Voice@Work Update June 28, 2006

[Omaha Steve]

Voice@Work Update June 28, 2006

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Workers Anticipate Devastation of "Kentucky River" Decisions from Labor Board
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American Rights at Work: Recent Labor Board Decisions Suggest Dangerous Trend
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Unionists Killed, Jailed for Defending Workers' Rights
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Got a Bad Boss? Working America Wants to Know
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Four More Groups Endorse Employee Free Choice Act
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Press Clips of the Week
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Quote of the Week

Workers Anticipate Devastation of "Kentucky River" Decisions from Labor Board
This summer, a devastating set of three decisions are expected out of the Bush Labor Board that could strip hundreds of thousands of workers of their rights under federal labor law.

The decisions are collectively called the "Kentucky River" decisions. At issue is a revised definition of "supervisor" that could potentially affect workers in a wide range of industries, including health care, building and construction, energy, broadcast and port shipping.



Unlike other employees, supervisors do not have protected rights under the National Labor Relations Act to form and join unions, and employers often try to classify workers as supervisors in order to deny them the right to union representation and collective bargaining.



In anticipation of what could be the biggest assault on worker’s' rights in decades, we're putting together a two-pronged plan to address the decisions even before they are released.



We're asking every union member nationwide to contact his or her member of Congress to put pressure on the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) to hear oral arguments on these cases. Unwilling to hear the voices of working people, the Bush Labor Board has not granted oral arguments since 2001. Call the Congressional Switchboard at 202-244-3121 to get in touch with your member of Congress.



Workers in 18 cities will take to the streets the week of July 10 in a national week of action dedicated to bringing the anti-worker trends of the Labor Board to light. Contact your local Central Labor Council to find out about actions near you. Then bring your family and friends out to support every American's right to organize.

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American Rights at Work: Recent Labor Board Decisions Suggest Dangerous Trend
According to American Rights at Work, millions of workers who want to form unions or maintain their current union
representation will see their rights dramatically curtailed if the NLRB maintains its recent ruling trend.

Some workers who have created collective bargaining units at their workplaces will see their eligibility status switched, according to the group's "Editorial Memo: Workers Anticipate Reversal of Rights from Bush-Appointed Labor Board." Others who are currently coming together in unions will see options for organizing eliminated, the memo says.

These NLRB rulings come at a time of significant worker organizing activity, with thousands of vigorous worker campaigns across the country and a national campaign to restore workers' freedom to form unions.

To read the full text of American Rights at Work's "Editorial Memo," go to www.americanrightsatwork.org/press/press.cfm?pressReleaseID

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Unionists Killed, Jailed for Defending Workers' Rights
The fight for workers' rights can be deadly.

Last year, 115 trade unionists worldwide were murdered for defending workers' rights More than 1,600 were violently assaulted, and about 9,000 were arrested, according to the Annual Survey of Trade Union Rights Violations released June 7 by the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU).

Nearly 10,000 workers were fired because of union activity in 2005, and almost 1,700 were detained, the report says.

The ICFTU, which represents 155 million workers in 154 countries and territories, says Latin America remains the most dangerous region for trade unionists. Colombia, where 70 unionists were killed last year, leads the world infamously in murders, intimidation and death threats.

For the entire story, go to http://blog.aflcio.org/?p=797


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Got a Bad Boss? Working America Wants to Know
If you have a bad boss, you may be a winner.

Working America, the community affiliate of the AFL-CIO for workers who don't have the benefit of a union, launched its My Bad Boss Contest on June 14 looking for the worst of the worst in bad bossdom. If that's your boss, you could win a weeklong vacation in a resort condominium courtesy of Union Privilege and $1,000 for airfare.

Working America's My Bad Boss Contest is an opportunity for workers to speak out about the difficulties they face every day on the job.

All you need to do is submit your tale about a current or former evil boss. Each week through Aug. 10, visitors to Working America's My Bad Boss website will vote for the worst of the week. Prizes will be awarded each week, and the grand prize vacation will go to the worst of the worst chosen from the five finalists' stories.

During the contest, several celebrities—including author, comedian and Air America Radio host Al Franken, author Barbara Ehrenreich and populist commentator Jim Hightower—will share horror stories about some of their bad bosses.

Maybe your boss is a screamer, a tyrant, a bully.

Or someone who demanded 16 hours on the job and then refused to pay because you worked "off the clock."

Or responded with a pink slip when you called in sick.

A boss about whom, after you'd had a drink or two after work, you conjured up fantasies that made those in the film "Nine to Five" look tame.

Now you can get a little revenge, plus that week's vacation.

Go ahead, share your story.

Click here to see the guidelines for Working America's My Bad Boss Contest.


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Four More Groups Endorse Employee Free Choice Act
Four more groups - the Campaign for America's Future, Progressive Maryland, the Progressive Jewish Alliance and the United Nations Association of the National Capital Area - have endorsed the Employee Free Choice Act.



The Campaign for America's Future is challenging the big-money corporate agenda by encouraging Americans to speak up—to discuss and debate a new vision of an economy and a future that works for everyone. More information is available at: http://home.ourfuture.org



Progressive Maryland is a grassroots organization of thousands of members strengthened by 50 religious, community and labor groups. Through research, public education and direct political action, it strives to improve the lives of working families in Maryland. For more information, visit: http://progressivemaryland.org



The Progressive Jewish Alliance was founded in 1999 by Jewish Angelenos seeking to assert an authentic progressive Jewish presence in the campaigns for social justice in Southern California, home to the nation's second-largest city and second-largest Jewish community. The group educates, advocates and organizes on issues of peace, equality, diversity and justice, as a progressive voice in the Jewish community and a Jewish voice in the progressive community. For more information, go to: http://www.pjalliance.org


The United Nations Association of the National Capital Area and its members work with foreign policymakers, political decision makers, schools, colleges and universities and nonprofit and other organizations in the National Capital Area to build knowledge, understanding, informed opinion and new ideas on the United Nations and its agencies. For more information, go to: http://www.unanca.org/



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Press Clips of the Week

"Cingular Bucks Anti-Union Trend," CNN Money.com

Cingular gets recognition for its cooperative relationship with CWA.

http://money.cnn.com/2006/06/05/news/companies/pluggedin_fortune/index.htm

"Washington state foster parents seek greater power through new union," Seattle Post-Intelligencer

Daniele and Steve Baxtor, who are co-presidents of the Foster Parents Association of Washington State, continue a union organizing drive for foster parents and say that almost 95 percent of people sign up when visited.

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/6420AP_WA_Foster_Parents_Union.html



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Quote of the Week
"Exploitation of human beings through repression of fundamental rights for economic gain is both morally repugnant and economically dangerous."

- AFL-CIO Secretary-Treasurer Richard Trumka on China's violations of international trade law. (Read more here.)

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Please send story suggestions, event announcements, campaign reports, letters and other information to Katrina Blomdahl at [email protected].

Thank you for all you do to restore workers' freedom to form unions and bargain collectively.


Together, we will win.

In solidarity,

Voice@Work Campaign

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