May 15, 2012
State labor commissioner campaigning in Wisconsin
Oklahoma Labor Commissioner Mark Costello is campaigning in Wisconsin this week for beleaguered Gov. Scott Walker. Walker, like Costello, a Republican, is facing a June 5 recall election. “I’m a big admirer of his,” Costello said by phone Monday. “There is a lot to admire in what Gov. Walker has done here, especially his courage.” Costello said he plans to stay in Wisconsin through Wednesday. “I am here as a private citizen, all on my own expense,” he said. “But I do think it’s a matter of public policy, if you believe as I do that the progressives have pushed it about as far as they can.” Walker’s recall was prompted by his efforts to curb public employees’ bargaining rights and agreements — something Costello applauds. As labor commissioner, Costello has fought public employee associations — state employees do not have collective bargaining rights in Oklahoma — and sponsored a resolution at Saturday’s state GOP convention that would withhold money from candidates who take contributions from the Oklahoma Public Employees Association and the Oklahoma Education Association. Costello said he met Walker at an Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs dinner on April 11. “I am standing with Gov. Walker,” Costello said. “The eyes of the nation are on Wisconsin.”
RANDY KREHBIEL, Tulsa World
Also in the Daily Oklahoman
Mitt Romney Wants to Remove Davis Bacon
Mitt Romney stated to the Associated Builders & Contractors in Phoenix that on his first day as President of the United States he will end contract labor agreements and repeal Davis Bacon. He also bashes unions and promises to fight for the so called “right to work” legislation.
AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka on Newsmakers
Washington, DC Friday, May 4, 2012
Job numbers for April came out Friday, showing the U.S. unemployment rate at 8.1 percent. A total of one hundred and fifteen thousand jobs were added to the job market last month. On this week’s “Newsmakers,” AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka discusses these numbers and what that means for America’s workers.
He also talks about how unions see the jobs issue playing out in the presidential race and in congressional campaigns. Labor’s relationship with the President and how the AFL-CIO is using its political action committee this year are also discussed.
Our guest reporters are Peter Wallsten, White House Correspondent for Washington Post and Melanie Trottman of the Wall Street Journal.
Level the Economic Playing Field
For more than six months, hundreds of employees and owners of small businesses have worked, trying to get state lawmakers to pay attention to an issue that is, literally, driving them out of business. Across the state, hundreds of people in the construction industry-electricians, plumbers, masons, and others – have struggled to stay in business. The issue isn’t their unwillingness to work- they are willing. And it’s not because there’s no work out there – there is work. What’s happening across Oklahoma is a little more subtle. When an entity, be it public or private, puts out a bid for a project, these companies make bids on it. And time after time they get beat. Not because they aren’t competitive. Not becasue they do bad work. But because the other bidders aren’t following the law.
Who We Are
The OK AFL-CIO, created in 1957 by the merger of the AFL and the CIO, is a democratic, voluntary federation of 230 local labor unions that represent over 100 thousand working people. We are teachers, firefighters, bakers, engineers, pilots, public employees, doctors and nurses, painters, plumbers—and more.
