‘Citizens United’ ruling a disaster for democracy
If we thought the flow of money in politics was bad before, we ain’t seen nothing yet.
Last week, in a 5-4 ruling, the Supreme Court of the United States elevated corporations to the level of actual persons with a free-speech guarantee under the first amendment to advocate for the [...]
By Fred Azcarate, Voice@Work Director for the AFL-CIO
In a blog entry for USAService.org, a web site designed to promote President-elect Barack Obama’s call for a national day of service on Monday, January 19, Fred Azcarate shared his own thoughts on how best to honor those who have come before us:
“The Labor Movement – the Folks [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
What you need to know:
Endorsed Candidates: Go to our web site for more information.
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 [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
Questions to ask yourself about McCain’s health plan
Do you know the truth about McCain’s health care plan?
Do you know that McCain’s plan will tax your healthcare benefits just like income?
Do you know that under the McCain plan, 608,559 North Carolina residents would lose employer-sponsored health insurance?
The web site Insurance Company Rules for All has [...]
One-Stop polls open until Nov. 1
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 [...]
National AFL-CIO Secretary-Treasurer Richard Trumka spoke the truth at the national Steelworkers convention earlier this summer, saying there’s only one bad reason to vote in this election – a candidate’s skin color.
With so much at stake for workers and working families, the American Federation of Government Employees isn’t taking anything for granted either.
Listen to the [...]
Senator’s contempt for murdered unionists in Columbia caught on video
At the final presidential debate, Sen. John McCain, a self-proclaimed free-trader, asked Sen. Barack Obama why he won’t support the Columbia “Free” Trade Agreement.
Sen. Obama responded, correctly, that there’s a history in Columbia of labor leaders being targeted for assassination without prosecution by the Columbian government.
McCain’s [...]
On September 18, 2008, the Smoky Mountain Times published this letter to the editor:
The most important presidential election of our time is approaching soon and the residents of North Carolina, and Swain County in particular, have a lot of issues to consider when deciding who they will support to lead our country.
A few things [...]
Cherie Berry slashing fines for campaign cash
An investigation by the Charlotte Observer, also reported in the News & Observer, has uncovered special treatment for companies whose executives and managers donated to Labor Commissioner Cherie Berry’s campaign for re-election:
For Berry’s contributors, half of OSHA fines were reduced more than 70 percent. Reductions that large are [...]
Voters in past elections have probably had this experience at least once: It’s Election Day, and you’re in the voting booth. You’re prepared to mark your ballot for President, Vice President, U.S. Senator, and Governor – but what about District Court Judge or Soil and Water Conservation District Supervisor? Without any information on [...]
It’s okay to wear candidate apparel to the polls!
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.
People can wear buttons, T-shirts, hats, whatever, with the name or picture of a candidate but they [...]
Gloria Craven of Eden, NC spoke Tuesday night at the Democratic National Convention in Denver, CO.
Gloria, a member of UNITE HERE, and her husband lost their jobs as textile workers when Pillowtex closed its doors in 2003. She had worked at the plant for 30 years when the company shipped her job overseas with no [...]
How many houses do you own?
From the AFL-CIO Blog:
In the past week, Sen. John McCain has proven repeatedly he just doesn’t get it. He’s said, once again, that the economy is strong. He thinks you’re “rich” only if you make $5 million or more a year. And now, in the thick of a housing crisis, [...]
If John McCain has his way, it’ll be your last
Seventy-three years ago on August 14, President Franklin Roosevelt signed the Social Security Act into law. Today, more than 42 million Americans count on that monthly check to help buy groceries, pay the rent or get medicine. For all these 73 years, Social Security has never [...]
The Wall Street Journal is reporting today that Wal-Mart has taken its campaign against unions to a whole new level – holding mandatory meetings for employees to warn them against voting for Sen. Barack Obama or any Democrat in November.
The WSJ quotes a customer-service supervisor who was forced to attend one of the meetings:
“The meeting [...]
The men and women who served our country in the military deserve more than lip service. They deserve the best.
Some 2.1 million union members, or 14 percent of all union members, are veterans of military service. The AFL-CIO is bringing together union leaders and members who are veterans to speak out to and hold government officials [...]
On July 16, labor leaders from around the state met at the state fed headquarters to discuss plans for our Labor 2008 program. The meeting laid out the groundwork and timeline for running a successful member-to-member political education program.
President James Andrews announced that the national AFL-CIO has assigned two staff to work in North Carolina [...]
NC State AFL-CIO endorsed candidate for state Commissioner of Labor, Mary Fant Donnan, won her runoff election decisively on June 24. Turnout in the runoff was extremely low, amounting to under 2% of registered voters statewide. Nevertheless, Donnan won 2 to 1 with about 22,000 votes more than her opponent.
Our endorsed candidate for the 5th [...]
Sen. John McCain is clearly not a fan of workers’ freedom to form unions and bargain for better wages and benefits. He has spoken out against unions and consistently voted against collective bargaining rights for workers. Union members know the right to bargain is essential to preserving good jobs with good [...]
Gov. Mike Easley has what he calls a “painless solution” to increase teacher salaries and fund mental healthcare: higher taxes on cigarettes and alcohol.
In his last budget proposal as governor, Easley would have lawmakers increase the tax on a pack of cigarettes by an additional 20 cents to 55 cents total. The increase of cigarette [...]
AFL-CIO endorsed candidate for Commissioner of Labor, Mary Fant Donnan, won the most votes in the May 6 primary but not the 40 percent required to become the Democratic candidate in November and will have to take part in a runoff.
The State Board of Elections has yet to determine who Donnan’s opponent will be [...]
Together, the NC State AFL-CIO and Central Labor Councils endorsed a total of 34 candidates with primary opposition in the May 6 election. Based on unofficial primary results, 79% of our candidates won their primary election.
Nine candidates competed for statewide office, and of that group, 77% will advance to the general election November 4. [...]
Democracy North Carolina, a nonpartisan elections reform organization, called for an investigation of an automated phone message that it says is designed to depress participation by black voters in North Carolina’s May primary.
The Lie: The “robo” calls are from a “Lamont Williams” and tell voters to wait for a voter registration form to [...]
You only have until Saturday to vote early by absentee ballot with no excuse. If you haven’t registered, you can – for the first time ever in North Carolina – take advantage of our state’s new same-day registration law. Same-day registration allows voters to register and immediately cast a ballot at any one-stop early voting [...]
The Southern Piedmont Central Labor Council is organizing a special welcome party for Sen. John McCain as he makes a stop in North Carolina on Monday, May 5.
What: Union welcoming party for Sen. McCain
When: Monday, May 5, 2008 at 4:45 PM
Where: The Westin, 601 South College St, Charlotte NC
Download the flyer for this event.
For [...]
2008 will surely be the most expensive election in history, and political parties at every level will need to raise and spend vast sums of money to secure victories in November.
But when Theresa Kostrzewa, contract lobbyist for Smithfield Foods and Smithfield Packing, came with check in hand, the NC Democratic Party said, “Thanks but no [...]
The Colombia Free Trade Agreement (FTA) represents a continuation of the Bush administration’s failed trade policies, an agenda that has contributed to the loss of more than 3 million manufacturing jobs since 2000, skyrocketing trade deficits and shrinking paychecks.
The Columbia deal was drafted and signed by the Bush administration before the expiration last summer of [...]