MUST READ
Federal offshore wind auction aimed at expanding clean energy in New York
Spectrum News
By Nick Reisman
Jan. 12, 2022
"We've been laser focused on offshore wind because we think this can be the shining example of how the clean energy sector can create high road, high-paying jobs," said AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler.
ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENT
Auction scheduled for 480k offshore wind farm acres near Staten Island
Silive.com
By Paul Liotta
Jan. 12, 2022
During Wednesday’s conference call, AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler joined the government officials to applaud their efforts to make jobs related to the Bight project for union members. “There hasn’t been a commitment, historically, to high-quality jobs in the clean-energy economy, but it doesn’t have to be that way,” she said. “These investments can create well-paid union jobs.”
US to lease nearly 500K acres for wind power development
AP News
By Mike Catalini
Jan. 12, 2022
federal government will lease an area larger than half the size of Rhode Island off New Jersey’s and New York’s coasts for wind power development, the first offshore lease in the Biden Administration, Interior Secretary Deb Haaland announced Wednesday.Haaland announced the lease on a call, joined by Democratic governors Phil Murphy of New Jersey and Kathy Hochul of New York as well as AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler. The project gives the country a chance to fight climate change and create “good-paying, union jobs,” Haaland said.
POLITICS
“Do you want to be on the side of Dr. King or George Wallace?”
People’s World
By Mark Gruenberg
Jan. 12, 2022
“One year ago, we watched in horror as a violent mob, many carrying banners proclaiming white supremacy and anti-government slogans, attempted to block the peaceful transfer of power by storming the U.S. Capitol. On that day, so many of us felt powerless watching the violence unfold,” Shuler said.
“But we are not powerless, and the lesson of the January 6 attack cannot be forgotten. The very people who witnessed firsthand our democracy under assault now have the opportunity to strengthen our system of government, not weaken it. “Congress must pass the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act of 2021 and the Freedom To Vote Act to protect the right of every American to cast our vote and have that vote counted so that every eligible voter has a say in who represents them.”
JOINING TOGETHER
Titmouse Union Drive Opens New York Beachhead for Animation Guild
Variety
By Gene Maddaus
Jan. 12, 2022
The Animation Guild announced this week that it has organized 113 workers at the Titmouse office in New York, marking the first time the guild has branched outside of Los Angeles in its 70-year history. More than 90% of the affected workers signed union cards, and Titmouse agreed to voluntarily recognize the guild, which is also known as IATSE Local 839, as their bargaining representative. The workers say they are hoping to narrow the pay gap between animation workers in New York and those in Los Angeles.
Employees at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago join union
Chicago Sun-Times
By David Roeder
Jan. 12, 2022
Employees at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago have voted to unionize, a day after museum staffers affiliated with the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees. The school’s employees voted in an election of mailed-in ballots supervised by the National Labor Relations Board. The NLRB said the vote tally was 115-48, with 44 ballots not counted due to management challenges.