Outcome of AFL-CIO 3rd Delegate Congress is Solidarity, Pledges – February 2, 2010

February 2010

Almost 1,000 members of AFL-CIO unions, including UNAC/UHCP, were present at today's Los Angeles County Federation of Labor, AFL-CIO 3rd Delegates Congress. SEIU was also in attendance. Key legislators were also in attendance, including Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, United States Representative Luis Gutierrez (D-IL) and California Attorney General Jerry Brown.

UNAC/UHCP members from across our affiliates participated in the day's events, which addressed jobs, education, transportation, the California budget crisis, term limits and immigration, focusing on how those issues impact the labor movement. AFL-CIO members listened to the struggles of several of our union brothers and sisters - from the car wash workers to communication workers - whose campaigns are experiencing significant struggles as they attempt to unionize and seek to have a voice in the workplace.

In a strong show of solidarity, individual union representatives from across Los Angeles pledged donations from their personal bank accounts. Institutional unions pledged donations from their local unions. The Los Angeles County Federation of Labor, AFL-CIO, will match up pledges to $25,000. Barbara Blake, state secretary of UNAC/UHCP, pledged $500 pending Executive Board approval in support of the car wash workers' organizing campaign.

"It is vital that we support the struggles of our brothers and sisters who are seeking union representation," stated Barbara Blake, state secretary for UNAC/UHCP.

Several groups spoke up regarding the cutting of services that impact Californians, from cuts to fire departments to cuts to in-home supportive services. The healthcare-related cuts in the California budget will occur in: In-home Supportive Services ($37.5 million); the Healthy Families Program ($172.6 million); County Administration of Medi-Cal ($120 million); HIV/AIDS Programs ($52.1 million); Community Clinics ($25 million); Health and Social Services ($5 billion); Black Infant Death ($3 million); and Caregiver Resource Centers ($4 million).