The national Republican party has selected Indiana Republican Gov. Mitch Daniels to respond to President Obama’s State of the Union address next week–sending a clear signal the party is making attacks on working people a top priority in the 2012 elections. Daniels is a key backer of right to work for less (RTW) legislation which state Republican lawmakers, in a stunning display of arrogance, have repeatedly tried to ram through, while thumbing their noses at working Hoosiers–not to mention democracy. Read more >>>

First, multimillionaire Mitt Romney told a group of jobless workers he’s also “unemployed.” Next, Romney thought there was no problem in stating publicly that he likes to “fire people.” Now, the Republican presidential wannabee proved yet again how out of touch he is with mainstream Americans by showing the extent to which he’s a member of the elite 1 percent. In South Carolina yesterday, Romney admitted he pays “around” a 15 percent tax rate, while earning $374,000 a year in speaker’s fees alone—an income he described as “not very much.” Read more >>>

Viewers in Austin, Texas, and Pittsburgh are getting the first public look at a new AFL-CIO television spot, “Work Connects Us All: America’s Unions.” The evocative ad features members of many unions, from virtually every industry, and is part of a broad campaign that aims to “fly above the tactics and controversies of the day” and connects with people around the values associated with work, according to AFL-CIO Secretary-Treasurer Liz Shuler. Read more >>>

2012 will present us with a great opportunity to change the direction of this country and to recapture the strength of a true workers movement.  In that spirit, the Philadelphia AFL-CIO invites our affiliates to send a delegation to The Philadelphia Council AFL-CIO'S 9th Annual Conference in Atlantic City, February 5-7.  Click "read more" for a preview of the agenda and for registration information! Read more >>>

The right-wing in Harrisburg keeps attacking Pennsylvania's workers and middle class. Three anti-worker bills will be facing key votes this week. Call your legislators and tell them to vote no on each of them. Click below for all the details. Read more >>>

The Philadelphia Project on Occupational Safety and Health has invited Nancy Lessin of the United Steel Workers' Tony Mazzocchi Center to lead two trainings on workplace health & safety and OSHA compliance.

The training sessions will take place on Tuesday, December 13 at AFSCME DC 33's building (3001 Walnut St) and there is no fee for attending!   You can register for either session separately, or for both. Click below for all the details!

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Click below for a report on the 2011 election results for the candidates endorsed by the Philadelphia AFL-CIO.

"It is a tremendous dishonor to America when the voices for the powerless are suppressed by the powerful – the top 1%. We are extremely alarmed by the increasing number of arrests of peaceful protesters across the country and call on elected leaders to stop ordering the police to make these arrests. Read more >>>

According to the National Retail Federation, Americans will spend $2 billion on Halloween candy this year.  That's almost as much as the worldwide smartphone app market for the first half of 2010.

With that much money at stake, let's make the right choice when we buy candy to hand out to our neighborhoods' goblins, zombies, and superheroes.  Click "Read More" for a list of candies and snacks made right here in America by union workers. Read more >>>

Labor Rally on Wednesday, October 12th

3:30 PM at Philadelphia City Hall

Northwest corner of Dilworth Plaza (corner of 15th and JFK)

In the public sector and the private sector, it's time to end America's jobs crisis.

America Wants to Work!

 

(click "Read More" to see and download the rally flyer!)

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250 members of the Health Professionals and Allied Employees Local 5103 who work at the American Red Cross blood center in Philadelphia unanimously ratified a new, 3-year contract on Thursday -- one day before the start of a strike planned for 8:00 Friday morning.  The new contract strengthens safety protections for donors on blood drives and stops management's efforts to make unilateral changes to the employees' health insurance plan.

by Patrick J. Eiding, President, Philadelphia Council AFL-CIO

No one can deny that 2011 has been an amazing year for the labor movement and for workers worldwide. In winter we saw workers revolutions in capitals as distant and distinct as Cairo, Egypt and Madison, Wisconsin; spring saw one of the largest organizing drives in recent memory culminate with 40,000 Transportation Security officers joining AFGE; and this summer 45,000 CWA and IBEW members in 13 states went on strike against Verizon to hold the line for all middle class workers against corporate greed.

 

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Join the Philadelphia Council AFL-CIO on Monday, September 5th for the 24th Annual Tri-State Labor Day Parade and Family Celebration!

The start of the school year is just a month away, and thousands of low-income and homeless kids in the Philadelphia area need our help -- they deserve to start the new school year with a new backpack full of the school supplies every student needs in order to succeed.  The Philadelphia AFL-CIO is working again with the United Way's Stuff the Bus campaign to deliver backpacks to kids in area shelters -- and we need you to share some of your time to make it happen!  Click to find out more. Read more >>>

The Communication Workers of America, AFL-CIO and International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, AFL-CIO, represent 45,000 Verizon workers whose contract is set to expire on August 6th.  Rally with CWA in Center City Philadelphia on July 28th to help win a fair contract!