In Burundi, trade union members, especially teachers, are among the hardest hit by ongoing repression that has seen thousands flee to neighboring countries for safety. As one teacher living in exile told the Solidarity Center: “Once you raised your voice for teachers’ rights, you were branded as against the government, arrested and put in jail.” Read the full report here. "After they finish crushing them, they'll come after us, too."
A Teamster at UPS, Dorsey was referring to Scott Walker's attacks on public employee unions in 2011. The Maryland State and D.C. AFL-CIO Committee on Political Education (COPE), on Tuesday released its endorsements in the 2016 primaries. “The Maryland State and D.C. AFL-CIO proudly supports the endorsed candidates and incumbent members of Congress because of their strong commitment to working families in Maryland, the District of Columbia and across the nation,” said State Fed president Fred D. Mason, Jr. "We will do everything necessary to ensure their victories in the April 26, 2016 primary election." Those winning endorsement include Eleanor Holmes Norton (District of Columbia) in the DC U.S. Congress race, Jim Ireton (MD District 1), C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger (MD 2), John Sarbanes (MD 3), Steny Hoyer (MD 5) and Elijah Cummings (MD 7). With a "No Recommendation" vote in the Maryland U.S. Senate race and Maryland Districts 4, 6 and 8, affiliates are free to support the candidate of their choice. The Maryland State and D.C. AFL-CIO represents more than 350,000 members in over 500 local unions. photo: MD/DC AFL-CIO Executive Board & COPE members; photo by Chuck Cook The 2016 Metro Washington Council political calendar has just been posted on the Council’s Political Action page. The calendar includes key national and local dates like primary and general election dates, as well as the schedule for interviewing and endorsing candidates. “We hope this will be a useful tool for all our local labor activists as we look ahead to this critical election year,” said Assistant Political Coordinator David Dzidzienyo.
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