Jul 222015
 

danger-low_wage_construction350x127pxNo doubt most of us have heard that prevailing wage is under attack in Michigan. There are folks out collecting signatures across Michigan as we speak. It is our understanding they are telling potential signers that the petition is to raise minimum wage, fix the roads, as well as many other things to encourage people to sign. They are showing up at schools, libraries, outside Secretary of State offices, main streets, and various other locations where there will be a lot of foot traffic. Governor Snyder has told the Republican leadership he will veto any bill that comes across his desk that will eliminate prevailing wage. Because of this, those who favoring doing away with prevailing wage laws in Michigan have crafted this sneaky petition drive; if enough signatures are gathered and the law goes into effect, the Republican legislature will have a veto-proof way to lower the wages of thousands of skilled-tradesmen and -women. This will then become one more reason for our most skilled workers to leave Michigan, and that’s no good for anyone except a few greedy fat-cats. Please share this with your co-workers, friends and family. Encouraging them to not sign this petition, and if they are unclear, ask them to actually read the petition or ask a question for clarification.

Hear from one of Michigan’s largest builder of public education buildings:

Oct 292014
 

elections-have-consequencesBelow is a list of vetted candidates who are committed to solving problems and enacting policies that affect working families. Core AT&T employees covered under the CWA-AT&T Midwest contract are reminded that article 18.6 allows for unpaid time off work to vote when requested in advance. If any member needs such time off and is being hassled by management, please contact the Hall or your shop steward. Please remember to vote this cycle, and remind your friends and family.

 

 

 

ENDORSEMENTS

Here is the list of endorsements for the November 4, 2014 election:

                              peter-gary

Mark Schauer for Governor                                 Gary Peters for U.S. Senate

 

Lisa Brown
Lisa Brown
for Lieutenant Governor
Godfrey Dillard
Godfrey Dillard
for Secretary of State
Mark Totten
Mark Totten
for Attorney General

 

Michigan Supreme Court

Richard Bernstein

Judge William Murphy

Judge Deborah Thomas

State Board of Education

Cassandra Ulbrich

Pamela Smith

University of Michigan Board of Regents

Kathryn White

Michael Behm

Wayne State University Board of Governors

Dana Thompson

Marilyn Kelly

Michigan State University Board of Trustees

George Perles

Faylene Owen

United States House of Representatives

First Congressional District: Jerry Cannon

Second Congressional District: Dean Vanderstelt

Third Congressional District: Bob Goodrich

Fourth Congressional District: Jeff Holmes

Fifth Congressional District:Dan Kildee

Sixth Congressional District:Paul Clements

Seventh Congressional District: Pam Byrnes

Eighth Congressional District: Eric Schertzing

Ninth Congressional District:Sandy Levin

Eleventh Congressional District:Bobby McKenzie

Twelfth Congressional District:Debbie Dingell

Thirteenth Congressional District:John Conyers

Fourteenth Congressional District:Brenda Lawrence

Michigan Senate

District 1: Coleman Young
District 2: Bert Johnson
District 3: Morris Hood
District 4: Virgil Smith
District 5: David Knezek
District 6: Hoon-Yung Hopgood
District 7: Dian Slavens
District 8: Christine Bell
District 9: Steve Bieda
District 11: Vincent Gregory
District 13: Cyndi Peltonen
District 14: Bobbie Walton
District 16: Kevin Commet
District 17: Doug Spade
District 18: Rebekah Warren
District 20: Sean McCann
District 22: Shari Pollesch
District 23: Curtis Hertel Jr.
District 24: Dawn Levey
District 25: Terry Brown
District 26: Jim Walters
District 27: Jim Ananich
District 28: Deb Havens
District 31: Ron Mindykowski
District 32: Stacy Erwin-Oakes
District 33: Fred Sprague
District 34: Cathy Forbes
District 36: Joe Lukasiewicz

Michigan House of Representatives

District 1: Brian Banks
District 2: Alberta-Tinsley Talabi
District 3: Wendell Byrd
District 4: Rose Mary Robinson
District 5: Fred Durhal
District 6: Stephanie Chang
District 7: LaTanya Garrett
District 8: Sherry Gay-Dagnogo
District 10: Leslie Love
District 11: Julie Plawecki
District 12: Erika Geiss
District 13: Frank Liberati
District 14: Paul Clemente
District 15: George Darany
District 16: Robert Kosowski
District 17: Bill LaVoy
District 18: Sarah Roberts
District 19: Stacey Dogonski
District 20: Nate Smith-Tyge
District 21: Kristy Pagan
District 22: John Chirkun
District 23: David Haener
District 24: Philip Kurczewski
District 25: Henry Yanez
District 26: Jim Townsend
District 27: Robert Wittenberg
District 28: Derek Miller
District 29: Tim Greimel
District 30: Bo Karpinski
District 31: Marilyn Lane
District 35: Jeremy Moss
District 36: Peter Lucido
District 37: Christine Grieg
District 38: Jasper Catanzaro
District 39: Sandy Colvin
District 41: Mary Kerwin
District 42: Timothy Johnson
District 43: Dennis Ritter
District 45: Joanna VanRaaphorst
District 47: Jordan Genso
District 48: Pam Faris
District 49: Phil Phelps
District 50: Charles Smiley
District 51: Ken Thomas
District 52: Gretchen Driskell
District 53: Jeff Irwin
District 54: David Rutledge
District 55: Adam Zemke
District 56: Tom Redmond
District 57: Sharon Wimple
District 58: Amaryllis Thomas
District 59: Mike Moroz
District 60: Jon Hoadley
District 62: Andy Helmboldt
District 63: Bill Farmer
District 64: Brenda Pilgrim
District 65: Bonnie Johnson
District 66: Annie Brown
District 67: Tom Cochran
District 68: Andy Schor
District 69: Sam Singh
District 71: Theresa Abed
District 75: Brandon Dillon
District 76: Winnie Brinks
District 79: Eric Lester
District 81: Bernardo Licata
District 82: Margaret Guerrero DeLuca
District 83: Marcus Middleton
District 83: David Jaroch
District 85: Annie Braidwood
District 86: Lynn Mason
District 91: Collene Lamonte
District 92: Marcia Hovey-Wright
District 95: Vanessa Guerra
District 96: Charles Brunner
District 97: Mark Lightfoot
District 98: Joan Brausch
District 99: Bryan Mielke
District 101: Tom Stobie
District 102: John Ruggles
District 104: Betsy Coffia
District 105: Jay Calo
District 106: Robert Kennedy
District 108: Grant Carlson
District 109: John Kivela
District 110: Scott Dianda
Dec 092013
 
Michigan Legislature Wants To Allow AT&T To Cut The Cord!

Michigan Legislature Wants To Allow AT&T To Cut The Cord!

Last week the Michigan Senate passed out of committee and pushed through the whole Senate SB 636. In this process they allowed limited debate in committee, giving supporters of the bill plenty of time to make their case, while allowing little to no time for those that oppose this bill. The bill is scheduled for the House Tuesday December 10, and we need your help to stop it!

Tell the Michigan House no to SB 636!

Michigan Telecom Giants are attempting to be allowed to discontinue local landline service and be released from having any State oversight for consumers of their product, ending the oversight role of the Michigan Public Service Commission where consumers go for help. While this bill hurts all telecommunication consumers, it would effect our Seniors, Disabled, Rural communities and low income residents, in the worst ways possible. We have all heard the ad’s “I’ve fell and I can’t get up” well Seniors and the disabled use this service to be able to stay in their homes, it is only available from traditional landline service, this will be in jeopardy of ending. Rural communities do not all have access to Voip services and cell service is never reliable. People that oppose this bill are the Communication Workers of America Union, AARP and even Attorney General Bill Schuette has issues with it, along with many other Consumer rights advocates and organizations.

 Please help by clicking the link below!

 Tell the Michigan House no to SB 636!

Please share this article widely. Time is short!

Dec 082013
 

Michigan Active And Retired Members…

Call to action!

This will take all of us!!

We are looking to generate phone calls and emails to Michigan State House of Representative members who will be debating changes which would allowing telco’ to shut off traditional voice lines throughout MI within the next few years. As you all know these lines are important to us as workers and retirees.

We urge you begin to call and/or email your State House Rep on Monday, December 9th and let them know that you oppose Senate Bill 636(SB636). Below is some suggested language:

“As a citizen, I am concerned about the affects the proposed changes to the Michigan Telecommunications Act in SB636 will have on consumers, especially in rural areas.”

 Or,

“As a citizen, I am concerned that proposed changes to the Michigan Telecommunications Act in SB636 will result in fewer telco providers and negatively affect the reliability of service everywhere”

We ask that you continue to contact your State Representatives throughout Monday and into Tuesday morning prior to Session beginning. There is a Energy and Technology and Committee Meeting that will discuss SB636 prior to the afternoon Session on Tuesday, December 10th.

 Click here to get your Representative’s contact info.

We will continue to send out information as it becomes available, below are a list of Representatives that serve on the Energy and Technology Committee and are located within the geography that many our Local members work and live.

Energy and Technology Committee (not a complete list)

Aric Nesbitt (R) Committee Chair, 66th District (517) 373-0839

Mike Shirkey (R) Majority Vice-Chair, 65th District (517) 373-1775

Ray Franz (R) 101st District (517) 373-0825

Rick Outman (R) 70th District (517) 373-0834

Amanda Price (R) 89th District (517) 373-0838

Click here to read a summary of the changes to the Michigan Telecommunications Act that will be caused by passage of SB636

Dec 062013
 
AT&T Plan For Landlines

AT&T Plan For Landlines

Brothers and Sisters, 

I am reaching out to you about the recent Senate Bill (SB636) that was just passed by the Michigan Senate late today.  
 
As was discussed at the Executive Board Meeting we had on Tuesday, all concerned parties were in a state of playing cat and mouse with the Michigan Senate on this bill.  This item was not placed on the Senate Committee Agenda until the end of business Monday, just one day prior to the meeting of the Energy and Technology Committee that is chaired by Sen. Mike Nofs (R-Battle Creek).
 
Tuesday, that next day, SB636 was voted to be moved out of committee to the Senate Floor for overall approval, by an 8 to 1 vote.  Sen. Howard Walker (R-Traverse City) was Continue reading »
Mar 052013
 

Corporate mergers often benefit CEOs and wealthy shareholders at the expense of workers. But when mergers need government approval, regulators can make sure that workers and consumers are protected.

Today, there are thousands of American jobs on the line in the proposed T-Mobile/MetroPCS merger, and we don’t have long to speak up and make sure regulators protect them.

Sign our petition, and tell the Federal Communications Commission to make sure that T-Mobile workers aren’t victims of the merger. 

Help Save T-Mobile Workers' Jobs

Our country’s economic recovery is fragile. Too often, mergers like the one being proposed between T-Mobile and MetroPCS result in job losses that weaken local businesses and reduce funding for schools and public services. Customers who rely on quality service from trained and experienced employees are left with nowhere to turn.

It doesn’t have to be this way. FCC Chair Julius Genachowski and the other commissioners are reviewing the T-Mobile/MetroPCS merger plans right now. They have the power to prevent layoffs as part of the merger agreement. But they won’t act if they don’t hear from us.

Corporations are spending millions of dollars on lobbyists and lawyers to make sure that their concerns about the merger are addressed. Will you take two minutes to sign the petition to make sure that the workers’ concerns aren’t forgotten?

http://action.cwa-union.org/c/312/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=5608 

Let’s make sure that the FCC gets the message – we must all work together to support good jobs and strong communities.

Dec 122012
 

From The “Elections Have Consequences” Department

Q: What is a so called “Right-to-Work” Law?

A: It is a loophole created under Section 14(b) of the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) that allows a state to enact a law prohibiting union security clauses in union contracts. It was enacted as part of the 1947 Taft-Hartley Act, a major anti-worker overhaul of Federal labor law pushed through by the 80th Congress despite a veto by President Harry Truman. It is worth noting that this was the first Republican controlled Congress since 1932.

Q: What is a union security clause?

A: A union security clause requires all workers who receive the benefits of a collective bargaining agreement (also called a union contract) to share the costs of the administration of that agreement. A so-called “Right-to-Work” law prohibits a union security clause thus creating a “Right-to-Freeload” law. Continue reading »

 Posted by at 9:47 am
Nov 192012
 

The holidays are here. But rather than coming together in the collaborative spirit of the season, the state legislature is using their lame duck session to attack working people.

Right to Work for Less legislation is likely to move through the legislature after Thanksgiving, and lawmakers are hoping that working families will be too distracted by the season to notice.

Your state legislators need to hear from you. Click here to send an email. 

Each person that benefits directly from union representation should pay their fair share of the cost of that representation − plain and simple. There is ample economic evidence that so-called Right to Work states actually fare worse than states where workers have the freedom to form strong unions.

Send a message now, before the legislature returns to Lansing on November 27. Tell them that now is not the time for divisive politics, and that attacking the voice of workers on the job is wrong.

There is no time to lose. Speak up immediately and stay vigilant in case further action is needed.

Nov 062012
 

Well that day is finally here, we have endured though 10’s of Millions of Dollars in Corporate Special Interest money, attacking Working People. But it is finally the time to strike back by voting Yes on Proposal 12-2, Yes to Collective Bargaining, Yes to a better future and Yes to Safer Workplaces for us and our Community.  Continue reading »

Oct 292012
 

The current court has had a practice of consistently ruling in favor of mortgage companies over homeowners, insurance companies over patients, big banks over consumers and polluters over children and families. It is extremely important that we elect Justices who will protect the rights of Michigan’s families and stand against the money and power of corporate special interests.

The Michigan State AFL-CIO is proud to endorse Judge Sheila Johnson, Judge Connie Marie Kelley, and community advocate Bridget Mary McCormack for Michigan Supreme Court.

These three candidates have proven time and time again that they will stand up for Michigan’s families, women and children.

To learn more about each candidate, please click on their picture below to access their website.

                    

Remember: “Before you give your ballot back, vote Johnson, Kelley and McCormac!”

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