AFL-CIO Blog

  • Make a Family Plan to Vote: What Working People Are Doing This Week
    Make a Family Plan to Vote: What Working People Are Doing This Week Welcome to our regular feature, a look at what the various AFL-CIO unions and other working family organizations are doing across the country and beyond. The labor movement is big and active—here's a look at the broad range of activities we're engaged in this week. Actors' Equity: AFGE: AFSCME: Air Line Pilots Association: Alliance for Retired Americans: Amalgamated Transit Union: American Federation of Musicians: American Federation of Teachers: American Postal Workers Union: Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance: Association of Flight Attendants-CWA: Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers: Boilermakers: Bricklayers: California School Employees Association: Coalition of Black Trade Unionists: Coalition of Labor Union Women: Communications Workers of America: Department for Professional Employees: Electrical Workers: Farm Labor Organizing Committee: Fire Fighters: Heat and Frost Insulators: International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers: International Labor Communications Association: Ironworkers: Italian American Actors: Jobs With Justice: Labor Council for Latin American Advancement: Laborers: Longshoremen: Machinists: Metal Trades Department: Mine Workers: Musical Artists: National Air Traffic Controllers Association: National Association of Letter Carriers: National Day Laborer Organizing Network: National Domestic Workers Alliance: National Federation of Federal Employees: National Nurses United: National Taxi Workers Alliance: NFL Players Association: North America's Building Trades Unions: Office and Professional Employees: Painters and Allied Trades: Plasterers and Cement Masons: Professional Aviation Safety Specialists: Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union: Roofers and Waterproofers: SAG-AFTRA: School Administrators: Solidarity Center: The NewsGuild-CWA: Theatrical Stage Employees: Transport Workers Union: Transportation Trades Department: UAW: Union Label and Service Trades Department: Union Veterans Council: UNITE HERE: United Food and Commercial Workers: United Steelworkers: United Students Against Sweatshops: Utility Workers: Working America: Writers Guild of America, East: Kenneth Quinnell Wed, 10/14/2020 - 15:59 — Oct 14
  • Service + Solidarity Spotlight: Wyoming AFL-CIO and Affiliates Register New Voters in Cheyenne
    Service + Solidarity Spotlight: Wyoming AFL-CIO and Affiliates Register New Voters in Cheyenne Working people across the United States have stepped up to help out our friends, neighbors and communities during these trying times. In our regular Service + Solidarity Spotlight series, we’ll showcase one of these stories every day. Here’s today’s story. The Wyoming State AFL-CIO held a voter registration drive outside at the Cheyenne Historic Depot Plaza on Oct. 3, as part of Fire Fighters (IAFF) Local 279’s annual chili cook-off, supporting the local’s Fill the Boot campaign in raising funds for the Muscular Dystrophy Association. It was the single best registration drive in Wyoming this year, a place where local races are often won and lost by a handful of votes. Another voter registration drive will be held Oct. 10 at the Electrical Workers (IBEW) hall. State federation Executive Secretary Tammy Johnson (USW) said: “We had a fabulous event with our brothers and sisters from IAFF, IBEW, Laborers (LIUNA), AFGE and the Communications Workers of America (CWA). The Wyoming State AFL-CIO is proud to be part of a giving, vibrant and growing union movement.” Kenneth Quinnell Wed, 10/14/2020 - 09:24 Tags: COVID-19, Community Service — Oct 14
  • Service + Solidarity Spotlight: ‘Drive Thru to Beat the Flu’ Event Hosted by Hawaii State AFL-CIO
    Service + Solidarity Spotlight: ‘Drive Thru to Beat the Flu’ Event Hosted by Hawaii State AFL-CIO Working people across the United States have stepped up to help out our friends, neighbors and communities during these trying times. In our regular Service + Solidarity Spotlight series, we’ll showcase one of these stories every day. Here’s today’s story. The Hawaii State AFL-CIO’s Labor Community Services Program partnered with My Health Solutions in anticipation of an active flu season amidst a global pandemic. To combat the “twindemic” of COVID-19 and influenza, a drive-through flu vaccination clinic called Drive Thru to Beat the Flu was held in Honolulu last Saturday and Sunday. “Our clinic was available to everyone with or without insurance. So many of our people have either been furloughed or have lost their jobs and their health insurance due to COVID-19. We know a healthier community is a way to get people back to work and create more stability in our lives. We intend to take this program to the neighboring islands in November,” said Catherine Lederer (AFSCME), director of the Labor Community Services Program. Some 700 people were vaccinated over the two days. Kenneth Quinnell Tue, 10/13/2020 - 09:44 Tags: COVID-19, Community Service — Oct 13
  • National Hispanic Heritage Month Profiles: Henry L. 'Hank' Lacayo
    National Hispanic Heritage Month Profiles: Henry L. 'Hank' Lacayo CSUCI Throughout National Hispanic Heritage Month, the AFL-CIO will be profiling labor leaders and activists to spotlight the diverse contributions Hispanics and Latinos have made to our movement. Today's profile features Henry L. "Hank" Lacayo. A longtime staple of labor, political and academic circles in California, Henry L. "Hank" Lacayo was a force from his beginnings in the labor movement in the 1950s all the way up to his passing in 2017. He was born in Los Angeles in 1931 but moved to Mexico when he was young. He returned to California for high school. Upon graduating, he joined the Air Force. After his military service ended, Lacayo went to work at North American Aviation (later Rockwell International) in 1953. Within a few years, he not only became involved in UAW Local 887, he quickly rose to a full-time employee of the local and served as editor of its newspaper. UAW President Walter P. Reuther encouraged Lacayo to continue his labor activism, and in 1962, he was elected president of Local 887, a position he held for 10 years. He represented more than 30,000 working people at Rockwell, both as union president and chief national negotiator for UAW-Rockwell contracts. His hard work led to an assistant director position for the UAW Western Region, covering nine states, along with serving as the region's political director. In 1974, he moved to Detroit to work at UAW's national headquarters. He served as an administrative assistant to three UAW presidents and was appointed national director of the political and legislative department and later national director of the public relations and publications departments. He retired from the UAW in 1986 but continued in public life. He created H.L. & Associates, a consulting firm representing clients in labor and management, government, community relations, senior citizen advocacy and international affairs. He actively participated in the California State University Channel Islands (CSUCI) institute that bears his name, the Henry L. "Hank" Lacayo Institute for Workforce & Community Studies. He also advised presidential administrations, from John F. Kennedy to Barack Obama. He devoted time to civic duties, including strengthening the Ventura County Community Foundation and establishing the Destino Hispanic Legacy Fund that provides scholarships and other funding to the Latino community. Lacayo received an honorary doctorate from CSUCI and was inducted into the Pacific Coast Business Times Hall of Fame in 2012. Check out this video tribute to Lacayo: This post originally appeared on the AFL-CIO blog in 2018. Kenneth Quinnell Fri, 10/09/2020 - 11:38 — Oct 9
  • The Right to Vote Safely: The Working People Weekly List
    The Right to Vote Safely: The Working People Weekly List Every week, we bring you a roundup of the top news and commentary about issues and events important to working families. Here’s the latest edition of the Working People Weekly List. National Hispanic Heritage Month Profiles: Henry L. 'Hank' Lacayo: "Throughout National Hispanic Heritage Month, the AFL-CIO will be profiling labor leaders and activists to spotlight the diverse contributions Hispanics and Latinos have made to our movement. Today's profile features Henry L. 'Hank' Lacayo." FLOC Co-Hosts Black/Brown Unity Coalition Peace Rally: "On Saturday, members of the Farm Labor Organizing Committee (FLOC) co-hosted the Black/Brown Unity Coalition peace rally. At the end of 2017, the coalition came together and signed a historic code of conduct agreement with the Toledo Police Department that brought reform to the department and developed a community grievance mechanism." ILA Secures Contractual Protections for Members Impacted by COVID-19: "Thousands of members of the Longshoremen (ILA) are set to benefit from an amendment to the union’s master contract with their employers at the United States Maritime Alliance Ltd. (USMX). ILA International President Harold Daggett told members in a letter sent last week that those covered under the union’s contract will not experience a loss of health care coverage because of any reduction in their 2020 work hours caused by COVID-19." A Big Organizing Win in the South: Worker Wins: "Our latest roundup of worker wins begins with one of the largest hospital organizing victories in the South since 1975 and includes numerous examples of working people organizing, bargaining and mobilizing for a better life." Texas AFL-CIO Fights for the Right to Vote Safely: "Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, an anti-worker politician, is making a last-minute attempt to suppress votes ahead of unexpectedly competitive elections in the Lone Star State. With a month left to vote, Abbott signed an executive order on Thursday limiting each county to only one drop-off site for those voters who wish to turn in their ballots early. Texas AFL-CIO President Rick Levy (TSEU/CWA) responded, calling it an attempt to suppress the right to vote." National Hispanic Heritage Month Profiles: Esther López: "Throughout National Hispanic Heritage Month, the AFL-CIO will be profiling labor leaders and activists to spotlight the diverse contributions Hispanics and Latinos have contributed to our movement. Today's profile features Esther López." Economy Gains 661,000 Jobs in September; Unemployment Declines to 7.9%: "The U.S. economy gained 661,000 jobs in September, and the unemployment rate declined to 7.9%, according to figures released Friday morning by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The improvements reflect the continued resumption of economic activity that previously was curtailed because of the COVID-19 pandemic." MM&P Backs COVID-19 Relief Funding for Maritime Security Program: "Masters, Mates & Pilots (MM&P) thanked the House leadership and supports the new version of the HEROES Act, introduced in Congress earlier this week to provide COVID-19 relief. The legislative package includes emergency funding for the Maritime Security Program, which provides America’s military access to a variety of vessels, including privately owned U.S.-flag ships operated by members of MM&P and other U.S. maritime unions." Poor People’s Campaign Marches on the Supreme Court: "The Rev. Dr. William J. Barber II, co-chair of the Poor People's Campaign: A National Call for Moral Revival, led 100 leaders of different faiths in a silent march from Capitol Hill to the Supreme Court to honor the lives of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Breonna Taylor, and to remind us all of the importance and urgency of voting. 'My brothers and sisters, I would rather not be here to render judgment on what’s going on. But I do know there comes a time when the men and women of God have to call it,' Barber explained." Vote for Worker-Friendly Candidates: In the States Roundup: "It's time once again to take a look at the ways working people are making progress in the states." UWUA Helps America’s Veterans Transition to Good Jobs: "The Utility Workers’ (UWUA’s) Power for America Training Trust Fund (P4A) announced last week it is the recipient of a $200,000 Lumina Foundation grant to help service members successfully transition into post-military careers." Kenneth Quinnell Fri, 10/09/2020 - 10:39 — Oct 9