Labor Union Blog

Economic Report:

Manufacturing appears to finally be heading toward steady footing in the United States. The Federal Reserve released figures that showed factory output jumping 0.9 percent in March after increasing by 0.2 percent in February. However, the labor market continues to send mixed messages. Numbers from the Labor Department show claims for jobless benefits increasing by 24,000 last week to 484,000 overall.

UC-Berkeley economist Ken Jacobs told the California Assembly Accountability and Administrative Review Board last week that he believes ending mandated unpaid furloughs for certain state agencies could reduce spending in that state by $700 million. Jacobs makes his prediction based on lost tax revenue. He told the board that agencies that are paid out of the special fund and collect revenue for the state were allowed to continue working it would be a benefit to the state.

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Lede: As momentum builds for Congress to do something comprehensive about immigration reform, supporters of the reform say it makes economic sense for America. Doug Cunningham has more.

By Doug Cunningham

The Carnegie Foundation and the Fiscal Policy Institute produced a study that assessed immigrant economic impact in the 25 largest U.S. metro economies. It found that instead of hurting the economy, immigrants contribute to the economy in the same proportion as their numbers in the population. Hector Figeuroa is Secretary-Treasurer of SEIU 32BJ in New York City.

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MP3: 

InternetRadio041910.mp3

Transcript: 

winhead041910.txt

1) Headlines

2) President Obama lays out space plan

3) Arizona seeks to protect full time unemployed students

4) Lee Rayburn visits a tea party

Union Sportsmen Alliance’s (USA’s) Kate Cywinski sends us the latest on a special offer for union members that could also put a new bass boat in the water for a lucky union sportsman or sportswoman.

Triton Boats founder and president Earl Bentz is widely acknowledged as one of the most creative individuals in the fiercely competitive sports fishing boat industry. He also knows that union workers have been fighting unfair foreign competition for years to keep good manufacturing jobs in America.

That’s one of the reasons he says he partnered with the Union Sportsmen’s Alliance in 2008 and why he is honoring union members with a special offer and the chance to win a brand new bass boat. As he puts it:

Our company’s success is due in part to our many loyal union customers.

Triton is donating a boat as part of an upcoming USA union member giveaway. The winner will visit the Triton facility in Tennessee and spend the day fishing with Bentz, a former race boat driver and avid fisherman, on his 35-acre private lake before going home with a new boat. We will have details soon on our website www.UnionSportsmen.org.

Also, any union member who purchases a Triton boat package will get a free USA membership or a one-year extension of their membership, a custom engine cover featuring the USA logo and a $300 gift certificate to spend on Triton merchandise.

Bentz says for years, union members have been fighting to keep jobs in this country.

Union members have made concessions to keep American companies competitive within the international market. They have made sacrifices and fought hard to keep jobs in this country, and that’s what keeps our employees working. When someone has a job in Thailand, that person isn’t going to buy one of my boats, but when that job stays here in America, that guy in Cookeville [Tenn.] is.

In 2008, Lonnie Tinder, a Painters and Allied Trades (IUPAT) member in Phoenix, Ariz., was the first winner of a USA Triton Boat giveaway.

Union members can join the USA online (click here) or by calling, toll free, 1-877-872-2211. The annual fee is $25. While connecting union hunters and anglers across North America, the USA extends union member benefits to the woods and water. Benefits include valuable hunting and fishing information, discounts on outdoor gear and chances to win special prizes.