By John Corrigan

– The chants echoed outside the Philadelphia High School for Girls as about 50 teachers, students, and local community organizers rallied on a chilly Saturday morning in support of mayoral candidate Jim Kenney.

“Yes we Kenney! Yes we Kenney!”

Volunteers from the Philadelphia Federation of Teachers gathered to canvass the neighborhood, knocking door to door asking folks to vote for the former city councilman.

“If we’re going to improve the quality of our schools,” PFT President Jerry Jordan began, “if we’re going to have books in our classrooms and not in the basement of an administrative building, if we are going to have safer schools, we are going to need to have Jim Kenney sitting in room 215, that’s the mayor’s office.”

Kenney recalled visiting Julia De Burgos Elementary School in North Philadelphia and meeting with student leaders who told him about a project they had been working on regarding crime in the area.

“They had been locked down four times in a month because of shootings outside their school,” Kenney said.

The students made banners and marched nine blocks, stopping at a corner with drug dealers and asked them to let the students be educated.

“There hasn’t been a lockdown since,” Kenney said. “If we can continue to instill that kind of passion in our kids, our teachers and our principals, I think we’re going to make this city a much better place.”

Suzanne Cappo, a 25-year math teacher at Andrew J. Morrison School in Olney, said getting involved has kept her up to date with the ills of the education system.

“People have to become informed and this is one of the ways,” Cappo said. “Kenney is a big union guy, he’s down-to-earth and he’s been around. Our schools need to improve but can only do so with the proper resources.”

Officially endorsed by the PFT on March 16, Kenney has opposed the expansion of charter schools, which employ non-union staff, and has also criticized the School Reform Commission for unilaterally canceling the teachers’ contract.

The Democratic mayoral primary takes place on May 19. Kenney is running against former district attorney Lynne Abraham, state Senator Anthony Williams, former state Senator Milton Street, former mayoral aide and PGW executive Doug Oliver and former city judge Nelson Diaz.

Source: http://www.newsworks.org/index.php/local/item/80125-teachers-union-canvasses-for-kenney

By the Philadelphia Council AFL-CIO via Public Citizen Press Room

– Secret documents publicized by wikileaks on Wednesday demonstrated that unions, consumer organizations, and grassroots groups have been right to oppose fast-track authority for the proposed Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal.

According to the leaked documents, the TPP would open the door for US firms to send thousands more jobs overseas to nations with cheaper labor markets and worse environmental and labor standards. It would also empower thousands of foreign companies to bring actions in secret courts that could cancel basic regulations such as wage and hour laws, workplace safety standards, and pollution controls.

Call Congress now at 1-855-712-8441 and tell your elected officials to say NO to fast track and to the TPP!

Source: http://www.citizen.org/pressroom/pressroomredirect.cfm?ID=5454

By the Philadelphia Council AFL0CIO

– On April 15, fast food workers across the country will take to the streets to demand a living wage, safe working conditions, and the right to organize a union without interference. Join them for a major rally at 3:00 PM at Broad and Arch in Philadelphia.
Fight for $15 rally

When – Wednesday, April 15 at 3:00 PM

Where – Broad and Arch Streets, Philadelphia

For information about how to participate throughout the day, contact mobilize@philaflcio.org

Philadelphia Council AFL-CIO

Modern transportation and transit systems are essential for a healthy economy and a livable region. Federal funding is essential to build and maintain those systems. But a huge portion of federal transportation and transit funding is scheduled to expire on May 31st, unless Congress acts.

On Thursday, April 9th tens of thousands of people across the country will participate in Stand Up 4 Transportation, urging Congress to pass legislation to fund our transit and transportation needs. Join us in Philadelphia as a broad coalition of organizations, including the Philadelphia AFL-CIO, the Pennsylvania Public Transportation Association, the Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce, and many others stand together to call for public investment in our infrastructure.

What – Stand Up 4 Transportation Rally

When – Thursday, April 9, 9:00 AM

Where – Dilworth Plaza, West Side of City Hall, Philadelphia

By The PA. AFL-CIO

– After a hard fought campaign between two quality candidates, The Pennsylvania AFL-CIO would like to congratulate Martina White on her victory this evening, as she was elected to fill the vacancy in the 170th legislative district in Northeast Philadelphia. The surprisingly high turnout for a late-March special election can likely be credited to the hard work that was done on the ground by both candidates, and by labor unions on both sides of the contest.

“At just 26 years old, Martina White ran an impressive campaign, and obviously won the support of many Democratic voters in the 170th district,” Pennsylvania AFL-CIO President Rick Bloomingdale said. “The fact that both candidates had significant support from organized labor was not the result of a division in the labor movement, but was rather a sign of the appeal that both candidates brought to the table.”

“We look forward to working with Representative White on a variety of important issues facing the Commonwealth,” added PA AFL-CIO Secretary-Treasurer Frank Snyder. “White has been a vocal supporter of workers’ rights on the campaign trail, and we expect that she will be a partner to improving education and employment opportunities in Philadelphia.”

Martina White will fill the vacancy created when former State Rep. Brendan Boyle was elected to the US Congress in the 13th District.

Source: http://www.paaflcio.org/?p=5863