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Massachusetts AFL-CIO Weekly Labor Reader Monday Newsletter Edition Monday November 2, 2009 Robert J. Haynes, President
This Week's Labor Quote: "As this debate continues, I hope we will pause for a moment -- to hear Ted Kennedy's voice in the quiet of our hearts. You and I know, he will urge us to seize this moment -- to come together in this common cause, and to make sure, at long last, that all Americans will have access to the quality, affordable health care that they have long deserved and so urgently need." - Senator Paul Kirk of Massachusetts delivering his maiden speech on the floor of the U.S. Senate on Tuesday, October 27th. Click here to read an article from the Boston Globe about the speech, as well as Senator Kirk's full remarks. What's Happening at the Massachusetts AFL-CIO *Remember
most of these stories can be found at www.massaflcio.org.
On Thursday,
October 29th, the four Democratic candidates running in the
special primary election to replace the late Edward M. Kennedy
in the U.S. Senate gathered at the Iron Workers Local 7 hall in
South Boston to discuss labor and economic issues and make their
pitch for the endorsement of the Massachusetts AFL-CIO. The
following day, the Massachusetts AFL-CIO COPE Committee voted
not to make an endorsement in the primary race. Click the
headline above to read a story about the forum and find links to
news coverage about the event.
The Joint
Committee on Economic Development and Emerging Technologies held
a hearing on several bills which would introduce destination
resort casinos to the commonwealth on Thursday, October 29th, at
which President Haynes and other labor leaders testified. Prior
to the hearing, hundreds of union members gathered on the State
House steps to express their support for the jobs and revenue
that would be created by these proposals. Click the headline
above to read more about the hearing and rally.
Click here to see President
Haynes' speech on the State House steps prior to the
hearing.
Click the
headline above to read President Haynes' remarks as prepared for
delivery on Monday, November 2nd at a hearing of the Joint
Committee on Environment, Natural Resources and
Agriculture. President
Haynes and other labor leaders testified in support of the
Temporary Workers' Right to Know bill on Wednesday, October
28th. This important legislation would provide temporary workers
with basic information about their job that they are not
currently entitled to, including their rate of pay, any known
safety hazards on the worksite and how many hours they are
expected to work. Click the headline above to read a story about
the hearing.
Click the
headline above to read a letter from Massachusetts AFL-CIO Vice
President Warren Pepicelli to the Massachusetts labor
community.
Massachusetts Director of Labor George Noel was
selected as the recipient of the Richard M. Fontera Award from
the University of Massachusetts at Dartmouth for his commitment
to education and the ideals of democracy and social justice.
Click the headline above to read a press release from the Mass.
Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development announcing
the award.
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.
Target 5000: Do You Know Union
Members Holding Public Office?
Click the headline to visit the Massachusetts AFL-CIO's new Target 5000 webpage, describing the State Federation's efforts to elect union members to all levels of 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!
Last week, 12
members of the Major League Baseball Players Association (MLBPA)
released a statement expressing their support for the Employee
Free Choice Act, saying that all workers should have the
opportunity to bargain with their employers, as professional
athletes do. Click the headline above to read the statement and
see which players are standing up for Employee Free
Choice.
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
Click the headline
above to read a story featured on the Boy Scouts of America
website about the annual Boston Minuteman Council dinner where
President Haynes was honored for his many contributions to the
lives of children in the commonwealth.
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...
Click the headline
above to visit a new blog dedicated to workplace rights in
Massachusetts.
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