Today's Teamster News 04.16.14

Teamster News
Teamsters have enough votes for some Hanover town employees to unionize  The Buffalo News   ...A representative of the Teamsters Local 264 confirmed today that they met with town of Hanover employees recently and had enough votes to indicate they would like union representation...
City Reaches Agreement With Caulkers' Union  Buffalo News   ...A 13-year agreement with about 30 unionized city employees is headed for approval today after members of Teamsters Local 264 told city lawmakers they are in favor of the deal...
Horses Asses  (opinion)  New York Daily News   ...Animal rights extremists should leave the Central Park carriages drivers alone...
Chicago Art Handlers Bidding to Become Teamsters  International Brotherhood of Teamsters   ...Art handlers with Mana-Terry Dowd LLC may set an industry precedent this month by being the first employees of a major art transportation company in Chicago to unionize...
Union Attempts Lawsuit Against Darden  UnderCurrent News   ...A chapter of the Teamsters union, which invests in Darden stock, is attempting to sue the company over changes to its bylaws. The Connecticut fund, Teamsters Local 443 Heath Services & Insurance Plan alleges changes were made...
Tevlin: Craft beer sales on Sunday have new opponent: Teamsters  Minneapolis Star-Tribune   ...The powerful Teamsters union recently began contacting legislators, saying they were not in favor of the bill. A wholesaler that employs Teamsters apparently notified the union that passage of the bill would let them reopen labor contracts, potentially having an impact on wages and ­benefits of members...
Trade
Fresh TPP Talks To Start Tuesday  The Japan Times   ...Japan and the United States will hold working-level talks on the multilateral Trans-Pacific Partnership free trade initiative in Washington from Tuesday to Thursday, the office of the U.S. Trade Representative said Saturday...
State Battles
Union Vote Focuses On Absent Lawmakers  Associated Press   ...Eleven of the 108 (Missouri) House Republicans voted neither "yes" nor "no" when the so-called right-to-work legislation won initial approval 78-68. But they could get another chance to take a stand...
Gov. Mary Fallin Signs Minimum Wage Hike Ban In Oklahoma  The Oklahoman   ...Cities in Oklahoma are prohibited from establishing minimum wage or vacation and sick-day requirements under a bill that has been signed into law by Gov. Mary Fallin...
Maine Legislature Rejects Right-To-Work Zones Plan  The Sacramento Bee   ...The Democrat-controlled Legislature on Monday killed a bill proposed by Republican Gov. Paul LePage that would've offered tax breaks and workers the ability not to pay union fees in certain parts of the state...
War on Workers
C.E.O. Pay Goes Up, Up and Away! (opinion)  New York Times   ...nothing has stopped executive compensation from rising...
Losing Benefits Isn’t Prodding Unemployed Back to Work  Five Thirty Eight   ...The cutoff of federal unemployment benefits doesn’t seem to be helping the long-term unemployed get back to work...
“We are in great danger”: Ex-banker details how mega-banks destroyed America  Salon   ..."The power has only been more consolidated," warns Goldman Sachs veteran Nomi Prins...
How U.S. Taxpayers Subsidize the Nation’s Wealthiest Family  Jobs With Justice   ...A new report released by Americans for Tax Fairness reveals the true costs everyday consumers pay for Walmart’s low prices. The company, and specifically the several Walton family members who control it, receive an estimated $7.8 billion per year in tax breaks and taxpayer subsidies...

California's newest state lawmaker loves being a Teamster

Lorena Gonzalez is a Teamster. She is also California's newest assemblywoman and the union's first member ever to be elected to state office there.

A dues-paying member of Local 36 since 2007, she was elected on May 21 in a special election to represent the San Diego area's 80th district. She found out she's the first active Teamster to be elected to state office from Joint Council 42's newsletter. (We found out on Twitter!)

Joint Council 42 President Randy Cammack said Assemblywoman Gonzalez has done a great job working with organized labor and  unionists for years. She previously served as chief executive officer and secretary-treasurer of the San Diego and Imperial Counties Labor Council. Said Cammack:

We're very proud of her and and the efforts of Teamsters to help get her over the top on election day.

The daughter of an immigrant farm worker and a nurse, she understands the struggles of hard-working families and how government can help. That's why she was pleased she got to cast one of her first votes to raise California's minimum wage:

I came up here to represent working people, those who have a union, want to have a union and those who work hard and will never have a union. I loved working in organized labor and loved being a member of the Teamsters and will continue to be.

She has seen firsthand how workers -- especially immigrants -- are threatened by employers when they try to unionize or report illegal wages and working conditions. She said just last month one San Diego hotel boss threatened to call immigration on his employees in attempt to stifle a union drive.

AB 263, currently being considered in the Legislature, could go a long way toward helping the situation. The bill would stiffen fines on employers who retaliate against workers for speaking out about being exploited:

It is difficult enough with our broken federal labor laws to organize. When you lay on top of that people who have immigration issues, it not only is difficult, it becomes dangerous. A number of things could happen. They could lose their job. We have seen a number of things happen to a person who is just trying to get by for their families and their kids.

Sister Gonzalez says she plans to champion both labor and education issues while in the Legislature. A single parent herself, she is a strong supporter of a state-subsidized child care bill that made it through the Assembly already. She also touts the need to improve technical job training for high school students who don't plan to attend college.

You can follow her on Twitter at @LorenaGonzalez.