Merrimack Valley Central Labor Council

 

Congratulations To Our Newly Elected Endorsed Candidates and Union Members!

This election season saw a surge of union member and pro-working family candidates for municipal office.

We Mourn Today for Fallen Worcester Firefighter, Lt. Jason Menard

The entire Massachusetts AFL-CIO community mourns the loss of Worcester Firefighter, Lieutenant Jason Menard, who died heroically in the line of duty last night, saving residents trapped in a three

Recent News

How a Gig Worker Revolt Begins

Until last week, Li Zilles was one of the many nameless and faceless contractors toiling in the bowels of the internet, providing online services that might have been mistaken for the work of artificial intelligence.

The job: to transcribe audio files for the start-up Rev.com, churning out texts without clients ever knowing the name of the transcriber.

This was a lonely existence, and not an easy one. The pay, even though the work was full-time, was little enough that food stamps became necessary.

Workers Deserve a Say in Automation

When the global economy shifted in the late 19th century, working people were the first to adapt. They moved to cities like Cincinnati, Cleveland, and Toledo, Ohio, and worked long hours in unsafe factories. They drove the Industrial Revolution and changed the nature of work forever. When it became clear that employers were exploiting their productivity, the labor movement formed to protest abuses like sweatshops, child labor, and poverty wages.

How Workers Are Fighting Back Against Big Tech

On September 13 more than a hundred activists participated in a bicoastal protest at Palantir’s two headquarters, in New York City and in Palo Alto, California. The intent of the protest was to bring awareness to the tech company’s involvement with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), which Palantir provides with data-mining software that’s been used to screen undocumented immigrants and plan raids.

Workers Deserve a Say in Automation

When the global economy shifted in the late 19th century, working people were the first to adapt. They moved to cities like Cincinnati, Cleveland, and Toledo, Ohio, and worked long hours in unsafe factories. They drove the Industrial Revolution and changed the nature of work forever.

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We Need a Better NAFTA

The new NAFTA is another corporate handout. It won't stem the outsourcing of good jobs or protect the rights of working people. Tell Congress the new NAFTA isn't good enough.

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Prevent Workplace Violence

Recently introduced legislation would provide needed protections for health care and social services workers from violence on the job. Tell Congress to support an OSHA workplace violence standard.

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Stop Wage Theft in Massachusetts

In today's economy, where employers increasingly subcontract or outsource core parts of their business to other companies, wage theft has overwhelmed the capacity of our existing labor laws and enforcement mechanisms.Urge your Senator and Representative co-sponsor vital wage theft legislation. 

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AFL-CIO Blog Feed

Mortgages for Union Families

Union Plus Mortgage Company is owned by the AFL-CIO Union Privilege and a group of unions.

Read the Report

Death on the Job: The Toll of Neglect, 2019

PowerTools

A resource for union members and organizers.

Defend and Resist

A toolkit for organizers and advocates on workplace raids and audits.