NCDP Labor Caucus HITS THE GROUND RUNNING

The NCDP Labor Caucus held its annual convention on Saturday 26 June 2021. The caucus elected a new slate of officers. Herb Harton from IATSE Local 600 and current president of the Southeastern NC Central Labor Council was elected President of the NCDP Labor Caucus. Randy Voller former NC Democratic Party State Chairman and founding member of the labor caucus was elected Vice President. Jan Nichols was retained as Secretary and Virginia Penley from Chatham County was retained as Treasurer.
The convention featured two exciting speakers. Professor Dr. Gene Nichol, the foremost authority on poverty in North Carolina gave a scathing report on legislation coming from the Republican majority in the NC Legislature. Dr. Nichol gave us good cause for the caucus to be active on many issues.
The second speaker was Dianne Thomas Holliday from the University of Arkansas who gave a presentation on the history of unions and why they still matter.
The new leadership of the labor caucus has immediately set to work to establish a communications network. This blog is part of that communications network. We have also stated a monthly newsletter, The Nitty Gritty that will be sent to all members.
Our new website ncdplaborcaucus.org is up and running and we have a team to get our messaging out on facebook, instigraham, and twitter.
We will no longer let our opposition define us.
We are recruiting to get caucus leaders in all 100 North Carolina counties and we are also looking for leaders for our congressional districts. If you are interested in being a county or district leader please contact Jan Nichols at nichhjan@gmail.com.
Caucus leaders and members are already active holding legislative sessions on expanding Medicaid and lowering drug prices. North Carolina citizens have already paid for the Medicaid expansion and it is being wasted by an austerity driven Republican majority in the legislature. The result is that our tax money is going to other states while 600,000 NC citizens go without health coverage. The consequence is that 1,000 NC citizens die every month from lack of medical coverage. Several rural hospitals have been forced to close causing rural citizens to have to drive over 60 miles to acquire emergency medical care. The time and distance is killing NC citizens.
The caucus is also rallying its members to push for the FOR THE PEOPLE ACT and the PROACT.
The FOR THE PEOPLE ACT (HR-1) includes the JOHN LEWIS VOTING RIGHTS ACT. It is absolutely essential that we protect the most fundamental cornerstone of our democractm the right for all citizens to vote.
The NCDP Labor Caucus will aggressively advocate for poor and working families in NC. You do not have to be a union member to join us. We will be on the cutting edge of issues that affect unions, labor organizations, working families and the poor.
We invite you to join us.