Today's Teamster News 07.17.14

Teamster News
Horse and carriage drivers rally at City Hall, drop off 40,000 signatures supporting the industry  New York Daily News   ...Three months after the Daily News kicked off its campaign to stop de Blasio's proposed ban on the horse-drawn carriages, over 100 supporters rallied on de Blasio's door step to drop off five bags of signed petitions supporting the industry...
Hoffa: Sufficient Rest Key To Truck Driver Safety  IBT   ...The Teamsters Union today called for a renewed commitment by Congress to protect the driving public by keeping current hours of service rules in place to help prevent tragedies that are the result of driver fatigue...
Teamsters Ratify New Pipeline Agreement  IBT   ...An overwhelming majority of Teamster local unions that represent pipeline construction workers in the United States voted in favor of a new three-year contract, the Teamsters Union announced today. The contract covers about 4,000 Teamsters...
Teamsters Submit Comments On FAA Requirements For Drug Testing At Foreign Repair Stations  IBT   ...The Teamsters Aviation Mechanics Coalition (TAMC) called for the implementation of a single standard of drug testing for airline mechanics in its comments submitted today to the FAA on its proposed rulemaking, (Docket No. FAA-2012-1058), for required drug testing at foreign repair stations...
Funeral Giant SCI Continues Mistreatment Of Chicago-Area Workers  IBT   ...Funeral giant Service Corporation International (NYSE:SCI) is once again mistreating its Chicago-area workers by proposing draconian, regressive changes while employing delay tactics and refusing to give Teamsters Local 727 a last, best and final offer for its membership to vote...
Oxford County Deputies Protest 'Low' Wages  Oxford Hills Sun Journal   ...Deputies from the Oxford County Sheriff's Office held a protest Tuesday morning to highlight their ongoing labor dispute with the county. Around 10 deputies and members of Teamsters Local 340 marched in front of the Oxford County Courthouse on Western Avenue to bring attention to the ongoing battle to raise their wages...
Trade
The TPP and Civil War  Counterpunch   ...While the poor, and what remains of the middle and the working classes, suffer defeat after defeat, the wealthy are hammering out yet another “free trade agreement.”...
To End Child Labor, Washington Must Press Companies to Act (opinion)  New York Times   ...Regulation and collective bargaining by independent unions free from political repression are the most important means to reduce child labor and other abuses in developing countries. Unfortunately the U.S. government has not put its enormous influence on the side of enforceable labor rights in the commercial agreements that it negotiates, fighting instead for the rights of patented drug companies and other corporations to exploit global monopolies. These priorities must be changed...
State Battles
Colorado Attorney General Files “Massive” Lawsuit Against Foreclosure Mills, Paving Way for Suits in Other States  naked capitalism   ...The Colorado case filed on Tuesday (embedded below) gives a detailed account of how the two largest foreclosure law firms in the state colluded to set prices on various services well above permissible levels, garnering as much as $97 million in ill-gotten gains since 2006...
Brownback Tax Cuts That Ravaged Surplus Hinder Re-Election Bid  Bloomerg   ...A policy that he promised would create an economic juggernaut produced a sinkhole. A projected $27 million surplus in fiscal 2015 is all that remains of $700 million two years ago, according to budget analysts. Job growth didn’t materialize, Moody’s Investors Service cut the state’s debt rating, former Republican Party chairwoman Rochelle Chronister called Brownback’s plan “ruinous” and “crazy” and 104 members of the party yesterday endorsed his Democratic opponent...
No outsourcing after taking WEDC money (opinion)  Racine Journal Times   ... at least two companies that received financial awards from the WEDC later outsourced jobs to foreign countries, with one of those companies receiving a second WEDC award after the fact...
War On Workers
US Port Strike Threat Highlights Supply Chain Risk  naked capitalism   ...Fears of a strike or lockout at the west coast ports that handle more than 40 per cent of all container imports to the US are disrupting businesses’ supply chains, as shippers anticipating a stoppage divert cargo to Canadian ports...
A Rare Win For The Unions? Staples Abandons Postal Service Trial  Wall Street Journal   ...The labor movement hasn’t had the best 2014 so far, with a bruising defeat for the UAW in its attempts to organize auto workers in the South, and an ominous Supreme Court ruling for public sector unions. But today, the American Postal Workers Union and its allies seem to be making progress in an important battle...
FBI warns driverless cars could be used as 'lethal weapons'  The Guardian   ...Google’s driverless car may remain a prototype, but the FBI believes the “game changing” vehicle could revolutionise high-speed car chases within a matter of years. The report also warned that autonomous cars may be used as "lethal weapons"...
Miscellaneous
Study Urges Pay Increase For Jersey's 'Tipped' Workers  Philadelphia Inquirer   ...New Jersey's servers, bellhops, and bartenders earn lower hourly wages than their counterparts in Pennsylvania and Delaware, pushing them into poverty, according to a report released Wednesday...

Chicago families stand with Teamster funeral directors, drivers against SCI

Local 727 is taking a stand against their SCI bosses.

Chicago-area Teamster funeral directors and drivers on strike for a month are standing strong against SCI as bereaved families are rallying to their side.

A growing number of community residents are refusing to cross picket lines at the 16 area SCI-owned homes, which operate under the Dignity Memorial brand name. Instead, they are approaching the funeral directors and drivers, members of Local 727, to pledge their support. They are asking for more information on how they can move their funeral arrangements to other non-affiliated homes and transfer pre-need contracts. Teamsters have responded by assisting them in securing new services.

John T. Coli, Local 727’s secretary-treasurer, said SCI has placed such families in a difficult position by forcing a strike. But union members are stepping up to help them:

The Teamsters cannot thank those families enough who’ve stood alongside workers and realized they don’t have to pay into SCI’s corporate greed and intimidation. Local 727 has been proactive about informing families of more than 60 community-friendly funeral homes that are ready to arrange their funeral services.

Previous SCI customers said the company is recklessly treading upon workers who have been pillars of the community. Janice Lapinski, a longtime Orland Park resident who has previously used the services of Ridge Funeral Home in Chicago, said:

SCI uses the Dignity logo, but where is the dignity in the inexcusable treatment of their employees engaged in this labor dispute?

And Linda Stearns, an Oak Lawn resident whose family has used the Blake-Lamb Funeral Home for generations, added:

These funeral directors are so kind and so generous, always willing to help any member of our community. Until these men and women return to work, families need to go somewhere else. You won’t get the service right now that you got before.

Picketers express their unhappiness with SCI.

Teamsters Local 727 represents 59 funeral directors and drivers at SCI-owned funeral homes across the Chicago area. The union has established a website and hotline (312-206-4123) to direct families to funeral homes not affected by this labor action.

SCI last week tried to get an injunction against the funeral directors and drivers to end the strike, but a Cook County court shot them down. Meanwhile, since negotiations began June 14, the Teamsters have filed more than 10 unfair labor practice charges against the company.

Stay strong, brothers and sisters!