Religious Groups Begin Nightly Vigils at Wis. Capitol

by James Parks, Mar 11, 2011

In a tremendous show of opposition against Gov. Scott Walker and the state Republicans’ recent actions to take away public workers’ right to collective bargaining and his proposed budget, Madison’s religious community is organizing ongoing nightly vigils sponsored by different faith communities at the State Capitol. Each night a different religious community will sponsor the vigil, drawing members from far and wide.

Rev. Jerry Folk, co-chair of Madison’s Interfaith Coalition for Worker Justice, says:

Many religious leaders in Wisconsin are disturbed by the governor’s proposed budget because it will widen the gap between the haves and have-nots of society by taking resources away from the middle class and the poor and giving them to the wealthiest among us.

German Workers Rally in Solidarity with Wisconsin Public Employees

Teresa Casertano in the AFL-CIO Organizing Department sends us this report.

As tens of thousands of Wisconsin residents rally and march across the state tomorrow for the fourth weekend in a row, they will receive support from union members in Berlin who are holding a solidarity rally. Members of the German telecommunications union, ver.di, will turn out to to support bargaining rights for workers in the United States. They know that collective bargaining is not possible unless workers are able to join unions and participate in their own organizations free from the fear of reprisals by their employers.

In a letter to Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, who is trying to take away the right of public employees to bargain for a good, middle-class life, Frank Bsirske, chairman of the United Services Union ver.di of Germany, said Walker’s “proposed unilateral action” is:

an attack on one of the fundamental pillars in a well-developed democracy, where social dialogue and collective bargaining through trade unions secure constructive relationships between employers and employees. This kind of relationship has proved its high value in many countries, both in times of economic growth and during crisis.

NFL Players Renounce Union Status To Block Lockout

by James Parks, Mar 11, 2011

After almost three weeks of negotiations with NFL team owners and the assistance of a federal mediator failed to result in a fair, new collective bargaining agreement, the NFL Players Association (NFLPA) this afternoon renounced its status as a union in order to block a lockout by the owners. The NFL left the players no choice.

The players believe their best course of action now is to file individual antitrust suits against the owners if there is a lockout, which they could not have done unless they relinquished union representation in the contract talks.

You can show your support for the players, fans and stadium workers by signing a petition here.

If there were to be a lockout, it wouldn’t just impact football players and fans. Stadium employees would be jobless. Staff in sports bars, restaurants and hotels, police officers and others who work supporting the game also would be hurt. In fact, 150,000 workers would feel the impact, and $4.5 billion dollars in revenue would disappear from 32 cities around the nation.

In a statement, AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka said working people stand shoulder to shoulder with the NFL players:

Unfortunately, the NFL and its 32 team owners, who have enjoyed the fruits of a $9 billion industry in a devastating economy for working families, could not reach a fair deal with the men who risk their health and safety to play professional football.

In light of this unfortunate situation, the players have decided to renounce the NFLPA’s status as their exclusive bargaining unit. Working people stand shoulder to shoulder with the players and their right to protect themselves and their families through antitrust laws that prohibit illegal and greedy corporate behavior.

Quarterbacks Drew Brees, Payton Manning and Tom Brady have already agreed to be the lead plaintiffs in an antitrust case, although other players may join a suit. Federal antitrust laws prohibit illegal corporate behavior.

IAM Stands Ready to Help Earthquake Victims

Fri. March 11, 2011

The largest earthquake ever recorded in Japan, an 8.9 magnitude quake off the country’s east coast, has caused extensive damage in Japan and generated potentially damaging tsunamis across the Pacific and West Coasts of the United States and Canada.

“Our deep concern goes out to the people of Japan, especially those in the Japanese labor movement with whom we have a long history of friendship and cooperation,” said IAM International President R. Thomas Buffenbarger. “As potentially destructive tsunamis generated by the earthquake move across the Pacific, the IAM stands ready to help IAM members and communities that may be affected by this tragedy.”

The IAM represents Flight Attendants at Continental Micronesia in Guam, transportation and other industry workers in Hawaii and the West Coasts of the United States and Canada.

Mike Hogan's Votes Are Record of Contender's Priorities

Mike Hogan

He's been in the House and on the City Council, letting values lead his decisions.

Posted: March 11, 2011 - 12:00am
By Jim Schoettler

Jacksonville voters still trying to figure out mayoral frontrunner Mike Hogan could get to know him, for better or worse, by a hard look at his voting record.

Staunch social conservative. Public safety ally. Constituent advocate. Often an opponent to tax and fee increases - but not always.

Hogan was involved in crafting and/or voting on hundreds, if not thousands, of pieces of legislation during his two terms on the City Council (1991-99) and three years in the Legislature (2001-03). As Duval County tax collector, he also was appointed to the powerful 2008 state Taxation and Budget Review Commission, which meets every 20 years to recommend improvements to the tax and budget system.

NFL, Players Face Expiration of Labor Contract

AP Photo/Alex Brandon

Mar 11, 11:18 AM EST
By HOWARD FENDRICH
AP Pro Football Writer

WASHINGTON (AP) -- With the NFL on the brink of its first work stoppage in nearly a quarter of a century, Commissioner Roger Goodell and union head DeMaurice Smith met at a federal mediator's office Friday, the day the league's twice-extended labor contract was set to expire.

Goodell was joined by nine of the 10 members of the owners' labor committee, along with various league executives and lawyers. Smith walked over from the NFL Players Association's nearby headquarters with about 20 people, including New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees and several other current or former players.

Friday was the 16th day of negotiations since Feb. 18. The collective bargaining agreement originally was scheduled to run out last week; another extension was possible.

"We're going to head inside today, try to get some work done," Smith said.

Wis. Gov. Officially Cuts Collective Bargaining

AP Photo/Michael P. King

Mar 11, 12:12 PM EST

MADISON, Wis. (AP) -- Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker succeeded Friday in taking away nearly all collective bargaining rights from the vast majority of the state's public employees, quietly capping weeks of contentious debate and delivering an epic defeat to the labor movement with a private bill signing.

Walker planned to hold a ceremonial signing later in the day.

The proposal touched off a national debate over labor rights for public employees, and its implementation is a key victory for Republicans who have targeted unions in nationwide efforts to slash government spending. But labor leaders said they plan to use the setback to fire up their members nationwide and mount a major counterattack against Republicans at the ballot box in 2012.

The measure passed the state's Assembly on Thursday following more than three weeks of protests that drew tens of thousands of people to the Capitol in opposition. The Senate cleared the way for passage with a surprise move Wednesday that allowed them to move the measure forward without 14 Democratic senators present.

The bill forces state workers to pay more for their pensions and health care benefits, which is estimated to save Wisconsin $30 million to help pay down a $137 million budget shortfall projected by July 1. The higher payments for state workers will take effect over the coming weeks.

Holt Baker: We’re Fighting for Basic American Freedoms

AFL-CIO Executive Vice President Arlene Holt Baker addresses massive rally in Indiana yesterday.

by James Parks, Mar 11, 2011

Working people in Indiana and across the country are fighting for the same basic freedoms our Founding Fathers fought for, AFL-CIO Executive Vice President Arlene Holt Baker told a crowd of more than 25,000 at a rally in Indianapolis yesterday.

“We are here because of the right of freedom of association—the right of free men and women to join together,” Holt Baker said.

Whether that be in the church of our choosing, the political party of our choosing or the freedom to associate together to improve the condition of ourselves and our families.

This is what America is all about—because without these freedoms we don’t have a free society.

Holt Baker told the crowd that she knew they would not let Gov. Mitch Daniels and the Republicans in the legislature destroy the middle class and take away workers’ rights in Indiana.

I look out at all of you, and I know what democracy looks like. It looks like all of you. Workers, community, men and women, students and seniors. All standing as one—united in your resolve to protect the right to bargain.