What is ALEC?

The American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) is an ideologically
conservative group consisting of business interests and conservative state
legislators for the purpose of drafting research, policy papers and model
legislation to assist and influence state legislatures and promote
conservative initiatives.

ALEC is perhaps most well known for drafting model legislation that can
be easily adopted by state legislators and introduced as legislation

ALEC also claims approximately 300 corporate, foundation, and other
private-sector members.

Who Are the Rhode Islanders for Tax Equity?

RITE is a coalition of citizens and organizations pushing for a progressive change to our state's tax structure. For too long, our country and our state have implemented tax policies that have drastically favored our wealthiest citizens and corporations, while leaving less-fortunate Rhode Islanders behind. 

A company and its products or services are put on the national list of AFL-CIO-endorsed boycotts at the request of affiliated international and national unions that are working to help the firm's employees overcome management efforts to keep them from winning justice on the job through organizing and collective bargaining.

A boycott is endorsed by the AFL-CIO after it has been initiated by the international and/or national union as part of a broader campaign on behalf of employees of the targeted company.

As appropriate, the AFL-CIO and the Union Label & Service Trades Department assist the international/national union with publicizing the boycott. The union retains the primary responsibility for conducting the boycott.

Companies,their products and services are added to and removed from the list as events warrant.

By Jim Baron

Sitting through a House Labor Committee meeting last week, I had a Popeye moment. After listening to as much garbage as I could take, I muttered under my breath, “That’s all I can stands, I can’t stands no more.”

For several years now all we have been hearing about is the business sector boo-hooing about Rhode Island’s so-called hostile business climate. And for the same past few years we have watched the General Assembly, the governor’s office and other agencies of state government bending over backward to kiss the backsides of businesspeople and the wealthiest citizens of the state while at the same time whacking middle-class property tax payers, further beggaring the destitute and disabled and cutting off unionized workers’ benefits at the knees.