Work and Family
Although the “traditional” family—a father who works outside the home and financially supports the children and a mother whose work is keeping the house and raising the children—has been disappearing for more than a generation, our workplaces and government policies have not kept pace with America’s new reality.
Most children are growing up in homes with both parents working or with single parents. One-third of workers don’t have access to paid sick leave, and only 42 percent have paid personal leave. What’s the impact on public health when working people can’t afford to take sick days during a flu epidemic? Who takes care of a sick child? Who’s home to fix dinner and help with homework? Who can dedicate time to a sick elderly parent?
The recession and jobless recovery have complicated life further for working families, when having to leave work for a family emergency could lead to long-term unemployment.
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Actors’ Equity Association has announced a new Open Access membership policy, allowing any theatre worker who can demonstrate they have worked professionally as an actor or stage manager within Equity’s geographical jurisdiction to join the union.
On Monday, July 19, the IBEW hosted a webinar with nearly 700 IBEW officers, local union business managers, staff, and rank-and-file members to hear from U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm about the Biden Administration's push for a bipartisan infrastructure bill.
Amazon founder and billionaire Jeff Bezos has sparked a flurry of criticism this week after thanking his workers for paying for his flight into space. RWDSU President Stuart Applebaum said the comments by Bezos were obscene.
The workers of Volunteers of Legal Service (VOLS) announced this week the formation of the VOLS Union, which will be a chapter of the Association of Legal Aid Attorneys (“ALAA”) – UAW Local 2325, and have called on management to immediately recognize them.
Last week, approximately 30 member and staff organizers from the Minneapolis CLC, Western CT AFL-CIO, NYSUT-AFT, Northside TX - AFT, APWU, CWA, IATSE, OPEIU, SEIU MN, TWU, UMWA, USW, & UWUA joined together from across the country to share experiences, and learn and reinforce best practices on
Workers’ rights are under attack.
Our outdated labor laws have been chipped away and weakened by anti-worker legislators. Every day, we hear about corporations openly union-busting and retaliating against working people without consequence.
2020’s growth in pay inequity between workers and CEOs confirms the “executive base salary reductions” touted during the COVID-19 crisis were just lip service, per this year’s AFL-CIO Executive Paywatch report.
Starting this week, nearly all working families in America are receiving their first monthly payment from the expanded Child Tax Credit—up to $300 per child. It is a huge step towards cutting childhood poverty in half and will bring relief to parents and caregivers across the country.
Workers at the Hispanic Society, which runs a museum and library in upper Manhattan dedicated to the arts and literature of Spain and Latin America, this week voted to join UAW Local 2110.