Where Rights Went Wrong

This morning on the last day of the America’s Future Now conference AFJ President Nan Aron moderated the panel, Where RIghts Went Wrong: What Happened to the Rights Revolution?. Rea Carey, executive director of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force Action Fund, spoke about the frustrating lack of progress concerning LGBT rights on many fronts including marriage, Don’t Ask Don’t Tell, and the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, while highlighting areas where the movement has been able to make headway. Kierra Johnson, Executive Director of Choice USA similarly talked about lack of progress in many areas, but also opportunities for change, particularly on the ground in the states.

Adam Luna, who coordinates the America’s Voice strategy spoke about the frustrating lack of progress concerning immigrant rights, particularly the Dream Act, but he echoed the sentiments of other speakers that the progressive community as a whole is doing a better job of coming together to work on issues.

Anthony D. Romero took a different tack during his talk, bluntly stating “I'm disgusted with this president.” While Romero, Executive Director of the ACLU, has been frustrated with the lack of legislative progress under this administration, his disgust is due to the “meltdown of due process” that has resulted from the lack of accountability for, and change to, the policies of torture during the Bush administration.

Although, much of the discussion contained some frustration with the Obama Administration, there was general agreement that the Rights Revolution cannot rely solely on our elected officials, but must act as a grassroots movement to effect change and transform the culture in this country.

Overwhelm the Senate Switchboard for the Employee Free Choice Act

Union members have always been a key voice for all Americans on issues like affordable health care, public education, green jobs, and equal opportunity. Restoring the freedom to choose a union is a key to getting America back on track.

But workers who want a union face intimidation, delays, stalling tactics, and are even fired illegally. Without workers’ freedom to bargain, the economy can’t be rebuilt in a way that guarantees the middle class will be rebuilt with it. When more folks can negotiate for better wages, health care, and working conditions by joining a union, things get better for all of us.

That's why hundreds of state leaders are in Washington, DC today, fighting for the Employee Free Choice Act – so workers can fix our economy from the bottom up.

Over 300 state leaders are meeting today with their members of Congress in support of the Employee Free Choice Act.

Will you back up their Capitol Hill efforts by making quick calls to your senators, right now? It takes about 1 minute per call and makes a huge difference! We need to stand with them by OVERWHELMING the Senate switchboard today.

You can make a toll-free call to 1-888-650-9715 and ask to be connected to your senator's office. Tell the staff member who answers the city and state where you live, and that you strongly urge your senator to vote for the Employee Free Choice Act.

After you make the call, tweet about it and ask your followers to retweet this important message. Post it to your Facebook, myspace, and other social network pages to make today’s day of action a success.

Thank you for helping our efforts in the broad coalition of Allies taking Action, creating an undeniable force to pass the Employee Free Choice Act.

Going Green AND Blue on St. Patty’s Day

By Guest bloggers, Margrete Strand Rangnes and Karin Lee with Sierra Club's Responsible Trade Program

Most people don’t know it, but back in the day, St. Patrick’s signature color actually used to be blue. This St. Patty’s Day, when you wear your green, don’t forget to think about our nation’s workers, and the wearing o’ the blue too!

The buzz these days seems all to be about the green: green jobs, green buildings, green cars (green beers, anyone?).

Amidst the difficult economic times, the greening of our economy provides us with a tremendous opportunity to rebuild our nation around green jobs that will address not only the climate crisis and unemployment, but also deeply rooted social problems of poverty and inequality.

One way to ensure that these green jobs will also be good family-supporting jobs is to allow workers a democratic chance to form unions. That’s why the Sierra Club supports the Employee Free Choice Act.

In recent years, flawed trade deals like the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and the World Trade Organization (WTO) have enabled companies to relocate to countries with weak or non-existent protections for workers and the environment, and have led to the hemorrhage of more than 1.5 million jobs. With a global recession and U.S. unemployment at over 8%, now is not the time to weaken the focus on creating a strong middle-class in America. On the contrary, given the current economic crisis, it is more important than ever to focus on farsighted policies that will staunch this outward flow and strengthen the American workforce. Investing in the green energy economy can maintain and create millions of jobs, right here at home. The challenge is to make sure that these are good jobs, with decent wages and benefits.

The Employee Free Choice Act would level the playing field and give workers a fair and direct path to form unions without the fear of being fired, help employees secure a contract with their employer in a reasonable period of time, and toughen penalties against corporations who violate their workers’ rights.

Workers serve as our front line of defense against hazardous pollution, chemical spills and other accidents that can devastate communities. Union workers are better trained to know about important health and safety risks and have greater protections if they blow the whistle on hazards and accidents in the workplace.

However, the current labor law system makes it difficult for workers to form unions. Employees who try to form unions are routinely harassed, and often even fired. Among private sector employers whose workers try to form unions, 25% have illegally fired at least one worker for union activity.

The emerging green economy holds great promise to build the American middle-class. One way to ensure that it benefits the many rather than the few is by passing the Employee Free Choice Act.

Turn Up the Heat!

Today at the park near the U.S. Senate, a coworker and I joined thousands of people for a rally in support of the Employee Free Choice Act. This legislation would restore workers’ freedom to bargain for a better life, and make our economy work for everyone. The rally was a kick off for the delivery of petitions signed by over 1 million people asking Congress to pass this new law. Workers from dozens of national and local unions from the Teamsters to SEIU and the AFL-CIO to the United Steel Workers were there, along with progressive organizations like Alliance for Justice, the Sierra Club and other members of the Blue-Green Alliance.

Senator Tom Harkin (D–IA) (wearing the red scarf in the photo) fired up the crowd and urged us all to turn up the heat to pass the bill in Congress. President Obama has promised to sign this critical legislation.

Though the day was cold, the fire in our hearts burned bright. Getting off to a great start with the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act victory, it is clear that the Obama administration and this new Congress are ready to stand up for the rights of working families. It’s time to turn up the heat and win laws that encourage equality and fairness in the workplace.

Kathy Plate, Online Organizer, Alliance for Justice