Wednesday, March 7, 2012

Today's Teamster News 03.07.12

Judge halts enforcement of voter ID law  Wisconsin Rapids Tribune   ...A Dane County judge on Tuesday barred the enforcement of the state photo ID law at polling places during the general election on April 3, calling it an "extremely broad and largely needless" impairment of the right to vote...
Scrutiny of Political Nonprofits Sets Off Claim of Harassment  New York Times   ...In recent weeks, the I.R.S. has sent dozens of detailed questionnaires to Tea Party organizations applying for nonprofit tax status, demanding to know their political leanings and activities. The agency plans this year to press existing nonprofits like American Crossroads, on the Republican side, and Priorities USA, on the Democratic side, to justify their tax-protected status as “social welfare” organizations, a status that many tax professionals believe is being badly abused...
Young Adults See Their Pay Decline  Wall Street Journal   ....the Economic Policy Institute, a center-left think tank in Washington, found that the average inflation-adjusted hourly wage for male college graduates aged 23 to 29 dropped 11% over the past decade to $21.68 in 2011. For female college graduates of the same age, the average wage is down 7.6% to $18.80...
Push for Amendment Protecting Collective Bargaining Launches in Michigan  WILX   ...Union workers and others opposed to "Right to Work" laws have now begun gathering signatures to force a change to the state constitution. They want collective bargaining to be guaranteed in Michigan. Supporters of a constitutional amendment will need to gather more than 300,000 signatures by July to get the amendment on the November ballot..
Under-fire designer Alexander Wang denies claims of 'sweatshop-like conditions' at Chinatown factory  Daily Mail   ...Better known for winning the admiration of the sartorially inclined than serious labour law infringements, Alexander Wang was today forced to defend itself against explosive claims that it ran a 'sweatshop' in Manhattan's Chinatown...
White House to Host Group of 8 Meeting at Camp David  New York Times   ...the White House without explanation announced a shift (of the G8 Summit from Chicago) to the secluded setting of the Camp David presidential retreat in Maryland...Administration officials and others denied that the prospect of the anti-globalization protests common to such gatherings was a factor in the decision to change locations...