Lawmakers, labor leaders line up against TPP

Lawmakers, union leaders and fair trade activists converged on Capitol Hill late yesterday to again ramp up opposition to the terrible Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) as Congress heads back to work for 2016.

Rep. DeLauro speaks out against the TPP yesterday.

As President Obama gets ready to unveil his agenda for his final year in office tonight, opponents of the 12-nation Pacific Rim trade pact made it clear that approval of the deal won't do anything to help the U.S. economy. Instead, it will lead to further lost of jobs due to good jobs being shipped overseas.

Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.) took aim at false claims that the TPP would create new jobs, and cited a recently released Tufts University report that actually estimates it would directly lead to nearly 450,000 lost American jobs as proof. She urged attendees not to give up the fight:

It is clear our concerns have been ignored. Yet we cannot offer any amendments [on TPP]. So we must defeat it.

Meanwhile, Rep. Peter DeFazio (D-Ore.) introduced a paper mill employee from his district who has lost his job three times in recent years due to lousy trade deals. He said workers across this country find themselves in similar situations and the only way to stop more from suffering a similar fate is to defeat TPP:

This is not a sustainable model for the United States. ... This is a race to the bottom.

The Teamsters join in support of elected and labor leaders speaking out against TPP. The union has long stood against this very bad trade deal because it will only pad the wallets of the richest few, not lift the economic fortunes of everyday Americans.

Later today, the President is expected to talk at length about this trade deal. But Congress ultimately will have the final say on its future later this year. Whether it's because the TPP will further bloat the nation's trade deficit; allow foreign corporations to challenge U.S. laws; permit unsafe food and products to raid American stores; or drive up the cost of medicines, there are no shortage of reasons why this trade deal should be defeated.

It's time to take a stand.

Wage hikes are latest sign workers are winning

The movement to raise the minimum wage paid off for workers Jan. 1 in 14 states and numerous cities across the nation. And it is a testament to the thousands of everyday Americans who took to the streets and demanded a higher salary floor in living wage protests across the country.

Workers across the nation have rallied for higher wages.

As a result, workers from Alaska to West Virginia will see a little extra in their paychecks starting this month. The largest gains are in California and Massachusetts, which are bumping the minimum wage up $1, to $10 an hour. It will help families keep food on the table as well as the economic buying power of the entire nation.

As an article in The Atlantic stated:

Efforts to raise the minimum wage paid off in 2015, and as the movement has gained momentum—the current target for many activists and some economists is $15 an hour—the debate over whether raising minimum wage is a good idea will likely become even more heated in 2016. 

On the side for raising minimum wage, labor activists argue that the current minimum wage is not enough to live on. There’s also the argument that raising it might also be beneficial for closing the gender wage gap, as women are more likely to hold minimum-wage jobs.

One instance of government listening to the people and going further on the issue is in New York, where Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced a plan to raise the minimum wage for state university workers to $15 an hour. The increase will effect some 28,000 workers and is designed to include students who use work-study jobs to cover their college costs.

But clearly, more needs to be done. It is beyond unlikely that Congress will take action to raise the federal minimum wage this year. But where action can be taken on the local, state and federal front, it must happen. Hard-working Americans deserve to earn a wage that lets them live a simple but sustainable life.

Talking to your right-wing relatives over the holidays

We all have things we love about this time of  year. And things we don't.

Time off from work, receiving gifts, Christmas cookies and seeing our kids' eyes light up when they open the presents we got them are all in the good column. On the other hand, navigating crowded shopping malls, fighting through traffic and busy airports - these are not pleasant.

Now labor friend and economist Robert Reich has a new video to guide you through another unpleasant part of the holidays: talking to your right-wing relatives who want to give you an earful about how terrible unions are and how "big government" is hurting the corporate "job creators."

Reich plays the part of crotchety conservative uncle and the better-informed progressive who debunks all of "Uncle Bob's" anti-union, anti-worker arguments. In the latter role, Reich points out that Uncle Bob's gripping about paying high taxes to support lazy poor people is unfounded. In fact, Reich explains, while low-income folks are working harder than ever (more than 40-hour weeks and multiple jobs), they are also paying a larger portion of their earnings in taxes than the wealthy whose taxes are at an all-time low.

And while Uncle Bob is pretty sure that raising the minimum wage will cause the sky to fall, Reich points out that raising the minimum wage actually doesn't destroy jobs. With more money to spend, a higher minimum wage in workers' pockets means more consumer demand, which in turn requires businesses to hire more people. 

Predictably, Uncle Bob blames unions - it's not clear what be blames unions for but we can assume he thinks most bad things in our economy are the unions' fault. Reich shuts up Uncle Bob quickly by reminding him that the heyday of the American middle class of the 50s and 60s was a direct result of high unionization in America. As union membership has fallen, wages have stagnated and the middle class is withering away.

Check out the entire video and enjoy your time with family this holiday season.  

Cities take turn towards playground for rich

A generation ago, America's cities stood in a state of decay, largely abandoned by the wealthy for more suburban locales that sprawled across metropolitan areas that encircled urban centers.

Cities are increasingly home to only the wealthy.

But a funny thing happened in the last 20 years -- many children of those people who fled the city decided they wanted to live downtown, or at least closer to it. The result was places like New York City, Washington, Chicago and San Francisco became revitalized, but also insanely expensive. And many who had rode out the difficult times were now left to find someplace else to live.

Why is this? The population shift is a symptom of the times we live in. Many of those "making it" come from dual-income families that earn and therefore can spend more. But most everyday Americans don't fall into that category. In fact, for many of "the rest," pay has actually fallen in recent years.

A new National Bureau of Economic Research document details that shift. The more wealthy, increasingly white urban population can afford to buy homes close to their jobs. But most can't. As the Huffington Post details about the report:

This is primarily a story about time: Skilled workers, somewhat paradoxically, are working more than their unskilled counterparts. So gentrification becomes about moving to try to maximize the leisure time they have in the fraction of their lives that isn't spent sitting at a desk. 

But this is also a story about transportation and density, two things that American cities are notoriously poor at managing. If we built higher, more people could live closer to work for cheaper (empty foreign real estate purchases in New York aside). Similarly, if there were better public transportation from the city peripheries, there would be less need for the wealthy to crowd into the city centers.

The Teamsters agree that transportation plays a major role. That's why the union put forward it's "Let's Get America Working" platform earlier this year, and why a real investment in infrastructure is needed.

But with that said, neighborhoods are more vibrant when they are represented by a cross-section of this great country. People may not be able to live in their dream home, but they shouldn't be forced from the places they've called home for decades either. American cities should have a place for everyone to put down roots.

NLRB bill is exactly what workers don't need

Workers in recent years have been taking it on the chin from corporations. Quality jobs have vanished and wages seem to be stuck in neutral. And some states have even decided to roll back union rights.

But not all lawmakers evidently believe that's enough. Even as income inequality grows while corporate profits soar, elected officials like Rep. Joe Wilson (R-S.C.) seem to believe corporations deserve less oversight and more breaks.

That's the only excuse one could have for introducing the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) Reform Act, which would lessen the agency's ability to intervene and fix workplace disputes.

As The Hill wrote today:

Under the new legislation, the NLRB would be turned into a six-member bipartisan agency that could make it more difficult to act. Furthermore, the agency’s top lawyer would have less authority.

The NLRB could also face funding cuts.

Rep. Wilson seems to bemoan the existence of unions. It makes one wonder if he knows that members of the Teamsters and other unions make on average more than $200 a week more than non-union workers? Or that during the 1950s when America's middle class was at its zenith that union membership was at its highest?

Probably not. But this union does. That's why enhancing workers' rights is part of the Teamsters' "Let's Get America Working" platform. And it's why Congress must say no to legislation like this that will only hurt everyday Americans even more.

Poll: America the worried

Income inequality is increasingly hitting the nation's workforce. But now its taking a toll on families' mental well-being as well, a new study reports.

The Marketplace-Edison Research Poll found that while the U.S. economy is rebounding, everyday Americans are still worried about their wallets. In fact, 63 percent of the more than 1,000 respondents said they are sometimes or frequently anxious about their financial situation, while 27 percent said they are not financially secure.

Much of the fear is focused on not being able to pay the bills or having enough money for future needs, according to the poll:

Americans also report “a lot” of fear about paying monthly bills. More than 10 percent fear being unable to make a car payment, more than 10 percent fear being unable to make a mortgage payment, more than 25 percent fear being unable to pay rent and more than 33 percent fear not being able to make a student loan payment. 

More than 30 percent have “a lot” of fear over not having enough saved for retirement, nearly a quarter fear facing an unexpected medical bill and more than 20 percent fear not being able to afford college for their children.

Undoubtedly, these issues are already beginning to play themselves out in advance of the 2016 presidential election. Large swaths of workers aren't happy with the economic status quo, and they are letting the candidates know it.

The Teamsters have been listening and know a new plan is needed. But it is one that needs a buy-in from both sides of the political aisle. That's why the "Let's Get America Working" platform was crafted.

Hardworking Americans deserve some peace of mind. They toil long hours to put food on the table and keep a roof over their head. But due to bad trade deals pushing good-paying jobs overseas, their margins are thinner than ever before. They need help.

Investing in America by improving infrastructure would go a long way to help the economy. And it would help settle the fears of many who have been on the wrong side of the income divide in recent years.

Congress needs to solve stagnant wages

The U.S. economic recovery is not what it seems. Yes, it is clear that the unemployment rate has fallen dramatically since the Great Recession ended. But the benefits that usually follow such a change, like wage hikes for everyday Americans, have been much harder to find.

In fact, low- and middle-income earners are struggling just to reach their salary levels before the recession. Nearly 15 percent of Americans lived in poverty last year, and the household median income hasn't budged in recent years. Why is that? There are a multitude of reasons.

As former labor reporter Steven Greenhouse wrote in The New York Times:

In fact, the labor market is a lot softer than a 5.1 percent jobless rate would indicate. For one thing, the percentage of Americans who are working has fallen considerably since the recession began. This disappearance of several million workers — as labor force dropouts they are not factored into the jobless rate — has meant continued labor market weakness, which goes far to explain why wage increases remain so elusive. End of story, many economists say. 

But work force experts assert that economists ignore many other factors that help explain America’s stubborn wage stagnation. Outsourcing, offshoring and imports exert a steady downward tug on wages. Labor unions have lost considerable muscle. Many employers have embraced pay-for-performance policies that often mean nice bonuses for the few instead of across-the-board raises for the many.

The Teamsters have been sticking up for workers on this issue for years, and renewed that push as part of our "Let's Get America Working" platform rolled out in September. Finally, it seems others are beginning to take notice as well. Income inequality is becoming rampant in this country. But how do we overcome it?

It begins by having Congress reject lousy trade deals like the Trans-Pacific Partnership, which would ship thousands of jobs overseas and reduces the wages for many that are left behind. Elected officials also need to invest in infrastructure, which in turn will create good-paying jobs. And they must allow workers to organize for more power and fairness on the job.

Lawmakers can no longer turn a blind eye to the nation's workers. They need to be recognized and represented. That means approving policies that help them, not just big business.

Finally, some are getting the message on wages

What is a middle-class wage? Evidently, the United Automobile Workers (UAW) have taken a significant step towards defining it in their latest contract agreement with Fiat Chrysler.

The deal would raise the salaries of both veteran workers and newer workers up towards $30 an hour over a four- and eight-year period, respectively. Those salaries, in turn, will set a standard that even non-union foreign carmakers in the U.S. will feel pressured to follow, as The New York Times stated. In short, the effort shows the power organized labor. But it also shows the importance of efforts like the Teamsters' "Let's Get America Working" campaign. As the Times points out:

Clearly, unions can lift middle-class wages to a point, but more needs to be done. Higher federal spending on necessary public projects would lift pay by creating jobs; stricter laws on worker classification would ensure that employees are not wrongly denied overtime and benefits.

Of course, there are others in the private sector who also realize more has to be done to combat income inequality in this country. Earlier this year, for example, Seattle-based Gravity Payments announced it would pay all of its 120 workers at least $70,000 a year. The move by founder Dan Price didn't bankrupt the company; in fact, profits soared.

Even some franchisers, like one who owns a handful of Qdoba Mexican Grill restaurants in northern Colorado, is raises wages. Steve Laurer told the Greeley Tribune the move will not only help his workers, but his businesses as well.

It is good to see that some employers are getting the message. But there is still a long ways to go for most workers. Misclassification, as the Times mentioned, is a huge problem for port truck drivers and workers in other industries like construction as well. Too many companies are still interested in pocketing all the profits at the expense of their employees.

As we enter the 2016 political campaign season, candidates and elected officials need to listen to the voices of everyday Americans. They are being treated unfairly and have had enough. Those who choose to oppose them do so at their own peril.

D.C. paid leave bill stands up for workers

Dignity in the workplace is sorely lacking for many, especially those in low-wage jobs. That's why it's refreshing to see some elected officials fighting to change it, one piece of legislation at a time.

A new measure introduced yesterday in the nation's capital would grant 16 weeks of paid leave to nearly all part- and full-time employees in Washington, D.C. It would allow time to be taken to bond with an infant or adopted child, recover from sickness, recuperate from a military deployment or care for a sick family member.

As The Washington Post wrote:

The broad new worker benefit, enthusiastically supported by the Obama administration, would be paid from a fund created by a new tax on D.C. employers. The benefit would dwarf family-leave assistance in all 50 states and would also mark a step toward benefits offered by most European countries, where parents can take as much as a year of paid time off following the birth of a child.

America's lack of paid leave is a major mark against this country's employment system. While other nations give upwards of a year off, for example, for parental leave, only three states have enacted paid leave laws in the last decade. And at its best, it is limited to six weeks of partial paid leave.

At a time when there is increased focus on equal pay for women, the paid leave component cannot be left out. After all, policies like these will keep more women in the workforce and help fight income inequality. It also will level the playing field for those attempting to advance on the job.

Elected officials have sided often with the corporate class. So it's good to see one local government challenge the status quo and watch out for its residents. Here's hoping others will choose to do the same.

New jobs don't make dent in U.S. poverty rate

The U.S. economic recovery is not everything it might seem to be at first blush. Anyone looking at the number of jobs created or the falling unemployment rate would certainly be encouraged by the nation's path forward since the end of the Great Recession, for instance.

But when it comes to standard of living, however, the economy is not delivering. In nearly every state in the nation, the poverty rate remains higher than where it stood pre-recession. And despite the growth in jobs, poverty overall has remained persistent, according to new U.S. Census Bureau statistics this month.

Data culled from the 2015 Current Population Survey Annual Social and Economic Supplement found:

• Changes in income inequality between 2013 and 2014 were not statistically significant as measured by the shares of aggregate household income.
  
• The poverty rate for families and the number of families in poverty were 11.6 percent and 9.5 million in 2014, neither statistically different from the 2013 estimates.
  
• In 2014, 6.2 percent of married-couple families, 30.6 percent of families with a female householder and 15.7 percent of families with a male householder lived in poverty. For married-couple families, both the poverty rate and the number in poverty increased. For families with a female householder, the poverty rate was not statistically different from 2013, while the number in poverty declined. Neither the poverty rates nor the estimate of the number of families in poverty showed any statistically significant change between 2013 and 2014 for families with a male householder.

Here's one thing we do know -- the jobs being created are paying low wages. They don't allow everyday Americans to earn enough to support their families. They are not going to put this country on a real path to economic recovery.

That's why the Teamster rolled out a plan earlier this month called Let's Get America Working that would create good-paying jobs by investing in infrastructure and vocational education. These are sustainable opportunities that will help not only workers, but U.S. businesses as well.

It's time for America to move beyond being a fast-food jobs nation. It must become a real jobs nation that provides employment that gives respect and dignity to workers.That's how this country will truly get back on track.

Pope's visit offers hope for workers

Pope Francis arrives in the United States tomorrow, and whether you are a member of the Catholic faith or not, there is reason to be excited. For more than maybe any other global leader, the pope is a friend of workers worldwide.

Since being selected as the leader of Roman Catholics in 2013, the pope has made it his mission to stand up for the downtrodden. He has been an outspoken advocate

Low-wage workers protest in front of the Capitol in July.

for workers and unions and a vocal critic of the growing issue of income inequality.

In fact, earlier this year, Pope Francis called on world leaders to create new working opportunities for the people of the world:

I wish to extend an invitation to everyone to greater solidarity and to encourage those in public office to spare no effort to give new impetus to employment. This means caring for the dignity of the person.

... Today many social, political and economic systems have chosen to exploit the human person ... not paying a just (wage), not offering work, focusing solely on the balance sheets, the company's balance sheets, only looking at how much I can profit. This goes against God!

It is a message many are hopeful he will continue to address we he arrives in Washington, D.C. tomorrow afternoon and later speaks not only to President Obama, but before Congress as well. The pope will later head to Philadelphia and New York City.

Pope Francis, however, is not the only religious leader taking on big business. In fact, Chicago Archbishop Blase Cupich last week challenged the policies of Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner when he spoke out against so-called right-to-work.

Speaking at the Plumbers Hall in Chicago last Thursday, Bishop Cupich said the labor movement is essential to balancing out power in the workplace:

Work and unions are important not simply for what a worker 'gets,' but how they enable a
worker to provide for a family and participate in the workplace and society. Unions are important not simply for helping workers get more, but helping workers be more, to have a voice, a place to make a contribution to the good of the whole enterprise, to fellow workers and the whole of society.

The Teamsters could not agree more. That's why we released our new "Let's Get America Working" platform earlier this month, and it's why we've called on lawmakers, both Democrat and Republican, to work hard to implement it so workers can earn a fair wage and the economy can prosper.

Instituting such a program is going to take a lot of effort. That's why those advocating for workers are trying to appeal to the better angels in us all. The Teamsters welcome the efforts of Pope Francis, Bishop Cupich and all those in the faith community who see value in hardworking people all over the world. And we urge them to continue with the fight for justice.

Mo. House shows corporations it stands with workers

President Hoffa joined with workers in Missouri to say no to right-to-work.

Missouri Teamsters and workers around the state got their wish late yesterday when the Legislature stood up for everyday people by saying no to so-called right-to-work (RTW) in the state again.

A bipartisan group of state lawmakers in the Missouri House held firm against out-of-state corporate interests that sought to override the veto of Gov. Jay Nixon and cut wages and worker protections in the "Show Me" state.

Teamsters General President Jim Hoffa, who joined hundreds of union members from across the state at Teamsters Local 41 in Kansas City last Saturday to support Nixon's veto, said legislators made the right call for workers:

I would like to thank the state legislators who put aside their partisan differences and came together to uphold Gov. Nixon's veto. They recognized that right-to-work is wrong for working families and wrong for the State of Missouri. This has been a true victory for all Missourians.

The victory comes at a time when some are trying to ramp up RTW efforts across the country. While groups like the American Legislative Exchange Council and billionaire industrialists the Koch brothers have long wanted to gut collective bargaining, one of their favorite elected officials -- Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker -- took the issue national this week when he said he would attempt to impose no-rights-at-work if elected president.

There's one big problem for the anti-worker crowd, however. The people don't want RTW, and they're letting their elected officials know it. That's why the issue failed in Missouri and West Virginia this year. At a time when income inequality is growing nationally, the public isn't interested in legislation that would only expand the wallet of big business, not workers.

As President Hoffa wrote in the Huffington Post this week:

Those living in RTW states have a higher poverty rate than those in ones that support collective bargaining. In fact, nine of the 10 highest poverty states are RTW. That, in part, is attributable to lower salaries and benefits. Those with no rights at work make almost $1,500 a year less. They are also less likely to receive employer-based health insurance or pensions as well.

Now is not the time for empty givebacks to the corporate class. Missouri legislators got the message. Others need to wise up.

Today's Teamster News 08.18.15

Teamsters
Hoffa: China's Currency Manipulation Should Serve As A Warning About TPP  Huffington Post   ...Currency manipulation has long been a drag on the U.S. economy and our jobs. But China's decision last week to devalue the Yuan shows the kind of damage such tinkering can bring to America. And it's why Congress cannot approve the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) until something is done about it...
Sun Tran Bus Strike Enters 12th Day, No End In Sight  KTTU   ...The Sun Tran union worker strike is now in its twelfth day, and any hopes of returning to the bargaining table are fading fast. Each side is claiming it wants to negotiate, but that the other will not. A federal mediator is involved, but as of Monday, there were no talks scheduled...

Global Labor & Trade
Greece Needs Further Debt Relief After Third Bailout Deal In Five Years, Says IMF Chief  The Guardian   ...Greece needs more significant debt relief from its creditors, the head of the International Monetary Fund said, after the bankrupt country accepted tough conditions to secure its third bailout deal in five years...
Déjà Vu: Germany Tightens Its Economic Power Over Europe  Truthout   ...Germany pushed hardest for the harshest Greek austerity. That too was a maneuver for domestic political advantage. Merkel loudly depicted herself as protecting Germans from higher taxes (to pay Germany's share of any future institutions' bailouts of European countries like Greece that did not repay their debts). Merkel and her finance chief rigidly refused to relieve Greece of its debts (even though the IMF and countless experts said openly that Greece's debts were simply "unsustainable" and could never be paid). Merkel's refusal meant that Greeks' tax payments would go not for roads, schools and hospitals, nor to rebuild a crisis-shattered economy, nor to pay and pension Greek public workers. Greeks' taxes must instead be used to service Greece's debts to the institutions for limitless years into the future...
China Turned To Risky Devaluation As Export Machine Stalled  New York Times   ...When Prime Minister Li Keqiang convened the Chinese cabinet last month, the troubled economy was the main topic on the agenda. The stock market had stumbled after a yearlong boom. Money was flooding out of the country. Most ominously, China’s export machine had stalled, prompting labor strikes...

State & Living Wage Battles
Poll: Americans' View Of Labor Unions Improving  Politico   ...Approval of unions jumped to 58 percent this year, an increase of five percentage points from 2014, though still well below the 75 percent organized labor enjoyed in the early 1950s but greater than the 48 percent who approved in 2009 in the grips of the recession...
The Problem With House Prices  New York Times   ...One solution for many troubled borrowers would be to modify their loan terms. But as Gretchen Morgenson of The Times reported recently, banks are still unwilling to modify loans, despite rules imposed by regulators and legal settlements after the bust that were supposed to make it easier and fairer for borrowers to obtain relief...
Northwestern Football Players Won't Be Getting Their Union For Now  Huffington Post   ...The National Labor Relations Board announced Monday that it would not wade into the case of Northwestern football players who were seeking to unionize, meaning college football will remain union-free, at least for the time being...
City Council To Consider Establishing $10.10 Minimum Wage In Birmingham  AL.com   ...The Birmingham City Council is set to consider the establishment of a $10.10 minimum wage in the city. The council could vote on an ordinance as soon as Tuesday...
Gov. Brown Signs Job Protections For Grocery Workers  Los Angeles Times   ...Gov. Jerry Brown on Monday signed 14 bills, including a measure that requires that large grocery stores keep their workers for at least 90 days after a change in store ownership...
Why Amazon May Take a Page From Walmart’s Labor Playbook  New York Times   ...As Walmart, based in Bentonville, Ark., has expanded, it has faced growing legal fire and public scrutiny over the treatment of its 1.3 million workers. Since 2000, the company, the nation’s largest private employer, has paid hundreds of millions of dollars in fines over employees forced to work off the clock or denied breaks...
Competing Referendums Put Brakes On KC Minimum Wage Increase  Kansas City Business Journal   ...It seems that the minimum wage will not be changed in Kansas City until November, at the earliest. Even then, its unclear whether the city can compel businesses to actually pay a higher wage...

U.S. Labor
Build A New Hudson River Tunnel  New York Times   ...The only long-term solution is the construction of a new tunnel complex, as proposed by Amtrak in its Gateway Program. Without a new tunnel and new rail tracks, a massive storm or some other disaster could sever a critical link in the Northeast rail corridor that serves more than 750,000 people a day on 2,000 intercity and commuter trains. For commuters and rail passengers crossing the Hudson River who are already complaining about delays, it can only get worse...
The Amazon Economy  Huffington Post   ...Unions, protection against arbitrary firing and abusive workplaces, and social protections like guaranteed health care and higher education were all ways of institutionalizing the goal of security and dealing ever more people into it. Amazon's attitude is exactly the opposite: security is the enemy. Equated with slacking, it is hunted down mercilessly wherever it appears. This agenda is a revealing caricature of the unquestioned common sense of today's economics profession and managerial elite. They, too, tend to see security as the problem, not the goal...
Old Models Don't Fit The New Economy  New York Times   ...When presidential candidates in the United States talk about the economy, they speak in terms that have the reassuring familiarity of an old shoe. Candidates on the left decry corrupt banks and waning unions and a government safety net with too many holes. Candidates on the right rail against excessive regulations and taxation. Many arguments could have just as easily been uttered, unadapted, in 1975...

Social Justice & Other News
Racial Wealth Gap Persists Despite Degree, Study Says  New York Times   ...Even with tuition shooting up, the payoff from a college degree remains strong, lifting lifelong earnings and protecting many graduates like a Teflon coating against the worst effects of economic downturns. But a new study has found that for black and Hispanic college graduates, that shield is severely cracked, failing to protect them from both short-term crises and longstanding challenges...
Citizens Bank Shortchanged Depositors  New York Times   ...When depositing checks at the bank, there is always a chance for error. The bank’s scanner might misread the checks or the deposit slip. Or the total on a deposit slip might not match the actual deposit. But you usually rest assured that the bank will correct the mistake and notify you of the difference. Not at Citizens Bank. For years, it turns out, Citizens often kept the difference, up to $50. Last week, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and other federal bank regulators ordered Citizens, which operates in New York and 10 other states, to refund at least $14 million to customers and pay $20.5 million in penalties for unfair and deceptive banking...
The Plight Of Refugees, The Shame Of The World  New York Times   ...The world is facing the biggest refugee crisis since World War II, a staggering 60 million people displaced from their homes, four million from Syria alone. World leaders have abdicated their responsibility for this unlucky population, around half of whom are children...
Puerto Rico Crisis: It's Not About The Debt, It's About the Politics  Huffington Post   ...It is notable, then, that throughout the public discussion and debate over the past several months about the insolvency of Puerto Rico, there has been little or no discussion of the ultimate responsibility of Congress for events that have transpired. Congress has never been shy about exercising its oversight powers in areas that offer political opportunity -- Benghazi and the IRS are recent examples -- and is often swift to demand full accountability and point the finger of blame at others for any manner of controversy or scandal that might come up, but with respect to the territories, where the responsibility of Congress is clear, we have heard a deafening silence...
First-Ever Women To Graduate From Ranger School  Politico   ...Making military history, two female soldiers will become the first women to ever graduate from the Army’s notoriously tough 61-day Ranger School training program on Friday, Army officials have announced...
CFPB Probes Education Department Loan Contractors Over Potentially Faulty Practices  Huffington Post   ...The federal consumer bureau on Monday launched an industry-wide investigation to determine why borrowers with federal student loans are being kicked out of generous programs that keep their payments affordable...

Workers deserve a share of corporate profits

Big business shouldn't monopolize all the gains.

There was a time many politicians told the public they would benefit from companies earning huge profits. Trickle-down economics, it was called. But even the most deceitful of leaders no longer brings it up. Why? Because it's a big, fat lie.

The people have realized they've been duped. Income inequality is at levels not seen in some 90 years. Big business is taking big bucks to the bank, but few are going back in the wallets of their workers. That's got to change. And the Center for American Progress (CAP) has some ideas how.

A new report released this month says companies need to share more with their employees. It notes the typical workers is almost 60 percent more productive than a worker 25 years ago but has seen only half of their extra work translate into higher wages. While the top 20 percent of families have seen their average worth increase by 120 percent between 1983 and 2010, the middle 20 percent only grew 13 percent, and the bottom fifth saw debts exceed their assets.

It's time for that to change, CAP says:

Broad-based sharing programs—such as granting workers an ownership stake or a share of profits based on workers’ collective performance—can help ensure that workers are rewarded for the wealth they generate. Advocates for these programs refer to this type of sharing by a number of names, including broad-based profit sharing and inclusive capitalism. Collectively, these programs hold the potential not only to benefit workers: Research shows that firms and investors also receive tangible benefits from sharing with their workers.

Calls to revamp this nation's busted economy are getting more frequent. Earlier this year, the Roosevelt Institute released a report of their own written by noted economist Joseph Stiglitz that demanded similar change to revamp the U.S. economic model.

Writing about the document earlier this month in the Huffington Post, Teamsters General President Jim Hoffa said it provides a blueprint that workers must insist lawmakers adopt:

Working Americans are being tested by the state of today's economy. But it is not one they can pass on their own. Regular people have led the charge in raising awareness about these issues and taking to the streets all across this country to let elected officials know that the minimum wage is too low, Wall Street is making too much and trade agreements like the Trans-Pacific Partnership offer too large of a handout for big business at the expense of workers.

This nation needs systematic change. ... It is time for more lawmakers to declare their independence from big banks and corporate cronies who bend their ears and fill their campaign coffers with cash. Their constituents deserve to have members of Congress who hear their concerns and institute policies to make change happen.

It's great that most elected officials now accept the failings of the past. But if workers want justice, they need to to raise their voices and demand it. Otherwise, too many elected officials will continue to serve their corporate cronies instead.

Some in Congress set sights on union movement

Anti-union lawmakers are at it again. Not satisfied with ever-growing income inequality in the U.S. and huge corporate profits, several members of Congress are looking to further squeeze hardworking Americans by making it harder to organize and easier to shut unions down.

The Hill describes the effort as a retread of previous attempts to curtail union activity, including the ability to make political donations:

The bill is the latest shot fired in the bitter battle between the Obama administration and Republicans over labor policy. Hatch introduced the legislation in 2012, but to little avail. With Republicans now in control of the Senate, he's hoping for more success this time around.

It boggles the mind what these lawmakers are trying to do with such efforts. They always start by saying they're not against unions, but such efforts would gut them by making them poor and powerless, thus rendering them obsolete. Of course, that is the real plan behind such legislation.

Need proof of what the job market looks like when union membership is driven down? Head south to America's Sunbelt, and you will find a virulent strain of anti-unionism led by state and local leaders even in the wake of falling wages. Companies may have relocated there, but there not driving up income, only their own profits.

Unfortunately, some in the Midwest have bought into the big business hype, as The American Prospect outlines:

In the last three years, the Republican governors and legislatures of such onetime union bastions as Michigan, Indiana, and Wisconsin have joined the South in enacting “right to work” laws intended to reduce union membership. Since these laws cover only private-sector unions, and thus have no effect on the labor costs of government employees, the Republicans’ initial motivation was almost entirely political: Diminishing unions weakened institutions that generally campaigned for Democrats. But in recent months, bills to lower wages for construction workers on public projects have been moving through the legislatures in those three states, and the Michigan legislature has passed a bill forbidding cities from setting their own minimum-wage standards—all measures designed to hit workers’ pocketbooks. Moreover, laws designed to depress minority, millennial, and Democratic voting by requiring voters to present particular kinds of photo identification have been enacted not only by eight of the eleven once-Confederate states, but by Indiana, Michigan, and Wisconsin as well. Like the pre-1861 slaveholding elites, today’s Republicans appear increasingly dedicated to Southernizing the North.

Workers and elected officials shouldn't be fooled by these efforts. RTW and this latest congressional effort are frauds. They drive down wages for everyday Americans. Union jobs pay $200 more a week on average. When unions are strong, America is stronger.

U.S. needs better jobs to curb childhood poverty

U.S. economic numbers have been looking better for workers. But statistics don't always tell the whole story. And that's certainly the case when it comes to childhood poverty in America.

A new report by the Annie E. Casey Foundation finds that despite the fact nearly 3 million jobs were created in the U.S. in 2014 and the unemployment rate dropped to 5.3 percent in June -- a seven-year low -- there are now more kids living in poverty than during the Great Recession.

Income inequality is putting our children at risk. As it stands, about 22 percent of American kids lived below the poverty line in 2013, compared with 18 percent in 2008, according to the 2015 Kids Count Data Book. The problem, quite frankly, is there aren't enough good-paying jobs being created, as the report details:

[T]here are some worrisome economic indicators for families in the bottom half of the income scale, particularly African Americans and Latinos. Although new job growth has occurred at all wage levels, it has been disproportionate in low-wage sectors, such as retail and food services, and in some of the lower-wage positions within health care and home care. And, a stagnating federal minimum wage has exacerbated low wages.

The federal poverty line for a family of four is $23,624. Frankly, it is preposterous to think any family can make it on a salary even closely resembling that level. But that is where America finds itself today -- 18.7 million kids living in poverty. And the problem is even worse for select minority groups. Thirty-nine percent of African American kids live in poverty, while 37 percent of Native American and 33 percent of Latino children do as well.

This country needs to attack this problem head on, and it begins with creating better-paying jobs for workers. A recent report by the Roosevelt Institute details how both government and the business community can work better together to create them. That, however, will require cooperation by those parties -- something that seems in short supply.

Lawmakers, however, could also choose to invest in this country and its workers by improving the nation's infrastructure network. This could create millions of jobs building roads, rail systems, energy plants and the like. Many of these jobs would be good union jobs that pay a middle-class wage. And when the U.S. is union strong, it makes America stronger.

This nation shouldn't accept the current level of poverty, especially for our children. They deserve better. It's time to do something about it.

People need to preach importance of unions

PHOENIX -- Lawmakers and activists let the thousands of Netroots Nation conference attendees know last week that workers have the power. They just need to harness it.

Sen. Elizabeth Warren at Netroots conference.

In keynote addresses and smaller panel discussions, speakers shared stories about the successes and failures in trying to embolden a movement that puts the people above the powerful. They let it be known that it wouldn't be easy, but it is necessary to take this country back from corporate rule.

Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) brought conventioneers to their feet by repeatedly stating that issues such as income inequality, retirement security, financial reform and student loan debt are ranked as important ones by the public, even if they are too-often ignored by many on Capitol Hill.

"On these key economic issues, these economic issues that will shape the country, America is progressive. But insider Washington can't hear you; it turns its back. So it's on us to show what we believe in and fight for those values you believe in."

She also noted the importance that unions have in creating a solid middle class. Warren said the decline in income for hardworking Americans can be directly linked to undermining of the labor movement in the U.S.

The senator's thoughts echoed those of participants on a panel looking at how unions can provide solutions to the nation's current economic shortcomings. Several of them noted that a growth in union membership is essential to making a dent in income inequality.

Rep. Raul Grijalva (D-Ariz.) noted workers are currently pitted against a big business-dominated system that is doing everything it can to stop organizing nationwide.

"This has been a very deliberate, long-run effort of corporate America primarily and government to strip away the ability of unions to organize."

To change that, union advocates need to reframe the discussion, panelists said. That means explaining to Americans that a union contract is the best way to raise wages, ensure a secure retirement and receive paid leave for vacation as well as sick time.

Neera Tanden, president of the Center for American Progress, also said pro-worker activists need expand on how better-paid workers would help boost the U.S. economy overall.

"When wages are stagnant in this country, consumption drags and growth drags. It's not the most complicated argument in the world, but we need to make it over and over."

It's time for Congress to move on CEO pay reform

The Teamsters have taken a stand against excessive pay at McKesson.

While Americans may differ on the remedies and solutions, most agree that income inequality is a very real problem with devastating effects for families and communities across the nation. And the Teamsters have been active in challenging lawmakers and companies to change it.

CEOs are paid more than 300 times the average worker. In good times or bad, CEOs are coming out on top. When companies struggle, workers bear the brunt – not so for all too many bosses who chase short-term unsustainable goals, inspired by exorbitant sums of cash, equity and perks. The direct effects are clear – lack of investment going back into companies for employees, research and development, destruction of morale and motivation for front-line workers and a dangerous always escalating expectation of compensation at the top. Long-term shareholders such as pension funds suffer as companies can't sustain growth, creating more risk and uncertainty for working families.

The Teamsters are taking corporations to task on these issues. In fact, the union is currently sponsoring a shareholder proposal at McKesson that would address the automatic accelerated vesting of equity awards for top executives in the event of a change of control. At the center of the controversy is the company's CEO John Hammergren, formerly listed as as the nation's highest paid chief executive.

Hammergren's compensation is especially egregious given that many employees earn wages so low they can't contribute in the company's health or retirement plans. As Teamsters General Secretary-Treasurer Ken Hall said:

McKesson should ensure that front-line employees can afford health care and a secure retirement before lavishing hundreds of millions in unearned compensation to a handful of highly paid executives. Guaranteeing windfall payouts to top executives on their way out the door does not benefit shareholders over the long term.

The Dodd-Frank Act of 2010 recognized this problem and created a mandate for publicly traded companies to disclose the ratio of CEO pay to the median company employee’s pay. Such disclosure could provide shareholders crucial insight on risks related to their investment. The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to date has not implemented a rule despite receiving wide-scale public feedback on their proposed rule.

It is now five years since the passing of Dodd-Frank. Despite various pronounced timelines from the SEC that always end up being pushed back, the U.S. still has no rule, no disclosure and no end in sight for the growing pay disparity at American companies. This rule and others regarding executive compensation remain the glaring loose end from the financial reforms that came about to address the issues which lead to Great Recession.

While this disclosure alone cannot resolve income inequality in our country, it can help identify a huge source of the problem and inform how we want to shape compensation in corporate America. We as a nation cannot afford to wait any longer and the SEC must play its part.

EPI report shows no CEOs are left behind

There is a lot of talk about the top one percent from some elected officials, political candidates and in the media. But what does that exactly mean? Fat checks for top corporate executives, that's what!

A new report by the Economic Policy Institute (EPI) notes that since 1978, CEO pay has grown 90 times faster than that of rank-and-file workers. So while CEO compensation went from $1.5 million to $16.3 million, the average private-sector production and non-supervisory worker (which is 82 percent of the workforce) rose from $48,000 to only $53,200 in 2014. As a result, the top CEOs now make more than 300 times what typical workers earn.

As EPI states:

Although corporations are posting record-high profits and the stock market is booming, the wages of most workers remain stagnant, indicating they are not participating equally in prosperity. Meanwhile, CEO compensation continues to rise even faster than the stock market. 

In order to curtail the growth of CEO pay, we need to implement higher marginal income tax rates and promote rules such as “say on pay.” At the same time, we need to implement an agenda that promotes broad-based wage growth so typical workers can share more widely in our economic growth.

America finds itself where it is because of corporate greed. Sky-high salaries with golden parachutes for executives have become the norm. Meanwhile, more and more hard-working Americans are being forced into low-wage jobs because of bad trade deals moving middle-class jobs overseas.

There is one thing that could help overcome this yawning income gap -- unions. A look back in U.S. history shows our greatest economic period, the 1950s, was during a time when union membership was at its highest. Even the International Monetary Fund agrees more labor membership would help workers.

As a recent Business Insider article states, the U.S. needs to find a solution to an economy that looks good on paper but when looked at more closely is hammering workers:

Organizing may not be the only solution to income inequality. But it's a big one, and it could move the economy in the right direction.

Amen.

Today's Teamsters News 07.02.15

Teamsters
Hoffa: A Blueprint for Getting America Back on Track  Huffington Post  ...The American economy is not working. As the Teamsters have stated repeatedly, there needs to be a commitment to boost and expand America's middle class. The Roosevelt Institute, of which I am a board member, recently released a detailed blueprint called "Rewriting the Rules of the American Economy" authored by its renowned chief economist Joseph Stiglitz in an effort to tame income inequality...
Teamsters Joined By Community, Labor Allies to Denounce EVSC Union Busting  Teamster.org  ...Teamsters, community leaders and labor allies are joining together to denounce union-busting efforts by the Evansville Vanderburgh School Corporation (EVSC). Just under 700 workers represented by Teamsters Local 215 are seeking a fair contract from EVSC, while the EVSC Board is threatening to withdraw union recognition if the union does not comply with its overreaching demands...
Teamsters, state reach agreement  News Tribune  ..."After several productive rounds of good faith negotiations, the Illinois Governor’s Office and Teamsters Local 700 have agreed to terms on a new four-year collective bargaining agreement. The current agreement expired June 30, 2015," the office of Gov. Bruce Rauner announced Wednesday. The new contract covers nearly 350 workers at IDOT, CMS, IDES, and DHS in Cook County. The employees work as highway maintainers, heavy equipment operators, and building service and maintenance workers...

Global Labor & Trade
Trade chief: Congress could get Pacific deal by year's end  The Hill  ...U.S. Trade Representative Michael Froman said Wednesday he is confident Congress will approve a massive trans-Pacific trade agreement, possibly by year’s end.  Froman said the “likelihood is very high that Congress will pass” the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), because it will be a strong agreement reflecting the “enormous input by Congress”...
U.S. Trade Representative Sees Pacific Trade Pact Before Congress by Year -End  New York Times  ...U.S. Trade Representative Michael Froman said he hopes to wrap up a trade deal with 11 other Pacific Rim nations soon and send it to the U.S. Congress for approval before the end of the year. Lawmakers last week granted the White House authority to close the Trans­Pacific Partnership and other trade deals and speed them through Congress, opening the door to a phase of intense negotiations to finalize the pact...
Leaked: What’s in Obama’s trade deal  Politico  ...A recent draft of the Trans-Pacific Partnership free-trade deal would give U.S. pharmaceutical firms unprecedented protections against competition from cheaper generic drugs, possibly transcending the patent protections in U.S. law. Politico has obtained a draft copy of TPP’s intellectual property chapter as it stood on May 11, at the start of the latest negotiating round in Guam...
Parliament to vote on TTIP next week  Politico  ...After months of internal strife, the European Parliament is set to vote next week on a disputed trade court that has emerged as the most delicate part of the EU-U.S. free trade agreement. MEPs will debate proposed changes to the Investor State Dispute Settlement provision at the plenary session on Tuesday, and will vote on Wednesday...
TISA Exposed: 'Holy Grail' of Leaks Reveals Detailed Plot for Corporate Takeover  Common Dreams  ...WikiLeaks on Wednesday released what it described as "a modern journalistic holy grail: the secret Core Text for the largest 'trade deal' in history." That deal is the Trade in Services Agreement, or TISA, currently being negotiated by 52 nations that together account for two-thirds of global GDP. TISA "is the largest component of the United States' strategic neoliberal 'trade' treaty triumvirate," which also includes the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) and the TransAtlantic Trade and Investment Pact (TTIP)...
The Undercurrent: Forget the TPP, does a secret global court spell the end of democracy?  The Guardian  ...With a series of murky international trade agreements like the TPP being negotiated, will a secret court give corporations the power to erode the rights of nation states? The TPP includes an Investor State Dispute Settlement clause that allows a secret court with global reach to arbitrate disputes between multinationals and the countries they operate in...
TPP Could Actually Make Working Conditions Worse in Vietnam  The Nation  ...The mega trade pact is alleged to help equalize these trading “partners,” supposedly bringing Vietnamese labor protections in line with international standards. But actually, the reason businesses tend to relish free-trade agreements, and unions loathe them, is precisely that trade liberalization allows multinational brands to exploit the absence of those labor protections in poorer countries...
Trade unions hijacked Greece's Finance Ministry with a huge anti-austerity banner  Business Insider  ...Greece's Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras is calling for the nation to vote "No" in Sunday's bailout referendum and there's a huge banner on a key public building saying the same thing. Unions may have been spurred to hang the banner following the release of Tsipras' latest letter to Greece's creditors, dated June 30, which leaked earlier today. The letter show Tsipras caving in to most of the Eurogroup's demands...
Chomsky: Greece Faces "Savage Response" For Taking on Austerity "Class War"  Democracy Now  ...As Greece defaults and faces a referendum this Sunday on a new bailout package, Noam Chomsky explains Europe’s "savage response" to the pushback against austerity demands: "What’s going on with the austerity is really class war. As an economic program, austerity, under recession, makes no sense. It just makes the situation worse. So the Greek debt, relative to GDP, has actually gone up during the period"...
Unions may take MTN strike abroad  BDLIve  ...Strike action at the country’s second-biggest mobile operator, MTN, continues, with some Congress of South African Trade Union (Cosatu) affiliates on Wednesday threatening to escalate the industrial action into an international boycott. The boycott hinges on whether MTN accedes to the demands made by the Communication Workers Union (CWU).
Strike Hits 9 Zehrs, Real Canadian Superstores In Ontario  Huffington Post  ...A strike is under way at nine stores in southwestern Ontario owned by Loblaw Companies Ltd. Workers walked out at midnight at three Zehrs Great Foods outlets in Windsor and another in nearby Kingsville, and at two Real Canadian Superstore outlets in Windsor and at stores in Chatham, Leamingston and Sarnia. The United Food and Commercial Workers union says 1,600 workers represented by Locals 175 and 633 are involved in the legal strike...

State & Living Wage Battles
Voter ID Education Efforts Begin in Earnest in Wisconsin  WUWM  ...Presidential campaigns won’t be the only ones vying for voters’ attention as next year’s elections grow near. The other campaign that will gain steam is the race to prepare people for Wisconsin’s photo ID law. This past spring, the U.S. Supreme Court ended the legal challenges to the law. That’s caused groups that fought the requirement to shift gears...
U.S. Supreme Court Accepts Case to Give 'Right-to-Work' to All Public Employees  Michigan Capitol Confidential  ...On the final day of its most recent session, the U.S. Supreme Court announced it will consider a labor law case that experts say could dramatically limit the power of government employee unions. Friedrichs v. California Teachers Association was brought on behalf of 10 California public school teachers who sued for the right to leave their union and not still pay "agency fees." If the Supreme Court rules in their favor, it could have the same effect as extending right-to-work law protections to all public employees...
Chicago implements $10 minimum wage. Other cities aim for $15 by 2020.  Christian Science Monitor  ...Minimum wage workers in Chicago will receive $10 an hour starting Wednesday, as a part of a long-term plan to increase pay to $13 an hour by 2019. At the same time, Washington, D.C. will implement a $10.50 an hour wage, making it the first of the states to pass the $10 threshold. And Chicago and Washington are not alone...
California Moves To Pay Professional Cheerleaders Minimum Wage  Think Progress  ...Thanks to what is believed to be first of its kind legislation, legal minimum wages and worker protections may be on the horizon for California’s professional cheerleaders. A bill proposed by State Rep. Lorena Gonzalez (D) in January, and approved by the Senate on Monday, requires California sports teams to adhere to state and federal minimum wage requirements and to provide overtime pay and sick leave to professional cheerleaders...
Law creates alternatives to photo ID for voting  Daily Tar Heel   ...As lawsuits challenging North Carolina’s 2013 voter-ID requirement continue, a recent North Carolina law will provide an alternative for voters without photo identification in future elections. The law, which Gov. Pat McCrory signed June 22, will allow for voters without a valid form of government photo identification to cast a provisional ballot after signing a reasonable impediment declaration as to why they do not have an acceptable photo ID...
Paid Sick Leave Law Takes Effect, Valley Businesses Reluctantly Comply  ABC  ...Working Californians not entitled to paid sick leave before are now eligible for it under state law. The right to accrue and take sick leave starts today, and while that's good news for working Californians, the Fresno Chamber of Commerce says local businesses are reluctantly beginning to implement it...
Prevailing Wage Expires in West Virginia  WSAZ  ...July 1 marked the end of prevailing wage in West Virginia, at least temporarily. For contractors like Jeffries, the wages his workers receive can vary -- at least for now. "At Cornerstone Interiors, we've had four people already quit," said Jeffries, "and have left to find a stable market somewhere." Those four are part of the roughly 10,000 employees the state's labor department says could be affected...

U.S. Labor
U.S. Economy Adds 223,000 Jobs; Unemployment at 5.3%  New York Times  ...The American economy entered the summer powered by a decent head of steam, as employers added 223,000 jobs in June and the unemployment rate fell to 5.3 percent. After bottoming out in March as the overall economy stalled, hiring has rebounded in recent months along with other indicators like home sales and consumer spending...
Wages Are Stagnant Even As The Unemployment Rate Keeps Falling  Think Progress  ...While analysts had expected strong wage growth, there was no change over the month before and wages have grown just 2 percent year over year. June job growth was led by professional and business services (64,000), health care (40,000), retail (33,000), food and drinking places (30,000) and financial activities (20,000). Food and drinking places in particular have added 355,000 jobs over the last year, while retail has added 300,000...
Construction stops at about 30 sites as union concrete workers strike  Crains New York   ...Construction partially ground to a halt at an estimated 30 major sites across the city Wednesday morning after a group of concrete workers went on strike. Among the stalled sites are the Related Companies' massive Hudson Yards project and Time Equities' 50 West St. condo tower. The workers belong to a union umbrella group called the New York City District Council of Carpenters...
USW employees at ATI still working under contract extension  Observer-Reporter   ...Unionized members at Allegheny Technologies Inc. plants in Pennsylvania – including its Allegheny Ludlum plant in Canton Township – and in three other states, went to work Wednesday under a contract extension as negotiations on a new agreement continued. Late Tuesday, the United Steelworkers offered to continue working following the expiration of the previous labor agreement...
Teachers Say 17 Firings at Urban Prep Charter Schools Were Retaliation for Unionization  In These Times  ...On June 19, during their biannual semester-end interviews, 17 teachers were informed by school staff that they would not be returning to Chicago’s Urban Prep Academy come fall. The terminations came just weeks after 61 percent of Urban Prep’s teachers voted to form a union; activists say the firings were a blatant act of anti-union retaliation...
Denouncing 'Corporate Democrats,' Labor Leader Joins Sanders Campaign  Common Dreams  ...Larry Cohen, the labor leader and outgoing president of the Communications Workers of America (CWA), is officially backing Bernie Sanders' 2016 presidential campaign—at least in part thanks to Hillary Clinton. Cohen told the Huffington Post on Wednesday that he made his choice after Clinton, who is currently the frontrunner for the Democratic nomination, continued to evade questions from the media and consumer watchdogs over her stance on Trade Promotion Authority...

Miscellaneous
Donald Trump's comments on immigration complicate GOP's 'Latino problem'  LA Times  ...When Donald Trump disparaged Mexican immigrants as “rapists” and drug-runners during his presidential announcement, the slurs were initially dismissed as just another outrageous pronouncement from the blustery billionaire. But as Latinos reel in anger and celebrities and corporate sponsors drop their associations with Trump, the Republican Party's other presidential hopefuls face an increasingly uncomfortable choice...
Why We Still Need Affirmative Action Policies In College Admissions  Think Progress  ...In the past few years, there has been more criticism of affirmative action policies in admissions programs. The idea is that colleges should only consider class because income inequality is becoming worse. But sociologists point out that there are plenty of reasons why affirmative action policies should continue and not be focused only on class differences. There are also many misconceptions about how affirmative action policies work...
"A New Chapter": After Half a Century, U.S. and Cuba Unveil Reopening of Embassies & Restored Ties  Democracy Now  ...The United States and Cuba have announced they will reopen embassies in each other’s capitals and formally re-establish diplomatic relations. Secretary of State John Kerry said he will travel to Havana to open the U.S. Embassy there. In a statement, the Cuban government said relations with the United States cannot be considered normalized until trade sanctions are lifted, the naval base at Guantánamo Bay is returned, and U.S.-backed programs aimed at "subversion and internal destabilization" are halted...
Black Churches Are Burning Again in America  The Atlantic  ...These fires join the murder of nine people at Charleston’s Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church as major acts of violence perpetrated against predominantly black churches in the last fortnight. Churches are burning again in the United States, and the symbolism of that is powerful. Even though many instances of arson have happened at white churches, the crime is often association with racial violence...