In This Issue:     1) Labor Leader of the Week: Tom Szymanski, IBEW Local 765 2) Ally of the Week: Indiana NAACP 3) In the News 4) Take Action! 5) Campaign Contacts

Kaitlin DeCero, our Communications Director, has just been reassigned to Louisiana in the Employee Free Choice Act fight and has departed for Baton Rouge.  Here is a message she wanted to share with the state:

It's been an absolute pleasure working with all of you.  Indiana's labor movement is like none other; all of your accomplishments in the election were remarkable and now you have elevated the national Employee Free Choice Act campaign to a point where we are truly on the verge of seeing our goals become reality.  As a lifelong Hoosier myself, I could not be prouder of the work we have done together.   Please continue this fight in the media, letters to the editor and opinion editorials have helped make our campaign here what it is today and we cannot let up now.    

Thanks for all that you do!

In Solidarity,

Kaitlin DeCero

The Indiana NAACP is yet another unwavering ally in the fight for passage of the Employee Free Choice Act.  The NAACP has 4800 members across Indiana with 22 active chapters, 4 college chapters, and 4 youth councils.  Indiana State President Barbara Bolling explained that her organization’s main objective is furthering education of its members and the general public.  President Bolling always has petitions, letters, and general information about the Employee Free Choice Act available at NAACP events in Indiana. 

“Once we explain to our members what the bill actually does, there’s no need to sell it.  They understand why we are in the current economic situation we find ourselves in and are willing to do whatever it takes to make sure that once again workers have a choice to join a union,” said President Bolling.

Click here to see video of President Barbara Bolling. 

The Evansville NAACP chapter is led by Rev. Gerald Arnold and he too has found that the more people know about the Employee Free Choice Act, ‘the more they want it.’ 

“We need to add some teeth to the laws,” said Rev. Arnold.  “Unions will protect workers and make sure everyone is treated fairly and those are principles that the NAACP believes deeply in.” 

See video of Rev. Arnold here.

The Indiana AFL-CIO would also like to take this opportunity to wish the NAACP a happy 100^th anniversary this year!  Thanks for all you do, and will continue to do in order to further social justice.