The national Republican party has selected Indiana Republican Gov. Mitch Daniels to respond to President Obama’s State of the Union address next week–sending a clear signal the party is making attacks on working people a top priority in the 2012 elections. Daniels is a key backer of right to work for less (RTW) legislation which state Republican lawmakers, in a stunning display of arrogance, have repeatedly tried to ram through, while thumbing their noses at working Hoosiers–not to mention democracy. Read more >>>

First, multimillionaire Mitt Romney told a group of jobless workers he’s also “unemployed.” Next, Romney thought there was no problem in stating publicly that he likes to “fire people.” Now, the Republican presidential wannabee proved yet again how out of touch he is with mainstream Americans by showing the extent to which he’s a member of the elite 1 percent. In South Carolina yesterday, Romney admitted he pays “around” a 15 percent tax rate, while earning $374,000 a year in speaker’s fees alone—an income he described as “not very much.” Read more >>>

Viewers in Austin, Texas, and Pittsburgh are getting the first public look at a new AFL-CIO television spot, “Work Connects Us All: America’s Unions.” The evocative ad features members of many unions, from virtually every industry, and is part of a broad campaign that aims to “fly above the tactics and controversies of the day” and connects with people around the values associated with work, according to AFL-CIO Secretary-Treasurer Liz Shuler. Read more >>>

Jobless workers, union members and community activists stood in the freezing cold on Tuesday in St. Louis, joining activists nationwide for a December 7 Day of Action in solidarity with the unemployed. They called on Senator Claire McCaskill to immediately restore unemployment insurance for a year for the million jobless workers currently without any aid, delivering petitions signed by thousands of Missourians.

This November 30, 44,908 Missourians are going to lose their unemployment benefits unless Congress takes action. 

Wondering about your voter info?  Look it up here!  Make sure you have an Election Day plan so we can elect worker-friendly candidates!

Congressman Russ Carnahan, representing Missouri's 3rd Congressional District, joined dozens of union members to kick off Labor2010's massive GOTV campaign in St. Louis.

To ensure all union members have the facts on key races, the AFL-CIO is sending out mail to 3.6 million households this week. This piece, "Roy Blunt Failed Missouri Workers" brings three points home on how Blunt failed our members and all working families..

Secretary of Labor Solis gives her 2010 Labor Day Address to American Workers.   She speaks about her plan to create jobs and the need to level the playing field for workers in this country, including education, job training and supporting the right to organize.  

"And you can be certain that, like the president,  I will not stop working until every American is back on their feet and we have fufilled our mission to provide good and safe jobs for everyone."  Do take a moment and watch the address.  Happy Labor Day.

Reprinted from AFL-CIO Blog

Cape Girardeau, Missouri probably isn't the first place you'd think of as a union town. It is conservative, to be sure. Hometown of Rush Limbaugh, Cape County hasn't voted for a Democrat in a presidential race since 1964. It is a Red city in a Purple Battleground state. When it comes to organized labor, however, there is more to Cape Girardeau than meets the eye.