Labor

Dave Pavlick took his vacation from his job as a staff representative for the UAW in Cleveland so that he could walk 600 miles across the entire state of Ohio. He stopped at community after community to hold press conferences and talk with regular folks, supporting the Health Care for All Ohioans Act.

What the Republican-controlled federal government couldn’t do with Social Security may have been achieved with pensions, as Congress this month passed the biggest pension law changes in 30 years. The full impact is unclear, but certainly there will be fewer traditional pension plans, more 401(k)-type retirement accounts and a lot of betrayed workers, but companies happy to be able to more easily freeze or terminate pensions.

SAN FRANCISCO — Early on a chill, gray August morning, men seeking casual jobs pulled their jackets closer as they stood in little groups along the Mission District’s Cesar Chavez Street.

One year after Hurricane Katrina, one thing is clear: the term “masters of deceit” could be accurately applied to the Bush administration for its handling of the Gulf Coast reconstruction. Despite the president’s photo-op appearances in the region on Aug. 29, his promises ring hollow when compared to the facts on the ground

“George Bush isn’t on the ballot this November, but his agenda is and the representatives in Congress who have rubber-stamped his priorities are,” AFL-CIO President John Sweeney told reporters at a national press conference Aug. 30.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Over 50 union representatives, ministers, community leaders and local elected officials met here Aug. 9 to begin organizing local support for Unite Here and its Hotel Workers Rising campaign.

RANTOUL, Ill. — Over a hundred people enjoyed culture and community at the 2nd Annual Rantoul Harvest Festival in this central Illinois town, Aug. 6 — a celebration of the town’s diverse population and its migrant farm worker community.

DEARBORN, Mich. — Hundreds of utility workers rallied at their union hall in Dearborn, Mich., Aug. 2 and 3, to protest plans by Michigan utility DTE/Michcon to close more call centers and customer service offices.

“Stop Kroger the ogre” was the chant of nearly 2,000 Teamster members and their supporters, led by International Brotherhood of Teamsters President James Hoffa, at a rally at the Kroger warehouse in Livonia, Mich., Aug. 6.

ST. LOUIS — As part of the nonstop, cross-country “2006 Change Wal-Mart, Change America” tour, over 150 trade unionists, activists and community leaders rallied here Aug. 11. The tour, scheduled to visit 35 cities in 19 states in 35 days, is sponsored by WakeUpWalMart.com and is designed to build awareness and pressure Wal-Mart to become a better corporate citizen