Tuesday, July 2, 2013

Today's Teamster News 07.02.13

Fast-moving Arizona wildfire leaves 19 firefighters dead, destroys more than 200 homes  Associated Press   ...Gusty, hot winds blew an Arizona blaze out of control Sunday in a forest northwest of Phoenix, overtaking and killing 19 members of an elite fire crew in the deadliest wildfire involving firefighters in the U.S. for at least 30 years...
Paid via Card, Workers Feel Sting of Fees  New York Times   ...A growing number of American workers are confronting a frustrating predicament on payday: to get their wages, they must first pay a fee...
Interest rates on new college student loans double, but Congress could restore low rates later
Washington Post   ...The interest rates on subsidized Stafford loans doubled from 3.4 percent Monday and could stay doubled unless Congress fulfills its pledge to restore lower rates when it returns from the Fourth of July holiday...
Will the Trans-Atlantic Spying Scandal Kill the Trans-Atlantic "Trade" Scandal?  Public Citizen   ...The revelation has sparked ire from European officials, unleashing a torrent of warnings today that TAFTA negotiations, slated to start next week, may be doomed before they begin...
Local man found not guilty in chalk vandalsim case  ABC 10 News   ...A 40-year-old man was acquitted Monday of 13 misdemeanor vandalism charges that stemmed from protest messages he wrote in chalk in front of three Bank of America branches in San Diego...
Lawmakers push U.S. government to buy flags made in America  WQAD News 8   ...Illinois Congresswoman Cheri Bustos and Iowa Senator Bruce Braley are pushing the federal government to only purchase American-made U.S. flags...
Brunswick Council and Chamber split over relevancy of right-to-work resolution  Sun News   ...In spite of opposition from the Brunswick Area Chamber of Commerce, a resolution opposing the state's anti-union "right to work" laws in Ohio passed by a 3-1 vote. Ward 4 Councilman Anthony Capretta, whose father was a Teamster, said his vote in favor of the legislation was a matter of principal...
Maine should not accept low-skill, low-wage future (opinion)  Portland Press Herald   ...Researchers found that most new jobs in the next decade will be low-wage, low-skill positions that won't require even a high school diploma...
Florida privatized prison health services leaves nearly 1,800 public employees out of a job  Miami Herald   ...The nation’s largest outsourcing of prison medical care is underway in Florida with the state turning to a private company with a history of problems in other states...
Amendment's OK boon to Penn. liquor privatization effort  Meadville Tribune   ...An amendment approved by the Pennsylvania state Senate early Saturday morning is a victory for proponents of privatization as it agrees to take a greater step relinquishing control of the lucrative wholesale liquor business...
BART strike on after talks fail  San Jose Mercury News   ...After a breakdown in contract talks Sunday evening, BART workers are on strike. About 15 workers from the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1555 announced at midnight that their contact had expired without a new offer from BART, and then started their picketing…
UNITE HERE and Hyatt Reach National Agreement  UNITE HERE   ...Hyatt Hotels Corporation and UNITE HERE, the union of hospitality workers in the U.S. and Canada, announced a national agreement that resolves longstanding disputes between the two organizations...
SCI Funeral Directors Vote to Strike  IBT   ...Funeral directors and drivers represented by Teamsters Local 727 overwhelmingly voted to authorize a strike against Houston-based funeral giant Service Corporation International yesterday evening.  The strike is set to begin this morning...
ABF Members Approve National Contract and Most Supplements  IBT …The national master portion of the ABF National Master Freight Agreement has been approved. This means the national contract is not open for renegotiating. Most of the supplements were also approved—21 of the 27. The six that did not pass are open for renegotiating...
Private Equity Firm Warburg Pincus' Greed Harming First Responders In Western New York  IBT   ...On June 28, Rural/Metro Medical Services (Rural/Metro) of Buffalo presented its final wage and benefit offer to paramedics and medical technicians, who are members of Teamsters Local Union 375...
7-Up strike settled  Press-Enterprise   ...A Teamster strike that began last Monday at the Riverside distribution center that ships 7-Up and other beverages to retailers in the Inland area was resolved Friday afternoon, a union leader said...
On The Waterfront With Labor  Rick Smith Show   ...The show heads to the Pacific Northwest and talks to several members of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) in Portland, Ore., and Vancouver, Wash. about lockouts and the state of the union. Listen here. Come back to the People’s Tour of America page daily to hear the latest from his road travels...
Sign Up for the 2013 Teamster Women's Conference  IBT   ...The Teamster Women’s Conference will be held September 19-21, 2013 in New Orleans. Register now to join your Teamster Sisters and Brothers!...