On the AFL-CIO’s latest ‘State of the Unions’ podcast, President Richard Trumka talked about labor's role in uniting America:
"We live with solidarity. We live because we come together. And if the country would look at us and the example that we set with our solidarity, they’d know that you can’t stand divided. A nation divided simply won’t stand very long. And the polarization that we’re seeing unfortunately is being fed by politicians for their own benefit. Some, they want to create fear, they want to create havoc so that you have to look to them. Only I have the answer. And so, they create that fear and try to use it to their advantage. I think that’s totally unacceptable. That’s totally un-American. Our country’s strongest when we stand together. Our labor movement is strongest when we stand together. And so, it’s gonna take us, I think, being willing to take a little bit of a risk and extend a hand. Because somebody’s gotta do it, and everybody’s afraid to do it. I think we must be the ones, ‘cause no one else will." Check out the podcast on your favorite podcast app, just search for “State of the Unions.” In today’s labor history, on this date in 1946, the Oakland General Strike was called by a thousand shopworkers, mainly women, who went on strike at two city department stores that refused to let workers organize. The local Labor Council declared a "Work Holiday," and 100,000 workers walked off their jobs. The retail workers won the right to unionize five months later. Today’s labor quote is by Harry Lundeberg, Secretary Treasurer of the Sailor's Union of the Pacific and one of the leaders in the historic 1934 San Francisco General Strike. Harry Lundeberg, who told an overflowing crowd of picketers: “These flinky gazoonies who call themselves city fathers have been taking lessons from Hitler and Stalin. They don’t believe in the Unions that are free to strike." Union Plus helps make Union City Radio possible. Holiday travel planning? Union members get special savings on travel and entertainment at unionplus.org.
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