AFL-CIO Day of Action draws 1000 workers: Unions keep the pressure on AZ Legislators (video)

Last week’s AFL-CIO Day of Action at the State Capitol was a resounding success. Approximately 1000 workers came to Phoenix to express their displeasure with our state’s Republican-controlled government and the six anti-worker bills still alive in the Legislature.

From the Huffington Post…

The statewide AFL-CIO called for a Day of Action on March 1, 2012 and bussed hundreds of workers to the capitol to talk with lawmakers, hear fiery speeches by union leaders and protest bills attacking labor rights.

Several speakers, including Arizona AFL-CIO Executive Director Rebekah Friend, called out the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) and the Goldwater Institute as the creators of the union-busting bills SB1484, SB1485, SB1486, and SB1487, which are reminiscent of legislation in Wisconsin, Ohio, and other states.

Not to be satisfied with diminishing the strength of public sector unions, the Arizona Legislature is also considering bills that would reduce the minimum wage earned by tip workers and people under 20 years of age (HCR2056) and eliminate civil service protection for thousands of state workers (HB2571) .

Check out the links (above) to the six bills, and you will find that four of Southern Arizona’s Republican legislators are sponsors of these anti-worker bills– Frank Antenori, Terri Proud, Al Melvin, and David Gowan. (None of the Democratic Party legislators have voted to move these bills forward.)

If you’re represented by Republicans in the Legislature, call them and tell them that you’re tired of them representing ALEC and the Goldwater Institute, instead of  Arizona residents. Antenori should really be put on the hot seat for this, since he wants to be Southern Arizona’s representative in Congress, replacing Gabrielle Giffords. Southern Arizona doesn’t need an ALEC puppet as a representative.

Here’s a link to the rest of the story.
Arizona Unionists Rally Against Anti-Labor Bills, 1000 Strong