Economic Report:
By Jesse Russell
One billionaire is going to bat for the little guy. On Wednesday Warren Buffet tackled the growing income gap in the United States by calling for an estate tax. He is quoted by Reuters as saying, “Dynastic wealth, the enemy of a meritocracy, is on the rise. Equality of opportunity has been on the decline. A progressive and meaningful estate tax is needed to curb the movement of a democracy toward plutocracy.”
By Jesse Russell
Ellen DeGeneres redeemed herself in the eyes of striking writers in New York City. The talk show host was preparing to “break the line” by recording her show in New York City – the home of the Writers Guild of America – East. Upon hearing the news that DeGeneres has reconsidered, WGA-East President Michael Windish issued a statement saying members are delighted that she will not be taping and asking that she “not cross the Guild picket lines at the NBC Studios in Burbank, where her show usually is produced.”
The United Steelworkers are encouraging Grupo Mexico to pay attention to a new report for the sake of Mexican mine workers. Jesse Russell reports:
A new report highlighting serious health and safety violations in at copper mines owned by Grupo Mexico in Sonora, Mexico is being called a wake up call by the United Steelworkers. The report discovered “failing equipment, high levels of toxic dust and acid mist, and a lack of health and safety programs to educate workers. The USW represents Grupo Mexico workers at mines in Texas and Arizona and they issued the statement in solidarity with the Mexican workers.
By Doug Cunningham
The House has passed a transportation bill that includes a ban on funding for Bush’s Mexican trucks program. The Teamsters Leslie Miller says the union is happy about the vote, but it won’t necessarily end the battle to keep unsafe Mexican trucks off U.S. highways.
[Miller]: “It’s what we expected but nevertheless we’re delighted. The Senate has to vote on it – again – and then President Bush has said he’ll veto the bill. I don’t know if there’s going to be an override or not. So who knows? Thats up in the air. The other thing, though, that’s going on is we’re co
By Doug Cunningham
UAW Ford workers have ratified the tentative contract with Ford. The UAW says it protected wages, benefits and seniority for active members and says it also provides income and health care security for retired Ford UAW members. But as the publication “In These Times” notes, the U.S. auto contracts negotiated by the UAW this year effectively repealed the landmark 1950 “Treaty of Detroit” contract. That one not only lifted up auto workers’ families with good wages and benefits, but set a high bar that became the defacto manufacturing wage and benefits standard in America. Thanks to these 2007 contract agreements thousands of the next generation of UAW autoworkers will earn half what current workers earn and will have no company-guaranteed health care in retirement and less retirement security.
By Doug Cunningham
UAW Ford workers have ratified the tentative contract with Ford. The UAW says it protected wages, benefits and seniority for active members and says it also provides income and health care security for retired Ford UAW members. But as the publication In These Times notes, the U.S. auto contracts negotiated by the UAW this year effectively repealed the landmark 1950 “Treaty of Detroit” contract. That one not only lifted up auto workers’ families with good wages and benefits, but set a high bar that became the defacto manufacturing wage and benefits standard in America. Thanks to these 2007 contract agreements thousands of the next generation of UAW autoworkers will earn half what current workers earn and will have no company guaranteed health care in retirement and less retirement security.
The sweeping anti-worker decisions by the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) that are driving people into the streets tomorrow stack the deck in favor of employers at the expense of working men and women.
In more than 20 cities across the country—from Washington, D.C., to Anchorage, Alaska—thousands of workers will march and rally at NLRB offices tomorrow to protest the board’s attacks on worker rights and to push for an end to the Bush administration’s NLRB—the most anti-worker labor board in decades. (For more information on events in your area, contact your local central labor council.)
James J. Norton, former president of the Graphic Communications International Union (GCIU) and a former member of the AFL-CIO Executive Council, died Sunday in Weymouth, Mass. He was 77 years old. Norton served as GCIU president from 1985 to 1999.
Says AFL-CIO President John Sweeney:
From his earliest days in Boston as a skilled newspaper photoengraver, Jim brought intellect, integrity and an enormous capacity for leadership to his work. As a member of the AFL-CIO Executive Council, Jim was a wise man, a statesman and a uniter. He was deeply committed to the value of a strong and vibrant labor movement and he put his values to work for three decades for the Graphic Communications International Union and the AFL-CIO.
Falling even further out of step with the American public—only 24 percent approve of his job performance—President Bush yesterday vetoed a bill to fund vital children’s and veteran’s health care, education, worker training, Medicare, Medicaid and other important family programs.
The bill was approved by bipartisan—but not veto-proof—majorities in both the U.S. House (274-141) and the Senate (56-37). It’s time for Congress to reverse Bush’s misplaced priorities and override this veto. The House will vote on the override tomorrow. Click here to urge your representative to vote to override it.
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