Thursday, May 5, 2011

Today's Teamster News 05.05.11

Unions refocus political activity  USA Today   ...Feeling under siege in more than a dozen states, some of the nation's largest labor groups are focusing their political activity to challenge state laws that sharply curb union rights or to oust the legislators who crafted them...
AFL-CIO to withdraw funds from M&I Bank  Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel   ...The Wisconsin State AFL-CIO announced Wednesday that it would withdraw more than $105,000 from M&I Bank as part of its "Move Your Money" campaign...
After sit-ins, meetings and arrests on Capitol Hill, disabled Wisconsinites say they'll keep protesting Ryan budget  Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel   ...A group of Wisconsinites with disabilities vowed Wednesday to keep protesting the Ryan budget after many of them were arrested this week demonstrating in congressional office buildings...
Florida legislature agrees to privatize prisons  Florida Independent   ...Budget negotiators from the Florida House and Senate agreed to a plan that would privatize state prisons in an 18-county region that includes the southern part of the state — the entire area below a line from Manatee County in the west to Indian River County in the east...
Vote on right-to-work not veto proof  Nashua Telegraph   ...The state Legislature moved to make New Hampshire the 23rd state and only one north of Virginia to keep nonunion members from having to financially support one...
Christie pushes for stricter rule for white-collar workers to qualify for overtime in N.J.  NorthJersey.com    ...the state Labor Department wants to eliminate a provision that requires private employers to pay employees overtime if they spend less than 80 percent of their time on administrative work...
Collective bargaining bill for Tennessee teachers stalls  The Commercial Appeal   ...The bill to end collective bargaining by Tennessee teachers suffered a setback Tuesday, and the top House Republican leader said it may be difficult to pass this year...