February 2009

On January 20th, we witnessed Barack Obama become our 44th President, saddled with challenges that exceed anything this country has seen in decades. Yet, the excitement and hope that surrounded his inauguration make us confident that President Obama will return our country to the greatness we expect by creating an economy that works for all of us.

During tough economic times, it’s more important than ever for workers to have the freedom to unite for better wages, health care and retirement security.

The New Year promises little for many California families.  An economy spiraling downwards has left pay cuts, foreclosures and layoffs in its trail, while charitable aid has diminished and State programs are losing funding.  But one program, which uses a combination of Federal dollars and volunteer labor, aims to make a real difference in the lives of struggling families.

For their courageous stand for the future San Diego workforce, San Diego Unified School Board Members Shelia Jackson, Richard Barrera and John Lee Evans have been named the Labor Council’s February Legislative Heroes of the Month.

A new report by the Center for Economic and Policy Research (CEPR) documents a large wage and benefit advantage for women workers in unions relative to their non-union counterparts.

Thanks to the efforts of about 100 union volunteers, our annual Holiday Food and Toy Distribution was a huge success!