Thursday, June 27, 2013

Today's Teamster News 06.27.13

U.S. CEO sets a record with $159 million pension  Associated Press   ...McKesson’s Chairman and CEO John Hammergren has set a new record in corporate America: Largest pension around...
CEO Pay in 2012 Was Extraordinarily High Relative to Typical Workers and Other High Earners  EPI   ...Average CEO compensation was $14.1 million in 2012...
Jeff Olson, California Man, Faces 13 Years In Jail For Writing Anti-Big Bank Messages In Chalk Huffington Post   ...a judge had decided to prohibit Olson's attorney from "mentioning the First Amendment, free speech, free expression, public forum, expressive conduct, or political speech during the trial..."
Foreclosure settlement a billion-dollar bust  USA Today   ...The renegotiated settlement created a $3.6 billion pot to compensate borrowers for shoddy foreclosure practices that ran the gamut from wrongful foreclosures to lost consumer documents.About two-thirds of the recipients received $300 — the smallest possible amount. Fewer than 1,200 got $125,000, the most allowed...
Trans-Pacific Partnership and Monsanto  ZCommunications   ...Something is looming in the shadows that could help erode our basic rights and contaminate our food...
OSHA Citations Follow Fatal Explosion at Cincinnati Hazardous Waste Plant  Waste Management World   ...Environmental Enterprises, an environmental services company specializing in industrial and hazardous waste management, has been cited by the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) with 22 safety and health violations following a fire and explosion at its Cincinnati waste treatment facility on December 28 last year...
Amtrak: $1.45B Senate appropriation 'workable'  The Hill   ...The safety and efficiency of Amtrak is at stake. The Senate is proposing to fund the railroad at $1.4 billion, which is simply too low. The proposed funding would jeopardize Teamster locomotive engineers and maintenance of way members...
Nevada attorney general urges stronger service member protections  KNTV-13   ...Nevada Attorney General Catherine Cortez Masto urged the U.S. Department of Defense to strengthen regulations of the federal Military Lending Act, to protect service members and military families from abusive lending practices...
NY Legislature OKs Employee-Driver Bill  Journal of Commerce   ...The New York State Legislature gave final approval to a bill creating the presumption that commercial drivers are company employees unless they meet certain standards showing they are independent contractors...
Teamsters Approve National UPS Contract  IBT   ...The Teamsters Union announced yesterday that a majority of UPS Teamsters have voted to approve a new five-year national contract that contains significant wage increases and other improvements. However, the UPS Freight agreement was rejected in a separate referendum...
Lake Transit workers plan strike following contract negotiations breakdown  Lake County (Calif.) News   ...The county's transit agency is preparing for a strike action by transit workers that's expected to take place early next week. The strike by members of Teamsters Local 665 is anticipated to take place on Monday, July 1, and Tuesday, July 2, in response to a breakdown in negotiations with Paratransit Services…
Brunswick City Council opposes ‘right-to-work’ legislation  Medina-Gazette   ...City Council members in Brunswick, Ohio approved a resolution opposing “right-to-work” legislation Monday night, with the support of more than 30 union members and their families in attendance...
The University of California – Teamster Strong!  Rick Smith Show  ...On June 19, the Rick Smith Show visited Teamsters Joint Council 42 in Los Angeles and spoke with Don Thornsburg, labor historian about the origins of Los Angeles labor unions and the various industries that were essential for the growth of southern California. Listen here. Visit the People’s Tour of America page daily to hear the latest from Rick Smith’s road travels...
Teamsters contract ratified, but dispute with Manchester teachers’ union continues  New Hampshire Union Leader   ...The Manchester, New Hampshire Board of School Committee ratified two-year contracts with the district’s principals and the directors and coordinators, who are represented by Teamsters Local 633...
County Board OKs labor agreement, pay raises  Duluth News Tribune   ...St. Louis County commissioners on Tuesday gave preliminary approval to salary agreements for three categories of employees that include Teamster members...
Teamsters on strike at RL Lipton  The Vindicator   ...Workers are on strike at RL Lipton Distributing Co. in Austintown, Ohio. The members of Teamsters 377 started picketing Tuesday morning at the company…
Durham Driver Speaks Out About Poor Working Conditions  Drive Up Standards   ...“My co-worker said, ‘I cannot afford to miss a day from work,’ even though she’s the one that found her mama dead that afternoon.” --Latrisha Pringle, a school bus driver, talks about poor working conditions at Durham School Services in S.C. The Teamsters are fighting for justice at Durham. Watch the video here...