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Massachusetts AFL-CIO Weekly Labor Reader Monday Newsletter Edition Monday October 26, 2009 Robert J. Haynes, President
This Week's Labor Quote: "The truth is, we have always been about innovation. We have always been about discovery. That's in our DNA. The truth is, we also face more complex challenges than generations past. A medical system that holds the promise of unlocking new cures is attached to a health care system that has the potential to bankrupt families and business and our government." - President Barack Obama in a speech on clean technology at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology on Friday October 23, 2009. What's Happening at the Massachusetts AFL-CIO *Remember
most of these stories can be found at www.massaflcio.org.
Thursday
October 29th is going to be a monumental day as there will be a
public legislative hearing at the State House where the
Committee on Economic Development and Emerging Technologies will
be accepting testimonies on gaming in the Commonwealth.
Union members are encouraged to attend to show your support for
"An Act Establishing and Regulating Resort-Style Entertainment
in the Commonwealth." A
demonstration of support will be at the Boston Common near the
State House Thursday morning at 8:00 AM. The hearing is
scheduled to begin at 10:00 AM in the Gardner Auditorium.
Click the headline for more information.
"This
Commonwealth and our government must step up and step in to
correct the injustices and unfair treatment of homeowners caused
by the unregulated system..." Click the headline to read
the testimony supporting three bills to turn the foreclosure
crisis around.
On October 29th Governor Patrick will
be making his recommendations for 9-C cuts to help address the
budget shortfall. Click the headline to find out how you
can help encourage the Governor to address our current
state fiscal crisis with a combination of federal funds, rainy
day funds, and more revenue options - not cuts to essential
services and jobs that working families rely on.
Think Before You Ink!
Fight the Special Interests Attempting to Roll Back the Sales
Tax
There is a small group of individuals and out-of-state special interests gathering signatures to drastically reduce the Massachusetts sales tax. This risky initiative would cut more than $2.5 billion out of the annual state budget. It would leave hard-working men and women unemployed and drastically cut vital services. Click the headline for more details and to see how you can help stop this. The 24th
Annual Berkshire County Legislative Breakfast was held on
Sunday, October 18th 2009. It turned out to be a very special
day for Robert Wilson, business agent of IBEW Local 7 of
Springfield and Robert Bower, Political Director of the
Massachusetts AFL-CIO. Wilson was named this year’s
Labor Person of the Year and Robert Bower was the first ever
recipient of the U.S. Sen. Edward M. Kennedy Memorial
Award.
Target 5000: Do
You Know Union Members Holding Public
Office? Email Tim Sullivan at tsullivan@massaflcio.org with any story you would
like to see featured in the Weekly Labor
Reader.
SOS - Share Organizing
Stories!
Email John Drinkwater at jdrinkwater@massaflcio.org with information about your organizing efforts and successes so they can appear in our Weekly Labor Reader. Labor in the Community
If you or your union are involved in
charitable work or other contributions to the community
at-large, please send us some information so that we can help
you recruit support and spread the word about the many good
works done by the labor movement in the area.
Email Tim Sullivan at tsullivan@massaflcio.org about
your community service and favorite charities so they can appear
in the Weekly Labor Reader.
Working Families State Job Lot
Click the headline
above for a full job posting.
Click the headline to read the full job
posting.
Click the headline
for a job posting.
If
you are in search of employment in the labor community you
should type the following into your Internet browser:
http://www.unionjobs.com. If the link does not work, try copying and
pasting the link into your Internet browser or typing
in the entire address.
If you would like to have a job you are seeking to
fill posted on our Weekly Labor Reader please email the
information to Tim Sullivan at tsullivan@massaflcio.org.
Until Next
Week...
The Boston Globe
editorialized on the profound work ahead of every candidate in
the special election for U.S. Senate to succeed the late Edward
M. Kennedy to prove that they are best to fill his enormous
shoes, echoing sentiments felt by the Labor Movement as it
strives to determine who best to pick up the torch as
Labor's Champion in the U.S. Congress. Part of "For Senate, Mass. demands
leaders, not back-benchers" reads, "...An
important career in law enforcement, effective service as a
mayor of a changing city, a lucrative business career, and a
record of innovation in promoting volunteerism aren’t
proof of success in the US Senate. Ted Kennedy is gone.
The most appropriate tribute to him will be to measure his
potential replacements by his impressive standards. The Senate
candidates should be on notice that over the next seven weeks
they will be judged as leaders. Kennedy left large shoes,
and the people of Massachusetts will support whichever
candidate is best able to fill
them." Click
here to read
the full editorial.
This Thursday night,
the Massachusetts AFL-CIO will hold its own Mass. AFL-CIO U.S. Senate Special Election
Candidate Forum, and this Friday morning, the Massachusetts AFL-CIO Executive Council
C.O.P.E. Commitee will vote on endorsement to
determine which candidate is the most willing, able and
committed to carrying on Edward Kennedy's legacy in the U.S.
Senate.
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