Progressive Voices

Today's guest hosts are Brent Cohen, Executive Director of Generation Progress, and Charlotte Hancock, Communications Director for Generation Progress.

They discuss the House of Representatives' formal impeachment inquiry to investigate the conduct of President Trump. The decision to do so was based on a revelation that on a phone call in July, President Trump asked the president of Ukraine to investigate one of his political rivals for his own benefit—and according to an anonymous whistleblower and text messages from State Department officials, President Trump withheld military aid from Ukraine to coerce them into opening that investigation.

To break down exactly how we’ve gotten here and talk about what’s still to come, Brent and Charlotte are joined by two experts from the Center for American Progress’s Moscow Project: Max Bergmann, Co-founder and Director of The Moscow Project and James Lamond, Managing Director for The Moscow Project.

The website for the Moscow Project is www.theMoscowProject.org and their Twitter handle is @Moscow_Project.  Max Bergmann's handle is @MaxBergmannand he has his own podcast called, 'The Asset,' which is a deep dive into Trump's history with Russia.  You can listen to it at www.TheAssetPodcast.org.  You can find James Lamond on Twitter with the handle @jdlamond.

The website for "Generation Progress" is www.GenProgress.org and their Twitter Handle is @GenProgress.  Brent Cohen's Twitter handle is@BrentJCohen and Charlotte Hancock's handle is @CharlatAnne.

Trump Unleashes Wave of Bigotry and White Supremacy by Progressive Voices

Trump Unleashes Wave of Bigotry and White Supremacy by Progressive Voices

Rick Smith Show - 10-23-2019 by Progressive Voices

Rick Smith Show - 10-23-2019 by Progressive Voices

Nicole Sandler What's News / Extended 10 - 23 - 19 by Progressive Voices

Nicole Sandler What's News / Extended 10 - 23 - 19 by Progressive Voices

Leslie is joined by United Steelworkers (USW) President, Tom Conway.

The two discuss Protecting the Right to Organize, via the PRO Act (P.R.O. = Protect the Right to Organize).

Here are some important points that Tom and Leslie brought up when analyzing the need for the PRO Act, and how it would help.

The PRO Act, which received its final markup by the House Committee on Education and Labor last month, is a pathway to power for workers:

- It helps tip the balance of power away from CEOs by strengthening labor laws

- The defects of the current law can be clearly seen inthe case of Kumho Tire,a Korean company that has operations in Macon, Ga. as workers there tried to organize

- Workers trying to join the USW were subjected to anti-union videos put on repeat in the break rooms and threats of plant closure

- Kumho then fired the lead organizer and suspended pregnant worker, Victoria Whipple

- Kumho spend $500,000 on an anti-union campaign

- Kumho also racked up more than 30 'unfair labor practice' charges

The PRO Act would:

- Establish stronger and swifter remedies to stop employers from breaking the law

- Make companies recognize contractors as part of the collective bargaining process so they can no longer continue to whittle down Union membership by subcontracting

- Force an employer to reach a first contract in a timely manner with a newly organized group of workers. (No more dragging out first contracts!)

- Reverse so-called 'Right to Work,' regardless of state laws(!)

- Prohibit employers from forcing employees to attend anti-union meetings

There’s no dispute, workers in unions fare better than their non-union counterparts:

- Average union weekly earnings are significantly higher than non-union earnings

- On average, union members also have better benefits and more retirement security than their non-union counterparts

- Strengthening workers’ rights is essential to reducing economic inequality

The website for the USW is www.USW.org. Their handle on both Twitter and Instagram is @steelworkers.

The USW urges passage of the PRO Act. To help promote passage of the Pro Act, please post about it on social media using the hashtag #ProActNow.

Tom Conway was elected by the International Executive Board to succeed retiring International President Leo W. Gerard as leader of the United Steelworkers (USW), the largest industrial union in North America, effective July 15, 2019.

Previously, Conway served as International Vice President, a position he held since March 1, 2005, and was re-elected to four separate times.

During his 14-year tenure as International Vice President, Conway became the union’s most experienced contract negotiator in steel, aluminum, oil and other major industries where USW members work, often directing bargaining during crises.

You can read Tom's weekly blog at www.usw.org/blog.

Leslie is joined by United Steelworkers (USW) President, Tom Conway.

The two discuss Protecting the Right to Organize, via the PRO Act (P.R.O. = Protect the Right to Organize).

Here are some important points that Tom and Leslie brought up when analyzing the need for the PRO Act, and how it would help.

The PRO Act, which received its final markup by the House Committee on Education and Labor last month, is a pathway to power for workers:

- It helps tip the balance of power away from CEOs by strengthening labor laws

- The defects of the current law can be clearly seen inthe case of Kumho Tire,a Korean company that has operations in Macon, Ga. as workers there tried to organize

- Workers trying to join the USW were subjected to anti-union videos put on repeat in the break rooms and threats of plant closure

- Kumho then fired the lead organizer and suspended pregnant worker, Victoria Whipple

- Kumho spend $500,000 on an anti-union campaign

- Kumho also racked up more than 30 'unfair labor practice' charges

The PRO Act would:

- Establish stronger and swifter remedies to stop employers from breaking the law

- Make companies recognize contractors as part of the collective bargaining process so they can no longer continue to whittle down Union membership by subcontracting

- Force an employer to reach a first contract in a timely manner with a newly organized group of workers. (No more dragging out first contracts!)

- Reverse so-called 'Right to Work,' regardless of state laws(!)

- Prohibit employers from forcing employees to attend anti-union meetings

There’s no dispute, workers in unions fare better than their non-union counterparts:

- Average union weekly earnings are significantly higher than non-union earnings

- On average, union members also have better benefits and more retirement security than their non-union counterparts

- Strengthening workers’ rights is essential to reducing economic inequality

The website for the USW is www.USW.org. Their handle on both Twitter and Instagram is @steelworkers.

The USW urges passage of the PRO Act. To help promote passage of the Pro Act, please post about it on social media using the hashtag #ProActNow.

Tom Conway was elected by the International Executive Board to succeed retiring International President Leo W. Gerard as leader of the United Steelworkers (USW), the largest industrial union in North America, effective July 15, 2019.

Previously, Conway served as International Vice President, a position he held since March 1, 2005, and was re-elected to four separate times.

During his 14-year tenure as International Vice President, Conway became the union’s most experienced contract negotiator in steel, aluminum, oil and other major industries where USW members work, often directing bargaining during crises.

You can read Tom's weekly blog at www.usw.org/blog.

Background Briefing 10-23-2019 by Progressive Voices