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lia href =http://www.laborradio.org/node/10178The Stage Is Set For Historic Labor Law Reforma//li
lia href =http://www.laborradio.org/node/10179Workers Eager For Change Looking To Government For Helpa//li
lia href =http://www.laborradio.org/node/10180Labor Has A “Golden Opportunity” For Fundamental Economic Change In 2009 But Has To Seize The Momenta//li
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lia href=The Stage Is Set For Historic Labor Law Reform 10179Workers Eager For Change Looking To Government For Helpa//li
lia href=The Stage Is Set For Historic Labor Law Reform 10180Labor Has A “Golden Opportunity” For Fundamental Economic Change In 2009 But Has To Seize The Momenta//li
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pAs 2008 wound down two important labor victories were won – a sitdown strike in Chicago and an organizing campaign at Smithfield Foods’ Tar Heel North Carolina pork processing plant.br /
UFCW’s Jim Papian says workers at Smithfield are eager for their first contract after taking more than a decade to overcome aggressive anti-union tactics at the Tar Heel plant./p
p[Papian]: ““The workers are thrilled, we are thrilled. We think that we’ll achieve a contract that benefits everybody – workers, the company, the community./p
pIf 2009 is truly to be labor’s time, the workers and their unions will have to mobilize like never before. Robert Ledwith is head of Metal Lathers Ironworkers Local 46 in New York City./p
pThe AFL-CIO’s Stewart Acuff says after many years of losing ground all workers, not just union workers, are eager for real economic change./p
p[Acuff]: “The country is anxious for change, but not just for change, for real fundamental change to begin to alter the dynamics of this economy and growing inequality.”/p
pThe Economic Policy Institute’s Lawrence Mishel says a worker-friendly government can take concrete steps to help workers in this economy./p
p[Mishel]: “We need to provide extended unemployment insurance so those who are exhausting benefits get it and spend in a healthy economy. I think we need a boost of spending by the government on infrastructure repairs and schools, bridges, roads, sewage, etc., to help create jobs as soon as possible./p
pBy Doug Cunningham/p
pWorkers and their unions are ending 2008 with reason for optimism. After eight long years of an extremely hostile White House, the labor movement is poised to re-invigorate itself, even in the midst of the worst recession in decades. A big push for passage of the Employee Free Choice act labor law reform will be at the top of labor’s agenda for 2009. AFL-CIO Secretary-Treasurer Rich Trumka says the election of Barack Obama and a bigger Democratic majority in Congress sets the stage for passing this reform that will take employer intmidation out of the union organizing equation./p
The Rev. Nelson Johnson (center), a strong supporter of worker justice, writes that the greatest gift we give as unionists is the gift of ourselves.
The Rev. Nelson Johnson is pastor of Faith Community Church and executive director of the Beloved Community Center, in Greensboro, N.C. He is the recent past national co-president of Interfaith Worker [...]
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