‘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 [...]
UPDATE: Postponed until 2/27 due to wintry weather
Look for more information next week.
Because the change we need must come in North Carolina
The NC State AFL-CIO is proud to stand with our partners in the HK on J alliance. Our 14-point People’s Agenda speaks to the change we need in our state capital and across [...]
We’re at the 52nd Annual Convention in Atlantic Beach this week. In addition to electing officers and executive board members, the convention is an educational opportunity for attending delegates.
Today we had a great panel discussion on Aid for Dislocated Workers. Leading the panel was Roger Shackleford, Executive Director of the Division of Workforce Development in [...]
TAKE ACTION: It’s time to come together around the state budget
Together NC is a coalition of organizations – including the NC State AFL-CIO and the NC Justice Center – committed to promoting wise policy choices for shared prosperity.
Together, we have worked hard to push state legislators to adopt a budget that isn’t balanced [...]
REPORT: ‘Phantom Demand’ lays bare the deception
A new report by the Center for Responsible Lending shows the payday loan industry creates demand for its own services by setting loan terms that encourage rapid re-borrowing by consumers:
Payday churning – repeat borrowing of what payday lenders market as a short-term loan of a few hundred dollars – [...]
Triple Play at Lobby Day
On May 26 public employees and supporters from across North Carolina converged on Raleigh for HOPE’s second Collective Bargaining Lobby Day. Hundreds of people from 22 counties lobbied their legislators in person and through HOPE’s virtual lobby and call-in day.
Our strategy this year followed on three tracks: 1. Mock funeral for [...]
Protest of destructive budget cuts outside legislature
Lawmakers in Raleigh are considering a budget proposal that would balance the books on the backs of working families by cutting essential programs and services needed now more than ever. Decisions made in the legislature threaten to turn an economic crisis for the state into a state of emergency [...]
Join the discussion coming to a town near you
Together NC, a coalition of organizations – including the NC State AFL-CIO – committed to promoting wise policy choices for shared prosperity, is organizing a series of town hall discussions on the necessity of public investments in North Carolina.
Our state government has to fix a large budget [...]
HOPE Coalition, lawmakers to discuss repealing ban
The Fayetteville Area HOPE Committee will be meeting with Margaret Dickson and other Cumberland County legislators on May 21 at the Bordeaux Library. The meeting begins at 5pm and the legislators will arrive at 6pm. A facilitator and speakers will be on hand to make the case for repealing [...]
Getting sick is nothing new. The way we fight the spread of infectious disease – regular hand washing, getting vaccinated, avoiding travel and staying home from work if sick – are common sense things that everyone can do.
Well, not everyone.
Nearly 1 in 2 workers in North Carolina lack even a single day of paid sick [...]
Employee Free Choice Act, Public Employee Bargaining up for discussion
MaryBe McMillan, Secretary-Treasurer for the NC State AFL-CIO, took part in an interview with Charlotte public radio station WFAE 90.7FM for a story about the Employee Free Choice Act which aired on Monday, March 30.
“There’s only one secret that the Chamber of Commerce and the CEO’s [...]
It’s time we repeal the Jim Crow era ban
State Rep. Larry Shaw speaks about repealing GS 95-98 at press conference
Tuesday’s press conference with State legislators, the NC NAACP and representatives of several public employee sectors, presented the case for repealing G.S. 95-98, which prohibits government entities from contracting with a bargaining agent for public employees.
A [...]
CAT Bus operator, union member speaks at press conference
The NC State AFL-CIO has joined with 33 other organizations – including AARP, ACORN, and the NC Justice Center – to push for passage of the Healthy Families and Healthy Workplaces Act, legislation which would allow North Carolina workers to earn up to 56 hours per year [...]
Reps. Harrell, Luebke speak on behalf of workers
Rep. Ty Harrell (front) and Rep. Paul Luebke speak about importance of unions to N.C. economy at a press conference on March 10, 2009.
North Carolina Representatives Ty Harrell and Paul Luebke joined John Quinterno of the N.C. Budget and Tax Center for a press conference on the effects [...]
The NC AFL-CIO is proud to be a part of Together NC, a broad and diverse collection of more than 50 non-profit organizations, service providers, and professional associations who have come together to promote wise choices for shared prosperity for all North Carolinians.
This afternoon, Together NC delivered a letter to state lawmakers urging them to [...]
3rd H.K. on J. set for February 14
Join the NC State AFL-CIO and other labor organizations for the rally and march on Saturday, February 14, 2009. Here’s more information from the announcement at the HK on J web site:
The H K on J coalition is united in support of a 14-point People’s Agenda for better [...]
Procrastinators now have until this Sunday, January 25, to make a reservation and get our discounted room rate at the 2009 Legislative Conference. You can reserve rooms online at the hotel’s web site.
The conference will be held February 19-20 at the Sheraton Raleigh Hotel.
For information about hotel reservations, registration fees and schedules, download the conference [...]
Conversations start at the local level
We won many great victories for working families on Election Day 2008. Now comes the hard part – advancing our legislative agenda during the next session of the General Assembly, beginning in 2009, and fighting off expected challenges from the business lobby to workers’ compensation and other issues important [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
Question:
What do these three public servants have in common?
Answer:
They are denied the same negotiation rights as employees
working in the private sector.
Virtual Lobby for H.O.P.E.
Take action and send a pre-written (but editable) letter to the House Appropriations Committee and to your NC House and Senate member. You will be asking them to support House Bill 1583 [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
The state federation has developed a strategic plan that includes hands-on support for central labor councils, APRI and the Alliance for Retired Americans.
We have conducted two very successful trainings for Labor 2008 political coordinators. At the meetings in Charlotte and in Fayetteville, President Andrews and Secretary-Treasurer McMillan facilitated the discussion and got commitments from local [...]
On February 9, thousands of activists, including hundreds of union members, rallied for a progressive legislative agenda, including justice for the Smithfield workers and collective bargaining for public employees. The rally and march were part of the second annual Historic Thousands on Jones Street (HK on J) event organized by the NC NAACP and [...]
The Hear Our Public Employees Coalition, of which the State Fed is a charter member, is conducting a broad effort to gather signatures onto an open letter to members of the General Assembly, urging lawmakers to support repeal of the prohibition on public employee collective bargaining by supporting HB 1583.
The signature gathering effort is now [...]
HOPE Coalition Seeks 1,000 Signatures for Letter to Lawmakers
When it comes to setting the conditions of their employment, union members know that only a collective bargaining agreement gives them a voice at work. North Carolina’s public employees, unfortunately, have no such protection. Since 1958, General Statue 95-98 has outlawed contracts between state, county [...]
Rally followed by march on the General Assembly
Last year in downtown Raleigh, thousands of people rallied and marched to reclaim our legislature as the People’s General Assembly at the first annual Historic (H) Thousands (K) on Jones St (J). Folks from all walks of life came out to support a 14 Point Agenda for change [...]
Last week we told you about the veto by President Bush of the bill that would reauthorize the State Children’s Health Insurance Program and expand its coverage to include 4 million more children of families that make too little to buy their own insurance.
This week we’ve launched a letter writing campaign through our web site [...]
Each year the Carolinas Labor-Management Conference brings together labor and management in a relaxed learning environment to discuss topics of concern to us all. Attendees are able to spend time with others who handle similar problems and learn some best practices from employers and unions throughout North and South Carolina.
President James Andrews will join several [...]
In our Labor Day update, we told folks that President James Andrews and Crystal Lee Sutton aka “Norma Rae” would be interviewed on News and Views with Chris Fitzsimon. Both interviews are currently available online at NC Policy Watch.
Listen to the interview with James Andrews on health care, wages, and collective bargaining.
Listen to the interview [...]
The NC State AFL-CIO is an active supporter of voting rights, and in July of this year, we celebrated the passage of landmark election reform. House Bill 91 established “Same Day Registration” at all one-stop early voting sites. The law will allow citizens to show up at any early voting location, present proof of [...]
Homeownership is part of the American Dream, but for many North Carolinians, that dream has become a nightmare as predatory lending practices in the subprime market result in increasing numbers of foreclosures. Last month, two new bills to prevent foreclosures in North Carolina became law. The bills – the North Carolina Home Loan Protection Act [...]
“Democracy has won a fresh vote of confidence in North Carolina” begins the News & Observer’s July 14 editorial on the passage by the General Assembly of a bill to allow on-site registration at all early-voting places in our state.
Indeed, the legislation, which is now headed to Gov. Easley for his signature, is a landmark [...]
The NC House of Representatives has taken the first step towards enacting a 5 percent refundable state Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) by including it in their Budget Bill. The House Finance committee defeated an amendment offered by Rep. Daughtridge to would make the EITC non-refundable on a party-line vote. Such an amendment is likely [...]
For many years, farmworkers have been dying in North Carolina’s fields. Farmworkers have died from heat-related deaths and in transportation-related accidents on their way to work. Children with severe birth defects have been born to AgMart workers who were illegally exposed to pesticides in fields of North Carolina and Florida. In addition, workers are often [...]