Oscar Mayer hot dogs are union made right here in Madison. Usinger, Klements and Johnsonville brats are union made in Wisconsin. Fill your grill with pride this weekend.

http://www.oscarmayer.com/hot-dogs?gclid=CIvX7rrg18UCFdgTgQodwKAA8g&gclsrc=aw.ds

 

Kids love union made Oscar Mayer hot dogs.

Treat Youself to the Best Ice Cream Ever

February may not seem like the time for ice cream – sure it does. Any time of year is perfect for delicious ice cream, especially when it comes from on of the premier dairies in the Nation.
Babcock Hall Dairy is located on the University of Wisconsin Madison campus. Built in the late 1950s, the dairy provides undergraduate and graduate students an opportunity to learn first-hand how raw milk is turned into fantastic tasting ice cream and cheese.
Workers at the Babcock Hall Dairy Store are represented by AFSCME Local 171. The local includes blue collar and technical employees across the University of Wisconsin Madison campus. They not only run the dairy plant but also clean and maintain campus buildings, provide food service to dorms and dining halls, assist in laboratories across campus, and work at its farms and greenhouses. Members of Local 171 belong to the Wisconsin State Employees Union (AFSCME Council 24). Try your dairy knowledge:
What is the average fat content of raw milk from the farm?
A. 3.75%
B. 5%
C. 4%
D. 19%
Answer: A. 3.7%
Working without a contract, Babcock Hall Dairy workers continue to make some of the richest and more flavorful ice cream on the planet. Babcock Hall Dairy ice cream is available at the dairy store in Babcock hall, as well as the Memorial Union and Union South.
AFSCME workers at Babcock Hall Dairy also make wonderful Wisconsin cheese. Varieties available include: Brick, Cheddar, Monterey Jack, Havarti, Holland Style Gouda, Colby and Baby Swill. Babcock Hall Dairy cheese is available online or at the Babcock Hall Dairy Store.
Babcock Hall Dairy Store is located on the UW campus in Babcock Hall at 1605 Linden Drive, Madison, WI. To get there, take University Avenue to Babcock Drive, just before the University Avenue and Campus Drive split. Turn left at Linden Drive and the dairy store is located at the far end of Babcock hall. Hours are: Monday–Friday 7:30 – 5:30, Saturday 11:00 – 4:00 , Football Saturday 10 – 5:30.

Spontaneous Strike Leads to Worker Center-Union Partnership and Victory

Reprinted from ARISE CHICAGO

Workers from Artistic Stitches Inc. approached Arise Chicago in November after having concerns about job security, holiday pay and possible violations of Illinois minimum wage law. Experienced workers were regularly laid off near the end of each year, and then rehired as "apprentices," at apprenticeship wages–despite the fact that many had worked at the factory for years. After not receiving promised holiday pay for working on Thanksgiving, workers walked off the job and contacted Arise. Arise provided training on workplace rights and assisted in organizing additional co-workers. “There were so many problems ... we started talking about collective action and collective bargaining. The workers were excited and decided they wanted to form a union” said Arise organizer, Jorge Mújica (pictured above, on left along with Richard Monje from Workers United). Selecting Workers United as their union with which to affiliate, the workers petitioned the National Labor Relations Board for an election. Last week, the workers won by a decisive majority and now have union representation! “Now, we can defend ourselves from the mistreatment, have paid vacations and holidays. Now, there can be equality,” said Stitches worker Juana Cortez. Juana had the following message for other worker in a situation like hers:

“If something unjust is happening to you at work, there are organizations like Arise and Workers United that can help protect you.”

New Strategies: Reclaiming Labor's History The Stitches campaign shows the potential for the labor movement's revitalization with innovative new organizing strategies.

Bob Reiter, Secretary/Treasurer of the Chicago Federation of Labor and Arise Chicago Board member (above) stated, “What we’re doing here today is significant. Nationally, good jobs are being replaced by low-wage jobs, but the workers at Artistic Stitches are cutting against that.”

Workers United cited Arise Chicago’s involvement as crucial to the union victory. “The relationship between the workers center and our union has been perfect,” said Margarita Klein, staff director of Workers United. “And this is only the beginning.”

The Stitches workers’ win comes on the heels of a major victory for Chicago workers. After working for months with 47th ward Alderman Ameya Pawar, Arise Chicago conceptualized and helped craft Chicago’s anti-wage theft ordinance, that makes it possible for the City of Chicago to revoke business licenses of businesses found guilty of wage theft. Unanimously passed by City Council, the ordinance received widespread national coverage and was recently covered by London-based outlet, The Guardian.

For That Difficult Worker on Your Christmas List

Wives ask the same question every year; what do you want for Christmas? The refrain is just as predictable, “I don’t know.” Eventually the tool chest fills up and with it the list of gift ideas shrinks.

The Carhartt Made in the USA line features some of our most legendary products. These rugged styles are stitched on American soil for any person that believes in hard work.

Here is a gift idea for the working woman or man on your list that will always be appreciated; Carhartt clothing and accessories. This legendary brand is not only the tops for quality and durability, it is UNION MADE right here in the USA.

The money that working women and men make and spend accounts for 70% of the economic activity in America. The way we spend our money can make a huge difference in the lives of working families. Tax breaks for the rich will never turn them into so-called "job creators." The only thing that creates jobs is increased sales. The way to put more Americans back to work is for those of us with jobs to spend our money on goods and services that put our brothers and sisters back to work. BUY UNION, BUY LOCAL, BUY AMERICAN.

Whether you are getting that special someone a coats, work pants, and socks for both men and women the Made in America line are produced by United Food and Commercial Workers Union - UFCW members in two plants in Tennessee and Kentucky.

These cloths look really good, feel great and wear like iron. My Carhartt jacket has seen years of hard work in the woods clearing brush, plowing snow and fixing the darnedest things you can think of. It has protected me from flying branches, fire, and of course the cold or Wisconsin winters. If you want to make that someone special really happy on Christmas Day, give them a gift of Made in the USA work clothing from Carhartt.

Show Support for MTI

It is time to support Madison Teachers Incorporated (MTI) in their efforts to secure a contract extension with the Madison Metropolitan School District. Attend the special meeting scheduled for Monday, September 24th at 6:00 PM. Come to the Doyle Administration Building, 545 W. Dayton, next to the Kohn Center.

The ruling by Judge Calas last week, voiding much of Act 10 and re-instating collective bargaining for teachers, county and municipal workers, opens a window for employers to reach agreements in good faith with the working women and men whose rights were trampled by the overlords of Fitzwalkerstan. Madison teachers want to work with school administrators and the board to reach an agreement that extends the current contract in a way that benefits the children, while protecting worker rights and holding the line on property taxes.

AFSCME workers were successful earlier this week reaching such an agreement with Dane County. The parties were able to come together in less than three days to fashion a contract extension that contains zero pay increases, will not increase taxes, and preserves the County’s ability to use furloughs and layoffs, if needed. In addition, the agreement contains language that could save taxpayers up to $5 million, if increases in the costs of employment cause the County to exceed levy limits.

Now teachers in Madison want their turn to show the parents and the community that good labor relations trump the politics of divide and conquer forced into place by Governor Walker and the Fitzgerald brothers. They need your help to convince a skeptical School Board that working families support collective bargaining. Please join me at the administration building on Monday evening. Let’s show people across America that here in Wisconsin we don’t do things the Rohm Emanuel way. Workers and management can work together to do what is right for the kids and taxpayers, while protecting the dignity and collective bargaining rights of those who teach.

Labor Day Weekend

Please join me in thanking the working women and men of Wisconsin who are getting their children ready for the classroom once more. This Labor Day, join with me to both remember the sacrifices these folks make every day for their families and their communities.

The American way of life has been under attack for thirty years. You know the symptoms: increasing concentration of wealth, declining wages and benefits, loss of retirement protections. All the while, the economy itself is doing just fine. Income and wealth disparity is as high as it has been since before the Great Depression. The last recession supposedly ended more than two years ago, but you would not know it walking down Main Street.

There is no single answer to our current economic mess. Many of the answers require courage vision from our leaders, which does not appear to be anywhere in sight. We do hold one part of the answer in our hands, or more accurately, our wallets. Retail consumption currently accounts for 70% of all economic activity in America. The decisions we make every time we spend money is critical to the future working and middle class families. The answer is simple: BUY UNION, BUY LOCAL, BUY AMERICAN.

It can take work to find union made products. First stop for every working household should be the Union Label & Service Trades Department of the AFL-CIO website. Find out which contractors in your area are union and patronize them whenever you need repairs or remodeling. Shop at local farmers markets or sign up for Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) shares. Give gifts made by local artisans.

Remember, even though you spend more to for union-made or local products and services, you get so much more. Your money stays in our economy, circulating around and around. That has been the magic of the American Dream. As we grew and flourished in the middle of the last century, we plowed that money back into buying the goods and services we produced. That virtuous cycle it the essence of a strong economy.

We cannot, as individuals, change the world; but only individuals can do their part. We cannot give our children the America we want for them if we continue to fill our homes with massive amounts of cheap foreign crap. The true struggle for economic freedom in America can only be won when me make smart decisions with our hard earned wages.

Happy Labor Day! BUY UNION, BUY LOCAL, BUY AMERICAN!

The Gathering Storm

In their rush to save the world from economic ruin, ensure universal access to healthcare and protect gay service members, President Obama and the Democrats in Congress missed on vita task. By neglecting to reinstate the Fairness Doctrine, they allowed the right-wing to maintain its most potent weapon against democracy.

It is difficult to imagine the rapid development of the Tea Party absent the propaganda machine that is Fox News. Fair and balance content would have similarly spelled the death of syndicated right-wing shock jocks. Restoring impartiality on the public airwaves could have prevented the (you know what) storm we faced in 2010.

Redistricting is a direct result of progressives neglecting the electoral side of politics and focusing on policy. Sure we were facing the toughest economy in a century. Yes, we had two wars going on a half a world away. The possibility for healthcare reform never looked better than it did in the spring of 2009. Discounting the resolve and tools of the right-wing was a huge mistake. If we ever find ourselves in possession of the levers of power again, we must look to preserving first those aspects of our democracy that form its foundation. My fear is that opportunity may be lost to our generation. The clouds are forming and we are facing down a storm that threatens to extinguish the flame of freedom in America.