An Evening With The Man Who Made Kathie Lee Cry

Charlie Kernaghan, executive director of the National Labor Committee

Jim Savage, President, Local 10-1 & Rapid Response Congressional Coordinator invited “The Man Who Made Kathie Lee Cry”, Charlie Kernaghan to spend an evening with local union members in the Philadelphia area. Congressman Bob Brady attending the meeting and was presented and award by Local 10-1 for his 100% voting record for labor. The Pennsylvania Fair Trade Coalition also presented an award to Congressman Brady for his support of the T.R.A.D.E. Act.

President Jim Savage and Amy McAuliffe presenting Congressman Bob Brady with award from Local 10-1

Charlie Kernaghan is the executive director of the National Labor Committee in support of human and worker rights. Charlie Kernaghan is world’s foremost expert on sweatshops and child labor. Besides exposing the fact that Kathy Lee Gifford’s Wal-Mart clothing line was made by children in Central American sweatshops, he has taken on companies like Nike, Gap, Kohl’s, JC Penney, Alcoa, Toyota, Mattel and many others and has forced them to change the ways in which they treat workers. His partnership with the USW has helped end human trafficking and 21st century slavery in Jordan for tens and thousands of workers making products for the U.S. marketplace. 

Congressman Bob Brady

Local 10-1 was joined by other local unions in the area including President Dennis Stephano, Local 10-234, President Dennis Conahan, Local 2635, Dave McLimans, Rapid Response Congressional Coordinator, Local 1165, Phil Hughes, Rapid Response Congressional Coordinator, Local 10-86, Vonnie Long, Rapid Response Congressional Coordinator 16th Congressional District, Pat Eiding, President Philadelphia Central Labor Committee, State Representative Bryan Lentz, State Representative Mark Cohen, Bob McAuliffe, USW Rapid Response Coordinator, Steve Raysely, USW Rapid Response Coordinator, George Piasecki, Rapid Response Congressional Coordinator, Local 12698, Lindsay Patterson, USW Political Coordinator, Amy McAuliffe, Director Pennsylvania Fair Trade Coalition, Marie Lewis, Women of Steel, Nancy Minor, Rapid Response Coordinator and John Reed and Western Pennsylvania Jobs With Justice Administrative Assistant, members from PhilaPosh and many other guest attended the evening with Charlie Kernaghan.

Audience listening to Charles Kernaghan

A significant portion of funding to the National Labor Committee has come from foundations, but since his work has not pleased the powerful global corporations he exposes, the source of funds the NLC has receive is diminishing. A vast majority of work Charlie Kernaghan does heavily relies on contributions to the NLC. President Dennis Conahan, Local 2635 from Johnstown, PA presented Charlie with a check. Jim Savage announced Local 10-1 executive board recommended the local present a contribution to Charlie Kernaghan and after hearing Charlie speak about the exploitation of workers making speedo products, crucifixes made in China and other horrific stories about the abuse of women and children Phil Hughes wrote a personal check to the National Labor Committee. 

PA Director of Fair Trade Coalition, Amy McAuliffe and Charlie Kernaghan