Construction workers welcome large state bonding bill
Minnesota construction workers – among the hardest hit nationally by the great recession – are encouraged by lawmakers’ plans to adopt a major infrastructure bonding bill.
Policy
Minnesota Fair Trade Coalition hires new director
The Minnesota Fair Trade Coalition announced the appointment of Jessica Lettween, who has a background in the labor movement and Latin American studies, as its new state director.
Organizing
First Machinists Union election at Delta Air Lines underway
The National Mediation Board has mailed telephone and Internet voting instructions to nearly 100 Delta Air Lines and Northwest Airlines flight simulator technicians, opening a three week voting period in the first Machinists Union election since Delta acquired Northwest.
Minnesotans rally to restore safety net health care program
Hundreds of people rallied at the Capitol on the opening day of the 2010 legislative session Thursday to encourage legislators and Governor Pawlenty to find a way to extend the General Assistance Medical Care program, which was unilaterally eliminated by the governor last May.
Government
Opening day rally to protest home foreclosures, health care cuts
Minnesotans will gather at the state Capitol Thursday – the opening day of the 2010 legislative session – to demand a moratorium on home foreclosures and full funding of General Assistance Medical Care, among other issues.
Teachers launch ad campaign to make education a priority
Education Minnesota, the state’s largest educators’ union, will begin a 10-week television ad campaign on Super Bowl Sunday, encouraging Minnesotans to support continued education funding during the legislative session that starts Thursday.
Policy
Minnesota AFL-CIO calls for bold action to create jobs
Responding to the dramatic need to get Minnesotans back to work, the Minnesota AFL-CIO called on state lawmakers to enact a series of bold proposals to create jobs and stimulate economic growth.
Policy
Election year gets underway at Tuesday’s precinct caucuses
Tuesday, Feb. 2, at 7 p.m., Minnesotans of all political stripes will gather in school gyms, churches and community centers in towns large and small for one of the nation’s grandest exercises in grassroots democracy: the Minnesota precinct caucuses.
Minnesota Nurses Association member heads to Haiti
Among the members of the Minnesota Nurses Association going to Haiti to help earthquake victims is Duluth nurse Julie Pearce, who leaves behind a television career to board a plane this week on a one-way ticket.
Twin Cities janitors vote to authorize strike
Janitors who clean the majority of commercial buildings in the metro area have authorized their union bargaining committee to call a strike if a fair contract is not reached with Twin Cities cleaning companies.