Quick hits from around the union:
• Unions remember the late Senator Ted Kennedy: Here's what organized labor and labor experts had to say about the late Sen. Kennedy and the legacy he leaves behind (hat tip to Change to Win). Also, read how Senator Kennedy stood shoulder-to-shoulder with SEIU members in Massachusetts and watch a video of SEIU nurses sharing personal memories of the senator.
• Massachusetts Needs Two Senators: With the support of coalition groups including SEIU Massachusetts, MassVOTE has launched WeNeedTwo.org, a new website and petition focused on honoring Senator Ted Kennedy's request that the Massachusetts State Legislature change state law to allow temporary replacement for his seat to ensure the state has full representation in Congress. Read more about Senator Kennedy's request and sign the petition.
• 40-Day Strike Ends for Bemis Workers Previously Treated Like Lab Rats: Workers on strike since July 21st at Bemis company in Terre Haute, Indiana agreed to a new contract with their employer. The contract will get rid of Bemis' plans to utilize temporary workers, allow seasonal employees working for more than 5 months to become a part of the bargaining unit, and give the union the right to bargain an alternative health plan that does not mandate Health Risk Assessment testing.
• Demanding Action on Immigration Reform: A long list of organizations and unions have signed an open letter to President Obama criticizing his inaction on comprehensive immigration reform and are planning vigils, marches, and other events across the country to protest the administration's local immigration enforcement program. SEIU along with NCLR, the ACLU, NAACP, People for the American Way and Jobs with Justice (a total of 521 groups) signed the letter to Obama.
• Preventing Private Equity's Feeding Frenzy on Banks: Remember Andy Stern's Wall Street Journal op-ed sounding the alarm on private equity's planned feeding frenzy on failed banks? Last week, even the Wall Street Journal editorial board agreed that to protect taxpayers, any deal to buyout failed banks needs transparency and scrutiny. While the FDIC continues to allow private equity firms to purchase failed banks, it approved new rules on Wednesday that take needed steps toward protecting taxpayers from another economic calamity.
• "The Nation's Most Politically Powerful Union": "S.E.I.U. is the money and the muscle behind any momentum there is left for a public plan," says Republican Whip Eric Cantor in Steven Greenhouse's New York Times' article.
• Beck's Falsehoods & Fantasies: Glenn Beck spent last week smearing Van Jones (White House adviser on Green Jobs) with misinformation and straight-up lies as the campaign to call on advertisers to drop sponsorship of his show keeps growing. Here's to setting the record straight.
• Buy Union-Made: Did you know SEIU members (and members of other unions too) can save over $1,000 annually using UnionPlus benefits? Celebrate Labor Day with discounts on union-made products and services. Also, congrats to SEIU Local 1000 for having the greatest number of submissions in the Union Plus Pet Contest. Vote for your favorite pet photo from a union member now.
• Feeding Breakfast & Lunch to 31 Million Schoolchildren: An editorial by the South Florida Sun-Sentinel this weekend discusses the importance of the Child Nutrition Act.
