Iowa Federation of Labor, AFL-CIO

08/18/2022 | News release | Distributed by Public on 08/18/2022 08:36

Marching Forward: An exclusive interview with AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler

WASHINGTON -For Liz Shuler, the last year has been a whirlwind.

Since she unexpectedly succeeded the late Richard Trumka a year ago, and especially since the AFL-CIO Convention in Philadelphia, new federation President Shuler's raced around the country, addressing 10 union conventions and a new special Smart-TD Union leadership conference in San Francisco just in the last 2-1/2 weeks alone.

She's held picket-line discussions with workers forced to strike. In Minnesota, youthful organizers loaded her with suggestions on new organizing methods, targets and priorities.

And on August 3, she addressed a special conference of labor, business and government officials in Big Sky, Mont., with a double message.

She reminded them workers are fed up with corporate exploitation and have seized the chance of the coronavirus-induced labor shortage to switch jobs, and/or join unions in droves. She noted unions now have enormously positive approval ratings as the country worries about enormous income inequality, its impact, and how to reduce the gap.

What workers really want is a seat at the table about decisions that affect their daily lives-through unions in the AFL-CIO or independent of it. Agreeing to that, rather than labor law-breaking to stop union organizing, is good for business, too, Shuler stated. It produces more-willing workers who stay longer, produce higher-quality products and boost profits.

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