Sen. Jim Bunning (R-Ky.) has a message for the 1.2 million jobless workers who will lose their unemployment insurance (UI) benefits and COBRA health coverage in March.  “Tough sh*t”  Bunning has single-handily blocked a vote on a 30-day extension by being the only senator to oppose a unanimous consent motion to vote on the bill which was passed earlier by the House.

If there’s one thing Americans agree on, it’s that we need more jobs now. That reality is often twisted by conservatives, who say the one-year-old economic recovery plan has failed. But they are just wrong. The AFL-CIO is pushing for much greater investment to create the millions more jobs we need to get us out of our current hole. Check out the federation’s five-point plan to put America back to work here.

"A team of leaders from across the labor movement spent many hours this week in intense negotiations with the Obama administration, while also in communication with Congressional leaders, to make sure that the final health care reform bill would not penalize those who currently have health care coverage. We believe that our efforts have yielded provisions that will allow health care reform to move forward while protecting the large body of middle-class Americans, both union members and those who do not belong to unions. The unions’ talks with the administration reduced the impact of the excise tax on the middle class by a cumulative total of $60 billion."

The White House has reached a tentative agreement with labor leaders to tax high-cost health insurance policies, sources said Thursday. The agreement clears one of the last major obstacles on the path to final passage of comprehensive health care legislation.

The next vote is January 14. Be sure to register your opinion.

Minnesota AFL-CIO President Shar Knutson today sent a letter to the DNR advising the state agency to approve the draft EIS for PolyMet mining. She says, "Northeastern Minnesotan needs good family supporting jobs. The most recent data from the Jobs Now Coalition of Minnesota shows that 12 people are competing for every open job in the Northeast region. On March 16, 2009, the Minnesota AFL-CIO General Board passed a resolution opposing legislation aimed at delaying the PolyMet EIS process."

On behalf of its 50,000 members, the Minnesota Building Trades Council today announced its support for PolyMet Mining Company’s proposal to mine copper, nickel and precious metals in Northeastern Minnesota. “The Minnesota Building Trades Council is proud to support PolyMet Mining Company’s proposal,” said President Harry Melander. “This project will be built thanks to the expertise and hard work of more than 300 skilled trades people and will create hundreds of good-paying jobs."

Looking for more information about the proposed $500 million investment for a new electric gernerating station in Lent Township? The Sunrise River Energy website is up and running. The site includes a feature where interested parties can quickly and easily voice their support for the project to the county and township.

The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers' "Holiday Lights in the Park," started on November 24th. It's a spectacular and fun drive-through light display that raises funds to help children and adults in the Twin Cities metro area.

State officials presented Mortenson Construction with a MNSHARP award November 9 recognizing the company’s outstanding safety record during the construction of the new Minnesota Twins ballpark.