I believe that what has started in Wisconsin, and is spreading to other states, particularly Ohio and Indiana, is a real sea change in American politics...IF we come together and fight back as a united front. And New Yorkers can and should be at the forefront of this labor fight...as we have been at the forefront all along (see below). Plus we have to counter the bad image the Koch brothers are giving NYC.

Doing the bidding of the Koch Brothers, the NYC Billionaires, the Teabagger Republicans in Wisconsin, Ohio and Indiana are trying to destroy the unions that brought us the 40 hour work week, overtime pay, child labor laws...the WEEKEND! Now the governor of Indiana saw which way the wind was blowing and backed off a bit, but these three states are currently the main battle ground between the pro-Billionaire Teabagger Republicans and regular working class Americans. And we have to win in these three states BIG time to slap down the right wing attack on our firefighters, cops, teachers and nurses.

The Republicans have bitten off more than they can chew. The American public, who basically prefer unions, firefighters, police, teachers and nurses better than billionaires, are not happy at all at the right wing attack on unions. In fact, the American public is telling the Teabaggers and their Billionaire Masters:

(image borrowed from this site)

We're angry and we are NOT going to take it anymore...  read more »

Awhile back I wrote about the Stella d'Oro strike (after I learned about it from Democracy for NYC) where nearly 140 workers spend 11 months on strike after a hedge fund took over the factory and tried to force 26% pay cuts on the workers. You can read some background to the strike in this earlier article. The strike has now ended after the National Labor Relations Board ruled in favor of the workers when the parent company, Brynwood Partners, refused to disclose financial information supporting their claim that the Stella d'Oro factory was not making a profit. That's the good news for union supporters.

From Democracy Now:  read more »

No Sweat Apparel is a company I have plugged before and which I purchase clothes from. I have shoes, flip flops, shirts and pants from them. Their products are all fair trade and/or union made. Most of their stuff is good quality (though occasionally shoes wear out fast) and their flip flops are really cool, designed by Indonesian children with some of the proceeds going to fund the education of that child. All in all, a good company with cool products that are fair to workers.

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A strike is coming.

I can smell it in the air.

And anyway, a little birdie told me about it.

Stay tuned.

Mark your calendars: tonight at 7pm is the next step toward bringing New York City's home child care providers into the same union as New York City's public school teachers.

For many New York City families, their child's first teacher is one of the 28,000 home child care providers caring for kids today. Home child care providers take care of kids from low-income families in pre-school and after-school settings, helping them with reading and learning colors and numbers.

But home child care providers aren't protected by a union. Their average salary is $19,000 a year in New York City with no pension, no health insurance and no paid sick days. That makes home child care providers among the lowest-paid workers in the region. Something needs to be done to make sure they get the respect and wages they deserve.

You can help. The UFT, which represents New York City teachers, is launching the largest organizing drive New York has seen in decades to unionize home child care providers. We're holding a kickoff rally tonight and we want to fill the room with 500 supporters. Can you come?

When: Tuesday, August 28th, at 7pm  read more »