Tuesday, April 15, 2014

Today's Teamster News 04.15.14

Teamster News
Teamsters say Rite Aid dishonest  West Virginia Metro News   ...Teamsters Local 175 said Monday it is developing a strategy in response to Rite Aid’s announcement that it will close its longtime distribution center in Poca within two years eliminating 230 jobs...
Teamsters complain prison bonus plan is a popularity contest  The Current   ...The union representing correctional officers in Florida prisons is protesting the $600 bonus plan for rewarding top-performing state employees, claiming that thousands of guards whose work was not evaluated by supervisors will be shut out through no fault of their own...
NY Teamsters ratify historic 5-year contract with Phoenix/Lobo Beverages  TeamsterNation   ...Here's great news from our brothers at Teamsters Local 812: They ratified a terrific contract that solidifies job security, pay increases, pension and medical protection...
Pasco County Florida Employees Ratify Teamster Contract  teamster.org   ...Pasco County employees have ratified their first Teamster contract, ushering in strong on-the-job representation for more than 1,100 public sector workers across the county...
Carriages Belong in Central Park (opinion by Liam Neeson)  New York Times   ...It has been my experience, always, that horses, much like humans, are at their happiest and healthiest when working. Horses have been pulling from the beginning of time. It is what they have been bred to do...
Oxford County To Offer Deputies Contract Deal  Oxford Hills Sun Journal   ...Oxford County Commissioners are expected to present a contract to the labor union representing sheriff's deputies in a negotiation session planned for later this month...
BLET Fighting to Protect Worker, Public Safety in Rulemaking  BLET   ...From the day FRA placed crew size before its Railroad Safety Advisory Committee, the railroads have attempted to hold the issue hostage to the implementation of Positive Train Control (PTC) technology, a stance that was publicly confirmed by the Association of American Railroads earlier this week...
Trade
Are The Administration's Claims Of Progress On Trans Pacific Partnership Negotiations In Japan Credible?  EconoMonitor   ...As readers may know, the mislabeled trade deal known as the Trans Pacific Partnership hasn't looked like it has great odds of being consummated. The WikiLeaks publication of two important draft chapters show considerable opposition...
State Battles
Missouri House Expected To Try Again To Collect Enough "Right To Work" Votes  St. Louis Public Radio   ...The Missouri House could vote as soon as Tuesday on a renewed attempt to garner enough votes to send to the state Senate a measure to put a “right to work” proposal on the August ballot...
Unions Attack Right-To-Work  Workplace Choice   ...The battle over right-to-work is heating up in Missouri, as proponents and opponents pour on the rhetoric. Advocates argue that right-to-work, approved by the Missouri House on Wednesday, would enhance individual freedom by giving workers the option to choose whether or not they become part of a union...
War on Workers
Labor Commissioner Cracks Down On Wage Theft; Orders Reparations To Maids Fired For Cooperating In Wage Theft Investigation  Digital Journal   ...California Labor Commissioner Julie A. Su fined San Carles-based Sunflowers Maid Service for $394,944 in unpaid wages and premiums to be paid back to affected workers, plus civil penalties...
Social Security stops trying to collect on old debts by seizing tax refunds  Washington Post   ...In many cases, the people whose refunds were intercepted had never heard of any debt, and the debts dated as far back as the middle of the past century...
In Many Cities, Rent Is Rising Out of Reach of Middle Class  New York Times   ...An analysis for The New York Times by Zillow, the real estate website, found 90 cities where the median rent — not including utilities — was more than 30 percent of the median gross income...
The Hedge Fund Managers Tax Break: Because Wall Streeters Want Your Money  truthout   ...or all the sneaky and squirrelly ways that the rich use to escape their tax liability, none can beat the hedge fund managers' tax break...
Primer On Who Subverted The NLRB Election At Volkswagon  The Hill   ...On Wednesday, the UAW subpoenaed Sen. Bob Corker (R-Tenn.), Tennessee Gov./Bill Haslam (R) and 18 other state officials to appear at the NRLB hearing into third party intervention in the union election at Volkswagen in Chattanooga...
Miscellaneous
Kain Colter's Unionization Effort Fueled By Compassion, Common Sense (opinion)  The Washington Post   ...Kain   ...Colter spoke about ensuring that the next generation of athletes diagnosed with concussions and other medical ailments, suffered while giving their bodies to old State U., would be taken care of after they graduate...