Today's Teamster News 07.24.11

Truth Tour  WLUK  ...local news report on Hopper-King recall election in Wisconsin...
Foes ask high court to halt Ohio jobs board launch  Bloomberg Business Week   ...Their lawsuit claims JobsOhio violates several provisions of Ohio's Constitution, including one prohibiting private entities from controlling public dollars...
Now, it's personal: Individuals pick up freight as businesses shed tax burden  mlive.com   ...This year, business taxes will account for more than $2 billion to support a variety of education, health care and public safety services. Next year, it will be half that much...
Voters hesitant on farmworker proposal, poll finds  Los Angeles Times   ...California voters are split over a proposal to make it easier for farmworkers to unionize, according to a new poll...
Teamsters hit Bud distributor with EPA complaint  Dayton Business Journal   ...The union — which represents more than 100 delivery drivers and warehouse workers at Heidelberg — alleges the company wants to force its employees to work up to seven days a week, eliminate retiree healthcare for longtime employees and take away employees right to take unpaid leave for family medical emergencies...
YRCW Restructuring Plan Completed; More Than 25,000 Teamster Jobs Saved  IBT   ...The plan to restructure YRC Worldwide Inc. (YRCW) aimed at saving more than 25,000 Teamster freight jobs has been successfully completed, Teamsters General President Jim Hoffa announced today...

Today's Teamster News 07.21.11

A look at turnout in the Wisconsin recalls: How high will it go?  Milwaukee Journal Sentinel   ...turnout in the recall primaries held here over the past two Tuesdays was “amazingly high” given the nature of those elections...
Ohio Democrats Attempt To Tie Kasich To Murdoch  WLWT.com   ...Murdoch gave around $1.25 million last year to the Republican Governors Association, saying later that he hopes his contribution would directly help his former commentator on News Corp.'s Fox News, Kasich...
Snyder orders departments to prepare to fire state workers  Michigan Messenger   ...In preparation for the ongoing negotiations with state employee unions designed to force $145 million in concessions, Republican Gov. Rick Snyder ordered departments to prepare to fire some employees...
DFLers let loose with raft of complaints about agreement process  MinnPost.com   ...The 12 hour-plus session, which wrapped up after 3 a.m., rushed through each budget bill on largely party-line votes...
Poll shows Gov. Christie's approval rating dive after public worker benefits overhaul, budget cuts  Newark Star-Ledger   ...53 percent disapprove of the governor’s job performance and 43 percent approve, according to Public Policy Polling...
Teamsters Leader Says Wal-Mart Contributes to Economic Woes  IBT   ...“I urge the White House to reconsider its involvement with Wal-Mart unless Wal-Mart agrees to create the kind of good jobs that can provide its employees with a decent standard of living..."

Today's Teamster News 06.19.11

His own budget proposes some increases, according to nonpartisan fiscal bureau  Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel   ...Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker"s core theme on the campaign trail in 2010 was a firm stance against any tax increases...
Columbus’ priorities  Toledo Blade   ...It’s a budget whose idea of “shared sacrifice” is slashing support of essential public services on which middle and working-class and low-income Ohio families rely, while giving preferential tax treatment to the state’s wealthiest individuals and to corporations...
MSU to raise tuition 6.9% in response to state budget cuts  Detroit Free Press   ...Michigan State University became the latest public university in the state to increase its tuition in response to budget cuts from Lansing...
Plans to put Florida's Medicaid recipients into managed care programs get hearing  St. Petersburg Times   ... the refrain has generally been the same at meetings from the Panhandle to Fort Lauderdale: Managed-care programs, which pay companies per patient rather than fees for specific services, mean health care will be limited in the interest of turning a profit... 
Legislature throws state troopers under the bus (Opinion)  Bangor Daily News   ...The budget now being considered by the Legislature undoes those promises, taking away benefits from troopers and other state employees....
Gov. Christie touts bipartisan effort leading to public worker pension overhaul bill  NJ.com   ...While thousands of state workers protested outside the Statehouse in Trenton this morning, Gov. Chris Christie was in Atlantic City touting the new deal between Republicans and Democrats on pension and health benefits ...

10K in Lansing for biggest rally yet

High-energy rally today in Michigan's state capital.

This is what solidarity looks like: a huge crowd of 10,000 people, including Teamsters, teachers and construction workers, on the Statehouse lawn right now in Lansing.

TV 8 reports:

This could be the biggest demonstration we've seen here so far. Virtually every news media outlet in the state is here.

@WeAreMichigan tweets:

Our 2pm program is off with a bang. Thousands chanting, raising signs, all here in support for a budget for the People, not CEO's!

@MIAFLCIO tweets: 10000 strong in #solidarity at Capitol in Lansing - this is what democracy looks like!

Al Young, Teamsters Joint Council 43 organizer, is also at the rally with a group of Teamster members:

It's a nice sunny day for a rally. We had an opening prayer and we'll hear from 10 speakers or more. We're going to have a break this afternoon so people can visit their legislators. We've got Teamsters, teachers, building trades workers and people not affiliated with unions here to show their support. There are about 60-65 buses that brought everyone in. Everyone here is united!

Teamsters join 7K at MI rally

Teamsters in Lansing today.

There's a ginormous rally going on right now in Lansing, Mich. It's called "Put People First" rally and it just got started. Al Young, a Teamsters Joint Council 43 organizer, is at the event:

The crowd is huge. I would guess there are at least 7,000 people already here and more are coming. It's already loud and energetic. There's going to be a series of speakers and a lot going on today. 

@Shantroman tweets:

And things begin with a prayer and the chant "no justice...no peace."

More updates to follow shortly.

Today's Teamster News 04.04.11

Maine Voices: Governor's rhetoric interferes with goals, say GOP state senators (opinion)  Portland Press Herald   ...As Republican senators...we feel compelled to express our discomfort and dismay with the tone and spirit of some of the remarks (Gov. Paul LePage) has made...
State court race the new focus of Wisconsin battle  Politico   ...A conservative judge’s campaign for re-election to the Wisconsin Supreme Court has become the next front in a growing multi-state Republican effort to limit the power of organized labor...
Opponents Begin Push To Repeal Ohio Union Law  Associated Press   ...Mike Patrick said he was first to sign the petition Saturday. The 45-year-old small-business owner said some provisions will hurt public services and the business environment...
LEGISLATURE: Package of bills aimed at curbing misuse of independent contractors  Lahonton Valley News   ...The ...proposals (are) ...supported by labor groups and some construction industry representatives, but opposed by others in the Nevada business community...
School cuts spur Michigan conflict  Wall Street Journal   ..."There is the gathering prospect that we could end up with another Wisconsin."..
Gov. Rick Scott is also Defendant Scott  Orlando Sentinel   ...In his first three months in office, he's been sued at least three times...
Teamsters anticipate strike at Plymouth-based U.S. Foodservice  Daily Planet   ... Talks between the two sides broke down when U.S. Foodservice insisted Local 120 members pay up to 20 percent of their health care insurance premiums - a steep increase...

Another day of protests

And not just in Wisconsin, where the rally today is expected to be even bigger than yesterday's. They're protesting Gov. Scott Walker's savage, vindictive budget,  which passed the Senate committee last night and will move to the floor today.

In Ohio, the crowd is already estimated at 4,200. They're protesting as hearings continue on Sen. Shannon Jones' vindictive, savage SB 5, which would eliminate collective bargaining for government workers. (If you haven't yet, sign up for the StandUpForOhio Facebook page for updates.)

Workers held a "Working Families Day" at the Minnesota statehouse and hundreds of students demonstrated against planned tuition hikes. Watch the Minnesota AFL-CIO's video about the lobby day here.

In Michigan, Gov. Rick Snyder is announcing his budget, which may also set off protests. It includes job cuts, concessions from government workers, tax hikes on the middle class and tax breaks for business.

Oh, and here's another lovely proposal from the corporate stooges who managed to get themselves elected in Nevada: a bill was introduced to repeal the minimum wage.

It just gets better and better.