New initiative supports unemployed union members

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.workdayminnesota.org/index.php?news_6_4817

By Steve Share, Labor Review editor
22 March 2011

MINNEAPOLIS - The Minneapolis Regional Labor Federation is taking part in a new initiative to reach out to unemployed union members, help provide them with support, and engage them in advocacy efforts.

MRLF’s partners in the initiative, “Minnesota Wants to Work,” include the Minnesota AFL-CIO, the St. Paul Regional Labor Federation, and Working America.

“We’re seeing more and more unemployment and longer periods of unemployment for union members. People are out of work for one year, two years,” reported Doug Flateau, who directs Working Partnerships, the community services arm of the MRLF. “We only see a small fraction of unemployed union members in our office,” he added.

After time, he said, “they drift away from any connection with their union.”

“Minnesota Wants to Work” will provide the MRLF with additional staff to work with unemployed union members and help connect them with financial assistance and other supportive services.

“The project is a good opportunity to ask unemployed workers what they need directly,” Flateau said. The project also hopes to engage unemployed union members in advocacy efforts to seek government action to create jobs.

“There’s nothing more powerful than an unemployed worker who is able to speak to a jobs bill,” Flateau said.

FULL story at link.

[Oceansaway]

1. K&R...n/t

[Brickbat]

2. Back in the day, they used to hire guys off the bench to walk picket lines.

You know, when unions used to picket things.