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Brothers and Sisters,
Last week, President Obama
once again reiterated his support for the Employee Free Choice
Act. Click here to watch the video. Brothers and Sisters, we are poised to see labor law reform in 2009 but we must keep the pressure on at home! We are headed into another Congressional Recess with unprecedented grass roots activity planned calling for passage of the Employee Free Choice Act. Next week we need to make sure Senator Bayh can see, hear, and feel our presence around the state. That means phone calls, emails, faxes, attending events, and writing letters to the editor of your local papers are incredibly important. We need to let Senator Bayh know that Indiana is counting on him to help restore the middle class and worker's rights. Finally, be sure to visit the Indiana Employee Free Choice Act blog regularly. The blog provides videos, pictures, sample messages and phone scripts, a calendar of upcoming events and much more. Follow the link below to visit the blog. http://www.employeefreechoice.typepad.com/in/ We can do this Hoosiers!
In Solidarity, In this Issue: 1) Highlights from Stewart Acuff's Visit Last Week 2) Spotlight: UFCW Local 227 3) Ally of the Week: Pastor Richard Willoughby 4) Upcoming Events 5) In the News 6) Take Action! 7) Campaign
Contacts 1) Highlights from
Stewart Acuff's Visit Last
Week
Clarksville
Panel Evansville Block
Walk IUPUI
Debate This week Stewart Acuff, Special Assistant to President John Sweeney, took Indiana by storm. On Wednesday Brother Acuff participated in an editorial board meeting in Northwest Indiana along with President Ken Zeller, Allison Luthe from Jobs with Justice, Renaye Manley from Interfaith Worker Justice, and Tom Perez who works at Georgia Pacific and is a proud new member of the United Steelworkers. On Wednesday evening you may have caught Brother Acuff on the Concerned Clergy Town Hall Radio Show in Indianapolis. Stewart and host Aaron Haith discussed the impact our current economic mess has had on the African American community specifically and how the Employee Free Choice Act would help.
Then on Thursday, the South Central Indiana CLC and UFCW Local 227 hosted a panel of speakers on the Employee Free Choice Act at their working lunch in Clarksville. Stewart Acuff was the keynote speaker and over 50 activists turned out for the event. Click here to view photos from the event. Next stop was Evansville, where the
Southern Indiana CLC had a block walk scheduled. With 35
local workers and family members ready to hit the streets for
the Employee Free Choice Act, Brother Acuff received a warm
reception. Click here to view the photos from
Evansville. Finally, on Friday the IUPUI School of Law held a debate on the Employee Free Choice Act. Stewart Acuff faced off with the Vice President of the Chamber of Commerce, Randel Johnson. With Brother Acuff clearly winning the debate, Mr. Johnson seemed to grow frustrated early on and it wasn't just union members who thought so. Mr. John Neighbours, a management attorney who was tasked with acting as a moderator in the debate, intervened twice with hardball questions against the labor movement's position. Stewart, a veteran debater on this issue, had no trouble addressing each point and added with a confident smile, "I thought I was only debating Mr. Johnson today." Watch the debate on Youtube by following the links below. Debate Q&A To see pictures from the debate,
click here. Big thanks to all Hoosiers who
helped make Stewart's visit a success!!
2) Spotlight: UFCW Local 227
UFCW Local 227 helped organize a great Working Lunch last week in Clarksville, Indiana. On Thursday, May 14, members from UFCW Local 227 were joined by BCTGM Local 33G, CWA Local 3310, IBEW Local 369, IUE/CWA Local 761, and UAW Local 862 to hear a panel of speakers on the Employee Free Choice Act. The panel consisted of Allison Luthe from Jobs with Justice, Eric Lawhorn, the Vice President of the Clark County Democrats, Trent Deckard with Representative Baron Hill's office, Vice President White with the NAACP, Marty Meyer from Kentucky Representative John Yarmuth's office, and keynote speaker Stewart Acuff. Bob Laughead, Director for Local 227 and President of the South Central Indiana CLC, served as moderator and encouraged all in attendance to make a phone call and write a letter to Senator Bayh before they left and also bring home materials to get their families and friends involved. "Making one phone call and writing
one letter is not going to cut it, we need to make sure our
friends and family across the state understand what's at stake
with the Employee Free Choice Act and get involved themselves,"
urged Brother Laughead. "The Employee Free Choice Act will not only give workers a fair path to choose to form a union, but when workers choose a union it will give them the right to a first contract," said Gary K. Best, president, United Food and Commercial Workers Local 227. "Too often companies engage in tactics to deny workers the right to a collective bargaining agreement." See videos from the Working Lunch below! To see Allison Luthe click
here. Thanks for all your hard work and
leadership UFCW Local 227! 3) Ally of the Week: Pastor Richard Willoughby
Richard Willoughby is the Senior Pastor at Promise Land Christian Community Church and also the President of Concerned Clergy in Indianapolis. Pastor Willoughby is an outspoken advocate for the Employee Free Choice Act and recently traveled to Washington, D.C. to voice his support to Senator Evan Bayh. "Unions, union members, and those workers who are denied the right to a union are always in my heart," explained Pastor Willoughby. "Giving workers the ability to improve their lives and the lives of their families through collective bargaining is the American way, and I know in my heart that we will prevail in this battle." Pastor Willoughby is a retired UAW
member and a dues paying member to IBEW Local 481, and knows
from experience the difference having a voice in the workplace
can make. See video of Pastor Willoughby talking about his
commitment to getting the Employee Free Choice Act passed here. In addition to fighting for worker's rights, Pastor Willoughby and his church provide a long list of programs, services, and support that uplift the surrounding community. Promise Land Christian Community Church has a food pantry, youth programs, offender re-entry programs, drug rehab and counseling, a senior citizen's ministry, street evangelism, and a 'fatherhood 101' course. We thank Pastor Willoughby and
Promise Land Community Church for all they do to help uplift our
communities in Indianapolis and their continued advocacy for the
Employee Free Choice Act.
4) Upcoming Events Working Dinner in Terre
Haute National Day of Action!
South Bend Vigil
Indy Faith Vigil
Clergy for EFCA
Breakfast EFCA Town Hall Meeting
Visit this link to stay up
to date on upcoming events:
5) In the News New Study Released by Kate
Bronfenbrenner
"Who Are Our Senators Representing on
Employee Legislation?"
"IUN Teach-In Mobilizes Support for
Pro-Union Law"
"Free Choice Act Allows Secret Ballot
Elections"
"Free Choice Act
Touted by Visiting AFL-CIO Leader" 6) Take Action! Follow these easy steps to help make sure the Employee Free Choice Act gets to President Obama's desk! 1. Write a letter, email, or fax to Senator Evan Bayh. a. Click here for sample messages. b. Click here Senator Bayh's office locations and fax numbers. c. Click here to email Senator Bayh.
Still not sure what to
write?
7) Campaign Contacts President Indiana AFL-CIO: Ken Zeller (317) 632-9147 or kzeller@inaflcio.org State Lead: Ramon Becerra (312) 330-2040 or rbecerra@aflcio.org Member to Member: Steven Henderson (317) 632-9147 or shenderson@inaflcio.org Communications: Kaitlin DeCero (412) 417-5984 or kdecero@employeefreechoice.org Faith: Nancy Holle (317) 509-7453 or nancyholle1@aol.com and Lettie Oliver (317) 508-5184 or loliver@inaflcio.org Community: Allison Luthe (317) 450-4019 or Allison@centralindianajwj.org and Shawn Phetteplace (703) 606-2396 or sphetteplace@afscme.org Small Business: Susan Fuldauer (317) 727-4505 or susanfuldauer@sbcglobal.net Evansville Area Lead: Randy Kiser (573) 489-2449 or rkiser@aflcio.org Fort Wayne Area Lead: Jim Lowe (614) 397-7512 or jlowe@aflcio.org South Bend Area Lead: Mary Theurer (202) 316-2910 or mtheurer@aflcio.org |
