Recent Press
- Honor and Celebrate the Labor Movement this Weekend
- Teamsters at Bluefield WV Coca Cola Distribution Center Reach Agreement for a New Contract Avoiding a Strike
- A statement regarding the passing of AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka
- Union members will rally Thursday to urge Sen. Capito to support PRO Act
- Teamsters at Bluefield WV Coca Cola Distribution Center Reject Contract
- Rally for Viatris/Mylan jobs Tuesday
- Public Employees Launch Legal Challenge of Paycheck Bill
- Josh Sword: West Virginia workers need PRO Act (Opinion)
- Workers Memorial Event | Wednesday, April 28th
- Statement from West Virginia AFL-CIO President Josh Sword on Sen. Joe Manchin’s Co-Sponsorship of the Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act
- WV AFL-CIO: Gayle Manchin knows Appalachia
- WV AFL-CIO: Legislative leaders using COVID restrictions to shut out public
- Teamsters at AHF Products Ratify Agreement
- 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
- The WV AFL-CIO celebrates Labor Day
- Union representatives commemorate National Correctional Officers & Employees Week
- WV AFL-CIO's Annual Workers Memorial Service Tuesday
- WV AFL-CIO rescinds endorsement of Justice Hutchison
- WV AFL-CIO President responds to WV Supreme Court ruling
- West Virginia AFL-CIO Endorses Isaac Sponaugle for Attorney General
- West Virginia AFL-CIO Endorses Bob Beach for State Agriculture Commissioner
- Coalition of Retired Employees to Hold Annual Legislative Breakfast Meeting Thursday
- IUPAT DC 53 Joins Fifth Annual “Imagine a Day Without Water” to Raise Awareness About the Value of Water
- Day Without Water event Wednesday
- A statement from West Virginia AFL-CIO President Josh Sword regarding Murray Energy's Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing
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CHARLESTON – Leaders from AFT-WV, WVEA, UMWA, CWA and the WV AFL-CIO, representing thousands of public employees, will hold a press conference 12:30 p.m. Wednesday at the state Culture Center to discuss employees’ growing concerns regarding low pay and rising insurance costs, and the steps lawmakers could take to address what has become a crisis situation.
“State leaders have begun discussing possible pay increases for public employees, but there is conflicting information being circulated, and not all voices are being heard,” WV AFL-CIO President Josh Sword said. “This press conference will give public employee representatives – those who speak for teachers, school service personnel, public safety and other state employees -- a chance to lay all the issues on the table.”
The press conference is being held in conjunction with the West Virginia AFL-CIO’s annual Legislative Conference, which runs from Jan. 24 through Jan. 25, 2018.
WHAT: Public Employee Press Conference
WHEN: 12:30 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 24, 2018
WHERE: West Virginia Culture Center, WV Capitol Complex
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United Food Operation, Inc. will kick off its annual drive to distribute over $50,000 in food during the next 12 weeks 10 a.m. Friday, January 12, 2018 at its distribution center in Institute.
Each winter, United Food Operation distributes pallets of food, free-of-charge, to 12 independent food pantries around the Kanawha Valley. These distributions significantly augment the pantries' limited resources during the winter's peak demand for their services.
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The following is a statement from West Virginia AFL-CIO President Josh Sword regarding the passing of Paul Nyden:
“The West Virginia AFL-CIO family is deeply saddened to learn of the passing of longtime Charleston Gazette reporter Paul Nyden. Paul was a real hero to the organized labor community, in large part because of his focus in reporting on issues that matter to West Virginia’s working families. Because of Paul, issues like retirement security, workplace safety and workers’ right to organize were front and center during his tenure as a reporter. Our thoughts and prayers go out to Paul’s family during this difficult time.”
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RIPLEY – The West Virginia Alliance for Retired Americans today concluded its 13th annual convention, where the more than 100 attendees discussed how to educate, energize and mobilize seniors to make a difference through activism.
The group -- part of a unique national organization that was launched in 2001 by a coalition of AFL-CIO affiliated unions and community-based organizations dedicated to economic and social justice – met at Cedar Lakes Conference Center and re-elected President Virginia Moles, a Kanawha County resident who has served in that capacity since 2013, and elected Terry Cunningham of Cabell County to serve as Treasurer.
“I am elated with how engaged and motivated our members are, and am truly honored to be once again elected to lead this group,” Moles said. “Considering the detrimental changes to our health care and tax systems that Congress is considering, and the state legislation adopted over the past three years that threaten the well-being of West Virginians, our members know that this is a critical time, and we must make sure that retirees and older West Virginians have a voice.”
The year’s convention – the theme being “Retirees Under Attack … It’s Time to Fight Back!” – included featured speaker Karen Gorrell, spokeswoman for the group of Century Aluminum retirees who spent seven years fighting to regain lifetime health benefits that the company had promised, but then canceled.
The retirees, stripped of their health benefits in 2010, finally received their first installment of their $23 million settlement this fall.
“Everybody was devastated – nobody thought we would win,” she said. “It was the fight of our lives.”
The battle took Gorrell and the group of retirees, who eventually became known as “the modern-day Mother Jones and her Silver-Haired Brigade,” to the halls of the West Virginia Capitol, Washington D.C., and across the country. They and their supporters even took turns camping on Century’s Ravenswood site for 78 days, receiving donations of money and food in support.
“Karen and the other Century retirees provide a shining example of how retirees and senior West Virginians can, and should, stand up for themselves and the rights of their peers,” Moles said. “We are extremely proud of them.”
Kanawha County resident Spud Terry serves as the Executive Vice President and Jackson County resident Betty Totten is Secretary. The following are the members of the West Virginia Alliance for Retired Americans Executive Board:
1st Congressional District: Bill Hartwell, Tyler County; Sharon Hartwell, Tyler County; Rosie Saunders, Marion County; Sue Kelley, Marion County.
2nd Congressional District: Larry LaCorte Sr., Jackson County; Robert Hardesty, Kanawha County; Les Shockey, Jackson County; Kay Moffatt, Kanawha County.
3rd Congressional District: Elsen Garrett, Cabell County; Rick Lewis, Cabell County; Mercedes Sayre, Jackson County; Floyd Sayre, Jackson County.
* Attached are: WVARA 1 – WVARA President Virginia Moles speaks before a packed convention. WVARA 2 – Karen Gorrell talks about the seven-year fight to win back health benefits for Century Aluminum retirees.
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CHARLESTON – More than 200 union members representing over 100 local union affiliates gathered in Charleston this week for the West Virginia AFL-CIO’s 29th Constitutional Convention to adopt policy and elect officers, selecting Josh Sword to a full four-year term as President of the organization.
“It is absolutely the highest professional honor of my life to be elected to serve in this capacity and to represent the wonderful people of the West Virginia AFL-CIO,” Sword said. “I look forward to leading the charge for the betterment of all West Virginia working families.”