño.
• May 16 State Revenues Are Coming Back. Walker Says, ‘So What?’ Despite revenue collections beating expectations, right-wing governors move ahead with plans to slash public services.
• May 11 NH Gov. Lynch Stands with the Middle Class Governor sides with Main Street and vetoes "right-to-work" bill, blocking efforts to weaken collective bargaining.
• May 11 Maryland Home Care Providers’ Bargaining Rights Become Law Gov. O'Malley signs bill ensuring collective bargaining rights for nearly 5,000 independent providers.
• May 10 School Privatization Conference Draws Hundreds of Protesters Attendees gathered in DC to discuss replacing the public education system with a voucher program.
• May 09 Florida Legislature Adjourns; Privatization, Dues Deduction Efforts Fail Session was defined by attacks on public services, but working families achieved considerable victories.
• May 06 Taking Hypocrisy to a New Low Anti-worker Govs. Kasich (R-OH) and Walker (R-WI) issue ironic proclamations praising public service workers.
• May 05 Pride at Work Energizes LGBT Support for Public Employees Solidarity statement recognizes that attacks on collective bargaining are also attacks on fundamental American values.
• May 03 Hundreds Protest New Jersey Gov. Christie’s Plan to Devastate Working Families Sec.-Treas. Saunders, Rev. Sharpton and AFT Pres. Weingarten spoke in defense of working families.
• May 03 Finding Real Solutions for Our Schools Former DC school superintendent Michelle Rhee exaggerates her abilities, putting children's education at risk.
• May 02 Video: Memphis Comes to Washington Eight of the original 1968 Memphis sanitation strikers attended an induction ceremony in Washington, DC.
• May 02 Michigan AFSCME Members Protest Snyder Commencement Address More than 1,000 students, community and union activists rallied at the Univ. of Michigan.
• May 02 AFSCME Connecticut Members Protest State Budget Plan More than 2,500 rallied against a plan to extract $2 billion from state workers.
• Apr 29 AFSCME Sanitation Workers Honored at White House, Join ‘Labor Hall of Fame’ Local 1733 members are the first group of workers included for "taking collective action."
• Apr 29 Pres. Obama Meets with Memphis Sanitation Workers Participants in the 1968 Memphis Sanitation Strike met with Pres. Obama in the White House.
• Apr 28 Memphis Sanitation Workers to Join U.S. “Labor Hall of Fame” Department of Labor to honor AFSCME Local 1733 members from the famous 1968 strike.
• Apr 28 AFSCME Michigan Stands Up for Education Gov. Rick Snyder has proposed stripping $900 million from K-12 school funding.
• Apr 28 Workers Memorial Day A time to honor the workers who have lost their lives on the job.
• Apr 26 Telling the Whole Story About Public Employee Pension Funds Pew Center on the States portrays the public pension system as "broken," but the facts don't back that up.
• Apr 15 Straight Talk on Retirement in San Jose Phrases like “actuarial reports” and “unfunded liabilities” didn’t stop over 200 workers in San Jose, Calif., from foregoing their lunch hour to hear the truth about pensions.
• Apr 15 Ohio Businesses Reject Anti-Worker Attacks, Stand with Public Service Workers Merchants show support for public employees by displaying a “Proud Ohio Workers” sticker.
• Apr 14 Gov. Walker Admits New Union Rules Don’t Help Budget Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) asked Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker (R) to explain how attacking workers' rights and middle class jobs helps fix broken state budgets.
• Apr 14 Gov. Rick Scott, Your Report Card is Shameful! In office just 100 days, Florida Gov. Rick Scott (R) has proven he has a lot to learn about running a government that benefits all Floridians — not just his Big Business friends.
• Apr 14 AFSCME Members “Ready to Do Battle” In an interview with the New York Times published Wednesday, AFSCME President Gerald W. McEntee talks about how attacks on public service workers in the states have energized union members.
• Apr 12 Happy National Library Workers Day Today, in the midst of budget cuts to libraries across the country, we celebrate National Library Workers Day and recognize the important services provided by library workers under increasingly difficult circumstances.
• Mar 25 The Centenary of the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire and the Need to Organize March 25 marks the 100th anniversary of a tragic, pivotal moment in history, when 146 mostly young New York garment workers, all but 17 female, died in the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire.
• Mar 22 Small Businesses Join AFSCME Ohio in Opposition to SB 5 AFSCME members are holding a series of eight press events around the state in conjunction with a group of small businesses who are part of Proud Ohio Workers.
• Mar 22 Organizing for Power with AFSCME With this column, we note the many organizing victories achieved during the past several months, both large and small (listed alphabetically by state).
• Mar 21 McEntee on Gov. Walker's Anti-Worker Power Grab Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker made no mention of the massive $117 million in tax breaks he provided for wealthy corporations before he launched his power grab to silence the voices of working men and women.
• Mar 21 Wisconsin AFSCME Members Donate $50,000 to Help Japanese Earthquake Victims Wisconsin workers represented by AFSCME Councils 24, 40 and 48 are donating $50,000 to the earthquake relief fund established by the Japanese trade federation RENGO.
• Mar 21 It’s Not Only a War Against Unions, But a War Against Women The nationwide anti-union offensive is an assault on the middle class as a whole, but there is a segment of our population that is disproportionately bearing the brunt of these attacks: our union sisters.
• Mar 18 Income Inequality and Union Decline: Connect the Dots The richest 1 percent in this country takes home almost 24 percent of income, up from nearly 9 percent in 1976.
• Mar 18 Judge Temporarily Halts Rights-Stripping Wisconsin Law Earlier today, a Dane County judge issued a restraining order blocking the Secretary of State from publishing the measure to strip collective bargaining rights from public employees. The law can't take effect until it's formally published.
• Mar 17 Maryland AFSCME Members: ‘Enough is Enough!’ Thousands of AFSCME Maryland members and supporters converged outside the State House last evening to urge lawmakers to avoid drastic cuts.
• Mar 17 We Are One
• Mar 16 Maine’s Governor Won’t Take His Own Medicine Gov. LePage has exempted himself from a plan to increase pension contributions from public service workers.
• Mar 16 New Polls Show Voters Strongly Oppose GOP Anti-Worker Agendas
• Mar 16 Ohio Gov. Kasich Advances Anti-Union Agenda with Destructive Budget Following in the footsteps of Wisconsin and other states promoting disastrous anti-union bills and cuts to vital public services, Ohio Gov. John Kasich (R) has unveiled his two-year budget.
• Mar 15 AFSCME Actions Keep the Heat on Elected Officials It's been a busy week for AFSCME members fighting back against bad budget plans and anti-union legislation.
• Mar 15 Michigan AFSCME Rally Wednesday Puts Spotlight on Worker Rights The fight to protect collective bargaining rights takes center stage in Michigan on Wednesday, where thousands of union activists – members of AFSCME Council 25 – are planning to fill the statehouse Rotunda in Lansing starting at noon.
• Mar 14 Iowa House Leadership Afraid to Talk to Citizens In a show of solidarity, former Speaker Pat Murphy blasted Iowa's Republican House Leadership Friday after they shut down the switchboard during debate on a bill that would eliminate collective bargaining rights for public employees.
• Mar 14 Maryland AFSCME Members to Rally in Annapolis Today Protest targets proposed budget cuts to public services and education, changes to retirement security and health care benefits.
• Mar 14 Triangle Factory Fire’s 100th Anniversary Reminds Us Why Unions Are Necessary At this pivotal moment, when collective bargaining is under attack in Wisconsin, Ohio, Indiana and other states, AFSCME reflects on another historic moment in labor history, the Triangle Factory Fire in New York City.
• Mar 11 Day of Action
• Mar 11 Thousands Turn Out for ‘We Are Indiana’ Rally Supporting Unions
• Mar 11 Wisconsin: The Fight Goes On Legislation that could roll back private-sector union rights in Indiana and limit collective bargaining rights for teachers sparked a massive rally on March 10 at the state Capitol in Indianapolis.
• Mar 11 A Message from AFSCME Wisconsin Leaders Oblivious to hundreds of thousands of protesters across the state — and poll after poll showing Wisconsin voters oppose denying worker rights — thuggish politicians have taken a baseball bat to Wisconsin values.
• Mar 10 An Affront to Democracy Wisconsin Senate Republicans used legislative tricks to ram through Governor Walker's bill — wiping out collective bargaining rights for nurses, teachers, EMTs and other trusted public employees.
• Mar 08 In Ohio, the State of the Worker Address On Monday, workers across Ohio delivered the State of the Worker Address, a prebuttal to Gov. John Kasich's first State of the State Address. As ABC 9 in Cincinnati reports, workers called on Kasich to follow through on his campaign pledges.
• Mar 08 AFSCME Activists Nationwide Support Wisconsin Public Service Workers, Teachers By the tens of thousands, activists from AFSCME and other unions, and supporters of workers’ rights, rallied at state capitols and cities in all 50 states on Feb. 26 to demonstrate their support for collective bargaining rights.
• Mar 03 Updates from Ohio, Wisconsin, and Beyond As you know, what happens in the coming weeks and months in Columbus and Madison will be critical to the future of our union, our jobs, and the services that we provide everywhere.
• Mar 01 Solidarity Takes the Day at DNC Meeting AFSCME’s members of the Democratic National Committee took center stage at the DNC’s annual winter meeting and made an impassioned plea for support of workers in Wisconsin and elsewhere whose rights are under attack.
• Mar 01 Governors Side with Unions, Not Wisconsin’s Walker Governors Martin O’Malley of Maryland, Deval Patrick of Massachusetts and Mark Dayton of Minnesota are among state leaders who have something important to say to Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker.
• Feb 27 Union Supporters Remain in Wisconsin Capitol Despite Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker's order to clear the State Capitol in Madison Sunday afternoon, protesters remain in the building and Capitol Police Chief Tubbs says there will be no arrests.
• Feb 26 More than 100,000 Rally in Wisconsin On a snowy Wisconsin Saturday over 100,000 union members, working families, community members, faith leaders, activist groups and concerned citizens gathered in Madison to tell Gov. Walker to stop the attacks on the middle class and kill the bill.
• Feb 24 Continuing the Fight for Freedom The tens of thousands of Wisconsinites who have marched at the state Capitol and throughout the state this past week are American heroes. It is not often that thousands gather to fight for the dignity and the rights of their fellow citizens.
• Feb 24 Ohio Workers Protest Plan to End Collective Bargaining Thousands of protesters, including members from AFSCME Council 8, Ohio Civil Service Employees Association (OCSEA) and the Ohio Association of Public School Employees (OAPSE), rallied outside the state capitol.
• Feb 23 Video: We Stand Together or We Fall Together In this ad from the Wisconsin AFL-CIO, Racine fire fighter Mike DeGarmo calls on Gov. Scott Walker (R-WI) to stop his attempts to take away the rights of workers.
• Feb 23 Washington State AFSCME Members Stand with Wisconsin Workers An attack on workers in one state is an attack on every worker. This is why the nationwide outpouring of support for public service workers in Wisconsin continues to grow.
• Feb 23 NY AFSCME Members Take to Streets to Support Wisconsin Labor Battle More than 200 members of Civil Service Employees Association (CSEA)/AFSCME Local 1000 and other AFSCME affiliates recently demonstrated to show solidarity with Wisconsin’s public service workers and teachers.
• Feb 22 Dropkick the Attacks on Workers The band Dropkick Murphys has released an advance stream of their new song “Take ‘Em Down” in support of the thousands of Wisconsin union workers who are protesting the governor’s budget plan.
• Feb 20 On, Wisconsin! Amazing, inspiring video from University of Wisconsin student Matt Wisniewski features three days of footage (Feb 15-17) from the Madison, WI protest against the SB11 budget repair bill.
• Feb 18 ‘I Am So Happy You Are Here,’ Lawmaker Tells Union Demonstrators From his second-floor office at the state Capitol, Rep. Gary Hebl (D) watches thousands of public service workers, teachers and other union members marching to protest a bill designed to take away important collective bargaining rights.
• Feb 18 AFSCME Members Lobby Lawmakers to Preserve Rights Currently in their fourth day of massive protests outside the Capitol building in Madison, AFSCME activists are working hard to get the state Assembly to reject Gov. Scott Walker’s proposal to strip collective bargaining rights from most state employees.
• Feb 16 Gagging Workers Is Un-American As the world watched the people of Egypt take to the streets in an effort to exercise their rights and have their voices heard, here at home in the USA, plans are being put into place to silence workers, lower their wages, cut their benefits [...]
• Feb 16 Video: In Wisconsin, “Everything’s at Risk” Prior to marching to the Capitol in Madison on Tuesday, Wisconsin AFSCME members talk about the impact of Republican Gov. Scott Walker's proposals to strip collective bargaining rights from public service workers while also cutting their pay [...]
• Feb 16 Wisconsin AFSCME Members Join Fight to Save Rights Thousands of state and local public service workers and teachers demonstrated Tuesday inside and outside the state Capitol here to oppose the threatened loss of collective bargaining rights and cuts to retirement and health benefits.
• Feb 14 Video: Shaking the Wisconsin State House On Valentine's Day, University of Wisconsin-Madison students filled the Wisconsin Capitol building to protest proposals by Republican Gov. Scott Walker that would reduce funding for higher education and decimate collective bargaining rights.
• Feb 14 Wisconsin AFL-CIO Ads Against Attacks on Worker Rights The Wisconsin AFL-CIO launched an advertising campaign over the weekend to alert the public to the radical plan by Republican Gov. Scott Walker to strip almost all collective bargaining rights from state and local public employees.
• Feb 04 Maryland State Workers Score Big With New Contract
• Jan 14 MLK: An Inspiration for Today’s Battles Public sector workers are fighting the fight of their lives amid an unprecedented right-wing attack against their livelihoods. The American public is being fed a steady diet of lies about public employee pensions [...]
• Dec 08 Crucial Vote for Public Safety Officers The U.S. Senate appears ready to vote this afternoon on the Public Safety Employer-Employee Cooperation Act (S. 3991), which would grant collective bargaining rights to law enforcement officers across the country.
• Sep 03 Labor Day: Honoring Our History, Fighting for Our Future On Labor Day, we celebrate the social and economic achievements of American workers. However, during years such as this one, Labor Day also marks the start of election season.
• Jul 20 Ask a Working Woman It's simple: Working women are the experts on the challenges working women face at work, at home and getting by in a tough economy.
• Jul 14 Time to Fulfill the Promise of the National Labor Relations Act Working families recently celebrated the 75th anniversary of the National Labor Relations Act, the primary law protecting workers’ right to form or join a union and engage in collective bargaining.
• Jun 29 Work Together. March Together. Fight Together. Stand Together. AFL-CIO President Richard L. Trumka today addressed the 5,000 delegates, alternates and guests at AFSCME’s 39th International Convention.
• Jun 24 Dr Pepper Snapple: Family Unfriendly Have you heard the bad news? It turns out that the facility that makes Mott’s delicious applesauce, juice and other products was bought a couple of years ago by a company that is now attacking its workers.
• May 21 Furloughs Are No Laughing Matter It’s no mystery that some lawmakers are completely oblivious to the problems faced by working Americans. Take, for example, the three county commissioners in Pueblo County, Colo.
• Apr 28 Workers Memorial Day: Mourn for the Dead, Fight for the Living The tragic deaths of 29 miners in Raleigh County, W.Va earlier this month serve as a sad reminder that American workers in many occupations continue to lose their lives, risk injury or become ill as a result of unhealthy or dangerous workplaces.
• Apr 26 Time for the Red Cross to Honor Its History For over a year, AFSCME Local 3145 (Council 4) members employed by the American Red Cross (ARC) in Connecticut have been working without a contract. Who would have thought that an organization with the ARC’s history would treat its workers so poorly?
• Apr 07 Non-Union Mine Rife With Safety Violations The non-union mine in West Virginia where at least 25 workers died in a horrific explosion Monday, has been cited for what the Washington Post calls a “litany of safety violations.”
• Apr 01 Today We Count President Obama has officially declared today "Census Day" in a presidential proclamation, a day which reminds us all how important it is to complete and mail back the 2010 Census form.
• Mar 15 Marching to Preserve Allensworth Doug Moore, executive director of UDW, the Homecare Providers Union, and an International vice-president of AFSCME helped lead a demonstration last week as part of the March for California’s Future.
• Mar 12 Restoring the California Dream The future of California is at stake and nobody knows this better than public workers in the Golden State. That’s why AFSCME members are stepping out to raise awareness of the vital services employees provide to keep their communities strong.
• Mar 05 Marching for California's Future A diverse group of Californians, with a San Diego community college professor, two Los Angeles probation officers, a Watsonville teacher, a retired Berkeley adult educator, and a retired L.A. teacher begin a 48-day “March for California’s Future” today.
• Feb 24 Make A Difference During Spring Break This spring, student activists are organizing conferences on college campuses throughout the country, taking on some of the most critical issues of our time.
• Jan 29 George F. Will Is Not to Be Trusted Conservative columnist George F. Will never misses an opportunity to distort the facts in an effort to spread untruths about issues of importance to working Americans.
• Nov 24 Spend Your Break Fighting for Justice Are you a college senior considering a career in social change and want to help make change happen in the world around you? Do you believe that a strong labor movement is vital to fighting back the attacks on working families, on health care?
• Oct 05 UC President Misleads, Distorts the Facts AFSCME Local 3299, which represents 20,000 workers at the ten campuses and five medical centers in the University of California system, is fighting to prevent budget cuts, fee hikes, layoffs and furloughs during this economic crisis.
• Sep 15 Obama and Labor: Fired Up! President Obama just ended his speech to the delegates at the AFL-CIO 2009 Convention in Pittsburgh, where he pledged to grow the middle class and strengthen the labor movement.
• Sep 03 Young Workers Face Challenges and Present Opportunities Today young workers are less likely to have health care or economic security than they were 10 years ago, and one-third live in their parents’ home, according to a new national survey released by the AFL-CIO.
• Aug 26 Ted Kennedy, Lion of the Senate AFSCME President Gerald W. McEntee issued a statement today calling Senator Ted Kennedy “Our closest ally and most steadfast friend in the U.S. Senate.”
• Aug 06 It Is Time to Pass ENDA The Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) was reintroduced yesterday in the U.S. Senate. Two Democrats – Sen. Ted Kennedy (D-MA) and Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-OR) – along with two Republicans are named as the lead cosponsors.
• Jul 17 Unionized Workplaces Make a Difference There is a “union difference” in family-friendly workplace policies, such as family and medical leave, paid sick leave for employees and their children, health care and flexible work arrangements.
• Jun 12 Local 1184 Mobilizes Members for Employee Free Choice This post about worksite visits by AFSCME Local 1184 in support of the Employee Free Choice Act and health care reform is courtesy of the AFL-CIO Employee Free Choice Act blog.
• May 22 New Study Shows Employer Opposition to Workers’ Unions Intensifying Findings from renowned labor expert and Cornell University professor Dr. Kate Brofenbrenner reveal that employer tactics against workers’ efforts to form unions have increased and become more punitive than in the past.
• May 07 How Not to Join a Union This animation from the American Worker Project, courtesy of the Center for American Progress Action Fund (CAPAF), shows how labor law gives workers a raw deal, taking you step-by-step through the current process for forming a union. It's not pretty.
• Apr 27 Safe Jobs Now, a Change We Need All too often we hear about Americans being killed and injured at the workplace. Nearly 5,680 workers on average die on the job each year. In the last 30 years, 500 AFSCME members have been killed on the job.
• Apr 17 "We’re American seamen. We’re union members. We stuck together and did our jobs." Corporate leaders and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce are on a multi-million dollar mission to defeat the Employee Free Choice Act, even as many of them, like Bank of America, take federal bailout money.
• Apr 16 AFSCME Members Take Action on EFCA It’s time to pass the Employee Free Choice Act (EFCA) and put an end to the threats and coercion that make it all but impossible for many workers to join a union.
• Mar 05 The Big Lie About the Employee Free Choice Act America's top CEOs -- the clueless millionaires whose greed, ignorance and arrogance drove our economy off a cliff -- have declared their top legislative priority for 2009. It isn't the president's budget.
• Feb 04 Millions of Workers Can’t Be Wrong Earlier today, thousands of union members rallied on Capitol Hill to demand a voice at the workplace. Not for themselves, but for millions of American workers who would like to have a union and the chance to bargain for a better future.
• Jan 21 Union Members March in Official Inaugural Parade A group of over 250 union members braved the freezing temperatures yesterday to participate in the inaugural parade for President Barack Obama.
• Jan 16 The Fierce Urgency of Now
• Jan 14 Make America Happen. Again.
• Jan 08 Americans Voice Strong Support for Employee Free Choice New opinion research shows that 78 percent of Americans favor legislation to make it easier for workers to form unions and bargain for better wages, benefits and working conditions – and 73 percent specifically support the Employee Free Choice Act.
• Jan 07 LGBT Groups Support Employee Free Choice Act As American workers face the worst economic conditions since the Great Depression, support is growing for the Employee Free Choice Act.
• Dec 19 McEntee: Solis “A Terrific Choice” for Labor Secretary AFSCME International President Gerald W. McEntee expressed strong support for the selection of Congresswoman Hilda L. Solis as U.S. Secretary of Labor.
• Dec 12 Victory for Workers Who Waged Sit-In Congratulations to workers at Republic Windows & Doors who made justice happen. After a six-day sit-in at the plant, workers at Republic Windows & Doors in Chicago voted to accept a settlement late last night.
• Dec 09 The Chicago Workers’ Sit-In: A Lesson in Dignity Workers at Chicago’s Republic Windows and Doors were recently laid off with a mere three days notice. Instead of taking it lying down, they staged a sit-in protest to demand their vacation and severance pay that their contract required.
• Dec 05 Back on Our Feet Contributing editor Trapper John had a great entry on Daily Kos earlier this week titled "How We Got Knocked Down, and How Employee Free Choice Can Get Us Back on Our Feet."
• Nov 25 Our Lacking Labor Laws American Rights at Work just released two new fact sheets to showcase more failures of our current labor law system in protecting workers.
• Nov 18 Making Employee Free Choice a Reality American Rights at Work has launched a new television ad promoting the Employee Free Choice Act just in time to greet members of Congress returning to D.C. after a hard-fought campaign season.
• Nov 17 New FMLA Rules Hurt Families The Bush Administration has just issued new rules for the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) which are designed to make it harder for workers to use leave when they need to take care of themselves or family members.
• Nov 07 The March Goes On! When President-elect Barack Obama came to the AFSCME Convention in 2006, he spoke about the 1968 Memphis Sanitation Workers Strike. It’s a story, he said, of ordinary people making “the extraordinary decision that if we stand together, we rise together”.
• Nov 07 Dean: Workers Deserve a Fair Shake Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean appeared on Hardball Wednesday to discuss the priorities for President-elect Barack Obama’s administration. The first example host Chris Matthews brought up was the Employee Free Choice Act.
• Oct 29 McCain Blasts Free Choice Act The Employee Free Choice Act will help restore workers’ freedom to form unions and bargain for a better life. And John McCain says he would veto it “in a New York minute.”
• Oct 01 Questioning Sarah Palin
• Sep 04 Labor Day 2008: Support Employee Free Choice
• Aug 01 AFSCME in San Francisco – Homage to Memphis
• Jul 31 AFSCME in San Francisco – We Make Organizing Happen
• Jul 31 AFSCME in San Francisco – Two Marches... One Fight!
• Jul 30 AFSCME in San Francisco – Making America Happen
• Jul 17 UC Service Workers Strike for a Fair Contract
• May 15 Tulsa City Workers Join Together with AFSCME
• May 07 Failure to Enforce U.S. Labor Laws Fuels Exploitation of Workers
• Apr 28 Mourn for the Dead, Fight for the Living
• Apr 11 Don’t Gut Family and Medical Leave Act
• Apr 07 MLK, Memphis and McCain
• Apr 05 McCain in Memphis: Straight Talk or Double Talk?
• Apr 04 Dr. King’s Dream Lives on in the Labor Movement
• Mar 12 Taking Back UC
• Mar 04 Happy 95th Birthday Department of Labor
• Mar 04 Don’t Forget How We Got Here
• Feb 14 Chao Down
• Feb 07 Benton, AR Local 2957 Beats City Hall Again
• Jan 28 Unions Grew Last Year Despite Employer Opposition
• Jan 18 Honoring the Dream
• Dec 17 Much Needed Spotlight on Bush NLRB
• Dec 06 The Bill Lucy Lifetime Achievement Award
• Nov 30 What’s New at AFSCME
• Nov 21 Not Thankful for the National Labor Relations Board
• Nov 15 The No Labor Relations Board
• Oct 19 Oregon AFSCME Makes a Statement Why did the AFSCME delegation to Oregon’s AFL-CIO convention walk out just before Gov. Ted Kulongoski (D) arrived to address the union members?
• Oct 12 It’s All About RESPECT
• Sep 28 Who You Gonna Call? Union Busters!
• Sep 26 Unions Keep Growing, AFSCME Leads the Pack
• Sep 20 Workplace Equality for Everyone
• Sep 12 Unions, as Popular as Ever
• Sep 06 AFSCME U. of Minnesota Members on Strike!
• Aug 13 Execs Lavish High Pay on Themselves While Workers are Mired in Poverty
• Aug 06 DE State Employees Win Collective Bargaining Rights
• Aug 01 It’s Collective Bargaining, Not Collective Begging
• Jul 25 A Long-Overdue Raise
• Jul 10 Pennsylvania Stalemate Ends, “Non-Critical” Jobs Restored
• Jun 26 EFCA: Our Fight Has Just Begun
• Jun 14 No Overtime Pay. Unsafe Working Conditions. No Minimum Wage. No More.
• May 18 A Momentous Step in New York
• May 17 Enough Is Enough
• May 10 Good News in the Battle for Better Wages
• Apr 27 Worker Safety: An Unfulfilled Promise
• Apr 19 Collective Bargaining: It’s Our Right, Remember?
• Apr 04 Help Build the Dream
• Apr 02 EFCA Round 2: The Senate
• Mar 26 EFCA: Next Stop, the Senate
• Mar 23 Student Workers Deserve Dignity, Too
• Mar 09 What More Proof Do They Want?
• Mar 01 As Congress Stands Up For Us, Bush Shoots Workers Down
• Feb 28 Workers’ Right to Unionize: Now Is the Time to Act
• Feb 07 Left With No Choice
• Jan 12 MLK Day: A Holiday and a Reminder
• Oct 04 NLRB to Workers: "You Lose."
• Sep 08 Word of the Day: Solidarity
• Sep 01 This Labor Day, an Assault on Public Employees
• Aug 10 AFSCME in Chicago – "They Don't Scare Me Anymore!"
• Aug 09 AFSCME in Chicago -- Voting for What's Right
• Aug 07 AFSCME in Chicago -- Fighting for Bulletproof Vests
• Aug 02 Chicago City Council Thinks Outside The Big Box
• Jul 19 Bush NLRB goes after worker rights
• Jul 19 Don't Mess with NMSU Workers
• Jul 07 Can You Believe This?