Critical: Defend the FMLA

From Working America/AFL-CIO comes this plea for you to oppose the restrictive changes being proposed to the Family Leave and Medical Act rules. The FMLA allows eligible employees to take up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave from work in the event that they or a family member becomes ill. It's a protection relied on by thousands of working people every year. Time is of the essence. Please sign by April 11.

They're doing it again.

Last year, the Bush administration's Department of Labor took the first step toward making it harder for working people to take unpaid leave for medical and care-giving purposes under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA).

They postponed their attack—because people like you spoke out about the importance of family and medical leave. Today, it's time to act again.

Why? Because they've proposed new rules that will make it more difficult to take FMLA leave. But before they make any decisions, the Department of Labor is accepting public comments. This is your chance to tell them you oppose the restrictive proposed changes to the FMLA rules.

Here's one of the changes they're proposing:

The Labor Department wants to let employers contact medical providers directly, sometimes without employee consent. If these proposed changes are approved, your boss—or anyone at your workplace—could be allowed to call and question your doctor without your knowledge. This proposed change to FMLA rules could open the door to violations of your medical privacy.

That's an extra burden working people don't need, especially when dealing with serious illness. Will you tell the Department of Labor that you oppose this proposed change to the FMLA rules?

Here's another change they're trying to make:

The Department of Labor wants to require more frequent medical visits for workers who request FMLA leave. Who will pay for these extra medical visits? You guessed it—you will, either outright or through co-pays, and through lost time at work. Plus, you could find yourself footing the bill for all the extra paperwork your health care professionals will have to undertake.

Potentially sensitive communications with an employee's doctor should be left in the hands of other medical professionals—NOT placed in the hands of employers. Please respond now to let the Department of Labor know that you're against this proposed change. Our strength is in numbers—we will compile your comments and submit survey results before the deadline.

We only have a few days to tell the Labor Department how we feel about these proposed changes to the FMLA. Together, the members of Working America can make an impact. We've done it before—and with your help, we can do it again.

Sincerely,

Working America, AFL-CIO

This is the BFM Action Center blog. Blogging For Michigan is a progressive blog that features news and commentary on Michigan politics, policy, and social issues. Visit us at www.bloggingformichigan.com.

Help Save Women's Lives

From the Susan G. Komen for the Cure Advocacy Alliance:

It is that time of year, when Congress prepares to divvy up funding for the year ahead – and breast cancer research and early detection programs are on the line.

This is a matter of real lives, not just numbers. If programs like the National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program and agencies like the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the National Cancer Institute (NCI) aren't properly funded, lives will be lost. We can't let that happen!

Write to your members of Congress today asking for a responsible investment in breast cancer in the 2009 budget.

Cuts in these programs could cost lives – lives of real people like Nicole Henderson. The story of Nicole and Robert Henderson is one of courage, true love, and inspiration for others battling cancer.

A young mother of four, Nicole found a lump in her breast in 1999, which started Nicole's and Robert's long breast cancer journey. After some initial progress through radiation and chemotherapy, Nicole's cancer returned in 2002 and spread to her lungs. Despite multiple treatments, second and third opinions – even traveling to Mexico in search of alternative treatments – and lots of prayers from friends, church members and her supportive family, Nicole's cancer spread to her brain and her condition declined.

In 2006, the couple was told there was no other treatment that would help. Her time is more precious than ever, but she and Robert have decided to make the most of it by standing together to share their story and champion the cause of early detection and more funding for research.

Send a message to Congress that we need more funding for people like Nicole. Take action now!

Robert was recently honored with Susan G. Komen for the Cure's Co-Survivor of the Year award, which recognizes a friend, spouse, or family member who finds meaningful ways to ease the burden of someone dealing with breast cancer. Robert's support has ranged from helping Nicole bathe to accompanying her to every chemotherapy and radiation treatment to driving her to her many speaking engagements, where she spreads the message of breast cancer awareness and early detection.

Nicole continues to share her story despite her advanced stage of illness. Now, it is up to Champions like you to tell Congress that we must set aside increased funding through appropriations to continue offering programs for early detection and vital funding of breast cancer research. We owe it to Nicole – and to the 40,000 women who will lose their battle with breast cancer this year – to do our part.

Urge Congress to set aside more funding so we can help others catch cancer early before it claims even more lives.

Thank you for all that you do to help end breast cancer forever. Together, we'll make sure that breast cancer continues to be a national priority.

Sincerely,

Diane Balma
Susan G. Komen for the Cure Advocacy Alliance

This is the BFM Action Center blog. Blogging For Michigan is a progressive blog that features news and commentary on Michigan politics, policy, and social issues. Visit us at www.bloggingformichigan.com.

Tell Congress: Say "No" to Columbia Trade Deal

From the Working Families e-Activist Network, AFL-CIO:

President Bush is using his final months in office to push for a U.S.-Colombia Free Trade Agreement. But the Colombian government hasn’t done enough to protect the lives and rights of its workers.

An AFL-CIO delegation traveled to Colombia last week to hear firsthand the dangers faced by Colombian trade unionists. The group came to some troubling conclusions.

AFL-CIO Executive Vice President Emerita Linda Chavez-Thompson found that “there has been too little real progress in ending the brutality that trade unionists face in Colombia.” And not only do trade unionists have to operate in this climate of fear--the Colombian government has continued its policy of union-busting.

Balanced trade agreements must guarantee the right to organize, lift the lives of workers in both countries and prevent exploitation. But this can’t happen in a country where workers who try to organize are killed.

Click here to tell Congress to oppose the U.S.-Colombia trade deal until the lives and rights of Colombia’s union members are protected.

Last year, 40 trade unionists were murdered, and Colombia’s government hasn’t done enough to stop the killings.

Meanwhile, only about 1 percent of Colombian workers have union contracts. “It is the lowest rate in the hemisphere and among the worst in the world,” said Larry Cohen, president of the Communications Workers of America (CWA). “They are killing the unions, not just the union leaders.”

Colombian union leaders are opposed to a trade deal with the United States. These courageous advocates for workers’ rights want the Colombian government to take strong action to stop the violence against trade union members and end the government’s assaults on unions.

Please tell Congress to oppose a trade deal with Colombia until the lives and rights of Colombian workers are protected:

http://www.unionvoice.org/campaign/no_colombia_trade_deal

In solidarity,

Working Families e-Activist Network, AFL-CIO


This is the BFM Action Center blog. Blogging For Michigan is a progressive blog that features news and commentary on Michigan politics, policy, and social issues. Visit us at www.bloggingformichigan.com.

Petition to End Predatory Lending Practices

From Working America, AFL-CIO:

Dear Friend,

If you aren’t feeling it, you probably know someone who is.

Debt is hitting many of us hard. The effect of the mounting debt crisis on working families has been serious—almost half of our members report they know someone who has faced housing foreclosure. And many working people are faced with losing their homes. This is due, in no small part, to the predatory practices of mortgage companies.

When given the opportunity to change their practices, these lenders have proven time and again that they care more about profits than the livelihoods of their customers — working people like you and me.

That’s why Working America is joining the AFL-CIO to fight back. Sign the petition calling on mortgage companies to stop the predatory actions pushing many working families further and further into debt.

Last month, we created a petition targeting the U.S. Treasury, and more than 19,210 online letters already have been sent by Working America members.

Now we’re calling on the top six mortgage lenders—Citibank, Chase, Washington Mutual, Countrywide, Wells Fargo and Bank of America—to end their predatory practices against working people.

We’re asking these lenders to change their practices in the following four ways:

• A moratorium on foreclosures;
• Conversion of outstanding loans at fair rates;
• Change to servicing agreements that encourage refinancing over foreclosure; and
• Far more transparency from lenders around their policies and practices.

These steps are urgent, bold and necessary to end the practices that predatory lenders continue to use against working people. That's why it's critical to act now.

So please, don’t wait another moment. Stand up for the working families who risk losing their homes by making sure these mortgage lenders hear from you today.

Thanks for acting,

Working America, AFL-CIO

This is the BFM Action Center blog. Blogging For Michigan is a progressive blog that features news and commentary on Michigan politics, policy, and social issues. Visit us at www.bloggingformichigan.com.

I Vote for the Cure

From the Susan G. Komen for the Cure Advocacy Alliance:

With the primaries just getting under way, thousands of people have already taken a stand and told the 2008 presidential candidates: I Vote for the Cure.

It's all part of Komen's new campaign to put breast cancer at the center of the national debate this election season. From coast to coast, we're raising the cry: I Vote for the Cure.

Are you with us?

Sign the petition now! Help us hit our goal of 100,000 signatures!

It couldn't be easier to tell America's next president that you want breast cancer to be a national priority.

Komen's I Vote for the Cure campaign challenges the candidates to tell us how they'll address three common-sense objectives:

More funding for research. How will our next leader ensure that we don't lose momentum - and that critical advances in the laboratory reach patients?

Screening for all. Will our next leader provide every low-income, uninsured, and underinsured woman in America access to early detection?

Access to quality treatment. Which candidates will promise to make sure that all women diagnosed with breast cancer - regardless of income or skin color - have access to high quality treatment?

This is one of the biggest, boldest campaigns we have ever launched, and we're off to a great start. But it would be even better if you were on board!

Ready? Sign the I Vote for the Cure Petition today and let our next president know where you stand.

We're sending a message the candidates - and the media - won't be able to overlook. I hope you'll join the excitement as we move forward.

Thank you for all that you do in the fight against breast cancer.

Sincerely,

Diane Balma
Susan G. Komen for the Cure Advocacy Alliance


This is the BFM Action Center blog. Blogging For Michigan is a progressive blog that features news and commentary on Michigan politics, policy, and social issues. Visit us at www.bloggingformichigan.com.

Stop the "Right to Work" Scam!

This is from the MEA Votes Newsletter

Volunteer to educate voters on Jan. 15 about this deceptive, anti-worker initiative

In preparation for the Jan. 15 presidential primary, labor groups are mobilizing to be at polling places across Michigan to ensure voters don't fall for the "Right to Work" scam.

Proponents of this anti-worker law are threatening to get this misleading initiative on the 2008 Michigan ballot. Paid signature gatherers may be out in force on Jan. 15 trying to trick voters into believing that this law has something to do with everyone's right to a job. These mercenaries will say anything to get a signature and make a buck, including lying about the true intention of this law—to cripple union efforts to represent workers by allowing freeloaders to receive union benefits without paying dues or service fees.

We must be out in force on Jan. 15 to educate voters about this deceptive initiative and protect workers' rights. Our goal is to have more than 5,000 volunteers at polling places across Michigan, telling the true intention of "Right to Work" before the signature-gathering mercenaries have a chance to dupe voters.

We need those interested in volunteering to help monitor a local polling place on Jan. 15 to send an e-mail to meavotes@mea.org with the following information:

* your name
* address
* home and cell phone numbers
* your precinct and/or the polling place where you vote
* whether you'd be available for the afternoon shift from 4-8 p.m. or the morning shift from 7 a.m. - 1 p.m.

In early January, there will be training sessions in many different locations statewide preparing you for your work at the presidential primary polling sites. Someone will be in touch with you about options for being trained and which polling place you'll be asked to cover (based on targets and voter turnout projections).

We must turn out volunteers in force to educate voters and show the scam-artists behind "Right to Work" that it is wrong for Michigan.

Help Chris Dodd Stop FISA Immunity

The Senate will soon consider legislation addressing the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA). I emailed you about this issue recently responding to inaccuracies in the press about Democratic efforts to improve protection of civil liberties. I am writing you today to update you on the current state of the bill and to ask for your help.

One critical question being considered in the Senate's FISA bill is whether to offer telecom companies retroactive immunity for any actions they undertook in the wireless surveillance program. The Bush Administration has claimed that this is necessary for national security reasons, but I am skeptical.

If the Administration was serious about arguing for this immunity, I suspect they would take steps to demonstrate to Congress the extent of this surveillance program and what role the phone companies played. Yet they have refused to share even this information with the House. Clearly, it is a bit much to ask for immunity from prosecution without explaining why it is necessary.

Because of these reservations, the House-passed FISA bill did not include the immunity the president sought. In the Senate, however, it is becoming clear that a tough battle will now ensue over this provision. Senator Chris Dodd of Connecticut has been a vocal opponent of telecom immunity and has promised to filibuster any FISA legislation that includes this provision.

Senator Dodd needs your help right now. Please visit his site and lend your support to the filibuster now. Your help can make a difference at this important juncture.

Thank you again for your continued support for a better democracy.

Your Friend,

John Conyers, Jr.

This is the BFM Action Center blog. Blogging For Michigan is a progressive blog that features news and commentary on Michigan politics, policy, and social issues. Visit us at www.bloggingformichigan.com.