It's a common refrain among conservative economists and politicians: If only government would end its interference in the affairs of private enterprise, the efficiencies of the free market would buoy the economy, lead to high profits and in turn result in higher wages for everyone. This argument is used to defend corporate-friendly policies of all stripes, including deregulation, opposition to living wages and worker safety protections.

The majority of workers at a Volkswagen plant in Chattanooga, Tenn., have signed cards authorizing their affiliation with the UAW and the creation of a German-style "works council" at the plant, according to Gary Casteel, a regional director for UAW. Casteel says that the cards count as a legally binding election and that they include a statement about wanting to join VW's Global Works Council. The union has not put forth a formal timeline for official recognition yet.

Check out UAW President Bob King's new editorial in The Detroit News on the future of the worker-employer relationship. King says it’s time for foreign automakers to grant workers at their American factories the same right to form unions and collectively bargain that workers have in the automakers' home countries.

When Jim Pulley, a UAW member in Spring Hill, Tenn., saw the devastation caused by the tornadoes that hit Moore, Okla., he jumped into action and set up collection boxes at all of the General Motors Co. (GM) plant entrances in his hometown. His union, Local 1853, expanded on his initiative by involving its Community Services Committee. GM and community groups also got involved. Ten days later, the combined efforts of the union and the community resulted in three semi-trailer truckloads of supplies headed to help the tornado survivors.

As the launch of the AFL-CIO’s new online hub @Work continues, today we are highlighting union members’ commitment to producing the highest quality of products and services. This is one of the seven categories of the new site.

This Thursday at noon, working families in Washington, D.C., will be rallying at the Mexican Embassy in solidarity with workers in Mexico as part of a global Day of Action. The campaign is based around four basic goals to:

In a near party-line vote, the North Carolina House of Representatives gave preliminary approval to a bill that would harm many of the state's more vulnerable citizens by cutting back on unemployment insurance. The measure would cut maximum weekly benefits by one-third, bringing the top weekly payout to $350, and reduce the maximum length an unemployed worker can get from 26 weeks to 20. As the bill currently stands, 80,000 workers are set to lose unemployment insurance payments.

As part of a strong holiday program, Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 668 puts up the entire holiday lighting display for downtown Lafayette, Ind. Between 25 and 50 volunteers show up weeks in advance of the local holiday festival and install the lights in the downtown plaza and county courthouse rotunda, a tradition the local has taken part in for 65 years. Members continue to make sure all the lights are working and fix any problems that come up throughout the holiday season.