Bob Kashi, IAFF Local 639.

Sheet Metal Workers (SMWIA) member Bob Wewers and Fire Fighters (IAFF) member Nick Kashi had a chance to get up close and personal with the roar of the engines and smell of burning rubber and high-octane fuel at Texas Motor Speedway last month.

The two Union Sportsmen’s Alliance (USA) members are this year's winners of the NASCAR weekend at the famed Texas track from the hunting and fishing alliance and the firearms maker Beretta.

The pair, randomly selected from USA's membership, each won prize packages valued at $6,000 that included airfare, lodging, VIP seating, pit passes and track merchandise. To top it off, Beretta donated for each winner a limited-edition, American-made 3901,12-gauge shotgun stylishly engraved with the USA’s logo.

Forget a tip of the hat. A huge round of applause is in order for Chris Garlock, editor of the Metropolitan Washington Council's Union City, for launching an interactive labor map.

The just-launched D.C. Labor Map lets users find current and historic labor sites in Washington, D.C., along with union hotels, restaurants, international and local union organizations and labor art.

Whether you are using it for a virtual tour of labor in the nation's capital or planning a real-life walking tour, the map offers a bunch of great information.

Click on the legend prompt to view and choose a category from a list that includes labor art, union struggles, union restaurants and historic makers. Selecting "labor art" will pop up 11 sites around town where you can take in murals, sculptures and other artwork dedicated to workers and their jobs.

If you haven’t gotten your flu shot yet, this coming week is a great time to go ahead and protect yourself and your family from those nasty ravages of the flu. Dec. 8 kicks off the third annual National Influenza Vaccination Week (NIVW).

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), along with Families Fighting Flu, designated the week to remind families who have not yet been vaccinated about the seriousness of influenza, the value of vaccination and that it is not too late to get a flu vaccine. The AFL-CIO is part of the coalition.

Tuesday has been designated Children’s Flu Vaccination Day and will focus on vaccinating children and their close contacts. Thursday is set as Seniors’ Vaccination day and Healthcare Professionals Vaccination Day is Friday.

Despite the Bush administration's repeated attempts to push through Congress a U.S.-Colombia Free Trade Agreement (FTA) this year, the reality is that Colombia has not stemmed the violence against trade unionists or brought those responsible to justice.

In short, Colombia has a long way to go before a free trade pact should be considered.

The head of Human Rights Watch recently wrote three top House leaders urging them to remain steadfast in insisting that Colombia clean up its act before approving any new trade deal. In the letter, Human Rights Watch Executive Director Kenneth Roth says:

Free trade should be premised on fundamental respect for human rights, especially the rights of the workers producing the goods to be traded. In Colombia, workers cannot exercise their rights without fear of being threatened or killed.

Here’s another clear example of why we need the Employee Free Choice Act. For more than six years, Russ Teegardin and Bill Lawhorn have fought to get their jobs back after they were fired for supporting a union at Consolidated Biscuit Co. (CBC) in McComb, Ohio. Even though the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) ordered the company to rehire the workers, CBC all but ignored the order.

Finally, justice will be done at CBC after a federal appeals court on Nov. 14 ordered the company to comply with the labor board’s decision and reinstate the two workers with full back pay with all wages lost, plus compounded interest. If CBC, which makes Nabisco cookies and Kraft products, does not comply with the order, it could face thousands of dollars in fines. Check out Lawhorn talking about his firing in the video above and speaking before Congress here.