This full-page ad is running in the Louisville Courier-Journal.

This week, the National Conference of State Legislators is holding a legislative summit in Louisville, KY, to discuss issues important to state legislatures in the midst of record budget shortfalls across the country.

Scheduled to address the conference today is none other than Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY), the Republican leader in the U.S. Senate and the chief architect of a strategy to block critically needed federal aid for states, putting the national economic recovery at risk by forcing layoffs of thousands of teachers, police officers and firefighters.

We couldn’t resist the opportunity to hold McConnell accountable.

AFSCME is running a full-page ad in today’s Louisville Courier-Journal highlighting editorials from around the country calling on Congress to approve badly-needed federal aid for cash-strapped states.

We’re also projecting a giant video on buildings in downtown Louisville near the NCSL meeting to call out McConnell for his efforts to block the aid, force layoffs and stall the national economy for political gain. Politico’s Mike Allen called it the “ad of the day” in today’s Playbook, and CNN’s Political Ticker notes the ad targets McConnell on his “home turf”.

See the larger-than-life message to McConnell and the Republicans here:

By a 64-30 margin, Americans think reducing unemployment is more important than deficit reduction according to a Quinnipiac poll released on Thursday. While the Senate was finally able to pass the long-delayed extension of unemployment benefits this week, that is just the first step in keeping our economic recovery going — and much more needs to be done.

AFSCME Pres. Gerald W. McEntee urged President Obama and Congress to “heed the lessons of this poll,” and pass a real jobs bill that includes crucial federal aid to state and local governments to prevent the potentially devastating loss of up to 1 million additional public and private sector jobs.

“This poll confirms that Republican rhetoric in Washington is out of sync with average Americans. By a margin of more than 2 to 1, Americans believe that saving and creating jobs is more important than reducing the federal deficit to move our economy forward. Considering how tone-deaf Washington has become on jobs, it’s no wonder Americans are gloomy about the nation’s economic recovery.

Read the full statement.

Over 2,000 online progressives are gathering in Las Vegas this week for the 2010 Netroots Nation conference, and AFSCME will be there. The annual event, held this year July 22-25, brings together political powerhouses like House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and Sen. Al Franken (D-MN) and progressives from across the country for workshops, panels and speaking events.

Don’t miss AFSCME’s contribution to the opening keynote program being held on Thursday, July 22 from 7-9pm featuring Montana Gov. Brian Schweitzer. Also scheduled to appear are MSNBC’s Ed Schultz, Daily Show co-creator Lizz Winstead and Daily Kos founder Markos Moulitsas, among others.

On Friday night, join us at McFadden’s Bar in the Rio Hotel as AFSCME hosts Chairman’s Quiz Night starting at 7pm — your chance to dazzle everyone with your knowledge of all things political.

Learn about the perils of privatization during the “Pay More, Get Less” panel being held on Saturday at 1:45pm in Brasilia 2. AFSCME’s Research Director Kerry Korpi (who you’ll remember from her recent appearance on CNBC) will discuss the high cost of handing over core government functions to big business.

Also on Saturday afternoon, we hope you’ll join us for the Labor Caucus from 4:00-5:15pm in Miranda 5 where attendees will focus on issues affecting our work as labor communicators — how we can improve what we do and effectively reach union members and the public.

In between panels, keynotes and events, visit the AFSCME booth (#808) in the exhibit hall where we will be giving away prizes including USB drives and computer bags. You can also enter a raffle to win $250 in hotel gift card.

And be sure to visit the AFL-CIO/Working America booth as well where you can “Raise a Glass for the Working Class” — visitors who take an action on behalf of working families will be invited back to attend a union beer tasting during happy hours on Thursday and Friday evenings.

Can’t make it to Las Vegas? You can follow the conference at home via Twitter (the Netroots Nation 2010 hashtag is #NN10) and streaming online video. In addition, some sessions will be carried live by C-SPAN. We’ll be providing coverage as well, on this blog as well as on Facebook and Twitter.

For more agenda highlights and Netroots Nation coverage, check out the AFL-CIO blog.

Wednesday morning on the Bill Press Radio Show, AFSCME Pres. Gerald W. McEntee talked P-O-L-I-T-I-C-S during a segment covering topics ranging from the extension of unemployment benefits, legislation to give public safety workers the right to collective bargaining, and the very urgent need for Congress to pass federal aid to states.

When it comes right down to it, said McEntee, while the Republicans have been “recalcitrant” and have done their best to block every attempt to get the economy back on track, the Democrats and Pres. Obama need to do a lot more to fight for working families.

Pres. McEntee said the AFSCME members he spoke with during the union’s 39th International Convention earlier this month were distressed, discouraged and angry about what’s happening — or not happening — in Washington, and he predicted it could have an impact on the upcoming midterm elections.

Bill Press: Do you think the base is going to be there?
Pres. McEntee: Right now? No.

Listen here (9 min. 21 sec.):

Update: on her blog, Digby says Pres. McEntee has “sounded a frightening alarm” and asks: Is unemployment about to go back up?

By a 60-39 vote, the Senate finally passed Wall Street reform legislation on Thursday and sent it to President Obama for his signature. The victory capped a nearly yearlong fight that pitted an army of Wall Street lobbyists against a grassroots movement of financial reform activists from union, consumer and community groups. At one time the financial industry was spending an estimated $1.4 million a day to derail Wall Street reform.

AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka, says the bill, which will rein-in some of the most reckless Wall Street/Big Bank practices that shoved the nation’s economy over the cliff,

represents a historic shift of power — away from big bankers and CEOs to working families and Main Street. For years, Big Banks have profited on the backs of working families. Millions of working families lost their jobs and still can’t find work because of the reckless and selfish actions of Wall Street and the big banks.

The bill includes new rules on how banks handle derivatives. Derivatives are the complex and risky financial products developed by Wall Street and Big Banks that were at the heart of the financial collapse. The bill regulates banks’ hedge fund operations and gives shareholders more of a say on corporate governance.

It also creates a Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to rein in subprime mortgages, payday lending and abusive credit practices. The bill protects taxpayers from footing the bill for failing financial institutions by giving government regulators the authority to liquidate the companies by breaking them apart, selling assets and forcing creditors and shareholders to take losses — not the taxpayers.

Read more on the AFL-CIO blog.

Working families recently celebrated the 75th anniversary of the National Labor Relations Act, the primary law protecting workers’ right to form or join a union and engage in collective bargaining.

Thanks to the NLRA, unions have built America’s middle class and lifted million of workers from poverty to prosperity. Still, too many naysayers claim that given our nation’s current economic predicament, we cannot afford to have unions.

Seriously?

As President Franklin Delano Roosevelt said when he signed the Act into law on July, 5, 1935, the NLRA will help us achieve “common justice and economic advance.” This is exactly what the NLRA has done, despite the numerous obstacles Big Business and other anti-union forces keep throwing in its way.

Without organized labor, many of the things we take for granted – things workers in other nations can only dream of – would not exist. The eight-hour work day, the 40-hour week, safety and health regulations, pensions, vacation and sick days were all won through the power of collective bargaining. Do our detractors think employers provided these benefits out of simple generosity?

As Labor Secretary Hilda Solís pointed out recently on The Huffington Post, thanks to collective bargaining:

“Working people were able to share in the gains of their productivity and labor and management together forged creative solutions to create the powerful engine of the American economy we all are proud of.”

To really jumpstart our economy, we must rescue the middle class and help it grow. This is why AFSCME also supports initiatives such as the Employee Free Choice Act, a bill that would make it easier for millions of workers to join unions and stiffen penalties to employers who violate their right to do so.

Now – when our country needs it most – is time to fulfill the promise of the National Labor Relations Act and give workers the chance of a better tomorrow.

Calling it the “fiscally sensible and morally decent” thing to do, the Washington Post calls on the U.S. Senate to pass the jobs bill to send badly-needed aid to states and extend unemployment benefits.

On the subject of federal funding to help state governments, “There is no good reason to oppose this help and every reason to offer it.”

States are staggering under the impact of the economic slump, with revenue down and demand for social services up. Some 30 states were counting on the Medicaid money to balance their budgets, as required by law. The other cuts they would be forced to make if the Medicaid funds are not forthcoming would further slow the economic recovery. Passing this package is the right thing to do, and fiscally prudent too.

Blocking continued unemployment benefits due to deficit concerns, argues the Post, is also shortsighted because they are most likely to be spent immediately to help stimulate the economy. “Unemployment benefits — which average just over $300 a week — are an essential lifeline. The Senate needs to extend them.”

Read the full Washington Post editorial.

In June, an analysis from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities confirmed the gap between rich and poor in the United States has reached levels not seen since 1929.

The CBPP report found a financial Grand Canyon separating the very rich from everyone else. Read more at Crooks and Liars.

This full-page ad will run in Sunday’s Plain Dealer.

This weekend AFSCME is running a $175,000 ad campaign calling on Republican Sens. Scott Brown, Susan Collins, Olympia Snowe and George Voinovich to stop the obstruction and pass the jobs bill.

The ads, entitled “Jobs Matter More,” send the message that while the national deficit matters, protecting and creating jobs must be the nation’s first priority.

AFSCME Pres. Gerald W. McEntee explains:

“It’s not complicated, but Republican senators don’t seem to understand: More jobs now mean less debt later. Without help now, there will be devastating cuts to vital public services and major job losses in both the public and private sectors.

“The GOP filibuster of the jobs bill means more pain for working families, more debt and a prolonged recession. We’re telling senators that it’s time to stop the obstruction. It’s time to pass the jobs bill!”

Read the press release for more details.

AFSCME activists rallied Wednesday on Boston Common, in solidarity with Council 93, to prevent the loss of critical public services and to pass the jobs bill now stalled in Congress. 

Today’s Boston Globe features a front page article on Massachusetts’ budget challenges and AFSCME members’ powerful demonstration.

Hundreds of members of the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees, dressed in matching green T-shirts, rallied on Boston Common yesterday as Patrick was signing the budget. They chanted: “Show some guts! No more cuts!’’

“Some of the most vulnerable citizens in Massachusetts will be in danger if these budget cuts go through,’’ said Gerald W. McEntee, the union’s national president, who is in Boston for the union’s national convention. “But we won’t let the politicians balance the budget on our backs, not anymore.’’

Anthony Caso, Executive Director of Council 93 and an International Vice-President, said the union’s members “are fed up with politicians like Sen. Scott Brown (R-MA) who abandoned workers last week” by opposing the jobs bill. “Today, AFSCME makes its mark on Boston Common, and we are ready to fight and ready to lead!”

Locally, Council 93 members are fighting to prevent the planned closure of four of the state’s six long-term residential hospitals for the developmentally disabled, to keep all branches of the city’s public libraries open and prevent layoffs of library employees. The council also wants fair, equitable contracts for thousands of higher education workers represented by the union.

Four members of Council 93 also addressed the rally: Elissa Cadillic, president of Boston Public library Local 1526; Michael Thomas, president of an organization of Council 93’s human services locals; Kevin Hanley, Massachusetts State and Community Colleges Local 1067; and Francis Martin, president of University of Massachusetts – Amherst Local 1776.

After the rally, hundreds of AFSCME activists marched to City Hall to support the library workers. The Boston Globe also reported that as the city council was deciding the municipal budget for the new fiscal year, “The sea of protesters made such a ruckus that their chants — “Stop the cuts!’’ — echoed in the fifth-floor council chamber.”