Wisconsin State AFL-CIO Blog

Have a Union-Made Thanksgiving

Don't forget to fill your Thanksgiving Day celebration with union-made in American goods. Here's a list of union-made products for your family.

We're thankful for some of the best union-made Thanksgiving eats and cookware from the Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers (BCTGM); Glass, Molders, Pottery, Plastics and Allied Workers (GMP); Machinists (IAM); United Steelworkers (USW); and United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW).

Appetizers

Nabisco (Mondelez) crackers—BCTGM

Keebler (Kellogg) crackers—BCTGM

Turkey

Boar's Head—UFCW

Butterball—UFCW

Foster Farms—UFCW

Thumann's—UFCW

Side Dishes

Ocean Spray whole berry cranberry sauce—IAM

Birds Eye vegetables—UFCW

Bread

Pillsbury crescent rolls, frozen and ready to bake rolls/breads—BCTGM

Pillsbury pie crusts—BCTGM

Stroehmann bakery products (for stuffing)—BCTGM

Dessert

Sara Lee pumpkin, apple pie—BCTGM

Mother’s Kitchen cheesecakes—BCTGM

Nabisco (Mondelez) cookies—BCTGM

Rich Products pies and cakes—BCTGM

Cookware/Cutlery

Cutco knives—USW

All-Clad cookware—USW

Corning—USW

Ware—USW

Fiestaware—GMP

Anchor Hocking—GMP

Black Friday Protests

Wouldn’t it be amazing if working families gathered together on Black Friday and sent a message to the country’s largest employer that its workers deserve a living wage and full-time work? Well, that’s exactly what’s going to happen, and you can be a part of it.

Click here to find a Black Friday action near you. 

Walmart is the largest private employer in the world, and the Walton family, owners of the company, has more wealth than 43% of Americans combined. While the retailer rakes in $16 billion a year in profits, it pays poverty wages and many of its workers have to rely on public programs, like food stamps, to survive.

That’s why working families will be gathering at Walmart stores across the country on Black Friday to tell the Waltons to do the right thing.

We know Walmart pays attention to these protests, and you can help change not just the company’s policies, but the lives of workers. We’ve already seen recent successes -- Walmart changed its policy on pregnant women after workers submitted a resolution to the company.  

We can keep the momentum going and win for Walmart workers. Sign up to join a Black Friday protest now!

Rally: Stop Delaying America's Mail

On Friday, Nov. 14, community members will join together with postal service workers for a national day of action to tell Postmaster General Patrick Donahoe and the USPS Board of Governors: Stop Delaying America's Mail.

GET INVOLVED: As part of the National Day of Action, there will be a demonstrations:

Madison:  9:00 - 11:00 AM, on Friday, Nov. 14, 2014, at the Main Post Office, 3902 Milwaukee Street, Madison, WI.

Eau Claire:  4:00 pm - 5:30 pm, The "Old" Post Office, 126 North Barstow Street, Eau Claire, WI 54703

 

Why Now?

The Postmaster General is poised to make devastating cuts in service to the American people – cuts so severe that they will forever damage the U.S. Postal Service.

• On Jan. 5, the USPS is slated to lower “service standards” to virtually eliminate overnight delivery – including first-class mail from one address to another within the same city or town.

All mail (medicine, online purchases, local newspapers, church bulletins, letters, bill payments, invitations) throughout the country will be delayed.

• Beginning Jan. 5, 82 Mail Processing & Distribution Centers are scheduled to close.

These cuts will cause hardships for customers, drive away business, cause irreparable harm to the U.S. Postal Service, and lead to massive schedule changes and reassignments for employees.

Learn more about this flawed strategy at: http://www.apwu.org/issues/stop-delaying-americas-mail#sthash.IPiKyo3Z.dpuf

 

The path forward -- stronger, together

We know that you poured your heart into this election. While this is not the outcome we wanted we know that issues we care about are important enough to continue to fight for. We stood up for what we believe in; we stood up for the values of working families who deserve a fair shake and a shot at the American Dream. 

We brought issues important to working people, issues like union rights, the minimum wage, economic fairness, equal pay for equal work and BadgerCare expansion to the forefront of this election.  In every place it was on the ballot, voters made it clear that Wisconsin should raise the minimum wage and accept federal money for BadgerCare expansion.  We must continue to push forward and be the voice for fairness.  Together, we continue to build a movement. 

We can only hope that in his second term in office, Gov. Walker reverses course and listens to the people of Wisconsin, not to the big dollar donors who flooded his campaign with an influx of out-of-state cash. 

Workers will continue to stand together to hold Gov. Walker accountable.  We will continue every day to stand up for what we believe in -- to stand up for collective bargaining rights, for a strong middle class and for fair wages for all workers.

We will continue to stand up and speak out for a better day, for an economy that works for all and for social and economic justice for all people. 

#WIready Vote Mary Burke today!

Polls are open across Wisconsin. We need you to cast your ballot before 8:00 p.m. today.  What time are you going to the polls?  Aggregate polling has the race between Mary Burke and Scott Walker virtually tied.  We need to kick the energy into override and get everyone we know to the polls.  We are within striking distance of victory for working people, but we need you.  

•    Polls are open 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.  As long as you are in line to vote by 8:00 p.m. you can stay and cast your ballot. 

•    Look up your polling place.

•    You can register to vote today at your polling place with proof of residence.  You do NOT need a photo ID to cast your ballot. 

•    Find a free ride to the polls.

•    WI AFL-CIO endorsed candidates. 

•    Volunteer locations to make calls and knock doors to help turn out the vote.

Wisconsin is ready for a Governor who will put working people first.  Wisconsin is ready for good jobs and a strong middle class.  Wisconsin is ready for Mary Burke.

GOTV Kicks Off Across Wisconsin

Working families are in the midst of a massive “Get Out The Vote” (GOTV) effort in the final days before Tuesday’s Election.  Working families are getting to work by knocking doors and making phone calls to remind voters to get the polls on Tuesday.  Stop in and volunteer at one of our locations statewide.  Any time you can spare will help!

GOTV kicked off on Thursday.  AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka stopped by the Milwaukee Area Labor Council to energize volunteers heading out to the streets to talk with Wisconsinites about the importance of the Nov. 4 election.  Trumka also joined UAW Brewery Workers Local 9 for a GOTV leaflet at Miller Brewery.  Door knocks and phone calls continued around the state on Friday.  Saturday "Nuns on the Bus" rolled into Green Bay to turn out the vote. 

Every door knock and phone call helps turn out voters in this crucial election.  We will be GOTV-ing until 8:00 p.m. on Tuesday, November 4.  Join us!

Here’s a few snapshots or #WIunion in action –-

Worksite leaflet at Miller Brewery




Madison Ward Captain Meeting



Green Bay GOTV Launch




Door to door in Milwaukee

Picking up walk packets in Menasha




Knocking doors in Wisconsin Rapids

Volunteers in Oshkosh

IBEW 1245 in Racine


Follow us on Twitter and Facebook for election updates. More photos on Flickr.  

This is It

This is it.  Polls show that the gubernatorial race between Mary Burke and Scott Walker is a virtual tie.  Working families have suffered under Gov. Walker and we can’t afford another four years of his backward ways. 

Workers are working overtime all around Wisconsin to turn out voters and reclaim Wisconsin for the middle class.  Can you help us turn out the vote for Mary Burke? 

Here’s what you can do:

•    Knock doors or make phone calls at one of our statewide volunteer locations

•    Make calls from home using our Friends and Neighbors calling tool

•    Talk to your friends and family -- make sure they are voting Nov. 4 for Mary Burke

•    Make a plan to vote.  Think through what time you will go to the polls, how you will get there and who you can bring with you. 

There’s a host of competitive local races that will have a big impact on working families in Wisconsin.  Here’s a list of our statewide endorsed candidates. 

Will you join us?  The time is now to reclaim Wisconsin and restore working class values.  We need Mary Burke in office if we want to have a better Wisconsin for our children and grandchildren.