Labor & Economic News Blog


Thursday, May 31, 2007

Lawyer Files Gender Bias Suit Against GE

Lawyer Files Gender Bias Suit Against GE
NPR audio:
A high-ranking lawyer fighting her demotion has sued General Electric, accusing the company of gender discrimination. The lawsuit alleges that GE pays female lawyers and women in entry-level executive jobs less than it does men in similar positions.

 

Nurses' Working Conditions Tied to Patient Infections

Nurses' Working Conditions Tied to Patient Infections
-- Elderly intensive care unit patients have less risk of infection if the units have high nurse staffing levels, says a Columbia University School of Nursing study.

 

Surprise rise in German jobless

Surprise rise in German jobless
BBC Business
German unemployment unexpectedly rose in May breaking a run of 13 consecutive monthly falls.

 

Nike vows crackdown on overtime

Nike vows crackdown on overtime
BBC Business
Nike is to crack down on the amount of overtime done at its factories worldwide to try to improve working conditions.

 

PC maker Dell to cut 7,000 jobs

PC maker Dell to cut 7,000 jobs
BBC Business
At least 7,000 jobs are set to go at computer firm Dell after it said it would cut its global workforce by about 10%.

 

Midwest business expands strongly in May (Reuters)

Midwest business expands strongly in May (Reuters)
Reuters - Business activity in the U.S. Midwest expanded in May at a much faster rate than expected fueled by a surge in new orders and stronger hiring, a report showed on Thursday.

 

Claims for unemployment insurance fall (AP)

Claims for unemployment insurance fall (AP)
AP - Fewer people signed up for unemployment benefits last week, an encouraging sign that the labor market is still in good shape even amid sluggish economic growth.

 

South Africa: Unions Deny Talks Breakthrough

South Africa: Unions Deny Talks Breakthrough
Claims by Public Service and Administration Minister Geraldine Fraser-Moleketi in the National Assembly yesterday that there had been a "major breakthrough" in wage talks with public sector trade unions were rejected by the unions, which insisted their planned strike would proceed tomorrow as planned.

 

Wednesday, May 30, 2007

The Persistent Lack of Diversity in Executive America

The Persistent Lack of Diversity in Executive America
NPR audio:
A recent report from Federal Times, a government-focused human resources magazine, indicates that blacks make up only 8.6 percent of senior executives. John Rice, founder of the non-profit advocacy organization Management Leadership for Tomorrow, talks to Tony Cox about the dismal numbers and what can be done to improve them.

 

Hundreds facing axe at Kwik Save in UK

Hundreds facing axe at Kwik Save
BBC Business
Ailing supermarket chain Kwik Save closes 79 stores across the country, leading to as many as 700 job losses.

 

Portugal hit by 'general strike'

Portugal hit by 'general strike'
BBC Europe
Portugal experiences disruption to public services as its largest union federation calls a general strike.

 

Group to help exploited workers in UK

Group to help exploited workers
BBC Business
A commission is launched to try to stamp out "shocking" exploitation of vulnerable UK workers.

 

Motorola unveils 4,000 job cuts

Motorola unveils 4,000 job cuts
BBC Business
Motorola is to shed an extra 4,000 jobs this year, as it continues efforts to reverse a fall in profits.

 

Monster U.S. online jobs index rises in May (Reuters)

Monster U.S. online jobs index rises in May (Reuters)
Reuters - A gauge of U.S. online recruitment activity rose for a fifth straight month in May as demand for workers eased slightly but remained strong, a global online careers and recruiting firm, said on Thursday.

 

More law, less play

More law, less play
Once recruited on good times, more summer associates prefer real work With ball games, barbecues and boat trips, area law firms have wooed another batch of summer associates -- in hopes they will stay on.

 

Limit on pay-bias lawsuits upheld

Limit on pay-bias lawsuits upheld
Supreme Court, 5-4, puts burden on workers to move quickly against employer discrimination. A deeply divided Supreme Court ruling sharply limits the ability of workers to sue employers for gender pay discrimination linked to actions taken years earlier.

 

Africa: IMF Policies May Impact On Education Quality

Africa: IMF Policies May Impact On Education Quality
International Monetary Fund (IMF) policies which require many poor countries to freeze recruitment of teachers in an attempt to curb spending is impacting on the quality of education, says a new report.

 

Thursday, May 24, 2007

Sexy on campus, unseemly at work

Sexy on campus, unseemly at work
Here’s a retail sales prediction: The sale of office-appropriate clothing for young women should zoom in the next few weeks.

 

EU adviser backs job protection

EU adviser backs job protection
In BBC Europe
A top European legal adviser gives qualified backing to trade unions acting to protect jobs and wages in the EU.

 

Third of bloggers 'risk the sack' in the UK

Third of bloggers 'risk the sack'
InBBC Business
More than a third of UK bloggers are risking the sack by posting derogatory details about their workplace, a study claims.

 

Social security for Indian poor

Social security for Indian poor
In BBC South Asia
India's government announces an ambitious plan to provide millions of poor people with social security.

 

South Africa: Race 'Not a Factor in Skills Search'

South Africa: Race 'Not a Factor in Skills Search'
Government recruitment of expatriate South Africans was not driven by race but by skills and a willingness to return to SA, said Deputy President Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka yesterday.

 

Southern Africa: Health Worker Shortage Limits Access to HIV/Aids Treatment

Southern Africa: Health Worker Shortage Limits Access to HIV/Aids Treatment
The dire lack of health care workers in southern Africa is threatening efforts to expand access to HIV/AIDS treatment, warned the international medical humanitarian organization Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) in a new report issued today. The report covers four southern African countries—Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique and South Africa—where more than one million people still need life-saving antiretroviral treatment but do not have access to it.

 

Nigeria: Oil Workers Strike

Nigeria: Oil Workers Strike
Oil workers will today commence an industrial strike action to protest the sale of the country's refineries.

 

Study: Calif. needs more college grads to maintain growth rates

Study: Calif. needs more college grads to maintain growth rates
By By RACHEL KONRAD, AP Business Writer
California's economy could sputter over the next two decades because not enough college-educated workers are moving here, and the state can't graduate current residents fast enough, according to a new report. The nation's most populous state needs to...

 

H.J. Cummins: Nurses' negotiator bargains for a life of her own

H.J. Cummins: Nurses' negotiator bargains for a life of her own
In StarTribune.com Business
Collective bargaining is a little like gambling. And Karen Patek, labor negotiator for the Minnesota Nurses Association for 40 years, has bluffed with the best of them. When Patek grows frustrated, she reflexively crosses her arms and releases a low, throaty "humh." For ideas she considers seriously bad, Patek escalates her response to a still understated: "Now, that is very troublesome to us."

 

McDonald's begins McJob petition

McDonald's begins McJob petition
BBC
Fast-food giant McDonald's has launched a petition to get the dictionary definition of a McJob changed. The Oxford English Dictionary currently describes a McJob as "an unstimulating low-paid job with few prospects".

 

Judge tells SkyWest to butt out of pilots group union-organizing

Judge tells SkyWest to butt out of pilots group union-organizing
SkyWest Inc., the largest independent U.S. commuter airline by market value, was barred by a federal judge from interfering with union-organizing activities by a pilots group.

 

With Internet, dealers turn the tables on Wynn: Organizing empowers workers, raises questions about accuracy of what is spread about employers

With Internet, dealers turn the tables on Wynn: Organizing empowers workers, raises questions about accuracy of what is spread about employers
Days after casino boss Steve Wynn notified dealers in a closed-door meeting that frontline supervisors would be included in their tip-pooling agreements, allegations were posted on a Web site popular among dealers that Wynn insulted them for taking huge tips from players.

 

US economy set for soft landing: OECD

US economy set for soft landing: OECD
AFP - The US economy appears set for a soft landing, the OECD said Wednesday, but it warned that the troubled sub-prime mortgage sector still poses a major risk.

 

Jobless claims rise slightly (AP)

Jobless claims rise slightly (AP)
AP - The number of newly laid off workers filing applications for unemployment benefits rose slightly last week but still remained at a level indicating a healthy labor market.

 

Wednesday, May 23, 2007

AirTran union leaders OK pilot deal

AirTran union leaders OK pilot deal
Leaders of AirTran Airways' pilots union on Wednesday gave a "qualified endorsement" to a tentative contract that would boost pay by more than 5 percent — and put it "squarely ahead of" rates for similar-sized planes at Delta Air Lines, the union said. The tentative deal now goes to AirTran's 1,500 pilots for a ratification vote. The union expects to release the vote results on June 28. The union said pay for AirTran captains with 12 years' seniority will rise from $152.57 an hour to $160.60 an hour, while a co-pilot with seven years at the company will see a pay boost from $78.37 per flight hour to $83.30.

 

Study: Older workers to be needed

Study: Older workers to be needed
Growth-minded companies in Georgia will need older workers to fill future jobs, according to a report released Wednesday by AARP. The number of American workers 55 and older is expected to grow four times faster than the rest of the work force during the next decade. That trend holds true in Georgia, where the proportion of workers 65 and older is growing substantially while the pool of younger workers is shrinking. Over the next decade, Georgia will continue to expand and see significant job growth as well as worker shortages, according to the report.

 

Many working women are trapped in a part-time world

Many working women are trapped in a part-time world
When Sharon Chismone landed a job serving coffee and muffins at an airport cafe, she was thrilled that she might be able to afford her daughter's asthma medicine.

 

Nigeria: Aviation Workers Vow to Stop Air Operations

Aviation Workers Vow to Stop Air Operations
Aviation Unions Grand Alliance (AUGA), umbrella body for all aviation workers in the country, has given the Federal Government 21-days ultimatum to pay 5,465 former workers of Nigeria Airways their salary and pension arrears, which have been denied them

 

Brazil union head cites poor training

Brazil union head cites poor training
The president of the Brazilian flight controllers union said that poor worker training and radar coverage contributed to the country's deadliest plane crash that killed 154 people. Testifying on Tuesday before a congressional commission investigating

 

Zambian textile firm sacks 1 000 workers

Zambian textile firm sacks 1 000 workers
Lusaka - A Chinese-run textile company, the largest in Zambia, is laying off about 1 000 workers following the temporary closure of its plant due to protracted losses, a union official said today. The Zambia China Mulungushi Textile (ZCMT) sent

 

Pregnancy Discrimination Increases in Workplace

Pregnancy Discrimination Increases in Workplace
NPR audio:
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has found that workplace discrimination against pregnant women is on the rise. Now, EEOC experts are looking for ways to help women.

 

Spying at Work Includes Peeking at E-Mail

Spying at Work Includes Peeking at E-Mail
NPR audio:
U.S. labor unions are battling workplace surveillance. A study from the American Management Association shows that more than half of employers monitor employees' e-mail. And more than a quarter of employers have actually fired workers for sending "inappropriate" e-mail.

 

Hoffa: Labor Conditions Must Improve in China

Hoffa: Labor Conditions Must Improve in China
NPR audio:
As top Chinese officials visit Washington for trade talks, an American labor leader is visiting China. Teamsters President James Hoffa has been meeting Chinese officials.

 

Georgia's job growth slowing, GSU forecaster says

State's job growth slowing, GSU forecaster says
A weakening economy will cut job growth from prior forecasts and cries out for at least modest action by the Federal Reserve, Rajeev Dhawan, director of the Economic Forecasting Center at Georgia State University, said Wednesday. The state should add about 55,200 jobs this year, roughly three-quarters of them in metro Atlanta, Dhawan said in a report released at the center's quarterly forecasting conference. "We have downgraded the Georgia job forecast number for 2007 by about 10,000 from our February forecast," he said.

 

University of California / Janitors win extra pay at 3 campuses

University of California / Janitors win extra pay at 3 campuses
By Tanya Schevitz
Janitors at three University of California campuses will receive extra pay increases to make their wages more in line with similar jobs in surrounding communities, under an agreement reached between their union and university officials. The agreement,...

 

Hundreds of police in border city strike, demand more pay and protection from drug hitmen

Hundreds of police in border city strike, demand more pay and protection from drug hit men
Reuters
Municipal police in Torreon, a city of about 500,000 people in Coahuila state, blocked patrol cars from going on duty and left the city largely unprotected in an attempt to win more money and better weapons.

 

Chicago trial set to examine union organizing tactics

Chicago trial set to examine union organizing tactics
CCH
A trial set for June 11 before a federal labor judge in Chicago could force major changes to union organizing tactics used to pressure employers and employees into accepting union representation.

 

New Hampshire town fires 4 for gossip about boss (AP)

N.H. town fires 4 for gossip about boss (AP)
AP - Can you be fired for gossiping about your boss? Four town employees here say they were, raising questions about fairness, free speech and a staple of life in the American workplace.

 

Peugeot strives to avoid job cuts

Peugeot strives to avoid job cuts
In BBC Business
Peugeot Citroen launches a massive cost-saving drive across the business in an effort to avoid further job cuts.

 

'Company man' wins fray over bosses' pay

'Company man' wins fray over bosses' pay
Jay Hancock What in the world happened to corporate America to make somebody like Bill Jones, a registered Republican and former senior manager for what's now Verizon Communications, turn on the system that gave him a career and a life?

 

Guinea: International Trade Union Conference Brings Hope to a Suffering Country

Guinea: International Trade Union Conference Brings Hope to a Suffering Country
The main union centres in Guinea, the CNTG, the USTG, the ONSGL and the UDTG, supported by the ITUC, and African regional organisations DWATU and the AFRO, will be holding a major international trade union conference to promote Guinea's development on 23 and 24 May in Conakry, the capital. The conference will address three main issues: economic and social development, governance and institutions, and human rights.

 

Tuesday, May 22, 2007

Montreal transit workers strike

Montreal transit workers strike
The City of Montreal can't afford wage demands being made by striking public transit workers and nothing will change that, Mayor Gérald Tremblay warned Tuesday. The city's 2,200 public transit maintenance workers walked off the job early Tuesday after late-night negotiations over wages and pensions broke down and failed to produce a new contract.

 

Caution: Take a Second Look at Your Independent Contractors

Caution: Take a Second Look at Your Indepenedent Contractors
By Sheppard Mullin on Independent Contractors
In a suit filed by Air Couriers International ("Sonic") against the Employment Development Department ("EDD"), to recover employment taxes paid for drivers who operated as independent contractors, the California Court of Appeal rejected Sonic's claim that the drivers were independent...

 

Stanford students hold sit-in at president's office

Stanford students hold sit-in at president's office
By Diana Walsh and Marisa Lagos
Eleven Stanford University students are staging a sit-in today at the university president's office in an attempt to convince officials that they should not use sweatshop labor to produce Stanford gear, protest organizers said. The students were joined...

 

Treasury union wins fight over border guards

Treasury union wins fight over border guards
A bruising battle between two federal unions has ended. The unions -- the American Federation of Government Employees and the National Treasury Employees Union -- faced off in an election last year for the right to represent employees at Customs and Border Protection, a bureau of the Department of Homeland Security.

 

Labor wielding clout in U.S. presidential race

Labor wielding clout in U.S. presidential race
With a weakened Republican president and Democrats given a solid chance to win, U.S. labor unions see next year's presidential election as a chance to revive their clout, experts and activists say. Unions have been energized by the

 

Mexican Workers Say No to Social Security Privatization

Mexican Workers Say No to Social Security Privatization
Sectors of Mexico's National Workers Union (UNT) went out on strike May 21, demanding revocation of the reform passed last March, which privatizes pensions of public-sector workers affiliated with the Mexican Social Security and Services

 

CP Rail seeks curbs on strikers

CP Rail seeks curbs on strikers
Canadian Pacific Railway asked courts for more restrictions on picketing track maintenance workers on Tuesday as a strike over wages and work rules ended its first week with no new talks

 

Canada: A false alarm over offshore outsourcing?

A false alarm over offshore outsourcing?
There is no clear evidence that the offshoring of business services has led to heavy job losses in Canada, according to a Statistics Canada study released Tuesday. Between 2000 and 2006, employment in occupations potentially

 

European Central Bank's Trichet Says European Wage Agreements Must `Avoid' Fanning Inflation

ECB's Trichet Says European Wage Agreements Must `Avoid' Fanning Inflation
European Central Bank President Jean-Claude Trichet told trade unionists they ''should avoid'' pushing for wage increases that fuel inflation.

 

Older people still working are a 'boost to the UK economy'

Older people still working are a 'boost to the UK economy'
Older people still working are a 'boost to the UK economy' The UK's ageing population is providing a multi-billion pound boost to the country's economy each year as older people work later in life, a report has revealed. People aged between 60 and 80

 

Wallboard maker USG slashing 500 jobs

Wallboard maker USG slashing 500 jobs
USG, the Chicago wallboard manufacturer hit hard by the housing slump, said Monday it will eliminate 500 salaried jobs, or 10 percent of its salaried work force.

 

Westell to cut 300 jobs in Aurora, shift output to Asia

Westell to cut 300 jobs in Aurora, shift output to Asia
Westell Technologies, a pioneering electronics manufacturer, notified employees Monday that it will stop manufacturing its broadband modems and wireless gateways in Aurora, eliminating 300 jobs by the end of the year as it shifts manufacturing to Asia.

 

Union asks its members to authorize Kroger strike

Union asks its members to authorize Kroger strike
The union that represents 12,700 Houston-area Kroger cashiers, stockers and meat cutters is asking its members to vote Wednesday to authorize the leadership to call a strike against the giant grocery chain.

 

Contractor safety measure is coming

Contractor safety measure is coming
In a Pasadena union hall near the heart of the Houston Ship Channel, U.S. Rep. Al Green, D-Houston, announced plans to reintroduce a bill today that would enable federal prosecutors to pursue criminal cases against employers whose willful violations of safety rules are linked to deaths of contract workers.

 

China's Manufacturing Boom Worries U.S.

China's Manufacturing Boom Worries U.S.
NPR audio:
Some U.S. lawmakers are concerned that the U.S. simply can't compete with the flood of cheap Chinese goods. But China's manufacturing boom is only getting bigger. The factories have moved inland, where city officials lure investors by claiming they can pay their workers half what they pay in other industrial cities.

 

Justice Dept. Sues New York City, Citing Bias in Hiring Firefighters

Justice Dept. Sues New York City, Citing Bias in Hiring Firefighters
The New York City Fire Department’s entrance exam is criticized, because Black and Hispanic candidates fail at much higher rates than whites.

 

AirTran, pilots reach a deal

AirTran, pilots reach a deal
AirTran Airways and its pilots union reached a tentative agreement for a four-year labor contract after more than two years of negotiations. The Orlando-based discount carrier said the pact will take effect in July if it is later ratified by the union's leaders and 1,519 pilots. "We are very pleased that we have reached a tentative agreement and we hope the pilots will ratify it and we can continue to build this great airline," said AirTran Vice President Tad Hutcheson.

 

California nurses rejoin AFL-CIO after 12-year absence / State labor group hopes new affiliation will give a boost to health care reform

California nurses rejoin AFL-CIO after 12-year absence / State labor group hopes new affiliation will give a boost to health care reform
By George Raine
The 65,000-member California Nurses Association on Monday joined the AFL-CIO, an affiliation the nursing group hopes will bolster its campaign for health care reform. The association, based in Oakland, is now one of 11 unions representing 325,000...

 

Britain: Job exodus abroad 'will continue'

Job exodus abroad 'will continue'
In BBC Wales
The loss of manufacturing jobs from Wales to countries abroad is set to continue, a BBC Wales investigation finds.

 

Italy strike hits air travellers

Italy strike hits air travellers
In BBC Europe
Thousands of passengers across Europe are stranded because of a strike by air traffic controllers in Italy.

 

Britain: Remploy to announce closure plans

Remploy to announce closure plans
In BBC UK
A firm which employs disabled people has unveiled cost-cutting plans to close 43 factories across Britain. A total of 32 of Remploy's 83 factories will close and a further 11 will merge with other sites under the plans.

 

Monday, May 21, 2007

Polish Doctors Strike Over Pay

Polish Doctors Strike Over Pay
Doctors launched a nationwide open-ended strike Monday, demanding a pay raise amid complaints that the Polish health system is underfunded and medical professionals are overworked.More than 200 of the nation's roughly 600 state

 

Alitalia canceling hundreds of flights

Alitalia canceling hundreds of flights
AP - Alitalia is cancelling nearly 400 flights Tuesday because of a planned eight-hour strike by Alitalia flight attendants and air traffic controllers, the struggling airline says. Alitalia on Monday listed 394 flights that were expected to be cancelled

 

American labor leaders bring bargaining tips to rival Chinese workers

American labor leaders bring bargaining tips to rival Chinese workers
AP
On Monday, the delegation was to give a seminar to ACFTU members on collective bargaining with global corporations and would also meet with Chinese officials including Jia Qinglin, the Communist Party's No. 4 leader.

 

Big pay hike for Malaysia workers

Big pay hike for Malaysia workers
In Asia-Pacific
Malaysia's prime minister announces pay rises of up to 35% for civil servants, their first increase for 15 years.

 

Coke says no China jail labour

Coke says no China jail labour
BBC Asia-Pacific
Coca Cola finds no evidence to support a claim that prison labour was used by a Chinese supplier of its merchandise.

 

Zimbabwe: From School Teacher to Sexworker

Zimbabwe: From School Teacher to Sexworker
Surviving the world's highest inflation rate is resulting in people ditching their professions and embarking on work, which they had never previously considered.

 

Appeals court overturns lower court ruling, lets DOD engage in union-busting

Appeals court overturns lower court ruling, lets DOD engage in union-busting
Washington Post
A federal appeals court, in a 2 to 1 decision, ruled last week that the Defense Department could go forward with some of the most dramatic workplace changes planned for civil service employees in 30 years.

 

Outsourcing to India for reporters / Web site to cover Pasadena council news from overseas

Outsourcing to India for reporters / Web site to cover Pasadena council news from overseas
By C.W. Nevius
Even the entrepreneur who came up with the idea admits it sounds like a joke. James Macpherson couldn't afford local reporters to work for his community news Web site, Pasadena Now -- so he hired two of them who live in India. They are expected to...

 

San Francisco Chronicle to cut 25% of jobs in newsroom

Chronicle to cut 25% of jobs in newsroom
By Joe Garofoli
To cut costs and try to adapt to a changing media marketplace, The Chronicle will trim 25 percent of its newsroom staff by the end of the summer. "This is one of the biggest one-time hits we've heard about anywhere in the country," said Tom Rosenstiel,...

 

Boeing Machinists narrowly approve contract

Boeing Machinists narrowly approve contract
ST. CHARLES, Mo. -- Nearly 2,600 union Machinists in St. Louis narrowly approved a three-year labor contract with The Boeing Co. on Sunday.

 

Drugged on the job? Today's tests make it easy to figure out

Drugged on the job? Today's tests make it easy to figure out
Companies lose $82 billion in productivity each year because of substance abuse. Now, a growing number of employers are fighting back with workplace drug programs.

 

Contractor Deaths in Iraq Soar to Record

Contractor Deaths in Iraq Soar to Record
At least 146 contract workers were killed in the first three months of 2007, revealing the increased risks they face as the military steps up its effort.

 

Florida: Job climate remains strong

Job climate remains strong
South Florida unemployment remains low, according to official data released Friday, as the region added more jobs than any other part of the state during the month of April.

 

More job-starved college grads are turning to trade schools

More job-starved college grads are turning to trade schools
For all the college graduates whose degrees in Catholic studies or history of medicine haven't really attracted a lot of jobs-with-benefits offers, Amy Wolfe has a suggestion: Learn a trade.

 

How an outsider can get an inside track on a job

How an outsider can get an inside track on a job
Elisabeth Leaf is the poster child for a successful job search. The 21-year-old University of Washington-Tacoma senior knew she wanted to work in urban planning. So a few months into her senior year, Leaf began cold-calling people who work in her chosen field and arranging informational interviews to glean an insider's perspective on what their jobs are really like

 

Black workers file bias suit against Bank of America

Black workers file bias suit against Bank of America
By Ross Kerber, Globe Staff
Bank of America Corp. discriminated against African-American employees by steering them to poorer clients and territories, five current and former employees alleged in a lawsuit filed in US District Court in Boston yesterday.

 

South Africa: Looming Strike, But No Talks Planned

South Africa: Looming Strike, But No Talks Planned
WITH only a week to go until a planned public sector strike that would be the biggest in a decade, the government has called on unions to continue negotiating to find a solution.

 

Nigeria: Oil Workers Meet Today Over Strike

Nigeria: Oil Workers Meet Today Over Strike
Oil workers will be meeting today to decide on a general strike over sale of refineries and pay cut in the industry. If approved, strike will commence Thursday.

 

Friday, May 18, 2007

More work-related mental problems being reported in Japan

More work-related mental problems being reported in Japan
More Japanese claimed and received compensation for work-related suicides and mental-health problems last year than ever before, officials said Thursday.

 

French leader to meet with Airbus unions

French leader to meet with Airbus unions
President Nicolas Sarkozy will meet Airbus unions today, and the struggling European aircraft maker's Chief Executive Louis Gallois held talks Thursday with one of the French leader's aides.

 

Texas jobless rate falls to 4.2%

Texas jobless rate falls to 4.2%
With 240,800 jobs added in the state in the past 12 months, unemployment is down from 5 percent year ago.

 

Sprint settles age bias suit for $57 million

Sprint settles age bias suit for $57 million
Sprint Nextel Corp. has agreed to pay $57 million to settle an age discrimination suit filed four years ago by employees laid off between October 2001 and March 2003.

 

Maryland unemployment remains 3.6 percent

Md. unemployment remains 3.6 percent
Despite the low rate, employers are adding few jobs, government says Maryland's unemployment rate remained a low 3.6 percent last month, but employers added just 600 jobs, the federal government said this morning.

 

South Africa: Minister Mum On State's Pay Intentions

South Africa: Minister Mum On State's Pay Intentions
Public Service and Administration Minister Geraldine Fraser-Moleketi refuses to say if the government intends raising its pay offer to avert a strike by public servants, but claims its offer matches labour's 12% demand.

 

South Africa: Lawsuit Looms Over Strike in Essential Services

South Africa: Lawsuit Looms Over Strike in Essential Services
THE government and public sector unions may be heading for court to do battle over the right of employees in essential services to strike, following threats by labour to put skeleton staff in place for a countrywide strike by public servants at the end of the month.

 

Dems sell out on Free Trade deals

Dems sell out on Free Trade deals
When Democratic and Republican leaders announce they have fashioned a "historic" bipartisan compromise on trade, put your hand over your wallet. It probably means somebody has been sold out. In this case, we think it's the broad coalition of citizens--labor and environmental advocates and others--who want to reform corporate-led globalization.

 

Texas lawmakers on the verge of rejecting accounting requirement that state and local governments disclose the cost of the health care promised to ret

Texas lawmakers on the verge of rejecting accounting requirement that state and local governments disclose the cost of the health care promised to retirees
Passing a bill would be an unprecedented rebuff to the independent board that writes accounting rules for the nation’s states and cities, and officials of the board are watching to see if Texas inspires copycat rebellions elsewhere. The accounting rule that has run into a buzz saw of criticism in the state capital, Austin, is intended to encourage politicians to deal ahead of time with the huge obligations they have imposed on future taxpayers.

 

Amtrak workers rally for contract

Amtrak workers rally for contract
For years, Amtrak workers believed their interests and those of the company were so closely aligned that union officials regularly trekked to Capitol Hill to ask for more federal money for the national passenger railroad. But with some 10,000 employees working their eighth year without an updated contract, at least one union has stopped supporting Amtrak's funding bid.

 

Hershey workers vote on tentative labor contract

Hershey workers vote on tentative labor contract
The fate of the Hershey plant in the Humboldt Industrial Park may have been decided Thursday night. The union that represents the roughly 400 employees voted on a tentative contract Thursday. The plant is one of six in Pennsylvania. Thus far, it has avoided any significant cuts. But that might change if the tentative agreement failed.

 

American labor leader to visit China in break with past shunning of party-controlled union

American labor leader to visit China in break with past shunning of party-controlled union
U.S. union leaders making a groundbreaking visit to China have denounced American corporations for opposing a draft law that aims to better protect Chinese workers

 

Union Plans Advisory Tool for Young Workers

Union Plans Advisory Tool for Young Workers
The Service Employees International Union has created an organization to help workers who lack health insurance.

 

Payday is nice day for some, not all

Payday is nice day for some, not all
Average hourly compensation last year ranged from $8.86 for food preparation and food service workers up to $44.20 for those in management occupations.

 

Thursday, May 17, 2007

Contract talks to kick off for 20,000 GE workers

Contract talks to kick off for 20,000 GE workers
The cost of health care will be a bone of contention when General Electric Co. on Monday begins negotiations with unions representing more than 20,000 of its workers, whose contracts are due to expire in June.

 

US labour leader Hoffa urges stronger China unions

US labour leader Hoffa urges stronger China unions
Source: Reuters

 

Conference Board sees economy contracting in coming months

Group sees economy contracting in coming months
A closely watched gauge of future U.S. economic activity fell in April, nearly reversing the previous month's gain and easing concerns about whether the Federal Reserve would raise interest rates.

 

The Sun, union start negotiations

The Sun, union start negotiations
Contract covering 480 expires June 24 Contract negotiations between The Sun and the union representing 480 newsroom, advertising and other employees began yesterday against the backdrop of steady declines in circulation and profitability, and competition from newer media.

 

Private Equity Deals Gain Clout, May Hurt Workers

Private Equity Deals Gain Clout, May Hurt Workers
NPR audio:
The recent sale of Chrysler by Cerberus illustrates the growing clout of private equity firms in the U.S. economy. But the growth of private equity firms also raises questions about its impact on workers. Members of a House committee delved into these issues at a hearing on Capitol Hill.

 

Jobless claims fall to 4-month low (AP)

Jobless claims fall to 4-month low (AP)
Newly laid off workers filing applications for unemployment benefits fell last week for a fifth consecutive time, pushing jobless claims to the lowest level in four months.

 

GM Plant in New York Braces for Closing

GM Plant in New York Braces for Closing
NPR audio:
General Motors is shutting down another factory in a small town in northern New York. The area will lose nearly 500 jobs, dealing another blow to its battered rural economy.

 

Wednesday, May 16, 2007

Recent Court Case Reinforces Importance of Employers Providing Employees with Notice of the Right to Request Leave under the California Family Rights

Recent Court Case Reinforces Importance of Employers Providing Employees with Notice of the Right to Request Leave under the California Family Rights Act (CFRA)
By Sheppard Mullin on Leaves of Absence
In a suit for wrongful termination in violation of right to medical leave under the California Family Rights Act (CFRA), a California Court of Appeal reversed summary judgment in favor of plaintiff's former employer because plaintiff provided sufficient information to...

 

It's a No-Vacation Nation: United States Only Rich Country Without Guaranteed Leave

It's a No-Vacation Nation: United States Only Rich Country Without Guaranteed Leave
When it comes to guaranteed paid vacation, U.S. workers don't seem to get a break.
While the French get 30 days of paid leave and most other Europeans receive at least 20, the country with the world's biggest economy does not guarantee workers a single day, researchers said on Wednesday.

 

New Chrysler Execs Pledge to Keep Workers

New Chrysler Execs Pledge to Keep Workers
NPR audio:
The leaders of the soon-to-be private Chrysler say they won't fire anymore workers -- aside from the 13,000 layoffs already planned. But the real test comes this summer when Chrysler's new owners, Cerberus, will start contentious contract talks with the UAW.

 

Tuesday, May 15, 2007

Auto Workers Union Adjusts to Going Private

Auto Workers Union Adjusts to Going Private
NPR audio:
The president of the United Auto Workers is hailing the sale of Chrysler to the private equity firm Cereberus. Ron Gettelfinger had originally opposed any acquisition of Chrysler by a private group. Now, he may be making the best of a bad situation.

 

United Auto Workers Support Chrysler Sale

United Auto Workers Support Chrysler Sale
NPR audio:
Cerberus Capital Management's deal to buy a substantial stake in Chrysler for $7.4-billion has found unusual support from the United Auto Workers. One possible reason is that the UAW might get control of the pension fund.

 

Friday, May 11, 2007

Path cleared for Free Trade deals by Congressional Democrats. Agreement makes labor rights part of U.S. policy

Path cleared for Free Trade deals by Congressional Democrats. Agreement makes labor rights part of U.S. policy
Congressional Democrats, who only six months ago struck a combative stance with the Bush administration on trade policy, reached a deal with the White House yesterday, clearing the way for approval of trade pacts with Peru and Panama.

 

Tuesday, May 08, 2007

United States Government Accountability Office Analysts to Seek Union Representation

United States Government Accountability Office Analysts to Seek Union Representation
Washington Post
A group of analysts at the Government Accountability Office -- often dubbed the congressional watchdog agency because it ferrets out waste, fraud and mismanagement in the executive branch -- plan to petition today for a union election.

 

Unions object to NWA Chapter 11 plan

Unions object to NWA Chapter 11 plan
Houston Chronicle
The three biggest unions at Northwest Airlines Corp. objected to its reorganization plan on Monday, saying its plan to give executives almost 5 percent of the company is too expensive.

 

Editorial: Corporation's cold-hearted firings add fuel to unions' fire

Editorial: Corporation's cold-hearted firings add fuel to unions' fire
Minneapolis Star Tribune
Virginia-based Circuit City, for example, did its part to inspire unionists in March when it fired 3,400 of its highest-paid employees, replacing them with cheaper workers. There was no union protection for any of the people fired -- or hired.

 

Study links rescuers' lung ailment to Trade Center collapse

Study links rescuers' lung ailment to Trade Center collapse
NY Times
In the first clinical study to clearly link World Trade Center dust to serious and sometimes fatal diseases, doctors have found that the number of New York City rescue and recovery workers with a rare type of lung-scarring condition soared in the year after the trade center collapsed.

 

Ohio Workers Feel Impact of Ford Plant Closing

Ohio Workers Feel Impact of Ford Plant Closing
NPR audio:
Ford says it will close an engine-casting plant in the Cleveland suburb of Brook Park and shutter another plant in the area for at least a year. Workers affected by Monday's announcement say it's not a big surprise, but it's still a tough blow.

 

Termination of employee who made a threat in the workplace cakked into question

Termination of employee who made a threat in the workplace called into question where employer's reaction suggested that statements were not actually perceived as a threat
By Sheppard Mullin on Termination
In Industrial Dielectric, 123 LA 822 (Arb 2006), a recent arbitration decision, an employer's immediate reaction to an employee's threatening actions towards the Vice President for Human Resources was closely scrutinized to determine whether the employer actually perceived the employee's...

 

Union sues to stop year-round IPS classes in Indianapolis

Union sues to stop year-round IPS classes
Teachers union members have filed a complaint against Indianapolis Public Schools and asked a state board to halt an IPS plan to put four schools on a year-round schedule that would add 25 days to their calendars.

 

Companies join push to seek health insurance for all

Companies join push to seek health insurance for all
Abandoning the business lobby's traditional resistance to health-care reform, a new coalition of 36 major companies is launching a political campaign calling for medical insurance to be expanded to everyone along lines that Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger is proposing for California.

 

Teamsters to question Chicago Tribune board about ESOP

Teamsters to question Tribune board about ESOP
The International Brotherhood of Teamsters union said Tuesday that representitatives intend to attend Tribune Co.'s annual meeting Wednesday, to question board members about what the union characterized as "major flaws" in the plan under which Tribune is to be taken private for $8.2 billion.

 

Ford to close Ohio plant in '09, cut jobs

Ford to close Ohio plant in '09, cut jobs
Ford Motor Co.'s financial troubles claimed more victims yesterday when the company said it will close a casting plant in Ohio in 2009, costing 1,100 hourly workers their jobs.

 

Monday, May 07, 2007

John Edwards believes a new labor movement is the answer to the country's great divide. Should corporate America be afraid of him?

John Edwards believes a new labor movement is the answer to the country's great divide. Should corporate America be afraid of him?
Fortune Magazine
In L.A., the former Senator arrived overscheduled and tired, but impressed labor leaders when he readily agreed to squeeze in an extra meeting with a group of kitchen workers on their break.

 

Weingarten to Unveil Plan to Aid Schools That Falter in New York City

Weingarten to Unveil Plan to Aid Schools That Falter
In a speech, the union president will also call for a “real debate” about whether mayoral control of schools should continue past 2009.

 

Job hunters give video a go

Job hunters give video a go
Fallon Rechnitz set her video-capable digital camera on a stack of books. She then hit the record button and spoke for about 30 seconds, instantly producing a video resume she plans to send to potential employers.

 

Wyoming struggles with understaffed prison

Wyo. struggles with understaffed prison (AP)
AP - More than a third of the correctional officer jobs at the Wyoming State Penitentiary in Rawlins are unfilled, making the remaining officers work extraordinary hours in a high-security environment.

 

Families discuss 'living wage'

Families discuss 'living wage'
In all the wrangling, negotiating and back-patting, one point seemed overlooked when the 2007 General Assembly mandated that Baltimore-area government contractors pay their employees a "living wage" of $11.30 an hour.

 

Friday, May 04, 2007

Nokia Siemens Networks to cut 9,000 jobs

Nokia Siemens Networks to cut 9,000 jobs
Nokia Siemens Networks, the telecom equipment maker that began operations last month, said Friday it will lay off up to 9,000 people worldwide about 15% of its workforce in line with previous plans. The cuts will include 2,900

 

American Airlines pilots seek 30.5...

American Airlines pilots seek 30.5 cent per hour pay raise...
American Airlines pilots asked the company Thursday for a 30.5 per cent pay raise plus signing bonuses, which union leaders said would make up for pay cuts that the employees accepted in 2003.

 

UK families need two earners

UK families need two earners
BBC Business
Nearly half of all UK families need two or more salaries to survive, a survey from Scottish Widows suggests.

 

Guinea soldiers riot over wages

Guinea soldiers riot over wages
BBC Africa
Soldiers in Guinea protest in several towns over unpaid wages injuring dozens of civilians.

 

It’s time for time off, vacation campaign says

It’s time for time off, vacation campaign says
Joe Robinson, author of Work to Live A group that has urged Americans to take family vacations together and to reclaim the family dinner hour now wants to make vacation a political priority.

 

After a Four-Day Safety Review, Subway Work Is Resuming

After a Four-Day Safety Review, Subway Work Is Resuming
Maintenance and construction was to resume on subway tracks and tunnels after workers had more than four days of safety review prompted by two deaths.

 

World Business Briefing: Canada: Court Rejects Wal-Mart

World Business Briefing: Canada: Court Rejects Wal-Mart
The Supreme Court of Canada rejected an appeal from Wal-Mart Canada over efforts to unionize another store in Quebec. As is always the case, the high court offered no reasons for its decision. The court’s move appears to open the way for the automatic certification of a store in Gatineau, a city across a river from Ottawa. “We’re disappointed but not surprised, because the Supreme Court rarely hears cases like this,” said Yanik Deschênes, a spokesman for Wal-Mart. Wal-Mart wanted a court order requiring that Quebec’s labor board conduct a secret ballot of employees. The United Food and Commercial Workers has asked for automatic certification under Quebec law based on the number of union membership cards it signed at the outlet.

 

Wal-Mart Discloses Some Compensation Details

Wal-Mart Discloses Some Compensation Details
Wal-Mart Stores disclosed for the first time its annual contributions to workers’ retirement accounts, profit sharing program and stock purchase plan.

 

Cal student workers fight for equal pay

Cal student workers fight for equal pay
IWW
At the University of California, Berkeley, student workers are fighting for equal pay. Cal students who work for the school's dining facilities, run by Cal Dining, get paid over $2/hr less than their coworkers who do the same work.

 

Tenement Museum workers in NY seek to join union

Tenement Museum workers in NY seek to join union
Reuters
Workers at New York's Tenement Museum, whose job is to recreate and portray the miserable work and living experiences of poor immigrants, have launched an effort to form a union and improve conditions for themselves.

 

Red Cross employees strike

Red Cross employees strike
The Sierra Madre Weekly
Hundreds of Red Cross nurses, blood collectors and other medical professionals who help supply blood for trauma centers, hospitals and emergency rooms went on strike Monday, demanding better work conditions and better public safety in the blood collection process.

 

Jobless rate rises as hiring slows (AP)

Jobless rate rises as hiring slows (AP)
AP - The nation's unemployment rate edged up to 4.5 percent in April as cautious employers added the fewest new jobs in more than two years, signaling that the labor market is starting to feel some of the strain of the sluggish economy.

 

Thursday, May 03, 2007

Teamsters Laud Bill to Toughen Cross-border Truck Standards

Teamsters Laud Bill to Toughen Cross-border Truck Standards
5/3/2007 The International Brotherhood of Teamsters said it supports a bill that was passed unanimously Wednesday by the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee that would force Mexican trucks to meet safety and security standards before

 

Cabin crew strike grounds nearly 400 Alitalia flights

Cabin crew strike grounds nearly 400 Alitalia flights
A 24-hour strike by Alitalia cabin personnel demanding the renewal of their collective bargaining convention grounded nearly 400 flights, the struggling Italian flagship airline said on Thursday.

 

UAW expected to make wage counteroffer on Delphi

UAW expected to make wage counteroffer on Delphi
CFO Fritz Henderson said GM would subsidize hourly wages for Delphi workers in 2007 and for an unspecified period of time after that.

 

New grad, 76, won't quit Winn-Dixie job

New grad, 76, won't quit Winn-Dixie job
For nearly 30 years, Winifred Clark has plodded through college taking one class a semester while supporting herself with a 4 p.m.-to-midnight stocking job at Winn-Dixie.

 

Magna International is in talks with Canadian and U.S. auto unions about unionizing tens of thousands of workers

Magna International is in talks with Canadian and U.S. auto unions about unionizing tens of thousands of workers
The auto parts maker Magna International, which is considering a bid for Chrysler, is in talks with Canadian and American auto unions about adding Magna’s tens of thousands of workers to their ranks, according to the president of the Canadian union.

 

Costly tade with China: millions of jobs displaced

Costly tade with China: millions of jobs displaced
Economic Policy Institute
Contrary to the predictions of its supporters, China's entry into the World Trade Organization (WTO) has failed to reduce its trade surplus with the United States or increase overall U.S. employment. The rise in the U.S. trade deficit with China between 1997 and 2006 has displaced production that could have supported 2,166,000 U.S. jobs.

 

Chicago's best bosses

Chicago's best bosses
Everyone knows the headaches and queasiness of enduring another day with a bad boss, and the delight and anticipation of starting a day with a good boss. What's the secret of the bosses who make work worthwhile?

 

Gap plans to reduce workforce / Spokesman says 'relatively small percentage' of jobs will be cut

Gap plans to reduce workforce / Spokesman says 'relatively small percentage' of jobs will be cut
By Pia Sarkar
Gap Inc. said Wednesday that it will cut jobs to bring down expenses, but a spokesman said the reduction will involve "a relatively small percentage" of the 150,000 people who work for the company's three brands. "Clearly some level of job reduction...

 

Union employees to get $277 million in NWA claims

Union employees to get $277 million in NWA claims
In StarTribune.com Business
Northwest Airlines workers represented by two labor unions will receive $277 million in unsecured claims against the company. U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Allan Gropper in New York ruled Wednesday that the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) and the International Brotherhood of Teamsters were entitled to the claims, which are tied to preferred stock that the company granted the workers in 1993 in exchange for contract concessions.

 

Monster online jobs index edges up in April (Reuters)

Monster online jobs index edges up in April (Reuters)
Reuters - A gauge of U.S. labor demand edged up one point in April, as growth in U.S. online recruitment activity and demand for workers eased following two previous months of sharper gains, Monster, a global online careers and recruiting firm, said on Thursday.

 

Jobless claims fell 21,000 last week (Reuters)

Jobless claims fell 21,000 last week (Reuters)
Reuters - The number of U.S. workers filing new claims for jobless benefits fell unexpectedly by 21,000 to the lowest level of claims since January, a Labor Department report showed on Thursday.

 

Worker productivity, wages slow

Worker productivity, wages slow
Interest rate hikes not necessary to keep inflation in check, figures indicate The growth in worker productivity slowed in the first three months of this year but so did wages, providing evidence that a slowing economy is holding down inflation.

 

Wednesday, May 02, 2007

Guatemalan Teachers Protest Again

Guatemalan Teachers Protest Again
Guatemala, May 2 (Prensa Latina) Guatemalan teachers will demonstrate again in this capital to demand the government's fulfilment of last March s contracts for salary increase and better conditions.

 

Dockers Strike at Major Chinese Port

Dockers Strike at Major Chinese Port
Hundreds of Chinese workers demanding overtime pay went on strike at one of the world's busiest ports, holding up thousands of shipping containers at the terminal in southern China, Hong Kong newspapers reported Wednesday.

 

Peruvian Miners, Government Renew Talks Aimed at Ending National Strike

Peruvian Miners, Government Renew Talks Aimed at Ending National Strike
Peruvian mine workers resumed talks with the government aimed at ending a national strike that threatens to disrupt global supplies of metals such as

 

'Wrong' Examples of How to Write a Resume

'Wrong' Examples of How to Write a Resume
NPR audio:
Hundreds of Web sites offer to help you build a winning resume -- for a price. So most resume writers choose to go it alone. The job site CareerBuilders.com says that may be a mistake. A recent survey of hiring managers turns up some howlers.

 

In Subways, Safety Course for Workers

In Subways, Safety Course for Workers
New York City Transit has designed an urgent refresher course in safety for workers after two fatal accidents.

 

Scarce oil-field workers are striking it rich

Scarce oil-field workers are striking it rich
As the oil and gas industry faces the dual pressures of an aging work force and a depleted pipeline of new recruits, workers in a number of positions are finding themselves more popular than ever.

 

Jobless rate in region sharing the euro falls to 7.2 percent

Jobless rate in region sharing the euro falls to 7.2 percent
Unemployment in the 13 nations that use the euro fell to 7.2 percent in March, the EU statistics agency Eurostat said.

 

Factory gauge points to recovery

Factory gauge points to recovery
The nation's floundering manufacturing sector turned in a stronger-than-expected performance last month, according to a closely followed survey released Tuesday, spurring speculation that the economically crucial sector might be poised to emerge from its slump.

 

Delta gives workers post-Ch. 11 payouts

Delta gives workers post-Ch. 11 payouts
Delta Air Lines employees got a "thank you" of the direct deposit variety Tuesday. A day after Delta's formal emergence from bankruptcy, the Atlanta carrier distributed cash awards to its rank-and-file employees as part of a cash-and-stock package the company had announced earlier. The $130 million went to about 39,000 non-union employees and 1,000 mid-level managers and equaled 8 percent of their 2006 pay. The average payout: about $3,200, the company said.

 

Kansas City jobless rate falls to 4.9 percent in March

KC jobless rate falls to 4.9 percent in March
There were about 13,800 more workers on establishment payrolls in the Kansas City area in March 2007 than in March 2006, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimated today.

 

Many female lawyers dropping off path to partnership

Many female lawyers dropping off path to partnership
By Sacha Pfeiffer, Globe Staff
For women, the law remains a frustrating profession. Female lawyers continue to face intractable challenges in their attempts to become partners, causing them to abandon law firm careers -- and the legal profession entirely -- at a dramatically higher rate than men, according to a local study to be released today.

 

Iran workers seek labour reform

Iran workers seek labour reform
BBC Middle East
Thousands of Iranian workers gather at a Labour Day rally in Tehran, demanding the resignation of the labour minister.

 

South Africa: Shape ANC Policy, Zuma Tells Workers

South Africa: Shape ANC Policy, Zuma Tells Workers
Presidential hopeful Jacob Zuma attempted to woo workers in a Workers' Day speech yesterday, calling on them to play a more meaningful role in African National Congress (ANC) policy formulation.

 

South Africa: Teachers 'Ready to Strike'

South Africa: Teachers 'Ready to Strike'
Teacher unions are expected to gather today ahead of tomorrow's mediator-led salary negotiation meeting, determined to strike rather than accept the government's 6% salary offer.

 

Tuesday, May 01, 2007

Chino Latino settles EEOC bias suit over Hispanics

Chino Latino settles EEOC bias suit over Hispanics
In StarTribune.com Business
The trendy nightspot Chino Latino has agreed to pay $325,000 to settle a discrimination lawsuit filed by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission that alleged it mistreated its Hispanic employees. The restaurant, one of the stars of the Parasole Holdings chain that includes the Good Earth, Muffuletta, Figlio, Salut Bar Americain and Manny's Steakhouse, also must hire a Spanish-speaking ombudsman to hear any future concerns, set up a hot line for complaints and train managers on discrimination laws, according to a court filing.

 

Hershey to close Calif. plant next year, cut 575 jobs

Hershey to close Calif. plant next year, cut 575 jobs
Hershey, the nation's largest candymaker, said it will close a California plant with 575 workers, the fourth such closure announced in less than three months as it seeks to cut operating costs and expand overseas.

 

Berkeley / Glover threatens to drop out as UC Berkeley graduation keynoter

Berkeley / Glover threatens to drop out as UC Berkeley graduation keynoter
By Rick DelVecchio
Actor Danny Glover says he'll boycott next weekend's UC Berkeley main commencement ceremony, where he's set to be the keynote speaker, unless the university system boosts the wages for custodians at some of its 10 campuses.

 

Lawsuit accuses Holland America of federal wage law breach

Lawsuit accuses Holland America of federal wage law breach
A Filipino seaman has filed a class-action lawsuit against Holland America Line Inc. of Seattle, accusing the cruise line of violating a federal wage law.

 

UAW readying a counter-offer on Delphi: report

UAW readying a counter-offer on Delphi: report
(Reuters) - The United Auto Workers union is readying a counterproposal as soon as this week intended to break its deadlock with bankrupt Delphi Corp. over wages and benefits, the Detroit News reported on Tuesday.

 

New York City: Work Stays on Hold After Deaths in Subway

Work Stays on Hold After Deaths in Subway
Over 20 subway maintenance projects remain on hold after the recent deaths of two track workers.

 

World Business Briefing: Japan Wages Fell in March

World Business Briefing: Japan Wages Fell in March
Wages in Japan fell for a fourth month in March, signaling that growth in consumer spending will be limited. Monthly wages, including overtime and bonuses, fell 0.4 percent after dropping 1 percent in February, the labor ministry said. In China, manufacturing activity expanded at the fastest pace in more than two years in April, according to a survey of purchasing managers. The Purchasing Managers’ Index rose to 58.6 from 56.1 in March, the statistics bureau said. That is the highest since the index started in January 2005.

 

Against the Odds, Army Meets Recruiting Goals

Against the Odds, Army Meets Recruiting Goals
NPR audio:
The U.S. economy is getting stronger and the U.S. war in Iraq is getting more unpopular. Normally that spells trouble for military recruiters. But for nearly two years the Army has managed to meet or exceed its recruiting and retention goals.

 

Bernanke: Economic isolationism would harm U.S. economy

Bernanke: Economic isolationism would harm U.S. economy
WASHINGTON---- A move to protect threatened American industries and workers from foreign competition would be a serious mistake that would jeopardize the sizable benefits of free trade, Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke said Tuesday.

 

Bring the office closer to home

Bring the office closer to home
Time spent around the watercooler can make a difference in how connected employees feel to the workplace.

 

Virtual assistants get job done off-site

Virtual assistants get job done off-site
They’re hired by employers who may never meet them.

 

Massachusetts unemployment rate drops to 4.4% in March

Mass. unemployment rate drops to 4.4% in March
The Massachusetts unemployment dropped to 4.4 percent in March, down 0.9 percent, the largest month-to-month drop of any state that month, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, which is part of the US Department of Labor. The jobless rate in Massachusetts had been in the 4.8- to 5.3-percent range since April 2004,

 

Union claims high strike turnout in Scotland

Union claims high strike turnout
BBC Scotland
Scottish union officials say there has been a high turnout for today's strike of civil service workers.

 

German jobless dips below 4m

German jobless dips below 4m
BBC Europe
The number of German jobless falls below four million to its lowest level for nearly five years.

 

Michelin to axe UK staff pension

Michelin to axe UK staff pension
BBC Business
Michelin will close its UK final-salary pension scheme and transfer members to a money-purchase plan.

 

Rare Macau protest turns violent

Rare Macau protest turns violent
BBC Asia-Pacific
Protesters clash with police in a rare demonstration over illegal labour in the Chinese territory of Macau.

 

Peru miners on nationwide strike

Peru miners on nationwide strike
BBC Americas
Peruvian miners begin a nationwide strike over pay that the government vows to declare illegal.

 

Wal-Mart accused on union tactics

Wal-Mart accused on union tactics
BBC Business
Wal-Mart uses aggressive tactics to stop its workers forming trade unions in the US, a human rights body says.

 

Ghana: Doctors, nurses strike in Accra

Doctors, nurses strike in Accra
BBC Africa
Health workers in Ghana's capital, Accra, start an indefinite strike calling for a pay rise.

 

Uganda: Govt Refuses to Set Lowest Wage

Uganda: Govt Refuses to Set Lowest Wage
Hopes of the government setting a minimum wage for workers country have been dashed after a cabinet minister revealed that such ratification would undermine efforts to attract investors.

 

Uganda: Unemployment Deepens

Uganda: Unemployment Deepens
FOR every one job in the formal sector, there are 50 people struggling for it.

 

Kenya: Government Concerned Over Labour Matters

Kenya: Government Concerned Over Labour Matters
The labour conditions in Kenya have not significantly improved over the last decade, the Government has acknowledged and announced measures to deal with the challenge.

 

Mozambique: Thousands March to Defend Workers' Rights

Mozambique: Thousands March to Defend Workers' Rights
Thousands of Mozambican workers joined the traditional May Day march through the streets of Maputo on Tuesday, demanding that the country's revised labour law should "maintain labour and union rights".

 

This page is powered by Blogger. Isn't yours?