IFPTE welcomes the news that former SPEEA-Local 2001 Legislative Director Chelsea Mason-Placek has rejoined the Washington State Labor Council (WSLC) as the Workforce Development Director. Mason-Placek will takes on the role as longtime WSLC Workforce Development Director Bill Messenger retires.
Read MoreThe meeting, which was held virtually, addressed key union business related to convention planning, legislative advocacy, and budget projections for the federation over the next three fiscal years.
Read MoreIFPTE Sec.-Treas./Legislative Director Matt Biggs commented that, “IFPTE applauds and thanks SPEEA for continuing to be one of IFPTE’s leading locals in stepping up strong in support of the IFPTE PAC program.“
Read MoreThe Canadian Labour Congress is pleased that MPs are taking action that prioritizes workers and retirees when a company files insolvency proceedings by passing Bill C-253, introduced by MP Marilène Gill, for consideration by a parliamentary committee.
Read MoreThis week, IFPTE requested that Senators vote to confirm Kiran Ahuja, President Biden’s nominee for the Director of the Office of Personnel Management (OPM).
Read MoreAhead of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pension (HELP) Committee’s consideration of Jennifer Abruzzo’s nomination for General Counsel of the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), IFPTE sent a letter urging Senators on the Committee to advance Abruzzo’s nomination to a confirmation vote.
Read MoreIFPTE stands in solidarity with the courageous auto workers in Mexico and Susana Prieto Terrazas, a labor lawyer and champion for workers who herself has been jailed by Mexican authorities for advocating for workers’ rights, and who also represents the workers who have been denied basic labor protections promised by the three countries covered by USMCA.
Read MoreThe Association of Administrative Law Judges (AALJ), which is in a contentious labor dispute with the Social Security Administration (SSA), is strongly pushing back against what it calls SSA Acting Commissioner Andrew Saul’s erroneous description of employee-labor relations.
Read MoreCanadian unions stand in solidarity with hundreds of thousands of Colombian workers and citizens peacefully demonstrating since the April 28 launch of a General Strike against tax reform. The reform would have disproportionately impacted the poorest people by eliminating subsidies on some public services, taxing pensions, and freezing public sector wages.
Read MoreEarlier this week, Michelle Johnston was declared the Society of United Professionals’ (SUP/IFPTE Local 160) new president. Former president Scott Travers announced his retirement last month and an election was triggered shortly after to elect a new president.
Read MoreJoin the Ontario Federation of Labour on Monday, May 17 from 7:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. EDT for an International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia, and Biphobia Town Hall discussion with NDP LGBTQ Issues Critic Terence Kernaghan and NDP MPP Toronto—St. Paul’s Jill Andrew.
Read MoreFollowing last week’s Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs approval of Ahuja to lead OPM, the Federal Workers Alliance penned a letter to all 100 Senators this week urging support for her nomination, writing that, “After the last four years, during which there was a concerted effort to shutter OPM, it is critically important that this agency has a leader that not only believes in its mission, but one that also has a proven track record of success.”
Read MoreIn a letter signed by a coalition of 31 labor, business and community organizations to President Biden, the group points out that investments in disaster resilience, “can save $3 to $11 per dollar invested,” and that, “it is imperative for communities to plan, design, and build now in order to have safe and reliable critical infrastructure, resilient communities and ecosystems in the future.”
Read MoreThe Association of Administrative Law Judges (AALJ/IFPTE Judicial Council 1) has been in an ongoing labor dispute with the Social Security Administration (SSA). The union reports that it is extremely disappointed with the agency’s latest rejection of its contract offer. AALJ offered to resume negotiations if the agency would withdraw what it called a Trump-era union-busting order from the Federal Service Impasses Panel to impose nine disputed articles of the contract. SSA and AALJ-IFPTE have reached agreement on another 20 articles.
Read MoreOntario’s new Worker Income Protection Benefit is a bare minimum response to the longstanding call for paid sick days from labour advocates, unions, public health officials, and medical experts, says the Ontario Federation of Labour (OFL). The temporary benefit, administered through the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB), will provide a maximum of three days paid sick leave and is only available until September 25, 2021.
Read MoreThe IFPTE Women’s Solidarity Network (WSN) held their 6th Women & Unions International Speaker Series on April 29. IFPTE members from Canada and the US took part in a webinar discussion focused on the gender pay gap.
Read MoreFrom May 7 to May 28, IFPTE Locals and other professional organizations were given a four-part training seminar modeled after the Non-Profit Employees Union (NPEU/IFPTE Local 70) “Bargaining Academy”. Participants from TEAM/IFPTE Local 161, WAPSO/IFPTE Local 162, SCMMA/IFPTE Local 222, and the Manitoba Association of Health Care Professionals logged onto Zoom once a week to learn essentials like proper note taking, effective strategies and tactics and membership engagement.
Read MoreThe Senate Social Finance Committee held a hearing entitled, “Social Security During COVID: How the Pandemic Hampered Access to Benefits and Strategies for Improving Service Delivery.”
Read MoreThe Society of United Professionals (SUP/IFPTE Local 160)/Canadian Area Vice President Scott Travers and Secretary-Treasurer Michelle Johnston hosted the Society of United Professionals' online Day of Mourning ceremony on Wednesday, the second of the COVID-19 global pandemic.
Read MoreLongtime ESC/IFPTE Local 20 member and activist, Pete Mikovich, was a Principal Gas Mapper out of Sacramento and was always there as ESC’s “go-to” for gas mapping-related issues. Pete represented his fellow Mappers at PG&E for decades and always spoke truthfully and powerfully about the importance of their work. His work signature closed with UNION YES!
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