Crow Anyone?

Union activists served up big helpings of crow to politicians around the country, reversing anti-worker legislation and fighting for the rights of working men and women.

• Across the country, Labor '96 staff and volunteers stood their ground even though they were outspent 7-to-1 by big business. The results? Bucking the national trend, 4 million more members of labor households voted in 1996 than in 1992. Congress passed legislation that raised the minimum wage and made health care more portable. And Labor '96 helped send pro-worker legislators to Capitol Hill.
• In New York City, the city council, under pressure from D.C. 37 and nearly 100 other unions, overrode a veto by Mayor Rudolph Giuliani (R) and insisted that city contractors pay their workers the prevailing wage.
• In Philadelphia, Mayor Ed Rendell (D) did an about-face in contract negotiations this year. Four years ago, negotiations resulted in concessions, givebacks and a one-day strike. This year, however, thanks to political pressure from AFSCME members, negotiations glided smoothly to their happy conclusion: contracts that include adequate wage increases, job security, health care for retirees and no givebacks.
• Michigan AFSCME members took the 1994 election of an anti-worker state house of representatives as a wake-up call. Hundreds rallied to hold the line for workers across the state and to take back the House in November 1996. On Election Day, the Michigan House gained a pro-worker majority, three labor-endorsed women were sent to the U.S. House, and three AFSCME-backed ballot proposals succeeded.
• Maryland Gov. Parris Glendening (D) gets a green thumbs up from AFSCME. Standing up to threats from big business, he granted 40,000 state employees collective bargaining via executive order. Glendening also named the state-owned World Trade Center in Baltimore a "living-wage building." Contractors must pay their employees -- including 25 custodians, members of AFSCME Local 1711-$6.60 an hour now and $7.70 an hour in 1998. The designation came in July after an 18-month organizing effort by AFSCME and church-based BUILD/ Solidarity Sponsoring Committee.
• In the hometown of "the King," he city of Memphis approved a 5 percent increase for AFSCME-represented workers -- one of the largest raises in a big city last year. Those in communication with Elvis say he's pleased with the deal -- in fact, he's "all shook up."