Today's Teamster News 03.12.13

This New Puerto Rican Law Makes Wealthy People Want To Move There To Avoid Taxes  Business Insider   ...Billionaire hedge funder John Paulson, who famously bet against the subprime housing market, is reportedly weighing a move to Puerto Rico to take advantage of a new tax law there...
Illinois settles SEC fraud charges over pension fund disclosures  Reuters   ...Illinois failed to inform investors about the impact of problems with its pension funding schedule as the state offered and sold more than $2.2 billion worth of municipal bonds from 2005 to early 2009...
Ex-Detroit mayor Kilpatrick convicted of range of corruption charges  NBC News   ...Prosecutors said that Kilpatrick, 42, steered $83 million in city work to a friend and contractor, Bobby Ferguson, in exchange for hundreds of thousands of dollars in kickbacks...
After Watering Down Financial Reform, Ex-Senator Scott Brown Joins Goldman Sachs’ Lobbying Firm  ThinkProgress   ...During his nearly three years in the U.S. Senate, Scott Brown (R-MA) frequently came to the aid of the financial sector — watering down the Dodd-Frank bill and working to weaken it after its passage — and accepted hundreds of thousands of dollars in campaign cash from the industry...
Congress wants role as Obama pushes trade agenda  Associated Press   ...A strong trade agenda, said Sen. Orrin Hatch of Utah requires close cooperation and consultation with Congress. Members of Obama's Democratic Party tend to oppose "fast track," arguing that trade pacts negotiated by past administrations have resulted in job losses in America and given short shrift to environmental and labor and human rights issues...
Sequester scuttling Sandy shape-up?  Manufacture This  ...New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut, are still repairing after Hurricane Sandy, five months later. But now there's a new complication: the sequester has taken a bite out of federal aid money...
Missouri Senate Backs Union Paycheck Bill  Associated Press   ...The Missouri Senate has given first-round approval to a measure that would require public employee unions to seek annual consent to automatically deduct dues from members' paychecks...
Judge Cans Soda Ban  Wall Street Journal   ...Mayor Michael Bloomberg was dealt a stinging blow on Monday when a state Supreme Court Judge quashed his plan to ban the sale of large sugary drinks in the city's restaurants and other venues...
Why liquor privatization still faces a long road  PennLive   ...While some legislators say a bill introduced this week to end the state's longtime monopoly is on the fast track, others say they aren't so sure such a swift timetable is in the cards...
Behind Closed Doors: Americans for Prosperity chapter leader is no stranger to Pence  Indianapolis Star   ...Americans for Prosperity is a national group launched by Charles and David Koch, billionaire brothers and influential conservative leaders who financially supported Pence’s campaign for governor...
Minnesota Poll: Majority supports raising state minumum wage  Minneapolis Star-Tribune   ...But Minnesotans are divided on how high to go, $7.50 an hour vs. $9.50...
Realtors asked for budget provision expanding foreign ownership of state land  The Cap Times   ...Wisconsin Realtors look to be next in line to benefit from Gov. Scott Walker’s “Wisconsin is open for business” vow...
Teamsters begin picket at Thorn Creek Basin facility  NWITimes.com  ... About a dozen Teamsters Local 705 members began pickets Monday at the Thorn Creek Basin Sanitary District facility in frustration with the current negotiations for a new contract...
Teamsters rally in Memphis behind Republic Services workers  Commercial Appeal   ...The nation’s second-most powerful Teamster came to Memphis Sunday with Teamsters from across the nation to express their support to sanitation workers employed by Republic Services. About 180 employees are working under an expired contract to serve about 200,000 Memphis-area residents...
Teamsters Educate City Leaders About Republic Services' Poor Record  IBT  ...More than 2,000 mayors, city councilmembers, and local administrators at the conference were greeted by Teamsters holding a banner that stated "Republic Services Trashes American Cities." The League of Cities attendees also received leaflets that read, "Tell Republic: Do It Right or Pay the Penalty."...

A big Teamster victory! NYC sugary drink ban overturned!

(UPDATES top 2 grafs, ADDS grafs 3-4 with Teamster comment.)

For months, New York City Teamsters fought like hell against Mayor Bloomberg's ban on big, sugary drinks. Now they're celebrating.

A state Supreme Court justice invalidated the ban on Monday, just one day before the ban was to take effect.

Ed Weber, president, IBT Local 812 Soft Drink and Brewery Workers, hailed the judge's ruling:

This decision shows that Bloomberg’s ‘my way or the highway’ has no legal standing and doesn’t work for New Yorkers. The judge’s action will preserve small business, the beverage industry, and good jobs for New Yorkers.

AdWeek predicted (accurately) the decision would please Teamsters:

While the decision is a major setback to Bloomberg's mayoral legacy in terms of public health initiatives—a point of emphasis during his three-term reign—it’s sure to delight everyone from 7-Eleven to the International Brotherhood of Teamsters.

Justice Milton Tingling ruled the ban was arbitrary and capricious:

"The simple reading of the rule leads to the earlier acknolwedged uneven enforcement even within a particular city block, much less the city as a whole," Tingling said. "The loopholes in this rule effectively defeat the stated purpose of the rule." 

In a 36-page ruling, Tingling added that the city's rationale for enacting the soda ban was predicated on two ill-defined terms:  "obesity" and "epidemic." The judge added that the city had not demonstrated that consuming large quantities of sugary soda presented an imminent danger to its residents. 

Our brothers and sisters in New York City made a massive showing at a rally against the ban in August. And Joint Council 16 President George Miranda encouraged everyone to join the New Yorkers for Beverage Choices coalition.

It just goes to show when Teamsters fight, Teamsters can win. Great work, everyone!

Today's Teamster News 09.14.12

Unions Are Necessary to Rebuilding Our Middle Class   Center for American Progress Action Fund  ...the decline in the unionization rate tracks almost perfectly with the decline in the share of income going to the middle class...
There were 3.5 Unemployed People per Job Opening in July 2012  Economic Populist   ...People are clearly not voluntarily leaving their jobs because the job market is so bad, even though the jobs slaughter of 2009 where people were laid off and fired in mass appears to be over...
Chicago teachers strike talks 'at the brink' of a deal  NBC News   ...Following another marathon day of negotiations, school board President Dave Vitale and Chicago Teachers Union President Karen Lewis emerged separately from the Hilton Chicago at around 1 a.m. Friday and said they were very close to a deal...
NYC bans big sugary drinks at eateries, theaters  Associated Press   ...New York City's Board of Health opened up a new, experimental front in the war on obesity Thursday, passing a rule banning sales of big sodas and other sugary drinks at restaurants, concession stands and other eateries...
Dairy workers strike in Md.  Cumberland Times-News   ...After nearly a day on strike, Teamster’s Local 453 hadn’t heard a word from Galliker’s/Potomac Farms Dairy, local president Larry Wolfe said Thursday...
Teamsters’ Hoffa on Tea Party’s `Cultural Revolution’  Bloomberg   ...Organized labor is under attack because it’s the bullwark against a right-wing takeover of the United States, Teamsters President James Hoffa says...

Mayor Bloomberg: Don't tell us what size soda to drink

New York Nanny Mayor Michael Bloomberg wants to ban 16-oz. sodas in the city. Teamsters from Local 812 are fighting the proposal for reasons obvious to anyone who makes a living in the beverage industry. Bloomberg's plan is being considered by the board of health.

Here's our favorite comment on the controversy so far, compliments of the tweetosphere:

If the NYC soda ban becomes law, Sprite should market a NYC-only 16 oz. drink with 2x as much sugar as regular Sprite and call it “Spite."

For more information, click here.