TWU Local 100 President Samuelsen Appears on 'Inside City Hall' with host Errol Louis on NY1 News

Solidarity with the General Strike of USB in Italy, October 21

on 19 October 2016. Posted in International relations

PAME expresses its solidarity with the workers and the USB of Italy for their strike on October 21.

The attack of the Renzi Government in Italy, as well as the directives of the European Union in all countries of Europe, for wage and pension cuts, cuts in social benefits and social security, they all aim to safeguard the profits of the business groups. In this context escalates oppression, repression against trade union rights and freedoms, intimidations by the employers. Tragic consequence of these developments was the recent murder of the striker-USB member Abdel Salam El Danaf.

The class trade union movement of Greece supports the just demands of the Italian workers and expresses its solidarity to USB for the Strike it organizes on October 21.

Protesters say Trump, Walmart share the same values

October 28, 2016 by Union Advocate 

From selling goods manufactured overseas to avoiding federal taxes, Walmart and Donald Trump have a lot in common. In fact, it’s a connection so strong that Walmart sells products promoting Trump’s presidential campaign on its website.

Nearly 50 people connected the dots between Trump and Walmart at a protest Monday in St. Paul’s Midway shopping district, sponsored by the worker group Making Change at Walmart and two locals of the United Food and Commercial Workers union.

Since Trump admitted to “locker room talk” about making unwanted advances on women, at least 10 women have stepped forward with claims the Republican nominee sexually harassed or assaulted them.Jennifer Christensen, president of St. Paul-based UFCW Local 1189, pointed to a particularly disturbing thing Walmart and Trump have in common: accusations that they treat women poorly.

Walmart, meanwhile, was accused of sex discrimination in one of the largest class action lawsuits ever, dismissed in a narrow, 5-4 decision by the U.S. Supreme Court.

“We are here to tell Walmart to take responsibility and show that they respect women in America by denouncing Donald Trump’s offensive, misogynistic rhetoric,” St Christensen said.

“The very notion that a large corporation operates stores in our neighborhoods and is complicit in the promotion of the denigration of women is unconscionable and offensive, and it will not be tolerated. We demand change at Walmart, and we demand it today.”

Several corporations, including Macy’s, NBC Universal and NASCAR, have publicly distanced themselves from Trump’s rhetoric.

The protest in St. Paul was among several nationwide this week. Others took place in Phoenix, New York, Chicago and elsewhere.

CETA cheerleaders shouldn’t break out the bubbly just yet

Media Release

October 27, 2016

Reports of the Canada-EU Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) being close to completed have been greatly exaggerated, says the Council of Canadians. Emerging details of an eleventh hour deal, which proponents claim will salvage CETA, suggest it includes a poison pill which could still kill the deal.

While the full details of the deal to salvage CETA have yet to emerge, some key elements have been made public in a four-page document. It is important to note that the agreement is between Belgian parties, not between the EU Council and Belgium. The EU Council also has to agree to it. 

The proposed compromise would give any region of Belgium the right to walk out during any part of the ratification process. Four Belgian Parliaments (the Walloon region, the French community, the German community, and the Francophone community commission of the Brussels Capital region) have made it clear that they will never ratify the Investment Court System (ICS) – the provision that allows foreign investors to sue governments – in its current form.

“This would mean that that Belgium cannot ratify. All Europe did with this deal is buy time. CETA as it stands now could be as dead as it was yesterday,” says Maude Barlow, National Chairperson of the Council of Canadians. “The deal would also send the ICS to the European Court of Justice for a ruling on whether it is compatible with other EU treaties.”

Other proposed changes include that regulatory cooperation would be put under parliamentary control and ICS would be prevented from being provisionally applied. 

“Any decision on regulatory cooperation can still be blocked by Belgium’s regions,” says Barlow. “This has a long, long way to go before it is real, and no amount of ceremony with a formal looking signing by our Prime Minister in Brussels can change this fact.” 

It appears that many of the other concerns about CETA – including the negative list which exposes most public services to corporate challenges and “ratchet” and “standstill” clauses that handcuff efforts to protect public services – are still included.  

“The democratic exercise that is taking place in Europe right now – where the Walloon government has looked at the text with its citizens, and asked for changes – needs to take place in Canada. There are still so many concerns about CETA,” says Sujata Dey, Trade Campaigner with the Council of Canadians. “The text must be reopened and a public commission needs to analyze it. Otherwise, it isn’t going to assuage critics, and CETA’s future will remain in doubt.”

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For more information or to arrange interviews:

Dylan Penner, Media Officer, Council of Canadians, 613-795-8685, dpenner@canadians.org. Twitter: @CouncilOfCDNs

A Significant Step Forward for Trade Unionism in North America

With the unanimous vote of the entire membership of the World Trade Union Congress in Durban, South Africa October 5-8, 2016 the Union of Roofers, Waterproofers, and Allied Workers Local 36 of Los Angeles, California becomes the first U.S. affiliate of the WFTU since 1949. Welcome Brothers & Sisters!

WFTU Resolution to End the Blockade of Cuba

17th World Congress of Trade Unions Highlights in Pictures

Cliff Smith with George Mavrikos, General Secretary, WFTU
(Roofers Local 36 is the first U.S. Trade Union to affiliate with the WFTU since 1949)

                                    Cherrene Horazuk, President, AFSCME Local 3800                

                      Speaking for the 21 member North American delegation 

Mzwandile Makwayiba, 

newly elected President of the WFTU

George Mavrikos, Eric Mtshali, and Mike Makwayiba

                  G.S. WFTU                                                       President, WFTU

             

WE ARE FAMILY!

Joseph Hancock, Labor Today (L), with
George Mavrikos, General Secretary, WFTU

George Mavrikos, General Secretary, WFTU 

with Frank Goldsmith, 

WFTU Permanent Representative to the United Nations

Joseph Hancock, Labor Today (L) with Marco Tulio Diaz, President,
Federación Unitaria Nacional de Trabajadores Bolivarianos de la Construcción Afines y Conexos

COSATU

All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC)

Frank Goldsmith with French Railway Workers, affiliated with the CGT and WFTU (FSM)

Fédéracion Syndicale Mondiale

Deliberation and discussion

Valentin Pacho, Confederación General del Trabajadores de Perú
with Joseph Hancock, Labor Today

Sean Hoyle (C), President, Rail, Maritime, and Transport Workers Union

Kulikov Evgeny Alexandrovich, General Secretary, Trade Unions of Russia

Representatives of the second largest trade union federation in Russia

Delegation from Nepal

Joseph Hancock, Labor Today

Dr. K. Hemalata, representing AITUC
with Frank Goldsmith, WFTU North Regional Coordinator

Marcos Wolman, Organizaciones de Jubilados y Pensionados de la República de Argentina (L)
 with
Joseph Hancock, Musicians Local 47 (R)

CODUC (México)

UNDECA (Costa Rica)

Ian Beddowes (L), Royce Adams (C), Joseph Hancock (R)

United Union of Roofers, Waterproofers, and Allied Workers, Local 36
LOCAL 36 IS NOW AFFILIATED WITH THE WFTU

OBAMA GO HOME!

Cliff Smith, Bus. Mgr. Local 36 addresses the Congress

George Mavrikos (C) General Secretary of WFTU with members of the Palestinian Trade Unionists

Friends and comrades of the Federation of Trade Unions in North America:

Esteemed comrade Goldsmith:

We would like to express our solidarity with all workers in the music industry, and call for the achievement of all their rights. We reject any attack against them and express our solidarity with all the comrades.

Thank you,

Mohammad Yahya

Union coalition coordinator

Palestine [Telephone: 00972599879048]

U.S. Musicians Under Attack From Monopoly Capital

 Symphony musicians, represented by the American Federation of Musicians (AF of M) have been forced out on strike to protect their livelihoods and the orchestras themselves.  (see the letter of solidarity from the World Federation of Trade Unions). The musicians of the Fort Worth Symphony are on strike, as are the players with the Pittsburgh Symphony. According to an article by labor beat writer Mark Gruenberg for Press Associates, Inc.,

"Continuing demands by major orchestras’ management for performer pay cuts and givebacks forced the musicians at three noted orchestras – the Philadelphia Symphony, the Pittsburgh Symphony and the Fort Worth Symphony – to strike." 

World Federation of Trade Unions

The Philly musicians settled after a 2-day strike that canceled the enseble’s opening gala concert for movers, shakers and donors, but the other two are still out, the American Federation of Musicians (AFM) reports.

"A smaller group, in Allentown, Pa., with 60-80 players, instead reported rising revenues and placid bargaining, leading to a pay raise and an Oct. 15 contract ratification vote.

The bitter conflicts are in Pittsburgh and Fort Worth. Both managements demanded huge pay cuts and other givebacks, despite the orchestras’ financial health. That forced Fort Worth musicians to strike on Sept. 8, while Pittsburgh followed them three weeks later.The Pittsburgh unionists reported that “after more than six months of negotiations, management presented a ‘last, best, and final’” offer on Sept. 18 that included:

• Annual raises of 2 percent and 3 percent after an initial 15 per cent pay cut. Overall, that translates into a $16,000-per-year pay cut for full-time musicians, the union local says.
• Reduced pensions: Musicians with less than 30 years of service would no longer accrue pension benefits and would be switched to a 401(k) plan.
• A cut in size. News reports said Pittsburgh Symphony management wanted to cut at least one player immediately, to 99.
  
  “After receiving management’s so-called final offer, musicians suggested working with mediators to reach a fair agreement. Despite a mediation process lasting more than 10 days and good-faith efforts by musicians, management’s demands remain unchanged. Yesterday musicians unanimously voted to reject management’s ‘last, best, and final’ offer and go on strike, the union said on Sept. 30."

LET THESE ORCHESTRAS KNOW THAT THE PUBLIC SUPPORTS THEIR SYMPHONY ORCHESTRAS AND GOOD COLLECTIVE CONTRACTS FOR THE MUSICIANS!

PLEASE SEND YOUR MESSAGES OF SOLIDARITY WITH THE ORCHESTRAS TO:  presoffice@afm.org