Congress Passes Comprehensive Financial Reform

The Senate gave final approval to a financial reform bill today, voting 60-39 to send the measure to President Obama for his signature. Arkansas Senators Pryor and Lincoln voted for the legislation; Congressman John Boozman (R-AR3) voted against it in the House.

Today’s vote represents a historic shift of power—away from big bankers and CEOs to working families and Main Street. For years, big banks have profited on the backs of working families. Millions of working families lost their jobs and still can’t find work because of the reckless and selfish actions of Wall Street and the big banks.

After the financial meltdown brought on by Wall Street’s greed and irresponsibility, it would have been an outrage for the status quo to stand. Yet all but three Republicans in the U.S. Senate voted against reforming our bloated and unaccountable financial sector.

Fortunately, President Obama and working family leaders in Congress stood firm to put our country back on track toward an economy that works for everyone. In the end, fifty-seven Democrats and three Republicans voted for this landmark legislation. This vote will make it a lot harder for big bankers to indulge their greed at the expense of working people.

The Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act will:

· Create a strong consumer protection agency to protect working people from predatory lenders;

· Shed light on the shadow markets by requiring most derivatives to clear and trade on open, transparent exchanges and mandating that large managers of hedge funds and private equity funds register with the Securities and Exchange Commission;

· Give long term investors new tools to hold corporate boards and senior management accountable; and

· Help prevent future bank bailouts by creating a council of regulators to oversee systemic risk, giving regulators authority to dissolve failing financial institutions while prohibiting bailouts for bank shareholders and executives

· Moving toward restoring of Glass Steagall by limiting banks ability to make risky bets backed by taxpayer funds.

We will continue to fight for reforms that will further address too big to fail financial institutions and make Wall Street pay its fair share to create the 8 million jobs it helped destroy.

As we look ahead to November, when voters will once again have the ability to stay on the path to change or look back to the failed policies of the past, this vote is a defining line in the sand. Working families will be dedicated to supporting leaders who vote to create jobs and hold Wall Street and big business accountable.

Voters now have a clear picture of those who stand on the side of Main Street and those who choose instead to stand on the side of Wall Street. We will not forget.

Special Convention of the Arkansas AFL-CIO

The Special Convention of the Arkansas AFL-CIO is to be held August 21^st in Hot Springs, Arkansas. The purpose of the convention will be to take action on recommendations of State COPE concerning candidates who will be running for office in the November 2^nd General Election. Your credentials will be mailed to you soon. The registration fee is $50.00 per delegate, alternate, and guest.

The one-day convention will convene at 9:00 a.m. on Saturday August 21^st, 2010 at the Clarion Resort at 4813 Central Avenue, Hot Springs, Arkansas, thus allowing over 5 weeks for campaigning. Candidate interviews will take place on Friday, August 20^th. Any delegate desiring to sit in on candidate interviews is welcome to attend.

The Special Convention will be considering candidates for U.S. Senate, U.S. Representative, all State Constitutional Offices, and State Legislative contests. Ballot issues will also be considered.

It is very important that all affiliates be represented at the Special Convention. Working together we can continue to build a more unified labor movement and a better Arkansas for all of our citizens.

The special hotel room rate for convention delegates is $95.00 for a single or double. The hotel is holding a block of rooms for our convention delegates. Their cutoff date is July 20^th, 2010. Please make your reservations early by calling toll free 1-800-432-5145. Be sure to specify the reservation is for our convention.

It is each local union’s responsibility to make their delegates’ room reservations. Thank you for your cooperation on this. Also, please don’t forget to send your convention credentials to us no later than August 11^th.

Fraternally yours,

Alan B. Hughes

President

Arkansas AFL-CIO

Please note:

= Deadline to apply to register to vote in the General Election is October 4^th.

= Early voting begins for the General Election on October 18^th.

Ask Senators Lincoln and Pryor to support our Public Safety Employees

The House of Representatives has approved the Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2010 (H.R. 4899) that included an amendment incorporating the Public Safety Employer-Employee Cooperation Act (PSEECA), which would provide firefighters, police officers, and emergency medical personnel with collective bargaining rights in Arkansas and other states and localities that do not currently provide them, establish minimum standards for collective bargaining rights for these groups, and give the Federal Labor Relations Authority (FLRA) the power to regulate and enforce these rights.

The Public Safety Employer-Employee Cooperation Act assures that fire fighters, police officers, and other first responders in every state will have the right to talk to their employer about how to improve public safety and do their jobs more safely. The initiative was included in a supplemental appropriation bill adopted by a vote of 239-182 on Thursday, July 1. Representatives Berry, Ross, and Snyder supported the provision; John Boozman voted NO.

“Seventy-five years after passage of the National Labor Relations Act, fire fighters are a step closer to having the same rights that workers in the private sector have had since 1935,” says IAFF General President Harold Schaitberger. The Fraternal Order of Police has a good analysis here.

While most fire fighters and law enforcement officers are already provided bargaining rights under state laws, too many public safety officers do not have the ability to present ideas about how they can better protect the public safety. The Public Safety Employer-Employee Cooperation Act will ensure that Arkansas and every other state allows discussions between first responders and the agencies that employ them, and will promote productive partnerships between labor and management.

Collective bargaining is especially important in light of the fiscal crisis facing many states, cities and counties. Over the past two years, fire fighters and police officers have offered millions of dollars in concessions and given back raises and benefits previously agreed to in order to prevent cuts that would undermine public safety.

The Senate will take up the measure following its July 4 recess. This legislation is important to our union brothers and sisters serving in public safety agencies, so let's generate at least 200 calls from our members in Northwest Arkansas. It will only take a few minutes of our time, but it can mean so much. Please call Senators Lincoln and Pryor this week ask them to support it. Senate Bill 3194, also known as the Public Safety Employer-Employee Cooperation Act, was introduced by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid. The House version that passed last week is included in H.R. 4899.

Call both offices of both Senators and ask them to support the Public Safety Employer-Employee Cooperation Act. You can also call these numbers after hours and leave messages.

Senator Blanche Lincoln
DC OFFICE: (202) 224-4843
FAYETTEVILLE OFFICE: (479) 251-1224

Senator Mark Pryor
DC OFFICE: (202) 224-2353
LITTLE ROCK OFFICE: (501) 324-6336

PRESIDENT TRUMKA ON THE DEMOCRATIC SENATE PRIMARY

America's workers congratulate Bill Halter on his almost unprecedented achievement in forcing a two term incumbent Senator into a run-off election.

Halter gave voters a clear choice between someone who fights for the working families of Arkansas or a DC insider like Lincoln who is in the pocket of Wall Street and big business.

With so much at stake, Arkansas workers are prepared to continue the fight. From the minute the polls closed tonight, we began our renewed efforts to elect Bill Halter to the Senate in the runoff election.

STATEMENT BY AFL-CIO PRESIDENT RICHARD TRUMKA ON THE ARKANSAS DEMOCRATIC SENATE PRIMARY
May 18, 2010

NALC Letter Carriers "Stamp Out Hunger" Food Drive

Help Stamp Out Hunger! On Saturday, May 8, 2010, the 18th annual National Association of Letter Carriers (AFL-CIO) Food Drive will take place across the country. Every year, this highly anticipated event has brought hope, goodwill and sustenance to millions of people in need. The annual food drive has grown into the nation's largest one-day effort to help "Stamp Out Hunger" in America.

More now than ever, people around the country -- people in our own neighborhoods and towns -- are looking to us to help make a difference. This is when I feel most proud of the partnership between our brothers and sisters of the National Association of Letter Carriers and other supporting sponsors. This is when we all can say we made a difference in someone's life.

Just leave the donated food items in a sack by your mailbox this Saturday. When considering your donation, we ask that you avoid items packaged in glass; one broken jar can damage hundreds of other donations. In addition, please do not donate items that have gone past the expiration date. You can make your donation extra special by donating one or more of the high-protein and nutrient packed items such as peanut butter, canned meat, canned fish, beef stew, canned fruit or fruit juice and canned pasta with meat.

Gov. Mike Beebe says he's confident that Arkansans will respond big-time to the National Association of Letter Carriers’ drive to collect food for the hungry. Beebe spoke Wednesday at a news conference in Sherwood about the the 2010 Stamp Out Hunger food drive that takes place Saturday. That's the day Letter Carriers for the U.S. Postal Service will pick up donated non-perishable food items from mailboxes across the country. The food drive, which started in 1993, collected more than 73 million pounds of donated food last year, including 78,000 pounds from central Arkansas.

Summer is an especially high-risk period for hunger because many children in need are not receiving regular meals in school. Please give this food drive your full effort. Your commitment and support is what makes it a success year after year.

Endorsement of Beth Storey Bryan for Circuit Judge, Division 5

The Northwest Arkansas Labor Council has endorsed Beth Storey Bryan for Circuit Judge, Division Five. She has an exemplary record of public service, the relevant legal experience best suited for the position, a strong work ethic, and the deep sense of fairness and accountability that working families expect and deserve from our judges.

We find Beth especially qualified for this position on the 4th Judicial District Circuit Court to serve Washington and Madison Counties, due to her record in handling domestic relations cases and probate litigation that are primarily heard in Division Five. Over the last decade, she has represented more than a thousand clients and appellate experience before the Arkansas Court of Appeals and the Arkansas Supreme Court. She has the real courtroom experience to effectively and fairly handle the dockets of the 5th Division.

Beth’s record of volunteer public service demonstrates that she has a passion for children and protecting their best interests. She serves as a board member for the Northwest Arkansas Chapter of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation and is an active member of the Circle of Friends, a non-profit organization supporting the Arkansas Children’s Hospital. This service reflects her judicial philosophy that while courts have the obligation to hold everyone accountable under the law, they also have the duty to go the extra mile to protect our children.

We urge our members and all citizens to consider these outstanding qualification and to support Beth Storey Bryan for Circuit Judge. The election is on May 18th, and early voting begins on Monday, May 3rd.

Endorsement of Steve Zega for Circuit Judge, Division 7

The Northwest Arkansas Labor Council has endorsed Steve Zega for Circuit Judge, Division Seven. Mr. Zega has an outstanding record of public service, and we find him especially qualified for this position on the 4th Judicial District Circuit Court to serve Washington and Madison Counties. He has been a city and county prosecutor, and he has experience representing clients before experience before the Arkansas Supreme Court, the Arkansas Court of Appeals and the United States Court of Appeals for the 8th Circuit.

Mr. Zega was named the Volunteer Lawyer of the Year for Washington County in 2001 and again in 2007. He has donated hundreds of hours of free legal service to low income families and individuals, a record unmatched by any of the other candidates.

In addition, Zega served our nation during a tour of duty in Iraq. As a JAG military lawyer, he gained broad experience in military law that allowed him to build extensive knowledge in multiple areas of legal representation. His civilian practice has included successfully representing veterans before the VA and the Court of Appeals for Veterans’ Claims.

As a Justice of the Peace first elected to the Washington County Quorum Court in 2000, Mr. Zega understands both government and his constituents. Currently serving as Chairman of the Finance and Budget Committees, he has demonstrated the management skills and understanding of all aspects of county government. It is especially noteworthy that he led the successful effort to assure raises for county employees during tough economic times without having to increase taxes.

We urge our members and all citizens to consider these outstanding qualification and to support Steve Zega for Circuit Judge. The election is on May 18th, and early voting begins on Monday, May 3rd.

2010 Automobile Buyers Guide

2010 BUYER'S GUIDE OF VEHICLES BUILT BY UNION MEMBERS IN THE UNITED STATES & CANADA

AFL-CIO NOW BLOG | Hey, Blanche Lincoln: We Take Care of Working Families and We’re Union

AFL-CIO NOW BLOG | Hey, Blanche Lincoln: We Take Care of Working Families and We’re Union

ARKANSAS AFL-CIO ENDORSEMENTS FOR MAY 18th PRIMARIES

Arkansas Constitutional Offices


Triple Endorsement for Secretary of State:

Doris Tate; Mark Wilcox; County Clerk Pat O’Brien


Comm. of State Lands:

Representative Monty Davenport


U.S. Senate

Lt. Governor Bill Halter


U.S. House

1st District:

Chad Causey

2nd District:

Joyce Elliott


State Supreme Court

Duel Endorsement for Assoc. Justice Position 3:

Court of Appeals Judge Courtney Henry; Judge John Fogleman


Duel Endorsement for Assoc. Justice Position 6:

Court of Appeals Judge Karen Baker; Judge Tim Fox


Court of Appeals

Associate Judge District 2 Position 1:

Court of Appeals Judge Jo Hart


State Senate

Dual Endorsement for District 19:

State Rep. Gene Shelby; Q. Byrum Hurst

District 21:

Rep. Steve Harrelson

District 22:

State Rep. Dawn Creekmore

State Senate

Dual Endorsement District 34:

Jay Barth; Linda Pondexter Chesterfield


State House

District 22:

Krystal Thrailkill

District 27:

Vicky Morris

Dual Endorsement District 31:

Debbie Murphy; Scott Pace

Dual Endorsement District 34:

Terri Hollingsworth; John W. Walker

District 35:

Fredrick “Fred” Love

District 39:

State Rep. Richard Carroll

District 92:

Greg Leding


All primaries above are Democratic Primaries. The Arkansas AFL CIO has taken no position on any contested primary not listed above.

Immediate Effects of the Health Care Reform Act: March 2010

Immediate effects of the health care reform act signed this week: March 2010

Health Insurers cannot deny children health insurance because of pre-existing conditions. A ban on the discrimination in adults will take effect in 2014

Businesses with fewer than 50 employees will get tax credits covering up to 50% of employee premiums

Seniors will get a rebate to fill the so-called "donut hole" in Medicare drug coverage, which severely limits prescription medication coverage expenditures over $2,700. As of next year, 50 percent of the donut hole will be filled.

The cut-off age for young adults to continue to be covered by their parents' health insurance rises to the age 27.

Lifetime caps on the amount of insurance an individual can have will be banned. Annual caps will be limited, and banned in 2014.

A temporary high-risk pool will be set up to cover adults with pre-existing conditions. Health care exchanges will eliminate the program in 2014.

New plans must cover checkups and other preventative care without co-pays. All plans will be affected by 2018

Insurance companies can no longer cut someone when he or she gets sick.

Insurers must now reveal how much money is spent on overhead.

Any new plan must now implement an appeals process for coverage determinations and claims.

New screening procedures will be implemented to help eliminate health insurance fraud and waste.

Medicare payment protections will be extended to small rural hospitals and other health care facilities that have a small number of Medicare patients.

Non-profit Blue Cross organizations will be required to maintain a medical loss ratio -- money spent on procedures over money incoming -- of 85 percent or higher to take advantage of IRS tax benefits.

The bill establishes a temporary program for companies that provide early retiree health benefits for those ages 55-64 in order to help reduce the often-expensive cost of that coverage.

The Secretary of Health and Human Services will set up a new Web site to make it easy for Americans in any state to seek out affordable health insurance options The site will also include helpful information for small businesses.

A two-year temporary credit (up to a maximum of $1 billion) is in the bill to encourage investment in new therapies for the prevention and treatment of diseases.

Terry Jones Tells the Northwest Arkansas Times

Editorial On Unions Cheap Shot

NORTHWEST ARKANSAS — Your recent editorial blaming unions for the troubles of the U.S. Postal Service (March 5) is another conservative cheap shot.

In the early years, providing health care benefits instead of giving deserved increases in salaries was regarded as a benefit to companies - not to the workers. Companies like the Postal Service also started providing pensions instead of raises because it was cheaper. Now health care prices have skyrocketed due to free enterprise. Interest rates are almost at zero in an attemptby the feds to bail out failing corporations, so pensions are also suffering on corporate books.

Now just what is it that the postal union has done? It accepted the cheap benefits provided by its contract with the U.S. Postal Service instead of fighting for fairer wages. Now you conservative-Republicanfree-enterprisers would like to rob the postal workers of both medical insurance and pensions so the service won’t have to raise the price of stamps.

How Enron-ic of you. Unions did not hijack the Postal Service.

Stupid management, greed and lack of foresight on the part ofexecutives hijacked the Postal Service. But that is the American way. Blaming unions for the failure of corporations and blaming the victims of medical malpractice for the cost of health insurance are just lame excuses for corporate mismanagement.

There are hundreds of things the Postal Service can do - like closing small post office branches - to reduce costs and meet its commitments.

When did it become popular for this newspaper to kick the little guys?

TERRY JONES / Fayetteville

Northwest Arkansas Times, Opinion, Page 5 on 03/23/2010

House Approves Historic Health Care Reform

In an historic vote more than 60 years in the making, the House of Representatives late last night voted to approve(219-211) what AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka calls a "momentous step toward comprehensive health care.”

The bill survived a $100 million lie-and-distortion campaign by Big Insurance to kill it-the same kind of tactics these groups have aimed at health care proposals forsix decades. Trumka says the bill is not “a baby step or half measure,” but a solid step forward to set our country on a path to health care that actually works for working families.

After personally calling dozens of House members on Friday, Trumka spent the weekend meeting with House members to firm up votes in favor of the bill. On Capitol Hill today, Trumka joined two workers-among the millions in this nation for whom passage of this health care bill means the difference between food and health care.

One of the workers, Liz Stender, lost her job in August while four months pregnant, and described how COBRA, which extends her health coverage, will run out next month. Now working part-time, Stender, a member of the AFL-CIO community affiliate Working America,won’t be able to afford health coverage for herself or her small daughter–and today’s passage of the health care bill literally means the difference between groceries and insurance. Judy Cato, a member of the Alliance for Retired Americans, who also joined Trumka, described how the legislation will allow her and other Medicare beneficiaries to get mammograms and other preventive screenings without co-payments.

In a letter Friday to House members urging passage of the bill, Trumka wrote “the bill is not perfect.”

But we are realistic enough to know it’s time for the deliberations to stop and for progress to begin. And we are idealistic enough to believe this is an opportunity to change history we can’t afford to miss.

Union Members Made the Difference

Throughout the health care battle, mobilized union members provided a strong and visible counterpoint to the insurance giants’ television and lobbying blitz. Union members made more than 4 million phone calls and sent more than 1 million emails to lawmakers.Leaders flew to Washington and visited members of Congress in their districts, making more than 10,000 contacts.

In addition, canvassers from Working America, the AFL-CIO community affiliate talked to more than 210,000 people abouthealth care at their front doors, generating 30,000 health care petition signatures,31,000 phone callsto Congress, 40,000 e-mails and75,000 hand-written letters urginglawmakersto passhealth care reform.

The contacts not only helped win approval of health care reform, they improved the bill and ensured that its financing would be fairer.Pressure from working families and visits and phone callsfrom union leaders to lawmkers eliminated 85 percent of a tax on health care benefits that would have slammed working families–union and non-union. That same activism helpedstrengthen the bill’s employer responsibility provisions by requiring employers to shoulder more of their fair share.

As originally proposed last year, the benefits tax would have slammed working families–union and non-union. Butpressure from working families and visits and phone callsfrom union leaders to lawmkers only eliminated 85 percent of the tax bite. That same activism helpedstrengthen the bill’s employer responsibility provisions by requiring employers to more of their fair share.

In the days leading up to the vote, union members (see video) and leaders were on Capitol Hill and at representatives’ home district offices urging wavering lawmakers to back the health care bill.

In Fresno Calif., Friday, union members rallied outside Rep. Jim Costa’s (D) office. Later, Art Pulaski, executive secretary-treasurer of the California Labor Federation, flew to Washington to meet with fence-sitting California lawmakers. Yesterday Costa announced he would vote in favor of health care reform.

AFL-CIO President Emeritus John Sweeney was on the phones, too. Several Democratic lawmakers expressed concern about the bill’s language on abortions. Sweeney, a devout Catholic, talked to the representatives about the Catholic Church’s long-history of fighting for social and economic justice and how providing health care for32 million additional people follows that teaching.

While union members attempted to persuade the undecided, they also warned lawmakers they would beheld accountable if they turned their backs on working families and voted against health care reform.

In Pennsylvania Friday, Rep. Jason Altmire (D), who courted and won union support for his election, announced he was voting against the bill. Yesterday, several dozen United Steelworkers (USW) members and retirees staged a sit-in at his Aliquippa office. Said Rick Galiano, president of USW Local 9305 in Beaver Falls, Pa.:

We busted our humps working for Jason Altmire and many other politicians who time and time again promise us that they’ll work for us and working families across America. We are tired of the broken promises. We helped Congressman Altmire win this seat because he vowed he would vote for health insurance reform. We’re here today urging him to keep that promise.

Rep. Michael Arcuri (D-N.Y), who narrowly won his last election-union family votes put him over the top-announced Thursday he would vote against the bill. On Friday, New York State AFL-CIO President Denis Hughes and 20 other New York labor leaders sent Arcuri a letter saying his health care vote will have consequences.

Our members look for elected officials who have the courage to stand up to lies, distortions and political scare tactics. Your vote this Sunday will tell them what kind of elected official you are. Please do not disappoint them or us.

Yesterday, Massachusetts AFL-CIO President Robert Haynes and more than two dozen Bay State union leaders urged Rep. Stephen Lynch (D) to reconsider his announced “No” vote. They wrote:

If Congress passes this legislation, together, we can continue to strengthen consumer protections, increase market competition, and ensure that insurance companies no longer have a stranglehold on consumers. If Congress doesn’t pass the bill, none of this is possible. All we are left with is the status quo.

Congressman, we will not be able to explain to the working women and men of our union why you voted against their interests.

What Does the Bill Do?

In a video message to working families, Trumka says that at its core, the bill

means long-term health security–and that’s the most important thing for your future, and your children and their children.

Among other benefits, the health care reform bill

bans coverage denials or higher rates due to pre-existing conditions and outlaws the practice of insurers dropping coverage when someone files a claim or is diagnosed with a condition requiring expensive treatment. It covers an additional 32 million people, or 95 percent of the population.

The bill ends gender discrimination in setting insurance rates and establishes a procedure to review insurance premium increases and take action against unreasonable rate hikes.

It also makes improvements in the original Senate-passed version, such as not placing the cost of the bill on the backs of working families.

• It eliminates 85 percent of the tax on benefits that would have penalized working families.
• It substitutes in its place a progressive tax on the wealthy that requires Medicare contributions be paid on unearned income for the first time.
• It increases subsidies to purchase health insurance for low and moderate income people.

On the benefits tax, Trumka says:

We continue to think the excise tax is the wrong way to contain costs, but the changes included in the corrections bill cut the tax back deeply, so that it now eliminates 85 percent of the tax for all working families–both non-union and union–whose health benefits cost more due to factors beyond their control.

The bill also cuts brand-name drug prices for Medicare beneficiaries by 50 percent in 2011, and closes the Medicare prescription drug “donut hole” completely by 2020. Stella Johnson, a retired school teacher and member of the Alliance for Retired Americans is one of 3 million seniors who each year falls in the donut hole.

At a press conference with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi last week, Johnson said her prescriptions become even more costly when she is forced to pay full price as result of the donut hole.

It is very hard for me to make ends meet. I have to choose between taking the medicines I need and paying my monthly bills. Because my prescriptions cost so much, I fall behind on some of my bills. When I get hit with late penalties, things get even worse.

The health care bill will help seniors like me who struggle every day to afford the prescriptions they must have.

Trumka says the bill is a “solid foundation” and the union movement will “continue our efforts to improve our health care system.”

We need to do more to bring employers into the system. We need to do more to bring down costs-and one of the best ways to do that is with a public health insurance option. And it will be critical to build on the reforms in the bill designed to change the way health care is delivered, so that we reward value rather than volume.

The Senate now must vote again, but this time Republican obstructionists will not be able to filibuster the bill because it will only require a simply majority to pass.

Important Meeting this Thursday, March 25th

The Northwest Arkansas Labor Council will meet at 5:30 on Thursday, March 25th. First on our agenda is Joe Holland, a Senior Staff Representative with the National AFL-CIO for almost 14 years, assigned to coordinate our Northwest Arkansas political activity in the U.S. Senate primary campaign. I think you’ll like Joe, who is a 3rd generation coal miner from Kentucky and proud UMWA Member for over 37 years.

We will also be reviewing the candidate questionnaires and recommending endorsements by the Arkansas AFL-CIO for two Arkansas Supreme Court Justices and for the Arkansas House of Representatives, District 92, Democratic Primary between Greg Leding and Bill Ramsey. In addition, we will review and make endorsements in two non-partisan Circuit Judge contests in the 4th District (Washington and Madison), the Republican Primary races for County Judge and Sheriff in Benton County, and the Democratic Primary race for Madison County Judge.

It's Time for Sensible Immigration Reform

Yesterday President Obama reaffirmed his commitment to drive an immigration reform bill forward this spring. We echo the urgency in the President’s message.

The AFL-CIO and the entire labor movement remain committed to comprehensive immigration reform and united around the framework for reform that we put forth a year ago. Our framework protects American workers, secures our borders, ensures that employers hire authorized workers and creates a path to citizenship for those who came to our country illegally. It also provides a rational and reasonable approach to future flow, which ties the number of new foreign workers coming into the US labor market to established labor shortages. Under our approach, the numbers—which would be established through an independent commission—would be much higher during robust economic times than they would be in times like today. The advocacy community, including the Reform Immigration for America campaign of which we are a member, has adopted this same approach.

American workers are facing a prolonged jobs crisis and nearly 10% unemployment, with no sign of recovery in sight. If immigration reform is to have any chance of passing this year, the Chamber of Commerce is going to have to abandon its insistence on the creation of a new temporary worker program and embrace a solution based on real employment needs. A new temporary worker program in today’s economy would be political suicide, and the Chamber must know that.

We need immigration reform now. The more we delay, the worse the problem becomes. It’s time to move forward and stop playing politics with a problem we should have fixed a long time ago.

Statement by AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka
on Immigration Reform
March 12, 2010

Please Take this Online Survey on NWA's Economic Future

The Northwest Arkansas Council, a business group funded by major corporate players, is in the process of developing a Strategic Regional Economic Development Plan for the four-county region of Northwest Arkansas. They have hired a consultant from out of state to interview "business leaders" about what they see as problems and what they want. They are not asking local unions or working families to participate in their focus groups or interviews about their concerns, their opinions about the region, or hopes for a better future.

This corporate group will then get the regional planning commission to adopt their economic priorities and control future economic development decisions in Northwest Arkansas. The only way to have any say at all is to participate in an online survey, and tell them what working families think about Northwest Arkansas and its economic future. Please take a few minutes to complete this survey, then pass it along and ASK YOUR MEMBERS TO ANSWER THE SURVEY QUESTIONS.

Click on this link: http://greaternorthwestarkansas.com/surveys.html

Let working families be heard.

Arkansas AFL-CIO Executive Board Recommended Endorsements

After a lengthy discussion about Senator Lincoln's position on Healthcare, the appointment of Greg Becker to the National Labor Relations Board, the Employee Free Choice Act, and trade issues, the Arkansas AFL-CIO Executive Board voted to support Lieutenant Governor Bill Halter for his candidacy in the Democratic Primary for the United States Senate. We believe that Bill Halter will listen to Arkansas' working families and support their issues in Washington as he has done as Lieutenant Governor of Arkansas.

Also, a recommendation for endorsement has been made for Senator Joyce Elliott for United States Congress District 2. The board believes she will be a candidate that will listen to working families in Arkansas and their needs as she has in the State House and State Senate.

For more information or if you have any questions please contact our office at 501-375-9101 or araflcio@swbell.net.

Sincerely,

Alan B. Hughes, President

NWA Green Jobs Training Center!

“The Fayetteville Green Jobs Training Center of Excellence will soon be a reality. Thanks to everyone involved in helping make this happen. I had lots of help. Joining me yesterday were Alderman Sarah Lewis, Representative Lindsley Smith, UA Engineering Professor Panneer Selvam, Stephen Smith from the Northwest Arkansas Labor Council, and Steve Clark from the Fayetteville Chamber of Commerce, all of whom have been working to make this happen. Chief of Staff Don Marr, Senator Sue Madison, and Peggy Gabriel from the UA College of Engineering, as well as other members of my staff, have been involved but were unable to attend the announcement. The important thing is that we are taking steps to put people to work in green jobs that will save energy and money for local residents and businesses.” -- Fayetteville Mayor Lioneld Jordan, AFSCME Local 965


Northwest Arkansas Lands Green Jobs Training Center

By Skip Descant

Saturday, February 27, 2010

NORTHWEST ARKANSAS TIMES— The next crop of energy auditors or energy-efficient heating and air-conditioning specialists could come from Northwest Arkansas.

Gov. Mike Beebe announced the launch of two green-job training centers in the state Friday. One will be based at NorthWest Arkansas Community College and the other at Pulaski Technical College’s North Little Rock campus. The two programs will be funded for the next three years with more than $2.5 million in federal grants.

No official start date has been set, but officials say they’d like to get the program off the ground in June.

In Northwest Arkansas, the job-training program will be based in Bentonville with some coursework in Fayetteville, said Becky Paneitz, NWACC president of the community college, speaking after a news conference in North Little Rock where Beebe made the announcement.

NWACC’s corporate learning center in north Fayetteville at the corner of Joyce Boulevard and College Avenue will house the classroom portion of the training program, while “lab-type work” will happen at the school’s main campus in Bentonville, said Beau Walker, interim director of public relations at NWACC.

“This is good not just for the city of Fayetteville, but the whole region,” said Fayetteville Mayor Lioneld Jordan. Jordan traveled to Little Rock to attend Beebe’s news conference.

“I really believe that between the two schools, we’ll be able to open a new job market for the whole state,” Jordan said.

Establishing a green job training center in Northwest Arkansas was a prominent plank in Jordan’s bid for Fayetteville mayor in 2008.

“Today teaches you that if you stay after something long enough and stay after it, it will come to pass,” Jordan said.

He was joined at Friday’s announcement by Steve Clark, president of the Fayetteville Chamber of Commerce; Sarah Lewis, Fayetteville City Council member; and state Rep. Lindsley Smith (D-Fayetteville), who is also employed as Jordan’s communications director for Fayetteville. A host of officials from NWACC also attended the event.

Rick Mayes, director of building sciences at NWACC, will serve as director for the program. A program coordinator will begin work in mid-March, Walker said. The program coordinator will work to certify the new program with nationally known organizations such as the Building Performance Institute, the Residential Energy Services Network, Air-Conditioning Contractors of America and the Florida Solar Institute.

“This project is really geared toward weatherization for the state of Arkansas,” Paneitz said.

“One of the many goals for the Center of Excellence is to help bring lacking standardization to the state of Arkansas by training an educated, qualified workforce,” Walker added.

“It’s extremely important to the economic development for this region,” Paneitz added.

The coursework is being designed so that most professional certification training will take several days to several weeks depending on how the classes are scheduled. It’s not yet clear how much the classes will cost.

The state has said it wants to offer a minimum of 60 courses in the next three years, training at least 600 workers. The U.S. Department of Energy issued a $7.4 million grant to pay for the program. NWACC was awarded $1,356,088 and Pulaski Tech was awarded $1,231,202. The grants, which are part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, will be administered by the Arkansas Energy Office, a division of the Arkansas Economic Development Commission. Roughly $4.9 million will be used by NWACC and Pulaski Tech to develop mobile training units that will visit the state’s other community colleges to provide the training.

Beebe said the money will allow the schools to “be able to train folks for the jobs of tomorrow, not the jobs of yesterday, the jobs of tomorrow.”

“(The program) marries environmental protection with economic development and it creates jobs for folks that will be long-lasting for the foreseeable future,” the governor said.

Organizers say they hope to identify more funding sources for future classes.

“The Centers of Excellence are charged with making this initiative sustainable and we anticipate other correlating funding will be designated to implement additional projects related to alternative energy such as wind, solar and geothermal,” Mayes said .

Initially, the training will include licensing and certifying professionals already working in these job sectors, say NWACC officials.

Local job watchers are praising the announcement.

“One of the great things about NWACC’s new offerings is that they will be shaped by the needs of our community,” said Keaton Smith, who leads Jordan’s Fayetteville Forward green economy group. “Programming will be fluid to meet consumer demand for new innovations and trends in the marketplace.”

“It is another key step in building a science, business and technology cluster,” said Steve Rust, president and CEO of Green Valley Development in Fayetteville. Green Valley Development is an economic development group charged with attracting and growing companies in the green-tech job sector.

More training in the green building sector will assist a growing move to build more energy-efficient buildings, said Karen Stewart, an environmental consultant with EcoPotential, a Springdale firm that offers training and consulting for environmental building certification in areas like Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, also know as LEED.

“They go hand in hand,” Stewart said, pointing to a November 2009 report by the Green Building Council that shows green building will support 7.9 million jobs nationwide and pump $554 billion into the American economy — including $396 billion in wages — over the next four years.

“So this is really what needs to happen in Northwest Arkansas,” Stewart said.

Labor leaders say the training centers will be a boost for jobs.

“Even in Northwest Arkansas we’re running 7 percent unemployment, and this is the first step to get this set up to get the certification people need and I think, put more people in the workforce,” said Stephen Smith, president of the Arkansas Labor Council, which worked closely with officials in Fayetteville, the University of Arkansas, NWACC and others to secure the training center.

“We can then move on for more cooperation for more advanced job training in areas like solar and wind energy,” Smith added.

The Arkansas News Bureau’s Jeremy Peppas contributed to this report.

AFL-CIO PRESIDENT RICHARD TRUMKA ON SENATE PASSAGE OF JOBS BILL

Working people across America welcome the news that the Senate has passed a jobs bill today as a first step to put Main Street back to work. Senator Reid has said more actions need to be—and will be—taken. We couldn’t agree more. We need much bigger and bolder actions to ensure that we create 10 million jobs and Wall Street pays the bill to fix the financial disaster.

In a turn of head spinning hypocrisy, some Republican Senators had the audacity to vote for a bill they voted less than 48 hours ago not to allow even to be considered. If these Senators want to be seen as part of the solution, they must stop these procedural hijinks that are slowing down the Senate and hurting the recovery. Working families need jobs and are demanding real results from Washington.

Moving forward, we will be taking the fight for jobs to communities nationwide, focusing on the solutions we have outlined in our 5 point jobs plan: Extending unemployment insurance benefits, food assistance and health benefits; rebuilding our crumbling infrastructure and investing in green jobs; increasing aid to state and local governments to maintain vital services; increasing funding for neglected communities to match people who want to work with jobs that need to be done; and using TARP money to get credit flowing to small businesses.

RICHARD TRUMKA
February 24, 2010

Momentous Step Taken to End Wage Theft

Miami-Dade County Passes Historic Measure Poised to Inspire Other Communities

Miami-Dade County yesterday overwhelmingly passed the first county-wide ordinance in the country to combat wage theft, making it easier for workers to bring legal action against employers who fail to pay or underpay them.

“This is momentous,” said Jeanette Smith, Executive Director of South Florida Interfaith Worker Justice (SFIWJ). “The passing of this legislation will make a difference for every worker in Miami-Dade County and, hopefully, will encourage groups all over the country to establish similar mechanisms for workers in their communities.”

Thursday’s vote was the culmination of over a year of work by SFIWJ and the South Florida Wage Theft Task Force. Similar initiatives are being considered by states and cities across the country, including Los Angeles and New Orleans.

“This victory is a spark that will help ignite a wave across the country,” said Ted Smukler, Public Policy Director of Interfaith Worker Justice. “It is a shining example of many initiatives underway at the state and local levels to combat this crime, and demonstrates that there’s widespread political will when people are made aware of the extent of the crisis.”

“It’s a historic day for all Miami-Dade workers, employers who play by the rules, taxpayers, our economy, and our community, setting the precedent for the nation to follow,” said Fred Frost, President of the South Florida AFL-CIO and a member of the wage theft task force.

“This legislation will provide justice for exploited workers using a streamlined hearing examiner process, at very little cost to our county,” said Miami-Dade Board of County Commissioners member Natacha Seijas, the measure’s principal sponsor. “I am very pleased that every colleague present today voted in favor of this Ordinance.”

“Recovering back wages owed workers will put more money in the local economy, send a message to crooked employers and create a more level playing field for honest employers,” read a Miami Herald editorial endorsing the ordinance, which the newspaper argued would “fill a vacuum” and “be a future deterrent.” “Employers would have to pay employment and workers' compensation taxes they're now avoiding, a burden for honest employers.”

“And now, the real work begins,” said SFIWJ’s Smith. “Tomorrow, we go out to the streets and we talk to workers. We visit congregations. We educate. We involve our community in a county-wide effort to implement this historic piece of legislation. The message is clear -- thou shalt not steal. Not in our community. Not anywhere.”

“When raising the minimum wage was blocked at the federal level for 12 years,” said IWJ’s Smukler, “people took action at the state level and were successful in winning state campaigns that raised the minimum wage above the federal level in a majority of states in the country, creating the momentum that eventually led to raising the national minimum wage in 2007. We believe that victories like today’s in Miami-Dade County can similarly inspire a wave of policy changes and legislation at the local, state, and ultimately federal levels, with the goal of ending wage theft in America.”

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