Labor

SAN FRANCISCO — Desde que el martillo sonó para anunciar la apertura de la 38va Convención Bienal de la Federación Norteamericana de Empleados de Estados, Condados y Municipios una cosa ya estaba clara: el enfoque deesta asamblea sindical iba ser como la gente trabajadora tenía que retomar el país después de ocho años de gobierno por Bush.

SAN FRANCISCO — It was clear from the starting gavel: the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees convention here, July 28-Aug. 1, would be about reclaiming America for working people after eight years of the Bush administration.

Leaders of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) and the Pacific Maritime Association (PMA) announced July 28 that they have reached a preliminary agreement for a new six-year contract, to replace the agreement that expired July 1.

LONG BEACH, Calif.—Legendary, militant union leader Harry Bridges was born July 28, 1901. Yet, more than 100 years later, the city of Long Beach declared July 28, 2008, to be Harry Bridges Day celebrating the man and the contributions of the union he helped found, the International Longshore and Warehouse Union.

OAKLAND, Calif. — If a broad coalition of labor and community activists, health advocates and environmentalists has its way, pollution from ports around the country will be cut drastically in coming years, while at the same time, a group of port workers wrongly called “independent contractors” will gain a living wage and benefits.

You knew something special was happening when the youngest, freshest face in the room got up, took charge and called the meeting to order — “Hello, I’m Scout Sanders, and welcome to the first meeting of Aliquippa for Obama!”

State workers are reacting with outrage to reports July 23 that Republican Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger plans to sign an executive order on July 28, temporarily cutting pay for over 200,000 state employees to the federal minimum wage, $6.55 per hour. The order, effective with the August pay period, would last until a budget is signed. Workers would then be paid their full back salaries. The governor’s office would neither confirm nor deny the reports.

AFL-CIO Secretary Treasurer Richard Trumka speaks at the Steelworkers convention in early July about racism and the 2008 elections.

In an unlikely team-up, impartial investigators from the Government Accountability Office joined a low-income workers’ advocate at congressional hearings July 15 to tell lawmakers that President Bush’s Labor Department has failed to enforce minimum wage and overtime laws and that low-wage workers are routinely being robbed of their earnings.

OAKLAND, Calif. — Thousands of service workers returned to their jobs on University of California campuses July 21, after a week-long strike to protest the university’s stonewalling of their demands for fair compensation in contract negotiations dragging on since last year.