Cincinnati
AFL-CIO
Labor Council
Saturday, June 25, 2022
This Week With AFL-CIO President, Liz Shuler
Yesterday’s decision by the Supreme Court to overturn Roe v. Wade is a devastating blow to working women and families across this country. We strongly believe that everyone should have control over their own bodies, including decisions over their personal reproductive health care.

At a time when we should be focused on expanding equity for all working people, particularly for marginalized communities disproportionately impacted by the pandemic, this ruling will only deepen racial and economic disparities.

This is just the latest in a harmful string of attacks on our fundamental rights, including the right to vote and to collectively bargain in the workplace, and points to an alarming trend that other well-settled rights like marriage equality may be taken away.
Fifty years ago, 37 words transformed America: “No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance.”

On this 50th anniversary of Title IX, we must not only celebrate the progress we’ve made, but commit to strengthening and advancing equity for all girls and women, especially women of color, women with disabilities and LGBTQ+ youth who have been left behind by the law.

Sign the pledge to fight until the full promise of Title IX is real.
Earlier this week, we hosted union leaders, union members and elected officials to discuss student debt cancellation.

We have our finger on the pulse of what working people are feeling and thinking and what they need—especially on critical issues like student debt, which affects so many working people.

More than 46 million people have an average of $30,000 of student debt per person—and many of them are union members. When you add all that together, it’s $1.75 trillion and counting. And that debt is crushing families, communities and our economy.
Last week at our convention, we set a goal of organizing 1 million new members in 10 years.

It’s a floor, not a ceiling, set so we can hold each other accountable, year after year. It’ll be a cross-union collaboration, with resourcing and investment. And we’re laser-focused on coming together to achieve this goal.
Liz Shuler Elected AFL-CIO President At 2022 Convention Alongside Secretary-Treasurer Fred Redmond  
The AFL-CIO Convention delegates on June 12, 2022 elected Liz Shuler to serve as President of the Federation of 57 Unions and 12.5 million members. Shuler is the first woman to hold the office in the history of the labor federation. Delegates also elected Fred Redmond to serve as Secretary-Treasurer, the first African American to hold the office. 

“We are going to amplify the voices of working people — their hopes, struggles, and demands. This is more than a comeback story,” said President Shuler. “This is a new story, yet to be told. A story we will write, on our terms, to be written by every one of us. A new era for all working people across this country. And generations from now, they’ll tell the story of how we succeeded, together, in solidarity.” 

In her acceptance speech, Shuler delivered a call to action to organize, innovate and reshape the labor movement to meet the moment that the country is in as it continues to emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic. Shuler also announced the AFL-CIO’s moonshot to organize and activate 1 million workers throughout all 50 states to participate in the electoral process.
Redmond echoed Shuler’s remarks stating, “We will keep fighting until every worker in this country has the chance to have a good, union job. Everybody in, nobody out. And we’re going to fix our labor laws and make that a reality. I know what the labor movement does. It brings the marginalized in from the margins. It brings respect to the disrespected. It lets people come together and collectively bargain for their own future.”

Shuler and Redmond are committed to creating a bold, inclusive and forward-thinking labor movement that meets the needs of all working people, especially young historically marginalized groups, including women and communities of color.

From 2009 until 2021, Shuler served as the AFL-CIO’s secretary treasurer. She assumed the role of president following the passing of Richard Trumka in 2021.

Shuler began her career as an organizer, working to unionize clerical workers at Portland General Electric in Oregon. The daughter of an Electrical Workers (IBEW) member, Shuler witnessed firsthand the difference that a union makes in creating a fair and equitable pathway to the middle class. She worked her way up through the ranks at the IBEW in her capacity as a grassroots organizer, lobbyist and chief of staff to the international president. Her efforts caught the attention of Richard Trumka, who subsequently asked Shuler to join the leadership slate in 2009. She was both the youngest and first woman elected as secretary-treasurer at the AFL-CIO Convention. Her leadership is informed by the union values she witnessed growing up, and her background in organizing laid the groundwork for her administration’s investment and dedication to using relational organizing as a tool to uplift and empower the labor movement.

Redmond has been a United Steelworkers (USW) member since 1973, when he went to work at Reynolds Metals Co. in Chicago. He became active in his local union almost immediately, serving as shop steward and eventually vice president. He served three terms as local president. For decades, Redmond served the USW in various staff and leadership roles, assisting local unions, developing and conducting training programs, and bargaining contracts. As the international vice president for human affairs, a position to which he was first elected to in 2006, Redmond oversaw the union’s Civil and Human Rights Department and worked with USW allies across the country in responding to attacks on voting rights and in combating economic inequality.

The 29th AFL-CIO Constitutional Convention is the most important democratic event the federation hosts, where delegates meet quadrennially to chart the course for the labor movement’s future. It is an opportunity for union affiliates and their members to make their voices heard. Representatives from the federation’s unions come together to debate and vote on resolutions, attend educational sessions, mobilize for action, and elect federation leadership to direct the AFL-CIO for the next four years. Convention delegates represent the labor leaders of today and tomorrow from all corners of the country. Individual segments will highlight worker stories and organizing efforts, inspiring collaborations and game-changing initiatives.
50th Anniversary of Title IX
Title IX (pronounced “Title Nine”) is a landmark civil rights law that was passed 50 years ago today.
 
It’s only 37 words long. But it changed our country and our fight for gender equity forever.

“No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance.”

Rep. Patsy Mink, the first woman of color and Japanese American woman in Congress, wrote and sponsored Title IX. She fought to change the future after facing discrimination her entire life.
 
Specifically mentioning education, Title IX transformed college campuses. One of the most visible effects was for women in college sports—many athletes credit Title IX for where they are today.
 
But Title IX reaches far beyond the playing field. It builds gender equity into scholarships, admissions and opportunity.
 
And when Title IX was signed into law, we made fighting for gender equity the law.
 
Title IX is not perfect. In 2020, then-Education Secretary Betsy DeVos rolled back protections for survivors of sexual harassment in schools. Schools aren’t being held accountable for failing to meet Title IX standards.
 
So we’ll continue to move forward. We’ll continue to advocate for all girls and women, especially our sisters who face unending discrimination like transgender and Black women.
 
 
In Solidarity,
 
Team AFL-CIO
Listening Tour 2022 - Stops In Cincinnati on June 28th, 2022
Labor Day at Great American Ball Park
Cincinnati AFL-CIO Labor Council
COPE DINNER 2022
"If Not Us, Who? If Not Now, When?!

We're Back and We're Live!

Friday, October 21, 2022
UAW Local 863 Union Hall
10708 Reading Rd, Cincinnati, OH 45241

Save The Date!

6:00 PM Social Hour | 7:00 PM Dinner and Program

Special Keynote Speaker:
AFL-CIO Endorsed Candidate for US Senate, Tim Ryan
Tim Ryan is a relentless advocate for Ohio’s working families.

Musical Guests:
Jake Speed and The Freddies
An Evening of Labor's Best Musical Heritage!

Watch This Space for Details...
Jake Speed and the Freddies w/ Special Guests Mike Oberst and Ed Cunningham at 22nd Annual Woodyfest Celebrating the life and music of Woody Guthrie.
Secretary-Treasurer Redmond Rallies Poor People’s Campaign
Thousands of people gathered on the National Mall last Saturday for the Mass Poor People’s and Low-Wage Workers’ Assembly and Moral March on Washington and to the Polls. The demonstration, led by the Rev. William Barber II, was a moral declaration of purpose to transform America’s economy for the betterment of all people, especially those left out and left behind.
 
AFL-CIO Secretary-Treasurer Fred Redmond spoke at the rally: “Poverty is a failure—a failure of the system, not on the people. Being poor is not the failure. Being poor is not a crime. The crime is accepting a system that allows for poverty.”
Queen City Branch 43: Letter Carrier Job Fairs
‘America Would Be Nothing Without You,’ Redmond Tells AFGE
AFL-CIO Secretary-Treasurer Fred Redmond spoke on Tuesday to members of AFGE at the union’s convention. He encouraged the convention to recommit to the vital work of organizing.
 
“It’s critical for all of us to continue to organize—to keep building our capacity—and to keep engaging with our communities,” Redmond said. “This is our opportunity to show all working people that the labor movement is for them because the labor movement is for everyone.”
Ohio AFL-CIO President Tim Burga Joins Tim Ryan After Senate Primary Victory
 – Reprinted with Permission from The Union Builder of Greater Cincinnati

On Primary Election night, Ohio AFL-CIO President Tim Burga and OAPSE/AFSCME Executive Director Joe Rugola were featured speakers at the high-profile U.S. Senate race victory event for Time Ryan at the IAFF Local 67 hall. The two labor leaders warmed up the crowd prior to Congresswoman Joyce Beatty introducing a victorious Tim Ryan who laid out his one-America theme to move Ohio ahead and usher in a new era, one that puts working people first.

As the dust was settling the day after the Primary Election the Senate candidates were already campaigning and meeting with the press. Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Tim Ryan was on the trail early Wednesday morning at a campaign event and later that day spoke to union members in Dayton and Toledo. “Jobs, wages, pensions, benefits, issues around our kids’ mental health, getting fentanyl out of our communities, rebuilding our communities’ infrastructure,” he said during an interview after an appearance at a technical school. “These are things we all should be willing to agree about.”

Local 12 News out of Cincinnati spent time covering both Senate campaigns and talking to supporters about the strategy moving forward in the General Election.
When speaking to the president of Ohio’s AFLCIO – a Ryan supporter – about the Trump factor, “How do you tear away the working class of Ohio from Trump to vote for Ryan?” Tim Burga answered, “Tim Ryan has a strong record of fighting for high wage jobs, jobs with retirement security, jobs with health care. That’s what Tim Ryan is all about.”
How Low Can We Go?   
by Fred Lampe  
 
I have believed my whole life the United States of America is the greatest country on earth. There were and still are many factors that prove this must be true. I also realize, no matter how much history you read it is hard to immerse yourself in a moment that occurred decades or even centuries ago.  The British burning of Washington DC in August of 1814 had to be unsettling. The westward expansion of the United States led to some horrific encounters between the pioneers, the US Cavalry, and the Native Americans. The chaos on the frontier was both before and after the Civil War. Even the effects of the Civil War lasted more than a century. Reconstruction, re-writing history through the lost cause narrative, Jim Crow Laws on through the Civil Rights movement in the 1960s. Everyone reading this, should be aware of what a tumultuous time that was. The Cuban Missile Crisis, the struggle for Civil Rights, the Viet Nam War, the murders of John F. Kennedy, Martin Luther King, and Robert Kennedy. I skipped right over World War I, the depression, and Word War II. None of us would trade places and go back to experience any of those miseries. Some of us do remember a few of these events, it wasn’t good. The first Gulf War, the Oklahoma City Bombing, 9/11, the Second Gulf War, the War in Afghanistan, the January 6th Insurrection, all terrible times for our beloved United States.  

Gun violence now seems to dominate the news. These shooting’s using modern assault weapons in schools is so far removed from what our founding fathers would be able to comprehend, can we really find the solution in the documents and writings they left to guide us? Our society has embraced violence on such a level that no amount of brutality can satisfy the cravings. One of my uncles loved to watch boxing. I liked the sport of boxing when I was young. Joe Frazier, Floyd Patterson, Mohamed Ali, Rocky Marciano, Sugar Ray Robinson, Sonny Liston, were all household names. My problem was their hands were so fast, I felt like I was missing half the fight. I am still in awe of the skill and training it took to be a boxer. Fast forward to the 90s and 2000s competition became the choice for our entertainment. I am sorry, I watched a bit back in the day, but it is simply too extreme for me. I just sat there quietly at the break or lunch table while my coworkers discussed some poor fighters’ demise from the evening before. I continually read that there is no evidence to suggest video game violence and MMA and entertainment of that nature leads to an individual acting in real life. I guess I am allowed to disagree. I believe our society is so angry and desensitized because it is now the norm. I would love to talk to Washington, Jefferson, Adams, Madison to get their take on what is going on today. Of course, I would have to prepare myself for the potential of being very surprised, heck they were still fighting duels with pistols in those days. After having drug, you down with my negative tone so far, let’s end with some good stuff.

Our Business Managers and Agents are working very hard on your behalf to secure work for our Signatory Trades. It is unbelievable how much work is both on the books already and being discussed in the Greater Cincinnati Area. The Hotel and Convention Center Entertainment District is near the top of everyone’s list but now we are getting wind of efforts to build a new Arena to replace the Coliseum. This World Cup bid is also a big deal. We been awarded it yet, but the preliminary signals are promising. I am told the amount of work required to bring Paul Brown Stadium into compliance with what FIFA expects will keep a bunch of our members busy. So, if you are one of those who is dissatisfied with your union and what it stands for, please refocus to a more specific lane, and realize securing work for your Craft is job one for all Business Representatives. No matter what your political views are, no matter what you enjoy for entertainment, no matter how angry you are, we all rely on our signatory contractors securing work for our survival.

Have a safe and relaxing summer.

(Fred Lampe is Executive Secretary, The Greater Cincinnati Building and Construction Trades Council)
Do Something . . .
by Dave Baker

The mess in Washington, D.C. just continues to get worse every day. While the American public is suffering, the leaders of our country continue to just argue and do nothing. This has got to stop. When will we get people in power who are willing to give ideas and work back and forth to find solutions? We used to have a government that worked but today they accomplish little to nothing. 

It seems to me more and more we see our problems just piling up every day. The fact that we have a mass shooting on a regular basis yet no one can come up with any decent solution. One side wants the guns gone all together and the other wants you to be able to have no rules whatsoever. I don’t have the answer myself but we have to do something. How about both sides put together something and work to the middle and get something done?

Right now, most of the country is trying to decide on where to cut their basic needs just to pay for gas. We have lots of oil wells in this country so how about we figure out a way to pump some more of it into the market. We sit here idle as the oil companies are reaping record profits. Once again, I personally do not know all the things they can do but pleading for the oil companies to have sympathy on us isn’t going to work.

Supply chain issues are another problem we continue to hear about. If you try to buy anything anymore, you are told it’s not available or it now costs 5x’s more because of supply chain issues. This is a great way to charge more for your product and have a nice faceless entity to blame it on. You know as I know this is ridiculous and needs to end.

Now my personal favorite excuse is we can’t find anyone to work. I hear this and wonder why then do we have tradesmen all across the country who are waiting to work on the jobs. When I bring this up, I’m told well we have work but we have supply chain issues holding up the projects. It amazes me how we just seem to go round and round in circles.

We put people in Washington who we believe can figure out the answers to all these problems. Yet when the time comes for a decision, they can’t get it done. I say this about both parties which represent us. The only thing I have seen them accomplish together was the infrastructure bill and that took 20 years to get done. We cannot wait 20 years for answers to these problems. We need to take a serious look at the way our government is not functioning properly and then take the steps needed to fix it. We need people in charge who can put the arguing aside and find a compromise and for God’s sake “Do Something”.

(Dave Baker is Business Manager Financial Secretary, Ironworkers, Local 44)
Local 212’s RENEW Committee Teamed Up With Habitat For Humanity
Local 212’s RENEW Committee teamed up with Habitat For Humanity to help with a new build. If you would like to volunteer on future builds call the hall or reach out to RENEW on Facebook or Discord.
AAUP Affiliates with AFT in Historic Partnership for Higher Education
Delegates to the biennial meeting of the American Association of University Professors (AAUP) voted on Saturday to affiliate with the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), joining forces to build a more powerful and inclusive academic labor movement that will be better able to take on the challenges facing higher education, as well as the threats to our democracy. The vote brings together two organizations representing more than 300,000 higher education faculty members overall, the largest such alliance in the country.
 
“The AAUP has been the voice and conscience of higher education for well over 100 years,” said AAUP President Irene Mulvey. “This truly historic decision builds on our 10-plus year partnership with the AFT and strengthens both organizations, while ensuring that the AAUP will maintain its independence and autonomy.”
AFL-CIO Labor Council Golf Tournament: Unclaimed Prize Winners
The 35th Annual Cincinnati AFL-CIO Labor Council Golf Tournament was a huge, sold out success! We cannot thank our foursomes, hole sponsors, and volunteers enough!!! Taylor Crothers and Tom Dickerson are both winners from our raffle, but have not yet claimed their prize from the outing. If they were on your team or you know them, tell them to contact Ashley Schleicher, Executive Assistant at info@cincinnatiaflcio.org or 513-421-1846 ext. 2 to arrange getting their prizes.
End of the Line: Rail Negotiations Grind to a Halt Following ‘Insulting’ Proposals
Following more than three years of negotiations and three weeks of compulsory mediation conducted by the National Mediation Board (NMB), the 12 rail unions that are bargaining as part of the Coordinated Bargaining Coalition (CBC) received a proffer of arbitration from the NMB. The railroads are demanding significant concessions from about 115,000 union members who keep America’s trains moving at a time when the companies are raking in record high profits.
 
“All of the carriers’ proposals to date serve as an insult to our collective membership,” the CBC said. “As much as the rail unions would have preferred to reach a voluntary settlement, this has become the only viable path to reaching a satisfactory conclusion.”
 
The unions have rejected going to arbitration, and President Biden may appoint a Presidential Emergency Board pursuant to the Railway Labor Act to help settle the dispute. CBC members are mobilizing to pressure policymakers to break the impasse in favor of workers who have already sacrificed during the pandemic.
UNITE HERE Members Vote to Authorize Strike in Atlantic City
UNITE HERE Local 54 announced last week that 96% of its members from Caesars, Tropicana, Harrah’s, Borgata and Hard Rock casinos in Atlantic City voted to authorize a strike. While the gaming industry took in its highest-ever revenues last year, workers who make Atlantic City’s casinos profitable are demanding raises that keep up with the skyrocketing cost of living. The union’s negotiating committee set strike deadlines for early July if no agreements are reached.
 
“We can’t wait and hope that the companies will do the right thing,” said Nikki Schwendeman (not pictured), a Borgata food server who’s been in the industry for 38 years. “They need to know that we’re serious about winning the raises we deserve. That’s why I joined thousands of other members and voted yes to authorize a strike today.”
Workers at Vox Media Ratify Industry-Leading Contracts
The Vox Media Union’s 360-member bargaining unit overwhelmingly ratified its second collective bargaining agreement as members of the Writers Guild of America, East (WGAE). The 11th-hour agreement came after six months of bargaining that saw 95% of the unit sign a strike pledge. The three-year agreement boasts large across-the-board pay increases and binding commitments to equal pay for equal work.
 
“This contract would not have been possible without the incredible solidarity we saw from our more than 360 members, who held management’s feet to the fire and were prepared to strike on June 13 if we didn’t get a deal,” said the union’s bargaining committee. “We often hear from members that the union was what made them want to work at Vox Media, and we’re so proud of this contract that has secured the wage increases and benefits that all of our members deserve.”
 
WGAE members at NowThis, the short-form video news site owned by Vox Media, unanimously ratified their first collective bargaining agreement on Tuesday, which will provide an average raise of 9% in the first year of the agreement.
Seven Stars Bakery Workers Establish Union with UFCW Local 328
On Tuesday, United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 328 revealed that the baristas, counter staff, keyholders and restockers employed at every Seven Stars Bakery location in Rhode Island won voluntary union recognition. The announcement follows an organizing campaign that won support from the overwhelming majority of workers at Seven Stars.
 
“I am so excited about our recognition from the company,” said Natasha Brennan (pictured above), a barista in Providence. “All of us love our jobs and love each other. As Seven Stars continues to grow with more locations, we want ourselves and our future coworkers to have better protections, wages and benefits. Unionization ensures this for everyone.”
Janitors at D.C. Veterans Hospital Form Union with LIUNA
About 60 janitors at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Washington, D.C., are now proud members of Laborers (LIUNA) Local 572 after holding a union election in May. They overcame stiff resistance from their employer, who hired a union-busting consulting firm after these workers filed their organizing petition.
 
“These employees are not being treated like the essential employees that they are,” said Dennis L. Martire, LIUNA vice president and mid-Atlantic regional manager. “Realizing that they have the power to make a difference, they used their right to unionize and showed tremendous strength.”
USFL Players Vote to Create Union With USW
The United Steelworkers (USW) announced last week that players in the United States Football League (USFL) voted in favor of union representation. The USW, in coordination with the United Football Players Association (UFPA), filed a petition for a representation election on behalf of about 360 USFL players after a majority of them signed cards in early May.
 
UFPA President Kenneth Farrow (pictured above, center), who played six seasons of professional football, said that the power of a union will make a huge difference for players, who often face uncertainty due to injuries, poor facilities and bankrupt employers.
 
“Every worker deserves the opportunity to bargain for better pay, benefits and working conditions as part of a union,” Farrow said. “Players can guarantee a stronger voice in determining their own futures by bargaining as part of a collective.”
UW Researchers Come Together to Form Union with UAW
By an 85% margin, research scientists/engineers at the University of Washington (UW) have chosen to form a union with the UAW. The total bargaining unit includes 1,458 university workers. The Washington State Public Employment Relations Commission is expected to issue an interim certification for the union in the coming weeks.
 
“After incredible participation in our union election, our Researcher Union is official!” celebrated Cara Margherio, assistant director of UW’s Center for Evaluation & Research for STEM Equity. “In the thousands of conversations we’ve had with fellow Researchers, one thing is clear—we make valuable contributions at UW and love our work, and we are ready to have a voice equal to the administration in determining how to make UW an even better place for research.”
Des Moines Metro Opera’s Stage Managers Win Voluntary Recognition
The American Guild of Musical Artists (AGMA) announced last week that the stage managers of Des Moines Metro Opera (DMMO) have unionized with AGMA, joining other top national opera companies in the country. DMMO management agreed to voluntarily recognize the union upon a successful card-check.
 
“We believe this collaborative partnership will continue to flourish as we bargain our first AGMA contract,” read a statement from the newly organized stage managers. “We are incredibly supportive of the growth of Des Moines Metro Opera in recent years and join with everyone at DMMO in celebrating our 50th anniversary season.”
Can unionizing Music Supervisors count on your support?
Sisters, Brothers, Kin, and Allies —

75% of film and television Music Supervisors signed union authorization cards to form a union and become part of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE), but the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) indicated they will not voluntarily recognize it and begin negotiations.

In response, we are once again mobilizing a national campaign to ensure Music Supervisors are treated with the same rights and fairness compared to their unionized co-workers, starting with a petition.

Music Supervisors are responsible for curating, securing/negotiating licensing for, and coordinating the use or creation of recorded music in service of a director’s or showrunner’s vision and budget. Many of these workers cited the pandemic and the hard-fought IATSE-AMPTP negotiations over the fall as a catalyst for wanting a union in the first place.

Music Supervisors joined together to:
  • Be treated fairly and equitably compared to their unionized co-workers
  • Gain access to Industry Healthcare and Retirement plans
  • Standardize Pay Rates to tamp down on discrimination and pay disparities
  • Address structures that enable studios to delay workers’ pay for months at a time
  • Have a seat at the table to negotiate with employers in good faith
  • Win an enforceable and codified union contract.


In Solidarity,
IATSE Communications
Unions Rally for COVID Hazard Pay in Ohio
Friday, Ohio AFL-CIO President Tim Burga joined OCSEA/AFSCME leadership and AFSCME International President Lee Saunders as hundreds of union members rallied at the Statehouse calling on Governor Mike DeWine to honor his commitment to those who keep our state and country moving during this pandemic.

The Ohio Civil Service Employees Association (OCSEA) called for the rally to lift up all public employees who have worked hard for two years during a deadly pandemic; are still working long, hard hours and demand respect and fair compensation under emergency conditions.
 
“Respect your employees. Pay them,” OCSEA/AFSCME President and lead organizer of the rally, Chris Mabe said. “We held up our end of the bargain. Now it’s time for you to hold up yours .” The Ohio Civil Service Employees Association, represents more than 27,000 public employees around the state. Mabe himself is a prison guard from the Lorain Correctional Institution.
 
We will not be told that we are essential and then treated as expendable, said Burga. “It’s a new day where workers know their value, we know our collective power and nothing gets done without us. We are here to make it clear that we are ushering in a new era, one that puts working people first. We will not be denied our dignity and respect.”
 
Mabe said the union plans to fight their case for hazard pay in court, and there are already funding streams in place. “If you’re not using the American Rescue Plan monies to compensate the folks who we’re doing the rescuing, then who the hell are you giving it to?” he argued.
 
NABTU Applauds White House
"Talent Pipeline Challenge"
The White House will launch a summer-long initiative on Friday to encourage labor unions and industry to work together to train more workers for good jobs in the electric vehicle, broadband and construction sectors, senior administration officials said.
 
The "Talent Pipeline Challenge" will encourage employers and state and local governments to use $800 million in job training funds from the $1 trillion Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, they said. Billions more will come from the American Rescue Program rescue package to boost the supply of workers for high-quality jobs.
 
“North America’s Building Trades Unions applaud the Biden-Harris Administration’s 'Talent Pipeline Challenge' focusing on partnerships that promote Registered Apprenticeship, the highest level of training for building the next generation of high-quality infrastructure in communities across America," said North America’s Building Trades Unions (NABTU) President Sean McGarvey. “We know that strengthening pathways to Registered Apprenticeship begins with expanding access to apprenticeship readiness programs. Such programs are the ladders of opportunities for citizens in communities where many infrastructure investments will be made, especially communities of color, women, immigrants, veterans, and the justice involved. It is an honor to be included in this proactive initiative, and we plan to seize this opportunity to advance apprenticeship readiness programs in the name of offering middle-class career opportunities in construction for all."
 
U.S. Labor Secretary Marty Walsh, National Economic Council Director Brian Deese, National Domestic Policy Council Director Susan Rice and other top officials met last week at the White House with executives from AT&T, Bechtel, the largest U.S. construction firm; Siemens AG, union leaders and workforce experts to share ideas on how to train more workers for well-paying jobs in those sectors.
 
Several Butler County Agencies Vying for $70M in First Responder Grants
Butler County safety agencies are applying for new state grants to recruit, retain and otherwise support police, fire and first responders during a time when staffing is reaching critical stages. The funding is made possible under President Biden’s American Rescue Plan.
  
"The passage of the American Rescue Plan continues to be a lifeline for Ohioans. I’m proud to have helped secure this funding that’s going to make critical improvements and updates to our water infrastructure," said Ryan on Twitter.
 
The Ohio Emergency Management Agency is disbursing $70 million worth of federal American Rescue Plan Act funds for the new Ohio First Responder Recruitment, Retention, and Resilience Program.
 
This is just another example of how the American Rescue Plan is helping every Ohioan, no matter where they live or how they vote. We need more of this and considering no Republicans in Congress voted for this bill we hope they can get past partisan politics and support policies that are good for America.
 
Even prior to the pandemic first responder agencies were having a hard time filling vacancies because people just aren’t going into those professions anymore. The situation was exacerbated by the pandemic when workers in nearly every sector of the workforce started leaving the workforce in droves.
 
West Chester Twp. Police Capt. Seth Hagaman, who is the Support Bureau commander, has applied for just over $6 million to hire a total of 22 fulltime equivalent positions for police, fire or dispatch. It also provides for a one-time, 10% retention bonus over two years, money for mental health wellness and advertising to recruit new people.
 
Ohio Gubernatorial Candidate Nan Whaley Plans to Give Ohioans Inflation Rebate
Labor-endorsed gubernatorial candidate Nan Whaley plans to use the $2.68 billion that Ohio is set to receive in the next round of federal funding from the American Rescue Plan and give it to state residents. The rebate would go to roughly 7.4 million Ohioans, 89% of adults in the state, and are the same people who received federal stimulus checks, according to Whaley's website.
 
"While working people are struggling to keep up with rising costs, corporate profits are hitting record highs," Whaley's policy page reads. "CEO pay grew 31% in 2021. It’s not right. We need to make an investment in Ohioans by putting money back in their pockets and this inflation rebate would do just that."
 
Whaley, the former mayor of Dayton, won the Democratic primary election for the Ohio gubernatorial race on May 3 and will run against Gov. Mike DeWine, who is seeking reelection, in November.
 
Columbus Workers Win Hero Pay
After months of bargaining, members of Communications Workers of America (CWA) Local 4502, who work for the city of Columbus, Ohio, won hero pay and a vaccine reward.
 
The new memorandum of understanding between the city and the union provides $1,000 in hero pay to full-time front-line workers, $500 to other full-time employees who worked during the applicable time period and a separate $500 vaccine reward. Local 4502 worked with other city unions to win the pay, which is funded with money that Congress allocated as part of the American Rescue Plan.
 
“During the height of the pandemic, our members picked up extra shifts, worked extended shifts, different hours, and different days all to maintain the services our Columbus community depend on,” said Local 4502 President Susan Wilson. “They are the best of the best, and now they are finally getting compensation for their sacrifices and the recognition they deserve.”
669 Golf Outing
It is time for Local Union 669, our contractors, and friends to play golf again, and it's my job to help raise money for a very worthy cause. We are once again collecting money for D.A.D.'s Day (Dollars Against Diabetes), a disease that we are all very familiar with.

We are offering a hole sponsorship for $150. Simply complete the information on the enclosed form and return it no later than July 16, 2022. If you prefer to make a monetary donation or donate a door prize, that would also be appreciated. Thank you in advance for your support.
 
If you plan to sponsor a hole and enter a foursome please make separate checks as the checks go directly to the charity and the golf course. Please come out and join us for a great day of golf.

Sincerely,
Edward Suiter
Local 669 Business Agent, District 30
Phone: (513) 340-5637
U.S Senator Sherrod Brown: Working For Working People!
Sen. Brown: Bipartisan Firearms Bill, and Other Legislative Progress

Ohio U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown predicted quick passage for a bipartisan gun reform package negotiated by his colleagues in the wake of the Uvalde shooting.

“We will pass the bill tonight or tomorrow,” Brown said Thursday. “We will get it. The House will pass it, I assume, quickly, and we will get it to the president of the United States to sign.”
Second Annual Relief-A-Thon
HAMILTON COUNTY COMMISSIONER ALICIA REECE ANNOUNCES
SECOND ANNUAL RELIEF-A-THON TO ASSIST CITIZENS

Hamilton County Commissioner Alicia Reece announces today the Hamilton County 2nd Annual Relief-a-Thon to be held Saturday, June 25th from 9:00am-3:00pm at Woodlawn Community Center in partnership with Woodlawn, OH Mayor Brian Poole.

The Relief-a-Thon will assist citizens on site with financial assistance with water, rental, mortgage, property taxes and more. Duke Energy, Water Works, United Way, and Council on Aging will be on site. Last year Commissioner Reece hosted the inaugural Relief-a-Thon virtually and over 700 families were assisted.
Just for You! Your July Medicare Webinars
Count on us to help your team find the right coverage.

This July Live Webinars flyer gives you an early look at our Medicare webinars happening next month.
 
Join us live for an overview of the basics and a chance to ask our experts questions. If you're unable to attend, you can listen to our on-demand webinars any time.
Tuesday, July 12
12 p.m. (Noon) EST
 
Medicare 101:
Understanding Medicare
Thursday, July 28
12 p.m. (Noon) EST
 
Retiring Before Age 65?
Your Health Coverage Options
REMINDER: PLEASE JOIN CINCINNATI WOMEN'S POLITICAL CAUCUS FOR OUR ANNUAL MEETING AND 2022 ENDORSEMENT MEETING Wednesday, June 29, 2022
Please join Cincinnati Women’s Political Caucus for our Annual Meeting and Endorsement Meeting on Wednesday, June 29th at 7 pm.   This year, we have a large number of women candidates to interview, so please come and let's have a great turnout to meet them. REMEMBER, there are no off year elections when it comes to women’s and human rights.

We will begin with our Annual Meeting to elect Officers and Board Members for CWPC. We will then have the opportunity to meet and question the candidates who responded to our Questionnaire.  If anyone is interested in being an Officer or Board member, or if there are any women candidates who have not yet received our questionnaire, please contact Barbara Myers at 513-313-7970.

Everyone is welcome to come, listen, and question the candidates. However, only CWPC members may vote on endorsements. New and renewing members may join at the meeting.
 
Date: Wednesday June 29, 2022
Time: 7:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.
Place: Ellen Hall Room, First Unitarian Church, Linton & Reading
Cost: FREE
Refreshments will be served

 For more information call Barbara Myers at 513-313-7970.
FIVE FESTIVE LGBTQ+ PRIDE MONTH EVENTS
Collaborative Agreement Community Workshops
Action Tank Presents: City Council Bootcamp - Year Three
City Council Bootcamp Is Back!

Attention Cincinnati and NKY's best and brightest!

City Council Bootcamp, Action Tank's flagship training program for potential candidates and advocates, is now accepting applications for its third year!

City Council Bootcamp is a free, nonpartisan, arts-driven program for engaged community members interested in running for local office and/or who want in-depth understanding of government systems and practices in order to advocate for positive change at the local level. This year’s Bootcamp will run from September 2022 - March 2023 and will give students an opportunity to network with other civic-minded residents as they learn how to effectively champion new, impactful policy changes that benefit all residents.
Complete the Hamilton County Broadband Survey!
Does your current broadband internet service in Hamilton County meet your current and future needs?

Can you stream movies, or have a Zoom meeting while someone is online gaming in the other room with no screen freeze or “spinning circle”?

Completing the Hamilton County Broadband Survey includes your voice in planning for future-ready broadband throughout Hamilton County. 

With funding available to expand and improve broadband services, now is the time to ask, “Is my internet service acceptable today – and for the next 20 years?”

If you’ve never had an internet connection problem, never mind; do nothing. Otherwise, click here to take the survey.
NAACP Block Party
It's Back! The Second Annual Community Outreach Block Party will be returning this summer on July 9, 2022!
Ohio River Paddlefest
We’ll See You in August!
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.
National Labor-Management Conference 2022
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.
COVID-19 Dashboard
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.
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).
Current Trends
Below are the current reporting trends from Friday, June 24 for key indicators calculated from data reported to the Ohio Department of Health. These trends are updated daily and are presented by report date.
Below is a snapshot of key metrics pulled Friday, June 24, 2022 from daily data reporting to the Ohio Department of Health. These metrics are updated daily.
Hamilton County
Cases
199,460
Hospitalizations
6,292
Deaths
2,078
Clermont County
Cases
54,174
Hospitalizations
1,532
Deaths
562
Brown County
Cases
11,542
Hospitalizations
110
Deaths
182
Butler County
Cases
97,244
Hospitalizations
3,312
Deaths
1,161
Warren County
Cases
60,986
Hospitalizations
1,373
Deaths
587
Other News For and About Working People:
Cincinnati AFL-CIO
Labor Council
President

Executive Secretary-Treasurer

Executive Assistant to the Executive Secretary-Treasurer
1385 Tennessee Avenue | Second Floor | Cincinnati, OH 45229 | 513.421.1846 | info@cincinnatiaflcio.org | www.cincinnatiaflcio.org