Josh Sword: West Virginia workers need PRO Act (Opinion)
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America’s labor movement honored Workers Memorial Day on Wednesday. It’s an annual day of remembrance when unions and allies from across the country come together to reflect on those who have lost their lives on the job from accidents and as a result of chronic illness and injuries sustained from dangerous working conditions.
In 2020, 17 West Virginians lost their lives while on the job. These workers were fathers, daughters, brothers and sisters. They were first responders, coal miners and service workers. They were our friends, and they should not have lost their lives.
Statement from Delegate and state Senator-elect Mike Caputo, a member of the West Virginia AFL-CIO executive board, regarding the Mylan announcement this morning
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The loss of these jobs is a devastating blow affecting more than 1,500 employees, their families and their communities. In the face of this massive pandemic, we need manufacturing facilities like Mylan more than ever in our region. As a delegate and senator-elect, I will do everything within my power – including working with our legislative delegation, the governor, our representatives in Congress, and the United Steelworkers, which represents Mylan employees -- to convince company officials that closing this facility is the wrong choice.
I will urge Senators Manchin and Capito to bring us together as a SWAT team to quickly address this. We’ve weathered four years of empty promises from the White House about jobs that have never come to West Virginia. It is my hope that Governor Justice can leverage his close personal relationship with President Trump to work on reversing the economic freefall our state has been experiencing at the hands of billion-dollar corporations and help us save these Mylan jobs. I also expect that Senator Manchin will be reaching out to President-elect Biden’s administration to provide assistance moving forward.
WV AFL-CIO President responds to WV Supreme Court ruling
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CHARLESTON – In an unsurprising but still highly disappointing move, the state Supreme Court today upheld a law created solely to undermine and weaken unions in their efforts to protect workers and represent workers’ rights.
“Circuit Judge Bailey had rightfully ruled that the so-called ‘Right to Work’ act clearly violates the West Virginia Constitutional rights of unions and individuals with regard to the illegal taking of their property,” West Virginia AFL-CIO President Josh Sword said. “This law has been the centerpiece of a years-long, partisan-driven agenda by the anti-worker majority to lower wages and benefits and eliminate workplace safety regulations – all in order to place corporate profits far above the health and safety of West Virginia workers, which is shameful particularly in light of the current pandemic we’re facing.”
“That this state Supreme Court, the product of scandal, corruption and an unprecedented impeachment process, would uphold such a law is very disappointing yet not at all surprising,” Sword continued. “In fact, this court broke their own protocol by not notifying us that a ruling had been made and was being released to the press and public.
“I ask: How political and shady has this court become when the parties in a high-profile appeal are only notified of a decision through reporters and social media?!”
Sword said the labor unions in West Virginia will continue to operate as they have since the Supreme Court lifted the injunction on the law in 2017 and continue fighting for the health, well being and safety of all West Virginia working families.
“As always, we will continue to negotiate for fair wages, good benefits and a safe workplace,” Sword said. “In 2020, we will work harder than ever to ensure that those who pushed for and supported this legislation, and any other laws that hurt working families, are voted out of office.”
Coalition of Retired Employees to Hold Annual Legislative Breakfast Meeting Thursday
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Members of the West Virginia Coalition of Retired Public Employees (CORPE) will gather at the state Capitol for a breakfast on Thursday, January 30, to remind legislators of the thousands of retired public employees who are struggling to get by.
“Retirees who are part of the Public Employee and Teachers retirement systems are dealing with undue hardships and will meet with Legislators to express concerns about stagnate pensions, and lack of tax exemptions afforded other Public Employees,” CORPE spokesman Ernest “Spud” Terry said. “West Virginia’s public retirees have been neglected for far too long.”
IUPAT DC 53 Joins Fifth Annual “Imagine a Day Without Water” to Raise Awareness About the Value of Water
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Charleston – Today, representatives of the International Union Painters and Allied Trades District Council 53 joined elected officials, water utilities, community leaders, educators, and businesses representatives at the state Capitol as part of the 5th annual Imagine a Day Without Water, a nationwide day of education and advocacy about the value of water. Led by the Value of Water Campaign, 1,000 organizations across the country work to raise awareness about not taking water for granted and the crucial need for investment in our nation’s water systems.
“An investment in our drinking water and wastewater systems is essential to our national health, safety, environment, and economic prosperity,” said IUPAT Business Manager Dan Poling. “Clean water is life itself.”
In recognition of “Imagine a Day Without Water,” IUPAT held a press conference at the West Virginia State Capitol with representatives of agencies in the water and wastewater industry, along with legislators, including Kanawha Senators Glenn Jeffries and Corey Palumbo.
We are a group of more than 575 affiliated unions joined together for the common cause of fairness for all workers.
The future of the working men and women of America depends on a strong, united labor movement. The strength of that movement is in our numbers: thousands of men and women united, striving for the same common goals
- fairness, justice, and equality in the workplace.
