By Doug Cunningham
The UAW says it’s reached a tentative agreement with International Truck and Engine Corporation covering 4,000 UAW members who make Navistar medium duty trucks and medium and light duty truck engines. If approved by UAW workers, the agreement will end a strike that started October 23rd. UAW Vice-President General Holiefield says the union stood up to the company’s demands and got an agreement that protects wages, jobs and health care benefits. The agreement also reportedly includes a moratorium on plant closings, outsourcing and sales or spin-offs during the three year agreement.
Economic Report:
By Jesse Russell
Did you receive a present from your surgeon this year? According to Science Daily an average of 1500 objects are left inside patients each year. Two thirds of the objects are surgical sponges which can cause infections, pain, and on some occasions can lead to death. The problem is that sponges can often look like tissue when they are used to stop excessive bleeding. Loyola University may have a solution to cut back on the loss of sponges – a machine that tracks a UPC type symbol on each sponge used.
They call themselves “permalancers” – freelancers who work for the MTV network full-time, but are being treated as part timers. Tuesday they walked off the job to protest changes in benefits. Jesse Russell reports:
Freelance workers from MTV Networks took to the streets for one hour on Tuesday. They were protesting recent changes in benefits that will reduce health and dental benefits starting January 1. The workers say that while the company calls them freelance, they really work just as much as workers categorized as full timers and should be treated as such. The walk out impacts all MTV Network owned channels including Nickelodeon, Comedy Central, VH1, and MTV. Viacom is the parent company. The outrage began after a meeting last week when freelancers were told they would have to work for 160 days before being eligible for benefits. Originally the company had sought to eliminate the 401 (k) plan, but protests forced it to reinstate. On Thursday the freelancers will be joined by striking members of the Writers Guild of America.
By Doug Cunningham
Five former UAW Local 3520 bargaining committee members fired by Freightliner after rejecting take it or leave it concessions are fighting to get their jobs back. The five say they’ve been abandoned by the UAW because they participated in a one-day strike by 1300 rank and file UAW workers without the authorization of the UAW international. Allen Bradley is one of the five fired workers.
[Bradley]: “This whole ordeal has left a sour taste in my mouth as far as the UAW is concerned. It will never change the fact that I am pro-union. I know what a union is and I know what solidarity is. It’s the rank and file members out there. The UAW is not a union. It is a passive, company-run organization.”
|
var config = new Array(); config["videoId"] = 1342093912; config["autoStart"] = false; config["preloadBackColor"] = “#E4E4E4″; config["width"] = 280; config["height"] = 260; config["playerId"] = 1184866158; createExperience(config, 8); |
|
|
|
|
|
var config = new Array(); config["videoId"] = 1342089451; config["autoStart"] = false; config["preloadBackColor"] = “#E4E4E4″; config["width"] = 280; config["height"] = 260; config["playerId"] = 1184866158; createExperience(config, 8); |
|
|
|
|
The anti-worker atmosphere created in the United States by unscrupulous employers and the Bush administration is systematically denying workers their rights, especially the freedom to form unions and bargain collectively.
A report released yesterday during our global summit showed the United States has the lowest rate of union membership among developed nations and that anti-union tactics are being exported to other countries.
Now, Transport Workers (TWU) President James Little puts it in perspective and explains what these findings mean for workers at one U.S. company, Continental Airlines:
“The announcement this week at the Global Organizing Summit that the United States ranks dead last among developed nations in terms of the percentage of workers represented by unions is outrageous. Outrageous—and not surprising.
“Even at a generally labor-friendly U.S. company like Continental Airlines, at which unions represent pilots, flight attendants, dispatchers and mechanics, organizing efforts by ground workers have been met with intimidation tactics, captive audience meetings and aggressive efforts by professional union busters. Continental’s employees and other American workers deserve a seat at the table. In commercial aviation especially, workers need a voice.”
Imagine when you went to the polls to vote you were provided an official government-issued ballot that listed only one name for each open position. When you complain there is not much point in voting, a government representative tells you that you are welcome to print up and distribute your own ballots with different names for each position. It is clear that under these circumstances, elections almost always would be a mere rubber stamping of the slate of candidates that a self-perpetuating ruling class has selected. Necessary, healthy change would happen only against the greatest odds.
This is the situation that has prevailed with respect to the election of the boards of directors at our public companies. And just when things were about to change for the better the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)—whose mission it is to be the “investor’s advocate”—decided to stand in the way of this change. On Nov. 28, the SEC voted to deny investors the right to field their own board candidates on company ballots to replace incompetent directors nominated by company management. Annette Nazareth, the sole Democrat on the commission, voted against the rule, saying that it “stands in the way of shareholders’ rights to elect the directors of companies they own.”
In yesterday’s special election, Democrat Robin Weirauch lost the battle to represent Ohio’s 5th Congressional District. With fewer than 100,000 votes cast in the election, Republican State Rep. Bob Latta won 57 percent of the vote, while Weirauch received 43 percent.
Weirauch’s stronger-than-expected campaign was assisted by phone banks, neighborhood walks and worksite leafleting by more than 1,000 union volunteers. Her campaign focused on economic issues, including good jobs, health care, fair trade and the Employee Free Choice Act
CVS Pharmacy Inc. will pay nearly a quarter of a million dollars in fines and more than $38,000 in back wages for exposing young workers to hazardous conditions and altering employee time cards in violations of the wage and young worker provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act, the U.S. Department of Labor announced this week.
The investigation covered 63 CVS retail locations in the Northeast. The department said 78 minors had been exposed to hazardous working conditions, including the loading and operation of cardboard compacters and bailers. Also, seven young workers were allowed to work long or later than the law allows.
 |
|
|
IBB delegates to the United Nations Climate Change Conference. |
|
|
|
|
More than 10,000 delegates and observers from around the world are gathered in Bali, Indonesia, for the 10-day United Nations Climate Change Conference (UNCCC). Of the 90 union delegates, more than 20 are from North America, including Abraham Breehey, assistant director of Government Affairs for the Boilermakers. Breehey sends us the second in a series of posts by members of the North American delegation.
How important is the issue of climate change to the International Brotherhood of Boilermakers (IBB)? Well, let’s just say that no other issue would have pulled IBB Vice President Sam May away from South Pittsburg, Tenn., on the eve of the high school football state championship. But Vice President May joined me and three other Boilermakers to participate in the climate change meetings taking place in Bali. We are proud to join with trade unionists from around the world and add our voice to the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC).
Recent Comments