News

Apr 27 Senators reject Rick Scott’s pitch to fight unions Mary Ellen Klas, Miami Herald Florida governor makes last-ditch appeal to rescue bill to target union dues but measure appears dead for session.
Apr 11 Most Ohio big city mayors do not like collective bargaining law Reginald Fields, Plain Dealer Mayors who were initially supportive now say Kasich went too far and that the wholesale changes in the collective bargaining law are unacceptable.
Apr 09 Thousands Rally In Times Square Against Job Cuts Amanda Farinacci, NY1 The demonstration came amid fears of large-scale public sector job cuts and loss of public employees' benefits in the face of looming state budget cuts.
Apr 08 Thousands gather for Chicago pro-union rally Vikki Ortiz Healy, Chicago Tribune 'This is no longer a state movement. This is an international movement on behalf of working families.'
Apr 08 ‘All cuts’ budget moves to Washington House floor despite protests Jim Camden, Spokesman-Review Protesters chanted, sang and marched through the Capitol to the strains of bagpipes trying to convince the Legislature to veer from the path of an “all cuts” budget.
Apr 09 Union supporters launch effort to overturn SB5 with rally Jim Siegel, Columbus Dispatch An estimated 11,000 union supporters rallied at the Ohio Statehouse to launch the effort to overturn the law that would weaken public workers' bargaining power.
Apr 07 Maryland firm to take over 3 California libraries as debate grows over privatization Michael A. Fletcher, Washington Post Move has ignited a passionate debate over whether some municipal functions should be off-limits to for-profit operators.
Apr 07 Protesters Demand Washington Legislature Close Corporate Tax Loopholes Amanda Terkel, Huffington Post Washington state residents have turned out at the state Capitol this week to protest deep budget cuts the legislature is considering to address a looming $5 billion deficit.
Apr 07 Proposed closing of center leads to Vineland protest Angela Delli Santi, Courier-Post NJ Gov. Chris Christie has proposed closing both campuses of the Vineland Development Center, which houses 350 women.
Apr 06 Public-sector workers get no respect Editorial Board, Florida Today Florida's budget will be balanced on the backs of 650,000 teachers, firefighters, police officers, state employees, county workers, university employees and others in the state retirement system.
Apr 06 27-year-old with slim résumé resigns from state government Daniel Bice, Journal Sentinel Son of a prominent supporter of WI Gov. Scott Walker resigned following public criticism over his appointment to an $81,500-per-year job.
Apr 06 At California Mental Hospitals, Fear Is Part Of The Job Ina Jaffe, NPR Workers at Napa State Hospital demand better safety measures for staff and patients after a sharp rise in assaults and the tragic death of a psychiatric technician last year.
Apr 05 Kloppenburg declares victory over Prosser in Supreme Court race Dee J. Hall, Wisconsin State Journal Attorney JoAnne Kloppenburg has declared victory over incumbent Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice David Prosser.
Apr 05 In history's footsteps: Memphis rally in King's memory follows historic trail Chris Conley and Michael Lollar, Commercial Appeal Memphis sanitation workers marked the 43rd anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s murder by reprising the famous 1968 march to City Hall.
Apr 04 Union backers express anger Linda Golz, Beacon Journal Rally in Akron's Hardesty Park denounces Ohio's Senate Bill 5, urges support for workers' rights
Apr 04 Voters in St. Louis, KC agree to keep earnings tax Jim Salter, Associated Press Voters overwhelmingly approved ballot measures to maintain earning taxes that provide significant portions of their cities' budgets.
Apr 04 Hawaii labor unions rally against government cuts Associated Press Event organizers said Dr. King considered violations of worker rights as dangerous as neglecting basic human rights.
Apr 04 Supporters of union rights rally in downtown Wilmington Nichole Dobo, News Journal The Delaware state AFL-CIO held a “We Are One” rally in observance of the day that Martin Luther King was assassinated in Memphis.
Apr 04 Workers rally against cuts and commemorate King Danielle De Souza , Journal News More than 500 people attended a "We are One" rally in White Plains, NY in support of workers' rights.
Apr 03 Hundreds march for worker rights in Detroit Joe Rossiter, Detroit Free Press Rally and march through downtown Detroit to Hart Plaza honors the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., focuses on worker rights.
Apr 03 Statehouse rally ties labor movement to MLK's legacy Mike Wiser, Globe Gazette Labor union members and their supporters held a rally at the Iowa Statehouse as part of a nationwide effort to commemorate the death of Martin Luther King Jr.
Apr 03 Unions rally against budget cuts at state Capitol Dennis Owens, WHTM-TV Organized labor groups rallied Monday at the Pennsylvania Capitol to protest Gov. Tom Corbett's proposed budget cuts.
Apr 04 2,000 Protesters March On Koch Industries’ D.C. Office Alex Seitz-Wald, ThinkProgress Protesters marched on Koch Industries’ Washington D.C. offices to invite Charles and David Koch to come out and speak.
Apr 04 Union workers march on King death anniversary CNN
Apr 03 Dump the prison privatization plan Miami Herald Florida Senate proposal would cause massive disruption
Apr 01 Union-bashing brings backlash Robert Kuttner, Politico An unexpected effect of the war on unions by several Republican governors has been a sympathy backlash among voters.
Mar 31 Thousands hit streets in New Haven to support unions Angela Carter, New Haven Register More than 3,000 marchers stood together against efforts to widen the gap between the rich and poor and strip hard-working people of jobs, benefits and pensions.
Mar 31 New Hampshire workers rally against collective bargaining limits Ed Payne, CNN State workers and others rallied at the capitol in Concord one day after the state House approved a package that would reduce collective bargaining rights.
Mar 27 LePage removes labor mural over the weekend Steve Mistler, Lewiston Sun Journal The 36-foot mural depicting historical moments in Maine's work history was removed from the lobby in the Labor Department over the weekend.
Mar 27 Indiana Dems To Return Home With Big Concessions From GOPers Evan McMorris-Santoro, Talking Points Memo House Democrats have reached a deal with Republican leadership that will change the face of what Gov. Mitch Daniels (R) was hoping would be a signature session.
Mar 25 Wisconsin Professor’s E-Mails Are Target of G.O.P. Records Request A. G. Sulzberger, New York Times Republicans filed a public records request seeking messages containing certain terms, including "AFSCME."
Mar 24 Scott gives agency heads a big bump in their pay Bruce Ritchie, Florida Tribune Florida state employees haven't received a raise in more than four years, but most agency heads that Gov. Rick Scott has appointed are making $20,000 a year more than their predecessors.
Mar 22 LePage orders removal of labor mural, sparking outcry Steve Mistler, Lewiston Sun Journal Gov. Paul LePage has ordered the removal of a 36-foot mural depicting Maine's labor history from the lobby of the Department of Labor.
Mar 21 The next GOP governor du jour: Rick Scott Aaron Blake, The Fix Florida Gov. Rick Scott is not afraid to make enemies.
Mar 21 AFSCME Brings 'Proud Ohio Workers' Dennis LaRue, Business Journal Daily Members of AFSCME and state Sen. Joe Schiavoni, D-33 Canfield, continue to remind the public of their opposition to Senate Bill 5
Mar 20 Kochs Fund $5.6 Million Ad Campaign in Ohio Anne Landman, PR Watch TV ad campaign will continue the attack on labor unions that Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker started in February.
Mar 20 New Hire Shows Wisconsin’s Not That Broke Mike Hall, AFL-CIO Now Blog Gov. Walker helped find a comfy job — with a $12,000 raise — for the girlfriend of one of his staunchest allies.
Mar 17 Judge orders temporary halt to Wisconsin collective bargaining law Ed Treleven, Wisconsin State Journal A Dane County judge Friday ordered a temporary halt to Gov. Scott Walker's controversial measure curbing collective bargaining for public employees.
Mar 15 REPORT: In 12 States, GOP Plans To Slash Corporate Taxes While Increasing Burden on Working Families Paul Breer and Kevin Donohoe, ThinkProgress Conservative are trying to shift the burden of record budget shortfalls onto middle-class Americans while simultaneously doling out tax cuts to corporations.
Mar 15 As Wisconsin Sens Head For DC, Labor Brings The War To Them Evan McMorris-Santoro, Talking Points Memo On Wednesday evening, Republican state legislators from Wisconsin will gather at the offices of prominent DC lobbying firm BGR Group for a high-dollar fundraiser.
Mar 14 Can Democrats Find Their Own Karl Rove? Andy Kroll, Mother Jones AFSCME President Gerald McEntee said unions, now at war in states like Wisconsin with newly elected Republican governors, are determined to do more.
Mar 15 Kasich Takes to Airwaves to Pitch Ohio Budget That May Sell State Prisons 3/15/11, Bloomberg “You might save money in the short run, but who is going to pay the price?” asked Tim Roberts, an OCSEA officer and guard at the Ohio Reformatory for Women in Marysville
Mar 13 Al Sharpton Hosts Rally In New Haven WFSB Civil rights leader was invited to a rally in support of public service workers by Lee Saunders, who was elected secretary-treasurer of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees in July 2010.
Mar 13 Local leaders call governor's budget an attack on Michigan families Ryan J. Stanton, AnnArbor.com Calling Republican Gov. Rick Snyder's proposed budget an attack on Michigan's working class families, citizens and community leaders spoke out in Ann Arbor.
Mar 13 Nearly half of signatures collected for recall of Wisconsin GOP state senators, Dems say Greg Sargent, The Plum Line Dems have now collected over 56,000 signatures supporting the recall drives after another surge in organizing activity over the weekend.
Mar 12 Maine Gov. LePage exempts own pension from budget cutbacks Mike Tipping, Kennebec Journal Under the proposed budget, state employees will be required to increase their contributions to the pension system, from 7.65 percent of their salary to 9.65 percent.
Mar 12 100,000 turn out for Wisconsin labor protests Todd Richmond, Associated Press Wisconsin sees its largest protest yet after Republican-controlled State Senate passes controversial labor bill
Mar 11 Wisconsin's Governor Wins But Is He Still Dead Man Walker? Dawn Reiss, TIME Magazine "A protest doesn't have to succeed in its immediate goal to have a long term impact."
Mar 10 Gov signs bill taking away bargaining rights Capital Times Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker has officially taken away nearly all collective bargaining rights from the vast majority of the state's public employees.
Mar 10 Iowa House approves union bill; it is likely dead on arrival in the Senate Jason Clayworth, Des Moines Register In a show of solidarity with Iowa working families, former Speaker Pat Murphy blasted Iowa's Republican House Leadership Friday after they shut down the switchboard during the most critical point of debate on HF 525.
Mar 10 Wisconsin's Walker: Union Man of the Year Tami Luhby, CNNMoney.com Labor unions around the nation can thank Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker for re-energizing the workers movement.
Mar 09 Watching Uproar Over Wisconsin Protests, It's Time to Remember How Unions Make Our Lives Better Sally Kohn, FoxNews.com Even if you’re not in a union, unions help you. There’s an old bumper sticker that reads, “Like your weekend? Thank a union!”
Mar 09 Wisconsin Assembly Approves Bargaining Curbs New York Times As the vote was taken, Democrats stood and jeered, "No," and people watching from the gallery began a chant of "shame!" as the Republicans field out.
Mar 09 Pro-union forces hold "We Are Indiana" rally WDRB FOX 41 Thousands of Indiana union workers protested outside the state capitol, upset over pending legislation they say could cripple union jobs.
Mar 05 Why employee pensions aren't bankrupting states Kevin G. Hall, McClatchy Newspapers The short answer is there's simply no evidence that state pensions are the current burden to public finances that their critics claim.
Mar 06 How Scott Walker ignited a labor renaissance David Whitford, Fortune Jim Schmitz, director of organizing for AFSCME, discusses what the situation in Wisconsin means for the future of labor.
Mar 06 Letter: Weigh factors when comparing pay Gerald W. McEntee, USA Today AFSCME Pres. Gerald W. McEntee responds to USA Today's misleading portrait of public service workers' compensation.
Mar 03 Scott Walker's False Choice Richard Trumka, Wall Street Journal A group of radical Republican governors is working overtime to export the private sector's short-sighted labor practices into the public sector.
Mar 02 Golden Years? Ronald Brownstein, National Journal The problem isn’t that public-sector workers have too much retirement security. It’s that everyone else has too little.
Mar 02 The Spirit of Wisconsin John Nichols, The Nation In the words of AFSCME union president Gerald McEntee, Wisconsin is “ground zero in the fight for labor rights in the United States.”
Feb 28 At the Table Sec. Hilda Solis, Huffington Post Budget sacrifices are one thing; demanding that workers give up their rights as union members -- to take away their voice -- is another.
Feb 24 Poland’s Solidarność Union Tells Wisconsin Workers: “Your Victory is Our Victory as Well” AFSCME, Press Release Heroic Polish union sends message of support for Wisconsin workers.
Feb 23 Continuing the fight for freedom Pres. Gerald W. McEntee, Journal Sentinel AFSCME Pres. Gerald W. McEntee asserts that "unions pose a threat to those who seek to rule without opposition or dissent."
Feb 23 The dirty secret of public-sector union busting Alyssa Battistoni, Salon Look a little closer at who really stands to lose if Scott Walker gets his way: Women and minorities
Feb 22 Spreading Anti-Union Agenda Editorial, New York Times The game is up when unionized state workers demonstrate a sense of shared sacrifice but Republican lawmakers won’t even allow them a seat at the table.
Feb 23 Collective Bargaining: Time to Stop the Blame Game! Rev. Al Sharpton, Huffington Post As the battle in Wisconsin over union rights wages on, it's time the rest of us begin to have an adult conversation about what is truly transpiring.
Feb 22 Thousands March on State Capitols as Union Fight Spreads Sabrina Tavernise A. G. Sulzberger, New York Times Battles with public employees’ unions spread on Tuesday, with Republican-dominated Legislatures pressing bills that would weaken collective bargaining.
Feb 22 'Union protests to spread across US' PressTV Public workers union protests against the cuts in pay and benefits and firing of thousands of public servants in the state of Wisconsin will spread to other US states, union officials say.
Feb 21 Koch Industries Front Group Americans For Prosperity Launches Ad To Support Walker’s Union Busting Lee Fang, ThinkProgress The ad smears the protesters in Madison and calling on the state to support Walker’s power grab.
Feb 17 Wisconsin protests continue against 'union bashing' Ewen MacAskill, guardian.co.uk President McEntee: "Plans are being put into place to silence workers, lower their wages, cut their benefits and increase the likelihood that they will suffer injuries and fatalities at work."