The Saint Paul Regional Labor Federation joined other labor, faith and community organizations at a rally in the Capitol rotunda Feb. 4 in support of legislative efforts to save General Assistance Medical Care. Gov. Pawlenty cut GAMC last summer, putting the health of more than 30,000 of the state's poorest, most vulnerable citizens at risk.

Republican Senate leaders are so frightened that a member of the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) might actually have an open mind about workers’ rights, that in two purely partisan maneuvers, they’ve blocked a majority vote on one of President Obama’s nominees for an NLRB seat. Read More>>

Earlier this week, we noted a new study that predicts health insurance premiums will jump between 10 percent and 11 percent this year. Now a new government report says health care costs last year took the biggest bite ever out of the nation’s economy. Read More>>

Labor Secretary Hilda Solis says workers face increasing obstacles when they try to form unions and “we need to restore their freedom to do so.” In testimony before the U.S. House Education and Labor Committee today, Solis looked back at the department’s actions in 2009 and forward to its 2010 agenda. Read More>>

The Blue Green Alliance of Minnesota is hoping a vibrant photo exhibit on display in Minneapolis will help boost awareness of the state’s capacity to grow good-paying jobs in the emerging green economy. The “Green Jobs Photo Project” is showing now through Feb. 28 at Common Roots Café, 2558 Lyndale Ave. S., Minneapolis. Common Roots is open 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. Monday through Friday and 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

Could electric cars save the Twin Cities Assembly Plant from closing? Leaders of the United Auto Workers think so. But it's likely going to take public incentives to convince Ford Motor Company.

Members of the St. Paul Federation of Teachers Local 28 voted Jan. 12 to approve a new two-year contract with the St. Paul Public Schools that the union says will give teachers “the support, time and environment necessary to deliver a quality education” to every student in the district. The St. Paul Board of Education gave the contract its approval at a Jan. 13 meeting.

Speaking directly to 20,000 unemployed Americans, including an estimated 3,000 from his home state, Al Franken on Friday pledged to make job creation “our first priority and our second priority and our third priority” in the Senate this year.

Snyders Drug Stores, a fixture in Minnesota’s retail landscape since the 1940s, announced yesterday it will cease operations Jan. 21, closing eight stores in the East Metro area and leaving 150 workers without jobs. The union that represents those workers, Local 789 of the United Food and Commercial Workers, is scrambling to soften the blow to its members.

The union that represents Transportation Security Administration employees has a message for lawmakers who, in the weeks following the attempted Christmas Day terrorist attack, have intensified their claims that granting TSA agents collective-bargaining rights would threaten airline security. “Shame on these people,” said Brian Dewyngaert of the American Federation of Government Employees. “Shame on them for calling into question (TSA officers’) patriotism.”

The Minnesota Association of Professional Employees fired an early shot in the looming state budget battle Jan. 7, when the union publicly identified about $100 million in potential budget cuts.

The St. Paul Regional Labor Federation’s annual blood drive drew a full slate of 30 donors to the St. Paul Labor and Professional Centre Dec. 16. Co-sponsored by the RLF’s Labor Community Action Committee, the American Red Cross North Central Blood Services and the Greater Twin Cities United Way, the blood drive collected 27 pints of blood and exceeded the advance goal of 25 donors for the event.

The labor assemblies of the Saint Paul Regional Labor Federation carry out the federation’s work on the local, grassroots level. Whether it’s volunteering at the local food shelf, supporting an organizing drive or phone banking for labor-endorsed candidates, labor assemblies are a great way for rank-and-file union members to help grow labor’s presence in their communities.

The Regional Labor Federation currently has four labor assemblies, each of which serves a county in the East Metro area: the Saint Paul Labor Assembly, which serves Ramsey County; the Saint Croix Valley Labor Assembly, which serves Washington County; the Chisago County Labor Assembly; and the Southern Dakota County Labor Assembly. All of the assemblies meet monthly and are open to members of Regional Labor Federation-affiliated unions who live or work in their counties. For meeting times and locations, see the Regional Labor Federation calendar. For more information on labor assemblies, call 651-222-3787.