Here's exactly how multinationals are helping the U.S. economy -- not!

Hard to believe, but there are people out there who claim that U.S. multinationals are supporting the U.S. economy by shipping our jobs overseas. Something about "productivity" and "competitiveness." Yeah right.

Those people haven't had their jobs shipped overseas because the U.S. multinationals are paying them to spread their propaganda here.

But here's a kick-ass chart that shows exactly how hiring workers in Shenzhen and Bangalore kills jobs here.
So next time anyone tells you offshoring jobs is good for our economy, hit them over the head with this:

Today's Teamster News 10.16.10

Rahm Emanual leading in Teamsters mayoral poll  Chicago Sun-Times   ...A poll conducted for Chicago Teamsters Joint Council 25 in the upcoming Chicago mayoral race shows former White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel far ahead of his rivals...
City Workers Chip In For Holiday Tradition  Clickon Detroit   ...Teamster members ... pitched in Monday night to bring Christmas back to ... budget-torn ...Romulus, Mich.
Spending Worries Put Jobless Benefits at Risk  Wall Street Journal  ...Congress is unlikely to agree to extend jobless benefits for two million unemployed workers by the time the program begins to lapse in two weeks...
Sam Zell to Bow Out of Tribune  Wall Street Journal   ...Zell said Monday that he doesn't see himself having an operating role in the media company after it exits bankruptcy...
As Payouts Rise, New Tactics by the U.S. Pension Insurer  New York Times   ..Even though the government pension agency made sharply higher payments to retirees of bankrupt companies last year, it is using new legal tools to make hobbled companies carry more of the burden and protect itself...
States Won't be Able to Reroute High-Speed Rail Funding  Washington Post  ...The Obama administration plans to reallocate money designated for high-speed rail (to other states) if the states granted the funds reject them...

It takes guts and persistence to form a union -- and get the roads fixed

Our brother Bobby Thomas in Kansas has the guts and persistence to do at least two remarkable things.

1. He singlehandedly instigated a $3.4 million road reconstruction project by standing on a street corner, alone, for 10 days in the summer of 2007 with a sign that said, “Turn here to drive on an obstacle course.”


2. He helped organize First Student drivers and attendants in Wichita last month. They voted 415-53 to join Teamsters Local 795.


Thomas is a retired 28-year Teamster UPS package car driver who now works for the First Student bus company. He said,

There were some people who never had the Teamsters or union experience like I had in my job at UPS and I related my experiences to them while we were organizing. Words can’t describe how important being in a union is and how I value that. A vote for the Teamsters was a vote for dignity, a vote for improving working conditions and a vote for unity.

 
Three years ago he was so concerned about driving conditions that he staged his one-man protest. On Day 10, the local news station sent a reporter to interview him. The news report brought attention to the lousy roads.  Recently Thomas joined Wichita's mayor, Carl Brewer, to celebrate the multi-million dollar road improvements along 17th from Grove to Hillside.

Yay. Some good economic news.

Retail sales surged this month, mostly because of strong auto sales, according to The Associated Press.

The Commerce Department reported today that retail sales rose 1.2 percent last month. That was nearly double the gain that had been expected and the largest increase since March.

Tell Congress to extend unemployment benefits

Two million Americans could lose their unemployment benefits next month if Congress doesn't act quickly.

This would be a disaster for families who will have no money for food, rent, gas or clothing. It would also create hardship for half a million people who could lose their jobs because economic activity will decline.  The Economic Policy Institute estimates that 500,000 jobs would be saved by extending the unemployment benefits through 2011. Reports EPI,

UI benefits for the long-term unemployed give the economy a particularly big boost because long-term unemployed workers are very unlikely to have any choice but to immediately spend their unemployment benefits. The resulting spending on rent, groceries, and other necessities saves and creates jobs throughout the economy. For this reason, government spending on unemployment insurance benefits during a downturn is recognized by the Congressional Budget office (CBO) as one of the most efficient things that can be done to create new jobs.

Extending unemployment benefits is extremely popular with the American people. Three out of four say it's too soon to cut back on unemployment benefits, according to a poll released today.

Members of Congress are returning to work this week, but they have very little time to act before the Thanksgiving break. Advocates for extending jobless benefits will try to flood the Congressional switchboard tomorrow with calls from people urging them to extend unemployment benefits. You can pitch in through US Action's website.

Or you can sign a petition here .

Today's Teamster News 11.15.10

Paychecks for CEOs Climb  Wall Street Journal   ...The chief executives of the (456) largest U.S. public companies earned median compensation of 7.23 million, up 3 percent ...
Korean 'free trade' deal duplicates NAFTA  firedoglake  
So... Are Government Workers Overpaid?  The Note

Great Recession may scar young workers for life  newsobserver.com
Grocery Workers Will Go Back to Bargaining Table  HeraldNet.com  ...talks will resume ...on Thursday and Friday (for) workers with grocery chains in Snohomish, King, and Kitsap counties...The workers are represented by two UFCW locals and by Teamsters Local 38. Increase in rail, truck shipments points to economic recovery  Kansas City Star

Graduate Students, Unions Rally in Downtown Berkeley  Daily Californian

Jobs or the deficit -- Which do Americans care more about?

That's easy -- they care about jobs. According to a CBS News poll on Nov. 11, 58 percent of respondents said the new Congress should focus on the economy and jobs. A grand total of four percent said Congress should focus on the deficit. Here's the breakdown:

What should the new Congress focus on in January?

Economy/Jobs   58 percent
Health care        14 percent
Budget deficit      4 percent
War                    2 percent
Immigration        2 percent
Taxes                  2 percent
Education           2 percent