Protect and Strengthen Social Security

The federal budget deficit commission is floating the idea to raise the retirement age of Social Security, meaning we could work until age 70. In these tough economic times, it is unconscionable to propose cuts to the critical economic lifelines for working people. According to the National Academy of Social Insurance, Social Security provides:


* A typical retiree with the equivalent of a savings account of $225,000.

* A young worker and her or his family with a $414,000 disability insurance policy.

* The family of a young worker with a life insurance policy worth $433,000.

* What Is Social Security?

* Download facts and figures about the current state of Social Security.

* Read the National Academy of Social Insurance report, "Social Security: An Essential Asset and Insurance Protection for All" (2008).

Jobs? What Jobs? Jobless Tell Congress: ‘Maintain Unemployment Insurance Now’

by Mike Hall, Dec 1, 2010

Edrie Irvine, unemployed for more than a year, says Congress must act now to maintain jobless benefits. Jobless workers, Anthony Roebuck (L) and Russ Myer (R), flank her.

Yesterday, Anthony Roebuck’s unemployment insurance (UI) benefits ran out. It was the same day Senate Republicans would not even allow a vote on a bill to maintain the lifeline that has helped keep food on the table and a roof over the heads of Roebuck, his wife and young son—and millions of other jobless workers.

The 44-year-old Sheet Metal Workers (SMWIA) member from Denver, out of work since April, says:

My unemployment insurance ran out yesterday and I don’t know what I’m going to do without it, especially in a hard-hit economy where there are no jobs. No one wants to be on unemployment…we’d all rather be back at work right now. But the jobs just aren’t there.

AIDS Is a Global Human Rights Issue

by James Parks, Dec 1, 2010

Today is World AIDS Day, and union members around the world are calling for increased workplace efforts to combat HIV/AIDS and a renewed commitment by world leaders to prevent the spread of the pandemic.

While funding for HIV and AIDS prevention has been hit hard by the global recession, we need to remember that AIDS itself is not in recession, says Sharan Burrow, general secretary of the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC).

Governments have committed to reverse the spread of this disease by 2015, and action in the workplace and union work in the broader social context is critically important to achieving this aim.

AFL-CIO Blog Archives for November 2010

Read the AFL-CIO blog archives for November 2010.