Sunday, December 9, 2012

Today's Teamster News 12.09.12

'All options are on the table' to defeat right-to-work law and its backers  Detroit Free Press   ...The options range from a legal challenge of several aspects of the law to recall campaigns against Republican legislators who voted for the bills, to working vigorously to defeat pro-right-to-work legislators in the next statewide election in 2014...
Michigan right to work: Judge rules on lockdown of Capitol building, union representatives file more lawsuits  Michigan Live   ...At least two lawsuits have been filed contending the state violated the Open Meetings Act and citizens’ right of free speech...
Michigan unions to protest "right-to-work" measures this week  Reuters   ...Right-to-work opponents will begin to converge on Lansing on Monday, organizers said, and they expect thousands at the rally on Tuesday when the state legislature reconvenes...
Michigan "right-to-work" law exempts existing union contracts  Reuters   ...The proposed Michigan "right-to-work" law will not apply to existing union contracts, a leading sponsor of the proposal said on Friday, which may blunt its immediate impact on the state's huge auto industry...
Michigan 'Right To Work:' GOP Lawmakers Against Controversial Bill Speak Out  Huffington Post   ...state Rep. Ed McBroom (R-Vulcan), a Tea Party member and one of the "no" votes... " (said) I had employers even calling me saying they're satisfied with the relationships they have with unions in our area, and they said they didn't want this either...
Medicare Eligibility Age on the Table?  Washington Monthly   ...Raise the eligibility age and PEOPLE WILL DIE...
China Labor Watchdogs Expose Dark Side of Global Toy Empire  firedoglake   ...CLW’s investigation revealed at least 15 sets of violations in four factories together employing about 10,000 workers: illegal overtime pay, excessive overtime, forced labor, myriad safety concerns, a lack of safety training, a lack of physical exams, inability to resign from work, blank labor contracts, unpaid work, a lack of social insurance, use of dispatch workers, a lack of a living wage, poor living conditions, unreasonable rules, and a lack of effective grievance channels...
For Fighting Foreclosures, a $100,000 Award  New York Times   ...GMAC, the mortgage company he was suing in court to save Nicolle Bradbury’s $75,000 house, was mass-producing flawed paperwork to seize people’s homes illegally...
Corporation Nation  Economic Populist   ...We need to structurally redefine and realign the U.S. Corporation...
Former Walker appointee given 2 years in prison for stealing $51K from Wis. veterans' groups  The Republic   ...A former associate of Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker was sentenced Friday to two years in prison after he was convicted of embezzling more than $51,000 from donations intended to help veterans and their families...
Pasco County, Teamsters still at impasse  Tampa Bay Online   ...When Pasco County commissioners sided with management over employees in the Teamsters' first contract negotiation, assistant librarian Donna Ainsley predicted "nobody" would vote for ratification. She wasn't too far off. The Teamsters Local 79 rejected the contract, which included no pay raise, by a vote of 361-18...