North Carolina’s Union Movement

Turning election victories into policy progress

Our 2009 Legislative Conference will be held at the Sheraton Raleigh Hotel, 421 S. Salisbury St, Raleigh, NC on February 19-20, 2009. This conference is both an education forum and a lobbying opportunity for your membership.

At our 2009 Legislative Conference, we will discuss legislative issues in play at the state and national levels, including public employee bargaining and the Employee Free Choice Act. We also will meet with state legislators both at the legislature and again at the hotel during our legislative reception and banquet to talk about our 2009 Legislative Agenda.

Our experience is that the conference is not only interesting and educational for those who attend, but also that strong participation during the conference greatly impacts our image and our success in state legislative work. For information about hotel reservations, registration fees and schedules, download the conference flyer and the registration form.

Labor Councils across NC will be holding local legislative meetings ahead of our conference. Look for more info by mail, email, and on our web site, and find one near you.

The Inter-Mountain, a newspaper in Elkins, West Virginia, recently published the following letter from a Ford dealer, which asks the simple question, “Have you driven a Ford lately?”

As I watch the coverage of the fate of the U.S. auto industry, one alarming and frustrating fact hits me right between the eyes. The fate of our nation’s economic survival is in the hands of some congressmen who are completely out of touch and act without knowledge of an industry that affects almost every person in our nation. The same lack of knowledge is shared with many journalists whom are irresponsible when influencing the opinion of millions of viewers.

Sen. Richard Shelby of Alabama has doomed the industry, calling it a dinosaur. No Mr. Shelby, you are the dinosaur, with ideas stuck in the ’70s, ’80s and ’90s. You and the uninformed journalist and senators that hold onto myths that are not relevant in today’s world.

[...]

So I’ll end where I began on the quality of the products of Detroit. Before you, Mr. or Ms. Journalist continue to misinform the American public and turn them against one of the great industries that helped build this nation, I must ask you one question. Before you, Mr. or Madam Congressman vote to end health care and retirement benefits for 1 million retirees, eliminate 2.5 million of our nation’s jobs, lose the technology that will lead us in the future and create an economic disaster including hundreds of billions of tax dollars lost, I ask this question not in the rhetorical sense. I ask it in the sincere, literal way.

Can you tell me, have you driven a Ford lately?

Jim Jackson, Elkins, West Virginia

You can read Mr. Jackson’s full letter at the Inter-Mountain web site.

Media focus on Employee Free Choice Act

Cullen Browder of CBS affiliate WRAL in Raleigh, NC interviewed state fed president James Andrews as part of a piece about the Employee Free Choice Act (EFCA). You can watch the video online.

Business groups opposed to EFCA are rolling out the same arguments they used in the 1930s to try to defeat passage of the National Labor Relations Act, which guarantees workers’ right to form unions. But as James points out - not unlike then - our economy is in the mess it is precisely because business was allowed to do whatever it wanted.

Empowering workers to form unions free of employer intimidation and abuse - which EFCA will do - is exactly what’s needed to restore balance to our economy and grow our middle class again.

Spread the word in your newsletter

Download a sample newsletter article you can use in your own publications to spread the word about why we need the Employee Free Choice Act.

Misinformation abounds

The debate about whether the Congress should make available a bridge loan for the U.S. auto industry has been muddled by misinformation about the impact of the UAW’s contracts on the viability of Ford, GM, and Chrysler.

We are here to set the record straight.

The UAW has released The Truth about UAW Members and the U.S. Auto Industry, a detailed, point-by-point answer to several questions being asked in the media and in the Congress, including:

• Are UAW members really paid $73 an hour?
  No. This inaccurate and outdated figure includes the costs of pensions and health care benefits of retired employees spread out over the active workers; active workers never receive any of this compensation in any form. UAW wages start at $14 for new hires and go up to $33 for skilled trade workers.
• Do labor costs make up the majority of the cost of producing a vehicle?
  No. Only 10% is labor; the remaining 90% includes research and development, parts, advertising, marketing and management overhead.
• Do union work rules make domestic companies less efficient than their non-union competitors?
  No. In fact, nine of the ten most efficient auto assembly plants in North America are union plants.

Got the Facts? Make the Call to Congress!

Wall Street’s failures now threaten to bring down an entire industry - domestic automakers - that are suffering the consequences of the credit crisis. Three million jobs - many of them belonging to our brothers and sisters in the United Autoworkers - hang in the balance. In North Carolina alone, the collapse of the auto industry could cost 84,890 jobs.

Now is not the time to deny a bridge loan to the domestic automakers in order to push an anti-union agenda, which would punish generations of hard workers. Ford, General Motors, and Chrysler certainly shouldn’t get a free ride on the tax payer’s dollar. That is why Democratic Congressional leaders are demanding automakers demonstrate their viability and accountability before taking action. But doing nothing is not an option.

Please call the Capitol Hill switchboard at (877) 331-1223 and ask to speak with your member of Congress and both our U.S. Senators, Elizabeth Dole and Richard Burr.

Tell them:

Congress must act in December to avoid the terrible consequences that would result from a collapse of the domestic automakers. It must pass legislation providing an emergency bridge loan to enable the domestic auto companies to continue their operations. At the same time, it should include requirements that will protect the taxpayers, and ensure the accountability and long term viability of the domestic auto companies.

Our brothers and sisters in the United Auto Workers would greatly appreciate your making this call today!

Avoid collapse of domestic auto industry

Since September the United States Treasury has used the financial rescue package passed by Congress to dole out hundreds of billions of dollars to Wall Street firms which played the securities markets like a slot machine in Atlantic City and now need help covering their bad debts.

Wall Street’s failures now threaten to bring down an entire industry - domestic automakers - which suffers the consequences of the credit crisis. Three million jobs - many of them belonging to our brothers and sisters in the United Autoworkers - hang in the balance.

The AFL-CIO Blog has a great entry about why the Treasury and some members of Congress seem to have decided what is good economic policy for one sector of the economy isn’t good for others:

Q. Why is handing out hundreds of billions of dollars in taxpayer funds OK if the recipients are Wall Street corporations but not OK if they are Midwest automakers?

A. Automakers are unionized.

Tell your member of Congress bankruptcy is not an option

Now is not the time to deny a bridge loan to the domestic automakers in order to push an anti-union agenda, which would punish hard working members in order to “let these people learn the lesson the hard way” as GOP Congressman Zach Wamp from Tennessee put it.

Aside from buying a house, buying a new car or truck is probably the largest purchase anyone will make in their lifetime. Would you buy a new vehicle from a bankrupt company?

Ford, General Motors, and Chrysler shouldn’t get a free ride on the tax payer’s dollar. That is why Democratic Congressional leaders are demanding automakers demonstrate their viability and accountability before taking action. But doing nothing is not an option.

Please call the Capitol Hill switchboard at (202) 224-3121 and ask to speak with your member of Congress. Tell them:

Congress must act in December to avoid the terrible consequences that would result from a collapse of the domestic automakers. It must pass legislation providing an emergency bridge loan to enable the domestic auto companies to continue their operations. At the same time, it should include requirements that will protect the taxpayers, and ensure the accountability and long term viability of the domestic auto companies.

You can read the Talking Points provided by the UAW for more information before making the call to your representative and our two U.S. Senators, Elizabeth Dole and Richard Burr.

Join human rights organizers and social justice activists, students, youth, faith leaders, workers and union leaders in Durham, North Carolina for the seventh Southern Human Rights Organizers Conference (SHROC)

SHROC 7 will be held from December 12-14, 2008 at the Radisson Hotel Research Triangle Park, 150 Park Dr, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709.

Registration is open through the start of the conference. There is a registration fee, but no one who wants to attend will be turned away because they cannot afford to register.

Issues that will be discussed at SHROC 7 include:

• Post-Katrina Human Rights Issues
• Immigrants Rights
• Slave Plantation Workplaces
• Environmental Justice
• Hate Crimes
• The War in Iraq
• Women’s Rights as Human Rights
• Voting Rights and Felony Disenfranchisement
• Global Lock-out of the Working Poor
• Death Penalty & Racism in the Criminal Justice System
• Juvenile Justice

For more information, including details about how to register to attend SHROC 7, download the conference brochure.

Politics of Labor in post-election America

The Triangle Labor and Civil Rights Working Group (LCRWG) is pleased to announce our next meeting on “The Politics of Labor” on Wednesday, November 19 at 6:30 pm at the NC State AFL-CIO, 1408 Hillsborough St, Raleigh, NC.

Please join us for an engaging discussion with the following speakers over drinks and light fare:

MaryBe McMillan, Secretary-Treasurer, NC State AFL-CIO, will speak on labor’s role in the election of Barack Obama and the Democratic sweep in North Carolina and across the nation. McMillan will also address the Employee Free Choice Act, a path-blazing bill restoring workers’ right to form unions free from employer threats and intimidation, which is labor’s top priority for Obama and the new Congress.

David Zonderman, Associate Professor of History, North Carolina State University, will speak on the history and present status of public sector unions in North Carolina, including the Hear Our Public Employee (HOPE) Coalition and its ongoing efforts to legalize collective bargaining for state, county, school, and municipal workers.

If you plan to attend, please RSVP to Orion Teal: orion.teal@duke.edu

About the working group

The LCRWG seeks to foster greater dialogue between activists and scholars on issues related to civil rights and labor in the Triangle and beyond. Past events have included film screenings, discussions of pre-circulated papers, multimedia presentations, and performances on topics as diverse as prison labor in North Carolina, the legacy of school desegregation, environmental racism, and labor organizing.

Our third year is off to a great start, and Spring 2009 promises to be equally engaging, informative, and fun, so please save the following dates:

• January 28, 2009 at 6:00 pm
  School Desegregation / Neighborhood Development with performance by Hidden Voices
  Love House, UNC Chapel Hill (map it)
• February 25, 2009 at 6:00 pm
  Urban Planning and Development in the Triangle
  Center for Documentary Studies, Duke University (map it)
• March 25, 2009 at 6:00 pm
  Latino/Immigrant Labor
  Love House, UNC Chapel Hill (map it)
• April 22, 2009 at 6:00 pm
  Film Screening and Discussion
  Love House, UNC Chapel Hill (map it)

Send an email to lcrwg@duke.edu for more information about the Triangle LCRWG.

Labor racks up big wins for working families in N.C.

Together, the NC State AFL-CIO and Central Labor Councils supported a total of 102 endorsed candidates in the November 4th general election. Based on unofficial results, 85% of our candidates won their election.

We endorsed a total of 12 candidates running for federal office.

James Andrews with Barack Obama before a campaign rally in Greensboro earlier this year

At the top of the ticket, Barack Obama and Joe Biden won with 49.7% of the vote. It’s the first time since 1976 that our state voted Democratic for president.

Kay Hagan soundly defeated incumbent Elizabeth Dole to become the next U.S. Senator from North Carolina, winning by a 53% to 44% margin. Toward the end of the campaign, Dole and her big business allies attacked unions and Hagan repeatedly for her support of the Employee Free Choice Act.

Larry Kissell won a commanding 10-point victory over Robin Hayes to become the new Democratic Congressman in the 8th District. Kissell narrowly lost to Hayes by less than 400 votes in 2006. Kissell’s defeat of CAFTA sell-out, anti-worker, “liberals hate America” Robin Hayes is especially gratifying.

Kay Hagan at our 2008 Convention

G.K. Butterfield, Bob Etheridge, David Price, Mike McIntyre, Heath Shuler, Mel Watt, and Brad Miller each easily won re-election to the U.S. House.

Not including Barack Obama and Kay Hagan, we endorsed a total of 17 candidates standing for election statewide.

In the race for who will become Governor, endorsed candidate Lt. Governor Bev Perdue defeated Charlotte Mayor Pat McCrory 50.2% to 46.9%. Perdue is the first female elected governor in North Carolina.

Our candidate for Lt. Governor, State Senator Walter Dalton won with 51% of the vote.

Beth Wood, our endorsed candidate for State Auditor, pulled off a stunning upset victory over Republican incumbent Leslie Merritt, winning 54% to 46%. Incidentally, Wood will be our state’s first female auditor.

Bev Perdue at our 2008 Convention

Janet Cowell won her race for State Treasurer by the same 54-46 margin, making her the first female elected to that position as well.

Wayne Goodwin defeated John Odom 52% to 45% to become the new Commissioner of Insurance.

Roy Cooper, Elaine Marshall, and June Atkinson each easily won re-election, and John C. Martin, Cheri Beasley, James Wynn, and Linda Stephens won their elections for the Court of Appeals.

In the race for Commissioner of Labor, our candidate, Mary Fant Donnan, narrowly lost to incumbent Cherie Berry 49.4% to 50.6%.

We endorsed 54 state legislative candidates, of which 89% won their election. We endorsed 19 candidates in local and district court races, of which 95% won their election.

Read the full list of results for our endorsements (PDF) .

Kay Hagan defeats Liddy Dole

We wanted to Turn Around America, and we did it!

Barack Obama is the next President of the United States.

Kay Hagan, a Democrat, will take the same seat in the U.S. Senate as Jesse Helms, having soundly defeating incumbent Elizabeth Dole.

This has been a historic night, indeed.

UPDATE: The Associated Press has called North Carolina for Barack Obama!  According to a canvass of remaining uncounted ballots, there are not enough cast for McCain / Palin to overcome Obama / Biden’s lead of 13,000 plus votes.

Thanks to all of our members, released staff, our allies, friends and families who worked so tirelessly to win for working families.

After an election about change and the need to Turn Around America, North Carolina is now on the right side of history.

What you need to know:

Time: Polls open at 6:30 am and close at 7:30 pm.

Place: Use the State Board of Election’s precinct locator to find your polling place.

Registration: You must be registered as of October 10, 2008 in order to vote. The best thing to do is check your registration before going to the polls.

Provisional Ballots: Under the law, voters must receive provisional ballots when their names do not appear on voting rosters when they go to vote. If that happens to you, you have the right to cast a provisional ballot! If a poll worker tries to turn you away, demand to cast a provisional ballot. Do not leave the polls without voting!

Stay in Line: We cannot stress this enough - STAY IN LINE! Expect record turnout and long lines, so be prepared to wait. If you’re in line at 7:30 pm, you have the right to cast a ballot, no matter how long the line ahead of you is.

The Weather: Forecasts predict rain in much of the state, today. Be prepared for precipitation by bringing a coat, poncho, or umbrella.

Clothing: Contrary to popular rumor, a voter who is wearing a political cap, T-shirt, or button and does not electioneer within the polling place will be allowed to vote in a normal matter.

Ballot Reminders: You have to vote for President separately. Voting for president should be the first thing you do when you receive your ballot. Straight-party-ticket voting DOES NOT INCLUDE PRESIDENT!

After you vote for president, you can vote a split ticket by:

1. Selecting the party as if you were voting a straight ticket and then selecting any candidate you wish to vote for of a different party; or
2. Not marking the party and selecting each candidate, one at a time, in each race you wish to vote for.

Judicial races are non-partisan and are thus excluded from a straight party ticket. They must be voted for separately!

Who to Call for Help: If you feel like you are mistreated when you vote, contact the national Election Protection hotline at 1-866-OUR-VOTE, Democracy North Carolina at 1-888-OUR-VOTE or call the State Board of Elections at 1-866-522-4723.

First time voters benefit from a helping hand

Saturday, November 1st was the first day of our massive GOTV mobilization drive and the last day of one-stop same-day registration and early voting.

For two new voters in Wake County, union volunteers made the difference.

Courtney Willis (pictured above), age 18, had not registered to vote when Jeff Sciunas of the Letter Carriers union knocked on his door.

“I was happy union people came to pick me up so that I could vote for the first time,” Courtney said when we interviewed him for this story.

Elsewhere, Annette Farrington (pictured left), who is partially disabled, didn’t think she would be able to participate in this historic election. Thankfully, Zita Dixon of the Service Employees Union paid her a visit.

“I was glad when the people from the campaign came and got me to vote because I had never voted before.” Ms. Farrington told us. “I’m 47 years old, and I really enjoyed voting! I appreciate them coming to get me and returning me home safely.”

Jeff and Zita are two of many union members volunteering to go door-to-door and get out the vote in North Carolina.

With less than a half hour before the one-stop polls closed at 5:00 pm, both Mr. Willis and Ms. Farrington were able to register and vote for the first time ever only because two volunteers from the union knocked on their door and gave them a helping hand with a ride to the polls.

The union difference is more than a contract, better wages, and having a voice at work. It’s about empowering people to take an active role in their workplace, in their government and in their lives.

For Courtney Willis and Annette Farrington, in this election, the union made all the difference in the world.

Cliff Ayers of Eden, NC

Layoffs lead to new priorities for voters in N.C.

Media General News Service on Friday highlighted factory workers in small towns like Cleveland and Eden, NC who have to reconcile their politics with some new, unwelcome circumstances.

John Stewart was a proud Republican who voted for George W. Bush twice.

That was before the truck manufacturer he worked for, Freightliner, built a second plant in Mexico, and before Stewart and 1,500 other workers lost their jobs here in June.

“I understand the world needs trade,” Stewart said. “But when it costs us jobs going to China, Mexico, there’s nothing free or fair about that.”

There’s no denying it. Free trade agreements have hit North Carolina hard. Textile, furniture, and other manufacturing job losses have devastated communities and continue to do so. The pain is felt by Democrats and Republicans alike.

Clifford Ayers once had steady work on the line at the same rug plant in Eden. Though he still has a job, the plant has cut back on shifts, and he has not worked in three weeks.

Ayers, a self-described conservative Democrat, voted for Bush in 2004 largely because he identified with the Republican’s anti-abortion stance. This year, that issue has taken a back seat to the economy.

“I’m not foolish enough to believe that we wake up tomorrow and all these textile companies will come back. But we have to stop the bleeding,” said Lewis Dishmon, a local union leader.

Read the full story at Media General’s Washington Bureau web site.

1 p.m. deadline extended in some counties

Are you registered? Have you voted yet?

Today is the last day to register to vote and vote early in one-stop in North Carolina.

Same-day registration will not be available on November 4th. If you missed the deadline to register in order to vote on Election Day, today is your last chance to vote at all.

Polls open in most counties by 10 a.m. or earlier. Several counties have extended hours so check the list of one-stop locations for updated closing times where you live.

Vote today, volunteer tomorrow

For the first time since 1976, North Carolina is a battleground state in a presidential election, and we have a hotly contested U.S. Senate seat. Union members, community organizers, and anyone concerned about issues that affect working families will play a pivotal role in the outcome of the 2008 election.

After you’ve voted, you can still do more. Volunteer. Contact AFL-CIO State Political Director Carlos Carrillo at (919) 833-6678 or ccarrill@aflcio.org for information about volunteering.

Four days and counting down to Turn Around America! Can you think of anything scarier than forgetting to vote in this election?

Record turnout continues. As of yesterday, 2 million people have voted early in North Carolina. That’s more than half the number of all votes cast in 2004!

For the first time ever, North Carolina voters can register to vote and vote in just one-stop at early voting locations in every county.

Vote today and volunteer for GOTV on Nov. 4

Early voting ends Saturday, so there’s still time for you to exercise the franchise and free up time on Election Day to Get Out The Vote!

Contact AFL-CIO State Political Director Carlos Carrillo at (919) 833-6678 or ccarrill@aflcio.org for information about volunteering.

Sen. John McCain continues to trot out his favorite political prop and substitute for actually addressing the concerns of middle class voters - Samuel “Joe the Plumber” Wurzelbacher.

It turns out at Wurzelbacher isn’t even a licensed plumber, makes far less than $250 thousand, and is a member of a non-union trade group that has endorsed John McCain.

We’d like to introduce you to some real, licensed and trained professional Plumber Joes:

• Joe “the Plumber” Vicena, UA Local 75
• Joe “the Plumber” Martinez, UA Local 3
• Joe “the Plumber” Tatum, UA Local 10
• Joe “the Plumber” Gutzwiller, UA Local 440

In a stunning dose of straight-talk to CNN, senior McCain campaign economic policy advisor Douglas Holtz-Eakin admits employer-based coverage is superior than anything you could buy for yourself with McCain’s $5,000 tax credit:

“What [workers] are getting from their employer is way better than what they could get with the credit.”

There’s more from the AFL-CIO Blog:

As Newsweek economics correspondent Jane Bryant Quinn points out, a $5,000 tax credit in the McCain plan falls far short of the cost to replace most workers’ employer-provided coverage, especially for older workers who could face annual premium costs of $12,000 or more.

Just yesterday we told readers about new reports that show McCain’s health plan would cost 608,559 North Carolina residents their coverage - leaving them to find individual insurance on the private market.

Would veto “in a New York minute”

Today, speaking to CNBC’s Maria Bartiromo, McCain made clear once again his anti-worker, anti-union outlook:

I will do everything in my power to block such legislation. And imagine, Sen. Obama and Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid pushing the union agenda, it would be very, very, very unfortunate.

From the AFL-CIO Blog:

Let’s see. Along with the freedom to form unions, what other “very, very, very unfortunate” items are on the “union agenda“?

There’s quality, affordable health care for all and we can’t forget good jobs with good wages.

Then there’s retirement security and quality public education and affordable higher education.

How about fair trade agreements that don’t ship U.S. jobs overseas and trade agreements that protect workers’ rights and the environment?

Who exactly does John McCain think will find this agenda so unfortunate?

The Wall Street Journal is reporting that as of Monday, October 27, 1.2 million voters have cast their ballots in North Carolina during One-Stop Early Voting.

Have you voted yet?

From now until Saturday, November 1, you can register to vote and cast your ballot to Turn Around America at one-stop voting locations across North Carolina.

The State Board of Elections has produced a complete list of One-Stop early voting locations in every county. Click here to download the list as a PDF.

Last week, NC AFL-CIO members of Change to Win protested outside the Republican Party office in High Point, NC. The group included our board member, Lewis Dishmon, President of UNITE HERE 294T, who spoke to WXII-12 news.

Watch the video.

This is our time! Please join us in our intensive GOTV efforts to move our 100,000 union members to the polls.

Today until Monday, Nov 3rd - Phone banks
Locations: Raleigh, Greensboro, Fayetteville, Charlotte, Asheville, Wilmington, Statesville, Dallas.

Saturday, Nov 1st - Walking for Change
Locations: Raleigh, Greensboro, Fayetteville, Charlotte, Wilmington, Asheville.

Tuesday, Nov 4th - Massive GOTV efforts
Locations: Raleigh, Greensboro, Fayetteville, Charlotte, Wilmington, Asheville.

For information re times and locations call Carlos Carrillo @ 919-833-6678 or email ccarrill@aflcio.org