Voting gives us a voice. It gives us a seat at the table. It’s the great equalizer to money and power, and has been a central pillar to our democracy since the inception of the United States. But due to centuries of institutional and socialized racism in America, African Americans did not have the right […]
Read MoreUnions an Integral Part of Dr. King’s Dream
“In the days to come, organized labor will increase its importance in the destinies of Negroes. Automation is imperceptibly but inexorably producing dislocations, skimming off unskilled labor from the industrial force. The displaced are flowing into proliferating service occupations. These enterprises are traditionally unorganized and provide low wage scales with longer hours. The Negroes pressed […]
Read MoreLabor Department Releases New Q&A on Landmark Law, AB 5
One of the most important laws to go into effect in California on Jan. 1, 2020 is AB 5, which codified the Dynamex California Supreme Court case to clarify who is considered an independent contractor under state law. This bill addresses one of the biggest problems existing in today’s economy: the rampant misclassification of workers […]
Read MoreRoofers, LA Labor Help Build Shelters for Migrant Families in Mexico
A delegation made up of Roofers Local 36, the LA Fed, and St. John’s traveled down to Tijuana, on Saturday, December 14 assisting migrant families seeking shelter at Templo Embajadores de Jesus, one of the biggest family shelters in Tijuana. “Due to severe rainfall, the conditions of the shelters were not good. We were able to put […]
Read MoreTurning perceptions around: How California’s unions changed Californians’ minds about unions
Unions have a public perception problem. Though opinion polls show the strongest favorability ratings for unions in years, those ratings – at least among those polled – have bounced up and down for decades. Worse, more than 60 years of millions of dollars spent on corporate propaganda, plus union-bashing, hysterical linkages to radicals, rampant Red-baiting, […]
Read MoreReflections on National Apprenticeship Week
As another National Apprenticeship Week comes to a close, it’s a good time to reflect upon the importance high road apprenticeship programs have on the future of the American worker. The role of the Labor Movement has been essential in the creation and continuation of this highly important institution. Established five years ago by the […]
Read MoreCalifornia Unions Vow to Defeat Gig Corporations’ Measure to Strip Workers of Fundamental Protections
Instead of providing drivers with a real living wage and job protections that all workers deserve, massive gig corporations plan to spend more than $100 million to avoid complying with the law. This measure is another brazen attempt by some of the richest corporations in California to avoid playing by the same rules as all […]
Read MoreCalifornia’s Unions Lead to Pass New Pro-Worker Laws for 2020
California’s unions led the way in passing a host of new pro-worker bills that go into effect on Jan. 1, 2020. These new laws, signed by Gov. Newsom, cement California’s status as the nation’s leader on workers’ rights. As with every year, many of the bills unions fought to pass directly support all working people, […]
Read MoreLarry Itliong: Filipino-American Labor Leader and Civil Rights Activist
The United Farm Workers movement is one of the most important demonstrations of worker power in American history. While the Delano Grape Strike is often cited as one of the most prominent labor actions of the 20th century, we rarely hear the story of the Filipino activists and workers that played a critical part in […]
Read MoreSB 17 Data Shows How Out-of-Control Pharma Companies Are Gouging California Families
A recent local news story headline read “Rising Prescription Drug Prices Are Costing Some Patients Their Lives.” It detailed, as we’ve heard before, that Americans pay more for prescription drugs than consumers in any other country. This article also detailed the toll that drug prices take on patients, workers and families. The man in the […]
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