Unions


LABOR HISTORY IN FILM


Life is Better With a Union

Life is certainly better when you belong to a union.  We were so fortunate to have Congressman Mark Pocan speak at our AFSCME Convention. His message was loud and clear: get out and vote. There is so much on the line. Union members generally make more money. We fight for fair wages and equal rights for women. Union members believe healthcare is a right, not a privilege. Our group of retiree’s support Medicare and Medicaid so seniors and the most vulnerable have access to quality care. Anyone who works all their life should be able to retire with financial ...

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Hands Off Our Earned Benefits

  Social Security is an incredibly effective and popular program. It provides benefits to over 1.2 million Wisconsinites and keeps over 400,000 out of poverty. There is no reason Social Security should be a partisan issue. It benefits Republicans, Democrats, and independents. But Senator Ron Johnson wants to put these vital earned benefits at risk by turning Social Security and Medicare into “discretionary spending.” That would turn these programs from guaranteed earned benefits into ordinary government spending that Congress has to vote to fund every ...

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Marathon County Central Labor Council Parade


Standing With Healthcare Professionals

After three calendar years on the frontlines of the pandemic and over 8 months of bargaining in good faith with Aspirus Health, healthcare workers are joining together with their neighbors to demand a fair contract from Aspirus, who received millions in federal relief money while the frontlines remain in a staffing crisis. Together, we can win better wages and working conditions and create a better environment for our patients! A fair contract can keep nurses at the bedside where patients need them, but unfortunately, Aspirus refuses to listen. On Monday, June 27 we ...

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Union Busting is Disgusting

Union busting is not only disgusting, but also illegal. You have the right to organize in your workplace. Today several of us from the Marathon County Central Labor Council found ourselves at Starbucks in Plover. What brought us there was the illegal dismissal of a 21-year-old employee, Kolton. The reason for his termination was that he’d broken company rules by being in the back of the store while he was off the clock and being present in April after the store closed when he was off the clock. Kolton admits to this but also states the store policies are selecti...

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Workers’ Memorial Day

Workers Memorial Day April 28 Mourn for the Dead and Fight for the Living On April 28, Unions of the AFL-CIO observe Workers Memorial Day to remember those who have suffered and died on the job, and to organize the fight for safer workplaces. We all come together to call for action on hazards that cause unnecessary injury, illness, and death. We stand United to strengthen workers’ rights and protections, and demand resources and actions needed for job safety enforcement. We fight for the fundamental right of every worker to a safe job until that promise is ...

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Unions Brought You Holidays

“Unions, the folks that brought you the weekend” Bumper sticker "Where free unions and collective bargaining are forbidden, freedom is lost." President Ronald Reagan “Every advance in this half-century--Social Security, civil rights, Medicare, aid to education, one after another--came with the support and leadership of American Labor.” President Jimmy Carter Holidays exist because of labor unions. Like weekends, paid vacations, and retirement programs they exist because of union negotiated work agreements with employers. These agreements set ...

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BUY WISCONSIN PRODUCTS

BUY WISCONSIN PRODUCTS by Wisconsin AFL-CIO The As the holiday shopping season ramps up, remember to use your purchasing power to support good, local jobs by prioritizing union-made, Wisconsin-made and American-made gifts for friends and family. Together, we can harness the power of working families to support Wisconsiln workers and create a virtuous cycle of upward growth to boost local economies and support good jobs across the state. In Wisconsin, we make an array of great union-made gifts for every budget – from warm socks to top-notch pots and pans, ...

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UNION PLAYS CRITICAL ROLE IN FAMILY’S LIFE

As a Latino growing up in Shorewood, Wisconsin, I’ve seen unions play a critical role in the life of my family and community. As a result of inflammatory words spoken against Mexicans and those of Muslim faith in the recent presidential campaign, many immigrants face the future in fear. Unions have helped by continuing to support them in their union jobs and even, in some cases, reaching out to them to offer advice and other assistance. My father is an immigrant who came to this country from Guatemala, a nation where people have been jailed or even killed for union ...

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