Cincinnati
AFL-CIO
Labor Council
Saturday, July 23, 2022
Cincinnati AFL-CIO Labor Day Weekend Celebration at Great American Ball Park Only 6 Weeks Away!!!
Reds v. Rockies Sunday, September 4
Our traditional Labor Day Picnic on Labor Day, at Coney Island is not taking place this year.

After a great many discussions and considerations about changes that have taken place at Coney making it difficult to accommodate our traditional picnic, we have opted to move our Labor Day Celebration to The Great American Ballpark and attend the Reds/Rockies game, Sunday, September 4, 1:00 PM.

US Secretary of Labor Marty Walsh will be on hand to throw out the first pitch and both elected and Labor leaders from all of the City, County, State and Country will be on hand to celebrate with us. Labor will own the pregame ceremonies and be celebrated on a nationally televised Baseball game. 

Please contact Nick Geraci at [email protected] or by phone at 513.765.7975 to set up a ticket option for your Local.

If your local does not set up a ticket option or you are not affiliated with a local, please visit Reds.com/labor and use the Offer Code: LABOR for your discounted tickets.

Questions? Please contact us here at the Labor Council by email to [email protected] or by phone to 513.421.1846.

We are excited to begin this new Labor Day tradition with all of our Brothers, Sisters, and Friends of Labor! We can't think of a better way to celebrate Labor Day than spending it together watching the Great American Past Time.

See you at the Ballpark September 4th!
This Week With AFL-CIO President, Liz Shuler
The Jan. 6 hearings revealed bombshell testimony showing just how perilously close America’s democracy was to toppling in the early days of January 2021.

Every union in America was built on the foundation of democracy and the ideals of freedom, and working people are committed to ensuring that ours continues to be a nation that upholds those ideals.

We’ve launched our largest-ever campaign to foster real conversations between working people across the country about the threats to our freedoms and the importance of making our voices heard at the ballot box this November. Protecting and expanding freedom and equity is—and always will be—the labor movement’s top priority.
Once in a lifetime: That’s the kind of chance we have now to organize more workers and grow our unions.

Across the country, in every sector, working people are demanding something better. In overwhelming numbers, young people want a voice in this economy that is not meeting their needs.

Let’s grab this opportunity to grow worker power. The labor movement’s done it before. We can do it again.
The climate crisis is real, and it’s getting worse. We have in front of us an opportunity and an obligation to move forward now.

We support President Biden’s decisive action. Earlier today, he directed the Secretary of Interior to advance offshore wind energy development in several new regions and promised that his administration will hold employers accountable to keep workers safe from extreme heat.

We know the only way to build a truly sustainable and affordable future is to grow our clean energy industries with domestic content, high-road labor standards and good union jobs.

Working together, we can accomplish America’s climate goals while creating a fairer economy.
Workers have sacrificed so much over the past few years to keep our economy and our communities strong. But at the same time, some greedy corporations and billionaire executives are lining their pockets at our expense.

CEOs are now making 324 times more than their average worker. Greedflation is squeezing our economy, and it’s creating a cost-of-living crisis.

We need more workers to have a strong collective voice on the job, in our communities and at the ballot box. Working people can shape the future economy on our terms by building a bigger, stronger, bolder labor movement.
Workers everywhere deserve the right to organize and form unions in their workplace without fear of retaliation. Thanks to the labor movement’s efforts and our allies in the House of Representatives, congressional staff can now exercise that right.

Congressional staffers who work for eight different representatives announced today that they plan to form unions.

I congratulate all the workers on Capitol Hill who are taking this bold step, and I thank the members of Congress who have supported them. Together, we’re showing that no workplace is off limits.
NAACP Honors Secretary-Treasurer Fred Redmond
AFL-CIO Secretary-Treasurer Fred Redmond (pictured above center) strengthened the bonds of unity between the labor and civil rights movements during his speech at the NAACP convention’s labor event on Wednesday.
 
“We have been allies because we have the same mission—to fight discrimination and vanquish oppression in all its forms. To realize an equitable society, where everyone has rights and opportunity,” he declared.
 
After his address, the NAACP bestowed upon Redmond the Dr. Annie B. Martin Distinguished Leadership Award in recognition of his remarkable achievements as the highest-ranking African American officer ever elected to lead the labor movement.
AFL-CIO Paywatch Website Reports CEO-to-Worker Pay Ratio Rises to 324-to-1 in 2021
Historic corporate profits, profiteering corporations and runaway CEO pay have created the perfect storm for “greedflation,” according to this year’s AFL-CIO Executive Paywatch website. AFL-CIO Secretary-Treasurer Fred Redmond unveiled these and other findings on the website this morning, showing that CEOs of S&P 500 Index companies received, on average, $18.3 million in total compensation in 2021.
 
“During the pandemic, the ratio between CEO and worker pay jumped 23%,” said Redmond during a press conference for the website’s release. “Instead of investing in their workforces by raising wages and keeping the prices of their goods and services in check, their solution is to reap record profits from rising prices and cause a recession that will put working people out of our jobs.”
Action Alert: Postal Unions Campaign to Level Playing Field for USPS
While private shippers make money from alcohol delivery, the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) has been cut out of the picture due to an outdated Prohibition-era ban. Today, members of the National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC), the American Postal Workers Union (APWU), the National Postal Mail Handlers Union-LIUNA (NPMHU-LIUNA) and union members across the country are calling on Congress to support the USPS Shipping Equity Act (H.R. 3287).
 
This bipartisan bill will allow consumers and manufacturers to use the USPS to ship alcohol products, creating new revenue for our public post office—and its passage is long overdue.
 
988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline Goes Live; AFSCME Members Ready to Answer the Call
Connecting to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline just got easier with Saturday’s launch of the 988 dialing code. Designated by Congress in 2020, the new code works like 911 and is a critical step forward in transforming the crisis care system in America. AFSCME members in the behavioral health field are hopeful that the new helpline number will help put more people in touch with the care they need and further reduce the stigma in seeking help. And in some cases, AFSCME members will be answering those calls.
 
“We understand that this isn’t a magic wand that will make everything better, but it is an important step to getting more people the help they need in time,” said AFSCME member Becca Ryan Roberts (not pictured), crisis intervention specialist at the recently organized Lines for Life in Portland, Oregon. “We are able to provide help in that moment, give them hope for at least another day and get them pointed in a direction that hopefully keeps them alive.”
AFL-CIO Political Program Trains Release Staff Ahead of Midterms
The AFL-CIO held its first two training sessions this week with release staff from affiliated unions and federated bodies that will be crucial to turning out the labor vote this election season. Release staff are union member activists who temporarily leave their job to work on political campaigns for their unions and federated bodies.
 
More than 50 participants from the National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA), United Steelworkers (USW), Office and Professional Employees (OPEIU) and Electrical Workers (IBEW), as well as state federations in Indiana, Virginia, Vermont, Pennsylvania and Washington, D.C., attended these trainings.
 
Our federation is ramping up its training for the next six weeks, so continue to drive release staff and any members who will be working on the elections to the AFL-CIO’s training webpage to sign up!
"We're Hiring!" Be a Part of the Labor Movement!"
The national AFL-CIO has funded the Ohio AFL-CIO for the purpose of hiring a limited-time Local Organizing Specialist to be based in Cincinnati. Please see the job posting link below and let me know if you have any questions, or if you know someone you would like us to interview. Thank you.
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.
Political Update:
From Ohio AFL-CIO Southwest Rep. Julien Johnson
Introducing Southwest Release Staff : Veronica Stein (NATCA)
Veronica Stein is a member of NATCA (National Air Traffic Control Association) and was released to the Southwest Region on July 11, 2022. Veronica is an Air Force veteran and worked as an air traffic control woman for 25 years for the FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) and for 4 years in the Air Force. She currently lives in Florida with her husband of 22 years. Veronica is an experienced Union Stewardess and Release Staffer, who has worked on numerous campaigns in Michigan since 2018. Veronica will be our Lead in the Dayton region and is excited to meet and work with our Labor Council!               
Redistricting Update:
Right now we are waiting on the Supreme Court to decide whether to hold the commission in contempt or not. If the Supreme Court and the commission do not come up with some kind of compromise by Saturday (they won’t), then the Federal court is going to impose the 3rd set of state legislative maps (already ruled unconstitutional by the state supreme court) for an August 2nd primary. (Matt Smith, Ohio AFL-CIO legislative Director)
 
NEW UPDATE: The Congressional District Maps were found unconstitutional for a 2nd time, the unconstitutional maps were submitted March 2, 2022 and found to unfairly favor the GOP. The Redistricting commission is continuing their efforts for better maps that represent Ohio voters.
 
Checkout the recent article on Redistricting provided by the Ohio Capital Journal.
 

Labor 2022
 
National AFL-CIO initiatives: Worksite Program:
The National AFL-CIO is gearing up for Labor 2022 and started their member-to-member outreach with a simple and easy Worksite program. These actions are designed to engage members with information regarding current issues such as inflation, infrastructure and other nonpartisan issues that impact workers. The worksite flyers can be distributed at worksites, union meetings and union gathers. These actions will be discussed during 1-on-1’s with Union leaders and Local Union Coordinators and Ohio AFL-CIO Rep. Julien Johnson.
 
Labor Neighbor Program:
On June 29, 2022 during the Labor Luncheon Roundtable, the Ohio AFL-CIO described its new canvassing program called “Labor Neighbor Program” This program will allow member volunteers to canvass Union households in their own communities and precincts during the Campaign. Volunteers can get their canvass distribution literature delivered to their homes, union halls or will be available for pick up from their Labor 2022 staging locations. Because this program is new, we will provide additional information, as we get closer to the Labor 2022 Campaign.

1-on-1s:
As the Ohio AFL-CIO continues to build towards Labor 2022, Locals will be asked to have 1-on-1’s with Ohio AFL CIO Southwest State Representative Julien Johnson to discuss National and state AFL-CIO initiatives, updates and Labor 2022. You can schedule your 1-on- by contacting Julien Johnson @ 614-312-4507, [email protected]

Endorsements and Voting update:
 
Ohio AFL-CIO Endorsed Statewide Candidates
(as of July 7, 2022)
U.S. Senate
Tim Ryan
 
Ohio Supreme Court
Jennifer Brunner
Marilyn Zayas
Terri Jamison

Congress
Greg Landsman (CD 1)
Joyce Beatty (CD 3)
Marcy Kaptur (CD 9)
Shontel Brown (CD 11)
Emilia Sykes (CD 13)
 
Ohio Court of Appeals
Thomas Puffenberger (6th District)
Christine Mayle (6th District)
Mary Eileen Kilbane (8th District)
Lisa Forbes (8th District)
Kathleen Ann Keough (8th District)
Tom Teodosio (9th District)
David Leland (10th District)
Kristen Boggs (10th District)
Julie Dorrian (10th District)
Carley Edelstein (10th District)
 
Ohio Senate
Tina Maharath (SD 3)
Paula Hicks-Hudson (SD 11)
Anthony Eliopoulos (SD 13)
Hearcel Craig (SD 15)
Kent Smith (SD 21)
Nickie Antonio (SD 23)
William DeMora (SD 25)
Dr. Patricia Goetz (SD 27)
Bob Hagan (SD 33)

Statewide Office
Nan Whaley (Governor)
Jeff Crossman (Attorney General)
Scott Schertzer (Treasurer)
Chelsea Clark (Secretary of State)
Taylor Sappington (Auditor)

Early Vote information for the 2nd Primary
 
July 5: Deadline to Register to Vote
July 6: Absentee Voting by Mail begins (ends August 1)
July 6: Early In-Person Voting begins
July 30: Deadline to Request an Absentee Ballot (Noon)
Ohio House of Representatives
Dontavius Jarrells (HD 1)
Latyna Humphreys (HD 2)
Kelly Harrop (HD 3)
Mary Lightbody (HD 4)
Richard Brown (HD 5)
Adam Miller (HD 6)
Allison Russo (HD 7)
Beth Liston (HD 8)
Paul Filipelli (HD 9)
Russ Harris (HD 10)
Mike Skindell (HD 13)
Sean Brennan (HD 14)
Tom Patton (HD 17)
Phil Robinson (HD 19)
Juanita Brent (HD 22)
Dan Troy (HD 23)
Rita Darrow (HD 31)
Matt Shaughnessy (HD 32)
Tavia Galonski (HD 33)
Casey Weinstein (HD 34)
Addison Caruso (HD 36)
Willis Blackshear, Jr (HD 38)
Phil Plummer (HD 39)
Amy Cox (HD 40)
Colin Flanigan (HD 41)
Erika White (HD 42)
Michele Grim (HD 43)
Elgin Rogers (HD 44)
Tom West (HD 49)
Joe Miller (HD 53)
Bruce Neff (HD 58)
John Dyce (HD 59)
Louise Valentine (HD 61)
Bria Bennett (HD 64)
Drew Burge (HD 67)
Kathleen Clyde (HD 72)
Brian Baldridge (HD 90)
 
EARLY IN-PERSON VOTING HOURS FOR JULY (Election Day: AUGUST 2, 2022)

July 6-8: 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
July 11-15: 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
July 18-22: 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
July 25-29: 8:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.
July 30: 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
July 31: 1:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.
 
(Election Information from Sec. Of State Frank LaRose)
The Cost of Labor vs. Tools & Material?
By Fred Lampe, Executive Secretary GCBCTC

Last months article was a little on the depressing side so this month we are going to try to lighten things up a bit. I am going to regale you with a few stories that will maybe make you laugh or if you are able to figure out you are one of the players probably make you feel a bit defensive.

Many of you will determine after reading this I am just a pompous know-it-all whose time and methods have passed. My real goal is to sway some younger foreman to see the value in keeping your crew happy by providing them with the resources to make their job easier and in turn more productive.

I must start with a disclaimer of sorts by pointing out, my career-long views of how a job should go were formed by the remarkably intelligent and hard-working tool partners who trained me. I did not come up with any of these ideas on my own. Let’s start with drilling and tapping. Most of you know by now I worked in the field as an Electrician. Depending on the type of project, we do a fair amount of penetrating panel tubs, switch gear and cabinets of all types for our conduit or other raceways.

Hole saws are critical to our trade. When I entered the trade, we used cutting fluid for everything. Guess what? Drill bits, taps and hole saws lasted for a very long time. Unless you broke one, which a part of the training process. I broke a pilot bit or 5 before I vowed never to again use a hole saw without either removing the hole saw from the arbor and drilling the pilot hole first or using the fender washer trick. Again, the cutting fluid was critical. I always prided myself on how much life I could coax out of a hole saw.

I had them still cutting when there was not a speck of paint left. Naturally, I became a popular person because everyone on the job new I had decent drill bits and hole saws. I had a small cardboard box with the tap magic and a rag, so I made the person take the whole kit. I am sure some drilled the hole without the fluid just to spite me but most complied with my guidelines. You would never convince me that some speed demons’ method of burning through dry is better in the long run.

I witnessed people trying to fight their way through with a dull hole saw, pushing as hard as they could, and the thing was just spinning. It was crazy. Material is another source of frustration for me. How much can a box round head machine screws, fender or flat washers or nuts cost? I guarantee this, it is less than the labor frittered away looking for them. I on several occasions asked my foreman if I was the only one telling him what material was needed. I can recall being handed a box of 1/4 inch beam clamps for my cart. Within a few hours I was out because there was a parade of my coworkers coming to me “borrow” beam clamps.

I don’t remember what our wage package was at the time but let’s say $40.00 per hour, wages, and benefits, how many boxes of beam clamps could have been purchased with all the wasted labor? The job was going to require the same number of beam clamps regardless of the intervals at which they were purchased. In my on again off again stints as a rising star, I really did enjoy the challenge of keeping the crew supplied with everything they might need. I call it a challenge because the man who ran our shop was not cooperative. I think he took pleasure in sending the jobs as little material as he could get away with. In one particularly lively encounter with him, he told me I ordered too much material.

I told him, if I order too much material on every job I run and the jobs still make money, at some point I will run a job where the material is free because the previous jobs had already paid for it. His sarcastic reply was “nothing is free.” One of my most rewarding memories is of a particularly difficult crew member telling me “Before this job is over, I am going to ask you for something you do not have.” I told him “Good luck.”

You know I have a million stories, but I will end with this one. For those of you in the other trades who may not know, Electricians use Brady Tags to number wires. Now here is another item that is treated like they cost a fortune. Brady Tags are even perforated so if conditions allow, we only use half. With that being said, silly me thought working outside with temperatures in the single digits and teens, my tool buddy and I should use a whole one to ensure they survive the wire pull. It was a good plan until I tried to order more and got hollered at by the foreman because he had just ordered some. I told him “Don’t worry about it, we will make do.” Oh well I guess I was the crazy one.

In closing, all I ask of you younger foremen, is to look at the big picture. Consider more that what the box 1/4 x 20 x 1/2 inch machine screws might cost the contractor. Consider the savings if your crew member doesn’t have to cut a 1 inch one to get what he or she needs. I predict moral will soar. Please work safe even if you are frustrated.
In Loving Memory of Forrest L. Buckley: Former Fire Union President
BUCKLEY, Forrest L., Beloved husband of Debbie Buckley (nee Jones) for 34 years. Loving father of Kenneth (Dorothy) Buckley and the late Mary Whittaker. Father in law of Tom (Julie) Whittaker. Dear grandfather of Alexandra (Justin) Levy, Thomas, Jacqueline Whittaker and Katie Buckley. Dear brother of the late Michael Buckley. Brother in law of Janice (the late Tom) Schwiers, Barbara (Dave) Cassell, David (Josie) Jones and the late Ronald (Rose) Jones. Also survived by his nieces, nephews, other family and friends. A Navy veteran and retired from the Cincinnati Fire Dept. after 32 years of service. Continued serving the Fire Community in the Firefighters Union and served as President. Passed away surrounded by his family on Monday, July 18, 2022 at 80 years of age. Visitation at MEYER FUNERAL HOME, 5864 Bridgetown Rd., on FRIDAY from 4:00 PM until Military Honors at 7:00 PM. In lieu of flowers memorials may be made to Hospice of Cincinnati, PO Box 633597, Cincinnati, OH 45263. www.bjmeyer.com
Sen. Brown Visits With Newly-Organized Starbucks Workers In Cincinnati
Sen. Sherrod Brown visited a downtown Cincinnati Starbucks last week and spoke with employees who recently voted to unionize.
 
Brown chatted with Supervisor Lou Shamblin before greeting other store employees at the location at Fourth and Vine streets. Shamblin helped organize the union vote after becoming worried about what they were seeing at other stores across the country.
 
"We saw cut hours, we saw people fired, we saw just retaliation for an effort that is really only going to improve workers lives," they said. "I really think that all these young people getting involved is because with the current political climate across the United States, it really just feels helpless sometimes and organizing a union is just one way to make something happen."
 
Shamblin told WVXU last month the staff were concerned about safety measures, proper training, and general lack of support from management. They say the process wasn't always easy but it was worth it.
 
"What I've noticed in the Starbucks union drives is this generation of Lou and (their) colleagues are the most active pro-union, pro-worker generation in my lifetime," Brown told media. "They understand that if they're organized ... carrying a union card means better wages, better benefits, more control over your work schedule, balancing your life with work ... that's everything in people's lives."
 
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
Ohio Supreme Court Again Tosses Out Congressional District Map
A split Ohio Supreme Court has struck down the 15-district congressional map that was used for the May primary and will be in place for the November general election.
 
In a 42-page ruling, the majority said the second attempt at a congressional map passed by Republicans on the Ohio Redistricting Commission in March "unduly favors the Republican Party and disfavors the Democratic Party." The court ordered a new map within 30 days. The first map was rejected in January.
 
The split among the justices was as it's been throughout the redistricting saga. Chief Justice Maureen O'Connor, a Republican, joined the court's three Democrats: Jennifer Brunner, Melody Stewart and Michael Donnelly. The court's three other Republicans — Sharon Kennedy, Pat DeWine and Pat Fischer — dissented.
 
The decision said the map "creates just three seats with Democratic vote shares over 52 percent (and one of those is at 52.15 percent). By contrast, all the Republican-leaning seats comfortably favor Republican candidates."
 
"Ohioans are suffering the consequences of unconstitutional state legislative and Congressional district maps. Extremism in Ohio is the new normal while issues that ensure Ohio is a great place to live, raise and family and work are not addressed in a consistent way," said Ohio AFL-CIO President Tim Burga. "It's time the Republicans on the Ohio Redistricting Commission start working with the Democrats to pass fair and Constitutional maps."
 
Union Organizing Efforts Increase in First Half of Year
The number of U.S. workplaces where employees have started trying to organize unions jumped this year to the highest level in half a dozen years, a rise that reflects warming public attitudes toward unions amid a strong labor market.
 
In the first half of the year, workers at 1,411 U.S. workplaces filed petitions with the National Labor Relations Board, the first step in joining a union, according to a Wall Street Journal analysis of federal data. That represents a 69% increase from the same period in 2021 and the most of any year since 2015.
 
The union push comes as public opinion about organized labor is the most positive in decades. A Gallup poll last year found that 68% of Americans approve of unions, the highest share since 1965.
 
Of the 1,411 workplaces submitting petitions to date this year, roughly 400, representing over 21,000 workers, have already held their election and voted in favor of their union. 
 
Tim Ryan Tours Kenworth and Meets with Steelworkers
Labor’s endorsed candidate for US Senate, Tim Ryan, was in southern Ohio and took time to visit the Kenworth semi-truck assembly plant in Chillicothe before meeting with United Steelworkers in Piketon. Congressman Ryan toured the plant and was explained the processes involved in the manufacturing of semi trucks, including global supply-side challenges.
 
Consistent with vehicle production issues, Kenworth is experiencing supply side shortages on components that go into their everyday production. One such challenge is semiconductors, or what is better known as chips, that are used in modern technology. As we have reported, Congress needs to immediately pass the CHIPS Act to help bring back semiconductor manufacturing to the United States, which has seen domestic global market share production drop from 40% to 12% over the last 30 years. More to come on the CHIPS Act as Congress appears poised to pass the bill before the August recess.
 
In an interview with the Scioto Valley Guardian, Tim Ryan said, “We’ve been working on this now, the idea of re-shoring, the idea of bringing supply chains back, the idea of competing with China for my whole career, And we’ve finally come to a head where people are paying attention. We’ve got Democrat and Republican support …. we’re worried, we’re scared to death. This is the greatest economic opportunity we’ve had in Ohio in my lifetime; probably in the history of the state. The fact that J.D. Vance (Ryan’s opponent) is quiet on it and won’t tell McConnell to get off the dime is insane to me.”
 
The Congressman and his team concluded their day with a drive to Piketon to speak to southern Ohio steelworkers. When he arrived, Ryan was met with a buffet of homemade food put together by the steelworkers, claiming that it was their way of giving back for all that he has done for them and the greater Pike County area.
 
Capital Chatter
Familiar story: On Tuesday, a 4-3 majority on the Ohio Supreme Court for the seventh time this year tossed a new political map drawn by Republicans on the Ohio Redistricting Commission. As Andrew Tobias writes, this ruling is the second one rejecting Republicans’ new congressional map, which favors Republicans to win at least 10 of Ohio‘s 15th congressional seats. What the court said is an unconstitutional map, nonetheless, is being used for this year’s elections, since the primary election already was held, and the court’s order at this point would apply to 2024. 
 
Gay marriage: In a gesture aimed at blocking the conservative-dominated U.S. Supreme Court from reversing its 2015 decision that legalized gay marriage, the U.S. House of Representatives on Tuesday voted largely on party lines to adopt legislation that would provide federal protections for same-sex marriages and require states to recognize them. Sabrina Eaton writes that Ohio’s Rep. Jim Jordan led Republican opposition to the legislation, arguing it’s unnecessary and that Democrats are promoting it to distract from their policy failures.
 
Nan’s plan: Nan Whaley, the Democratic candidate for governor, announced her green-energy plan on Tuesday. Her proposals include replacing all five sitting Public Utilities Commission of Ohio commissioners and setting higher ethical and vetting standards for their replacements, working to restore renewable energy standards that Republican lawmakers effectively gutted, repealing the coal plant subsidies from House Bill 6 and committing to make electricity for Ohio government buildings to come from 100% renewable sources by 2030. Read the full plan here. 
 
Line in the sand: During a Wednesday panel discussion in Columbus, Ohio, Right to Life President Mike Gonidakis, a prominent leader in the state’s anti-abortion movement, said he would not support bills that would target contraception, birth control or in-vitro fertilization. “Nobody at Ohio Right to Life, nobody at the Ohio Statehouse, opposes any of that. Let’s be clear. None of that is coming in any future legislation or legislator. It’s true. Hold me to it. I’ll oppose it if anybody introduces. I’ll testify in opposition.” The topic is relevant because some anti-abortion bills – like a “personhood” bill recently introduced by Rep. Gary Click – seek to legally define human life as beginning at conception.

Reappointment: DeWine will reappoint Gonidakis to the State of Ohio Medical Board, despite his position with Ohio Right to Life, Ohio Public Radio’s Karen Kasler reports. Gonidakis was also a lead plaintiff in a redistricting lawsuit, successfully asking a panel of federal judges to implement a plan for state legislative seats that benefitted the GOP. 
 
Election security: Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose highlighted Ohio’s election security measures at a Capitol Hill hearing on Wednesday, writes Sabrina Eaton. Other election officials at the hearing described how “lies and misinformation about how elections are run and about the people who run them have proliferated to an unprecedented degree” since the 2020 election, creating an atmosphere of distrust in the nation’s elections and led to threats against election officials. 

Fair warning: Ohioans are now allowed to carry guns in public without a permit, including at the upcoming state fair, Statehouse News Bureau's Karen Kasler reports. Those packing will be allowed to do so in the public, outdoor areas, though will be required to leave their gun in their car for indoor exhibits.  
 
Dave goes bye: Ohio Democratic Party Chair Liz Walters said at a Tuesday press conference that Republican Attorney General Dave Yost should resign after publicly questioning the account of a 10-year-old rape victim who had to travel across state lines to Indiana to get an abortion. A Yost spokeswoman told the Columbus Dispatch's Laura Bischoff that the party was "resorting to throwing Hail Marys" because it had little faith in state Rep. Jeff Crossman, the Democratic nominee for the attorney general race. 
 
Suit up: Dr. Caitlin Bernard, the Indiana OB-GYN who performed the abortion on the 10-year-old rape survivor from Ohio, is moving toward suing Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita, a Republican for defamation, Politico's Alice Miranda Ollstein reports. Rokita threatened to criminally prosecute Bernard for not reporting the abortion, even though she did.
  
School rules: Honesty for Ohio Education, a coalition of civil rights groups and labor unions advocating for accurate social studies content grounded in credible research from widely accepted sources, sent a letter to Gov. Mike DeWine earlier this week, asking him to reconsider the boundaries for the Ohio State Board of Education again. State school board boundaries must be redrawn every decade, and the group is concerned about boundaries in Cleveland and Columbus that could make it impossible for a Black board member to be elected, among other issues. DeWine announced the boundaries on Jan. 31, based on the second version of redistricting maps of the Ohio Senate, even though five total maps were introduced and courts found them unconstitutional.
 
Geography education: Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose instructed Ohio’s 88 county boards of elections to use new Ohio State Board of Education boundaries created by Gov. Mike DeWine in January. Critics of the maps say they’re racially gerrymandered in Columbus and Cleveland, they reshuffle boundaries of members who voted to uphold the anti-racism resolution that the board rescinded in October and that they are illegal. State law requires each state board district to contain three state Senate districts but DeWine drew the maps based on the second of five submitted Ohio Senate maps during redistricting, Laura Hancock reports.
 
Let the chips fall: Several semiconductor companies are determining whether to support a federal package of subsidies for microchip manufacturers currently awaiting a vote in the Senate over concerns that it may disproportionately benefit Intel Corp, Reuters' Stephen Nellis reports. Several senators and President Joe Biden's administration recently announced that they had come to an agreement after a months-long stalemate and prodding by Intel, which is building a massive multibillion factory outside Columbus.
Rail Labor Welcomes Biden’s Intervention in Contract Dispute
President Joe Biden announced on Friday the formation of a Presidential Emergency Board (PEB) to investigate and make recommendations to resolve the impasse between rail carriers and the coalition of rail worker unions representing more than 100,000 members. The PEB is required to issue its report within 30 days of its appointment. Once the board issues its report, the Railway Labor Act mandates another 30-day cooling-off period as the unions and carriers attempt to negotiate an agreement based on the PEB’s recommendations.
 
“After nearly three years of bad-faith negotiations by the railroads, it is sad but not surprising that we arrived at this point in the bargaining process governed by the Railway Labor Act,” said Greg Regan, president of the Transportation Trades Department, AFL-CIO. “Quite simply, the facts are on our side, and we look forward to the forthcoming recommendations of the presidentially appointed arbitrators.”
PASS’ Spero Highlights Aviation Workers’ Priorities on America’s Work Force Union Podcast
On Friday, Professional Aviation Safety Specialists (PASS) National President Dave Spero was a guest on the America’s Work Force Union podcast. During the interview, he discussed his own union background and issues of staffing, training, privatization, funding and contract negotiations. Spero also talked about the impact of the 2018–2019 government shutdown on federal workers’ families and the Aviation Funding Stability Act of 2021 (H.R. 4042) that would keep Federal Aviation Administration employees paid for up to 30 days in the event of another shutdown. Click here to listen to the podcast (Spero begins at 12:48).
Join UAW’s Campaign to Commemorate Walter ReutherJoin UAW’s Campaign to Commemorate Walter Reuther
Former UAW President Walter Reuther was an iconic leader of the American labor movement and was actively involved in making democracy work for all Americans. We can honor his legacy by asking the U.S. Postal Service to issue a commemorative stamp. Sign the UAW’s petition to make that happen.
SAG-AFTRA, NFLPA Join Forces to Advance Voting Rights
Unions play a critical role in American life, including in sports and entertainment. The actors and athletes who have so much influence in our society are also union members who care deeply about our country and our democracy. That’s why members of SAG-AFTRA and the NFL Players Association (NFLPA) came together to launch the new “Actors & Athletes: Unions for Democracy” campaign to protect the right to vote in every state and encourage every eligible American to register to vote.
 
SAG-AFTRA President Fran Drescher (pictured above center), NFLPA Executive Director DeMaurice Smith (pictured above right), SAG-AFTRA National Executive Director Duncan Crabtree-Ireland (pictured above left) and more than 100 pro-democracy actors and athletes attended the campaign’s inaugural event on Sunday in Los Angeles, during which they committed to use their collective power to rejuvenate American democracy ahead of the midterm elections.
FLOC Reiterates Need for Comprehensive Immigration Reform Following 53 Migrant Deaths in Texas
Late last month, 53 migrants who were coming to the United States died after being locked inside a tractor-trailer on the outskirts of San Antonio in what one law enforcement official described as a “crime against humanity.” Those who died were human beings seeking a better life for themselves and their families, and their passing must not be in vain.
 
Farm Labor Organizing Committee (FLOC) President Baldemar Velasquez made a statement last week sharing his grief and solidarity with the families and loved ones of those who died. He called on the agricultural community to come together to find solutions and take action.
 
“Surely we can create a system with labor rights, where workers are represented and have their rights in this country, and farmers have a healthy labor supply to secure our food supply,” he said.
IFPTE Applauds Extension of Diablo Canyon Power Plant
Last week, California Gov. Gavin Newsom approved the expenditure of $75 million to keep the Diablo Canyon Power Plant running. For decades, the facility has provided good-paying, reliable jobs for hundreds of union members, including those represented by Engineers and Scientists of California/International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers (ESC/IFPTE Local 20).
 
ESC President and IFPTE Western Area Vice President John Mader commended Newsom for the decision. He said, “This action supports three key priorities that IFPTE shares with the Biden administration: creating union jobs, combating climate change and providing our families and the economy with a reliable source of energy.”
Game On: Workers at Blizzard Albany File for Union Election
A supermajority of quality assurance testers at Blizzard Albany have formed the Albany Game Workers Alliance/CWA and filed for a union election with the National Labor Relations Board on Tuesday. These video game workers are the second group at Activision Blizzard to fight for representation with the Communications Workers of America (CWA). In May, quality assurance workers at Activision’s Raven Software studio in Wisconsin won their union election and became the first certified union at Activision Blizzard.
 
“Building the Albany Game Workers Alliance/CWA with my fellow co-workers will create a mechanism that allows us to make our voices heard,” explained Amanda Laven, associate test analyst at Blizzard Albany. “We know that by having a seat at the table, our union will not only give us structure and power, but [will] also give us a path forward to improve our workplace because management won’t be able to ignore us all anymore.”
USW Secures Domestic Violence Language in New Contracts
Domestic and family violence and abuse, if not addressed with support and compassion, can have serious negative impacts on survivors’ health, safety and economic security. United Steelworkers (USW) paper sector activists and leaders recently won new policies to alleviate these risks in their latest contracts with two paper companies.
 
They recruited the help of USW District 1 Assistant to the Director Teresa Cassady. Their goal was to provide proactive support and training within their workplace contracts that strictly maintains confidentiality for those involved.
“This language is life-changing for members going through domestic violence in that they will know their job will be there if and when they need to go to a safe place or while they are going to court,” said Cassady, a domestic violence advocate and survivor. Click here to view her story on surviving domestic abuse.
Workers at Academy Museum of Motion Pictures Win Voluntary Recognition
The Academy Museum of Motion Pictures has voluntarily recognized Academy Museum Workers United (AMWU), which is affiliated with AFSCME District Council 36. AMWU will represent 160 employees at the Los Angeles museum dedicated to promoting and studying motion pictures. They are the latest museum workers to join AFSCME through its Cultural Workers United campaign.
 
“We are thrilled to have come to an agreement with the Academy Museum over recognition of our union and to have 69% union support from our co-workers,” said Viviana Santillan, a visitor experience associate. “Now we can move forward in building a working relationship with museum leadership and focus on having a voice over our working conditions and the creative professions to make this institution the best in our community and the world.”
Watch: The History That’s Been Made by Women in IUPAT
From rank-and-file members to high-level staff, women in the Painters and Allied Trades (IUPAT) are blazing a path in the building trades for more inclusion and representation. They have proven for decades that there is no limit to what women can accomplish. Click here to watch the IUPAT’s new video about its women members and their contributions to the labor movement.
AFGE Insider
Find out more about the AFGE priorities included in the fiscal 2023 National Defense Authorization Act.

Learn more about the implementation of parental bereavement leave for Navy employees.

Find out more about the latest contract signed by AFGE Local 1092 covering Air Force base employees in the Washington, D.C. area.
U.S Senator Sherrod Brown: Working For Working People!

These Rubber Duckies Help Feed Kids
Duck season is our favorite time of year at Freestore Foodbank, and there’s nothing quite as exciting! But it isn’t just because our rubber ducks are the coolest — it’s because they serve a pretty important purpose.

With the lasting effects of the pandemic and the continued rise in gas and food prices, up to 90,000 kids here in our area don’t have the food they need to grow and thrive.

You can help right now — and you might even win yourself a prize if you pick a lucky duck!
We know how much you care about solving childhood hunger. Can we count on your duck purchase today to help even more tristate kids?

The more ducks you purchase, the more children you can help and the more chances you have to win one of our incredible prizes, including a Honda vehicle or other cash prizes.

Please don’t wait — get quacking and order your ducks today!

With gratitude,


Kurt L. Reiber
President & CEO
Freestore Foodbank

P.S. Visit rubberduckregatta.org or follow us on Facebook for updates on the event, including this year’s amazing prizes!
NE Dems Event for AFL-CIO Endorsed Candidate for Congress in OH-01 Greg Landsman
Open Registration for FMCS Institute Summer and Fall courses
Enrollment Open for FMCS Institute Courses
   
(These courses will be conducted entirely online. Prospective students are encouraged to contact the institute prior to registration to ensure computer access). 

Meet your 2022 training objectives with our virtual curriculum! Our mission is to keep you at the forefront of conflict management and prevention with innovative topics and comprehensive course offerings that prepare you for real-world challenges and organizational change. Enroll today and take advantage of our discounted early-bird rates.
Arbitration for Advocates in the Federal Sector 
August 2-4, 2022
11 am- 4 pm EST
Fee is $950 per person
 
This intensive, three-day program is designed specifically for labor practitioners in the Federal sector. The course will help practitioners:
  • Understand the most important elements of labor arbitration advocacy in the federal sector
  • Make progress on the path to becoming a highly effective advocate
  • Identify major gaps in knowledge/experience in arbitration advocacy and plan for filling the gaps

Topics include:
  • The Legal and Regulatory Framework for Arbitration in the Federal Sector
  • Principles of Contract (collective bargaining agreement) Interpretation
  • Employee Discipline and “Efficiency of the Service”
  • How to Best Prepare for the Hearing
  • How to Handle the Hearing Itself (Testimony, Documents, Opening Statements, etc.)
  • What Goes Into a Good Post-Hearing Brief (if briefs are to be submitted)

A major emphasis of this program will be a review of substantive and procedural case-handling issues, using hypothetical situations in an interactive format. Participants will also be able to practice their skills. Registrants receive course texts and a specially compiled set of arbitration practice guides. Upon successful completion of this course, participants will receive an FMCS Certificate of Training.
 
Instructors: Arthur Pearlstein, FMCS Director of Arbitration Services, and Commissioners Liz Brenner and LaTwana Williams
Negotiation Skills
August 16-18 and August 23-25, 2022
11a - 5p EST
Early Bird $1,500 to July 23, Single $1,600,
Group 3-5 persons $1,300, Group 6+ $1,200
 
Develop the negotiation style that’s right for you. This interactive workshop focuses on techniques for 21st-century contract negotiations. The workshop covers traditional and interest-based negotiations. The workshop will teach participants how to negotiate collective bargaining agreements.
 
Participants will receive an FMCS Certificate of Training upon completion of the course.
 
Instructors: FMCS Commissioners Isael Hermosillo, Kent McVay, Dan Sims, and Christy Yoshitomi
Mediation Skills    
October 25-27, and November 1-3, 2022
11:00a - 5:00p EST 
$1,500 before September 25
$1,600 (Group rates available)
 
Highly interactive, this course will use large and small group discussions, online discussion boards, role-plays reflecting a variety of workplace conflicts, and other exercises along with instructor-led presentations to prepare you for real-life workplace disputes and problem resolution. Facilitating difficult conversations, creative problem-solving, interpersonal negotiations, and communication will be covered.
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.
Thursday, July 28
12 p.m. (Noon) EST
 
Retiring Before Age 65?
Your Health Coverage Options
Collaborative Agreement Community Workshops
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.
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.
COVID-19 Dashboard
Why the Omicron Offshoot BA.5 is a Big Deal
By Brenda Goodman, CNN
(CNN) Once again, Covid-19 seems to be everywhere. If you feel caught off-guard, you aren't alone.

After the Omicron tidal wave washed over the United States in January and the smaller rise in cases in the spring caused by the BA.2 subvariant, it might have seemed like the coronavirus could be ignored for a while. After all, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimated in December that nearly all Americans had been vaccinated or have antibodies from a past infection. Surely all that immunity bought some breathing room.
But suddenly, many people who had recovered from Covid-19 as recently as March or April found themselves exhausted, coughing and staring at two red lines on a rapid test. How could this be happening again -- and so soon? [READ MORE]
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, July 22 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, July 22, 2022 from daily data reporting to the Ohio Department of Health. These metrics are updated daily.
Hamilton County
Cases
206,549
Hospitalizations
6,478
Deaths
2,087
Clermont County
Cases
55,982
Hospitalizations
1,573
Deaths
563
Brown County
Cases
11,912
Hospitalizations
111
Deaths
184
Butler County
Cases
100,235
Hospitalizations
3,368
Deaths
1,171
Warren County
Cases
63,072
Hospitalizations
1,376
Deaths
592
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 | [email protected] | www.cincinnatiaflcio.org