AFL-CIO leader discusses future

Currently, the American working family is not in good shape and the future, according to the executive vice president of American Federation of Labor and the Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO), looks bleak.

The ninth annual Philip Murray Memorial Labor Lecture, held last night in Kern Auditorium, featured Chavez-Thompson, who spoke to a full audience of students as well as members of the general public. The annual lecture was established to commemorate the many contributions to the American labor movement made by Murray in the early 1900s. Murray was one of the most notable labor visionaries in American history, Chavez-Thompson said.

Chavez-Thompson hoped honoring Murray would help students understand his efforts to promote equality and democracy through labor unions. Murray changed the lifestyle of almost every person living during the beginning of the labor movement, she said, as he helped move many of them into the middle-class and pass on a better life for their children.

She expressed her concern for the future of America labor, where many people struggle to survive without adequate wages or employment benefits.

Corporate America is not responsive or responsible, she said, and the current 24-percent increase in productivity is not reflected in the 12-percent decrease in wages.

"AT&T lays off 40,000 people and the top CEO gets a $12 million raise," Chavez-Thompson said. "America needs a raise!"

Recounting the testimonies of workers who tried to make ends meet with multiple jobs and without full-time security, benefits or high enough wages, Chavez-Thompson stressed the need for labor unions. She said the future of the American labor movement depends on public support.

"We ask people to be in the trenches with us to understand what working families go through everyday," she said, "not just for the 13 million members, but for those who are denied the right to join a union."

As the labor movement moves into the future, Chavez-Thompson said the priorities for it are clear. The AFL-CIO is looking to increase its organization by working to establish multi-union support, forcing politicians to address the needs of working-class families and building partnerships between the unions and the communities to bring about understanding and support.

Some students who attended the speech were concerned for the future of groups like labor union and the families that depend on them.

"There needs to be a change in the working class," said Lorraine Palazzo (junior-marketing). "Even though I'm a business-(related) major and I'm supposed to support corporate America, I do believe labor unions need to be heard."

Chavez-Thompson said the AFL-CIO hopes that through these efforts the future of labor and working families will improve.

"The day will come that you will be able to provide for your children as well as your parents provided for you," Chavez-Thompson added .