Labor & Economic News - Institute for Research on Labor & Employment Library: June 2007

Labor & Economic News Blog

Friday, June 29, 2007

Contract talks start for guards / Union seeking pay increase, better health benefits

Contract talks start for guards / Union seeking pay increase, better health benefits
By George Raine
Contract talks for 4,000 union-represented private guards in the Bay Area and 14 security companies began this week, with their contract set to expire Saturday. The workers, who are represented by SEIU Local 24/7, are seeking improvements in health...

Ex-manufacturing manager wins ageism lawsuit

Ex-manufacturing manager wins ageism lawsuit
A Houston jury has awarded nearly $1 million to a former manufacturing manager who sued Input/Output, alleging he was fired because the then-68-year-old didn't fit into the company's new youthful image.

4 ex-KBR workers sue, claim sex harassment

4 ex-KBR workers sue, claim sex harassment
One of the women alleges that she needed surgery to repair torn muscles and ruptured breast implants after she was raped in a coed dorm at Camp Hope in Baghdad in July 2005.

Protesters in Seoul decry pending U.S.-South Korean trade pact

Protesters in Seoul decry pending U.S.-South Korean trade pact
South Korea and the United States agreed to changes in a pending free-trade agreement Friday as thousands of workers took to the streets of the capital in protest.

Hollywood braces for 'perfect storm'

Hollywood braces for 'perfect storm'
APM audio:
Contracts for Hollywood writers and actors are up for renegotiation soon, and studio heads are stocking up on scripts and rushing production in case of an industry-wide strike. Are even more reality shows on the horizon?

Past deals come back to haunt UAW

Past deals come back to haunt UAW
APM audio:
The U.S. auto industry is in trouble, and that means trouble for UAW members. It's a far cry from the heady days when the union could all but call the shots when negotiating with the Big Three. Alisa Roth reports.

China's Workforce Gets Rights

China's Workforce Gets Rights
NPR audio:
China has enacted a new law giving more protection to its workers. It's considered the most important labor legislation in China in more than a decade. It has been the subject of intense debate, including among foreign labor organizations and multinational companies.

Air Traffic Controllers React to Dress Code

Air Traffic Controllers React to Dress Code
NPR audio:
Air traffic controllers don't like a government dress code. It bans shorts, jeans, T-shirts, and halter tops. But some noticed that the regulations did not specifically ban men from wearing dresses. So, as a form of protest, they're doing that. The next time your plane lands it may follow directions from a guy decked out in the latest Ann Taylor summer

Delphi Workers Accept Pay Cuts

Delphi Workers Accept Pay Cuts
The agreement would eliminate a longtime job security protection and steeply cut their hourly pay.

Bush losing 'fast track' trade powers

Bush losing 'fast track' trade powers
President Bush loses his power Saturday to seal "fast track" trade agreements without intervention from Congress, where Democrats blame recent deals for sending U.S. jobs abroad.

Thursday, June 28, 2007

South African public sector strike ends after nearly a month

South African public sector strike ends after nearly a month
Public sector unions representing 1 million members called off a nearly monthlong strike today, bringing an end to a labor action that shut down schools and crippled hospitals across the country.

Journal staff protests Murdoch

Journal staff protests Murdoch
Unionized Wall Street Journal reporters didn't show up for work yesterday morning to protest Rupert Murdoch's bid for the Journal's parent company, as well as Dow Jones & Co.'s proposals for a new labor contract.

Germany: Unemployment Rate Declined in June

World Business Briefing: Germany: Unemployment Rate Declined in June
Germany’s unemployment rate slipped to 8.8 percent in June, from 9.1 percent in May, in a sign of better times for the country’s economy. The number of unemployed people fell to 3.687 million from 3.812 million in May, according to the state jobs agency. The agency said that 711,000 fewer people were jobless compared with a year ago. Some German officials have even warned about labor shortages for high-demand skills like engineers, a sign of how far the economy has come in reducing the jobless rate from above 12 percent in early 2006.

Jobless claims drop by 13,000 (AP)

Jobless claims drop by 13,000
The number of new people signing up for unemployment insurance declined last week, a sign that the nation's job market remains in good shape.

Wednesday, June 27, 2007

Worthy goal of flawed bill: Aiding unions

Worthy goal of flawed bill: Aiding unions
Source: NY Times
In the spring of 1949, the men who ran the steelworkers’ union decided to pick a fight over health insurance and pensions.

'Home Depot' amendment would bar cities from requiring labor sites

'Home Depot' amendment would bar cities from requiring labor sites
The amendment, sponsored by Sen. Johnny Isakson, R-Ga., is designed to curtail a practice in the California communities of Mountain View and Burbank, where city councils recently have forced Home Depot to build facilities for day laborers onsite or elsewhere, hire security staff and offer bathrooms in order to get the permits necessary for its operations.

'Marketplace' Report: Urban Dwellers

'Marketplace' Report: Urban Dwellers
NPR audio:
According to a report released by the United Nations Wednesday, more than 3 billion people -- more than half of humanity -- will be living in cities by next year. By 2030, 5 billion people will call cities home. The projections have profound implications for economies and the environment.

An early start for longshore contract talks / Workers, shipping companies don't want repeat of '02 enmity

An early start for longshore contract talks / Workers, shipping companies don't want repeat of '02 enmity
By George Raine
Negotiators for West Coast longshore workers and the companies that employ them will get an early start on contract talks next year in an effort to avoid a labor dispute like the 2002 lockout, when 29 ports were shut for 10 days. The two sides have...

Hanesbrands to Cut 5,300 Jobs

Hanesbrands to Cut 5,300 Jobs
Hanesbrands Inc. will cut 5,300 jobs, or 11 percent of its current work force, and close nine sewing and assembly operations as it moves production to lower-cost sites in Asia and Central America. The underwear and apparel maker said Wednesday it will...

Senate GOP blocks union sign-up bill

Senate GOP blocks union sign-up bill
Senate Republicans have blocked organized labor's top legislative priority this year - a bill designed to make it easier for unions to organize workers at nonunion workplaces.

College puts focus on working adults

College puts focus on working adults
Union members become students at Silver Spring school. For JoAnn Johntony and Davida Russell, a college education always appeared out of reach. Finding the time and money for education, while balancing work and family, seemed impossible for the school custodian and bus driver for developmentally disabled children, respectively, from Ohio.

Fewer checks bring job cuts

Fewer checks bring job cuts
The Federal Reserve Bank will eliminate 120 check-processing jobs in Baltimore by the end of 2009 as part of a consolidation of 22 regional processing facilities into four.

Northwest cancels flight after flight

Northwest cancels flight after flight
Northwest passengers have been spending a lot of time not flying out of airports lately. The airline has been forced to cancel hundreds of flights since Friday, and once again a labor-management squabble seems to be at issue. Martin Moylan reports.

South Africa: Ruling Party Lifts Lid on Strike Talks

South Africa: Ruling Party Lifts Lid on Strike Talks
THE African National Congress (ANC) went public yesterday on its involvement in attempting to end the more than three-week-long public service strike, despite persistent strong denials from the government.

South Africa: Unions Concede 'Tensions' Over Long Strike

South Africa: Unions Concede 'Tensions' Over Long Strike
Confusion over when the prolonged public sector strike would be suspended was highlighted at a press conference in Cape Town yesterday where a statement was released indicating the strike would end today.

Tuesday, June 26, 2007

Workers Split With Bosses on Leave Act, Survey Finds

Workers Split With Bosses on Leave Act, Survey Finds
The Labor Department will issue a report on Wednesday concluding that the public likes the law but corporate America has big problems with it.

GOP tries to block union bill in Senate

GOP tries to block union bill in Senate
Republicans tried Tuesday to block labor unions' top priority in Congress - a bill that would let them organize workplaces without secret-ballot elections.

Education gaps slow U.K. productivity

Education gaps slow U.K. productivity
Britain has enjoyed huge economic gains lately, but a new survey says overall rates of illiteracy and poor math skills are dragging down how productive the nation's workforce can be. Stephen Beard reports.

Wanted: Bilingual teachers

Wanted: Bilingual teachers
While most kids are out of school for the summer, school administrators spend the time looking for teachers. And in Texas, bilingual teachers are in particularly short supply. Joy Diaz reports.

Monday, June 25, 2007

UAW, Delphi Deal Calls for Lower Pay, Buyouts

UAW, Delphi Deal Calls for Lower Pay, Buyouts
NPR audio:
A deal between the United Auto Workers and the struggling auto parts maker Delphi calls for the company to slash workers' pay from $27 to $14 an hour. It will also shut down at least a dozen sites. And it will offer workers buyouts in an attempt to emerge from bankruptcy and avoid a strike.

Number of blacks joining military down (AP)

Number of blacks joining military down (AP)
AP - The number of blacks joining the military has plunged by more than one-third since the Afghanistan and Iraq wars began. Other job prospects are soaring and relatives of potential recruits increasingly are discouraging them from joining the armed services.

US economy 'uncomfortably' close to stalling: IMF (AFP)

US economy 'uncomfortably' close to stalling: IMF (AFP)
AFP - The US economy appears to be emerging from a period of sluggish growth but is "uncomfortably close" to the "stall speed" associated with past recessions, the International Monetary Fund said Friday.

Thursday, June 21, 2007

US unemployment applications rise (AP)

US unemployment applications rise (AP)
AP - The number of newly laid off workers filing claims for unemployment benefits shot up unexpectedly last week, rising to the highest level in two months.

Wednesday, June 20, 2007

Exodus From Our Classrooms

Exodus From Our Classrooms
About 500,000 teachers quit profession every year, costing schools billions.

Everybody mooches from the office, right?

Everybody mooches from the office, right?
About one in five people has left work carrying company property home for personal use.

Tweeter stops severance payments

Tweeter stops severance payments
By Se Young Lee, Globe Correspondent
When Ron Rivera, 37, arrived at Tweeter's distribution center in Vista, Calif., on the night of March 21 to begin his shift as a truck driver, he was told the company was closing its California operations -- meaning he was going to lose his job.

Maryland adds 3,600 jobs; jobless stay at 3.6%

Md. adds 3,600 jobs; jobless stay at 3.6%
Maryland's employment picture brighter than for nation; 3,600 jobs created in May Maryland added 3,600 jobs during May - about average for recent months, but a jump from the 600 created in April, the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics said yesterday.

San Francisco / Supervisors block police contract with 25% pay raise / Union head accuses board of playing politics, may request arbitrator in future

Supervisors block police contract with 25% pay raise / Union head accuses board of playing politics, may request arbitrator in future
By Wyatt Buchanan
The San Francisco Board of Supervisors blocked a contract for city police officers that would have raised wages 25 percent over the next four years, a pay boost the police union and Newsom administration say is necessary to stay competitive with other...

Tuesday, June 19, 2007

Four steps to a tech-savvy work force

Four steps to a tech-savvy work force
Everyone knows we are no longer the hog butchers of the world. So what is Chicago today, and into the future?

Monday, June 18, 2007

Long reviled, merit pay gains among teachers

Long reviled, merit pay gains among teachers
For years, the unionized teaching profession opposed few ideas more vehemently than merit pay, but those objections appear to be eroding as school districts in dozens of states experiment with plans that compensate teachers partly based on classroom performance.

It's the law: Stop making interns jump through hoops

It's the law: Stop making interns jump through hoops
Across the country, as millions of high school and college students spend the summer working as interns at small businesses, company owners should be aware that treating these young people as unpaid workers could run them afoul of federal and state labor authorities.

Friday, June 15, 2007

Wages outpace inflation in EU

Wages outpace inflation in EU
Labor costs in the 13 nations that use the euro rose 2.2 percent in the first three months of 2007 compared with a year ago, the European Union's statistics agency said Thursday.

V.C. Nation: In the Venture Capital World, a Helping Hand for Women and Minorities

V.C. Nation: In the Venture Capital World, a Helping Hand for Women and Minorities
By MATT RICHTEL
Technology investors have done a poor job of integrating African-Americans, Hispanics and particularly minority women into their ranks.

Keeping employees healthy: Companies offer exercise and nutrition programs for workers, but insurers have been slow to reward the

Keeping employees healthy: Companies offer exercise and nutrition programs for workers, but insurers have been slow to reward them with reduced premiums
Three years ago, Camico Mutual Insurance Co. tried to get a break on its medical insurance for offering on-site Pilates classes, fresh fruit and other good-health incentives to its 100 employees. But its insurers told the Redwood City firm they needed...

Ford sheds 27,000 workers in buyouts, early retirements

Ford sheds 27,000 workers in buyouts, early retirements
In StarTribune.com Business
DEARBORN, Mich. About 27,000 U.S. hourly workers have left Ford Motor Co. under buyout or early retirement offers, the automaker said Thursday.

NFL lineman, dead at 36, showed signs of severe brain trauma; Autopsy results spur debate with NFL, union

NFL lineman, dead at 36, showed signs of severe brain trauma; Autopsy results spur debate with NFL, union
The discovery of a fourth player with chronic traumatic encephalopathy will most likely be discussed when N.F.L. officials and medical personnel meet in Chicago on Tuesday for an unprecedented conference regarding concussion management. The league and its players association have consistently played down findings on individual players like Strzelczyk as anecdotal, and widespread survey research of retired players with depression and early Alzheimer’s disease as of insufficient scientific rigor.

Trying to save, N.J. actually drove up pension costs

Trying to save, N.J. actually drove up pension costs
In 2002, struggling to close a huge budget gap, the New Jersey Legislature hurriedly passed a bill offering thousands of state employees generous early retirement packages. Unions applauded because layoffs had been averted. Gov. James E. McGreevey claimed the state would save millions by cutting its payroll.

Delphi deal said near as UAW contract talks loom

Delphi deal said near as UAW contract talks loom
By Reuters
and bankrupt auto parts maker Delphi Corp. are "very close" to a deal with the United Auto Workers union that would help the supplier emerge from bankruptcy, a source familiar with the situation said on Thursday.

Thursday, June 14, 2007

Fed survey sees solid growth, including in Upper Midwest

Fed survey sees solid growth, including in Upper Midwest
In StarTribune.com Business
The Federal Reserve on Wednesday gave a more upbeat assessment of U.S. regional economies, as manufacturing and job growth picked up. Yet the strength of the economy, along with higher costs of fuel and food, hasn't increased pressure on wages and prices, the Fed said in its survey, known as the "beige book" for the color of its cover. The report lends credence to the forecast by Chairman Ben Bernanke and his colleagues that U.S. economic growth will rebound from last quarter's pace of 0.6 percent, the slowest in more than four years, while inflation gradually drifts down.

Unions lose on political fee issue

Unions lose on political fee issue
States may force public sector labor unions to get consent from workers before using their fees for political activities, the Supreme Court said Thursday.

Jobless claims unchanged last week (AP)

Jobless claims unchanged last week (AP)
AP - Applications for unemployment benefits totaled 311,000 last week, unchanged from the previous week, the Labor Department reported Thursday.

South Africa: Govt Services Continue Despite Strike

South Africa: Govt Services Continue Despite Strike
Government continued to deliver services Wednesday, despite the national public sector wage strike, which included solidarity marches involving private sector unions.

Wednesday, June 13, 2007

U.S Carmakers to Seek Labor Cost Cuts

U.S Carmakers to Seek Labor Cost Cuts
Contract talks between the U.S.-based automakers and the United Auto Workers formally begin next month, but the key issue is already clear: Eliminating the roughly $25-an-hour labor cost gap between Detroit and its Japanese rivals. Officials at General...

Setback for Ill Workers at Nuclear Bomb Plant

Setback for Ill Workers at Nuclear Bomb Plant
New York Times
A federal advisory panel recommended Tuesday that thousands of former workers at a nuclear weapons plant be denied immediate government compensation for illnesses that they say result from years of radiation exposure there.

Poll Reflects Dismay at High CEO Salaries

Poll Reflects Dismay at High CEO Salaries
NPR audio:
In a new Bloomberg/Los Angeles Times poll, most Americans say CEOs are unethical and overpaid. More than half of America's top CEOs make more than $8 million a year.

World Business Briefing: India: Industrial Output Exceeds Forecasts

World Business Briefing: India: Industrial Output Exceeds Forecasts
Helped by robust manufacturing, India’s industrial output rose a stronger-than-expected 13.6 percent in April from a year earlier, the government said. But the numbers heightened concerns that the Indian economy might be overheating, growing faster than the pace that can be sustained. It also fueled fears that the central bank might increase lending rates and take steps to restrain money supply growth to cool the economy. While the April growth was slower than the 14.5 percent rise in March, it was stronger than the 11 percent expansion forecast by economists polled by Dow Jones Newswires. The April data showed manufacturing expanded 15.1 percent in April, while electricity generation grew 8.7 percent from a year ago. Mining output rose 3.4 percent.

Pilots picket Alaska Air meeting

Pilots picket Alaska Air meeting
In Business & Technology
Dozens of pilots in their dark-blue uniforms and caps formed picket lines Tuesday outside Alaska Air Group's annual shareholder meeting...

East Bay Municipal Utility District / Strike sanction OKd for utility workers

Strike sanction OKd for utility workers
By Carolyn Jones
Two East Bay labor councils approved a strike sanction Tuesday for 1,800 East Bay Municipal Utility District workers whose contract expired April 27. The Alameda and Contra Costa central labor councils announced that their combined 250,000 union...

Workers unhappy all over in, Yahoo is just one company

Workers unhappy all over
By David Lazarus
Reports have been circulating for months that morale among Yahoo's employees is at a low-water mark. BusinessWeek said last month that a "crisis of morale" could cripple Yahoo's efforts to turn itself around. The New York Times reported Tuesday that the company "has experienced a steady stream of executive departures."

Wal-Mart gets split decision in two state court rulings

Wal-Mart gets split decision in two state court rulings
Wal-Mart Stores Inc. won one and lost one Tuesday as state courts in Missouri and New York split on whether worker lawsuits alleging unpaid wages should have class-action status.

SA sacks striking health workers

South Africa sacks striking health workers
In BBC Africa
More than 600 striking public health workers in South Africa have been sacked, a government minister says.

'Massive' strike in South Africa

'Massive' strike in South Africa
In BBC Africa
Thousands gather to march in South African cities as trade unions hold a general strike aimed at a "total shutdown".

South Africa: President Condemns Strike Violence

South Africa: President Condemns Strike Violence
Presenting the Presidency's Budget Vote in Parliament Tuesday, President Thabo Mbeki strongly condemned the violence and intimidation which has occurred in the ongoing public sector strike.

More Commuters Driving to Work Alone

More Commuters Driving to Work Alone
More people than ever are driving alone to work as the nation's commuters balk at carpools and mass transit.

Tuesday, June 12, 2007

Opening window to sue for workplace discrimination?

Opening window to sue for workplace discrimination?
NPR marketplace:
Congress is putting together legislation that would increase the amount of time workers have to file discrimination lawsuits against their employers. Supports say the current limits aren't reasonable.

Director's Discrimination Suit Goes to Trial

Director's Discrimination Suit Goes to Trial
NPR audio:
A lawsuit against Universal Pictures is headed for trial after an assistant director says he was fired from his job on a movie, 2 Fast 2 Furious, because he is black.

Pre-employment Testing: Between a Rock and a Very Hard Place

Pre-employment Testing: Between a Rock and a Very Hard Place
By Jon Coppelman on Business
Frank Lima works for the Los Angeles Fire Department, where he oversees the screening of recruits. Back in 2004 he was supervising a training drill that involved hoisting heavy ladders against a building. A woman trainee later complained that she was singled out and harassed during the drill. Soon after, Assistant Fire Chief Andy Fox told Lima that women have...

Union strikes a bargain with HCA hospitals in Florida

Union strikes a bargain with HCA hospitals
The SEIU Florida Healthcare Union and the HCA hospital chain have agreed on a labor contract covering 4,000 workers at six facilities, including three in South Florida, the parties announced Monday.

Bus drivers vote to approve union

Bus drivers vote to approve union
A national campaign to unionize school bus drivers yielded positive results in Kansas City recently for the Service Employees International Union.

Latin nations bemoan China trade

Latin nations bemoan China trade
It is billed as a "competitiveness" forum bringing business and government officials from across the Western Hemisphere to Atlanta with the goal of boosting trade, investment and livelihoods for the region's 800 million citizens. But no global business conference escapes the shadow cast by the world's 800-pound trade gorilla — China. Monday's gathering at the downtown Marriott Marquis was no exception. Many Latin American countries, struggling already to escape poverty by shipping inexpensive products to the United States, continue to lose markets to even cheaper Chinese exports. The Asian behemoth's 2001 entry into the World Trade Organization — which governs the world's trading system — furthered China's assault on the manufacturing world.

Who's earning what: Minimum wages worldwide

Who's earning what: Minimum wages worldwide
Yahoo! News - An interactive map with minimum wages from countries around the world with additional information on local economies.

Olympic embarrassment

Olympic embarrassment
Embarrassed organizers of the Beijing Olympics threatened Monday to cancel the contracts of companies accused of using child labor and violating minimum-wage rules to make Olympic-licensed products.

Home care workers denied overtime pay

Home care workers denied overtime pay
Home care workers are not entitled to overtime pay under federal law, the Supreme Court ruled Monday, a setback for a growing labor force of more than 1 million people. The unanimous decision came in the case of Evelyn Coke, a 73-year-old retiree who spent more than two decades helping the ill and the elderly and is now in failing health herself.

Boomers expect to delay retiring

Boomers expect to delay retiring
As baby boomers begin to ease into their 60s, most expect to delay retirement longer than their parents or grandparents. That's good, because many can't afford to stop working any time soon.

Continental Airlines, pilots to hold early contract talks

Continental Airlines, pilots to hold early contract talks
Continental Airlines has agreed to discuss early contract talks with its pilots' union, setting the stage for possible negotiations later this summer. The pilots' union is looking to get back some of the pay and benefits concessions they made in 2005 to help Houston-based Continental survive and prosper, Tom Donaldson, the new chairman of the local pilots' union, said Monday.

OSHA to intensify oversight of refineries

OSHA to intensify oversight of refineries
Nearly 300 federal safety inspectors will fan out to refineries across the country over the next two years as part of a stepped-up enforcement program prompted by the BP Texas City blast and other deadly refinery accidents.

Uganda: Museveni Opens Women Conference

Uganda: Museveni Opens Women Conference
PRESIDENT Yoweri Museveni said 'education for all' was crucial in eliminating gender inequality in the Commonwealth countries.

South Africa: Unions Reject 7,25 Percent Hike

South Africa: Unions Reject 7,25 Percent Hike
THE Congress of South African Trade Unions yesterday rejected a proposal by conciliators for a 7,25% wage increase to end a strike that has severely affected government service delivery, especially at schools and in hospitals.

Shop Stewards on Fantasy Island?

Shop Stewards on Fantasy Island?
With nothing but the very rich and the people who serve them, Florida’s Fisher Island is a stark metaphor for income inequality in America — and an irresistible target for labor activists.

Allies Cited for Human Trafficking

Allies Cited for Human Trafficking
The State Department yesterday added seven countries, including four Arab allies, to its list of worst offenders in failing to suppress human trafficking and forced labor, which it called "a modern day form of slavery."

Monday, June 11, 2007

A big day for business at the Supreme Court, as justices shoot down union pensions

A big day for business at the Supreme Court, as justices shoot down union pensions
NPR Marketplace
The Supreme Court released four, unanimous business-related opinions today. There was some bad news for Big Tobacco. And, as Steve Henn reports, it wasn't such a good day for unions either.

Best contract or worst -- grocery workers' union will decide

Best contract or worst -- grocery workers' union will decide
Negotiations resume Monday on a new contract for more than 20,000 grocery workers at Safeway, QFC, Fred Meyer and Albertsons in the Puget Sound. There are key differences over wages, health care, sick leave and scheduling.

Workplace whining becomes more brazen

Workplace whining becomes more brazen
Complaining on the job has become more prevalent as companies downsize, globalization increases job insecurity and outspoken youth enter the workforce.

Minorities less ready for retirement

Minorities less ready for retirement
Many U.S. workers are poorly informed about the personal savings it will take to retire comfortably, and they’re overconfident about income from Social Security and pensions.

South Africa: Govt Fires Striking Nurses

South Africa: Govt Fires Striking Nurses
Following a warning issued last week for striking nurses to return to work or lose their jobs, government has decided to act on its ultimatum and fire those concerned, with immediate effect.

Namibia: Many Qualified Teachers Unemployed

Namibia: Many Qualified Teachers Unemployed
Even though the Ministry of Education says there is a shortage of qualified teachers in the country, it turns out that there is a high number of unemployed teacher graduates trained by local colleges.

Today's dads juggle shifting roles, responsibilities

Today's dads juggle shifting roles, responsibilities
Today's dads are changing diapers, driving the carpool and cooking dinner - shouldering more child and household responsibilities than the previous generation of fathers.

Nigeria: Labour Unions Give Ultimatum for Oil Strike

Nigeria: Labour Unions Give Ultimatum for Oil Strike
BARELY one week to the June 18 expiration of the ultimatum given to Federal Government by organised labour to revert the recent hike in pump price of fuel and Value Added Tax (VAT) amongst others, or risk an indefinte strike, the leadership of the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) and its counterpart, the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) weekend directed all its leaders in the six geographical regions in the country

Economic View: Income Inequality, Writ Larger

Economic View: Income Inequality, Writ Larger
Income inequality is a hot topic in politics and economics. The rising economic tide is lifting a bunch of yachts, but leaving those in simple boats just bobbing along.

Fresh Starts: Can Blogs Become a Big Source of Jobs?

Fresh Starts: Can Blogs Become a Big Source of Jobs?
While running a Web log is a skill that more and more employers seek in their employees, finding full-time work in that world is still unusual.

Homefront: Their World’s a Stage, but Bills Must Be Paid

Homefront: Their World’s a Stage, but Bills Must Be Paid
Actors, dancers, singers and musicians could find fulfilling supplementary jobs in fields like massage therapy, psychotherapy and fitness training.

Union for Grocery Workers Sets a Deadline

Union for Grocery Workers Sets a Deadline
The union representing 65,000 Southern California grocery workers threatened to strike if a new contract with is not completed by June 21.

Health Costs Push Companies to Set Targets for Workers

Health Costs Push Companies to Set Targets for Workers
Many companies are playing a bigger role in managing and monitoring their workers’ health in an effort to cut health care costs.

An Editor’s Untimely Departure Is Captured in Just a Flicker

An Editor’s Untimely Departure Is Captured in Just a Flicker
John Curley, a former deputy managing editor of The San Francisco Chronicle, announced he was let go by posting the news on Flickr, the photo-sharing Web site.

Fewer Journalists Seeking Fellowships

Fewer Journalists Seeking Fellowships
Journalism fellowship programs are feeling the fallout of the media industry’s turmoil.

Investigating Mislabeling of Workers in New York State

Investigating Mislabeling of Workers
Gov. Eliot Spitzer of New York wants to step up enforcement on companies that illegally describe workers as independent contractors to pay less in taxes and benefits.

Friday, June 08, 2007

Kroger cancels second meeting with union workers

Kroger cancels second meeting with union workers
Kroger cancelled another bargaining session with union leaders representing Houston area workers today, as the grocery chain focused on avoiding a strike by workers in Dallas, according to officials with Kroger and the union.

The Real Cost of Offshoring

The Real Cost of Offshoring
U.S. data show that moving jobs overseas hasn't hurt the economy. Here's why those stats are wrong

Africa: 'Remarkable Turnaround,' but Aid, Trade Lacking - World Bank Economist

Africa: 'Remarkable Turnaround,' but Aid, Trade Lacking - World Bank Economist
As the 2007 Group of Eight [G8] summit concludes, African countries are still looking for industrialized nations to follow through on aid promises from previous summits. G8 countries have written off debt forgiveness as aid money and African countries are struggling to find funds to build basic infrastructure to participate in the world economy and meet the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

Ample Jobs, but Youths Are Choosy

Ample Jobs, but Youths Are Choosy
For youths who want to work this summer, the job market is strong. The bigger question seems to be: Who is going to take them?

The Class-Consciousness Raiser

The Class-Consciousness Raiser
In the nation’s classrooms, middle class teachers increasingly encounter poor students, often with disastrous results. Ruby Payne says she has the secrets to help them cross the great divide.

Should We Globalize Labor Too?

Should We Globalize Labor Too?
These days, capital and goods cross borders with ease. Lant Pritchett says that if the developing world’s workers could do the same, everyone would benefit.

Facing Gap in Budget, Newark Plans Buyout Offers

Facing Gap in Budget, Newark New Jersey Plans Buyout Offers
Mayor Cory A. Booker hopes to forestall layoffs, tax increases or service cuts by reducing the number of city employees in Newark.

High salaries draw 29,300 to police exam in Suffolk County, NY

High salaries draw 29,300 to police exam
East Islip, N.Y. - The exam isn't until Saturday, but 29,300 people apparently have already done the math. With a starting salary more than double that of the nearby NYPD — and potential patrols on sandy beaches or quiet suburban streets — tens of thousands of potential recruits have plunked down a $100 entrance fee to take the Suffolk County Police Department entrance exam.

Thursday, June 07, 2007

Whirlpool Eliminating 700 Jobs in Tenn.

Whirlpool Eliminating 700 Jobs in Tenn.
Whirlpool Corp. is eliminating more than 700 jobs at two plants in Tennessee that manufacture dehumidifiers, air purifiers and cooking ranges, the company said Thursday. The Benton Harbor-based appliance maker also said it is negotiating a licensing...

Minnesota's Governor veto shackles growth at agency that trains jobless for waiting jobs

Veto shackles growth at agency that trains jobless for waiting jobs
In StarTribune.com Business
Youth may be our future, but in the world of employment, so is something called "sectoral workforce development." That's when training programs ask employers in growing industries what they need in a new hire, then find unemployed people and equip them as quickly as possible to fill those needs. It's not as simple as it sounds, because lots of those unemployed people are new immigrants or high school dropouts who need basic help with such things as child care, transportation, work clothes, and simple encouragement.

Jobless claims off for 2nd straight week (AP)

Jobless claims off for 2nd straight week
AP - Applications for unemployment benefits dipped for a second straight week, indicating the labor market remains healthy despite a yearlong slowdown in economic growth.

Wednesday, June 06, 2007

Career Wardrobe gets women stylishly ready for work

Career Wardrobe gets women stylishly ready for work
Imani Diaz walked into the Career Wardrobe offices, pulling down her above-the-navel sleeveless shirt over stretch jeans that sat a bit too low on the hip. Fidgeting, she tried to smooth her short, curly hair into a ponytail, but it refused to lie flat.

Airways Workers Petition Yar'Adua

Airways Workers Petition Yar'Adua
Over 5000 workers of the defunct national carrier, Nigeria Airways, have petitioned President Umaru Yar'Adua, over non-payment of their benefits by former President Olusegun Obasanjo's administration, four years after the carrier was liquidated.

Union, CPR reach tentative deal to end strike

Union, CPR reach tentative deal to end strike
By CBC
Striking workers at Canadian Pacific Railway Ltd. reached a tentative contract with the company, the Teamsters union said Wednesday.

Many have second thoughts about new jobs

Many have second thoughts about new jobs
Call it buyer's remorse. Premature extrication. Or ''Oops, I should've checked with the spouse'' syndrome.

Union claims rival Dow Jones bid

Union claims rival Dow Jones bid
BBC
The main union at the Dow Jones media group has claimed that billionaire investor Ron Burkle is now working with them to mount a rival bid for the firm.

44 more in Star Tribune newsroom take buyouts

44 more in Star Tribune newsroom take buyouts
In StarTribune.com Business
Another round of goodbyes -- the second in three months -- began at the Star Tribune on Tuesday as the paper prepared to send 44 newsroom employees out the door with buyouts, most of them voluntary. Longtime reporters, a photographer, editors and support staff who covered some of the state's biggest stories during the past three decades said they were leaving to retire, go online or write elsewhere.

Minnesota: Hutchinson Technology eliminating 500 jobs

Hutchinson Technology eliminating 500 jobs
In StarTribune.com Business
Facing increasing competition and overcapacity in some of its markets, Hutchinson Technology Inc., based in Hutchinson, Minn., said Tuesday it is eliminating 500 jobs. Most of the jobs will be cut at four manufacturing facilities, two of them in Minnesota. The layoffs represent about 9.3 percent of its workforce at those facilities.

Productivity falls in 1st quarter

Productivity falls in 1st quarter
AP - The productivity of American workers slowed sharply in the first three months of this year but wage pressures eased as well, providing evidence that inflation is being restrained.

Tuesday, June 05, 2007

White male writers dominate Hollywood film, television jobs

White male writers dominate Hollywood film, television jobs
Despite some advances by women and minority writers, white male scribes disproportionately dominate film and TV jobs in Hollywood, according to a study released by the Writers Guild of America, West.

S.F. guidelines help clarify sick leave law

S.F. guidelines help clarify sick leave law
By Ilana DeBare
San Francisco officials released guidelines Monday clarifying the city's groundbreaking sick leave law, including directives about salaried employees and when employers can require a doctor's note. The law, approved by voters in November, requires all...

U.S. service sector expands (AP)

U.S. service sector expands (AP)
AP - Surprising strength in the nation's service economy, coupled with recent data showing the manufacturing sector is humming, suggest the broader economy may be shaking off slumps in the housing and automotive industries.

Suit seeks overtime pay for CIBC tellers

Suit seeks overtime pay for CIBC tellers
By CBC
CIBC has been hit with a $600-million lawsuit alleging the bank does not pay its tellers and front-line workers for overtime.

Airbus meets unions over job cuts

Airbus meets unions over job cuts
In BBC Business
Airbus bosses are meeting with union leaders to discuss the latest plans for its proposed redundancies.

Kenya: Insecurity Linked to Poor Pay for Police

Kenya: Insecurity Linked to Poor Pay for Police
Police officers in Kenya are disappointed that a report by a task force that was appointed by former police commissioner Edwin Nyaseda in 2003 seems to have been pushed to the back burner as they continue suffering.

Mark Penn, top Clinton aide, draws citicism from unions

Mark Penn, top Clinton aide, draws citicism from unions
The presidents of two large labor unions have written to Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton to complain that Mark Penn, her pollster and chief strategist, is chief executive of a public relations firm that is helping a company fight a unionization drive.

Move to unionize more workers at Atlantic City's casinos expanding to include security officers

Move to unionize more workers at Atlantic City's casinos expanding to include security officers
The move to unionize more workers at Atlantic City's casinos is expanding to include security officers.Guards at Bally's Atlantic City voted Sunday to join a union that has announced plans to organize about 2,500 workers at all 11 of the city's casinos. The drive comes as the United Auto Workers union also is trying to organize dealers at each casino here

Molson does not see impact from Edmonton strike

Molson does not see impact from Edmonton strike
Reuters
Molson Coors Brewing Co. said on Tuesday that a strike at a brewery in Edmonton, Alberta should not impact its ability to ship beer to customers as the summer selling season heats up.

Monday, June 04, 2007

Ford workers lose child care

Ford workers lose child care
In 1999, Ford Motor Co. posted healthy profits. Things were going so well that the United Auto Workers union was able to get the automaker to agree to build educational and child-care centers near many of its assembly plants, including the Claycomo facility.

Day care dilemma

Day care dilemma
One morning almost three years ago, Suzanne Cronkhite faced the predicament many working mothers lay awake at night worrying about.

Interns shouldn't be used as substitutes

Interns shouldn't be used as substitutes
Across the country, as millions of high school and college students spend the summer working as interns at small businesses, company owners should be aware that treating these young people as unpaid workers could run them afoul of federal and state labor authorities.

New York Governor Pushes Paid Leave Plan for Workers

Spitzer Pushes Paid Leave Plan for Workers
Gov. Eliot Spitzer wants to make New York the third state to give workers paid leave to care for newborn children or seriously ill family members.

NY City Police Hiring Crisis, Clouds of Contention

News Analysis: In Police Hiring Crisis, Clouds of Contention
A quick end to the long-running contract dispute between Mayor Michael Bloomberg and New York City’s main police union does not seem likely.

Is New Job Growth Benefiting Blacks?

Is New Job Growth Benefiting Blacks?
NPR audio:
The U.S. economy added 157,000 jobs for May and seems to be on the rebound, but how are black workers faring? Bill Spriggs, professor and chairman of the Department of Economics at Howard University, talks to Farai Chideya about the new numbers.

The Count: For One Gender, It’s Even Lonelier at the Top

The Count: For One Gender, It’s Even Lonelier at the Top
NY Times
If you’re a woman and you aspire to be a C.E.O., you’re better off working in nonprofits or health care.

Delta takes ASA workers under wing

Delta takes ASA workers under wing
When much of Atlantic Southeast Airlines' former staff reports for work at the Atlanta airport these days, they're clocking in for a new employer — Delta Air Lines. Still trying to get a handle on the misplaced bags and other problems that have plagued the regional carrier's Atlanta operations for years, Delta has just absorbed about 1,230 ASA employees who fuel aircraft, board passengers, and load and sort luggage.

A worker for janitors, guards: Jono Shaffer helped lift wages for cleaners in L.A., then moved on to security personnel

A worker for janitors, guards: Jono Shaffer helped lift wages for cleaners in L.A., then moved on to security personnel
LA Times
Justice for Janitors, part of a nationwide effort led by the Service Employees International Union, had lifted wages for 7,000 L.A. County cleaners, many of them illegal immigrants, and won them paid vacation time and family health insurance.

De-legaled Emigrants: Contractors in Iraq

De-legaled Emigrants: Contractors in Iraq
By Jon Coppelman on Business
In March of 2004 four contract employees of Blackwater Security Consulting were sent out into the streets of Iraq to provide an escort to a food convoy. They lacked heavy armour, they were never briefed on the nature and parameters of the job, and there was no pre-mission reconaissance.

Overall Hispanic Unemployment Swells; Women Gain Jobs

Overall Hispanic Unemployment Swells; Women Gain Jobs
The Hispanic unemployment rate jumped from 5.4 percent in April to 5.8 percent in May, according to data released Friday by the U.S. Department of Labor. This increase equated to 76,000 more Hispanics unemployed for the month. Overall, unemployment

South Africa: Unions, State to Discuss New Public Service Deal

South Africa: Unions, State to Discuss New Public Service Deal
THE public service strike that has paralysed teaching at government schools and left doctors at some hospitals without support staff is set to continue today. Labour and the government are expected to meet this morning in hopes of thrashing out a wage increase agreement.

South Africa: State Orders Essential Workers to End Strike

South Africa: State Orders Essential Workers to End Strike
Public Service and Administration Minister Geraldine Fraser-Moleketi has told essential service workers that they must report to work within an hour of their scheduled duties on Monday.

Zimbabwe: Teachers Demand Salary Increase in 7 Days

Zimbabwe: Teachers Demand Salary Increase in 7 Days
The lack of adequate funds for transportation is affecting the majority of civil servants in Zimbabwe. With nurses and doctors failing to report for duty in the last few weeks, teachers have now said the salaries they received last month are already spent and they will not be able to go to work unless they get the increments they were awarded last week, within the next seven days.

Zimbabwe: Health Sector Strike Continues

Zimbabwe: Health Sector Strike Continues
Patients continued to be turned away at Zimbabwe's major hospitals on Monday as the strike action by junior doctors and nurses continued. The situation has become so critical the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) described the health delivery system as being comparable to "a war situation." Speaking at a one-day workshop on human rights at the National University of Science and Technology in Bulawayo, the ICRC communication delegate for Southern Africa...

Africa: Decent Work Agenda Instrumental for Renaissance, Says President of Ghana

Africa: Decent Work Agenda Instrumental for Renaissance, Says President of Ghana
The ILO Decent Work Agenda can play a pivotal role in assuring human dignity and an African Renaissance, H.E. Mr. John Kufuor, President of the Republic of Ghana and Chairperson of the African Union (AU) said today in an address to the annual Conference of the International Labour Organization (ILO).

Friday, June 01, 2007

Federal Minimum Wage Set to Rise

Federal Minimum Wage Set to Rise
NPR audio:
The federal minimum wage will increase by more than $2 an hour over the next two years, reaching $7.25. The Economic Policy Institute says the hike will change wages for 4 percent of the country's workforce.

Pension Fund in New Jersey Faces Scrutiny From S.E.C.

Pension Fund in New Jersey Faces Scrutiny From S.E.C.
By MARY WILLIAMS WALSH
The move suggests that federal regulators are concerned that the state did not properly disclose its contributions to the fund.

Zimbabwe doctors strike over pay

Zimbabwe doctors strike over pay
BBC Africa
Zimbabwe's junior state doctors go on strike for the second time in six months to press for higher wages.

Employers add 157,000 jobs in May (AP)

Employers add 157,000 jobs in May (AP)
AP - Employers showed a decent appetite to hire in May, boosting payrolls by 157,000, the most in two months. The unemployment rate held steady at 4.5 percent.

Baltimore: 40,000 new jobs created in area

40,000 new jobs created in area
Arundel leads gain from 2000 to 2005 The Baltimore metropolitan area created more than 40,000 jobs in the first half of the decade, propelled largely by Anne Arundel County, new census numbers show.

South Africa: Public Servants Start Strike Today

South Africa: Public Servants Start Strike Today
THE public sector strike, which is expected to bring services across the country to a near standstill, starts today.

South Africa: Stayaway Paralyses Schools

South Africa: Stayaway Paralyses Schools
Schooling across the Western Cape came to a standstill this morning as thousands of teachers embarked on mass action.