A University of Virginia football player who was homeless as a child is one of 18 students who are participating in a hunger strike to protest the low wages paid to the school's service employees. "I know firsthand what the economic struggle is like for many of these underpaid workers," junior safety Joseph Williams said. The hunger strike began Feb. 17.
Van Halen's new single, "Tattoo," pays tribute to the struggle for workers' rights and the pride of being a union member. Link to the song and and lead singer David Lee Roth's interview about the lyrics.
As the economy crawls out of the dumps and more people return to the job site, a strong workers compensation environment is as important as ever. Unfortunately, workers comp appears to be under quiet attack in many states.
The goal was to draw attention to a decision in San Jose that could have stripped collective bargaining rights from workers. So about 25 members of the CWA Next Generation Bay Area group donned zombie gear, marched down to a music event at a city park and held a flash mob. Then they camped overnight in support of workers.
CWA and Occupy activists were among 13 people arrested at a sit-in this week at AT&T's Atlanta headquarters. Others rallied outside, protesting the company's plans to lay off 740 workers despite record profits.
Like JCPenney's stand for Ellen Degeneres last week, some companies are beginning to see that supporting gay rights is good for business. And yet these same employers often have a dubious track regard with regard to workers' rights. But there's evidence that labor issues are getting more notice these days.
The Wisconsin columnist debunks myths about public workers and decries the "continued onslaught" against them, "which insinuates they aren't real people raising families, paying bills and taxes, and contributing to the economy as is every other working person."
Responding to what he calls a "shortsighted and incomplete narrative" from a blogger claiming "unions are in a death spiral," Steve Cooper says, "As a close observer of the labor movement, I am confident in stating that, at least in the construction sector, (his) portrait bears little resemblance to what is actually occurring."
Chanting, "It's not just about first class, it's about the middle class," AFA-CWA flight attendants from 20 airlines were joined by Los Angeles activists for an "OccuFLY" demonstration this week at LAX.
CWA and the 130,000-member Transport Workers Union announced an afflilation this week. The partnership is not a merger, but an opportunity to work together in the best interests of members of both unions. Together, CWA and TWU represent 120,000 airline workers. TWU also represents transit, rail and gaming employees.
Photo: CWA President Larry Cohen, left, and TWU leaders discuss the partnership with CWA's Executive Board.
