We already knew the U.S. Chamber of Commerce's extremism on issues such as financial reform, labor law, climate change and health care reform have left them out of touch with the mainstream. However, their recent opposition to a bill proposing paid sick leave for workers who contract flu-like symptoms in light of this year's H1N1 epidemic is simply unconscionable.

Chamber Vice President Randel K. Johnson recently stated that they oppose paid sick leave because "the vast majority of employers provide paid leave of some sort." The fact is, more than one-third of all workers don't get any paid sick leave. It's even worse for low-income workers like school food workers and in-home care aids: 76 percent don't have something many of us take granted--the right to a "sick day."

Despite widespread support for passing an emergency bill for employees to receive paid sick time if they contract flu-like symptoms, the U.S. Chamber is trying to kill it. "Anyone who thinks it's a good idea to force someone battling H1N1 to come to work either couldn't care less about the well-being of his employees, or couldn't know less about the way disease and infection spreads," said SEIU Secretary-Treasurer Anna Burger.

For too long, the Chamber has preferred to overlook low-income workers and real economic benefits in order to advocate for the perceived interests of large employers. No worker who gets sick should have to choose between their health and their paycheck.

Tell the U.S. Chamber of Commerce to cease lobbying against a common sense solution to keep our workplaces safe and healthy while America is in the middle of a record-breaking flu pandemic: http://action.seiu.org/page/s/ChamberH1N1

Joe Lieberman is at it again. Jockeying for attention. Threatening to support a Republican filibuster. Overlooking popular support in his own state. But this time, he may not be alone.

Sens. Joe Lieberman (I-CT), Mary Landrieu (D-LA), Blanche Lincoln (D-AR) and Ben Nelson (D-NE) have each been targeted by the opposition to join a Republican filibuster. If that happens, health insurance reform will not move forward.

We can't sit on the sidelines while this political drama unfolds. And right now, you can have no greater impact than adopting a health care "swing state" as your own. Adopt-a-state, and begin recruiting now:

Join Team Connecticut (Sen. Lieberman)

Join Team Louisiana (Sen. Landrieu)

Join Team Arkansas (Sen. Lincoln)

Join Team Nebraska (Sen. Nelson)

The AP reported today that opponents of reform, led by the U.S. Chamber, have poured $24 million into an advertising onslaught in the last month alone. The fact is, we will be outspent by corporate special interests. But we can do something corporate American can't - we can talk to fellow voters, and have personal conversations about health care.

We elected Barack Obama, in part, by calling tens of thousands of voters in key "swing states." This year is no different. Voters in Arkansas, Nebraska, Connecticut and Louisiana need to hear from us about what's happening on health insurance reform. So adopt-a-state, and start recruiting for your team today.

P.S. If you live in one of our health care "swing states," even better! Adopt your own state, and start recruiting friends and family to join. 

Joe Lieberman is at it again. Jockeying for attention. Threatening to support a Republican filibuster. Overlooking popular support in his own state. But this time, he may not be alone.

Sens. Joe Lieberman (I-CT), Mary Landrieu (D-LA), Blanche Lincoln (D-AR) and Ben Nelson (D-NE) have each been targeted by the opposition to join a Republican filibuster. If that happens, health insurance reform will not move forward.

We can't sit on the sidelines while this political drama unfolds. And right now, you can have no greater impact than adopting a health care "swing state" as your own. Adopt-a-state, and begin recruiting now:

Join Team Connecticut (Sen. Lieberman)

Join Team Louisiana (Sen. Landrieu)

Join Team Arkansas (Sen. Lincoln)

Join Team Nebraska (Sen. Nelson)

The AP reported today that opponents of reform, led by the U.S. Chamber, have poured $24 million into an advertising onslaught in the last month alone. The fact is, we will be outspent by corporate special interests. But we can do something corporate American can't - we can talk to fellow voters, and have personal conversations about health care.

We elected Barack Obama, in part, by calling tens of thousands of voters in key "swing states." This year is no different. Voters in Arkansas, Nebraska, Connecticut and Louisiana need to hear from us about what's happening on health insurance reform. So adopt-a-state, and start recruiting for your team today.

P.S. If you live in one of our health care "swing states," even better! Adopt your own state, and start recruiting friends and family to join. 

News broke today that the U.S. Chamber has been fishing around for an economist willing to file a "report" on health care reform (translation: they're offering to pay $50,000 to someone willing to say health care reform is bad for the economy - which is exactly what they did against the Employee Free Choice Act earlier this year). Sadly, this latest gaffe is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the Chamber's decades-long campaign against the American people, and in the last few months, they've gone into overdrive.

Roll Call reported last month that the Chamber is breaking its own records lobbying Congress, shilling out $52 million this year against legislation on climate change, financial regulation, and of course, health care reform. "While the chamber has historically outspent other companies and associations when it comes to federal lobbying," reports Roll Call, "the spike this time is substantially greater than in the past."

It bears repeating that the U.S. Chamber has a long, storied history of opposing critical programs for the American people:

• The U.S. Chamber opposed the creation of Social Security in 1935, then sought to delay it from going into effect as Americans were in the midst of the Great Depression.
• The U.S. Chamber opposed now-essential health and safety regulations for American workplaces.
• The U.S. Chamber opposed equal pay laws for American women.
• The U.S. Chamber opposed the establishment of a fair, minimum wage for American workers.
• The U.S. Chamber defended outsourcing jobs to foreign lands, on the backs of American workers and our nation's economy
• The U.S. Chamber opposed President Harry Truman's attempt to provide health insurance to all Americans in 1947.

In fact, the Chamber's reckless campaign against American consumers has begun driving some of its largest, most lucrative members out. Recently, Apple and Nike left the Chamber after objecting to their efforts to kill climate change legislation. And now, doctors are hoping the American Medical Association (AMA) does the same.

The Plum Line reports that more than 5,000 medical professionals have signed onto a letter requesting that the AMA - which endorsed H.R. 3962, the "Affordable Health Care for America Act" - resign from the U.S. Chamber for its smear campaign against reform (e.g. equating health care reform as a massive tax increase - which is just plain NOT TRUE for 99.9% of Americans).

Let's hope it doesn't take the AMA much longer to realize what Apple, Nike and others have already acknowledged - that the U.S. Chamber is just plain WRONG when it comes to solving America's problems.

Right-wing opponents of healthcare and climate change reform continue to engage in Astroturfing (aka fake grassroots activism). To put it simply, these groups are like wolves in sheep's' clothing. They do their best to appear, act and smell like community groups...except they're not.

They're corporate front groups funded primarily, if not entirely, by corporate interests, political interests and/or PR firms who stand to either gain or lose a great deal of money and market share based on the legislation in question. Astroturf activism by right-wing front groups is particularly egregious because it masks the true motivations of the powerful interests with the most dollar signs at stake in these debates. Our friends over at Media Matters are looking to put a stop to this.

They have a new database that tracks the financial and political ties of conservative think tanks, nonprofit activist groups, and foundations for the public to see: ConservativeTransparency.org. The new database compiled and organized nearly 1,000 Internal Revenue Service filings to be provide the public-at-large with information on hundreds of "AstroTurf" organizations such as...

• The U.S. Chamber of Commerce - leads the way in opposition against federal reforms of....pretty much any kind that help working people. The Chamber is lobbying against consumer protections, limits on bank bonuses, financial reform legislation, legislation to lessen global warming and reform to healthcare and labor law.
• FreedomWorks Inc. - one of the *star* organizations behind the efforts to disrupt town hall meetings.
• The Heritage Foundation - a think tank that promotes ultra conservative policies and has repeated lobbied against increases in the minimum wage as well as health insurance reform.
• Conservatives for Patients' Rights - A $20 million operation that's running a national campaign against a public plan to kill progressive health care reform.
• Americans for Prosperity Foundation - helped organize tea party protests, opposes health care reform behind Patients United Now. Also sponsor of the Joe the Plumber tour and world-class climate change deniers.

See ConservativeTransparency.org for a wealth of information on the money behind the movement.

It was a sad day for corporations in the financial, insurance, and real estate sector--like the U.S. Chamber of Commerce & the Financial Services Roundtable--who spent a combined total of $321 million lobbying against federal reforms such as limits on bonuses and the creation of the Consumer Financial Protection Agency (CFPA). These groups were concerned that oversight legislation to help rein in greed on Wall Street might actually....rein in greed on Wall Street. "We remain concerned that this legislation will have significant and harmful unintended consequences for consumers, businesses, and the overall economy," the groups wrote in a letter to House members last week.

Thankfully, the House Financial Services Committee didn't feel nearly as sympathetic towards the creators of unfair financial products that scam consumers and taxpayers as they feel for themselves. A recent poll found that nearly 75 percent of Americans believe that the greed and risky decisions of banks and financial companies led to our financial crisis--and our lawmakers agree. Yesterday, the House voted 39 to 29 to move forward with the creation of the Consumer Financial Protection Agency, to help put a stop to the dangerous and deceptive products and practices that got us into this mess. The House Financial Services Committee also approved legislation that would impose new rules for credit cards by Dec. 1, moving up the date from mid-February. Democratic supporters said moving up the date was necessary because lenders were using the grace period to hike interest rates.

The American Bankers Association joined the Chamber of Commerce in expressing their disapproval for the legislation, saying it would continue to try to make its case against the agency as the legislation moves to the House floor in coming weeks and, eventually, to the Senate. "We still have major concerns with some principal areas" including "the very broad, ill-defined authority that is granted to this new agency that could be used to justify essentially any regulatory action," said Floyd Stoner, ABA vice president for congressional relations.

Creating the CFPA as part of Obama's broader plan to clamp down on Wall Street is an important step towards preventing much of the reckless lending that contributed to last year's near-collapse of the market. "It's been a year since the financial world collapsed and it is now clear that the greed and excess of big banks, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and their allies could have and should have been prevented," said SEIU's Anna Burger. "Chairman Frank and the Financial Services Committee stood up on behalf of American families by passing legislation to create a strong Consumer Financial Protection Agency--and to prevent business as usual to continue."

According to a recent poll, nearly 75 percent of Americans believe that the greed and risky decisions of banks and financial companies led to our financial crisis.And there's much more to be done. We believe that to be successful, the CFPA must be strengthened to include:

• oversight of auto dealers who receive lucrative compensation in financing auto loans;
• the authority to examine the books of all financial institutions, no matter what size, without cumbersome barriers;
• fixes to the current compensation system which pressures and incentivizes workers to push and sell bad and unneeded products to consumers as a condition of employment; and
• the full authority to stop the sale of credit-related insurance policies that are virtually worthless.

That's why when the American Bankers Association meets in Chicago next week, more than 5,000 taxpayers from 20 states will be there to demand an end to Wall Street's appetite for greed.

Editors and fact checkers at several major news outlets were having a seriously bad case of "the Mondays" yesterday, as The Washington Post, CNBC, NY Times, Fox News and other major newspapers were duped by a Chamber of Commerce hoax perpetrated by the Yes Men at the National Press Club. An email with a fake press release was picked up by several outlets who wanted to be first on the scene to report the Chamber's position reversal on climate change.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce suffered the latest in a string of PR embarrassments yesterday. The AM news cycle kicked off with Senior White House advisor Valerie Jarrett calling the Chamber's positions "old school" and their $100 million campaign for free enterprise "wasteful" in a harsh interview to Huffington Post. The Chamber claims that this campaign is a way to create jobs, but their underlying motives for the initiative (mainly to defeat regulatory reform) are being questioned by the White House and other powerful corporations more and more.

Hours later,  the Chamber got "punked" by the Yes Men, whose fake news conference in which the "Chamber" supposedly changed their position in favor of climate change legislation, also got covered by major news outlets. The events that unfolded at the faux press conference were hilarious. High profile corporate prankster Andy Bichlbaum (half of The Yes Men duo), who was posing as a 'special assistant' to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce president Thomas J. Donohue. Reporters were engaged in a serious Q&A with U.S. Chamber "representative" when Chamber rep Eric Wohlschlegel stormed into the Press Club, yelling that the press conference is a hoax and demanding to see everyone's business cards. Because how else can you legitimize anyone as a credible source in Washington, DC without the exchange of business cards, right?

The real Chamber rep and the fake Chamber rep then proceed to have a ridiculous stand-off, with escalating demands from Wohlschlegel to see Bichlbaum's business card and accusations of fraud coming from both sides. The confrontation ended with Wohlschlegel dispensing his business card to various reporters in the room, and doing his best to evade pointed questions about the Chamber's real stance on climate legislation currently in Congress, which the (real) Chamber opposes. As the finale, the Chamber rep grabbed the woman managing the sign-in sheet and demanded she turn it over.

This description doesn't do this event justice though, so please watch the video--as my coworker says, it truly is "comedy gold." And here's Rachel Maddow's interview with Mother Jones reporter Kate Sheppard, who was present at the yesterday's press conference stunt:

The Chamber's terrible, horrible, no good, very bad days seem to be increasing in recent weeks. First there's the fallout from groups like Nike and Apple over their climate change policies and opposition to curbing greenhouse gases. Then they announce their sham of a plan to create 20 million jobs by relying on the same failed economic practices of the past that put big corporate interests ahead of ordinary Americans. MSNBC's Dylan Ratigan grills Tom Donohue shortly after, calling him out on his "nonsense."

Until the Chamber of Commerce changes their extreme views on issues like climate change, health care reform, financial regulations, and labor law reform, we foresee many more terrible, horrible, no good very bad days in their future.

Five major companies have recently joined the growing list of groups ditching the U.S. Chamber of Commerce over their out-of-touch policies on climate change.

Companies like Nike and Apple are serious about their break-ups with the Chamber -- but if it's any consolation, they still totally want to be friends.

Watch our new video to find out why the Chamber keeps getting dumped:

If issues like climate change, health care reform, financial regulations, and labor law reform matter to you, don't you think it's time you stopped the endless cycle of abuse in a relationship with the Chamber that's headed nowhere? Tell your Senator to break up with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce once and for all: http://action.seiu.org/chamberbreakup

In the aftermath of Apple's recent break-up with the U.S. Chamber, the corporate front group couldn't seem to accept that their actions have consequences and take the split from Apple like a man. U.S. Chamber President Thomas J. Donohue shot back a letter to Apple chief Steve Jobs that was written in a less-than-mature tone:

I am sorry to learn of Apple's resignation from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. It is unfortunate that your company didn't take the time to understand the chamber's position on climate change and forfeited the opportunity to advance a 21st-century approach to climate change.

[...] Supporting innovation and technology is at the very heart of our efforts to combat climate change, and we will continue to fight for an approach that embraces their merits. It is a shame that Apple will not be part of our efforts.

You've got to give the Chamber a little credit though, right? Instead of just coming right out and saying climate change is a made-up phenomena and threatening to put climate science on trial like they did a mere two months ago, the Chamber has upped their game and switched tactics. Their new strategy seems to go something like this: "We are soooo concerned and serious about climate change, we have like a million ideas about how to deal with the issue and we really want to apply ourselves and study the issue to lead the way for change so as not to 'impose unmanageable burdens on America's families and America's businesses.'"

Translation:: In other words, what the Chamber appears to be doing to pending global warming legislation is this: delay, delay, delay, throw up roadblocks, obstruct, delay, obstruct. So to quickly recap the situation here -- Apple didn't actually misunderstand where the Chamber stands on climate change. They seem pretty clued in to the Chamber's views on energy, which include opposing curbs on greenhouse gas pollution, drilling more oil in the U.S. and digging more coal.

We're pretty sure Apple won't be the last company feeding the Chamber the line "I just don't think we should see each other anymore..." The only question is, who will be the next business to tell the Chamber of Commerce where they can stick it? (We're waiting with bated breath).

We already knew that nearly 50 percent of workers who get sick are forced to choose between their health and their paycheck. For low-income workers, 76 percent find themselves without something many of us take for granted:--the right to a "sick day."

For millions of workers, losing a day's wages if they stay home sick is not even the worst-case scenario. Because as New York Times columnist Jim Dyer reminds us, many workers are actually forced to choose between their health and their job. Factory worker Alda Valdez, a mother of four, was fired for catching a cold:

"I asked the boss for permission to go to the hospital. She said, 'It's fine, go - but you don't have a job anymore.' "

If passed, the Paid Sick Days bill introduced August 20 by Councilwoman Gale Brewer (D-Manhattan) would vastly improve the lives of 1.2 million workers in New York by requiring all businesses in New York City to provide their employees between five and nine paid sick days (depending on the size of the business). With support from healthcare oranizations and unions including1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East and SEIU 32BJ, Intro 1059 faces opposition from business groups such business groups like the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, who argue that added costs might force some businesses to cut back on hiring.

The vast majority of Americans may not agree on much, but the importance of this healthcare issue is one issue Americans come together on. A nationwide poll conducted last year by the University of Chicago's National Opinion Research Center showed that a whopping 86 percent of Americans believe that employers should be required by law to provide paid sick days to workers.

Put things even more in perspective by reading the Jim Dwyer column in the NY Times: Health Care? Not if You Can't Leave Work to Get It.

Mac users out there are feeling very "green" right now, if word has reached them that Apple has become the newest company to join the hasty exodus from corporate front group U.S. Chamber of Commerce. The computer software company announced their exit from the corporate front group today over their climate change policies in a letter from Apple Government Affairs VP Catherine A. Novell to U.S. Chamber President Thomas J. Donohue.

"We strongly object to the chamber's recent comments opposing the E.P.A.'s effort to limit greenhouse gases.

"Apple supports regulating greenhouse gas emissions, and it is frustrating to find the chamber at odds with us in this effort."

Although the Environmental Protection Agency and most climate scientists agree that greenhouse gas emissions are warming the Earth, the Chamber of Commerce begs to differ. They've opposed curbs on greenhouse gas pollution, via either cap-and-trade or mandates under the Clean Air Act. It's likely Apple's reasons for ditching the Chamber also include the group's recent call for a "21st century version of the Scopes Monkey Trial" to determine if global warming was real-- equating climate change with creationism.

The U.S. Chamber of Congress has served as a unifying agent for three major energy companies, Nike and now Apple, in the ever-growing list of companies who don't share their out-of-touch policies that favor Wall Street and greedy CEOs. Check out Progress Media's new video painting a picture of the business backlash against the U.S. Chamber:

In the last week, three major energy companies have quit the U.S. Chamber. And just today, Nike left its role on the U.S. Chamber's Board.

The extremist views of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce leave it far outside the mainstream. While it purports to represent Main Street businesses, the U.S. Chamber's true interests lie with Wall Street and greedy CEOs, and the corporate front group is in Congress every day, lobbying for its extremist positions.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce needs to be immediately discredited, and your Senators need to hear from you: don't listen to the greedy CEOs at the U.S. Chamber.

In the words of Nike...just do it. Sign the petition to the Senate now: don't listen to the extremist U.S. Chamber of Commerce on any issue.

The extremist views of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce leave it far outside the mainstream.  Your senators need to hear from you: don't listen to the greedy CEOs at the U.S. Chamber. Click here to sign the petition.

The last one to leave the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, please turn off the lights.

In the last week, three major energy companies have quit the U.S. Chamber. And just today, Nike left its role on the U.S. Chamber's Board.

The exodus from the corporate front group is taking place because of its extreme views on issues like climate change, health care reform, financial regulations, and labor law reform. We must use this opportunity to further isolate the U.S. Chamber as an out-of-touch outfit that only serves the interest of a handful of greedy CEOs.

Sign the petition to your senators: listen to working people, not the greedy CEOs at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

From health care and financial reform, to Employee Free Choice and climate change, the U.S. Chamber's extremism leaves it far outside the mainstream.

Want to know just how wacko the U.S. Chamber of Commerce is? Here's just a couple examples:

• An official from the U.S. Chamber called for a "21st century version of the Scopes Monkey Trial" to determine if global warming was real - equating climate change with creationism.
  
• The U.S. Chamber admitted to using money from bailed out companies to fund its campaigns against working people and the Employee Free Choice Act. This is billions that came from your tax dollars.
  
• Declaring pregnancy to be a "voluntary condition," the U.S. Chamber opposed a 1978 law that prohibited discrimination against pregnant women.

The U.S. Chamber can't be taken seriously. While it purports to represent Main Street businesses, the U.S. Chamber's true interests lie with Wall Street and greedy CEOs.

Your senators need to know this - the corporate front group is in Congress every day, lobbying for its extremist positions. They need to be immediately discredited.

Sign the petition to the Senate now: don't listen to the extremist U.S. Chamber of Commerce on any issue.

Thanks for doing your part to tell the truth about the U.S. Chamber. With your help, we'll make sure they're the loneliest front group in Washington.

This past week, while much of D.C. has been focused on the healthcare mark-up (us included), we've also been tracking a few other stories that we wanted to bring to your attention. First--the encouraging news that Massachusetts will return to full representation and the Democrats in Congress to a cloture-proof majority. Also, don't miss two stories on SEIU's calls for financial reform and a questionable award choice from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

Keep reading for all of this week's stories...

60 Senators. SEIU and our allies welcome the newly appointed Senator Paul Kirk to represent Massachusetts in the interim before the January special election. In a statement released today, Andy Stern applauded the choice of Senator Kirk and the leadership of Governor Patrick: "The Governor and the Legislature showed real leadership to move swiftly and ensure that one of Senator Kennedy's last requests is fulfilled and the Bay State has a full say in helping move America forward. Paul Kirk will be a strong voice for the hard working families and communities of the Commonwealth. Massachusetts needed more than a placeholder in the U.S. Senate and the Governor has given his citizens a leader who will get to work fighting for the change working families need on healthcare reform, rebuilding our economy, and providing new financial protections for consumers." More here.

Banks Leave Taxpayers on the Hook for $17.8 Trillion. On Wednesday during a call with reporters, SEIU Secretary Treasurer Anna Burger and Assistant to the President Stephen Lerner released a new report that details the impact that the economic crisis has had on working families. According to the report, once all crisis-related programs are factored in, taxpayers could be on the hook for up to $17.8 trillion to rescue the big banks. You can view the report here. The rest of the rest of the blog post on the report here.

New Round of Protests Target Banks. SEIU and a growing chorus of voices once again spoke out against banks for trying to block financial reforms after receiving billions of taxpayer dollars. As Secretary Treasurer Anna Burger put it, "They're back to their old tricks and the same practices that caused this crisis in the first place...They're getting bailed out and normal people are losing."

Dozens of SEIU members and activists rallied outside a secret meeting of the Financial Services Roundtable, a group of 90 companies in the finance and insurance industry who received hundreds of billions in taxpayer bailouts and then used that money to lobby against needed corporate reforms. "We need to demand that banks use their resources and power to fix the economy and not make it worse," said Stephen Lerner, Special Assistant to SEIU President Andy Stern.

A series of protests around the county will lead up to the largest demonstration in Chicago between Oct. 25 and Oct. 27 at a meeting of the American Bankers Association. Read the full story from The Hill here. Click here to learn about upcoming actions to hold corporate barons and banks accountable.

The U.S. Chamber's Puzzling Definition of "Corporate Citizenship." Each fall, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce honors member organizations with its "Corporate Citizenship Award" as a way of recognizing contributions to communities. Unfortunately for the U.S. Chamber, the award is blind to a multitude of misdeeds committed by honorees. Indeed, for two years running, the U.S. Chamber has selected companies rife with problems. This year, the US Chamber chose to give this award to Aramark, a firm notorious for refusing to recognize its employees' voices. Read more about Aramark's bad record on employee relations and more on their relationship with the US Chamber here.

Each fall, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce awards member organizations with its "Corporate Citizenship Award" as a way of recognizing contributions to communities.

Unfortunately for the U.S. Chamber, the award is blind to a multitude of misdeeds committed by honorees. Indeed, for two years running, the U.S. Chamber has selected companies rife with problems.

One of last year's "Corporate Citizenship" awards from the U.S. Chamber was given to Bank of America just days before the collapse of our economy, which led to the bank's $45 billion bailout and $199 billion in guarantees from taxpayers. As we've previously noted, nothing says "corporate citizenship" like milking taxpayers for unprecedented billions.

The U.S. Chamber continued its curious "corporate citizenship" designations this year with an award to Aramark, a firm notorious for refusing to recognize its employees' voices. From Aramark's press release about the award:

"ARAMARK Building Community connects the expertise and passion of our people with the pressing needs of our communities, allowing them to directly impact the places where we live and work," said Frank Mendicino, ARAMARK President of Strategic Assets. "We are very proud to be recognized by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce for the extraordinary efforts of our employees."

It's odd to hear Aramark recognize the efforts of its employees, because the company's behavior to date doesn't reflect any sense of respect.

Thousands of workers at 40 Aramark facilities are currently without the full benefits of being a union member. Aramark is currently refusing to recognize workers' union and denying them the voice on the job. The company is:

• holding workers' union dues money in a company controlled account. Workers have filed criminal complaints in several cities about this potentially unlawful escrow.
• denying access to Workers United union representatives. Workers at Aramark locations across the country are not able to have grievances fully processed about important issues such as health and safety, seniority and pay.
• and refusing to negotiate new contracts with Workers United members. Aramark is refusing to negotiate with the men and women who make the company successful

To top it off, Bay Area Aramark workers have filed living wage complaints claiming that the company is unlawfully underpaying them.

Maybe that's the idea of "corporate citizenship" of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, but it's certainly not the kind of respect Aramark employees deserve.

You can help, though. Please take a minute to speak up for Aramark employees at Indiana University of Pennsylvania who want representation at work, but have yet to receive the respect they deserve. You can take action here.

"When Lehman Brothers fell, they took not just the rest of Wall Street, but all of Main Street, down with them. Yet, one year later, the greedy CEOs who caused the collapse are unremorseful, unrepentant, and virtually unchanged," said SEIU Secretary-Treasurer Anna Burger, following President Obama's speech yesterday on the anniversary of the collapse of Lehman Brothers. While the economy continues to recover, President Obama warned, "normalcy cannot lead to complacency."

Watch President Obama's speech yesterday from Wall Street's Federal Hall:

'Business as Usual'?

"You'd think that the collapse of over 90 banks in one year alone would be a powerful 'lesson learned' for the titans at big financial houses, but on Wall Street, it's back to 'business as usual,' said Burger. After bailing out banks to the tune of $4.7 trillion following the financial collapse, American taxpayers were then hit with the hidden costs of our bank-induced recession: foreclosures, unemployment and bankruptcies.

Now the big banks and financial corporations are hitting us a third time, by lobbying against meaningful reforms that could prevent a repeat of the crisis in the future.The U.S. Chamber of Commerce's Tom Donohue and his CEO allies might not think so, but America can't afford their reckless and selfish behavior any longer.

The current regulatory framework simply doesn't provide adequate protection to consumers--we need Congress to reform our financial system, fund strict enforcement of the rules, and give long term shareholders the power they need to reign in the out-of-control corporate elite. Let's stop this cycle before more jobs are lost, more homes are foreclosed, and more retirement accounts are wiped out. Don't let the U.S. Chamber and Big Banks delay consumer protection any longer.

Tomorrow, two of America's most favorite right-wing institutions will converge in East Lansing, Michigan at an event ironically titled the "Future Forum." FOX News' Glenn Beck and US Chamber of Commerce CEO Tom Donohue will both keynote an event hosted by the Michigan Chamber that is sure to tickle the free market fancies of those in attendance.

Both Beck and Donohue's Chamber have a history of letting loose vitriolic, reckless rhetoric. ThinkProgress has a brief overview:

Beck has called President Obama a "socialist," a "Marxist," and a "racist" with a "deep-seated hatred of white people." It may not come as a surprise that the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, with its right-wing agenda of blocking health care reform, clean energy legislation, and workers' rights, is embracing Glenn Beck's hate and fearmongering.

But wait, there's more. Beck and Donohue have both promoted ludicrous inaccuracies about the Employee Free Choice Act. Here's just a snippet:

Beck Guest: Employee Free Choice Act akin to "tyrannies and socialism"

Fox News' Glenn Beck hosted Mark McKinnon of the Workforce Fairness Institute, in a segment that amounted to nothing more than a screed against the bill. After saying that people who want to hear pro-Employee Free Choice guests need to "turn to PBS," Beck gave McKinnon free rein to spew talking points:

Well, we call it the Forced Choice Act, Glenn. It is just a huge goody bag...[I]t eliminates the ability for workers who are being organized to cast a secret ballot, a democratic principle that we hold dear...They have private ballots in America, but not in other countries where there are tyrannies and socialism.

Needless to say, that's all false and misleading - even the Wall Street Journal admits the Employee Free Choice Act doesn't take away the secret ballot.

US Chamber: Employee Free Choice Act "a firestorm bordering on Armageddon"

Randel Johnson, vice president for labor, immigration and employee benefits at the Chamber, said defeating the measure was the lobby group's top priority in the coming session of Congress, and he described the coming fight in Congress over the issue as a "firestorm bordering on Armageddon."

Not only is the Employee Free Choice Act a measure that would help the economy and level the playing field for working people, it's only "Armageddon" to the reckless corporations that have abused the law for decades.

The US Chamber's vitriol on the Employee Free Choice Act was also the original inspiration for our "Scary Movie," highlighting some of the more crazy statements made by greedy corporate barons. This video should serve as a good substitute if you're not able to attend tomorrow's Beck/Chamber hoopla in East Lansing.

To find the "whodunnit" of our current economic crisis, look no further than the corporate boardroom.

Far from serving as checks-and-balances, today's corporate directors are under thumbs of the CEOs who selected them. With unquestioned power and ever increasing arrogance, CEOs can take unnecessary risks, hide details of bad investments, and pay out excessive bonuses to themselves and top executives regardless of their job performance.

That's how subprime mortgages and credit default swaps were hatched. That's how Bank of America's Ken Lewis kept details of Merrill Lynch's poor health and plans of multi-billion dollar bonuses from shareholders. That's how the initial nine banks that got TARP money could pay out $32.6 billion in bonuses last year despite getting a $175 billion dollar bailout from taxpayers.

While shareholders, and now taxpayers, pay the bills for the corporate elite, they have little real power to punish recklessness and corruption. Our undemocratic system of corporate board elections ensures that even when a majority of shareholders votes for change, oftentimes CEOs and their hand-picked directors can ignore the results and keep the status quo.

And that's just the way US Chamber of Commerce President Tom Donohue wants to keep it.

As Americans continue to face furloughs, layoffs, and dwindling savings, as millions find themselves unable to afford the homes that banks enticed them to buy with tricky mortgages, and as states and cities cut services as a result of declining tax revenue, CEOs and the Chamber remain unrepentant, unremorseful, and if they get their way, unregulated.

As Congress returns from recess and gets back to work to pass legislation to bring access to quality, affordable healthcare to everyone, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce is wasting no time working hard to hang onto the same reckless business practices that got us in this hot financial mess in the first place. The Chamber is launching a new $2 million ad campaign attacking the Consumer Financial Protection Agency. From the Wall Street Journal:

The Chamber's goal is twofold: move the spotlight off the unpopular commercial banks and mortgage lenders that are the target of the legislation and muster a roster of more sympathetic opponents.

[...] The business lobby intends to expand its campaign to include nationwide TV and radio ads later this month. Its lobbying push could feature other small-business owners, such as accountants, landlords and event planners.

The Chamber's first ad--running in Washington-area newspapers--could actually almost be a warning ad for what could happen if we don't find a way to increase real consumer protections to Americans and businesses alike. The print ad, which will run first in Washington-area newspapers, has a picture of a butcher with the line: "Virtually every business that extends credit to American consumers would be affected -- even the local butcher and the credit he extends to his customers."

The Chamber's claim that they are opposing this legislation primarily out of concern for the interests of small businesses is not very convincing. Our first clue? They admit that the whole point of the ads is to draw attention away from the banks and mortgage lenders and the dangerous and deceptive products and practices they've been driving, at which the CFPA legislation takes aim. But even a quick examination of their legislative record shows them opposing bill after bill that may help small businesses--and consistently siding with big corporations. Resorting to these kinds of right-wing scare tactics is nothing new for the Chamber; their history of using misinformation to bolster campaigns against pro-worker policies speaks for itself.

Kirstin Brost, a spokeswoman for Senate Banking Committee Chairman Chris Dodd, said the business community is wasting money with this anti-worker campaign attacking the Consumer Financial Protection Agency. "The public doesn't believe that there was too much consumer protection," said Brost.

Experience has taught us that allowing financial firms to abuse consumers is bad for our overall financial system health...and that's putting it lightly. This abuse has lead directly to the current crisis that resulted the loss of millions in jobs and in millions of Americans losing their homes, their jobs, and their retirement savings. Not to mention a pervasive mistrust by consumers in our country's financial systems. The current regulatory framework simply doesn't provide adequate protection to consumers--and we need to put a stop to the new, risky financial products that banks continue to push out, even now.

The truth is now that the Chamber and big banks and corporations they represent are once again flush with cash (mostly thanks to taxpayer bailouts), they're back to doing everything they can to continue the egregious, reckless business practices in the consumer lending market that allowed them to make money then move on.The Chamber of Commerce should represent the interests of American business -- not just the interests of a few of its big donors. Don't let the U.S. Chamber set the agenda on financial reform.

Update: Read SEIU Secretary-Treasurer Anna Burger's piece looking at the role the Chamber of Commerce has played in the financial breakdown, posted on the SEIU Blog & Huffington Post.

As Congress returns from recess and gets back to work to pass legislation to bring access to quality, affordable healthcare to everyone, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce is wasting no time working hard to hang onto the same reckless business practices that got us in this hot financial mess in the first place. The Chamber is launching a new $2 million ad campaign attacking the Consumer Financial Protection Agency. From the Wall Street Journal:

The Chamber's goal is twofold: move the spotlight off the unpopular commercial banks and mortgage lenders that are the target of the legislation and muster a roster of more sympathetic opponents.

[...] The business lobby intends to expand its campaign to include nationwide TV and radio ads later this month. Its lobbying push could feature other small-business owners, such as accountants, landlords and event planners.

The Chamber's first ad--running in Washington-area newspapers--could actually almost be a warning ad for what could happen if we don't find a way to increase real consumer protections to Americans and businesses alike. The print ad, which will run first in Washington-area newspapers, has a picture of a butcher with the line: "Virtually every business that extends credit to American consumers would be affected -- even the local butcher and the credit he extends to his customers."

The Chamber's claim that they are opposing this legislation primarily out of concern for the interests of small businesses is not very convincing. Our first clue? They admit that the whole point of the ads is to draw attention away from the banks and mortgage lenders and the dangerous and deceptive products and practices they've been driving, at which the CFPA legislation takes aim. But even a quick examination of their legislative record shows them opposing bill after bill that may help small businesses--and consistently siding with big corporations. Resorting to these kinds of right-wing scare tactics is nothing new for the Chamber; their history of using misinformation to bolster campaigns against pro-worker policies speaks for itself.

Kirstin Brost, a spokeswoman for Senate Banking Committee Chairman Chris Dodd, said the business community is wasting money with this anti-worker campaign attacking the Consumer Financial Protection Agency. "The public doesn't believe that there was too much consumer protection," said Brost.

Experience has taught us that allowing financial firms to abuse consumers is bad for our overall financial system health...and that's putting it lightly. This abuse has lead directly to the current crisis that resulted the loss of millions in jobs and in millions of Americans losing their homes, their jobs, and their retirement savings. Not to mention a pervasive mistrust by consumers in our country's financial systems. The current regulatory framework simply doesn't provide adequate protection to consumers--and we need to put a stop to the new, risky financial products that banks continue to push out, even now.

The truth is now that the Chamber and big banks and corporations they represent are once again flush with cash (mostly thanks to taxpayer bailouts), they're back to doing everything they can to continue the egregious, reckless business practices in the consumer lending market that allowed them to make money then move on.The Chamber of Commerce should represent the interests of American business -- not just the interests of a few of its big donors. Don't let the U.S. Chamber set the agenda on financial reform.

Update: Read SEIU Secretary-Treasurer Anna Burger's piece looking at the role the Chamber of Commerce has played in the financial breakdown, posted on the SEIU Blog & Huffington Post.