Republicans talk a good game. In fact, Sen. Debbie Stabenow said that she thought President Trump might have borrowed her speeches on the campaign trail in 2016 as he wooed workers who wanted something different out of Washington. “You know what the problem is? You have to do more than talk or have symbols,” Stabenow told delegates at the 2018 UAW Community Action Program (CAP) Conference on Wednesday. “You have to act.” For instance, she said, Trump promised that on Day 1 of his administration, he would address currency manipulation. “It’s Day 382 and it hasn’t happened yet,” Stabenow said. ...
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Photo by Jessie Jesson, UAW Local 686 At present, the stock market is doing well and has been since former President Barack Obama’s economic policies — including the rescue of the domestic auto industry — brought our nation back from the Great Recession. “But what good is that if Americans remain in low-wage jobs, can only work part-time or do not have the benefits they need for their families?” Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts asked delegates at the 2018 UAW Community Action Program (CAP) Conference on Wednesday. She went on to say that that the policies put forth by the ...
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“Our democracy, the rule of law and institutions that we depend on are under attack. Your vigilance and passion are the most important tools we have to fight back — every single one of you here today,” said U.S. Congresswoman Norma J. Torres, who represents California’s 35th Congressional District, speaking before CAP Conference delegates Monday morning. Torres spent 17 years working the 911 center for the Los Angeles Police Department, and as a volunteer shop steward, had a no-loss record representing her coworkers. As a state senator, she played a significant role in making the Affordable Care Act work for ...
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Reconnecting with voters, rebuilding the infrastructure to elect labor friendly candidates, and concentrating on state and local offices are just some of the ways to fight back against the corporate control of our government, according to panelists at the 2018 UAW Community Action Program (CAP) Conference. Pete Buttigieg, mayor of South Bend, Indiana; Scot Ross, executive director of One Wisconsin Now; and Will Hailer, senior advisor to the Democratic National Committee (DNC), participated in a lively discussion on the failures of the 2016 election and some early successes in the last year. Mayor Buttigieg said many voters don’t care about ...
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When Republicans took complete control of the government in 2016, most union members understood that workers would take a hit, but we underestimated just how bad it would be, the UAW’s chief lobbyist told political activists Monday. From attacks on health care, workers’ rights and immigrants to inaction on NAFTA, a lot of awful things are happening in Washington right now, Josh Nassar, the UAW’s legislative director, told delegates at the 2018 UAW Community Action Program (CAP) Conference. “It’s been rough in the last couple of years,” Nassar said during an hour-long presentation designed to educate members about top legislative ...
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“I grew up knowing that if you went to an auto plant you would instantly be in the middle class, because the UAW fought for workers to earn wages that would help them support their families, send their children to college and make a difference in their communities,” Congresswoman Brenda Lawrence told CAP delegates. In an impassioned speech, Lawrence recalled past decades when organized labor paved the way for laws and programs that helped to create economic and social justice for America’s families. She challenged members to remember that “what is done to the least of us affects all us” ...
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If things are going to change for the better in this country, organized labor must have a seat at the table, Congressman Mark Pocan told UAW CAP delegates Monday. That means that UAW members are essential to what can turn things around on issues such as fair trade, immigration and workers’ rights. The burden for change falls on organized labor – the people who have fought, marched and put pressure on elected officials for laws and programs that have kept workers safe on their jobs, kept their communities strong and ensured that there was democracy in the workplace. “We can’t ...
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This week, UAW members will gather in Washington D.C. for the 2018 National Community Action Program (CAP) Conference. Over 1,100 UAW members will attend the four-day conference, which gives members a look at the union’s legislative and political priorities for the coming year. This year’s conference will focus on immigration, international trade, job creation, and tax reform. Members will participate in breakout sessions on current policy issues and will hear from a range of speakers, including elected officials, labor leaders, and political activists. They will also head to Capitol Hill to meet with their members of Congress directly.
(Jackson, Mississippi) – Citing his commitment to worker safety and labor rights, the Mississippi UAW CAP Council has endorsed Chokwe A. Lumumba for mayor of Jackson. “The citizens of Jackson have an opportunity to elect a mayor in Chokwe A. Lumumba who understands that labor rights are civil rights and that raising the wages, health and safety and labor standards of all workers builds the economy of Jackson,” said Ray Curry, director of UAW Region 8. Lumumba has demonstrated support for workers including his participation in the March on Mississippi earlier this year to argue for labor rights at Nissan ...
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