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<div dir="ltr"><ol><li><h2 class="ReadMsgSubject" style="line-height: 24px; font-size: 19px; font-weight: normal; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; color: rgb(42, 42, 42); font-family: Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">Please don't feed the animalsþ<span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 10pt; "> </span></h2></li><li><h2 class="ReadMsgSubject" style="line-height: 24px; font-size: 19px; font-weight: normal; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; color: rgb(42, 42, 42); font-family: Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">Documentos l Law, Faith, & Civil Rights Leaders Support Federal Challenge to SB1070 l NILC l 3.29.12þ<span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 10pt; "> </span></h2></li><li><h2 class="ReadMsgSubject" style="line-height: 24px; font-size: 19px; font-weight: normal; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; color: rgb(42, 42, 42); font-family: Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">Apple, supplier pledge to improve conditions !!þ<span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 10pt; "> </span></h2></li><li><h2 class="ReadMsgSubject" style="line-height: 24px; font-size: 19px; font-weight: normal; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; color: rgb(42, 42, 42); font-family: Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">CWA Newsletter: Clock Ticking on AT&T Contractsþ<span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 10pt; "> </span></h2></li><li><a href="http://act.alternet.org/go/17407?akid=8494.16102.as8x1p&t=23" target="_blank" style="line-height: 18px; color: rgb(0, 104, 207); cursor: pointer; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">Georgia Republicans Move Quickly to Pass Anti-Picketing Bill, Slashing Unemployment Insurance While They're At It</a> </li><li><a href="http://act.alternet.org/go/17402?akid=8493.16102.fb-M9y&t=4" target="_blank" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 18px; line-height: 23px; color: rgb(0, 104, 207); cursor: pointer; ">Occupiers, Other Activists, and Union Members Chain Open NYC Subway Stations for "Fare Strike"</a> </li><li><a href="http://act.alternet.org/go/17406?akid=8493.16102.fb-M9y&t=9" target="_blank" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 18px; line-height: 23px; color: rgb(0, 104, 207); cursor: pointer; ">Spaniards Stage #M29 General Strike to Protest Austerity Cuts, Unemployment</a> </li><li><h2 class="ReadMsgSubject" style="line-height: 24px; font-size: 19px; font-weight: normal; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; color: rgb(42, 42, 42); font-family: Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">Romney Finds Soul Mate in Walkerþ<span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 10pt; "> </span></h2></li><li><h2 class="ReadMsgSubject" style="line-height: 24px; font-size: 19px; font-weight: normal; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; color: rgb(42, 42, 42); font-family: Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">We can't do it without you.þ</h2></li><li> </li></ol><div><br></div><div>@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@</div><div>from: <span style="background-color: rgb(252, 252, 252); color: rgb(42, 42, 42); font-family: Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 20px; text-align: left; white-space: nowrap; ">Bob Smith Bigtree</span></div><div id="InlineMenuTemplateicTmInlineMenuTemplate0_psm" class="c_ic_psm" style="line-height: 15px; color: rgb(110, 110, 110); vertical-align: middle; max-width: 230px; width: auto; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap; font-family: Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; text-align: left; background-color: rgb(252, 252, 252); "><span dir="ltr">1bigtree@comcast.net</span></div><div id="InlineMenuTemplateicTmInlineMenuTemplate0_psm" class="c_ic_psm" style="line-height: 15px; color: rgb(110, 110, 110); vertical-align: middle; max-width: 230px; width: auto; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap; font-family: Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; text-align: left; background-color: rgb(252, 252, 252); "><span dir="ltr"><br></span></div><div><img src="" alt="" style="line-height: 17px; color: rgb(42, 42, 42); font-family: Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><span style="color: rgb(42, 42, 42); font-family: Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "></span><div class="ecxmoz-signature" style="line-height: 17px; color: rgb(42, 42, 42); font-family: Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">-- <br>“Politicians deny science because it benefits them financially. Religious zealots do so because it contradicts their notions of human singularity and primacy.” Lindy Greene</div></div><div class="ecxmoz-signature" style="line-height: 17px; color: rgb(42, 42, 42); font-family: Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><br></div><div class="ecxmoz-signature" style="line-height: 17px; color: rgb(42, 42, 42); font-family: Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><a href="http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/03/29/mitt-romney-the-union-favorite/?nl=us&emc=edit_cn_20120329">http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/03/29/mitt-romney-the-union-favorite/?nl=us&emc=edit_cn_20120329</a>
</div><div class="ecxmoz-signature" style="line-height: 17px; color: rgb(42, 42, 42); font-family: Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><h3 style="line-height: 15px; font-size: 14px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-left: 0px; color: rgb(0, 110, 18) !important; font-family: georgia, serif; "><a href="http://p.nytimes.com/email/re?location=vzewYO/FHLQohVxRPUY5U/sbYtB6dk7rzEJ6ZJOTL6bv+/VC+UMwJRDtGyneQfEeC+ym33jZwFwCd3MYrrjnHP4FMKZfCV5jjDamjS91PENuqxuzHlym7Jy7EUTQFs+DTxOJ7CzmTiQ=&campaign_id=67&instance_id=14049&segment_id=31577&user_id=cb75b2a897725ed20d4752e3e3bc8e8a" target="_blank" style="line-height: 18px; font-weight: inherit; text-decoration: none; color: rgb(0, 110, 18) !important; cursor: pointer; ">Unions Relish Idea of Romney as Nominee</a></h3><h6 class="ecxbyline" style="line-height: normal; font-size: 10px; font-weight: normal; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-left: 0px; color: rgb(153, 153, 153); font-family: Arial, sans-serif; ">By STEVEN GREENHOUSE</h6><div style="line-height: 15px; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 12px; "><p style="margin-bottom: 1.35em; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); ">Union leaders see an easy target should Mitt Romney win the Republican nominating fight.</p></div></div><div class="ecxmoz-signature" style="line-height: 17px; color: rgb(42, 42, 42); font-family: Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><br></div><div>@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@</div><div><br></div><div><p style="line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 1.35em; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-family: 'Times New Roman'; "><font face="Tahoma" style="line-height: normal; "><font face="Times New Roman"><font color="#008080" size="4"><strong style="line-height: 23px; "><em><font color="#ff6600" style="line-height: normal; ">Nota: </font></em></strong>Check out the link provided to multiple PDF copies of the friend-of-the-court briefs filed in support of the federal challenge to Arizona's SB1070. For the archivists out there the PDFs are worth saving. Va! - RRC</font></font></font></p><p style="line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 1.35em; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-family: 'Times New Roman'; "><strong><font color="#000080" style="line-height: normal; "></font></strong> </p><p style="line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 1.35em; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-family: 'Times New Roman'; "><font color="#800000" size="4" style="line-height: normal; "><a target="_blank" style="line-height: 23px; color: rgb(30, 102, 174); cursor: pointer; font-family: Verdana; "><em><strong>\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\</strong></em></a></font></p><div style="line-height: 20px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; "><blockquote><b>Law enforcement, faith, and civil rights leaders support US challenge to Arizona law</b><br><b>Reply-To:</b> <a href="mailto:reply@nilc.org" style="color: rgb(30, 102, 174); cursor: pointer; ">reply@nilc.org</a><br><br></blockquote><div></div><blockquote><div align="center"><table border="0" width="487" style="line-height: 20px; font-size: inherit; border-collapse: collapse; "><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: left; "><table border="0" width="100%" style="line-height: 20px; font-size: inherit; border-collapse: collapse; "><tbody><tr><td width="168"><a href="http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=ScfhEFi3jpwsKVw1uE7BK%2B5Kw0dObWu5" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(30, 102, 174); cursor: pointer; "><img border="0" src="https://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/371/images/NILC-YellowLogo-small.png" width="158" height="92" 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; "></a></td><td><p align="right" style="margin-bottom: 1.35em; text-align: right; "><span style="font-family: Georgia; "><span style="line-height: 19px; font-size: 11pt; "><b>NEWS: For Immediate Release</b></span><br><font style="line-height: normal; ">March 29, 2012<br style="line-height: 20px; "></font></span><span style="line-height: 17px; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 10pt; ">CONTACT: Adela de la Torre, <a target="_blank" style="color: rgb(30, 102, 174); cursor: pointer; font-family: Verdana; ">213-674-2832</a></span><br><font style="line-height: normal; "><span style="line-height: 20px; font-family: Georgia; ">or <a href="mailto:delatorre@nilc.org" style="color: rgb(30, 102, 174); cursor: pointer; font-family: Verdana; ">delatorre@nilc.org</a>.</span></font></p></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr><tr><td><p align="center" style="margin-bottom: 1.35em; "><font color="#800000" face="Georgia" style="line-height: normal; "><img border="0" align="left" src="https://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/371/images/smudge-bar.gif" width="571" height="26" style="line-height: 20px; "></font></p></td></tr><tr><td align="left"><p style="margin-bottom: 1.35em; "><span style="line-height: 17px; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 10pt; "><b><font color="#800000" style="line-height: normal; ">LAW ENFORCEMENT, FAITH, AND CIVIL RIGHTS LEADERS SUPPORT LANDMARK FEDERAL CHALLENGE TO ARIZONA ANTI-IMMIGRANT LAW<br style="line-height: 17px; "></font><br><font color="#0000ff" style="line-height: normal; ">Bishop, Police Chief, Congressman, and Civil Rights Advocates File Friend-of-the-Court Briefs in Support of Department of Justice Challenge to Arizona Racial Profiling Law <br style="line-height: 17px; "></font><br><font color="#008080" size="3" face="Times New Roman" style="line-height: normal; ">LOS ANGELES</font></b><font color="#008080" size="3" face="Times New Roman" style="line-height: normal; "> — Calling it “an affront to basic rights,” law enforcement, civil rights, faith leaders and a Congressman decried Arizona’s SB 1070 and urged the Supreme Court to maintain a lower court’s order blocking the law’s most pernicious elements from going into effect. SB 1070, which the Arizona legislature passed in April 2010, was, at the time, considered the most draconian anti-immigrant legislation in the country. The individuals who participated in the call explained why they or their organizations chose to make the Supreme Court aware of their opposition to SB 1070 by filing </font><a href="http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=ivbfSD4TFB28bOpplA9eb%2B5Kw0dObWu5" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(30, 102, 174); cursor: pointer; font-family: Verdana; "><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" style="line-height: normal; ">friend-of-the-court briefs</font></a><font size="3" face="Times New Roman" style="line-height: normal; ">. <br style="line-height: 20px; "><br style="line-height: 20px; "><font color="#008080">“These laws may inhibit the Church’s ability to be the Church — to care for people, to provide them solace,” said Bishop Jaime Soto of Sacramento, who spoke on behalf of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. “Many of these laws put that very essential and positive work of not just the Catholic Church, but also other faith communities, at risk. For that reason, we are extremely concerned about this very imprudent and impractical trend in state legislation, and support the case against SB 1070.” <br style="line-height: 20px; "><br style="line-height: 20px; ">After the U.S. Department of Justice challenged SB 1070 in court and won an injunction, Arizona appealed the lower court’s decision. The Supreme Court will hear oral arguments on the landmark case on April 25. Although the case before the Supreme Court focuses on Arizona’s law, communities across the country will feel the effects of the Court’s decision: cases in Utah, Georgia, South Carolina, and Alabama regarding Arizona-inspired legislation have been put on hold pending the Supreme Court’s ruling in U.S. v. Arizona. <br style="line-height: 20px; "><br style="line-height: 20px; ">“Police departments have a main priority of reducing crime and making communities safe,” said Jack Harris, former chief of police of Phoenix, Arizona. “The problem with laws like SB 1070, and the reason so many law enforcement officers oppose it, is because it diverts limited resources away from serious crime fighting.” <br style="line-height: 20px; "><br style="line-height: 20px; ">More than 350 individuals and organizations from myriad sectors of society filed friend-of-the court briefs expressing support for the Department of Justice’s opposition to Arizona’s law, which, if allowed to go into effect, would mandate that law enforcement officials ask for proof of immigration status if they “reasonably suspect” that a person lacks proper authorization to live in the country. Judith Browne Dianis, co-director of the Advancement Project, pointed to the discriminatory aspect of SB 1070, which could force people who have been American citizens all their lives to be subject to racial profiling. <br style="line-height: 20px; "><br style="line-height: 20px; ">Said Browne Dianis, “Racial profiling against African Americans, immigrants, and others is wrong and illegal. It undermines the principle that we are all equal under the law. If the Supreme Court validates 1070, it will open the floodgates for other states to take such action.” <br style="line-height: 20px; "><br style="line-height: 20px; ">Other notable individuals and organizations that express opposition to SB 1070 include former U.S. Department of State officials, who explain that laws such as SB 1070 interfere with the United States’ ability to engage in foreign policy, as well as former commissioners of the Immigration and Naturalization Service (the former agency whose functions are now performed by subdivisions of the Department of Homeland Security), who argue that SB 1070 interferes with the federal government’s own immigration policy priorities. <br style="line-height: 20px; "><br style="line-height: 20px; ">“We can turn back the tide on laws that specifically target immigrants for harassment and also end up harming so many others,” said Congressman Luis Gutierrez. “We can set a tone for the future where the tone of someone’s face or the dust on their work boots doesn’t make them a target.” <br style="line-height: 20px; "><br style="line-height: 20px; ">Marielena Hincapié, executive director of the National Immigration Law Center, said, “Our country’s greatness is derived from its diversity. No law should force those of us who look or sound ‘foreign’ to be subject to racial profiling or other discrimination. Unfortunately, Arizonans’ basic rights will be at risk if SB 1070 is allowed to go into effect, and the ramifications of this decision will be felt across the country. We hope that the Supreme Court will protect basic liberty and justice for all, and strike this ill-conceived law from Arizona’s books.” </font><br style="line-height: 20px; "><br style="line-height: 20px; ">For more information about <i style="line-height: 20px; ">U.S. v Arizona</i>, please visit </font><a href="http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=GuZ3uRwGi2dF0ntGiHeiCO5Kw0dObWu5" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(30, 102, 174); cursor: pointer; font-family: Verdana; "><font size="3" face="Times New Roman" style="line-height: normal; ">www.nilc.org/sb1070usvaz.html</font></a><font size="3" face="Times New Roman" style="line-height: normal; ">.<br style="line-height: 20px; "><br style="line-height: 20px; ">More information about the friend-of-the-court briefs can be found at</font><a href="http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=8eFC2cpa6kdc32MGt28pTe5Kw0dObWu5" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(30, 102, 174); cursor: pointer; font-family: Verdana; "><font size="3" face="Times New Roman" style="line-height: normal; ">www.nilc.org/USvAZamici.html</font></a><font size="3" style="line-height: normal; "><font face="Times New Roman">. <br style="line-height: 20px; "><br style="line-height: 20px; ">A recording of the telephonic news conference is available at<span style="line-height: 20px; text-decoration: underline; "> </span></font></font><a href="http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=1oG40MnP8hVj4zB8i39Jgu5Kw0dObWu5" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(30, 102, 174); cursor: pointer; font-family: Verdana; "><font size="3" face="Times New Roman" style="line-height: normal; ">www.nilc.org/document.html?id=655</font></a><font size="3" face="Times New Roman" style="line-height: normal; ">. <br style="line-height: 20px; "><br style="line-height: 20px; ">A news release issued by Congressman Gutierrez in conjunction with this press conference is available </font><a href="http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=N5uVxCRfhYEW7yYKPD2fle5Kw0dObWu5" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(30, 102, 174); cursor: pointer; font-family: Verdana; "><font size="3" face="Times New Roman" style="line-height: normal; ">here</font></a><font size="3" face="Times New Roman" style="line-height: normal; ">. <br style="line-height: 20px; "></font><br></span># # #</p></td></tr><tr><td><font face="Georgia" style="line-height: normal; "><img border="0" align="left" src="https://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/371/images/smudge-bar.gif" width="571" height="26" style="line-height: 20px; "></font></td></tr><tr><td><p align="right" style="margin-bottom: 1.35em; "><a href="http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=gyfX4/DHJbDUUhI3QfTHDfLZeeUSorpZ" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(30, 102, 174); cursor: pointer; font-family: Verdana; "><img border="0" alt="donate" src="http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/371/images/donatebutton.JPG" width="81" height="20" style="border-style: initial; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-top-style: none; border-right-style: none; border-bottom-style: none; 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">donate</a>|<a href="mailto:delatorre@nilc.org?subject=Reply%20to%20Salsa%20E-mail%20Blast" style="line-height: 20px; color: rgb(30, 102, 174); cursor: pointer; font-family: Verdana; ">contact</a>|<a href="http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=HGv9olei8duc55qIxuBIWe5Kw0dObWu5" target="_blank" style="line-height: 20px; color: rgb(30, 102, 174); cursor: pointer; font-family: Verdana; ">unsubscribe</a><br style="line-height: 20px; "></font><font face="Georgia" style="line-height: normal; "><a href="http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=b9EhGYQuptaHNKbIJS0sJ%2B5Kw0dObWu5" target="_blank" style="line-height: 20px; color: rgb(30, 102, 174); cursor: pointer; font-family: Verdana; ">National Immigration Law Center</a><br style="line-height: 20px; "></font><font face="Georgia" style="line-height: normal; ">3435 Wilshire Blvd., Ste. 2850, Los Angeles, CA 90010</font><br><font face="Georgia" style="line-height: normal; "><br style="line-height: 20px; ">Questions about subscriptions? Email Richard at <a href="mailto:irwin@nilc.org?subject=SUBSCRIPTION" style="line-height: 20px; color: rgb(30, 102, 174); cursor: pointer; font-family: Verdana; ">irwin@nilc.org</a> and write “SUBSCRIPTION” in the subject line</font>.</p></td></tr><tr><td> <br><br></td></tr></tbody></table></div></blockquote></div></div><div>@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@</div><div><font size="2"><br></font></div><div><span style="line-height: 23px; font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><font size="2"><div id="ecxmainart" class="ecxhmedia ecxart ecxgrid-6x2 " style="border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-width: initial; outline-style: none; outline-color: initial; vertical-align: baseline; "><div class="img" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); border-top-width: 1px; border-right-width: 1px; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-width: 1px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-width: initial; outline-style: none; outline-color: initial; "><img src="http://msnbcmedia2.msn.com/j/reuters/2012-03-29t202036z_2_cbre82s1k1600_rtroptp_3_business-us-apple-foxconn.grid-6x2.jpg" width="474" height="315" alt="Image: Apple CEO Tim Cook talks to employees as he visits the iPhone production line at the newly built Foxconn Zhengzhou Technology Park, Henan province. Cook has shown a willingness to tackle the global criticism head-on. " class="ecxphoto" style="border-top-width: 1px; border-right-width: 1px; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-width: 1px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-width: initial; outline-style: none; outline-color: initial; vertical-align: baseline; "></div><span class="ecxcredit ecxvcard ecxcontributor" style="border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; vertical-align: baseline; "><b><span class="ecxfn" style="border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; vertical-align: baseline; ">Handout</span> / <span class="ecxorg ecxfn" style="border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; vertical-align: baseline; ">REUTERS</span></b></span><div class="caption ecxfn" style="border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; vertical-align: baseline; "><b>Apple CEO Tim Cook talks to employees as he visits the iPhone production line at the newly built Foxconn Zhengzhou Technology Park, Henan province. Cook has shown a willingness to tackle the global criticism head-on.</b></div></div><div id="ecxbyline" class="ecxtxt ecxvcard ecxauthor ecxcontributor" style="border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; vertical-align: baseline; "><b><span class="ecxattribution" style="border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; vertical-align: baseline; ">http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/46896884/ns/business-world_business/#.T3TxXnjgWI8</span><span class="ecxattribution" style="border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; vertical-align: baseline; "><br></span><span class="ecxattribution" style="border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; vertical-align: baseline; ">By <span class="ecxfn" style="border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; vertical-align: baseline; ">Poornima Gupta and Edwin Chan</span></span></b></div><ul id="ecxtext-tools" class="ecxtxt " style="margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 1em; padding-right: 0px; padding-left: 1em; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; vertical-align: baseline; "><li title="Increase text size" id="ecxsizeup" class="ecxtextsize" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 3px; margin-left: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; vertical-align: baseline; "><span class="ecxApple-style-span" style="white-space: nowrap; "><br></span><span style="border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; outline-width: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; "></span></li><li title="Decrease text size" id="ecxsizedn" class="ecxtextsize" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 3px; margin-left: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; vertical-align: baseline; "><span style="border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; vertical-align: baseline; "></span></li></ul><div id="ecxintelliTXT" style="border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; vertical-align: baseline; "><div class="ecxpage ecxi1 ecxtxt" style="border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; vertical-align: baseline; "><p class="ecxi1" style="margin-bottom: 1.35em; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; vertical-align: baseline; "><span class="ecxdateline" style="border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; vertical-align: baseline; "><a href="http://www.bing.com/maps/?v=2&where1=SAN%20FRANCISCO&sty=h&form=msdate" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(30, 102, 174); cursor: pointer; font-family: Verdana; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; vertical-align: baseline; ">SAN FRANCISCO</a> — </span>In a landmark development for the way Western companies do business in China, Apple Inc said on Thursday it had agreed to work with partner Foxconn to tackle wage and working condition violations at the factories that produce its popular products.</p><p style="margin-bottom: 1.35em; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; vertical-align: baseline; ">Foxconn — which makes Apple devices from the iPhone to the iPad — will hire tens of thousands of new workers, clamp down on illegal overtime, improve safety protocols and upgrade worker housing and other<font class="ecxApple-style-span" color="#333333" style="line-height: normal; "> amenities.</font></p><p style="margin-bottom: 1.35em; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; ">The moves come in response to one of the largest investigations ever conducted of a U.S. company's operations abroad. Apple had agreed to the probe by the independent Fair Labor Association in response to a crescendo of criticism that its products were built on the backs of mistreated Chinese workers.</p></div></div><span class="ecxApple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); ">Apple, the world's most valuable corporation, and Foxconn, China's biggest private-sector employer and Apple' main contract manufacturer, are so dominant in the global <a href="http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/46896884/ns/business-world_business/#" id="ecxitxthook0" rel="nofollow" class="ecxitxtrst ecxitxtrsta ecxitxthook" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(30, 102, 174); cursor: pointer; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; vertical-align: baseline; border-top-style: none; border-right-style: none; border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-style: none; "><span id="ecxitxthook0w0" class="ecxitxtrst ecxitxtrstspan ecxitxthookspan" style="border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; vertical-align: baseline; border-top-style: none; border-right-style: none; border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-style: none; ">technology</span></a> industry that their newly forged accord will likely have a substantial ripple effect across the sector.</span><div style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; "><div class="ecxpage ecxi1 ecxtxt" style="border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; vertical-align: baseline; "><p style="margin-bottom: 1.35em; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; vertical-align: baseline; ">The association, in disclosing its findings from a survey of three Foxconn plants and over 35,000 workers, said it had unearthed multiple violations of labor law, including extreme hours and unpaid overtime.</p><p style="margin-bottom: 1.35em; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; vertical-align: baseline; ">Working conditions at many Chinese manufacturers that supply Western companies are considerably inferior to those at Foxconn, experts say.</p><p style="margin-bottom: 1.35em; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; vertical-align: baseline; ">"Apple and Foxconn are obviously the two biggest players in this sector and since they're teaming up to drive this change, I really do think they set the bar for the rest of the sector," FLA President Auret van Heerden told Reuters in an interview.</p><p style="margin-bottom: 1.35em; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; vertical-align: baseline; ">The Apple-Foxconn agreement may also raise costs for other manufacturers who contract with the Taiwanese company, including Dell Inc, <a href="http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/46896884/ns/business-world_business/#" id="ecxitxthook1" rel="nofollow" class="ecxitxtrst ecxitxtrsta ecxitxthook" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(30, 102, 174); cursor: pointer; font-family: Verdana; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; vertical-align: baseline; border-top-style: none; border-right-style: none; border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-style: none; "><span id="ecxitxthook1w0" class="ecxitxtrst ecxitxtrstspan ecxitxthookspan" style="border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; vertical-align: baseline; border-top-style: none; border-right-style: none; border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-style: none; ">Hewlett</span><span id="ecxitxthook1w1" class="ecxitxtrst ecxitxtrstspan ecxitxthookspan" style="border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; vertical-align: baseline; border-top-style: none; border-right-style: none; border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-style: none; ">-</span><span id="ecxitxthook1w2" class="ecxitxtrst ecxitxtrstspan ecxitxthookspan" style="border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; vertical-align: baseline; border-top-style: none; border-right-style: none; border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-style: none; ">Packard</span></a>, Amazon.com Inc , Motorola Mobility Holdings, Nokia Oyj and Sony Corp.</p></div></div><span class="ecxApple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); ">"If Foxconn's labor cost goes up ... that will be an industry-wide phenomenon and then we have to decide how much do we pass on to our customers versus how much cost do we absorb," HP Chief Executive Meg Whitman told Reuters in February.</span><div style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; "><div class="ecxpage ecxi1 ecxtxt" style="border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; vertical-align: baseline; "><p style="margin-bottom: 1.35em; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; vertical-align: baseline; ">The agreement could result in higher prices for consumers, though the impact will be limited because labor costs are only a small fraction of the total cost for most high-tech devices.</p></div></div><div style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; "><div class="ecxpage ecxi1 ecxtxt" style="border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; vertical-align: baseline; "><p style="margin-bottom: 1.35em; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; vertical-align: baseline; ">Foxconn said it would reduce working hours to 49 hours per week, including overtime, while keeping total compensation for workers at its current level. The FLA audit had found that during peak production times, workers in the three factories put in more than 60 hours per week on average.</p><p style="margin-bottom: 1.35em; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; vertical-align: baseline; ">To compensate for the reduced hours, Foxconn will hire tens of thousands of additional workers. It also said it would build more housing and canteens to accommodate that influx.</p><p style="margin-bottom: 1.35em; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; vertical-align: baseline; ">Apple CEO Tim Cook, who company critics hoped would usher in a more open, transparent era at Apple after he took over from the late <a href="http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/46896884/ns/business-world_business/#" id="ecxitxthook2" rel="nofollow" class="ecxitxtrst ecxitxtrsta ecxitxthook" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(30, 102, 174); cursor: pointer; font-family: Verdana; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; vertical-align: baseline; border-top-style: none; border-right-style: none; border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-style: none; "><span id="ecxitxthook2w0" class="ecxitxtrst ecxitxtrstspan ecxitxthookspan" style="border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; vertical-align: baseline; border-top-style: none; border-right-style: none; border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-style: none; ">Steve</span><span id="ecxitxthook2w1" class="ecxitxtrst ecxitxtrstspan ecxitxthookspan" style="border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; vertical-align: baseline; border-top-style: none; border-right-style: none; border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-style: none; "> </span><span id="ecxitxthook2w2" class="ecxitxtrst ecxitxtrstspan ecxitxthookspan" style="border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; vertical-align: baseline; border-top-style: none; border-right-style: none; border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-style: none; ">Jobs</span></a> last year, has shown a willingness to tackle the global criticism head-on.</p><p style="margin-bottom: 1.35em; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; vertical-align: baseline; ">"We appreciate the work the FLA has done to assess conditions at Foxconn and we fully support their recommendations," Apple said in a statement.</p><p style="margin-bottom: 1.35em; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; vertical-align: baseline; ">"We share the FLA's goal of improving lives and raising the bar for manufacturing companies everywhere."</p><p style="margin-bottom: 1.35em; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; vertical-align: baseline; ">The much-anticipated report marks the first phase of a probe into Apple's contract manufacturers across the world's most populous nation.</p><p style="margin-bottom: 1.35em; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; vertical-align: baseline; ">With 1.2 million workers, Foxconn — an affiliate of Taiwan's Hon Hai Precision Industry — is by far Apple's largest and most influential partner.</p><p style="margin-bottom: 1.35em; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; vertical-align: baseline; ">Foreign companies have long grappled with conditions at supplier factories in China, dubbed the world's factory because of its low wages and high-metabolism transport and shipping infrastructure.</p><p style="margin-bottom: 1.35em; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; vertical-align: baseline; ">While that manufacturing prowess presents an attractive <a href="http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/46896884/ns/business-world_business/#" id="ecxitxthook3" rel="nofollow" class="ecxitxtrst ecxitxtrsta ecxitxthook" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(30, 102, 174); cursor: pointer; font-family: Verdana; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; vertical-align: baseline; border-top-style: none; border-right-style: none; border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-style: none; "><span id="ecxitxthook3w0" class="ecxitxtrst ecxitxtrstspan ecxitxthookspan" style="border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; vertical-align: baseline; border-top-style: none; border-right-style: none; border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-style: none; ">business</span></a> proposition, consumer concerns about allegedly brutal working conditions in China have caused headaches for foreign brands.</p><p style="margin-bottom: 1.35em; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; vertical-align: baseline; ">Global protests against Apple swelled after reports spread in 2010 of a string or suicides at Foxconn's plants in southern China, blamed on inhumane working conditions and the alienation that migrant laborers, often from impoverished provinces, face in a bustling metropolis like Shenzhen, where two of the three factories the FLA inspected are based.</p><p style="margin-bottom: 1.35em; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; vertical-align: baseline; ">In months past, protesters have shown up at Apple events — the rollout of the new iPad, the iPhone 4GS and its annual shareholders' meeting — holding up placards urging the $500 billion corporation to make "ethical" devices.</p></div></div><span class="ecxApple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><br>In recent months, Apple's CEO has announced the results of an internal audit into more than a 100 of Apple's suppliers; caved to Wall Street pressure and put in place a dividend and stock buyback program; and addressed labor abuse protests directly.</span><div style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; "><div class="ecxpage ecxi1 ecxtxt" style="border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; vertical-align: baseline; "><p style="margin-bottom: 1.35em; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; vertical-align: baseline; ">The actor Mike Daisey also did much to raise awareness of the issue through his one man show, "The Agony and the Ecstasy of Steve Jobs," though his credibility was dented when it emerged that parts of his monologue were fabricated.</p><p style="margin-bottom: 1.35em; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; vertical-align: baseline; ">Cook reportedly told Chinese Vice Premier Li Keqiang he was working to resolve labor issues in the country. Apple joined the FLA in January and requested the group conduct a full-scale audit of its Chinese manufacturing.</p><p style="margin-bottom: 1.35em; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; vertical-align: baseline; ">The FLA in its report sought measures that will reduce working hours while ensuring that migrant laborers — often willing to pile up the overtime to make ends meet back home — do not forego much-needed income.</p></div><div id="ecxfullstory" class="ecxpage ecxi2 ecxtxt" style="border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; vertical-align: baseline; "><p style="margin-bottom: 1.35em; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; vertical-align: baseline; ">Foxconn committed to building new housing to alleviate situations where multiple workers were squeezed into dorm rooms that seem inhumane by Western standards. It will also improve accident reporting and help workers enroll in social welfare programs.</p><p style="margin-bottom: 1.35em; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; vertical-align: baseline; ">But it is unclear if there will be independent monitoring of Apple and Foxconn's progress in adhering to its commitments.</p><p style="margin-bottom: 1.35em; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; vertical-align: baseline; ">The Apple agreement is not the first time a U.S. consumer brand has agreed to address broadly the issue of working conditions at overseas factories.</p><p style="margin-bottom: 1.35em; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; vertical-align: baseline; ">Nike Inc was rocked by reports in the 1990s that its contractors in China and elsewhere forced employees to work in slave-like conditions for a pittance.</p><p style="margin-bottom: 1.35em; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; vertical-align: baseline; ">The sportswear brand eventually implemented wide-ranging reforms that vastly improved safety and working conditions, but the issue continues to rear its head: last year, Nike paid 4,400 workers $1 million to settle claims of non-payment of overtime wages.</p><p style="margin-bottom: 1.35em; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; vertical-align: baseline; ">Yet even Nike stopped short of Apple's and Foxconn's hiring and income-boosting spree. Last month, Foxconn said it was raising salaries by 16 to 25 percent, and was advertising a basic monthly wage, not including overtime, of 1,800 yuan ($290) in the southern city of Shenzhen, Guangdong province — where the monthly minimum wage is 1,500 yuan.</p><p style="margin-bottom: 1.35em; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; vertical-align: baseline; ">Besides the two factories in Shenzhen, the other factory covered by the FLA report is in Chengdu, in central China.</p></div></div><span class="ecxApple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><br>Should Chinese manufacturers and their American clients follow Apple's lead, already severely strained margins might further narrow, experts say.</span><div style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; "><div class="ecxpage ecxi2 ecxtxt" style="border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; vertical-align: baseline; "><p style="margin-bottom: 1.35em; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; vertical-align: baseline; ">Future forays by the FLA over coming months will encompass Apple contractors Quanta Computer Inc, Pegatron Corp , Wintek Corp and other suppliers, all notoriously tight-lipped about their operations.</p><p style="margin-bottom: 1.35em; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; vertical-align: baseline; ">While labor costs are a relatively low percentage of total costs for electronics products, they account for a far higher percentage further down the value chain. Fast-food chains like McDonald's, or apparel makers like Nike or the Gap , are even more dependent on low-cost labor.</p><p style="margin-bottom: 1.35em; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; vertical-align: baseline; ">Many companies have already relocated some manufacturing either to inland China, where wages are lower, or to countries like Vietnam.</p></div></div></font></span></div><div>@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@</div><div><br></div><div><table width="100%" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="0" style="line-height: 17px; color: rgb(42, 42, 42); font-family: Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><tbody><tr><td valign="top" bgcolor="#e6e6e6" align="center"><table width="760" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" style="line-height: 17px; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; text-align: left; "><tbody><tr><td valign="top"><img width="760" height="155" border="0" alt="Communications Workers of America | E-Activist Newsletter" src="http://cwa.bluestatedigital.com/page/-/e-activist-newsletter/header.jpg" style="border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; "></td></tr><tr><td valign="top" bgcolor="#ffffff" style="line-height: 20px; font-size: 14px; padding-top: 30px; padding-right: 30px; padding-bottom: 30px; padding-left: 30px; "><div class="ecxtop" style="line-height: 18px; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; "><p style="margin-bottom: 1.35em; font-style: italic; ">March 29, 2012</p><ul style="margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 20px; padding-right: 0px; padding-left: 0px; color: rgb(94, 94, 94); "><li style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 3px; margin-left: 0px; "><a href="https://blu155.mail.live.com/mail/#story1" style="color: rgb(109, 14, 15); cursor: pointer; ">Clock Ticking on AT&T Contracts</a></li><li style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 3px; margin-left: 0px; "><a href="https://blu155.mail.live.com/mail/#story2" style="color: rgb(109, 14, 15); cursor: pointer; ">99 Percent Spring/Challenging Corporate Power Trains Activist Leaders</a></li><li style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 3px; margin-left: 0px; "><a href="https://blu155.mail.live.com/mail/#story3" style="color: rgb(109, 14, 15); cursor: pointer; ">CWA Members Plan Actions for Verizon Annual Meeting</a></li><li style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 3px; margin-left: 0px; "><a href="https://blu155.mail.live.com/mail/#story4" style="color: rgb(109, 14, 15); cursor: pointer; ">March 22 Was a Warm-Up to Shareholder Spring</a></li><li style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 3px; margin-left: 0px; "><a href="https://blu155.mail.live.com/mail/#story5" style="color: rgb(109, 14, 15); cursor: pointer; ">T-Mobile Call Center Workers Mobilize Against Closures</a></li><li style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 3px; margin-left: 0px; "><a href="https://blu155.mail.live.com/mail/#story6" style="color: rgb(109, 14, 15); cursor: pointer; ">New Jersey Childcare Workers Join CWA</a></li><li style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 3px; margin-left: 0px; "><a href="https://blu155.mail.live.com/mail/#story7" style="color: rgb(109, 14, 15); cursor: pointer; ">US Airways Express Flight Attendants Ratify Contract</a></li><li style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 3px; margin-left: 0px; "><a href="https://blu155.mail.live.com/mail/#story8" style="color: rgb(109, 14, 15); cursor: pointer; ">Maryland CWAers Protest Verizon Power Grab</a></li></ul></div><h2 style="line-height: 24px; font-size: 20px; font-weight: normal; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-left: 0px; color: rgb(109, 14, 15); "><a name="story1" target="_blank" style="line-height: 26px; cursor: pointer; ">Clock Ticking on AT&T Contracts</a></h2><p style="line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1.35em; "></p><p style="line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1.35em; "><i></i></p><div style="line-height: 12px; width: 320px; float: right; font-size: 10px; margin-left: 10px; "><i style="line-height: 13px; "><img width="320" height="170" alt="Local 1298 - AT&T" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7101/6881326028_7887199795.jpg" style="border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; "><p style="margin-bottom: 1.35em; ">Members of CWA Local 1298 leaflet spectators at the NCAA Women's Basketball tournament in Bridgeport, Conn.</p><p style="margin-bottom: 1.35em; "><img width="320" height="201" alt="Local 6143 - AT&T" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7181/6881326708_64319874ca.jpg" style="border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; "></p><p style="margin-bottom: 1.35em; ">In San Antonio, Tex., members of Local 6143 tell AT&T we're fighting to hold on to the American dream.</p><p style="margin-bottom: 1.35em; "><img width="320" height="205" alt="Local 9003 - AT&T" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7065/7027426059_815164d261.jpg" style="border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; "></p><p style="margin-bottom: 1.35em; ">Members of Local 9003, techs from the Juanita Street garage in Los Angeles, do some "practice" picketing.</p><p style="margin-bottom: 1.35em; "><img width="306" height="375" alt="D4 Health Care - AT&T" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7256/7027426085_c422d56fc1.jpg" style="border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; "></p><p style="margin-bottom: 1.35em; ">In Pontiac, Mich., Kristen Harkonen, steward, and Monica Shadowens, chief steward, for Local 4123, lead protest against AT&T's demands for health care cuts.</p></i></div><p style="line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1.35em; "><i></i></p><p style="line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1.35em; "></p><p style="line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1.35em; "></p><p style="line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1.35em; ">Mobilization is in high gear for the final week of bargaining for new contracts at AT&T East, Midwest, West and Legacy; contracts expire April 7. CWA locals and members are holding rallies and planning lots of actions to support bargaining teams this week and next.</p><p style="line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1.35em; ">Members of Local 1298 leafleted outside the NCAA women's basketball tournament in Bridgeport, Conn., and CWAers throughout District 4 protested AT&T's demands for health care cuts. In District 9 and throughout CWA, activists mobilized around an unfair attack on prem techs in Bakersfield, Calif., who were hit with a fine and attendance occurrence by local management for doing what CWAers do every Thursday: wearing red.</p><p style="line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1.35em; ">When local management told the techs they couldn't wear the shirts, they stood tough. You can support them, and all CWAers mobilizing for new contracts with AT&T, by<a href="http://action.cwa-union.org/salsa/track.jsp?v=2&c=FX2Hv/BxWRXHIfOeYFj0vvaTnY3MDPAN" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(109, 14, 15); cursor: pointer; ">sending a message</a> to local management that we stand together.</p><p style="line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1.35em; ">Rallies and meetings are planned in every district as our contracts expire, so check out with your local union for the latest, and <a href="http://action.cwa-union.org/salsa/track.jsp?v=2&c=GQNQcOTsh8yNKn/Cvb7/ufaTnY3MDPAN" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(109, 14, 15); cursor: pointer; ">click here</a> for bargaining updates for every contract.</p><h2 style="line-height: 24px; font-size: 20px; font-weight: normal; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-left: 0px; color: rgb(109, 14, 15); clear: both; "><a name="story2" target="_blank" style="line-height: 26px; cursor: pointer; ">99 Percent Spring/Challenging Corporate Power Trains Activist Leaders</a></h2><p style="line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1.35em; "></p><p style="line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1.35em; "><i></i></p><div style="line-height: 12px; width: 320px; float: left; font-size: 10px; margin-right: 10px; "><i style="line-height: 13px; "><img width="320" height="427" alt="Joe Mayhew - Spring Training" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7177/6881326152_71fc76ef51.jpg" style="border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; "><p style="margin-bottom: 1.35em; ">CWA Local 1103's Joe Mayhew leads a "train the trainer" session for 99 Percent Spring.</p><img width="320" height="186" alt="Spring Training - Local 1103" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7088/7027425663_a290d62627.jpg" style="border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; "></i></div><p style="line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1.35em; "><i></i></p><p style="line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1.35em; "></p><p style="line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1.35em; "></p><p style="line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1.35em; ">Occupy Wall Street-inspired activists are gearing up to lead demonstrations and resistance as part of "99 Percent Spring/Challenging Corporate Power."</p><p style="line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1.35em; ">The movement — led by a coalition of <a href="http://action.cwa-union.org/salsa/track.jsp?v=2&c=wUFhHQNxC5%2Bcv/YZtEIzLYyVTt%2BiBkE%2B" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(109, 14, 15); cursor: pointer; ">60 progressive groups</a> that includes CWA — has already trained 86 national trainers, who then fanned out across the country last weekend to train their regional counterparts in 21 cities. All this preparation will culminate in a week of workshops, from April 9 to 15, where 100,000 activists will learn the causes of America's economic distress, history of nonviolent direct action and how to channel what they've learned into campaigns for change.</p><p style="line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1.35em; ">"It's connecting the dots and understanding how we got here," said Chris Kennedy, CWA's Human Rights Director, who hosted a training session in Atlanta. "Only after understanding how we got here will we believe in the ability to change things."</p><p style="line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1.35em; ">Last weekend, nine CWA members helped prep regional leaders who ranged from students to retirees, autoworkers to Greenpeace activists. Some had demonstrated with Occupy in Zuccotti Park in New York, while others were new to fight for economic equality. The diverse group encompassed all religions, races and sexual orientations.</p><p style="line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1.35em; ">"Everyone got up and said one thing that was unbelievable: 'Sure, we're from different places. Sure, we all look different. But we are here so everyone can have a fair shot,'" said Joe Mayhew of CWA Local 1103, who helped lead the New York City training session. "We were there as the 99 percent."</p><p style="line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1.35em; ">Democracy only works with an informed and active citizenry, the trainers believe. So the April workshops will start off with a primer of what happened to America's economy. Participants will learn about the choices that created this climate of inequality, starting with the policies of President Ronald Reagan, who attacked unions, deregulated financial markets and cut taxes for the wealthiest Americans.</p><p style="line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1.35em; ">After discussing who's responsible and what a different future could look like, participants will develop their own personal economic justice narrative, solidifying why they are involved and part of the 99 percent.</p><p style="line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1.35em; ">Finally, participants will learn the strategies for nonviolent direct action, such as how to escalate and de-escalate a situation. In particular, they'll be studying Rosa Parks and the Montgomery Bus Boycott, which was not actually the result of a spontaneous act of civil disobedience, but rather a meticulously planned event.</p><p style="line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1.35em; ">AFA-CWA's Darren Shimora, who attended a training session in Washington, said these workshops will help create a lasting framework for everyday Americans to build strength and solidarity, with the goal of being able to respond quickly.</p><p style="line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1.35em; ">"If we receive word of some injustice...we would be able to quickly mobilize behind it, instead of saying, 'we need two weeks to plans this,'" he said, noting that 100 AFA-CWA Flight Attendants will be joining the 99 Percent Spring/Challenging Corporate Power effort. "This is the groundwork we need to go forward."</p><p style="line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1.35em; ">How can you participate in 99 Percent Spring/Challenging Corporate Power? <a href="http://action.cwa-union.org/salsa/track.jsp?v=2&c=kDDDbxOENsBdCOWbnuh52faTnY3MDPAN" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(109, 14, 15); cursor: pointer; ">Click here</a> to sign up to attend a training session, or offer to host a workshop in your union hall, place of worship, community center or home.</p><h2 style="line-height: 24px; font-size: 20px; font-weight: normal; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-left: 0px; color: rgb(109, 14, 15); clear: both; "><a name="story3" target="_blank" style="line-height: 26px; cursor: pointer; ">CWA Members Plan Actions for Verizon Annual Meeting</a></h2><p style="line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1.35em; ">CWA activists are planning actions around Verizon's annual shareholder meeting to bring attention to corporate greed and economic inequality.</p><p style="line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1.35em; ">The May 3 meeting starts at 10:30 a.m. at the Von Braun Center, an arena located in downtown Huntsville, Ala. Shareholders will be electing directors and voting on six proposals concerning corporate governance, including one that would require full disclosure of Verizon's direct, indirect and grassroots lobbying.</p><p style="line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1.35em; ">The protest is part of the 99 Percent Spring/Challenging Corporate Power's plan to demonstrate at annual shareholder meetings across the country — or "Shareholder Spring." Activists will be confronting the corporate executives responsible for wrecking the economy, damaging the environment and amplifying the gap between the rich and the poor. Along with Verizon, they'll be targeting Chevron, Bank of America, Walmart and Wells Fargo.</p><p style="line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1.35em; ">"On May 3, Verizon will hear from activists across the country: it's time Verizon started paying its fair share of taxes, creating and keeping good jobs in the U.S. and treating workers fairly," said CWA Chief of Staff Ron Collins.</p><p style="line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1.35em; ">More information will be available at <a href="http://action.cwa-union.org/salsa/track.jsp?v=2&c=ga5kS1AFIU7xENfpFX41zfaTnY3MDPAN" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(109, 14, 15); cursor: pointer; ">www.unityatverizon.com</a>.</p><h2 style="line-height: 24px; font-size: 20px; font-weight: normal; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-left: 0px; color: rgb(109, 14, 15); clear: both; "><a name="story4" target="_blank" style="line-height: 26px; cursor: pointer; ">March 22 Was a Warm-Up to Shareholder Spring</a></h2><p style="line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1.35em; "></p><p style="line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1.35em; "><i></i></p><div style="line-height: 12px; width: 320px; float: right; font-size: 10px; margin-left: 10px; "><i style="line-height: 13px; "><img width="320" height="303" alt="Local 1109 - Pig" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7096/6881326928_958536c6aa.jpg" style="border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; "><p style="margin-bottom: 1.35em; ">A giant corporate pig helps members of CWA 1109 demonstrate against the 1 percent and corporate greed.</p><p style="margin-bottom: 1.35em; "><img width="320" height="187" alt="Local 6215 - Verizon Wireless" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7275/6881326790_4c81b028ce.jpg" style="border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; "></p><p style="margin-bottom: 1.35em; ">In Irvine, Tex., CWAers from Local 6215 rally against verigreedy Verizon.</p><p style="margin-bottom: 1.35em; "><a href="http://action.cwa-union.org/salsa/track.jsp?v=2&c=b5qKOYGHxSlYZn%2BHBYgVF4yVTt%2BiBkE%2B" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(109, 14, 15); cursor: pointer; "><img width="320" height="179" alt="March 22 - Verizon Informational Picket - NYC" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7219/7027426375_788925a9d8.jpg" style="border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-width: initial; border-style: initial; "></a></p><p style="margin-bottom: 1.35em; ">More than a thousand CWA members in New York City rally outside Verizon's corporate headquarters. For a video of this rally, click the photo.</p></i></div><p style="line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1.35em; "><i></i></p><p style="line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1.35em; "></p><p style="line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1.35em; "></p><p style="line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1.35em; ">March 22 was a great day of rallies and leafleting across the country, with CWA members joined by members of many different unions, Jobs with Justice, Occupiers and other supporters. Check out <a href="http://action.cwa-union.org/salsa/track.jsp?v=2&c=4ybZsWDCTgEix1ZpBxrX5/aTnY3MDPAN" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(109, 14, 15); cursor: pointer; ">this terrific slide show</a>.</p><p style="line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1.35em; ">And mark your calendar for May 3, Verizon's annual meeting. They'll be lots of actions and events that day. Stay tuned to <a href="http://action.cwa-union.org/salsa/track.jsp?v=2&c=Zi%2BzYAjp0iyS8GOVCv3fnPaTnY3MDPAN" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(109, 14, 15); cursor: pointer; ">www.unityatverizon.com</a> for updates.</p><h2 style="line-height: 24px; font-size: 20px; font-weight: normal; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-left: 0px; color: rgb(109, 14, 15); clear: both; "><a name="story5" target="_blank" style="line-height: 26px; cursor: pointer; ">T-Mobile Call Center Workers Mobilize Against Closures</a></h2><p style="line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1.35em; "></p><p style="line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1.35em; "><i></i></p><div style="line-height: 12px; width: 320px; float: left; font-size: 10px; margin-right: 10px; "><i style="line-height: 13px; "><img width="320" height="556" alt="T-Mobile Ad" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7197/6881327144_8889d1c875.jpg" style="border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; "><p style="margin-bottom: 1.35em; ">The ad appeared in the March 28 edition of the New York Times, and got a lot of media attention in Germany.</p></i></div><p style="line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1.35em; "><i></i></p><p style="line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1.35em; "></p><p style="line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1.35em; "></p><p style="line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1.35em; ">CWA activists and T-Mobile USA workers are spotlighting the company's bad decision to close seven call centers, affecting the jobs of 3,300 workers.</p><p style="line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1.35em; ">From Pennsylvania to Texas to Oregon, workers are meeting with community leaders, local elected officials and others to fight for their jobs.</p><p style="line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1.35em; ">The seven centers slated to close are: Allentown, Pa.; Fort Lauderdale, Fla.; Frisco, Texas; Brownsville, Texas; Thornton, Colo.; Redmond, Ore.; and Lenexa, Kansas.</p><p style="line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1.35em; ">CWA has been working with T-Mobile USA workers who want a union voice. The German union ver.di, which represents T-Mobile and Deutsche Telekom workers in Germany, has played a major role in this effort, standing up for the rights of workers to choose union representation without the atmosphere of fear and intimidation that T-Mobile USA has created.</p><p style="line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1.35em; ">This week, a full-page ad in the <i>New York Times</i> featured a call by 11 prominent German political leaders and scholars who told Deutsche Telekom and T-Mobile that U.S. employees "should not be influenced, pressured or intimidated by employers if they exercise their basic right for freedom of association."</p><p style="line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1.35em; ">Tomorrow, T-Mobile activists and supporters will rally outside the Allentown, Pa., call center to protest the company's decision to close the facility. More than 400 Allentown workers will lose their jobs in three months.</p><p style="line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1.35em; ">"There's no other job here that pays even remotely that well for the trade we're involved in," said Jim Brilhart, a technical support specialist in Allentown. "It's difficult for a lot of us locally."</p><p style="line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1.35em; ">Brilhart added, "This is a serious blow to the local economy."</p><p style="line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1.35em; ">Across the Atlantic, ver.di members will hold a picket line on Friday, bringing attention to the ongoing violations of workers' rights at T-Mobile USA as well as their own negotiations with Deutsche Telekom and T-Mobile.</p><p style="line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1.35em; ">Starting next week, be on the lookout for ads on Facebook, Google and other prominent websites, spreading awareness about T-Mobile's actions and an online petition. The message: T-Mobile should bring back work it has offshored to Asia and Central America, and keep our call centers open.</p><p style="line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1.35em; ">CWAers also will be working with call center workers in Frisco and Brownsville, Texas, two more locations that T-Mobile management has put on the chopping block.</p><p style="line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1.35em; ">Blake Poindexter, a technical support specialist in Frisco, said he's unsure about his future job prospects. But he continues to work with CWA to gather support from U.S. representatives in Texas to co-sponsor an anti-offshoring bill that penalizes American companies that ship jobs overseas.</p><p style="line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1.35em; ">"I want to save anyone else from having to go through this," he said. "I wouldn't want to put anyone through what I'm having to go through, ever."</p><p style="line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1.35em; ">T-Mobile promised employees that it would hire back many of 1,400 dismissed workers and help others transition into new jobs. But, a week later, many employees aren't too hopeful.</p><p style="line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1.35em; ">Poindexter said he and his colleagues were simply instructed to go to the company's website to start applying for one of the 1,400 open positions "as if we were random people on the street looking for a job. I don't know how much is true, how much they're going to help me," he said.</p><p style="line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1.35em; ">Jon Brookshire, a fellow Frisco-based technical support specialist, looked at the openings and discovered that to keep his current position and not take a drastic pay cut, he would have to move to either Albuquerque or Colorado Springs. "Both those economies over there are a lot worse than Dallas, so that's kind of a gamble," he said.</p><h2 style="line-height: 24px; font-size: 20px; font-weight: normal; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-left: 0px; color: rgb(109, 14, 15); clear: both; "><a name="story6" target="_blank" style="line-height: 26px; cursor: pointer; ">New Jersey Childcare Workers Join CWA</a></h2><p style="line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1.35em; ">CWA Local 1039 won an election last Friday to represent 20 workers at a New Jersey childcare center.</p><p style="line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1.35em; ">Workers at the Trenton-based Capital Child Care voted 14 to 4 for CWA. Employees are now striving to curb management's bad behaviors, such as fudging time sheets to avoid paying overtime, and will advocate for improvements to their workplace and level of care.</p><p style="line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1.35em; ">"In spite of an aggressive anti-union campaign by a boss who committed numerous unfair labor practices, workers stuck together and remained public in support for CWA throughout the campaign," reported District 1 Organizing Coordinator Anne Luck-Deak.</p><p style="line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1.35em; ">Workers first approached the Local — located right across the street from the center — in December and started holding informational and committee meetings. Demanding recognition, they presented their boss a mission statement signed by all the workers. When he refused, CWA filed a petition with the National Labor Relations Board.</p><p style="line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1.35em; ">Local 1039 President Lionel Leach, along with staffers Michelle Franklin and Carol Thomas, aided the campaign. The victory has already encouraged the local to explore organizing other childcare centers in the area.</p><h2 style="line-height: 24px; font-size: 20px; font-weight: normal; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-left: 0px; color: rgb(109, 14, 15); clear: both; "><a name="story7" target="_blank" style="line-height: 26px; cursor: pointer; ">US Airways Express Flight Attendants Ratify Contract</a></h2><p style="line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1.35em; ">US Airways Express Flight Attendants ratified a five-year agreement on Tuesday that provides new pay rates above the industry average and other improvements.</p><p style="line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1.35em; ">The 300 workers at PSA Airlines, a wholly-owned subsidiary that flies under the brand US Airways Express, are based in Knoxville, Tenn.; Dayton, Ohio; and Charlotte, N.C. They are represented by AFA-CWA Council 75.</p><p style="line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1.35em; ">"Through job security protections and potential growth, we have great hope for the opportunities before us," said L.C. Acor, AFA-CWA PSA President. "PSA Flight Attendants took ownership of our future by standing together throughout the negotiations and generated the power to achieve these improvements."</p><h2 style="line-height: 24px; font-size: 20px; font-weight: normal; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-left: 0px; color: rgb(109, 14, 15); clear: both; "><a name="story8" target="_blank" style="line-height: 26px; cursor: pointer; ">Maryland CWAers Protest Verizon Power Grab</a></h2><p style="line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1.35em; "></p><p style="line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1.35em; "><i></i></p><div style="line-height: 12px; width: 320px; float: right; font-size: 10px; margin-left: 10px; "><i style="line-height: 13px; "><img width="320" height="234" alt="Verizon - Maryland" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7125/6881325968_48b2fba991.jpg" style="border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; "><p style="margin-bottom: 1.35em; ">About 40 Verizon members from several CWA locals fill the hearing room at the state capitol in Annapolis.</p></i></div><p style="line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1.35em; "><i></i></p><p style="line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1.35em; "></p><p style="line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1.35em; "></p><p style="line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1.35em; ">More than 40 CWA and RMC members from seven CWA locals filled the hearing room of the Maryland Senate Finance Committee with a sea of red shirts this week. Their mission: to spotlight a bill that would allow Verizon to sell its landline assets without any review by the Public Service Commission.</p><p style="line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1.35em; ">CWAers waited for more than four hours for the bill, SB 813, to be discussed, and took advantage of that time to tell others at the capitol just was Verizon was trying to do and the serious effect it would have on consumers, workers and communities.</p><p style="line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1.35em; ">While Verizon tried to present the measure as "streamlining the process," supportive legislators and witnesses, including Paula Vinciguerra, Local 2106, made clear that Verizon simply wanted to sell the landlines without any oversight by state regulators.</p><p style="line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1.35em; ">Members from Locals 2100, 2101, 2106, 2107, 2108, 2300, 2336, and retirees from RMC 2108 joined the action at the state capitol.</p></td></tr><tr><td style="padding-top: 10px; padding-right: 20px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 20px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><img border="0" alt="" src="https://afl.salsalabs.com/o/4004/c/11/images/email-divider.jpg" style="border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; "></td></tr><tr><td style="line-height: 13px; padding-top: 0pt; padding-right: 20px; padding-bottom: 20px; padding-left: 20px; font-size: 10px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><p style="margin-bottom: 1.35em; ">You have received this message through your subscription to a Communications Workers of America e-mail list. If you did not subscribe or would like to unsubscribe <a href="http://action.cwa-union.org/salsa/track.jsp?v=2&c=bz4N%2BVHeqGdiYK4qxr7NRvaTnY3MDPAN" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(109, 14, 15); cursor: pointer; ">click here</a>.</p></td></tr><tr><td valign="top" bgcolor="#d7d5d5" align="left" id="ecxemail_content2" style="line-height: 16px; font-size: 12px; color: rgb(119, 119, 119); padding-top: 20px; padding-right: 30px; padding-bottom: 20px; padding-left: 30px; "><p style="line-height: 15px; margin-bottom: 1.35em; ">Communications Workers of America, AFL-CIO, CLC. All Rights Reserved.<br>501 Third Street, NW Washington, DC 20001<a href="http://action.cwa-union.org/salsa/track.jsp?v=2&c=FI6cohSgv23izVOt6nS1%2BPaTnY3MDPAN" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(109, 14, 15); cursor: pointer; "><img width="71" height="15" border="0" align="bottom" alt="Facebook" src="http://cwa.bluestatedigital.com/page/-/e-activist-newsletter/facebook.gif" style="border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-width: initial; border-style: initial; "></a> <a href="http://action.cwa-union.org/salsa/track.jsp?v=2&c=0qy1pVHu2fxsXkxrT3ZbN/aTnY3MDPAN" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(109, 14, 15); cursor: pointer; "><img width="64" height="16" border="0" align="bottom" alt="Twitter" src="http://cwa.bluestatedigital.com/page/-/e-activist-newsletter/twitter.gif" style="border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-width: initial; border-style: initial; "></a></p><p style="line-height: 15px; margin-bottom: 1.35em; "><br></p></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div>@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@</div><div><br></div><div><a href="http://www.alternet.org/newsandviews/article/873691/georgia_republicans_move_quickly_to_pass_anti-picketing_bill%2C_slashing_unemployment_insurance_while_they%27re_at_it/#paragraph4">http://www.alternet.org/newsandviews/article/873691/georgia_republicans_move_quickly_to_pass_anti-picketing_bill%2C_slashing_unemployment_insurance_while_they%27re_at_it/#paragraph4</a>
</div><div><br></div><div><a href="http://act.alternet.org/go/17407?akid=8494.16102.as8x1p&t=23" target="_blank" style="line-height: 18px; color: rgb(0, 104, 207); cursor: pointer; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">Georgia Republicans Move Quickly to Pass Anti-Picketing Bill, Slashing Unemployment Insurance While They're At It</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 Laura Clawson | Daily Kos</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><br></div><div><a href="http://www.alternet.org/newsandviews/article/873988/occupiers%2C_other_activists%2C_and_union_members_chain_open_nyc_subway_stations_for_%22fare_strike%22/#paragraph3">http://www.alternet.org/newsandviews/article/873988/occupiers%2C_other_activists%2C_and_union_members_chain_open_nyc_subway_stations_for_%22fare_strike%22/#paragraph3</a>
</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/17402?akid=8493.16102.fb-M9y&t=4" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 104, 207); cursor: pointer; ">Occupiers, Other Activists, and Union Members Chain Open NYC Subway Stations for "Fare Strike"</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 Lauren Kelley | 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://www.alternet.org/newsandviews/article/873987/spaniards_stage_%23m29_general_strike_to_protest_austerity_cuts%2C_unemployment/#paragraph5">http://www.alternet.org/newsandviews/article/873987/spaniards_stage_%23m29_general_strike_to_protest_austerity_cuts%2C_unemployment/#paragraph5</a>
</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/17406?akid=8493.16102.fb-M9y&t=9" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 104, 207); cursor: pointer; ">Spaniards Stage #M29 General Strike to Protest Austerity Cuts, Unemployment</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 Agence France-Presse</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://www.alternet.org/rss/breakingnews/873812/first_times_claims_for_jobless_benefits_at_359%2C000_last_week%2C_after_large_revision/?akid=8493.16102.fb-M9y&rd=1&t=14">http://www.alternet.org/rss/breakingnews/873812/first_times_claims_for_jobless_benefits_at_359%2C000_last_week%2C_after_large_revision/?akid=8493.16102.fb-M9y&rd=1&t=14</a>
</div><div><br></div><div><div style="line-height: 18px; color: rgb(42, 42, 42); font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: -webkit-left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><a href="http://act.alternet.org/go/17410?akid=8493.16102.fb-M9y&t=14" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 104, 207); cursor: pointer; ">First times claims for jobless benefits at 359,000 last week, after large revision</a></div><div style="line-height: 14px; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; text-align: -webkit-left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-size: 11px; font-style: italic; color: rgb(222, 73, 0); ">By rss@dailykos.com (Meteor Blades) | Daily Kos</div></div><div style="line-height: 14px; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; text-align: -webkit-left; 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><table align="center" width="626" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="1" style="line-height: 17px; color: rgb(42, 42, 42); font-family: Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><tbody><tr><td bgcolor="FFFFFF"><table align="center" width="700" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="0" style="line-height: 17px; "><tbody><tr><td><table align="center" width="100%" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="0" style="line-height: 17px; "><tbody><tr><td><a href="http://act.aflcio.org/salsa/track.jsp?v=2&c=/fOtY5E0jN8XDB1ggTrdQ2qCru/MPt6a" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 104, 207); cursor: pointer; "><img border="0" alt="" src="https://afl.salsalabs.com/o/4001/c/18/images/aflcionowblog_700x100.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; "></a></td></tr><tr><td><table align="left" width="700" cellpadding="13" border="0" style="line-height: 17px; "><tbody><tr><td><p style="margin-bottom: 1.35em; "><span style="font-size: 13px; "><span style="font-family: Verdana; "><b>March 29, 2012</b></span></span></p><table align="right" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="7" border="0" 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=cDmkCQS/0FZLh1rhGNFvx6NpenjcUray" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 104, 207); cursor: pointer; "><img border="0" alt="" title="" src="https://afl.salsalabs.com/o/4001/c/18/images/Upper-Big-Branch-Shows.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; "></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=duxt2QYOiQ%2BOo7xC4PGKOmqCru/MPt6a" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 104, 207); cursor: pointer; "><font color="navy" style="line-height: normal; ">Miners must have stronger protections to report safety violations and mine safety laws must be stronger with tougher penalties to prevent another Upper Big Branch disaster, witnesses told a House hearing</font></a>.</span></span></td></tr></tbody></table><p style="margin-bottom: 1.35em; "><span style="font-size: 13px; "><span style="font-family: Verdana; ">Praising Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker’s attack on public employees’ collective bargaining rights, especially his assault on workers’ retirement security, Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney yesterday endorsed Walker in the upcoming recall election.<br><a href="http://act.aflcio.org/salsa/track.jsp?v=2&c=I5GquU1eWo85vh9kfIlkSWqCru/MPt6a" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 104, 207); cursor: pointer; "><b><font color="navy" style="line-height: normal; ">Read more and comment</font></b></a><b><font color="navy" style="line-height: normal; ">.</font></b> <img src="https://afl.salsalabs.com/o/4001/c/18/images/navy_arrow.jpg" alt=""></span></span></p><hr align="left" width="30%" color="#cccccc"><p style="margin-bottom: 1.35em; "><img src="https://afl.salsalabs.com/o/4001/c/18/images/button_most-recent-blog-posts_225.jpg" alt=""></p><p style="margin-bottom: 1.35em; "><img border="0" src="https://afl.salsalabs.com/o/4001/c/18/images/blog_arrow-blt.gif" alt=""> <a href="http://act.aflcio.org/salsa/track.jsp?v=2&c=S%2BEpkKmd7kZo1S5r8E6TY2qCru/MPt6a" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 104, 207); cursor: pointer; "><font face="Arial" color="navy" style="line-height: normal; font-size: 13px; "><strong style="line-height: 17px; ">Upper Big Branch Shows Need for Stronger Whistle-Blower Laws, Tougher Penalties</strong></font></a></p><p style="margin-bottom: 1.35em; "><img border="0" src="https://afl.salsalabs.com/o/4001/c/18/images/blog_arrow-blt.gif" alt=""> <a href="http://act.aflcio.org/salsa/track.jsp?v=2&c=Wf/NFHRfkJR3ursUfcwwmGqCru/MPt6a" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 104, 207); cursor: pointer; "><font face="Arial" color="navy" style="line-height: normal; font-size: 13px; "><strong style="line-height: 17px; ">Do the Math: The Rich Can Pay More</strong></font></a></p><p style="margin-bottom: 1.35em; "><img border="0" src="https://afl.salsalabs.com/o/4001/c/18/images/blog_arrow-blt.gif" alt=""> <a href="http://act.aflcio.org/salsa/track.jsp?v=2&c=3zM9VRhnoSTp9d2Lz3Sim2qCru/MPt6a" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 104, 207); cursor: pointer; "><font face="Arial" color="navy" style="line-height: normal; font-size: 13px; "><strong style="line-height: 17px; ">German Scholars, Leaders Support T-Mobile U.S. Workers in Ad</strong></font></a></p><p style="margin-bottom: 1.35em; "><img border="0" src="https://afl.salsalabs.com/o/4001/c/18/images/blog_arrow-blt.gif" alt=""> <a href="http://act.aflcio.org/salsa/track.jsp?v=2&c=tBpKnw3MAz7rUR9PC2bTyWqCru/MPt6a" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 104, 207); cursor: pointer; "><font face="Arial" color="navy" style="line-height: normal; font-size: 13px; "><strong style="line-height: 17px; ">Cummings Seeks Info from Romney Aide in NLRB Flynn Probe</strong></font></a></p><p style="margin-bottom: 1.35em; "><img border="0" src="https://afl.salsalabs.com/o/4001/c/18/images/blog_arrow-blt.gif" alt=""> <a href="http://act.aflcio.org/salsa/track.jsp?v=2&c=nuJbr2Si0UOKjRtmTiNziGqCru/MPt6a" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 104, 207); cursor: pointer; "><font face="Arial" color="navy" style="line-height: normal; font-size: 13px; "><strong style="line-height: 17px; ">Activists Demand ALEC Stop ‘Kill at Will</strong></font></a><font face="Arial" color="navy" style="line-height: normal; font-size: 13px; "><strong style="line-height: 17px; ">’</strong></font></p><p style="margin-bottom: 1.35em; "><img border="0" src="https://afl.salsalabs.com/o/4001/c/18/images/blog_arrow-blt.gif" alt=""> <a href="http://act.aflcio.org/salsa/track.jsp?v=2&c=LgVdl1BeoZKGgVX8mA0df2qCru/MPt6a" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 104, 207); cursor: pointer; "><font face="Arial" color="navy" style="line-height: normal; font-size: 13px; "><strong style="line-height: 17px; ">New Co-Op Model for Sustainable Main Street Jobs</strong></font></a><a href="http://act.aflcio.org/salsa/track.jsp?v=2&c=8%2B771pEFl7eMmhFHh2kruWqCru/MPt6a" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 104, 207); cursor: pointer; "></a></p><p style="margin-bottom: 1.35em; "><img border="0" src="https://afl.salsalabs.com/o/4001/c/18/images/blog_arrow-blt.gif" alt=""> <a href="http://act.aflcio.org/salsa/track.jsp?v=2&c=urWYKCgn3UX2oPNG6EFgqGqCru/MPt6a" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 104, 207); cursor: pointer; "><font face="Arial" color="navy" style="line-height: normal; font-size: 13px; "><strong style="line-height: 17px; ">More from Ariz.: 20,000+ Signatures for Jobs, Against Attacks</strong></font></a></p><p style="margin-bottom: 1.35em; "><img border="0" src="https://afl.salsalabs.com/o/4001/c/18/images/blog_arrow-blt.gif" alt=""> <a href="http://act.aflcio.org/salsa/track.jsp?v=2&c=2U5G4Y0Z3jXGO60FcFoUvWqCru/MPt6a" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 104, 207); cursor: pointer; "><font face="Arial" color="navy" style="line-height: normal; font-size: 13px; "><strong style="line-height: 17px; ">LCLAA: Latinas Face Hardship at Work, in Communities</strong></font></a></p><hr align="left" width="30%" color="#cccccc"><p style="margin-bottom: 1.35em; "><span style="font-size: 13px; "><a href="http://act.aflcio.org/salsa/track.jsp?v=2&c=EYaBuxFC2fJb5fJdCk3Wy2qCru/MPt6a" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 104, 207); cursor: pointer; "><span style="font-family: Verdana; "><strong><font color="navy" style="line-height: normal; ">Read more important news</font></strong></span></a></span><span style="font-family: Verdana; "><span style="font-size: 13px; "> of the day on the issues working families care about.</span></span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 1.35em; "></p><table align="center" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="7" bordercolor="#cccccc" border="1" style="line-height: 17px; "><tbody><tr><td><table align="center" width="100%" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="0" style="line-height: 17px; "><tbody><tr><td align="center" valign="middle"><p style="margin-bottom: 1.35em; "><nobr><span style="font-size: 13px; "><span style="font-family: Arial; "><strong>Follow the AFL-CIO:</strong></span></span><strong><br></strong><a href="http://act.aflcio.org/salsa/track.jsp?v=2&c=4RfnD27zytC6SPolkYiRpGqCru/MPt6a" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 104, 207); cursor: pointer; "><img border="0" src="https://afl.salsalabs.com/o/4001/images/icon_24x24_facebook.jpg" alt="Facebook" title="Facebook" style="border-style: initial; 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border-top-style: none; border-right-style: none; border-bottom-style: none; border-left-style: none; border-width: initial; "></a> <a href="http://act.aflcio.org/salsa/track.jsp?v=2&c=QDChn4GyNP5EuMOX%2BWbUtmqCru/MPt6a" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 104, 207); cursor: pointer; "><img border="0" src="https://afl.salsalabs.com/o/4001/images/icon_24x24_youtube2.jpg" alt="YouTube" title="YouTube" 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; "></a> <a href="http://act.aflcio.org/salsa/track.jsp?v=2&c=0CNN3b5n2junW%2B8Wcpi7OGqCru/MPt6a" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 104, 207); cursor: pointer; "><img border="0" src="https://afl.salsalabs.com/o/4001/images/icon_24x24_rss.jpg" alt="RSS" title="RSS" 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; "></a></nobr></p></td></tr><tr><td><p align="center" style="margin-bottom: 1.35em; "><span style="font-family: Arial; "><span style="font-size: 13px; "><em><nobr>Take the next step. Become a mobile activist</nobr><br><nobr>by joining the AFL-CIO Rapid Action Text Team.</nobr><br><nobr>Text <strong>NEWS</strong> to <strong>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=KwPc8wzcWUCbGR/2mOxXgWqCru/MPt6a" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 104, 207); cursor: pointer; "><b><font color="navy" style="line-height: normal; ">www.aflcio.org</font></b></a>.</span></span></p><p align="center" style="margin-bottom: 1.35em; "><span style="font-family: Verdana; "><span style="font-size: 13px; "><br></span></span></p></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div>@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@</div><div><br></div><div><table width="627" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="1" border="0" bgcolor="#999999" align="center" style="line-height: 17px; color: rgb(42, 42, 42); font-family: Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; "><tbody><tr><td><table width="100%" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="0" bgcolor="#ffffff" style="line-height: 17px; "><tbody><tr><td align="center"><table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="0" style="line-height: 17px; "><tbody><tr><td align="center"><a href="http://act.americanrightsatwork.org/salsa/track.jsp?v=2&c=iB3ABK6BsfKNRhSXWuMHhlYuGZastU3X" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 104, 207); cursor: pointer; "><img border="0" alt="" src="https://afl.salsalabs.com/o/4022/images/takeActionBannerFINAL.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; "></a></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table><table width="625" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="8" border="0" bgcolor="#ffffff" style="line-height: 17px; "><tbody><tr><td valign="top"><table align="right" style="line-height: 17px; width: 200px; "><tbody><tr><td width="10%"></td><td><table style="line-height: 17px; border-top-width: 1px; border-right-width: 1px; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-width: 1px; border-top-style: solid; border-right-style: solid; border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-style: solid; border-top-color: black; border-right-color: black; border-bottom-color: black; border-left-color: black; border-image: initial; width: 200px; height: 125px; "><tbody><tr><td style="width: 192px; "><p align="center" style="margin-bottom: 1.35em; "><font size="2" face="Arial" color="#000000" style="line-height: normal; ">We need 98 more donors <br style="line-height: 17px; ">to step up so we can stop the <br style="line-height: 17px; ">right wing's momentum on<br style="line-height: 17px; ">right to work.</font></p><p align="center" style="margin-bottom: 1.35em; "><font size="2" face="Arial" color="#000000" style="line-height: normal; "><em style="line-height: 17px; "><strong>We can't do it without you.</strong></em></font></p><p align="center" style="margin-bottom: 1.35em; "><font size="2" face="Arial" color="#000000" style="line-height: normal; "><a href="http://act.americanrightsatwork.org/salsa/track.jsp?v=2&c=tCOCJcwao7DXujcJRKBVX1YuGZastU3X" target="_blank" style="line-height: 17px; color: rgb(0, 104, 207); cursor: pointer; "><strong>Make a donation today!</strong></a></font></p></td></tr></tbody></table></td><td width="10%"></td></tr></tbody></table><p style="margin-bottom: 1.35em; "><font face="Arial" size="2"><span style="line-height: normal;"><br></span></font></p><p style="margin-bottom: 1.35em; "><font size="2" face="Arial" color="#000000" style="line-height: normal; ">We've told you how corporate-backed legislators and special-interest groups with deep pockets have made anti-worker legislation including "right to work" their number-one priority. And we've told you that we need your help to fight back nationwide.</font></p><p style="margin-bottom: 1.35em; "><font size="2" face="Arial" color="#000000" style="line-height: normal; ">So far, 102 supporters have chipped in. But we haven’t heard from you yet. <strong style="line-height: 17px; ">We need to double that number to have a fighting chance against these attacks on workers. <a href="http://act.americanrightsatwork.org/salsa/track.jsp?v=2&c=bZlLsZZ7kBjn3RMjCBy6PFYuGZastU3X" target="_blank" style="font-weight: inherit; color: rgb(0, 104, 207); cursor: pointer; ">Join us by making a donation today.</a></strong></font></p><p style="margin-bottom: 1.35em; "><font size="2" face="Arial" color="#000000" style="line-height: normal; "><em style="line-height: 17px; ">Still not convinced?</em> Read what Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton has to say about the anti-worker forces behind right to work:</font></p><p style="margin-bottom: 1.35em; "><font size="2" face="Arial" color="#000000" style="line-height: normal; "><em style="line-height: 17px; ">"It's part of this national right-wing playbook. They’re trying this in numerous states. I assume they've got serious money behind it..."</em></font></p><p style="margin-bottom: 1.35em; "><font size="2" face="Arial" color="#000000" style="line-height: normal; "><em style="line-height: 17px; ">Still don’t believe us?</em> Last week, tea party groups in Ohio were exposed for paying signature gatherers to get right to work on the November ballot. And conservative talking heads aren’t letting up the pressure either. Strategist Grover Norquist proclaims that right to work has a "magnetic appeal," and South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley calls it one of her state's "greatest assets."</font></p><p style="margin-bottom: 1.35em; "><font size="2" face="Arial" color="#000000" style="line-height: normal; "><strong style="line-height: 17px; ">This isn't the time to sit on the sidelines:</strong> We have big plans to defend workers but need your help to do it. <strong style="line-height: 17px; "><a href="http://act.americanrightsatwork.org/salsa/track.jsp?v=2&c=ShgP3BAQ5pt9D8ijgXCu7VYuGZastU3X" target="_blank" style="font-weight: inherit; color: rgb(0, 104, 207); cursor: pointer; ">Donate NOW and stop the right wing from steamrolling America's workers.</a></strong></font></p><p style="margin-bottom: 1.35em; "><font size="2" face="Arial" color="#000000" style="line-height: normal; ">Anti-worker politicians are promoting right to work and other regressive policies everywhere they can as payback to their Big Business donors who want to make sure workers don’t have a voice in this economy. Members of the notorious American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) – whose donors include Walmart, Exxon, and Comcast execs – are pushing copycat right-to-work bills in state legislatures nationwide.</font></p><p style="margin-bottom: 1.35em; "><font size="2" face="Arial" color="#000000" style="line-height: normal; ">These heavy hitters are willing to say – and spend – anything to hurt workers' rights. <strong style="line-height: 17px; ">They're ultra-right-wing, radically anti-union, and staggeringly wealthy. <a href="http://act.americanrightsatwork.org/salsa/track.jsp?v=2&c=mk8OUv6JQtGoYo1s5pi8j1YuGZastU3X" target="_blank" style="font-weight: inherit; color: rgb(0, 104, 207); cursor: pointer; ">We don't have their millions, but we can stop their momentum with your support.</a></strong></font></p><p style="margin-bottom: 1.35em; "><font size="2" face="Arial" color="#000000" style="line-height: normal; ">We're pulling out all of the stops with an aggressive, strategic campaign. In the court of public opinion and in the halls of legislatures. On the airwaves and on the ground. We can't afford to lose. <strong style="line-height: 17px; ">And we can't do it without you.</strong></font></p><p style="margin-bottom: 1.35em; "><font size="2" face="Arial" color="#000000" style="line-height: normal; ">Will you join us and stop these deceitful attacks on workers? <strong style="line-height: 17px; "><a href="http://act.americanrightsatwork.org/salsa/track.jsp?v=2&c=W4E/X5s55MEX80Jf7ScX31YuGZastU3X" target="_blank" style="font-weight: inherit; color: rgb(0, 104, 207); cursor: pointer; ">Just a hundred more donations will make a big difference.</a></strong></font></p><p style="margin-bottom: 1.35em; "><font size="2" face="Arial" color="#000000" style="line-height: normal; ">Let's keep up the fight together,</font></p><p style="margin-bottom: 1.35em; "><font size="2" face="Arial" color="#000000" style="line-height: normal; ">Hilary, Kim, Liz, Zoe, Michael, Susan, and the American Rights at Work team</font> <br><font size="2" face="Arial" color="#000000" style="line-height: normal; "><strong style="line-height: 17px; "><a href="http://act.americanrightsatwork.org/salsa/track.jsp?v=2&c=aPm2CFGElMqoqJtD8FmZv1YuGZastU3X" target="_blank" style="font-weight: inherit; color: rgb(0, 104, 207); cursor: pointer; ">www.AmericanRightsatWork.org</a></strong></font></p><p style="margin-bottom: 1.35em; "><font size="1" face="Arial" style="line-height: normal; ">This message was sent to cgpelayo@hotmail.com. To unsubscribe from American Rights at Work action alerts, <a href="http://act.americanrightsatwork.org/salsa/track.jsp?v=2&c=Vqul2mUhSpR4AR/u6r97i1YuGZastU3X" target="_blank" style="line-height: 13px; color: rgb(0, 104, 207); cursor: pointer; ">click here</a>.</font></p></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table><img width="1" height="1" src="http://act.americanrightsatwork.org/salsa/TrackImage?key=511266469" style="line-height: 17px; color: rgb(42, 42, 42); font-family: Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">
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