Tell the Oregon Legislature: We need paid sick time now! Everybody gets sick from time to time. But not everyone has the time it takes to recover. Right now nearly half (47%) of Oregon's private-sector workforce don't have the right to take even one day off when they or a family member is ill (that's 473,000 Oregonians without a single paid sick day—more people than the entire population of Eugene, Salem, Bend and Medford combined!). That’s not healthy for them, their workplaces, their families, their schools—or the people they serve. When workers earn sick time, everybody benefits. Take action today to let your state representatives know that you believe ALL workers in Oregon should have the opportunity to earn paid sick time off while they work.

A recent series by the New York Times documented horrific conditions for nail salon workers. Employers regularly steal employee wages, paying some workers as little as $1.50 an hour. Workers are regularly exposed to toxic chemicals without any real protection, leading to serious health problems, miscarriages and birth defects. This kind of exploitation has no place in New Jersey. Governor Chris Christie should join New York in imposing emergency measures to protect nail salon workers, including salon by salon inspections and a campaign to inform workers of their rights.

The voters of Provincetown, Massachusetts, have passed at our Annual Town Meeting this year, and indeed for the last seven years, a bill to impose a one half percent real estate transfer fee on purchase of property. First time home owners would be exempt. Not many towns would want to have a real estate transfer fee. Provincetown is quite unique and the only town coming to you for approval in the last decade.

Tennessee is one of only five states with no minimum wage. (Tennessee, South Carolina, Alabama, Louisiana, and thank God for Mississippi.) It's one of seven with a minimum wage lower than the federal standard. (Georgia, Wyoming and the states listed above) Our state needs to enact a minimum wage of at least $9.24/hour. The average living wage of a single adult living alone in Tennessee, is $8.84/hour. In Shelby County, the living wage is $9.76/hour. In Davidson County, the living wage is $9.51/hour. As you can see, in the state's two biggest counties, even the suggested minimum wage won't be enough to sustain a single adult there. However, we must remain reasonable, as our conservative legislature probably won't agree to a minimum wage of $10/hour. We need to tell our legislators to do their job and protect workers by giving them the right to bring home the amount of money needed to feed themselves.

Last year, it was Burger King. Now, it's Monsanto. The agribusiness giant Monsanto is considering a plan to buy Syngenta, a Swiss agrochemical company. (1) The move would allow it to declare itself a Swiss company for tax purposes. If Monsanto does indeed renounce their status as a U.S- based company, it will mean they will be taxed at a much lower rate than American-based companies, in a scheme that is referred to as "corporate inversion." The crazy thing is, they don't actually have to move their CEO or any of their central offices, they can just claim on paper to be headquartered in Switzerland, much in the way that Burger King is now, on paper a Canadian company. It would also allow Monsanto to permanently avoid paying taxes on the $4.4 billion of profits it has reported as holding offshore. According to the Center for Effective Government, "Monsanto could owe as much as $1.5 billion in U.S. taxes on these offshore profits, an amount that could be permanently avoided if the new company engages in complex legal and tax transactions following an inversion." (2) We can't let big corporations continue to dodge taxes with high-paid tax lawyers -- everyone should play by the same rules. How can we invest in education or job growth if large, profitable companies are scheming to avoid paying their fair share? We hear a lot of talk about how Congress wants to help the middle class. Well, they can start by stopping the biggest companies from playing a rigged game and passing the Stop Corporate Inversions Act right now, which would save us $34 billion over the next decade. (3) 1. http://goo.gl/eEMZqV 2. http://goo.gl/BjGSaq 3. http://goo.gl/psrmNp

In a move that would allow it to relocate its headquarters out of the country, agribusiness giant Monsanto is considering a plan to buy Syngenta, a Swiss agrochemical company. (1) If Monsanto does indeed renounce their status as a U.S. based company, it will mean they will be taxed at a much lower rate than American-based companies in a scheme that is referred to as a corporate "inversion." The crazy thing is, they don't actually have to move their CEO or any of their central offices. They can just claim on paper to be headquartered in Switzerland, much in the way that Burger King is now, on paper, a Canadian company. It would also allow Monsanto to permanently avoid paying taxes on the $4.4 billion of profits it has reported as holding offshore. According to the Center for Effective Government, "Monsanto could owe as much as $1.5 billion in U.S. taxes on these offshore profits, an amount that could be permanently avoided if the new company engages in complex legal and tax transactions following an inversion." (2) We can't let big corporations continue to dodge taxes -- everyone should play by the same rules. How can we invest in education or job growth if large, profitable companies are scheming to avoid paying their fair share? 1. http://goo.gl/eEMZqV 2. http://goo.gl/BjGSaq

Low wages are detrimental to people struggling in poverty. We need to raise our minimum wages so families don't have to struggle so hard feeding themselves and their children.

Big Sugar, as it is known in Florida, has contributed big money throughout Florida government, and resident leverage is lacking to force the state legislators to do their job in accordance with the Constitutional amendment recently passed, against the influence of these monetary contributions. Big Politics and Big Sugar have gotten into bed with each other, and boycotting Big Sugar seems to be the only measure left capable of supporting our state constitution in this matter, since the Legislators appear to be immune to our constitutional guidance.

GAME CHANGER: Governor Andrew Cuomo announced a plan to dramatically raise pay for hundreds of thousands of fast-food workers across New York state. This is what happens when workers join together, go on strike, and demand $15. Our two and a half year movement for $15 and union rights has changed the politics of the country, and made $15 a baseline for what working people need to support themselves and their families. In response, the governor of New York has convened a three-person Wage Board to decide on a substantial increase in fast-food worker pay. What happens next is up to us. Let’s make New York the first state in the union with a $15 wage for fast-food workers. Sign the petition and tell the Wage Board it is time for $15 in New York. Help the Fight for $15 win fast-food workers’ most important victory yet by signing on right now.

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo has announced a plan to dramatically raise pay for hundreds of thousands of fast-food workers across New York state. This is what happens when workers join together, go on strike, and demand $15. The two and a half year movement for $15 and union rights has changed the politics of the country, and made $15 a baseline for what working people need to support themselves and their families. In response, Gov. Cuomo has convened a three-person Wage Board to decide on a substantial increase in fast-food worker pay. Let's make New York the first state in the union with a $15 wage for fast-food workers! Add your name below and tell the Wage Board: It's time for $15 in New York.

Texas has one of the lowest rates of pay in the Nation for Personal Care Attendants (PCAs) who provide vital daily care services to people with disabling conditions. In addition, these caregivers do not receive healthcare benefits or paid time off. The average salary of a PCA in Texas is $7.80/hour, leaving those who need assistance at a loss to hire dependable, qualified workers. It also leads to a high rate of worker turnover. Without the help of PCAs, thousands of people with disabilities, like me, cannot get out of bed everyday and actively contribute to the communities in which we live. We work. We pay taxes. We support our State's economy. And WE VOTE! So, don't you think that we deserve a better life for our employees? Please sign this if you think that we do.

We need to end the lack of Defense Department accountability.