UTWA Joins the AFL-CIO!

Submitted by RScotland on Wed, 10/26/2011 - 11:04pm

On Thursday, October 20th, 2011 members of the Unified Taxi Workers Alliance of PA and the the New York Taxi Workers Alliance gathered in Washington, D.C. with Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis, AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka, and many others to receive and celebrate their official AFL-CIO charter.   

This event marks the National Taxi Workers Alliance becoming the 57th organization to be affiliated with the national federation of American unions.  Members from the Philadelphia delegation attending the ceremonies included UTWA President Ronald Blount, Mohammad Shukur, Shah Golamkader Farid, Tesfai Gebremedhi, Linda Person and Michael Nwabudike

Ron Blount, President of the Unified Taxi Workers Alliance explained, "This is a historic event.  The national house of labor has given full recognition of rights to independent contractors, acknowledging that they are in fact workers.  There is a lot of excitement moving forward.  This victory gives us legitimacy to grow and strengthen our organizing at the national level."

The event also included a panel discussion with representatives of several other unions, including:

  • Bill Cruice of the Pennsylvania Association of Staff Nurses and Allied Professionals (PASNAP);
  • Bhairavi Desai of the National Taxi Workers Alliance (NTWA);
  • Justin Molito of the Writers Guild of America, East (WGAE); and
  • Ai-jen Poo of the National Domestic Workers Alliance (NDWA).

 

Watch the entire event online at: http://www.aflcio.org/webcast_oct20.cfm

 

 

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