New App from OSHA Helps Workers Avoid Deadly Heat-Related Illnesses

by Mike Hall, Aug 12, 2011

When you’re working outside you certainly know when it’s hot. But do you know when it’s so hot that you need to start taking precautions to prevent heat related illnesses? Thousands of workers become ill from heat-related illnesses every year and in 2010, 30 workers died from heat stroke.

This week, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) announced a free app for mobile devices that will enable workers and supervisors to monitor the heat index and take steps to ensure safety.

Labor Secretary Hilda Solis says the new app is one way to get the message out that heat-related illnesses are preventable.

Summer heat presents a serious issue that affects some of the most vulnerable workers in our country, and education is crucial to keeping them safe.

The app, available in English and Spanish, combines heat index data from the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration with the user’s location to determine necessary protective measures. Based on the risk level of the heat index, the app provides users with information about precautions they may take, such as drinking fluids, taking rest breaks and adjusting work operations.

Users also can review the signs and symptoms of heat stroke, heat exhaustion and other heat-related illnesses, and learn about first aid steps to take in an emergency. Information for supervisors is also available through the app on how to gradually build up the workload for new workers as well as how to train employees on heat illness signs and symptoms. Additionally, users can contact OSHA directly through the app.

The app is designed for devices using an Android platform, and versions for BlackBerry and iPhone users will be released shortly. To download it, visit http://go.usa.gov/KFE.

For more information about safety while working in the heat, see OSHA’s heat illness webpage, including new online guidance about using the heat index to protect workers

Verizon Workers: ‘We Need To Draw A Line Here’

by James Parks, Aug 12, 2011

Picket lines are strong and growing at Verizon and Verizon Wireless locations as workers across the country join the more than 45,000 Verizon workers on strike from New England to Virginia. The members of the Communications Workers of America (CWA) and the Electrical Workers (IBEW) are on strike to stop the company’s attacks on the middle class.

Workers in New Hampshire will rally today at a Verizon Wireless store in Manchester. Tomorrow, strikers and supporters will rally in downtown Washington, D.C., at 1314 F Street NW at 11:00 a.m. And on Monday, Aug. 15, workers from across Missouri will rally at the Verizon Wireless Store in Creve Coeur, a suburb of St. Louis. Click here to join the Missouri rally.

In an open letter to union members, the Missouri AFL-CIO said:

The fight for Verizon workers is the fight for all of us. This corporation continues to rake in record profits but is trying to outsource more jobs, demand workers pay more for benefits and undermine workers’ retirement security.

After cancelling several bargaining sessions, Verizon returned to the table this week, but the company is still demanding $1 billion in concessions, which amounts to $20,000 per Verizon worker per year. Those demands have been on the table since bargaining began on June 22.

Workers recognize this is a strike with national significance. As Bob Master, CWA District 1 legislative and political director, explained earlier this week in a conference call with supporters:

This is an enormously profitable company, which we believe is trying to take advantage of an anti-union environment and, in a sense, to replicate at a giant private-sector corporation what the governors of Ohio, New Jersey and Wisconsin have been trying to do to the public sector. Our members feel very strongly that we need to draw a line here.

You can show solidarity with the Verizon workers and “Adopt a Store” to leaflet and educate the public about the importance of this strike by visiting http://cwa-union.org/pages/support_the_strike_adopt_a_store.

Here are some other actions you can take to support the strikers:
•Find a local picket line to support here.
•Download leaflets here.
•“Like” the strikers on Facebook here and change your Facebook and/or Twitter profile picture in solidarity here.
•Click here to demand that Verizon CEO Lowell McAdam value employees’ work and share his corporation’s success with those who make it possible.
•Click here for a list of picket sites in the New York and New Jersey area.`
•Click here to sign and Tweet an act.ly petition demanding Verizon drop its outrageous concessionary demands.
•To Tweet about the strike, use the hashtag #verizonstrike and feel free to direct to @VZLaborfacts.

Eagles Fans Learn About Verizon Greed from Striking Workers, Union Allies

Liz McElroy of the Philadelphia Council AFL-CIO and AFL-CIO field communications staffer Nora Frederickson send us this report about a Verizon action in Philadelphia.

As 45,000 members of the Communications Workers of America (CWA) and Electrical Workers (IBEW) on the East Coast continue their strike against Verizon to maintain quality, middle-class jobs, union locals in southeastern Pennsylvania decided to take their message directly to the public – at the local ballgame.

More than 500 CWA Local 13000 and Local 13500 members and their allies showed up for the Philadelphia Eagles pre-season game at Lincoln Financial Field in South Philadelphia last night–not to tailgate but to educate Eagles fans about the real reasons behind their strike at Verizon.

Members of the local unions there as elsewhere in New England and south through Virginia, have been on strike since Sunday. Rather than reward the hard work of Verizon employees who have provided the quality service that earned the company more than $32.5 billion in revenue over the past three years, management continues to insist on cuts that total $1 billion. That’s about $20,000 per Verizon family. These workers have played by the rules—and now Verizon wants to break them.

Union members from AFT, AFSCME, NALC, PSEA, PASNAP and UFCW joined the leafleting to show their support. Retired Letter Carriers (NALC) Local 157 member Joe Piette said he joined union members in leafleting because the strike is about more than just their negotiations with Verizon:

Workers are under attack. I’m here to support these strikers because we all need strong unions in this country.

The Philadelphia fans were overwhelmingly supportive of the workers, many stopping to talk with the union members about their strike and what it means for the middle class.

State Representative Bill Keller (D) joined the crowd to express his support for the Verizon strikers and to talk about the bigger picture.

We need to be talking about putting people back to work, not destroying the good middle class jobs we have. Labor is always with me and I’m standing with them.

Back Home, Lawmakers Are Asked: Where Are the Jobs?

by Mike Hall, Aug 11, 2011

Back home for their long congressional recess, lawmakers are finding out right away what’s on the minds of most Americans today— Jobs. Duluth, Minn., resident Dan Kingsley, a member of Operating Engineers (IUOE) Local 49, says:

So many of these new people that were elected campaigned on jobs, jobs, jobs and we’ve really yet to see that develop and what they’re doing to help develop those jobs.

Kingsley and several dozen union and community activists rallied outside Rep. Chip Cravaavck’s (R-Minn.) district office Tuesday chanting “Jobs. Not Cuts.” Many later attended a town hall meeting in Deer River to hold Cravaavck accountable for his support of tax breaks for the wealthy and corporations instead of working for an economy that strengthens the middle class and creates jobs.

Similar scenes are being played out across the nation this August as part of a summer of accountability aimed organized by grassroots, community, faith and other groups including the AFL-CIO.

In Dunn., N.C., about 30 people gathered outside Rep. Renee Ellmers’ (R-N.C.) office calling for an end to tax breaks for the wealthy and for Congress to focus on the job crisis. Among them, Agnes Batts told WRAL News:

They should be standing up saying, “Tax the rich. Make them pay their fair share.”

While Rep. Lou Barletta (R-Pa.) was meeting with business groups in Wilkes-Barre, more than two dozen union and community activists were outside the private club to present him with a jobs report card.

Unable to meet with the Barletta, they made do with a life size cardboard cutout of the representative, who got a report card most of us would want to hide from our parents;
•Job Creation: F;
•Saving Jobs: F;
•Fair Taxes: F;
•Overall Job Performance: F.

Federal lawmakers aren’t the only ones being held accountable this summer. In Nashua, N.H., about 100 people held a “No Jobs fair” outside the statehouse. The delivered a “New Hampshire needs More Good Jobs Now” petition to the office of House Speaker Bill O’Brien (R). Says New Hampshire AFL-CIO President Mark McKenzie:

We want to draw attention to really what is one of the biggest problems in this country, which is the lack of really good jobs for people. I think whether you’re young or you’re old or you’re middle-aged, I think that’s a problem that faces us all.

Sandra Gagnon, a mother of two college age children facing higher tuition because of state budget cuts to education—including teacher layoffs–told the Associated Press:

When you cut public-sector jobs: teachers or police, firefighters, court workers…it essentially also results in a cut in private-sector jobs because the laid-off public workers now don’t have money to spend in their community.

The Arizona Daily Star reports that an overflow townhall meeting in Tucson “with progressives showing up in force” greeted Sen. John McCain with loud chants of “Where Are the Jobs.” When McCain said he wanted to cut the corporate tax rate, it triggered “a round of angry outbursts.”

As well it should have.

United Airlines Ramp/Fleet Workers Win IAM Representation

Thu. August 11, 2011

The IAM emerged as the winner today in an election to determine union representation for more than 14,100 Fleet/Ramp workers at the new United Airlines, the carrier formed by the merger of United Airlines, Continental Airlines and Continental Micronesia.

The election, which was conducted by the National Mediation Board (NMB), was between the IAM, which represented 6,800 United Airlines Ramp/Fleet employees and the International Brotherhood of Teamsters (IBT) which represented 7,300 Flight Ramp/Fleet workers at Continental Airlines and Continental Micronesia.

“The IAM won this election by utilizing an extensive network of highly energized organizers from all three carriers,” said IAM General Vice President Robert Roach, Jr.

While all Ramp/Fleet workers came into this election with existing representation, the quality of that representation became a campaign issue. The IBT negotiated an agreement that allowed Continental to outsource all Ramp/Fleet work, while IAM members at United have a contract that provided job security by guaranteeing work will be performed by United-IAM employees.

“Ramp employees chose the IAM because of the superior representation, compensation, benefits and job security we negotiate into our contracts,” said IAM District 141 President Rich Delaney.

For more information about the IAM’s United Airlines campaign, visit www.voteiam.com.

Voting Rights Still Key to FAA Reauthorization

Thu. August 11, 2011

The short-term deal to get the FAA back in operation expires on September 16, 2011, and House GOP leaders are vowing to keep up their attacks on transportation worker voting rights that caused the almost two-week shutdown.

House Transportation Committee Chairman John Mica (R-FL) was willing to let the FAA shutdown to block the new democratic election rules put in place by the National Mediation Board (NMB). Mica inserted language to overturn the new rules in the House version of the FAA Reauthorization bill. By insisting on his version even in the face of the FAA shutdown, Mica put thousands of workers on furlough and cost the government hundreds of millions in lost ticket-tax revenue.

The new NMB representation election rules say winners are decided by a majority of people who actually vote, just like all other elections in the U.S. If the old NMB rules that count anyone who doesn’t vote as a “no” vote were applied to federal elections, not a single member of Congress would have won their last election.

The House and Senate must still come up with a final FAA funding bill before temporary funding runs out in September. "The House has made it clear that the anti-worker piece is a priority for them and they also put us on notice that they don't intend to give in," a spokesman for Sen. Jay Rockefeller, (D-WV)., chairman of a committee that oversees FAA, told the Associated Press. "So we are bracing for a new fight in September."

To block Mica’s power-play, voters must demand that the Democratic majority in the Senate stand up for transportation workers. Click here to send a message to Congress to protect worker voting rights in the FAA Reauthorization bill.

Puerto Rico Hosts 2011 LCLAA Conference

Thu. August 11, 2011

IAM Assistant Political and Legislative Director Rick de la Fuente (left) and Southern Territory GVP Bob Martinez were part of a large IAM delegation attending the 2011 LCLAA Education Conference.

A glancing blow from Tropical Storm Emily failed to dampen the spirit of delegates at the 2011 LCLAA Education Conference, which was held in San Juan, Puerto Rico, on August 4 - 6. The conference was entitled "We Are One - Somos Uno.”

Featured presentations at the conference included a review of Public Laws 73, 7 and 45 in Puerto Rico's Public Sector as well as Strategies for Expanding Latino Union Representation, Green Jobs and Public Health. Additional topics included Educating for Success in the Union Youth movement, Black/Brown Coalitions, Voter Suppression and Emerging Challenges to the Civic Engagement of Communities of Color.

Southern Territory GVP Bob Martinez joined Puerto Rico’s Local 2725 and other IAM delegates for the conference. “It was a great opportunity for the trade unionists of Puerto Rico to host this year’s conference. Puerto Rico has a tradition of a strong labor movement, and we’re proud to be part of that movement,” said Martinez, who serves as LCLAA National Vice President.

U.S. Ratchets Up Pressure on Guatemala to Enforce Labor Laws

by James Parks, Aug 10, 2011

The U.S. government is seeking arbitration against Guatemala for failing to enforce its own labor laws.

The Obama administration is ratcheting up the pressure on Guatemala to enforce its labor laws. Yesterday, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) announced it was moving forward with arbitration against Guatemala for violating fundamental labor rights under the Dominican Republic-Central American Free Trade Agreement (DR-CAFTA).

Arbitration would be the third step in the process outlined under the DR-CAFTA, to compel a nation to enforce its labor obligations under the agreement. Last May, the United States requested a meeting of the Free Trade Commission—which includes ministers of the member countries—when consultations failed to resolve the dispute. The commission met last June.

AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka applauds the decision, saying it protects workers’ safety and voices. Read his full statement here.

[The] announcement is an important milestone in the effort to enforce the obligations made in trade agreements and protect the rights of workers in the U.S. and overseas.

In 2008, the AFL-CIO and six Guatemalan unions filed a complaint with the Labor Department outlining the systemic failure of the government of Guatemala to enforce its own labor laws or to take reasonable action to prevent violence against trade unionists.

In 2009, the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) named Guatemala the second most dangerous country for trade unionists, behind Colombia. Click here to read a Solidarity Center report on workers’ rights in Guatemala.

U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk says, “We need to see concrete actions to protect the rights of workers as agreed under our trade agreement, and we are prepared to act to obtain enforcement of those rights when and where necessary.”

Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis adds:

This is the first labor case brought to dispute settlement by the United States under a free trade agreement. We are committed to ensuring that U.S. businesses and workers compete on a level playing field.

The Obama administration announced the action as it is gearing up to seek approval of the three pending free trade agreements with Korea, Colombia and Panama when Congress returns from the August recess. The three pending agreements all contain improved labor and environmental provisions, but those provisions still are not as strong as workers in the countries would like. The AFL-CIO recently reaffirmed its opposition to the Colombia deal.

JOBS Now!

Over 31 million Americans need our help! Idled by this Grave Recession, the unemployed, involuntary part-time workers and discouraged job hunters have run out of options. They need JOBS Now!

JOBS Now!, a comprehensive strategy to put millions of unemployed Americans back to work immediately, calls for a second stimulus package, one focused on investing more in the manufacturing and transportation sectors of our economy and providing more skills training.

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Tell Congress Support in 2012 Means Help for Jobless in 2011

Focus On Jobs - Not Attacking Unions!

JOBS! Facts:

15.1 million unemployed, 9.2 million involuntary part time workers, 5.6 million workers who looked for a job in the last year but could not find one, and 998,000 workers who dropped out of the workforce since May, 2009 -- that's over 31 million Americans idled by this Grave Recession.

Congress Must Vote "No" on Panama Trade Deal

Wed. August 10, 2011

The Panama Free Trade Agreement is one of three pending Bush-negotiated free trade agreements (FTAs) lawmakers are now trying to ram through to final passage.

But Congress must vote “No” on the bad trade deal.

Panama is one of the world’s worst tax havens, allowing the rich and an estimated 400,000 corporations, including many U.S. firms, to dodge paying taxes our communities so desperately need. The country has consistently been criticized by tax and financial crime transparency watchdogs like the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). Panamanian workers continue to face steep obstacles when it comes to exercising their fundamental rights. And according to the State Department, Panama is a main site of drug money laundering by Mexican and Colombian drug kingpins.

Click here to see the real truth behind this financial crime center.

“Not only does the Panama FTA not resolve these problems, it will make them worse,” explains IAM International President Tom Buffenbarger. “Under the trade deal, corporations registered in Panama would be newly empowered to directly challenge future U.S. anti-tax haven policies. And just like all other trade deals modeled after the failed North American Free Trade Agreement, claims of any real job creation are a complete and total fallacy. This will cost America more jobs and further undermine our country’s ability to pull itself out of economic turmoil.”

Congress must reject the seriously-flawed Panama FTA. Click “Like” on the IAM Facebook page to support fair trade, not free trade!