Wednesday, November 13, 2013

Today's Teamster News 11.13.13

D.C.Taxi Drivers File Lawsuit, Demand Apology  dclabor.org   ...The Teamster-affiliated Washington, D.C. Taxi Operators Association last week filed a lawsuit demanding that the District stop towing and impounding taxis and issuing fines to drivers who have been unable to install new dome lights or credit card machines...
Global Labour Leaders Vow Action In Richmond Ikea Fight  The Tyee   ...After listening to a wealth of emotional testimony from embittered IKEA employees during a hearing in Vancouver, international trade union representatives are pledging overseas action on behalf of the Richmond store workers, if the prolonged conflict continues...
Wal-Mart to give employees turkey dinner for working Thanksgiving, but analyst says company can afford to give raises  Raw Story   ...Wal-Mart is making some of its employees work on Thanksgiving, but the retailer is hoping to make up for intruding on the family holiday by feeding workers a traditional turkey dinner, giving them an extra day’s pay and offering them 25 percent off a future shipping trip...
Key union strategy goes before U.S. Supreme Court  Aljazeera America   ...Decision on "€œneutrality agreements" in the Mulhall case could set course for future labor organizing...
The Trans-Pacific Partnership: A Threat to Global Public Health  Huffington Post   ...Delivering yet another blow to this country's Democratic process, President Obama is expected to buck Congressional authority in order to push through a trade agreement with devastating consequences for millions of people...
EU consumer groups wary of trade deal with us  Associated Press   ...European consumer groups are worried about the effects of a proposed trade deal with the U.S., fearing a flood of risky or unsafe foodstuffs, medicines and other imports from America...
Workers hurt in Bangladesh protest  Associated Press   ...Riot police fired tear gas to battle thousands of garment workers who rampaged through two Bangladesh towns during a protest over wages that closed at least 200 factories and left dozens of people injured...
The 40-Year Slump  American Prospect   ...1974 would mark a fundamental breakpoint in American economic history. In the years since, the tide has continued to rise, but a growing number of boats have been chained to the bottom. Productivity has increased by 80 percent, but median compensation (that’s wages plus benefits) has risen by just 11 percent during that time...
The rise of paid friends: How wealthy New Yorkers are socializing with hired staff over 'real' companions – because they’re easier 'to control'  Daily Mail   ...‘Once you’ve had paid friends who don’t argue with you, it’s actually quite hard to go back to real friends...’
Central Banks Risk Asset Bubbles in Battle With Deflation Danger  Bloomberg   ...While declining costs for everything from gasoline to coffee can be good news for consumers, disinflation makes it harder for borrowers to pay off debts and businesses to boost profits...
Elizabeth Warren: 'Too Big To Fail' Is Worse Than Before Financial Crisis  Huffington Post   ...Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) warned in a speech Tuesday that the problem of banks considered "too big to fail" has only gotten worse since the 2008 financial crisis, potentially sowing the seeds of a future crisis...
Washington just awarded the largest state tax subsidy in U.S. history  Washington Post   ...With the stroke of a pen, Washington Gov. Jay Inslee (D) on Monday signed into law the largest corporate tax break any state has ever given to a single company...
4 Creeping Ways Capitalism Is Killing Us  AlterNet   ...The profit motives of this system offer little incentive to feed the hungry, treat the sick, secure us in retirement or provide job opportunities...
Fed Official: Wall Street Still Thinks It Is Above The Law  ThinkProgress   ...As long as Wall Street banks believe they are above the law, it will be very difficult to prevent the financial industry from blowing up the world economy again, according to Federal Reserve Board of New York head William Dudley...
Wisconsin Supreme Court Hears Arguments on Collective Bargaining Law  New York Times   ...The  Wisconsin Supreme Court on Monday heard arguments on the constitutionality of a 2011 law that all but eliminated collective bargaining for most public employees...
Union rallies to protest right-to-work  The News Item   ...Taking a stand against a right-to-work law in Pennsylvania, more than 400 labor union representatives marched in Pottsville on Saturday and gave speeches outside the Schuylkill County Courthouse...
Giant and Safeway workers may consider labor contract Wednesday  Baltimore Sun   ...28,000 workers for Giant Food and Safeway supermarkets in the Baltimore-Washington area could vote on a new labor contract as early as Wednesday...