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<div dir="ltr"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: -webkit-auto; "><ol><li><h2 class="ReadMsgSubject" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0px; color: rgb(42, 42, 42); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><font size="3">CWA Newsletter: Join our Union Hall Call Tonight at 7:30 p.m. ET. </font></h2></li><li><h2 class="ReadMsgSubject" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0px; color: rgb(42, 42, 42); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><font size="3">San Diego is ground zero and you can help </font></h2></li><li><font size="3"><b><span style="color: rgb(42, 42, 42); line-height: 17px; ">As Anti-Protest Law Attempts to Stifle Dissent, 400 Students in Quebec Arrested in Mass March</span> </b></font></li><li><h2 class="ReadMsgSubject" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0px; color: rgb(42, 42, 42); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><font size="3">Gunmen attack labor organizer, family in Colombia </font></h2></li><li><h2 class="ReadMsgSubject" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0px; color: rgb(42, 42, 42); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><font size="3">Venezuela: Foiled assassination plot against trade union leader </font></h2></li><li><h2 class="ReadMsgSubject" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0px; color: rgb(42, 42, 42); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><font size="3">On the Phones and Doors in Wisconsin </font></h2></li><li><h2 class="ReadMsgSubject" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0px; color: rgb(42, 42, 42); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><font size="3">La Michoacana illegally firing workers</font></h2></li></ol><div><br></div></div><div style="text-align: -webkit-auto; ">@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@</div><div style="text-align: -webkit-auto; "><br></div><div style="text-align: -webkit-auto; "><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"></td></tr><tr><td valign="top" bgcolor="#ffffff" style="line-height: 20px; font-size: 14px; padding: 0px 30px 10px; "><div class="ecxtop" style="line-height: 18px; "><p style="margin-bottom: 1.35em; font-style: italic; ">May 24, 2012</p><ul style="margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 1em; padding-right: 0px; padding-left: 1em; "><li style="margin: 0px 0px 3px; "><a href="https://blu155.mail.live.com/mail/#story1" style="color: rgb(0, 104, 207); cursor: pointer; ">Join our Union Hall Call Tonight at 7:30 p.m. ET.</a></li><li style="margin: 0px 0px 3px; "><a href="https://blu155.mail.live.com/mail/#story2" style="color: rgb(0, 104, 207); cursor: pointer; ">Former T-Mobile USA Worker Takes Message to Deutsche Telekom</a></li><li style="margin: 0px 0px 3px; "><a href="https://blu155.mail.live.com/mail/#story3" style="color: rgb(0, 104, 207); cursor: pointer; ">'No More Mr. Nice Girl:' CWA Sets the Record Straight on T-Mobile</a></li><li style="margin: 0px 0px 3px; "><a href="https://blu155.mail.live.com/mail/#story4" style="color: rgb(0, 104, 207); cursor: pointer; ">American Airlines Agents Fight for CWA Election</a></li><li style="margin: 0px 0px 3px; "><a href="https://blu155.mail.live.com/mail/#story5" style="color: rgb(0, 104, 207); cursor: pointer; ">Shareholder Spring Keeps Going! Activists Protest Windstream</a></li><li style="margin: 0px 0px 3px; "><a href="https://blu155.mail.live.com/mail/#story6" style="color: rgb(0, 104, 207); cursor: pointer; ">CWA: Frontier Should Put Resources into Customer Services, Not Executive Salaries</a></li><li style="margin: 0px 0px 3px; "><a href="https://blu155.mail.live.com/mail/#story7" style="color: rgb(0, 104, 207); cursor: pointer; ">NLRB Region 2 Authorizes Complaint Against Verizon for Unfair Firings, Discipline</a></li><li style="margin: 0px 0px 3px; "><a href="https://blu155.mail.live.com/mail/#story8" style="color: rgb(0, 104, 207); cursor: pointer; ">Next Generation Activists Storm Minneapolis</a></li><li style="margin: 0px 0px 3px; "><a href="https://blu155.mail.live.com/mail/#story9" style="color: rgb(0, 104, 207); cursor: pointer; ">President Cohen Speaks at 2012 NPA Conference</a></li><li style="margin: 0px 0px 3px; "><a href="https://blu155.mail.live.com/mail/#story10" style="color: rgb(0, 104, 207); cursor: pointer; ">CWA Local Leaders Learn New Skills at MLI</a></li><li style="margin: 0px 0px 3px; "><a href="https://blu155.mail.live.com/mail/#story11" style="color: rgb(0, 104, 207); cursor: pointer; ">AT&T Mobility Retail Workers Join CWA</a></li><li style="margin: 0px 0px 3px; "><a href="https://blu155.mail.live.com/mail/#story12" style="color: rgb(0, 104, 207); cursor: pointer; ">CWA Joins TakeAction Minnesota For LPAT Training</a></li><li style="margin: 0px 0px 3px; "><a href="https://blu155.mail.live.com/mail/#story13" style="color: rgb(0, 104, 207); cursor: pointer; ">Key Portion of Voting Rights Act Upheld</a></li></ul></div><h2 style="line-height: 25px; font-size: 23px; font-weight: normal; margin: 0px 0px 5px; color: rgb(0, 110, 18) !important; "><a name="story1" target="_blank" style="line-height: 30px; color: rgb(0, 104, 207); cursor: pointer; ">Join our Union Hall Call Tonight at 7:30 p.m. ET.</a></h2><p style="line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1.35em; "><span style="line-height: 15px; margin-left: 20px; font-size: 0.85em; background-image: none; background-attachment: scroll; background-color: rgb(244, 244, 244); border: 1px solid rgb(223, 223, 223); border-top-left-radius: 5px; border-top-right-radius: 5px; border-bottom-right-radius: 5px; border-bottom-left-radius: 5px; padding: 8px 10px 5px; background-position: 0px 0px; background-repeat: repeat repeat; ">Share This Article: <a href="http://action.cwa-union.org/salsa/track.jsp?v=2&c=bZ0/KpuNuMLz4c9sFcjUYwj093NlPLRt" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 104, 207); cursor: pointer; "><img border="0" alt="Facebook" src="http://cache.addthis.com/icons/v1/thumbs/facebook.gif" style="border: none; "></a> <a href="http://action.cwa-union.org/salsa/track.jsp?v=2&c=fj5z9GkgXk5DMvC3DXckdwj093NlPLRt" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 104, 207); cursor: pointer; "><img border="0" alt="Twitter" src="http://cache.addthis.com/icons/v1/thumbs/twitter.gif" style="border: none; "></a> <a href="http://action.cwa-union.org/salsa/track.jsp?v=2&c=SOp/fE6pXZiHAkHMJQ7eRwj093NlPLRt" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 104, 207); cursor: pointer; "><img border="0" alt="More..." src="http://cache.addthis.com/icons/v1/thumbs/more.gif" style="border: none; "></a></span></p><p style="line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1.35em; ">CWA activists from across the country will talk about how we're building our movement and taking on the corporate and right wing power that is attacking workers' rights and our democracy.</p><p style="line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1.35em; ">Join the call at <a href="http://action.cwa-union.org/salsa/track.jsp?v=2&c=mbbWPV7YFUsI9f6bQQMxpAj093NlPLRt" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 104, 207); cursor: pointer; ">http://www.cwa-union.org/cwacall</a>.</p><h2 style="line-height: 25px; font-size: 23px; font-weight: normal; margin: 0px 0px 5px; color: rgb(0, 110, 18) !important; clear: both; "><a name="story2" target="_blank" style="line-height: 30px; color: rgb(0, 104, 207); cursor: pointer; ">Former T-Mobile USA Worker Takes Message to Deutsche Telekom</a></h2><p style="line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1.35em; "><span style="line-height: 15px; margin-left: 20px; font-size: 0.85em; background-image: none; background-attachment: scroll; background-color: rgb(244, 244, 244); border: 1px solid rgb(223, 223, 223); border-top-left-radius: 5px; border-top-right-radius: 5px; border-bottom-right-radius: 5px; border-bottom-left-radius: 5px; padding: 8px 10px 5px; background-position: 0px 0px; background-repeat: repeat repeat; ">Share This Article: <a href="http://action.cwa-union.org/salsa/track.jsp?v=2&c=Va7GZDNBbphS9m/11j7Cfgj093NlPLRt" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 104, 207); cursor: pointer; "><img border="0" src="http://cache.addthis.com/icons/v1/thumbs/facebook.gif" alt="Facebook" style="border: none; "></a> <a href="http://action.cwa-union.org/salsa/track.jsp?v=2&c=I0w70YzEuByx7nRbU2gWtwj093NlPLRt" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 104, 207); cursor: pointer; "><img border="0" src="http://cache.addthis.com/icons/v1/thumbs/twitter.gif" alt="Twitter" style="border: none; "></a> <a href="http://action.cwa-union.org/salsa/track.jsp?v=2&c=CS/PVxe5FRAXyGyFagFX6wj093NlPLRt" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 104, 207); cursor: pointer; "><img border="0" src="http://cache.addthis.com/icons/v1/thumbs/more.gif" alt="More..." style="border: none; "></a></span></p><p style="line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1.35em; ">Blake Poindexter, a former T-Mobile USA worker who lost his job in the shuttering of seven call centers, addressed shareholders at the Deutsche Telekom (DT) annual meeting in Cologne, Germany, today. Poindexter, who now is working with CWA to help T-Mobile USA workers gain bargaining rights, worked at the Frisco, Tex., call center. That center, along with six others, will close in June affecting the jobs of 3,300 workers.</p><p style="line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1.35em; ">Poindexter asked Deutsche Telekom CEO Rene Obermann this question: "Mr. Obermann, will you instruct your managers at T-Mobile USA to refrain from campaigning against workers' attempts to organize a union? Will you end the barrage of negative statements and actions from management each time workers seek to organize a union?"</p><p style="line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1.35em; ">Despite DT's history of positive union relations in Germany, its subsidiary T-Mobile USA has used a variety of union avoidance tactics to stop workers from choosing union representation, including; holding mandatory captive audience meetings, management intimidation of workers, hiring lawyers and consultants to pursue "union avoidance," and even threatening workers who take a union leaflet. Those union avoidance tactics also are very much in evidence in Connecticut, where 15 technicians who voted for CWA representation a year ago still can't reach a first contract due to the company's superficial bargaining.</p><p style="line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1.35em; ">In contrast, DT and T-Mobile just reached a new agreement with 50,000 T-Mobile workers in Germany that provided a 6.5 percent wage increase over two years; negotiations are continuing with a T-Mobile technician group.</p><p style="line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1.35em; ">Also today, an ad signed by prominent U.S. officials, academics and former secretaries of labor appeared in the Bonn newspaper, <i>Bonner Generalanzeiger</i>. This ad reinforces the message from German leaders and scholars who signed a similar ad in the <i>New York Times</i> in March. Both call on DT to give U.S. workers the same respect as German workers when it comes to bargaining rights.</p><p style="line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1.35em; ">A global online petition is being launched so supporters can show their solidarity with T-Mobile USA workers and their fight for bargaining rights. Go to http://cwa-union.org/savetmobilejobs for more information.</p><h2 style="line-height: 25px; font-size: 23px; font-weight: normal; margin: 0px 0px 5px; color: rgb(0, 110, 18) !important; clear: both; "><a name="story3" target="_blank" style="line-height: 30px; color: rgb(0, 104, 207); cursor: pointer; ">'No More Mr. Nice Girl:' CWA Sets the Record Straight on T-Mobile</a></h2><p style="line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1.35em; "><span style="line-height: 15px; margin-left: 20px; font-size: 0.85em; background-image: none; background-attachment: scroll; background-color: rgb(244, 244, 244); border: 1px solid rgb(223, 223, 223); border-top-left-radius: 5px; border-top-right-radius: 5px; border-bottom-right-radius: 5px; border-bottom-left-radius: 5px; padding: 8px 10px 5px; background-position: 0px 0px; background-repeat: repeat repeat; ">Share This Article: <a href="http://action.cwa-union.org/salsa/track.jsp?v=2&c=r23bZ%2BxVUYw6qd3zNRaoqQj093NlPLRt" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 104, 207); cursor: pointer; "><img border="0" src="http://cache.addthis.com/icons/v1/thumbs/facebook.gif" alt="Facebook" style="border: none; "></a> <a href="http://action.cwa-union.org/salsa/track.jsp?v=2&c=n4L08TTdM/dP/NJQ8x8ldIndGUkjpNG%2B" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 104, 207); cursor: pointer; "><img border="0" src="http://cache.addthis.com/icons/v1/thumbs/twitter.gif" alt="Twitter" style="border: none; "></a> <a href="http://action.cwa-union.org/salsa/track.jsp?v=2&c=YQG3WN96QJxWWDWb72tnogj093NlPLRt" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 104, 207); cursor: pointer; "><img border="0" src="http://cache.addthis.com/icons/v1/thumbs/more.gif" alt="More..." style="border: none; "></a></span></p><p style="line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1.35em; ">CWA released a viral video that parodies T-Mobile's new "Alter Ego" ad campaign and highlights how T-Mobile's anti-American business strategy is hurting hard-working Americans. The video calls on viewers to take action against offshoring: "Send a Message to T-Mobile, Text 'Save Jobs' to 69866."</p><p style="line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1.35em; ">Check out the video <a href="http://action.cwa-union.org/salsa/track.jsp?v=2&c=xbYs8ku4qUZSKAJE23YC6Qj093NlPLRt" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 104, 207); cursor: pointer; ">here</a>.</p><p style="line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1.35em; ">And find out more about the campaign at <a href="http://action.cwa-union.org/salsa/track.jsp?v=2&c=NRhJtFIg6yiYCTfaU5Ad4ondGUkjpNG%2B" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 104, 207); cursor: pointer; ">http://weworkbettertogether.org/video/no-more-nice-tmobile</a>.</p><h2 style="line-height: 25px; font-size: 23px; font-weight: normal; margin: 0px 0px 5px; color: rgb(0, 110, 18) !important; clear: both; "><a name="story4" target="_blank" style="line-height: 30px; color: rgb(0, 104, 207); cursor: pointer; ">American Airlines Agents Fight for CWA Election</a></h2><p style="line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1.35em; "><span style="line-height: 15px; margin-left: 20px; font-size: 0.85em; background-image: none; background-attachment: scroll; background-color: rgb(244, 244, 244); border: 1px solid rgb(223, 223, 223); border-top-left-radius: 5px; border-top-right-radius: 5px; border-bottom-right-radius: 5px; border-bottom-left-radius: 5px; padding: 8px 10px 5px; background-position: 0px 0px; background-repeat: repeat repeat; ">Share This Article: <a href="http://action.cwa-union.org/salsa/track.jsp?v=2&c=vUx8%2BjC8w8jTHTx5jzo79wj093NlPLRt" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 104, 207); cursor: pointer; "><img border="0" src="http://cache.addthis.com/icons/v1/thumbs/facebook.gif" alt="Facebook" style="border: none; "></a> <a href="http://action.cwa-union.org/salsa/track.jsp?v=2&c=CPQY6zlH43kH%2Bh%2BPZRzkNQj093NlPLRt" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 104, 207); cursor: pointer; "><img border="0" src="http://cache.addthis.com/icons/v1/thumbs/twitter.gif" alt="Twitter" style="border: none; "></a> <a href="http://action.cwa-union.org/salsa/track.jsp?v=2&c=nBzFt74xThAkceacSVo3XQj093NlPLRt" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 104, 207); cursor: pointer; "><img border="0" src="http://cache.addthis.com/icons/v1/thumbs/more.gif" alt="More..." style="border: none; "></a></span></p><p style="line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1.35em; ">American Airlines passenger service agents and CWA supporters are fighting back against the airline's attempt to block the union representation election that was ordered by the National Mediation Board.</p><p style="line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1.35em; ">Agents have some big support, from Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and Senators John Rockefeller, who heads the Commerce Committee, and Tom Harkin, chair of the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee.</p><p style="line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1.35em; "><a href="http://action.cwa-union.org/salsa/track.jsp?v=2&c=vPbIn6tZRy%2BClKgHubQuygj093NlPLRt" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 104, 207); cursor: pointer; ">In a letter to American Airlines CEO Tom Horton</a>, the senators said, "It is our understanding that American Airlines is attempting to delay an election for roughly 9,000 employees while arguing in federal court that the amendments to the Railway Labor Act in the Federal Aviation Authority Reauthorization Act should apply retroactively...We strongly urge you to allow the election process to move forward in the interim. Your workers have the right to a prompt and fair election and we urge you to respect that right."</p><p style="line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1.35em; ">Members of the Illinois congressional delegation echoed that message in a separate letter, calling on Horton to respect workers' rights and stop blocking the election.</p><p style="line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1.35em; ">Agents across the American system are demanding that Horton respect democracy and stop his attack on workers' rights. Supporters can <a href="http://action.cwa-union.org/salsa/track.jsp?v=2&c=w0FBg96EZu/homh7NCgtiAj093NlPLRt" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 104, 207); cursor: pointer; ">sign the petition here</a>. More than 23,000 agents and supporters signed a petition to the NMB, calling on the agency to move forward on the election.</p><p style="line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1.35em; ">Find out more at <a href="http://action.cwa-union.org/salsa/track.jsp?v=2&c=m6blRnrhup1Q9OmmtdZGrwj093NlPLRt" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 104, 207); cursor: pointer; ">www.american-agents.org</a>.</p><h2 style="line-height: 25px; font-size: 23px; font-weight: normal; margin: 0px 0px 5px; color: rgb(0, 110, 18) !important; clear: both; "><a name="story5" target="_blank" style="line-height: 30px; color: rgb(0, 104, 207); cursor: pointer; ">Shareholder Spring Keeps Going! Activists Protest Windstream</a></h2><p style="line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1.35em; "><span style="line-height: 15px; margin-left: 20px; font-size: 0.85em; background-image: none; background-attachment: scroll; background-color: rgb(244, 244, 244); border: 1px solid rgb(223, 223, 223); border-top-left-radius: 5px; border-top-right-radius: 5px; border-bottom-right-radius: 5px; border-bottom-left-radius: 5px; padding: 8px 10px 5px; background-position: 0px 0px; background-repeat: repeat repeat; ">Share This Article: <a href="http://action.cwa-union.org/salsa/track.jsp?v=2&c=a9SAX2BxOlFP/NJQ8x8ldIndGUkjpNG%2B" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 104, 207); cursor: pointer; "><img border="0" src="http://cache.addthis.com/icons/v1/thumbs/facebook.gif" alt="Facebook" style="border: none; "></a> <a href="http://action.cwa-union.org/salsa/track.jsp?v=2&c=O4lkg1jER4cEt/yXgQyZsgj093NlPLRt" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 104, 207); cursor: pointer; "><img border="0" src="http://cache.addthis.com/icons/v1/thumbs/twitter.gif" alt="Twitter" style="border: none; "></a> <a href="http://action.cwa-union.org/salsa/track.jsp?v=2&c=NTM3CkfK8DjL60uN0c/bSgj093NlPLRt" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 104, 207); cursor: pointer; "><img border="0" src="http://cache.addthis.com/icons/v1/thumbs/more.gif" alt="More..." style="border: none; "></a></span></p><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="254" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7079/7263780400_991d6dda0d.jpg" alt="Windstream Meeting"><p style="margin-bottom: 1.35em; ">CWAers rally at Windstream's annual meeting.</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; ">About 75 CWA activists demonstrated at the Windstream annual meeting in Little Rock, Ark., then joined an Occupy Little Rock action to protest the city government's plan to displace communities of senior citizens to build a Technology Park.</p><p style="line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1.35em; ">Members of Locals 6507 and 6171 were on hand, with Local 6171 members making a 12-hour round trip bus ride to Little Rock. Inside the meeting, CWA National Telecom Director Bill Bates called on Windstream to publicly disclose its political campaign contributions on its website, along with company policy for management and Board oversight of those contributions. The proposal received nearly 44 percent of the shareholders vote.</p><p style="line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1.35em; ">CWA Local 6171 Executive Vice President Dick Frierson took on Windstream's elimination of retiree health care, and told shareholders that retiree health care promises were made to the employees who helped make Windstream profitable.</p><p style="line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1.35em; ">Following the meeting, activists marched to City Hall to join students and other allies in protesting the city's plans to raze several communities where predominantly elderly residents live to build a Technology Park that can be located elsewhere in the city. CWAers joined that effort to Stop the Attack on the American Dream.</p><h2 style="line-height: 25px; font-size: 23px; font-weight: normal; margin: 0px 0px 5px; color: rgb(0, 110, 18) !important; clear: both; "><a name="story6" target="_blank" style="line-height: 30px; color: rgb(0, 104, 207); cursor: pointer; ">CWA: Frontier Should Put Resources into Customer Services, Not Executive Salaries</a></h2><p style="line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1.35em; "><span style="line-height: 15px; margin-left: 20px; font-size: 0.85em; background-image: none; background-attachment: scroll; background-color: rgb(244, 244, 244); border: 1px solid rgb(223, 223, 223); border-top-left-radius: 5px; border-top-right-radius: 5px; border-bottom-right-radius: 5px; border-bottom-left-radius: 5px; padding: 8px 10px 5px; background-position: 0px 0px; background-repeat: repeat repeat; ">Share This Article: <a href="http://action.cwa-union.org/salsa/track.jsp?v=2&c=LcBbUmz9d%2BWLH/rd4X1%2B1Qj093NlPLRt" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 104, 207); cursor: pointer; "><img border="0" src="http://cache.addthis.com/icons/v1/thumbs/facebook.gif" alt="Facebook" style="border: none; "></a> <a href="http://action.cwa-union.org/salsa/track.jsp?v=2&c=dSBi5dtD/R%2Bz8XhpWvPcRwj093NlPLRt" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 104, 207); cursor: pointer; "><img border="0" src="http://cache.addthis.com/icons/v1/thumbs/twitter.gif" alt="Twitter" style="border: none; "></a> <a href="http://action.cwa-union.org/salsa/track.jsp?v=2&c=8NUfB%2BfwujlneSA7HDtvrAj093NlPLRt" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 104, 207); cursor: pointer; "><img border="0" src="http://cache.addthis.com/icons/v1/thumbs/more.gif" alt="More..." style="border: none; "></a></span></p><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="240" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7072/7263779190_eea08d8f58.jpg" alt="CWA at Frontier"><p style="margin-bottom: 1.35em; ">CWA members make some noise at Frontier Communications' annual shareholders meeting.</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; ">About 60 CWA activists from Frontier Communications were on hand for the company's shareholder meeting in Stamford, Conn., raising objections to the telecom's demands for big concessions and sacrifices from workers while top executive compensation is soaring.</p><p style="line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1.35em; ">Frontier CWA members traveled from West Virginia, Pennsylvania, New York and Minnesota to rally and leaflet before attending the meeting.</p><p style="line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1.35em; ">In bargaining, Frontier is demanding cuts in health care for workers, but gave its executives substantial compensation increases over the last three years. CEO Maggie Wilderotter saw her compensation increase to $8.6 million last year; over the past three years, her compensation has gone up 39 percent.</p><p style="line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1.35em; ">"Frontier is asking workers to take cuts and make concessions, meanwhile it's dishing out tens of millions in compensation to top executives," said CWA District 2-13 Vice President Ed Mooney. "When executive compensation comes at the price of consumers and workers' well-being, we refuse to be silent. That's why we're here today."</p><p style="line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1.35em; ">"Frontier's priorities should be updating its infrastructure, improving customer service and ensuring fair treatment and job security for workers," said Ralph Maly, CWA Vice President for Telecommunications and Technologies. "We're part of the 99 percent and we're sick and tired of the 1 percent that rewards itself while so many Americans are suffering."</p><h2 style="line-height: 25px; font-size: 23px; font-weight: normal; margin: 0px 0px 5px; color: rgb(0, 110, 18) !important; clear: both; "><a name="story7" target="_blank" style="line-height: 30px; color: rgb(0, 104, 207); cursor: pointer; ">NLRB Region 2 Authorizes Complaint Against Verizon for Unfair Firings, Discipline</a></h2><p style="line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1.35em; "><span style="line-height: 15px; margin-left: 20px; font-size: 0.85em; background-image: none; background-attachment: scroll; background-color: rgb(244, 244, 244); border: 1px solid rgb(223, 223, 223); border-top-left-radius: 5px; border-top-right-radius: 5px; border-bottom-right-radius: 5px; border-bottom-left-radius: 5px; padding: 8px 10px 5px; background-position: 0px 0px; background-repeat: repeat repeat; ">Share This Article: <a href="http://action.cwa-union.org/salsa/track.jsp?v=2&c=mvrqhd3%2BwnOtQZ89VKhWpgj093NlPLRt" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 104, 207); cursor: pointer; "><img border="0" src="http://cache.addthis.com/icons/v1/thumbs/facebook.gif" alt="Facebook" style="border: none; "></a> <a href="http://action.cwa-union.org/salsa/track.jsp?v=2&c=w5Hj9KzW1eGVCNcDa3tbKIndGUkjpNG%2B" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 104, 207); cursor: pointer; "><img border="0" src="http://cache.addthis.com/icons/v1/thumbs/twitter.gif" alt="Twitter" style="border: none; "></a> <a href="http://action.cwa-union.org/salsa/track.jsp?v=2&c=99MPwxw5u9/F13wL79gJVwj093NlPLRt" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 104, 207); cursor: pointer; "><img border="0" src="http://cache.addthis.com/icons/v1/thumbs/more.gif" alt="More..." style="border: none; "></a></span></p><p style="line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1.35em; ">The National Labor Relation Board's Region 2 has authorized the issuance of a complaint against Verizon Communications for its actions in disciplining and firing workers following the two-week strike by union members last August.</p><p style="line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1.35em; ">Regional Director Karen Fernbach authorized the complaint for 58 of the 63 cases brought by CWA, following an investigation into Verizon's actions.</p><p style="line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1.35em; ">"This is tremendous news for workers who have faced harsh discipline, even firing, from Verizon, that was completely unwarranted," said Ron Collins, CWA chief of staff.</p><p style="line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1.35em; ">"This fight has been about economic justice from the beginning. Some 45,000 CWA and IBEW members spent two weeks on the picket line to force this $100 billion company to bargain fairly, not continue to demand givebacks of $1 billion a year."</p><p style="line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1.35em; ">He added, "Progressive allies and the 99 Percent Spring coalition are standing with us as workers continue to fight against Verigreedy Verizon and corporate greed across our country. We won't stop now."</p><p style="line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1.35em; ">Jennifer Travis, a 15-year Verizon employee in Pittsburgh, Pa., never once was disciplined or written up, but was unfairly fired last August by Verizon.</p><p style="line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1.35em; ">Here's her story: "A couple days after the strike began, I took my husband and 2 of my 3 kids with me to the picket line. For us, being union is all in the family! There were a lot of us on the picket line that day. We were loud and boisterous, but peaceful. The company says that I assaulted a manager. Those are outrageous and false allegations.</p><p style="line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1.35em; ">"Mine was not an isolated incident. It makes me wonder if the company retaliated against us in an effort to intimidate other members who would consider standing up for their union in the future. If true, that's flat out bullying and it's disgusting."</p><p style="line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1.35em; ">The regional director's action is the first step of the NLRB process. Now Region 2 will seek to negotiate with Verizon to settle these cases.</p><h2 style="line-height: 25px; font-size: 23px; font-weight: normal; margin: 0px 0px 5px; color: rgb(0, 110, 18) !important; clear: both; "><a name="story8" target="_blank" style="line-height: 30px; color: rgb(0, 104, 207); cursor: pointer; ">Next Generation Activists Storm Minneapolis</a></h2><p style="line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1.35em; "><span style="line-height: 15px; margin-left: 20px; font-size: 0.85em; background-image: none; background-attachment: scroll; background-color: rgb(244, 244, 244); border: 1px solid rgb(223, 223, 223); border-top-left-radius: 5px; border-top-right-radius: 5px; border-bottom-right-radius: 5px; border-bottom-left-radius: 5px; padding: 8px 10px 5px; background-position: 0px 0px; background-repeat: repeat repeat; ">Share This Article: <a href="http://action.cwa-union.org/salsa/track.jsp?v=2&c=vABPWvn60YuXrqpyHKTXJQj093NlPLRt" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 104, 207); cursor: pointer; "><img border="0" src="http://cache.addthis.com/icons/v1/thumbs/facebook.gif" alt="Facebook" style="border: none; "></a> <a href="http://action.cwa-union.org/salsa/track.jsp?v=2&c=i3pNqjkRejF2inilxS6fIwj093NlPLRt" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 104, 207); cursor: pointer; "><img border="0" src="http://cache.addthis.com/icons/v1/thumbs/twitter.gif" alt="Twitter" style="border: none; "></a> <a href="http://action.cwa-union.org/salsa/track.jsp?v=2&c=UUvPw4G2H2grIKRMpoJ4Dwj093NlPLRt" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 104, 207); cursor: pointer; "><img border="0" src="http://cache.addthis.com/icons/v1/thumbs/more.gif" alt="More..." style="border: none; "></a></span></p><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="165" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8149/7263780256_100774d554.jpg" alt="CWA Next Generationg"><p style="margin-bottom: 1.35em; ">CWA's 2012 Next Generation class.</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; ">Nearly 50 young workers taped dollar bills over their mouths, marched into a Wells Fargo lobby and laid down in front of the bank's trademark stagecoach in protest.</p><p style="line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1.35em; ">The "die-in" was part of CWA's Next Generation conference in Minneapolis, where activists attended a four-day training on organizing and political action. They learned how to lobby, use social media for union work and build coalitions. Workers discussed the economic slump, foreclosures, voter suppression and how to mobilize more young people.</p><p style="line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1.35em; ">And those concerns drove them to Wells Fargo last Friday afternoon, where they challenged the bank's detrimental financial influence in politics, including its involvement in getting a voter ID amendment on Minnesota's ballot this November. Jake Lake of CWA Local 1101, who serves on the national AFL-CIO's Young Workers Advisory Council, read a list of the group's demands.</p><p style="line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1.35em; ">"We demand the top 1 percent of this country stop destroying our country," he said. "Wells Fargo, the Chamber of Commerce, the Minnesota Business Partnership and the politicians they front have launched an assault on our democracy."</p><p style="line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1.35em; ">Workers left the lobby chanting, "This is what democracy looks like!" and "We are the 99 percent!" <a href="http://action.cwa-union.org/salsa/track.jsp?v=2&c=/ZkJK1gv503as58xg42e4Qj093NlPLRt" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 104, 207); cursor: pointer; ">Watch them take action here</a>.</p><p style="line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1.35em; ">Youth unionization rates are two and a half times lower than those of workers ages 40 to 65. So in order to grow the movement, it's critical to involve more young workers. Through Next Generation, CWA is working to develop young leaders, take advantage of new technologies for communication, organize a growing generation of workers who are not in a traditional employment relationship and launch grassroots groups across the country.</p><p style="line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1.35em; ">"I didn't know what to expect going into this training. Maybe some background on union history?" said Aiden Sheffield of AFA-CWA 29012. "Well, I learned that — and so much more! I realize how important it is that we stand up together and take part in our democracy — that must be taken back by labor. They say it takes a village, and it really does. I have a better understanding of what I need to do."</p><h2 style="line-height: 25px; font-size: 23px; font-weight: normal; margin: 0px 0px 5px; color: rgb(0, 110, 18) !important; clear: both; "><a name="story9" target="_blank" style="line-height: 30px; color: rgb(0, 104, 207); cursor: pointer; ">President Cohen Speaks at 2012 NPA Conference</a></h2><p style="line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1.35em; "><span style="line-height: 15px; margin-left: 20px; font-size: 0.85em; background-image: none; background-attachment: scroll; background-color: rgb(244, 244, 244); border: 1px solid rgb(223, 223, 223); border-top-left-radius: 5px; border-top-right-radius: 5px; border-bottom-right-radius: 5px; border-bottom-left-radius: 5px; padding: 8px 10px 5px; background-position: 0px 0px; background-repeat: repeat repeat; ">Share This Article: <a href="http://action.cwa-union.org/salsa/track.jsp?v=2&c=UTOWqopDov0lI2M/DI%2Bvewj093NlPLRt" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 104, 207); cursor: pointer; "><img border="0" src="http://cache.addthis.com/icons/v1/thumbs/facebook.gif" alt="Facebook" style="border: none; "></a> <a href="http://action.cwa-union.org/salsa/track.jsp?v=2&c=KMXmBJqIYKhTes36WWz9mQj093NlPLRt" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 104, 207); cursor: pointer; "><img border="0" src="http://cache.addthis.com/icons/v1/thumbs/twitter.gif" alt="Twitter" style="border: none; "></a> <a href="http://action.cwa-union.org/salsa/track.jsp?v=2&c=ARkqB2GL1YvyGx/5kEO9KAj093NlPLRt" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 104, 207); cursor: pointer; "><img border="0" src="http://cache.addthis.com/icons/v1/thumbs/more.gif" alt="More..." style="border: none; "></a></span></p><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: 250px; float: left; font-size: 10px; margin-right: 10px; "><i style="line-height: 13px; "><img width="250" height="179" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7239/7263779950_4903432517.jpg" alt="Larry Cohen at NPA"><p style="margin-bottom: 1.35em; ">CWA President Larry Cohen addresses the National People's Action convention.</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 President Larry Cohen addressed this year's National People's Action conference in Washington, DC. The 1,000-person conference came on the heels of several months of actions at corporate offices, executive doorsteps and shareholder meetings. Building on the spring momentum and forging ahead into the election season, Cohen said it was time to reclaim America's democracy from the 1 percent, placing communities before corporations and people over profits.</p><h2 style="line-height: 25px; font-size: 23px; font-weight: normal; margin: 0px 0px 5px; color: rgb(0, 110, 18) !important; clear: both; "><a name="story10" target="_blank" style="line-height: 30px; color: rgb(0, 104, 207); cursor: pointer; ">CWA Local Leaders Learn New Skills at MLI</a></h2><p style="line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1.35em; "><span style="line-height: 15px; margin-left: 20px; font-size: 0.85em; background-image: none; background-attachment: scroll; background-color: rgb(244, 244, 244); border: 1px solid rgb(223, 223, 223); border-top-left-radius: 5px; border-top-right-radius: 5px; border-bottom-right-radius: 5px; border-bottom-left-radius: 5px; padding: 8px 10px 5px; background-position: 0px 0px; background-repeat: repeat repeat; ">Share This Article: <a href="http://action.cwa-union.org/salsa/track.jsp?v=2&c=UA1pQZ7SmYuMtLcKQdzJeQj093NlPLRt" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 104, 207); cursor: pointer; "><img border="0" src="http://cache.addthis.com/icons/v1/thumbs/facebook.gif" alt="Facebook" style="border: none; "></a> <a href="http://action.cwa-union.org/salsa/track.jsp?v=2&c=V1EPfu0nGkxdrqsT5jX6nwj093NlPLRt" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 104, 207); cursor: pointer; "><img border="0" src="http://cache.addthis.com/icons/v1/thumbs/twitter.gif" alt="Twitter" style="border: none; "></a> <a href="http://action.cwa-union.org/salsa/track.jsp?v=2&c=i3OieSHsZmyfxgRiwmCC8gj093NlPLRt" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 104, 207); cursor: pointer; "><img border="0" src="http://cache.addthis.com/icons/v1/thumbs/more.gif" alt="More..." style="border: none; "></a></span></p><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="194" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7230/7263780160_c93b0e32e7.jpg" alt="MLI Graduates"><p style="margin-bottom: 1.35em; ">Minority Leadership Institute graduates.</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; ">Local union leaders honed their skills in public speaking, political action and more, graduating this week from CWA's 2012 Minority Leadership Institute.</p><p style="line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1.35em; ">The diverse group, which included African-American, Asian and Latino CWAers, spent ten days studying topics such as labor history, union leadership, organizing, collective bargaining and voter suppression.</p><p style="line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1.35em; ">District 6 Vice President Claude Cummings was this year's graduation speaker. An MLI graduate himself, Cummings told participants, "You should understand clearly that you are elected to represent your members and work to grow our union through organizing internally and externally. You should all also embrace the importance of building coalitions with constituency groups and other organizations to start a movement to ensure we re-elect the president and other legislators that will stand with workers in this country on our issues."</p><p style="line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1.35em; ">Since 1983, over 100 men and women of CWA have completed the MLI training.</p><p style="line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1.35em; ">This year’s participants included CWA Local 81381 President Evelyn Evans, CWA Local 13000 Senior Clerk Wynetta Ward, CWA Local 3204 Vice President Ed Barlow, CWA Local 4603 Steward Clarice Collins, CWA Local 6507 President Gerald Murray, CWA Local 7019 Area Vice President Mariano Godoy, CWA Local 9003 Steward Myesha Glover, IUE-CWA Local 84913 President Joe Nguyen, AFA-CWA Local 27019 Council Representative Tonnette Monroe, and TNG-CWA Local 34071 President David Pollard.</p><h2 style="line-height: 25px; font-size: 23px; font-weight: normal; margin: 0px 0px 5px; color: rgb(0, 110, 18) !important; clear: both; "><a name="story11" target="_blank" style="line-height: 30px; color: rgb(0, 104, 207); cursor: pointer; ">AT&T Mobility Retail Workers Join CWA</a></h2><p style="line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1.35em; "><span style="line-height: 15px; margin-left: 20px; font-size: 0.85em; background-image: none; background-attachment: scroll; background-color: rgb(244, 244, 244); border: 1px solid rgb(223, 223, 223); border-top-left-radius: 5px; border-top-right-radius: 5px; border-bottom-right-radius: 5px; border-bottom-left-radius: 5px; padding: 8px 10px 5px; background-position: 0px 0px; background-repeat: repeat repeat; ">Share This Article: <a href="http://action.cwa-union.org/salsa/track.jsp?v=2&c=Ns4LgrrrbgdAmJEJbNeTfwj093NlPLRt" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 104, 207); cursor: pointer; "><img border="0" src="http://cache.addthis.com/icons/v1/thumbs/facebook.gif" alt="Facebook" style="border: none; "></a> <a href="http://action.cwa-union.org/salsa/track.jsp?v=2&c=LcBbUmz9d%2BUHylDtCV8v2gj093NlPLRt" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 104, 207); cursor: pointer; "><img border="0" src="http://cache.addthis.com/icons/v1/thumbs/twitter.gif" alt="Twitter" style="border: none; "></a> <a href="http://action.cwa-union.org/salsa/track.jsp?v=2&c=Uzc8qiP5QGmxmugqQQTt2gj093NlPLRt" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 104, 207); cursor: pointer; "><img border="0" src="http://cache.addthis.com/icons/v1/thumbs/more.gif" alt="More..." style="border: none; "></a></span></p><p style="line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1.35em; ">Nearly 400 AT&T Mobility retail store workers in Mississippi and Wyoming have chosen CWA representation.</p><p style="line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1.35em; ">Because AT&T has agreed to management neutrality that enables workers to make a free and fair choice about union representation, local organizers and other AT&T Mobility members were able to freely meet with retail store employees in break rooms and meetings spaces.</p><p style="line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1.35em; ">District 3 Organizing Coordinator Sheila Williams-Cain said, "Once we showed them the difference between what they would have if they had a contract versus what they have now, it was an easy conversation."</p><p style="line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1.35em; ">The Mississippi unit covers 314 retail store works; the American Arbitration Association certified that a majority of workers supported union representation.</p><p style="line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1.35em; ">In Wyoming, AAA also certified a statewide unit of AT&T Mobility retail sales workers. The 30 retail employees will join with five network operations workers who voted for CWA representation last year, said District 7 Organizing Coordinator Al Kogler.</p><h2 style="line-height: 25px; font-size: 23px; font-weight: normal; margin: 0px 0px 5px; color: rgb(0, 110, 18) !important; clear: both; "><a name="story12" target="_blank" style="line-height: 30px; color: rgb(0, 104, 207); cursor: pointer; ">CWA Joins TakeAction Minnesota For LPAT Training</a></h2><p style="line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1.35em; "><span style="line-height: 15px; margin-left: 20px; font-size: 0.85em; background-image: none; background-attachment: scroll; background-color: rgb(244, 244, 244); border: 1px solid rgb(223, 223, 223); border-top-left-radius: 5px; border-top-right-radius: 5px; border-bottom-right-radius: 5px; border-bottom-left-radius: 5px; padding: 8px 10px 5px; background-position: 0px 0px; background-repeat: repeat repeat; ">Share This Article: <a href="http://action.cwa-union.org/salsa/track.jsp?v=2&c=pyUrJCbN7tpF%2BeQeaYT8Vgj093NlPLRt" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 104, 207); cursor: pointer; "><img border="0" src="http://cache.addthis.com/icons/v1/thumbs/facebook.gif" alt="Facebook" style="border: none; "></a> <a href="http://action.cwa-union.org/salsa/track.jsp?v=2&c=7SKLEFEan/GDDgNuznoE1Qj093NlPLRt" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 104, 207); cursor: pointer; "><img border="0" src="http://cache.addthis.com/icons/v1/thumbs/twitter.gif" alt="Twitter" style="border: none; "></a> <a href="http://action.cwa-union.org/salsa/track.jsp?v=2&c=YOWdRB2e2S1%2Bl5/bjJxLWwj093NlPLRt" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 104, 207); cursor: pointer; "><img border="0" src="http://cache.addthis.com/icons/v1/thumbs/more.gif" alt="More..." style="border: none; "></a></span></p><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="325" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8144/7263779710_05ebecea2e.jpg" alt="Keith Ellison MN LPAT"><p style="margin-bottom: 1.35em; ">Rep. Keith Ellison talks to Minnesota activists at a LPAT training.</p><p style="margin-bottom: 1.35em; ">Below: Legislative Director Shane Larson instructs LPATs.</p><img width="320" height="200" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7091/7263779430_47fee9d464.jpg" alt="ShaneLarsonLPAT"></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 recently joined forces with TakeAction Minnesota for a joint LPAT training session.</p><p style="line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1.35em; ">For a day and a half, 65 rank-and-file and local officers discussed why this country needs to form a resistance movement and fight back. LPAT veterans shared their knowledge with those who are new to the procession, and Rep. Keith Ellison addressed participants. Grounded in the election cycle, the training focused on how participants could use what they learned to better implement programs addressing the local issues they're concerned about.</p><p style="line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1.35em; ">And a considerable amount of time was spent on two important Minnesota ballot measures this fall — a constitutional amendment that would require voters to show a photo ID at the polls and another constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage. Participants debated how best to use the LPAT structure to talk about and get people to vote 'no' on the amendments.</p><p style="line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1.35em; ">"It really, really got people engaged," said Staff Representative Douglas Williams.</p><h2 style="line-height: 25px; font-size: 23px; font-weight: normal; margin: 0px 0px 5px; color: rgb(0, 110, 18) !important; clear: both; "><a name="story13" target="_blank" style="line-height: 30px; color: rgb(0, 104, 207); cursor: pointer; ">Key Portion of Voting Rights Act Upheld</a></h2><p style="line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1.35em; "><span style="line-height: 15px; margin-left: 20px; font-size: 0.85em; background-image: none; background-attachment: scroll; background-color: rgb(244, 244, 244); border: 1px solid rgb(223, 223, 223); border-top-left-radius: 5px; border-top-right-radius: 5px; border-bottom-right-radius: 5px; border-bottom-left-radius: 5px; padding: 8px 10px 5px; background-position: 0px 0px; background-repeat: repeat repeat; ">Share This Article: <a href="http://action.cwa-union.org/salsa/track.jsp?v=2&c=pN680uOKlfJh9F/TKg49XQj093NlPLRt" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 104, 207); cursor: pointer; "><img border="0" src="http://cache.addthis.com/icons/v1/thumbs/facebook.gif" alt="Facebook" style="border: none; "></a> <a href="http://action.cwa-union.org/salsa/track.jsp?v=2&c=r23bZ%2BxVUYxkQFiMXmZG9Qj093NlPLRt" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 104, 207); cursor: pointer; "><img border="0" src="http://cache.addthis.com/icons/v1/thumbs/twitter.gif" alt="Twitter" style="border: none; "></a> <a href="http://action.cwa-union.org/salsa/track.jsp?v=2&c=RbRnjHZ7qytS08NCmdEg2Aj093NlPLRt" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 104, 207); cursor: pointer; "><img border="0" src="http://cache.addthis.com/icons/v1/thumbs/more.gif" alt="More..." style="border: none; "></a></span></p><p style="line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1.35em; ">A federal appeals court recently upheld a crucial section of the landmark Voting Rights Act of 1965.</p><p style="line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1.35em; ">Last Friday, the US Court of Appeals for the DC Circuited voted 2 to 1 to turn down a challenge to Section 5, which requires states and localities with a history of voter discrimination to get Washington's approval for any changes in their voting laws and procedures.</p><p style="line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1.35em; ">This enforcement provision was most recently reauthorized in 2006, but Republican attorneys general from several of the covered states — Alabama, Alaska, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas and Virginia — have since unleashed constitutional challenges to the law. Detractors argue the mandatory supervision is too burdensome, but Section 5 has proved to be an important tool for protecting minority voters.</p><p style="line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1.35em; ">"Congress drew reasonable conclusions from the extensive evidence it gathered and acted pursuant to the Fourteenth and Fifteenth Amendments, which entrust Congress with ensuring that the right to vote — surely among the most important guarantees of political liberty in the Constitution — is not abridged on account of race," wrote US Circuit Judge David S. Tatel. "In this context, we owe much deference to the considered judgment of the people's elected representatives."</p></td></tr><tr><td style="padding: 10px 20px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><img border="0" alt="" src="https://afl.salsalabs.com/o/4004/c/11/images/email-divider.jpg"></td></tr><tr><td style="line-height: 13px; padding: 0pt 20px 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=HFmD95XKI1ooBFwsDDGRfwj093NlPLRt" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 104, 207); cursor: pointer; ">click here</a>.</p></td></tr><tr><td valign="top" bgcolor="#d7d5d5" id="ecxemail_content2" style="line-height: 16px; font-size: 12px; color: rgb(119, 119, 119); padding: 20px 30px; "><p align="left" 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</p></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div style="text-align: -webkit-auto; ">@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@</div><div style="text-align: -webkit-auto; "><br></div><div style="text-align: -webkit-auto; "><table width="700" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="1" align="center" 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"><p align="center" style="margin-bottom: 1.35em; "><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 width="231" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="0" align="right" style="line-height: 17px; "><tbody><tr><td> </td><td><table width="215" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" bordercolor="#333333" border="1" align="right" style="line-height: 17px; "><tbody><tr><td><table width="100%" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="8" border="0" align="right" style="line-height: 17px; "><tbody><tr><td valign="top" bgcolor="#cc0000"><p align="center" style="margin-bottom: 1.35em; "><span style="font-family: Verdana; "><span style="line-height: 23px; font-size: 18px; "><font color="white" style="line-height: normal; "><strong style="line-height: 23px; ">HELP WITH THE SAN DIEGO MAYOR’S RACE FROM HOME</strong></font></span></span></p></td></tr><tr><td valign="top"><p style="margin-bottom: 1.35em; font-size: 13px; "><span style="font-family: Arial; ">San Diegans need our help in an important mayoral race.</span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 1.35em; font-size: 13px; "><span style="font-family: Arial; "><b><a href="http://act.aflcio.org/salsa/track.jsp?v=2&c=72l2qTa5lipQpUCl7yYgbgSM3QHPBU4D" target="_blank" style="font-weight: inherit; color: rgb(0, 104, 207); cursor: pointer; ">Click here now to sign up for our free online tool to help in the election effort.</a><br></b></span></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; ">Dear Carlos,</p><p style="margin-bottom: 1.35em; ">San Diegans are heading into the <b>final stretch of an important mayoral race</b> and are working hard to make sure voters know about the extreme ideas that corporate-funded mayoral candidate Carl DeMaio supports that would hurt working families while only helping his deep-pocketed corporate donors.<br><br><b>And you can help without having to make a trip to San Diego</b> by signing up for a great, free new online tool called the Friends and Neighbors (FAN) program. The FAN will allow you to connect with San Diego voters, including friends you have on Facebook, about the mayoral and City Council races without having to leave home.<br><br><a href="http://act.aflcio.org/salsa/track.jsp?v=2&c=a0wChkFerQD/aMSdWHH9%2BgSM3QHPBU4D" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 104, 207); cursor: pointer; "><b>Click here now to sign up for free and start using the new FAN tool to help us elect candidates in San Diego who will fight for working families, not corporate interests.</b></a><br><br><b>These elections are just another example of the 1% trying to control California.</b> DeMaio has raised big money from deep-pocketed corporate interests. These are the same interests who benefited from his vote to raise taxes by $1 billion so they can take over the taxpayer-owned convention center, replacing good middle-class jobs with minimum wage jobs.<sup style="line-height: 14px; ">1 </sup><br><br>DeMaio may have the money but he doesn’t have people behind him. Our ability to work together to reach out to people and talk to them about what is at stake on June 5 is what will make the difference. <br><br>And, with the free FAN tool, it makes it even easier for Californians to connect to San Diegans to make sure they know about DeMaio’s dirty deeds.<br><br><a href="http://act.aflcio.org/salsa/track.jsp?v=2&c=uYiS9DUVJ/vISg5L3%2BAWMASM3QHPBU4D" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 104, 207); cursor: pointer; "><b>Click here now to be one of the first to test out this great new tool.</b></a><br><br>Let’s show DeMaio and other extreme politicians in these final weeks we are ready to take back California from lawmakers who will only do the bidding of deep-pocketed, Big Business interests.<br><br>In Solidarity,<br><br>Andy Richards<br>New Media Strategist, AFL-CIO</p><p style="margin-bottom: 1.35em; "><sup style="line-height: 14px; "><sub style="line-height: 11px; ">1 </sub></sup><a href="http://act.aflcio.org/salsa/track.jsp?v=2&c=6cEAz5ptOMG7MymirlzJgQSM3QHPBU4D" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 104, 207); cursor: pointer; ">http://www.kpbs.org/news/2012/apr/26/hoteliers-hospitality-industry-back-demaio-over-ot/</a></p></td></tr><tr><td><hr><p align="center" style="margin-bottom: 1.35em; "><span style="font-family: Verdana; "><span style="line-height: 15px; font-size: 12px; ">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=hSisxgaiFsNrcsWFCtXkVgSM3QHPBU4D" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 104, 207); cursor: pointer; "><b>www.aflcio.org</b></a>.<br><br>Follow us on <a href="http://act.aflcio.org/salsa/track.jsp?v=2&c=gRpZy/Wp623rp5LTvwZU/QSM3QHPBU4D" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 104, 207); cursor: pointer; "><b>Facebook</b></a> and <a href="http://act.aflcio.org/salsa/track.jsp?v=2&c=%2BLj/hVcJ2DeoGAQ27MJbjgSM3QHPBU4D" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 104, 207); cursor: pointer; "><b>Twitter</b></a>.<br><br><a href="http://act.aflcio.org/salsa/track.jsp?v=2&c=FHVc/HpqvQ9MY1jCadWAOgSM3QHPBU4D" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 104, 207); cursor: pointer; "><img width="24" height="24" border="0" src="https://afl.salsalabs.com/o/4001/images/icon_24x24_facebook.jpg" alt="Facebook" title="Facebook" style="border: none; "></a> <a href="http://act.aflcio.org/salsa/track.jsp?v=2&c=WIhmZ7FnplQRQOab%2BtMS5gSM3QHPBU4D" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 104, 207); cursor: pointer; "><img width="24" height="24" border="0" src="https://afl.salsalabs.com/o/4001/images/icon_24x24_twitter.jpg" alt="Twitter" title="Twitter" style="border: none; "></a><br><br>Text <b>WORK</b> to <b>AFLCIO (235246)</b> to join our text action team. </span><i><span style="line-height: 15px; font-size: 12px; ">(Message and data rates may apply.)</span></i></span></p><table cellspacing="1" cellpadding="1" border="1" align="center" style="line-height: 17px; width: 428px; height: 56px; "><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center; "><span style="line-height: 13px; font-size: x-small; "><span style="font-family: Arial; "><i>Paid for by Workers' Voice, </i></span></span><span style="line-height: 13px; font-size: x-small; "><span style="font-family: Arial; "><a href="http://act.aflcio.org/salsa/track.jsp?v=2&c=sD9nb4ycYLsVoeML4NI67wSM3QHPBU4D" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 104, 207); cursor: pointer; "></a></span></span><span style="line-height: 14px; font-size: smaller; "><span style="font-family: Arial; "><a href="http://act.aflcio.org/salsa/track.jsp?v=2&c=eIhZ2ZLqUiF1ityMqXC9dQSM3QHPBU4D" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 104, 207); cursor: pointer; "></a></span></span><span style="font-size: small; "><span style="font-family: Arial; "><a href="http://act.aflcio.org/salsa/track.jsp?v=2&c=%2BUIHLqBK/S/MJbBBw/4eXASM3QHPBU4D" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 104, 207); cursor: pointer; "><span style="line-height: 13px; font-size: x-small; "><i>www.workersvoice.org</i></span></a><span style="line-height: 13px; font-size: x-small; "><i>, <br>Elizabeth Shuler, Treasurer. <br>Not authorized by any candidate or candidate’s agent or committee.</i></span></span></span></td></tr></tbody></table><p style="line-height: 13px; margin-bottom: 1.35em; text-align: right; font-size: 10px; "><a href="http://act.aflcio.org/salsa/track.jsp?v=2&c=VWwxna8P3bZEMtfEn53n2QSM3QHPBU4D" 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=567957367" style="line-height: 17px; color: rgb(42, 42, 42); font-family: Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">
</div><div style="text-align: -webkit-auto; "><br></div><div style="text-align: -webkit-auto; ">@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@</div><div style="text-align: -webkit-auto; "><br></div><div style="text-align: -webkit-auto; "><a href="http://truth-out.org/news/item/9351-as-anti-protest-law-attempts-to-stifle-dissent-400-students-in-quebec-arrested-in-mass-march">http://truth-out.org/news/item/9351-as-anti-protest-law-attempts-to-stifle-dissent-400-students-in-quebec-arrested-in-mass-march</a>
</div><div style="text-align: -webkit-auto; "><br></div><div style="text-align: -webkit-auto; "><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; ">As Anti-Protest Law Attempts to Stifle Dissent, 400 Students in Quebec Arrested in Mass March</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); ">Yana Kunichoff, Truthout: "In the most recent escalation in the battle between a Quebecoise government pushing tuition hikes and striking Canadian students, at least three cities saw mass arrests at demonstrations against a newly minted anti-protest law that activists are calling 'absurd.'" </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=XGr/BDa8sMUZvE1n7qXl6X%2BDoeWx53LO" 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 style="text-align: -webkit-auto; "><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 style="text-align: -webkit-auto; ">@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@</div><div style="text-align: -webkit-auto; "><br></div><div style="text-align: -webkit-auto; "><a href="http://truth-out.org/opinion/item/9298-what-can-labor-win-if-it-backs-obamas-re-election">http://truth-out.org/opinion/item/9298-what-can-labor-win-if-it-backs-obamas-re-election</a>
</div><div style="text-align: -webkit-auto; "><br></div><div style="text-align: -webkit-auto; "><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; ">What Can Labor Win if It Backs Obama's Re-Election?</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); ">Amy Dean, Truthout: "As usual in an election year, the labor movement has a lot of fair-weather friends. Late last month, when hard up for cash for its national convention, the Democratic Party turned to unions for funds. Labor refused to bankroll the convention, in part because unions are upset that it will be taking place in North Carolina, a so-called 'right to work' state." </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=XyLWCTDh99ZhPANCXYYyyX%2BDoeWx53LO" 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 style="text-align: -webkit-auto; "><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 style="text-align: -webkit-auto; ">@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@</div><div style="text-align: -webkit-auto; "><br></div><div style="text-align: -webkit-auto; "><h2 class="ecxcontentheading ecxclearfix" style="line-height: 23px; font-size: 21px; font-weight: normal; margin: 0px 0px 5px; color: rgb(0, 110, 18) !important; font-family: Georgia; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><a class="ecxcontentpagetitle" href="http://colombiareports.com/colombia-news/news/24230-gunmen-attack-labor-organizer-family-in-colombia.html" target="_blank" style="line-height: 27px; color: rgb(30, 102, 174); cursor: pointer; ">Gunmen attack labor organizer, family in Colombia</a></h2><div class="ecxarticle-tools ecxclearfix" style="line-height: 17px; color: rgb(42, 42, 42); font-family: Georgia; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><div class="ecxarticle-meta"><span class="ecxcreatedate">Thursday, 24 May 2012 12:35 </span><span class="ecxcreateby">Arron Daugherty</span></div></div><div class="ecxarticle-content" style="line-height: 17px; color: rgb(42, 42, 42); font-family: Georgia; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><div class="ecxclearfix"></div><div class="ecxtag"> </div><div class="ecxfaceandtweet"><div class="ecxfaceandtweet_retweet"></div><div class="ecxfaceandtweet_like" style="height: 20px; "></div><div class="ecxfaceandtweet_retweet"><a class="ecxDiggThisButton ecxDiggCompact" href="http://digg.com/submit?url=http://colombiareports.com/colombia-news/news/24230-gunmen-attack-labor-organizer-family-in-colombia.html&title=Gunmen%20attack%20labor%20organizer%2c%20family%20in%20Colombia" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(30, 102, 174); cursor: pointer; "></a></div><div></div></div><p style="margin-bottom: 1.35em; "><img alt="Unions" src="http://colombiareports.com/pics/crime/crime_4.jpg"></p><p style="margin-bottom: 1.35em; ">Gunmen killed one victim and wounded four others during an assassination attempt against a labor organizer in <a title="Cali" href="http://colombiareports.com/travel-in-colombia/cali.html" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(30, 102, 174); cursor: pointer; font-family: Verdana; ">Cali</a>, <a title="Colombia" href="http://colombiareports.com/" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(30, 102, 174); cursor: pointer; font-family: Verdana; ">Colombia</a>'s third largest city, on Wednesday.</p><p style="margin-bottom: 1.35em; ">According to <a href="http://www.eltiempo.com/colombia/cali/ARTICULO-WEB-NEW_NOTA_INTERIOR-11866921.html" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(30, 102, 174); cursor: pointer; font-family: Verdana; ">local media</a>, assassins arrived at the house of Cali Municipal Business Union (USE) Vice President Adolfo Devia Paz around midnight and opened fire.</p><p style="margin-bottom: 1.35em; ">Paz's bodyguard reportedly returned fire, wounding one of the attackers. The unidentified assailant was arrested Thursday morning when he arrived at a hospital for medical treatment.</p><div></div><p style="margin-bottom: 1.35em; ">Paz was unharmed, but his 26-year-old brother, Jonathan, was shot in the head and killed. Paz's wife, bodyguard, and three year old daughter were also wounded during the exchange.</p><p style="margin-bottom: 1.35em; ">Cali Metropolitan Police Chief Fabio Castañeda said investigators were working to establish a motive for the attack.</p><p style="margin-bottom: 1.35em; ">USE President Alvaro Velasco noted Paz had previously received threats.</p><p style="margin-bottom: 1.35em; ">Velasco also criticized the Colombian government for the situation. "Organized Labor has again been attacked. It's very worrisome because even though we have asked the Government and the administration of Emcali for support, they have not given us a response." USE organizes workers for Emcali, a public utilities company in the region.</p><p style="margin-bottom: 1.35em; ">According to Spanish news wire <a href="http://feeds.univision.com/feeds/article/2012-05-24/un-muerto-y-cuatro-heridos?refPath=/noticias/america-latina/colombia/" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(30, 102, 174); cursor: pointer; font-family: Verdana; ">EFE</a>, Colombia is the world's most dangerous country for labor organizers, with over 2,800 unionists killed since 1986.</p><p style="margin-bottom: 1.35em; ">The recent signing of the U.S. - Colombian Free Trade Agreement, despite Colombia's record of violence, has caused <a href="http://colombiareports.com/colombia-news/news/23469-colombias-unions-question-obamas-commitment-to-human-rights.html" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(30, 102, 174); cursor: pointer; font-family: Verdana; ">Colombian and U.S. unions to question U.S. Barack Obama's commitment to human rights.</a></p><p style="margin-bottom: 1.35em; "><br></p></div></div><div style="text-align: -webkit-auto; ">@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@</div><div style="text-align: -webkit-auto; "><br></div><div style="text-align: -webkit-auto; "><div class="ecxgmail_quote" style="line-height: 17px; color: rgb(42, 42, 42); font-family: Georgia; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><a href="http://www.marxist.com/venezuela-assassination-plot-against-trade-union-leader.htm" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(30, 102, 174); cursor: pointer; ">http://www.marxist.com/venezuela-assassination-plot-against-trade-union-leader.htm</a></div><div class="ecxgmail_quote" style="line-height: 17px; color: rgb(42, 42, 42); font-family: Georgia; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "> </div><div class="ecxgmail_quote" style="line-height: 17px; color: rgb(42, 42, 42); font-family: Georgia; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><div id="ecxpage"><h2 class="ecxcontentheading" style="line-height: 23px; font-size: 21px; font-weight: normal; margin: 0px 0px 5px; color: rgb(0, 110, 18) !important; "><a class="ecxcontentpagetitle" href="http://www.marxist.com/venezuela-assassination-plot-against-trade-union-leader.htm" target="_blank" style="line-height: 27px; color: rgb(30, 102, 174); cursor: pointer; ">Venezuela: Foiled assassination plot against trade union leader</a></h2><div class="ecxarticleinfo"><span class="ecxcreatedby">Written by In Defence of Marxism </span><span class="ecxcreatedate">Thursday, 24 May 2012</span></div><div class="ecxbuttonheading"><a href="http://www.marxist.com/venezuela-assassination-plot-against-trade-union-leader/print.htm#" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(30, 102, 174); cursor: pointer; "><img alt="Print" src="http://www.marxist.com/templates/imt/images/printButton.png" style="border: none; "></a></div><div class="ecxarticletext"><span class="ecxarticletextblurb"><p style="margin-bottom: 1.35em; "><strong>On Monday, May 21, an armed person entered the EFE ice cream factory (part of the POLAR group) in Caracas and asked to see Abraham Rivas, the main trade union leader and a <u><font size="4" style="line-height: normal; ">member of the Marxist tendency Lucha de Clases.</font></u></strong> When confronted about his suspicious behaviour by Abraham and other workers, he was found to be carrying a gun. He was also found to be carrying detailed personal information about comrade Abraham, including his picture, home address, the names of his children and even a photocopy of his company ID card. </p></span><p style="margin-bottom: 1.35em; ">The workers took him to the nearest police headquarters in Chacao. He apparently confessed that he had been hired to carry out an attack against Abraham. Despite this, it seems that officers of the police said that there was not enough grounds to charge him. He named two others involved in this attempt, both of whom have been released.</p><p style="margin-bottom: 1.35em; ">The company was extremely worried about the role played by comrade Abraham in the unification of all the unions operating inside POLAR in one single federation. On Tuesday, workers from Helados EFE stopped work and demonstrated blockading the main highway outside the factory in Eastern Caracas.</p><p style="margin-bottom: 1.35em; ">We are still in the process of gathering more details about this case in order to organise a campaign.</p><ul style="margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 1em; padding-right: 0px; padding-left: 1em; "><li style="margin: 0px 0px 3px; "><a href="http://www.noticias24.com/venezuela/noticia/108559/trabajadores-de-la-heladeria-efe-protestan-en-chacao/" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(30, 102, 174); cursor: pointer; ">PICTURES OF THE PROTEST</a></li><li style="margin: 0px 0px 3px; "><a href="http://luchadeclases.org.ve/lucha-obrera-leftmenu-166/7222-amedentramiento-y-acoso-dirigente-sindical-polar" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(30, 102, 174); cursor: pointer; ">A statement in Spanish by the UNT-CTR</a></li><li style="margin: 0px 0px 3px; "><a href="http://www.marxist.com/%20http:/luchadeclases.org.ve/lucha-obrera-leftmenu-166/7223-comunicado-fenactralbeca" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(30, 102, 174); cursor: pointer; ">A statement in Spanish by the Federation of Food, Beverages and Others</a></li></ul></div></div></div><div class="ecxgmail_quote" style="line-height: 17px; color: rgb(42, 42, 42); font-family: Georgia; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "> </div><div class="ecxgmail_quote" style="line-height: 17px; color: rgb(42, 42, 42); font-family: Georgia; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">------------------------<br><div class="ecxgmail_quote"><br><a href="http://www.crbz.org/vernoticia.php?codnot=254" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(30, 102, 174); cursor: pointer; ">http://www.crbz.org/vernoticia.php?codnot=254</a><br clear="all"><br><table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="912" height="89" style="line-height: 17px; font-size: inherit; "><tbody><tr><td valign="top" align="left"><div align="center">CRBZ alerta ante desaparición del militante Nelson González</div><div align="center"></div></td></tr><tr><td valign="top" align="left"> </td></tr><tr><td valign="top" align="left"><div align="center"><img src="http://www.crbz.org/obtenernoticia.php?codigo=254" width="436" height="332"></div></td></tr><tr><td valign="top" align="left"> </td></tr><tr><td valign="top" align="left"><div align="justify"><font size="3" style="line-height: normal; "><span style="line-height: 20px; "> </span><span style="line-height: 20px; ">Voceros de la Corriente Revolucionaria Bolívar y Zamora, ofrecieron una rueda de prensa desde la sede nacional en la Hoyada Caracas, donde se pronunciaron por la desaparición de Nelson González, militante de este movimiento en el estado Táchira, específicamente del municipio Fernández Feo (El Piñal), quien se encuentra desaparecido desde el pasado jueves.</span></font></div></td></tr><tr><td valign="top" align="left"> </td></tr><tr><td valign="top" align="left"><div align="justify"><font size="3" style="line-height: normal; "><span style="line-height: 20px; "> </span><span style="line-height: 20px; ">Melitza Orellana, vocera de la CRBZ, explicó que “al momento de su desaparición el compañero venia de una reunión con compañeros de las agro patrias comunales con el Viceministro Iván Gil en la Grita, Municipio Jáuregui del estado Táchira, de retorno se quedó en Chururu; sector cercano a la Comunidad de Pabellón donde esta ubicada su casa de habitación, específicamente en el Asentamiento Campesino Ezequiel Zamora, tierras estas, rescatadas por la revolución; desde ese momento, no se sabe nada de su paradero.</span></font></div></td></tr><tr><td valign="top" align="left"> </td></tr><tr><td valign="top" align="left"><div align="justify"><font size="3" style="line-height: normal; "><span style="line-height: 20px; "> </span><span style="line-height: 20px; ">“En este sentido, frente a las amenazas y campañas de criminalización contra nuestra organización, el Movimiento Popular en general y sobre el mismo comandante presidente Chávez es que tememos cualquier cosa”, sentenció Orellana.</span></font></div></td></tr><tr><td valign="top" align="left"> </td></tr><tr><td valign="top" align="left"><div align="justify"><font size="3" style="line-height: normal; "><span style="line-height: 20px; "> </span><span style="line-height: 20px; ">La desaparición de González, tiene en incertidumbre a la militancia de la CRBZ, según explicó Kevin Rangel, vocero de la CRBZ, quien además detalló “que desde hace algunos años, se intenta criminalizar al movimiento por parte de sectores de la derecha, así como también, por pequeños sectores de los cuerpos de seguridad que en ese corredor fronterizo, están aliados al paramilitarismo, contrabando y narcotráfico”</span></font></div></td></tr><tr><td valign="top" align="left"> </td></tr><tr><td valign="top" align="left"><div align="justify"><font size="3" style="line-height: normal; "><span style="line-height: 20px; "> </span><span style="line-height: 20px; ">En tal sentido, Melitza Orellana, sentenció que, “desde la Corriente Revolucionaria Bolívar y Zamora no vamos a permitir que se siga criminalizando al movimiento popular, vamos a tomar acciones legales, y exhortamos a los cuerpos de seguridad del estado y al Gobierno Nacional, que tomen las medidas pertinentes para garantizar la aparición de nuestro compañero Nelson González”.</span></font></div></td></tr><tr><td valign="top" align="left"> </td></tr><tr><td valign="top" align="left"><div align="justify"><font size="3" style="line-height: normal; "><span style="line-height: 20px; "> </span><span style="line-height: 20px; ">Kevin Rangel denunció los planes desestabilizadores “ estos planes conspirativos de la derecha venezolana apátrida y entreguista, se vienen dirigiendo desde Colombia, la constante agresión y conspiración contra el Comandante Chávez y la revolución Bolivariana”, además Rangel agregó que “estos planes han sido construidos en articulación directa de la Mesa de la Unidad MUD con la oligarquía santanderista, representada por el narcoparamilitar Álvaro Uribe, quien sigue al pie de la letra las instrucciones del imperio norteamericano, que tienen un plan de guerra para el continente y en especial hacia la Venezuela Bolivariana, las constantes visitas de voceros de la MUD a Colombia, también el propio candidato de la derecha lo ha hecho, ante la imposibilidad de lograr un triunfo el 7 de Octubre la agenda es la conspiración para una vía no electoral”.</span></font></div></td></tr><tr><td valign="top" align="left"> </td></tr><tr><td valign="top" align="left"><div align="justify"><font size="3" style="line-height: normal; "><span style="line-height: 20px; "> </span><span style="line-height: 20px; ">La Corriente Revolucionaria destacó el IV Encuentro Nacional desarrollado en el Estado Carabobo los días 19 y 20 de Mayo, con la participación de 500 delegados de 19 Estados del país, “Esta fue una actividad para preparar a la militancia hacia la gran batalla de Carabobo y debatir sobre los planes de la contra revolución, como resultado de las discusiones del cuarto encuentro nacional de la CRBZ, se determinó organizar a nivel nacional el comando popular antigolpe, atendiendo al llamado del comandante Chávez a estar alertas ante los planes guerreristas de la derecha; la agenda de la violencia no es cuento, la burguesía entró en estado de desesperación y están pensando seriamente en tomar atajos golpistas, para alcanzar el poder, debido que por la vía electoral, están muy lejos de hacerlo”</span></font></div></td></tr><tr><td valign="top" align="left"> </td></tr><tr><td valign="top" align="left"><div align="justify"><font size="3" style="line-height: normal; "><span style="line-height: 20px; "> </span><span style="line-height: 20px; ">Rangel hizo un llamado al pueblo venezolano a estar alertas, “desde la CRBZ estamos preparándonos, porque el pueblo organizado debe tener respuesta ante cualquier aventura violenta de la derecha”.</span></font></div></td></tr><tr><td valign="top" align="left"> </td></tr><tr><td valign="top" align="left"><div align="justify"><font size="3" style="line-height: normal; "><span style="line-height: 20px; "> </span><span style="line-height: 20px; ">Rangel respaldó el anuncio hecho por el Comandante Chávez, de la creación de la Gran Misión Amor a Toda Vida Venezuela, “respaldamos esta iniciativa del Comandante Chávez de abordar el tema de la violencia e inseguridad de manera estructural, es por eso que creemos necesario que esta misión contenga elementos como: continuar con la depuración de los cuerpos de seguridad del estado, seguir incorporando al pueblo en la generación de políticas publicas en torno a la seguridad y profundizar definitivamente en la erradicación de la pobreza, es decir, derrotar al capitalismo” sentenció.</span></font></div></td></tr><tr><td valign="top" align="left"> </td></tr><tr><td valign="top" align="left"><div align="justify"><font size="3" style="line-height: normal; "><span style="line-height: 20px; "> </span><span style="line-height: 20px; ">Rangel, en nombre de toda la Corriente Revolucionaria Bolívar Y Zamora felicito los trece años del programa Alo Presidente, catalogándolo como un espacio de comunicación directa entre el pueblo y su líder, el Comandante Hugo Chávez Frías.</span></font></div></td></tr></tbody></table></div><br><br clear="all"><br><table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="100%" bgcolor="#c0c0c0" align="center" style="line-height: 17px; font-size: inherit; "><tbody><tr bgcolor="#e4e4e4"><td bgcolor="#ffffff" valign="center"><table border="0" cellspacing="2" cellpadding="2" width="100%" bgcolor="white" style="line-height: 17px; font-size: inherit; "><tbody><tr><td valign="top"><h1 style="line-height: 23px; font-size: 21px; font-weight: normal; margin: 0px 0px 5px; "><span style="line-height: 27px; background-color: rgb(230, 236, 249); ">Desaparecido militante de la Corriente Revolucionaria Bolívar y Zamora en Táchira</span></h1><div align="right"><span style="text-align: left; direction: ltr; "><i><font style="line-height: normal; ">Author: <span style="line-height: 20px; ">Press CRBZ</span></font></i></span> <i><font style="line-height: normal; ">Autor: <span style="line-height: 20px; ">Prensa CRBZ</span></font></i> <i><font style="line-height: normal; "><br style="line-height: 20px; "></font></i><span style="text-align: left; direction: ltr; "><i><font style="line-height: normal; ">Date of publication:</font></i></span> <i><font style="line-height: normal; ">Fecha de publicación:</font></i> <span style="text-align: left; direction: ltr; "><i><font style="line-height: normal; ">23/05/12</font></i></span> <i><font style="line-height: normal; ">23/05/12</font></i></div></td></tr></tbody></table></td><td valign="center" width="252"><div><a href="http://translate.googleusercontent.com/translate_c?anno=2&hl=en&rurl=translate.google.com&sl=es&tl=en&twu=1&u=http://www.aporrea.org/imprime/n205792.html&usg=ALkJrhjTfj64bd-sNpNxceWGLWXvxT6ZKg" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(30, 102, 174); cursor: pointer; "><img border="0" align="top" src="http://translate.googleusercontent.com/imagenes/iconos/impresorita2.png" width="25" height="20" style="border: none; "></a> <span style="text-align: left; direction: ltr; "><a href="http://translate.googleusercontent.com/translate_c?anno=2&hl=en&rurl=translate.google.com&sl=es&tl=en&twu=1&u=http://www.aporrea.org/imprime/n205792.html&usg=ALkJrhjTfj64bd-sNpNxceWGLWXvxT6ZKg" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(30, 102, 174); cursor: pointer; ">Print</a></span> <a href="http://translate.googleusercontent.com/translate_c?anno=2&hl=en&rurl=translate.google.com&sl=es&tl=en&twu=1&u=http://www.aporrea.org/imprime/n205792.html&usg=ALkJrhjTfj64bd-sNpNxceWGLWXvxT6ZKg" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(30, 102, 174); cursor: pointer; ">Imprimir</a></div><div><span style="text-align: left; direction: ltr; "></span></div><div><div><div></div><div></div></div><div></div></div><div><div style="line-height: 1px; border-style: none; font-size: 1px; vertical-align: baseline; "></div></div></td></tr><tr><td bgcolor="#ffffff" valign="top"><table border="0" cellspacing="2" cellpadding="2" width="100%" bgcolor="white" style="line-height: 17px; font-size: inherit; "><tbody><tr><td><table border="0" align="right" style="line-height: 17px; font-size: inherit; "><tbody><tr><td><table border="0" cellspacing="2" cellpadding="1" width="250" align="center" style="line-height: 17px; font-size: inherit; "><tbody><tr><td bgcolor="#0061c1" width="250" align="middle"><table border="0" cellspacing="2" cellpadding="2" width="250" bgcolor="#d0d0ff" align="center" style="line-height: 17px; font-size: inherit; "><tbody><tr><td><a href="http://www.aporrea.org/imagenes/gente/nelson_gonzalez.png" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(30, 102, 174); cursor: pointer; "><img border="1" src="http://translate.googleusercontent.com/imagenes/gente/nelson_gonzalez_p.png" width="250" style="border: none; "></a></td></tr><tr><td><span style="text-align: left; direction: ltr; ">Nelson Gonzalez, Revolutionary Current Bolivar and Zamora in Tachira</span> Nelson González, de la Corriente Revolucionaria Bolívar y Zamora en Táchira</td></tr><tr><td bgcolor="#0000a6"><span style="text-align: left; direction: ltr; ">Credit: Press CRBZ</span> Credito: Prensa CRBZ</td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="text-align: left; direction: ltr; ">May 23, 2012. - Today's CURRENT REVOLUTIONARY AND ZAMORA CRBZ BOLIVAR, is in a situation of uncertainty for the disappearance of Comrade Nelson Gonzalez from the day Wednesday evening, a member of our organization, social activist of Tachira specifically municipality Fernandez Feo (the Pinal), at the time of his disappearance on comrade came from a meeting with fellow agro communal homelands with the Deputy Minister Ivan Gil in Scream, Jauregui municipality of Tachira, remained in return Chururu; sector close the Community Hall which is located his home, specifically in the settlement Campesino Ezequiel Zamora, these lands, rescued by the revolution, since then, nothing is known of his whereabouts.</span>23 de mayo de 2012.- Hoy la CORRIENTE REVOLUCIONARIA BOLIVAR Y ZAMORA CRBZ, se encuentra en una situación de incertidumbre por la desaparición del compañero Nelson González desde el día miércoles por la noche, militante de nuestra organización, luchador social del estado Táchira específicamente del municipio Fernández Feo (el Piñal), al momento de su desaparición el compañero venia de una reunión con compañeros de las agro patrias comunales con el Viceministro Iván Gil en la Grita, Municipio Jáuregui del estado Táchira, de retorno se quedó en Chururu; sector cercano a la Comunidad de Pabellón donde esta ubicada su casa de habitación, específicamente en el Asentamiento Campesino Ezequiel Zamora, tierras estas, rescatadas por la revolución; desde ese momento, no se sabe nada de su paradero. <br><br><span style="text-align: left; direction: ltr; ">In this sense, the face of threats and criminalization campaign against our organization, the Popular Movement in general and about the same commander that President Chavez is fear anything.</span> En este sentido, frente a las amenazas y campañas de criminalización contra nuestra organización, el Movimiento Popular en general y sobre el mismo comandante presidente Chávez es que tememos cualquier cosa. <br><br><span style="text-align: left; direction: ltr; ">At the moment, we walk through any hypothesis as on our membership is a permanent stalking of corrupt, drug trafficking, paramilitary activity and smuggling; on which our organization has a direct struggle against them to ensure the Territorial Sovereignty and People, Peace and respect for the will of the people in these border states of the country.</span> En estos instantes, paseamos por cualquier hipótesis ya que sobre nuestra militancia hay un acecho permanente de sectores corruptos, del narcotráfico, paramilitarismo y contrabando; sobre lo cual nuestra organización tiene una lucha frontal contra ellos para garantizar la Soberanía Territorial y Popular, la Paz y el respeto a la voluntad del Pueblo en estos estados fronterizos del país. <br><br><span style="text-align: left; direction: ltr; ">For this reason, we urge the State, the revolutionary government that acted diligently and put search effort, and we have undertaken in formal complaints and have gotten little response from the Government and the Ministry of People's Power for Interior and Justice must work hard to debug the security forces in these areas of the country since infiltrated sectors are part of the fabric that develops at the border.</span> Por tal razón, exhortamos al Estado, al Gobierno Revolucionario que actué de manera diligente y ponga esfuerzo de búsqueda, ya que hemos acometido denuncias en espacios formales y hemos conseguido poco eco, desde el Gobierno y el Ministerio del Poder Popular para el Interior y Justicia se debe trabajar intensamente para depurar los cuerpos de seguridad en estas áreas del país ya que sectores infiltrados, son parte del entramado que se desarrolla en la frontera. <br><br><span style="text-align: left; direction: ltr; ">Since our organization we clearly have a strategy of destabilization, to sow violence and terror, to frighten, linked it to larger plans of conspiracy against the revolution led in part by the Colombian oligarchy Santanderist.</span> Desde nuestra organización tenemos claro que tienen una estrategia de desestabilización, de sembrar violencia y terror, de amedrentar, ligado esto a planes mayores de conspiración contra la revolución dirigidos en parte por la oligarquía colombiana santanderista. <br><br><span style="text-align: left; direction: ltr; ">Here we will follow up in arms with the commander in chief Hugo Chavez and the Revolution, determined to face who have to face, and undertake political action complaint and mobilization needed to end the persecution and harassment of our leaders and cadres politicians, there is no impunity for about 6 months to comply with today's slaughter of the Mouths of Rio Viejo slaughter carried out by gangs of drug smuggling and related minority sectors of the fanbase, and 6 months of the murder also the leader in Barinas Rolando CRBZ Brizuela, killed by union mafias and murder of fellow Caparo in booking a year ago.</span> Aquí seguiremos en pie de lucha junto al comandante en jefe Hugo Chávez y la revolución, decididos a enfrentar a quien se tenga que enfrentar, y acometer las acciones políticas de denuncia y movilización necesarias para que cese la persecución y el hostigamiento sobre nuestros dirigentes y cuadros políticos, para que no haya impunidad a propósito de los 6 meses que se cumplen hoy de la masacre de las Bocas de Rio Viejo; masacre ejecutada por las mafias del contrabando y el narcotráfico vinculados sectores minoritarios de la FANB, y 6 meses del asesinato también en Barinas del dirigente de CRBZ Rolando Brizuela, asesinado por mafias sindicales, así como asesinatos de compañeros en la reserva de Caparo hace un año.</td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table></div><br style="line-height: 17px; color: rgb(42, 42, 42); font-family: Georgia; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><br clear="all" style="line-height: 17px; color: rgb(42, 42, 42); font-family: Georgia; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "></div><div style="text-align: -webkit-auto; "><br></div><div style="text-align: -webkit-auto; ">@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@</div><div style="text-align: -webkit-auto; "><br></div><div style="text-align: -webkit-auto; "><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 width="700" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="0" align="center" style="line-height: 17px; "><tbody><tr><td><table width="100%" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="0" align="center" style="line-height: 17px; "><tbody><tr><td><a href="http://act.aflcio.org/salsa/track.jsp?v=2&c=%2BqQkj0ee%2BybSAwjV5nw1e1qogw5Yidsm" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 104, 207); cursor: pointer; "><img border="0" src="https://afl.salsalabs.com/o/4001/c/18/images/aflcionowblog_700x100.jpg" alt="" style="border: none; "></a></td></tr><tr><td><table width="700" cellpadding="13" border="0" align="left" style="line-height: 17px; "><tbody><tr><td><p style="margin-bottom: 1.35em; "><span style="font-size: 13px; "><span style="font-family: Verdana; "><b>May 24, 2012</b></span></span></p><table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="7" border="0" align="right" style="line-height: 17px; width: 22px; height: 38px; "><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center; "><a href="http://act.aflcio.org/salsa/track.jsp?v=2&c=P4qoDRE8cqDhf37Do%2B%2BRHlqogw5Yidsm" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 104, 207); cursor: pointer; "><img width="268" height="200" border="0" src="http://img.youtube.com/vi/z0KeCZhgYpc/0.jpg" alt="California Alliance for Retired Americans" title="California Alliance for Retired Americans" style="border: none; "></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=v6Nqgmbygb75yzK3ODPcD1qogw5Yidsm" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 104, 207); cursor: pointer; "><font color="navy" style="line-height: normal; ">After Alan Simpson’s tirade against seniors who want to protect Social Security, lawmakers should pledge to oppose Simpson’s plan to cut Social Security.</font></a></span></span></td></tr></tbody></table><p style="margin-bottom: 1.35em; "><span style="font-size: 13px; "><span style="font-family: Verdana; ">Wisconsin working families are out in force in the neighborhoods and at the phone banks as the June 5 recall election of Gov. Scott Walker (R), Lt. Gov. Rebecca Kleefisch (R) and four of Walker’s allies in the state Senate approaches.<br><br><a href="http://act.aflcio.org/salsa/track.jsp?v=2&c=CKnsT6euBlMOi/U%2BJuqg43RpKhcOtP8T" 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 width="30%" color="#cccccc" align="left"><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" 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=rt5N3zQn1MLf1ZkvadNbhVqogw5Yidsm" 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; ">Simpson Launches Tirade Against California Seniors</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=/IioXYHKvrXAt%2BR6xQyA%2B1qogw5Yidsm" 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; ">Trumka to Global Leaders: Jobs, Not Cutbacks</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=Fzh6bLN12/HKdNV77efaPlqogw5Yidsm" 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; ">Hello, Mitt? The Auto Industry Is Booming. Thought You’d Want to Know</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=hKygJhVri1yjCiMGLzmzAFqogw5Yidsm" 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; ">T-Mobile’s ‘Alter Ego’—Job Killer</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=1f6MPr313SXdLBQpoxNesFqogw5Yidsm" 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; ">USW Members in Anacortes OK Tesoro Deal</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=glLd22bG7A2xEkF/wwGivFqogw5Yidsm" 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; ">California Domestic Workers, Immigrants Rally for Rights</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=%2BluH9hfeEJdq08HaHXiroFqogw5Yidsm" 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 Crony: Income Inequality Is Good</strong></font></a></p><hr width="30%" color="#cccccc" align="left"><p style="margin-bottom: 1.35em; "><span style="font-size: 13px; "><a href="http://act.aflcio.org/salsa/track.jsp?v=2&c=TkG0%2BKaCxYrMPsFm8%2BJdslqogw5Yidsm" 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 cellspacing="0" cellpadding="7" bordercolor="#cccccc" border="1" align="center" style="line-height: 17px; "><tbody><tr><td><table width="100%" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="0" align="center" style="line-height: 17px; "><tbody><tr><td valign="middle" align="center"><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=upbE%2BGG79GHAfIgnY01z8lqogw5Yidsm" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 104, 207); cursor: pointer; "><img border="0" title="Facebook" alt="Facebook" src="https://afl.salsalabs.com/o/4001/images/icon_24x24_facebook.jpg" style="border: none; "></a> <a href="http://act.aflcio.org/salsa/track.jsp?v=2&c=unV9DHXQ354gMmGIKFJYyFqogw5Yidsm" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 104, 207); cursor: pointer; "><img border="0" title="Twitter" alt="Twitter" src="https://afl.salsalabs.com/o/4001/images/icon_24x24_twitter.jpg" style="border: none; "></a> <a href="http://act.aflcio.org/salsa/track.jsp?v=2&c=u4bJ33%2BeOZ88bxxrObV4PHRpKhcOtP8T" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 104, 207); cursor: pointer; "><img border="0" title="Google+" alt="Google+" src="http://afl.salsalabs.com/o/4001/c/18/images/icon_24x24_googleplus.jpg" style="border: none; "></a> <a href="http://act.aflcio.org/salsa/track.jsp?v=2&c=/orAibwjep/heI9CEWxSR1qogw5Yidsm" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 104, 207); cursor: pointer; "><img border="0" title="YouTube" alt="YouTube" src="https://afl.salsalabs.com/o/4001/images/icon_24x24_youtube2.jpg" style="border: none; "></a> <a href="http://act.aflcio.org/salsa/track.jsp?v=2&c=dRUrDqO5m9A3hk2lW9UP/3RpKhcOtP8T" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 104, 207); cursor: pointer; "><img border="0" title="RSS" alt="RSS" src="https://afl.salsalabs.com/o/4001/images/icon_24x24_rss.jpg" style="border: none; "></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=ULYVkkJZiYXBT90tAlpz%2BFqogw5Yidsm" 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 style="text-align: -webkit-auto; ">@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@</div><div style="text-align: -webkit-auto; "><br></div><div style="text-align: -webkit-auto; "><h2 class="ReadMsgSubject" style="line-height: 24px; font-size: 19px; font-weight: normal; margin: 0px; color: rgb(42, 42, 42); font-family: Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">La Michoacana illegally firing workers</h2><div><br></div><div><div id="ecxygrp-text" style="line-height: 17px; font-family: Georgia; color: rgb(42, 42, 42); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><div style="line-height: 20px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; font-size: 12pt; "><div style="font-size: 12pt; "><div style="font-size: 12pt; "><div id="ecxyiv1179490195"><div style="font-size: 12pt; "><div>Please help. Distribute widely!!!!<br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div>Port troqueros have been fighting for their employee recognition for almost 25 years in the local trucking industry. During this time we have attempted to educate society as to the true cost of mis-classification, both economic and labor rights. After all of our gains out comes a case of major abuse at a local distribution outfit that somehow has no clue or does have a clue but doesn't care, as to the importance of proper employment identification.</div><div><br></div><div>La Michoacana is a private intrastate carrier with private interstate moves to Arizona. It owns its' own fleet of reefer vans with about 30 units in Gardena and with company drivers. The mainly Latino drivers organized and approached the Teamsters for representation. Last week La Michoacana fired them all and has replaced them with other drivers that include drivers from another similar private distributor. The issue is that if La Michoacana fired the organizing drivers and replaced them with new employees then it has violated the National Labor Relations Act. <br></div><div><br></div><div>More than likely La Michoacana will claim that the replacement drivers are NOT their employees but continue to be employees of the other entity if they are still paid by the other entity. The tax code is very clear in that it identifies the employer as the person that controls and directs the work or has the right to such direction and control whether or not it is utilized. The tax code does not state that your employer is the one that pays you. Detailed understanding of the tax code can be a major asset for the labor movement in such situations.</div><div><br></div><div>Another option that La Michoacana might attempt is to claim that they leased the reefer vans to the other entity which then became part of their fleet and the drivers would be employees of the other firm assuming that the other firm conducts the control and direction. Proper leasing of a motor vehicle is not accomplished with a phone call, handshake, nor a written statement attesting that there is a lease but involves a mire of needed actions as required by the Uniform Commercial Code of CA and compliance with DMV sec. 4453.5, the registration of leased vehicles. Leasing also requires expensive insurance filings. Once the other entity leases the vans to their fleet and provides services to La Michoacana then it is acting as a "for hire" motor carrier and must comply with such regulations.</div><div><br></div><div>La Michoacana fired my fellow workers and I must rise to the occasion and create tax and regulatory chaos for it and its' cronies. It is not right what it did and I personally ask for everyone to begin boycotting their products and the establishments that carry them.</div><div><br></div><div>ernie</div><div>Port of Aztlan</div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div>The firm has received a copy of this email as I shoot from the hip. I will tell the firm how I'm going to destroy it, step by step, using my tax and transportation regulation knowledge, and let them share the same feeling of desperation that a fired worker feels.<br></div></div></div><br><br></div></div></div><p style="margin-bottom: 1.35em; "></p></div><div style="line-height: 17px; font-family: Arial, helvetica, clean, sans-serif; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: rgb(255, 255, 255); height: 0px; ">__._,_.___</div><a name="TopText" target="_blank" style="line-height: 17px; color: rgb(30, 102, 174); cursor: pointer; font-family: Arial, helvetica, clean, sans-serif; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><p style="margin-bottom: 1.35em; clear: both; padding-bottom: 3px; "><span style="color: rgb(98, 140, 42); font-weight: 700; ">Attachment(s) from Ernesto Nevarez</span></p></a><span style="color: rgb(42, 42, 42); font-family: Arial, helvetica, clean, sans-serif; line-height: 17px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "></span><p id="ecxattach-count" style="line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 1.35em; color: rgb(42, 42, 42); font-family: Arial, helvetica, clean, sans-serif; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); padding-top: 10px; "><span style="color: rgb(98, 140, 42); font-weight: 700; ">1 of 1 File(s)</span></p><div class="ecxattach-table" style="line-height: 17px; width: 400px; color: rgb(42, 42, 42); font-family: Arial, helvetica, clean, sans-serif; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><div class="ecxfile-row" style="clear: both; white-space: nowrap; float: left; "><div class="ecxygrp-file-title"><img src="http://l.yimg.com/kq/static/images/yg/img/doc/pdf16x16.gif" style="margin-right: 5px; vertical-align: middle; "> <a href="http://xa.yimg.com/kq/groups/8342435/682936864/name/La" title="La" target="_blank" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(30, 102, 174); cursor: pointer; ">La</a></div></div></div><div id="ecxygrp-actbar" style="line-height: 17px; font-family: Arial, helvetica, clean, sans-serif; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); clear: both; margin-bottom: 10px; white-space: nowrap; color: rgb(102, 102, 102); padding-top: 15px; "><br class="Apple-interchange-newline"></div></div></div><div style="text-align: -webkit-auto; ">@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@</div><div style="text-align: -webkit-auto; ">@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@</div><div style="text-align: -webkit-auto; ">@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@</div></div><br><div style="line-height:17px;color:rgb(42, 42, 42);font-family:'Segoe UI', Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255)"><font face="Times New Roman" size="3" style="line-height:normal"><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. This is in accordance with Title 17 U. S. 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