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<ol><li><h2 class="ReadMsgSubject" style="line-height: 24px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; color: rgb(42, 42, 42); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><font size="3">In Spain, millions join strike to protest labor reformsþ </font></h2></li><li><font size="3"><b><span style="color: rgb(42, 42, 42); line-height: 17px; ">CWA Union Teams Up With Free Press, Consumer Groups to Oppose Telecom Deregulation</span> </b></font></li><li><font size="3"><b><a href="http://act.alternet.org/go/17437?akid=8502.16102.M02Heq&t=2" target="_blank" style="line-height: 26px; color: rgb(0, 104, 207); cursor: pointer; ">3 Ways Women Workers are Fighting Discrimination, Wage Theft, and Abuse on the Job</a> </b></font></li><li><h2 class="ReadMsgSubject" style="line-height: 24px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; color: rgb(42, 42, 42); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><font size="3">CEO Pay Rises, Worker Pay Fallsþ </font></h2></li><li><h2 class="ReadMsgSubject" style="line-height: 24px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; color: rgb(42, 42, 42); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><font size="3">Romney's NLRB Mole </font><span style="font-weight: normal; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma; "> </span></h2></li></ol><div><br></div><div>@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@</div><div><br></div><div><pre style="line-height: 17px; white-space: normal; color: rgb(42, 42, 42); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">In Spain, millions join strike to protest labor reforms<br><br>By Lauren Frayer, Los Angeles Times<br><br>5:20 PM PDT, March 29, 2012 <br><br><a href="http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-spain-austerity-strike-20120330,0,2796257.story" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 104, 207); cursor: pointer; ">http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-spain-austerity-strike-20120330,0,2796257.story</a><br><br>Confrontations erupt during the general strike, which<br>disrupted transportation and shuttered factories. The<br>new labor laws are part of Spain's austerity measures.<br><br><br>MADRID -- Millions of Spaniards stayed off the job<br>Thursday to protest new labor laws that allow companies<br>to opt out of collective bargaining pacts, reduce wages<br>and fire workers more easily.<br><br>The general strike stalled public transportation and<br>shut factories and schools across the country. Angry<br>confrontations erupted between hordes of protesters and<br>riot police officers, but no major violence was<br>reported.<br><br>It was the first such large-scale labor action against<br>the policies of conservative Prime Minister Mariano<br>Rajoy and the strongest public rebuke yet of his<br>austerity measures. In office for just three months,<br>Rajoy has focused on cutting spending to shrink the<br>country's yawning budget deficit and to meet European<br>Union rules on fiscal discipline, which previous<br>governments routinely flouted.<br><br>Rajoy is to unveil his 2012 budget Friday, including up<br>to $50 billion in cuts,Spain'sharshest yet. EU<br>officials and financial markets are eager for a<br>commitment to frugality by Madrid, afraid that the<br>long-running euro debt crisis might otherwise flare up<br>badly again and engulf the Eurozone's fourth-largest<br>economy.<br><br>But Spaniards are holding their breath for possibly<br>punishing cuts in welfare, education and healthcare,<br>hallmarks of the European welfare state that are now in<br>danger across the continent.<br><br>"Food, fuel -- all the prices are going up," said Carlos<br>Rodriguez, 50, an elevator mechanic on strike. "Now<br>with this labor reform, they can reduce our pay and<br>increase our hours. We don't agree with that."<br><br>Spain has already enacted rounds of budget cuts to tame<br>its deficit, but overspending by regional governments<br>forced Rajoy to announce recently that Madrid would<br>miss the deficit target it agreed to with the EU. Since<br>then, Spain's borrowing costs have flirted with modest<br>but worrisome increases, reinvigorating fear that the<br>country might have to seek a costly international<br>bailout, after similar rescues of Greece, Ireland and<br>Portugal.<br><br>Finance ministers of the Eurozone's 17 countries, which<br>use the euro currency, are scheduled to meet in the<br>coming days to discuss beefing up the region's bailout<br>resources. But many analysts say that the slightly less<br>than $1-trillion total being proposed is insufficient<br>to reassure investors that the big economies of Spain<br>and Italy can be saved from a default if borrowing on<br>the open market becomes too expensive.<br><br>Even the Netherlands, which has loudly preached the<br>virtues of fiscal restraint to its southern European<br>neighbors, is now struggling with the need for major<br>austerity measures. The Dutch coalition government has<br>been locked in negotiations for days over proposed<br>budget cuts and is teetering dangerously close to<br>collapse.<br><br>Hundreds of thousands of protesters packed town squares<br>across Spain on Thursday. In Madrid's central Puerta<br>del Sol plaza, hundreds staged a sit-in outside a<br>department store and cried "Shame!" at police manning<br>barricades that allowed store employees to cross picket<br>lines. "Without the uniform, you are one of us!" they<br>yelled.<br><br>Red union banners waved above the crowded square, along<br>with homemade posters depicting scissors with a red<br>line through them, to protest the budget cuts.<br><br>Spain's two largest unions organized the strike in<br>response to labor reforms approved by lawmakers this<br>month. Backers say the sweeping changes are needed to<br>modernize an antiquated labor system in which older,<br>tenured workers have jobs for life and younger people<br>are left struggling to get a foot on the employment<br>ladder.<br><br>But critics say the reforms unfairly favor employers<br>and will lead to a rise in the unemployment rate.<br>Nearly one in four members of the Spanish workforce is<br>jobless, and the rate is nearly 50% for people younger<br>than 25.<br><br>"If you lose your job, especially if you're over 40 or<br>45, it's very hard to find another one," said David Le<br>More, a spokesman for UGT, one of the organizing<br>unions. "So people fear a lot that with these new<br>conditions, they'll get fired, and new people with<br>lower-earning contracts will get their jobs."<br><br>Union leaders have set a deadline of May 1 for the<br>government to amend its labor reforms or face further<br>unrest.<br><br>Before the strike, polls showed that 30% of Spanish<br>workers planned to take part, but authorities did not<br>issue crowd estimates. Late Thursday, unions claimed<br>participation of 77% of all workers.<br><br>Most public transportation systems were running on<br>reduced schedules. Garbage collection was suspended,<br>and trash piled up on many city streets.<br><br>Frayer is a special correspondent. Times staff writer<br>Henry Chu in London contributed to this report.<br><br>____________________________________________<br><br>PortsideLabor aims to provide material of interest to<br>people on the left that will help them to interpret the<br>world and to change it.</pre><pre style="line-height: 17px; white-space: normal; color: rgb(42, 42, 42); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><br></pre></div><div>@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@</div><div><br></div><div><a href="http://truth-out.org/news/item/8207-cwa-union-teams-up-with-free-press-consumer-groups-to-oppose-telecom-deregulation">http://truth-out.org/news/item/8207-cwa-union-teams-up-with-free-press-consumer-groups-to-oppose-telecom-deregulation</a>
</div><div><br></div><div><font style="color: rgb(42, 42, 42); font-family: Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><strong style="line-height: 17px; ">CWA Union Teams Up With Free Press, Consumer Groups to Oppose Telecom Deregulation</strong></font><br 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; line-height: 17px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">Mike Elk, In These Times: "The Communications Workers of America union has been criticized by progressive consumers groups like Free Press for its positions on net neutrality and the proposed AT&T-T-Mobile merger. Now, though, CWA is teaming up with groups like Free Press to fight two big bills that they say would deregulate the telecommunications industry, help build telecom monopolies and lead to telecom job losses." </span><br 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://org2.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=ROInMGt3iOyfK39ZukLseWTmrp6odR1y" target="_blank" style="line-height: 17px; color: rgb(0, 104, 207); cursor: pointer; font-family: Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><font color="#cc0000" style="line-height: normal; ">Read the Article</font></a><span style="color: rgb(42, 42, 42); font-family: Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 17px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "> </span>
</div><div><span style="color: rgb(42, 42, 42); font-family: Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 17px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><br></span></div><div>@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@</div><div><br></div><div><a href="http://www.alternet.org/story/154691/3_ways_women_workers_are_fighting_discrimination%2C_wage_theft%2C_and_abuse_on_the_job?akid=8502.16102.M02Heq&rd=1&t=3">http://www.alternet.org/story/154691/3_ways_women_workers_are_fighting_discrimination%2C_wage_theft%2C_and_abuse_on_the_job?akid=8502.16102.M02Heq&rd=1&t=3</a>
</div><div><br></div><div><a href="http://act.alternet.org/go/17437?akid=8502.16102.M02Heq&t=1" target="_blank" style="line-height: 17px; color: rgb(0, 104, 207); cursor: pointer; font-family: Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><img src="http://images.alternet.org/images/managed/storyimages_ri4arestaurantworkers.jpg_310x220" alt="" width="313px" height="196px" border="0" 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><span style="color: rgb(42, 42, 42); font-family: Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 17px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "></span><p class="ecxheadline1" style="line-height: 26px; margin-bottom: 1.35em; color: rgb(42, 42, 42); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 20px; "><a href="http://act.alternet.org/go/17437?akid=8502.16102.M02Heq&t=2" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 104, 207); cursor: pointer; ">3 Ways Women Workers are Fighting Discrimination, Wage Theft, and Abuse on the Job</a></p><p style="line-height: 15px; margin-bottom: 1.35em; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; color: rgb(102, 102, 102); ">Women workers are attacking low pay and bias from many angles, assailing wage laws that exclude them, suing over outright discrimination, and trying to organize unions. <a class="ecxreadmore" href="http://act.alternet.org/go/17437?akid=8502.16102.M02Heq&t=3" target="_blank" style="line-height: 11px; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 104, 207); cursor: pointer; font-size: 9px; letter-spacing: 0.1em; ">READ MORE</a></p><p style="line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 1.35em; color: rgb(42, 42, 42); font-family: Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><span style="line-height: 13px; color: rgb(77, 77, 77); font-family: Georgia, Times, serif; font-size: x-small; "><em>Jenny Brown / Labor Notes</em></span></p><p style="line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 1.35em; color: rgb(42, 42, 42); font-family: Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><span style="line-height: 13px; color: rgb(77, 77, 77); font-family: Georgia, Times, serif; font-size: 8pt; "><em><br></em></span></p></div><div>@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@</div><div><br></div><div><a href="http://www.alternet.org/newsandviews/article/874476/new_report%3A_%22serious_and_pressing%22_working_conditions_in_china%27s_foxconn_factories/">http://www.alternet.org/newsandviews/article/874476/new_report%3A_%22serious_and_pressing%22_working_conditions_in_china%27s_foxconn_factories/</a>
</div><div><br></div><div><table width="450px" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="0" style="line-height: 17px; color: rgb(42, 42, 42); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><tbody><tr><td><div class="ecxheadline3" style="line-height: 18px; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 18px; padding-bottom: 5px; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-bottom-style: dotted; border-bottom-color: rgb(234, 234, 234); margin-bottom: 10px; "><div style="line-height: 23px; "><a href="http://act.alternet.org/go/17440?akid=8503.16102.hB0dkO&t=1" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); cursor: pointer; ">New Report: "Serious and Pressing" Working Conditions in China's Foxconn Factories</a></div><div style="line-height: 14px; font-size: 11px; font-style: italic; color: rgb(222, 73, 0); ">By Angela Lee | AlterNet</div><div style="line-height: 14px; font-size: 11px; font-style: italic; color: rgb(222, 73, 0); "><br></div></div></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div>@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@</div><div><br></div><div><div id="mpf0_bodyHdr" style="line-height: 15px; color: rgb(42, 42, 42); font-family: Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><div id="mpf0_details" aid="toggleDetails" class="DetailToggle FB ClearBoth" title="Hide details" style="clear: both; height: 11px; background-image: url(https://gfx6.hotmail.com/mail/w4/pr04/ltr/fadeBarCenter1.gif); background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; padding-top: 7px; position: relative; top: 0px; cursor: pointer; margin-top: -7px; background-position: 0px 7px; background-repeat: repeat no-repeat; "><br class="Apple-interchange-newline"><div class="FBR" style="height: 11px; width: 80px; background-image: url(https://gfx5.hotmail.com/mail/w4/pr04/ltr/fadeBarRight1.gif); background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; float: right; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; "></div><div class="FBA" style="margin-top: 4px; 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background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><div class="SandboxScopeClass ExternalClass" id="mpf0_MsgContainer" style="line-height: normal; font-size: 10pt; display: inline-block; background-repeat: repeat no-repeat; "><table align="center" width="626" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="1" style="line-height: 17px; "><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=NgvCGMlkR3tqigh9GSuyhKYSvBJrFVzy" 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 30, 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=lXONvNGBcD9edoRYSw9DKqYSvBJrFVzy" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 104, 207); cursor: pointer; "><img border="0" alt="Rally against SB 469" title="Rally against SB 469" src="https://afl.salsalabs.com/o/4001/c/18/images/In-Ga.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=V6Oto2se2A2MYWs8XLuh/aYSvBJrFVzy" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 104, 207); cursor: pointer; "><font color="navy" style="line-height: normal; ">The Georgia anti-free speech bill that brought union, faith and tea party activists together died as the legislative session ended, but bills attacking jobless workers and welfare applicants passed</font></a><font color="navy" style="line-height: normal; ">.</font></span></span></td></tr></tbody></table><p style="margin-bottom: 1.35em; "><span style="font-size: 13px; "><span style="font-family: Verdana; ">On top of their 2010 average pay hike of 27 percent, CEOs of the nation’s largest companies got another boost in 2011. While the 2 percent boost may seem measly, it means an extra $192,000 for those making the median CEO pay of $9.6 million a year. Meanwhile, workers’ wages fell 1.2 percent. Watch for new information </span></span><span style="font-size: 13px; "><span style="font-family: Verdana; ">next month </span></span><span style="font-size: 13px; "><span style="font-family: Verdana; ">from the AFL-CIO’s Executive PayWatch.<br><a href="http://act.aflcio.org/salsa/track.jsp?v=2&c=Psuhl1V5EyL7pYpssFd7WqYSvBJrFVzy" 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 alt="" src="https://afl.salsalabs.com/o/4001/c/18/images/navy_arrow.jpg"></span></span></p><hr align="left" width="30%" color="#cccccc"><p style="margin-bottom: 1.35em; "><img alt="" src="https://afl.salsalabs.com/o/4001/c/18/images/button_most-recent-blog-posts_225.jpg"></p><p style="margin-bottom: 1.35em; "><img border="0" alt="" src="https://afl.salsalabs.com/o/4001/c/18/images/blog_arrow-blt.gif"> <a href="http://act.aflcio.org/salsa/track.jsp?v=2&c=eu781dsNN0bkGouLTUTO16YSvBJrFVzy" 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; ">Ga. Anti-Free Speech Bill Dies; Attacks on Jobless Workers and Welfare Applicants Pass</strong></font></a><font face="Arial" color="navy" style="line-height: normal; font-size: 13px; "></font></p><p style="margin-bottom: 1.35em; "><img border="0" alt="" src="https://afl.salsalabs.com/o/4001/c/18/images/blog_arrow-blt.gif"> <a href="http://act.aflcio.org/salsa/track.jsp?v=2&c=i3xr/RZhjMZzaeqYuHEMuaYSvBJrFVzy" 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; ">Romney-Backed Ryan Budget for the 1% Passes House</strong></font></a></p><p style="margin-bottom: 1.35em; "><img border="0" alt="" src="https://afl.salsalabs.com/o/4001/c/18/images/blog_arrow-blt.gif"> <a href="http://act.aflcio.org/salsa/track.jsp?v=2&c=MUEUxOdx5%2BN73oML1SDoBKYSvBJrFVzy" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 104, 207); cursor: pointer; "><font face="Arial" style="line-height: normal; "><strong style="line-height: 17px; "><font size="2" color="#000080" style="line-height: normal; ">Harkin’s Rebuild America Act Builds Economy for 99%</font></strong></font></a></p><p style="margin-bottom: 1.35em; "><img border="0" alt="" src="https://afl.salsalabs.com/o/4001/c/18/images/blog_arrow-blt.gif"> <a href="http://act.aflcio.org/salsa/track.jsp?v=2&c=QinCmaxUtU6n3AJKXJ24RqYSvBJrFVzy" 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; ">Labor Key to Revitalizing American Manufacturing</strong></font></a></p><p style="margin-bottom: 1.35em; "><img border="0" alt="" src="https://afl.salsalabs.com/o/4001/c/18/images/blog_arrow-blt.gif"> <a href="http://act.aflcio.org/salsa/track.jsp?v=2&c=44cBN06Sic/uFw8dK/WHfaYSvBJrFVzy" 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; ">Massey Official Pleads Guilty in Upper Big Branch Case</strong></font></a></p><p style="margin-bottom: 1.35em; "><img border="0" alt="" src="https://afl.salsalabs.com/o/4001/c/18/images/blog_arrow-blt.gif"> <a href="http://act.aflcio.org/salsa/track.jsp?v=2&c=8Mhm64VkAJAREEtqSOXHraYSvBJrFVzy" 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; ">House Leaders Duck Long-Term Solution, OK Temporary Transportation Funding</strong></font></a></p><p style="margin-bottom: 1.35em; "><img border="0" alt="" src="https://afl.salsalabs.com/o/4001/c/18/images/blog_arrow-blt.gif"> <a href="http://act.aflcio.org/salsa/track.jsp?v=2&c=BjvZilyVC1usLaKBhwxhdaYSvBJrFVzy" 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; ">Out of Touch, Maybe?</strong></font></a></p><hr align="left" width="30%" color="#cccccc"><p style="margin-bottom: 1.35em; 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font-family: Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "></div><div id="mpf0_readMsgBodyContainer" class="ReadMsgBody" style="line-height: 15px; padding-top: 8px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 8px; padding-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 12px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 12px; overflow-x: hidden; color: rgb(42, 42, 42); font-family: Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><div class="SandboxScopeClass ExternalClass" id="mpf0_MsgContainer" style="line-height: normal; font-size: 10pt; display: inline-block; background-repeat: repeat no-repeat; "><table width="700" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="1" align="center" style="line-height: 17px; "><tbody><tr><td bgcolor="#ffffff"><p align="center" style="margin-bottom: 1.35em; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 13px; "><img src="https://afl.salsalabs.com/o/4001/c/18/images/banner-afl-cio-new-700-take-action.jpg" alt=""></p><table width="100%" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="7" border="0" align="center" style="line-height: 17px; "><tbody><tr><td><table align="right" width="231" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="0" style="line-height: 17px; "><tbody><tr><td> </td><td><table align="right" width="215" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" bordercolor="#333333" border="1" style="line-height: 17px; "><tbody><tr><td><table align="right" width="100%" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="8" border="0" style="line-height: 17px; "><tbody><tr><td valign="top" bgcolor="#cc0000"><p align="center" style="margin-bottom: 1.35em; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 13px; "><span style="line-height: 23px; font-size: 18px; "><font color="white" style="line-height: normal; "><strong style="line-height: 23px; ">OUTRAGE<br></strong></font></span></p></td></tr><tr><td valign="top"><p style="margin-bottom: 1.35em; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 13px; text-align: left; ">The National Labor Relations Board’s (NLRB) inspector general reports <b>Romney adviser Peter Schaumber was provided internal, confidential, attorney-client privileged information that he used to support his business practice and attack the NLRB.</b><br><br><a href="http://act.aflcio.org/salsa/track.jsp?v=2&c=fVQDGYafUa6hvXmGAHmXbtJBHDveT/Em" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 104, 207); cursor: pointer; "><u><b>Demand that Mitt Romney fire Peter Schaumber immediately.</b></u></a></p></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr><tr><td> </td><td> </td></tr></tbody></table><p style="margin-bottom: 1.35em; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 13px; "><br><br><b>Mitt Romney’s labor adviser, Peter Schaumber, has gone too far. </b>The inspector general of the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) found that improper, unethical disclosures of privileged information to Schaumber were used to benefit his consulting practice and attack the NLRB—the federal agency tasked with protecting workers’ rights.<sup style="line-height: 14px; ">1</sup><br><br>Rep. Elijah Cummings, the ranking member on the House Oversight Committee, says the concerns raised in the inspector general’s report are “<b>very serious and involve potential criminal implications.</b>”<sup style="line-height: 14px; ">2</sup> <br><br><b>How candidate Romney responds to these findings is a test of his character.</b> Will Romney embrace Washington insiders who trade on confidential and even attorney-client privileged information? Or will he demand they abide by the same ethical standards the rest of us—the 99%—pride ourselves on and expect others to live up to? <br><br><a href="http://act.aflcio.org/salsa/track.jsp?v=2&c=/UyG2aZtMXy3Q181DkbIHtJBHDveT/Em" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 104, 207); cursor: pointer; "><u><b>Please join the AFL-CIO in demanding that candidate Romney renounce Peter Schaumber’s involvement with these ethical breaches and fire him immediately. </b></u></a><br><br>According to the report of the NLRB’s Office of the Inspector General and news reports, here’s what we know about Romney adviser Peter Schaumber:</p><ul style="margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 1em; padding-right: 0px; padding-left: 1em; "><li style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 3px; margin-left: 0px; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 13px; ">He was named to the NLRB by President George W. Bush and served until Aug. 27, 2010. After he left the agency, <b>Schaumber marketed himself as a “consultant” with “[NLRB] agency connections.”</b> During that time, he did press work to attack the NLRB and the modest workplace protections workers have.<sup style="line-height: 14px; ">2</sup><br> </li><li style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 3px; margin-left: 0px; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 13px; "><b>Schaumber benefited from the improper and unethical receipt of confidential, inside information</b> to support his anti-worker consulting business and his press work aimed at giving the NLRB a bad name. The inappropriate disclosures were made to Schaumber from his former staffer, Terence Flynn—who remained at the NLRB and became a board member.<sup style="line-height: 14px; ">1</sup><br><br></li><li style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 3px; margin-left: 0px; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 13px; "><b>Flynn acted as Schaumber’s mole inside the agency</b>, feeding him internal, confidential, attorney-client privileged information. According to the IG report, this broke government ethics rules. Flynn needs to resign immediately, and Romney needs to hold Schaumber accountable.<sup style="line-height: 14px; ">1,3</sup><br></li></ul><p style="margin-bottom: 1.35em; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 13px; "><a href="http://act.aflcio.org/salsa/track.jsp?v=2&c=qRI32Wz0x1S/R3Hs78iKWNJBHDveT/Em" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 104, 207); cursor: pointer; "><u><b>Join the AFL-CIO in calling on candidate Romney to immediately dismiss Schaumber from his campaign.</b></u></a><br><br><b>This funneling of privileged information is an outrageous example of how the 1% gets things done at the 99%’s expense. </b>If candidate Romney allows Peter Schaumber to remain as an adviser, it will speak volumes about the value he places on ethics in government officials. <br><br><u><b><a href="http://act.aflcio.org/salsa/track.jsp?v=2&c=WM4pqBByNZFqa7p0L3c6JNJBHDveT/Em" target="_blank" style="font-weight: inherit; color: rgb(0, 104, 207); cursor: pointer; ">Merely firing Schaumber isn’t enough: Candidate Romney needs to make it clear his campaign will not tolerate those who benefit from unethical conduct.</a><br></b></u><br>Thank you for all the work you do.<br><br>In Solidarity,<br><br>Manny Herrmann<br>Online Mobilization Coordinator, AFL-CIO<br><br>1 <a href="http://act.aflcio.org/salsa/track.jsp?v=2&c=Nzz1KuB/XzBI4UuEop9IrtJBHDveT/Em" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 104, 207); cursor: pointer; ">http://democrats.edworkforce.house.gov/sites/democrats.edworkforce.house.gov/<br>files/documents/112/pdf/letters/DOCFlynnTransmittal.PDF</a><br>2 <a href="http://act.aflcio.org/salsa/track.jsp?v=2&c=fVQDGYafUa7qa0L72CgsmtJBHDveT/Em" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 104, 207); cursor: pointer; ">http://www.salon.com/2012/03/27/team_romneys_alleged_labor_mole/singleton/</a><br>3 <a href="http://act.aflcio.org/salsa/track.jsp?v=2&c=7mkwy0BtBTFyW0u9QwosltJBHDveT/Em" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 104, 207); cursor: pointer; ">http://www.aflcio.org/Press-Room/Press-Releases/Statement-by-AFL-CIO-President-<br>Richard-Trumka-On-Ethical-Violations-by-NLRB-Member-Terence-Flynn</a></p></td></tr><tr><td><hr><p align="center" style="margin-bottom: 1.35em; font-family: Verdana; 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=hH/NCY5VbACxxV6BWxJtb3aPdQpgxlv/" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 104, 207); cursor: pointer; "><b>www.aflcio.org</b></a>.</p><p style="line-height: 13px; margin-bottom: 1.35em; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10px; text-align: right; "><a href="http://act.aflcio.org/salsa/track.jsp?v=2&c=Y8BozlojkYquuh%2Bv2/3IinaPdQpgxlv/" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 104, 207); cursor: pointer; ">Click here to unsubscribe</a>.</p></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table><img width="1" height="1" src="http://act.aflcio.org/salsa/TrackImage?key=512538394" style="line-height: 17px; "></div></div></div><div id="mpf0_readMsgBodyContainer" class="ReadMsgBody" style="line-height: 15px; padding-top: 8px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 8px; padding-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 12px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 12px; overflow-x: hidden; color: rgb(42, 42, 42); font-family: Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><div class="SandboxScopeClass ExternalClass" style="line-height: normal; font-size: 10pt; display: inline-block; background-repeat: repeat no-repeat; "><br></div></div><div>@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@</div><div> </div><br><div><font face="Times New Roman" size="3"><font size="2">Material appearing here is distributed without profit or monitory gain to those who have expressed an interest in receiving the material for research and educational purposes. 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