By The PA. AFL-CIO

– Congress just introduced a Fast Track bill that will allow massive trade deals to be negotiated behind closed doors. If Fast Track passes, it would virtually guarantee the passage of trade deals that will ship jobs overseas and sell out US workers for corporate profit.

Call your members of Congress and tell them to oppose Fast Track because it’s undemocratic and will drive down wages for workers like you.

Go to: http://act.aflcio.org/c/18/p/dia/action3/common/public/?action_KEY=10098 and Fill out the form and the PA. AFL-CIO will call you, give you some brief instructions and then connect you to one of your members of Congress.

Source: http://act.aflcio.org/c/18/p/dia/action3/common/public/?action_KEY=10098

By The PA. AFL-CIO

– Workers’ Memorial Day is observed every year on April 28. It is a day to honor those workers who have died on the job, to acknowledge the grievous suffering experienced by families and communities, and to recommit ourselves to the fight for safe and healthful workplaces for all workers.

It is also the day OSHA was established in 1971. Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, employers are responsible for providing safe and healthful workplaces for their workers. OSHA’s role is to ensure these conditions for America’s working men and women by setting and enforcing standards, and providing training, education and assistance.

Pennsylvania’s Workers’ Memorial Day observances are fast approaching. The PA. AFL-CIO has been working with our Central Labor Councils, Community Service Liaisons, and affiliates to assemble a list of observances and events around Pennsylvania. Use the URL below to view the events coming up, and find one near you so that you can participate.

If your union or organization is holding any type of event to commemorate this important day that is not currently on our list, please send the information to us as soon as possible, so we can help promote it.

Please participate in these events and show your support for safer jobs. Our fight will continue until every worker can go to work and return home safe and healthy at the end of the day.

Source: http://www.paaflcio.org/?p=5904

By Philly Jobs With Justice

– On Wednesday, April 14th, at 3:00 pm, Jobs with Justice, Philly Coalition of Labor Union Women, and SLAP @ Penn will be joining Fight for 15’s national day of action. We’ll join community members, fast food workers, clergy, and working families standing together to demand that fast food franchises pay their employees enough to live–at least $15 an hour.

McDonald’s is already feeling the pressure. Earlier this month, they tried to undermine the national day of action by enacting a slight, stingy pay raise–nowhere close to what these workers need. Let’s keep the fight hot and let these fast food corporations know that their workers deserve a living wage, not pocket change!

We need you out there with us! Here’s how to join:

• At 3 pm, we’ll rally at the McDonald’s at 40th and Walnut, one of the busiest McDonald’s franchises in the city.
• At 4 pm, we’ll start marching down Walnut towards the citywide convergence site at 30th & Market.
• If you can’t make it at 3 pm, you can still make the citywide convergence at 30th and Market; it’s set to begin at 4:30 pm.

Source – http://www.phillyjwj.org/blog/2015/04/415-national-day-action-fast-food-worker-justice

By UFCW 1776

– Some Republican legislators refuse to give up on liquor privatization. That is why we cannot afford to give up on the better/common-sense alternative: modernization.

Touch base with your legislator — let them know you are still paying attention the privatization debate and their stance on the issue. Remind them that modernization makes more sense for a number of reasons: convenience, jobs and much-needed revenue.

To Find who your legislator is and their contact information here, go to: http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/legis/home/findyourlegislator/#address

Source: http://myemail.constantcontact.com/Continue-the-push-for-modernization.html?soid=1112575112488&aid=gPPKEtX8HWA

By The PA. AFL-CIO

– As you know, we have been sounding the alarm bells on Fast Track legislation and the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) all year. After Pennsylvania lost half a million good manufacturing jobs to unfair trade deals of the past 25 years, we simply can’t afford another bad trade deal that will ship more US jobs overseas. Fast Track would eliminate any transparency or accountability from the process, and would ensure that corporate interests continue to write the rules behind closed doors.

We are asking members of Congress to oppose Fast-Track for TPP. The AFL-CIO toll free number for workers to call and leave their message with their U.S. Representatives in the Congress is 1-855-712-8441. Also the Communications Workers of America (CWA) have designated every Wednesday as National Call-In Day for their members and for all workers to use the toll free number 1-877-795-7862 to leave a message with their U.S. Senators in Congress to strongly oppose Fast Track. Please share these phone numbers with your friends and co-workers.

U.S. Senator Bob Casey opposes Fast Track. Senator Pat Toomey has not stated his position.

Across Pennsylvania, Area Labor Federations and Central Labor Councils are organizing meetings with their members of Congress in district offices to get a commitment on whether they support or oppose Fast Track.

Earlier this week, President Bloomingdale and Secretary-Treasurer Snyder attended a meeting with Republican Congressman Tim Murphy which was held at the Allegheny County Labor Council offices led by President Shea – and the Congressman agreed that Fast Track legislation is terrible for American jobs.

Workers have also been asking Congressman Tom Marino at his public meetings this week throughout the district what is his position on Fast Track. He has been telling us that he opposes it and supports fair trade.

Several other meetings are taking place this week and next, and we will keep you posted when we learn more about the positions of Pennsylvania’s Congressional delegation.

This bad trade deal will destroy jobs and drive down the wages and benefits of all workers.

The members of our Congressional Delegation are back in their districts for one more week giving their constituents the opportunity to meet them in their offices and ask them where they stand on Fast Track and TPP. If you get an answer from your congressman, please let us know!

Submitting letters to the editor of your home town newspaper is good way to elevate this issue in the eyes of the public and build additional support among working families. Contact our Communications Director Jim Deegan to obtain materials for the letter writing campaign as well as talking points and fact sheets. He can be reached via email at editor@paaflcio.org.

We are also asking our Area Labor Federations and Central Labor Councils to conduct a ten minute letter writing session before each meeting, collecting letters from local union leaders and activists to their members of Congress. The letter will be sent to President Trumka, and he will deliver them to Congress.

Keep building momentum, and help all of us fight back against Fast Track!

Source – http://www.paaflcio.org/?p=5906