e-Team Report, Oct. 28, 2011

Sign the Petition!

The APWU is asking members to collect signatures on a petition urging senators and representatives to oppose USPS plans to close post offices, shutter mail processing facilities, and drastically degrade service to the American people. To read more and download the petition for circulation click here.

Urge Your Member of Congress to Oppose H.R. 2309!

Last weekend, a Fox news panel called for “privatization” of the Postal Service, the postal service to “rip up” union contracts, and told people in rural America that if regular postal service ends in their communities they could “always move.” To watch the panel’s discussion click here.

It is important that you have your voice heard and the other side of this story told. Call you member of Congress today! Ask them to oppose and vote no on Congressman Issa’s H.R. 2309. You can reach your member of Congress by calling the Capitol Hill switchboard today at (202) 224-3121. To look up your member of Congress please click here.

Republican Presidential Candidates Support Efforts of Governor to End Collective Bargaining for State Public Sector Workers

This week, two Republican candidates for President weighed in on the issue of collective bargaining rights for state public sector workers in Ohio. Earlier this year, Ohio’s Republican Governor Kasich, along with the Republican controlled state legislature, passed SB 5. This bill would strip most collective bargaining rights from public sector workers all across the state. A statewide repeal vote on SB 5 is taking place on November 8th in Ohio.

Governor Rick Perry said that he “stands with Gov. Kasich in promoting SB 5.” Governor Mitt Romney said that he “certainly supports the effort of the governor to rein in the scale of government,” just after stepping out of a phone bank supporting SB 5. To read more please click here.

House Committee Again Looks to Diminish Power of NLRB

This week, the House Education and the Workforce Committee passed H.R. 3094 on a party line vote. H.R. 3094 would reverse new NLRB rules that aim to stop businesses from delaying and prolonging a vote for workers to form a union in their workplace. This legislation would also reverse new NLRB rules by forcing groups of specific workers to bargain with other workers on site who have significantly different working conditions and jobs, instead of allowing them to bargain in smaller groups.

To read more about this legislation click here.