In This Issue:
- Happy Labor Day! ‘The Way They Worked’ Campaign
- NEW! DPE Report on the Future of Professional Work and Workers
- The Changing Working Environment for Professional and Technical Workers
- American Library Association Convenes, DPE Contributes
- DPE Joins Twitter and Facebook
- DPE Submits Comments to the USCIS On Proposed H-4 Rule Change
- DPE Attends AFM Coalition Meeting With DOT and Airline Industry Representatives
- DPE Attends “Overtime Listening Session” with DOL Secretary Tom Perez
- Unions Compose New Ending to Opera Lockout Threat
- ‘I Am AFGE’ Initiative
- AFGE ‘Social Security Works’ Campaign
- IFPTE Adds to NASA Unit
- SAG-AFTRA Reaches Contract with the AMPTP
- WGAE Organizes Reality TV Writers-Producers
- DPE Signs On
HAPPY LABOR DAY! ‘THE WAY THEY WORKED’ CAMPAIGN – To jointly celebrate Labor Day and Grandparents Day, DPE affiliates the National Football League Players Association and Writers Guild of America, East are in a partnership with the AFL-CIO, Jobs With Justice and Caring Across Generations to encourage members to share their story of the work their grandparents did and how it shaped who they are today. Jobs With Justice is inviting people of all generations to share stories directly through the www.TheWayTheyWorked.org website or on social media with the hashtag #TheWayTheyWorked through Sunday, September 7, which is Grandparents Day.
NEW! DPE REPORT ON THE FUTURE OF PROFESSIONAL WORK AND WORKERS – Professional and technical work is increasingly temporary, automated, offshored, and privatized. Consequently, professionals more often work in contingent employment arrangements, attain higher education, and increasingly come from abroad. While changes to professional work increase employer profits and efficiency, many professionals struggle to earn what they are worth and have a sane work schedule.
The report is an examination of how the professional and technical workforce changed from 2004 to 2013. The report also looks at how professional work is changing, including technology changes, offshoring, and privatization. Next, the report examines how the professional workforce has changed, including increases in contingent workers, adjunct faculty, temporary workers, racial and ethnic shifts, and immigration changes. Finally, the report addresses how professional and technical workers and their allied organizations are confronting the changes.
To read the full report, go here. For more information contact DPE Research Director Jennifer Dorning, jdorning@dpeaflcio.org or 202-638-0320 ext. 114.
THE CHANGING WORKING ENVIRONMENT FOR PROFESSIONAL AND TECHNICAL WORKERS – The newly published DPE report, The Future of Work and Workers in Professional and Technical Occupations, will be the basis for DPE hosting a series that will begin this fall that will assess job projections; study the changing demographics of the workforce; assess how evolving technologies are affecting the work affiliates represent; analyze professional development programs for union members; evaluate how precarious work, privatization, freelancers, outsourcing, offshoring, visas, legislation and even collusion by employers impact the work and workers; and seek to create a worker center model for professional and technical workers that would could also lead to more representation of professional and technical workers.
For more information, contact DPE Assistant to the President Eric Geist, egeist@dpeaflcio.org or (202) 638-0320 ext. 119.
AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION CONVENES, DPE CONTRIBUTES – Over 20,000 library workers and advocates flocked to Las Vegas, NV, on June 26-July 1, 2014 for the American Library Association (ALA) Annual Conference and Exhibition. DPE made numerous contributions.
DPE works directly with ALA and its companion organization, the American Library Association-Allied Professional Association (ALA-APA); the latter focuses on two areas: certification, and salaries and status of library workers. Since 2005, DPE has also co-chaired the AFL-CIO/ALA Joint Committee on Library Service to Labor Groups. Labor members of the committee include Jannie Cobb; Justin Crossfox, AFT; Julius Jefferson, Jr., IFPTE; Lisa Lum Jorgensen; and Jessica Storrs, AFSCME.
Each year, the AFL-CIO/ALA Joint Committee develops and organizes a program for the annual conference. The program this y
ear, “Labor Solidarity in a ‘Right-to-Work’ State,” featured James P. Kraft, Professor of History at the University of Hawai’i at Manoa and Danny L. Thompson, Executive Secretary Treasurer at the Nevada AFL-CIO. The program drew 33 ALA members.
Professor Kraft, author of Vegas at Odds: Labor Conflict in a Leisure Economy, 1960-1985, discussed the changing fortunes of organized and unorganized labor as Las Vegas evolved from a small, somewhat seedy desert oasis into the glitzy tourist destination that it is today.
Mr. Thompson shared how strong cooperation among Nevada’s unions as well as excellent leadership at the local level has helped Nevada maintain above average union density. Mr. Thompson also stressed the importance of linking organizing to politics in Nevada.
The Committee’s booth in the Exposition Hall featured labor materials, including DPE fact sheets, pro-labor badge ribbons, resource guides and pens from RWDSU, and a poster illustrating the union difference for library worker salaries.
The 2014 John Sessions Memorial Award, named in honor of a former AFL-CIO Education Director and co-chair of the AFL-CIO/ALA Joint Committee on Library Service to Labor Groups, was presented to the Toledo-Lucas County Public Library for its Rogowski-Kaptur Labor History Room, which includes local and national labor history materials. This honor, presented annually by the Reference and User Services Association and supported by a donation from DPE, recognizes a library or library system that made a significant effort to work with the labor community and brought recognition to the contribution of the labor movement to the development of the United States.
Library workers are represented by several DPE affiliates including AFGE, AFT, IFPTE, OPEIU, RWDSU, and USW.
For information about ALA and the Annual Meeting, see www.ala.org. For more about library workers, read the DPE Fact Sheet on library workers. For information about the meetings of the AFL-CIO/ALA Joint Committee or the ALA-APA Committee on the Salaries and Status of Library Workers, or to learn more about the involvement of DPE, contact DPE Research Director Jennifer Dorning, jdorning@dpeaflcio.org or 202-638-0320 ext. 114.
DPE JOINS TWITTER AND FACEBOOK – Follow DPE’s Twitter feed @dpeaflcio (use the hashtag #dpeaflcio) and ✓Like our Facebook page.
DPE SUBMITS COMMENTS TO THE USCIS ON PROPOSED H-4 RULE CHANGE – On July 10, DPE President Paul E. Almeida filed comments on an H-4 rule proposed by the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).
For more information, contact DPE President Paul E. Almeida, palmeida@aflcio.org (202) 638-0320.
DPE ATTENDS AFM COALITION MEETING WITH DOT AND AIRLINE INDUSTRY REPRESENTATIVES – On July 9, DPE Assistant to the President Eric Geist attended a meeting with Secretary Fox at the Department of Transportation (DOT) with a coalition that includes the American Federation of Musicians and representatives of the Airline Industry to eliminate unnecessary problems for musicians carrying instruments when traveling. There were many ideas presented to DOT and the airline representatives and a future meeting will be scheduled.
DPE ATTENDS “OVERTIME LISTENING SESSION” WITH DOL SECRETARY TOM PEREZ – On July 11, DPE Assistant to the President Eric Geist, along with representatives from unions and other organizations were invited to meet with Department of Labor Secretary Tom Perez to hear how overtime pay and eligibility rules could be changed. Currently, workers who make more than $455 per week are exempt from overtime pay as are many white-collar professions.
For more information, contact DPE Assistant to the President Eric Geist, egeist@dpeaflcio.org or (202) 638-0320 ext. 119.
UNIONS COMPOSE NEW ENDING TO OPERA LOCKOUT THREAT – With an assist from the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service, the American Federation of Musicians (300 members), the American Guild of Musical Artists (850), the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, Moving Picture Technicians, Artists and Allied Crafts (800) and other unions worked past the lockout date set by the Metropolitan Opera to reach agreements for 16 contracts. At the request of President Almeida, President Trumka announced at the AFL-CIO Executive Board meeting on July 31 that the Federation was prepared to support the union professionals at the Met.
‘I AM AFGE’ INITIATIVE – The American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) is kicking off a year-long campaign to increase public awareness of the women and men who work to keep America great. AFGE members care for veterans, defend the border and keep food safe to eat. Watch AFGE members tell their stories.
AFGE ‘SOCIAL SECURITY WORKS’ CAMPAIGN – The Social Security Administration has already closed 80 offices and 500 contact stations and they are expected to close more. The American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) is working with Social Security Works, whose mission is to protect and improve the economic security of disadvantaged and at-risk populations; safeguard the economic security of those dependent, now or in the future, on Social Security; and maintain social security as a vehicle of social justice, on fighting the cuts. Spread the word and sign the petition, which is approaching 150,000 signatures. See AFGE’s campaign for its members here.
IFPTE ADDS TO NASA UNIT – In an election victory, the International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers added 340 professional support specialists to its group of more than 200 Engineers and Scientists at the NASA Headquarters Professional Association (NHPA).
SAG-AFTRA REACHES CONTRACT WITH THE AMPTP – A three-year contract for movie, primetime and basic cable TV production was approved by SAG – AFTRA members with 92% voting in favor of the agreement.
WGAE ORGANIZES REALITY TV WRITERS-PRODUCERS – Original Media TV writers-producers voted 42 – 9 to be represented by the Writers Guild of America, East. Original Media produces Miami Ink and Storm Chasers, among others.
DPE SIGNS ON – On July 11, DPE signed onto a joint letter to the House opposing the “Permanent Internet Tax Freedom Act” (HR 3086). The bill would ban state and local government authority to impose taxes on internet access. Other signers included AFT, AFGE, IAFF, IFPTE, UFCW and the AFL-CIO.