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Federation, unions mobilizing for Human Rights Week (12/1)

The AFL-CIO has issued the following news release concerning the upcoming International Human Rights Week. Working People to Mobilize as Never Before To Defend Workers’ Freedom to Form Unions During International Human Rights Week, Over 100 Actions Worldwide Touching off a major new push for workers’ rights, union members, community activists, religious leaders and others will gather for more than 100 actions worldwide during the week leading up to International Human Rights Day, December 10. From Albuquerque to Orlando, from Kuwait to Bosnia, groups will point to workers’ right to improve their lives through a union as a human right included in the UN Declaration of Human Rights, and call on employers and lawmakers to save the middle class by restoring the freedom of workers to form unions and win a union contract. “In an age of McJobs and super-sized pink slips, workers need a voice on the job more than ever,” said AFL-CIO President John Sweeney. “Unions are the key to this nation’s middle class, yet the right to come together in a union is a fundamental freedom that has been eroded beyond recognition. This December, workers and their communities are beginning a big new effort to take back working families’ best shot at the American Dream.” More than half of America’s workers say they’d join a union tomorrow if given the chance, according to 2005 data from nationally respected Peter D. Hart Research Associates. But too few ever get that chance because employers routinely violate workers’ freedom to form unions. What happens when employer intimidation is removed? Look at Cingular Wireless, where more than 11,000 former AT&T Wireless workers have signed up to be part of the Communications Workers of America since July after Cingular agreed to honor the workers’ wishes to have a union without a fight. Many of the same workers were unable to win a union when they worked for AT&T Wireless, which harshly opposed the workers’ efforts. Human Rights Watch has red flagged workers’ freedom to form unions as a human rights issue. Nearly all private-sector employers today fight their workers’ efforts to form unions, according to research by Kate Bronfenbrenner of Cornell University. A quarter illegally fire workers who stand up for a union. Forty-five percent of workers who win a union election still don’t have a union contract two years later because employers drag their feet. Community, civil rights and elected leaders are joining workers to demand that employers honor their freedom to form unions, understanding that union jobs are good jobs, and good jobs mean strong communities. “Workers’ rights to join a union and bargain collectively are basic human rights. Yet every 23 minutes American workers are punished by corporate employers and the federal government for exercising their workplace rights,” said Julian Bond, Chairman of the Board of the NAACP in a recorded public service announcement. “These ongoing workplace human rights violations are the major reasons why so many workers are denied good jobs, good wages and good health care benefits.” For more information on International Human Rights Day 2005 and the union movement’s fight for workers’ rights, please visit www.aflcio.org. Below is a partial listing of cities which are planning to host an action to defend workers’ freedom to form unions during the week of December 10: AZ -- Phoenix CA -- Concord, Los Angeles, Oakland, Sacramento CO -- Denver DC -- Washington FL -- Jacksonville, Miami, Orlando IA -- Mason City, Waterloo IL -- Chicago, Quad Cities IN -- Bloomington, Evansville, Indianapolis, South Bend KY -- Louisville, Madisonville LA -- Shreveport MA -- Boston ME -- Brewer MN -- Duluth, Minneapolis / St. Paul, Rochester MO -- St. Louis, Cape Giradeau, West Plains MS -- Jackson NJ -- Orange NM -- Albuquerque NY -- Albany, Long Island, New York City, Rochester OH -- Columbus, Dayton OK -- Tulsa OR -- Eugene, Portland PA -- Beaver Falls, Erie, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Reading TN -- Nashville TX -- Austin, Houston, San Antonio VT -- Burlington WA -- Seattle, Tacoma WI -- Green Bay, Madison, Milwaukee International events include those in: Bahrain, Bosnia, Cambodia, Canada, Haiti, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Kuwait, Mexico, Nigeria, South Africa, Thailand ###