Today's Teamster News 11.14.11

Banks Jacking Up Fees for Retail Customers  naked capitalism   ...banks are in the process of imposing a host of new charges. For instance, TD Bank will charge $15 for an inbound wire transfer. A replacement debit card will cost $5 at Bank of America. Citibank is increasing the fees on a basic checking account by $2 a month; Bank of America, by $3 a month...
U.S. companies feel effects of European debt crisis  Associated Press   ...Europe’s sputtering growth is already dragging on some U.S. companies’ profits and could further slow the U.S. economy...
Legal Congressional Bribery Exposed by 60 Minutes  Economic Populist   ...It seems while handing cash under the table to members of Congress is graft, offering pre-IPO stock, guaranteed to make a profit for an elected representative...isn't...
Effort to Recall Wis. Governor Kicks off Tuesday  Associated Press   ...The effort to recall Wisconsin's controversial Republican governor is expected to begin Tuesday, although his opponents have yet to come up with a candidate to replace him...
John Nichols: What Ohio's election results say about the Scott Walker recall  The Cap Times   ...last Tuesday’s election results from Ohio represented a devastating rejection of the agenda Walker and his allies have been peddling since February...
Rick Scott and Florida Republicans Stall Ethics Reform  Scathing Purple Musings  ...It's voters this time and not just the media shining the light on republican’s foot-dragging on ethics...

Today's Teamster News 11.04.11

U.S. Foods strike spreads to Twin Cities  Minneapolis St. Paul Business Journal   ...Labor strife that flared between the Teamsters Union and a U.S. Foods plant in Illinois last weekend has spread to other cities, including Minnesota...
National right wing groups pouring huge money into Ohio in final stretch  Washington Post   ...National conservative groups view the showdown over Issue 2 — a referendum on Governor John Kasich’s law rolling back bargaining rights — as the central front in their drive to break labor’s back in the middle of the industrial heartland...
Does Gov. Rick Scott really not know we're called Tampa Bay?  WTSP   ...It is the quote heard round the Bay. Florida Governor Rick Scott is asked about the St. Petersburg Times changing its name to the Tampa Bay Times. His reaction: "That's interesting. ... Does the region call itself the Tampa Bay region?"...
Dan Carpenter: No free lunch for their side (opinion)  Indianapolis Star   ...the 2012 session of the Indiana General Assembly will rumble with the resumption of last year's battle over the so-called right to work. And we don't mean restoration of that right to the 10 percent or so of us who are officially unemployed...
Iowa Senate election could alter party control  DesMoines Register   ...Republicans view the 26-24 Democratic control of the Senate as a last barrier holding them back from marching ahead on issues from tax cuts to a constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage...
Romney Campaign Memo: The Koch Brothers Are The ‘Financial Engine Of The Tea Party’  ThinkProgress   ...not only did Koch endorse Romney in 2008, but one of Romney’s first major campaign fundraisers for the 2012 cycle was hosted at Koch’s mansion in the Hamptons last year...

Today's Teamster News 11.01.11

Occupy Oakland: City braces for general strike  San Francisco Chronicle   ...From schools and downtown stores to the nation's fifth busiest port, Oakland is bracing for Wednesday's citywide general strike, a hastily planned and ambitious action called by Occupy protesters a day after police forcibly removed their City Hall encampment last week...
Eurozone debt crisis: Markets dive on Greek referendum  BBC   ...European markets have fallen following Monday's announcement of a Greek referendum on the latest aid package to solve its debt crisis. Eurozone leaders agreed a 50% debt write-off for Greece last week as well as strengthening Europe's bailout fund...
Union Hails New Rules Governing Railroad Camp Cars  IBT   ...The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) issued new regulations today to improve conditions of rail camp cars, backing several recommendations by the Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employes Division (BMWED) of the Teamsters Rail Conference...
Key Wisconsin Republican Opposes Change To Recall Law  Talking Points Memo   ...An effort by Wisconsin Republicans to make things harder for Democrats in any potential new state Senate recalls in the coming year appears to be out of the running — with state Sen. Dale Schultz, a moderate Republican who holds a key swing vote in the 17-16 chamber, announcing that he will vote against the measure...
A tale of corporate greed and political collusion  Huffington Post   ...Scott wants his state to be exempted from federal rules that would require insurance companies to send $140 million in premium rebates to families over the next three years. Enter the big winners, the health insurance companies that will get the money instead of Florida's hard-working families...
Gregoire outlines $2 billion in budget cuts  Seattle Times   ...Gov. Chris Gregoire Thursday proposed $2 billion in budgets cuts that would increase class sizes in public schools, eliminate subsidized health insurance for the working poor and cut the length of supervision for inmates released from prison...

Today's Teamster News 10.31.11

Over 800 Occupy Protesters Charged, But How Many Will Go to Court?  New York Observer   ...the lawyers for OWS aren’t playing: they say that their clients would rather have their day in court than take a plea that might prohibit them from participating in any more protests...
Editorial: Scrutiny of Walker's pay adds tension  Green Bay Press Gazette   ...We saw last week what happens when the government proposes a wage freeze for state workers in the same document that shows the governor earns more than his predecessor. Discord...
Florida Democrats: Rick Scott the poster boy for GOP extremism  The Tampe Tribune   ...Democratic activists and insiders gathered here to kick off the 2012 campaign season believe Scott, whose job approval ratings have hovered among the lowest of any governor in the nation, will help them in the coming election – even though he won't be on the ballot until 2014...
Inkster being reviewed by state officials under emergency manager process  Detroit News   ... State officials have begun a 30-day review of the city's finances under the toughened emergency manager law for local governments and school districts...
Teamsters Condemn Qantas CEO Alan Joyce for Attack on Workers  IBT   ...As Largest U.S. Transportation Union Takes Local Action to Stand with Aussies, Teamster Delegation to Sydney, Melbourne Remains “Stranded in Solidarity”...
Mobility falls to record low as Americans stay put  Associated Press   ...Yet another symptom of the economic downturn: Americans aren't moving...U.S. mobility is at its lowest point since World War II...

Today's Teamster News 10.27.11

Cities Begin Cracking Down on ‘Occupy’ Protests  New York Times   ...The protests showed little sign of slacking...
Crony Capitalism Comes Home (opinion)  New York Times   ...while alarmists seem to think that the movement is a “mob” trying to overthrow capitalism, one can make a case that, on the contrary, it highlights the need to restore basic capitalist principles like accountability...
Repealing SB5: On the verge of victory in Ohio  In These Times   ...Two weeks before Election Day, a union canvasser says efforts to repeal the state's new anti-union law through the ballot are paying off...
Wis. Democrats to start process of recalling Gov. Scott Walker  The Advance-Titan   ...United Wisconsin and the Democratic Party of Wisconsin will have 60 days beginning on Nov. 15 to gather 540, 206 valid signatures for a recall election on Gov. Scott Walker to occur...
Ethics commission tosses Teamsters complaint against Scott  Palm Beach Post   ...The Florida Commission on Ethics dismissed a complaint filed by the Teamsters accusing Gov. Rick Scott of a conflict of interest in a prison privatization plan ordered by the legislature...
Why is the SEC Willing to Get Aggressive and Creative on Big Names Only in Insider Trading Cases? (opinion)  naked capitalism   ... Given the level of criminality in the top echelons in the US, we should see a lot more in the way of prosecutions...

Today's Teamster News 10.25.11

Opposition To Ohio's SB 5 Grows, Quinnipiac University Poll Finds; Women, Union Members Push Kasich Deeper In Hole  Quinnipiac University   ...Ohio voters support 57 - 32 percent the repeal of SB 5, the centerpiece of Gov. John Kasich's legislative program, as the margin against the governor's measure has almost doubled in the last month, from 51 - 38 percent for repeal September 27, a 13-point margin, to a 25-point margin...
Vatican Calls for Oversight of the World’s Finances  New York Times   ...The Vatican called on Monday for an overhaul of the world’s financial systems, and again proposed establishment of a supranational authority to oversee the global economy, calling it necessary to bring more democratic and ethical principles to a marketplace run amok...
Occupy Wall Street protesters making preparations for long, cold winter in Zuccotti Park  Daily News   ...If Mayor Bloomberg thinks Occupy Wall Street protesters will fold up camp once winter sets in, he better think again...
Rick Scott Says He May Reject Federal Education Funding He Already Applied For  ThinkProgress   ...Gov. Rick Scott said Florida will reject a federal early learning grant if it comes with strings attached...
Another Dept. of Workforce Development Secretary Abandons Ship  blue cheddar   ...(Gov. Scott) Walker ran on a promise of creating 250,000 jobs by 2014, but job creation numbers released by the DWD during Walker’s short time in office have been dismal...
Greektown Casino workers OK agreement  Detroit News   ...Workers at Greektown Casino voted today to ratify a new, four-year agreement by a margin of 3-1, said Shawn Ellis, communications director for Teamsters Local 372...

Today's Teamster News 10.22.11

Mexican long-haul trucks take to U.S. highways today, angers Teamsters  Examiner   ...Despite a protest rally from Teamsters, a speech from Jim Hoffa Jr. and bi-partisan Congressional members, Mexican long-haul trucks will take to U.S. highways today... Investors Ask Sotheby’s to Rethink James Murdoch’s Board Position  artinfo   ...A union-affiliated investor group, CtW Investors, publicly called upon Sotheby’s corporate board and its chairman, Michael I. Sovern, to rethink the implications of keeping James Murdoch (son of Rupert) on as a director...
Cantor Cancels Wharton School Speech Amid Plans for Protest  Bloomberg   ...House Majority Leader Eric Cantor canceled a speech today at the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School, where anti-Wall Street protesters had planned to gather outside...
McCormick Place labor deal touted as boost for convention business  Chicago Sun-Times   ...Labor agreements with the Teamsters and carpenters unions will give large conventions the certainty about costs that they need to book shows at McCormick Place, officials said Friday in announcing the agreements...
What Rick Scott doesn't want you to see  Orlando Sentinel   ...Information is power in the framing of politics and policy, and Gov. Rick Scott's administration is working hard to tightly control what comes out...
Forecast predicts Walker won't meet jobs goal  Associated Press   ...An economic forecast by Gov. Scott Walker's own administration predicts that Wisconsin will fall far short of adding the 250,000 new private-sector jobs by 2015 that the governor promised as a key part of his successful election campaign...

Today's Teamster News 10.15.11

Mexico To Lift Tariffs On US Goods As Border Opens To Trucks  Wall Street Journal   ...We will continue our fight to keep our borders closed to unsafe Mexican trucks," union leader Jim Hoffa said in a statement. "After years of litigation, intense congressional oversight, overwhelming public opposition and an intense drug war raging in Mexico, it is a reckless move to allow Mexico unfettered access to our highways..."
Lech Walesa and Al Gore support Wall Street protests; Tea Party leader endorses bailed-out bank abuses  The Hill   ...One of history's great leaders for jobs, workers and freedom is now supporting the Occupy Wall Street protest...
Health Law to Be Revised by Ending a Program  New York Times   ...The Obama administration announced Friday that it was scrapping a long-term care insurance program created by the new health care law because it was too costly and would not work...
Northside woman in SB 5 ad spurs bill  Cincinnati Enquirer   ...Democrats, upset with what they think is a misappropriation of Cincinnati great-grandmother Marlene Quinn’s image, plan to introduce legislation to prevent the misuse of campaign material...
New South Battles Old Poverty as Right-to-Work Promises Fade  Bloomberg   ...South Carolina and other southern U.S. states topped the nation’s poverty rankings, a sign of trouble in the so-called New South known for its growth and ability to lure employers with laws restricting union organizing...
Breaking His Promise To Create 700K Jobs, Gov. Rick Scott Now Says ‘I Don’t Have To Create Any Jobs’  ThinkProgress   ...Scott recently bragged about laying off 15,000 government workers, while deep education cuts will cost many teachers and school employees their jobs...

VIDEO: Teamsters File Prison Wage Complaint

The Teamsters Union filed a federal complaint today with the U.S. Department of Labor in Washington, D.C., against the Florida Department of Corrections (FDOC), asking for an investigation into repeated wage theft throughout the state prison system.

At a press conference in Tallahassee, FDOC correctional officers spoke about the wage violations by their employer. Sgt. Aaron Cobb, one of the thousands of officers who has experienced wage theft, said:

I work very hard, but I have a difficult time making ends meet. On average, I am not paid for 50 minutes of every day when I am on the work premises. I want to make the Department of Corrections a better place to work. That’s why we are standing up with the Teamsters for what’s right.

Michael Filler, Director of the Teamsters Public Services Division, spoke out about wage and hour violations:

Correctional officers suffer because of wage theft by the FDOC and also because they have had no pay increases for the past seven years. All officers who put in a fair’s day work are legally entitled to a fair day’s pay.

The Teamsters are assisting 20,000 FDOC officers seeking aggressive representation on the job. FDOC officers who believe they are victims of wage theft can call the Teamsters wage theft hotline at
1-877-589-4951.