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April 24, 2009
When Somali pirates attacked an American cargo ship recently, the ship's crew fended them off. How?
It's simple: our country's seamen are unionized. They've received top-quality training. They know how to protect themselves and each other.
Yet every single day, the basic right of workers to join a union is threatened.
See one crewmember explain how union training saved lives – then share this video with Congress. Show them just one reason we need unions.
Video: Crew of the Maersk Alabama on the TODAY show
As John Cronan, Third Engineer of Maersk Alabama, says:
"We are American seamen. We are union members. We stuck together, we did our jobs. And that's how we did it."
The Employee Free Choice Act would help more workers in America join unions. And as John makes clear, that's not just important for our economy – it's critical to protecting the lives of workers through on-the-job training.
But greedy CEOs and anti-union groups are spreading lies and mounting a huge effort to defeat the bill. That's why we need your help.
Remind Congress that saving unions is about saving lives. Watch the video and share it with lawmakers.
Already, we're on the ground with a massive grassroots effort in support of the bill. The message is clear: When we protect unions, we protect Americans.
Don't let corporate lobbyists overshadow John's message. Don't let middle class Americans continue to bear the burden of soaring health care costs and home foreclosures. Spread the word TODAY.
Thank you for your continued action and support,
Sincerely,
Liz Cattaneo
American Rights at Work
www.AmericanRightsatWork.org |
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Feb. 23, 2009
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An online poll in America's most widely-read magazine asks:
Does America still need labor unions?
Vote YES today |
Can you take a minute to stand up for workers?
This Sunday's PARADE
Magazine promotes an online poll asking: "Does America still need labor unions?"
Please VOTE YES right now and pass this along to your friends and family.
I think you'd agree that it's a pretty absurd question from PARADE. With the gap between the rich and the poor wider than it's been since 1928, and with working families bearing the brunt of the economic downturn, it's clear we need unions more than ever.
That's why we're fighting so hard for the Employee Free Choice Act. Workers deserve to be able to negotiate for better wages and benefits, but the deck is stacked against them.
Chances are good you saw the poll in yesterday's paper too. PARADE calls itself America's most widely-read magazine, reaching more than 70 million readers. Please be sure your voice gets heard in this poll! Tell PARADE America needs unions!
And with anti-union special interests waging a well-funded campaign of misinformation about the Employee Free Choice Act, you can be sure our opponents will be sending this poll around.
Let's make sure they don't skew the results. Vote YES today – America still needs unions!
Thanks so much – and don't forget to pass this along to everyone you know!
Sincerely,
Liz Cattaneo
American Rights at Work
www.AmericanRightsatWork.org |
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Oct. 3, 2008
When it comes to respecting workers, America's favorite TV show is way off-key.
American Idol brings in $200 million in profits annually. But some of the people who help produce it are taking home as little as $4.50 an hour. That's below minimum wage.
What's more, some report working 15-20 hours a day, seven days a week – even going without overtime pay and breaks for rest or meals.
American Idol won't respect basic workers' rights protected by law.
Tell American Idol it's time to change their tune – and give workers what the law requires.
Justin Buckles worked for FremantleMedia, the company that produces American Idol:
"When I was hired I was told to expect to work 12 hour days. What I wasn't told was that it would actually be 15 to 20 hour days, many times working 7 days a week."
When Justin calculated all the hours he worked, his hourly rate was less than $4.50 an hour. And when he mentioned a raise:
"I was threatened with losing my job, told that I was replaceable, and that I'd be blacklisted from working on any other show if I spoke out."
Justin doesn't stand alone – a group of employees recently said they are owed more than $250,000 in overtime pay. Health coverage is a pipe dream. Writers and some production staff aren't protected by a union, as they are on other shows.
These aren't isolated incidents. They're part of a pattern at the massively popular TV shows produced by Fremantle, which is now under investigation for these abuses. Again and again, workers have been denied basic benefits that are standard in the industry thanks to unions – minimum compensation, health insurance, and retirement packages.
Please contact American Idol and tell them it's time to start singing a different tune!
After you send your message, please ask your friends and family to do the same.
$200 million in profits isn't chump change. American Idol can clearly afford to treat its workers better. It doesn't have to be this way.
Thank you for taking action on behalf of these workers!
Sincerely,
Liz Cattaneo
American Rights at Work
www.AmericanRightsatWork.org |
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Sept. 12, 2008
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Check out this video! Join us on September 27th and help bring green jobs to the USA
Watch the Video |
America needs a new economy — one where millions of good, union, green-collar jobs revive our middle class and solve the climate challenge in the
process.
Our next President and Congress will have a lot to say about when – and whether – we get that new economy.
That's why, on September 27th, people across the country are coming together for a national day of action for Green Jobs Now. We're talking house parties, street fairs, backyard BBQs, you name it – all to tell our leaders it's time to invest in the economy of the future.
Check out this quick video to learn more – then sign up to host or attend a Green Jobs event near you!
So what's a green-collar job, exactly? Most people have never heard of Gamesa USA, but they're showing how it's done. Gamesa, a successful wind turbine manufacturer, treats its workers as valuable partners – they're protecting the environment and creating the good, union, green-collar jobs of the future. Jobs that can lift people out of poverty. And they're not alone.
American Rights at Work is joining with the nation’s leading environmental organizations for this day of action on the 27th. Our government needs to know Americans are ready for this new economy, so we'll be taking pictures at the events to send to Congress and the President.
Want to learn more? This cute, quick video will explain it all:
http://events.greenjobsnow.com/partners/americanrights
Whether you're getting a few friends together or attending giant rally, you can keep the pressure on our leaders to build a new, clean economy that begins to heal the planet and ensures prosperity for all.
We all know the problems. Let's be part of the solution — together.
Sincerely,
Liz Cattaneo
PS. Not sure what to plan? Check out some of the events already being organized, and get answers to questions: http://www.greenjobsnow.com/hq
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September 1
Happy Labor Day!
We just launched a brand new TV ad that shows just how out-of-whack our economy has become – and how the Employee Free Choice Act will restore the balance.
We're releasing these ads as part of a big new effort to boost the Employee Free Choice Act for Labor Day. Watch our new ad – and if you like it, pitch in to help more people see it on TV!
Last week, we made the Employee Free Choice Act a central issue at the Democratic National Convention. Now we're taking our message to the people whose livelihoods are at stake in this crumbling economy.
As workers' paychecks shrink and they struggle to make ends meet, CEOs average $6,153 an hour and reward themselves with lavish bonuses and golden parachutes. Now some CEOs are funding phony front groups with a slick smear campaign of deceptive ads.
That's why today, the day we celebrate America's workers, we're fighting ack.
We may not have the deep pockets of our opponents, but we have something much more
powerful – the support of thousands of people like you.
Watch the ad and help us get it on the air. Every little bit helps.
Together we can win this fight and help level the playing field for working families before next Labor Day rolls around.
Enjoy the holiday, and thanks so much for your support.
Sincerely,
Liz Cattaneo
American Rights at Work
www.FreeChoiceAct.org |
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July 15
Can you imagine a CEO agreeing to work without a contract guaranteeing pay and benefits?
It would never happen. But when employers prevent a union from forming, that's exactly what they're making employees do: work without a contract.
All workers - not just CEOs - deserve fair wages, decent benefits, and safe working conditions - but without a contract, many will never get them. That's why we need the Employee Free Choice Act.
The One Million Strong campaign is picking up speed. 300,000 people have already signed our petition, but we can’t reach one million without you.
SIGN NOW and tell Congress it's time for a change!
And don’t forget to upload a picture for our photo wall!
Passing the Employee Free Choice Act will make it easier for millions of workers to negotiate a contract and have a good union job.
Why is that so important? Unions have always been the bedrock of America’s middle class. With hardworking families feeling the squeeze from economic policies that bail out billionaires but abandon workers, it’s time to level the playing field.
And here's one more reason why people who already have a union job should fight for this bill: the more people in unions, the better it gets for ALL of us. A strong union workforce means higher wages, better benefits, and improved living standards for everyone.
Need proof? Think about the eight-hour day, maternity leave, employer-sponsored health plans...Unions fought for these rights, and they became the standard for all of us. Now its time for us all to join together to demand a fair deal for workers again.
Help us get to one million signatures. Sign now.
Thanks so much for being part of this effort,
Liz Cattaneo
American Rights at Work
www.AmericanRightsatWork.org
P.S. Be sure to upload a picture to accompany your signature. We’ll forward it along to members of Congress. If they want to oppose your interests, they’ll have to look you in the face while doing it. |
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June 19
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It's all about strength in numbers:
A million voices for the Employee Free Choice Act... and millions more workers joining unions and raising living standards for all of us.
Sign the petition!
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Who’s losing out in this sputtering economy?
Not corporate CEOs. Too many of them have made sure to secure a golden parachute for themselves while workers face soaring healthcare costs, foreclosures, and an uncertain future.
The Employee Free Choice Act would help level the playing field and get our economy back on track. That's why we've launched a huge campaign to get one million people to support this bill and tell Congress it’s time for change!
Sign the petition - we're already at 20,695 signatures and we think we can reach 30,000 by Monday! We need you to be one of them.
The Employee Free Choice Act would give more workers the chance to negotiate for better benefits, wages, and working conditions by forming unions.
And that will help all of us. There's strength in numbers, and as we build our collective muscle, we can raise living standards, improve health care, and stop corporate America's race to the bottom.
But some CEOs try to stop unions, preventing their workers from negotiating a contract. In fact, 30% of corporations fire pro-union workers during union organizing drives.1 Of course, no CEO would agree to work without a contract. So why can’t their workers have the same rights?
It’s time to bring back some fairness. That's why we need one million voices supporting the Employee Free Choice Act. But a million people is a LOT of people. We won't reach our goal without YOUR friends and family.
Do you support this bill? Take one minute to sign our petition. Upload a photo while you're at it!
Anti-union groups are mounting a campaign to fight this bill. We can’t match our opponents dollar-for-dollar, but we can prevail if enough people rally to this important cause.
The economy should work for all of us, not just the privileged few. We can get there with your help.
Sincerely,
Liz Cattaneo
American Rights at Work
www.AmericanRightsatWork.org
P.S. To learn more about the Employee Free Choice Act, click here.
1 Chirag Mehta and Nik Theodore, Undermining the Right to Organize: Employer Behavior During Union Representation Campaigns, Center for Urban Economic Development, University of Illinois at Chicago, Dec. 2005. |
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June 12, 2008
A robust middle class. Economic growth and shared prosperity. The American Dream. None are possible without good union jobs that protect workers.
That's why we need the Employee Free Choice Act – critical legislation that would give more workers a way to form unions and negotiate for better wages, health care, and working conditions.
We're teaming up with hundreds of groups and unions to launch a massive campaign: One Million Strong for the Employee Free Choice Act.
We're going to show the new President and Congress that there are one million people who want to give hardworking families a chance to get ahead. Can you be one of the first?
Click here to sign the petition for the Employee Free Choice Act.
Why is this bill so important? It's plain as day: workers are struggling in this country.
Today's workplaces are tilted in favor of lavishly-paid CEOs, who get golden parachutes while middle-class families struggle to get by. The Employee Free Choice Act can restore the balance, giving more workers a chance to form unions and get better health care, job security, and benefits – and an opportunity to pursue their dreams.
Corporate interests are fighting the Employee Free Choice Act with everything they've got. They're protecting the status quo – a rigged system which allows employers to intimidate, harass, and even fire workers who try to form a union. We're not talking about isolated incidents: 30 percent of employers fire pro-union workers during union organizing drives.1
It's time our economy worked for everyone again. It's time for Congress to pass the Employee Free Choice Act.
Sign your name to the petition and add your voice to this growing movement. Help us meet our goal of one million signatures!
When you sign, be sure to upload your picture, too. We'll share it with lawmakers so they can see the faces of everyone who cares about this issue.
Together, we can change the law, change the economy, and change our futures for the better.
Sincerely,
Liz Cattaneo
American Rights at Work
www.AmericanRightsatWork.org
P.S. For more information about the Employee Free Choice Act, click here to find out about our campaign.
1Chirag Mehta and Nik Theodore, Undermining the Right to Organize: Employer Behavior During Union Representation Campaigns, Center for Urban Economic Development, University of Illinois at Chicago, Dec. 2005. |
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May 1, 2008
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We want to hear from you!
Let us know what gets you going!
Usually when I write these messages, I'm asking you to speak out against someone who's abusing workers' rights. But today, I'm asking you to speak your mind to us. |
Over the last several months, you've helped us make a real difference for workers - from bringing Elaine Chao's anti-union record to light, to pressuring Burger King to give farmworkers a fair deal, to fighting against a disastrous trade pact with Colombia. But as we plan our work for the coming months, we want to hear more about you and your interests. Click here to take our short online survey - tell us what matters to YOU!
The survey will only take a few minutes to fill out, and your comments will be essential to our continued success.
What do you think are the most important issues facing workers today? How can we work together to address them?
Let us know your thoughts: click here now to fill out our online survey.
We know your time is precious, and we appreciate you taking a few minutes to let us know more about yourself, your priorities, and your interests.
Thank you so much for your support. We're looking forward to hearing from you!
Sincerely,
Liz Cattaneo
American Rights at Work
www.americanrightsatwork.org
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February 21, 2008
President Bush has appointed some real scoundrels over the years, but Elaine Chao has to be one of the worst.
As Secretary of Labor, she's done horrible damage to workers' rights – everything from slashing worker safety programs to jeopardizing overtime pay for 8 million workers.
With 11 months left in office, the worst could be yet to come. That's why we need YOU to let Elaine know you're watching her and tell her to clean up her act.
Send your letter now!
We've spent months researching Chao's deplorable conduct, and we're unleashing a major campaign to turn up the public pressure. Why now? Because the policies she could try to push through as she leaves would take years to undo – even in a new administration. Already she's:
- Impeded the investigation of mine safety failures after the deadly Crandall Mine cave-in; 1
- Allowed companies to avoid buying safety gear – contributing to 400,000 workers injured and 50 dead; 2
- Fast-tracked anti-union lawyers, executives, and shady lobbyists to positions of power, including one who wrote a report titled "How to close down the Department of Labor;" 3 and
- Used taxpayers' dollars to order fake gold souvenir coins with her face on them. 4 I'm not
kidding.
To make sure Elaine knows America is watching, we want to collect 15,000 letters from people like you, and we'll personally hand-deliver them to her office.
Tell Elaine Chao that she needs to start protecting workers!
The more you learn, the clearer it becomes: the agency that's supposed to protect workers is screwing them over and over again. That's why we need you – and 14,999 other activists like you – to send a loud and clear message to Chao. She will not get away with undermining the rights of workers as she tries to leave her mark at the Department of Labor.
Click here to let Chao know you are watching – she WILL be held accountable.
When you're done, please forward this message to friends and family! Let them know what's going on at the agency that's supposed to protect workers.
Thank you so much. I'll keep you posted as our campaign progresses.
Sincerely,
Liz Cattaneo
American Rights at Work
www.americanrightsatwork.org
P.S. Our campaign to save the Department of Labor is funded by YOU! Make a
donation right now to support our efforts.
1 http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/10/06/AR2007100601373.html
2 http://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/04/us/04labor.html?_r=1&oref=slogin
3 http://www.kentucky.com/233/story/11062.html
4 http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A7682-2005Apr21.html |
Visit the web address below to tell your friends about American Rights at Work.
 Tell-a-friend!
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