Shortcut Navigation:

AFL-CIO Now

Showing blog posts by Richard Trumka

AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka Statement on the Explosions in Boston

Photo by Hahatango/Flickr Creative Commons

AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka responds to the explosions in Boston:

Our thoughts and prayers are with the families who have lost loved ones in the Boston explosions, and those who are coping with the aftermath of such senseless violence. We condemn those who carried out these acts and practice such hatred. 

Read more and comment »

New York City Fast-Food Workers: Everyone Deserves a Living Wage

Photo credit: Nora Frederickson

I was honored to be in New York City yesterday supporting Wendy's workers take to the streets for a living wage. They joined hundreds of workers in other fast-food joints across New York City for the largest strike the fast-food industry had ever seen.

Read more and comment »

MAKERS: A Reminder of Where We Came from and What We Still Need to Do

MAKERS: A Reminder of Where We Came from and What We Still Need to Do

I’ll tell you the truth, I watched the PBS documentary, MAKERS: The Women Who Make America, because one of our top staffers at the AFL-CIO and Working America—Karen Nussbaum—was in it.  I’m so glad I did.  I had forgotten what a steep climb it has been for women in this country.  It wasn’t that long ago women had little or no place in sports, culture, public life, or the workplace.

Read more and comment »

Trumka: White House Inaction on Silica Is Deadly for Workers

Tom Ward was 13 when his father came home from what would be his last day of work. Ward's father "barely made it through the door, fell to the floor and, between tears, said, 'I can't do it anymore.'"

This is an excerpt of "White House Inaction on Silica Is Deadly for Workers," by AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka, originally published on The Huffington Post. Read the rest

Read more and comment »

Tom's Father's Story: This Is No Way to Die

AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka sent this message to working family activists:

Tom Ward’s hardest memory to live with was the day his father came home from what would be his last day of work. His father barely made it through the door, fell to the floor and, between tears, said, “I can’t do it anymore.”

Read more and comment »

Boehner, Listen to the Voters—and Save Your Party

Listen to the Voters—and Save Yourselves

This is an excerpt from Listen to the Voters—and Save Yourselves, by AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka. 

It's time for House Speaker John Boehner and the Republican leadership to stop holding America's middle class hostage and instead join Democrats in saying "No" to another tax cut for the rich.

That's what voters asked for, loud and clear.

Read the rest on The Huffington Post

Read more and comment »

Trumka: Giving Thanks for Hostess Workers

Hostess Brands pattern of mismanagement and debt caused its own failure, not the workers.

"Giving Thanks for Hostess Workers" is a cross-post from Daily Kos by AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka. 

 This is the new American story, but someone finally stood up and said, “Stop!”

Pundits should be applauding the Bakery Workers of Hostess Brands for standing up to Wall Street interests and standing for decent working standards and the middle class.

The truth is that the Bain-style vulture capitalists invested in Hostess to profit not by making quality products, but by bleeding the company of every dollar before discarding it.

Read more and comment »

Trumka: An Election Message for the Lame Duck Congress: Fair Taxes, No Cuts

This is an excerpt from "An Election Message for the Lame Duck Congress: Fair Taxes, No Cuts," by AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka.

After a hard-fought and divisive election year, it's time to rebuild America's middle class—but to do it we need to make sure the lessons from this campaign stick.

Four years ago, the leadership of the Republican Party made a cynical political gamble—and this year they lost because they bet against Ame

Read more and comment »

Richard Trumka: Game Changer in Ohio: Cars

Richard Trumka: Game Changer in Ohio:  Cars

This is an excerpt from the Huffington Post, "Game Changer in Ohio: Cars," by AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka.

This election may come down to cars. That’s right, cars. 

Nothing illustrates the choice between the two presidential candidates better than the 2009 rescue of the auto industry.  And, despite Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney’s efforts to distort the contrast with patently dishonest claims and a new TV ad, the auto rescue may turn out to be the deciding factor in the presidential election.    

Romney can’t seem to Etch-a-Sketch that now-famous op-ed headline—“Let Detroit Go Bankrupt.”

Read more and comment »

Take Action

Sign the Pledge for a Road Map to Citizenship

Sign the pledge to fight for a common-sense immigration process that creates a road map to citizenship for aspiring Americans.

Click here »

Connect With Us

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • Flickr
  • RSS

Are you a union member?


*Message and data rates may apply.

Facebook Favorites

Blogs

Join Us Online