Showing posts with label Richard Trumka. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Richard Trumka. Show all posts
Monday, October 25, 2010
Friday, June 25, 2010
Scapegoating immigrants won't help American workers
I met AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka at the national march against SB 1070, Arizona's xenophobic law that institutionalizes racial profiling and scapegoats immigrants for America's economic problems.Trumka ,whose parents migrated from Italy, was a keynote speaker at the march and rally in Phoenix of more than 50,000.
President Trumka condemned SB 1070 as a cynical attempt to divide the working class by criminalizing some of its hardest working and most exploited members.
In a recent speech Trumka explained:
Blaming immigrant workers for our economic catastrophe is like blaming shrimpers for the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.
An immigrant worker did not move your plant overseas. An immigrant did not take away your pension. A Mexican or Salvadoran or Guatemalan worker did not cut off your health care. His wife didn't foreclose your home. Her children did not crash our financial system.
BP was too greedy to drill that well safely. And many U.S. employers are too greedy to pay workers a living wage, or comply with health, safety and labor laws. They've got exactly the immigration system they want -- plenty of workers living and toiling in the shadows, borders that are closed enough to turn immigrants into second-class citizens and criminals but open enough to ensure an endless supply of socially and legally powerless cheap labor.
Gripped by our own economic insecurity, it's often hard to see immigrants as mothers and fathers who are just trying to make a living and take care of their families -- people pursuing the same goals and dreams the rest of us have. Maybe it's easier to identify with or side with the rich and powerful.
The entire speech is linked here. It is worth reading.
Friday, June 4, 2010
Weak job growth in May. Threat of double dip recession grows
431,000 net new jobs were created in May. But almost all of them, a whopping 411,000, were temporary U.S. Census jobs.
Private employers added only 41,000 new jobs in May, the lowest total since the start of the year.
Overall, the unemployment rate dropped to 9.7 percent, down from 9.9 in April., according to a report released this morning by the U.S. Department of Labor.
AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka said the low number of private-sector jobs is further evidence the recovery is still fragile.
"The Economic Recovery Act saved us from a second Great Depression, but it was not sufficient to power strong and sustained job growth, and its effects are expected to wane in coming months."
He called on Congress to do more to create jobs and sustain the recovery.
Most immediately, Congress must move quickly to extend unemployment benefits, restore health care benefits for the unemployed and provide aid to states to maintain jobs and vital services.
State and local governments shedded, 22,000 jobs in May. Without further action to offset state budget shortfalls, these job losses will undermine temporary gains from federal spending.
The underemployment figure, which includes those who are too discouraged to look for work or are working part-time out of economic necessity, dropped to 16.6 percent in May, from 17.1 percent in April-some 27 million U.S. workers without jobs or full-time work.
Wile temporary federal government jobs are rising because of the Census, permanent local government jobs are going away. State budget cuts could lead to as many as 900,000 jobs lost in 2010. And Congress decided last week to do nothing about that, cutting money in a jobs bill for the states to balance their Medicaid budgets.
Economists say monthly job creation must be 350,000 or more just to begin to make a dent in the unemployment rate.
The number of long-term unemployed workers continues to grow. In May, some 6.8 million U.S. workers were out of a job for 27 weeks or longer, up from 4 million a year ago. In May, 46 percent of unemployed workers had been without a job for 27 weeks or more.
The long-term jobless figures clearly show how important it is that Congress extend unemployment insurance (UI). Late last week, the House voted to extend unemployment benefits to millions of long-term unemployed workers who have been jobless longer than 26 weeks. But the Senate failed to vote on the measure before going on recess, meaning up to 1.2 million workers will have lost their unemployment insurance by the time the Senate returns from vacation.
Speaking earlier this week at Carnegie-Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Pa., President Obama said it is critical lawmakers extend unemployment insurance for several more months so that Americans who’ve been laid off through no fault of their own get the support they need to provide for their families and can maintain their health insurance until they’re rehired.
Extending unemployment benefits will not only support individual workers who have been unable to find jobs, but it will also stimulate the economy and help create more jobs. The money sent out in the form of unemployment insurance is quickly returned to the community, effectively supporting local economies. The median unemployed person has almost no cushion-only about $250 in liquid savings-at the time of job loss, resulting in a sharp drop in spending on essentials including food. Jesse Rothstein, chief economist for the U.S. Department of Labor summed up the nation’s jobless situation:
If you give money to someone who is unemployed, they are going to spend it the next day.
In his statement, Trumka adds:
America’s workers have paid far more than their fare share for the economic crisis - they’ve paid with their jobs, with their homes and with billions of dollars to Wall Street.
Today’s challenge is jobs. Unless Congress addresses this challenge with the focus and energy they brought to rescuing our banks, not only will a generation of workers be doomed to unemployment and the recovery itself put at risk, but dealing with our long-term fiscal problem will be all the more difficult.
Private employers added only 41,000 new jobs in May, the lowest total since the start of the year.
Overall, the unemployment rate dropped to 9.7 percent, down from 9.9 in April., according to a report released this morning by the U.S. Department of Labor.
AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka said the low number of private-sector jobs is further evidence the recovery is still fragile.
"The Economic Recovery Act saved us from a second Great Depression, but it was not sufficient to power strong and sustained job growth, and its effects are expected to wane in coming months."
He called on Congress to do more to create jobs and sustain the recovery.
Most immediately, Congress must move quickly to extend unemployment benefits, restore health care benefits for the unemployed and provide aid to states to maintain jobs and vital services.
State and local governments shedded, 22,000 jobs in May. Without further action to offset state budget shortfalls, these job losses will undermine temporary gains from federal spending.
The underemployment figure, which includes those who are too discouraged to look for work or are working part-time out of economic necessity, dropped to 16.6 percent in May, from 17.1 percent in April-some 27 million U.S. workers without jobs or full-time work.
Wile temporary federal government jobs are rising because of the Census, permanent local government jobs are going away. State budget cuts could lead to as many as 900,000 jobs lost in 2010. And Congress decided last week to do nothing about that, cutting money in a jobs bill for the states to balance their Medicaid budgets.
Economists say monthly job creation must be 350,000 or more just to begin to make a dent in the unemployment rate.
The number of long-term unemployed workers continues to grow. In May, some 6.8 million U.S. workers were out of a job for 27 weeks or longer, up from 4 million a year ago. In May, 46 percent of unemployed workers had been without a job for 27 weeks or more.
The long-term jobless figures clearly show how important it is that Congress extend unemployment insurance (UI). Late last week, the House voted to extend unemployment benefits to millions of long-term unemployed workers who have been jobless longer than 26 weeks. But the Senate failed to vote on the measure before going on recess, meaning up to 1.2 million workers will have lost their unemployment insurance by the time the Senate returns from vacation.
Speaking earlier this week at Carnegie-Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Pa., President Obama said it is critical lawmakers extend unemployment insurance for several more months so that Americans who’ve been laid off through no fault of their own get the support they need to provide for their families and can maintain their health insurance until they’re rehired.
Extending unemployment benefits will not only support individual workers who have been unable to find jobs, but it will also stimulate the economy and help create more jobs. The money sent out in the form of unemployment insurance is quickly returned to the community, effectively supporting local economies. The median unemployed person has almost no cushion-only about $250 in liquid savings-at the time of job loss, resulting in a sharp drop in spending on essentials including food. Jesse Rothstein, chief economist for the U.S. Department of Labor summed up the nation’s jobless situation:
If you give money to someone who is unemployed, they are going to spend it the next day.
In his statement, Trumka adds:
America’s workers have paid far more than their fare share for the economic crisis - they’ve paid with their jobs, with their homes and with billions of dollars to Wall Street.
Today’s challenge is jobs. Unless Congress addresses this challenge with the focus and energy they brought to rescuing our banks, not only will a generation of workers be doomed to unemployment and the recovery itself put at risk, but dealing with our long-term fiscal problem will be all the more difficult.
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Massachusetts voters demand action!
Richard Trumka, President of the AFL-CIO, the nation's largest labor organization, says that the election of Republican Scott Brown in Massachusetts should not be interpreted as the electorate moving to the right, but as a message that people are angry about the economy and want change!
When Massachusetts voters cast their ballots for Scott Brown on Tuesday, they were sending a message to Washington lawmakers that they have not gone far enough to create jobs, reform health care and fix our nation’s economy, says AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka. In a video message, Trumka says voters showed they don’t believe Democrats have overreached—they think that the Democrats underreached.
You see, they believe that Wall Street’s being taken care of. They believe that corporate America is being taken care of. They believe the insurers are being taken care of. But they don’t think that workers are being taken care of.
The corporate media is spinning the election results to make it appear that voters don’t want health care reform or funding for job creation. But as Trumka states: “Voters haven’t changed their mind. Their two top priorities are jobs and health care.”
Yesteday’s election gave us that opportunity. It said to everybody: “We don’t want excuses. We want action. We want you to fix these problems.”
It’s up to us to fight for those issues, because there’s nothing more important than creating an economy that works for average working people. There’s nothing more important than creating jobs, and there’s nothing more important than putting our people to work. Now’s the time for us to do that. It’s up to us to force both parties to fix the problems for working America.
When Massachusetts voters cast their ballots for Scott Brown on Tuesday, they were sending a message to Washington lawmakers that they have not gone far enough to create jobs, reform health care and fix our nation’s economy, says AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka. In a video message, Trumka says voters showed they don’t believe Democrats have overreached—they think that the Democrats underreached.
You see, they believe that Wall Street’s being taken care of. They believe that corporate America is being taken care of. They believe the insurers are being taken care of. But they don’t think that workers are being taken care of.
The corporate media is spinning the election results to make it appear that voters don’t want health care reform or funding for job creation. But as Trumka states: “Voters haven’t changed their mind. Their two top priorities are jobs and health care.”
Yesteday’s election gave us that opportunity. It said to everybody: “We don’t want excuses. We want action. We want you to fix these problems.”
It’s up to us to fight for those issues, because there’s nothing more important than creating an economy that works for average working people. There’s nothing more important than creating jobs, and there’s nothing more important than putting our people to work. Now’s the time for us to do that. It’s up to us to force both parties to fix the problems for working America.
Thursday, October 2, 2008
Labor leader talks to Steelworkers about Obama, unity and race
Union members make up 60% of the U.S. electorate despite being only 12% of the labor force.
For Barack Obama to win in November, he needs the support of more than 60% of union members.
Many union members in Wisconsin, more than at this point in the 2004 election, remain undecided. This helps explain why McCain is abandoning Michigan, where Obama's support has surged as the economy has tanked, and is shifting resources into Wisconsin.
Why are some Wisconsin unionists withholding their support?
Some say they are "just not comfortable with Obama" or they "don't really know who he is." Others say they "won't vote for a Muslim" or that "Obama doesn't have enough experience." It's clear that at least some of the reluctance is because he is African American.
Richard Trumka, Secretary Treasurer of the AFL-CIO and former United Mine Workers President, addressed this issue directly at a recent steelworkers meeting.
Check out his compelling speech.
For Barack Obama to win in November, he needs the support of more than 60% of union members.
Many union members in Wisconsin, more than at this point in the 2004 election, remain undecided. This helps explain why McCain is abandoning Michigan, where Obama's support has surged as the economy has tanked, and is shifting resources into Wisconsin.
Why are some Wisconsin unionists withholding their support?
Some say they are "just not comfortable with Obama" or they "don't really know who he is." Others say they "won't vote for a Muslim" or that "Obama doesn't have enough experience." It's clear that at least some of the reluctance is because he is African American.
Richard Trumka, Secretary Treasurer of the AFL-CIO and former United Mine Workers President, addressed this issue directly at a recent steelworkers meeting.
Check out his compelling speech.
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