By MIKE HALL While rescue operations continue in Moore, Okla., after one of the worst and deadliest tornadoes on record that has claimed more than 50 lives, with the toll expected to climb, relief efforts are being organized. The Oklahoma State AFL-CIO and central labor council community service liaisons are working through the United Way. Relief efforts are in their early stages and the United Way of Centr ...

This past Saturday, UnionCircle.com member, Stewart Acuff spoke at a rally in Chicago, Illinois to commemorate the Republic Steel Memorial Day Massacre of 1937 when 10 striking members of the Steel Workers Organizing Committee (SWOC) were shot down by the Chicago Police Department, because they were on strike for the 8 hour day and the right to organize a union.  Previously, Acuff served as director of orga ...

By KATHERINE DEDYNA Premier Christy Clark campaigned on a strong economy with jobs for British Columbians — but those jobs should be “decent, good-paying jobs,” says Jim Sinclair (left), president of the B.C. Federation of Labour. The track record of the Liberal government that was re-elected last week hasn’t been very good, added the spokesman for 550,000 mostly unionized B.C. workers. “Costs have gone up ...

By JESSICA GLAZER The men began arriving last Wednesday, first a trickle, then dozens. By Friday there were hundreds of them, along with a few women. They set up their tents and mattresses on the sidewalk in Long Island City, Queens, unpacked their Coronas and cards – and settled in to wait as long as five days and nights for a slender chance at a union job as an elevator mechanic. On Monday morning, Local ...

By LEE ROMNEY SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA — It's a trend many public employees can relate to: Health insurance premiums climb year after year, while at the bargaining table workers have agreed to kick in more for pensions, take salary cuts and sign on to furlough days. But when Kaiser Permanente — which insures 45,000 public workers here — proposed another hike for 2014, San Francisco's Health Service System ...

As part of Wayne County Executive Robert Ficano's vision, the ground breaking for the new First Responders Memorial took place May 16.  This new memorial will honor First Responders of fire/EMS and police departments. "This memorial will stand as a permanent tribute to honor and remember the brave men and women whom, while on-duty for a Wayne County community, selflessly made the ultimate sacrifice to prote ...

By ANDREW ROBINSON Talks towards a new collective agreement between Labatt management and striking plant workers in St. John's have broken down. The conciliator told both sides last Monday afternoon that there did not appear to be a point in continuing discussions on a new collective agreement for the time being. The Newfoundland and Labrador Association of Public and Private Employees (NAPE) had recently t ...

By CHRIS SNOWBECK The door to the Minnesota House chamber opens, and Hollee Saville starts shouting: "Vote no! Vote no! Vote no!" The door closes, the shouting subsides from a group of about 20 child care providers and Saville admits she doesn't really like the chant that much. The 34-year-old from St. Michael prefers when opponents of legislation to allow unionization of child care providers sings out: "If ...

By CBC News B.C. teachers and the province return to the bargaining table in just over a week to attempt to hammer out a new contract. The two parties took a break during the provincial election campaign, and the B.C. Teachers’ Federation fully expected to resume negotiations with an NDP government. But instead, they'll return to talks with their old employer following the Liberals' surprise win in the prov ...

By STEPHEN DINAN The Senate’s immigration bill will raise national security risks and the Obama administration will do little more than “rubber-stamp” illegal immigrants into the program, endangering Americans, says the labor union representing the 12,000 employees who will have to approve the applications. Kenneth Palinkas, president of the American Federation of Government Employees Council 119, which rep ...