AFL-CIO Blog

  • Service + Solidarity Spotlight: Wyoming AFL-CIO and Affiliates Register New Voters in Cheyenne
    Service + Solidarity Spotlight: Wyoming AFL-CIO and Affiliates Register New Voters in Cheyenne Working people across the United States have stepped up to help out our friends, neighbors and communities during these trying times. In our regular Service + Solidarity Spotlight series, we’ll showcase one of these stories every day. Here’s today’s story. The Wyoming State AFL-CIO held a voter registration drive outside at the Cheyenne Historic Depot Plaza on Oct. 3, as part of Fire Fighters (IAFF) Local 279’s annual chili cook-off, supporting the local’s Fill the Boot campaign in raising funds for the Muscular Dystrophy Association. It was the single best registration drive in Wyoming this year, a place where local races are often won and lost by a handful of votes. Another voter registration drive will be held Oct. 10 at the Electrical Workers (IBEW) hall. State federation Executive Secretary Tammy Johnson (USW) said: “We had a fabulous event with our brothers and sisters from IAFF, IBEW, Laborers (LIUNA), AFGE and the Communications Workers of America (CWA). The Wyoming State AFL-CIO is proud to be part of a giving, vibrant and growing union movement.” Kenneth Quinnell Wed, 10/14/2020 - 09:24 Tags: COVID-19, Community Service — Oct 14
  • Service + Solidarity Spotlight: ‘Drive Thru to Beat the Flu’ Event Hosted by Hawaii State AFL-CIO
    Service + Solidarity Spotlight: ‘Drive Thru to Beat the Flu’ Event Hosted by Hawaii State AFL-CIO Working people across the United States have stepped up to help out our friends, neighbors and communities during these trying times. In our regular Service + Solidarity Spotlight series, we’ll showcase one of these stories every day. Here’s today’s story. The Hawaii State AFL-CIO’s Labor Community Services Program partnered with My Health Solutions in anticipation of an active flu season amidst a global pandemic. To combat the “twindemic” of COVID-19 and influenza, a drive-through flu vaccination clinic called Drive Thru to Beat the Flu was held in Honolulu last Saturday and Sunday. “Our clinic was available to everyone with or without insurance. So many of our people have either been furloughed or have lost their jobs and their health insurance due to COVID-19. We know a healthier community is a way to get people back to work and create more stability in our lives. We intend to take this program to the neighboring islands in November,” said Catherine Lederer (AFSCME), director of the Labor Community Services Program. Some 700 people were vaccinated over the two days. Kenneth Quinnell Tue, 10/13/2020 - 09:44 Tags: COVID-19, Community Service — Oct 13
  • National Hispanic Heritage Month Profiles: Henry L. 'Hank' Lacayo
    National Hispanic Heritage Month Profiles: Henry L. 'Hank' Lacayo CSUCI Throughout National Hispanic Heritage Month, the AFL-CIO will be profiling labor leaders and activists to spotlight the diverse contributions Hispanics and Latinos have made to our movement. Today's profile features Henry L. "Hank" Lacayo. A longtime staple of labor, political and academic circles in California, Henry L. "Hank" Lacayo was a force from his beginnings in the labor movement in the 1950s all the way up to his passing in 2017. He was born in Los Angeles in 1931 but moved to Mexico when he was young. He returned to California for high school. Upon graduating, he joined the Air Force. After his military service ended, Lacayo went to work at North American Aviation (later Rockwell International) in 1953. Within a few years, he not only became involved in UAW Local 887, he quickly rose to a full-time employee of the local and served as editor of its newspaper. UAW President Walter P. Reuther encouraged Lacayo to continue his labor activism, and in 1962, he was elected president of Local 887, a position he held for 10 years. He represented more than 30,000 working people at Rockwell, both as union president and chief national negotiator for UAW-Rockwell contracts. His hard work led to an assistant director position for the UAW Western Region, covering nine states, along with serving as the region's political director. In 1974, he moved to Detroit to work at UAW's national headquarters. He served as an administrative assistant to three UAW presidents and was appointed national director of the political and legislative department and later national director of the public relations and publications departments. He retired from the UAW in 1986 but continued in public life. He created H.L. & Associates, a consulting firm representing clients in labor and management, government, community relations, senior citizen advocacy and international affairs. He actively participated in the California State University Channel Islands (CSUCI) institute that bears his name, the Henry L. "Hank" Lacayo Institute for Workforce & Community Studies. He also advised presidential administrations, from John F. Kennedy to Barack Obama. He devoted time to civic duties, including strengthening the Ventura County Community Foundation and establishing the Destino Hispanic Legacy Fund that provides scholarships and other funding to the Latino community. Lacayo received an honorary doctorate from CSUCI and was inducted into the Pacific Coast Business Times Hall of Fame in 2012. Check out this video tribute to Lacayo: This post originally appeared on the AFL-CIO blog in 2018. Kenneth Quinnell Fri, 10/09/2020 - 11:38 — Oct 9
  • Service + Solidarity Spotlight: FLOC Co-Hosts Black/Brown Unity Coalition Peace Rally
    Service + Solidarity Spotlight: FLOC Co-Hosts Black/Brown Unity Coalition Peace Rally Working people across the United States have stepped up to help out our friends, neighbors and communities during these trying times. In our regular Service + Solidarity Spotlight series, we’ll showcase one of these stories every day. Here’s today’s story. On Saturday, members of the Farm Labor Organizing Committee (FLOC) co-hosted the Black/Brown Unity Coalition peace rally. At the end of 2017, the coalition came together and signed a historic code of conduct agreement with the Toledo Police Department that brought reform to the department and developed a community grievance mechanism. The rally served as a call to action for all members of the community to unite and join the Black/Brown Unity Coalition to implement this agreement citywide. FLOC President Baldemar Velasquez said: “The job of the citizenry and the democratic society is for the people to take control, to reform, to change and to bring some kind of reconciliation to the harmful things in our institutions. But it takes a united front of citizens, of residents, of human beings to compel institutions to change.” Kenneth Quinnell Fri, 10/09/2020 - 09:00 Tags: COVID-19, Community Service — Oct 9
  • Service + Solidarity Spotlight: ILA Secures Contractual Protections for Members Impacted by COVID-19
    Service + Solidarity Spotlight: ILA Secures Contractual Protections for Members Impacted by COVID-19 Working people across the United States have stepped up to help out our friends, neighbors and communities during these trying times. In our regular Service + Solidarity Spotlight series, we’ll showcase one of these stories every day. Here’s today’s story. Thousands of members of the Longshoremen (ILA) are set to benefit from an amendment to the union’s master contract with their employers at the United States Maritime Alliance Ltd. (USMX). ILA International President Harold Daggett told members in a letter sent last week that those covered under the union’s contract will not experience a loss of health care coverage because of any reduction in their 2020 work hours caused by COVID-19. “Your officers are grateful for our USMX partners, who recognized that their ILA workforce became America’s heroic front-line workers during this COVID-19 pandemic, bravely and consistently keeping cargo moving in and out of our nation’s ports,” Daggett wrote to eligible members. “Health care coverage for our ILA workers covered under the national health care plan is an essential part of our ILA-USMX master contract. We are now assured that crucial benefits will continue in contract year 2021.” The new contract year began Oct. 1. Kenneth Quinnell Thu, 10/08/2020 - 10:59 Tags: COVID-19, Community Service — Oct 8

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