Voices At Work

Written by Texas AFL-CIO

From The health care reform bill is very close to becoming law. Call Congress Wednesday and ask your representative to fix the deep flaws in the Senate version of the bill.

National Call-In Day is Wednesday, Jan. 13, 2010.

Call toll-free 1-877-3-AFLCIO.

Our message is as simple as abc. Please ask your member of Congress to support these principles:
a) NO tax on health care benefits;
b) Require employers to pay their fair share;
c) Reduce costs – the best way is a public health care option.

Call Wednesday: 1-877-3-AFLCIO.

For a full comparison of the House and Senate versions of the bill, go to: http://www.aflcio.org/issues/healthcare/upload/hc_comparison010710.pdf

We’re on the verge of history. But we need to tell our members of Congress to get the final version of health care reform right.

Written by Richard Shaw, Harris-County AFL-CIO Council

The American Federation Government Employees - AFGE - is organizing the Transportation Security Officers (TSO's) of the Transportation Security Administration. They will soon have Collective Bargaining Rights under the Barack Obama administration. Kay Bailey Hutchison recently denounced their right to collective bargaining. Need I tell you more?

AFGE is requesting Union support and presence at IAH and Hobby Airports. Wear your Union colors. Signs name tags will be provided. Let's all stand up for the TSO's right to have a Union and to bargain collectively.

Date: December 15, 2009
Time: 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. (11:45 a.m. to 1:45 p.m. most critical time)
Place: Hobby Airport - Baggage Claim Area

Date: December 17, 2009
Time: 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. (11:45 a.m. to 1:45 p.m. most critical time)
Place: IAH - Terminal B - Baggage Claim Area

I have a large supply of luggage tags (that we will wear) and can be used on your luggage when you travel. I will have these available. If you would like a luggage tag before these dates, please come by the Harris County AFL-CIO Council and pick one up.

Your presence and support for the TSO's is very important. They need to know that there are other Union members that support them!

Thank you.

Richard C. Shaw
Secretary-Treasurer
Harris County AFL-CIO Council

What if the moment came, and you knew your life was down to minutes, and a note was all you could leave...

We hear stories of miners being trapped in a mine, knowing that they will likely not make it out alive. Those last minutes until the they pass on, some have left notes to their loved ones on scraps of paper or scratched onto the walls of the mine.

In this holiday season, consider that most of use don't have any warning when the end will come. Take a moment to spend time with your loved ones and let them know how much you cherish them. What would you say?

Written by Charlie Kernaghan

Dear Friends,

If you missed today's ABC "Good Morning America" report on Wal-Mart's punitive sick-leave policies -including demerits and docked wages, driving Wal-Mart employees to work no matter how sick they are-you can still see it at: http://abcnews.go.com/Health/SwineFluNews/walmart-sick-policy-irks/story?id=8999558

An estimated 14,886,054 viewers saw the program this morning.

Wal-Mart said it will not change its sick leave policies-which put both workers and customers at greater risk of catching swine flu because, well…. "because it is our policy." In a real humanitarian step, Wal-Mart has promised that no employee will be fired for having the H1N1 virus.

The story hit a nerve. A flood of Wal-Mart employees are sending their horror stories both to ABC and to the NLC. Other companies are also being exposed, including Home Depot and the major airlines.

We encourage you to weigh in about Wal-Mart's punitive sick leave policy on ABC/Good Morning America's site. If we can reform Wal-Mart, other companies will follow. The door is open. We must run through it. Let's keep the pressure up.

• ABC/Good Morning America, November 6, 2009 "Risking Demerits or Spreading H1N1?
• National Labor Committee, "Wal-Mart's Sick Leave Policy Risks Spreading Swine Flu; Retail Giant Flouts Recommendations of Centers for Disease Control"

Written by Laura Boston, Houston Interfaith Worker Justice Organizer

Houston Interfaith Worker Justice would like to announce the following:

We’re excited to invite you onto the Justice Bus on Thursday, November 19th, 2009. This is the perfect opportunity to put your faith and values in action! The Justice Bus and its riders will be a mobile protest pressuring abusive employers of specific cases to change their ways, and as a mode of raising awareness of labor abuses. Give us a call at 713-862-8222 so we can put you on the list!

On the way to each stop, workers will give a breif overview of the situation, our efforts thus far, and our goals for the visit.

Ideally we’d like to have the pleasure of your company the whole day, but we understand busy schedules. So, if not the whole day, you can meet us at our lunch stop, or meet us at a stop and follow behind the bus. Give us a call and we’ll be happy to give out our cell phone numbers and addresses for the stops (we just don’t want to be expected).

Agenda

• 8:30am Participants convene at Zion Lutheran Church ( 3606 Beauchamp St, Houston, TX 77009)
• 9 - 10am Press Conference & Bus Departs
• 10 - 11am 1st Stop
• 11 - 12pm 2nd Stop
• 12 - 1:30pm Lunch at Houston Mennonite Church (1231 Wirt Rd, Houston, TX 77055) (yes, lunch is free!)
• 1:30 - 2:30pm 3rd Stop
• 2:30 - 3:30pm 4th Stop
• 3:30 - 4:30pm 5th Stop – Justice for Janitors / SEIU March
• 5pm Bus Returns to Zion Lutheran Church

Written by Billionaires for Wealthcare

AHIP is the powerful insurance lobby that spends 5 million dollars a week trying to kill health care reform. Billionaires for Wealthcare is a grassroots network looking to stop them - with song.

• AHIP and other insurance and HMO interests spend nearly $5 million per week undermining real health care reform, including a public option.
• AHIP has resorted to out-right lying and scare tactics to block health care reform. They sent letters that lie to seniors about what health care reform means for Medicare, and they issued a report on the costs of health care reform legislation that is so misleading even the reports embarrassed authors distanced themselves from the way AHIP used their work.
• Every year, 45,000 people die because they cant get access to the health care they need. Yet AHIP continues to stand in the way of health care reform that would provide coverage to millions of Americans because the industry is more concerned with protecting profits than saving lives.

On the anniversary of their four-week strike for a better future…
Houston Janitors to Open Free Public Exhibit Downtown to Commemorate their Historic Struggle
At opening reception, janitors will share memories of 2006 strike as they prepare to negotiate their second contract.

Houston — To mark the anniversary of their historic 2006 strike, Houston janitors will open a museum-style exhibit downtown with a gala reception this evening from 6 – 9 p.m. Members of the news media are invited to tour the exhibit, take photographs, and speak to veteran janitors of the strike and community supporters during this time.

The exhibit, which is free and open to the public, includes video, photos, news clippings, leaflets, personal testimonies and other artifacts and documents from the strike. The exhibit will run until Friday, October 30.

• WHAT: Huelga - The Houston Janitors 2006 Strike for a Better Future, An anniversary exhibit featuring pictures, video, and artifacts from the Houston janitors' strike of 2006
• WHEN: Opening reception today, October 23rd, 6 – 9 P.M.
• WHERE: 3229 Milam St. @ Corner of Milam and Elgin
• WHO: Strike veteran janitors and members and leaders of local community organizations
• VISUALS: Large photos, flags, banners, and other artifacts of the strike on display for the public. Videos-- recapping the strike and featuring interviews with children of the janitors.

Background

On October 23, 2006, Houston office janitors went on a four-week strike that improved their lives and began to change the service industry in our city through the creation of good jobs with healthcare. Most were paid just $20 a day and had no health insurance or other benefits. Their strike resulted in a collective bargaining agreement that raised their wages and provided access to affordable health care. The agreement expires November 20th.

Contact

Kevin O’Donnell, (312) 401-7598, odonnellk@seiu1.org
Laurie Couch, (847) 420-5108, couchl@seiu1.org

Chris Ramsey from University of Houston Students for Fair Trade announces the following:

Currently we are working in solidarity with the Coalition of Immokalee Workers and the Student Farmworker Alliance to pressure Aramark, our food service provider on campus, to sign on to the "penny per pound" contract with the CIW. Our organization is hosting a film screening/speaking event on campus next Thursday October 15 at 7 pm in the Houston room. At the event we will be showing the documentary "Immokalee: From Slavery to Freedom", and will have representatives from the SFA and CIW on hand for a speech and Q&A. We feel that this is a strong labor issue that the University of Houston and the Houston area needs to be more informed and concerned about.

We are hoping for a large turn out for this event and are trying as many avenues as we can to get the word out about the event.  Just recently Compass signed onto the agreement and we think that this event will go a long way in helping to energize and educate the campus about the labor violations that Aramark is supporting. Our contact email is fairlaboruh@gmail.com if you have any questions.

Join Organizing For America and our local Health Care Action Now (HCAN) Partners as we rally in support of our Members of Congress!

As the recess winds down and our Members of Congress head back to DC we want to send them back to work with a clear message: Health Insurance Reform Care Can't Wait!

We're tired of seeing a small group of people spread lies about health care reform -- they do not speak for us.

We have the chance to finally pass historic reforms that will create accessible, affordable health care that doesn't exclude pre existing conditions. Let's make sure our Members of Congress hear from us!! Now is the time to get the job done.

Join hundreds of Houstonians as they speak out in favor of National Health Care Reform. Participating organizations include: Organizing for America, HCAN, ACORN, AFL- CIO, Houston Federation of Teachers, SEIU HOPE, SEIU Justice for Janitors.

President Obama has always said that what’s essential about health insurance reform is that it must lower costs, ensure all Americans have affordable health insurance options and increase choice and competition in the health insurance market.

Time and Location

Houston City Hall Reflecting Pool [MAP]

Thursday, September 3rd, 6:30pm

The National Labor College has launched a new, cutting-edge union education tool called the Open Learning Course (OLC) program. The OLC is offered free and is a self-directed, web-based learning activity that offers opportunities for union members, leaders, activists and staff to study new topics of interests and improve their current understanding of the labor movement. Course usually take about an hour and provide an interesting and informative overview of topics important to unionists. Take an OLC course on collective bargaining, Taft-Hartley funds or labor and the arts or another subject of interest to you. Find out more on the NLC OLC web page. Courses will be updated periodically, so keep checking back.