Labor Union Blog

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lia href=http://www.laborradio.org/node/9730Activists in New York and New Jersey create Workers Recovery Plan/a/li
lia href=http://www.laborradio.org/node/9731Future of Chrysler up in the air; ripples felt by workers, communities /a/li
lia href=http://www.laborradio.org/node/9732Steelworkers reach tentative agreement with Newport News shipyard/a/li
lia href=http://www.laborradio.org/node/9733Economic Report: Housing sales increased in September/a/li
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pEconomic Report:/p
pThe housing market received a glimmer of good news on Friday. The National Association of Realtors released new data showing the sales of previously owned homes increased in September by 5.5. percent. That was the biggest gain since July of 2003. The jump in sales led to a decrease in the inventory of unsold homes on the market down by 1.6 percent. The median price for a home also declined by 9 percent over a year ago./p

pWorkers represented by the United Steelworkers have reached a tentative contract agreement with Northrop Grumman’s Newport News shipyard. Under the new contract pension credit would be given for more than 30 years of work. The contract would also allow the company the option of moving workers between the company’s shipyards. The agreement would impact 8,500 hourly workers./p

pThe future of Chrysler remained up in the air this weekend as the company’s majority owner, Cerberus Capital and General Motors continued discussions. On Friday Chrysler announced plans to slash nearly 5000 salaried workers and contractors. The company has roughly 18,500 white collar workers. Chrysler had the largest decline of any automaker during the first nine months of the year as sales dropped by 25 percent. This announcemtn came only one day after Chrysler announced plans to cut more than 1,800 jobs at SUV plants in Ohio and Deleware. The decline of Chrysler has left a number of projects in the air, including the construction of a $530-million dollar plant in Tipton, Michigan. The plant would have produced fuel efficient transmissions for Chrysler vehicles under the company’s “Phoenix” project. The plant is 80 percent complete, but is now being mothballed by transmission supplier Getrag. /p

John Chiarello, a Transport Workers member, and Theresa Hoang, daughter of an IFPTE member, are two of the 2008 Union Plus scholarship winners.

With college tuition costs skyrocketing and the economy plummeting, students from union families who are planning to go to college in 2009 should apply now for the Union Plus Scholarship Program. The program offers $150,000 in scholarships annually to union members, their spouses and dependents. This year, 108 students received scholarships ranging from $1,000 to $4,000 each.

To download the application, visit www.UnionPlus.org/Scholarships. Or send a postcard with your name, return address, telephone number and international union name to: Union Plus Education Foundation, c/o Union Privilege, P.O. Box 34800, Washington, D.C. 20043-4800. Application deadline is Jan. 31, 2009.

Since 1992, the Union Plus Scholarship Program has provided more than $2.5 million to help fulfill the educational dreams of students who represent millions of working families across the nation.

More than 5,200 applications were received last year in the annual scholarship program. All members of unions participating in the Union Plus programs (as well as their spouses and dependent children) are eligible to apply for scholarships.

In addition to demonstrating academic ability, applicants must submit essays of no more than 500 words describing their career goals, detailing their relationship with the union movement and explaining why they are deserving of a union scholarship.

You also must be accepted into an accredited college or university, community college or recognized technical or trade school at the time the award is issued. Graduate school students also are eligible for Union Plus scholarships.

The scholarship program is sponsored by the Union Plus Education Foundation, an arm of Union Privilege, which provides consumer benefits to members and retirees of participating unions. HSBC, the issuer of the Union Plus credit card, funds the scholarships.