By The PA. AFL-CIO
– This week, Pennsylvania saw the largest grass roots mobilization of workers since the huge rally at the Capitol in January. On Monday and Tuesday in Pittsburgh, well over 1000 individuals braved single-digit temperatures and sub-zero wind chills to stand up for workers’ dignity at UPMC, and for the rights of all Pennsylvanians to organize with their coworkers for fairness on the job.
The University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) is now Pennsylvania’s largest private employer, but in spite of their tax-exempt status and $1.3 billion in profits over the past three years, they are trying to stop hospital workers from organizing in Pittsburgh – just weeks after a lock-out of SEIU registered nurses at their medical center in Altoona. UPMC is being supported in their fight against workers by the National Right to Work Foundation.
As if it weren’t enough that Pennsylvania’s workers must suffer union-busting employers, they are also currently under attack by union-busting legislators in Harrisburg, who are working hard to pass legislation that would defund public sector unions by interfering with dues collection.
The rallies in Pittsburgh this week were about calling attention to these fights once again, and sending a message that the Labor Movement will continue to stand together to fight for fairness and dignity on the job, and for the rights of all workers. “Strength In Unity” is the theme of our 41stConstitutional Convention in Pittsburgh next month, and it is also how we will continue to weather these attacks from irresponsible employers and from extremist lawmakers.
The demonstrations began early Monday morning and continued throughout the day and into the evening, before resuming on Tuesday. Mayor Bill Peduto’s office released a statement saying “More than 1,000 people exercised their First Amendment rights to peaceably assemble, and, by cooperating with police, no arrests have been reported.”
Secretary-Treasurer Frank Snyder and Community Services Director Carl Dillinger of the Pennsylvania AFL-CIO attended the rally with the State Fed’s RV, and joined labor leaders from across the State in offering support to UPMC workers, many of whom has been harassed and wrongfully terminated in retaliation for demanding dignity on the job.
This rally, like the one in Harrisburg in January, is neither the first step nor the final word in the fight for workers’ rights in Pennsylvania. Whether it is the struggle for dignity for UPMC workers, the fight against HB 1507, or fending off attacks on public pensions – the Labor Movement needs to continue to stand together and be ready to hold the line whenever the rights of workers’ are threatened or the dignity of work is degraded.
Source: http://www.paaflcio.org/?p=3591
