By Doug Cunningham

Six National Education Association chapters of the California Teachers Association are directly affiliating with the AFL-CIO. It’s part of a groundbreaking pact between the AFL-CIO and the independent NEA that allows local chapters of the NEA to directly affiliate with the AFL-CIO. Over ten thousand NEA members are in the AFL-CIO as a result.

By Doug Cunningham

The National Education Association, America’s biggest union, is working in close coordination now with the AFL-CIO on politics. The NEA’s Karen White says that unprecedented coordination on the ground in Kentucky proved to be a powerful synthesis and more is in store for 2008.

[White]: “It really is the beginning of the NEA's new and expanding political program. In 2008, the NEA has dedicated over $30 million to its national political program and will be undertaking one of our largest grassroots mobilization efforts in history."

White, formerly the Political Director of Emily’s List, says the 3.2 million member NEA is retooling its political mobilization efforts to become even more active and more effective.

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."

By Doug Cunningham

As teachers and students prepare to return to the nation’s classrooms a California teacher’s rock band called the Angry Tired Teachers will be taking their “Stick It To The Man” attitude with them. The ten-year-old band played live on the Hayward, California teacher’s strike picket lines and at protest rallies before the strike. Band member Andy Knight.

[Knight1]: “The union got this idea of getting the band a flat bed truck to go around and play at the different schools to boost morale and get teachers fired up on the strike line. So we did a little tour. We called it the Stick It To The Man Tour."

By Doug Cunningham

The Bush Supreme Court Thursday struck another blow against unions when it ruled that public unions must get permission from non-members covered by union contracts before spending their agency fees on politics. Agency fees are assessed in some states on people covered by union contracts but who aren’t members of unions. The Washington State Supreme court had ruled the law restricting public union political spending was unconstitutional. But the U.S. Supreme Court overturned it. The case involved Washington State Education Association. Charles Hasse is President of the union. He says anit-union groups that want to muzzle unions politically are behind this litigation.

By Doug Cunningham

The New Jersey Education Association says the state has been using financial gimmicks for years to make it look like the state employees pension fund is properly funded. But as a New York Times investigation revealed, the pension fund is seriously underfunded. NJEA spokesman Steve Baker says a vow by New Jersey's governor to make substantial pension contributions over the next several years is welcome news.

[Baker] "It's a step in the right direction, but it's a major problem."

Baker says the NJEA wants to see a long-term, serious commitment to meet the state's constitutional obligation to properly fund state employee pensions.

A teacher strike brought classes to a stand still throughout West Virginia Wednesday – Jesse Russell has more:

A 3.5 percent pay raise was not enough for teachers in West Virginia – the state ranks 47th in the nation for teacher salaries. As a result of the raise, approved by lawmakers last week, teachers in at least 14 counties walked off the job and picketed. The West Virginia Education Association issued a statement saying that the walkout was necessary because the state can’t retain and recruit qualified teachers when the average pay is less than $42,000 per year. The office of Governor Joe Manchin said the walkout would not result in a reopening of discussions concerning teachers pay and that the 3.5 percent raise is final.

By Doug Cunningham

When the 110th Congress convenes in January, controlled by Democrats for the first time in over a decade, the National Education Association has hopes that it will be easier to advance its education agenda. But NEA President Reg Weaver says that agenda still depends on a bipartisan approach, despite the Democratic win.

[Weaver]: “So we’re going to continue to work with Democrats, we’re gonna continue to work with Republicans , Independents to meet the goals and the objectives that we think are important to make it possible for every child to have access to a great public school. And hopefully the task will be much easier as a result of November 7th than what it was in the past."

By Doug Cunningham

The National Education Association, America’s largest union, is part of the push to reform labor law with the Employee Free Choice Act. NEA President Reg Weaver says his union has once again embraced organizing after being away from it for awhile.

[Reg Weaver]: “The NEA is constantly in the organizing business. That’s one of the ways that your organization survives.”

By Doug Cunningham

Democrats are resisting some changes that southern conservatives want to make in the Voting Rights Act. The conservatives want to end the Act’s Section 5 requirement that the Justice Department approve any changes in voting procedures. The NEA’s Reg Weaver says keeping that Justice Department clearance is important to prevent obstructions of voting like this example.

[Reg Weaver]: “If in fact there is an area that has a high concentration of African-American voters, you have twenty voting machines. And some people may not want to do the right thing and want to be evil. They would say OK, but we’re going to take care of that. Instead of 20 voting machines we’re going to put in four voting machines. Which means that it makes it more difficult to vote. That’s a violation of Section Five.”

By Jesse Russell

Today marks the last day of the National Education Association's representative meeting in Orlando, Florida. A top issue on the plate for the annual meeting was the pay of teachers nationwide. The NEA, which claims 2.8 million members, is taking the position that there should be a national minimum wage for teachers in the United States of at least $40,000 a year. The hire starting salary will help address the potential teacher crisis coming down the line as thousands of current educators retire. Donna DeKraai (dee-CRY) is President of the South Dakota Education Association:

By Doug Cunningham

The AFL-CIO and the National Education Association are coming together at the state and local levels in an historic labor solidarity partnership that will multiply the power of the two giant labor organizations to advance the interests of working families. AFL-CIO President John Sweeney.

[John Sweeney]: " The agreement will fortify us in our continuing struggle to put people before profits and working families before corporate greed. We'll build on this moment to bring our movement even closer together so that we can powerfully confront the employers, policy makers and politicians who are attempting to weaken the voice of working families."

By Doug Cunningham

In Washington, D.C. today there will be a march and rally to both mark the anniversary of International Human Rights Day coming up on the tenth as well as protest the National Security Personnel System. Workers and their unions say this new personnel system guts collective bargaining rights and thus violates basic human rights. National Education Association President Reg Weaver.

[Reg Weaver 1] : "When we march it's for purposes of making sure that the individuals and the labor movement - we don't allow ourselves to be having civil rights and civil liberties threatened by what's coming down the pike as it relates to the national Security Personnel System."

By Jesse Russell

A law passed by the Idaho legislature restricting how donations could be collected for politics has been ruled unconstitutional. U.S. District Court Judge Lynn Winmill ruled against the Voluntary Contributions Act, which would have banned all payroll deductions for union political activities. The law included deductions authorized by employees.

Sherri Wood is President of the Idaho Education Association, one of the organizations that fought the amendment.

[Wood]: We said all along that the law was unfairly targeting two specific groups, the teachers and the firefighters and trying to silence our voice.

By Jesse Russell

The state of Connecticut has filed suit against the federal government for the so-called No Child Left Behind Act. The lawsuit calls the plan illegal because it requires expensive testing and programs that it doesn't pay for. The suit, possibly the first of its kind, asks a federal judge to declare state that the government cannot require state and local money be used to meet federal testing goals. The suit was filed by state Attorney General Richard Blumenthal. Earlier this year the National Education Association filed a lawsuit challenging the law.

The AFL-CIO has interoduced "solidarity charters." The charters would allow disaffiliated unions to remain members of their state feds and labor councils. Lane Windham explains to WIN reporter Jesse Russell what the charters mean.

Click here to go to the raw audio - runs 4m 11s

By Jesse Russell

Nearly 2000 teachers, students and community leaders throughout the country gathered at schools yesterday to bring attention to what they call Wal-Mart's failing record. Led by the organization WakeUpWalmart rallies were held in 20 states and 30 cities. One such rally was held in Milwaukee, Wisconsin at Hawley Elementary School. The United Food and Commercial Workers were joined by the American Federation of Teachers, the National Education Association and various community groups. Peter Blewett is a member of the Milwaukee Public Schools Board of Directors; he explains why holding Wal-Mart responsible is important for his school system:

By JoAnne Powers

This week two of New Jersey's largest public employee unions told a task force looking at state worker benefits to avoid making major changes to the state pension system and retirement health care coverage. Leaders of the state police and teachers unions stressed the importance of maintaining high-quality employment benefits.

Steve Baker, spokesperson for the New Jersey Education Association:

"We have some concern that this taskforce has been set up perhaps to arrive at a conclusion that public-sector benefits should more closely mirror private-sector benefits, and we think that would be just the wrong direction for New Jersey to head."

One of the most important features on the Workers Independent News website is our raw audio page. We provide the full audio of interviews we conducted with labor leaders, activists and working people so listeners can expand on stories we report. While most news organizations just give you one or two soundbites, we want you to have the whole story in the context it was presented. Here is a list of some of the most recent audio we have collected. Any of this can be used for your purposes as long as you credit the Workers Independent News.


(to see a complete list of Raw Audio, click here.)

• Sandra Day O'Connor was no moderate - decisions were anti-labor
  WIN's Doug Cunningham interviews labor activist Nathan Newman of the Agenda for Justice on Justice Sandra Day O'Connor and the Supreme Court nominee fight. Newman, who has a Yale law degree and a PhD in sociology from UC-Berkeley, says pressure should be put on Democrats for painting O'Connor asa moderate when she was so anti-worker rights on the court.




• WIN Interview: NEA President Reg Weaver (Part 1 of 2)
• WIN Interview: NEA President Reg Weaver (Part 2 of 2)
  WIN's Doug Cunningham talks with NEA President Reg Weaver about the court battle with the federal government over No Child Left Behind, the NEA's recent convention in Los Angeles and the variety of issues facing educators and teacher's union members.




• UAW President Ron Gettelfinger on AFL-CIO reform
  Excerpts from a recent press conference featuring UAW President Ron Gettelfinger responding to questions about AFL-CIO reform. The UAW is urging labor unity after the Chicago convention and is supporting John Sweeney for reelection as AFL-CIO president.




• NYC labor activist Harry Kelber runs for AFL-CIO VP (part 1 of 2)
• NYC labor activist Harry Kelber runs for AFL-CIO VP (part 2 of 2)
  WIN's Doug Cunningham interviews labor activist and writer Harry Kelber on Kelber's candidacy for AFL-CIO Vice-President. The 91 year old Kelber says there needs to be a voice at the convention raising dissent on behalf of the rank and file.

By Doug Cunningham

The National Education Association has 2.7 million members nationwide and is doing battle with the federal government in the courts over No Child Left behind. Reg Weaver, President of the NEA, says the government has recently moved to dismiss the NEA's lawsuit alleging that No Child Left Behind isn't fully funded and therefore is illegal.

[Reg Weaver 1] : "It's unfortunate that they chose to dismiss as opposed to doing what we think needs to be done. And that is to fix it and to fund it such that the kids will be able to have a better chance of being successful.
Weaver says the NEA is committed to quality public education and needs public support on the No Child Left Behind law.