A new study released by University of Massachusetts Amherst Labor Center reveals that nearly 1-in-10 RI employers misclassified employees between 2016 and 2021, affecting an estimated 19,359 workers and costing taxpayers at least $25.1 M.
Climate jobs ri
Building a Just Transition for a Resilient Future
A Climate Jobs Program for Rhode Island
Authored by researchers at Cornell University, the report Building a Just Transition for a Resilient Future: A Climate Jobs Program for Rhode Island examines the climate crisis in Rhode Island and outlines a set of high-impact climate jobs recommendations that maximize the state’s actions towards:
- Creating thousands of good-paying, high-quality jobs that help reverse inequality
- Drastically reducing greenhouse gas emissions to avoid the worst impacts of climate change and meet the state’s Act on Climate targets
- Investing in infrastructure that will make Rhode Island communities healthier, more resilient, and more equitable.
Download Climate Jobs RI’s comprehensive policy platform and climate action plan here.
United Way of Rhode Island
George Nee: Annual Celebration Honoree
A lifetime dedicated to labor and community
It’s been quite the ride for George Nee since he felt inspired to leave Boston College in 1969 to help organize the grape boycott for the United Farm Workers of America in Dorchester, Massachusetts. The decision would kick off a more than 50-year commitment to labor and the rights of workers.
Now the president of the Rhode Island AFl-CIO, a position he’s held since 2009 after joining the organization in 1983, George Nee is the recipient of this year’s Dante F. Mollo Labor United Award.
“When I think of what the Dante Mollo award represents — an individual who tirelessly fights for equal opportunity for all — there is no question it is George who embodies those traits,” says Cortney Nicolato, United Way of Rhode Island’s president and CEO. “His efforts throughout the years have made a difference for literally tens of thousands of Rhode Islanders and their families.”
George’s leadership of the Rhode Island labor community dates back to 1971. After the grape boycott proved successful, resulting in union contracts and improved conditions for farm workers, he came here to coordinate a lettuce boycott. Working alongside farm workers who spoke little English, George solidified the right to organize and the power of collective action as keys to allow hard-working people to take control of their economic futures.
A few years later, he organized a number of low-wage Rhode Island jewelry, clerical, and healthcare workers into a formidable group that would become the Service Employees International Union, Local 76. George would serve as its founding president from 1976 to 1983. The rest, as they say, is history.
“Working people have a right to have a voice everywhere decisions are made in Rhode Island and I’ve tried to dedicate my life to making sure people are treated in a just manner,” says George. “This award means a lot because I knew Danny Mollo personally… he was a force of nature. Danny preceded 211, but he was his own 211. In fact, I know he would be proud and amazed at what United Way has done with 211. It’s so valuable that people have a single place to call and can get assistance.”
With the RI AFL-CIO, George has had a profound impact on the community through advocacy, volunteerism, philanthropy, and influencing policy changes that improved access to opportunities and education for workers. He is actively involved in economic development projects, and serves on the Rhode Island Convention Center Authority and the Human Resource Investment Council to name a few.
Under George’s leadership, the RI AFL-CIO was the first partner to endorse our LIVE UNITED 2025 strategic plan.
The American Rescue Plan Act
Organized labor’s recommendations for
spending Rhode Island’s allotment of funds
from the American Rescue Plan Act.
AFL-CIO Dispatch (April 16, 2021)
THREE QUESTIONS FOR RHODE ISLAND AFL-CIO SECRETARY-TREASURER PATRICK CROWLEY
The AFL-CIO is including this regular feature in our Dispatch newsletter, where we ask three questions of a labor leader. We continue this feature with a short interview with Patrick Crowley (NEA), secretary-treasurer of the Rhode Island AFL-CIO.
Q: How did you get started in the labor movement?
A: My first union job was as a member of RWDSU-UFCW Local 513 in Needham, Massachusetts, when I worked at the Coca-Cola factory to pay my way through college, but I really first became an active member when I joined UAW Local 2322 as a graduate student employee for the Labor Center at the University of Massachusetts Amherst.
Q: What are your highest priorities in 2021?
A: The Rhode Island AFL-CIO helped to organize Climate Jobs Rhode Island, a coalition of unions and environmental organizations that work on prioritizing a just transition to a green economy. So far we’ve made good progress, helping to pass a pro-worker environmental bill into law called the “Act on Climate.” We are also working on increasing the minimum wage to $15 per hour by 2024, trying to make wage-theft a felony, establishing a patient/caregiver staffing ratio for nursing home workers, and enacting a moratorium on new charter schools. We are also advocating to make our statewide public bus service, RIPTA (where members of Amalgamated Transit Union [ATU] Local 618 work) free to all riders, so the service can expand and help us address the effects of climate change by encouraging more people to use public transportation.
Q: Can you tell us about recent progress that the Rhode Island AFL-CIO has had?
A: Despite everything going on with the pandemic, it’s been great to help our affiliates continue to organize new workers. In recent weeks we’ve seen union organizing wins for both private and public sector affiliates, adding members in the cannabis industry, school bus drivers, and public higher education. I’m optimistic that with the support of Sens. Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse we can get the PRO Act passed so we can ramp up our organizing even more.
AFL-CIO Eastern Region Weekly newsletter (April 1, 2021)
On César Chávez Day, President Nee Reflects on the Inspirational Labor Leader
On March 31, now known as César Chávez Day, George Nee (OPEIU, pictured on the left), president of the Rhode Island AFL-CIO, took a look back on the work he did with Chávez (pictured far right), the inspirational labor leader, to help organize the grape boycott for the United Farm Workers (UFW) In 1969. Nee decided to leave Boston College to assist Chávez and UFW in their efforts. He helped to organize the 1,000-man march through the California fruit and vegetable countryside. The successful conclusion of the grape boycott then launched Nee into a lifetime in the labor and civil rights movements, and he has been serving as president of the state federation since 2009. When Chávez passed away in 1993, Nee was a pallbearer at his funeral.
On Wednesday, the White House released a proclamation officially announcing March 31 as César Chávez Day.
“I was proud to place a bust of César Chávez in the Oval Office, so that no one who enters that historic room may forget the powerful truths his farm worker hands imparted,” said President Biden in the proclamation. “I call upon all Americans to observe this day as a day of service and learning, with appropriate service, community, and education programs to honor César Chávez’s enduring legacy.”
providence Business news (11/23/2018)
PRESS RELEASE
World Peace Prize Comes to Rhode Island George Nee, President, Rhode Island AFL-CIO
PROVIDENCE RI. Thursday, November 15, 2018—The World Peace Prize has come to the smallest State in America.
Presently, the World Peace Prize— founded in 1989 and headquartered in Seoul, South Korea—is focusing on the huge contribution the Labor Movement has made to equality, justice and peace, not only nationally but globally.
And on Thursday, November 15, the World Peace Prize," Roving Ambassador for Peace," was presented to George Nee, noted Labor Leader, and President of Rhode Island AFL-CIO.
The presentation ceremony was chaired by Barbara Flaherty, Judge and Corporate Manager, World Peace Prize and Executive Vice President of the Capitol Hill-base Irish National Caucus. She welcomed the large turn-out in the Rhode Island Convention Center and introduced both Fr. Sean McManus, Chief Judge, World Peace Prize, and President of the Irish National Caucus.
In his remarks, Fr. Mc Manus said:" As new Judges based in the Nation's Capital, we wanted to make a signature innovation to the World Peace Prize: to squarely place the American Labor Movement in the category of those who work for peace. Labor leaders who spend their entire lives working in solidarity for justice for working men and women are indeed working for peace—not only nationally but also globally. Hence, Labor leaders are eminently qualified to be candidates for the World Peace Prize of "Roving Ambassador for Peace. Of course, a memorable quote by Pope John Paul II, from one of his great Encyclicals helped us to make the case. Reflecting on the maxim "peace is the fruit of justice," the pope declared: “Today, one could say, with the same exactness and the same power of biblical inspiration peace is the fruit of solidarity.” (“Solicitude for social concerns”). 39. 1988.
President Nee expressed deep appreciation for receiving the Prize, and great humility, stating he was accepting it on behalf of all members of the AFL-CIO in Rhode Island. He also paid homage to his "patron Saint," the late famed Cesar Chavez, for whom he worked in earlier days. According to Fr. McManus, "George Nee is the quintessential, totally authentic Labor leader. He is a most impressive man. Cesar Chavez would be proud of him, and so should the entire Labor Movement in America."
As is now, the practice of the Irish National Caucus at the end of these events, the Irish American Peace Prize is also presented to a worthy recipient—one who has shown steadfastness in standing up for equality, justice and peace in Ireland. This time the recipient was George McLaughlin of Providence. Mr. Mc Laughlin is a longtime campaigner for justice in The North/Northern Ireland. He is most recently known for his good work in arranging to erect a tombstone in Philadelphia for Robert Cranston and Thomas Darragh, two of the Fenian heroes to escaped from the Australian penal colony on the good ship Catalpa in 1876.