Labor Union Blog

WIN Week In Review June 27-29, 2008

By Doug Cunningham

The AFL-CIO is endorsing Senator Barack Obama for president. The nation’s largest labor federation says Obama’s record demonstrates he’s a champion for working families. The AFL-CIO says Obama’s proposals will improve life for generations of working people and our children.

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A lack of health care reform on the state or federal level is having a big impact on cities. Jesse Russell reports:

A news study by Families USA titled “America’s Health Care Crisis: Cities on the Front Lines,” highlights the growing burden on cities as the state and federal governments continue to delay reform of health care. With fewer Americans on health insurance costs are rising as the uninsured turn to emergency rooms, clinics, and school systems. During a conference call on Monday Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter laid out the issues being faced by the city of Brotherly Love and echoed throughout the country:

The ‘Truth Squad’ attacks ‘Corporate Greed’ at the Great Labor Arts Exchange.

Imagine this: A larger than life-sized puppet calling itself “Corporate Greed” is strutting through your neighborhood selling toxic toys to your kids. Suddenly, to the rescue comes a group of superheroes called the “Truth Squad” who topple Corporate Greed and restore calm and order.

That was just one of the innovative ideas from this year’s Great Labor Arts Exchange and Conference on Creative Organizing. The giant puppet show comes from two members of the United Steelworkers (USW) who showed participants one way to use street theater to deliver a message.

For 30 years, the Great Labor Arts Exchange has celebrated the rich cultural heritage of working people and served as a forum that brings together talented labor artists, activists, cultural workers, educators and students. The Conference on Creative Organizing trains union staff, organizers and activists to use songs, chants, skits, game shows, costumes, theater and other creative tactics when reaching out to working people.