Teamster News
FedEx Freight Workers In Charlotte Vote To Join Teamsters Local 71 teamster.org ... A group of 222 drivers at FedEx Freight’s Charlotte, N.C., terminal voted today to join Teamsters Local 71...
Sysco And Us Foods Teamsters Protest Sysco Shareholders Meeting teamster.org ...Teamsters employed at Sysco and US Foods protested outside Sysco’s shareholders meeting today to demand answers to tough questions from the company’s Board of Directors about its proposed purchase of US Foods and the impact on thousands of jobs...
Facebook Drivers Vote To Join Teamsters teamster.org ... Drivers who shuttle Facebook employees to and from the company headquarters in Menlo Park., Calif., have voted in favor of representation by Teamsters Local 853 in San Leandro, Calif...
Yonkers, Teamsters employees agree to new 10-year contract MidHudson News ...The City of Yonkers and Teamsters Local 456 have agreed to a new 10-year contract for city employees. The pack, supported by 80 percent of the union’s membership, is retroactive to 2009 and will expire in 2018, Mayor Michael Spano announced Wednesday...
Trade
Conservatives and Liberals Agree, TPP Hates Your Freedom (opinion) Huffington Post ...This supposed trade deal has far-reaching legal implications for our nation and beyond but it has been negotiated in secret without oversight from Congress or the American People...
Obama Is Pushing Two Giant Trade Deals — Here’s What You Need to Know Campaign for America's Future ...only eight House Democrats are on record as favoring fast-track. On the other side of the aisle, as I noted in January, the tea party wing of the Republican Party has dubbed the TPP “Obamatrade,” and is warning, in the words of one “analyst” on the Tea Party News Network, that TPP is a “weapon aimed straight at our Constitution, straight at our sovereignty and straight at Christians around the world.”...
State Battles
S.F. Supervisors Vote 10-0 To Approve "Bill Of Rights" For Formula Retail Workers San Francisco Business Journal ...San Francisco restaurant and retail workers will have more predictable schedules and more opportunities for full-time work under two ordinances passed unanimously by the Board of Supervisors Tuesday...
Voter ID Laws Scrutinized For Impact On Midterms New York Times ...In North Carolina, early voting was cut by seven days. In Kansas, 22,000 people were stopped from registering to vote because they lacked proof of citizenship. And in Texas, Democrats say the country’s toughest voter ID law contributed to a one-term congressman’s losing a tight race to his Republican rival....
Unions Aren't The Problem For Alabama Workers (opinion) Montgomery Advertiser ...union workers earn nearly $4 more per hour than non-union workers for the same work. They have significantly better benefits and retirement plans. And they receive raises and bonuses more frequently. Additionally, unions keep the gap between worker pay and CEO pay closer and they reduce the amount of tax dollars spent on employee training and re-training, because the unions usually ensure its members are properly trained...
Report That Poverty Declined Under Brownback Was Misleading WIBW ...A state agency acknowledges it sent out a news release shortly before November's election that incorrectly claimed poverty in Kansas had declined under Gov. Sam Brownback's administration...
UC tuition-hike plan advances, but debate just beginning San Jose Mercury News ...University of California regents voted Wednesday to raise tuition annually for the next five years if the state doesn't give the system more funding, making an aggressive -- if wildly unpopular -- first move in a high-stakes state-funding fight...
War on Workers
Push To Protect Immigrant Farm Workers Wall Street Journal ...Farm workers and some agriculture industry officials are making a last-minute push for President Barack Obama to include protections for undocumented agricultural workers in his new immigration policy, worried that the pending executive action may be the last opportunity to change immigration rules for a while...
Amazon Worker Forces Changes As Labor Board Settles Claim Bloomberg Businessweek ...the settlement requires the online retailer to post notices at its fulfillment centers notifying employees that they have the right to form unions and work with each other for collective benefits...
Senate Report Criticizes Goldman and JPMorgan Over Their Influence in Commodities Market New York Times ...A two-year Senate-led investigation is throwing back the curtain on the outsize and sometimes hidden sway that Wall Street banks have gained over the markets for essential commodities like oil, aluminum and coal...
Walmart Workers Rally in "Global Day of Action for Decent Work" truthout ...On November 19, Walmart workers in 10 countries are holding demonstrations to highlight the company's poor labor practices from its retail stores throughout the entire supply chain, and to call for a living wage for Walmart's global workforce and countless supply chain workers...
Tracy Morgan Fighting To Recover From ‘Severe Brain Injury,’ Lawyer Says New York Times ...A Walmart truck slammed into a limo van that was carrying Mr. Morgan and several friends on their way back from a show in Delaware. One person was killed, and three others were injured, two seriously. Mr. Morgan, 46, spent several weeks in a hospital and in rehabilitation...
Chesapeake police ID worker killed in accident Associated Press ...Chesapeake police have identified a worker who died after he was run over by truck. Officer Kelly O'Sullivan tells media outlets that 47-year-old Nouel Fallejo of Virginia Beach was working on the truck...
Lawsuit settlement in death of film worker in Ga. Associated Press ... The family of a film worker killed when she was hit along train tracks while shooting a biographical movie about singer Gregg Allman announced a settlement Wednesday with several defendants...
West Texas worker killed under semitrailer Associated Press ...Authorities in West Texas say a worker has died after being crushed under a semitrailer that he was working on...
Miscellaneous
Bill To Restrict N.S.A. Data Collection Blocked In Vote By Senate Republicans New York Times ...Tuesday’s vote only put off until next year a debate over security and personal liberties. While a Republican-controlled Senate is less likely to go along with the kinds of reforms that were in the bill, which sponsors had named the U.S.A. Freedom Act, the debate could further expose rifts between the party’s interventionist and more libertarian-leaning wings...
Showing posts with label workers rights. Show all posts
Showing posts with label workers rights. Show all posts
Thursday, November 20, 2014
Wednesday, July 30, 2014
Today's Teamster News 07.30.14
Teamster News
Fired McKesson Worker Fights CEO Hammergren's Potential Exit Pay Bloomberg ...McKesson, which distributes pharmaceuticals and medical products, has agreed to pay Hammergren $292 million in severance if the San Francisco-based company were sold and he lost his job in the process. About $114 million of that is pension pay while $140.6 million is unvested restricted stock and options that would become immediately payable in the event of a change in control and Hammergren’s termination...
Port Of Poulsbo Employees Unionize, Begin Contract Negotiation North Kitsap Herald ...Port of Poulsbo employees have unionized and are in labor-contract negotiations with the port district. Port employees voted to unionize and join Teamsters Local 589 on June 2...
Massachusetts Charter School Teachers Join Teamsters Local 170 teamster.org ...Teachers in Massachusetts made history recently when they became the first group of charter school teachers to join the Teamsters Union...
Wheels On Sun Tran To Keep Going Around, At Least For Another Week Tucson Sentinel ...Tucson's municipal bus system will continue normal operations until at least Aug. 6, as officials with Sun Tran and Teamsters Local 104 agreed to extend the current labor contract for a week. The agreement was set to expire on Thursday, but drivers will avoid a strike — at least for the moment...
Trade
The TTIP Threat To Locally-Sourced Food The London Economic ...when deliberations are completed, the controversial TTIP is expected to bypass national judiciaries, encourage deregulation, liberalise almost every public service and get rid of supposed ‘barriers to investment’, which the World Development Movement (WDM) describes as “environmental protection, workers’ rights legislation and food safety standards”...
USTR Tells Press that TPP Negotiators Are Down to “A Dozen Issues,” While House Republicans Threaten to Withhold Support infojustice.org ...Inside US Trade reports that U.S. Trade Representative Michael Froman told reporters Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) negotiators are “down to a dozen issues” in the intellectual property chapter. However, these are among the most difficult issues remaining...
State Battles
Florida Republicans Are Taking Secret Trips On Big Sugar And No One Will Talk About It Huffington Post ...(Florida Gov. Rick) Scott, along with several other prominent Florida Republicans over the past three years, have traveled to a hunting lodge in Texas owned by industry giant U.S. Sugar. The lodge is located at King Ranch, one of the largest ranches in Texas and itself a stakeholder in several sugar-related businesses...
Pence stands by right-to-work law NWI Times ...Gov. Mike Pence is not giving up on the state's right-to-work law, even though two Lake County judges have ruled it incompatible with the Indiana Constitution...
August Primary Will Be First Wisconsin Election With Limited Early Voting Wisconsin Public Radio ...Early in-person absentee voting begins on Monday for Wisconsin's Aug. 12 partisan primary, but for the first time it won't be available on the weekend. This will be the state's first election since Gov. Scott Walker signed a law that ended weekend voting and restricted early voting to weekdays between 8 a.m. and 7 p.m...
Judge: Mercedes-Benz violated organizing rights in Alabama Detroit News ...An administrative judge said Mercedes-Benz USA violated the rights of workers at its Vance, Ala., plant who were seeking to convince other employees to form a union during off-time, but ruled in the company’s favor in other points of contention and imposed no fines...
NC Budget Hole Grows Based On New Tax Cut Analysis WPTF ...North Carolina income tax collections for 2014 are expected to fall $205 million short of earlier projections following Republican-backed tax cuts approved last year...
S.F. Supervisor Wants 'Bill Of Rights' For Chain Store Retail Workers San Francisco Business Times ...San Francisco Supervisor Eric Mar will introduce legislation tomorrow to mandate more predictable work schedules for retail workers and require chain stores to offer additional work hours to part-time employees before hiring new or temporary workers...
San Diego Approves $11.50 Minimum Wage Huffington Post ...The San Diego City Council gave formal approval on Monday to an ordinance that would incrementally raise the minimum wage in California's second-largest city to $11.50 an hour by January 2017, mostly for workers in the restaurant and retail sectors...
War On Workers
McDonald's Could Be Liable for Labor Practices Associated Press ...The National Labor Relations Board said Tuesday that the world's biggest hamburger chain could be named as a joint employer in several complaints regarding worker rights at franchise-owned restaurants. The decision is pivotal because it could expose McDonald's Corp. to liability for management practices in those locations...
Delinquent Debt in America Urban Institute ...Roughly 77 million Americans, or 35 percent of adults with a credit file, have a report of debt in collections. These adults owe an average of $5,178 (median $1,349)...
Miscellaneous
Reshad Chakari, Uber Driver, Arrested For D.C. Sexual Assault Charge WJLA ...District of Columbia police say detectives have arrested a man after a woman reported an Uber car service driver had sexually assaulted her...
Fired McKesson Worker Fights CEO Hammergren's Potential Exit Pay Bloomberg ...McKesson, which distributes pharmaceuticals and medical products, has agreed to pay Hammergren $292 million in severance if the San Francisco-based company were sold and he lost his job in the process. About $114 million of that is pension pay while $140.6 million is unvested restricted stock and options that would become immediately payable in the event of a change in control and Hammergren’s termination...
Port Of Poulsbo Employees Unionize, Begin Contract Negotiation North Kitsap Herald ...Port of Poulsbo employees have unionized and are in labor-contract negotiations with the port district. Port employees voted to unionize and join Teamsters Local 589 on June 2...
Massachusetts Charter School Teachers Join Teamsters Local 170 teamster.org ...Teachers in Massachusetts made history recently when they became the first group of charter school teachers to join the Teamsters Union...
Wheels On Sun Tran To Keep Going Around, At Least For Another Week Tucson Sentinel ...Tucson's municipal bus system will continue normal operations until at least Aug. 6, as officials with Sun Tran and Teamsters Local 104 agreed to extend the current labor contract for a week. The agreement was set to expire on Thursday, but drivers will avoid a strike — at least for the moment...
Trade
The TTIP Threat To Locally-Sourced Food The London Economic ...when deliberations are completed, the controversial TTIP is expected to bypass national judiciaries, encourage deregulation, liberalise almost every public service and get rid of supposed ‘barriers to investment’, which the World Development Movement (WDM) describes as “environmental protection, workers’ rights legislation and food safety standards”...
USTR Tells Press that TPP Negotiators Are Down to “A Dozen Issues,” While House Republicans Threaten to Withhold Support infojustice.org ...Inside US Trade reports that U.S. Trade Representative Michael Froman told reporters Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) negotiators are “down to a dozen issues” in the intellectual property chapter. However, these are among the most difficult issues remaining...
State Battles
Florida Republicans Are Taking Secret Trips On Big Sugar And No One Will Talk About It Huffington Post ...(Florida Gov. Rick) Scott, along with several other prominent Florida Republicans over the past three years, have traveled to a hunting lodge in Texas owned by industry giant U.S. Sugar. The lodge is located at King Ranch, one of the largest ranches in Texas and itself a stakeholder in several sugar-related businesses...
Pence stands by right-to-work law NWI Times ...Gov. Mike Pence is not giving up on the state's right-to-work law, even though two Lake County judges have ruled it incompatible with the Indiana Constitution...
August Primary Will Be First Wisconsin Election With Limited Early Voting Wisconsin Public Radio ...Early in-person absentee voting begins on Monday for Wisconsin's Aug. 12 partisan primary, but for the first time it won't be available on the weekend. This will be the state's first election since Gov. Scott Walker signed a law that ended weekend voting and restricted early voting to weekdays between 8 a.m. and 7 p.m...
Judge: Mercedes-Benz violated organizing rights in Alabama Detroit News ...An administrative judge said Mercedes-Benz USA violated the rights of workers at its Vance, Ala., plant who were seeking to convince other employees to form a union during off-time, but ruled in the company’s favor in other points of contention and imposed no fines...
NC Budget Hole Grows Based On New Tax Cut Analysis WPTF ...North Carolina income tax collections for 2014 are expected to fall $205 million short of earlier projections following Republican-backed tax cuts approved last year...
S.F. Supervisor Wants 'Bill Of Rights' For Chain Store Retail Workers San Francisco Business Times ...San Francisco Supervisor Eric Mar will introduce legislation tomorrow to mandate more predictable work schedules for retail workers and require chain stores to offer additional work hours to part-time employees before hiring new or temporary workers...
San Diego Approves $11.50 Minimum Wage Huffington Post ...The San Diego City Council gave formal approval on Monday to an ordinance that would incrementally raise the minimum wage in California's second-largest city to $11.50 an hour by January 2017, mostly for workers in the restaurant and retail sectors...
War On Workers
McDonald's Could Be Liable for Labor Practices Associated Press ...The National Labor Relations Board said Tuesday that the world's biggest hamburger chain could be named as a joint employer in several complaints regarding worker rights at franchise-owned restaurants. The decision is pivotal because it could expose McDonald's Corp. to liability for management practices in those locations...
Delinquent Debt in America Urban Institute ...Roughly 77 million Americans, or 35 percent of adults with a credit file, have a report of debt in collections. These adults owe an average of $5,178 (median $1,349)...
Miscellaneous
Reshad Chakari, Uber Driver, Arrested For D.C. Sexual Assault Charge WJLA ...District of Columbia police say detectives have arrested a man after a woman reported an Uber car service driver had sexually assaulted her...
Saturday, May 31, 2014
Today's Teamster News 05.31.14
Teamster News
Future Of Bus Driver's Union Up In The Air In Bennington Daily Reporter ...The outcome of a vote on whether employees of the Green Mountain Express company in Vermont will join the Teamsters Union is up in the air...
Bill de Blasio takes on Teamsters and Liam Neeson as he tries to ban New York's horse carriages Guardian ...The city's major newspapers have come out against the proposed ban and the powerful Teamsters union has mobilised in support of the carriage drivers, stable owners and stable hands...
Trade
153 Democratic Lawmakers Push U.S. To Toughen Up Trans-Pacific Partnership Rules Raw Story ...U.S. trade negotiators must insist on tough standards on human and workers' rights in a Pacific trading deal spanning 12 countries, more than 150 Democratic lawmakers said in a letter to the Obama administration on Thursday...
Rip Up The TTIP opinion The Scottish Farmer ...It may sound like just another annoying agri-politics acronym, but European milk industry leaders should be very concerned about the TTIP--the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership...
State Battles
Scott Walker Is Falling Apart: The Little Corruption Problem He Just Can't Shake Salon.com ...Walker has a corruption problem he just can't seem to shake. In brief, the governor is being investigated by prosecutors for illegally coordinating with conservative groups, an investigation that sprang from an earlier one investigating Walker's previous tenure as Milwaukee County executive...
Scott Walker says he won't back away from allies in Doe probe Milwaukee Journal Sentinel ...Walker also expressed surprise with a recent Wall Street Journal editorial that criticized alleged settlement talks between the Walker campaign and special prosecutor Francis Schmitz...
War On Workers
What McDonald's Owes Its Workers CNN Money ...Thompson's pay for one day (based on 365 days a year) in 2013 was 1.4 times the average annual rate of a full-time fast food worker. McDonald's did not respond to a request for a comment on worker pay issues...
Walmart defends ‘overpaid’ executives New York Post ...Walmart is refusing to budge an inch after critics bashed the retail giant for overpaying its executives while they mishandled a probe into charges that it systematically bribed officials in Mexico...
Chicopee Walmart site of new skirmish over wages and work conditions MassLive ...At the customer service desk, she presented her boss with a letter outlining the reasons for her strike, including unreasonable scheduling, lack of benefits and other practices...
Will The Supreme Court Undermine Public-Sector Labor Rights? The Hill ...Before late June, the Supreme Court will rule on Harris v. Quinn, perhaps the most important labor case to come before it in several decades. If the court sides with the extremist National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation (NRTW) which appealed the case after losing before the Seventh Circuit and lower courts, it could inflict a major blow on unions that represent public sector employees...
House GOP Votes Down Measure Aimed At Curbing Wage Theft Huffington Post ...Early Friday morning, House Republicans voted down a measure that would have discouraged the government from giving contracts to companies that have committed wage theft...
Big Money, The Koch Brothers And Me Politico ...The richest Americans have always used their fortunes to try and tilt America's political landscape to their liking. The robber barons spent unknown millions financing William McKinley's 1896 Presidential election...
Shinseki Resigns Amid Veterans' Health Care Issues Christian Science Monitor ... Lawmakers are now calling for a complete overhaul of the VA system, including Sen. Charles Schumer...
Miscellaneous
U.S. Ranks Alongside Indonesia And Thailand On Workers Rights Think Progress ...The United States ranks in the bottom half of the world when it comes to labor rights, according to a new global comparison from an international labor coalition that represents 176 million workers from 161 different nations...
Justice Department Seeks More Than $10 Billion From PNB Paribas Wall Street Journal ...U.S. authorities are pushing BNP Paribas to pay more than $10 billion to end a criminal probe into allegations the bank evaded U.S. sanctions...
Future Of Bus Driver's Union Up In The Air In Bennington Daily Reporter ...The outcome of a vote on whether employees of the Green Mountain Express company in Vermont will join the Teamsters Union is up in the air...
Bill de Blasio takes on Teamsters and Liam Neeson as he tries to ban New York's horse carriages Guardian ...The city's major newspapers have come out against the proposed ban and the powerful Teamsters union has mobilised in support of the carriage drivers, stable owners and stable hands...
Trade
153 Democratic Lawmakers Push U.S. To Toughen Up Trans-Pacific Partnership Rules Raw Story ...U.S. trade negotiators must insist on tough standards on human and workers' rights in a Pacific trading deal spanning 12 countries, more than 150 Democratic lawmakers said in a letter to the Obama administration on Thursday...
Rip Up The TTIP opinion The Scottish Farmer ...It may sound like just another annoying agri-politics acronym, but European milk industry leaders should be very concerned about the TTIP--the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership...
State Battles
Scott Walker Is Falling Apart: The Little Corruption Problem He Just Can't Shake Salon.com ...Walker has a corruption problem he just can't seem to shake. In brief, the governor is being investigated by prosecutors for illegally coordinating with conservative groups, an investigation that sprang from an earlier one investigating Walker's previous tenure as Milwaukee County executive...
Scott Walker says he won't back away from allies in Doe probe Milwaukee Journal Sentinel ...Walker also expressed surprise with a recent Wall Street Journal editorial that criticized alleged settlement talks between the Walker campaign and special prosecutor Francis Schmitz...
War On Workers
What McDonald's Owes Its Workers CNN Money ...Thompson's pay for one day (based on 365 days a year) in 2013 was 1.4 times the average annual rate of a full-time fast food worker. McDonald's did not respond to a request for a comment on worker pay issues...
Walmart defends ‘overpaid’ executives New York Post ...Walmart is refusing to budge an inch after critics bashed the retail giant for overpaying its executives while they mishandled a probe into charges that it systematically bribed officials in Mexico...
Chicopee Walmart site of new skirmish over wages and work conditions MassLive ...At the customer service desk, she presented her boss with a letter outlining the reasons for her strike, including unreasonable scheduling, lack of benefits and other practices...
Will The Supreme Court Undermine Public-Sector Labor Rights? The Hill ...Before late June, the Supreme Court will rule on Harris v. Quinn, perhaps the most important labor case to come before it in several decades. If the court sides with the extremist National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation (NRTW) which appealed the case after losing before the Seventh Circuit and lower courts, it could inflict a major blow on unions that represent public sector employees...
House GOP Votes Down Measure Aimed At Curbing Wage Theft Huffington Post ...Early Friday morning, House Republicans voted down a measure that would have discouraged the government from giving contracts to companies that have committed wage theft...
Big Money, The Koch Brothers And Me Politico ...The richest Americans have always used their fortunes to try and tilt America's political landscape to their liking. The robber barons spent unknown millions financing William McKinley's 1896 Presidential election...
Shinseki Resigns Amid Veterans' Health Care Issues Christian Science Monitor ... Lawmakers are now calling for a complete overhaul of the VA system, including Sen. Charles Schumer...
Miscellaneous
U.S. Ranks Alongside Indonesia And Thailand On Workers Rights Think Progress ...The United States ranks in the bottom half of the world when it comes to labor rights, according to a new global comparison from an international labor coalition that represents 176 million workers from 161 different nations...
Justice Department Seeks More Than $10 Billion From PNB Paribas Wall Street Journal ...U.S. authorities are pushing BNP Paribas to pay more than $10 billion to end a criminal probe into allegations the bank evaded U.S. sanctions...
Friday, May 30, 2014
Today's Teamster News 05.30.14
Teamster News
MORENO VALLEY: Union vote nixed at food company Press Enterprise ...An Inland-based Teamsters local attempting to organize workers at a Moreno Valley food distribution center has canceled an election that had been scheduled for today, claiming that the company continues to threaten and intimidate employees...
Teamsters target Florida West International Airways teamster.org ... Today, the Teamsters Airline Division announced the start of a new initiative to organize pilots at Florida West International Airways (FWIA), a cargo airline based out of Miami International Airport. The pilots fly routes throughout the U.S., Latin America and the Caribbean...
Teamsters ratify 4 contracts with Pekin Journal Star ...The Teamsters represent four units that work for the city — the street department, the wastewater plant workers, solid waste department workers and a general unit that represents bus drivers, mechanics, secretaries, clerks and others...
Trade
EU Elections Pose New Threat To Trade Deal Financial Times ...EU and US officials are increasingly concerned about the impact on transatlantic trade talks of a surge in support for anti-establishment parties in European elections, raising the prospect for delays as they adapt to a new political reality...
State Battles
Fort Wayne Moves To End Collective Bargaining WSBT ...Indiana's second-largest city is poised to end collective bargaining with all city employees except police and firefighters under a measure a union official said is being pushed by "far-right politicians" to the detriment of hundreds of hard-working public employees...
Why Is The Wall Street Journal Livid That Scott Walker Wants A John Doe Settlement PR Watch ...Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker's campaign is reportedly negotiating a settlement with prosecutors in the long-running "John Doe" criminal campaign finance probe -- and the editorial board, which for months has attacked prosecutors and portrayed the investigation as baseless, is livid...
Seattle City Council panel OKs $15 minimum wage Associated Press ... City Council members approved a delay to the implementation of the ordinance, from Jan. 1, 2015 to April 1, 2015...
An End to Sweatshop-Made City Workers’ Uniforms in Chicago? In These Times ...the people who make those same uniforms are unlikely to have any protections from the wage theft, locked fire exit doors and precarious buildings they could be facing on the job. A new ordinance introduced in the Chicago City Council on May 28 aims to fix that inconsistency. If the ordinance is passed, Chicago will join Los Angeles, St. Louis, Milwaukee, Boston and Seattle in attempting to enforce labor rights for factory workers…
War On Workers
U.S. Economy Shrinks For The First Time In 3 Years Huffington Post ...The U.S. economy contracted for the first time in three years as it buckled under the weight of a severe winter, but there are signs activity has since rebounded...
Walmart Moms’ Walkout Starts Friday In These Times ... hundreds of mothers who work at Walmart stores throughout the country will begin walking off the job on Friday, a week before the company's shareholders meet in Bentonville, Arkansas. The action will culminate in a nationwide strike on Wednesday, June 4...
Few workers confident of easy retirement USA Today ...Only 28% of U.S. workers are "very" or "extremely" confident that they'll one day fully retire with a comfortable lifestyle; a third are somewhat confident...
In New Orleans, Major School District Closes Traditional Public Schools For Good Washington Post ...The second-graders paraded to the Dumpster in the rear parking lot, where they chucked boxes of old work sheets, notebooks and other detritus into the trash, emptying their school for good. Benjamin Banneker Elementary closed Wednesday as New Orleans’s Recovery School District permanently shuttered its last five traditional public schools this week...
Northwestern And Its Football Players May Have To Wait For Clarity About Unionizing Chicago Business Journal ...When the Northwestern football team starts practice for the 2014 season in early August, will there be clarity about whether the team has the right to unionize? Frankly, it's unclear at this point. But here is what is known about where things stand right now...
Here's What Corporate America Really Thinks About You Huffington Post ...If you are an American human being today, ... what you really are is a sadly predictable agglomeration of demographic traits and buying habits. This is just how the world works, according to our many "data brokers," who pretty much know everything. These are companies that tirelessly scour the Internet, government records and anyplace else we might leave a mark on this mortal coil and then use the information they glean to help companies sell crap to you...
Miscellaneous
Harry Reid's Attacks On Koch Brothers Send GOP Donors Into The Shadows Washington Post ...Senate Majority Leader Harry M. Reid's relentless attacks on the billionaire Koch brothers are having an unforeseen impact--spurring other wealthy GOP donors to give more money to groups that keep their supporters' names secret...
The Wal-Mart Free City The New Yorker ...In October, the city council of Portland, Oregon, ... adopted a resolution banning Walmart—and Walmart alone— from the city’s investment portfolio. The resolution, unanimously approved, cited an anonymous executive who was quoted in Charles Fishman’s 2006 book, “The Wal-Mart Effect,” saying, “They have killed free-market capitalism in America.”...
MORENO VALLEY: Union vote nixed at food company Press Enterprise ...An Inland-based Teamsters local attempting to organize workers at a Moreno Valley food distribution center has canceled an election that had been scheduled for today, claiming that the company continues to threaten and intimidate employees...
Teamsters target Florida West International Airways teamster.org ... Today, the Teamsters Airline Division announced the start of a new initiative to organize pilots at Florida West International Airways (FWIA), a cargo airline based out of Miami International Airport. The pilots fly routes throughout the U.S., Latin America and the Caribbean...
Teamsters ratify 4 contracts with Pekin Journal Star ...The Teamsters represent four units that work for the city — the street department, the wastewater plant workers, solid waste department workers and a general unit that represents bus drivers, mechanics, secretaries, clerks and others...
Trade
EU Elections Pose New Threat To Trade Deal Financial Times ...EU and US officials are increasingly concerned about the impact on transatlantic trade talks of a surge in support for anti-establishment parties in European elections, raising the prospect for delays as they adapt to a new political reality...
State Battles
Fort Wayne Moves To End Collective Bargaining WSBT ...Indiana's second-largest city is poised to end collective bargaining with all city employees except police and firefighters under a measure a union official said is being pushed by "far-right politicians" to the detriment of hundreds of hard-working public employees...
Why Is The Wall Street Journal Livid That Scott Walker Wants A John Doe Settlement PR Watch ...Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker's campaign is reportedly negotiating a settlement with prosecutors in the long-running "John Doe" criminal campaign finance probe -- and the editorial board, which for months has attacked prosecutors and portrayed the investigation as baseless, is livid...
Seattle City Council panel OKs $15 minimum wage Associated Press ... City Council members approved a delay to the implementation of the ordinance, from Jan. 1, 2015 to April 1, 2015...
An End to Sweatshop-Made City Workers’ Uniforms in Chicago? In These Times ...the people who make those same uniforms are unlikely to have any protections from the wage theft, locked fire exit doors and precarious buildings they could be facing on the job. A new ordinance introduced in the Chicago City Council on May 28 aims to fix that inconsistency. If the ordinance is passed, Chicago will join Los Angeles, St. Louis, Milwaukee, Boston and Seattle in attempting to enforce labor rights for factory workers…
War On Workers
U.S. Economy Shrinks For The First Time In 3 Years Huffington Post ...The U.S. economy contracted for the first time in three years as it buckled under the weight of a severe winter, but there are signs activity has since rebounded...
Walmart Moms’ Walkout Starts Friday In These Times ... hundreds of mothers who work at Walmart stores throughout the country will begin walking off the job on Friday, a week before the company's shareholders meet in Bentonville, Arkansas. The action will culminate in a nationwide strike on Wednesday, June 4...
Few workers confident of easy retirement USA Today ...Only 28% of U.S. workers are "very" or "extremely" confident that they'll one day fully retire with a comfortable lifestyle; a third are somewhat confident...
In New Orleans, Major School District Closes Traditional Public Schools For Good Washington Post ...The second-graders paraded to the Dumpster in the rear parking lot, where they chucked boxes of old work sheets, notebooks and other detritus into the trash, emptying their school for good. Benjamin Banneker Elementary closed Wednesday as New Orleans’s Recovery School District permanently shuttered its last five traditional public schools this week...
Northwestern And Its Football Players May Have To Wait For Clarity About Unionizing Chicago Business Journal ...When the Northwestern football team starts practice for the 2014 season in early August, will there be clarity about whether the team has the right to unionize? Frankly, it's unclear at this point. But here is what is known about where things stand right now...
Here's What Corporate America Really Thinks About You Huffington Post ...If you are an American human being today, ... what you really are is a sadly predictable agglomeration of demographic traits and buying habits. This is just how the world works, according to our many "data brokers," who pretty much know everything. These are companies that tirelessly scour the Internet, government records and anyplace else we might leave a mark on this mortal coil and then use the information they glean to help companies sell crap to you...
Miscellaneous
Harry Reid's Attacks On Koch Brothers Send GOP Donors Into The Shadows Washington Post ...Senate Majority Leader Harry M. Reid's relentless attacks on the billionaire Koch brothers are having an unforeseen impact--spurring other wealthy GOP donors to give more money to groups that keep their supporters' names secret...
The Wal-Mart Free City The New Yorker ...In October, the city council of Portland, Oregon, ... adopted a resolution banning Walmart—and Walmart alone— from the city’s investment portfolio. The resolution, unanimously approved, cited an anonymous executive who was quoted in Charles Fishman’s 2006 book, “The Wal-Mart Effect,” saying, “They have killed free-market capitalism in America.”...
Thursday, May 29, 2014
Today's Teamster News 05.29.14
Trade
The fight to save an industry and middle class jobs from imports Cleveland Plain Dealer ...The United States is losing middle class jobs; but those in the fight to limit steel imports are hoping they will be able to offer an example on how to save them. At its core, the effort to limit steel imports is part of a much bigger effort to save American jobs. Not just any job, but “decent-paying” and “family supporting” jobs, to draw upon the chants of organized labor...
State Battles
City council votes to repeal collective bargaining for some workers WANE.com ...In a 7-2 vote Tuesday night, Fort Wayne City Council approved an ordinance that will remove collective bargaining for some city workers. Council members had three ordinances to vote on Tuesday that would affect collective bargaining rights for most of the city’s union workers...
Scientists: Florida's congressional map is 'partisan gerrymander' Orlando Sentinel ...The coalition of groups trying to prove Florida's congressional map was intentionally gerrymandered to help Republicans turned to experts Tuesday who testified it was "virtually impossible" to have drawn the maps without political bias...
War On Workers
Supreme Court case could impact public unions Philadelphia Inquirer ...A largely overlooked Supreme Court case has the potential to fundamentally alter the right of public employees to unionize — and a ruling could be handed down as early as this week...
American jails have become the new mental asylums – and you're paying the bill (opinion) Guardian ...As sheriff, I run the Cook County Jail, the largest jail on a single site in the country with approximately 10,000 inmates on any given day – and approximately 30% of them suffering from a serious mental illness...
How Tech Companies Tricked A Generation Into Working For Free Forbes ...Valve’s Steam service is building an ecosystem of unwaged user productivity, selling games through its “Early Access” program, essentially allowing game developers to charge players to beta test their games in exchange for the flattering thrill of seeing something before it’s ready...
The Worst Places On The Planet To Be A Worker Huffington Post ...The U.S., embarrassingly, scored a 4, indicating "systematic violations" and "serious efforts to crush the collective voice of workers."s...
Walmart's Penny Pinching Doesn't Extend To Executives, Says Report Gawker ...The problems afflicting crap mecca Walmart extend beyond its persecuted workforce, all the way into the corporate executive suite. A new report from an outside overseer says the famously cheap company doesn't mind burning tons of money to benefit top executives...
Walmart Workers Launch Effort To Unseat Rob Walton As Chair Forbes Magazine ...Walmart has a new CEO in Doug McMillon, a one-time warehouse worker who took over the top job this year. Is it time for a new chairman too? A coalition of Walmart workers believe so, and they're mobilizing fellow shareholders in an effort to boot billionaire Rob Walton off the board at the big box giant's annual meeting on Friday, June 6...
Miscellaneous
VA investigators: Delayed care is everywhere USA Today ..."Our reviews at a growing number of VA medical facilities have thus far provided insight into the current extent of these inappropriate scheduling issues throughout the VA health care system and have confirmed that inappropriate scheduling practices" are widespread, the report said...
R.I.P., Maya Angelou, Proud Gun Owner and User National Review ...Angelou also emerged very late in life as an off-hand supporter of the right to bear arms. In a 2013 interview with Time magazine’s Belinda Luscombe, the ancient poetess talked Star Trek and death (“I’ll probably be writing when the Lord says, ‘Maya, Maya Angelou, it’s time’”), but she also recounted how she used a gun for home defense...
The fight to save an industry and middle class jobs from imports Cleveland Plain Dealer ...The United States is losing middle class jobs; but those in the fight to limit steel imports are hoping they will be able to offer an example on how to save them. At its core, the effort to limit steel imports is part of a much bigger effort to save American jobs. Not just any job, but “decent-paying” and “family supporting” jobs, to draw upon the chants of organized labor...
State Battles
City council votes to repeal collective bargaining for some workers WANE.com ...In a 7-2 vote Tuesday night, Fort Wayne City Council approved an ordinance that will remove collective bargaining for some city workers. Council members had three ordinances to vote on Tuesday that would affect collective bargaining rights for most of the city’s union workers...
Scientists: Florida's congressional map is 'partisan gerrymander' Orlando Sentinel ...The coalition of groups trying to prove Florida's congressional map was intentionally gerrymandered to help Republicans turned to experts Tuesday who testified it was "virtually impossible" to have drawn the maps without political bias...
War On Workers
Supreme Court case could impact public unions Philadelphia Inquirer ...A largely overlooked Supreme Court case has the potential to fundamentally alter the right of public employees to unionize — and a ruling could be handed down as early as this week...
American jails have become the new mental asylums – and you're paying the bill (opinion) Guardian ...As sheriff, I run the Cook County Jail, the largest jail on a single site in the country with approximately 10,000 inmates on any given day – and approximately 30% of them suffering from a serious mental illness...
How Tech Companies Tricked A Generation Into Working For Free Forbes ...Valve’s Steam service is building an ecosystem of unwaged user productivity, selling games through its “Early Access” program, essentially allowing game developers to charge players to beta test their games in exchange for the flattering thrill of seeing something before it’s ready...
The Worst Places On The Planet To Be A Worker Huffington Post ...The U.S., embarrassingly, scored a 4, indicating "systematic violations" and "serious efforts to crush the collective voice of workers."s...
Walmart's Penny Pinching Doesn't Extend To Executives, Says Report Gawker ...The problems afflicting crap mecca Walmart extend beyond its persecuted workforce, all the way into the corporate executive suite. A new report from an outside overseer says the famously cheap company doesn't mind burning tons of money to benefit top executives...
Walmart Workers Launch Effort To Unseat Rob Walton As Chair Forbes Magazine ...Walmart has a new CEO in Doug McMillon, a one-time warehouse worker who took over the top job this year. Is it time for a new chairman too? A coalition of Walmart workers believe so, and they're mobilizing fellow shareholders in an effort to boot billionaire Rob Walton off the board at the big box giant's annual meeting on Friday, June 6...
Miscellaneous
VA investigators: Delayed care is everywhere USA Today ..."Our reviews at a growing number of VA medical facilities have thus far provided insight into the current extent of these inappropriate scheduling issues throughout the VA health care system and have confirmed that inappropriate scheduling practices" are widespread, the report said...
R.I.P., Maya Angelou, Proud Gun Owner and User National Review ...Angelou also emerged very late in life as an off-hand supporter of the right to bear arms. In a 2013 interview with Time magazine’s Belinda Luscombe, the ancient poetess talked Star Trek and death (“I’ll probably be writing when the Lord says, ‘Maya, Maya Angelou, it’s time’”), but she also recounted how she used a gun for home defense...
Tuesday, September 17, 2013
Today's Teamster News 09.17.13
Lincare Drivers Join the Teamsters Union teamster.org ...Drivers with Lincare Inc. in Marlborough, Mass., voted unanimously on Sept. 16 to join Teamsters Local 170 in Worcester, Mass...
Legislation would prevent shortcuts in setting sleep apnea regulations Fleet Owner ...Trucking interests, including the Teamsters Union, are applauding legislation introduced late last week that would prevent the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration from taking shortcuts in the process if they intend to set standards for screening and testing professional drivers for sleep apnea...
Culinary Union warns of citywide strike in Vegas Associated Press ...The Culinary Union has issued a written warning to Wall Street investors, saying a citywide strike by Las Vegas hotel workers is possible if contracts aren't inked soon with two major companies...
Rich-Poor Employment Gap Now Widest On Record Associated Press ...The gap in employment rates between America's highest- and lowest-income families has stretched to its widest levels since officials began tracking the data a decade ago, according to an analysis of government data conducted for The Associated Press...
Amid slow economic recovery, more Americans identify as 'lower class' Los Angeles Times ...A small but surging share of Americans consider themselves 'lower class,' a surprise to some researchers and activists despite the bruising economy...
House GOP moves forward with $40 billion cut to food stamps The Hill ...House Republicans on Monday introduced a food stamp reform bill that they say will cut $40 billion from the program over 10 years....
CFPB Warns Employers About Payroll Card Abuse AFL-CIO Now ... The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) warned employers yesterday about the misuse of prepaid payroll cards and that they cannot require workers receive their wages via prepaid cards. ..
Larry Summers Withdraws From Fed Chair Race Fire Dog Lake ...In a stinging rebuke to the forces of financial deregulation in general, and the Robert Rubin clique in particular, Larry Summers withdrew his name from consideration for Chairman of the Federal Reserve after it became clear he could not be confirmed...
American Fugitive Used Big Banks To Shuffle More Than $1 Million Offshore, Records Show ICIJ ...An American wanted on organized crime charges in New Jersey and New York shuffled more than $1 million around the world through accounts at JPMorgan Chase & Co. and Australia’s ANZ Bank, confidential records show...
The US Federal Deficit Continues to Shrink truthout ...The federal budget deficit has been plummeting in size over the last few years; however, judging from polls, most Americans do not know that – indeed, their concern over the deficit has grown even as the annual deficit has shrunk significantly...
Third World Watch: Deadly Brain Amoeba Found in US Tap Water Naked Capitalism ...The US now ranks 27th in life expectancy among 34 advanced economies, down from 20 in 1990.But in addition to the considerable health dangers of stress and weak social bonds, more obvious public health risks may be coming to the fore. Strained municipal budgets means reduced public services...
POSITIVE TRAIN CONTROL: Additional Authorities Could Benefit Implementation GAO ...To install positive train control (PTC)--a communications-based system designed to prevent certain types of train accidents caused by human factors-- almost all railroads are overlaying their existing infrastructure with PTC components; nonetheless, most railroads report they will miss the December 31, 2015, implementation deadline...
Week-long strikes against austerity, reform begin in Greece Xinhuanet ...Greece's labor unions launched on Monday a new week of strike action, the most extensive this autumn, against austerity and reform measures introduced to tackle Greece's crippling debt problems...
Phoenix pension ‘spiking’ rules vary for city employees Arizona Republic ...While retiring Phoenix City Manager David Cavazos considers converting roughly $200,000 in unused sick leave to enhance his pension, the city is fighting rank-and-file municipal employees in court to keep them from doing the same thing...
Groups may seek privatized liquor sales in Oregon Statesman Journal ...Grocery stores and convenience stores may get behind a ballot initiative to privatize state-run liquor stores now that the Oregon Liquor Control Commission has decided to let liquor stores sell wine and beer...
Right-to-work ruling faces rough road Post-Tribune ...They couldn’t stop it in the General Assembly, and they failed in federal court. But last week, opponents of Indiana’s right-to-work law finally had reason to celebrate, when Lake Superior Court Judge John Sedia ruled the law unconstitutional...
Wisconsin DOT provides grant, loans for four freight-rail projects Progressive Railroading ...Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker on Friday announced the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) will provide grants and loans totaling nearly $11 million for four freight-rail improvement projects...
Legislation would prevent shortcuts in setting sleep apnea regulations Fleet Owner ...Trucking interests, including the Teamsters Union, are applauding legislation introduced late last week that would prevent the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration from taking shortcuts in the process if they intend to set standards for screening and testing professional drivers for sleep apnea...
Culinary Union warns of citywide strike in Vegas Associated Press ...The Culinary Union has issued a written warning to Wall Street investors, saying a citywide strike by Las Vegas hotel workers is possible if contracts aren't inked soon with two major companies...
Rich-Poor Employment Gap Now Widest On Record Associated Press ...The gap in employment rates between America's highest- and lowest-income families has stretched to its widest levels since officials began tracking the data a decade ago, according to an analysis of government data conducted for The Associated Press...
Amid slow economic recovery, more Americans identify as 'lower class' Los Angeles Times ...A small but surging share of Americans consider themselves 'lower class,' a surprise to some researchers and activists despite the bruising economy...
House GOP moves forward with $40 billion cut to food stamps The Hill ...House Republicans on Monday introduced a food stamp reform bill that they say will cut $40 billion from the program over 10 years....
CFPB Warns Employers About Payroll Card Abuse AFL-CIO Now ... The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) warned employers yesterday about the misuse of prepaid payroll cards and that they cannot require workers receive their wages via prepaid cards. ..
Larry Summers Withdraws From Fed Chair Race Fire Dog Lake ...In a stinging rebuke to the forces of financial deregulation in general, and the Robert Rubin clique in particular, Larry Summers withdrew his name from consideration for Chairman of the Federal Reserve after it became clear he could not be confirmed...
American Fugitive Used Big Banks To Shuffle More Than $1 Million Offshore, Records Show ICIJ ...An American wanted on organized crime charges in New Jersey and New York shuffled more than $1 million around the world through accounts at JPMorgan Chase & Co. and Australia’s ANZ Bank, confidential records show...
The US Federal Deficit Continues to Shrink truthout ...The federal budget deficit has been plummeting in size over the last few years; however, judging from polls, most Americans do not know that – indeed, their concern over the deficit has grown even as the annual deficit has shrunk significantly...
Third World Watch: Deadly Brain Amoeba Found in US Tap Water Naked Capitalism ...The US now ranks 27th in life expectancy among 34 advanced economies, down from 20 in 1990.But in addition to the considerable health dangers of stress and weak social bonds, more obvious public health risks may be coming to the fore. Strained municipal budgets means reduced public services...
POSITIVE TRAIN CONTROL: Additional Authorities Could Benefit Implementation GAO ...To install positive train control (PTC)--a communications-based system designed to prevent certain types of train accidents caused by human factors-- almost all railroads are overlaying their existing infrastructure with PTC components; nonetheless, most railroads report they will miss the December 31, 2015, implementation deadline...
Week-long strikes against austerity, reform begin in Greece Xinhuanet ...Greece's labor unions launched on Monday a new week of strike action, the most extensive this autumn, against austerity and reform measures introduced to tackle Greece's crippling debt problems...
Phoenix pension ‘spiking’ rules vary for city employees Arizona Republic ...While retiring Phoenix City Manager David Cavazos considers converting roughly $200,000 in unused sick leave to enhance his pension, the city is fighting rank-and-file municipal employees in court to keep them from doing the same thing...
Groups may seek privatized liquor sales in Oregon Statesman Journal ...Grocery stores and convenience stores may get behind a ballot initiative to privatize state-run liquor stores now that the Oregon Liquor Control Commission has decided to let liquor stores sell wine and beer...
Right-to-work ruling faces rough road Post-Tribune ...They couldn’t stop it in the General Assembly, and they failed in federal court. But last week, opponents of Indiana’s right-to-work law finally had reason to celebrate, when Lake Superior Court Judge John Sedia ruled the law unconstitutional...
Wisconsin DOT provides grant, loans for four freight-rail projects Progressive Railroading ...Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker on Friday announced the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) will provide grants and loans totaling nearly $11 million for four freight-rail improvement projects...
Saturday, September 14, 2013
Today's Teamster News 09.14.13
First Student School Bus Workers Choose Teamsters teamster.org ...School bus drivers and monitors with First Student in Oak Park, Mich., have voted by an overwhelming 5-1 margin to join Teamsters Local 1038 in Detroit...
Dairy Workers in Georgia Join Local 528 teamster.org ...On September 6, workers at Mayfield Dairy in Macon voted to become Teamsters by a nearly 3-1 margin. There are 32 transport drivers, route sales drivers and warehouse workers in the unit...
Sikorsky lays off 200 workers Connecticut Post ...Sikorsky Aircraft announced plans Thursday to cut its hourly workforce by 200 people, mostly here in Connecticut, in its second round of layoffs of that size this summer...
Allied Chooses Jack Cooper Bid teamster.org ...At the auction that concluded Thursday, September 12, Allied selected Jack Cooper Transport as the entity with the best and highest bid...
U.S. union UAW close to organizing at Volkswagen plant Reuters ...Volkswagen's factory at Chattanooga, Tennessee, is close to becoming the first U.S. car assembly plant run by a foreign company to have its workers officially represented by the United Auto Workers union, a German paper reported...
10 Reasons Millennials Are the Screwed Generation AlterNet ...Young people living in the United States have inherited a broken country. Here are the reasons…
Financial Crisis Cases Ending As SEC Struggles With Reputation Fire Dog Lake ...It has now been 5 years since Wall Street crashed the economy through its pump and dump mortgage derivative scheme. Few of the bad actors have been held accountable and none of the big ones...
U.S. manufacturing rebirth fizzles as jobs still head overseas Bloomberg News ...Despite promises of a U.S. manufacturing resurgence, job gains in the field have stagnated as work continues to be sent to other countries...
The Pentagon Helped Pay for Gas on These Billionaires' Private Jets Gawker ...Guess who's been paying for jet fuel on behalf of a handful of billionaires? That's right—you...
Domestic Workers Bill of Rights passes Legislature San Francisco Chronicle ...Californians who hire a nanny, a cook, a maid or other domestic employees would be required to pay them overtime wages under a landmark bill that awaits Gov. Jerry Brown's signature...
USDA official defends pork inspection pilot program Washington Post ...A top food safety official at the USDA says that a pilot program for inspecting pork is working well, defending the experimental procedures being used in five hog plants around the country...
Federal judge rules Wisconsin's union reforms constitutional Reuters ...Wisconsin's controversial collective bargaining reforms do not violate the free speech and equal protection rights of public sector union workers, a federal judge ruled on Wednesday...
Union vows to fight Indiana right-to-work law on appeal Associated Press ...Indiana is appealing a ruling declaring the state’s right-to-work law unconstitutional, Attorney General Greg Zoeller said Thursday...
Louisiana Senator Wants to Shut Down Nation's Oil Supply Until Congress Funds Levee Project Mother Jones ...Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-La.) said Wednesday that Louisiana ought to shut down all of the oil rigs in the Gulf of Mexico until the House of Representatives agrees to fund a much-needed levee project in her state designed to protect against Katrina-type storms...
Dairy Workers in Georgia Join Local 528 teamster.org ...On September 6, workers at Mayfield Dairy in Macon voted to become Teamsters by a nearly 3-1 margin. There are 32 transport drivers, route sales drivers and warehouse workers in the unit...
Sikorsky lays off 200 workers Connecticut Post ...Sikorsky Aircraft announced plans Thursday to cut its hourly workforce by 200 people, mostly here in Connecticut, in its second round of layoffs of that size this summer...
Allied Chooses Jack Cooper Bid teamster.org ...At the auction that concluded Thursday, September 12, Allied selected Jack Cooper Transport as the entity with the best and highest bid...
U.S. union UAW close to organizing at Volkswagen plant Reuters ...Volkswagen's factory at Chattanooga, Tennessee, is close to becoming the first U.S. car assembly plant run by a foreign company to have its workers officially represented by the United Auto Workers union, a German paper reported...
10 Reasons Millennials Are the Screwed Generation AlterNet ...Young people living in the United States have inherited a broken country. Here are the reasons…
Financial Crisis Cases Ending As SEC Struggles With Reputation Fire Dog Lake ...It has now been 5 years since Wall Street crashed the economy through its pump and dump mortgage derivative scheme. Few of the bad actors have been held accountable and none of the big ones...
U.S. manufacturing rebirth fizzles as jobs still head overseas Bloomberg News ...Despite promises of a U.S. manufacturing resurgence, job gains in the field have stagnated as work continues to be sent to other countries...
The Pentagon Helped Pay for Gas on These Billionaires' Private Jets Gawker ...Guess who's been paying for jet fuel on behalf of a handful of billionaires? That's right—you...
Domestic Workers Bill of Rights passes Legislature San Francisco Chronicle ...Californians who hire a nanny, a cook, a maid or other domestic employees would be required to pay them overtime wages under a landmark bill that awaits Gov. Jerry Brown's signature...
USDA official defends pork inspection pilot program Washington Post ...A top food safety official at the USDA says that a pilot program for inspecting pork is working well, defending the experimental procedures being used in five hog plants around the country...
Federal judge rules Wisconsin's union reforms constitutional Reuters ...Wisconsin's controversial collective bargaining reforms do not violate the free speech and equal protection rights of public sector union workers, a federal judge ruled on Wednesday...
Union vows to fight Indiana right-to-work law on appeal Associated Press ...Indiana is appealing a ruling declaring the state’s right-to-work law unconstitutional, Attorney General Greg Zoeller said Thursday...
Louisiana Senator Wants to Shut Down Nation's Oil Supply Until Congress Funds Levee Project Mother Jones ...Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-La.) said Wednesday that Louisiana ought to shut down all of the oil rigs in the Gulf of Mexico until the House of Representatives agrees to fund a much-needed levee project in her state designed to protect against Katrina-type storms...
Friday, September 13, 2013
Today's Teamster News 09.13.13
Teamster Proposal for FedEx Independent Board Chair Backed by Leading Proxy Advisers teamster.org ...The country’s two largest proxy advisers, ISS and Glass Lewis, have both recommended that FedEx shareholders support a Teamster proposal calling for an independent chairman of the board at the company’s annual meeting Sept. 23...
Video: Teamsters and Allies Fighting For Workers’ Rights, Worldwide Thom Hartmann’s The Big Picture ...Tim Beaty, Teamsters Director of Global Strategies, was interviewed about the relationships the union has with labor organizations around the world. Jim Hoffa recently signed an agreement with a top Brazilian labor leader that will help both organizations fight for workers’ rights...
DHL Teamsters Approve National Master Portions Of Tentative New Agreement And All Operational Supplements teamster.org ...Teamsters working at DHL Express across the country overwhelmingly approved the new tentative National Master Agreement. However, a small number of local riders were not approved...
35 to lose jobs at Franklin Foods Duluth News Tribune ...Dairy giant Kemps on Monday told workers at its Duluth milk processing facility that production was being shifted to a Minneapolis facility, meaning 35 workers will be out of a job at Franklin Foods on Oct. 4...
BMWED Members: Amtrak Arbitration Agreement teamster.org ...The Passenger Rail Labor Bargaining Coalition has finalized an agreement with Amtrak to arbitrate and settle the BMWED contract dispute...
Verizon's diabolical plan to turn the Web into pay-per-view Industry Standard ... The country's No. 1 carrier is fighting in court to end the Federal Communications Commission's policy of Net neutrality, a move that would open the gates to a whole new -- and wholly bad -- economic model on the Web...
Bailout Nr. 5? Euro Zone Eyes Slovenia's Troubled Banks Der Spiegel ...The euro crisis has been on the back burner lately, but the problems facing banks in Slovenia are coming to a head. Billions of euros in bad loans make the country a candidate for the next bailout...
Why Do We Spend Billions on the National Security State While We Let Detroit Go Bankrupt? Alternet ...During a peace-time economy, the budgets of the five intelligence agencies have grown exponentially while urban cities and social services have dwindled...
California Legislature Passes Historic Laws Protecting Immigrant Workers from Abusive Employers teamster.org ...The California State legislature has passed new protections designed to stop unscrupulous employers from retaliating against immigrant workers who stand up for their rights. The bills await signature by Governor Jerry Brown...
Gov. Rick Snyder announces appointments to truck safety commission ABC 10 News ...Michigan’s Gov. Rick Snyder today announced two appointments and five reappointments, including Dave Goller, a Teamsters Local 406 business representative, to the Michigan Truck Safety Commission...
Bike night and car show has great attendance in Slatington Times News ...The Slatington Fire Department in Pennsylvania held a bike night and car show in honor of longtime firefighter Milt "Bup" Greene, who passed away last year. The event was hosted by the Teamster Horseman Motorcycle Club of which Greene, a firefighter for 35 years, was a member...
5 Years Later, Wall Street Still Sucking Life Out of America Like Vampires at a Blood Drive AlterNet ...On Sept. 15, 2008, the Lehman Brothers collapse became the 9/11 of the financial world, sending the global economy into panic, leading to the ugliest financial episode since the Great Depression—mostly because the financial sector had gotten out of control…
Why doesn’t NSA spy on Wall Street? Salon ...The government claims NSA conducts surveillance to avert financial crises. Seems like they have the wrong suspects...
Report:New Trade Pact Will Hurt U.S. Wages CBS Money Watch ...The new trans-Pacific trade pact being pushed by the U.S. government will hurt most American workers' wages despite promises it will help them, according to a new report...
GE Ex-Labor Chief Switches to Defend Retirees’ Benefits Bloomberg News ...Ten years ago, Dennis Rocheleau sat across the bargaining table from General Electric Co. (GE)’s unions, pushing health-care cuts so deep they led to the first nationwide strike at the company in three decades...
Florida task force takes shape to study mandatory paid-sick-leave Miami Herald ...Florida Senate President Don Gaetz has announced the first four members of a task force that will study how state law affects the benefits companies can offer employees, including mandatory paid-sick-leave...
Oregon’s Revenue Department violated labor laws, state says Statesman Journal ...The Oregon Department of Revenue has been violating its agreement with employees for years by refusing to pay for some meal periods, according to a recent ruling released by the Employment Relations Board...
L.A. Mayor Garcetti working to rebuild ties to labor unions Los Angeles Times ...Months after much of organized labor fought hard to block his election as mayor of Los Angeles, Eric Garcetti tried to mend fences Wednesday with a call for solidarity with unions in their struggle for jobs that pay middle-class wages...
Video: Teamsters and Allies Fighting For Workers’ Rights, Worldwide Thom Hartmann’s The Big Picture ...Tim Beaty, Teamsters Director of Global Strategies, was interviewed about the relationships the union has with labor organizations around the world. Jim Hoffa recently signed an agreement with a top Brazilian labor leader that will help both organizations fight for workers’ rights...
DHL Teamsters Approve National Master Portions Of Tentative New Agreement And All Operational Supplements teamster.org ...Teamsters working at DHL Express across the country overwhelmingly approved the new tentative National Master Agreement. However, a small number of local riders were not approved...
35 to lose jobs at Franklin Foods Duluth News Tribune ...Dairy giant Kemps on Monday told workers at its Duluth milk processing facility that production was being shifted to a Minneapolis facility, meaning 35 workers will be out of a job at Franklin Foods on Oct. 4...
BMWED Members: Amtrak Arbitration Agreement teamster.org ...The Passenger Rail Labor Bargaining Coalition has finalized an agreement with Amtrak to arbitrate and settle the BMWED contract dispute...
Verizon's diabolical plan to turn the Web into pay-per-view Industry Standard ... The country's No. 1 carrier is fighting in court to end the Federal Communications Commission's policy of Net neutrality, a move that would open the gates to a whole new -- and wholly bad -- economic model on the Web...
Bailout Nr. 5? Euro Zone Eyes Slovenia's Troubled Banks Der Spiegel ...The euro crisis has been on the back burner lately, but the problems facing banks in Slovenia are coming to a head. Billions of euros in bad loans make the country a candidate for the next bailout...
Why Do We Spend Billions on the National Security State While We Let Detroit Go Bankrupt? Alternet ...During a peace-time economy, the budgets of the five intelligence agencies have grown exponentially while urban cities and social services have dwindled...
California Legislature Passes Historic Laws Protecting Immigrant Workers from Abusive Employers teamster.org ...The California State legislature has passed new protections designed to stop unscrupulous employers from retaliating against immigrant workers who stand up for their rights. The bills await signature by Governor Jerry Brown...
Gov. Rick Snyder announces appointments to truck safety commission ABC 10 News ...Michigan’s Gov. Rick Snyder today announced two appointments and five reappointments, including Dave Goller, a Teamsters Local 406 business representative, to the Michigan Truck Safety Commission...
Bike night and car show has great attendance in Slatington Times News ...The Slatington Fire Department in Pennsylvania held a bike night and car show in honor of longtime firefighter Milt "Bup" Greene, who passed away last year. The event was hosted by the Teamster Horseman Motorcycle Club of which Greene, a firefighter for 35 years, was a member...
5 Years Later, Wall Street Still Sucking Life Out of America Like Vampires at a Blood Drive AlterNet ...On Sept. 15, 2008, the Lehman Brothers collapse became the 9/11 of the financial world, sending the global economy into panic, leading to the ugliest financial episode since the Great Depression—mostly because the financial sector had gotten out of control…
Why doesn’t NSA spy on Wall Street? Salon ...The government claims NSA conducts surveillance to avert financial crises. Seems like they have the wrong suspects...
Report:New Trade Pact Will Hurt U.S. Wages CBS Money Watch ...The new trans-Pacific trade pact being pushed by the U.S. government will hurt most American workers' wages despite promises it will help them, according to a new report...
GE Ex-Labor Chief Switches to Defend Retirees’ Benefits Bloomberg News ...Ten years ago, Dennis Rocheleau sat across the bargaining table from General Electric Co. (GE)’s unions, pushing health-care cuts so deep they led to the first nationwide strike at the company in three decades...
Florida task force takes shape to study mandatory paid-sick-leave Miami Herald ...Florida Senate President Don Gaetz has announced the first four members of a task force that will study how state law affects the benefits companies can offer employees, including mandatory paid-sick-leave...
Oregon’s Revenue Department violated labor laws, state says Statesman Journal ...The Oregon Department of Revenue has been violating its agreement with employees for years by refusing to pay for some meal periods, according to a recent ruling released by the Employment Relations Board...
L.A. Mayor Garcetti working to rebuild ties to labor unions Los Angeles Times ...Months after much of organized labor fought hard to block his election as mayor of Los Angeles, Eric Garcetti tried to mend fences Wednesday with a call for solidarity with unions in their struggle for jobs that pay middle-class wages...
Tuesday, October 16, 2012
Why Wal-Mart won't fire strikers
Even non-union American workers have the right to strike and take action to try to improve working conditions, and they can't be fired in retaliation.That's why Wal-Mart workers who engaged in lightning strikes are back on the job and still getting paid their pittances. Federal law protects what's called "concerted action" of employees. The National Labor Relations Board offers a guide here.
AOL.com published a must-read guide to employment law. Among some of the things you need to know:
- There is safety in numbers: If you're protesting your own working conditions, you aren't protected against retaliation. However, if you are objecting to something that affects at least one co-worker, or with at least one co-worker, then you may be legally protected.
- "Unfair labor practice strikers" can't be replaced: If your strike is to protest unfair labor practices by your employer, such as retaliating against workers who discuss or protest working conditions, then you must be reinstated to your job when it's over and cannot be permanently replaced.
- Picketing is legal: Picketing your employer to protest working conditions or unfair labor practices is protected, subject to certain limitations. You can't block entrances, bully or threaten people trying to enter (including scabs), or engage in violence, but otherwise it is perfectly legal.
Sunday, July 8, 2012
Corporations going 'Norma Rae' to sell products
Sometimes the world just doesn't seem to make sense any more. Corporate America is now urging workers to exercise their rights ... to buy their products.
McDonald's ran an ad campaign called "It's Your Lunch. Take It," to promote the Premium Chicken Sandwich and the Angus Third Pounder Deluxe burger. The video above is run by the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority to promote tourism. And Coca-Cola is sponsoring a contest called "Take the Year Off" to promote its Gold Peak Tea.
Their message: Commit small acts of rebellion to buy our products. (Note to Corporate America: Workers would have enough time and money to buy your products if you didn't work so hard to bust unions.)
The New York Times notes:
Marketers are adopting the theme of workers’ rights at a time when unions themselves are confronting declines in membership and influence. In effect, some labor experts say, they are turning a pro-worker theme on its head to serve the corporate interest.
“It’s an effort by management to co-opt the Occupy Wall Street spirit and redirect it to promote its product,” said Harry Katz, dean of the Cornell University School of Industrial and Labor Relations. “They are using it in a somewhat manipulative way.”
Ya think?
Wednesday, June 27, 2012
NLRB protects rights of all workers – union or not
The National Labor Relations Board protects workers' rights whether they're in a union or not. Recently the labor board launched a new webpage showing how it safeguards concerted activity, which is employees working together for mutual aid or protection. The NLRB's new web page features a map with markers that tell the story of workers unlawfully disciplined by their bosses for activity protected under Section 7 of the 1935 National Labor Relations Act.Recent cases settled by the labor board include:
A construction crew fired after refusing to work in the rain near exposed electrical wires; a customer service representative who lost her job after discussing her wages with a coworker; an engineer at a vegetable packing plant fired after reporting safety concerns affecting other employees; a paramedic fired after posting work-related grievances on Facebook; and poultry workers fired after discussing their grievances with a newspaper reporter.More than 5 percent of the NLRB’s caseload involved group activity by non-union workers. The new page includes examples of workers fired for posting grievances about work on social media sites, including Facebook and YouTube.
After the page was launched last week, employment law blogs quickly tried to diminish the agency’s efforts. One blog called it “great marketing” designed to “target non-unionized employees.”
No surprise there. Corporations hate the idea of employees knowing their rights under the law. So when one of the top government agencies charged with protecting those rights raises awareness among workers, the bosses call it a cynical PR stunt.
NLRB Chairman Mark Gaston explains:
A right only has value when people know it exists. We think the right to engage in protected concerted activity is one of the best kept secrets of the National Labor Relations Act, and more important than ever in these difficult economic times. Our hope is that other workers will see themselves in the cases we’ve selected and understand that they do have strength in numbers.
Thursday, May 31, 2012
A win for union rights and privacy in Maryland
In early May, a common-sense bill signed into law by Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley made the state the second in the nation to legally protect union members’ information from bosses.
The law grants confidentiality privileges to unions and their members. Common law protections that have long been enjoyed by doctors, patients, attorneys and clients have now been extended to workers and their unions in the Free State.
As reported by the Maryland Reporter,
One of hundreds of bills that came across Gov. Martin O’Malley’s desk for his signature earlier this month, the new law will protect union representatives from having to disclose information received in confidence from an unhappy union member during grievance proceedings.Predicatably, Maryland’s Chamber of Commerce raised concerns about protecting employees’ information.
When Republicans in Maryland argued that the bill was unfair to businesses unless it was extended to employers, the bill’s sponsor, Senator Brian Frosh, had to explain to them the difference between a business and a union:
“This bill is not about protecting the union,” Frosh argued, “it’s about protecting the employee.” Frosh said a union representative is acting on behalf of employees and their grievances before management, which is not the case in a relationship between employers and their employees.The Union City newsletter of the DC labor council quoted council president Jos Williams who testified in support of the bill:
Union members no longer need to fear that their confidential union information will be shared with the bosses… This historic legislation will benefit all unions in MarylandLabor played a huge role in winning the new protections for members, according to Union City:
[T]he main force behind the bill was UFCW Local 400, which battled lobbyists including Verizon, which has been demanding extreme concessions in ongoing negotiations with CWA. “When the law is enacted on October 2,” UFCW 400 Director of Legislative Growth Strategies and Trustee Tony Perez told Union City, "it should have an immediate impact on our membership as well as union members statewide."Illinois is the only other state in the country that protects union members’ privacy from employers. In Maryland the new law goes into effect on October 1, finally freeing workers from the fear that information shared with their union could be used against them by management.
Go Maryland!
Monday, January 10, 2011
It's going to be a long 2 years in Congress
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| Meet the new boss, Rep. John Kline (D-MN) |
...shows that a new boss is in town, and one not friendly to unions.The last time a Republican majority changed the name of the HELP committee, it was not a good omen for working people. Bill Samuel, the AFL-CIO's top lobbyist, said,
Chuck Loveless, director of legislation at the American Federation of County, State and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), said he was concernedDuring the [Newt] Gingrich Congress, they used the committee to gut [the Occupational Safety and Health Administration], to weaken overtime laws and undermine the rights of the workers who want to bargain for a better standard of living.
Not like the old boss, Rep. George Miller (D-CA)
...that the committee is going to pressure the administration to weaken enforcement of labor laws and regulations, whether it’s workplace safety, wage and hour requirements or mine safety.Already, California Republican Devin Nunes filed a bill that would require state and local pension funds to report their liabilities and forbid the federal government from bailing them out.
It's going to be a VERY long two years.
Thursday, September 2, 2010
No surprise to us
Human Rights Watch today says European multinationals violate U.S. workers rights.
Read the whole report here.
Companies cited include Germany-based Deutsche Telekom's T-Mobile USA and Deutsche Post's DHL, UK-based Tesco's Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Markets and G4S Wackenhut security, France-based Sodexo food services and Saint-Gobain industrial equipment, Norway-based Kongsberg Automotive, and the Dutch firm Gamma Holding.
"The behavior of these companies casts serious doubt on the value of voluntary commitments to human rights," said Arvind Ganesan, director of the Business and Human Rights Program at Human Rights Watch. "Companies need to be held accountable, to their own stated commitments and to strong legal standards."
Read the whole report here.
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