Workers Independent News - LIUNA

Broad Spectrum of Unions Rally In Defense of Public Services In Wisconsin - 10/18/07

Wed, 17 Oct 2007 18:50:22 -0700

By Doug Cunningham

Hundreds of workers and their unions from a broad spectrum of public and private sectors rallied in Wisconsin’s capital Wednesday in support of adequate state funding of public services. Wisconsin is the only state in the nation without a new budget because Republicans are blocking any increases in public services. AFSCME’s Marty Beil says this budget battle transcends so-called partisan “bickering”.

[Beil]: “There's huge differences in terms of values between the Democratic view of continuing the values and what the future lies for Wisconsin and the Republicans and what they think the values ought to be. So it isn't mere bickering. It's not kids fightin' with each other. We're battling for the heart and soul of Wisconsin."

LIUNA’s O’Sullivan: Mad Dog Mean & Ready To Fight For Immigration Reform - 10/02/07

Mon, 01 Oct 2007 18:38:24 -0700

By Doug Cunningham

Laborers International Union President, Terry O'Sullivan, is calling on labor to unite behind the push for real comprehensive immigration reform that treats immigrant workers with dignity and respect.

[O'Sullivan]: "There is no retreat, there is no surrender when it comes to the fight for comprehensive immigration reform! We, as one, need to make sure that we get out of the comfort zone and get into the war zone brothers and sisters! I'm mad dog mean, I'm ready to bite and I'm ready to fight!"

Laborers Union Working To Organize California Construction Day Laborers - 08/10/06

Wed, 09 Aug 2006 15:10:51 -0700

By Doug Cunningham

The Laborers International Union says it’s also launching a new collaboration with the National Day Laborer Organizing Committee to help organize thousands of California residential construction workers. The Laborers union says these workers face hazardous working conditions, substandard pay and job insecurity despite a booming construction market.

Change To Win: New Federation Has Made Great Strides Since Labor Split - 07/28/06

Thu, 27 Jul 2006 18:24:44 -0700

By Jesse Russell

When seven unions came together last year to form the Change to Win labor federation, some of them breaking off from the AFL-CIO, headlines and critics hailed it as an end to the labor movement. Greg Tarpinian is Executive Director of Change to Win, he says the federation has made great strides in the past year by working together from both end of the supply chain. He gave examples of organizing janitors in Houston and Miami, taking on printing company Quebecor World, and strengthening a union presence at the ports. Right now the member unions are working with UNITE-Here in a major national hotel contract battle:

Laborers and SEIU Helping New Orleans Workers With Training - 07/26/06

Tue, 25 Jul 2006 17:35:50 -0700

By Doug Cunningham

New Orleans Worker Resource Center--created by the Laborers union and SEIU--is offering Katrina victims job training an placement in New Orleans. The Laborers will train workers in construction, demolition and mold remediation.

Laborer’s Union, Day Labor Organizing Committee Meet In NYC - 06/12/06

Sun, 11 Jun 2006 10:08:40 -0700

By Doug Cunningham

In New York City today the Laborer’s International Union and the national Day Labor Organizing Committee are meeting to discuss ways to collaborate to fight for immigrant rights and pro-immigrant legislation. Laborers President Terry O’Sullivan will be meeting with Pablo Alvarado, National Director of the Day Labor Organizing Committee to talk about common ground between the two labor organizations.

Laborers Union Uses Capital Clout To Increase LaFarge Buyout Stock Price - 05/03/06

Tue, 02 May 2006 17:17:54 -0700

By Doug Cunningham

By intervening on behalf of workers with pension investments in a corporate takeover at Lafarge NA , the Laborers union was able to boost the purchase price offered helping to protect the value of the pension investments in the company. Laborer’s Union Director of Corporate Affairs Richard Metcalf.

[Richard Metcalf]: "Five hundred million dollars higher than the original offer. So the people that own these shares will get an increased payout of $500 million, and so any worker that has investments through their pension fund will see the increase on that."

Metcalf says workers need a more effective voice at the corporate board level. Unions have amassed a considerable amount of capital in pension funds and Metcalf says unions can use that capital clout to advance workers interests. The deadline for the Lafarge buyout is this week.

Laborers, Operating Engineers Leaving AFL-CIO Building Trades - 02/15/06

Tue, 14 Feb 2006 16:26:57 -0800

By Doug Cunningham

Two construction unions - the Laborers and Operating Engineers - have left the AFL-CIO's Building Trades Council. Laborers President Terry O'Sullivan says a new, more modern approach to the construction industry is needed in the labor movement, so the unions are forming a new organization called the National Construction Alliance.

[Terry O'Sullivan} : "We cannot stand idly by tied to a past that promises only further decline for construction workers, their unions and employers."

Operating Engineers President Vincent Giblin says he wanted to see changes in the AFL-CIO's Building Trades Council's issues focus and approach to jurisdictional disputes, but those changes were refused.

Laborers, Operating Engineers Leave AFL-CIO Building Trades Council - 02/14/06

Tue, 14 Feb 2006 12:37:29 -0800

By Doug Cunningham

The Laborers union and the Operating Engineers union announced today that they are leaving the AFL-CIO's Buidling Trades Council. The unions, together with four others, will form a new construction workers organization called the National Construction Alliance (NCA).
The four unions joining the Laborers and Operating Engineers in the new National Construction Alliance are the Bricklayers, Carpenters, Teamsters and Ironworkers.
For now these unions are not disaffiliating from the AFL-CIO itself. More detail about the NCA will be anniunced on March 1st.
Laborers President Terry O'Sullivan says the AFL-CIO Building Trades Council isn't responsive to the need for change in how the unions address the modern construction industry. O'Sullivan objects to how jurisdictional disputes are handled and he says new approaches must be used to make sure that union denisty in the construction trades stops declining and starts growing.

AFL-CIO/Change To Win Solidarity Charters rolled out - 11/18/05

Thu, 17 Nov 2005 18:41:42 -0800

By Doug Cunningham

The AFL-CIO and the Change To Win Federation have agreed on a plan to reunited state and local labor organizations. The AFL-CIO's Lane Windham says while the two sides are still working out some of the financial specifics, the Solidarity Charters and this is good news for organized labor at the grassroots level.

[Lane Windham] : "Now that we've officially rolled the program we expect a lot of local unions to come on board and to be part of it."

The Change To Win Federation's Greg Tarpinian says the agreement allows the unions that left the AFL-CIO on a national level to remain active and in sync with the AFL-CIO locally.

Is there a future for inflatable rats? - 10/11/05

Mon, 10 Oct 2005 15:02:03 -0700

By Jesse Russell

The inflatable rat has been used by labor unions for over 10 years as a symbol of unfair practices at a building or construction site. There have been a number of lawsuits filed by companies against unions over the use of the rats saying they were the functional equivalent of picketing. Mostly the lawsuits were defeated but in June a decision by the
National Labor Relations Board ruled just that.

Rebecca Myles has more:

The recent ruling by the NLRB’s administrative law judges is being appealed by labor groups, who argue the First Amendment protects its activities, in the same way that passing out handbills is considered free speech.

Change To Win says organizing crusade will be be effort to take back country - 10/04/05

Mon, 03 Oct 2005 18:01:36 -0700

By Doug Cunningham

The newly formed Change To Win Federation is planning an ambitious organizing campaign that will combine the energy and resources of all seven unions in the federation. Tom Woodruff overseas organizing for the SEIU…

[Tom Woodruff 1] : "This is a crusade to determine whether there will be a middle class in this country - whether there will be any semblance of economic justice."

Woodruff says the federation's organizing effort will be the sum total of each individual union's organizing efforts, joint campaigns already in progress and future coordinated, fully integrated organizing efforts strategically targeted to achieve greater union density industry by industry. Woodruff says this is nothing less than a struggle to win back decent futures for generations of American workers.

WIN Special Report from St. Louis : Change To Win Federation's Founding Convention - 09/28/05

Tue, 27 Sep 2005 23:42:26 -0700

By Doug Cunningham

(St. Louis) – With a fiery passion and a fighting spirit seven international unions launched the Change To Win federation here in St. Louis Tuesday. UNITE-HERE’s Bruce Raynor.

[Raynor]: "Brothers and sisters, today’s the day to make history in this country. Today is the day to rebuild the American labor movement! (applause)

They adopted a constitution, pledged to spend $750 million on organizing and vowed to come to each other’s aid with a militant solidarity. Teamster’s president Jim Hoffa.

[Jim Hoffa]: “Let’s rebuild the American labor movement as never before! We can do it. Let’s start today! Thank you.” (applause)

Five unions create "Change To Win Coalition"

Wed, 15 Jun 2005 18:00:59 -0700

Five unions - SEIU, Teamsters, UNITE-HERE, Laborers and UFCW - announced Wednesday in Washington, D.C. creation of a "Change To Win" coalition. The new coalition is aimed at building worker strength through more aggressive organizing. Laborer's President Terry O' Sullivan.

[Terry O'Sullivan]: "We believe that without a radical change we cannot continue to survive as a significant force."

UNITE-HERE's Bruce Raynor says working families are in serious trouble and a stronger labor movement is the answer.

[Bruce Raynor] : "We believe workers in America are undergoing a crisis. A crisis in their ability to support their families, a crisis in their ability to realize their dreams for their children, a crisis in their ability to retire with dignity after a lifetime of work."

Raw Audio: Five unions announce creation of "Change To Win Coalition"

Wed, 15 Jun 2005 13:36:32 -0700

Presidents of the SEIU, Teamsters, Laborers, UNITE-HERE and the UFCW announced Wednesday, June 15, 2005 in Washington, D.C. that they've created the "Change To Win Coalition" in an effort to build worker power. WIn has broken the audio into three parts so you can listen to what they had to say.

Click here to listen to part one, featuring comments from Terrance O'Sullivan of the Laborers and Jim Hoffa of the Teamsters.

Click here to listen to part two, featuring comments from Bruce Raynor of UNITE-Here and Joe Hansen of the UFCW.

Click here to listen to part three, featuring comments from Andy Stern of the SEIU and Angenita Tanner, a worker and organizer.