Gearing Up For Netroots Nation

[Omaha Steve]

http://unionreview.com/gearing-netroots-nation

This week I will be heading to Netroots Nation, where a 1,000-plus progressive bloggers and activists will meet up. The issues being discussed will include building a stronger economy and restoring the freedom to organize unions, well that's what I will be discussing!

The AFL-CIO, which will be with us at the conference, wrote to their blog yesterday that, "Thursday afternoon’s panel, “The Secret Plan to Defeat the Right Forever,” offers an up-close look at why labor law reform like the Employee Free Choice Act is critical to a bigger, stronger empowered middle class and progressive movement."

Last year I had the honor to sit in on the Labor Caucus and will do so again this year. On list-serves burning up this week I suggested that we (labor) work a little harder at explaining ourselves without all the alphabet soup. I wrote that people are often ashamed to admit that they have no idea what a CBA is, what SEIU stands for let alone AFSME, IBT, etc. Equally important is the fact that a lot of progressive bloggers, who would in fact stand up with labor, don't always understand exactly what a union is and how it does what it does. I have often said that as much as we must organize our ranks, we need to do the same with our potential allies as well.

I am looking forward to the conference, seeing people I seem to only get to see once a year and doing some serious chatting, and you know I can chat up a storm. If you have any concerns or questions that you would bring up in the labor caucus if you were there, let me know and I will bring them up for you.

[SharonRB]

1. I'll be there, too

So will Hissyspit and proud2blib.