Cincinnati
AFL-CIO
Labor Council
Friday, September 24, 2021
Message from President Liz Shuler
All workers lose when any one of us are treated as a disenfranchised subclass. We cannot recover as long as front-line workers are forced into a dangerous shadow economy.
 
Our immigration system should lift up standards, wages and rights for all working people. That’s why we need a path to citizenship.
 
We are all connected through work, and since COVID-19 hit, our connections are stronger, deeper and crystal clear: Every working person in the U.S. should have access to the life-changing power and protection of a good job and the status to stand up freely for our rights at work.
Watch: President Liz Shuler at a Rally for Immigration Reform
Together, we can defeat the forces trying to keep working people divided, deprived and disenfranchised. We have an economic system that lets employers use immigration status as a tool to keep workers from organizing. That hurts every working person in this country. But it doesn’t have to be that way.
 
Immigrants and refugees were, are and will always be a vital part of our workforce, our movement and our democracy. So we’re putting Congress on notice: no excuses.
 
Get citizenship done so we can truly build back better for all!
Watch: President Liz Shuler Shares a Message at the Start of Climate Week NYC
The path to the clean energy future runs right through the labor movement—in every ZIP code, in every state. No community left behind. And not at the expense of working families.
 
In the clean energy future, every working person must have access to the life-changing power of a good union job. As we discuss policy frameworks and technological solutions, working people must be at those tables planning and building America’s energy future.
 
Working people know that climate change is already here. And we're stepping up.
Message from Secretary Treasurer Fred Redmond
In response to the escalating humanitarian crisis for Haitians and other forced migrants, Fred Redmond, secretary-treasurer of the AFL-CIO, vice president of the United Steelworkers (USW) and president of the Trade Union Confederation of the Americas, issued a statement: “As a labor movement fighting for democracy, racial justice, the rule of law, and human and trade union rights, our unions will continue to push our governments to do right by the Haitian people and by all working people in the Americas. We will also continue to organize for mutual aid and defense, and take action to help Haitians and other forced migrants access the support and protections they need and deserve.”
Secretary of Labor Marty Walsh Visits Cincinnati Labor Leaders To Discuss Wage Theft and Thank Essential Workers
U.S. Secretary of Labor, and member of LiUNA, Marty Walsh was in the Cincinnati last Tuesday as he continues his tour of the country to build support for President Joe Biden's Build Back Better plan, including the bipartisan infrastructure bill.
Walsh met with workers and union members who have been working to stop wage theft throughout the city. Walsh says he's heard the same stories in other cities where people report wage theft, safety concerns and anti-union sentiments.

"I want any and every working American to understand, if they want to talk about the injustices happening to them on the job site, they can come forward and the Department of Labor is going to continue to fight on their behalf," he said. "No employer should be taking advantage of any employee in this country. No one should be underpaying people or threatening them with deportation — none of that should be happening in this country."

Prior to the meeting, Walsh visited a local Kroger to thank the UFCW Local 75 members and highlight the importance of essential workers. Walsh and the Department of Labor have launched a website so Americans can highlight essential workers in their community and thank them for helping us get through the pandemic.
 "Throughout this pandemic, workers on the front lines have helped keep us safe, fed and moving forward – and we’re deeply grateful," the DOL said on their website "To honor the tireless efforts of these workers, we are inducting Essential Workers of the COVID-19 Pandemic into the U.S. Department of Labor Hall of Honor."  
 
Cincinnati AFL-CIO Executive Secretary-Treasurer Joins Innovation Ohio for Build Back Better Press Conference
Innovation Ohio invited Cincinnati AFL-CIO Labor Council Executive Secretary-Treasurer Brian Griffin to participate in a press conference yesterday morning, Thursday, September 23 near Paul Brown Stadium with the Brent Spence Bridge in the background. The press conference was a push to pass President Biden's Build Back Better Plan, and included comments from Desiree Tims, President and CEO, Innovation Ohio, State Rep Catherine Ingram, our own Brian Griffin, Executive Secretary — Treasurer, Cincinnati AFL-CIO Labor Council, and Kobie Christian, For Our Future Ohio. It was part of a week of action planned by the national organization Tax March. The following are Executive Secretary-Treasurer Griffin's comments:
A couple years ago, my wife and I moved from our home of over twenty years in West Chester to a smaller single-story home in Fairfield. Our babies were grown, and it was time for us to make the next move… to ensure our personal comfort, and focus on where we were investing our money… so we could have the kind of life and life-style we had dreamed of all those years.

We really loved our home in West Chester, but it was time to do the right thing… it was time to look to our future. We loved our new house as well. Although we greatly underestimated how many of its essential systems and structures needed to be upgraded and repaired.

We soon realized we were going to have to make a substantial investment in this property if we wanted it to be the home where we would spend the rest of our lives and still have value to our children and their children after we were gone. So, what did we do? Well, what else could we do – we made the necessary investments and we put our house in order.

President Biden’s Build Back Better plan is exactly that – it is an investment by us, in us. It is just like what my wife and I have just done… It was taking our money out of one of our pockets and then putting it right back into one of our other pockets. The difference is, in doing so, that very same money can create tremendous good along the way.
The Build Back Better Plan helps ease the everyday burden on working families and helps build an economy that rewards work, not wealth…
  • It makes health care more affordable
  • It lowers prescription drug costs
  • It expands access to high-quality, affordable long-term care for our seniors – our Moms and our Dads – Our Grandmas and our Grandpas
  • It expands the child tax credit and makes childcare and community college more affordable

So, how are we gonna pay for all of this? Well, this plan balances that by making corporations and those earning over $400,000 pay their fair share of taxes – and imposes no tax increase on anyone making less than $400,000 a year

Yes. We can do all of this just by making the wealthy and big corporations pay their fair share.
  • Last year, 55 of America's biggest corporations paid no federal income taxes, and the wealth of just 700 billionaires rose by 60% during the pandemic, while millions of working Americans suffered.
  • That’s 55 Fortune 500 corporations who made over $40 billion in profits and paid no taxes.
  • 700 U.S. billionaires saw their total wealth increase by 60%, or $1.8 trillion, during the first 16 months of the pandemic.
  • The richest 1% cheat on their taxes far more often than regular working-people, and it shift a tax burden of more than $175 billion in taxes from them to us every year.
  • This Build Back Better Plan eliminates tax breaks that encourage corporations to outsource jobs and invest in American manufacturing to keep and create more American jobs here at home.
  • But it also helps small businesses get their feet back under them after the terrible last year and a half… So they can better compete with big corporations… So they can hire more workers and build their businesses back.
So, instead of continuing tax breaks for huge corporations and loopholes for the rich, let’s grow our economy and create jobs by investing in roads and bridges, clean energy, and education, and by making childcare, housing, and healthcare affordable. Let’s invest in us!
It’s time to build an economy that serves working people not one where working people serve the economy…

There are those that claim this plan will kill the economic recovery… cost jobs… raise prices… and blow up the national debt.
  • They are protecting the wealthy and big corporations -- defending loopholes for large corporations and tax cheating billionaires
  • They are allowing billionaires, who became even wealthier during the pandemic, to never have to pay any taxes on most of their earnings.
  • They are blocking investments in creating jobs, making healthcare more affordable, and improving education to protect tax loopholes for the richest 1% and big corporations.
  • They want to make sure these Fortune 500 corporations pay less in taxes than an average middle-class family.
  • They are permitting the richest 1% to continue cheating on their taxes, costing us, hard-working people like you and me, $175 billion each year.
  • And we all know who They are…

Its time for us to make them hear us… It is time for us to invest in us… It is time for the economy to work for working people again and not working people working for the economy!

It is time for us to think big… be bold… and do what we all know must be done! We must get our house in order!

It’s time to Build Back Better -- Thank you!
Hundreds of Ohioans Join Good Government Groups To Support Fair Congressional Maps
The League of Women Voters, Common Cause, the Council of Churches, the Ohio AFL-CIO and other good-government groups joined together on Tuesday, Sept. 21 to urge the Ohio legislature to do what the Ohio Redistricting Commission failed to do with the state legislative maps: follow the Ohio Constitution and draw fair Congressional maps.
 
Ohioans filled Trinity Episcopal Church in Columbus to show their commitment for the fair map process that Ohioans overwhelmingly voted for in 2015 and 2018. Over 70% of voters, with support from both parties, passed two Constitutional Amendments, both calling for an end to gerrymandering.
 
"In 2015 and 2018 Republicans reached out seeking bi-partisan support for redistricting reforms with the promise of ending the illegal practice of gerrymandering. The Ohio AFL-CIO responded in good faith by endorsing these constitutional ballot amendments and campaigning to pass both measures to change how our state legislative and congressional maps are drawn," said Ohio AFL-CIO President Tim Burga. "However, Republicans on the Redistricting Commission, chose to ignore the required criteria, and voted for state legislative maps that are more gerrymandered than the current ones. Instead of working in good faith for a bi-partisan agreement, the Republicans decided to let the courts settle it. Not a profile in courage or keeping your word."
The state legislature has until September 30 to approve a 10-year congressional map. In order for the map to go into effect, the maps must have approval of 60% of the members of the Ohio General Assembly & 50% of the minority party's members.
 
If that deadline is not met, the Ohio Redistricting Commission will be charged with drawing a 10-year congressional map that must have approval of the majority of the Commission members (4 out of 7) and two members each from minority and majority parties.
 
If that is not achieved, it goes back to the state legislature to draw a map that has approval of 60% of the members of the Ohio General Assembly & one-third of the minority party's members. Finally, if that doesn't happen, the legislature can approve a map with majority approval but will only be for four years and another map with more stringent, anti-gerrymandering criteria will be drawn after those four years.

While the congressional mapmaking process plays out, it looks likely that litigation will be filed on the state legislative maps sending the matter to the Ohio Supreme Court.
 
ACTION: Path to Citizenship for Millions of Workers
The best way to strengthen our democracy and economy is by empowering working people—no exceptions. However, millions of undocumented immigrants, who are vital to our economic recovery, still live in fear because of our outdated and inhumane immigration system.
 
It’s time to put an end to this injustice. All people who live and work here deserve a job with full rights and protections. So tell your senators to pass a budget that includes a broad pathway to citizenship.
Congress has a historic opportunity to deliver a clear pathway to citizenship for millions of working families, and we expect it to deliver.
 
Immigrants and refugees have always helped to build, serve and feed our nation, just as they did and continue to do throughout the pandemic. As we prepare for a major investment in infrastructure, we need the jobs created through that investment to be good union jobs and we need all workers to be able to access those jobs, rather than being misclassified and forced into the shadow economy.
 
It has been nearly 35 years since our last path to citizenship, and working families can’t wait any longer. The Senate has a historic opportunity to extend permanent rights and protections to millions of long-term members of our communities, our workforce and our unions.
 
Cincinnati AFL-CIO Labor Council 51st Annual COPE Event to Celebrate New Leadership, New Faces and The Changing Look of Labor!
“Where Do We Go from Here” is the question that will be asked and answered by the 51st Annual Cincinnati AFL-CIO Labor Council COPE Celebration, Thursday evening, October 21, 2021.

Never before has Labor had the opportunity we have today. Not in any of our lifetimes has there been a political and social environment this favorable to working people and our right to organize! It’s time to seize the day!

Organized Labor is in a unique period of both transaction and opportunity right now. We have the most pro-union administration in the white house in over 75 years. Unions are more broadly popular now than they've been in over 60 years. A survey by Gallup released in late August 2021 found that 68% of respondents have a positive view of unions — the best reading for that question dating back to 1965. Younger workers are even bigger backers of unions, with 77% of those 34 and younger having a positive view. There is also a generally more positive environment for workers today, with more job openings than job candidates resulting in rising wages in many sectors of the economy.

The Executive Council Members of the AFL-CIO elected the most diverse leadership team in the history of the AFL-CIO with Liz Shuler, the organization’s first female leader, and United Steelworkers International Vice President Fred Redmond to succeed Shuler as secretary-treasurer, the first Black American to hold that office. And more broadly, the face of the rank and file of Labor is changing across the country.

Cope 2021 will celebrate this most advantageous period in which we now find ourselves -- new leadership, new direction, new inspiration! The evening will open with two Invitation Only Sessions. VIP Session #1 is a chance to virtually mingle with Tim Ryan, U.S. Representative for Ohio's 13th Congressional District and AFL-CIO Endorsed Candidate for U.S. Senate. VIP Session #2 features a chance to chat with Clayola Brown, AFL-CIO Director - Civil, Human and Women’s Rights.

Then the General Session opens with a special greeting from the newly elected leadership of the AFL-CIO followed by a Cincinnati Labor Council Rising Stars, Young Leaders perspective. The, Aftab Pureval, Hamilton County Clerk of Courts, and Cincinnati AFL-CIO Endorsed Candidate for Mayor, City of Cincinnati will introduce the first of two featured speakers, Tim Ryan, U.S. Representative for Ohio's 13th Congressional District and AFL-CIO Endorsed Candidate for U.S. Senate, then Andre Washington, Vice Chair-Ohio Democratic Party will introduce our second featured speaker, Clayola Brown, AFL-CIO Director - Civil, Human and Women’s Rights.

Now is our time. It is time to embrace the pace and the changing nature of the workplace, workers and to fight for what is rightfully ours. The right to health and safety protections, the right to a livable wage, protections for collective bargaining agreements, universal paid sick leave and family and medical leave, protections for whistleblowers, an end to worker misclassification, health care security, support for child care, the recognition of workers as experts, and the ability to hold corporations accountable for meeting their responsibilities. This is where we go from here. And it starts right here this very evening.

Unfortunately, because of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and the new threat posed by the Delta Variant, we are once again unable to hold our traditional, in-person dinner gathering. Instead, the Cincinnati AFL-CIO will be holding a private COPE online event.

Please print, complete and return the form below to join with Cincinnati AFL-CIO Labor Council family and friends to celebrate 51 years of Solidarity and Unity in the greater Cincinnati Labor movement.
Cincinnati Labor Council "Meet The Endorsed Candidates Night," Wednesday, October 6
It is indeed a privilege and an honor to invite our endorsed candidates to be a part of our Meet The Candidate Night, Wednesday, October 6, 2021.

At 7:00 PM sharp, we will hold an abbreviated version of our regularly scheduled monthly meeting of the Labor Council Delegates at the LiUNA (Laborers' International Union of North America) Local 265 Union Hall.

Immediately following that meeting, at approximately 7:30, we will open the floor so that our endorsed candidates for Mayor, City Council, Cincinnati Public School Board and Hamilton County Municipal Court may address the Delegate Body.

Each Candidate will be given 3-4 minutes to introduce themselves and make brief remarks as their candidacy and most compelling reason for running.

We hope you will join us for this very important evening so we can celebrate our endorsed candidates and their candidacy while having the opportunity to get more familiar with them and them with us.

The LiUNA Union Hall is located at the LiUNA Local 265 Union Hall, 3457 Montgomery Rd, Cincinnati, OH 45207.

Thanks to all our endorsed candidates for their willingness to serve and for all you do and mean to our community. We look forward to having you join us for this informative and celebratory event.

In Unity and Solidarity…
Brian
AFL-CIO Welcomes National Women's Soccer League Players Association as 57th Affiliate
The National Women’s Soccer League Players Association (NWSLPA) became the AFL-CIO’s 57th affiliate after receiving a direct charter on Thursday. The NWSLPA represents players who make up the 10 teams in the league, advocates for them as they navigate their careers, and champions the growth of the league and the women’s game. The NWSLPA, which represents some 200 players, is deep into its #NoMoreSideHustles campaign, calling for fair pay and bringing attention to the athletes’ experiences having to work side jobs to make ends meet.
 
“We are honored to affiliate with the AFL-CIO. This is truly a historic moment for the NWSL Players Association,” said NWSLPA Executive Director Meghann Burke. “As we negotiate our first contract, solidarity is our strength. Through this affiliation, we are formally united with workers who have come before us to demand respect and dignity in the workplace.” The league is in its ninth season and is scheduled to add two expansion teams in 2022, which then will bring it to a total of 12 teams across the country. Click here to read the story from ESPN.
Want More Victories for Workers? Pass the PRO Act
Forced to work dangerously long shifts throughout the pandemic and threatened with having their jobs shipped outside the country, members of the Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers (BCTGM) who work for Nabisco were fed up. BCTGM members at five different worksites across America decided to go on strike in August for a fair contract, and just this past weekend, they won. After weeks on strike, union members at Nabisco voted overwhelmingly to approve a new contract.
 
This is a perfect example of why more workers need to be allowed to form unions and the PRO Act is the way to achieve it, according to a new column by Tom Perriello, executive director of Open Society-U.S. “Why do so few workers have unions when they clearly need them and the public supports their right to have them? A primary reason is that labor law lets Amazon and companies like them really put the squeeze on workers and make it close to impossible for them to be able to make a fair and independent choice,” Perriello (not pictured) wrote. “The PRO Act—supported by President Biden and a majority of voters—would change that and restore fairness.”
By the Numbers: Immigrants Help Power America's Workforce
Immigrants make up a vibrant and vital part of America’s workforce. When you crunch the numbers, they are a stark reminder of the need for all working people to have access to the same rights on the job:
  • More than one in six workers in America are foreign born.
  • One in four children in America have at least one immigrant parent.
  • The average undocumented immigrant has lived and worked here for more than 12 years.
Immigrants work in every industry in our economy—from health care to hospitality to service to construction—and they are long-term members of our communities and our unions. The AFL-CIO is advocating for a pathway to citizenship for all the millions of people whose labor helps our country to prosper.
UNITE HERE Ramps Up Campaign to Save Housekeeping Jobs
Last week was International Housekeepers and Environmental Services Week, in honor of all the housekeepers and environmental service technicians who keep workplaces sanitary. It was also an occasion for UNITE HERE to reiterate its commitment to its members who are housekeeping professionals. Hilton and other major hotel chains are planning to end daily housekeeping—a plan that UNITE HERE says will result in major layoffs and a worse travel experience for customers. The union estimates that the hotel industry’s attempt to end daily housekeeping would permanently slash the U.S. housekeeping workforce by up to 39% and cost housekeepers up to $4.8 billion in lost wages every year. “I need my job because I’ve got bills, I’ve got the rent, and I’ve got to provide for my kids,” said UNITE HERE member Desire Franqui. “Daily housekeeping is what guests want, and together we can protect the hotel experience and jobs.”
Ohio Chemical Workers Overcome Employer Opposition to Join UFCW and IBT
More than 140 workers at two INEOS Pigments plants in Ashtabula, Ohio, joined the International Chemical Workers Union Council/UFCW (ICWUC/UFCW) and the Teamsters (IBT) on Aug. 27. INEOS is a global chemical company, and INEOS Pigments is one of the largest producers of titanium dioxide in North America. This organizing victory is the result of a five-year effort to organize workers at INEOS Pigments. The company refused to recognize the ICWUC/UFCW or the IBT, and its efforts were supported by the previous administration’s National Labor Relations Board. INEOS Pigments also hired union-busting lawyers to hold captive audience meetings at the plants. Despite these obstacles and intimidation tactics, these workers persevered and formed a union because they wanted a voice in the workplace and the same benefits as some of their unionized colleagues, who are represented by the United Steelworkers (USW).
 
“In spite of the company’s anti-union tactics, these workers stood together for a better life,” said ICWUC/UFCW President Lance Heasley (not pictured). “We look forward to working with the Teamsters and having the support of the Steelworkers as we begin to negotiate a strong, first contract for these workers."
U.S Senator Sherrod Brown: Working For Working People!
Labor 2021

Labor 2021 is officially underway! The Cincinnati AFL-CIO has a
impressive slate of Pro Labor candidates and we need to win big! As we get closer to Election Day (Nov 2, 2021), we must build and strengthen our Labor 2021 campaign. In order to build that campaign, we must educate, organize and mobilize our Unions and Communities. 

Checkout the campaign actions and our campaign calendar!
Available Actions:

1. Canvassing (Lit Dropping)
Who: Labor Leaders, Members and Friends of Labor
What: Come out and Lit Drop with the Cincinnati AFL-CIO and Help Elect Pro Labor Candidates! 
When: Every Saturday Starting Oct 2, 2021 @ 11am-1pm 
Where: 200 Kovach Drive, Cincinnati Ohio 45215
Why: To Elect The 2021 Cincinnati AFL-CIO Endorsed Candidates! 

The event will be a “Drive Up” Lit Drop. Volunteers will pull up to the Painters Hall and follow the Contact Free Sign-In Steps, receive their turf, doors hangers, campaign swag and a small prepackaged snack. 

All Volunteers MUST have masks and adhere to social distancing protocols when attending Lit Drops and other campaign events. If anyone wants to do remote actions such as phonebanking or want to Lit Drop their neighbors, feel free to contact Ohio AFL-CIO Southwest State Rep: Julien Johnson @ 614-312-4507, jjohnson@ohaflcio.org or Labor 2021 Campaign Lead Nichole Leporati @ 513-306-8658, nicholeleporati@gmail.com

2. Phonebanking: Remote
a. Member-to-Member: Volunteers will be able to phone bank fellow union members in their CLC jurisdiction . This list will be provided by the State Fed (created by Field Staff).

b. Union Specific Phonebank events: Affiliate Unions will have the option to sponsor and host remote or in-person phonebank event for their union. Volunteers will call their union’s members only. (2 Unions can cohost phone bank events at 1 time)

c. Robocalls: the CLC or Affiliated Union leaders have the option to create a Robocall (Pre-recorded message) sent to all Affiliated union Households or to specific union memberships.

3. Mailers
a. State Issued Mailers: The Ohio AFL CIO will provide state issued mailers for CLCs and affiliated unions. The State Fed, CLC or Affiliated unions will mail these mailers.

b. Postcards: unions will have the option to send out Election Postcards for members or host a postcard party. CLC’s and/or state fed will need to coordinate details for postcards. Post cards can be done remotely

4. Worksites:
a. Affiliated Unions can organize leafleting events at their organized worksites of their choosing. Unions can also request campaign presentations and local union meetings. Unions will organize events with CLC and Campaign Coordinator

5. Digital:
a. The Ohio AFL CIO will provide digital ads that will be seen on multiple social media outlets
(Disclaimer: Dates and Actions subject to change based on resource availability and COVID protocols)
Get members registered to Vote!

I wanted to take the opportunity to encourage Leaders, Members and Activists to
distribute voter registration forms and links to their unions and communities. As
you know, the key to winning elections is voter power! Lets build that power by
getting our friends and family registered. You can download voter registration forms or complete an online registration today!

 Voter Registration: Aug 1 - Oct 4th
Note: Lit Drop Start Date has changed:

New Date: Lit Drops Begin Oct 2, 2021
2021 United Way Giving Campaign Memo
The United Way has been a key national partner of labor for nearly 80 years. The past two years, working people have faced unprecedented challenges as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Millions have lost jobs and fallen sick. Thousands of us have died, and millions of working people who thought we were economically secure, have suddenly feared we could not feed our families. In times of profound challenge, the labor movement always steps up. We stand by each other, and the communities we live in and serve. Now it is time for those of us who are fortunate enough to he working to give back to our communities and to the working people who are in need today. That is why I am writing to ask you to support the 2021 United Way Giving Campaign.

Through our network of Labor Liaisons, the AFL-CIO and United Way have worked for decades to meet our communities’ needs. During the pandemic, this network has given life to our commitment to help each other by coordinating food distributions, teaching apprenticeship programs. partnering with government agencies to assist workers with unemployment benefits, and more.

If we are going to have a better day in America we must work in partnership with effective local organizations who share our values. The United Way is a critical partner helping us do that. The AFL-CIO and the United Way share a common vision of prosperous, inclusive and diverse communities. where everyone has access to a quality public education, fair wages, good jobs and affordable & quality healthcare.

So I ask you again, please support United Way in its 2021 giving campaign and help
broaden our solidarity during this critical time.

Please feel free to use this letter as a sample for your own United Way endorsement or create your
own letter. Please send your United Way endorsement on union letterhead to Erkeisha Terry, United
Way Worldwide. 701 North Fairfax Street. Alexandria. Virginia 22314-2045 or email
erkeisha.terry@uww.unitedway.org. Please also email a copy of the letter to Kristie Small. AFL-CIO
Director of the United Way Worldwide Partnership, at ksmall@aflcio.org.

Thank you in advance for your support of this important partnership.
Womxn's Labor Leadership Symposium
GREAT NEWS! LIZ SHULER, PRESIDENT OF THE AFL-CIO, WILL JOIN US AT THE

We invite you to join womxn leaders across worker justice movements who are innovating by changing the narratives, broadening our vision of worker and community power, and implementing strategies to win. Check out the two-day agenda linked here. 

There is still time to register! Talk with staff, leaders, and members about participating. Scholarships and student discounts are available. Visit our website for more details about registration and sponsorship.

Can't wait to see you there,

Sheri Davis-Faulkner
WILL Empower 
(Women Innovating Labor Leadership)

WILL Empower is a joint initiative of the Center for Innovation in Worker Organization (CIWO) at the Rutgers School of Management and Labor Relations & the Kalmanovitz Initiative for Labor and the Working Poor at Georgetown University; and the legacy project of Berger Marks Foundation.
39th Annual Labor-Management Conference CANCELLED!
Dear Friends,

In November of 2019 a large group, many included on this email, met as usual at NKU to plan the 2020 38th annual Labor Management Conference scheduled to be held the following May. With the same zeal and enthusiasm as in past years we developed a robust program dedicated to the mission of labor and management collaboration and education. Well, we all know what happened soon thereafter! We scrambled to cancel our May 2020 conference, substituted it with an impressive but scaled back virtual program that Fall, and hoped for the best to hold it the following year. We pushed the Conference towards the end of 2021 to give us an even better chance of having it in person.   But sadly today Lou, Amberly, and I have reached the conclusion that once again COVID has derailed our plans and we must cancel the October 8, 2021 conference.  
 
While I realize that so many organizations and business are moving forward, a conference of our size and shape isn’t as easy to plan and execute given the current environment. This environment has also clearly impacted the number of registrants. NKU is still on a high alert /“Red” level with many precautions in place and bringing so many people on campus is problematic. We have also been informed over the recent weeks there are many companies hesitant to allow their employees to participate in off-site meetings or conferences, particularly sending groups of employees from the same employer which regularly occurs at the LMC. While virtual attendance was an option, for a conference that prides itself on face-to-face collaboration and opportunities for labor and management to truly be at the table together, most didn’t love that option! The unique character of our Conference is hard to simulate on-line! It saddens me to again announce a change and yet another rescheduling.  I can’t imagine anything over the last 38 years has caused such an interruption with the Conference (and life in general!)  
 
But we are moving forward and not throwing in the towel!! We had already reserved NKU’s Student Union for Friday, May 13, 2022 as we looked to get back on schedule with an annual spring conference.  We are keeping that date and are very hopeful you will join us as a speaker. While many of the topics are certainly relevant and timely now as well as in May, we can revisit the content if you are concerned or if you are unable to participate. Please let me know.
 
I am also excited to announce that Professor Rick Bales who was scheduled to speak at the Conference in October will still be presenting a Webinar/“Lunch and Learn” on Labor/Management Response to Covid later this year to continue our outreach to the community and further cooperative relationships in the workplace. Be on the lookout for more information soon!
 
On behalf of Lou Manchise, Amberly Nutini and the ADR Center, we can’t thank you enough for your time, talent, and willingness to help with our Labor/Management Conference. Please let me know if you have any questions and I sincerely hope to see you in May!  

Kathleen, Lou, and Amberly   
‌
Kathleen Annear Carnes, J.D.
 
Director, Alternative Dispute Resolution Center &
Lecturer II, Dept. of Accounting and Business Law
Haile US Bank College of Business
Northern Kentucky University | BC 355 | Highland Heights, KY 41099
Phone: +1.859.572.7571 | Email: carnesk2@nku.edu 
‌
2021 Union Co-op Symposium
We're very excited for our 2021 Union Co-op Symposium, which is scheduled for Nov. 12 and 13.

Register today for the Symposium, a conference bringing together people interested in practical tools on how to start and run union worker cooperatives! 
Executive Director Kristen Barker at a panel during a past Symposium.

Why union worker cooperatives?

Across the world, communities are increasingly rejecting unsustainable patterns of economic development for innovative alternatives, including the union co-op model. This model joins the best tenets of the labor movement with opportunities for sustainable wealth-building and self-determination. As a result, it fosters wealth in communities historically excluded from the ownership economy. 

The Union Co-op Symposium is the only gathering of its kind

We will bring together social entrepreneurs, labor organizers, co-op workers, community development practitioners, and others with a vested interest in equitable economic development. Our 2-day gathering will provide community-building opportunities and workable strategies for forming, running, and nurturing union worker cooperatives.

2021 Symposium will be virtual and in-person

The 1st day of the conference will be virtual, while the 2nd day will be in-person in Cincinnati. The exact locations in Cincinnati and other details will be announced. 

Attendance options and pricing:
  • Option 1: Virtual only (Friday Nov. 12): $50
  • Option 2: In-person only (Saturday Nov. 13): $100
  • Option 3: Virtual and in-person (Friday Nov. 12 and Saturday Nov. 13): $125

Workshops will likely include the following topics:
  • Exploring Examples of Co-op Network Structures for Impact 
  • Navigating Complexity and Unleashing Creative Potential within your Organization
  • Mondragon 101 and Insights into Current Challenges and Opportunities
  • Union Co-op & Union Co-op Network 101 
  • Financing Transformation 
  • Participatory Management and the Great Game of Business
  • Non-extractive Finance
  • Transitioning Existing Businesses to Worker Ownership (Featuring the Business Legacy Fund)
  • Expanding and Supporting the Field of Co-op Legal Professionals
  • Exploring Ways to Build Co-op Culture
  • Harnessing the Power of Polarities to Unlock Sustainable Change and Impact
  • Connecting with Faith Communities
  • Handling Challenging Conversations
  • Deepening Connections with the Labor Movement and Exploring Promising Experiments in the Union Co-op World
  • Deep Dives into Grocery Co-ops, Ag Co-ops, Energy Efficiency and Solar Co-ops, and Land Trusts and Real Estate Investment Co-ops

Here is the tentative schedule:

Friday Nov. 12 from 1-530 pm (virtual)
  • 1-2 pm: Keynote
  • 2-215 pm: Networking
  • 215-315 pm: Simultaneous breakout workshops
  • 315-330 pm: Networking
  • 330-430 pm: Simultaneous breakout workshops
  • 430-445 pm: Networking
  • 445-515 pm: Concluding experience
  • 515-530 pm: Networking

Saturday Nov. 13 from 9-5 pm (in-person)
  • 9-1130 am: Deep-dive workshops on site
  • 2-430 pm: Deep-dive workshops on site
A Word from Our Friends at RetireMEDiQ
Retirement isn’t a requirement to enroll in Medicare. In fact, many people over age 65 receive more benefits and coverage by enrolling in a Medicare plan while they continue working.
 
Join my team at one of our webinars where we will cover the basics of Medicare, including…
  • Coverage and costs for Medicare Parts A and B
  • Medicare plan options in 2022
  • Comparing employer group coverage to Medicare
  • Early retirement health insurance options

...and more!
 
You can share this informational flyer with your team members, clients, and anyone else who needs to learn about these important topics. Please let me know if you have any questions about the series. I’m here to serve as your Medicare resource!
 
Sincerely,
 
Kevin Lowden

1-877-291-4110
COVID-19 Dashboard
Ohio Vaccination Dashboard

The COVID-19 Vaccination Dashboard displays the most recent data reported to the Ohio Department of Health (ODH) regarding the number of individuals that have started and completed the COVID-19 vaccination series by various demographics and county of residence.

The COVID-19 Vaccination Dashboard displays the most recent data reported to the Ohio Department of Health (ODH) regarding the number of individuals that have started and completed the COVID-19 vaccination series by various demographics and county of residence. “Vaccination started” indicates that the individual has received at least one valid dose of COVID-19 vaccine. The number listed as “vaccination completed” is a subset of the number included in “vaccination started,” indicating that those individuals within that group have received all recommended COVID-19 vaccine doses and are considered fully immunized. ODH is making COVID-19 data available for public review while also protecting privacy. This dashboard will be updated daily. Please see footnotes below for more details.
Ohio COVID-19 Dashboard
Overview

ODH is making COVID-19 data available for public review while also protecting patient privacy.

The State of Ohio COVID-19 Dashboard displays the most recent preliminary data reported to the Ohio Department of Health (ODH) about cases, hospitalizations and deaths in Ohio by selected demographics and county of residence. Data for cases and hospitalizations is reported to ODH via the Ohio Disease Reporting System (ODRS), and verified mortality data is reported via the Electronic Death Registration System (EDRS).
Current Trends
Below is a snapshot of key metrics pulled Thursday, September 23 from daily data reporting to the Ohio Department of Health. These metrics are updated daily.
Below are the current reporting trends from Thursday, September 23 for key indicators calculated from data reported to the Ohio Department of Health. These trends are updated daily and are presented by report date.
Hamilton County
Cases
97,605
Hospitalizations
3,691
Deaths
1,320
Clermont County
Cases
25,628
Hospitalizations
952
Deaths
292
Brown County
Cases
5,641
Hospitalizations
71
Deaths
71
Butler County
Cases
47,417
Hospitalizations
2,033
Deaths
655
Warren County
Cases
30,001
Hospitalizations
852
Deaths
331
Other News For and About Working People:
Cincinnati AFL-CIO
Labor Council

Bill Froehle, President

Brian D. Griffin,
Executive Secretary-Treasurer

Ashley Schleicher,
Communications Associate

1385 Tennessee Avenue | Second Floor | Cincinnati, OH 45229 | 513.421.1846 | info@cincinnatiaflcio.org | www.cincinnatiaflcio.org