Steve White and Josh Sword: WV workers can build state’s roads (Daily Mail)
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The Daily Mail Opinion page editorial from May 9 (“Would governor’s jobs program put West Virginians to work?”) caught our eye because it raised some excellent questions regarding Gov. Jim Justice’s proposed jobs and infrastructure plan.
It is refreshing to see the Daily Mail Opinion page emphasize the needs of West Virginia working families by raising the following issues:
Coalition of Retired Employees Holds Annual Breakfast Meeting
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Members of the West Virginia Coalition of Retired Public Employees (CORPE) will gather at the state Capitol Thursday, March 2, to remind legislators of the benefits owed to the thousands of retired public employees who are struggling to get by.
“Public retirees are hurting more than ever,” noted CORPE spokesman Ernest “Spud” Terry. “Our pensions are stagnant and it’s been many years since we’ve had a Cost of Living Increase – now there are draconian cuts to PEIA.”
The coalition includes the West Virginia Association of Retired School Employees, West Virginia Public Retirement System Association and West Virginia chapters of the American Federation of State, County & Municipal Employees; Communication Workers of America; National Active & Retired Federal Employees; American Federation of Teachers, and National Education Association.
United Food Operation kicks off 35th annual food distribution program
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When: 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM, Friday, January 13, 2017
Where: United Food Operation Warehouse | Institute Industrial Park, Institute, WV | (Entrance across from Institute Post Office)
United Food Operation, Inc.(UFO) celebrates its 35th year of community service with a special kickoff event on Friday, Jan. 13 at 11:00 AM. UFO is an all-volunteer organization that purchases and distributes food to 12 participating community food pantries each winter season. The group serves Kanawha and Putnam counties.
The event will recognize the growth of food insecurity in our region and role that local food pantries and the United Food Operation play in fighting hunger.
This year’s food distribution program will run from Jan. 13 through April 1. For additional background information on United Food Operation please visit the program website at unitedfoodoperation.org.
Union Members to Protest Bill Cole, Scott Walker and Their Anti-Worker Agenda
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As if he hasn’t shown enough disdain for working people, Bill Cole is bringing Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker to West Virginia today.
Scott Walker has built his political career on attacking unions. In Wisconsin, he pushed through Right to Work, among many other initiatives intended to lower wages and benefit big corporations, and now he’s coming here to help Bill Cole and his legislative allies this election.
Union members will gather outside their Charleston event to tell Bill Cole and Scott Walker their anti-worker agenda isn’t welcome here.
Who: Working People
What: Protest of Bill Cole and Scott Walker
When: 11:30 a.m. today, Oct. 28
Where: Corner of Capitol and Virginia Streets, Charleston
Safety Violations at Cole Business No Surprise
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The fact that Bill Cole is owner of a company that has a history of workplace safety violations that drew more than $20,000 in fines -- including one that ultimately resulted in the amputation of a worker’s hand -- comes as no surprise to West Virginia AFL-CIO President Kenny Perdue.
“Bill Cole and his Republican leadership team have repeatedly pushed legislation to loosen safety regulations and put in place policies that make workplaces less safe,” President Perdue said. “Bill Cole has shown a consistent pattern of placing the profit of his corporate allies far above the safety of West Virginia workers, and unfortunately that pattern appears to also hold true for Tennessee workers.”
As the Charleston Gazette-Mail noted in an article today ( https://goo.gl/K2MBRk ), government records show that S&S Screw Machine Holding Co. LLC in Sparta, Tennessee, which Bill Cole co-owns, paid more than $20,000 in fines after being cited for workplace safety violations during the past five years.
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.


