Working Life

So, first thoughts as I chug some hot liquid after a brutal late night at the tables. Today, there is an early morning meeting of Working America , a membership organization for non-union workers and retirees (the project has its supporters and detractors but is worth considered discussion—I’ll do that down the road). We’ll see […]

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Here’s a run-down of the press conference held just a little while ago. The scene was the Al Dente restaurant just off the main casino area. Double long tables covered with linen table clothes sat in the center of the room. Sitting at the head of the table were UFCW president Joe Hansen (UFCW) and […]

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Yup, the “rebels” press conference is scheduled for less than one hour from now–1:30 Vegas local time. I’ll post as much of the content as possible as fast as possible. Saw Andy Stern (SEIU) and Bruce Raynor (UNITE-HERE) breaking bread this morning with UAW president Ron Gettlefinger at the Bally’s hotel Sidewalk Cafe. Interesting because […]

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The general presidents of the “rebel” caucus met last night. There apparently will be a press briefing today with them. I’ll report in with the full details for people as soon as it’s over–if it happens. Meanwhile, here’s the New York Times’ Steve Greenhouse’s piece from today: Labor Chief and Critics Quarrel AnewBy STEVEN GREENHOUSE […]

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It’s 4:30 and there’s about to be a sit-down between John Sweeney and Jim Hoffa. Sweeney will try to sway Hoffa but I don’t think Hoffa will bite. I don’t think Sweeney really understands the depth of frustration with the bureaucracy at 16th Street. Take the Firefighters—they are not part of the rebels but if […]

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It could be over already—at least as far as this meeting is concerned. Anyone looking for a radical change in the way the AFL-CIO operates is in for some disappointment. As of 3 p.m. Tuesday, it appears that the “rebels” (Teamsters, SEIU, UNITE-HERE, Laborers and UFCW) do not have the votes to push through the […]

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A breakfast conversation with the ubiquitous “senior labor official.”: We have pursued a political electoral strategy to address our organizing deficiencies. We were digging a hole with a shovel and now we’re pursuing a course of let’s get a bigger shovel. In 1995, we had a window, people weren’t against union so we spent a […]

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The sun has just risen here in Vegas as the first official day of the AFL-CIO meeting begins. But, there has already been a massive amount of behind-the-scenes meetings. All day yesterday, there were a series of official meetings but what was far more interesting were the unofficial meetings. If you remember, the New Unity […]

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We’re less than 24 hours away from the opening of the AFL-CIO Executive Council meeting in Las Vegas. Over the weekend, aside from brushing up on my blackjack and craps knowledge, I finished a Tom Paine column on what to watch for at the meeting to determine whether anything substantive is going to change. After […]

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In Canada, it’s a different story when it comes to trying to form a union–at least workers have some belief that the law might stand by them. On Friday, the labor board in Quebec told Wal-Mart it had to stop initimating workers who were trying to organize a store in a suburb of Quebec. Of […]

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