AFGE's Public UnionBlog

Local Union Spotlight: AFGE Local 1438

Bernard Pollack — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 10:03:00 EST

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Jennifer Day has only been a member of AFGE Local 1438 since March of this year, but she's not letting being new stand in the way of getting involved and taking action this election! Sister Day has been busy making 25 phone calls every day to spread the word on statehouse candidates Paul Robertson (HD 70), Sandra Blanton (HD 62), both of whom have committed to protecting Hoosier working families by opposing Right-to-Work for less! She's also been spreading the word on presidential candidate Barack Obama's record of standing up for unions and the middle class.

Sister Day says that its crucial for union members to spread the word on all labor friendly candidates this election, "We need to revitalize the labor movement in this country and in our state. Barack Obama will fight to empower and protect working families in the country, as Jill Long Thompson and our statehouse candidates will do here in Indiana. We just need to make sure to inform our members on how they stand on the issues so they can make the best choices."

Sister Day is no stranger to phone calls, or political action for that matter! Before working at the Census Bureau and becoming an AFGE member in Jeffersonville, Indiana, she worked at the Indiana Bell Phone Company and was a proud member of CWA. As a union steward for CWA, she boldly walked the picket line in wild cat strikes. And as a member of the League of Women voters, she registered hundreds of new voters in large registration drives. And this election, she’s helping create change for working Hoosiers, and union members across the country!

"A lot of people that I call are very undecided. If we can just have the conversations and let them know the facts about these candidates, we can really make the difference this election.. You know we come from a generation of people who volunteer. We volunteer for our churches our synagogues, for boy scouts or girl scouts. And the Labor 2008 program is just a way that we can volunteer and make a real difference in the lives of working men and women in our neighborhoods and across the nation!"

http://labor2008.typepad.com/in/2008/09/an-invitation-f.html

Live from Labor Forum at the Democratic National Convention

Michael Victorian — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 10:52:00 EST

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For the past week, I and my colleges have been bearing witness to the change that is sweeping this country. A call that is being echoed throughout the streets of Denver as people from all walks of life celebrate the nomination of Barack Obama and the opportunity to reclaim a nation led astray after 8ears of neglect. As a critical block of the progressive movement and a segment which must lead the way if Barack Obama is to be elected union members of all stripes are reaching out to each other. Union members from the affiliates of Change to Win, the AFL-CIO, and NEA from around the country are challenging each other and their neighbors to not be distracted by the wedge issues and to surrender to the rhetoric of bigotry that will undoubtedly come from those that do not want an America where working families are the center of power.

Union leaders and union members in attendance have reiterated over and over that while we know that there are those of our brothers in sisters in the movement that are still clinging to the prejudices of the past, we must remember that for the past eight years Bush and the right wing have carried out an assault on labor, its members, and the values of working families. John McCain represents a continuation if not an acceleration of that assault.

An Obama/Biden ticket is the only chance working families have to reclaim and redefine America. An America that works for and represents all Americans, not just the wealthy and the powerful.

Federal Smoking Rules - Sound Off

Ellie LlanesDiaz — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 11:22:00 EST

I'm curious...I know the rule is smokers are to be at least 50 feet from any federal building while smoking; however, must the workplace provide a covered area for inclement weather? If there is no such covered area...then what? Any comments welcome!

Union Workers Left Out

Kevin McGee — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 04:02:00 EST

Due to U.S. Trade Agreements such as CAFTA and NAFTA, of which neither political party can excuse themselves from the facts. Because of these such trade agreements, the new Alaska Veterans Affairs (VA) Health Care System and Regional Office is to be constructed with steel imported from Korea, rather than being constructed with U.S. produced steel.

Once again our government is willing to bypass and exclude American Workers from an opportunity to produce American "Union" made products by American "Union Workers." For the sake of cheaper cost and an inferior end-product.

Potentially, American Steel Workers in Pennsylvania, Indiana, Alabama, Illinois, Michigan, and Ohio are left out of the work opportunity to produce American made steel for a VA structure that will be constructed for the purpose to take of and provide benefit assistance for American Veterans.

WHAT IS WRONG WITH THIS PICTURE?

more work

jenny King — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 08:30:00 EST

when will the claims representatives in the social security field offices get the upgrade to GS-12? The so-called Technical experts are neither technical nor experts.The majority do the same job as the other representatives with more pay.Some even do less work since in some offices they don't interview. The union in some regions didn't care because a large group of union representatives got the TE promotions.I think we need to rethink our priorities and our representatives need to have more intregrity.