Check
out this speech by AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka talking about the
Raising Wages campaign coming to four states (Iowa, Nevada, New
Hampshire and South Carolina) and seven cities (Atlanta, Columbus,
District of Columbia (Metro), St. Louis, Philadelphia, Minneapolis and
San Diego) in the spring:
http://www.aflcio.org/Blog/Economy/AFL-CIO-to-Take-Raising-Wages-Campaign-to-States-and-Cities
With all this talk about "raising wages" there is not a single mention that real living wages means wages in line with actual cost-of-living. These millionaire labor leaders, politicians, appointed bureaucrats and think-tank spokespersons all fear using the term "cost-of-living" in relation to wages. To talk of raising wages without speaking of the relationship between wages and "cost-of-living" which determines "standard-of-living" means nothing.
To speak of workers' rights means nothing unless we begin to talk about putting an end to "At-Will Employment."
Decent jobs mean decent lives--- provided the jobs pay real living wages in relation to cost-of-living.
Once again we get these big blowhards saying working people should not have to receive poverty wages but they refuse to clearly define the line between poverty and living wages. Without comparing wages to "cost-of-living" there is, very conveniently for these big blowhards, no way to define real poverty.
These big blowhards talk about Minimum Wage increases as if these Minimum Wage increases in some twenty states eliminated poverty and provided workers with a decent standard-of-living when just the opposite is true; these Minimum Wage "increases" have assured employers of highly profitable poverty wages for the next decade.
These millionaire labor leaders and politicians talk about "ladders out of poverty" and "staircases to shared prosperity" when there are so many rungs and steps missing that workers can't use the ladders or staircases.
If you live in Iowa, Nevada, New Hampshire and South Carolina or Atlanta, Columbus, District of Columbia (Metro), St. Louis, Philadelphia, Minneapolis, San Diego this is our chance to raise these issues by writing letters to the editor, blogging, distributing leaflets in workplaces and working class communities.
We need to raise these issues in these Summits and beyond:
* That the relationship between wages and cost-of-living is what needs to be the issue.
* That "At-Will Employment" laws and legislation needs to be repealed and rescinded.
* That it will take a fight and struggle by the working class with the full participation of rank-and-file workers and their families to win real wage increases in line with cost-of-living.
* We need to explain how these dirty wars result in a reduced standard-of-living because we are being forced through increased prices and austerity measures to pay for these wars.
* We need to insist that the voices of rank-and-file workers are central to the collective bargaining process.
* We need to insist there be an end to concession contracts.
* We need to insist on full employment legislation which includes making the president and Congress are made responsible for attaining and maintaining full employment.
* Richard Trumka and these millionaire labor leaders pay lip service to the struggle against racism but refuse to insist on the enforcement of Affirmative Action.
* Demand the Trans Pacific Partnership trade deal be stopped.
Take part in these "Summits to Raise Wages" by bringing forward these important facts.
http://www.aflcio.org/Blog/Economy/AFL-CIO-to-Take-Raising-Wages-Campaign-to-States-and-Cities
With all this talk about "raising wages" there is not a single mention that real living wages means wages in line with actual cost-of-living. These millionaire labor leaders, politicians, appointed bureaucrats and think-tank spokespersons all fear using the term "cost-of-living" in relation to wages. To talk of raising wages without speaking of the relationship between wages and "cost-of-living" which determines "standard-of-living" means nothing.
To speak of workers' rights means nothing unless we begin to talk about putting an end to "At-Will Employment."
Decent jobs mean decent lives--- provided the jobs pay real living wages in relation to cost-of-living.
Once again we get these big blowhards saying working people should not have to receive poverty wages but they refuse to clearly define the line between poverty and living wages. Without comparing wages to "cost-of-living" there is, very conveniently for these big blowhards, no way to define real poverty.
These big blowhards talk about Minimum Wage increases as if these Minimum Wage increases in some twenty states eliminated poverty and provided workers with a decent standard-of-living when just the opposite is true; these Minimum Wage "increases" have assured employers of highly profitable poverty wages for the next decade.
These millionaire labor leaders and politicians talk about "ladders out of poverty" and "staircases to shared prosperity" when there are so many rungs and steps missing that workers can't use the ladders or staircases.
If you live in Iowa, Nevada, New Hampshire and South Carolina or Atlanta, Columbus, District of Columbia (Metro), St. Louis, Philadelphia, Minneapolis, San Diego this is our chance to raise these issues by writing letters to the editor, blogging, distributing leaflets in workplaces and working class communities.
We need to raise these issues in these Summits and beyond:
* That the relationship between wages and cost-of-living is what needs to be the issue.
* That "At-Will Employment" laws and legislation needs to be repealed and rescinded.
* That it will take a fight and struggle by the working class with the full participation of rank-and-file workers and their families to win real wage increases in line with cost-of-living.
* We need to explain how these dirty wars result in a reduced standard-of-living because we are being forced through increased prices and austerity measures to pay for these wars.
* We need to insist that the voices of rank-and-file workers are central to the collective bargaining process.
* We need to insist there be an end to concession contracts.
* We need to insist on full employment legislation which includes making the president and Congress are made responsible for attaining and maintaining full employment.
* Richard Trumka and these millionaire labor leaders pay lip service to the struggle against racism but refuse to insist on the enforcement of Affirmative Action.
* Demand the Trans Pacific Partnership trade deal be stopped.
Take part in these "Summits to Raise Wages" by bringing forward these important facts.