Arkansas AFL-CIO

Talk Back

The Employee Free Choice Act is like Nazism?

Last week, the Northwest edition of the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette printed an absurd editorial about the Employee Free Choice Act that somehow made a comparison between the bill and Nazism.  You can read the entire editorial here. An excerpt:

“JUST WHEN YOU might have thought the secret ballot was safe when it comes to elections over whether to unionize American workplaces . . . the union bosses are back with a "compromise" that sounds all too much like their original power grab…

BUT THE REAL joker in the deck is the provision in the bill that would have a federal arbitrator set the terms of the next contract between management and a new union if they can't come to terms within 90 days. This clause would of course stiffen the union's demands and maybe management's resistance to them, too. Why negotiate in good faith when a government official is going to decide the contract anyway?...

Have you noticed? Political parties supposedly dedicated to the workers' welfare have a way of undermining their rights. They may begin by bullying management but wind up dictating to labor, too. And everybody else. For a European example to beware, note the sad history of the grandly named National Socialist German Workers Party, aka Nazis.”

You can set the record straight by responding to this outrageous editorial here.  Some key points to mention, particularly in regards to their attack on first contract arbitration:

• Stalling on contract negotiations is a tactic routinely used by companies NOT UNIONS to prevent workers from reaching an agreement, even after they have opted to join a union

• Currently, 52% of workers do not have a contract one year after forming a union and 37% of workers still do not have a contract after two years

Ally of the Week: Dr. Paul Huo, Henderson State University

Arkansas business professor supports Employee Free Choice

Several weeks ago, an event was held in Arkadelphia to educate small business owners and members of the public about the Employee Free Choice Act.  One of the speakers at this event was Dr. Paul Huo, a business professor at Henderson State University.

“This bill will create a win-win situation by bringing back a balance of power between employers and employees,” said Huo, citing a shift in balance of power in the workplace over the past 100 years towards companies.  Huo also said that the economy will benefit from more consumer spending power of workers who are better paid.

Huo is one of nearly four dozen Arkansas academics who has signed on in support of the Act.  Earlier in the year, the group, Arkansas Academics for Employee Free Choice sent a petition to Senators Lincoln and Pryor urging them to support the bill as well. 

Thanks to Dr. Huo for being an ally in the fight to pass the Employee Free Choice Act!

To watch Dr. Huo explain how the Employee Free Choice Act is going to help business, click here.

Local Union Spotlight: AFSCME 994

Public employees in Little Rock take a stand for workers’ rights

AFSCME in Arkansas is staying strong for the issues that are important to working families, especially the Employee Free Choice Act.  AFSCME 994, based in Little Rock, has been especially active around this bill.

“I believe the people should have the choice to choose a union If they want to,” said Nita Moser, President of AFSCME 994.

Recently, the local brought several members out to the July 11th Rally at Central High School and the State Capitol.  Additionally, Moser recently traveled to Washington D.C. for a lobby day with other union members, who urged members of Congress to support the Employee Free Choice Act.

Great work by AFSCME 994 on staying active on important issues to workers in Arkansas!

Take Action

Sign online petition to protect Federal Corrections Officers

Correctional Officer Jose Rivera was stabbed to death in a federal prison in Atwater, California in June, 2008, while locking inmates into their cells by himself. He should not have been alone. But in the understaffed Bureau of Prisons, where correctional officers are often outnumbered by inmates by 150 -1, prison violence is rising at an alarming rate. On April 23 of this year, an officer at a prison in Terra Haute, Indiana was stabbed seven times by an inmate. A week later in Tucson, Arizona, another officer was attacked. Similar incidents are now reported regularly system-wide.

The repeated refusal of the Bureau of Prisons management to address understaffing and underfunding within the system threatens the safety of correctional officers, inmates and our communities. Ironically, Congress attempted to address this problem by increasing total funding for the Bureau's salaries and expenses in 2009 by $545 million - with a significant portion of this increase intended for hiring new correctional officers. However, BOP management is now unilaterally saying that none of the $545 million increase will be used to hire more correctional officers.

Please click here to sign this important petition and help protect our union brothers and sisters who work in the Federal prison system.

Talk Back

Employee Free Choice Act in the Arkansas Media

By now, we have all seen the misleading TV ads our Big Business opponents have been spreading across the state.  An important way we can counteract these lies and educate the public about the Employee Free Choice Act is to write letters to the editor of our local newspaper.  Check out this tool that provides talking points and submits the letter automatically for you.

And don’t forget to let us know when you get one printed!  Contact Laura at lpackard@arkansasafl-cio.org.

Last week, we had several good letters printed:

To read a letter by Marcia Cooksey, a small business owner from Van Buren, in the Ft. Smith Times Record, click here.
 
To read letters by Don Hardwick of USW 1329 and George Fomby of USW 9448 in the Texarkana Gazette, click here.

To read a letter by Justin Nickel of AFSCME in the North Little Rock Times, click here.
 
To read a letter by Valerie Rodriguez of IAM 463 in the Sherwood Voice, click here.

Kudos to all of these folks and their efforts to spread our message to the general public! 

Local Union Spotlight: IBEW 700

Electrical workers in Fort Smith take action

“We need to put the working man on an even playing field,” said Charles McKinney, Business Manager for IBEW 700 on why his local has taken action to support the Employee Free Choice Act.  “Right now management runs the system with intimidation and we need to change that.”

The local, based in Fort Smith, has been presenting information about the bill to their members at meetings, as well as making phone calls and writing letters.  In addition, McKinney has written a letter to the editor of the local paper to try to dispel some of the myths about the bill to the greater public.
On July 11th, the local rented a van and brought 20 members to the big rally and march in Little Rock.  “I thought it was a great event,” said McKinney.  “There were great speakers and it was good to see Arkansas workers come together like that.”

In the future, IBEW 700 plans to keep their members mobilized around the Employee Free Choice Act, encouraging them to reach out to Senators Lincoln and Pryor and the community.

Good job IBEW 700 on staying active for the Employee Free Choice Act!

To see video of Richard Powell, member of IBEW 700, talk about why he supports the Employee Free Choice Act, click here.

From the Rally

Ally of the Week: Rep. Steve Harrelson, Arkansas House of Representatives

Majority Leader strong voice for workers, unions

Representative Steve Harrelson, who represents District 1 (Texarkana) and serves as Majority Leader in the Arkansas House of Representatives, has consistently been a good friend of working people in the state legislature.  It is no surprise that Rep. Harrelson came out to show his support at the July 11th kick off event in Texarkana.

Rep. Harrelson spoke at the event in the USW Local 752L hall and said that he supports unions because he knows that union jobs benefit the community, citing the local union members of USW 752L who work for the Cooper Tire plant in the city.

Additionally, Rep. Harrelson said that he believes the right to be part of a collective bargaining agreement should be afforded to all Americans and this is why he supports the Employee Free Choice Act.

Thanks to Majority Leader Harrelson for coming to the July 11th event and being a strong voice for working families in Arkansas!

To see Rep. Harrelson explain why he supports the Employee Free Choice Act, click here.

Labor Gives Back

Union members in Little Rock donate to Arkansas Children’s Hospital 

On July 20, 2009, Brenda Brewer, IUPAT Local 424 member and owner of "Pro Sew Graphics & Promotions", donates 100 calculators to the Arkansas Children's Hospital along with her husband Jimmy Brewer, Field Representative for UA Local 155, and son.

Together We Win

Business owners, community leaders, academics show support in Arkadelphia

On July 9, 2009, business owners, community leaders and academics in Arkadelphia came together to demonstrate support and educate the public on the Employee Free Choice Act.  About 10 people attended the informal gathering which took place at the Artist Spirit Gallery.  The owner of the gallery, Barb Boswell, spoke at the event on why she supports this legislation.

Boswell explained how her own childhood was enhanced by her father’s good-paying union job at an auto factory.  “If there were union jobs in this area, this city would definitely come to life,” she said.  Additionally, she said she believed that this bill would actually help businesses because people would have more money to spend in their local economy.

In addition to small business owners, Dr. Paul Huo, a business professor at Henderson State University, elaborated on how this bill is actually beneficial to the economy.  He explained how businesses benefit when workers have a greater voice on the job, allowing them to become more productive and happier in the workplace.  He said that a more productive workforce is extremely good for businesses, who benefit from reduced turnover and highly qualified workers.

Another ally present at the meeting was Henry Wilson, President of the Clark County NAACP.  He said the NAACP on a national and local level supports the bill because it will help build stronger communities and families.

The event in Arkadelphia is one of many that has been organized to educate the community on the Employee Free Choice Act. 

To see video of Barb Boswell, owner of the Artist Spirit Gallery in Arkadelphia, talk about why she supports this bill, click here.