Workers Move One Step Closer to RESPECT

[Omaha Steve]

Source: AFL-CIO blog

by James Parks, Sep 19, 2007

Legislation to enable workers to regain their rightful place as partners in the workplace with employers moved a step closer to becoming law today. The U.S. House Education and Labor Committee approved the Re-Empowerment of Skilled and Professional Employees and Construction Tradeworkers (RESPECT) Act on a 26–20 vote and sent the bill to the full House, where it will be considered later this year.


Thousands of workers took to the streets last year protesting the NLRB’s ‘Oakwood’ ruling.


The RESPECT Act, H.R. 1644, was introduced by Reps. Robert Andrews (D-N.J.) and Don Young (R-Alaska). It would reverse a Republican party-line vote by the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) in September 2006 that slashed longtime federal labor law protections of workers’ freedom to form unions.

The NLRB rulings came in three cases, collectively known as the Oakwood cases after the lead case, Oakwood Healthcare Inc., which reinterpreted the definition of “supervisor” in a way that greatly expanded the number and types of workers who can be classified as supervisors.

Although two of the three cases involved only nurses, the expanded definition applies to workers in every industry and means up to 8 million workers, including nurses, building trades workers and others, may be classified as supervisors and kept from joining unions. Under federal labor law, supervisors are not protected against retaliation for forming unions.

Read more: http://blog.aflcio.org/2007/09/19/workers-move-one-step-closer-to-respect/

[southtpa]

1. What does A.F.L.-C.I.O. stand for?

I don't know but I'm sure the C. stands for coward. When I was on the line they told me the A.F.L. was behind me. They were so far behind me I haven't seen them yet. I thought I heard their knees shaking once but it could have been the wind. let me answer the reply in advance I was there where were you?

[TygrBright]

2. American Federation of Labor - Congress of Industrial Organizations

Stick a fork in 'em, they're done. Put them in the glass case beside the models of the dodo and the passenger pigeon.

Today's Unions have to take risks, today's unions have to represent the truly powerless among the workers, today's unions have to be controlled by ALL of the workers, today's unions have to have safeguards in place to prevent their being taken over by cabals of wannabe fatcats and organized criminals.

None of which describes the AFL - CIO.

adamantly,
Bright

[Odin2005]

4. We need a new, fresh Unionism movement.

The AFL-CIO has become a dinosaur.

[Omaha Steve]

3. I've been fired twice in my life and 2 different unions got me reinstated

The GAU is no more. But the record is on the NLRB site: http://www.nlrb.gov/shared_files/Board%20Decisions/261/261-38.pdf

AFSCME local 251 got me reinstated this June, after I was fired February 22nd. My wife was CWA for 18 years. She was out on strike for three weeks in 83. Been there. I've got time. What's your story?

Omaha Steve Steward Local 251