Wisconsin State AFL-CIO Blog

Fight for the Living Continues Beyond Workers Memorial Day

On an average day, 14 American workers lose their lives as a result of workplace injuries. 

According to the AFL-CIO’s new Death on the Job report, 93,500 people were injured and 77 people were killed due to job-related hazards in Wisconsin in 2008. 

With those grim facts in mind, Workers Memorial Day observances around the state yesterday honored the dead with an eye towards preventing future tragedies.

In the assembly parlor of the capitol building, Wisconsin State AFL-CIO President David Newby and WisCOSH, Inc. Executive Director Jim Schultz led a ceremony in which union members from the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), the American Federation of State County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), and the American Postal Workers Union (APWU) recited the names of Wisconsin workers killed on the job.

“Just weeks after 29 miners were killed at the Massey Upper Big Branch coal mine in West Virginia, it’s clear that workers’ safety and health remain in serious danger,” said President Newby, “Wisconsin’s working families need good, safe jobs now.”

Katie Crawley, the South Central Regional Coordinator for Sen. Russ Feingold, delivered a statement on the senator’s behalf.  Feingold is a co-sponsor of the Protecting America’s Workers Act which will protect millions of workers who are not currently covered by the Occupational Safety and Health Act, strengthen penalties for companies that put workers in danger, and improve whistleblower protections so that workers can raise concerns about workplace safety or health hazards without fear of retaliation.

Media outlets including Wisconsin Public Radio, WMTV Channel 15 (NBC), WKOW Channel 27 (ABC), Wisconsin Radio Network, the Wisconsin State Journal, Wisconsin Eye Television and Union Labor News reported on the ceremony in Madison. 

Click here to listen to Wisconsin Radio Network’s coverage of Workers Memorial Day.

Click here to read an article by national AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka calling for the passage of the Protecting America’s Workers Act.

Workers Memorial Day events were also held in Milwaukee, La Crosse, Stevens Point and Superior.

Since the Occupational Safety and Health Act passed in 1970, more than 410,000 workers’ lives have been saved due to improvements in job safety protections.  Yet nationally, more than 4 million workers were injured and 5,071 workers were killed due to job hazards in 2008.  Another 50,000 - 60,000 died due to occupational diseases.

The full 2010 AFL-CIO Death on the Job report is available at: http://www.aflcio.org/issues/safety/memorial/

(Top Photo: John Wooderick, President of AFGE Local 1732, reading the names of Wisconsin workers killed on the job.   Bottom Photo: (from left to right) Katie Crawley, representing Sen. Russ Feingold; Ruth Gundlach, AFSCME Local 68 retiree; Janette Brink, APWU Local 241; Cheryll Gray, AFSCME Local 60; David Newby, President of the Wisconsin State AFL-CIO; Gretchen Lowe, AFSCME Local 720 retiree; John Wooderick, AFGE Local 1732 President; and Jim Schultz, Executive Director of WisCOSH, Inc.  Credit for Both Photos: Union Labor News.)

Political Action Training: Prepare NOW for November

“We can’t count on luck to elect politicians who will answer to working families,” says Sara Rogers, Wisconsin State AFL-CIO Executive Vice President and Political Director.  “Good results in the fall depend on planning and preparation in the spring.”

To those ends, the Wisconsin State AFL-CIO is sponsoring Political Action Training sessions around the state, making sure that union volunteers have knowledge and tools necessary to organize for victory.

The first of these trainings took place in Milwaukee on Friday, April 16.  Participants from AFSCME Local 594, AFSCME Local 882, AFSCME Local 1954, AFSCME Local 2412, AFT Local 212, ATU Local 998, CWA Local 4603, CWA Local 32035, CWA/TNG Local 33035, DALU Local 24111, IAMAW Lodge 66, IAMAW Lodge 510, IUOE Local 139, IUPAT Local 781, LIUNA Local 113, LIUNA Local 140, LIUNA Local 330, LIUNA Local 464, IRON Local 8, NALC Branch 2, OPEIU Local 9, OPEIU Local 35, SMWIA Local 18, UA Local 75, UAW Local 95, UAW Local 438, UAW Local 469, UAW Local 833, UFCW Local 1473, USW Local 2-209, USW Local 1114, WFNHP-AFT Local 5001 and the WI Alliance for Retired Americans learned valuable skills and strategies to elect the best candidates for working people.

The Green Bay area training session took place on Saturday, April 17.  Activists from AFSCME Local 2748, CWA Local 4630, CWA Local 32035, DALU Local 24111, GMP Local 121B, IBB Local 107, IBB Local 449, IBEW Local 2150, IUPAT Local 1204, LIUNA Local 330, UA Local 434, USW Local 1096, USW Local 2-20, USW Local 2-1279, USW Local 2-469 and USW District 2 left energized for and educated about the 2010 election cycle.

If you missed out on the sessions in Milwaukee and Green Bay, don’t despair.

The next Political Action Training will be held on May 15th in Eau Claire.  Click here for more information, and then click here for the registration form.

(Top Photo: David Carpio of the national AFL-CIO leading the Political Action Training in Green Bay.  Photo Credit: Greg Hinds.  For more pictures from Green Bay, visit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/wisaflcio/sets/72157623882537444/. Middle Photo: Tracy Miller of UAW Local 95 sits in the center of her fellow participants at the Political Action training in Milwaukee. Photo Credit: Justin Geiger.  Bottom Photo: Claire Zellner and Dora Weddel of CWA Local 4603 take notes at the Political Action training in Milwaukee.  Photo Credit: Justin Geiger.  For more pictures from Milwaukee, visit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/wisaflcio/sets/72157623765606471/.)

Strike Story: Weak Economy Used as an Excuse to Strip Contract

“Our members at Merrill Manufacturing have already agreed to painful concessions to help the business get through tough times.  But the company seems to be looking for ways to hold them down even if things improve,” says Brian Jarvensivu, Business Representative for the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAMAW) District W3.  “Our main strike demand is the right to renegotiate the contract as the economy gets stronger.”

Workers from IAMAW Lodge 2362 have been without a contract since December 20th.  Union members offered to freeze their previous collective bargaining agreement for one year without changes in recognition of the recent economic slump.  The company responded by rewriting the previous agreement and demanding a 15% wage cut for the duration of a three-year contract.

“The average wage for these workers is a little over eleven dollars an hour,” say Jarvensivu.  “The proposed cuts were outrageous.  If you work full-time, you shouldn’t have to accept state aid like food stamps in order to support your family.”

Ultimately, workers agreed to a steep wage concession of 10% for a period of one year.  But the company is still insisting on a two year contract at that excruciatingly low wage.

As a result, 34 workers in this open shop of 58 employees have been on strike for one month.

Another important sticking point in negotiations has been the inclusion of a union security clause in the contract. 

“Accepting a security clause is one thing that the company could do, which wouldn’t cost them a dime but would demonstrate that they are bargaining in good faith,” according to Jarvensivu.  “As things stand, nonunion workers enjoy all of the benefits of our contract, without paying their fair share for the grievance services that the union is legally bound to provide.”

Health care has also been a contentious issue for workers at Merrill.  The employee portion of a family premium is $844 per month, with a family deductible of $6,000. 

“If you do the math, that means workers are spending about 65% of their take home pay on a medical plan that won’t cover anything unless they first pay that high deductible out of pocket,” says Jarvensivu.  “In practical terms, these folks are insured in name only.”

For the past four weeks, members of IAMAW Dist.W3 Lodge 2362 have held a daily picket from 5:30AM until 10PM outside of the Merrill Manufacturing plant, which is located at 236 South Genesse Street in Merrill, WI.  Union brothers and sisters of all affiliations are welcomed and encouraged to show solidarity on the picket line.

On Monday, about 60 members from other unions and labor organizations, including IBB Local 107, IBEW Local 388, IUOE Local 139, IRON Local 383, LIUNA, the Marathon County Labor Council, UA Local 434, USW Local 2-24 and other USW Locals joined the picket.  SMWIA and the Building and Construction Trades Council of Central Wisconsin provided lunch and refreshments.

Click here to read the Wausau Daily Herald’s coverage of the strike.

“Working people across the board have sacrificed mightily throughout this recession,” Jarvensivu concludes.  “I’m proud that IAMAW members at Merrill Manufacturing are willing to stand up and say enough is enough.”

If your Local Union or Labor Council would like to help the members of IAMAW Lodge 2362 during this strike, please contact Brian Jarvensivu at 715-355-9728.

(Top Three Photos: Striking IAMAW Lodge 2362 members.  Bottom Photo: Members of IBEW Local 388 join the picket line in solidarity.  Credit for All Photo Credit: Scott Wright. For more pictures of the picket at Merrill Manufacturing, visit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/wisaflcio/sets/72157623772307381/.)

Media Matters: Wall Street shouldn’t be Above the Law

Now that the big banks have been bailed out at the expense of working people, it is up to union members in Wisconsin and across the nation to make sure that things don’t go back to business as usual.

On Thursday, national AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka announced the launch of the 2010 Executive PayWatch website (see the video above).  Visit http://paywatch.org to find out more about the lavish bonuses handed out to executives at the six biggest banks which received a taxpayer funded bailout.

Earlier last week, the Green Bay Press-Gazette published a guest column by President Trumka and Wisconsin State AFL-CIO President David Newby on job creation and corporate responsibility.  The article called on Wall Street to:

• Pay its fair share to restore the jobs it destroyed.
• Stop fighting financial reform.  
• And start lending in our communities.

Click here to read the full article on the Green Bay Press-Gazette website.

(Photo: Wisconsin State AFL-CIO President David Newby.)

Everybody’s Doing It: Contact Your Assembly Rep. Today!

“If you have already done the work, you should be first in line to get paid,” says Phil Neuenfeldt, Secretary-Treasurer of the Wisconsin State AFL-CIO.  “But the only way that our laws will improve is if the Assembly hears from a lot of working people before Thursday.”

With less than a week left in the legislative session, union members and labor leaders from around the state are contacting the Assembly about SB 2 the Wage Protection Act. 

Currently when a business fails in Wisconsin there is a $3,000 cap on the unpaid wages and benefits that a worker can attempt to collect for the labor that he or she has already supplied.  After that, big banks swoop in and claim whatever assets are left.

Senate Bill 2 would increase the amount of unpaid wages and benefits that a worker can collect before the banks take their share to $10,950.

Banks are structured to handle financial losses, working families are not.  Many Central Labor Councils and local unions have already sent a letter to Assembly Speaker Mike Sheridan, urging him to put working family need above big bank greed.

Don’t let the State Assembly leave working people in the lurch.  Call on your Assembly Rep. to pass SB 2 before the legislative session ends on April 22:

1-800-362-9472

Not sure who your Assembly Rep. is? 

The hotline above will help you identify your  Rep. and provide you with a direct toll-free number to his or her office.

Click here to read about workers who were unable to collect the wages and benefits that they were owed from Reliant Glass and Door in Sheboygan.

Click here for more information about SB 2.

(In the pictures above, affiliated union leaders prepare or display the letters that they have sent to Assembly Speaker Mike Sheridan in support of the Wage Protection Act.  Top Row (from left to right): Willie D. Ellis, President of the Milwaukee Area Labor Council; Terry Hayden, Business Manager of UA Local 434; Glenn Stark, President of UAW Local 72; Robert Lutze, President of the Lakes Regional Labor Council; and Michael Bolton, Director of USW District 2.  Left Column (from top to bottom): Gary Burns, President of the Southeastern Wisconsin Building Trades Council; Brad Schwanda, Political Director of UAW Region 4; Jeff Arnold, President of the Waukesha County Labor Council; and Penny Sikora, Legislative Director for ATU Local 998.  Right Column (from top to bottom): Arlin Ziemann, Business Manager of IBEW Local 953; Alan Simonis, President of ATU Local 998; Jack Connell, President of the Greater West Central Area Labor Council; and Roger Clark, Vice President of the Southeastern Wisconsin Building Trades Council.  Photos By: Justin Geiger, Greg Hinds, Andy Thompson, and Jenissee Volpintesta.  For individual photo credits and for more pictures of our statewide effort to pass SB 2, visit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/wisaflcio/sets/72157623732987035/.)

Create Jobs Now!

“The end of this recession isn’t even in sight for many working families.  11 million jobs must be generated to return to pre-recession employment levels,” warns Wisconsin State AFL-CIO President David Newby. “Such massive numbers of new jobs aren’t just going to materialize on their own.”

That is why the Wisconsin State AFL-CIO is supporting a new piece of federal legislation, HR 4812: The Local Jobs for America Act.

The Local Jobs for America Act will create a million public and private jobs in local communities this year.  Support will be targeted directly to states and municipalities with the greatest number of people out of work to restore important local services.

Introduced by Rep. George Miller of California, HR 4812 already has over 100 co-sponsors, including Representatives Tammy Baldwin, Gwen Moore and Steve Kagen of Wisconsin.  We need to thank those who are already co-sponsoring this legislation, and encourage more of our congressional delegation to get on board. 

Click here to urge your Representative to become a co-sponsor of the Local Jobs for America Act.

Because of the recession, many local communities have cut back on education, public safety, childcare, health care, education and transportation.  As a result, families who rely on these services are suffering the cost of these cutbacks. This bill will help ensure that local communities can still operate essential services.

The Local Jobs for America Act will also fund salaries for private sector on-the-job training to help local businesses put people back to work.

HR 4812 will help spur additional jobs in the private sector by increasing employment in local communities.  Funding for public sector jobs means that families will be able to start spending again at their neighborhood businesses.

The Local Jobs for America Act includes:

• $75 billion over two years to local communities to hire vital staff.  That investment will create or sustain 750,000 family-wage jobs

• $23 billion this year to help states support 250,000 education jobs

• $1.18 billion to put 5,500 law enforcement officers on the beat

• $500 million to retain, rehire, and hire firefighters

• $500 million to fund 50,000 on-the-job private-sector training positions

(Top Photo: Wisconsin State AFL-CIO President David Newby discussed the Local Jobs for America Act at the United Steelworkers (USW) District 2 Conference held April 8th through the 11th.  Bottom Photo: Congressman Steve Kagen spoke about job creation during the USW District 2 Conference in Appleton.  Rep. Kagen, Rep. Moore and Rep. Baldwin are all cosponsors of HR 4812.  Credit for Both Photos: Greg Hinds.  For more USW District 2 Conference pictures, visit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/wisaflcio/sets/72157623840447532/.) 

Get the Facts and Thank Congress

Weeks after health insurance reform was signed into law, there is still a lot of inaccurate information circulating about what will happen as this legislation goes into effect.  Click here to get a helpful chart which separates fact from fiction. 

Health care reform opponents continue to spread misinformation in an effort to scare the elderly.  Click here for a summary of the benefits that seniors can expect as part of the new reforms.

Our health care system is large and complicated, and therefore, changes will be introduced in stages.  Click here for a health insurance reform timeline, explaining when specific provisions of the new laws will be enacted.

Please help make sure that your friends, family, coworkers and neighbors are well informed by sharing the above literature.

The new reforms are not perfect, and we must continue to remain vigilant to ensure that they are interpreted and implemented properly.  Luckily, here in Wisconsin we have elected officials who have demonstrated their commitment to improving health care for working families.

Representatives Tammy Baldwin, Ron Kind, Gwen Moore, Dave Obey and Steve Kagen stood up to a vocal and sometimes violent minority in order to vote for the final reform bill, as did Senators Russ Feingold and Herb Kohl.  Union members across the state are thanking these public servants for their efforts by participating in listening sessions, writing letters and making phone calls. 

One of the most effective ways to thank your Congressperson and Senators is with a letter to the editor of your local newspaper. Click here to contact your local Service Area Organizer for details.

(Top Photo:  On March 26, a crowd of union members greeted Rep. Steve Kagen at the airport in Appleton to celebrate the passage of health insurance reform.  From left to right: Meghan McKeefry of Alliance for American Manufacturing; Jenny VanSchyndel of USW District 2; Denny Lauer, President of USW Local 2-1279; Hazel Felch, USW local 2-1279 retiree; Barb Winters, member of the Wisconsin Alliance for Retired Americans. Middle Photo: Meghan McKeefry of the Alliance for American Manufacturing thanks Congressman Kagen for his vote on health insurance reform.  Bottom Photo:  Crowd at the Airport waiting to thank Rep. Kagen, including Denny Lauer, President of USW Local 2-1279 and Mike Pyne, Political Director for USW District 2.  Credit for All Photos: Greg Hinds. For more pictures, visit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/wisaflcio/sets/72157623741224536/.)

Wage Protection Act: Shattered Promises at Reliant Glass

“When you’ve done your job, you should get paid in full,” says John Jorgensen, Business Manager for the International Union of Painters and Allied Trades (IUPAT) District Council 7.  “Unfortunately, our members at Reliant Glass found out the hard way that Wisconsin laws favor bankers over workers.” 
 
In January 2009, Reliant Glass & Door Systems in Sheboygan, WI was placed into receivership.  At that time Reliant owed four months of unpaid wages and benefits to 39 employees totaling $132,000.

“When the company fell on hard times, they pocketed the payroll deductions that should have been going towards health care and retirement funds,” say Jorgensen.  “Some workers were owed quite a bit more than it is currently possible to collect under Wisconsin law.”

18 of the 39 workers involved were owed amounts which exceeded the $3,000 cap on unpaid wages and benefits that a worker can attempt to collect ahead of the banks. 

Ordinarily, all 18 of those workers would have been out of luck, and many of them would have suffered a loss of several thousand dollars.  But IUPAT DC 7 fought hard and was able to recover an additional $47,026.57 for union members by collecting on construction liens through receivership.   Then the $3,000 cap was applied to the remaining amounts that workers had earned.

“It was frustrating to watch resources that rightfully belonged to workers being awarded to pay off bank loans,” said Jorgensen.  “Big banks are equipped to handle financial losses; working families are not.”

After all of the legal options were exhausted, nine workers were still unable to collect all of their earned wages and benefits.  At least five of those workers were owed over a thousand dollars.

“A thousand dollars is a big deal when you are facing unemployment.  Those nine working people played by all the rules and were not properly compensated,” says Jorgensen.  “We must pass SB 2 to keep this from happening again.”

Senate Bill 2 would increase the amount of unpaid wages and benefits that a worker can collect before the banks take their share to $10,950.  Call on your State Assembly Rep. to pass SB 2 before the legislative session adjourns on April 22:

1-800-362-9472

Not sure who your Assembly Rep. is?  The hotline above will help you identify your Rep. and provide you with a direct toll-free number to his or her office.

“Reliant Glass is just one example,” says Jorgensen.  “Tell your Assembly Representative to put working family need above big bank greed by passing SB 2 without delay.” 

(Top Photo:  John Jorgensen, IUPAT DC 7 Business Manager.  Picture provided courtesy of IUPAT DC 7.  Bottom Photo: Scott Sharp, President of the Racine AFL-CIO Council sends a letter in support of SB 2 to Assembly Speaker Mike Sheridan.  Central Labor Councils and affiliated unions around the state are taking action in support of the Wage Protection Act.  Photo Credit: Justin Geiger.) 

Union Members Rock the Spring Election Vote

“Local elected officials have a huge impact on policies that affect working families,” says Sara Rogers, Executive Vice President and Political Director for the Wisconsin State AFL-CIO.  “On Tuesday, the political activity of our affiliates yielded exciting gains for working people at the city and county level.”

In the weeks leading up to spring elections on April 6, union volunteers across Wisconsin conducted member-to-member voter education programs in support of endorsed candidates.

The Greater Green Bay Labor Council, the Greater West Central Area Labor Council, the Kenosha AFL-CIO Council, the Lakes Regional Labor Council, the Racine AFL-CIO Council, the South Central Federation of Labor, and the Waukesha County Labor Council all carefully screened candidates and made endorsements based on who would best represent the interests of workers within their jurisdictions. 

Central Labor Council (CLC) members made phone calls, sent out local union mail and went door to door in the run up to yesterday’s vote, and that effort paid off.    Of the 88 candidates who earned a CLC endorsement, 56 were elected.  
 
Affiliated unions also made endorsements and ran highly successful political programs.   For example, the American Federation of State County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) endorsed 192 candidates and conducted extensive local efforts to get out the vote.  As a result, 121 AFSCME endorsed candidates won office, including 15 who are current or former AFSCME members.

“Electing high-quality candidates is the first step towards creating local government that puts middle-class need above corporate greed,” say Rogers.  “Through continued activism we will hold politicians accountable to the working families who voted for them.”

(Top Photo: Mike Patmore of AFSCME Local 67 in Racine.  Middle Left Photo: Brenda Cushman of AFSCME Local 67 in Racine.  Middle Right Photo: Herb Krupp of AFSCME Local 67 in Racine. Bottom Photo: Audrey Kreuser, AFSCME retiree in Waukesha.  All pictures taken during spring election phonebanking, photo credit Justin Geiger. For more photos related to 2010 elections in Wisconsin, visit our flickr account: http://www.flickr.com/photos/wisaflcio/collections/72157623342644687/.)

Green to Gold: Funding for Family-Wage Jobs

Last week, Rep. Cory Mason and Sen. Julie Lassa introduced legislation to create the Green to Gold fund, initially proposed by Governor Doyle in his 2010 State of the State Address.   The Wisconsin State AFL-CIO strongly supports this bill because it will create and retain high-quality jobs while ensuring that Wisconsin companies are competitive in the new economy.

“Working people will lose out if our state sits on the sidelines of green innovation,” says Phil Neuenfeldt, Wisconsin State AFL-CIO Secretary-Treasurer.   “Many Wisconsin manufacturers want to invest in energy efficiency technologies, but they don’t have the means to get started.  The Green to Gold fund will help launch a more sustainable economy.”

Green to Gold is a revolving loan fund which will align existing state resources and federal dollars to ensure that Wisconsin’s manufacturers have the capital they need to invest in energy efficiency, use renewable energy, and make products that support a green economy.   

Reducing energy costs through efficiency makes manufacturers more competitive and profitable by lowering their production costs.  Retooling old facilities to higher energy standards is essential for long-term economic recovery.

“Wisconsin’s workforce is a tremendous asset in the global economy.  Productivity, skill and quality set us apart, and will continue to do so as long as we make the investments needed to stay ahead,” says Neuenfeldt.  “The Green to Gold fund will make sure that both our natural and our human resources are employed wisely.”

The Green to Gold fund is an important part of the Wisconsin State AFL-CIO’s Good Jobs Agenda, because the legislation contains provisions to ensure that high-quality, local jobs will be created by the energy efficiency work funded by the loans.  Here are some of the other highlights of the proposed bill:

• Creates a one-stop shop for manufacturers by streamlining federal dollars, existing and future state resources to help industrial manufacturers find savings through energy efficiency projects.

• Provides manufacturers with low-interest loans to achieve savings through energy efficiency projects.

• Utilizes a revolving fund model so that interest and principal payments on old loans can be used to issue new loans, providing predictability and sustainability to Wisconsin’s manufacturers.

• Positions Wisconsin as an early adopter of the proposed federal IMPACT (Investments for Manufacturing Progress and Clean Technology) program, increasing Wisconsin’s chances of securing new federal dollars that can further support the Green to Gold’s efforts.

• Prioritizes existing Wisconsin manufacturing businesses, and the fund will be administered in a way that ensures that the loans are distributed throughout the state.
  

Companies eligible for Green to Gold assistance include those that:

• Implement energy efficiency or renewable energy measures in their facilities to enhance their competitiveness;

• Retool their existing facilities to manufacture products that support the green economy;

• Expand or establish domestic clean energy manufacturing operations; and

• Create or retain jobs in any of the above activities.

(Photo: Wisconsin State AFL-CIO Secretary Treasurer Phil Neuenfeldt, speaking at the Greater Green Bay Labor Council Legislative Breakfast on Saturday, March 27.  Photo Credit: Greg Hinds.  For more pictures, visit flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/wisaflcio/sets/72157623741292780/.)