Obama's Speech at AFL-CIO Convention In Pittsburgh
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G0IHoPYlttk
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Youth Decide: Climate Change
Youth Decide '09 is a national youth vote on climate change.
The more greenhouse gases we put into the atmosphere the worse climate change will get.
This December countries will agree on a global limit on greenhouse gases at the UN Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen. Countries will each set targets for how much they will reduce their greenhouse gas emissions by the year 2020. Australia will have to decide our target as well.
The targets that are chosen will determine the kind of world we will inherit.
There are three possible worlds. Each world is based on the target that Australia sets as part of a global limit on greenhouse gases and is referenced to the most credible science available.
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
ACTU: Curb corporate excess
ACTU
One year after the collapse of US investment bank Lehman Brothers and the onset of the Global Financial Crisis, governments must not drop the ball on business regulation to prevent financial mismanagement and corporate excess, say unions.
ACTU President Sharan Burrow said governments in Australia and around the developed world had to strengthen business and the financial regulations to prevent any repeat of the GFC in the future.
“For the sake of millions of unemployed people around the world, we must regulate to stop executive greed getting out of hand ever again,” Ms Burrow said.
She said that at next week’s G20 Summit in Pittsburgh, government leaders needed to re-commit to reform to strengthen the economy, and to create sustainable and equitable economic development.
Ms Burrow said important reforms in Australia to rein in ‘golden handshake’ payments to failed executives needed to be passed by the Senate this week.
And she welcomed signs that a Productivity Commission review of executive pay could recommend giving shareholders more say over extravagant bonuses.
“One year after the Lehman Brothers bankruptcy, the global economy is still struggling to recover,” Ms Burrow said. “That includes Australia, and until we can see solid proof of jobs growth, it is premature to wind back the stimulus program.
“It is also essential to continue a vital program of corporate regulation and reform to prevent a repeat of the GFC.
“In Australia there are 203,300 reasons why the regulatory reform must continue. That is the number of people who have lost their jobs in the past year, through no fault of their own.
“The thousands of unemployed Australians know who to blame for their predicament.
“Over-the-top executive payouts fed a business model that focused on short-term profits and greed at the expense of long-term viability and job security
“Legislation before the Senate this week will rein in outrageous exit payments that have been used to reward CEOs who have often left companies in worse shape than they found them.
“Further reforms are needed to cap executive salaries and bonuses. In recent days, we have seen some incredible payments to Australian CEOs as if the GFC never happened.
“It is totally self-serving for the business lobby to call for a halt to these reforms.”
One year after the collapse of US investment bank Lehman Brothers and the onset of the Global Financial Crisis, governments must not drop the ball on business regulation to prevent financial mismanagement and corporate excess, say unions.
ACTU President Sharan Burrow said governments in Australia and around the developed world had to strengthen business and the financial regulations to prevent any repeat of the GFC in the future.
“For the sake of millions of unemployed people around the world, we must regulate to stop executive greed getting out of hand ever again,” Ms Burrow said.
She said that at next week’s G20 Summit in Pittsburgh, government leaders needed to re-commit to reform to strengthen the economy, and to create sustainable and equitable economic development.
Ms Burrow said important reforms in Australia to rein in ‘golden handshake’ payments to failed executives needed to be passed by the Senate this week.
And she welcomed signs that a Productivity Commission review of executive pay could recommend giving shareholders more say over extravagant bonuses.
“One year after the Lehman Brothers bankruptcy, the global economy is still struggling to recover,” Ms Burrow said. “That includes Australia, and until we can see solid proof of jobs growth, it is premature to wind back the stimulus program.
“It is also essential to continue a vital program of corporate regulation and reform to prevent a repeat of the GFC.
“In Australia there are 203,300 reasons why the regulatory reform must continue. That is the number of people who have lost their jobs in the past year, through no fault of their own.
“The thousands of unemployed Australians know who to blame for their predicament.
“Over-the-top executive payouts fed a business model that focused on short-term profits and greed at the expense of long-term viability and job security
“Legislation before the Senate this week will rein in outrageous exit payments that have been used to reward CEOs who have often left companies in worse shape than they found them.
“Further reforms are needed to cap executive salaries and bonuses. In recent days, we have seen some incredible payments to Australian CEOs as if the GFC never happened.
“It is totally self-serving for the business lobby to call for a halt to these reforms.”
Campbell's Soups lockout
Campbell's Soups' Shepparton plant has been in lockdown since Friday, when about 150 workers were shut out of the plant.
They had rejected a company contract because it included a flexibility clause to negotiate individually with workers.
It is believed the company will put a different offer to the Australian Manufacturing Workers Union this morning.
The union's Tom Hale says the dispute could go on for some time.
"It depends on how much stock the company's got in their warehouse, the shelf life of the product, the attitude of the supermarkets - in relation to what happens if their stock is no longer available," he said.
They had rejected a company contract because it included a flexibility clause to negotiate individually with workers.
It is believed the company will put a different offer to the Australian Manufacturing Workers Union this morning.
The union's Tom Hale says the dispute could go on for some time.
"It depends on how much stock the company's got in their warehouse, the shelf life of the product, the attitude of the supermarkets - in relation to what happens if their stock is no longer available," he said.
Barack Obama: AFL-CIO address
From AFL-CIO Convention
President Obama electrified the thousands of attendees at the AFL-CIO Convention in Pittsburgh. He spoke powerfully about the importance of unions, and our urgent need to rein in insurance company abuses and for real health insurance reform. Building on this momentum, AFL-CIO Secretary-Treasurer Rich Trumka exhorted attendees to heed the president’s words and take action.
Delegates and activists responded by getting started right on the convention floor.
They are making calls to their friends and local unions asking them to put together actions to expose the big insurance companies that are blocking meaningful reform. It is truly inspiring to see so many union members in one place taking action together.
President Obama said:
"We’ll grow our middle class by finally providing quality, affordable health insurance in this country. Few have fought for this cause harder, and few have championed it longer than you, our brothers and sisters in organized labor. You’re making phone calls, knocking on doors and showing up at rallies—because you know why this is so important.
You know this isn’t just about the millions of Americans who don’t have health insurance. It’s about the hundreds of millions more who do: Americans who worry that they’ll lose their insurance if they lose their job, who fear their coverage will be denied because of a pre-existing condition, who know that one accident or illness could mean financial ruin."
President Obama knows we need health care reform. You know we need health care reform, but the insurance companies and their corporate front groups are fighting desperately to stop it. We're not going to let them do that. We need health insurance reform so that no one is ever denied coverage because of a "pre-existing condition." We need health insurance reform so that no one is ever dropped by their insurance company simply because they are too expensive.
Rich Trumka told the convention:
"Health care reform—our time is NOW! And we are FIRED UP! What we do in the next two weeks is going to make the difference between winning and losing on health care reform. Today, we’re going to kick off a campaign to really hold insurers accountable—for denying care and shutting people out and using our members’ premium dollars to try to kill a public health care option."
President Obama electrified the thousands of attendees at the AFL-CIO Convention in Pittsburgh. He spoke powerfully about the importance of unions, and our urgent need to rein in insurance company abuses and for real health insurance reform. Building on this momentum, AFL-CIO Secretary-Treasurer Rich Trumka exhorted attendees to heed the president’s words and take action.
Delegates and activists responded by getting started right on the convention floor.
They are making calls to their friends and local unions asking them to put together actions to expose the big insurance companies that are blocking meaningful reform. It is truly inspiring to see so many union members in one place taking action together.
President Obama said:
"We’ll grow our middle class by finally providing quality, affordable health insurance in this country. Few have fought for this cause harder, and few have championed it longer than you, our brothers and sisters in organized labor. You’re making phone calls, knocking on doors and showing up at rallies—because you know why this is so important.
You know this isn’t just about the millions of Americans who don’t have health insurance. It’s about the hundreds of millions more who do: Americans who worry that they’ll lose their insurance if they lose their job, who fear their coverage will be denied because of a pre-existing condition, who know that one accident or illness could mean financial ruin."
President Obama knows we need health care reform. You know we need health care reform, but the insurance companies and their corporate front groups are fighting desperately to stop it. We're not going to let them do that. We need health insurance reform so that no one is ever denied coverage because of a "pre-existing condition." We need health insurance reform so that no one is ever dropped by their insurance company simply because they are too expensive.
Rich Trumka told the convention:
"Health care reform—our time is NOW! And we are FIRED UP! What we do in the next two weeks is going to make the difference between winning and losing on health care reform. Today, we’re going to kick off a campaign to really hold insurers accountable—for denying care and shutting people out and using our members’ premium dollars to try to kill a public health care option."
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