Local AFL-CIO Holds Constitutional Convention Highlighting Solidarity For Rights
DETROIT - The Metropolitan Detroit AFL-CIO held its 22nd Constitutional Convention Saturday in Detroit.
Metro President AFL-CIO President Rick Blocker spoke with former WWJ reporter and SAG-AFTRA Michigan Local member Pat Sweeting about the priorities of the AFL-CIO.
What are the take-aways from the 22nd Constitutional Convention?
"We need to work together - it's more important given our numbers that we work in solidarity. An injury to one is an injury to all. We've been saying this over the last 30 years but we haven't been demonstrating it and labor needs to tell the story; we have a great story to tell about how the work week really came about -- how workers were able to get a 40 hour work week," said Blocker.
He says that benefits we take for granted like pensions and health care have been fought for and negotiated for through collective bargaining. "These were hard earned victories," said Blocker. "It's time for us to get back to our roots."
With a growing concern about lead in the water supply in Flint - Blocker says we can't take clean water for granted.
"Flint and the situation with water is just horrible. People have to buy water for hospitals - it goes to show what happens when government is unchecked and they start losing what their interest should be - so we need to really be proactive ... but the government there has to make a decision that the people are more important than saving a little money or profits."
It's a terrible piece of legislation.
"We have to have people make a living wage - if people don't make a living wage in this country we are going to have to subsidize them in some kind of way. When I came out of school, many, many years ago you could get a full-time job; now the norm is to have two people working 40 hours. It's caused a breakdown in the family structure, the whole society and the community are suffering. Prevailing wage is to make sure that they pay a decent fair wage -- something above the norm."
What happens if Prevailing Wage legislation passes?
"We'll have to fight to get it repealed should it pass. "The power is in the people - it's getting people out there to vote," says Blocker. "When you don't have a union, you don't have a voice."
The Metro Detroit AFL-CIO is a coalition of local labor unions in Macomb, Oakland, and Wayne counties. The stated mission is fighting for working families and better bargaining rights for all.
