After 45 years of driving a cab in New York City, Beresford Simmons says the emergence of the National Taxi Workers Alliance in the past few years is helping his family and those of other drivers reach the middle class. Simmons’ story is one of three illustrating that unions make the middle class strong, giving workers a voice in our economy, portrayed in a trio of new videos by the Center for American Progress Action Fund.

 

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AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka released the following statement in response to the Senate Judiciary Committee's immigration bill: Today brings to mind Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s wise and hopeful words, “The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.” More than 11 million aspiring Americans took a big step toward becoming citizens today with the bipartisan Senate Judiciary Committee vote. That reflects an enormous step toward healing an injustice, the deportation crisis that has wrecked families, communities and workplaces for far too long. Read more >>>

Wilma Liebman who served 14 years on the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB)—including chairwoman from 2009–2011—says, “Appointments to the NLRB have been a political battleground for decades.” But, in a column in Politico, she says the current attack on the NLRB is the most vicious since the board was created in the 1930s. Read more >>>

Leading up to the AFL-CIO convention in September 2013, the AFL-CIO is hosting a crucial conversation about the future of working people and of unions—in union halls and online at www.aflcio2013.org.

Rana Plaza, the Bangladesh factory that collapsed three weeks ago, killed more than 1,100 workers, many of them young women. This tragedy adds to the more than 1500 Bangladeshi workers killed in preventable fires and building collapses since 2005. Documents found at the factory show that the workers produced for big names in global retail revealing the link between poor workers in Bangladesh and major retail brands.Obviously, the government must improve local laws and their enforcement to stop these tragedies, but brands must also take responsibility for their supply chains. They must be held accountable to the tragedy that happened in their supply chain. Read more >>>

On Monday night a group of community activist leaders and union leaders sat together and discussed what was happening within our district, state, and country.  Discussion ran on what collectively we could do together to make the lives of wo!rking people better!

Working as One, our resources and our members, can come to bare on what is going wrong around us!  To make a positive change for our communities, our state, and our country!

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The Asheville Processing and Distribution Plant located in Asheville, NC; and hundreds of other similar facilities around this country are in danger of being closed.  Result- Delayed Service to Citizens and Displaced Workers and Families!

Legislation- If we can get it on the floor would relieve the Postal Service from paying 75 years worth of retirement benefits in 10 years time ($5 Billion per Year), return overpayments in this account ($20 Billion plus) to the Postal Service, and possibly save the Service of the United States Postal Service.  It will take action of the citizens to encourage our legislators to co-sponsor this legislation!  Will you be a part!

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The vast majority of America's workers have largely been shut out of the nation’s economic growth over the past three decades, reports the 12th edition of The State of Working America from the Economic Policy Institute (EPI). Released today and available online, the report finds that the typical American family has added hundreds of extra hours of work each year, while also earning better education credentials, yet is still struggling to keep up. Read more >>>

The lines of the 2012 Elections have been cast!  Candidates, Parties, Corporations, Citizens,  have sided to their respective lines.

One Party and Corporations stand for "You People"

One Party and Workers stands for "We The People"

Where do you stand!!!

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Training Session 06-04-2012 at the CWA Union Hall Haywood Road.

The NC-STATE AFL-CIO conducted a Legislative Training Session for WNC Union Presidents and Legislative Personel.  We have to educate our members and make sure they make a difference at the polls!

Working men and Women are tired of the Clouds lingering over the NC State and National House and Senate!  We will see the Sun again in 2012~


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President Obama after leaving Asheville,NC headed down the mountain to West Wilkes High School in Millers Creek, NC.  The gym was full for his arrival, and security was tight!  I had the pleasure of speaking with several officers and secret service on who the heck I was.  It worked out though and thanks to Lindsay I was not carted off, but allowed in.

Several Union Members were in attendance as well as various state Legislators.  Lt.Governor Walter Dalton was on hand for the event, and WNC-CLC President Mark Case, and UAW# 5285 President Ricky McDowell had a few moments to speak with him, and welcome him to North Carolina!

Later Mark and Ricky met the President and were able to welcome him to North Carolina!

President Obama came to Asheville, NC on 10-17-11 to bring public support to the American Jobs Act!  We have to have this legislation passed in order to turn this country around.  1000's turned out for the Presidents arrival and speech!

Union Members and Community stood as one Welcoming the President to Asheville.

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Who are these people!!  What do they stand for!!!  If you watch Fox News or Bill Riley; they are holligans!!  They should all be jailed!  Outcasts of society!!

If you get to know them you find out they are made up of every age group, and every ethnic group!  They are ordinary citizens just as you or I who have had enough of what is going wrong with this country!  Proud citizens, Proud Americans; who are willing to stand up for their rights!  Proud citizens, Proud Americans; who are trying to change what is wrong with this country, and make it a better place for all of us!  Non-violent change that is infused with sharing information, and getting the facts!  Learning the truth by one on one interaction! 

The WNC-CLC, AFL-CIO is proud to stand up for citizens in their quest for the truth!  The quest to make this a better country and a better society! 

The IBEW and WNC-CLC met with AB Tech President Hank Dunn today on apprentice classes for IBEW members, and forum on campus for Labor Unions and Labor History! Read more >>>

Call to Action- All Community Activists/ Union Members In WNC- No Excuses-

No Excuses!  ALL WORKING MEN AND WOMEN OF WNC CALLED TO ACTION!

Support Working Men and Women of this State!

Enough Is Enough!

Red-White-and Blue- Freedom Rally in Asheville- July 17, 2011

Hickory US Mail Processing Plant is proposed to be merged into the Greensboro Processing Plant which is 90 miles away.  This would cause movement of 200 working men and women up to 90 miles away from their homes in order to provide work at other facilities.  Not only would this damage a Hickory Economy that has already been devastated; but anytime you move mail processing operations further away from the public customer, you almost always will incur mail delivery delay!

Please plan on attending the public hearing on this matter.  Support our Union Brothers and Sisters in the Hickory, NC APWU.

WNC State Legislators will meet together later this month in Raleigh on a resolution submitted to them by the WNC-CLC delegation in Raleigh, NC on February 8-9, 2011.  This resolution would make it State Law that goods or services purchased for use by the State of North Carolina be manufactured/purchased/based in North Carolina.

Rep. Ray Rapp is checking on avenues of submitting this bill as an attachment to similar legislation coming up on this years docket.

Members of trade unions are joining together to work for passage of the Employee Free Choice Act.  This act supports workers in North Carolina and across the country who are fighting to improve their lives.  Only by passing the Employee Free Choice Act can we fix our broken laws and give all in America a chance at a middle class life.