We Are One: UE Members Join April 4 Rallies in 25 Locations
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Des Moines |
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Des Moines |
On behalf of the members of the United Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers of America (UE), we are writing to express our union’s great concern and deep sympathy for the people of Japan as they continue to deal with the devastation and massive loss of life resulting from the March 11 earthquake and tsunami, and the subsequent crisis at the Fukusima Daiichi nuclear power plant.
People around the world are watching the situation in Japan with deep concern and sympathy for the victims of the recent earthquake and tsunami, and with worry over the dangerous situation at the Fukusima Daiichi nuclear power plant. For UE, those concerns are intensified by our close fraternal relationship with Zenroren, Japan’s large progressive union confederation, a connection that goes back more than 15 years.
A year after the closing of the plant and apparent destruction of the union, UE Local 1187 has risen from the ashes. Load King is once again a UE union shop. This is another case of UE members who refused to give up and continued their fight, even in what appear to be hopeless circumstances.
An article on Michael Moore's website reports on one participant in the worker occupation of the Wisconsin state capitol. Armando Robles, president of UE Local 1110 in Chicago and one of the leaders of the worker occupation of Republic Windows and Doors in December 2008, was in Madison, Wisconsin over the weekend -- participating in an even bigger worker occupation, that of the Wisconsin capitol building.
During its two day meeting January 27 and 28, the General Executive Board – UE’s national leadership body – discussed recent attacks on the constitutional rights of antiwar and labor activists by the FBI, U.S. Department of Justice, and other government agencies. The board unanimously adopted the following statement:
General Electric workers are anticipating difficult national negotiations with the company this spring, so national and local union leaders gathered on January 8 for an expanded meeting of the Coordinated Bargaining Committee of GE Unions (CBC). Delegates assessed the strength of the two sides, analyzed expected company attacks on benefits, and discussed tactics for mobilizing union members to fight back.
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