by Mike Hall, May 14, 2011
We all know that with the ongoing assault on the middle class and on workers’ rights, people need unions now more than ever. Now you have a chance to say why and pocket a bit of much-needed cash in this time of high unemployment, stagnant wages and rising prices.
Union Communication Services (UCS) is holding a “Unions Now, More Than Ever” contest with $2,500 in prizes for videos, graphics, cartoons and songs speaking to that theme. UCS publisher David Prosten says:
We keep hearing that unions really aren’t necessary anymore. But in the current economic climate and with increasing attacks on workers and their unions, it’s clear that workers need unions now, more than ever.
Tell the tens of thousands of workers killed or injured on the job last year that they don’t need a union, or the dozens of immigrants found locked into a Los Angeles factory compound, forced to spend 16 hours a day virtually chained to sewing machines. Tell the hundreds of thousands of retail workers bullied into working off the clock they don’t need the voice at work a union provides.
Submissions can be made in three categories:
•VIDEO—2-minute maximum length, must be posted on YouTube;
•GRAPHIC/CARTOON— jpg format, 300 DPI;
•SONG—3-minute maximum length in MP3 format.
All entries must include the tagline, “Unions Now, More Than Ever” and must be English-language. Send e-mail entries to contest@unionist.com. Deadline for entries is Aug. 1; winners in each category will be announced the week before Labor Day. A total of $2,500 in prizes will be awarded: three 1st prizes of $500 (one in each category) and four 2nd prizes of $250 (at least one in each category).
Winners will be featured by UCS— www.unionist.com—which has been providing information and ammunition for union activists since 1981. UCS is the Annapolis, Md.-based publisher of communications and educational tools for labor leaders and members and publishes the Union Steward’s Complete Guide, Steward Update Newsletter, a catalog of hard-hitting books for union activists, weekly news and graphics services for union communicators and more, including online steward training.
