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<div dir="ltr"><ol><li><b><font size="3"><a href="http://act.alternet.org/go/15469?akid=8203.16102.9clL4Z&t=26" target="_blank" style="line-height: 18px; color: rgb(202, 133, 0); cursor: pointer; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">Indiana's Union-Busting 'Right-to-Work' Bill Becomes Law, Thousands Take to Streets in Protest</a> </font></b></li><li><b><font size="3"><a href="http://act.alternet.org/go/15467?akid=8203.16102.9clL4Z&t=21" target="_blank" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); line-height: 20px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); cursor: pointer; ">How 'Anonymous' Went From Mischief Makers to a Force That Terrifies Corporations and Governments</a> </font></b></li><li><b><font size="3"><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: rgb(42, 42, 42); line-height: 17px; ">Toronto Strike/Lockout Could start Feb 5</span> </font></b></li><li><pre style="line-height: 17px; white-space: normal; color: rgb(42, 42, 42); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><b><font size="3" face="Tahoma">Class War? What Class War? American Airlines Plans to Lose 13,500 workers and Abolish Pensions </font></b></pre></li><li><b><font size="3"><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: rgb(42, 42, 42); line-height: 17px; ">Occupy Omaha perseveres_</span> </font></b></li><li><b><font size="3"><a href="http://act.alternet.org/go/15469?akid=8207.16102.cE0srI&t=11" target="_blank" style="line-height: 23px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: rgb(0, 104, 207); cursor: pointer; ">Indiana's Union-Busting 'Right-to-Work' Bill Becomes Law, Thousands Take to Streets in Protest</a> </font></b></li><li><b><font size="3"><a href="http://act.alternet.org/go/15428?akid=8207.16102.cE0srI&t=23" target="_blank" style="text-align: -webkit-left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); line-height: 18px; color: rgb(0, 104, 207); cursor: pointer; ">6 Shocking Ways Capitalism Is Failing Working America</a> </font></b></li><li><h2 class="ReadMsgSubject" style="line-height: 24px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; color: rgb(42, 42, 42); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><font size="3">Hoosiers Tell RTW Backers: 'Remember November'þ </font></h2></li><li><b><font size="3"><a href="http://cl.exct.net/?ju=fe5712737c6607797313&ls=fe161d777d63077b721678&m=fefc1172766306&l=fed1157376640678&s=fe3215727764017c7d1d71&jb=ffcf14&t=" target="_blank" style="line-height: 18px; color: rgb(2, 74, 130); cursor: pointer; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">Ailing American Airlines seeks big cuts</a> </font></b></li><li><pre style="line-height: 17px; white-space: normal; color: rgb(42, 42, 42); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><b><font size="3" face="Tahoma">Why Black Union Workers Matter In This Year’s Super Bowl Showdown </font></b></pre></li></ol><div><br></div><div>@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@</div><div><br></div><div><a href="http://act.alternet.org/go/15469?akid=8203.16102.9clL4Z&t=26" target="_blank" style="line-height: 18px; color: rgb(202, 133, 0); cursor: pointer; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">Indiana's Union-Busting 'Right-to-Work' Bill Becomes Law, Thousands Take to Streets in Protest</a><br style="line-height: 18px; color: rgb(42, 42, 42); font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><span style="line-height: 14px; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-size: 11px; font-style: italic; color: rgb(77, 77, 77); ">By Kristen Gwynne | AlterNet</span>
</div><div><span style="line-height: 14px; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-size: 11px; font-style: italic; color: rgb(77, 77, 77); "><br></span></div><div><span style="line-height: 14px; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-size: 11px; font-style: italic; color: rgb(77, 77, 77); "><br></span></div><div>@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@</div><div><span style="font-size: 10pt; "><br></span></div><div><table width="415px" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="0" style="line-height: 17px; color: rgb(42, 42, 42); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><tbody><tr><td valign="top"><a href="http://act.alternet.org/go/15467?akid=8203.16102.9clL4Z&t=20" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 104, 207); cursor: pointer; "><img src="http://images.alternet.org/images/managed/storyimages_1319461486_39324887686d4590fda6.jpg_640x640_95x68" alt="Guy Fawkes mask, from V for Vendetta." width="112" height="81" border="0" align="left" style="border-style: initial; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-top-style: none; border-right-style: none; border-bottom-style: none; border-left-style: none; border-width: initial; border-color: initial; "></a></td><td><font color="white" style="line-height: normal; ">-</font></td><td valign="top"><p class="ecxheadline3" style="line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 1.35em; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; "><font style="line-height: normal; "><a href="http://act.alternet.org/go/15467?akid=8203.16102.9clL4Z&t=21" target="_blank" style="line-height: 20px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); cursor: pointer; ">How 'Anonymous' Went From Mischief Makers to a Force That Terrifies Corporations and Governments</a></font></p><p style="line-height: 15px; margin-bottom: 1.35em; font-size: 12px; color: rgb(102, 102, 102); "><font style="line-height: normal; ">Anonymous activists have become terrifying to the powers that be, despite (or perhaps because of) their apparent disorganization and probably in excess of their actual capacity. <a href="http://act.alternet.org/go/15467?akid=8203.16102.9clL4Z&t=22" class="ecxreadmore" target="_blank" style="line-height: 11px; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(202, 133, 0); cursor: pointer; font-size: 9px; letter-spacing: 0.1em; "><b style="font-weight: bold; ">READ MORE</b></a></font></p><font style="line-height: normal; "><p style="line-height: 14px; margin-bottom: 1.35em; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 11px; font-style: italic; color: rgb(77, 77, 77); "><font style="line-height: normal; ">By Nathan Schneider / Waging Nonviolence</font></p><p style="line-height: 14px; margin-bottom: 1.35em; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 11px; font-style: italic; color: rgb(77, 77, 77); "><font style="line-height: normal; "><br></font></p></font></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div><span style="font-size: 10pt; ">@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@</span></div><div><span style="font-size: 10pt; "><br></span></div><div><pre style="line-height: 17px; white-space: normal; color: rgb(42, 42, 42); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><font face="Tahoma"><font size="4">Toronto Strike/Lockout Could start Feb 5</font> </font></pre><pre style="line-height: 17px; white-space: normal; color: rgb(42, 42, 42); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><font face="Tahoma"><span style="font-size: 10pt; ">The Ontario Ministry of </span><span style="font-size: 10pt; ">Labour has issued what is called a 'no board' report, setting the</span></font></pre><pre style="line-height: 17px; white-space: normal; color: rgb(42, 42, 42); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><font face="Tahoma">stage for a possible strike or lockout of municipal workers in<br>Toronto. <br>The report means there is now a 17-day deadline for Canada's largest<br>city to reach an agreement with one of its unions — CUPE Local 416,<br>which represents about 6,000 key outside workers who collect garbage,<br>remove snow and do other road and park maintenance. <br> <a href="http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/story/2012/01/19/toronto-municipal-cupe.html" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 104, 207); cursor: pointer; ">http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/story/2012/01/19/toronto-municipal-cupe.html</a><br><br>*The Stella Doro Strike Loss* "Things aren't going well in the working<br>class. The news says unemployment is going down, but I don't see no<br>sign of it. Many people I know can't find a job. Even worse is<br>coming-a tidal wave that will wipe out more peoples' jobs. You go<br>lower and lower til you're not in the system anymore. Nobody from my<br>job at Bimbo Bakery wanted to come down to Occupy Wall Street but for<br>one guy. They still got their jobs. They do not want to struggle yet.<br>But I think little by little, more people will understand." <br><a href="http://archives.newyorker.com/?i=2012-02-06#folio=060" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 104, 207); cursor: pointer; ">http://archives.newyorker.com/?i=2012-02-06#folio=060</a> [3]</font></pre></div><div>@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@
</div><div><br></div><div><pre style="line-height: 17px; white-space: normal; color: rgb(42, 42, 42); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><font face="Tahoma"><b><font size="4">Class War? What Class War? American Airlines Plans to Lose 13,500<br>workers and Abolish Pensions</font></b> </font></pre><pre style="line-height: 17px; white-space: normal; color: rgb(42, 42, 42); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><font face="Tahoma"><br></font></pre><pre style="line-height: 17px; white-space: normal; color: rgb(42, 42, 42); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><font face="Tahoma">The parent of American Airlines wants to<br>eliminate about 13,000 jobs — 15 percent of its workforce — as the<br>nation’s third-biggest airline remakes itself under bankruptcy<br>protection. <br>The company proposes to end its traditional pension plans, a move<br>strongly opposed by the airline’s unions and the U.S.<br>pension-insurance agency, and to stop paying for retiree health<br>benefits. </font> <br><a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/american-airlines-tells-employees-it-wants-to-cut-labor-costs-by-20-percent/2012/02/01/gIQAoL33hQ_story.html" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 104, 207); cursor: pointer; ">http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/american-airlines-tells-employees-it-wants-to-cut-labor-costs-by-20-percent/2012/02/01/gIQAoL33hQ_story.html</a></pre></div><div>@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@
</div><div><br></div><div><pre style="line-height: 17px; white-space: normal; color: rgb(42, 42, 42); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">[21]*Eurozon Unemployment Highest Ever* Unemployment in the 17-nation<br>eurozone ended 2011 at 10.4 per cent, a new record high for the single<br>currency since its launch at the start of 1999, official figures<br>showed today. <br>Eurostat, the EU's statistics office, said the rate in December was<br>unchanged, as November's was revised upwards from a previous estimate<br>of 10.3%. <br>Unemployment has been steadily rising over the past year - in December<br>2010, it stood at 9.5% - largely because of Europe's debt crisis. <br>The biggest increases over 2011 were recorded in Greece, Cyprus and<br>Spain. <br>All three, to various degrees, have had to impose tough austerity<br>measures - such as public sector layoffs and spending cuts - in an<br>effort to regain investor confidence lost during the crisis. <br>The agency said just under 16.5 million people were unemployed in the<br>eurozone, up 751,000 on the year before. <br>The highest unemployment rate remains in Spain, where 22.9 % of the<br>working population were without work, though Greece is nearing with<br>19.2 % rate. The lowest rate in the eurozone is Austria's 4.1 %. <br><a href="http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/eurozone-unemployment-at-new-record-high-6297441.html" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 104, 207); cursor: pointer; ">http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/eurozone-unemployment-at-new-record-high-6297441.html</a></pre><pre style="line-height: 17px; white-space: normal; color: rgb(42, 42, 42); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><br></pre></div><div>@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@
</div><div><br></div><div><div class="ecxheadline3" style="line-height: 16px; color: rgb(42, 42, 42); text-align: -webkit-left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; "><a href="http://act.alternet.org/go/15428?akid=8207.16102.cE0srI&t=23" target="_blank" style="line-height: 18px; color: rgb(0, 104, 207); cursor: pointer; ">6 Shocking Ways Capitalism Is Failing Working America</a></div><div style="line-height: 14px; text-align: -webkit-left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 11px; font-style: italic; color: rgb(222, 73, 0); ">By Les Leopold | AlterNet</div></div><div style="line-height: 14px; text-align: -webkit-left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 11px; font-style: italic; color: rgb(222, 73, 0); "><br></div><div>@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@
</div><div><br></div><div><div id="mpf0_bodyHdr" style="line-height: 15px; color: rgb(42, 42, 42); font-family: 'Segoe UI', Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><div id="mpf0_details" aid="toggleDetails" class="DetailToggle FB ClearBoth" title="Show details" style="clear: both; height: 11px; background-image: url(https://gfx6.hotmail.com/mail/w4/pr04/ltr/fadeBarCenter1.gif); background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; padding-top: 7px; position: relative; top: 0px; cursor: pointer; margin-top: -7px; background-position: 0px 7px; background-repeat: repeat no-repeat; "><br class="Apple-interchange-newline"><div class="FBR" style="height: 11px; width: 80px; background-image: url(https://gfx5.hotmail.com/mail/w4/pr04/ltr/fadeBarRight1.gif); background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; float: right; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; "></div><div class="FBA" style="margin-top: 4px; position: absolute; right: 80px; width: 13px; height: 7px; background-image: url(https://gfx5.hotmail.com/mail/w4/pr04/ltr/r_strip.png); background-color: transparent; background-attachment: scroll; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; background-position: -23px -1px; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; "></div></div><div class="ClearBoth" style="clear: both; "><div id="mpf0_wideMsgBarPlaceholder" class="WideMessageBarContainer"></div></div></div><div class="ClearBoth" style="line-height: 15px; clear: both; color: rgb(42, 42, 42); font-family: 'Segoe UI', Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "></div><div id="mpf0_readMsgBodyContainer" class="ReadMsgBody" style="line-height: 15px; padding-top: 8px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 8px; padding-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 12px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 12px; overflow-x: hidden; color: rgb(42, 42, 42); font-family: 'Segoe UI', Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><div class="SandboxScopeClass ExternalClass" id="mpf0_MsgContainer" style="line-height: normal; font-size: 10pt; display: inline-block; background-repeat: repeat no-repeat; "><table width="626" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="0" align="center" style="line-height: 17px; "><tbody><tr><td bgcolor="FFFFFF"><table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="1" align="center" width="626" style="line-height: 17px; "><tbody><tr><td><table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="0" width="100%" style="line-height: 17px; "><tbody><tr><td><a href="http://act.aflcio.org/salsa/track.jsp?v=2&c=Dg0S4EjnFDd8OySH21bOdmPHuMFLa2Ip" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 104, 207); cursor: pointer; "><img height="71" border="0" width="626" alt="" src="https://afl.salsalabs.com/o/4001/c/18/images/banner_afl-cio_now_blog_626.jpg" style="border-style: initial; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-top-style: none; border-right-style: none; border-bottom-style: none; border-left-style: none; border-width: initial; border-color: initial; "></a></td></tr><tr><td><table cellpadding="13" border="0" width="100%" style="line-height: 17px; "><tbody><tr><td><p style="margin-bottom: 1.35em; "><span style="font-size: 13px; "><span style="font-family: Verdana; "><b style="font-weight: bold; ">Feb. 2, 2012</b></span></span></p><table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="7" border="0" align="right" style="line-height: 17px; width: 22px; height: 38px; "><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center; "><a href="http://act.aflcio.org/salsa/track.jsp?v=2&c=8ZwyD/64eZsqT1x4tI1f8GPHuMFLa2Ip" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 104, 207); cursor: pointer; "><img border="0" alt="No privatization" title="No privatization" src="https://afl.salsalabs.com/o/4001/c/18/images/pic-privatization-intro-ri.jpg" style="border-style: initial; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-top-style: none; border-right-style: none; border-bottom-style: none; border-left-style: none; border-width: initial; border-color: initial; "></a><br><span style="line-height: 13px; font-size: 10px; "><span style="font-family: Verdana; "><a href="http://act.aflcio.org/salsa/track.jsp?v=2&c=3/2UAy4zqHkv5eu08jgCAGPHuMFLa2Ip" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 104, 207); cursor: pointer; ">Check out this frightening report about how big corporations are plotting to take over vital government services</a>.</span></span></td></tr></tbody></table><p style="margin-bottom: 1.35em; "><span style="font-size: 13px; "><span style="font-family: Verdana; ">More than 10,000 Indiana working people marched from the statehouse to the site of this Sunday’s Super Bowl in Indianapolis, telling lawmakers who passed a “right to work” for less bill, “Remember November.” They vowed to take the state back in a massive voter mobilization.</span></span><br></p><table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="0" style="line-height: 17px; "><tbody><tr><td height="24px" valign="bottom"><a href="http://act.aflcio.org/salsa/track.jsp?v=2&c=ZInqQEO8xT6BdM4iRgaEhGPHuMFLa2Ip" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 104, 207); cursor: pointer; "><img border="0" alt="Read More" src="https://afl.salsalabs.com/o/4001/c/18/images/read_more.gif" style="border-style: initial; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-top-style: none; border-right-style: none; border-bottom-style: none; border-left-style: none; border-width: initial; border-color: initial; "></a></td></tr></tbody></table><p style="margin-bottom: 1.35em; "></p><p style="margin-bottom: 1.35em; "><span style="font-size: 13px; "><span style="font-family: Verdana; ">Got comments? Post them at </span></span><a href="http://act.aflcio.org/salsa/track.jsp?v=2&c=p4Ree0JW1X8Mm9YND9UkfGPHuMFLa2Ip" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 104, 207); cursor: pointer; "></a><span style="font-size: 13px; "><a href="http://act.aflcio.org/salsa/track.jsp?v=2&c=byQ331idKhmTRjPH3dR2G2PHuMFLa2Ip" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 104, 207); cursor: pointer; "><span style="font-family: Verdana; "><b style="font-weight: bold; ">blog.aflcio.org</b></span></a><span style="font-family: Verdana; ">.</span></span></p><p align="left" style="margin-bottom: 1.35em; "><font face="Arial" color="navy" style="line-height: normal; font-size: 13px; "><img height="12" border="0" width="16" src="https://afl.salsalabs.com/o/4001/c/18/images/blog_arrow-blt.gif" alt="" style="line-height: 17px; "> <a href="http://act.aflcio.org/salsa/track.jsp?v=2&c=HiL36STqJuvGCaBo3%2B0A0UOr/DkoRgKX" target="_blank" style="line-height: 17px; color: rgb(0, 104, 207); cursor: pointer; "><font face="Arial" color="navy" style="line-height: normal; "><strong style="line-height: 17px; font-weight: bold; ">The Privatization of Public Services, State by State</strong></font></a></font></p><p align="left" style="margin-bottom: 1.35em; "><font face="Arial" color="navy" style="line-height: normal; font-size: 13px; "><img height="12" border="0" width="16" src="https://afl.salsalabs.com/o/4001/c/18/images/blog_arrow-blt.gif" alt="" style="line-height: 17px; "> <a href="http://act.aflcio.org/salsa/track.jsp?v=2&c=WZv2Cqi1JP5dVmpU5Ast82PHuMFLa2Ip" target="_blank" style="line-height: 17px; color: rgb(0, 104, 207); cursor: pointer; "><font face="Arial" color="navy" style="line-height: normal; "><strong style="line-height: 17px; font-weight: bold; ">Small Biz Owners Say Job Exports, Not Regs Problem</strong></font></a></font></p><p align="left" style="margin-bottom: 1.35em; "><font face="Arial" color="navy" style="line-height: normal; font-size: 13px; "><img height="12" border="0" width="16" src="https://afl.salsalabs.com/o/4001/c/18/images/blog_arrow-blt.gif" alt="" style="line-height: 17px; "> <a href="http://act.aflcio.org/salsa/track.jsp?v=2&c=sHgC7wwUvGE3EtpvatYe8WPHuMFLa2Ip" target="_blank" style="line-height: 17px; color: rgb(0, 104, 207); cursor: pointer; "><font face="Arial" color="navy" style="line-height: normal; "><strong style="line-height: 17px; font-weight: bold; ">Arizona: The New Wisconsin</strong></font></a></font></p><p align="left" style="margin-bottom: 1.35em; "><font face="Arial" color="navy" style="line-height: normal; font-size: 13px; "><img height="12" border="0" width="16" src="https://afl.salsalabs.com/o/4001/c/18/images/blog_arrow-blt.gif" alt="" style="line-height: 17px; "> <a href="http://act.aflcio.org/salsa/track.jsp?v=2&c=d0ukgJGrCKogD53u977lxkOr/DkoRgKX" target="_blank" style="line-height: 17px; color: rgb(0, 104, 207); cursor: pointer; "><font face="Arial" color="navy" style="line-height: normal; "><strong style="line-height: 17px; font-weight: bold; ">Yep, That Makes Sense</strong></font></a></font></p><p align="left" style="margin-bottom: 1.35em; "><font face="Arial" color="navy" style="line-height: normal; font-size: 13px; "><img height="12" border="0" width="16" src="https://afl.salsalabs.com/o/4001/c/18/images/blog_arrow-blt.gif" alt="" style="line-height: 17px; "> <a href="http://act.aflcio.org/salsa/track.jsp?v=2&c=LAy2NPPLy6f68UKkbmqAo2PHuMFLa2Ip" target="_blank" style="line-height: 17px; color: rgb(0, 104, 207); cursor: pointer; "><font face="Arial" color="navy" style="line-height: normal; "><strong style="line-height: 17px; font-weight: bold; ">Retirees Occupy Century Aluminum</strong></font></a></font></p><p align="left" style="margin-bottom: 1.35em; "><font face="Arial" color="navy" style="line-height: normal; font-size: 13px; "><img height="12" border="0" width="16" src="https://afl.salsalabs.com/o/4001/c/18/images/blog_arrow-blt.gif" alt="" style="line-height: 17px; "> <a href="http://act.aflcio.org/salsa/track.jsp?v=2&c=Jl8AM9asCE7GNXqi28lb3WPHuMFLa2Ip" target="_blank" style="line-height: 17px; color: rgb(0, 104, 207); cursor: pointer; "><font face="Arial" color="navy" style="line-height: normal; "><strong style="line-height: 17px; font-weight: bold; ">Egypt’s New Labor Movement Comes of Age</strong></font></a></font><font face="Arial" color="navy" style="line-height: normal; font-size: 13px; "><a href="http://act.aflcio.org/salsa/track.jsp?v=2&c=gPjsV/TO046wStw9KsFKr2PHuMFLa2Ip" target="_blank" style="line-height: 17px; color: rgb(0, 104, 207); cursor: pointer; "></a></font></p><p style="margin-bottom: 1.35em; text-align: left; "><span style="font-size: 13px; "><a href="http://act.aflcio.org/salsa/track.jsp?v=2&c=oMItadmAmA0f8QytUfFBcmPHuMFLa2Ip" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 104, 207); cursor: pointer; "><span style="font-family: Verdana; "><strong style="font-weight: bold; ">Read more important news</strong></span></a><span style="font-family: Verdana; "> of the day on the issues working families care about.</span></span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 1.35em; "></p><table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="7" bordercolor="#cccccc" border="1" align="center" style="line-height: 17px; 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Become a mobile activist</nobr><br><nobr>by joining the AFL-CIO Rapid Action Text Team.</nobr><br><nobr>Text <strong style="font-weight: bold; ">NEWS</strong> to <strong style="font-weight: bold; ">AFLCIO (235246)</strong> to receive action alerts and more.</nobr><br>(Message and data rates may apply.)<br></em></span></span></p></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table><p align="center" style="margin-bottom: 1.35em; "><span style="font-family: Verdana; "><span style="font-size: 13px; ">To find out more about the AFL-CIO, please visit our website at <a href="http://act.aflcio.org/salsa/track.jsp?v=2&c=l0mmSGBsyrpsTBVcwS/4tWPHuMFLa2Ip" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 104, 207); cursor: pointer; "><b style="font-weight: bold; ">www.aflcio.org</b></a>.</span></span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 1.35em; text-align: right; "><a href="http://act.aflcio.org/salsa/track.jsp?v=2&c=YNykDouPNErH/tyWinUZGGPHuMFLa2Ip" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 104, 207); cursor: pointer; "><span style="line-height: 13px; font-size: 10px; "><span style="font-family: Verdana; ">Click here to unsubscribe</span></span></a>.</p></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table></div></div></div><div>@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@
</div><div><br></div><div><div style="line-height: 23px; color: rgb(42, 42, 42); font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 18px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><a href="http://act.alternet.org/go/15469?akid=8207.16102.cE0srI&t=11" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 104, 207); cursor: pointer; ">Indiana's Union-Busting 'Right-to-Work' Bill Becomes Law, Thousands Take to Streets in Protest</a></div><div style="line-height: 14px; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-size: 11px; font-style: italic; color: rgb(222, 73, 0); ">By Kristen Gwynne | AlterNet</div></div><div style="line-height: 14px; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-size: 11px; font-style: italic; color: rgb(222, 73, 0); "><br></div><div>@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@
</div><div><br></div><div><a href="http://cl.exct.net/?ju=fe5712737c6607797313&ls=fe161d777d63077b721678&m=fefc1172766306&l=fed1157376640678&s=fe3215727764017c7d1d71&jb=ffcf14&t=" target="_blank" style="line-height: 18px; color: rgb(2, 74, 130); cursor: pointer; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-size: 14px; font-family: Arial; ">Ailing American Airlines seeks big cuts</a>
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</div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><pre style="line-height: 17px; white-space: normal; color: rgb(42, 42, 42); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><font face="Tahoma"><b><font size="4">Occupy Omaha perseveres_</font></b><br><br>*Toronto Strike/Lockout Could start Feb 5* The Ontario Ministry of<br>Labour has issued what is called a 'no board' report, setting the<br>stage for a possible strike or lockout of municipal workers in<br>Toronto. <br>The report means there is now a 17-day deadline for Canada's largest<br>city to reach an agreement with one of its unions — CUPE Local 416,<br>which represents about 6,000 key outside workers who collect garbage,<br>remove snow and do other road and park maintenance. <br> <a href="http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/story/2012/01/19/toronto-municipal-cupe.html" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 104, 207); cursor: pointer; ">http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/story/2012/01/19/toronto-municipal-cupe.html</a><br><br>*The Stella Doro Strike Loss* "Things aren't going well in the working<br>class. The news says unemployment is going down, but I don't see no<br>sign of it. Many people I know can't find a job. Even worse is<br>coming-a tidal wave that will wipe out more peoples' jobs. You go<br>lower and lower til you're not in the system anymore. Nobody from my<br>job at Bimbo Bakery wanted to come down to Occupy Wall Street but for<br>one guy. They still got their jobs. They do not want to struggle yet.<br>But I think little by little, more people will understand." <br><a href="http://archives.newyorker.com/?i=2012-02-06#folio=060" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 104, 207); cursor: pointer; ">http://archives.newyorker.com/?i=2012-02-06#folio=060</a> [3]</font><br></pre></div><div>@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@
</div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><pre style="line-height: 17px; white-space: normal; color: rgb(42, 42, 42); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><font face="Tahoma"><b><font size="4">1. Why Black Union Workers Matter In This Year’s Super<br>Bowl Showdown by Jamilah King, Colorlines<br><br>2. NFL Players Opposed To Right-to-work, Lockout Taught<br>Us Power Of The Team by Demaurice Smith, Concord<br>Monitor<br><br>Why Black Union Workers Matter In This Year’s Super<br>Bowl Showdown</font></b><br><br>by Jamilah King<br>Thursday, February 2 2012, 9:51 AM EST<br><br><a href="http://colorlines.com/archives/2012/02/super_bowl_2012.html" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 104, 207); cursor: pointer; ">http://colorlines.com/archives/2012/02/super_bowl_2012.html</a><br><br>Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels was not supposed to be among<br>this year’s Super Bowl story lines. This year’s<br>contenders, the New England Patriots and the New York<br>Giants, should instead be taking center stage. Yet less<br>than a week before America’s biggest sporting event of<br>the year kicks off in Indianapolis, Gov. Daniels’<br>fight with the state’s unionized workers over<br>legislation that could curtail the power of their<br>collective bargaining rights has given a new national<br>platform to the right wing’s bitter, decades-old war<br>against unions.<br><br>Yet the NFL’s Player’s Association, which is the union<br>that represents the league’s athletes, has also jumped<br>onto the national stage and come out in opposition to<br>the proposed Right to Work legislation. In doing so,<br>the league’s union is taking an important, albeit<br>symbolic, step to publicly bridge the gap that exists<br>between the NFL’s multibillion dollar teams and its<br>increasingly marginalized fan base. And it’s proof that<br>sports is a powerful cultural art form that can help<br>elevate some of today’s most controversial political<br>issues.<br><br>On January 6, 2012, the NFLPA released a damning letter<br>in opposition to the Indiana’s bill, which has since<br>moved quickly through the state’s legislature.<br><br>“‘Right-to-work’ is a political ploy designed to<br>destroy basic workers’ rights. It’s not about jobs or<br>rights, and it’s the wrong priority for Indiana,” the<br>statement read. “It is important to keep in mind the<br>plight of the average Indiana worker and not let them<br>get lost in the ceremony and spectacle” of the Super<br>Bowl.<br><br>The statement was hugely important, considering what’s<br>at stake for Indiana’s workers, particularly black<br>ones. Black workers are disproportionately union<br>members. They’re more likely than whites, Asians, and<br>Latinos to be in public-unions, and make up 15 percent<br>of total membership, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor<br>Statistics. Historically, unions have been crucial<br>gateways for black workers to earn higher wages and<br>break into the middle class.<br><br>While supporters of Right to Work argue that the laws<br>are needed to foster a “pro-business” atmosphere that<br>helps generate desperately needed jobs, research has<br>shown that the laws can have disastrous effects on<br>workers. The Economic Policy Institute released a<br>report in January showing that workers employed in<br>Right to Work states makes less money and are less<br>likely to be offered health care.<br><br>DeMaurice F. Smith, executive director of the player’s<br>union, pressed the point even further in an op-ed<br>published a week later in one of Indiana’s most widely<br>read newspapers. ” An indisputable lesson of our<br>American history is that none of those workplace<br>protections came as a gift from corporations,” wrote<br>Smith, who’d previously made a name for him self as a<br>hard-nosed litigator. “Rather, all of them resulted<br>from the ability of workers to stand united and demand<br>change when it would have been easy to fire or silence<br>the voice of a single worker.”<br><br>There are currently 22 states in the country that have<br>the law, mostly in the South and in western states like<br>Wyoming and Utah. Indiana’s bill, which the state<br>Senate passed this week and Gov. Daniels has already<br>vowed to sign into law, is unique because it will be<br>the first the law that’s been put into action in an<br>industrialized area with a large, unionized workforce.<br><br>“I don’t think it was surprising, but I think it’s<br>important,” said Washington State University professor<br>David Leonard about the NFLPA’s statement.<br><br>And for some observers, the reason why it’s important<br>is because there’s been an growing divide between the<br>league and its average fans, many of whom are people of<br>color.<br><br>Professional football in America gained popularity as a<br>uniquely working class sport in which teams (think the<br>Green Bay Packers and Pittsburgh Steelers) were named<br>after regional manufacturing economies. These days, as<br>ticket prices have risen to the tune of hundreds of<br>dollars for a single game, the game has become an<br>exaggerated expression of wealth in America when many<br>fans are struggling financially.<br><br>Larry Solomon is a longtime professor at San Francisco<br>State University. He’s also a lifelong football fan,<br>and has noticed that biggest enclaves of football fans<br>are often in the most historically disenfranchised<br>communities.<br><br>“They’re not cheering for the owners,” Salomon says of<br>most fans. “They’re cheering for their cities, they’re<br>cheering their friends and for people like them who<br>identify around that team.”<br><br>For Salomon, that sort of ferver carries with it the<br>potential for raising people’s political awareness.<br>“When I go home and watch the Super Bowl with my family<br>this weekend, I hope the NFLPA and the Indiana stuff<br>comes up, but last year we talked about abortion during<br>the Super Bowl because of Tim Tebow and his ad.<br><br>“You have these moments where sports intersects with<br>politics, intersects with race, and you can have<br>conversations with people who might not normally have<br>those conversations.”<br><br>And this year is certainly one of those moments.<br><br>“The Super Bowl is a staging ground for American<br>Exceptionalism,” said Leonard, the professor at<br>Washington State, noting that the Navy spends millions<br>of dollars to do fly-overs before the game. “It’s a<br>celebration and festival for the wealthy that’s done<br>because of the labor of disproportionately men of<br>color.”<br><br>That, Leonard suggests, is a macrocosm for how other<br>industries work.<br><br>“Yes, the money is different and the stage is<br>different, but that doesn’t mean that the lessons that<br>we can learn aren’t there.”<br><br>Indeed, the 2011 NFL season was mired in political<br>discussions from the start. It began with a protracted<br>labor dispute between owners and players which lead to<br>a lockout that lasted well into training camp. The<br>NFLPA repeatedly emphasized how damaging a prolonged<br>lockout could be not just to players and coaches, but<br>also for the concession stand workers and ticket agents<br>who work at the league’s stadiums and whose livelihoods<br>often depend on fans showing up and spending money at<br>games.<br><br>Another key issue that was brought up by players during<br>the lockout is one with which many workers in other<br>industries can relate: occupational safety.<br><br>While professional football is an admittedly physical<br>sport and the allure of big hits has drawn in many fans<br>over the years, the eventual price of that brutality<br>has recently become apparent. New research has shown<br>that players who suffer multiple concussions stand at<br>far greater risk of developing severe depression and<br>early onset dementia.<br><br>“I’m not sure players overall have really ‘gotten it’<br>with respect to the extent to which the money they make<br>can be fleeting, but I think they’re beginning to get<br>the idea that their health, their vibrancy can be<br>fleeting,” said N. Jeremi Duru, a professor at Temple<br>University and author of the forthcoming book<br>“Advancing the Ball: Race, Reformation, and the Quest<br>for Equal Coaching Opportunity in the NFL.” He<br>maintains that players’ increased awareness has made<br>them more willing to protect their physically<br>interests, and thus has created a climate in which<br>their union’s support of other worker’s struggles isn’t<br>all that surprising.<br><br>“The unanswered question is whether any of the players<br>participating in the Super Bowl will say anything,”<br>says Dave Zirin, a columnist at The Nation and author<br>of “Bad Sports: How Owners are Ruining the Games We<br>Love.” Though Zirin cautions that it’s not something<br>fans should expect, he also thinks that if players do<br>participate, the issue of worker’s rights in Indiana<br>would get attention that’s “out of this stratosphere.”<br><br><br><br><br>NFL Players Opposed To Right-to-work, Lockout Taught Us<br>Power Of The Team<br><br>By Demaurice Smith<br>Concord Monitor<br>February 4, 2012<br><br><a href="http://www.concordmonitor.com/article/309448/nfl-players-opposed-to-right-to-work?CSAuthResp=1328492180%3Aas4109kb5e9adi1nt5jec5ne01%3ACSUserId%7CCSGroupId%3Aapproved%3A48A2FCB6F4087201F098ECC9C0F78409&CSUserId=94&CSGroupId=1" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 104, 207); cursor: pointer; ">http://www.concordmonitor.com/article/309448/nfl-players-opposed-to-right-to-work?CSAuthResp=1328492180%3Aas4109kb5e9adi1nt5jec5ne01%3ACSUserId%7CCSGroupId%3Aapproved%3A48A2FCB6F4087201F098ECC9C0F78409&CSUserId=94&CSGroupId=1</a><br><br>Granite Staters have a lot of things to be proud of:<br>their magnificent Seacoast and White Mountains, their<br>position as the first presidential primary state in<br>America and the AFC Champion New England Patriots. But<br>most important, they're proud of their "Live Free or<br>Die" tradition. And they've shown that they'll fight to<br>keep their freedoms safe.<br><br>Last year, thousands of New Hampshire families came<br>together to defeat a "right-to-work" bill pushed by<br>out-of-state special interests that would have<br>jeopardized the freedom of workers to organize as a<br>team to protect, preserve and promote themselves as<br>employees in a workplace, where management can always<br>outspend workers and target individuals.<br><br>Now the Republican leadership in New Hampshire has<br>announced its intent to launch the same old right-to-<br>work bill that failed last year. This blatant attack on<br>freedom not only runs counter to the voices of<br>thousands of Granite Staters - it runs against every<br>lesson that my brothers in the NFL and I learned during<br>the NFL lockout last year.<br><br>NFL players learned lessons that most older American<br>workers learned decades ago: namely, that all of the<br>protections that employees currently have in the<br>workplace resulted from the ability of workers to stand<br>together as a team, protect their rights and demand<br>change for the better. It is a lesson that many of us<br>have not only forgotten but, worse yet, simply never<br>learned.<br><br>The protections that millions of workers possess today,<br>including fair pensions, workplace safety innovations,<br>management supported health-care plans and compliance<br>with occupational health standards, were achieved by<br>thousands of workers standing together as one over<br>decades to fight for those vital standards. An<br>indisputable lesson of our American history is that<br>none of those workplace protections came as a gift from<br>corporations; rather, all of them resulted from the<br>freedom of workers to stand united and demand change<br>when it would have been easy to fire or silence the<br>voice of a single worker. The history is also clear<br>that, even when employees fought as a team, some of<br>them paid a dear price for organizing and demanding<br>fairness. This bill would make future efforts even<br>harder than they are today.<br><br>The assault on employees comes disguised in proposed<br>legislation deviously named "right-to-work." The reason<br>every employee should have concern is that it simply is<br>not what it claims to be. The right-to-work bill is not<br>a constitutional amendment guaranteeing a citizen a<br>job. Rather, it is simply designed to hurt the freedom<br>of employees to form teams that can go "toe-to-toe"<br>with management in the hope of having a fair<br>negotiation over issues that matter to working people.<br><br>In this time of challenging economic conditions, where<br>there are efforts to divide all of us, we have an<br>obligation to move beyond the rhetoric and know the<br>issues. The legislation may have a catchy title, but<br>that is all it provides to men and women who work for a<br>living. If you support this bill, do so by recognizing<br>and calling it what it is: "the elimination of the<br>freedom to negotiate strongly and fairly with your<br>employer" legislation.<br><br>We oppose this bill and stand in strong support of what<br>needs to be every employee's freedom to be a member of<br>a team to protect and preserve their rights for<br>themselves and their families.<br><br>(DeMaurice Smith is executive director of the National<br>Football League Players Association.)</font><br></pre></div><div>@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@
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