Cincinnati
AFL-CIO
Labor Council
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In a rare conjunction, the highest holy days of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam occur at the same time this year. During this season, sacred to so many, remember: The Creator of us all made us intricately and inextricably intertwined, and we share a common destiny with one another, the creatures, and the things of this world. A blessed Ramadan, Passover, Holy Week, and Easter to all who observe.
Assalamualaikum, Hag Sameah v' Kasher, and Pax!
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This Week With AFL-CIO President, Liz Shuler
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When times get tough and powerful forces are aligned against working people, we know that our union sisters, brothers and siblings will join together in the hour of need.
There are many ways your efforts can grow and strengthen our movement. You can donate to a strike fund, help Ukrainian families in time of war, or support organizations and candidates who will fight for working people during elections and legislative sessions.
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When I visited SMART Local 19 on Tuesday with Vice President Harris and Secretary Walsh, we had the chance to hear from members and apprentices at the training center there.
One of those apprentices, William Griffin, shared his story with us and told us about how his new career path was changing not only his life, but his family’s life. He said, “I feel like there’s nothing I can’t accomplish since joining the organization.” That is the power of unions.
As Vice President Harris said, people like Griffin “represent the future of America’s labor movement.” Our training and apprenticeship programs are one of the best tools we have—they help us open the doors and bring the next generation of workers into our movement.
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Tuesday, I joined Vice President Kamala Harris and Labor Secretary Marty Walsh at SMART Local 19 in Philadelphia to talk about an important workplace hazard—heat illness.
This is an issue that affects members of SMART, as well as people working everywhere, from farms and construction sites to restaurant kitchens and warehouses. Too many people have spent too long facing heat hazards on the job, and that risk will keep growing as climate change raises temperatures.
The good news is that heat illness is preventable. We know what to do about it. Working people have been pushing for workplace heat protections for years.
We applaud the administration for announcing the new National Emphasis Program on Heat Illness Prevention. This long-needed standard is an important step forward in keeping workers safe on the job.
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We have to do better. Working people are demanding that FIFA guarantee minimum standards when it comes to human and labor rights at the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
Without these guarantees, the international soccer governing body essentially stands to profit from low wages, unsafe working conditions, racial discrimination and gentrification.
Events like the World Cup can’t be true showcases for global excellence if they are a race to the bottom for the working people who make them possible. FIFA needs to demonstrate a greater commitment to human and labor rights.
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President Biden Touts Unions While Speaking at NABTU Conference |
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President Joe Biden drew loud applause at the North American Building Trades Union (NABTU) Legislative Conference on Wednesday when he turned a spotlight on Amazon while touting his administration's efforts to promote unions.
After highlighting a government task force on worker organization that the President launched a year ago “to make sure the choice to join a union belongs to workers alone,” Biden called out the online retail giant, whose own workers at a New York City warehouse voted last week to unionize.
“And by the way, by the way, Amazon here we come. Watch. Watch,” he said during a speech to the NABTU Conference.
Widely considered the most pro-union president in decades, Biden has swiftly ousted government officials deemed by unions to be hostile to labor and reversed rules of the past President that weakened worker protections. Biden also led the effort to pass the bipartisan Infrastructure Bill, the largest investment in America and America's workers since The New Deal.
"We have celebrated wins for working families and accepted defeat when our chosen candidates were not successful. We applaud activists and leaders that help promote voter registration and protect voter's rights, like many of you did in 2020 and continue to do today. We know the process is sacred and do our part to makes sure all ballots are counted, no matter the outcome so that our country remains a democracy," said NABTU President Sean McGarvey. "Through your work, the members and families of the Building Trades delivered the critical votes that decided who would run this country. Listen carefully, the members and families of the Building Trades delivered the critical votes that decided Joe Biden would be the President of the United States. And let me make one thing clear across this country: the North America's Building Trades Unions' members and their families support democracy, full stop."
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Washington Examiner: Ohio Supreme Court throws out fourth set of state maps
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Ohio's Supreme Court once again struck a set of state Legislature maps Thursday, sending state mapmakers scrambling as the possible August primary date looms.
The new maps unfairly favored Republicans, the court ruled in a 4-3 decision ordering the Ohio Redistricting Commission to develop a new slate of maps for the state House and Senate by May 6.
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White House Emphasizes IBEW Labor in Electric Vehicle Network Rollout |
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“We’re pleased that this guidance sets the foundation for the development of national EV charging standards but, more importantly, that it recognizes the need for quality training by specifically mentioning EVITP, which will help ensure the creation of good union jobs,” said Electrical Workers (IBEW) International President Lonnie Stephenson.
The fund will make nearly $5 billion available for the creation of electric vehicle charging infrastructure in all 50 states, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico over the next five years. The new electric vehicle chargers will use iron, steel and parts made in the United States.
“Once we get shovels in the ground to put these chargers up, it is going to mean jobs, jobs, jobs and more jobs,” said Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm. “The jobs that are good-paying union jobs all over the country, in every pocket of this country, and the training that goes with [them] is a huge opportunity for communities.”
There are currently some 43,000 charging stations across the country. The new initiative will add half a million new stations along strategically planned corridors, with stations no more than 50 miles away from each other. The need for this infrastructure is growing quickly; estimates suggest as many as 18 million electric vehicles are expected to be on the roads by 2030. Biden promised that IBEW members would be a major player in this initiative and the latest announcement confirms he’s following through on that promise.
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PETITION: Building a Better America
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Building a Better America is President Biden’s plan to secure our economy. We fought hard to ensure this plan includes the top priorities from our Workers First Agenda.
The Building a Better America plan puts working families first by solving problems we face every day:
- Supporting worker organizing, with real penalties for companies that violate our right to come together on the job.
- Investing in clean energy and manufacturing jobs, right here in the United States.
- Accessing better health care and lower prescription drug costs.
- Lifting up our future generations with affordable, quality child care and investments in education.
It’s time for action.
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Take Action: Red Cross Workers Need Your Help
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American Red Cross employees, members of 10 different unions, are reaching a breaking point, and they need your support in negotiations with their employer before their contract expires on May 31. After more than two years on the front lines of the pandemic, these everyday heroes who collect our lifesaving blood supply are mobilizing for a fair contract that addresses chronic understaffing and unsafe working conditions.
While executives were safe at home, Red Cross staff put themselves in harm’s way working in our communities. At times, they weren’t even provided adequate personal protective equipment. And when they were exposed to COVID-19 on the job, they were told to go home—often without pay.
Red Cross workers are deeply committed to their jobs, but they will not sit back and watch while their colleagues and donors are put at risk because management has no respect for front-line heroes.
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Take Action: Support Touring Company of ‘Waitress’ as It Unionizes |
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The musical “Waitress” sent out two touring companies this year. One has the full protections of an Actors’ Equity Association Production Contract. On the other tour, actors and stage managers are working without the protections of a union contract. This means they are performing and managing the same show for one-third the pay and with fewer workplace and safety protections.
Equity is working with this second group of actors and stage managers on a card-check campaign, the formal mechanism for workers to authorize the union to bargain on their behalf. This is the first time Equity has used a card-check campaign to organize a tour since 2001. They’ve filed for a National Labor Relations Board election.
Kate Shindle, president of Actors’ Equity Association, celebrated the initiative shown by the “Waitress” workers: “THIS IS A VERY GOOD DAY. So proud of these actors and stage managers for recognizing that they deserve better, seizing their power and (scary part) taking the steps to achieve fairness, dignity, a voice, safety, living wages. Let’s do this!”
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Take Action to Support Federal Arts Funding |
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Working people are coming together to call on Congress to increase funding for the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) and the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH). These organizations support job opportunities for creative professionals and boost local economies across the country. Both are critical not only for enriching the lives of working people and our families, they also are critical in advancing diversity, inclusion and equity in the arts, entertainment and media industries. The letter calls upon funding for the NEA and NEH to be set at $204 million for next year in pursuit of a bigger goal of restoring funding for these organizations to $1 per capita, or $331 million.
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NLRB General Counsel Jennifer Abruzzo Issues Memo on Captive Audience and Other Mandatory Meetings |
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National Labor Relations Board General Counsel Jennifer Abruzzo issued a memorandum to all Field offices announcing that she will ask the Board to find mandatory meetings in which employees are forced to listen to employer speech concerning the exercise of their statutory labor rights (such as forming a union), including captive audience meetings, a violation of the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA).
General Counsel Abruzzo explains that the Board has long-recognized that the Act protects employees’ right to listen to—or refrain from listening to—employer speech concerning their rights to act collectively to improve their workplace. Forcing employees to attend captive audience meetings under threat of discipline discourages employees from exercising their right to refrain from listening to this speech and is therefore inconsistent with the NLRA.
The memo explains that years ago the Board incorrectly concluded that an employer does not violate the Act by compelling its employees to attend meetings in which it makes speeches urging them to reject union representation. As a result, employers commonly use explicit or implied threats to force employees into meetings about unionization or other statutorily protected activity.
“This license to coerce is an anomaly in labor law, inconsistent with the Act’s protection of employees’ free choice. It is based on a fundamental misunderstanding of employers’ speech rights,” said Abruzzo. “I believe that the NLRB case precedent, which has tolerated such meetings, is at odds with fundamental labor-law principles, our statutory language, and our Congressional mandate. Because of this, I plan to urge the Board to reconsider such precedent and find mandatory meetings of this sort unlawful.”
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AGMA Supports Legislation that Would Restore Tax Fairness for Entertainment Professionals |
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The American Guild of Musical Artists (AGMA) union is calling for the passage of the Performing Artist Tax Parity Act (PATPA), which would restore tax fairness for entertainment professionals. In 2017, tax reform legislation eliminated the Qualified Performing Artist (QPA) deduction, which allowed entertainment professionals to deduct work expenses from their taxes.
Entertainment professionals are still recovering from the negative effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the last thing they need right now is a tax code that penalizes them for seeking work. This legislation would fix that and once again allow entertainers to deduct business expenses like fees for agents and managers, equipment costs, website hosting and other tools necessary to find work.
Congress should pass the Performing Artist Tax Parity Act to help artists and entertainers recover from the devastating impact the pandemic has had on the arts and entertainment industries.
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NNU Calls for Permanent COVID-19 Standard in Health Care |
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National Nurses United (NNU) and other labor organizations representing nurses argued at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit that the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) must issue a permanent standard in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. A previously issued emergency temporary standard for health care workers wasn’t made permanent and health care workers are in grave danger without the protections that standard provided.
“The impact of this pandemic has been borne disproportionately by the health care workers tasked with caring for those infected by this disease,” said NNU Legal Director Nicole Daro. “Yet OSHA has left these very workers without necessary protections, despite a clear statutory mandate to protect workers in precisely this situation.”
Joining NNU in the call for a permanent COVID-19 standard are the AFL-CIO, the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), AFSCME, the New York State Nurses Association and the Pennsylvania Association of Staff Nurses and Allied Professionals.
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International Transport Workers’ Federation Rescues Families in Ukraine |
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The International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF), in connection with several partners, has been working to help seafarers and their families find refuge from the Russian invasion of Ukraine. ITF, which counts among its affiliates numerous U.S. unions, has teamed up with the ITF Seafarers’ Trust, the Marine Transport Workers’ Trade Union of Ukraine (MTWTU) and shipping company V.Group to help more than 100 people find safety as the conflict rages. In particular, the initiative has focused on port cities like Odesa and Mariupol.
Oleg Grygoriuk, chair of MTWTU, explained the process: “Many seafarers’ families are at the epicenter of the military actions taking place in key maritime cities in Ukraine. We do our best to ensure safety for seafarers’ families. Prior to the start of this project, we helped more than 60 people to cross the border using MTWTU resources. We gained valuable experience and we are grateful for the opportunity to continue this project, which definitely is the number one priority for seafarers’ families now.”
Katie Higginbottom, head of the ITF Seafarers’ Trust, said: “In less than three weeks we have helped more than 100 people reach safe and secure accommodation and provided support as they plan their onward journeys. Today we heard that three families managed to make the move from Kherson to Odesa and will be on their way to safety on the next bus out this week. We can barely imagine the levels of courage and endurance required to take these perilous journeys. We continue to call for industry partners to join our initiative so that we can keep the project running for as long as it is needed and help as many families as possible.”
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AFGE Applauds ‘Time Off to Vote’ Act |
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“No American should face the choice between earning a paycheck and exercising their right to vote,” Kelley said. “But because we do not guarantee Americans time off to vote, many face just this choice.”
“AFGE represents thousands of employees who work long hours, scores of front-line workers on shifts around the clock, and even more who work far from home and endure long commutes. The Time Off to Vote Act will help to ensure these employees are not prevented from exercising their right to vote because their work schedules make it difficult to get to the polls on election day.”
“We support the Time Off to Vote Act and look forward to its passage so that all employees may more fully participate in our democracy.”
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Consumer Reports Guild Members Overwhelmingly Ratify New Contract |
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More than 250 workers at Consumer Reports voted overwhelmingly to ratify a new five-year contract. The workers are members of the Consumer Reports Guild, which has been affiliated with The NewsGuild-CWA for more than 70 years. The new contract includes: guaranteed wage increases of 14.2% over the life of the contract, a $3,000 ratification bonus, up to 12 weeks of parental leave at full pay, creation of a joint labor-management Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee, expanded use of paid sick leave and more.
“I’m extremely proud of the bargaining committee and the support that our Guild colleagues have given us during two often acrimonious years of bargaining,” said Richard Handel, unit chair at Consumer Reports. “From the start, we fought back against management’s retrogressive proposals and piddly wage offers. As a result, I’m happy to say we got to a good contract. We can’t wait for all our union colleagues to benefit from the strong policies they’ve collectively fought so hard to win.”
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IAM Members at Cummins Secure Pay Raises After Nearly Two Months on Strike |
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After a strike that lasted nearly two months, workers at Cummins locations in New England have achieved the guaranteed pay raises they fought for. After management attempted to implement inconsistent and subjective pay-for-performance rules, the Machinists (IAM) Local 447 members went on strike. They built solidarity with allies, and organized a rally that attracted numerous community organizations and leaders.
“Our members at Cummins held strong to get a contract that values their hard work and will make life better for themselves and their families,” said IAM District 15 Assistant Directing Business Representative Mike Vartabedian. “We want to express our sincere thank you to the New England community and elected officials for their unwavering support.”
In addition to guaranteed pay raises over the next three years, the new agreement includes more paid holidays, discretionary leave, increased on-call pay and other benefits.
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UFCW Members in Alaska Secure Better Wages and Benefits in New Contract |
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More than 1,000 members of the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) who work at Carrs in Anchorage and Eagle River, Alaska, ratified a new three-year contract on March 4. The new agreement includes significant pay increases, improved upward mobility and earning potential, better paid sick leave, increased access to dental and vision coverage, and improved workplace safety.
“Members of UFCW Local 1496 voted unanimously to approve an industry-leading contract that is among the most competitive for food and commercial workers in the state of Alaska,” said Local 1496 President Frank Mutchie. “This agreement, which was secured after 10 months of negotiations, ensures workers will receive first day paid sick leave, receive fair pay and wage increases, and have access to affordable, quality health care. The negotiated wage increases means that over the next 18 months, many of our members will earn 17 percent raises, some even higher. This agreement also reduces the length of wage progressions, increasing the upward mobility and earning potential of our members. Furthermore, this contract gives us a real say in scheduling and workplace safety conditions.”
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MIT Library Support Staff Ratify First Contract with AFSCME |
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Library support staff workers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) are integral to the work of the university and the success of students. But these workers said they felt invisible at the institution, so they worked with AFSCME to form a union. Now they have ratified their first contract.
“A lot of this started in mid-2018,” recalls library associate Lara Day. “There was a lot of continuous distrust from our management. We’d sometimes have a chance for feedback, but rarely anything came from it. We’d put our voices out there but there were no changes. Or, we’d say things and management would do the complete opposite.”
In addition to a voice on the job, the support staff were focused on wages, particularly the pay inequities between White male staffers and everyone else. They knew that the best way to address these problems was to join a union. They were right, and the new contract addresses the support staff’s concerns well enough that it was approved unanimously.
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[Save USPS] Weekly Update: DeJoy’s Press Junket, Postal Board Nominees, and our Petitions & Emails
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DeJoy Doing Victory Laps with the Press
DeJoy sat down for a thorough interview with the Washington Post where he talked about his leadership challenges and vision for the future of the post office. DeJoy made it clear in this interview he is not worried about being liked, and his decisions like raising postage rates, slowing mail, and ordering combustion-engine vehicles are all “tough decisions” he has to make to keep the agency out of the red. He mentioned that USPS cannot afford electric vehicles as they have to fund other projects first like updating IT and modernizing plants. DeJoy said maybe USPS would re-evaluate the number of electric vehicles ordered in the next batch if they could afford it.
There’s a similar Government Executive’s interview this week with Louis DeJoy. Partly in response, we plan to ramp up our work to present an alternative vision of USPS’s future that is more ambitious to the press, the Hill, and our grassroots in the coming weeks.
Two More Upcoming Vacancies on Postal Board of Governors
As Kan and Tangherlini will likely be swiftly confirmed to the USPS Postal Board of Governors, we are shifting our focus to an all out push on the two upcoming vacancies. Govs. Donald Moak and William Zollars’s terms expire this December and we are looking to Biden to nominate wisely. We are brainstorming a list of names for experienced, pro-post office nominations that support our various initiatives to save the post office! If you have any names in mind you think we should add to our list, please let us know! Racial and gender equity are priorities given the board’s current composition.
Petitions & Emails
The Blue Green Alliance “delivered” via email a combined group of petitions from UAW, NRDC, and others to the USPS Board of Governors this week. No responses yet, we plan to ramp up on messaging the board directly. We are now at over 340,000 emails asking members of Congress to co-sponsor Gerry Connolly’s Green Postal Service Fleet Act of 2022! Keep sending those emails to your lists if you haven’t already!
Hope you have a great weekend!
Alicia Buenaventura
The Save the Post Office Coalition
Take on Wall Street
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IAFF’s Annual National Boot Day Raises Funds for Muscular Dystrophy |
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Wednesday was National Boot Day, where the Fire Fighters (IAFF) and the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) partner to raise funds for research and care for families living with muscular dystrophy, Lou Gehrig’s disease and related neuromuscular diseases. For 68 years, the IAFF and MDA have worked together to raise more than $679 million. National Boot Day kicks off more than 2,000 events to support the 300,000 families in the United States who live with these related diseases.
“Traditions are at the heart of the fire service, and MDA’s Fill the Boot, which the IAFF began in Boston over 60 years ago, is very dear and personal to me. With gratitude for the trust of the MDA family, the IAFF is taking to the streets throughout the United States and Canada to Fill the Boot once again. The pandemic has taken its toll on MDA fundraising, and we need to double our efforts,” said IAFF General President Edward Kelly. “The kids need us, and MDA is ringing the bell.”
“Our partners at IAFF have been a vital part of the MDA family in communities across America for decades. We are forever grateful to IAFF for maintaining their strong commitment to the Fill the Boot program,” said Donald S. Wood, president and CEO of MDA. “Thanks to fire fighters filling the boot for decades, the pipeline of promise is growing and creating hope [for] a longer, more independent life for the millions of people and their families who are at the heart of MDA’s mission.”
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Retired AFM Member Enjoys Union Plus AT&T Discounts; Limited Time Offer Through April |
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Extra discounts are always a welcome surprise, which is exactly how Gary Williams, a retired member of the American Federation of Musicians (AFM), felt when he switched wireless carriers to AT&T. “The cost savings and the incentives that were provided through Union Plus made it an easy decision,” said Williams, who became a member of AFM Local 674 in 1967.
The Union Plus AT&T Discounts program gives union families savings on qualifying wireless plans, including up to $10 off per line per month on AT&T’s best unlimited plan, as well as an accessories discount and other exclusive benefits. AT&T is the only nationwide unionized wireless carrier. “I’m retired, and we live on a fixed income,” Williams noted. “Union Plus has always provided great opportunities to save and be thrifty. And I’m glad that Union Plus has the affiliation with a union-based wireless company in AT&T. We have been very happy with the service provided through AT&T.”
Through the end of April, union members can save more by switching carriers to AT&T and buying a new phone on a qualifying installment plan. Learn more about the everyday discounts and the limited time offer at unionplus.org/att.
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AFT Holds Community Events to Open Up Reading to Young People |
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As a foundational skill, reading is necessary for nearly everything we do. Learning to read opens possibilities for children to learn, grow, explore, imagine and lead fulfilling lives. It helps reduce inequality and instills confidence that children can handle the challenges they will face in life.
This is why AFT’s Reading Opens the World campaign not only distributes books to children and educators, it also provides teachers, school staff, parents and caregivers fun and effective tools to support literacy. So far, the program has distributed nearly 130,000 books, with a goal of distributing 1 million books across the country in 2022.
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TTD: Food Supply Chain Threatened by Rail Industry ‘Negligence and Intransigence’ |
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Transportation Trades Department, AFL-CIO, (TTD) President Greg Regan sent a letter to the chair of the Surface Transportation Board this week calling for the board to take action on issues of service quality. He said a lack of oversight has allowed railroad companies to operate in a manner that is harmful to the American public.
“We also call on the Board to consider how it can leverage its existing authorities to address these problems, including robust enforcement and application of the ‘reasonable service’ component of freight railroads’ common carrier obligations,” Regan said. “The notion that our nation’s food supply chain is threatened by the continued negligence and intransigence of the railroad industry is both stunning and unacceptable.”
In recent years, railroad carriers have slashed tens of thousands of jobs across the industry without regard for the impact on service. Combined with other policies, this has degraded job quality, dignity on the job for the remaining workers and safety. Regan calls for the board to take action to protect workers and the integrity of the nation’s food supply chain.
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Photo Contest: Climate and Energy Jobs Through the Eyes of Union Members
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The contest is open to any union member who sees their work as a climate job—whether you’re driving or fixing electric buses, working on wind turbines, teaching students about the climate crisis, cleaning up after climate-related disasters, working on green buildings, installing solar, operating water systems or doing anything else that relates to climate change.
Click here to learn more and submit your photos by July 31.
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Ohio AFL-CIO Makes 2022 Election Endorsements |
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After careful consideration and thorough review of candidate positions on issues that matter most to working families and the trade union movement, the Ohio AFL-CIO Executive Board made additional endorsements last week. Please see below for the full list of endorsements to date for the 2022 election cycle. The Ohio AFL-CIO Executive Board is scheduled to meet on June 3rd where additional endorsements are expected.
U.S. Senate
Tim Ryan
Ohio Supreme Court
Jennifer Brunner
Marilyn Zayas
Terri Jamison
U.S. House of Representatives
Greg Landsman (CD 1)
Joyce Beatty (CD 3)
Marcy Kaptur (CD 9)
Shontel Brown (CD 11)
Emilia Sykes (CD 13)
Danny O’Connor (CD 15)
Statewide Executive Offices
Jeff Crossman (Attorney General)
Scott Schertzer (Treasurer)
Chelsea Clark (Secretary of State)
Taylor Sappington (Auditor)
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ATU Ohio Joint Conference Board Brings Locals Together to Discuss Important Transit Issues |
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Last week, the Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) Ohio Joint Conference Board brought Locals from across the state to meet to discuss important political and legislative issues impacting their members and Locals. Ohio Joint Conference Board President Troy Miller chaired the meeting and welcomed International President John Costa and Secretary-Treasurer Ken Kirk.
President John Costa and International Secretary-Treasurer Ken Kirk addressed the Board to thank the Locals’ members and leaders for being frontline heroes throughout the pandemic. Costa also talked about the contract fights ATU Locals are waging and the importance of elections and the high stakes midterms. President Costa pointed to the ATU’s early endorsement of President Biden in helping to secure COVID relief funding and the bipartisan Infrastructure law that provides historic funding to boost transit service and critical worker safety protections for their members on the job. Kirk spoke about the importance of the contributions to ATU-COPE. Also in attendance were International Vice Presidents Gary Johnson, Yvette Trujillo and Natalie Cruz.
Speakers at the meeting also included numerous elected officials and candidates running for office across the state including Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Representative Tim Ryan (D-OH) running for Senate, Cincinnati Mayor John Cranley running for Ohio Governor, Dayton Mayor Nan Whaley running for Ohio Governor, Ohio AFL-CIO President Tim Burga, and many others.
Costa also installed the elected officers of the Board, Chair Troy Miller (Local 627-Cincinnati, OH), Vice Chair Tenessa Willis (Local 272-Youngstown, OH), and Financial Secretary Carly Allen (Local 697-Toledo, OH).
Prior to the Joint Board meeting, Costa, Kirk, and the IVPs visited members of Local 697-Toledo, OH, at TARTA’s main garage and the city’s main transit hub to thank them for keeping the city of Toledo moving in these challenging times. They also had the opportunity to speak with the Local’s members about their issues and how the International can provide help.
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Meet the Graduating Class of the Dayton-Miami Valley Labor Council MC3 Training Program |
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In 2018, the Dayton-Miami Valley (DMV) Labor Council partnered with the North America’s Building Trades Union (NABTU) and Dayton Building Trades to establish a Multi-Craft Core Curriculum (MC3) that will help those in the Miami Valley region find a pathway to the middle class with a job in the union building and construction trades. The Dayton-Miami Valley Building Futures (what the Labor Council names their MC3 program) is a free class that connects Women, Minorities and Veterans with family sustaining jobs in the construction industry and related occupations.
This year, the DMV Labor Council is proud to announce the graduation of five members of the Building Futures class: Monasia Allen, Scott Cook Jr., Austin Dillow, Federico Hernandez-Smith, Keddryc Johnson.
"With the passage of President Biden's bipartisan Infrastructure Bill, Ohio is set to add 560,000 new building and constructions jobs in the next 10 years. We are working hard to ensure we have the trained workforce to rebuild Ohio," said Diane Walsh, Executive Secretary of the Dayton-Miami Valley Labor Council.
The MC3 is a comprehensive pre-apprenticeship training curriculum. The accepted students attend the 6-week pre-apprenticeship class daily (plus two Saturday sessions) with a curriculum that includes an orientation to the construction industry and apprenticeships in the trades, construction math review, blueprint reading, tool identification and use, OSHA 10, CPR-AED/First Aid, Health & Safety, fundamentals of Green Construction and Labor History. Hands-on training at the area’s union apprenticeship schools is also part of the curriculum.
Because the MC3 program is designed to provide middle-class careers, it includes employability workshops as well as individualized job development. Case management services help ensure retention in the program and on the job. Students also receive a weekly travel stipend to overcome cost barriers.
"The purpose of the Labor Council offering this training program was to ensure those living in and around Dayton can find their calling and a middle-class, union job," said Tom Ritchie, President of the Dayton-Miami Valley Labor Council. "What has made this so special is we are training so many women and people of color who can ensure those building the Miami Valley are as diverse as those living here."
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Comments before the City of CIncinnati Climate, Environment and Infrastructure Committee |
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by Brian Griffin, Executive Secretary-Treasurer, Cincinnati AFL-CIO Labor Council
Here in Cincinnati, and across America, we have an enormous opportunity to invest in a clean energy-driven economic recovery that will (1) provide good-paying union jobs, (2) confront environmental injustice, and (3) prevent the worst impacts of climate change.
As witnessed by the mere fact of this committee’s existence, now is the time for major job-creating, public investments in clean energy industries, clean infrastructure, and innovation that confronts climate challenge; drives investment in high-quality, family-supporting jobs; and builds worker power by including high-road labor standards and expands the right to organize.
Climate action offers the greatest opportunity in decades to fundamentally rebuild the fabric of the American economy. Building the clean energy economy must go hand in hand with creating high-quality jobs. Unions and worker-power are integral to realizing this outcome. Done right, this transformation will create millions of good-paying jobs.
Union workers earn higher wages and are more likely to receive necessary benefits such as health insurance, retirement plans, and paid leave than their nonunionized counterparts. According to the Economic Policy Institute, Unionization raises total compensation—both wages and benefits—of union workers by an average of 28%.
Communities with high union density tend to have higher rates of economic mobility, and unions have been shown to decrease the racial wealth gap and help narrow pay gaps for women and Black and Latinx workers. Indeed, the union wage premium is higher for Black, Hispanic, and Asian workers than it is for white workers.
Most importantly, union membership strengthens democracy – period! At a time when working families need equitable and just representation in the nation’s highest political offices, Unions are the fastest path for working people to have their voices heard. Beyond a counterbalance to corporate power, unions represent one of the few remaining interest groups whose positions best line up with the interests of the middle class.
We are blessed with the greatest opportunity in generations to build a just, inclusive, sustainable, clean economy that creates millions of good-paying union jobs and charts a path forward in terms of climate solutions. As demonstrated here, this morning, now is the time for elected officials and Labor to collaborate and take up the task of this all-important transformation.
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ATU Attends Democratic Debate in Wilberforce -- Makes Campaign Contribution to Ryan Campaign |
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Troy Miller, President of ATU Local 627 recently attended the Democratic Debate for US Senate at Central State University in Wilberforce, OH.
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Pictured here left to right: The candidates are Morgan Harper, Traci “TJ” Johnson, and Congressman Tim Ryan,
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Pictured here: Kevin Frazier (1385) and Troy Miller (627) presented Congressman Tim Ryan a check from the ATU COPE.
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2022 Worker's Memorial Day |
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The 2022 Worker's Memorial is rapidly approaching... This year's commemoration will air Thursday evening, April 28, 6:00 PM.
It is being produced in collaboration with UAW Local 647, 863, and CAP Council. It will be a fully produced video production that will feature special guests (in order of appearance): UAW Region 2B Director Wayne Blanchard | Host, Denise DalVera | The internationally Award-winning Springboro High School Air Force Junior ROTC Color Guard | National Anthem and Lift Every Voice and Sing, Dr. Jillian Harrison-Jones Music Director, MUSE Cincinnati's Women’s Choir | UAW Local 863 Chaplaincy Chair, Russ McQueen | Mayor, Aftab Pureval | State Representatives, Jessica Miranda and Catherine Ingram | Ohio AFL-CIO President, Tim Burga | Cincinnati AFL-CIO President and Business Manager, Plumbers, Pipefitters and MES Local 392, Bill Froehle | Our keynote speakers will be US Representative, Tim Ryan and US Senator, Sherrod Brown.
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Get Your Foursome Together for the
35th Annual Cincinnati AFL-CIO Golf Outing!
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Meet the Supreme Court Candidates |
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CWPC Invites you to the 36th Annual Women of Achievement Awards Reception honoring Catherine D. Ingram, Carolyn Miller, and Francie Pepper
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Dear CWPC Members & Friends,
Cincinnati Women's Political Caucus is pleased to invite you to our 36th Annual Women of Achievement reception on Thursday, May 12, 2022. The formal invitation is attached. We thank our Underwriters, Benefactors, Patrons, Sponsors and Donors who have already supported this event.
This year, we are extremely proud to be honoring two women with our Woman of Achievement Award. State Representative Catherine Ingram currently represents the 32nd House District. As a public servant, university instructor, realtor, neighborhood leader, mom and grandmother, she knows how much the decisions made in Columbus personally impact all of us. Carolyn Miller has been a tireless advocate for voting rights and good government through her work with the League of Women Voters, the CIncinnatus Association and other organizations. We are pleased to announce that this year, we are awarding a Lifetime Achievement Award to Francie Pepper, for her years of work in support of issues involving women, girls, and racial justice. All our honorees have worked to make our region and the world the best it can be.
Once again, this will be CWPC’s major fundraising event for 2022. The funds we raise are all contributed to our endorsed candidates. We ask that you give generously, as the more money we raise, the more CWPC-PAC can contribute to and promote increased participation of candidates who support and will work for the goals of CWPC: the social, economic, and political advancement of women.
There is still time to be included in our Program. You can be a Donor for $100, a Sponsor for $150.00, a Patron for $250.00, a Benefactor for $500.00, or an Underwriter for $1,000.00 and above. A gift in any of these categories received by April 30th includes your name in the program, and your admission to the reception. Regular tickets for the event are $50. The link to register is: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/women-of-achievement-awards-reception-tickets-278311897377
If you prefer, you can send a check payable to CWPC-PAC to Barbara Myers, 2392 Dana Avenue, Cincinnati, OH 45208, or you can give your credit card information. The attached form has all the information re contributions.
Yours in Sisterhood,
Barbara Myers, Chair
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U.S Senator Sherrod Brown: Working For Working People!
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APRIL 14, 2022 - Brown, USDA Deputy Secretary Tour Central State University, Discuss New AG Training and Tech Opportunities - READ MORE
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APRIL 14, 2022 - Brown, Warren, Durbin Urge Review of Student Loan Program Mismanagement - READ MORE
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APRIL 14, 2022 - Brown Announces More Than $1.3 Million in Rural Emergency Health Care Grants - READ MORE
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APRIL 14, 2022 - At Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, Brown Discusses Mental Health Challenges Facing Children, Increased Demand on Area Hospitals - READ MORE
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APRIL 14, 2022 - Brown Applauds Exim Bank For Its Continued Commitment to Domestic Manufacturers - READ MORE
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APRIL 13, 2022 - Brown Hosts Roundtable With Chillicothe VA Employees - READ MORE
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APRIL 13, 2022 - Brown Announces Nearly $150,000 for Research at Ohio Universities and Organizations - READ MORE
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APRIL 13, 2022 - Brown Urges Administration to Fully Implement, Enforce His Buy America Legislation - READ MORE
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APRIL 13, 2022 - Brown Celebrates Whirlpool Creating 100 New Jobs After Years Fighting Unfair Trade Policies - READ MORE
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APRIL 13, 2022 - Brown Announces More Than $550,000 for Mathematical Sciences and Glacial Systems Research at The Ohio State University - READ MORE
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APRIL 13, 2022 - Brown Announces More Than $620,000 for STEM Research at Kent State University - READ MORE
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APRIL 13, 2022 - Brown Announces More Than $416,000 for Epidemic Research in Cincinnati - READ MORE
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APRIL 13, 2022 - Brown Announces Nearly $400,000 for Epidemic and STEM Research at The University of Dayton - READ MORE
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APRIL 13, 2022 - Brown Announces Nearly $300,000 for Epidemic and STEM Research at The University of Akron - READ MORE
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APRIL 13, 2022 - Brown Announces More Than $57,000 for Glacial Systems Research at Kenyon College - READ MORE
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APRIL 12, 2022 - Brown Joins Mayor Bibb, Advocates to Cleveland Residents to Claim Their Child Tax Credit - READ MORE
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APRIL 12, 2022 - Brown Tours Sandusky State Theatre, Discusses Future Reopening Thanks to Federal Support - READ MORE
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APRIL 12, 2022 - Brown, Bipartisan Group of Colleagues Call on Drug Manufacturers to Make Naloxone Available Over the Counter - READ MORE
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APRIL 12, 2022 -Brown Tours Toledo Water Reclamation Facility to Discuss Bipartisan Infrastructure Plan Investments - READ MORE
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APRIL 12, 2022 - Biden Announces Move to Increase Sale of Higher Ethanol Gasoline Following Brown Letter - READ MORE
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APRIL 11, 2022 - Following Reports of Two Infants Deaths in Ohio, Brown, Casey Urge FDA Action on Recalled Baby Formula - READ MORE
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APRIL 11, 2022 - Biden Admin Heeds Brown's Calls to Ease Medical Debt - READ MORE
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APRIL 11, 2022 - Brown Announces $33,000 for Rural Development in Summit Township - READ MORE
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APRIL 11, 2022 - Brown Tours Schwebel's Bakery, Joins Bakery Leaders & Union Workers To Discuss Pension Fix Success - READ MORE
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APRIL 11, 2022 - Brown Tours Stanley Black and Decker, Discusses Buy America Protections in Bipartisan Infrastructure Plan - READ MORE
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APRIL 11, 2022 - Brown Applauds Nomination of Steve Dettelbach to be ATF Director - READ MORE
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Freestore Foodbank: Get Ready to Double Your Dollars
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“I’m hungry!” How often have you heard someone say these words? Unfortunately, for too many, hunger is real. We have the opportunity to change, “I’m hungry,” into, “I’m full,”.
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Your tax-deductible donation will make an immediate difference to all those facing hunger in the tristate area. Thank you for providing food, connection, and hope to those who need it most.
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Kurt L. Reiber
President & CEO
Freestore Foodbank
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Cincinnati NAACP: Racial Equity Matters
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The Greater Cincinnati Foundation will be presenting a two-day virtual session that is designed to develop the capacity of participants to better understand racism. This workshop presents a historical, cultural, and structural analysis of racism.
With shared language and a clearer understanding of how institutions and systems have produced unjust and inequitable outcomes, participants should leave the training better equipped to begin to work for change.
The workshop is $75.00 and will be presented on April 19th and April 20th from 9:00AM-5:00PM each day.
For more information and registration, please click HERE
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Applications are Open for Ellequate’s August Community Cohort
Foster a diverse and inclusive workplace to attract and retain the best talent
We help people leaders like you—including HR professionals, executives, and DEI professionals across the country—invest in strategies that have been proven to work.
Ellequate is now actively recruiting courageous organizations for the August 2022 community cohort. Take our Readiness Assessment today to see how you can connect workplace policies and practices to employee experience, get customized action steps, and secure leadership buy-in. Celebrate your commitment to building a more diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplace and communicate to employees, job seekers, and key stakeholders that your organization is living its values and leading by example.
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Save the Date - Community Forum |
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Please join us on May 10 for a frank discussion about the environmental health needs of the greater Cincinnati community. Dr. Rick Woychik and other leaders at the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (part of NIH) are coming to hear from you. Join us for lunch (provided) and the program from 12 noon – 4pm, at the new ARCO Art and Community Center on Price Avenue. If you haven’t already – please take a moment to RSVP, by May 3rd, and mark your calendar. RSVP and questions: Amy Itescu itescua@ucmail.uc.edu or 513-558-2147.
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RetireMed: Personal Invitation to Be Our Guest at a Reason to Hope
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On behalf of RetireMed, we would like to invite you to be our guest at the Alzheimer's Association Reason to Hope breakfast on April 28 at Cooper Creek Event Center. You'll have an opportunity to network with other area business and HR leaders from 7:15 - 7:45 a.m. Our CEO, Marisa O’Neill, will then share about our partnership with the Alzheimer’s Association. The brief one-hour program will talk about dementia's significant impact in the workplace: lost productivity, lost employees, and lost wages.
Did you realize one dollar of every five Medicare dollars deducted from everyone's paycheck goes toward supporting someone with dementia? The figures are staggering.
Please join us to learn more about Alzheimer's disease and the free services that can help your company and your employees. Click on the Save the Date below to learn more and to register. Feel free to bring a guest along (be sure they register too).
We look forward to seeing you there.
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39th Annual Labor-Management Conference |
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Join us at this year’s 39th Annual Labor-Management Conference on Building Labor-Management Relationships: Through Cooperation and Knowledge, where experts will share practical, cooperative, and legal information to build and enhance effective labor-management relationships.
The annual conference was borne out of a partnership between NKU and FCMS many years ago to promote Labor-Management cooperation. When Labor and Management work together, they strengthen the region's workforce and its economic competitiveness. Business leaders, labor representatives, and government officials gather at our conference to find effective and valuable approaches to working together.
SHRM and CLE credits for Ohio and Kentucky are pending.
*Must register by April 13, 2022 to receive the early bird registration rate
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LOCATION
Northern Kentucky University
Registration and sessions will take place at the Student Union
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WHEN
May 13, 2023
8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
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COST
Early Bird: $160*
Late Registration: $175
NLRB Rate: $95
Student Registration: $40
Group Registration (10 tickets): $1,440
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Register Now for Upcoming FMCS Institute Courses! |
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Training for the real-world challenges of labor-management relations and organizational change.
Don't wait! The FMCS Institute's 2022 courses will provide you with the opportunity to expand your conflict resolution and organizational change toolkit by introducing a diverse lineup of targeted and hands-on programs brought to you by experienced instructors and practitioners. Register today for some of our most in-demand courses.
Negotiation Skills (Online) Spring 2022
Negotiation Skills (Online) Summer 2022
Arbitrating in the Federal Sector (Online) Spring 2022
Arbitrating in the Federal Sector (Online) Summer 2022
Becoming A Labor Arbitrator (Online) Spring 2022
Dealing with Difficult People Behaviors (Online) Spring 2022
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National Labor-Management Conference 2022 |
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Join us at The National Labor-Management Conference, and learn the latest about essential bargaining techniques, hear critical updates on the labor and employment landscape, and gain valuable insights into new directions, technology, and trends in the changing world of work.
This is a can't miss event for 2022! You’ll leave inspired to be a change agent within your organization and empowered with the tools, insight, and information to make an impact.
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FREE PRE-CONFERENCE SESSIONS INCLUDED W/ REGISTRATION
February 25, 2022 - New Bargaining Units: Challenges for Both Sides
Newly organized workplace? Going from an organizing drive to a productive partnership can be challenging. Bring your questions and concerns to this webinar for practical suggestions, ideas, and expert advice that you can choose to use immediately!
Don't miss this value-added workshop and others offered monthly leading up to the general conference.
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Ohio Vaccination Dashboard
The COVID-19 Vaccination Dashboard displays the most recent data reported to the Ohio Department of Health (ODH) regarding the number of individuals that have started and completed the COVID-19 vaccination series by various demographics and county of residence.
The COVID-19 Vaccination Dashboard displays the most recent data reported to the Ohio Department of Health (ODH) regarding the number of individuals that have started and completed the COVID-19 vaccination series by various demographics and county of residence. “Vaccination started” indicates that the individual has received at least one valid dose of COVID-19 vaccine. The number listed as “vaccination completed” is a subset of the number included in “vaccination started,” indicating that those individuals within that group have received all recommended COVID-19 vaccine doses and are considered fully immunized. ODH is making COVID-19 data available for public review while also protecting privacy. This dashboard will be updated daily. Please see footnotes below for more details.
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Ohio COVID-19 Dashboard
Overview
ODH is making COVID-19 data available for public review while also protecting patient privacy.
The State of Ohio COVID-19 Dashboard displays the most recent preliminary data reported to the Ohio Department of Health (ODH) about cases, hospitalizations and deaths in Ohio by selected demographics and county of residence. Data for cases and hospitalizations is reported to ODH via the Ohio Disease Reporting System (ODRS), and verified mortality data is reported via the Electronic Death Registration System (EDRS).
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Below are the current reporting trends from Friday, April 15 for key indicators calculated from data reported to the Ohio Department of Health. These trends are updated daily and are presented by report date. |
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Below is a snapshot of key metrics pulled Friday, April 15, 2022 from daily data reporting to the Ohio Department of Health. These metrics are updated daily. |
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Hamilton County
Cases
188,020
Hospitalizations
6,063
Deaths
2,056
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Clermont County
Cases
51,337
Hospitalizations
1,444
Deaths
553
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Brown County
Cases
11,183
Hospitalizations
107
Deaths
178
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Butler County
Cases
92,921
Hospitalizations
3,192
Deaths
1,145
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Warren County
Cases
57,725
Hospitalizations
1,357
Deaths
584
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Other News For and About Working People: |
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Cincinnati AFL-CIO
Labor Council
President
Executive Secretary-Treasure
Communications & Administrative Associate
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