| Central New York Area Labor Federation |
 See the "Tax Dodgers Song" in our "Workers Write!" section. Think we'll be protesting the 1% sometime again soon? Need something new? Check out the song written by Binghamton artist, activist, and friend of Labor Pat Donahue. The song was the highlight of our "Tax Day" action in Binghamton. The photo of Pat Donahue is from this year's Workers Memorial Day observance. Pat is a descendant of the Binghamton Factory Fire heroine Nellie Connor, who saved a number of the factory "girls" but died herself. At the ceremony she gave a very moving performance of the poem written about the incident at the time. Read more >>> At 12:01 a.m. on Tuesday, May 8th 150 members of ICWU/UFCW Local 192 C went on strike at the TRW plant in Auburn. At stake is the company's attempt to bring in non-union "temporary" workers and changes in shift times. CNYALF President Taliercio visited the strike line yesterday and the strikers are holding firm and enjoying the community's support. We'll keep you updated...the Negotiating Committee is going back to the table today, Wednesday, May 9th. Read more >>> Tax Day Protests in Binghamton and Syracuse: Tax Dodgers Dodgeball! The 99%er Dodge Ball game against the 1% on Tuesday, April 17 reminded everyone that the while the rest of us are paying our fair share, the 1%ers are still getting big tax breaks and loopholes. In Syracuse over 100 members of the 99% came out to Clinton Square to play Tax Dodger Dogeball. After the game members of the 99% present game “dodge”balls to notorious tax dodgers Bank of America, Pyramid Corp, AT&T and Verizon along with their puppet, Congresswoman Ann Marie Buerkle. Our 99% team played three games in Binghamton, one in front of the State Office building, one in front of Verizon, where we presented "Verigreedy" with a tax bill from the 99%, and one in front of the Federal Building. The 1%ers successfully dodged all their taxes using their "tax dodger" shields. Click here for links to news coverage and the verses to the "Tax Dodgers Song."  In locations across Central New York, working men and women will gather to remember those who left for work one morning but did not return. Four decades ago, Congress passed the Occupational Safety and Health Act, promising every worker the right to a safe job. Unions and our allies have fought hard to make that promise a reality- winning protections that have made jobs safer, save hundreds of thousands of lives and prevent millions of workplace injuries and illness. Unfortunately, our work is not done. The theme of this year’s Workers Memorial Day is “Safe Jobs Save Lives. Keep the Promise Alive.” Read more >>> The family and friends of union Brother Mark Keith announce the establishment of the Mark Keith Memorial Scholarship to benefit a student graduating from Homer High School. Brother Keith, SEIU and formerly UAW, was a strong supporter and advocate of workers' rights and social justice. He served as President of United Auto Workers Local 802, as Communications Director for SEIU 200United, and as Officer, Delegate, and activist for the Midstate Central Labor Council, AFL-CIO. The scholarship will be awarded annually to a graduating senior at Homer High School. It is the hope of the family and friends to be able to offer this scholarship for many years through donations to the fund. Read more and find out how to donate here Read more >>>AFL-CIO Now Blog -- Recent News Stories
 Community and union Sisters and Brothers joined CWA to rally for good jobs in front of the Verizon building in Binghamton. Participants included CWA 1111, Alliance@IBM/CWA, CWA/NABET, AFSCME, CSEA, IBEW 325, NYSUT, Greater Binghamton Labor-Religion Coalition, and Citizen Action of the Southern Tier. See photos here Thanks to Wanda Campbell, CSEA retiree, for sharing photos
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 February 10, 2012: Community and union members from Broome and Cortland gathered at Town of Chenango Town Hall to tell Congressman Richard Hanna to "walk a mile in our shoes" and support a no-strings extension of unemployment insurance. Read more >>>The City of Auburn and Cayuga County need a FULL-SERVICE HOSPITAL that is focused on OUR needs. This is OUR hospital. OUR hospital cares for OUR community and is staffed by OUR neighbors. We do not want to lose any of the health services we depend on from our hospital. We do not want our hospital reduced to an outpatient center or a clinic. And, we do not want outsides to make OUR healthcare decision for US!  March 12, 2012 Over 100 people gathered at "Bank Alley" in Ithaca to mark the end of the Labor-Religion Coaltion 40 hour fast, celebrate the victory of the "Bread and Roses" strikers, and call for raising the minimum wage to a wage a person could live on. The rally was sponsored by the Labor-Religion Coalition of the Finger Lakes, the Tompkins County Workers' Center, and the Mid-State Central Labor Council, AFL-CIO. Pastor Rich Rose of the First Baptist Church (and the 2011 recipient of the "Friend of Labor" award) led off the rally by blessing the bread, which was then distributed among the crowd. Speakers included local workers, representatives from Labor, the Tompkins County Workers' Center, the Labor-Regligion Coalition, living wage certified employers, and civic leaders. Mid-State Central Labor Council President Tom Sieling, AFM, and friends led the crowd in singing "Bread and Roses" to conclude the rally. See a full list of speakers and more here photos here Read more >>> Labor and Community stand against "Unshackle's" Wall Street Agenda Labor and community presented an alternative to the "Unshackle Upstate" agenda on Wednesday, March 7, at Broome Community College. A forum offered by "Unshackle Upstate" was preceded by a Fiscal Policy Institute workshop presented by Citizen Action's Bob Cohen explaining why NY is #1 in income inequality and why we need a government that works for the 99%. The rally called for an alternative to the 1%er/Wall Street agenda promoted by "Unshackle" and the Chamber of Commerce. Photos here Read more >>>It’s not much of a shock that lies are popping up in the Republican presidential nomination race. But in Michigan, Mitt Romney is telling one whopper of lie about the UAW, the auto bailout that saved two of the nation’s Big 3 car manufacturers and President Obama. In a nutshell, Romney says Obama should have let Chrysler and GM go bankrupt—that should win him a lot of votes in Michigan today—and Obama instead “gave the companies to the UAW.” Read more >>> Built out of wood in 1934 the crumbling foundation of the Evan’s Street Bridge in Downtown Syracuse created a symbolic backdrop as a cross section of the Central New York community, the grass roots foundation of our society, came together to demand that Congress pass the American Jobs Act, repair our badly damaged infrastructure, and end corporate greed. Read more >>> |
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