Here is a basic round-up of stories that appeared on Union Review in the last week. I hope this effort yields more interest in the labor movement to the point where progressive online activists can write about these and other issues pertaining to the union movement in the United States.
Every Sunday I update a section of Union Review called "Weekly Round-Up". I follow that up with a front-page story with the same information so that folks can comment on the week of stories in one place.
For those of you interested in following some labor stories, I thought to share this with the Kos community.
Buying Union Made Gear is a piece that highlights the importance of buying American-made, union-made gear. In addition to standing up during boycotts and organizing drives, there is another essential role that every local union (and conscious-driven organization) can - and should be involved with. When it comes to the t-shirts, caps, mugs and other gear imprinted with the insignia of your organization, there are thousands of union manufacturing jobs on the line. A company called Ethix Merch helps connect people with union shops manufacturing these goods.
The labor movement needs to know about union shops manufacturing products we need in a bad way. As many probably heard, last week the AFL-CIO handed out hard hats to Congress in an effort to raise attention to workers' rights. Someone noticed that the hard hats were made in China. Ugh!
Another story in the line up that hit the site this week included a press release rewrite announcing that Eight States Told FedEx to Stop Misclassifying Its Workers!
This FedEx story is a little closer to home for me -- this is one of a number of campaigns I am actively involved with at work. If there is anything that I can tell you - from this story, is:
FedEx Ground is currently the subject of investigations by 30 states to determine if the company is misclassifying workers as independent contractors through its owner-operator model. Also, more than 45 class-action lawsuits have been filed against the company in state and federal courts over its misclassification scheme.
After spending two weeks reading 150 court cases against FedEx, I can write this whole diary about this corporation. The heart-wrenching accounts of racial discrimination, sexual discrimination and worker abuses. It is an epidemic at the company that raises its bottom lines on the sweat, blood and tears of hard working dedicated American workers. It is a shame, really.
The other stories that hit Union Review this week include:
Remembering a Fatal Train Accident This Week
When Can We Expect the Public Option"
Eight States Tell FedEx to Stop Misclassifying Its Workers!
Workers and allies shake up Rite Aid shareholder meeting in NYC
UFT, Green Dot Sign Pioneering Contract For NYC Charter School
"We'll Be Back!!"
The Case for Arbitration in Labor Law Reform
Someone sent this to me today ... Thought to Pass Along
Buying Union Made Gear
I don't write all the stories that go on the site. Union Review is truly a growing online community of working people concerned about workers' rights. Clearly not everything that goes on in a full week can make it to one web site, but we do our best. It is my goal to share this information with as many people as possible -- especially progressive bloggers who believe there can, once again, be power in the union.