Labor Union Blog

The AFT endorsed Sen. Barack Obama for president during its national convention, where more than 3,000 delegates voted overwhelmingly to support Obama. AFT delegates also made history during this year's convention when they elected three women to hold the union's top offices, including Randi Weingarten as president.

Outgoing AFT President Edward McElroy says Obama is the right choice for educators and all working families.

Sen. Obama believes, as we do, that our leaders have a responsibility to build the economy, not on the backs of poor and middle-class Americans, but for the benefit and well-being of all. His plans—to replace NCLB with education law that truly helps schools, instead of hurts them; to ensure all Americans have access to affordable, high-quality healthcare; and to bring home American troops as soon as possible—will help usher in a new era of progress and opportunity.

Kay Barnes
Rep. Tom Udall

Yes, Virginia (and Ohio and Colorado…), it's true: The battle for the White House isn’t the only election this fall. Every U.S. House seat and 33 Senate seats are up for election, and ensuring a pro-working family Congress will require a strong national effort.

Many candidates around the country understand the importance of passing legislation that levels the playing field for workers seeking to form unions. Kay Barnes (D-Mo.) and Rep. Tom Udall (D-N.M.) are both candidates endorsed by the AFL-CIO who believe strongly in the freedom to form unions and pledge to support pro-worker legislation like the Employee Free Choice Act. These candidates (see videos) understand that the Employee Free Choice Act will help restore economic fairness by allowing workers to form unions and bargain.

They know the AFL-CIO will carry out an unprecedented mobilization to support pro-working family candidates. Union member-to-member contact is crucial to winning elections and creating a strong pro-worker majority. The Employee Free Choice Act, health care reform and economic relief for millions of working families are only possible when working men and women get involved.

Some 1,043 workers from New York to New Mexico, including child care workers and bus drivers, recently gained a voice on the job by joining AFSCME.

In New York, 400 direct care workers at the Guild for Exceptional Children in Brooklyn voted in March for the Civil Service Employees Association/AFSCME Local 1000. The workers, who care for people with mental disabilities, originally joined through majority sign-up (sometimes known as card-check). But after management challenged the results, workers were required to hold an election, which the union won by a large margin.

If you're one of the high-wired among us who was in line last week waiting for the latest version of the iPhone 3G (or maybe you've even named your dog Blue Tooth or your cat Wii), Union Plus can save you a few bucks with the Union Plus discount on the monthly service plan for the new phone.

The 10 percent savings for union members could add up to as much as $263 over the life of a two-year iPhone 3G service plan from AT&T, the nation’s only completely unionized wireless provider. The 10 percent union discount also is available to new and current AT&T customers on all other individual or family plans.

Says Communications Workers of America (CWA) President Larry Cohen:

For union families, AT&T is the clear choice for wireless service. AT&T is the only wireless company that is completely unionized, and that believes that fair treatment of employees is good for business and good for customers. We urge every union member to make AT&T their wireless provider.

To get the union member discount, visit www.UnionPlus.org/ATT, or if you are going to a local AT&T store, download the coupon or use discount FAN number 00113662. Since this discount is available only to union members and retired union members, you’ll need to provide proof of union membership.

Economic Report:

If you feel like this recession is particularly bad, you may not be far off. Billionaire investor George Soros called the current state of the U.S. economy the “most serious financial crisis of our lifetime.” He told Reuters that the economic slowdown has been slow coming, “but the slower it comes, the more powerful it is.” Anywhere from 8000 to 9000 U.S. homes enter foreclosure every day.