Labor News 

New York State AFL-CIO

Presents

Health Care Reform Campaign Training

When: Wednesday, December 5, 2007 at 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM

Place: NYSUT Offices, 800 Troy-Schenectady Road, Latham, NY

The NYS AFL-CIO and the National AFL-CIO Health Care Reform Campaign Project will be recruiting and training health care reform activists over the next year.

It is imperative that we begin the campaign cycle now. We can do this by preparing the first crew on how to go out and get more people, who in turn get more people. This is a "Train the Trainer" system, but the first group receiving training will be much more than "trainers." They are the key coordinators and leaders of this important effort.

The training includes both health care information and organizing skills for this campaign, with the emphasis on the latter. You don't have to be a health care policy expert to be a health care reform activist leader. Attendance is free and lunch will be provided.

Please RSVP how many people from your union will attend to Suzy Ballantyne by fax at 518-436-6901 or email at sballantyne1@aol.com. If you have any questions, please call the NYS AFL-CIO at 518-436-8516 x240.

RSVP by Fax: 518-436-6901

Or Email: sballantyne1@aol.com

Please include:

First Name and Last Name, Title

Union and Local #

Email address

Mailing Address

Work phone and Cell Phone

Number attending from your organization

NABET-CWA Local #21 Rally November 18th

The workers at News Channel 13 are members of NABET-CWA Local #21, and are facing a tough round of negotiations. The out-of-town owners of the company are making more money than any other station in the region, yet they are offering what amounts to a 25% pay cut for all collective bargaining unit members.

WHAT: Rally in Solidarity with NABET-CWA #21 Members

WHERE: 715 North Pearl Street, Albany, NY 12204 (in front of WNYT station hq)

DATE: SUNDAY 11/18/07

TIME:   12 Noon

You can also send a letter to station manager Steve Baboulis letting him know your displeasure at the treatment of the union members at WNYT. Negotiations have been scheduled for Monday November 19th, so this rally will help bring attention to the station's tactics the day before negotiations resume.

DETAILS: Hubbard Broadcasting made 39 proposals. Almost all of them represent givebacks or takeaways from items that NABET-CWA Local 21 has held for many years. Some are classic examples of union-busting. Below is a list of the problems preventing a contract renewal at WNYT:

1. Remove lay-off based on reverse seniority. The Company wants to be able to lay-off any worker at any time, regardless of length of employment at the station. This would create total job insecurity. Any worker could be called in and laid off any day. Obvious targets would be higher paid individuals, union leaders, and older workers.

2. Our current system, which is standard in union contracts, permits unlimited lay offs in any job category, but requires that the last hired are the first fired, moving up the seniority list from there. Under the Company's latest proposal, it could reduce the size of its unit work force by 50 per cent over four years (from 74 to 37). The workers remaining would be those hand-picked by the Company as survivors.

3. Remove any limits on jurisdiction. This would allow the Company to lay off or fire any or all unit workers, then bring in outsiders to perform the work previously done by the people who were terminated. The new workers would not be required to belong to the bargaining unit or the union.

4. The Company wants the right to cut the pay of any worker all the way to the contract minimum wage, currently $11 an hour. They have explained at the bargaining table that they have a particular problem with workers whom they have previously signed under a separate Personal Services Contract. When the PSC expires, the worker has the right to continue working at the station at the same rate of pay, now receiving overtime, meal penalties, turnaround and other benefits of the basic agreement. The worker also receives all percentage raises negotiated by the Union in the basic agreement. So the Company is forced to offer the individual more than the standard raise in order to get the person to sign a new PSC. This is the system the Company imposed on the union without negotiation 25 years ago. Too bad they don't like it now.

5. Anyone who appears on air can be fired without just cause currently. This is called suitability discharge. The person is fired for lack of suitability. The decision is unilateral by the Company. It is not subject to Grievance and Arbitration. However, there is an enhanced severance paid by set formula. The longer someone works on air, the more money he or she receives if discharged under the suitability clause. The Company wants to limit the amount it would have to pay as severance but is not willing to limit its ability to sever on-air people. Some of our veteran reporters or anchors would see their severance checks reduced by more than 50% if they are dropped.

6. The Company is offering a raise of one and one-half per cent per year, but wishes to withdraw that at any time without restriction if it desires. That would be a pay freeze of unlimited duration.

7. The Company wants to cease providing term life insurance to all unit members of two times the person's yearly pay.

8. The Company wants to take away the three days each unit member receives every year as paid time off for personal reasons.

June 22, 2007
A Publication of the Capital District Area Labor Federation (CDALF), AFL-CIO

Joe Fox, President

Executive Director: Kathleen Scales (Kathleen @ cdalf.org)

Outreach Coordinator: Prairie Wells (prairie @ cdalf.org)

United Way Labor Liaison: Michele Draves (michele @ cdalf.org)

1044 Broadway, Albany NY 12204

518.432.8800 voice // 518.472.1231 fax

Our website is a work in progress, but we think it’s beginning to look great! The new website is loaded with links to affiliate unions, progressive sites, national labor sites. We also have pages covering NEW job opportunites, a calendar of events, information about our officers, download pages for members, news information updated everyday from several sources, photos and more... www.cdalf.org

“The society which scorns excellence in plumbing because plumbing is a humble activity, and tolerates shoddiness in philosophy because philosophy is an exalted activity, will have neither good plumbing nor good philosophy. Neither its pipes nor its theories will hold water.” ~John W. Gardner

Index:

Legislative Update

IDA Update

United Way Thanks Labor

Labor Breakfast Date Change

Labor In the Pulpit Planning Begins

Today in Labor History

CLC Meetings

Legislative Update

To all of our activists, thanks for following up on the last minute flurry of activity on pending legislation the last few days.  As you know, the legislature is coming back on July 16th to hopefully wrap up unfinished business.  Below is quick status report of the 3 issues we were working on in the field.

IDA Reform*:              Assembly: A 8703 Hoyt- passed (Comprehensive reform)/

Senate - No Action

Assembly: A. 9238- IDA 7 month extender- passed 6/21

Senate:  S.6333- 2 yr Extender- passed 6/21

* Both houses need to come to an agreement on an IDA extender in July- to enact real reform next year.  Coalition work continues.

Paid Family Leave:    Assembly:  A. 9245- Floor Rules Cal. # 819

Senate: No Introduction or Action

Nurses OT:                 Assembly:  A. 1898B Passed the Assembly 6/21

Senate:  No Action

A more detailed recap of the legislative session will be available next week. [back to top]

IDA Update

In the final week of the legislative session the Senate walked away from the negotiation table on IDA reform. They were unwilling to discuss wage standards, even after the coalition offered an alternative proposal for negotiation on last Friday.

The Senate leadership pulled the comprehensive IDA reform bill, S2413, sponsored by Senator George Maziarz out of Senator Little’s Local Governments committee last Wednesday (6-13-07) so that it could be negotiated directly by Senate central staff representing Majority Leader Joe Bruno. Between Wednesday and Friday, the Senate central staff had conversations with their counterparts in the Assembly, but the Senate never presented a negotiating position on wage standards, the coalition’s priority reform. The Assembly was pushing for and passed a 7 month extender so that negotiations could continue, however the Senate yesterday passed a two year extender with NONE of the reforms.

There has been lots of press coverage on this issue:

Collected Clips

Press Republican Editorial [back to top]

United Way Thanks Labor

By Michele Draves, AFL-CIO United Way Labor Liaison

The United Way of Northeastern New York held its annual “Hands on Capitaland” event on Saturday, June 9th.  Throughout the day several business including organized labor workers and staffers assisted non-profit agencies with several projects.  Many of these projects involved sprucing up such as painting, landscaping and general clean up of the participating agencies.

This year was a huge success with 46 projects being completed and the highest number of organized labor groups volunteering to assist.  Thanks to all who were involved in any way to make this a huge success.  I look forward to working with all of you on future community projects.

Also, as this years United Way campaign season approaches, I look forward to increased participation from organized labor for a record year. [back to top]

Labor Breakfast Date Change

Please be advised that the monthly Labor Breakfast held at the Clarion on Watervliet Ave. in Albany has been rescheduled due to the Independence Day holiday. The July Breakfast will be held 7/13/07. [back to top]

Labor In the Pulpit Planning Begins

Labor in the Pulpit/ On the Bimah/ On the Minbar is a program bringing the principles of dignity, respect and mutual aid in the workplace to our places of worship. The Capital District Labor-Religion Coalition will organize the efforts this year. We encourage union members who belong to a faith community to ask to speak at their place of worship on Labor Day. Testifying during a service helps lift up the dignity of work and workers, thereby building relationships between people of faith and the labor movement, which leads to increased support for worker justice. If you are willing to speak to your congregation or want to talk to someone who has, please contact prairie@cdalf.org and we will connect you. [back to top]

Today in Labor History:

June 22 Violence erupted during a coal mine strike at Herrin, Ill. Thirty-six were killed, 21 of them non-union miners – 1922| June 23 OSHA issues standard on cotton dust, to protect 600,000 workers from byssihnoisis, also known as “brown lung” – 1978 | The newly-formed Jobs With Justice stages its first big support action, backing 3,000 picketing Eastern Airlines mechanics at Miami Airport – 1987 |June 24 Birth of Albert Parsons, Haymarket martyr - 1848 [back to top]

Sources:

Toil and Trouble, by Thomas R. Brooks; American Labor Struggles, by Samuel Yellen; IWW calendar, Solidarity Forever; Historical Encyclopedia of American Labor, edited by Robert E. Weir and James P. Hanlan; Southwest Labor History Archives/George Meany Cntr. From www.biglabor.com.

Labor Council Meetings

Central Labor Councils are the grassroots organizations that work for justice in each of our communities; they are an important way for inter-union cooperation and understanding to occur, as well as being the eyes and ears of the Labor movement in our county legislatures and other decision-making bodies.

• Albany : Usually held on the 1st Wednesday of every month, 890 Third Street 7 PM. –July’s meeting will be held on 7/11
• Greater Glens Falls: 2nd Thursday of every month, UA Local 773 Hall, 30 Bluebird Road, South Glens Falls, NY 12803  @ 7 PM. Check their website http://www.ggfclc.org/ for directions.
• Saratoga : 2nd Wednesday of every month, 368 Broadway, Saratoga Springs @ HERE Local 471 office 6: 00 PM.
• Schenectady : 4th Wednesday of every month, VFW Union St. Schenectady , 6:30 PM.
• Troy: 3rd Wednesday of every month, 24 4th Street 7 PM.

[back to top]

WIN - Workers In the News
Labor News for Local 801

May 14, 2007

Please check our online calendar for interim updates

Index:

• School Budget
• Nurse Lobby Day
• IDA Reform Lobby Day Report Back
• Upcoming IDA Actions -Action Alert!!!
• IFPTE Strike Report Back
• CLC's Prepare for Election Season
• CLC Meetings
• Other Events and Issues Coming Up
  

School Budget & Board Votes 5/15

VOTE "YES" ON THE ALBANY CITY SCHOOL BUDGET The Albany Public School Teachers' Association, Local 2455 NYSUT/AFT urges all union brothers and sisters, friends and families to "VOTE YES" on the Albany schools budget on Tuesday, May 15, 2007.

The proposed budget allows our schools to maintain smaller class sizes, continues the full-day kindergarten and pre-kindergarten programs and after-school programs. It will support a District-wide, comprehensive elementary literacy program. It will enable us to continue our efforts to improve student performance at all levels and close the "achievement gap."

Please show your support for Albany Public Schools and our young people by saying "YES" to the proposed budget. We will continue to fight for fair funding for Albany's public schools.

WE URGE YOU TO "VOTE YES" ON TUESDAY, MAY 15, 2007

Bill Ritchie, President
Albany Public School Teachers' Association
Local 2455 NYSUT/AFT (AFL-CIO)

CSEA & NYSUT endorse candidates for Saratoga Springs School Board. They are as follows:

Ernest Gailor
Regina Gapczynski
Charles Phillips

Vote YES on your school budget, support local workers and our children! [back to top]

Nurse Lobby Day & Rally

Join nurses from the Public Employees Federation (PEF), New York State United Teachers (NYSUT), NYS Nurses Association (NYSNA), Service Employees International Union (1199/SEIU), the Communications Workers of America (CWA) and other nursing unions in our fourth annual joint Lobby Day.

Tuesday May 22, 2007
Capital Steps Albany
RALLY 11:15 am
 
Our mission is to send a united message to lawmakers that chronic understaffing and mandatory overtime need to end. The rally is our opportunity to show that though our unions may be diverse, we stand united in the cause to pass legislation to protect both patients and nurses.  Help send the message that nurses should not be mistreated and that quality patient care should be a priority.

IDA Reform Lobby Day Report Back

The CDALF played an integral role in last week?s lobby day on IDA reform, and we thank the many volunteers who gave part of their day to make this change a possibility in NY.

CDALF staff Prairie Wells and Kathleen Scales were joined by volunteers Anya Bobkovskaya (CWA 1104), Ron Deustch (New Yorkers for Fiscal Fairness), Mark Dunlea (Hunger Action Network NYS), Paul Engel Jr. (IBT Local 294), Sam Fresina (LIUNA), Mike Lyons (IUOE Local 106), Arindam Mandal (CWA 1104), Tony Potenza (UA Local 7 & Labor Health Care Alliance), Pat Pafundi (PEF), Gary Robbins (ICW Local 251), Kathleen Sims (CWA 1104), Phil Tucker (IUPAT DC9)

The volunteers who participated represented the full breadth of our organization in terms of our geography and sector. Public, private and building trades unions as well as our community allies were strongly represented, and because of this we were able to have constituents in every one of our meetings with our legislators. We met with Senator Little personally and a representative of Hugh Farley. We met directly with Assemblyman Reilly, and representatives for Assemblymen Tonko and Canestrari. Additionally, CDALF Board member Sam Fresina, Sr. met with Senator Bruno.

Senator Little chairs the Senate Standing Committee on Local Government, and as such any change to the IDA legislation needs to pass through her office. If you live in her district, please take the time to call her or write to her voicing your support for reforming the IDA legislation when it comes up for renewal. Sen. Little's contact information:

 

Albany Office 903 Legislative Office Building Albany, NY 12247 (518) 455-2811

District Office 5 Warren Street, Suite 3 Glens Falls, NY 12801 (518) 743-0968

Plattsburgh Office 305 West Bay Plaza Plattsburgh, NY 12901 (518) 561-2430

In more IDA-related news, on Friday our office met with Paul Engel Sr. president of the Building Trades Council, Steve Green, President of the Albany CLC as well as his own union ATU#1321, Jack McNulty and Sean Ward regarding the reform proposals and the potential impact on local IDAs and labor forces. We see reformed IDAs as one of the preeminent economic development tools available to localities and urge our affiliates and members to take action on this issue immediately. [back to top]

UPCOMING IDA ACTIONS

On Tuesday, May 15th, Valerie Keehn, Mayor of the City of Saratoga Springs will be introducing the reform resolution as part of her agenda. The meeting will be held at City hall in Saratoga Springs at 7 PM. Members should plan on supporting the resolution by coming out tomorrow night.

The Albany Common Council will be considering the IDA resolution on Monday May 21st; our members should come to ask the Common Council to support it. Councilman Rich Conti has sponsored and asked others to join him. Public comment period is at 7 pm. If you have any questions on this issue, please contact Prairie Wells. [back to top]

IFPTE Strike Report Back

On Wednesday, May 9th, 75 Designers represented by the International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers, Local 147 walked out of the Atomic Knolls plant operated by Lockheed Martin. They were greeted by thirty or so members of others from the Albany County Central Federation of Labor, CSEA, CWA 1104, CWA 1118, IUPAT DC 9, NYSUT Retirees, NALC Local 358, NYSNA, PEF Retirees. IFPTE General President Greg Junemann addressed the crowd, calling for a fair bargaining process, an end to unilateral benefit cuts, and a return to the table.  "Solidarity works, brothers and sisters. You deserve the contract that was negotiated last year," IFPTE President Gregory Junemann shouted into a bullhorn. We were proud to have the so many members out there with such short notice-we thank each of our affiliates who helped for their support. We?ll keep you informed on these negotiations as they progrees. [back to top]

IFPTE President Junemann addresses the crowd	CDALF members join in Solidarity with IFPTE	CWA 1118 VP Diane Stangle, and CWA 1104 member Mark Looney help out

CLC's Prepare for Election Season

Each of the Central Labor Councils within the CDALF are preparing their candidate questionnaires; typically these are sent out to candidates, returned and reviewed prior to the candidate interviews. If you are interested in serving on a CLC COPE committee, please let us know. If your union has specific issues that are not covered under the previous year's questionnaire, please contact us immediately for inclusion of your issue in the process. [back to top]

Other Upcoming Events and Issues

05/16 NY State Alliance for Retired Americans-Bi Annual Convention, 05/17 Transportation National Day of Action, 05/31 CDALF Labor Appreciation Gala [back to top]

CLC Meetings

Central Labor Councils are the grassroots organizations that work for justice in each of our communities; they are an important way for inter-union cooperation and understanding to occur, as well as being the eyes and ears of the Labor movement in our county legislatures and other decision-making bodies.

• Albany: 1st Wednesday of every month, 890 Third Street 7 PM
• Greater Glens Falls: 2nd Thursday of every month, check their website for location http://www.ggfclc.org/
• Saratoga: 2nd Wednesday of every month, 368 Broadway, Saratoga Springs @ HERE Local 471 office 6:00 PM
• Schenectady: 4th Wednesday of every month, VFW Union St. Schenectady 6:30 PM.
• Troy: 3rd Wednesday of every month, 24 4th Street 7 PM. [back to top]

May 3, 2007

05/05 Hudson Mohawk May Day Celebration Continues
The Eighth Step presents ANNE FEENEY, union maid, activist, hell-raiser & musician, and EVAN GREER, hard-hitting, young activist folksinger, in concert at 8 pm, Saturday, May 5, The Eighth Step @ the Sanctuary www.thesanctuaryforindependentmedia.org [Sanctuary for Independent Media, 3361 6th Ave, Troy]. Check out Jon Flanders' photos of this week’s event by clicking here.

Co-Sponsors include Troy Area Labor Council, Solidarity Committee of the Capital District, The Eighth Step, Upstate NY IWW, NY Labor History Association, Italian American Association of South Troy, Bethlehem Neighbors for Peace, and the Sanctuary for Independent Media.

05/08 IDA Reform Lobby Day
As part of the Initiative for Economic Accountability, the AFL-CIO (that means us!) will be lobbying our state legislators on the issue of IDA Reform on Tuesday, May 8th. Please meet the CDALF at the 1199/SEIU building, 155 Washington Ave. in Albany at 10 AM. Click here for more details. Please rsvp to Prairie@cdalf.org as soon as possible. This is your chance to help make these agencies accountable to those they serve, and to begin utilizing this important economic development tool for working families. Thanks and see you Tuesday!

05/10 BALCONY Universal Health Care Forum
What: Forum on Universal Healthcare in New York State
Location: Empire State Plaza, Meeting Room #7
Time: 9:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Price: $20.00 (Continental breakfast and lunch provided)

Citing the New York State Budget agreement between Governor Eliot Spitzer and the New York State Assembly and Senate for a major expansion of the Child Health Program, BALCONY believes the time is ripe to have New York develop a plan for Universal Health Care which could provide coverage for the remaining 2.4 million uninsured New Yorkers.

Key issues to be discussed at the BALCONY Universal Health Care Forum include:

• HOW CAN PROVIDERS SURVIVE FINANCIALLY WHILE MEETING THE MEDICAL NEEDS OF PATIENTS
• HOW CAN UNIONS PROVIDE HEALTH CARE FOR THEIR MEMBERS?
• HOW CAN NEW YORK PROVIDE HEALTH CARE TO THE 2.8 MILLION UNINSURED NEW YORKERS?
• HOW CAN PATIENTS AND ADVOCATES SECURE AFFORDABLE HEALTH FOR ALL?

BALCONY represents more than 500 New York businesses, labor unions, and trade associations. BALCONY seeks common ground in the public policy debate in New York to spur economic development through the adoption of business/ union friendly, socially responsible common sense laws that maintain and improve the quality of life for working New Yorker. Download a flyer here, or click here to register.

05/31 CDALF Labor Appreciation Gala
The 2nd Annual Labor Appreciation Gala will be held at Michael’s Banquet House on Thursday, May 31st. This year we are honoring our former Secretary-Treasurer, Mike Russo, and Assembly Majority Leader Ron Canestrari. Registration is in full swing, please contact Michele Draves (michele@cdalf.org) at our office to reserve your table. The deadline for the journal ads is quickly approaching; we would LOVE to have your ads in by May 7th, so that we can begin putting the journal together. Please call if you have any questions or need more information.
 

The Capital District Area Labor Federation is the Regional arm of the AFL-CIO, representing 100,000 union families in the eleven county Capital District.
The mission of the AFL-CIO is to improve the lives of working families—to bring economic justice to the workplace and social justice to our nation. To accomplish this mission we will build and change the American labor movement.

Calendar of Events -click for details

• 04/21 Congresswoman Gillibrand's Open House
• 04/28 Workers Memorial Day
• 05/01 Equality and Justice Day
• 05/01 Hudson Mohawk Mayday Celebration
• 05/02 Albany Central Fed. Legislative Reception, Albany Labor Temple
• 05/16 NY State Alliance for Retired Americans-Bi Annual Convention
• 05/17 Transportation National Day of Action
• 05/31 CDALF Labor Appreciation Gala--save the date!!!

04/21 Congresswoman Gillibrand's Open House

Attention Labor Supporters and constituents! Congresswoman Kirsten E. Gillibrand invites you to come down to your new office in Saratoga! She will hold a ribbon cutting of her Congressional District Office in Saratoga Springs, NY.  The Congresswoman will also present local Ballston Spa student, Samuel S. Perkins, with the Congressional Award for Service for his work in the Veterans community.

Brother Mike Russo sent us the invitation and sends the Congresswoman’s well-wishes to our community.  The new office’s telephone number is (518) 581-8247.

WHAT:  Ribbon Cutting of Saratoga Springs District Office and Presentation of Congressional Medal of Honor to Ballston Spa Student, Samuel S. Perkins
WHEN:  Saturday, April 21, 2007 from 12:00 - 2:00PM *Presentation of Medal at 1pm*
WHERE: Rep. Kirsten E. Gillibrand's District Office, 487 Broadway, Saratoga Springs, NY

[back to top]

Workers Memorial Day-UPDATE

On Saturday, April 28, for Workers Memorial Day, working families in the Capital District will gather to honor the ten workers who were killed on the job in our region in the last year and to call for stronger laws protecting workers’ health and safety.  Community and elected leaders will join union members to draw attention to the “unfulfilled promise” of worker safety, saying that the laws that currently exist are being rolled back and are not being properly enforced.  The memorial service will be one of hundreds around the world as working families and union members commemorate brothers and sisters who died on the job for the 19th annual Workers Memorial Day.

The observance will be held at the James Connolly Memorial in Troy, a memorial dedicated to a local labor leader from the last century. Led by bagpiper Peter Lounsbery, a retired Albany police officer, the group will walk to the monument with memorial placards naming each of the ten workers who were killed in the Capital District since last year. Mrs. Cheryl Williams, wife of John A. Williams, a worker killed at the CSX rail yard, will attend in honor of her husband.

In New York in 2005, according to the AFL-CIO Death on the Job report, 176,500 people were injured and 239 killed due to job hazards. 

“How many years do we have to call for stronger laws while NY workers die on the job?” asked Joe Fox, President of the Capital District Area Labor Federation.  “The Bush Administration has weakened our nations’ health and safety laws and dragged its feet for too long.  No one should be scared to go to work in the morning.”

This year marks the 37th anniversary of the enactment of the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA).  Since 1970, more than 349,000 workers’ lives have been saved due to OSHA.  Yet nationally in 2005, 4.2 million workers were injured and 5,734 workers were killed due to job hazards. Another 50,000-60,000 died due to occupational diseases.

WHO: Union and community members will be joined by Sister Bernice Carroll, CSJ of the Dominican Retreat, Joe Fox, President of the CDALF, and John Hebda of the Transit Workers Union.
WHAT: Workers Memorial Day Observance and Service
WHEN: Saturday, April 28 2007 at 10 AM
WHERE: James Connolly Memorial, located in Troy’s Riverfront Park

We are looking for volunteers to walk with placards representing the ten workers killed on the job or due to work-related injuries in our region over the last year. Please contact Michele Draves at our office: Michele@cdalf.org or by phone 518.432.8800. [back to top]

05/01 Equality and Justice Day

In 2005 the Executive Council of the National AFL-CIO issued the following statement: “Discrimination based on sexual orientation is inconsistent with the fundamental value of equality; simply put, it is wrong.  In our own movement, we have worked to advance the rights and interests of all our members, regardless of sexual orientation, by negotiating domestic partner benefits, which provide crucial access to health care, family and medical leave, and other benefits for our heterosexual families and seniors as well as lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender families.”

At the Annual meeting of the CDALF, the delegates voted overwhelmingly to support legislative efforts to make marriage equality a reality in New York State. In support of that position, the CDALF and the Troy Area Labor Council are joining with ESPA to rally for equality and justice for ALL workers on May 1st at the East Capitol Park in Albany at 12:15. Click here for a downloadable flier to distribute to your friends and co-workers http://www.cdalf.org/Docs/EqualityDay.doc.  Wear your union colors! [back to top]

05/01 and 05/05 Hudson Mohawk May Day 2007

The Capital District’s ninth annual international workers’ holiday celebration! The celebration of the rights of all workers will be presented by the Hudson Mohawk May Day Committee on Tuesday, May 1 in Troy. Events will include music, speakers, food, children’s activities, a concert and a regional film premier. The public is invited free of charge. www.hudsonmohawkmayday.org 

05/01: Free street festival from 5-9:30 pm, under the tent in South Troy’s Open Marketplace on Hill Street. Entertainers include Maria Zemantauski (flamenco guitar), Barbara Chepaitis (stories for children and adults), and the Solidarity Singers (songs of labor). Speakers include Gene Rodriguez (Capital District Workers Center), Shamshad Ahmad (Albany Muslim Defense Committee); David Kaczynski (New Yorkers Against the Death Penalty); Gerry Zahavi (labor historian); and Michael Barrett (Hudson Mohawk Industrial Gateway). Children’s activities, food vendors, exhibits, literature tables, a film premier at sunset (see below) and free Caribbean & Italian food are also part of the festivities.

05/01: Sunset The regional premier of Sacco & Vanzetti  Peter Miller’s critically acclaimed documentary (March 2007), will be free and open to the public. Howard Zinn, Arlo Guthrie, Studs Terkel, Wynton Marsalis and others offer insights to the period and this miscarriage of American justice. “A wonderful film, as timeless as the struggle for human justice, as relevant as today’s headlines.” -Ken Burns, filmmaker (Civil War, Jazz) Hill Street will be pedestrian-only for the evening, and seating is provided.

05/05: The Eighth Step presents ANNE FEENEY, union maid, activist, hell-raiser & musician, and EVAN GREER, hard-hitting, young activist folksinger, in concert at 8 pm, Saturday, May 5, The Eighth Step @ the Sanctuary [Sanctuary for Independent Media, 3361 6th Ave, Troy].

Co-Sponsors include Troy Area Labor Council, Solidarity Committee of the Capital District, The Eighth Step, Upstate NY IWW, NY Labor History Association, Italian American Association of South Troy, Bethlehem Neighbors for Peace, and the Sanctuary for Independent Media. [back to top]
 

05/02 Albany Central Fed. Legislative Reception

On Wednesday May 2nd the Albany County Central Federation of Labor will host its Annual Legislative Reception at the Albany Labor Temple from 6:30 pm. Light refreshments will be served, so please RSVP by calling Fredda Bain at 518-472-1230 or by emailing freddaatu1321@aol.com. The reception will be held in lieu of the Council’s regular monthly meeting. [back to top]

05/16 NY State Alliance for Retired Americans-Bi Annual Convention

Will be held at NY State United Teachers on May 16th, 9:30 AM registration. Please visit their website at
www.nysara.org or call Fred Nauman  at (518) 783-6231.  Registration must be received by May 6. You can email them for more information at info@nysara.org.  [back to top]

05/17 Transportation National Day of Action

The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) announced it is organizing a Day of Action to be held in Washington, D.C. on May 17, 2007, which the delegates to the CDALF 6th Annual Meeting unanimously endorsed. www.17may07.org

“The Machinists Union urges all individuals and organizations who are fed up with increasing costs of healthcare, the loss of earned pensions, environmental abuses, and exploitation of civil and human rights to join us in Washington, D.C. one year from today when we collectively say ‘Enough is Enough,’” said IAM General Vice President Robert Roach, Jr. Click here for more details. [back to top]

The Capital District Area Labor Federation is the Regional arm of the AFL-CIO, representing 100,000 union families in the eleven county Capital District.

A Publication of the Capital District Area Labor Federation (CDALF), AFL-CIO
Joe Fox, President
Executive Director: Kathleen Scales (Kathleen @ cdalf.org)
Outreach Coordinator: Prairie Wells (prairie @ cdalf.org)
United Way Labor Liaison: Michele Draves (michele @ cdalf.org)
1044 Broadway, Albany NY 12204
518.432.8800 voice // 518.472.1231 fax