Richard L. Trumka AFL-CIO Sign our petition to NFL owners and NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell!!!

[Omaha Steve]

I’m so glad the Steelers weren’t playing last night.

This football season has become a disaster because of the greed of NFL management and team owners—who brought in over $8.3 billion in revenue last year—and who would rather make a quick buck at the expense of NFL players’ safety, NFL fans and the integrity of America’s game.

Instead of settling a fair contract with experienced union referees, owners chose to lock out refs and replace them with untrained non-union officials. In only three weeks, we’ve seen these replacement refs making confusing or inconsistent calls and unable to control situations on the field, possibly putting players’ safety at risk. On top of that, some of these refs have officiated games for teams they’ve worked for or publicly rooted for.

Sign our petition to NFL owners and NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell to demand they end the referee lockout.

Last night’s Packers-Seahawks game takes the cake.

Replacement refs completely flat-footed a call that decided the fate of the game at the end. It was the final straw for me, and millions of NFL fans.

Even unionbuster Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker—who I’d never thought I’d agree with on anything—has been outspoken about bringing back the locked out referees.

What may be lost on Gov. Walker is that this lockout is not just about the NFL. It shows that training matters for a successful workplace -- whether it’s on the field or in the classroom. Like the regular, unionized referees, union members in workplaces everywhere are some of the most skilled workers in their profession.

Work connects us all, and we have to rely on each other to get the job done. This situation makes clear that no one does their job better than workers who have union training and a voice on the job.

Let’s get this resolved before the next Steelers game:

http://go.aflcio.org/EndTheLockout

In Solidarity,

Richard L. Trumka
President, AFL-CIO

[banned from Kos]

1. Now Trumka is a loyal Dem (opposed to Nader)

I still play his 2008 speech for Obama - best ever!

[dmr]

2. Done

[ThoughtCriminal]

3. Dear NFL owners - Don't you get it?

If you don't do something immediately:

PEOPLE WILL STOP BETTING ON THE GAMES!

You don't want to screw that up.

[Omaha Steve]

4. Kick

[HiPointDem]

5. kr