by Michael Schwalbe
Michael Schwalbe is a professor of sociology at North Carolina State University. He recently had a piece published in the print edition of the News & Observer about the importance of recognizing labor’s contributions to our society, contributions many Americans may take for granted. We have reprinted his piece here with permission:
When teaching [...]
Crystal Lee Sutton at her home in Burlington, N.C. Photo Credit: By Joseph Rodriguez — Associated Press
Icon of labor movement leaves a legacy of ‘UNION’
The day before the start of our state AFL-CIO convention in Atlantic Beach, we received notice that Crystal Lee Sutton, the real life Norma Rae, had entered hospice care in [...]
Workers’ right to form unions must be honored
Pope Benedict XVI released a new encyclical last week to address the challenges people face because of globalization.
The Pope notes that it is often government, under the (false) assumption it’s good for the economy, that limit the freedom to form unions:
“Through the combination of social and economic change, [...]
What difference can a union make where you work?
workSMART, a project of the Trade Union Congress, the organized labor movement in the United Kingdom, like the AFL-CIO in the United States, has put together a fantastic video that speaks to anyone who goes to a job every day where they feel like just another [...]
Union Plus is a service of Union Privilege, which was established by the AFL-CIO to provide consumer benefits to members and retirees of participating labor unions. Union Plus has launched a special hotline for union members and their families that are struggling to keep up with their mortgage payments or facing possible home foreclosure.
Call the [...]
On August 19, the Catawba County Chamber of Commerce with the support of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce will host a rally in Hickory to oppose the Employee Free Choice Act and other pro-worker legislation.
Sen. Elizabeth Dole, Reps. Virginia Foxx, Patrick McHenry, Sue Myrick, and Robin Hayes will attend the Chamber’s rally and speak out [...]
The textile industry was once the lifeblood of small towns like Roanoke Rapids, where Crystal Lee Sutton grew up and raised three children. At the J.P. Stevens mill where Sutton worked, she earned just $2.65 an hour toiling under poor conditions.
Then, in 1973, Sutton met a coal miner turned organizer for the Amalgamated Clothing and [...]
Unionization significantly boosts the wages of workers across the income spectrum, with low-wage workers seeing the greatest benefit, according to a report released today by the Center for Economic and Policy Research. The report, The Union Advantage for Low-Wage Workers, shows union membership in North Carolina boosted the wages [...]
Teamsters Local 391 has an aggressive attitude about organizing. That attitude is paying off as the Teamsters have recently won key organizing victories in both the public and private sectors.
“Organizing is tough,” said Jack Cipriani, Teamsters Local 391 President. “Here in North Carolina, the task is extra tough. But our recent success shows that when [...]
The 2008 session of Carolina Labor School will be held on the campus of UNC-Wilmington on Sunday, June 22 – Friday, June 27.
Download the flyer and registration form.
Because of limited meeting space, we put a cap on the number of registrations we accept. Confirmations are made on a first-come, first-serve basis. The deadline to register [...]
Few people in the United States know that May 1, 2008 is a holiday – International Workers’ Day – recognized in almost every country with the exception of the U.S., Canada, and South Africa. Ironically, it was U.S. workers that founded the holiday.
International Workers’ Day (also known as May Day) is deeply rooted in [...]
Reynolds still refuses to meet with FLOC to discuss the plight of their tobacco field workers. FLOC supporters will gather Tuesday, May 6, 2008 at the Reynolds American Plaza Building, RAI’s corporate offices, on 401 N Main Street, Winston-Salem, NC.
What: Take action at Reynolds shareholder meeting
When: Tuesday, May 6, 2008 at 8:00 AM
Where: Reynolds American [...]
Decades of struggle by workers and their unions have resulted in significant improvements in working conditions. But the toll of workplace injuries, illnesses and deaths remains enormous. Each year, thousands of workers are killed and millions more are injured or diseased because of their jobs. The unions of the AFL-CIO remember these workers on April [...]
The North Carolina HOPE Coalition is co-sponsoring a teach-in on collective bargaining rights with the Institute for Civic Engagement and Social Change and Traction. Scheduled for April 3rd on the campus of North Carolina Central University, the teach-in is timed to coincide with the 40th anniversary Martin Luther King, Jr’s stand with public employees in [...]
Yet more welfare for an undeserving corporation
Once the employer of 1,450 workers in NC, many of them union members of USW Local 850, Continental Tire (CTNA) in recent years has all but ceased production here, choosing to open shop in Brazil. In moving its North American headquarters to Lancaster, SC, the tire maker would complete [...]
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 [...]
There’s a great article at the AFL-CIO Blog published in time for the national holiday in Dr. King’s honor this Monday. This year, the annual AFL-CIO King Day celebration is in Memphis, the site of his last campaign and where he was assassinated while helping city sanitation workers gain a voice at work.
Students at the [...]
From the AFL-CIO Blog: President John Sweeney and Union Privilege President Leslie Tolf have announced the launch of the Union Plus Save My Home Hotline.
“The Save My Home Hotline will provide free, confidential advice 24 hours a day, seven days a week from the counselors at Money Management International, a nonprofit, HUD-certified housing counseling agency. [...]
Our State Federation turned 5-0 earlier this year, and last month delegates from unions and affiliated organizations from across North Carolina gathered in Fayetteville to celebrate our Golden Anniversary on September 20-21, 2007.
To mark the occasion, delegates and their guests in attendance at our Convention Banquet received a special gift – a sapphire [...]
American Rights at Work, a progressive, pro-worker think tank whose mission is to advance democracy in the workplace, has compiled the third edition of its annual report, The Labor Day List: Partnerships that Work. This report shows that major corporations can grown and profit from healthy, positive relationships with workers instead of falling back on [...]
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 [...]
This August 29th, join hundreds of labor, faith, and social justice leaders in Williamsburg, Virginia at the largest-ever rally in support of Smithfield workers!
What: Demonstration at Smithfield Foods’ Annual Shareholders Meeting
When: August 29th, 2007, 11:00 – 3:30 p.m.
Where: Williamsburg, Virginia
[...]
We are very excited to announce that registration for the 2007 Carolina Labor School is now open! Labor School will be held at the University of North Carolina at Wilmington on June 24-29, 2007. Admission to Labor School is open only to members of affiliated local unions and state councils.