Posts tagged ‘labor’

Challenging the right to work for less in Oswego

by , posted on Wednesday, April 1st, 2015 at 8:29 pm

On Tuesday night, March 31st, the people showed up to participate in the democratic process in Oswego. The Village President put a resolution on the agenda for discussion to support Mr. Rauner’s so-called “turn around”

agenda. The 100 plus people in attendance were not pleased that the Village President would want to support this anti-worker policy. Most of the comments related to Mr. Rauner’s right to work for less zones euphemistically called “enterprise zones”.

Ten to fifteen spoke on the issue and not one supported it. Many were from Oswego but citizens came from all around. DuPage, Will, Lake, Cook, and Kane counties were represented. There were at least twenty unions represented by some seventy union members which shows that the unions know how much damage Mr. Rauner wants to do to the working people of Illinois.

Some comments touched on the illegality of local right to wage slavery zones. Others talked about Mr. Rauner’s stated desire to destroy Unions. Still others talked about the value and importance of a decent middle class wage to stimulate

and strengthen the economy. If middle class wages are destroyed from whom will Oswego collect tax dollars? If middle class wages are destroyed who will shop in Oswego’s stores? Contrary to the common rhetoric the true job creators in America are working people that have money in their pockets to spend in their community.

Pay attention this resolution will be coming to a town council, county board, school board, etc., near you. Stand up and fight back against this unbridled attack on the working people of Illinois.

Share

Oswego RTW: Rauner’s right-to-poverty zone

by , posted on Monday, March 30th, 2015 at 1:55 pm

The Illinois AFL-CIO received notice that the Oswego Village Board will consider a Bruce Rauner initiated resolution supporting the creation of a Right to Work Zone in Oswego. Besides being illegal under the National Labor Relations Act, right to work zones create a “race to the bottom” pitting community against community and further erode the gains made by the Illinois middle class.

Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan has issued an opinion explaining that Illinois law does not authorize or recognize right to work zones created by any unit of local government in Illinois.

Please contact the members of the Oswego Village Board today (phone and email below) and let them know that Right to Work in any form is wrong for Illinois.

Call To Action! Please pass along this message to people who can attend this Tuesday night’s Oswego Village Board Meeting.
The Oswego Village Board, under the President’s Report, will be presenting a resolution in support of the Rauner “turnaround plan”, known also as “enterprise zones” or “right-to-work zones”, for review and discussion this Tuesday, March 31st , @ 7 pm immediately following the Committee of the Whole, which starts at 6 pm. Oswego Village Hall, 100 Parkers Mill, Oswego, IL.

PUBLIC FORUM IS AT THE BEGINNING OF THE MEETING. YOU MUST SIGN IN TO SPEAK.

http://www.oswegoil.org/PDF/2015.03.31regvb.pdf .

If you cannot attend, call Steve Jones @ 630-551-2360 and ask him to remove this resolution from Tuesday’s agenda.

Oswego Village President:
Brian LeClercq
bleclercq@oswegoil.org
630-554-1555

Oswego Village Board of Trustees:

Tony Giles
tgiles@oswegoil.org

Terry Michels
tmichels@oswegoil.org

Gail Johnson
gjohnson@oswegoil.org

Pam Parr
pparr@oswegoil.org

Judy Sollinger
jsollinger@oswegoil.org

Scott Volpe
svolpe@oswegoil.org

To leave a voicemail for any of the Village Board of Trustees, please call the Village’s main number at 630-554-3618.

Share

Greek Society Unravels Under Austerity Measures

by , posted on Wednesday, October 24th, 2012 at 3:22 pm

from The Real News Network

Costas Lapavitsas: Merkel’s visit to Greece shows Eurozone leadership don’t want to push Greece out, but situation is explosive as people are furious at austerity measures

Most Greeks Look to Left for Solutions, but Far Right Gaining Strength

Costas Lapavitsas Pt.2: Left party Syriza leads polls but conditions for fascism also developing as crisis deepens

Share

Labor Day Parade, Aurora, 1912

by , posted on Saturday, September 1st, 2012 at 6:30 pm

click on the images to see larger size

Share

Walking Through the Halls of Power

by , posted on Tuesday, July 31st, 2012 at 8:05 pm

Reflections from the Workers United Hall at 333 S. Ashland Ave., Chicago IL on July 30, 2012 – Chicago Teachers Solidarity Campaign meeting.

Present, past and future merge –

strolling through the halls of power
Walking in their footsteps – gaining strength hour by hour

Their voices echo off cold brick walls – shattering doubt and despair.
Only resolve lives here!

Great women and men sat on this very chair – plotting justice.
Alive and well – justice lives here!

Their rough hands pounded on this table – a solidarity drum – Here! Here!
Only solidarity lives here!

From the stage, the people’s voices gave democracy birth – the birth pains of revolution –
America, Democracy lives here!

It is here that anguish and anger

chiseled change – challenging pragmatism’s powerful, “no.”
Si, Se Puede is all we know – hope lives here!

Ours is not the first nor the last – today’s struggles strengthened by the past
Worn steps, worn bodies – warm welcome comrades!
Power through unity – our future lives here!

Share

Leah Fried on Chicago Windows Factory Co-op

by , posted on Friday, June 15th, 2012 at 6:24 pm

from GRITtv with Laura Flanders

Leah Fried of the UE, talks with Laura Flanders about the decision by Chicago factory workers to purchase the factory they once famously occupied when it was Republic Windows and Doors. Fried and Flanders spoke at Labor Notes 2012 in Chicago.

Se also: “Chicago Workers’ Economic Plan: Go Co-Operative!” by Laura Flanders, posted June 15, 2012 at www.thenation.com

Share

ATMI Precast Rally and March

by , posted on Thursday, March 1st, 2012 at 4:49 pm

, Aurora, illinois, February 12, 2012

Share

Labor Day Parade, Aurora, 1911

by , posted on Monday, September 5th, 2011 at 8:05 am
Share

WI Recall: The Day After

by , posted on Wednesday, August 10th, 2011 at 8:50 pm

My Dad was fond of that old cliche that “close only counts in horseshoes” and I have to admit that last night’s attempt to recall at least three Scott Walker Republicans yesterday, in order for Democrats to take control of the state senate struck me as that way. 2. Close, but it doesn’t count. Only it does in that it’s going to be a lot harder for Scott Walker to get reallly insane legislation through. And it’s a gain of territory.

And of course, today is not just the day after the Wisconsin recall, it’s the day the Wisconsin Democratic Party turns the bulk of its efforts to defending the two Democratic seats that are subjects of attempted Repub recalls. And after that, why it’s Scott Walker’s turn.

You can still volunteer to help.

Share

Building Illinois-Iowa Solidarity for Locked Out Roquette Workers

by , posted on Sunday, June 26th, 2011 at 9:30 pm

I attended the Northern Illinois Jobs With Justice monthly meeting this weekend to learn about another chapter in the ongoing war on the middle class.  Buddy

Howard, a locked out worker from Roquette, a French-owned company in Keokuk, Iowa, attended the meeting to share his story.  Buddy is one of the 240 BCTGM Local 48G members who have been locked out since Sept. 28, 2010.

After the meeting, Buddy shared his story with radio host Adam Klugman.  You can listen by clicking the link.

(more…)

Share