Volume 1., Issue 236

Take Action to Support California’s Landmark ‘Homeowners Bill of Rights’

This week, California’s first-in-the-nation legislation to protect homeowners from foreclosure passed out of committee, despite overwhelming efforts from big banks and their lobbyists to block the landmark bill from moving forward. A full vote on the Homeowners Bill of Rights is expected to take place in the Assembly and Senate on Monday at noon.

Now is the time to reach out to your representatives and let them know how vital this bill is. Please take a moment to send a message to your legislators today, urging them to vote in favor of this essential bill and save countless California families from foreclosure.

Send a message to your legislators today. 
 

Supreme Court Upholds Health Care Reform Law

In a historic decision, the Supreme Court voted 5-4 this week to uphold the Affordable Care Act, ensuring health care coverage for millions of Americans. The landmark ruling paves the way for Congress to further build on the achievements of the Act, as well as Medicare and Medicaid, in order to fix our broken health care system and get on a path to a more equitable and cost-effective system. 

“This decision means that we can continue moving full speed ahead to implement and build upon the Affordable Care Act,” said AFL-CIO President Rich Trumka. “We have no illusion that the destination has been reached, and we are more committed than ever to the hard work necessary to achieve our dream of quality health care for all. We believe every baby in America—whether rich or poor—deserves the same standard of quality care, and we will keep moving forward until we make this a reality.”

Learn more.
 

Tomorrow: Join the 10,000-Person March to Combat Walmart in LA

LA is preparing to make history this weekend, when thousands of workers from around the state and nation will converge in LA’s Chinatown for what is shaping up to be the largest anti-Wal-Mart demonstration ever held in the U.S. Musicians Ben Harper and Tom Morello (the Nightwatchman) will be performing, and several notable figiures, including Dolores Huerta and Rep. Judy Chu, will be coming out to participate in this historic march.

The march will kick off at 10am at the Los Angeles Historic State Park (1245 N. Spring St), and will conclude with a noon rally at Cesar Chavez Blvd and Broadway.

Learn more and find details on the march.
 

Monday: Rally to Protest Trans-Pacific Partnership Trade Deal in San Diego

The Trans-Pacific Partnership Free Trade Agreement (TPP) is a massive trade agreement that will offshore American jobs, attack environmental protections and consumer safety policies, and deregulate Wall Street banks, hedge funds, and insurance companies. Representatives from corporations and other countries will be negotiating the TPP in San Diego next week.

Join workers and community allies to protest the TPP on Monday, July 2nd in the park adjacent to the Hilton Bayfront Hotel (One Park Blvd) in San Diego.

Learn more.
 

Celebrate Independence Day with a “Made in America” Cookout

The 4th of July is right around the corner, and there’s no better way to show your patriotism than to host a “Made in America” cookout that helps support quality American jobs and workers.

The AFL-CIO is making it easier than ever to find union-made goods on your shopping list by publishing a new online resource that identifies the most popular union-made cook-out foods, including Ball Park franks, French’s mustard, Miller beer and Breyer’s ice cream.

Find more union-made BBQ goods.
 

This Week on “Labor’s Edge”

Arthur Stamoulis of the Citizens Trade Campaign previewed the upcoming Trans-Pacific Partnership protest.  

We shared highlights from California Labor’s 2012 Campaign School trainings to prepare activists to defeat the Special Exemptions Act in November.

AFL-CIO’s Jackie Tortora announced the exciting news about the job-creating redevelopment project at the Oakland Army Base.

David White of the Teamsters reported on the illegal firings and subsequent protest at La Michoacana in Modesto.     

IBEW 1245’s Jennifer Gray detailed her union’s new program to reach out to and engage more young workers and future leaders.

UTLA’s David Lyell lambasted the ‘culture of silence’ among LAUSD’s senior management.

John August of the Coalition of Kaiser Permanente Unions opined on the Supreme Court’s health care decision and the future of reform.

 

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