Sept.21, 2009:NWLP
9/15/09
10:34 AM
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Sweeney farewell cites achievements, unfinished business
PITTSBURGH (PAI) — AFL-CIO
President John Sweeney’s Sept. 13
farewell “state of unions” speech to
the federation’s convention here cited
labor’s achievements of recent years,
notably in politics. But he warned that
“excitement over our possibilities is
tempered by realities of our times.”
The 75-year-old New Yorker, ad-
dressing 708 convention delegates,
more than 300 alternates, and hun-
dreds of guests, cited labor’s election
of pro-worker Democratic President
Barack Obama and in enlarging pro-
worker majorities in Congress.
But those successes — plus two
more he confidently predicted, univer-
sal affordable health care and labor
law reform — come in the face of
tough economic conditions. “We’re
seeing glimmers of an economic re-
covery, yet 20 million of our brothers
and sisters are still without work,”
Sweeney stated.
“The poor and out-of-work are no
longer invisible or abstract figures —
they’re our friends and neighbors, our
mothers and fathers and our sons and
daughters,” he said.
And while Sweeney is optimistic
that both health care reform and the
Employee Free Choice Act will pass,
the reality differs.
Republican opposition sapped the
momentum for health care revision,
notably establishment of a govern-
ment-run “public option” to buy in-
surance, thus establishing competition
for the private insurers.
Sweeney said, referring to business’
multi-million dollar campaign against
the law. “We’re closer than ever to
winning our long struggle for univer-
sal health care, but our success has
kindled a firestorm of meanness
stoked by politicians playing on fear,
racism, nativism, and greed.
“Every one of our tasks represents
unfinished business — and the tasks
we’re challenged with are daunting.
But if there is one thing we’ve learned
over the past 14 years, it is this: Mira-
cles present themselves on the shoul-
ders of commitment, unity and ac-
tion,” he declared. “For us solidarity is
more just a strategy. It’s a way of
life.”
Musicians Local 99
‘Fair Trade Music’ campaign launched
Project seeks to establish minimum pay
guarantees for all working musicians
JOHN SWEENEY
And labor and its allies are still
scrambling for the 60 Senate votes
needed to break a planned GOP fili-
buster against the Employee Free
Choice Act. The talkathon threat led
Senate sponsor Tom Harkin, D-Iowa,
to discuss possible compromises for
the key provision labor backs and
businesses oppose: Automatic recog-
nition for unions at a workplace or a
company once they get union authori-
zation cards from a verified majority
of workers there.
“We’re on the cusp of the greatest
advance in labor law reform in 70
years, but we’re taking heavy fire
from the corporate captains of deceit,”
A coalition of Portland musicians has launched the “Fair
Trade Music” campaign to establish minimum pay guaran-
tees for performing musicians in the Portland area. Co-spon-
sored by the American Federation of Musicians Local 99 and
the Labor Education and Research Center of the University of
Oregon, the coalition includes union and non-union musi-
cians.
“This is simple,” said Local 99 President Bruce Fife. “We
think there ought to be a reasonable, minimum compensation
for musicians when they work for a business enterprise. And
when you pay your $5 or $10 at the door, we want you to
know that your money actually makes it to the artists.”
Fife said musicians routinely see their compensation re-
duced to a “tiny fraction” of what is brought in through cover
charges through deductions for venue expenses such as sound
staff, door staff, promotional fees, and ‘house fees.’
The Fair Trade Music coalition has developed a tiered pay
scale that adequately compensates musicians based on venue
type and capacity, while still allowing the house to make a
fair profit.
Fair Trade Music is en-
dorsed by over 200 Portland-
area bands, including such
well-known acts as March
Fourth, 3 Leg Torso, and Kee-
gan Smith. It is also supported
by the Cascade Blues Associa-
tion, the Portland Songwriters
Association and the Interna-
tional Alliance of Theater Stage
Employees Local 28.
Fair Trade Music is asking
the general public to only pa-
tronize venues displaying Fair
Trade Music window stickers,
indicating their support and
commitment to fairness. The coalition also is offering musi-
cians Fair Trade Music buttons and stickers to display at their
gigs in silent solidarity with the campaign.
For more information, go to their Web site at
www.FairTradeMusic PDX.org.
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SEPTEMBER 18, 2009