Think your retirement is secure? Think again

Oct 21, 2009 - SEIU member Willie Lucas has been an electrician at Howard University for three decades. He was planning to retire in two years but the economic crisis wiped out nearly $50,000 from his 401(k) and he's had to put his retirement off another 10 years. The outrageous thing is that Willie is one of the lucky ones. Read more...

Around the Union: Locals Round-up

Oct 19, 2009 - Quick hits around the union from ULTCW, SEIU Massachusetts, SEIU District 1199, CSEA, Local 5-Virginia, SEANC, Local 721 and 32BJ. Read more...

Humana executive slams door on concerns of West Palm Beach Medicare recipients

Sep 30, 2009 - On Tuesday, members of SEIU Healthcare Florida joined senior citizens from the Florida Alliance for Retired Americans to try to speak to a local Humana executive at the West Palm Beach office of the insurance company. As the area seniors rallied to deliver a letter addressed to the local Humana executive and Humana CEO, they were instead greeted by the scampering of little feet, as the fearful insurance company executive hightailed it to his office in the wake of their arrival--practically slamming his office door in their faces. Read more...

New Hampshire State Retiree Alert: Don't Sign Away Your Rights!

Sep 09, 2009 - SEA has learned that at least some under-65 State retirees have been asked to sign "State Retirement Annuity Deduction Authorization" forms. These forms look like they would authorize the State to deduct an unspecified monthly amount from the retirees' pension benefit. Do not be fooled--if you -- or any State retiree you know -- receives this form, please do not sign your rights away. Read more...

Recent union contract victories benefit more than 12,500 workers

Sep 08, 2009 - Over the last week and a half, SEIU Locals in California, New York and Oregon have reached new or tentative contract agreements that will benefit nearly 13,000 workers. Locals and their bargaining teams worked hard to reach agreements that serve as victories for members by lessening the impact of budget cuts on their jobs and pocketbooks or increasing wages. Read more...

President Obama's Labor Day Message

Sep 07, 2009 - As working Americans take the day off from work, attend healthcare send-off rallies or parades, and spend time with family and friends this Labor Day weekend, many of us will be thinking about the state of working America. In his prepared 2009 Labor Day message, President Obama explains his proposal to help ensure a lifetime of hard work leads to a comfortable retirement. Read more...

'Slowing' the decline in living standards for low-wage workers is not enough

Jul 24, 2009 - Today's increase means a full-time minimum wage earner will receive $28 more a week. This raise is badly needed. It is also categorically insufficient. While our nation's plunge into recession has forced many working families to tighten their belts, low-wage workers have fared even worse. Read more...

July 24th: Minimum wage inches up to $7.25/hour

Jul 23, 2009 - Starting tomorrow, the Federal minimum wage is increasing from $6.55 to $7.25 per hour, the last part of the 2007 minimum wage legislation passed by Congress. Read more...

Bank of America Takes Billions of Bailout Money, Only to Cut Lending for Struggling Small Businesses

Jul 22, 2009 - A new report released by SEIU today shows that Bank of America has cut small business loans - despite taking billions in taxpayer-funded bailouts meant to stimulate the economy. Instead of lending money to small businesses through SBA loans, BofA appears to be moving its small business clients to higher-interest credit card loans. Read more...

Big banks and the Chamber do their best to stop economic recovery--AGAIN

Jul 21, 2009 - Today, reports hit saying Congress is delaying action on the Consumer Financial Protection Agency after a series of lobbying efforts and a letter from the U.S. Chamber and big banks. When it comes to fixing our economy, Congress must not buckle under the pressure of the U.S. Chamber and big banks. Read more...

Living wages are in Con Ed's Power

Jul 06, 2009 - Con Ed employee Fernando Cruz is one of more than 28 million people--about a quarter of the working-age workforce--who work full time yet still earn less than the income that marks the federal poverty line for a family of four: $9.04 per hour, a full-time salary of $18,800 a year. Read more...

Time's up: SEIU members and Californians crank up the heat on Schwarzenegger

Jul 01, 2009 - Governor Schwarzenegger has indicated that his idea of "shared sacrifice" is to force the entire budget burden on working families and those who can least afford it. He has refused to support a budget that contains his own previous proposals for modest oil extraction fees and insurance fees that would fund critical public safety services. SEIU Local 1000 is liveblogging from their rally at the Capitol in Sacramento. Read more...

Stop Schwarzenegger's Cruel Cuts

May 27, 2009 - Two years ago, President Barack Obama walked a day in the shoes of SEIU home care worker Pauline Beck. Today, Pauline and home care workers across California face pay cuts of up to 33% -- from $12.10 an hour down to $8. Please send a message to the Governor telling him you strongly disagree with his misguided priorities--we're not going to let this happen without a fight. Read more...

Judge Sotomayor's Nomination to the Supreme Court an Extraordinary Choice for Today and Tomorrow

May 26, 2009 - President Obama said he would appoint people to our courts who not only had brilliant legal minds, but who also understand how the law impacts the everyday lives of working families. Today he has fulfilled that promise by nominating U.S. Court of Appeals Judge Sonia Sotomayor to serve on the U.S. Supreme Court. Read more...

President Obama Reaffirms Support for the Employee Free Choice Act

May 14, 2009 - In a town hall meeting today in New Mexico, President Obama reaffirmed his commitment to passing the Employee Free Choice Act, a bill that would allow workers to bargain with their employers for better job security, wages and benefits. Watch Read more...

Maine's Veterans Support Employee Free Choice

May 12, 2009 - Last week, a group of Maine veterans gathered together in Portland to voice their support for the Employee Free Choice Act--and it's not only Maine's veterans who support the Employee Free Choice Act. Read more...

Empowering Workers through Employee Free Choice

Mar 31, 2009 - Today, the Politico debuted a special section online and in print about the Employee Free Choice Act. Read more...

SEIU, Coalition Partners Launch Retirement USA Initiative

Mar 11, 2009 - SEIU partnered with The Economic Policy Institute (EPI), the National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare and the Pensions Rights Center to launch Retirement USA, an initiative working for a new retirement system that, along with Social Security, will provide universal, secure, and adequate income for future retirees. Read more...

Members Speak Out at Oscar-eve Protest of MPTF Seniors' Home Closure

Feb 22, 2009 - More than 250 caregivers, members of the entertainment industry and family members of the facility's elderly residents gathered together outside an "The Night Before" Oscars' MPTF fund-raiser Saturday night at The Beverly Hills Hotel to protest the impending closure of the fund's long-term care facility. Read more...

Motion Picture Television Fund CEO named "World's Worst" as Silver Screen Seniors Face Eviction

Feb 19, 2009 - MSNBC's Keith Olbermann gave the Motion Picture Television Fund's president and chief executive Dr. David Tillman the title of "World's Worst" person last night, for closing the retirement home for film-industry employees for no good reason. Read more...

New Report: Employee Free Choice Act Could Create A $49 Billion Stimulus Package for the American Worker

Feb 18, 2009 - In a new report for the Center for American Progress Action Fund, researchers David Madland and Karla Walter argue that a more-unionized workforce would lead towards a stronger economy for the United States. According to the report, the key to a sustainable economy is to increase the purchasing power of hard-working Americans - and one way to do that is by passing the Employee Free Choice Act. Read more...

Union Women, Labor Leaders & Online Activists Advocate for Solis Confirmation

Jan 28, 2009 - Stop delaying confirmation of Rep. Solis as secretary of labor: As Obama said in his inaugural address, "let's put away childish things" and get on with the workings of government. Read more...

Sen. Ben Nelson: Anti-Free Choice Ads are "Smear tactics that insult me and my fellow Nebraskans"

Dec 22, 2008 - SEIU calls on "Americans for Job Security" to engage in an honest conversation with Nebraskans about their positions rather than trying to mislead Nebraskans. Read more...

The Employment Situation? Not Good

Dec 05, 2008 - The U.S. Department of Labor announced at 8:30 a.m. today that another 533,000 jobs were lost in November; catapulting the unemployment rate to 6.7 percent--and bringing the grand total number of jobs lost this year to a whopping 1.7 million. Read more...

Day 2 of Unfair Labor Strike for SEIU Healthcare Minnesota Hospital Workers

Nov 25, 2008 - SEIU Healthcare Minnesota hospital workers are uniting and taking a stand for their future. More than 200 members who work at Regina Medical Center begin a 2-day strike on Monday in the face of a proposed 50 percent cut to their pension and an increase in to overall healthcare costs. Read more...

SEIU Healthcare Minnesota Hospital Workers Stand up for Retirement Security & Health Benefits

Nov 24, 2008 - More than 200 SEIU Healthcare Minnesota members who work at Regina Medical Center begin a 2-day strike today in the face of proposed 50 percent cut to their pension and an increase in overall healthcare costs. Read more...