Cincinnati
AFL-CIO
Labor Council
|
|
|
Richard L. Trumka (1949 - 2021) |
|
Our brother and leader Richard Trumka passed away on August 5, 2021, at the age of 72.
The labor movement, the AFL-CIO and the nation lost a legend. Rich devoted his life to working people, from his early days as president of the United Mine Workers of America to his unparalleled leadership as the voice of America’s labor movement.
He was a relentless champion of workers’ rights, workplace safety, worker-centered trade, democracy and so much more. He was also a devoted father, grandfather, husband, brother, coach, colleague and friend. Rich was loved and beloved.
The 56 unions and 12.5 million members of the AFL-CIO mourn the passing of our fearless leader and commit to honoring his legacy with action. Standing on Rich’s shoulders, we will pour everything we have into building an economy, society and democracy that lifts up every working family and community.
|
|
Statement from Acting President and Secretary-Treasurer Liz Shuler |
|
Our brother and leader, Rich Trumka, passed away last week at the age of 72. He was doing what he loved: spending time with his family. Rich cared deeply about working people. He wanted to create a better life for every single working person. He dedicated himself to that mission, and he never stopped pushing forward. He is a legend in the labor movement and will be remembered in every fight to better the lives of working people. He gave the labor movement everything he had, and so will we.
I know what we’re capable of, and I’m hopeful for the future. We can grow, inspire and experiment, harnessing our collective power to reach into workplaces all across this country. I believe in my bones the labor movement is the single most powerful vehicle for progress, and this is a moment for us to lead societal and cultural transformations. It’s time to leverage our power to bring women and people of color from the margins to the center at work, in our unions and in our economy. And we need to be the center of gravity for incubating new ideas that will unleash unprecedented union growth.
As we mourn the loss of Brother Rich, we must also come together to finish the work. We will pass the newly renamed Richard L. Trumka Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act. It’s what workers need and it’s what Rich would have wanted from us. We’ll take time to grieve, but we won’t slow down in our pursuit of a better future for all of America’s workers. We are going to get through this together.
|
|
On Saturday, Aug. 14, between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. ET, Richard Trumka’s family is giving the public the opportunity to pay their respects to the labor legend who passed away on Aug. 5. He is making one last trip to the House of Labor, a place and an idea that he loved so much.
All safety protocols will be strictly enforced, including mask requirements and social distancing.
When: Saturday, Aug. 14, 2021, 10 a.m.–3 p.m. ET
Where: 815 Black Lives Matter Plaza (16th St. NW), Washington, D.C.
|
|
Condolences and Tributes
"For Rich, work was synonymous with a word that defined his life: dignity. In the more than thirty years of our friendship, he was a fierce and forceful champion for the dignity of the American worker."
President Joe Biden
[See all the memorials and tributes from around the country and world HERE!]
|
|
Democrats Plan To Rename PRO Act To The
President Richard L. Trumka PRO Act
|
|
According to Politico, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Friday said that Democrats were planning on renaming their broad labor overhaul bill after AFL-CIO president Richard Trumka who died unexpectedly this week.
"Many of our members have called me about naming the PRO Act in honor of Richard Trumka, that would be very very appropriate because it's the about the rights of American workers," Pelosi said during her weekly news conference Friday, referring to the Protecting the Right to Organize Act. "So sadly I remember Richard at this time, but also his legacy is something that will continue to inspire us for a very long time."
The legislation would make it easier for workers to join unions, create financial penalties for employers who violate labor law and broadly expand labor rights to independent contractors, who are not currently covered under labor law.
Many of the expressions of sympathy from unions about Trumka's death mentioned the importance of the PRO Act to his legacy. The House has passed the legislation but it's stuck in the Senate, where several Democrats haven't signed on and it faces fierce opposition from the business lobby.
|
|
LABOR DAY PICNIC AT CONEY ISLAND CANCELED!
|
|
Dear Sisters, Brothers and Friends,
Over the past year and a half, we have all made enormous adjustments, immense sacrifices, and difficult decisions. And while we had hoped and believed that we would be beyond most of this by now, unfortunately, there have been significant reversals over the past month or so in vaccination rates accompanied by a steep rise in new cases of COVID-19 spawned the Delta variant, a much more virulent and insidious form of this virus which is dangerous in its own right, but proving to be even more contagious for children, the very group for whom a vaccination is not even choice.
Given this recent turn of events and the likelihood that circumstances surrounding the Delta variant, cases will continue to rise, and overall circumstances of safety will continue to degenerate, we once again find ourselves facing some uncomfortable truths and difficult decisions. So, it is with a truly unhappy and heavy heart that I now inform you that the Executive Board of the Cincinnati AFL-CIO Labor Council decided today, Thursday August 12 to cancel the upcoming Annual Labor Day Picnic.
Throughout this pandemic Labor has led the way as a beacon of hope and voice of reason, maintaining that above all, worker health and safe workplaces remain our primary consideration, and must never be compromised. We will continue to take a leadership position in doing the right thing and taking every precaution to ensure that all of you, our Sisters, Brothers, and your families remain healthy and well. For those of you who are disappointed, or even angered by this decision, it is essential to remember that worker health and safety is a primary driving principle of the Labor movement, and that is precisely why this decision could go no other way.
Over the next few days, we will reach out to each affiliate that has already made the investment to support this event and work out the return of that investment to you, so please bear with us as we unwind this disappointing situation. And most of all, thank you for your understanding.
In unity and solidarity…
|
|
William E. Froehle,
President, Cincinnati AFL-CIO Labor Council
|
|
Cincinnati AFL-CIO Labor Council Announces Endorsements in Mayor, City Council, School Board and Hamilton County Municipal Court Races |
|
At the August meeting of the Cincinnati AFL-CIO Labor Council, Wednesday, August 4, 2021, The Labor Council Delegate body declared the following endorsements in the City Council, Cincinnati Public School Board and Hamilton County Municipal Court judge Races:
City of Cincinnati-Mayor
City of Cincinnati-City Council race
- Jeff Cramerding
- Michelle Dillingham
- Brian Garry
- Steve Goodin
- Reggie Harris
- Mark Jeffreys
- Jan-Michele Kearney
- Greg Landsman
- Victoria Parks.
Cincinnati Public Schools-School Board
- Pamela Bowers
- Brandon Craig
- Mike Moroski
- Mary Wineberg.
Hamilton County Municipal Court Judge
About the endorsements, Cincinnati AFL-CIO Labor Council President, Bill Froehle said, “The decision by the Labor Council to endorse these candidates is the outcome of a free and fair, fully democratic process whereby all candidates regardless of political affiliation have an opportunity to make their case before the Labor Council. The Delegates to the Council then determine their choices in a free, fair, and open democratic proceeding. We believe in this process, and I believe it has again demonstrated that it works. These candidates reflect the best choices for all working people in this region. This is what Democracy looks like!”
Earlier, at the July meeting of the executive board of the Cincinnati AFL-CIO Labor Council, the Council voted to endorse Aftab Pureval in the 2021 Mayoral race for The City of Cincinnati.
|
|
American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten Joins Protest of Cuts to CPS Routes in Front of the Greater Cincinnati Chamber of Commerce |
|
At a visit to an annual meeting of the Cincinnati Federation of Teachers, President Randi Weingarten of the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) heard that all appeals have hit a wall to restore the dedicated routes for Cincinnati Public School 7th-12th grade students. After hearing from our members’ concerns for our students she offered to join us at the Chamber of Commerce to demand our students’ routes be restored.
President Weingarten will protest these cuts along with concerned parents, teachers and community members in front of the Greater Cincinnati Chamber of Commerce today, Thursday August 12 at 5pm at 3 East 4th Street, Cincinnati, OH 45202.
The Southwest Regional Transit Authority (SORTA) recently reduced the “XTRA” bus routes which were used by some students in grades 7-12 to get to high schools. No longer will students have dedicated bus routes. Rather, they will be riding with regular commuters. CPS and CFT say that the cuts will mean extra travel time and multiple bus transfers. CFT President Sellers says the City has a shortage of drivers. She spoke with ATU President Troy Miller who says the City has not been hiring and their wages have fallen behind those of school bus operators. He had warned SORTA then that they would be short drivers back in January. This is a crisis that could have been prevented.
In Cincinnati, there is already an unacceptable level of pedestrian fatalities, and a number of students have been hit by cars. The city already does not have adequate crossing guards for safety in the intersections. Current transit system already falling short and this reduction in services will make a bad plan even worse. Moreover, the travel time for some of these students will be up to two hours just to get to school.
School starts August 19 – this is a huge disrespect to parents who have an extremely limited amount of time to make sense of these changes and prepare their children.
###
The Cincinnati Federation of Teachers is a union of professionals who champions the social and economic well-being of our members, Cincinnati’s children, families, working people and communities. We are committed to advancing these principles through community engagement, organizing, collective bargaining and political activism and especially through our members’ work.
|
|
Sherrod Brown Remembers Richard Trumka: 'Embodied The Soul Of The Labor Movement'
|
|
U.S Senator Sherrod Brown: Working For Working People!
|
|
Tim Ryan To Join Union Members in Lima to Save Local Jobs |
|
U.S. Representative Tim Ryan, the Ohio AFL-CIO-endorsed candidate for U.S. Senate, will be in Lima this Wednesday, August 11, to rally to save local jobs.
Cenovus, the new owner of the Lima Refinery has committed to take away 3,000 jobs from Northwest Ohio and give them to out-of-state workers from Texas.
Although it's obvious that Cenovus is trying to replace skilled Ohio workers with cheap labor, the company tries to claim that it is bringing in so-called "specialists". What kind of "specialists" from Texas would know more about the Lima Refinery than Ohio workers who've worked there for years?
Local union building and construction trades workers in Ohio have logged long hours and put in the hard work necessary to to keep the refinery operational and safe. But now, Cenovus is turning its back on Ohio workers and our local communities.
|
|
FORE!!! The Cincinnati AFL-CIO Golf Outing!
A Great Day on the Links With Many Sisters and Brothers from Around The Council!
Here a few Images of the Day
|
|
CLUW 21st Biennial Convention
Registration NOW OPEN
|
|
Comparing Employer Coverage to Medicare: What’s the Better Option?
Whether you’re planning for retirement or confidently continuing to work past age 65, Medicare is a health coverage option for you. People often call our advisors to ask, “What’s better, my employer group coverage or a Medicare plan?”
There’s no right or wrong answer—the best plan is the one that works for your needs, budget, and lifestyle. As you compare employer coverage to Medicare, keep these factors in mind.
Premiums, Copays, & More: What Medicare Costs Mean for You
Insurance terminology doesn’t need to be complicated. Words like premium, copay, and deductible are often thrown around without being clearly defined—but our advisors are here to give you clarity and local help with Medicare questions.
Whether you’re planning to enroll in Medicare or just want to better understand your coverage, here’s a basic breakdown of what Medicare costs mean.
HSA Deposits With Medicare: Why Your Employees May Need to Stop Their Contributions
Do you have any employees who are eligible for Medicare and planning to enroll in the near future? If your organization offers a health savings account (HSA), you and your employees need to keep a couple of considerations in mind as they plan to transition to Medicare.
HSA deposits with Medicare can be tricky, but our advisors offer simple advice in our latest blog.
|
|
21st Annual AJC Cincinnati Thanksgiving Diversity Lunch |
|
SAVE THE DATE
Tuesday, November 16, 2021
11:45 am
More information to follow
To find out more about the event, contact the AJC Cincinnati office
|
|
COVID-19 Vaccination Dashboard
The COVID-19 Vaccination Dashboard displays the most recent data reported to the Ohio Department of Health (ODH) regarding the number of individuals that have started and completed the COVID-19 vaccination series by various demographics and county of residence.
The COVID-19 Vaccination Dashboard displays the most recent data reported to the Ohio Department of Health (ODH) regarding the number of individuals that have started and completed the COVID-19 vaccination series by various demographics and county of residence. “Vaccination started” indicates that the individual has received at least one valid dose of COVID-19 vaccine. The number listed as “vaccination completed” is a subset of the number included in “vaccination started,” indicating that those individuals within that group have received all recommended COVID-19 vaccine doses and are considered fully immunized. ODH is making COVID-19 data available for public review while also protecting privacy. This dashboard will be updated daily. Please see footnotes below for more details.
|
|
COVID-19 Dashboard
Overview
ODH is making COVID-19 data available for public review while also protecting patient privacy.
The State of Ohio COVID-19 Dashboard displays the most recent preliminary data reported to the Ohio Department of Health (ODH) about cases, hospitalizations and deaths in Ohio by selected demographics and county of residence. Data for cases and hospitalizations is reported to ODH via the Ohio Disease Reporting System (ODRS), and verified mortality data is reported via the Electronic Death Registration System (EDRS).
|
|
Below are the current reporting trends from Thursday, August 12 for key indicators calculated from data reported to the Ohio Department of Health. These trends are updated daily and are presented by report date. |
|
Below is a snapshot of key metrics pulled Thursday, August 12 from daily data reporting to the Ohio Department of Health. These metrics are updated daily. |
|
Hamilton County
Cases
82,731
Hospitalizations
3,389
Deaths
1,266
|
|
Clermont County
Cases
21,154
Hospitalizations
892
Deaths
262
|
|
Brown County
Cases
4,259
Hospitalizations
60
Deaths
63
|
|
Butler County
Cases
40,917
Hospitalizations
1,814
Deaths
616
|
|
Warren County
Cases
25,607
Hospitalizations
769
Deaths
313
|
|
Other News For and About Working People: |
|
Cincinnati AFL-CIO
Labor Council
Bill Froehle, President
Pete McLinden,
Executive Secretary-Treasurer
Brian D. Griffin,
Director, Communication & Technology
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
