The voice of Saint Paul's working families since 1897
Striking fast-food workers rallied with supporters outside a St. Paul McDonald’s this morning, demanding $15 per hour and respect on the job. “We need something to live on,” said 27-year-old Tay Polite, on strike from her job at McDonald’s in the city’s Midway district. “Even with a job we’re still struggling to support our families. […]
This Labor Day is more important than ever for working families across this country. Union members can take back their freedom by getting out there and taking action. We must get out there and organize our union membership. We need to have a strong commitment to internally organizing our union membership. We must talk to […]
Thousands of Allina nurses and their supporters are spending Labor Day on the picket line, as members of the Minnesota Nurses Association today began an open-ended strike at five Twin Cities facilities. For the second time this summer, union nurses at United, Abbott Northwestern, Mercy and Unity hospitals and Phillips Eye Institute walked off the […]
Income inequality is on the rise in Minnesota, and disparities between white workers and workers of color continue to widen. Unions are key to reversing both of those trends, according to a new report unveiled just in time for Labor Day. Co-authored by four researchers, “The State of the Unions 2016” takes a deep […]
Join a “thoughtful discussion on solidarity” Sept. 12 at the East Side Freedom Library in St. Paul. The forum, timed to coincide loosely with Labor Day, is free and open to the public from 7 to 9 p.m. at 1105 Greenbrier St. Library co-director Peter Rachleff will offer a brief history of the concept of […]
Make sure your visit to the Minnesota State Fair this year includes a stop at the Minnesota AFL-CIO Labor Pavilion, where programming includes live music and entertainment, interactive demonstrations and opportunities to learn about what unions do. The State Fair runs Aug. 27 through Labor Day, Sept. 7. The Labor Pavilion, located at Dan […]
We are at another crossroad. The Minnesota labor movement holds its destiny in its own hands. In 2012 we ran one of the most successful political programs in the country. We took back the Minnesota House and Senate. We took back seats that our own polling said it was highly unlikely we would win. As […]
Labor Day marks more than just the end of summer. It’s a celebration of American workers and the contributions they make to the strength, prosperity and economic well-being of our country. This Labor Day, the continued need for sustainable, living wage jobs is first and foremost on my mind. As a state legislator, the decisions […]
The East Side Freedom Library will host “The History of Labor Day,” a free, public event to explore how Labor Day became a holiday, from 7 to 9 p.m. Aug. 28. The event will feature readings from historic labor speeches, music and solidarity. The East Side Freedom Library is a new, independent library focused on […]
Monday, Sept. 1, will mark the 120th celebration of Labor Day as a legal, national holiday. The holiday had a turbulent, complicated beginning. Understanding more about this can help us rethink the significance of this holiday today. American labor in 1894 was a volatile force. The industrial revolution had radically transformed work, replacing skilled labor […]
