AFL-CIO Pennsylvania Labor 2008 Blog

Kathy Dahlkemper, CD 3 AFL-CIO Endorsed Candidate on the Labor 2008 Program

AFL-CIO endorsed CD 3 candidate Kathy Dahlkemper discusses the Labor 2008 program and her support for the Employee Free Choice Act:

Pennsylvania Shows Solidarity with the UAW Casino Workers

Members of the Pennsylvania labor movement are coming out in full force on Saturday, June 21st to join the UAW casino workers in Atlantic City to demand that casino owners stop stalling and negotiate with the workers’ union. “We want a decent contract, or just a contract in general,” says UAW Pennsylvania Community Action Program Director, Tony Forte. “To date, none of the casinos have seen fit to offer anything that our workers deserve.”  The casinos make a huge profit every year and yet employees haven’t seen an increase in wages or health benefits.

Pennsylvania AFL-CIO President Bill George and hundreds of supporters from the Pennsylvania labor movement including members representing AFGE, AFSCME, APRI, BCTGM, CLUW, CWA, IBEW, LCLAA, LIUNA, TWU, UA, UAW, UFCW, USW, and Working America will attend the rally.  Buses are leaving from locations all over the state, including Bensalem, Harrisburg, Philadelphia, Plymouth Meeting, and Reading.

Jake Long of BCTGM Local 464 says that as “a public display of strength, the rally sends a message to all workers and the public that the labor movement is alive and well.”  Long believes that the show of support will have larger ramifications than just helping to gain casino workers and the UAW a fair contract.  “I hope that it will help us to get the Employee Free Choice Act passed in 2009.”

Bucks County CLC President Tom Bates, who is hosting a solidarity bus to Atlantic City, emphasized that “it is important for union members to support each other because we need each other.  The movement is bigger than just one union.  It is all working people standing together.”

Other confirmed participants include AFL-CIO President John Sweeney, AFL-CIO Secretary-Treasurer Richard Trumka, UAW President Ron Gettlefinger, UAW Secretary-Treasurer Elizabeth Bunn, UFCW President Joe Hansen, IAFF President Harold Schaitberger, IATSE President Tom Short, IUPAT President Jimmy Williams, and President of Security, Police, Fire Professionals of America David Hickey.

(Photo above: BCTGM Local 464 members get ready to head to Atlantic City for the June 21st Rally in support of the UAW and casino workers fighting for a fair contract. From left to right: Jake Long, Ginny Houser, Peter Wingerter, Chuck Prince, and Robert Huffman)