Kera Peterson: A distant Labor Day this year, but our solidarity endures 

September 3, 2020 by

Kera Peterson is president of the St. Paul Regional Labor Federation, AFL-CIO. Her “Labor Voices” column appeared in the September 2020 issue of The Saint Paul Union Advocate.

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Kera Peterson

For many of us, Labor Day weekend marks the final days of summer, one last chance to throw a backyard barbecue or head up to the cabin before the school year begins. For the St. Paul Regional Labor Federation, Labor Day has in recent years been an opportunity to bring hundreds of union members together for a parade through the State Fairgrounds. 

This year, of course, Labor Day looks a lot different. Get-togethers with loved ones are spaced six feet apart. And not only is our parade canceled, the whole State Fair has been called off. Despite the differences, Labor Day should always be about celebrating the contributions of America’s working people – especially the essential workers who have kept our country and our state going through the COVID-19 pandemic.  

The list of heroes working on the front lines during this public health crisis is long and filled with union members. Millions of America’s working people have stepped up, risking our lives and livelihoods, to continuously go to work since the onset of COVID-19. U.S. Postal Service employees are working in challenging, sometimes chaotic conditions to make sure our mail is safely delivered. Grocery store clerks are working overtime to ensure we have food to put on the table. Tradespeople are building and maintaining our infrastructure. Health care workers are adjusting to new protocols and care models to keep our communities well. Educators and public employees are working hard in conditions that continue to shift. Transit workers are getting essential workers to and from their jobs. 

COVID-19 has highlighted the vast social, economic and racial inequalities in this country, challenges we must face head on moving forward. But the pandemic is also shedding light on another crucial difference in economic and health security: the benefits of belonging in a union. According to the Economic Policy Institute, just 67% of nonunion private-sector workers had access to health care benefits in 2019, compared to 94% of union members. The union difference is real. Collective bargaining leads to benefits like paid leave, job security and wages high enough to sustain a family. 

On a more typical Labor Day, the Saint Paul RLF would bring together over 200 union members to march in the Minnesota State Fair’s parade. But not this year.

There’s never been a year where the union advantage – the power of having a voice on the job, a seat at the table – has been more clear. From National Nurses United winning victories in its fight for adequate personal protective equipment to the United Food and Commercial Workers demanding (and winning) stricter safety guidelines for grocery stores, solidarity has been fundamental in protecting America’s workers in this crisis. When working people come together, we make things better for everyone, especially in a crisis. 

But as we celebrate the working people who got us here and will keep us going, we also must take Labor Day to honor our brothers, sisters and friends who have fallen to COVID-19, especially those who became infected while on the job. No one should have to choose between risking their life or losing a paycheck. In our moments of great darkness, we must continue the fight for safe working conditions, hazard pay and paid sick leave.  

As union members, we must never take for granted the rights that empower us to bargain for safe workplaces, quality health insurance, family-sustaining wages and protections on the job. And in the face of this unprecedented pandemic, it’s important now more than ever to take this year’s holiday to uplift political candidates who share our values and fight to protect our rights.  

We’ve seen firsthand the devastation caused by political pundits who choose to put profits over people. That’s why this November, it’s crucial we get to the ballot box to elect labor-endorsed candidates for the Minnesota Legislature, for Congress and Joe Biden as the next president of the U.S.  

The labor movement has responded to COVID-19 with passion and dedication, fighting nonstop for workers’ protections. On Labor Day, we’ll pause to celebrate our essential workers and pay tribute to those we’ve lost, to cherish the rights won by union members before us and imagine what we can accomplish with an ally in the White House. And then we’ll get back to work. 

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With Red Cross blood drive, striking nurses continue to care for community

September 9, 2016 by
Striking United Hospital nurses Jennifer Mlodzik (L) and Linda Clute give blood at a union-sponsored blood drive near their picket line.

Striking United Hospital nurses Jennifer Mlodzik (L) and Linda Clute give blood at a union-sponsored blood drive near their picket line.

Jennifer Mlodzik of Cottage Grove was among the first in line for a blood drive today near the United Hospital picket line, but she probably won’t be the last striking nurse who offers a little gallows humor to the Red Cross technicians.

“Are you guys hiring?” Mlodzik asked the woman about to draw blood from her vein.

As their open-ended strike at five Twin Cities facilities extended into its fifth day, Allina nurses are finding creative ways to keep their spirits up – and to continue to care for their communities.

The blood drive, co-sponsored by the Minnesota Nurses Association and the St. Paul Regional Labor Federation, will run from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. inside the new St. Paul Labor Center, located a block from United Hospital at 353 W. 7th St. Organizers, including United nurse Kelsey Swenson, expect a full slate of donors.

“Doing things to give back to the community helps nurses feel like we’re still taking care of patients while we’re on strike,” said Swenson, who took the lead in arranging the blood drive. “Even though I’m not at the bedside hanging the blood, I’m helping to collect and donate blood on behalf of the nurses. We’re donating and giving back.”

Of course, nurses would rather be at the bedside, but Allina Health has shown it does not share nurses’ commitment to care – or to compromise at the bargaining table.

The provider is spending millions of dollars on wages, travel expenses and lodging for replacement nurses to break the union’s strike. It’s estimated Allina will spend $20 million each week the nurses are on strike, even though the two sides are only about $2 million apart in negotiations, after nurses agreed to steep concessions in their health insurance benefits.

“While nurses are out on strike we are still taking care of our community by donating blood,” United nurse Bunny Engeldorf, a member of MNA’s bargaining team, said. “We are committed to caring for people even when we can’t be at the bedside, where we prefer to be.”

Linda Clute, a post-surgical nurse at United, said the blood drive was a silver lining to an otherwise difficult situation for herself and her colleagues.

“This is a treat for me because bedside nurses don’t get time to give at the hospital blood drives,” Clute said. “We’re too busy.”

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Council vote gives St. Paul nation’s strongest earned sick time ordinance

September 7, 2016 by
St. Paul business owner Diane Brennan speaks in support of a citywide earned sick time policy at a press conference before a public hearing on the issue.

St. Paul business owner Diane Brennan speaks in support of a citywide earned sick time policy at a press conference before a public hearing on the issue.

Members of the St. Paul City Council today voted 7-0 to pass an ordinance hailed by working people, small business owners, clergy members and other advocates as the strongest earned sick and safe time law on the books nationwide.

Mayor Chris Coleman immediately indicated he would support the ordinance, making St. Paul the 35th U.S. location to pass sick-pay legislation, according to Family Values at Work.

“We are experiencing tremendous momentum as a city,” Coleman said in a statement. “We need to do everything we can to ensure even the most vulnerable among us are experiencing that same momentum. This ordinance brings us one step closer to doing so, and I support it for that reason.”

Set to take effect July 1, 2017, the ordinance will extend ESST benefits to an estimated 72,000 working people in St. Paul.

It requires all employers – regardless of size, unlike the ordinance passed in Minneapolis earlier this year – to provide one hour of sick time for every 30 hours an employee works, with sick-time earnings capped at 48 hours per year. Employees will begin accruing sick time after working 80 hours, and they become eligible to use the benefit after 90 calendar days of employment.

Supporters like Nuurto Mohamed, a janitor for 3M in St. Paul, said the new ordinance will give healthier choices to working families like hers.

“I am so excited that we won paid sick days for families like mine in St. Paul,” Mohamed said. “We work hard, and having more paid sick days will mean we no longer have to choose between our health and our paycheck when someone in our family is sick.”

The ordinance also gives employees the right to sue if they face retaliation for using their paid sick time. Michelle Parker, a member of Neighborhoods Organizing for Change who works at Papa John’s in St. Paul, welcomed the enforcement provision.

Pastor Bradley Schmeling explains his support for a citywide earned-sick-time ordinance during a press conference at St. Paul City Hall.

Pastor Bradley Schmeling explains his support for a citywide earned-sick-time ordinance during a press conference at St. Paul City Hall.

“When I have to call in sick, my employer cuts my hours for the next week,” she said. “My family needs this safeguard.”

The ordinance closely follows the recommendations of a task force established earlier this year by Mayor Coleman and council members to study the issue. It included labor, faith and community leaders, as well as representatives of the Chamber of Commerce and small business owners.

“The benefits to providing sick time outweigh the costs a hundred fold,” said Workhorse Coffee’s Shannon Forney, one of more than 50 business owners citywide to back the ordinance publicly. “If we, a scrappy small business not supported by capital investments, can do it, certainly other businesses can too.”

Supporters celebrated the council vote as the culmination of a yearlong campaign that included congregational meetings, forums, door-knocks, phone banks, strikes, rallies and meetings with elected officials.

“This vote is a big step toward improving the quality of life for all working people in Saint Paul,” said Bobby Kasper, president of the St. Paul Regional Labor Federation and a member of the ESST task force. “We’re grateful to the elected officials who showed courage on Earned Sick and Safe Time, and proud to be part of a coalition of community groups that, by working together, made history today.”

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Six for St. Paul City Council win Labor endorsement

November 2, 2015 by

The St. Paul Regional Labor Federation, AFL-CIO, with more than 100 affiliate unions representing 50,000 union members in the East Metro, has endorsed six candidates for St. Paul City Council on the Nov. 3 ballot. Read more about Ward 2 candidate Darren Tobolt here, and read profiles of the Labor-endorsed candidates for St. Paul school board here. To view a full list of the RLF’s endorsed candidates in 2015, click here.

Saint Paul Union AdvocateWard 1: Dai Thao

• Union background: Former union member, when he was on staff at MEA, now Education Minnesota.

• Toughest job he’s ever worked: Huckleberry picking in Western Montana and Idaho. “You work before sunrise past sunset,” Thao said. “Each berry has to be hand-picked in rugged terrain. You’re exposed to harsh elements and wild animals – grizzly bears, cougars – and your meal is a fist-sized bag of rice with jerk. I learned to put things into perspective and to work hard.”

• On what it means to be labor endorsed: “Labor endorsement means that I have a partner in creating a more equitable St. Paul. I have people I can rely on to implement progressive policies that benefit working families.”

Ward 2: Darren Tobolt

• Union background: Former member, Local 110 of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers in St. Paul.

• Toughest job he’s ever worked: Army Basic Training, prior to service in the National Guard. “It was pretty tough, giving up autonomy at 18 years old,” Tobolt said. “The biggest lesson that I learned was that life is like weather – you don’t control it, you can only control how you react to it.”

• On what it means to be labor endorsed: “Growing up in a union household, I have always valued the labor movement. I am honored to have earned the trust of my brothers and sisters in organized labor. As a council member I will make sure that public employees are respected and that all the money the city spends reflects our community values about working conditions and fair wages.”

Ward 3: Chris Tolbert

• Union background: Member of AFSCME Local 2938.

• Toughest job he’s ever worked: Cook at Kentucky Fried Chicken. “I learned that I wanted a different job,” Tolbert said. “It was tough because I was in high school and the working conditions were horrible, but when it’s just you versus a boss, you don’t have much power to stand up for yourself. It would have been nice to have had some union support.”

• On what it means to be labor endorsed: “It was an honor to earn the endorsement of my sisters and brothers in labor when I first ran for office in 2011; it’s humbling to have their endorsement as I run for re-election, because it means I’ve stuck to my values while in office and continue to have their trust and confidence.”

Ward 4: Russ Stark

• Union background: “I haven’t had the pleasure,” Stark said. “My mom is a retired AFSCME member.”

• Toughest job he’s ever worked: “City Council member is both the toughest and best job I’ve ever worked. I’ve learned that every little thing you do in your job and in life counts and will be remembered by someone. I’ve learned that change is hard and balancing the desires of constituents with your own idea of what’s right is very similar to the balancing act we all do in our families and workplaces.”

• On what it means to be labor endorsed: “I’m proud to be supported by the working people of St. Paul who have taught my kids in school, cared for family members in the hospital, fixed my streets and sewers, pick up my recycling, and built some of the great new venues in our great city. It means that they’ve noticed when I have stood up for their best interests and for what’s right for our city. Every policy and budget decision we make in City Hall effects not just the residents and businesses in our community but also the lives and families of the people who do all of the work to make it all possible.”

Ward 6: Dan Bostrom

• Union background: Former member of the St. Paul Police Federation and the Minnesota Association of Professional Employees (MAPE).

• Toughest job he’s ever worked: Police officer in St. Paul. “While I laid brick for a short while as a young man – one of the main reasons I still admire the craft and push for brick buildings today – the toughest job I’ve ever worked was as a St. Paul police officer,” Bostrom said. “In order to be assured of going home at the end of each shift, I had to completely trust and rely on my brothers and sisters in blue. I knew they had my back and I always had theirs.”

• On what it means to be labor endorsed: “I have been honored to have a group of advisors from a variety of unions over the years, and I am proud to call them my personal friends. They have given me advice, insights and perspective that has been invaluable as the Council has made decisions on contracts, projects and more.”

Ward 7: Jane Prince

• Union background: Former member of the Professional Employees Association.

• Toughest job she’s ever worked: Frozen-food factory. “The work was physically demanding, being on my feet all day, working in a cold environment and not being able to take restroom breaks without asking permission and getting replaced on the assembly line,” Prince said. “Despite how uncomfortable and repetitious the job was, my coworkers were friendly, cheerful and proud of their work.

“These workers came to work each day wearing their 10-, 20- and 30-year pins. I learned that respect and recognition by employers pay dividends of worker loyalty and commitment.”

• On what it means to be labor endorsed: “Good union jobs at Whirlpool, 3M and the Hamm’s Brewery were responsible for building a strong middle class on the East Side; losing those employers hit the East Side hard. I will work with organized labor to bring good jobs back. At City Hall I will work with public employees to deliver high-quality city services, hold the line on taxes and make St. Paul a great place to live and work.”

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Four for Change: Meet the Labor-endorsed St. Paul school board candidates

November 2, 2015 by

 

Maddy Lee, a senior at Harding High School in St. Paul, asks candidates for school board a question about the district’s discipline policies during a forum at the East Side Freedom Library. St.  Paul Federation of Teachers Local 28 sponsored the event, attended by all four labor-endorsed candidates for the board: (L to R) Jon Schumacher, Mary Vanderwert, Steve Marchese and Zuki Ellis.

Maddy Lee, a senior at Harding High School in St. Paul, asks candidates for school board a question about the district’s discipline policies during a forum at the East Side Freedom Library. St.  Paul Federation of Teachers Local 28 sponsored the event, attended by all four labor-endorsed candidates for the board: (L to R) Jon Schumacher, Mary Vanderwert, Steve Marchese and Zuki Ellis.

 

Four candidates for four open seats on the St. Paul school board have been endorsed by the St. Paul Federation of Teachers and the St. Paul Regional Labor Federation, AFL-CIO. Here are brief profiles of the candidates that appeared in The Union Advocate’s Election Guide in advance of the Nov. 3 election.

11209340_865531016818197_9128463057204661149_nZuki Ellis

• Union background: Former member, Bakery Workers Local 22. Her husband is a Minnesota Association of Professional Employees (MAPE) trustee.

• Best teacher she’s ever had: Ms. Betty Richardson, high-school English. “She wouldn’t let me get away with doing anything halfway, she challenged me and she introduced me to authors that I had never heard of,” Ellis said. “We had great conversations about books, and she made me feel like I was the smartest person in the room. I adored her and appreciated that nudge that she gave me to work hard.”

• On what it means to be labor endorsed: “It says to me that the vision of success, growth and empowerment that I have for all students of the St. Paul schools is supported by the men and women of this city who would like to see their children reach those same goals. Labor continues to be the backbone of our country, and it is wonderful knowing that the message I conveyed during this campaign is resonating with those who are connected and not connected with unions.”

marchese_headshotSteve Marchese

• Union background: Former AFSCME member while living in New York.

• Best teacher he’s ever had: Judy Alcaly, sixth grade. “She was originally from England and brought a whole different approach to how she taught,” Marchese said. “She gave me the opportunity to learn more about the world and a chance to do creative projects, like plan a lesson or do a radio broadcast of world events. She was creative, thoughtful and sophisticated in her approach.”

• On what it means to be labor endorsed: “As the son of a long-time Teamsters truck driver, I am very proud to have labor support. I know what unions have done for my family, enabling my father to make a living wage to provide for us.

“People coming together to work for a common goal is what has motivated my campaign for school board. This is the work unions do every day. We need to think about the community and how we support the workers who both work in our schools and send their children to our schools.”

16830_789029934466708_1610625907302473931_nJon Schumacher

• Union background: Member, SAG/AFTRA – Twin Cities Local, 30 years

• Best teacher he’s ever had: Ms. DeSart, junior-high French. “She brought joy, energy and clarity while challenging us to think and travel outside of our own cultures,” Schumacher said.

• On what it means to be labor endorsed: “Community is the core of everything we do. Building community around our public schools is critical to their success. Unions represent the best of community. They guarantee living-wage jobs and working conditions that give their members and families stability. That allows them to contribute to our communities with their time, talent and financial support.

“Receiving labor endorsements means that I can continue to build relationships with these strong and engaged community members to find ways to make our schools pathways to success for all our kids.”

10873436_1596440330590150_2869741665802944207_oMary Vanderwert

• Union background: Former member, AFSCME and MAPE.

• Best teacher she’s ever had: Bill Albrecht, third and fourth grades. “Because it was a very small school in a very small rural community, we could do frequent field trips to explore in nature,” Vanderwert said. “We seined for fish, hunted for arrow heads, had sledding outings and played soccer before school in the back yard. He showed me that learning was exciting, that nature was so very interesting and that we need to combine fun and music with whatever we do to keep our energy up. We learned the academic basics we needed but so much more about life and the world.”

• On what it means to be labor endorsed: “Unions have made our country productive, innovative, just and safe. In this time of anti-union rhetoric, we need to remember that our workers are the backbone of our economy and most of them parents of the children in our schools. They must be treated with respect and their work valued with fair wages. I have been impressed with the willingness of our unions to work not only in our schools but with our schools to provide opportunities for students to explore careers in the Trades. I hope we can work together to help our students with interest to be able to gain the skills they need to move into the higher education or other training they need to be active workers and members of the unions that will move our community forward.”

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Unions break ground on new Labor Center in St. Paul

July 8, 2015 by
DSC_0092 (640x435)

Representatives of the new labor center’s ownership group throw dirt during a ceremonial groundbreaking at the site. Pictured L to R: Tom McCarthy, Plumbers Local 34; David Roth, Viking Construction; Bobby Kasper, St. Paul RLF; Scott Thompson, IUPAT 82; Jamie McNamara, IBEW 110; Brian Beedle, Carpenters; and Don Mullin, St. Paul Building Trades.

Labor and civic leaders today broke ground on a new hub of operations for St. Paul’s unions. The ceremony took place a week after Catholic Charities assumed ownership of the old St. Paul Labor Centre, better known as “411 Main.”

The new labor center will stand at 345 West 7th Street, about one block south of United Hospital in downtown St. Paul. An ownership group that includes the St. Paul Regional Labor Federation, the St. Paul Building and Construction Trades Council and several local unions purchased the property last month.

The groundbreaking kicks off construction on the property. Plans include a two-story office complex with 16,200 square feet of floor space, as well as 80 surface parking spaces.

A sketch of the proposed new labor center at 345 W. 7th St. in St. Paul.

A sketch of the proposed new labor center at 345 W. 7th St. in St. Paul.

St. Paul-based Viking Construction will oversee the project, and all work done on the site will be union.

The project’s timeline and budget remain in the works, Viking President David Roth said. “Hopefully, we can have a Christmas party here,” he said.

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The old St. Paul Labor Centre at 411 Main St., shown during the final phases of construction in 1976. (file photo)

Click here to view a gallery of photos from the ceremony.

The sale means the end of the line for the old Labor Centre nearly 40 years after first opening its doors. Catholic Charities plans to demolish the building and expand its campus, which includes the Dorothy Day homeless shelter across the street.

Built in 1976 at a projected construction cost of $700,000 to $800,000, 411 Main replaced the St. Paul Labor Temple, which stood for 50-plus years at 418 Auditorium St. – a street that no longer exists – near Landmark Center. The St. Paul Companies (now Travelers) paid $125,000 to purchase the property from an ownership group led by the St. Paul Trades and Labor Assembly, the St. Paul RLF’s predecessor.

Several local unions, labor organizations, labor-endorsed political candidates and businesses housed their offices at 411 Main over the years, and the Labor Centre’s meeting hall hosted union meetings, rallies, parties and volunteer events.

The Labor Centre would buzz with activity in the months running up to an election, in particular, as campaigns operated their phone banks, door-knocks and other get-out-the-vote efforts out of the building.

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Victory in Los Angeles buoys hopes of local 15 Now supporters

May 29, 2015 by
Paul Ahrens, a business representative for IATSE Local 44 in Southern California, offers details on the 15 Now victory in Los Angeles during a forum on the movement in St. Paul.

Paul Ahrens, a business representative for the Stagehands union in California, offers details on the 15 Now victory in Los Angeles during a forum in St. Paul.

 

Workers taking collective action and communities organizing for political change form the groundwork of 15 Now, panelists said Wednesday during a forum on the nationwide movement to raise wages.

The discussion was the second in a new series of monthly educational events hosted by the East Side Freedom Library in St. Paul, co-sponsored by the St. Paul Regional Labor Federation’s Community Connections Committee.

Panelists included low-wage workers, union organizers and local activists in the 15 Now campaign, which advocates for $15 minimum-wage laws at the local level.

The East Side Freedom Library hosts a forum on 15 Now.

The East Side Freedom Library hosts a forum on 15 Now.

Already, 15 Now has achieved victories in Seattle, San Francisco, Chicago and, most recently, Los Angeles. Organizers are pushing a similar measure in Minneapolis, and if they succeed, St. Paul likely would be next.

Several unions are backing the 15 Now campaign, both in rhetoric and with resources – even though most union members already earn more than $15 per hour. Why?

“It’s the right thing to do,” Machinists union representative Rick Ryan said.

Paul Ahrens, a business representative for IATSE Local 44 in Southern California, said organized labor in Los Angeles “really came together around (the $15 minimum wage) in a big way.” The wage increase stands to benefit an estimated 800,000 workers in the city.

But political organizing alone isn’t enough to win a $15 minimum wage, panelists agreed.

Ahrens credited the heavy lifting in Los Angeles to “feeder movements” like OUR Walmart, fast food workers’ Fight for $15 and other groups organizing low-wage workers.

15 Now panelists include Cantare Davunt of OUR Walmart, Rick Ryan of the Machinists union (center) and Kip Hedges.

15 Now panelists include Cantare Davunt of OUR Walmart, Rick Ryan of the Machinists union (center) and Kip Hedges.

Such groups are alive and thriving in the Twin Cities too, former Walmart worker Cantaré Davunt said. Davunt was fired last winter, she believes, as a result of her support for OUR Walmart, a nationwide campaign to improve wages and working conditions at the retail chain.

“Without taking political or organizing action, we end up having to beg or hope they’ll give us decent pay,” Davunt said. “Meanwhile, too many workers can’t afford to take those risks to make our lives better.”

Low-wage workers at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport have taken collective action to make gains at work, winning paid sick days and, potentially, a $10 minimum wage by August. So, too, have janitors at big-box retailers across the Twin Cities, organizing with the local worker center CTUL.

The challenge for 15 Now, local activist Kip Hedges said, is building a coalition around these organizations, bolstering it with support from the labor movement and the progressive community, and turning that collective strength into political change.

“The ghost of 15 is kind of dancing around all these things,” said Hedges, a former Delta baggage handler who was fired for publicly supporting 15 Now. “It will push forward the effort to get $15 in Minneapolis and St. Paul.”

The next Community Connections forum at the East Side Freedom Library, scheduled for June 24, is on the topic “Common Sense Economics.” To learn more about the series, or about the St. Paul RLF’s Community Connections Committee, contact Vicki Beebe at vbeebe@stpaulunions.org or 651-222-3787, extension 20.

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Five running for St. Paul City Council gain labor endorsement

January 20, 2015 by

FederationLogoCOLOR-WEBFive candidates for St. Paul City Council, including one in the contested Ward 2 race, will take labor endorsements from the East Metro’s largest union federation into precinct caucuses Feb. 3.

Delegates to the St. Paul Regional Labor Federation, AFL-CIO, voted Jan. 14 to endorse Darren Tobolt in Ward 2, where Council Member Dave Thune is not seeking another term.

Tobolt lives in the West 7th neighborhood, works as an aide to Ramsey County Commissioner Victoria Reinhardt and is a former chair of the St. Paul DFL.

“I grew up in a union household, and I look forward to being a champion for working families on the council,” Tobolt said. “I will not only respect public workers and the service they provide, but I will make sure that all of my work supports our community’s values of respect for workers and their families.”

The St. Paul RLF also endorsed four incumbents seeking re-election in 2015: Dai Thao in Ward 1, Chris Tolbert in Ward 3, Russ Stark in Ward 4 and Dan Bostrom in Ward 6.

“St. Paul’s union workers are fortunate to be represented by council members who share our values, welcome our feedback and treat us as partners in building a livable, just and prosperous community,” St. Paul RLF President Bobby Kasper said. “These council members have earned labor endorsement, and they can count on our support.”

DFL precinct caucuses are open to anyone 16 or older, although only those who will be 18 or older by the Nov. 3 election can vote or run to be a delegate. Click here to learn how and where to caucus Feb. 3.

Kasper said the RLF’s endorsement process would continue in advance of elections for St. Paul City Council and St. Paul Board of Education this year.

Candidates seeking labor endorsement screen before the St. Paul Labor Assembly, a grassroots organization open to rank-and-file members of unions affiliated with the St. Paul RLF who live or work in Ramsey County. The assembly then makes recommendations for endorsement to the St. Paul RLF.

The St. Paul Labor Assembly will screen St. Paul school board candidates Feb. 2, and the RLF may consider recommendations for endorsement at its February or March delegate meetings. For more information, call 651-222-3787.

More than 100 affiliate unions make up the St. Paul RLF, representing more than 50,000 union members who live or work in Ramsey, Washington, Dakota and Chisago counties.

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Union Advocate newspaper, website win awards

October 22, 2014 by

ilca-logoThe St. Paul Union Advocate, official publication of the St. Paul Regional Labor Federation, AFL-CIO, won two honors for General Excellence and one for Best Analysis in the International Labor Communications Association’s 2014 awards contest.

ILCA awards recognize the best in labor communications and promote high standards in labor journalism. Judges recognized The Advocate in the following categories:

  • First Place, General Excellence – State and Central Body Publications.
  • Second Place, Best Analysis, for “Shutdown left federal workers caught in political crossfire,” published in the November 2013 edition.
  • First Place, General Excellence – Blog, for The Union Advocate’s website, advocate.stpaulunions.org. It marks the first time The Advocate has received an award for its online content.

Labor media outlets from Minnesota fared well in the 2014 ILCA awards. Workday Minnesota, a statewide labor news website operated by the University of Minnesota’s Labor Education Service won eight awards, and the Minneapolis Labor Review, the official publication of the Minneapolis Regional Labor Federation, won six awards.

View a full list of award winners on the ILCA website.

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MLK vigil brings prayers for deportations to stop

April 30, 2014 by
Park Methodist Church in Minneapolis hosted a vigil on the anniversary of MLK’s assassination.

Park Methodist Church in Minneapolis hosted a vigil on the anniversary of MLK’s assassination.

The 40th anniversary of iconic civil rights leader Martin Luther King’s assassination April 4 was marked with vigils locally and across the country in support of the most pressing civil rights issue of today, immigration reform.

The MLK vigils and the “Two Million Too Many National Day of Action” a day later drew support from unions. The nation’s largest labor federation, the AFL-CIO, co-sponsored the day of action to stop deportations with the National Day Laborers Organizing Network and other community organizations.

Locally, immigrant-rights activists, including representatives of the St. Paul Regional Labor Federation, gathered at Park Methodist Church in Minneapolis April 4.

Church member Steve Belton, who was 16 at the time of the assassination, recalled that King was in Memphis, supporting sanitation workers who were on strike.

“For him, it was a matter of justice,” Belton said. “If Dr. King were alive today, I believe he might be somewhere like this vigil tonight … because immigration reform is also a question of justice.

“It’s a question of justice for thousands of immigrant workers and their families that look to this country for freedom, economic opportunity and political asylum. They too want to pursue the American dream.”

An estimated 11 immigrants live in constant fear of being deported by the U.S. government, which has carried out nearly 2 million deportations since President Obama took office in 2009, according to a New York Times analysis.

Eder Alarcon is waiting to find out if his name will be added to that list. An undocumented immigrant, Alarcon came to Minnesota in 2006, settling with his mother’s family in Minneapolis and taking on several jobs – kitchen work, construction, factory work, lawn care.

“I didn’t know much about laws; I was looking for work,” Alarcon said.

Fighting back tears at the vigil, Alarcon recounted his experience of being arrested after a police officer pulled up behind him at a gas station and asked for his driver’s license. As a result of the arrest, Alarcon said, immigration agents “are in the process of deciding whether I’m going to stay or go.”

“I don’t know that there are enough words to express what Latinos have suffered,” Alarcon said when asked what he would say to President Obama if given the chance. “You’re always kind of afraid of any interaction with police … or something that could get you deported. But you have to go on living somehow.”

AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka said the U.S. is in the midst of a “deportation crisis” incompatible with American values.

In a statement supporting the Not 1 More Campaign to stop deportations, Trumka urged the Republican-controlled U.S. House to pass an immigration-reform bill passed last fall by the Senate. The bill would provide a pathway to citizenship for undocumented workers like Alarcon.

House Republicans’ “obstruction of comprehensive immigration reform must end,” Trumka said. “Enough is enough – we need the passage of immigration reform that leads to citizenship and an end to a deportation machine that criminalizes hardworking immigrants while deporting hundreds and hundreds of people a day without even an appearance before a judge.”

“The time is now for Congress to pass comprehensive immigration reform that provides a pathway to citizenship for 11 million undocumented workers living here and contributing to our society,” St. Paul Regional Labor Federation President Bobby Kasper added.

At the Minneapolis vigil, Rev. John Gutterman, a pastor in the United Church of Christ, pointed to several of the Bible’s teachings that encourage Christians to welcome immigrants, not deport them. Jesus, Joseph and Mary “had to flee from the political oppression of Herrod to go to Egypt, where they were welcomed and taken care of,” Gutterman said.

“Our system is broken, and deporting workers, tearing apart families and abusing people to try to make it work doesn’t help,” he added. “This – immigration reform – is the civil rights issue of our time.”

hurch member Steve Belton welcomes immigrant-rights activists, calling the issue “a matter of justice.”

hurch member Steve Belton welcomes immigrant-rights activists, calling the issue “a matter of justice.”

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