LA reaches tentative pact with union for architects, engineers
Source: San Jose Mercury-News
The union representing city architects and engineers has tentatively approved a new contract for its 7,400 members, the union announced on its Web site. If approved by its members, the pact would end a dispute that led to brief strikes at the airport and Port of Los Angeles.

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 10:56 AM

Mexico to boost minimum wage

Mexico to boost minimum wage
Mexico will raise the minimum daily wage by 3.9 percent in 2007, just under the annual rate of inflation of last month. The minimum wages in Mexico's three geographic zones will rise on Jan. 1, the National Minimum Wage Commission said in a statement Thursday. Inflation in November was 4.1 percent.

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 10:53 AM

Holiday bonus or lump of coal?

Holiday bonus or lump of coal?
While many companies shut down for the holidays, the airlines keep flying. Many days during the period rank among the busiest of the year and, as this week demonstrated, can come with challenging weather conditions.

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 10:49 AM

Midday Business Report: Missouri jobless rate drops

Midday Business Report: Missouri jobless rate drops
The unemployment rate in Missouri dropped to 5.1 percent of the labor force in November, down from 5.4 percent in October. That was 0.2 percentage points lower than the state’s jobless rate in November 2005.

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 10:46 AM

From law degrees to Bible studies, taxpayers foot bill

From law degrees to Bible studies, taxpayers foot bill
Cops chasing law degrees. Court clerks deconstructing the Old Testament. A firefighter studying medicine offshore and acupuncture in California. When it comes to the educational dreams of Miami-Dade County employees, there is no limit to what taxpayers are required to finance.

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 10:23 AM

German Chimney Sweeps Face Loss of Monopoly

German Chimney Sweeps Face Loss of Monopoly
NPR audio:
For 70 years, German chimney sweeps have held monopolies in assigned districts, with customers required by law to pay for their services. The sweeps are about to learn if the German government will challenge an EU ruling that the arrangement blocks free trade.

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 10:22 AM

Wages to Be Cut for Comair Pilots

Wages to Be Cut for Comair Pilots
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
CINCINNATI, Dec. 21 (AP) — A federal bankruptcy judge ruled Thursday that Comair, the Delta Air Lines subsidiary, could impose wage cuts and changes in work rules for the regional airline’s 1,500 pilots, the final holdouts in the airline’s plan to trim labor costs as part of its restructuring.

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 10:11 AM

Maryland jobless rate falls below 4 percent

Md. jobless rate falls below 4 percent
Employers pick up pace of job creationMaryland's unemployment rate fell below 4 percent last month for the first time in half a year as employers picked up the pace of job creation, the federal government said this morning.

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 9:47 AM

Emeryville hotel workers attempting to keep jobs / Discrepancies with Social Security records at heart of problem

Emeryville hotel workers attempting to keep jobs / Discrepancies with Social Security records at heart of problem
By George Raine
Twenty-four Emeryville hotel workers are asking an Alameda County court today to temporarily block Woodfin Suite Hotel from firing them because of discrepancies in their Social Security records. The employees allege the hotel is retaliating because...

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 9:43 AM

Incomes, spending rise in November (Reuters)

Incomes, spending rise in November (Reuters)
Reuters - U.S. incomes and spending rose more modestly than expected in November, while core consumer prices were unexpectedly flat in the month, a government report showed on Friday.

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 9:41 AM

Thursday, December 21, 2006

A union hearing: A retooled approach to discussing organized labor would resonate with insecure white collar workers

A union hearing: A retooled approach to discussing organized labor would resonate with insecure white collar workers
Source: American Prospect
Most Democrats understand that they need to have more to talk about with these Americans than Iraq and stem cell research. The reelection of Janet Napolitano in Arizona and Debbie Stabenow in Michigan, to name just two, hinged in large part on their taking an economic security message to technical and professional workers.

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 2:58 PM

Business as usual: Administration officials went to China for yet another round of talks and no action regarding Chinese labor abuses and trade violat

Business as usual: Administration officials went to China for yet another round of talks and no action regarding Chinese labor abuses and trade violations
Source: American Prospect
The high-profile mission to China of key administration economic officials looks like another predictable fizzle. The delegation, headed by Treasury Secretary Hank Paulson and Federal Reserve chairman Ben Bernanke, is long on state dinners and photo ops, short on real progress.

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 2:57 PM

Swedish worry over Santa shortage

Swedish worry over Santa shortage
Sweden is suffering from a serious Santa shortage. That's the worrying message from the profession's Swedish trade organisation, which is appealing for more Santas to come forward. The Swedish Santa Association currently has 45 members across the nation,

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 2:14 PM

Norway Dec adjusted jobless 52,043 vs revised 53,769 in Nov

Norway Dec adjusted jobless 52,043 vs revised 53,769 in Nov
OSLO (AFX) - The number of registered jobless in Norway at the end of December was 52,043 after seasonal adjustments, down from a revised 53,769 in November, the labour directorate said. In absolute figures, the number of registered jobless was 49,806,

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 2:13 PM

Swedish parliament passes controversial benefit law

Swedish parliament passes controversial benefit law
Sweden's parliament has voted in favour of tough new laws to cut unemployment benefit and get the jobless back to work. The proposal was passed by a narrow margin, with 158 votes in favour and 151 votes against. Labour unions have protested against the

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 2:12 PM

Germany: master of the forces of globalisation?

Germany: master of the forces of globalisation?
Berlin (dpa) - German business is ending the year in a buoyant mood amid signs that the top companies in Europe's biggest economy have mastered the forces unleashed by fast-paced globalisation. Indeed, some 15 years after corporate Germany embarked on a

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 2:05 PM

China makes 75% of world's toys

China makes 75% of world's toys
In the real world, Christmas looks like Dongguan: a grey, industrial city in South China, where mile upon mile of factories house mile upon mile of uniformed young women toiling on production lines. Within a single generation, they have swept up the global toy business.

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 2:00 PM

Strikers optimistic as Goodyear, union negotiate

Strikers optimistic as Goodyear, union negotiate
The talks between the world's third-largest tiremaker and the Steelworkers were the first meetings since negotiations in Cincinnati broke off Nov. 17 after four days.

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 1:38 PM

Teamsters say proposed rail security rules ignore employees' safety role

Teamsters say proposed rail security rules ignore employees' safety role
Proposed rules by the Transportation Security Administration ignore necessary employee training and protections against employer retaliation. The Teamsters Union is still reviewing the rules, issued Friday, but so far has determined that the proposals are inadequate.

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 11:21 AM

China's coal mine death toll down, but workplace accidents still too frequent

China's coal mine death toll down, but workplace accidents still too frequent
With ten days left in the year, the number of miners killed in Chinese coal mines has dropped by 21 percent compared to the same period last year. 'The work safety situation is still grave, however. We can't relax,' said Li Yizhong, head of the State

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 11:12 AM

Early retirement agreement at VW

Early retirement agreement at VW
Thu 21/12/06 - The unions and management at Volkswagen's plant in the Brussels municipality of Vorst have reached agreement on the conditions for early retirement for staff over the age of 50. The unions will write to their members informing them about

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 11:09 AM

Weekly jobless claims rise (AP)

Weekly jobless claims rise (AP)
AP - The number of newly laid-off workers signing up for unemployment benefits rose last week as companies kept a close eye on the size of their work forces amid slowing economic activity.

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 10:48 AM

Delta Gets OK to End Pilots' Pensions

Delta Gets OK to End Pilots' Pensions
The government's pension insurer gave its final approval Wednesday for a plan to terminate the pensions of Delta Air Lines pilots, a key step for the carrier to resolve a multibillion-dollar issue in its bankruptcy case.

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 10:11 AM

3M workers face pay overhaul

3M workers face pay overhaul
The e-mail sent to thousands of 3M employees recently hasn't inspired much holiday cheer. The Maplewood-based conglomerate is changing its compensation system for employees, including the elimination of stock options for about 5,500 to 6,000 supervisors and entry-level managers worldwide. That change will start in 2007.

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 9:58 AM

Skycaps at Logan sue over lost tips

Skycaps at Logan sue over lost tips
By Sacha Pfeiffer, Globe Staff
Two American Airlines skycaps at Logan International Airport have filed a class-action lawsuit against the carrier and the contract company that employs them for allegedly withholding their tip money and failing to pay them minimum wage.

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 9:55 AM

Wednesday, December 20, 2006

DaimlerChrysler Integrates AIDS Education into Training

DaimlerChrysler Integrates AIDS Education into Training
This year, DaimlerChrysler will integrate education about the immune deficiency illness HIV/AIDS on a general basis into the vocational training of a total of 8,200 trainees in German

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 3:19 PM

EasyJet appeals against French labour decree

EasyJet appeals against French labour decree
The low-cost British airline EasyJet said Tuesday it has appealed to France's highest administrative court against a decree that subjects air crews at French airports to the national labour laws.

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 3:16 PM

Unions continue Wal-Mart fight

Unions continue Wal-Mart fight
Source: Gilroy Dispatch
A dozen people huddled in winter coats and held candles Friday night outside Gilroy's Wal-Mart Supercenter, as part of a nationwide protest over the retail giant's labor practices. The vigil was one of more than 40 occurring nationwide, organized by WakeUpWalMart.com and supported by local groups like United Food and Commercial Workers Union Local 428.

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 2:53 PM

New jobs outnumber new workers as Minnesota's jobless rate is unchanged

New jobs outnumber new workers as state's jobless rate is unchanged
In StarTribune.com Business
Minnesota's unemployment rate was unchanged in November at 3.9 percent, seasonally adjusted, as the state added 12,300 jobs and 10,000 Minnesotans joined the labor force, according to the state's monthly jobs report released Tuesday. It was the third consecutive month of increases in the number of Minnesotans working or looking for work, the report by the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development said. The additions averaged 12,000 a month and raised the state's labor force participation rate from an all-time low of 73 percent to 73.8 percent last month, the report said.

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 2:49 PM

Raising the Floor on Pay

Raising the Floor on Pay
By LOUIS UCHITELLE
The Democrats’ proposed minimum wage increase does not catch up with what some states have already done to raise the pay of tens of millions of workers.

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 2:18 PM

Job Hunters Seek Winning Edge in Video Resumes

Job Hunters Seek Winning Edge in Video Resumes
NPR audio:
Some job candidates hoping to stand out from the competition are posting video resumes online to boost their chances of getting hired. But federal employment officials say companies should handle video resumes with care.

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 2:08 PM

Bush backs raising U.S. minimum wage with tax breaks

Bush backs raising U.S. minimum wage with tax breaks
President George W. Bush said he supports a raise in the minimum wage paired with ``tax and regulatory relief'' to avoid burdening small businesses.

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 2:03 PM

Bringing new meaning to 'girl power'

Bringing new meaning to 'girl power'
Two months ago, Adriana Alba was working in a climate-controlled office at the City Colleges' Dawson Technical Institute. Now, she's out in the cold climbing utility poles.

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 1:53 PM

Delta to hire first new pilots in 5 years

Delta to hire first new pilots in 5 years
Delta Air Lines said Wednesday it will resume hiring new pilots after a five-year hiatus, with interviews for new co-pilots beginning in January. The Atlanta airline, which is fighting a hostile takeover bid by US Airways, had already said last month that it would probably need to hire new pilots to keep up with its growth plans. The airline had announced plans to bring back 200 pilots, a move that would probably exhaust its list of furloughed pilots awaiting recall. One of Delta's chief pilots touted the move — Delta's first pilot hiring since 2001 – as a "significant milestone" and a sign that Delta's restructuring efforts are succeeding.

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 1:49 PM

Repeated tours raise GIs' stress, Army says / If Bush ups troop levels in Iraq, thousands would likely stay longer than planned

Repeated tours raise GIs' stress, Army says / If Bush ups troop levels in Iraq, thousands would likely stay longer than planned
By Julian E. Barnes
American soldiers who serve repeated tours of duty in Iraq are more likely to suffer from acute stress in Iraq, according to a mental health survey released Tuesday by the Army. Overall, 13.6 percent of soldiers reported suffering from acute stress in...

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 11:52 AM

Goodyear talks resume; supply a concern

Goodyear talks resume; supply a concern
Source: Ithaca Journal
Strike-hampered Goodyear and the United Steelworkers went back to formal talks Monday for the second time during the 2 1/2-month job action, while some dealers expressed concern over possible tire shortages for the coming winter.

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 10:58 AM

India warning on globalisation

India warning on globalisation
In South Asia
Globalisation could damage public services in countries like India, a Nobel-prize winning economist warns.

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 10:57 AM

Tuesday, December 19, 2006

Payoffs not layoffs promised to American Apparel staff after sale

Payoffs not layoffs promised to American Apparel staff after sale
The mostly foreign-born workers at American Apparel's downtown garment factory, the nation's largest, have enjoyed benefits that would make austere executives grab their wallets: A health plan. Free English classes. Back rubs from a masseuse and

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 3:51 PM

AirTran's unions back takeover bid for Midwest Airlines

AirTran's unions back takeover bid for Midwest Airlines
Midwest Air Group CEO Timothy Hoeksema reiterated his company's rejection of any takeover.

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 3:48 PM

After labor dispute, all workers back on job at WTC skyscraper

After labor dispute, all workers back on job at WTC skyscraper
NEW YORK (AP) _ Workers resumed removing the facade of a contaminated skyscraper near the World Trade Center site on Monday after a contract dispute that stopped the dismantling almost as soon as it began.

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 3:40 PM

Reviled in Argentina, paper mills bring life to Finland

Reviled in Argentina, paper mills bring life to Finland
At the heart of an angry dispute between Argentina and Uruguay, pulp mills, sometimes seen as major polluters, have brought life to parts of Finland where they have often been around longer than the trees themselves.In Finland's southeastern industrial town of Joutseno, where one in two people live off the pulp mills, residents say they can't fathom the Argentinian opposition to the construction of a mill on the Uruguayan side of the river that divides the two South American countries.

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 3:29 PM

Working families stuck in poverty cycle

Working families stuck in poverty cycle
Jerusalem-based social policy research center will call on Knesset members and policy makers to address Israel's growing social and economic gaps when

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 3:22 PM

Education key to winning at globalization

Education key to winning at globalization
MENTION CHINA, India or Mexico these days and chances are the conversation will turn to jobs and fears the advance of these countries will mean fewer jobs and lower pay in Canada. There's no doubt that these and other developing economies are becoming

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 3:21 PM

Hong Kong jobless rate falls to lowest in almost six years

Hong Kong jobless rate falls to lowest in almost six years
HONG Kong's jobless rate fell for a fifth straight month in November to the lowest in almost six years, helping sustain the longest economic expansion in a decade, the government said yesterday.

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 2:55 PM

Court upholds limit on political activity

Court upholds limit on political activity
By dpostman@seattletimes.com on Local News
A state appeals court Monday upheld a state law that prohibits public employees from using any public facilities or resources for political activity.

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 2:21 PM

Real Estate Dip Brings Layoffs in Home Construction

Real Estate Dip Brings Layoffs in Home Construction
NPR audio:
Only a year ago, construction firms were scrambling to find enough workers. Now they're laying them off as the real estate market slumps. Toll Brothers, one of the largest homebuilding firms, expects to lay off as much as 15 percent of its workforce.

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 2:12 PM

Washington State: Mine workers seek help from Gregoire

Mine workers seek help from Gregoire
In News
CENTRALIA-- Mike Edwards was a year from retirement when the coal mine he worked at for 25 years was shut down suddenly last month, putting him and hundreds of his colleagues out of work.

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 2:12 PM

Washington State sees more jobs, job seekers in November

State sees more jobs, job seekers in November
Washington employers added 4,900 new jobs in November on a seasonally adjusted basis, the state's Employment Security Department said Tuesday in its monthly summary of employment statistics.

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 2:12 PM

Palestinian government workers' 3 month strike near end, official says

Gvt workers' 3 month strike near end, official says
Source: Reuters
RAMALLAH, West Bank, Dec 17 (Reuters) - Palestinian government employees look set to return to work this week if a deal to end a more than three-month-old strike over unpaid wages is signed on Monday, a top union official said.

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 2:12 PM

Money to Treat 9/11 Workers Will Run Out, Officials Say

Money to Treat 9/11 Workers Will Run Out, Officials Say
By SEWELL CHAN
The roughly $40 million that was set aside to treat workers who became ill after helping with the 9/11 cleanup and recovery will run out in months.

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 2:08 PM

Chinese Success Story Chokes on Its Own Growth

Chinese Success Story Chokes on Its Own Growth
By HOWARD W. FRENCH
Few cities have created wealth faster than Shenzhen, but the costs stare out from every corner.

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 2:07 PM

Investor offers $3.4 billion to Delphi...if it signs a contract with UAW

Investor offers $3.4 billion to Delphi...if it signs a contract with UAW
Source: NY Times
The United Automobile Workers union faces a difficult choice: reach agreement on concessions with the Delphi Corporation or risk seeing Delphi lose out on a deal that would help it emerge from bankruptcy. A group of private equity firms led by Appaloosa Management and Cerberus Capital said on Monday that they were willing to invest at least $1.4 billion and up to $3.4 billion when Delphi emerges from Chapter 11.

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 2:00 PM

Local governments that use pension funds to finance healthcare for retirees find themselves with no money

Local governments that use pension funds to finance healthcare for retirees find themselves with no money
Source: NY Times
Many local governments began turning to their pension funds to help pay for health care for retired public workers in the 1990s. Some are now regretting it.

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 1:59 PM

Corzine vows not to back down on cutting New Jersey state worker benefits

Corzine vows not to back down on cutting state worker benefits
Source: NY Times
Fresh from a scuffle with the New Jersey Legislature over who should take on the task of re-examining pensions and health care benefits for state employees, Gov. Jon S. Corzine said Monday that he was prepared to embark on “serious restructuring” efforts because soaring costs would make it impossible for the state to keep pace over the next decade.

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 1:59 PM

U.S. ignores abuse of Chinese workers

U.S. ignores abuse of Chinese workers
Source: Buffalo News
When Christmas shoppers peek at the "Made In China" labels on toys, Mattel wants them to buy with a clear conscience. Like the way members of the House and Senate turn a blind eye to reports of religious oppression and worker abuse in the country of origin. When I asked Fisher-Price Toys, owned by Mattel, about a recent riot at a Chinese plant where Mattel toys are made, Fisher-Price shunted that and other questions to Mattel headquarters.

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 1:57 PM

Federal judge: Wal-Mart cannot be held liable under United States law for labor conditions at some of its overseas suppliers

Federal judge: Wal-Mart cannot be held liable under United States law for labor conditions at some of its overseas suppliers
Source: NY Times
A complaint filed last year in Los Angeles by the International Labor Rights Fund contended that employees of Wal-Mart suppliers in China, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Swaziland and Nicaragua were forced to work overtime without pay and in some cases were fired because they tried to organize unions. The group sought to represent hundreds of thousands of employees of Wal-Mart’s overseas suppliers.

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 1:55 PM

Few employers help workers quit smoking

Few employers help workers quit smoking
While most large employers have banned smoking at work, 78 percent of employees at smoke-free offices said the policy is not effective in motivating them to quit.

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 1:50 PM

Activists vote for 'super-union'

Activists vote for 'super-union'
In Business
Leading members of the T&G union vote in favour of a merger with Amicus, creating the UK's largest union.

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 1:48 PM

Sri Lanka tea strike called off

Sri Lanka tea strike called off
In South Asia
Sri Lankan tea unions call off a two week strike which officials say brought the industry to a virtual standstill.

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 1:47 PM

French teachers strike over hours

French teachers strike over hours
In Education
Teachers in France stage a strike in protest at plans which would remove their right to teach for fewer hours.

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 1:45 PM

Chinese city may limit migrants

Chinese city may limit migrants
In Asia-Pacific
China's Guangzhou city may limit migrant workers because of "social problems" they bring, state media said.

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 1:41 PM

Mittal seeks Point layoffs

Mittal seeks Point layoffs
5-week leaves mark third offer since Oct. as steelmaker scales back to fit demandNetherlands-based Mittal Steel Co. NV is offering workers at Sparrows Point another round of five-week layoffs, a sign that the world's largest steelmaker doesn't expect the industrywide slowdown to recover immediately in the new year.

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 12:37 PM

Unions in Qantas shares dilemma

Unions in Qantas shares dilemma
Source: The Australian
SOME of Australia's top union leaders who represent Qantas workers could be compelled to sell multi-million-dollar stakes in the airline despite their opposition to the $11 billion takeover by a private equity consortium.

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 12:30 PM

Kenya: Matatu Operators Strike in Coast

Kenya: Matatu Operators Strike in Coast
Public transport in Mombasa and Malindi towns and surrounding areas were paralysed the whole of yesterday when matatu operators went on strike.

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 11:52 AM

Minnesota companies facing labor shortage

Minnesota companies facing labor shortage
In StarTribune.com Business
Eden Prairie's Micro Dynamics Corp. has been growing swiftly, but it's chronically hampered by one thing it can't do without: trained workers. "If we could get our hands on 10 folks, we'd gobble them up," said Win Wood, vice president of strategic programs for the company. It needs engineers, assemblers and trained electronic technicians -- and the dilemma is now common. Despite a recent spate of high-profile layoffs, some Minnesota industries are running into worrisome worker shortages as the state economy hums along with an unemployment rate below 4 percent.

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 10:57 AM

UPS's No. 2 delivers retirement notice

UPS's No. 2 delivers retirement notice
UPS Chief Operating Officer John Beystehner will retire Jan. 2, the world's largest transportation giant announced. The Sandy Springs-based company didn't immediately name a successor. In a separate move, UPS said Scott Davis, the company's chief financial officer, has been named vice chairman. Davis, 55, was elected to the company's 12-member board of directors in February.

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 10:51 AM

Airport workers rally with Delta execs against merger

Airport workers rally with Delta execs against merger
Top executives joined with front-line workers at Delta Air lines Tuesday to rail against a proposed US Airways takeover, then lined up to add their names to an oversized petition at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport. "It never made sense to us for US Airways to capitalize on all of your hard work," Delta CEO Gerald Grinstein told a crowd of about 150 Delta workers on the day the company filed its reorganization plan to emerge from bankruptcy court as an independent company. "There's nothing they can do to make a non-starter start."

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 10:47 AM

Companies give more year-end gifts, bonuses

LABOR SCENE: Companies give more year-end gifts, bonuses
More bonuses, more parties. Buoyed by a strong economy and a record-setting stock market, more U.S. companies are dispensing the good cheer during the year-end holidays.

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 10:46 AM

Office away from office Technology keeps employees connected to workplace 24/7

Office away from office Technology keeps employees connected to workplace 24/7
Give technology the credit for making it possible to work away from the office but also hand it the blame for taking it too far.

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 10:45 AM

Free trade proves costly

Free trade proves costly
Since the end of World War II, the United States has promoted free trade in the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade, the World Trade Organization and the North American Free Trade Agreement.

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 10:45 AM

A very healthy job field

A very healthy job field
Stacy Hamilton works hard — but finding work has never been much of a chore. As a family nurse practitioner, Hamilton helps run MinuteClinic health clinics at CVS stores in the Kansas City area.

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 10:44 AM

Party branch set at Wal-Mart office

Party branch set at Wal-Mart office
By Associated Press
Employees at the China headquarters of Wal-Mart Stores Inc. have set up a Communist Party branch, part of a growing campaign to expand the ruling party's presence in foreign companies.

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 10:42 AM

Monday, December 18, 2006

Unions Hope Democrats Will Counter GOP Policy Changes

Unions Hope Democrats Will Counter GOP Policy Changes
By Zachary A. Goldfarb
As a member of the Democratic minority, Rep. Chris Van Hollen (Md.) fought a Bush administration policy that increasingly opened up federal jobs to private contracting.

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 2:36 PM

L.A., Long Ruled by Cars, Becoming a Transit Leader

L.A., Long Ruled by Cars, Becoming a Transit Leader
By John Pomfret
LOS ANGELES -- Demeaned as a car-crazed megalopolis where people drive two blocks to valet-park at the dry cleaners, Los Angeles is on the road to fashioning one of the best public transit systems in the nation.

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 2:35 PM

NYC transit union chief re-elected (AP)

NYC transit union chief re-elected (AP)
AP - The transit union boss who led a strike that paralyzed New York City for 60 hours at the height of last year's Christmas shopping season has been re-elected, union officials said Friday.

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 1:42 PM

Pilots lead union fight to save jobs at Qantas

Pilots lead union fight to save jobs at Qantas
Source: The Australian
QANTAS pilots are considering a plan to personally invest $50,000 each as part of a "blocking stake" to stop the airline's $11 billion sale to a private equity consortium backed by Macquarie Bank.

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 12:30 PM

Nurses cope with increasing job pressures

Nurses cope with increasing job pressures
In StarTribune.com Business
If you've noticed that hospital nurses seem distracted or stressed lately, it could be they're suffering from a newly diagnosed malady: "complexity compression." It's a condition largely blamed on growing paperwork and changing work rules, and it's showing up in hospitals around Minnesota and quite likely around the country. Besides the heavy workloads and the demands of ever-sicker patients, nurses talk about a confounding series of "improvements" such as form changes, procedure revisions and documentation demands.

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 11:56 AM

National Highlights From The National Survey On The Work And Health Of Nurses, Canada

National Highlights From The National Survey On The Work And Health Of Nurses, Canada
The Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI), Health Canada and Statistics Canada have released the findings of the largest and most comprehensive survey ever conducted on the work and health of nurses in Canada. More than 19,000 nurses from across Canada took part in the survey, which sheds important new light on the issues they face in their day-to-day life, such as overtime, work overload, physical and mental health problems, medical errors and exposure to risk. [click link for full article]

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 11:22 AM

Air traffic controllers, FAA at odds over staffing and safety

Air traffic controllers, FAA at odds over staffing and safety
WASHINGTON -- Nearly 1,100 fewer air traffic controllers are guiding planes through the nation's skies than three years ago, even though flights are increasing.

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 11:16 AM

Striking workers, AFL-CIO protest Goodyear tire stores

Striking workers, AFL-CIO protest Goodyear tire stores
About 50 members of a Lincoln, Neb., chapter of United Steelworkers protested at two area Goodyear retailers, decrying the company's use of replacement workers during the 2-month-old strike. About 150 additional rallies were planned in the United States and Canada.

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 11:14 AM

America takes notice of gap in incomes

America takes notice of gap in incomes
Americans overwhelmingly say the growing gap between rich and poor has become a serious national concern, a sentiment that may bolster Democrats' plans to narrow the income divide when they take control of Congress.

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 11:13 AM

Report calls Massachusetts a new-jobs laggard

Report calls Mass. a new-jobs laggard
By Robert Weisman, Globe Staff
Massachusetts remains a magnet for research funds and venture capital, but it's become an underperformer in job creation.

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 10:24 AM

Companies soften view of ex-workers

Companies soften view of ex-workers
NEW YORK The old view of corporate exes -employees who leave for other jobs- was that they were deserters and traitors who must never be spoken of again.

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 9:49 AM

A call to tell workers about hidden 401(k) fees

A call to tell workers about hidden 401(k) fees
Federal regulators need to boost their oversight of 401(k) retirement plans and adopt a series of changes to ensure full disclosure of hidden costs that can cut into the savings of millions of American workers, a government report recommends.

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 9:46 AM

When workers go to extremes

When workers go to extremes
Driven by competition, love of job, many admit pace can exact personal tollDo you have an extreme job?

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 9:44 AM

Friday, December 15, 2006

Hospitals Fight Nurse-to-Patient Ratios, Seek Alternatives To Use Nursing Staff More Efficiently

Hospitals Fight Nurse-to-Patient Ratios, Seek Alternatives To Use Nursing Staff More Efficiently
The Wall Street Journal on Wednesday examined how "hospitals are fighting back against efforts to set minimum nurse-to-patient ratios and adopting new strategies to use nursing staff more efficiently" as the U.S. faces "a worsening" nurse shortage. According to the Journal, "an increasing number of states ...

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 1:49 PM

SEC Requires Clear Disclosure of Executive Pay

SEC Requires Clear Disclosure of Executive Pay
Many companies have become experts at disclosing executive pay as obliquely as possible. Now the Securities and Exchange Commission is requiring them to clearly explain their compensation practices in plain English.

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 1:44 PM

New Orleans threatened by `brain drain' (AP)

New Orleans threatened by `brain drain' (AP)
AP - It wasn't the flooding that drove Dr. David Jones out of New Orleans for good. His house in the Lakeview neighborhood stayed dry. Instead, it was the way Hurricane Katrina eroded the orthopedic surgeon's practice.

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 1:36 PM

Ex-homeless attend to library bathrooms

Ex-homeless attend to library bathrooms
A group that helps the homeless find housing, employment and health care is posting formerly homeless people in the restrooms of a downtown library to help manage those who flock there looking for shelter or

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 1:08 PM

Thousands protest against cut in Swedish unemployment benefits

Thousands protest against cut in Swedish unemployment benefits
Thousands of workers demonstrated in central Stockholm against the new centre-right government's plan to raise premiums for unemployment insurance while decreasing payouts to the jobless. Rallies organised by the Swedish Confederation of Trade Unions

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 12:50 PM

Outsourcing a dirty word in US

Outsourcing a dirty word in US
New Delhi, Dec 14 (IANS) Outsourcing has become a dirty word in the US as a majority of Americans are not in favour of it as they believe it would lead to job losses at home, according to a multi-nation survey done by a leading US think tank.

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 12:48 PM

Record is mixed on outsourcing state jobs

Record is mixed on outsourcing state jobs
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - At his second inauguration, Gov. Jeb Bush looked over several buildings on the capital grounds and suggested it would be nice if they were emptied of state bureaucrats. He referred to the buildings as 'silent monuments to the time

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 12:48 PM

Strike disrupts Alitalia services

Strike disrupts Alitalia services
Alitalia services on Friday were severely disrupted by another strike, further harming the Italian airline's reputation just as the government is trying to find a buyer for it.Unions at Alitalia are protesting that they are being excluded from certain

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 12:35 PM

Simon Property Group agrees to improve mall janitors' conditions in

Simon agrees to improve mall janitors' conditions
Source: Indianapolis Star
Simon Property Group said it signed an "agreement in principle" with the Service Employees International Union aimed at improving work standards for more than 3,000 subcontracted janitors at Simon shopping centers across the country, including over 150 in the Indianapolis area.

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 12:21 PM

Airline mergers can lead to labor conflict

Airline mergers can lead to labor conflict
DALLAS -- Even if the leaders of United and Continental agree to merge their airlines, the hard work of combining two work forces with different unions and conflicting interests will remain.

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 12:03 PM

Faith and War: From Headscarf to Army Cap, Making a New Life

Faith and War: From Headscarf to Army Cap, Making a New Life
By ANDREA ELLIOTT
Fadwa Hamdan belongs to the rare class of Muslim women who have signed up to become soldiers trained in Arabic.

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 11:45 AM

U.A.W. President Won’t Rule Out a Merger With Another Union

U.A.W. President Won’t Rule Out a Merger With Another Union
By NICK BUNKLEY
A merger would help the United Auto Workers regain some of the influence it has lost as hundreds of thousands of factory jobs have been eliminated.

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 11:39 AM

Boeing worker fired over lost laptop

Boeing worker fired over lost laptop
The Boeing Co. said Thursday that it has fired the employee whose laptop was stolen, putting the personal information about nearly 400,000 retired and current company workers in jeopardy.

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 10:53 AM

Anderson Indiana: 600 Guide workers losing jobs

600 Guide workers losing jobs
ANDERSON, Ind. -- About 600 Guide Corp. employees will lose their jobs effective Monday as the 100-year-old factory prepares for a June 2007 closing.

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 10:42 AM

Older families face larger debt loads

Older families face larger debt loads
Debt levels have risen sharply for families nearing or in retirement, shaking the retirement security of lower-income families particularly, the Employee Benefit Research Institute said Thursday.

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 10:23 AM

Ford, union near deal to ensure Claycomo's future

Ford, union near deal to ensure Claycomo's future
Ford Motor Co.’s local management and union have reached a tentative pact that could ensure the long-term future of the Claycomo plant, one of the Kansas City's area’s biggest employers.

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 10:23 AM

Maryland: 400 jobs ending at fish plant

400 jobs ending at fish plant
Icelandic to close Cambridge factoryIcelandic USA Inc. is closing its fish processing plant in Cambridge, in Dorchester County, leaving 400 employees looking for work in an area that has been hard hit by the loss of solid manufacturing jobs.

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 10:18 AM

Thursday, December 14, 2006

AT WORK: Strengthening middle class should top House panel’s list

AT WORK: Strengthening middle class should top House panel’s list
Job One next year for the U.S. House Education and Workforce Committee: Strengthening America’s middle class. That’s the word this week from U.S. Rep. George Miller, the committee’s Democratic chairman-designate.

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 3:26 PM

Delta workers' rallying cry: 'We are not for sale'

Delta workers' rallying cry: 'We are not for sale'
A raucous crowd of more than 3,000 Delta Air Lines workers alternately cheered, booed, clapped and hissed Wednesday as they loudly expressed opposition to a takeover bid by rival US Airways. Delta employee groups used the nearly two-hour rally to bash Tempe, Ariz.-based US Airways and its CEO, Doug Parker, in pointed, personal terms. He was compared to vilified airline raiders Carl Icahn and Frank Lorenzo and even the fictional Gordon Gekko from the movie "Wall Street." "You have underestimated your opponent!" Delta pilot union chairman Lee Moak thundered at the meeting in a convention hall near the Atlanta airport, which combined the fervor of a tent revival with the pragmatism of a political strategy session.

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 3:02 PM

Newspaper Guild approves Boston Globe contract

Newspaper Guild approves Boston Globe contract
THE REGION The Boston Newspaper Guild, which represents newsroom, advertising, and other employees at The Boston Globe, approved a four-year contract that ties pay raises to revenue increases. The 364-194 vote comes nearly two months after union members rejected an offer that tied raises to revenue but excluded revenue of Boston.com, the paper's online affiliate. The new contract includes online ...

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 3:01 PM

Sovereign may cut jobs, shut unit

Sovereign may cut jobs, shut unit
By Keith Reed, Globe Staff
Sovereign Bancorp Inc. is reportedly on the brink of cutting several hundred jobs and closing its wholesale mortgage banking unit, the first major change at the bank since veteran Boston executive Joseph P. Campanelli took the helm in October.

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 3:01 PM

Globalisation fund may benefit Volkswagen workers

Globalisation fund may benefit Volkswagen workers
A fund to support workers laid off because their companies have been affected by globalisation will become available from 1 January 2007, following a European

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 12:40 PM

NY pension funds press big Web companies on rights (Reuters)

NY pension funds press big Web companies on rights (Reuters)
Reuters - New York City employee pension funds are calling on two top Internet companies to do more to protect free speech in repressive countries, joining a year-old campaign by human rights groups.

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 12:09 PM

Most employers kept retiree drug coverage

Most employers kept retiree drug coverage
A majority of large employers retained their retiree drug coverage this year despite the initiation of the Medicare drug benefit and plan to continue the offering next year, according to a new study released yesterday.

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 11:09 AM

Jobless claims fall to 2-month low (AP)

Jobless claims fall to 2-month low (AP)
AP - The number of Americans filing applications for unemployment benefits dropped sharply for a second straight week, pushing total claims down to the lowest level in two months.

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 11:03 AM

Tech workers to get relief from tax debt

Tech workers to get relief from tax debt
Thousands of Internet and technology workers who ended up owing large tax debts from exercising stock options instead of becoming multimillionaires will get some of their money back under legislation Congress passed last week.

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 10:54 AM

Americans see rich-poor gap worsening

Americans see rich-poor gap worsening
Americans overwhelmingly say the growing gap between rich and poor has become a serious national concern, a sentiment that may bolster Democrats' plans to narrow the income divide when they take control of Congress.

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 10:53 AM

Wednesday, December 13, 2006

Law Professor Finds Home Healthcare Workers Have Few Legal Protections

Law Professor Finds Home Healthcare Workers Have Few Legal Protections
As more and more Americans turn to in-home health care workers to take care of elderly family members, research from a University of Iowa law professor has found nobody is taking care of the caregivers.

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 4:17 PM

Poor language skills hold back HK firms, finds survey

Poor language skills hold back HK firms, finds survey
More than half of local companies are not satisfied with employees' language skills and do not believe Hong Kong's competitiveness will improve in the next few years, according to a poll released by Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 4:16 PM

Unions fear 'Swedish model' may be in peril

Unions fear 'Swedish model' may be in peril
For decades, strong unions have been just like cold winters and crisp bread: a natural part of Swedish life. But following a shift to a less labor- friendly government in September, signs are that the days of the one of the world's most highly organized work forces might be coming to an end.

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 4:00 PM

Flying Without Wings

Flying Without Wings
By Del Quentin Wilber
Before stepping into the cockpit of a commercial jetliner for the first time, pilots have racked up hundreds of hours in the air, usually at the controls of small planes.

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 3:44 PM

Foreign Service Hiring Gets A Re-Exam

Foreign Service Hiring Gets A Re-Exam
By Elizabeth Williamson
For generations, the United States has selected its diplomats through a two-stage test seen as a model of merit-based rigor. Pass hundreds of questions in a dozen subject areas and a day-long oral grilling by Foreign Service officers, and join the ranks. Fail, and find a different line of work.

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 3:43 PM

Florida Finds Little Trauma, Drama from Wage Hike

Florida Finds Little Trauma, Drama from Wage Hike
NPR audio:
Democrats say that raising the federal minimum wage will be a priority when they take control of Congress. Would such a measure help low-wage workers or lead to layoffs? Florida, which raised its minimum wage two years ago, provides some clues.

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 3:40 PM

Minimum Wage: A Worker's View

Minimum Wage: A Worker's View
Gina Walter, who makes $6.25 an hour, says the proposed minimum-wage boost in January 2007 would make a difference in her daily life as a minimum-wage worker.

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 3:37 PM

Minimum Wage: An Employer's View

Minimum Wage: An Employer's View
NPR audio:
Michele Norris talks with Robert Mayfield, who owns four Dairy Queens and a Wally's Burger Express in the Austin, Texas, area. Mayfield says a raise in the federal minimum wage would force him to cut back on the hours of many of his workers, and may lead to cutbacks in

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 3:37 PM

Global: Organising and defending the rights of migrant workers

Global: Organising and defending the rights of migrant workers
LabourStart headline - Source: ITUC
Around 60 trade unionists from all over the world and representatives of international organisations dealing with migrant workers’ rights are meeting in Brussels for a seminar organised by the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC). The seminar runs until 15 December and it will address the question of organising migrant workers and protecting their rights.

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 2:57 PM

China and India: Most Popular Outsourcing Locales

China and India: Most Popular Outsourcing Locales
The world's two most populous countries--China and India--were named the most popular outsourcing destinations by companies in Asia, according to a recent study KPMG. Results of the report, titled Asian outsourcing: the next wave, were released last week

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 2:47 PM

World Bank: Globalization to bring social, environmental pressures

World Bank: Globalization to bring social, environmental pressures
The World Bank predicted on Wednesday that rapid globalization could spur faster economic growth in the world, especially in developing countries in the next 25 years, but will also bring growing income inequality and potentially severe environmental

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 2:42 PM

More Americans Struggle With Health-Care Costs

More Americans Struggle With Health-Care Costs
TUESDAY, Dec. 12 (HealthDay) -- More Americans are forced to spend more of their family income on health care, and more middle-class Americans are joining the ranks of those spending a disproportionate share of their budget on such expenses, a new study

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 2:30 PM

Perata proposes health care for all workers in California

Perata proposes health care for all workers in state
(12-13) 04:00 PST Sacramento -- Firing the first salvo in what will be the biggest fight in the Capitol next year, the Senate's top Democrat proposed legislation Tuesday that would require all working Californians to have health care insurance paid for

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 2:29 PM

British Labour anger over union funding plans

Labour anger over union funding plans
Source: BBC
There has been an angry response from Labour MPs to the suggestion that there might be a £50,000 limit on political donations, including from trade unions.

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 2:06 PM

British Unemployment falls to 1.7 million

Unemployment falls to 1.7 million
In Business
UK unemployment fell by 7,000 to 1.7 million in the August to October period, official figures show.

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 1:36 PM

London: Goldman cleaners protest on pay

Goldman cleaners protest on pay
In Business
Goldman Sachs could face a strike by contract cleaners, who say they are overworked even as the firm posts record bonuses.

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 1:35 PM

South Africa: Economy Booming, But Slow Growth in Jobs

South Africa: Economy Booming, But Slow Growth in Jobs
THE economy continued to create jobs in a slow and steady fashion in the third quarter, increasing the number of people employed in the formal, nonfarming sectors by 73000 (1%). According to Statistics SA, which released its quarterly employment statistics yesterday, this brought the increase from the same quarter last year to 193000, or 2,7%.

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 1:32 PM

Union Reaches Deal at Philadelphia Papers

Union Reaches Deal at Philadelphia Papers
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
The Philadelphia Inquirer and Philadelphia Daily News reached a tentative contract agreement Tuesday with their largest union.

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 11:54 AM

Purdue students end hunger strike over sweatshops

Purdue students end hunger strike over sweatshops
West Lafayette, Ind. -- A group of Purdue University students ended a hunger strike this morning by eating some pita bread near the steps of Hovde Hall.

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 11:54 AM

Truckers Tripped Up by Workplace Smoking Rules

Truckers Tripped Up by Workplace Smoking Rules
NPR audio:
Ohio voters approved a statewide smoking ban in November that included a ban on lighting up in the workplace. It's now being interpreted as applying to the "workplaces" of Ohio truckers.

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 11:52 AM

Managers Fear Employees Working Sick

Managers Fear Employees Working Sick
NPR audio:
During flu season, especially, employers are worried about "presenteeism," according to a survey by CCH, Inc, an employment information provider. The company says a majority of employers fear the impact of workers who insist on coming into work when they're sick.

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 11:51 AM

Union Chief: US Air Is Only Delta Bidder

Union Chief: US Air Is Only Delta Bidder
By By HARRY R. WEBER, AP Business Writer
No other carrier has offered to buy Delta Air Lines Inc. since US Airways' hostile bid last month, and no merger discussions between Delta and any other carrier are currently ongoing, the head of Delta's pilots union said Wednesday. "In the normal...

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 11:36 AM

Delta workers rally against US Airways merger

Delta workers rally against US Airways merger
An anti-merger rally Wednesday drew an estimated 3,000 Delta Air Lines employees and family members who oppose a takeover bid by rival US Airways. The rally at a convention center near Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport was organized by worker groups and aimed at showing that opposition to the bid goes deeper than top management. "Delta Air Lines is not for sale," declared Lee Moak, chairman of Delta's unit of the Air Line Pilots Association.

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 11:32 AM

St. Paul, Minnesota: Ford's final night shift nears

Ford's final night shift nears
For hundreds of Ford Motor Co. employees taking buyouts in St. Paul, Thursday will be their last day of work as the plant shuts down for the last two weeks of December.

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 11:32 AM

Immigration raid roils Worthington in Minnesota

Immigration raid roils Worthington
WORTHINGTON, Minn. Federal immigration officials staged a surprise raid at a Worthington pork-processing plant Tuesday, terrifying immigrant workers and bringing operations to a standstill.

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 11:30 AM

Lilly plans to cut all Icos jobs after merger

Lilly plans to cut all Icos jobs after merger
BOTHELL, Wash. -- Pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly and Co. plans to lay off all 700 employees of Icos Corp. if shareholders approve Lilly's proposed buyout next week, officials said.

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 10:50 AM

Indiana will help firms find training

State will help firms find training
A new three-year program aims to play matchmaker between companies and workforce trainers, a pairing that officials hope will help Indiana employees learn skills that can help them on the job.

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 10:49 AM

Google creates new moneymaking option for employees

Google creates new moneymaking option for employees
Google Inc. employs a lot of brilliant minds, but even smart people have trouble figuring out how much their stock options are really worth.

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 10:45 AM

Tuesday, December 12, 2006

Dominican labor unions willing to press for health insurance

Dominican labor unions willing to press for health insurance
Santo Domingo.- Eight unions linked to the labor movement and health sector denounced that entrepreneurs have sequestered the National Social Security Council (CNSS), with a view to stall implementation of the Family Health Insurance (SFS) program.

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 2:25 PM

Brookings economist tapped to head CBO (AP)

Brookings economist tapped to head CBO (AP)
AP - Democrats taking over Congress have chosen Brookings Institution economist Peter Orszag as director of the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office, which issues forecasts and provides lawmakers with cost estimates for legislation.

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 2:01 PM

Part-time faculty on rise, report says

Part-time faculty on rise, report says
Source: Boston Globe
More than half the faculty at Boston University, Northeastern, Tufts, and Harvard are part-time or are not on the tenure track, according to a report released yesterday.

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 1:56 PM

U.S. job activity little changed in October: Labor (Reuters)

U.S. job activity little changed in October: Labor (Reuters)
Reuters - U.S. job openings, hires and job turnover rates were little changed in October, the Labor Department said on Tuesday.

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 1:46 PM

Seattle: Local job forecast looks good for first quarter

Local job forecast looks good for first quarter
Puget Sound-area employers expect to hire at a healthy pace during the first quarter of 2007, according to an employment agency's survey.

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 1:43 PM

USA: Workers' comp has room to maneuver, despite unions' call for rollback on changes

USA: Workers' comp has room to maneuver, despite unions' call for rollback on changes
LabourStart headline
Work comp, as it's called, was the single most important issue for the business interests that backed Schwarzenegger's re-election and for many groups, such as labor unions, that wanted Angelides to prevail. The reason is simple: lots of money.

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 1:42 PM

USA: American Truckers: Sweatshops on Wheels, Adrift In A Tumultuous Sea

USA: American Truckers: Sweatshops on Wheels, Adrift In A Tumultuous Sea
LabourStart headline
This must be the week to write about truckers, with Stephen Labaton's article in the NY Times last Tuesday and now Steve Franklin and Darnell Little's article in the Chicago Tribune yesterday. Labaton focused primarily on the regulatory cave-in by the Bush administration, which has resisted efforts to reduce the number of hours that truckers spend on the road and working. In fact, Labaton writes, the Bush administration has actually expanded the number of hours truckers can spend driving. His article failed, however, to delve into the deeper structural issues in the industry that are driving truckers to cheat, lie, take drugs and speed.

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 1:41 PM

Indiana: Marion Co. schools struggle to fatten rosters of substitutes

Marion Co. schools struggle to fatten rosters of substitutes
More than 40 classrooms across Marion County go without teachers on a typical day because districts have too few substitutes -- leaving enough kids teacherless to fill three small elementaries.

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 11:56 AM

Black workers allege bias at Houston company

Black workers allege bias at Houston company
The EEOC has sued a Houston construction company, alleging it treated black employees differently by denying them access to power tools and not giving them time for lunch.

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 10:35 AM

UPS offers buyouts to 650

UPS offers buyouts to 650
UPS announced Monday it has offered voluntary separation packages to about 650 employees. The workers have until Jan. 29 to accept the offers. The company said the program is intended to eliminate redundant positions. UPS said the impact of the offer on financial results won't be determined until after that deadline.

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 10:33 AM

Comair pilots ok strike if talks fail

Comair pilots ok strike if talks fail
Comair pilots overwhelmingly gave their union leaders authorization to call a strike if they determine it's necessary in the continuing dispute with the regional airline over contract concessions. Pilots had been voting by mail since last month on whether to give union leaders authority to call a strike against the Delta Air Lines subsidiary. The Air Line Pilots Association, representing Comair's 1,500 pilots, said the vote was 93.2 percent in favor of the authorization, but union spokesman Paul Denke said pilots still hope to reach a consensual pay-cutting deal with Comair. "This vote tally by Comair pilots sends a loud and clear message to our management and Delta management that we are united in our resolve and will not work under imposed conditions," said Denke. "If management will not work with us and negotiate a fair and consensual agreement — one pilots can afford to live under — we now have the authorization to call for a strike."

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 10:33 AM

Minnesota hiring prospects dim

Area hiring prospects dim
Don't include finding a new job on your list of New Year's resolutions. The hiring outlook isn't all that great. Twin Cities employers expect to hire at a sluggish pace during the first quarter of 2007, a Manpower employment survey found. Of the companies interviewed about their hiring plans, 28 percent expect to reduce their payrolls. Another 48 percent expect to maintain their current staff levels. Just 18 percent plan to hire more employees.

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 10:29 AM

Careers: Work-at-home traps and tips

CAREERS: Work-at-home traps and tips
The lure of working from home attracts many — who then are profoundly disillusioned when they respond to work-from-home ads.

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 10:25 AM

Counting on jobs

Counting on jobs
The hiring of full-time accounting and finance professionals in the Kansas City area is expected to increase in the first quarter of 2007, according to a survey of CFOs.

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 10:20 AM

Work Space: Leaders shouldn’t be afraid to learn

WORK SPACE: Leaders shouldn’t be afraid to learn
At workplace training seminars, one comment frequently heard from attendees is: “My boss should have been here to hear that.”

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 10:19 AM

Kansas City-area hiring forecast appears somewhat sunny

LABOR SCENE: KC-area hiring forecast appears somewhat sunny
While the Kansas City area’s jobless rate hovers above 5 percent, the hiring outlook remains relatively bright.

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 10:17 AM

Hiring in early '07 expected to be soft

Hiring in early '07 expected to be soft
By Associated Press
MILWAUKEE -- Twenty-three percent of US employers plan to hire more people in the first quarter of next year, a level of growth on par with the same period last year but lower than more recent quarters, according to a survey of 14,000 companies.

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 10:11 AM

Daimler to cut 4,000 workers

Daimler to cut 4,000 workers
By Bloomberg News
DaimlerChrysler AG, the world's largest truck maker, is preparing to lay off 4,000 workers in North America because it expects sales to slump next year.

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 10:10 AM

Monday, December 11, 2006

Performance appraisals get low marks

Performance appraisals get low marks
Consultant Dick Grote has spent many years thinking about the systems companies use to let employees know whether they're measuring up.

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 4:30 PM

Cities Face Life Without 16 Ford Plants

Cities Face Life Without 16 Ford Plants
By AP
LORAIN, Ohio -- He glances through the chain-link fence at hulking, dark buildings and weeds growing tall in pavement cracks. The chilling scene on a gray November day makes John "Larry" Wargo sigh with sadness. He remembers when the parking lots were packed _ with workers' cars and freshly assembled vehicles waiting to be sent from the Lorain Ford Assembly Plant to market.

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 3:45 PM

Working on the railroad looks good for the long haul

Working on the railroad looks good for the long haul
The hours are irregular and the work means long days away from home, but 22-year-old Brady Foster is following in his father's footsteps and signing on with the railroad.

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 3:03 PM

Experts: Minimum wage hike won't solve poverty

Experts: Minimum wage hike won't solve poverty
A proposed hike that would bring the federal minimum wage to $7.25 would give workers their first raise since the minimum increased to $5.15 in 1997. But some low-income workers and their advocates say the wage increase won't affect many workers and is not a way out of poverty for minimum wage workers.

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 3:02 PM

Ford now aims buyouts at white-collar staff

Ford now aims buyouts at white-collar staff
In StarTribune.com Business
DEARBORN, MICH. - Ford Motor Co. will begin offering buyouts to the bulk of its white-collar workforce Monday as part of the automaker's ongoing effort to cut its payroll and return to profitability. In most departments, Ford is expected to offer buyouts to 85 percent of salaried employees. Ford said in September that it plans to cut 10,000 of its 38,500 U.S. salaried positions by 2008. The company hopes to meet that goal through voluntary buyouts, but it has said it will resort to involuntary layoffs if necessary.

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 2:30 PM

Tough Times for Transit Workers

Tough Times for Transit Workers
Source: Gotham Gazette
Though it happened a year ago, the 60-hour transit strike of 2005 is still very much alive for the members of Transport Workers Union Local 100.

--They await the findings of a state arbitration panel on the terms of their new contract, terms that, under state labor law, they must accept.

--Union members are electing a president and other local officials, with results to be tallied on December 15.

--The union members remains sharply split over the effects of last years strike on their individual well-being, on the union and on the labor movement as a whole.

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 1:59 PM

Labor sees new day in Southern Nevada: Recent orchestration of hospital deal shows unions very much alive

Labor sees new day in Southern Nevada: Recent orchestration of hospital deal shows unions very much alive
Source: Las Vegas Sun
If there was any doubt about the resurgence of organized labor in Southern Nevada, it was erased last week when union leaders persuaded elected officials to broker a deal to get hospital nurses back to work. Even Republican Gov.-elect Jim Gibbons, a political foe of labor, sat down behind closed doors - with three union-friendly Democrats - to force management at Desert Springs Hospital and Valley Hospital Medical Center to return to collective bargaining after locking out the nurses.

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 1:58 PM

AFT faculty union at SUNY warns against threat posed by privatization

AFT faculty union at SUNY warns against threat posed by privatization
Source: UUP
The head of the union representing faculty at the State University of New York, including health care professionals at the three SUNY hospitals, today urged the state Assembly to reject the Berger Commission's recommendations aimed at privatizing the public hospitals in Brooklyn, Syracuse and Stony Brook.

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 1:53 PM

6 of 10 unions at Philly newspapers ratify contracts

6 of 10 unions at Philly newspapers ratify contracts
Source: Business Week
Six of 10 unions at Philadelphia's two largest newspapers have voted to ratify their three-year labor contracts, officials said Monday.

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 1:53 PM

10,000 New Jersey public workers rally against benefits cut

10,000 New Jersey public workers rally against benefits cut
Source: Bloomberg Business News
More than 10,000 New Jersey teachers and government workers rallied in front of the Statehouse today, protesting benefits cuts proposed by lawmakers to reduce the state's highest-in-the-nation property taxes.

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 1:50 PM

Millions in U.S. now telecommute

Millions in U.S. now telecommute
Telecommuting is becoming more common, and across more industries. In King County, 9.4 percent of adults who are working or in school are telecommuters.

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 1:44 PM

DuPont Cutting 1,500 Jobs

DuPont Cutting 1,500 Jobs
By By ALEX DOMINGUEZ, Associated Press Writer
DuPont Co. is cutting 1,500 jobs and consolidating manufacturing in its agriculture and nutrition division, and the chemical company said it will put the $100 million in annual savings into its seeds business as it steps up competition with rival...

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 1:15 PM

Future looks brighter for college grads

Future looks brighter for college grads
Employers plan to hire 17.4% more graduates this year, study finds.

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 11:58 AM

Poinsettias a clue: Bay Area is back in business / Unemployment in the region is falling, and companies have more money to spend

Poinsettias a clue: Bay Area is back in business / Unemployment in the region is falling, and companies have more money to spend
By Carolyn Said
Are poinsettias a sign that the Bay Area economy is flourishing? They are if you listen to Sara Hutchinson, owner of In-House Greens, who makes her living providing and maintaining plants and flowers for Bay Area offices. After the dot-com...

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 11:55 AM

Judge OKs termination of Delta pilots' pension plan

Judge OKs termination of Delta pilots' pension plan
A federal judge Monday upheld an order approving Delta Air Lines Inc.'s request to terminate its pilots' pension plan, over the objections of 223 retired pilots. The group of retired pilots had appealed a U.S. Bankruptcy Court judge's ruling in September that said Atlanta-based Delta had met the requirements for its distress termination of the pension plan. Some had argued that Delta's assumption about the number of pilots who would retire early if their lump-sum pension payment option was restored was flawed. They also argued that Delta had not explored other ways to reduce the number of early retirees before seeking termination of the pension plan.

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 10:34 AM

New contract could keep a roof over their heads

New contract could keep a roof over their heads
Grant and Anne Lindquist know a lot about stretching a $48,000 income stream. Their money covers the costs of a four-member household and the carpentry-painting business that Grant Lindquist owns.

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 10:27 AM

Striking workers at Goodyear seek global support

Striking workers at Goodyear seek global support
Birgit Birgersson-Brorsson, a union officer for IF Metall in Sweden, spent an afternoon recently with strikers on a Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. picket line. Wood scraps burning in a barrel helped keep them warm.

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 10:22 AM

Youngsters lend voices to national protest

Youngsters lend voices to national protest
By Adrienne P. Samuels, Globe Staff
SOMERVILLE -- About 50 fifth-graders and their parents marched outside a supermarket yesterday to lend their voices to a growing nationwide protest against stores stocking the products of Smithfield Packing Co., the world's largest pork processor.

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 10:14 AM

Riding the life-science tiger in Massachusetts

Riding the life-science tiger
Just what the state needs: another business committee. Well, yes, actually -- if the new Massachusetts Life Science Collaborative can rationalize the state's current hodge podge of overlapping and competing efforts to boost this promising industry. Jobs for at least 600,000 Massachusetts residents and 10 percent of the state's gross domestic product depend on it.

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 10:13 AM

Video resumes enhance job hunt

Video resumes enhance job hunt
More tout qualifications in clips posted on YouTube, recruitment Web sitesBaker Tee is a job-hunting pioneer.

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 10:03 AM

At work, worrying about the kids

At work, worrying about the kids
Study finds flex-time, childcare programs offer antidote for anxious parentsMichelle Stone worries about her two children once they leave school even though they are enrolled in an after-school program.

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 10:00 AM

Friday, December 08, 2006

Labor sees opening to reverse trend

Labor sees opening to reverse trend
After 50 years of decline, the labor movement sees an opening to reverse that trend with the election of a Congress controlled by Democrats.

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 1:14 PM

Philadelphia newspapers' contract talks to resume

Philadelphia newspapers' contract talks to resume
A spokesman for The Newspaper Guild of Greater Philadelphia said strike preparations, which were revived after talks broke off Wednesday night, will be put on hold until Monday.

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 12:56 PM

Input sought on workplace law

Input sought on workplace law
The U.S. Department of Labor wants employers, employees and other interested parties to submit comments about the Family and Medical Leave Act.

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 12:41 PM

Working frenzy

Working frenzy
The U.S. continues to lead the industrialized world in the number of hours worked per week.

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 12:40 PM

Union rally over ferry employer / Dispute concerns Hornblower's hiring for Alcatraz service

Union rally over ferry employer / Dispute concerns Hornblower's hiring for Alcatraz service
By George Raine
For pure symbolism, there could not be a better venue for a union rally Saturday than a pier along San Francisco's Embarcadero, where the labor movement showed its muscle in a 1934 general strike. The rally and picketing scheduled for 10 a.m. is a...

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 10:39 AM

Siemens Energy Closing Two Ohio Plants

Siemens Energy Closing Two Ohio Plants
Siemens Energy & Automation Inc. said Friday it plans to close two plants in western Ohio, a move that will result in the loss of about 700 jobs. The Atlanta-based company, which makes industrial circuit breakers at the plants, intends to close plants...

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 10:38 AM

Employers boosted payrolls by 132,000 (AP)

Employers boosted payrolls by 132,000 (AP)
AP - Employers boosted payrolls by a respectable 132,000 in November, but the unemployment rate edged up to 4.5 percent as jobseekers streamed into the labor market by the thousands with the onrushing holidays.

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 10:35 AM

Thursday, December 07, 2006

American Airlines 'Insources' Maintenance Work

American Airlines 'Insources' Maintenance Work
NPR audio:
Worker input has allowed American Airlines to redesign its maintenance efforts, making operations efficient enough that the company is doing work for other airlines, including four from South America.

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 1:21 PM

AT WORK: Days off in December are dear

AT WORK: Days off in December are dear
Between now and Jan. 1, workplaces will be pockmarked by employee absences. Some are planned vacations. Some will occur when workers cram in use-them-or-lose-them personal days off before year end.

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 12:46 PM

New FedEx distribution terminal in Kansas City adds more than 325 jobs

New FedEx distribution terminal adds more than 325 jobs
FedEx Ground has opened its second terminal in the Kansas City area, adding more than 325 jobs. The $50 million, 236,000-square-foot facility in the Northland Park industrial area houses operations for FedEx Ground and FedEx Home Delivery.

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 12:45 PM

Employers Offer Electronic Medical Data

Employers Offer Electronic Medical Data
By By KEVIN FREKING, Associated Press Writer
Five of the nation's largest employers plan to soon give their workers a unique health care benefit _ their very own electronic medical record that they can take when they travel, change jobs or see a new doctor. About 2.5 million workers and their...

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 10:40 AM

Weekly jobless claims fall by 34,000 (AP)

Weekly jobless claims fall by 34,000 (AP)
AP - The number of newly laid off workers filing claims for unemployment benefits dropped last week by the largest amount in six months, relieving worries about a big jump in claims in the previous week.

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 10:36 AM

Wednesday, December 06, 2006

Workers Use Sick Days for Rest, Shopping

Workers Use Sick Days for Rest, Shopping
NPR audio:
For some, life gets so hectic during the holidays that it's tempting to call in sick to work and take it easy for a day, or finish the shopping. A recent Harris poll shows that nearly one-in-three workers admitted to calling in sick during the past year when they actually felt fine. Deborah Amos speaks with careerbuilder.com's Richard Castellini. His company commissioned the poll.

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 1:24 PM

Andersen workers brace for layoffs

Andersen workers in Minnesota brace for layoffs
Andersen Corp. is laying off 450 to 500 employees, workers said they were told Tuesday, possibly because the maker of windows and doors is feeling the effects of the housing-market slowdown.

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 12:19 PM

Jobs data raise hopes for payrolls boost (Reuters)

Jobs data raise hopes for payrolls boost (Reuters)
Reuters - A spike in private-sector jobs in November tentatively raised hopes of improvement in the U.S. labor market on Wednesday while a jump in mortgage applications offered some light in the dimming housing sector.

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 10:37 AM

Tuesday, December 05, 2006

Delta, pension agency reach accord

Delta, pension agency reach accord
By Associated Press
Delta Air Lines Inc. and the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corp. have reached a settlement over key issues related to the carrier's request to terminate its pilots' pension plan.

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 3:31 PM

Pact at Mercury reduces layoffs / San Jose newspaper's deal expected to save more than 40 jobs

Pact at Mercury reduces layoffs / San Jose newspaper's deal expected to save more than 40 jobs
By Ryan Kim
The San Jose Mercury News, poised to lay off 69 union workers this week, reached a tentative contract agreement with the San Jose Newspaper Guild on Monday, reducing the proposed layoffs by more than half. After a 20-hour negotiation session, the two...

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 2:15 PM

November layoffs rise by 11 percent: survey

November layoffs rise by 11 percent: survey (Reuters)
Reuters - Planned U.S. layoffs rose 11 percent in November from the previous month, led by a heavy round of job cuts in the automotive industry, an independent report showed on Tuesday.

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 2:13 PM

Labor cost growth lower than expected

Labor cost growth lower than expected (Reuters)
Reuters - U.S. worker productivity rose by a weaker-than-expected 0.2 percent in the third quarter, but unit labor costs grew less than initially thought in a sign of moderating inflation pressure, government data showed on Tuesday.

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 2:12 PM

U.S. Factory orders plunge

Factory orders plunge (AP)
AP - Orders to U.S. factories plunged 4.7 percent in October, the third decline in the past three months, and the biggest drop in more than six years.

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 2:12 PM

Service sector stronger than expected (Reuters)

Service sector stronger than expected (Reuters)
Reuters - Growth in the U.S. services sector accelerated unexpectedly in November and third-quarter labor costs grew more slowly than forecast, suggesting the economy may be weathering a manufacturing slowdown with wage-driven inflation coming under control.

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 2:11 PM

Indian School Case May Affect Casino Labor Policies

Indian School Case May Affect Casino Labor Policies
NPR audio:
Teachers at a Native American charter school in northern Michigan file unfair labor charges against school administrators after just two bargaining sessions. School officials are threatening to close the school unless the teachers vote to decertify the union. Tribal officials concede that the fight is tied to fears that unions would be able to organize tens of thousands of workers at Indian casinos.

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 1:25 PM

Delta pilots highlight US Air's abandonment of former HQ

Delta pilots highlight US Air's abandonment of former HQ
In an attempt to bring attention to what could become Atlanta's fate, Delta Air Lines pilots are taking their opposition to a US Airways takeover to the latter's abandoned former headquarters in Arlington, Va. Capt. Lee Moak, chairman of the union representing Delta pilots, is scheduled to hold a press conference near the former US Airways headquarters building vacated a year ago after the airline was purchased in bankruptcy court by America West. American West, now flying under the US Airways banner, remains headquartered in Tempe, Ariz. Top US Airways executives met with Delta officials and airline creditors last week to present their merger plans.

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 12:18 PM

Monday, December 04, 2006

Bullying happens at work, too

Bullying happens at work, too
It can affect emotional health, impact productivity, increase turnoverBullying doesn't stop when you graduate from the playground.

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 3:37 PM

Baltimore Port work rules decried

Port work rules decried
Local 333 fears for livelihood as trustees appointed in N.Y. agree to redrawn duties. Theresa Harden can still drive tractors all day, but at 61 years old, the longshoreman has a tough time crawling on her hands and knees in the belly of a cargo ship, a task that port of Baltimore workers do to help secure freight.

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 2:40 PM

Friday, December 01, 2006

Dade teachers ratify new contract

Dade teachers ratify new contract
Miami-Dade teachers overwhelmingly approved a landmark, three-year contract that boosts salaries and helps implement new reform programs in the fourth largest school district in the country, the United Teachers of Dade announced Wednesday.

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 4:50 PM

West Virginia: Violation for Mining Company

West Virginia: Violation for Mining Company
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
West Virginia regulators have cited a mining company for allowing workers in September to carry damaged emergency equipment into the Sago Mine, where an explosion in January killed 12 men. The heat indicators on six miners’ emergency air packs showed the packs had been exposed to excessive heat, the citation said. The violation notice was issued Sept. 7 to a subsidiary of International Coal Group Inc. A copy was obtained by The Associated Press. A company spokesman, Ira Gamm, said the company was contesting the citation.

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 4:01 PM

Talks Go on; Strike Averted at 2 Dailies

Talks Go on; Strike Averted at 2 Dailies
By KATHARINE Q. SEELYE
Management and unionized newsroom workers at Philadelphia's two daily newspapers agreed to resume their talks Friday morning.

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 3:47 PM

Family leave rule to be scrutinized

Family leave rule to be scrutinized
The Bush administration is examining regulations that give workers unpaid leave to deal with family or medical emergencies, making some supporters of the rules wary that worker protec- tions might be scaled back.

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 2:30 PM

Companies try speed recruiting for energy talent

Companies try speed recruiting for energy talent
You may have heard of speed dating, but how about speed recruiting? Four companies frustrated by a dearth of qualified oil and gas engineers in the current tight labor market have signed on to an unorthodox method of finding talent: quick interviews that may or may not lead to a good hire.

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 2:28 PM

Illinois Senate OKs wage hike

Senate OKs wage hike
Bill raising minimum to $7.50 sent to BlagojevichThe Democratic-led Senate sent Gov. Rod Blagojevich legislation Thursday to increase the state's minimum wage by a dollar an hour, a move that would make Illinois' new $7.50 wage rate among the nation's highest and place it atop neighboring Midwest states.

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 2:26 PM

Coke boosts diversity after lawsuit, final report says

Coke boosts diversity after lawsuit, final report says
Coca-Cola has kept the promises it made to boost diversity after a 1999 race discrimination lawsuit, a task force concluded Friday in its final report on the lawsuit settlement. Coke's chief executive said that, even with the case now closed, the beverage giant will keep working toward "color blindness." The task force monitoring Coke's diversity programs issued the last of five reports to a federal court judge overseeing a settlement the company reached six years ago with minority employees who accused the company of discrimination.

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 2:25 PM

Will minimum-wage hike help?

Will minimum-wage hike help?
Two months into her minimum-wage job at Target, Tara Dennis realized she and her three children would be better off if she were unemployed and on food stamps. So she quit.

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 2:24 PM

Kansas City area’s jobless rate is 2nd highest in U.S.

KC area’s jobless rate is 2nd highest in U.S.
Among metro areas with populations of 1 million or more, the Kansas City area in October posted the second-highest unemployment rate in the nation, the government reported Wednesday.

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 2:22 PM

Kansas City help-wanted ads edge higher

KC help-wanted ads edge higher
The Conference Board ’s Help-Wanted Advertising Index, a measure of job openings, showed the Kansas City metro area inched up in October from its September and August readings.

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 2:21 PM

Hotel workers' contract extended through January

Hotel workers' contract extended through January
A union contract for Boston hotel workers, which had been scheduled to expire at midnight yesterday, has been extended through Feb. 1 by agreement between union workers and hotel managers. Talks will continue over the next few months between Hotel Workers Union Local 26, also called UNITE HERE, and Starwood Hotels and Resorts Worldwide Inc., which operates four ...

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 2:17 PM

Wal-Mart bill debated

Wal-Mart bill debated
As appeals court hears case, Md. politicians look to other ways to expand health careAttorneys for the state argued before a federal appeals court yesterday to preserve Maryland's first-in-the-nation statute to force Wal-Mart Stores Inc. to spend more on employee benefits, but lawmakers in Annapolis have already begun looking for other ways to expand health care access.

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 2:10 PM

U.S. manufacturing sector contracts

U.S. manufacturing sector contracts
Construction activity drops by largest amount since 2001The slump in housing and autos took a bite out of the nation's manufacturing sector, which in November contracted for the first time in more than three years, a trade group said today.

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 2:10 PM

Marketplace: Coming to Work Sick Hurts Productivity

Marketplace: Coming to Work Sick Hurts Productivity
NPR audio
A new survey says that 56 percent of employers now say that "presenteeism" -- when sick employees show up for work -- is a problem. The surveyor says sick people reporting for work may lower productivity and make other workers and customers sick. Host Madeleine Brand talks to Marketplace's Bob Moon about the findings.

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 2:09 PM

Ford Buyout Drains Auto Workers Union

Ford Buyout Drains Auto Workers Union
NPR audio
Almost half of the hourly workers at Ford Motor Company have accepted buyout or early retirement offers. This means the United Auto Workers union is losing close to 40,000 members, which could significantly weaken the union.

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 2:08 PM

New Rules on Retaining Digital Business Documents

New Rules on Retaining Digital Business Documents
NPR audio
New rules take effect that help companies decide how many e-mails and other digital items they have to keep in case someone sues them and demands the documents be brought to court. Even small companies can generate millions of digital documents in a very short time, and systems for managing them can be expensive.

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 2:07 PM

Incomes rise but Midwest business down (Reuters)

Incomes rise but Midwest business down (Reuters)
Reuters - U.S. incomes grew steadily in October and spending rebounded, the government said on Thursday, but a Midwest business barometer showing a November slump raised doubts about the economy's direction.

# posted by Janice's Labor, Work, Economics News Blog @ 9:11 AM

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