Special Event: Bill Fletcher on State Of American Labor

"Challenges Facing Organized Labor in the Great Recession" at NCSU (10/29)

Bill Fletcher is Director of the Field Services and Education Department of AFGE. He's also one of the leading activists and writers today on labor and race in the United States.

The Department of History at North Carolina State University is sponsoring a talk by Bill Fletcher on Thursday, October 29, 2009 at 3:00 pm in Withers Hall room #331. The event is free and open to the public.

What: Talk with Bill Fletcher on Challenges Facing Labor in the Great Recession
When: Thursday, October 29, 2009 at 3:00 pm
Where: Withers Hall room #331 on campus of NCSU, Raleigh, NC (map it)

Fletcher is the co-author of the book Solidarity Divided: The Crisis in Organized Labor and a New Path Toward Social Justice.

"Anyone concerned with the struggles of America's working people is going to be fascinated by this rare, insiders' look at the external forces and internal fumblings that have so drastically weakened the labor movement. Both in its sweeping analysis and priceless reportage, SOLIDARITY DIVIDED is a deeply illuminating book and a solid argument for why our unions need to reclaim their historic heritage as a militant, grassroots movement."
-- Barbara Ehrenreich, author of Nickel and Dimed

Fletcher was formerly the vice president for International Trade Union Development Programs for the George Meany Center of the AFL-CIO. Prior to his work at the George Meany Center, Fletcher served as AFL-CIO Education Director and later as Assistant to the President of the AFL-CIO.

Fletcher got his start in the labor movement as a rank-and-file member of the Industrial Union of Marine and Shipbuilding Workers of America. Combining labor and community work, he was also involved in ongoing efforts to desegregate the Boston building trades. He later served in leadership and staff positions in United Auto Workers District 65, the National Postal Mail Handlers Union, and the Service Employees International Union (SEIU).

For more information about this special event, contact Professor David Zonderman at 919-513-2222 or david_zonderman@ncsu.edu

Women of Steel in NC Raise Cervical Cancer Awareness

Coalition promotes Pearl of Wisdom as worldwide symbol prevention

Women of Steel chapters around the state are educating union members about cervical cancer, which is highly preventable. The Coalition of Labor Union Women (CLUW) has a web site with facts about the disease.

Women of Steel and CLUW are members of the Pearl of Wisdom Campaign to Prevent Cervical Cancer (www.pearlofwisdom.us).

Cervical cancer is the second most common cancer in women worldwide. In the U.S., the American Cancer society estimates that 11,070 women will have been diagnosed with cervical cancer and 3,870 women will have died of the disease in 2008. Cervical cancer is caused by high-risk types of the human papillomavirus (HPV). HPV is a very common sexually transmitted infection that 3 of 4 adults will have at some time in their lives. Most of these infections go away on their own without treatment. Infections that do not go away on their own can lead to cervical cancer.

The good news is HPV infections are preventable. Women of Steel hopes to raise awareness about HPV testing and prevention among union members and their families throughout North Carolina.

Track Meet: Great New Video for Public Option

From our health care reform allies at Moveon.org

Heather Graham stars as the Public Option in this funny ad, showing how she'll force the lazy, bloated private insurance companies to get back in the game and compete. After all, competition is as American as apple pie. Actor Peter Coyote narrates.

Watch the video, then share it with your social network:

Here's the transcript:

Insurance companies have gotten lazy, bloated from the profits of raising our health care costs sky high while the health care crisis keeps getting worse and worse.

The Public Option is the key to quality, affordable health care coverage for Americans, and over 70% of Americans want the public option.

Some in Washington say this is unfair competition, but competition is as American as apple pie.

Call 202-224-3121 and tell Congress we need a public health insurance option, now.

You can call the Congress toll-free instead by using this number: 1-877-3-AFL-CIO (1-877-323-5246).