Today in Labor History: May
16
Black labor leader and peace activist A. Philip Randolph dies. He was president
of the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters and first black on the AFL-CIO
executive board, and a principal organizer of the 1963 March on Washington –
1979
Also on this
date:
Minneapolis general strike backs striking Teamsters…U.S. Supreme Court issues
Mackay decision, which permits the permanent replacement of striking workers… click
here for complete postings.
[A. Philip Randolph: A Biographical Portrait is a fascinating
biography of a great American hero. A. Philip Randolph (1889-1979) was not only
the most famous African American labor leader of his time, he was also a key
figure in the civil rights movement. In the UCS bookstore now.]
Member
Tip: Elect the Boss
Why should you care about your union's involvement in the world of
politics? As is the case with external organizing, what your union does
on the political landscape has a very direct impact on your union's
effectiveness in your and other workplaces. Perhaps the most dramatic
example of the direct connection between the political arena and the world of
collective bargaining is the situation in which public employees find
themselves. It is not an oversimplification to say that public employees
get to elect the boss when they get involved in electoral campaigns and in how
politicians subsequently carry out their duties. It would be throwing
away a critical source of leverage if a public employee union did not strive to
have influence over the elected government officials who directly determine how
much money is budgeted for union members' salaries and benefits.
-- Adapted from The Union Members Complete Guide, by Michael Mauer

Labor
Song: You and Your Union
As a long time union advocate, Bobby DePace had dreamed of putting together a
CD of the experiences that he has shared with union members across our country.
His CD, Unionized, is the realization of that dream. Click here
to listen to the song.
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