By Doug Cunningham

President Obama is calling on every member of Congress to stand for the people and against the insurance lobby’s deceptive advertising and political power play aimed at stopping or gutting healthcare reform.

[Obama]: "To stand against the power plays and political ploys – and to stand up on behalf of the American people who sent us to Washington to do their business.”

A new study reports that nearly half of New York City’s workforce doesn’t have sick leave. The study by the Community Service Society of New York says seven in 10 low income workers reported that they went to work sick in the last year and three in 10 sent sick children to school. The number of three person households that earn less than $36,000 who receive sick pay has dropped substantially since 2007. That year 56 percent had sick leave and in 2009 only 33 percent receive it.

 By Doug Cunningham

[Harkin1]: “The momentum is there. We’re not gonna get stopped by the obstructionists. I believe we will have the votes. And I believe we will have a bill on the president’s desk before Christmas.”

Senate HELP Committee Chair Tom Harkin of Iowa. He says real health care reform is coming, with a public option.

[Harkin 2]: “Yes it will have a public option. We have one in our HELP bill. Four of the five committees that reported the health bill all had a public option. Huge majority of the American people want a public option.”

  A new documentary about the disappearing New York City garment industry airs on HBO October 19th. “Schmatta: Rags to Riches to Rags” follows the industries beginnings in the 19^th century to the 1950s when New York became a world fashion capital. It shows how unions helped garment workers earn a better standard of living. It culminates in the last two decades which has seen garment makers shutting down New York factories and moving the jobs overseas. The film was created by New Yorker Marc Levin.

 By Doug Cunningham

Dr. James Parrot of the Fiscal Policy Institute says the State of Working New York report leaves no doubt that New Yorkers are still reeling from heavy job losses.

[Dr.Parrot]: “We now have 875,000 people who are officially unemployed in New York state. We’ve lost 200,000 jobs just in the past year. The unemployment rate has basically doubled in the past year and a half.”

For black men in New York, real unemployment rate is 27 percent.

 By Doug Cunningham

Dr. James Parrot of the Fiscal Policy Institute says the Great Recession has severely escalated the economic insecurity of New York working families. Income is down and unemployment expected to remain very high for some time.

[Dr. Parrot]: “We expect the severe downturn and the toll it’s taking on jobs to push up the poverty rate. So we need to make sure that we adequately maintain the safety net.”

 By Doug Cunningham

RWDSU - New York City’s retail workers union – rallied at the Daffy’s store in Herald Square to support workers there trying to form a union. RWDSU workers and union officers from Macy’s walked through the store to deliver a letter to Daffy’s management requesting recognition of the union. Daffy’s is refusing to recognize the union even though a large majority of its workers filed a petition for a union election.The union says Daffy’s fired a pro-union worker, prompting the union to file a complaint with the NLRB.

 By Doug Cunningham

The union representing Stella D’Oro workers says despite the Bronx plant closing last week, there’s plenty of unfinished bargaining business left as the union continues its fight. BCTGM Local 50’s Joyce Alston.

[Alston]: “People need to wake up, whether you’re union or not, and realize what’s happening to us. We’re gonna all be seven or eight dollar an hour jobs with no benefits or they’ll offer you benefits that you can’t afford to pay for.”

 By Doug Cunningham

New York AFL-CIO President Denis Hughes says the Obama administration must review and re-think America’s trade policies with an eye toward jobs creation here at home.

[Hughes]: “We seek a strategic pause and review to look at existing trade agreements and build a comprehensive new trade policy that will support the creation of good jobs at home.”

The U.S. has lost jobs for 21 consecutive months.

 By Doug Cunningham

[Morales]: ““If an arbitrator’s decision is handed down, obey it. That’s what we’re lookin’ for the transit authority to do.”

Thousands of transit workers rallied  to demand that the Mass Transit Authority honor a binding arbitration decision on a new contract for 38,000 TWU Local 100 members. Local 100’s Mike Morales.

[Morales 2]: ““This isn’t just Local 100’s fight. If they break this local, they’ve broken labor. This is nothing more than an attack against labor.”