Millions will be watching tonight’s debate between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump, but the more union members hear about Donald Trump the less they like him. Trump supports dangerous "right to work" laws, refuses to negotiate with working people who formed a union at his hotel and ignores union issues. One of the latest internal polls by the AFL-CIO shows that Trump has plummeted 12 points among union members in the battleground state of Ohio. That’s at least in part because America’s labor movement has unleashed the most comprehensive and sophisticated electoral program in the labor movement’s history. “We are cutting through Trump’s bluster and getting to the heart of his record,” AFL-CIO president Richard Trumka said last week. “Trump may be loud, but we are clear.” The Metro Council will be live-tweeting tonight's debate as well as posting on Facebook. - AFL-CIO Now blog The Community Hub for Opportunities in Construction Employment (CHOICE) Organizing Committee is among this year’s DC Jobs with Justice “I’ll Be There” award winners, who will be recognized on October 20. Click here for details on sponsorships, ads and tickets. DC Jobs with Justice, which the Metro Council helped found 16 years ago, has campaigned this year to ensure employers provide fair scheduling and a path to full-time employment, educated workers about new rights to wages and benefits, pushed for government accountability in enforcing hard-earned protections, and stood with striking workers. “We know our strength is in the collective power of our community, which is why we come together each year to celebrate our work and recognize our leaders,” says Executive Director Elizabeth Falcon. photo: at last Tuesday's rally at DC City Hall; photo by Chris Garlock Tuesday’s performance of “Pray for the Dead-A Musical Tale of Morgues, Moguls and Mutiny” benefits Reverend Graylan Hagler’s Plymouth Congregational Church. “Reverend Hagler generously donated rehearsal space that played an important role in helping Pray for the Dead come alive this summer,” says the musical’s author, Gene Bruskin. “Reverend Hagler and Plymouth have played a central role in many of the most progressive movements in our area for years. The church is undergoing extensive and expensive renovation to make it fully accessible and deserves the community’s full support.” The labor musical features morgue workers as the unlikely protagonists as it tackles the issues of inequality, attacks on unions and corporate and political corruption. For more information contact: plymouthcongreg[email protected] or click here. “The labor movement's political activity is aimed at encouraging the greatest possible participation in elections. Democracy cannot succeed if only the rich and powerful have and use the votes.”
George Meany was the key figure in the creation of the AFL-CIO and served as the AFL-CIO's first president, from 1955 to 1979. |