Teamster News
Can The Teamsters Save Union Pensions? Institutional Investor ...the Western Conference of Teamsters Pension Fund ...(has)..."been conservative in their investments, professional in their management and fortunate in their economics..."
Pekin Schools Notify Parents Of Strike Possibility Pekin Daily Times ...Officials of Pekin School Districts 108 and 303 as well as the city's private schools notified parents Monday evening that they may need to find alternative transportation for their children to get to school starting Wednesday...
Trade
Thousands of dogs, and 3 people, sickened by jerky pet treats, FDA says CBS News ... The Food and Drug Administration released updated information on Friday about an ongoing investigation into illnesses and deaths caused by jerky pet treats imported from China...
Fine Line Seen in U.S. Spying on Companies New York Times ... the government does not deny it routinely spies to advance American economic advantage, which is part of its broad definition of how it protects American national security. In short, the officials say, while the N.S.A. cannot spy on Airbus and give the results to Boeing, it is free to spy on European or Asian trade negotiators and use the results to help American trade officials — and, by extension, the American industries and workers they are trying to bolster...
For U.S. Companies That Challenge China, the Risk of Digital Reprisal New York Times ...The United Steelworkers union lost computer records containing trade policy strategies and discussions about rare earth metals and auto parts. All four had something in common besides data theft: Each was in the middle of pushing back against China’s trade policies by seeking help from the World Trade Organization or the Commerce Department...
TPP Talks To Intensify, No Accord Yet Channel News Asia ...Asia-Pacific trade ministers said on Tuesday they would intensify talks on a vast trans-Pacific free trade agreement, but offered no clue on when a final accord would be reached...
State Battles
NSA data-gathering may run into California roadblock Reuters ...The federal government would need a warrant from a judge if it wants the cooperation of California officials in searching residents' cellphone and computer records, under a bill making its way through the state legislature...
If Ohio Eases Green-Energy Rules, Will It Spark National Trend? Columbus Dispatch ...Ohio is on the cusp of becoming the first state to significantly ease its renewable energy standards, a milestone that would be noticed in states around the country where similar debates are being waged...
War On Workers
Harris v. Quinn Is About the Right of Home Care Workers to Improve Their Wages Economic Policy Institute ...The Supreme Court is expected to decide Harris v. Quinn, a case of major importance for American workers, in the next few days. Many observers predict a disastrous decision that will cripple union organizing and collective bargaining for home health aides, child care workers, and other direct care aides. But the Court could go much further and threaten the ability of all public employees to form unions and bargain collectively with any state or local government...
Florida high school charging parents $200 to see their child's graduation - and even seniors must pay $20 to attend Daily Mail ...High School Principal Don Sauer told reporters that the fees are an effort to cover the $12,000 graduation costs for the school after the school district pulled $3,400 from its annual contribution to cut costs...
This Chart Is The Fate of Housing In America As Student Loans Bankrupt A Whole Generation naked capitalism ...Student loan balances soared 362% to $1.1 trillion since 2003, during a period when mortgage debt – including the effects of the current Housing Bubble 2 – rose “only” 65% to $8.2 trillion and credit card debt actually declined by 4.2% to $660 billion (chart). ...And so the proportion of first-time buyers – the single most important sign of a healthy housing market – has been shrinking for years...
GM issues more recalls, this time for 2.42 million vehicles Los Angeles Times ...None of the four recalls is related to GM’s faulty ignition switches. That issue, which has been linked to at least 13 deaths and recalls of 2.6 million vehicles, has prompted federal fines and several investigations into why GM neglected to issue the recalls for more than a decade...
No, Taking Away Unemployment Benefits Doesn't Make People Get Jobs Think Progress ...When 1.3 million long-term unemployed people lost benefits because Congress let the program lapse, some claimed that taking away the checks would encourage people to go out and get a job. That isn't panning out for the 74,000 people who are no longer getting checks in Illinois...
NFL Cheerleader Alleges She Was Paid $2 An Hour Think Progress ...The Tampa Bay Buccaneers became the fifth NFL franchise to face a minimum wage lawsuit Monday, when a former cheerleader alleged in a complaint that the team paid her just $2 an hour...
Showing posts with label renewable energy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label renewable energy. Show all posts
Wednesday, May 21, 2014
Friday, May 2, 2014
Today's Teamster News 05.02.14
Teamster News
Anheuser-Busch, Teamsters Reach Deal Wall Street Journal ...Anheuser-Busch InBev NV's union workers Wednesday ratified a five-year contract that called for wage increases and no plant closings, officials from the International Brotherhood of Teamsters said in a statement posted on the union's website...
Abbotsford Teamsters And School District Reach Tentative Agreement BC Local News ...A tentative agreement has been reached between the Abbotsford school district and its support staff represented by Teamsters Local 31. Negotiators from both sides met today in Abbotsford and worked out the agreement...
Port Truck Drivers Alleging Wage Theft End Two-Day Picket Los Angeles Times ...A two-day protest by truck drivers who haul freight in and out of the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach ended Wednesday, organizers said...
AGY Plant Members On Strike WJBY ...Members of a local Teamsters union are on strike after a failure in contract negotiations. The workers are picketing in front of the AGY Plant in Aiken. AGY makes fiberglass, and is located at 2556 Wagener Road...
Teamsters propose shareholder moves to limit Moyes' power at Swift Land Line ...The International Brotherhood of Teamsters has set its sights on trucking giant Swift Transportation and Chief Executive Officer Jerry Moyes...
Trade
Froman Takes Heat from Senators for a TPP that Does Not Promote "Our Values" Public Citizen ...If the TPP promotes our values, what does that say about our values? Do we value the ability of pharmaceutical corporations to reap monopoly profits during extended patent periods over the ability of cancer and HIV patients to access affordable medicines? Do we value the ability of banks to engage in high-risk trading over the financial stability of a nation?...
Open Letter To Obama Against The Trans Pacific Partnership Agreement MrZine (Monthly Review Foundation) ...Dear President Obama, a part of me wants to say "Welcome to Malaysia" as we Malaysians are generally a hospitable people, and many of us were thrilled when you became the 44th President of the United States...
State Battles
Joan Banks, guest columnist: Right-to-work isn’t what’s right for Missouri The Joplin Globe ...“Right-to-work” is a deliberately misleading phrase intended to appeal to two basic American values: rights and work. Here’s what it’s actually about: The law would make it optional for workers to pay dues to a union in a company in which the workers are protected by a union contract while allowing those who don’t belong to the union to reap the benefits of the contract...
Seattle Mayor Details Plan for $15 Minimum Wage New York Times ...Mayor Ed Murray presented on Thursday what he described as an imperfect but workable plan to increase the city’s minimum wage to $15 an hour, more than twice the federal minimum wage and one of the highest anywhere in the nation, through a series of complex and phased-in stages...
Wisconsin Growth Forecasted to Decline; Kansas Flat Econbrowser ...Wisconsin growth is forecasted to decelerate from March growth rates, while Kansas forecasted growth is near zero since the beginning of the year...
War On Workers
Economy nearly stalls out Associated Press ...The U.S. economy slowed to a crawl in the first three months of the year as a harsh winter exacted a toll on business activity. The slowdown, while worse than expected, is likely to be temporary as growth rebounds with warmer weather...
My Experiment Opting Out of Big Data Made Me Look Like a Criminal Time ...Once those companies have that personal data, users don’t have any control over where it goes or who might have access to it in the future. And unlike the early days of the Internet, in which digital interactions were ephemeral, today’s Internet services have considerable economic incentives to track and remember—indefinitely...
Astonishing video of a street collapsing in Baltimore Washington Post ...May 1, 2014 6:31 PM EDT — Dramatic footage shows a landslide swallowing part of a street and at least 10 cars in Baltimore on Wednesday...
SEC Chair Says Markets Are Not Rigged Versus SEC Diagram Showing How the Market Is Rigged Wall Street on Parade ...A few years ago Supreme Court made a ruling that corporations are people and they can spend money any where they want…many of us asked the SEC to address that issue — to simply require corporations who make political donations to simply publicize them — and the SEC has now taken a walk on that request after several years of being asked...
Miscellaneous
This Island Is The First In The World To Be Fully Powered By Wind And Water Think Progress ...The smallest and southernmost of Spain's Canary Islands is about to make an outsized mark on the path towards a more renewable energy powered future...
Anheuser-Busch, Teamsters Reach Deal Wall Street Journal ...Anheuser-Busch InBev NV's union workers Wednesday ratified a five-year contract that called for wage increases and no plant closings, officials from the International Brotherhood of Teamsters said in a statement posted on the union's website...
Abbotsford Teamsters And School District Reach Tentative Agreement BC Local News ...A tentative agreement has been reached between the Abbotsford school district and its support staff represented by Teamsters Local 31. Negotiators from both sides met today in Abbotsford and worked out the agreement...
Port Truck Drivers Alleging Wage Theft End Two-Day Picket Los Angeles Times ...A two-day protest by truck drivers who haul freight in and out of the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach ended Wednesday, organizers said...
AGY Plant Members On Strike WJBY ...Members of a local Teamsters union are on strike after a failure in contract negotiations. The workers are picketing in front of the AGY Plant in Aiken. AGY makes fiberglass, and is located at 2556 Wagener Road...
Teamsters propose shareholder moves to limit Moyes' power at Swift Land Line ...The International Brotherhood of Teamsters has set its sights on trucking giant Swift Transportation and Chief Executive Officer Jerry Moyes...
Trade
Froman Takes Heat from Senators for a TPP that Does Not Promote "Our Values" Public Citizen ...If the TPP promotes our values, what does that say about our values? Do we value the ability of pharmaceutical corporations to reap monopoly profits during extended patent periods over the ability of cancer and HIV patients to access affordable medicines? Do we value the ability of banks to engage in high-risk trading over the financial stability of a nation?...
Open Letter To Obama Against The Trans Pacific Partnership Agreement MrZine (Monthly Review Foundation) ...Dear President Obama, a part of me wants to say "Welcome to Malaysia" as we Malaysians are generally a hospitable people, and many of us were thrilled when you became the 44th President of the United States...
State Battles
Joan Banks, guest columnist: Right-to-work isn’t what’s right for Missouri The Joplin Globe ...“Right-to-work” is a deliberately misleading phrase intended to appeal to two basic American values: rights and work. Here’s what it’s actually about: The law would make it optional for workers to pay dues to a union in a company in which the workers are protected by a union contract while allowing those who don’t belong to the union to reap the benefits of the contract...
Seattle Mayor Details Plan for $15 Minimum Wage New York Times ...Mayor Ed Murray presented on Thursday what he described as an imperfect but workable plan to increase the city’s minimum wage to $15 an hour, more than twice the federal minimum wage and one of the highest anywhere in the nation, through a series of complex and phased-in stages...
Wisconsin Growth Forecasted to Decline; Kansas Flat Econbrowser ...Wisconsin growth is forecasted to decelerate from March growth rates, while Kansas forecasted growth is near zero since the beginning of the year...
War On Workers
Economy nearly stalls out Associated Press ...The U.S. economy slowed to a crawl in the first three months of the year as a harsh winter exacted a toll on business activity. The slowdown, while worse than expected, is likely to be temporary as growth rebounds with warmer weather...
My Experiment Opting Out of Big Data Made Me Look Like a Criminal Time ...Once those companies have that personal data, users don’t have any control over where it goes or who might have access to it in the future. And unlike the early days of the Internet, in which digital interactions were ephemeral, today’s Internet services have considerable economic incentives to track and remember—indefinitely...
Astonishing video of a street collapsing in Baltimore Washington Post ...May 1, 2014 6:31 PM EDT — Dramatic footage shows a landslide swallowing part of a street and at least 10 cars in Baltimore on Wednesday...
SEC Chair Says Markets Are Not Rigged Versus SEC Diagram Showing How the Market Is Rigged Wall Street on Parade ...A few years ago Supreme Court made a ruling that corporations are people and they can spend money any where they want…many of us asked the SEC to address that issue — to simply require corporations who make political donations to simply publicize them — and the SEC has now taken a walk on that request after several years of being asked...
Miscellaneous
This Island Is The First In The World To Be Fully Powered By Wind And Water Think Progress ...The smallest and southernmost of Spain's Canary Islands is about to make an outsized mark on the path towards a more renewable energy powered future...
Thursday, June 6, 2013
Today's Teamster News 06.06.13
UCLA Anderson Forecast paints dismal picture of economic recovery Los Angeles Times ..."It's not a recovery. It's not even normal growth. It's bad," UCLA economist Edward Leamer says...
U.S. worker productivity increases as hourly compensation drops Los Angeles Times ... hourly compensation fell 3.8% in the first quarter. That decline was the largest in the series, kept since 1947...
Wal-Mart's low wages cost taxpayers CNNMoney ...At the end of 2012, there were 3,216 Wal-Mart employees who were enrolled in Wisconsin public health care programs, more than any other employer. Add in the dependents of Wal-Mart workers and the total jumps up to 9,207...
Always Low Wages: Meet the Billionaires Who Run Walmart The Nation ...This week, Walmart shareholders will gather in the retail giant’s Arkansas backyard and re-elect a board of directors charged with guiding the company over the coming years...
Your student loan isn’t really a loan Salon ...You can't refinance, or get rid of the debt through bankruptcy. Here's how it's even more of a sham than you know...
Yes, Europe really is in the throes of austerity Washington Post ...“Immediate spending cuts would, by themselves, likely slow the economy.”...
Senators Introduce Currency Manipulation Bill U.S. Senate ...Following new figures that show a 34 percent jump over last month’s U.S.-China trade deficit, U.S. Sens. Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Jeff Sessions (R-AL), Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Richard Burr (R-NC), Susan Collins (R-ME), and Robert Casey (D-PA), today introduced the Currency Exchange Rate Oversight Reform Act of 2013, bipartisan legislation that would reform and enhance oversight of currency exchange rates...
Mothers join effort as Florida debates rules on sick leave Herald-Tribune ...Myriam Rivera joined a group of Central Florida mothers who used baby strollers and a red wagon to deliver 11,000 petitions to Gov. Rick Scott on Tuesday. The message: Veto a business-backed bill that would prevent local governments from setting sick-leave standards for workers...
The billionaire force behind GOP attempts to dismantle Maine’s renewable energy standards Bangor Daily News ...Put into effect nearly 15 years ago with bipartisan support, Maine’s Renewable Portfolio Standard has created thousands of jobs, cut down on harmful pollution and helped to keep more of Mainers’ energy dollars in the state. So, why are some elected officials pushing legislation that would dismantle it?...
Bail Bond Bill Will Create Debtor’s Prisons Urban Milwaukee ...Across America, more than half a million inmates sit in jails simply because they are poor. ... They are here because they can’t make bail — sometimes as little as $50.”...
Operation: Stop Bruce Karsh From Selling Tribune to the Koch Brothers Daily Beast ...The left’s biggest bogeymen could snap up the ailing Tribune Company, and with it the ‘Los Angeles Times.’ David Freedlander reports on the effort to stop the billionaires—and whether it extends to the newsroom...
Delaware bill would restrict government agency use of criminal background checks for new hires Associated Press ...The bill introduced last week would prohibit public employers in Delaware from considering the criminal history or credit history of an applicant before making a conditional job offer...
Kentucky tax collection measure draws lawmaker concerns Courier-Journal ...Lawmakers fear that a provision in Kentucky’s recent pension reforms will hamper the ability of delinquent taxpayers to pay back taxes owed to the state by revoking their driver's and other professional licenses if they fail to pay...
Labor Trouble Possibly on the Horizon at Kaleida Health WGRZ-TV ...Three unions (SEIU, CWA, IUOE) representing 7,000 healthcare workers at Keleida Health Hospitals in Western New York have scheduled strike votes for next week...
TSA To Keep Knives Off Passenger Planes IBT ...The Coalition of Flight Attendants, which the Teamsters Airline Division is part of, today celebrated the success of its campaign to keep knives off planes and commended the TSA for holding the line against weapons on flights...
Derry council approves union contract for some Public Works workers New Hampshire Union Leader ...The Town Council approved a new three-year contract for Teamsters Local 633, the union that represents a number of divisions of the Department of Public Works...
Middletown council approves new union contract Middletown Press ...The Common Council approved a contract between the city and Teamsters Local 671, concluding a year-long negotiation process...
Collective Bargaining TLA Slated for June 18-21 IBT ...The IBT Training and Development Department is conducting a Teamsters Leadership Academy on Collective Bargaining, June18-21, 2013, hosted by Joint Council 40 in Mars, Pennsylvania...
Pipeline Training Fund Offers Courses in June IBT ...The Teamsters National Pipeline Training Fund has the following trainings scheduled in Illinois for June 2013. Every Teamster Pipeliner or prospective Teamster Pipeliner is encouraged to attend...
Advanced Business Agents’ Seminar Scheduled July 29-31 IBT ...The IBT Training and Development Department will conduct an Advanced Business Agents seminar July 29-31, 2013 at Teamsters Joint Council 25 in Chicago...
U.S. worker productivity increases as hourly compensation drops Los Angeles Times ... hourly compensation fell 3.8% in the first quarter. That decline was the largest in the series, kept since 1947...
Wal-Mart's low wages cost taxpayers CNNMoney ...At the end of 2012, there were 3,216 Wal-Mart employees who were enrolled in Wisconsin public health care programs, more than any other employer. Add in the dependents of Wal-Mart workers and the total jumps up to 9,207...
Always Low Wages: Meet the Billionaires Who Run Walmart The Nation ...This week, Walmart shareholders will gather in the retail giant’s Arkansas backyard and re-elect a board of directors charged with guiding the company over the coming years...
Your student loan isn’t really a loan Salon ...You can't refinance, or get rid of the debt through bankruptcy. Here's how it's even more of a sham than you know...
Yes, Europe really is in the throes of austerity Washington Post ...“Immediate spending cuts would, by themselves, likely slow the economy.”...
Senators Introduce Currency Manipulation Bill U.S. Senate ...Following new figures that show a 34 percent jump over last month’s U.S.-China trade deficit, U.S. Sens. Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Jeff Sessions (R-AL), Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Richard Burr (R-NC), Susan Collins (R-ME), and Robert Casey (D-PA), today introduced the Currency Exchange Rate Oversight Reform Act of 2013, bipartisan legislation that would reform and enhance oversight of currency exchange rates...
Mothers join effort as Florida debates rules on sick leave Herald-Tribune ...Myriam Rivera joined a group of Central Florida mothers who used baby strollers and a red wagon to deliver 11,000 petitions to Gov. Rick Scott on Tuesday. The message: Veto a business-backed bill that would prevent local governments from setting sick-leave standards for workers...
The billionaire force behind GOP attempts to dismantle Maine’s renewable energy standards Bangor Daily News ...Put into effect nearly 15 years ago with bipartisan support, Maine’s Renewable Portfolio Standard has created thousands of jobs, cut down on harmful pollution and helped to keep more of Mainers’ energy dollars in the state. So, why are some elected officials pushing legislation that would dismantle it?...
Bail Bond Bill Will Create Debtor’s Prisons Urban Milwaukee ...Across America, more than half a million inmates sit in jails simply because they are poor. ... They are here because they can’t make bail — sometimes as little as $50.”...
Operation: Stop Bruce Karsh From Selling Tribune to the Koch Brothers Daily Beast ...The left’s biggest bogeymen could snap up the ailing Tribune Company, and with it the ‘Los Angeles Times.’ David Freedlander reports on the effort to stop the billionaires—and whether it extends to the newsroom...
Delaware bill would restrict government agency use of criminal background checks for new hires Associated Press ...The bill introduced last week would prohibit public employers in Delaware from considering the criminal history or credit history of an applicant before making a conditional job offer...
Kentucky tax collection measure draws lawmaker concerns Courier-Journal ...Lawmakers fear that a provision in Kentucky’s recent pension reforms will hamper the ability of delinquent taxpayers to pay back taxes owed to the state by revoking their driver's and other professional licenses if they fail to pay...
Labor Trouble Possibly on the Horizon at Kaleida Health WGRZ-TV ...Three unions (SEIU, CWA, IUOE) representing 7,000 healthcare workers at Keleida Health Hospitals in Western New York have scheduled strike votes for next week...
TSA To Keep Knives Off Passenger Planes IBT ...The Coalition of Flight Attendants, which the Teamsters Airline Division is part of, today celebrated the success of its campaign to keep knives off planes and commended the TSA for holding the line against weapons on flights...
Derry council approves union contract for some Public Works workers New Hampshire Union Leader ...The Town Council approved a new three-year contract for Teamsters Local 633, the union that represents a number of divisions of the Department of Public Works...
Middletown council approves new union contract Middletown Press ...The Common Council approved a contract between the city and Teamsters Local 671, concluding a year-long negotiation process...
Collective Bargaining TLA Slated for June 18-21 IBT ...The IBT Training and Development Department is conducting a Teamsters Leadership Academy on Collective Bargaining, June18-21, 2013, hosted by Joint Council 40 in Mars, Pennsylvania...
Pipeline Training Fund Offers Courses in June IBT ...The Teamsters National Pipeline Training Fund has the following trainings scheduled in Illinois for June 2013. Every Teamster Pipeliner or prospective Teamster Pipeliner is encouraged to attend...
Advanced Business Agents’ Seminar Scheduled July 29-31 IBT ...The IBT Training and Development Department will conduct an Advanced Business Agents seminar July 29-31, 2013 at Teamsters Joint Council 25 in Chicago...
Tuesday, April 9, 2013
Today's Teamster News 04.09.13
U.S. Border Patrol Uniforms Manufactured in Mexico CNS News ...U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has granted uniform contracts to VF Imagewear, Inc., an apparel company that relies on manufacturing sites in Mexico for a “significant percentage” of its occupational garments...
The Koch Brothers War On Renewable Energy Is Killing Jobs and Destroying Our Air Politicususa ...ALEC is at Koch’s beck and call to grind out templates for Republicans to fill in to kill renewable energy standards in 28 states, as well as keep the money flowing into their coffers from the Kochs...
Critics question investment fund's Sacramento rental venture Sacramento Bee ...The giant New York investment fund – with its global portfolio of shopping malls, the Weather Channel and Motel 6 – owns nearly 10 times as many rental homes in Sacramento as any other private landlord, along with thousands of other homes across the nation...
Some 30,000 households a month have power supply cut Ekathimerini ...About 1,000 electricity connections are cut every day in Greece as Public Power Corporation customers are increasingly unable to pay their power bills on time, while accumulated debts to the country’s electricity giant stood at more than 1.3 billion euros at the end of 2012. This is not only due to the economic crisis that has eaten into household incomes, but also to the special property tax paid via power bills...
UPS Appeals Decision Blocking TNT Express Takeover NY Times ...LONDON — United Parcel Service has appealed a recent decision by European antitrust authorities that blocked its $6.7 billion takeover bid for the Dutch shipping company TNT Express...
State Supreme Court limits union rights in Texas Statesman ...Unionized government workers in Texas — including firefighters, police and teachers — don’t have the right to be accompanied by a union representative while being questioned during internal investigations, a divided Texas Supreme Court ruled Friday...
‘Right’ and Wrong (opinion) Toledo Blade ...if lawmakers didn’t violate the letter of the open-meetings act, they violated its spirit by shoving this highly controversial law through a lame-duck session without a committee hearing or anything that could pass for a real debate....
'Right-to-Work' Bills Die in Committee Mainebiz ...Two bills intended to reduce a union's ability to collect dues were defeated in a legislative committee's party-line vote Friday. The Bangor Daily News reported that the Legislature's Labor, Commerce, Research and Economic Development Committee voted ...
Bobby Jindal Pulls Tax Plan After Outcry Talking Points Memo ...Lousiana Governor Bobby Jindal (R) is pulling a plan to replace the income and corporate tax with a new sales tax amid an outcry from groups ranging from clergy to business lobbyists...
Red Cross’ Teamsters ratify new contract Boston Herald ...The American Red Cross Massachusetts Blood Services Region received notification yesterday that employees represented by Teamsters Local 25 have voted to ratify a new three-year contract, officials said...
Teamsters Speak Out About National Express Drive Up Standards ...Teamster school bus drivers with Durham School Services and Teamster representatives recently traveled to the United Kingdom to call on National Express Group to honor the human rights of its workers in North America. Durham is a subsidiary of National Express, a multinational transportation company headquartered in Birmingham, England...
Teamsters to Observe Workers’ Memorial Day – April 28 IBT ...The Teamsters Union, and trade unionists around the world, recognize April 28 as Workers' Memorial Day — a day of remembrance and action for workers killed, disabled, injured or made unwell by their work. To help mark this important day, the Teamsters are providing resources to help with the planning of activities at local unions and workplaces...
The Koch Brothers War On Renewable Energy Is Killing Jobs and Destroying Our Air Politicususa ...ALEC is at Koch’s beck and call to grind out templates for Republicans to fill in to kill renewable energy standards in 28 states, as well as keep the money flowing into their coffers from the Kochs...
Critics question investment fund's Sacramento rental venture Sacramento Bee ...The giant New York investment fund – with its global portfolio of shopping malls, the Weather Channel and Motel 6 – owns nearly 10 times as many rental homes in Sacramento as any other private landlord, along with thousands of other homes across the nation...
Some 30,000 households a month have power supply cut Ekathimerini ...About 1,000 electricity connections are cut every day in Greece as Public Power Corporation customers are increasingly unable to pay their power bills on time, while accumulated debts to the country’s electricity giant stood at more than 1.3 billion euros at the end of 2012. This is not only due to the economic crisis that has eaten into household incomes, but also to the special property tax paid via power bills...
UPS Appeals Decision Blocking TNT Express Takeover NY Times ...LONDON — United Parcel Service has appealed a recent decision by European antitrust authorities that blocked its $6.7 billion takeover bid for the Dutch shipping company TNT Express...
State Supreme Court limits union rights in Texas Statesman ...Unionized government workers in Texas — including firefighters, police and teachers — don’t have the right to be accompanied by a union representative while being questioned during internal investigations, a divided Texas Supreme Court ruled Friday...
‘Right’ and Wrong (opinion) Toledo Blade ...if lawmakers didn’t violate the letter of the open-meetings act, they violated its spirit by shoving this highly controversial law through a lame-duck session without a committee hearing or anything that could pass for a real debate....
'Right-to-Work' Bills Die in Committee Mainebiz ...Two bills intended to reduce a union's ability to collect dues were defeated in a legislative committee's party-line vote Friday. The Bangor Daily News reported that the Legislature's Labor, Commerce, Research and Economic Development Committee voted ...
Bobby Jindal Pulls Tax Plan After Outcry Talking Points Memo ...Lousiana Governor Bobby Jindal (R) is pulling a plan to replace the income and corporate tax with a new sales tax amid an outcry from groups ranging from clergy to business lobbyists...
Red Cross’ Teamsters ratify new contract Boston Herald ...The American Red Cross Massachusetts Blood Services Region received notification yesterday that employees represented by Teamsters Local 25 have voted to ratify a new three-year contract, officials said...
Teamsters Speak Out About National Express Drive Up Standards ...Teamster school bus drivers with Durham School Services and Teamster representatives recently traveled to the United Kingdom to call on National Express Group to honor the human rights of its workers in North America. Durham is a subsidiary of National Express, a multinational transportation company headquartered in Birmingham, England...
Teamsters to Observe Workers’ Memorial Day – April 28 IBT ...The Teamsters Union, and trade unionists around the world, recognize April 28 as Workers' Memorial Day — a day of remembrance and action for workers killed, disabled, injured or made unwell by their work. To help mark this important day, the Teamsters are providing resources to help with the planning of activities at local unions and workplaces...
Sunday, July 29, 2012
Today's Teamster News 07.29.12
Job Study Tells a Terrible Tale for U.S. Workers Instapopulist ...One the most damning findings is how many people middle aged are lasting in a job. When late baby boomers were in their 40's, a third of them had jobs which didn't last a year and almost 70% of 'em were out of a job in less than five years...
Fed Governor Speaks Out For Stronger Rules The Baseline Scenario ...A powerful new voice for financial reform emerged this week – Sarah Bloom Raskin, a governor of the Federal Reserve System. In a speech on Tuesday, she laid out a clear and compelling vision for why the financial system should focus on providing old-fashioned but essential intermediation between savers and borrowers in the nonfinancial sector...
German Solar Companies Also Bring Trade Complaint Against China Trade Reform ...Oil-backed Republicans are fighting our solar industry tooth-and-nail, complaining that the Obama administration attempted to foster an alternative-energy industry that could bring us a share of millions of new jobs and trillions of dollars...
"Voluntary" Work Program Run in Private Detention Centers Pays Detained Immigrants $1 a Day Truthout ...In private prisons around the country, immigrants languishing in detention centers are being put to work by profit-making companies like the Corrections Corporation of America (CCA) for far below the minimum wage. For doing a range of manual labor in the facility, the immigrants, many of whom are not legally permitted to work in the United States, are paid between $1-$3 a day...
The Corporate Rot Eats Away at Wisconsin The Progressive ...The corporate coup d’etat in Wisconsin is harder to ignore since June 5 when Scott Walker was deemed winner of the recall election...
Garbage strike enters day 4 kirotv.com ...Strikers are refusing to put down their signs until Waste Management resumes negotiations, but the company said it won’t happen until the picket lines come down...
Fed Governor Speaks Out For Stronger Rules The Baseline Scenario ...A powerful new voice for financial reform emerged this week – Sarah Bloom Raskin, a governor of the Federal Reserve System. In a speech on Tuesday, she laid out a clear and compelling vision for why the financial system should focus on providing old-fashioned but essential intermediation between savers and borrowers in the nonfinancial sector...
German Solar Companies Also Bring Trade Complaint Against China Trade Reform ...Oil-backed Republicans are fighting our solar industry tooth-and-nail, complaining that the Obama administration attempted to foster an alternative-energy industry that could bring us a share of millions of new jobs and trillions of dollars...
"Voluntary" Work Program Run in Private Detention Centers Pays Detained Immigrants $1 a Day Truthout ...In private prisons around the country, immigrants languishing in detention centers are being put to work by profit-making companies like the Corrections Corporation of America (CCA) for far below the minimum wage. For doing a range of manual labor in the facility, the immigrants, many of whom are not legally permitted to work in the United States, are paid between $1-$3 a day...
The Corporate Rot Eats Away at Wisconsin The Progressive ...The corporate coup d’etat in Wisconsin is harder to ignore since June 5 when Scott Walker was deemed winner of the recall election...
Garbage strike enters day 4 kirotv.com ...Strikers are refusing to put down their signs until Waste Management resumes negotiations, but the company said it won’t happen until the picket lines come down...
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
This is what we union thugs do: Help veterans get good jobs (video)
Watch this great video about two veterans who got good jobs as Teamster apprentices through the Helmets to Hardhats program. They're in the Mojave desert working on a renewable energy project, and their involvement was made possible through a project labor agreement.
The only thing that isn't inspirational about this video is the news that veterans come back from Afghanistan and Iraq and go on unemployment.
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
Today's Teamster News 06.08.11
Wisconsin Supreme Court Grills Judge Who Halted Union Law International Business Times ...Justices on the Wisconsin Supreme Court sharply questioned a county judge's decision to halt a law limiting collective bargaining for public employees...
Innovation Ohio Says Budget Shortfall is $5 billion, not $8 billion Innovation Ohio ...Innovation Ohio, a progressive think tank headquartered in Columbus, released an analysis today which finds that Ohio’s “budget hole” for FY 2012-13 is $5.1 billion, not $8 billion as Gov. Kasich and his allies routinely assert...
Florida Wants Privatized Camping and RV Sites at 56 State Parks FlaglerLive.com ...The Division of Environmental Protection is proposing to partially privatize 56 parks...
Catholics Applaud Diocese of Portland, Maine's Opposition to Anti-Union Legislation Catholics United ...
the Maine legislature announced plans to table LD309, anti-union legislation that would severely undermine the rights of workers to negotiate with their employers...
The $2.5 Trillion Tragedy: What America Has Given Up For 10 Years Of Bush Tax Cuts ThinkProgress ...The tradeoffs paint a stark picture. For the same price as the Bush tax cuts, which did little to help the economy, we could’ve sent tens of millions of students to college, retrofitted every household in America with the capacity to generate alternative energy, hired millions of firefighters and police officers, effectively ended our national shame of having kids who lack health care coverage, or put millions of more teachers into classrooms....
China agrees to end domestic wind power subsidies USA Today ...China has agreed to stop subsidizing wind power companies that use domestically produced components rather than imports, a victory for U.S. manufacturers...
Innovation Ohio Says Budget Shortfall is $5 billion, not $8 billion Innovation Ohio ...Innovation Ohio, a progressive think tank headquartered in Columbus, released an analysis today which finds that Ohio’s “budget hole” for FY 2012-13 is $5.1 billion, not $8 billion as Gov. Kasich and his allies routinely assert...
Florida Wants Privatized Camping and RV Sites at 56 State Parks FlaglerLive.com ...The Division of Environmental Protection is proposing to partially privatize 56 parks...
Catholics Applaud Diocese of Portland, Maine's Opposition to Anti-Union Legislation Catholics United ...
the Maine legislature announced plans to table LD309, anti-union legislation that would severely undermine the rights of workers to negotiate with their employers...
The $2.5 Trillion Tragedy: What America Has Given Up For 10 Years Of Bush Tax Cuts ThinkProgress ...The tradeoffs paint a stark picture. For the same price as the Bush tax cuts, which did little to help the economy, we could’ve sent tens of millions of students to college, retrofitted every household in America with the capacity to generate alternative energy, hired millions of firefighters and police officers, effectively ended our national shame of having kids who lack health care coverage, or put millions of more teachers into classrooms....
China agrees to end domestic wind power subsidies USA Today ...China has agreed to stop subsidizing wind power companies that use domestically produced components rather than imports, a victory for U.S. manufacturers...
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Developer cancels plan for WI wind farm because of Walker
The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel has the story:
Chicago energy development firm Invenergy on Monday notified state regulators that it’s withdrawing plans to build a large wind power project south of Green Bay.
The project, announced in October 2009, would have seen construction of 94 to 100 turbines in and generated 150 megawatts of electricity. Based on energy output, it would have been the second-largest wind project in the state, after the Glacier Hills Wind Park in Columbia County...
The company said it was concerned about moving forward because of the state of flux in Wisconsin’s regulatory climate when it comes to wind siting. Gov. Scott Walker has proposed a bill that would sharply curtail wind development, and a legislative committee moved this month to block a less restrictive wind siting standard from taking effect.As economist James K. Galbraith wrote,
Where the reactionary branches of business, the worst polluters, the flagrant monopolists, the technological footdraggers, are given control over the system and capital markets reward them, their more progressive counterparts will eventually give up, disappear or move away. Bad business practices will drive out good. Ultimately the country will become a repository of the worst business practices and correspondingly unable to asert leadership in the world economy at large.
Thursday, February 3, 2011
Today's Teamster News 02.03.11
The Ruinous Fiscal Impact of Big Banks New York Times ...Public deficits and debt relative to gross domestic product have ballooned in the last three years for one simple reason – the big banks at the heart of our financial system blew themselves up...
Energy Firms Aided by U.S. Find Backers New York Times ...In late 2009, the federal government gave $151 million in grants to advance 37 clean energy ideas deemed too radical or too preliminary to attract much private financing...
Foreclosed Homeowners Go to Court on Their Own New York Times ...Now many defaults are prompted by stretches of unemployment...
Teamsters president Hoffa to kick off campaign at new United IBT ...Hoffa will join union members at Continental Airlines to help kick off a campaign to organize fleet service workers and ramp workers at the newly merged Continental/United...
USA 3000 Pilots Withdraw from Voluntary ASAP PRNewswire ...pilots, represented by the Airline Professionals Association (APA) Teamsters Local 1224 announced their decision to withdraw from the voluntary Aviation Safety Action Program...
Probation employees, county at impasse (Local 856) The Ukiah Daily Journal ...County negotiators declared an impasse with the union that represents its probation officers and juvenile justice counselors...
Corrections officer says colleague's murder is no surprise (Local 117) MyNorthwest.com ...At Governor Gregoire's request, outside eyes will scrutinize our state's prison system following the brutal killing of a guard in Monroe...
Unions launch media ad blitz to protest cuts The Times Herald-Record ...The Sullivan County PBA ran a "report card" in Tuesday's Sullivan County Democrat showing each legislator's picture next to boxes marked "no" and "yes"...
UPS Eyes More Success GPB ...Atlanta-based shipping giant United Parcel Service says it plans to turn last year’s success into record earnings per share in 2011...
UPS Capital Opens Colombia, Peru Offices Global Atlanta ...UPS Capital, which provides loans to help companies finance global trade and factory expansions, has opened offices in Bogota, Colombia, and Lima, Peru...
Snow slowing shipping via UPS and FedEx cfnews13.com ...UPS and FedEx both rely heavily on airplanes to move their packages...
China's railways lead the world in speed, size, but services lag far behind CP ...the world's biggest annual migration involving 230 million people... highlights the wide gap between showcase Chinese infrastructure and the often abysmal services available to the public...
Unions expect Florida governor to get his way on pensions Sun-Sentinel ...Police officers, teachers and government workers across Florida had harsh words Wednesday for Gov. Rick Scott's plan to have public employees contribute toward their pensions...
Calif. lawmakers promote clean energy standards San Francisco Chronicle ...The California Legislature's Democratic leaders on Wednesday unveiled a package of proposed laws they said will position the state as the national leader in developing clean energy alternatives and green jobs...
Questions Arise About Study Used to Justify 24 Hour Restart Change truckinginfo.com ...American Trucking Associations ... plans to take issue with the agency's use of these studies...
FMCSA presses forward with EOBR mandate for all trucks Land Line Magazine ...All truckers subject to the hours-of-service regulations are targeted by a proposal by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration to mandate electronic on-board recorders in all trucks...
Energy Firms Aided by U.S. Find Backers New York Times ...In late 2009, the federal government gave $151 million in grants to advance 37 clean energy ideas deemed too radical or too preliminary to attract much private financing...
Foreclosed Homeowners Go to Court on Their Own New York Times ...Now many defaults are prompted by stretches of unemployment...
Teamsters president Hoffa to kick off campaign at new United IBT ...Hoffa will join union members at Continental Airlines to help kick off a campaign to organize fleet service workers and ramp workers at the newly merged Continental/United...
USA 3000 Pilots Withdraw from Voluntary ASAP PRNewswire ...pilots, represented by the Airline Professionals Association (APA) Teamsters Local 1224 announced their decision to withdraw from the voluntary Aviation Safety Action Program...
Probation employees, county at impasse (Local 856) The Ukiah Daily Journal ...County negotiators declared an impasse with the union that represents its probation officers and juvenile justice counselors...
Corrections officer says colleague's murder is no surprise (Local 117) MyNorthwest.com ...At Governor Gregoire's request, outside eyes will scrutinize our state's prison system following the brutal killing of a guard in Monroe...
Unions launch media ad blitz to protest cuts The Times Herald-Record ...The Sullivan County PBA ran a "report card" in Tuesday's Sullivan County Democrat showing each legislator's picture next to boxes marked "no" and "yes"...
UPS Eyes More Success GPB ...Atlanta-based shipping giant United Parcel Service says it plans to turn last year’s success into record earnings per share in 2011...
UPS Capital Opens Colombia, Peru Offices Global Atlanta ...UPS Capital, which provides loans to help companies finance global trade and factory expansions, has opened offices in Bogota, Colombia, and Lima, Peru...
Snow slowing shipping via UPS and FedEx cfnews13.com ...UPS and FedEx both rely heavily on airplanes to move their packages...
China's railways lead the world in speed, size, but services lag far behind CP ...the world's biggest annual migration involving 230 million people... highlights the wide gap between showcase Chinese infrastructure and the often abysmal services available to the public...
Unions expect Florida governor to get his way on pensions Sun-Sentinel ...Police officers, teachers and government workers across Florida had harsh words Wednesday for Gov. Rick Scott's plan to have public employees contribute toward their pensions...
Calif. lawmakers promote clean energy standards San Francisco Chronicle ...The California Legislature's Democratic leaders on Wednesday unveiled a package of proposed laws they said will position the state as the national leader in developing clean energy alternatives and green jobs...
Questions Arise About Study Used to Justify 24 Hour Restart Change truckinginfo.com ...American Trucking Associations ... plans to take issue with the agency's use of these studies...
FMCSA presses forward with EOBR mandate for all trucks Land Line Magazine ...All truckers subject to the hours-of-service regulations are targeted by a proposal by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration to mandate electronic on-board recorders in all trucks...
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Today's Teamster News 01.30.11
Unions, state battle over worker pay The News Tribune ...workers are most likely to see less cash in their paychecks, more unpaid furloughs and bigger out-of-pocket payments for health care premiums and care...
Public Employee Unions: Public Enemy No. 1? Wall Street Journal ...public workers are going to feel voters’ anger in their paychecks — and many will lose their jobs. They’re also likely to come under attack politically to an unprecedented degree...
Retirement funds: All state workers will pay for fixes Columbus Disptach ...Teachers, law-enforcement officers, state workers and other Ohio public employees must give up more than $16 billion to fix their financially beleaguered pension funds...
Legislators hear appeals for increases, not cuts, in government services Las Vegas Review-Journal ...Nevada is experiencing 14.5 percent unemployment, record bankruptcies and a housing foreclosure crisis...
New England Lawmakers Gain Ally for Rail Project Associated Press ...A key Republican congressman voiced strong support Friday for the region's high-speed rail aspirations...
Iowa wind energy industry expected to see slow recovery Eastern Iowa Business ...Reduced demand for electricity, cheaper natural gas prices, tighter lending in the aftermath of the financial crisis and lack of a federal renewable energy standard slashed the amount of newly-installed U.S. wind turbines in 2010...
A Bank Crisis Whodunit, With Laughs and Tears New York Times ...With too-big-to-fail institutions now larger than ever, we are almost certain to go through another episode like 2008 in the no t-too-distant future...
Claims the job market will boom are entirely unsubstantiated naked capitalism ...Faith in the US gov’t’s ability to create 2.5 million jobs for the next 5 yrs ... is sorely misplaced...
Banks Get Tough With Municipalities Wall Street Journal ...As municipal borrowers look to renegotiate bond deals, banks are drawing a tough line in the refinancing talks...
For Governors, Medicaid Looks Ripe for Slashing truthout ...governors from both parties are exercising their remaining options in proposing bone-deep cuts to the program during the fourth consecutive year of brutal economic conditions...
Teamsters Canada Rail Conference leaders meet in Ottawa CNW Group
Public Employee Unions: Public Enemy No. 1? Wall Street Journal ...public workers are going to feel voters’ anger in their paychecks — and many will lose their jobs. They’re also likely to come under attack politically to an unprecedented degree...
Retirement funds: All state workers will pay for fixes Columbus Disptach ...Teachers, law-enforcement officers, state workers and other Ohio public employees must give up more than $16 billion to fix their financially beleaguered pension funds...
Legislators hear appeals for increases, not cuts, in government services Las Vegas Review-Journal ...Nevada is experiencing 14.5 percent unemployment, record bankruptcies and a housing foreclosure crisis...
New England Lawmakers Gain Ally for Rail Project Associated Press ...A key Republican congressman voiced strong support Friday for the region's high-speed rail aspirations...
Iowa wind energy industry expected to see slow recovery Eastern Iowa Business ...Reduced demand for electricity, cheaper natural gas prices, tighter lending in the aftermath of the financial crisis and lack of a federal renewable energy standard slashed the amount of newly-installed U.S. wind turbines in 2010...
A Bank Crisis Whodunit, With Laughs and Tears New York Times ...With too-big-to-fail institutions now larger than ever, we are almost certain to go through another episode like 2008 in the no t-too-distant future...
Claims the job market will boom are entirely unsubstantiated naked capitalism ...Faith in the US gov’t’s ability to create 2.5 million jobs for the next 5 yrs ... is sorely misplaced...
Banks Get Tough With Municipalities Wall Street Journal ...As municipal borrowers look to renegotiate bond deals, banks are drawing a tough line in the refinancing talks...
For Governors, Medicaid Looks Ripe for Slashing truthout ...governors from both parties are exercising their remaining options in proposing bone-deep cuts to the program during the fourth consecutive year of brutal economic conditions...
Teamsters Canada Rail Conference leaders meet in Ottawa CNW Group
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Today's Teamster News 01.26.11
HOS comments rolling in to FMCSA Fleet Owner ...Trucking stakeholders are not happy with the proposed rulemaking...
Teamster Joint Council 25 Endorses Rahm Emanuel as Chicago Mayor IBT ...Teamsters Joint Council 25 endorsed Rahm Emanuel today for Chicago mayor, citing extensive polling that indicates majority support from union members and city residents...
Teamsters And UPS Reach Tentative Agreement In Aircraft Mechanics Contract Negotiations (Local 2727) IBT ...The agreement comes after four years of negotiations...
TransCanada sues to access pipeline land Argus Leader ....TransCanada has filed more than a dozen lawsuits to condemn land along the route of its Keystone XL oil pipeline in western South Dakota...
Obama calls for clean energy and high-speed rail in state of the union The Guardian ...President Obama dedicated a chunk of his state of the union speech on Tuesday night to greentech and clean energy...
Kansas workers could see 7.5 percent pay cut for the next few months under proposal Kansas City Star ...Lawmakers pushing for the reduction said the state had no choice but to cut payrolls to offset steep revenue declines...
Government workers are the new illegal aliens The Reporter (A spirited defense of public sector workers, despite the offensive headline)
Financial Crisis Was Avoidable, Inquiry Finds New York Times ...The 2008 financial crisis was an “avoidable” disaster caused by widespread failures in government regulation, corporate mismanagement and heedless risk-taking by Wall Street...
E-mails Suggest Bear Stearns Cheated Clients Out of Billions The Atlantic Monthly ...Former Bear Stearns mortgage executives who now run mortgage divisions of Goldman Sachs, Bank of America, and Ally Financial have been accused of cheating and defrauding investors through the mortgage securities they created and sold while at Bear...
BofA's Countrywide sued, accused of massive fraud Reuters ...Bank of America Corp's Countrywide mortgage unit has been sued by investors claiming they were victimized in a "massive fraud" when they bought mortgage-backed securities...
U.S. Home Prices Slump Again, Hitting New Lows New York Times ...A new slide in housing prices has begun in earnest, with averages in major cities across the country falling to their lowest point in many years...
Teamster Joint Council 25 Endorses Rahm Emanuel as Chicago Mayor IBT ...Teamsters Joint Council 25 endorsed Rahm Emanuel today for Chicago mayor, citing extensive polling that indicates majority support from union members and city residents...
Teamsters And UPS Reach Tentative Agreement In Aircraft Mechanics Contract Negotiations (Local 2727) IBT ...The agreement comes after four years of negotiations...
TransCanada sues to access pipeline land Argus Leader ....TransCanada has filed more than a dozen lawsuits to condemn land along the route of its Keystone XL oil pipeline in western South Dakota...
Obama calls for clean energy and high-speed rail in state of the union The Guardian ...President Obama dedicated a chunk of his state of the union speech on Tuesday night to greentech and clean energy...
Kansas workers could see 7.5 percent pay cut for the next few months under proposal Kansas City Star ...Lawmakers pushing for the reduction said the state had no choice but to cut payrolls to offset steep revenue declines...
Government workers are the new illegal aliens The Reporter (A spirited defense of public sector workers, despite the offensive headline)
Financial Crisis Was Avoidable, Inquiry Finds New York Times ...The 2008 financial crisis was an “avoidable” disaster caused by widespread failures in government regulation, corporate mismanagement and heedless risk-taking by Wall Street...
E-mails Suggest Bear Stearns Cheated Clients Out of Billions The Atlantic Monthly ...Former Bear Stearns mortgage executives who now run mortgage divisions of Goldman Sachs, Bank of America, and Ally Financial have been accused of cheating and defrauding investors through the mortgage securities they created and sold while at Bear...
BofA's Countrywide sued, accused of massive fraud Reuters ...Bank of America Corp's Countrywide mortgage unit has been sued by investors claiming they were victimized in a "massive fraud" when they bought mortgage-backed securities...
U.S. Home Prices Slump Again, Hitting New Lows New York Times ...A new slide in housing prices has begun in earnest, with averages in major cities across the country falling to their lowest point in many years...
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Today's Teamster News 01.25.11
Unions make gains in state (Local 120) Pioneer Press ...As the nation's labor unions saw a decline in membership last year, Minnesota's unions saw an increase...
Regents Discuss Effects of State Budget Cuts and New Admissions Process (Local 2010) The Guardian ...The UC Board of Regents convened ... to discuss ...the possibilities of tuition increases, staff reductions and increased non-resident admissions to combat state budget shortfalls...
Insider Probe Impact Felt by Pension Funds Wall Street Journal ...The federal insider-trading probe is being felt beyond the world of hedge funds and "expert network" firms in New York and Silicon Valley...
Railroads Engineer Growth Journal of Commerce ...When supply chain logisticians explain why the Pacific Northwest is a key option in their four-corners strategy in North America, they sum up their argument in two words: intermodal rail...
Longtime UPS driver rolls to state trucker safety award Minneapolis Star-Tribune ...Charles Ostlund ...is Minnesota's 2010 Truck Driver of the Year...
FedEx starts Deep Frozen Shipping Solution option Associated Press ...FedEx Corp. said Monday it started ... to ship temperature-sensitive healthcare products around the world...
Fight Over Oil Sands Pipeline Continues to Heat Up Wall Street Journal ...Canada believes that it is fully capable of determining the environmental impacts of oil sands mining on its own, and the US EPA thinks that Canada needs a little push to come to the right decision...
Panel Investigating Financial Crisis Is Said to Refer Cases to Justice Dept. New York Times ... a civil investigation would be the most likely outcome of the referrals and that criminal charges were unlikely...
If You Build It, Will They Charge? New York Times ...Car-charging stations in Tennessee will rely on a mix of solar power and batteries, and some of the energy will flow to and from the grid...
"Zero-Interest Policies as Hidden Subsidies to Banks" Economists' View ...The Fed policy drives down the interest rates paid to savers to some small fraction of 1%. At the same time, banks leverage their capital by a factor of 15 or so, thus earning a truly outstanding return from buying Treasuries with costless Fed money or very nearly costless deposits...
Regents Discuss Effects of State Budget Cuts and New Admissions Process (Local 2010) The Guardian ...The UC Board of Regents convened ... to discuss ...the possibilities of tuition increases, staff reductions and increased non-resident admissions to combat state budget shortfalls...
Insider Probe Impact Felt by Pension Funds Wall Street Journal ...The federal insider-trading probe is being felt beyond the world of hedge funds and "expert network" firms in New York and Silicon Valley...
Railroads Engineer Growth Journal of Commerce ...When supply chain logisticians explain why the Pacific Northwest is a key option in their four-corners strategy in North America, they sum up their argument in two words: intermodal rail...
Longtime UPS driver rolls to state trucker safety award Minneapolis Star-Tribune ...Charles Ostlund ...is Minnesota's 2010 Truck Driver of the Year...
FedEx starts Deep Frozen Shipping Solution option Associated Press ...FedEx Corp. said Monday it started ... to ship temperature-sensitive healthcare products around the world...
Fight Over Oil Sands Pipeline Continues to Heat Up Wall Street Journal ...Canada believes that it is fully capable of determining the environmental impacts of oil sands mining on its own, and the US EPA thinks that Canada needs a little push to come to the right decision...
Panel Investigating Financial Crisis Is Said to Refer Cases to Justice Dept. New York Times ... a civil investigation would be the most likely outcome of the referrals and that criminal charges were unlikely...
If You Build It, Will They Charge? New York Times ...Car-charging stations in Tennessee will rely on a mix of solar power and batteries, and some of the energy will flow to and from the grid...
"Zero-Interest Policies as Hidden Subsidies to Banks" Economists' View ...The Fed policy drives down the interest rates paid to savers to some small fraction of 1%. At the same time, banks leverage their capital by a factor of 15 or so, thus earning a truly outstanding return from buying Treasuries with costless Fed money or very nearly costless deposits...
Thursday, January 20, 2011
Why Evergreen Solar went to China and what should be done about it
Since then there's been a lot of commentary about why Evergreen Solar's venture here failed, despite $58 million in taxpayer subsidies. The execrable Michelle Malkin, for example, writes
The myth that “green jobs” are a boon to the economy keeps getting pierced by failed green jobs boondoggle after failed green jobs boondoggle.(Note: Malkin got a big break in journalism when a think tank funded by oil interests and billionaires like David Koch, awarded her a fellowship.) People who actually know something about manufacturing solar panels complain about such trite and lazy commentary. From Eschaton we learn the reason Evergreen left Massachusetts:
...the greater degree of financial support (not even counting the managed float of the RMB) is more important by a factor of 2-4 in the lower cost of Chinese PV modules, rather than labor costs or environmental regs, so it isn't inevitable that US manufacturing can't compete. First Solar is proving that pretty well, and the Chinese firm Suntech is opening US manufacturing now...Richard Kauffman (who knows something about renewable energy finance, since he teaches it at the Yale School of Management) agrees that the Chinese government's financial support for renewable energy companies explains Evergreen's departure. In the Huffington Post, he writes,
...the bigger advantage that Chinese players enjoy is...access to a wide range of financing. A large part of the reduction in solar prices have stemmed from a significant expansion of polysilicon production in China. These types of large construction projects with uncertain off-takes would be difficult to get financed in the U.S.; Chinese banks fund them readily....We simply do not have a financing system in the U.S. that is up to the task.Kauffman also argues that we need to develop a domestic market for renewable energy. The U.S. solar industry has been growing, he writes, mostly because of state initiatives.
Federal policy still emphasizes innovation over deployment. Sadly, this approach creates dozens of companies developing new technologies vainly hoping they can survive the "Valley of Death" until they can reduce costs enough to gain enough scale, while Chinese companies use scale of "good enough" technologies to lower costs faster.Steven Pearlstein in the Washington Post agrees that we need to take a page from China's playbook to prevent more Evergreen Solars from moving to China. Pearlstein write,
Subsidies and directed credit for local companies, buy-American provisions for government agencies and government contractors, currency manipulation, the rules on "conditional market access" and "indigenous innovation" - surely China could hardly complain if we were to pay them the highest compliment by embracing their economic model.And if they do complain, so what?
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
Today's Teamster News 12.01.10
Evanston Council Approves Levy Increase to Fund Pensions Teamsters Local 700 ...Evanston aldermen ... unanimously approv(ed) a 3 percent increase in the property tax levy to aid funding to the city's police and fire pension obligations...Local 700 represents about 150 Evanston police officers...
Jefferson County government wins concessions from union to help balance budget; talks with Teamsters continue Peninsula Daily News ...UFCW membership voted to defer raises for a year...
Teamsters Canada-represented engineers ratify CN contract Progressive Railroading ...the contract provides wage increases and improves benefits...
Union member earns highest Scouting honor The Times Leader ...James Rogers (member of local 401 and employee of YRC) is the recipient of the annual George Meany Scouting Award...
UPS to hire 50,000 for holiday work New Mexico Business Weekly ...From Thanksgiving to Christmas, UPS expects to deliver about 430 million packages around the world...
Small-cap Stock Alert – YRC Worldwide on the Road Again Beacon Equity Research ...the prospects for the trucking industry are looking good...
Tempers Flare At Kentucky Unemployment Office As Benefits Expire For Thousands Huffington Post ...and Indiana has armed guards at its 36 field offices...
Glow From Solar Factories Fails to Match Town's Hopes Wall Street Journal ...Built on technologies that are new and evolving, green industries spawn lots of start-ups, but they can shrivel just as quickly. Other countries are also pushing—and subsidizing—these same industries, making it hard for them to take root and expand in costlier locales like the U.S...
Manufacturing's Sparkle Fails to Radiate Wall Street Journal ...Manufacturing alone can't solve U.S. economic problems...
G.M. to Hire 1,000 to Engineer More Electric Cars New York Times ...The new jobs, in engineering and research, are the latest commitment by G.M. to broaden its lineup of energy-efficient models as well as to invest in its home state...
Midwest Emerges as Center for Clean Energy New York Times ...The upper Midwest has a history of advanced manufacturing, and machined parts and many of the basic materials of photovoltaic panels — polycrystalline in central Michigan, glass in the Toledo region, plastic films in Ohio — were already being made in the region...
Jefferson County government wins concessions from union to help balance budget; talks with Teamsters continue Peninsula Daily News ...UFCW membership voted to defer raises for a year...
Teamsters Canada-represented engineers ratify CN contract Progressive Railroading ...the contract provides wage increases and improves benefits...
Union member earns highest Scouting honor The Times Leader ...James Rogers (member of local 401 and employee of YRC) is the recipient of the annual George Meany Scouting Award...
UPS to hire 50,000 for holiday work New Mexico Business Weekly ...From Thanksgiving to Christmas, UPS expects to deliver about 430 million packages around the world...
Small-cap Stock Alert – YRC Worldwide on the Road Again Beacon Equity Research ...the prospects for the trucking industry are looking good...
Tempers Flare At Kentucky Unemployment Office As Benefits Expire For Thousands Huffington Post ...and Indiana has armed guards at its 36 field offices...
Glow From Solar Factories Fails to Match Town's Hopes Wall Street Journal ...Built on technologies that are new and evolving, green industries spawn lots of start-ups, but they can shrivel just as quickly. Other countries are also pushing—and subsidizing—these same industries, making it hard for them to take root and expand in costlier locales like the U.S...
Manufacturing's Sparkle Fails to Radiate Wall Street Journal ...Manufacturing alone can't solve U.S. economic problems...
G.M. to Hire 1,000 to Engineer More Electric Cars New York Times ...The new jobs, in engineering and research, are the latest commitment by G.M. to broaden its lineup of energy-efficient models as well as to invest in its home state...
Midwest Emerges as Center for Clean Energy New York Times ...The upper Midwest has a history of advanced manufacturing, and machined parts and many of the basic materials of photovoltaic panels — polycrystalline in central Michigan, glass in the Toledo region, plastic films in Ohio — were already being made in the region...
Thursday, September 2, 2010
When the Koch brothers tell you to "Rally for Jobs"...
...you can pretty much bet that's the last thing they want. Think Progress tells us about the latest "up is down" campaign from the polluting billionaire brothers. Look for the "Rallies for Jobs" in Texas, New Mexico, Colorado, Illinois, and Ohio. They're not really about jobs, of course; they're about gutting environmental laws.
Money quotes:
Money quotes:
...and......the Koch brothers and various Koch-funded organizations have also been actively trying to roll back existing clean air and clean energy laws — both at the state and national levels.
Just yesterday, the Center for American Progress released a report showing that a concerted national energy efficiency program (i.e using less energy, not more) could create 625,000 sustained jobs over ten years, spark $500 billion in investment, and save ratepayers $64 billion that they could then use more productively.Not to mention it would reduce our dependence on foreign oil and all the problems that entails...
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
Cool renewable energy technology
The New York Times reports that several start-up companies in the U.S. are developing turbines that make electricity from tidal currents.Click here for a very cool graphic of how it works:
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