AFL-CIO Daily Briefs: Shuler; We Are Union; Met Strike; LiUNA; Western Penn and Union Veterans Council

Message from President Liz Shuler

• In the labor movement, we understand that democracy and strong unions go hand in hand. You can't have one without the other.
• We've made so much progress over the last two years, and now it's time to build on that momentum to transform our economy and protect our freedoms. Our work is just getting started to safeguard democracy and create an economy that works for all, not just the wealthy few.
• Now more than ever, it's up to us to fight for our rights, both on the job and at the ballot box. That's why we've got to turn out the labor vote in the next few weeks. It won't happen unless we make it happen.

Watch: We Are America's Unions

All across the country, workers in every industry are rising up to demand better. We know that when workers stand together, there's nothing we can't accomplish. But we need to keep fighting as one labor movement, because progress is within our grasp and our vision is on the horizon.

We Are America's Union s

NLRB Revises Damages Calculations in Warrior Met Strike

For nearly a year and a half, hundreds of members of the Mine Workers (UMWA) in Alabama have been on strike against Warrior Met Coal in their fight for a fair contract. But in July, the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) ordered the UMWA to pay an "outrageous" $13.3 million in restitution to the coal company for alleged financial damages caused by the workers' strike. The union fought back against this assessment, saying that if it were allowed to stand, it would negate the right to strike. The NLRB revised its figure this week to a fraction of what was assessed in July.

"This recalculation, which comes to about $435,000 plus interest, conforms to the number we had been told we would be charged," said UMWA President Cecil Roberts (not pictured). "We are ready to pay that amount, put this behind us and negotiate a fair and reasonable contract with Warrior Met Coal that will settle this strike. Let's get this done."

LIUNA Welcomes Approval of Solar Energy Project in Minnesota

The Minnesota Public Utilities Commission gave its stamp of approval for utility company Xcel Energy's plan to build a 460-megawatt solar power plant with union labor. Xcel predicts that the entire project will put 900 union members to work during construction, and that the Inflation Reduction Act will reduce the cost for ratepayers by approximately 30%.

Kevin Pranis (not pictured), marketing manager for Laborers (LIUNA) Minnesota and North Dakota, commended the PUC for approving the project. "It's critically important…that we preserve increasingly valuable interconnection rights that we think will only grow in importance and value over the decades to come as we try to build more renewable energy to replace fossil fuels," he explained.

Western Pennsylvania's Union Members Campaign for the Labor Vote

On Saturday, union members from all sectors and many unions hit the streets and the phones for pro-worker candidates in Western Pennsylvania. More than 100 union members from the Allegheny/Fayette Central Labor Council across three shifts talked to thousands of their fellow union members about the issues that matter to us and which candidates are best positioned to fight for working people.

UVC Appalled at Extremists Flooding Veterans Suicide Helpline with
Spam Calls

In response to verified reports that members of an extremist group used veteran suicide as a political stunt, the Union Veterans Council, AFL-CIO (UVC) released this statement on Tuesday:

"Yesterday, anti-American extremist members of the 1776 Restoration Movement organized a call-in action to clog the VA Suicide Crisis line in an attempt at an appalling political stunt. Over 20 veterans and service members a day die by suicide, and the crisis line is a vital and life-saving resource for many. UVC strongly condemns these unconscionable political stunts put on by the 1776 movement. We stand with vets in crisis, who can call 988 or text 838225 for support.

"We would also like to highlight today's VA announcement that veterans suicide is decreasing, which makes this stunt even more egregious."

Public link

Please use the above public link if you want to share this noodl on another website.