Press Release Archives
- Join a Labor Day Celebration!
- WV AFL-CIO Mourns the Passing of Former Delegate Ron Fragale
- Teamsters Overwhelmingly Reject Contract
- Join a Labor Day Celebration!
- Public Employee Representatives to Discuss Sweeping PEIA Legislation
- Workers Will Rally for Fair Treatment at Italian Opera-Themed Tecnocap Celebration
- Ceremony Thursday to honor WV workers who died on the job
- WV AFL-CIO Holds 30th Constitutional Convention
- Teamsters at Bluefield WV Coca Cola Distribution Center Reach Agreement for a New Contract Avoiding a Strike
- Union members will rally Thursday to urge Sen. Capito to support PRO Act
- Public Employees Launch Legal Challenge of Paycheck Bill
- Workers Memorial Event | Wednesday, April 28th
- Statement from West Virginia AFL-CIO President Josh Sword on Sen. Joe Manchin’s Co-Sponsorship of the Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act
- WV AFL-CIO: Gayle Manchin knows Appalachia
- WV AFL-CIO: Legislative leaders using COVID restrictions to shut out public
- Teamsters at AHF Products Ratify Agreement
- The WV AFL-CIO celebrates Labor Day
- Union representatives commemorate National Correctional Officers & Employees Week
- WV AFL-CIO's Annual Workers Memorial Service Tuesday
- WV AFL-CIO rescinds endorsement of Justice Hutchison
- West Virginia AFL-CIO Endorses Isaac Sponaugle for Attorney General
- West Virginia AFL-CIO Endorses Bob Beach for State Agriculture Commissioner
- WV AFL-CIO invites all West Virginians to celebrate working people this weekend
- WV AFL-CIO, UMWA President Cecil Roberts, local labor leaders to honor those who died on the job
- Teamsters Local 175 joins West Virginia AFL-CIO
- Details
Public employees and employee representatives will hold a press conference 10:30 a.m. Monday, Feb. 15, in Room 252 of the state Capitol to talk about the potentially devastating impact of cuts to the West Virginia Public Employee Insurance Agency program, which affects over 200,000 state and local public employees and their families.
“As a member of the Public Employee Insurance Agency Finance Board, I can’t begin to express how concerned I am about what could happen to our lowest paid public employees if the Legislature cannot find a way to properly fund PEIA,” said Elaine Harris, the state's international representative for the Communications Workers of America and a vice president with the West Virginia AFL-CIO.
What: Press conference to discuss effects of PEIA funding crisis
When: 10:30 a.m., Monday, Feb. 15, 2016
Where: Room 252, McManus Room, state Capitol Main Building (located along the House of Delegates North hallway)
- Details
The following is a statement from West Virginia AFL-CIO President Kenny Perdue regarding the passage today of Senate Bill 1, “Right to Work,” and House Bill 4005, repeal of Prevailing Wage:
“The legislative leadership relentlessly pursued “Right to Work” and repeal of Prevailing Wage despite appeals from thousands of hard-working West Virginians and hundreds of employers and contractors to stop and consider the damage caused to workers in other states through lower wages and less safe workplaces, and despite proof that these measures do nothing to create jobs.
“On behalf of 140,000 hard-working men and women represented by the West Virginia AFL-CIO, I would again like to thank Governor Tomblin for seeing through the false promises offered by supporters of both bills and standing up for West Virginia’s middle class. In the coming months, we will direct our energy and resources toward reminding West Virginia working families which legislators failed them, and urging them to vote accordingly – to remember in November.”
- Details
West Virginia AFL-CIO President Kenny Perdue said he is extremely grateful to Governor Earl Ray Tomblin for vetoing both Senate Bill 1, commonly known as “Right to Work,” and House Bill 4005, repeal of state Prevailing Wage.
“On behalf of 140,000 hard-working men and women represented by the West Virginia AFL-CIO, I would like to thank Governor Tomblin for seeing through the false promises offered by supporters of both these bills,” Perdue said. “Rather than endorsing legislation that only serves out-of-state corporate interests, the Governor stood up for West Virginia working families.”
- Details
CHARLESTON -- Workers from Oklahoma and Virginia visited Charleston today to talk about how so-called “Right to Work” laws hurt economies, lower wages, impair worker safety and eliminate jobs.
“We’ve presented countless facts and figures which show that a Right to Work law does nothing to help West Virginia’s economy, and instead would be harmful to West Virginia working families, but the rhetoric from the other side has been strong,” West Virginia AFL-CIO President Kenny Perdue said. “We thought it was time West Virginians hear from working people who have experienced the damage Right to Work causes.”
Jesse Isbell of Oklahoma City lost his job of 36 years with Bridgestone Tire Plant, five years after the state of Oklahoma passed a Right to Work law.
- Details
Workers from “right to work” states to share experiences with anti-worker law
CHARLESTON, WV – Workers from Oklahoma and Virginia will be in Charleston on Wednesday to share their experiences with their states’ “right to work” law. Oklahoma adopted its “right to work” law in 2001 and Virginia adopted the policy in 1947. Workers from each state will discuss how this government intervention between working people and their employers unnecessarily hurts economies, lowers wages, impairs worker safety and eliminates jobs.
For example, since Oklahoma passed the law in 2001, the number of new companies relocating into the state has decreased by one-third and the number of manufacturing jobs in the state has fallen concurrently by one-third, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Many large corporations have relocated their facilities and operations in other countries and other states. Bridgestone Tire, one such company, is the former employer of one of the workers who will be sharing his experience.
What: Press Conference to Highlight Workers’ Real World Experience with a “Right to Work” Law
Who: Workers from Oklahoma and Virginia who have been impacted by their states’ “right to work” laws and a West Virginia economist who has analyzed various data on “right to work” policies.
Where: Room 252, State Capitol Main Building, (located along hallway North of the House Chamber)
When: Wednesday, January 13, 2016 @ 10:00 AM
Participants in the press conference will be available afterward for interviews. Please contact Stacey Ruckle (304.553.2833, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.) to schedule one-on-one interviews.
- Details
The following is a statement from West Virginia AFL-CIO President Kenny Perdue regarding the Senate vacancy resulting from Daniel Hall’s recent resignation:
“The vacancy in the state’s Ninth Senatorial District has created a unique situation that merits close consideration by our state Supreme Court. Given the fact that Daniel Hall changed his party affiliation mid-term, and there are conflicting interpretations of the state code as to how the vacancy should be filled, there is a critical need for clarification. It is my hope that the court will quickly determine how best to ensure the appointment reflects the will of the voters so that the full Senate can turn its attention to the issues that truly matter to West Virginia working families.”