Guest Name:
Guest Website:
Guest Social Media:
Supportive Documents:
Missouri AFL-CIO Secretary-Treasurer Merri Berry appeared on the America’s Work Force Union Podcast and discussed ongoing labor battles in Missouri and how the state’s AFL-CIO is empowering women.
Berry began her labor journey with the United Food and Commercial Workers Local 655 in St. Louis. She met David Cook, now the President of Local 655, who got Berry involved in the union. As an active Local 655 member, Berry gained a passion for politics and eventutally moved on to work for the Missouri AFL-CIO.
Currently, the Missouri AFL-CIO is leading a battle against a pair of bills that will be brought to a vote during this legislative session. The first bill is House Joint Resolution 43, which would change the required percentage of yes votes needed to amend the Missouri constitution from 50 percent plus one to 60 percent. The second piece of legislation is Senate Bill 21, which would shorten the length of time a person could collect unemployment benefits from 20 weeks to eight weeks.
Berry then discussed Working Women’s Lobby Day and its effect on Missouri women in labor. The event began as a way to give women a voice in the labor movement. It takes place on International Women’s Day and encourages women to petition their state representatives on different topics such as women’s rights and union issues. Berry believes this event shows that women in unions are active and can be a force for change.
Listen to the entire episode to learn more.
America’s Work Force is the only daily labor podcast in the US and has been on the air since 1993, supplying listeners with useful, relevant input into their daily lives through fact-finding features, in-depth interviews, informative news segments and practical consumer reports. America’s Work Force is committed to providing an accessible venue in which America's workers and their families can hear discussion on important, relevant topics such as employment, healthcare, legislative action, labor-management relations, corporate practices, finances, local and national politics, consumer reports and labor issues.
America’s Work Force Union Podcast is brought to you in part by our sponsors: AFL-CIO, American Federation of Government Employees, American Federation of Musicians Local 4, American Alliance for Manufacturing, Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield, Columbus/Central Ohio Building and Construction Trades Council, Communication Workers of America, International Association of Heat and Frost Insulators and Allied Workers, International Association of Heat and Frost Insulators and Allied Workers Local 50, International Brotherhood of Teamsters, International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers, International Union of Bricklayers and Allied Crafts, International Union of Painters and Allied Trades District Council 6, Ironworkers Great Lakes District Council, The Labor Citizen newspaper, Laborers International Union of The National Labor Office of Blue Cross and Blue Shield, North America, North Coast Area Labor Federation, Ohio Federation of Teachers, Survey and Ballot Systems, United Labor Agency, United Steelworkers.
SUBSCRIBE ON:
