ATU Action Weekly Update - 5/1/06

Today is May Day!

And that means its International Workers Day.  On May 1, 1886, nearly 300,000 strikers nationwide and 40,000 in Chicago took part in demonstrations for the eight hour day.  Since then, workers around the globe have joined in May Day events to celebrate their victories and continue to fight for their rights.

So it's fitting that immigrant workers across the United States today are rallying for justice.  As many as 300,000 marchers are expected in Chicago, home of the 1886 Haymarket Riot.  Some organizations are also calling for workers to stay home as part of an economic boycott.  Some employers have made plans to support their workers by closing shop for the day, while others have chosen to keep their businesses open.

In the words of AFL-CIO Executive Vice President Linda Chavez-Thompson:  "On this May Day, there are some beautiful ways we can honor the Haymarket martyrs of 120 years ago, and one of the very best ways is to give all of our support and energy to support justice for immigrants today."

 

Three More Backers Needed for EFCA

Three more co-sponsors.  That's all that's needed to get a majority of House members to sign on to a bill that would level the playing field when workers try to form a union.

Republican Representatives Jim Gerlach (PA) and Christopher Smith (NJ) added their names to the list of co-sponsors of the Employee Free Choice Act (EFCA), bringing the number of co-sponsors to 215 in the U.S. House, three short of a majority.  There are 42 co-sponsors in the U.S. Senate.

Click here to see a complete list of co-sponsors of H.R. 1696 in the House, or click here to see a complete list of co-sponsors of S. 842 in the Senate.

Let's push the remaining members to sign on now.  If your Senators and/or Representative have not yet signed on - urge them to support the legislation today.  Click on the following link to send them a message:  http://www.unionvoice.org/campaign/Support_EFCA.

The Employee Free Choice Act would strengthen protections for workers' freedom to choose by: (1) providing for majority verification (commonly known as card-check) as a means by which workers can freely express their choice whether or not to form a union, limiting interference from the employer; (2) creating meaningful penalties, including treble back-pay awards and civil fines of up to $20,000, for employer violations of employee rights under the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA); and (3) providing for first-contract mediation and arbitration supervised by the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Services (FMCS). 

 

USA Today Opposes So-Called 65% Solution

In an editorial in yesterday's edition of the widely-read newspaper, USA Today joined the ranks of organizations (inlcuding the ATU) opposed to the so-called 65% Solution for public education.   

Led by prominent anti-public education activists, the Washington, D.C.-based group, First Class Education (FCE), seeks to enact legislation or pass ballot initiatives in every state mandating that 65 percent of all school district dollars be spent "in the classroom," as dictated by their narrow and misleading definition of what constitutes "classroom instruction."  FCE claims - falsely - that such a requirement will reduce school "waste" while improving student achievement.  The group also claims - falsely - that the measure will increase money for schools without requiring an increase in overall spending or taxes.

Despite its seductive claims, the 65% Solution initiative is no solution at all.  Rather it is 100 percent deception, a simplistic and arbitrary gimmick that would actually harm schools and students, and threaten the jobs of school support staff, including school bus employees. 

The ATU has joined with the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), the Transportation Trades Department of the AFL-CIO (TTD), and other unions representing school personnel to fight these initiatives across the country.  Initiatives are already underway in Florida, Indiana, Missouri, Oregon, Washington, Ohio and Georgia. 

In yesterday's newspaper, USA Today refered to the initiative as the "latest in education fads" and states that "it ignored fundamental issues."  To read the USA Today editorial, go to: http://www.usatoday.com/news/opinion/editorials/2006-04-30-our-view_x.htm

To learn more about the myths and facts of the 65% Solution, go to: http://www.atu.org/docs/political_legislative/documents/65percent.pdf

 

Are You - or Do You Know - an ATU Member Who Has Been Elected to Public Office?

Ted Mohr, a Retired Member of ATU Local 587 in Seattle, Washington, is a Precint Committee Officer for the Democratic Party in Whatcom County, Washington. 

Karl Cook, a Member of ATU Local 241 in Chicago, Illinois, is currently running for a position as a Cook County Commissioner.  His election will be on November 7, 2006. 

Daniel Kozub, a Member of ATU Local 1342 in Buffalo, New York, was elected to the Erie County Legislature on November 8, 2005.

Have you, like Brothers Mohr, Cook and Kozub, been elected to public office, selected for a state or local political party position, or are you currently seeking election to public office?  Do you know of any ATU Brothers or Sisters who have been elected or are currently seeking election to public office?

If so, please let us know by sending an email to atuaction@atu.org,  Please include the member's name, the office held or sought, and the date of election.  Thanks.