Labor & Economic News - Institute for Research on Labor & Employment Library: September 2008

Labor & Economic News Blog

Tuesday, September 30, 2008

Young Chinese Rethink U.S.-Style Capitalism

Young Chinese Rethink U.S.-Style Capitalism
The gray waters around the port of Yantian are ominously empty. It's supposed to be peak season here, a time when the docks are filled with exporters shoveling holiday goods onto freighters bound for the United States faster than the ships are able to receive them.

Giant Eagle, Heinen's reach tentative agreements

Giant Eagle, Heinen's reach tentative agreements
United Food and Commercial Workers Local 880, the union representing thousands of area grocery workers, has reached tentative contract agreements with Giant Eagle Inc. and Heinen's Fine Foods.

Volvo to cut 1,400 staff at European truck plants

Volvo to cut 1,400 staff at European truck plants
Swedish truck and bus maker Volvo AB announced Tuesday it plans to lay off around 1,400 workers at truck plants in Belgium and Sweden to adjust to falling demand in the European market.

Boeing coverage ends for strikers

Boeing coverage ends for strikers
Boeing company health insurance runs out today for Machinists on strike. The loss of the medical plan will add immediate expenses for some with chronic health conditions.

Union trusts must provide financial data

Union trusts must provide financial data
The new Labor Department rules are designed to root out corruption. Labor union trusts that provide a variety of benefits for workers must disclose detailed financial information under new federal rules designed to root out corruption, officials said Monday.

Facts on Investing in Decent Work for Women

Facts on Investing in Decent Work for Women
ILO fact sheet
More women are participating in labour markets throughout the world today than ever before. However, increases in labour force participation have not resulted in a substantial narrowing of gender gaps in the world of work.

Facts and figures on green jobs

Facts and figures on green jobs
ILO fact sheet
Green Jobs have become an emblem of a more sustainable economy and society, that preserves the environment for present and future generations and is more equitable and inclusive of all people and all countries.

Intellectual Property Laws and Government Security Threaten Science and Knowledge

Intellectual Property Laws and Government Security Threaten Science and Knowledge
Cato Institute
"In The Crime of Reason", Nobel laureate in physics Robert Laughlin argues that intellectual property laws and government security demands threaten the development of new knowledge. Without change, we risk bequeathing our heirs a world where knowledge is criminalized and our intellectual tradition of unfettered inquiry is lost. Join Cato Institute for a inquiry into the role of information and information rules in our society, featuring comment from Thomas Syndor of the Progress & Freedom Foundation, at noon on Friday, October 10th.

Monday, September 29, 2008

Frustrated on a fixed income

Frustrated on a fixed income
Despite simple living, this retired couple still worry their money won't go far enough.

B.Y.O.C. (computer) to work - wave of future?

B.Y.O.C. (computer) to work - wave of future?
In a nod to how finicky people have become about the gadgets they use, software company Citrix Systems Inc. is rolling out a program for its workers: BYOC - Bring Your Own Computer.

Licorice company looks to weather the storm

Licorice company looks to weather the storm
In a Union City factory that twists out 150,000 pounds of Red Vines licorice a day, plant manager John Nelson is betting that...

Simmering Boeing strike scorching both sides

Simmering Boeing strike scorching both sides
Three weeks into the Machinists strike at Boeing, the company and union appear determined not to blink. The strike is shaping up to be long and damaging. A one-month stoppage could cost Boeing around $1.3 billion in profits that won't be recouped for years.

LAX workers reach labor agreement

LAX workers reach labor agreement
The deal covers 1,900 sky captains, baggage handlers, wheelchair attendants, airplane cabin cleaners and security personnel. It improves wages but not healthcare benefits, union officials say

Law firms turning to a family-friendly culture to keep female attorneys

Law firms turning to a family-friendly culture to keep female attorneys
To combat a high attrition rate of women in the profession, companies are adopting techniques to accommodate personal lives, such as part-time positions and longer maternity leaves.

Foreigners farm for themselves in a hungry Africa

Foreigners farm for themselves in a hungry Africa
Some of the world's richest nations are coming to grow crops and export the yields, hoping to turn the global epicenter of malnutrition into a breadbasket for themselves. Africa's abundant natural resources have long invited foreign exploitation.

Ike, Gustav swamped seafood trade in Gulf of Mexico

Ike, Gustav swamped seafood trade in Gulf of Mexico
Fishermen are cleaning up debris instead of harvesting oysters and shrimp. Recovery might take two years. On the eve of October's peak seafood harvesting season, migrant fishermen are sweeping debris from gutted bay-side homes instead of scooping shrimp and oysters from the Gulf of Mexico's lucrative floor. The $100-million fishing industry in Galveston Bay is nearly paralyzed.

Money stress puts strain on small businesses' employees

Money stress puts strain on small businesses' employees
Falling home prices, shrinking 401(k)s and job insecurity can affect performance. Robert Fellman can see it on his employees' faces: the fear, stress and discomfort that come from a difficult, even scary, economic climate.

GAO-08-1059, USAID Acquisition and Assistance: Actions Needed to Develop and Implement a Strategic Workforce Plan

GAO-08-1059, USAID Acquisition and Assistance: Actions Needed to Develop and Implement a Strategic Workforce Plan
The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) over the years has shifted from conducting its own activities to managing acquisition and assistance (A&A) instruments--contracts, grants, and cooperative agreements--awarded to and implemented by mainly nongovernmental entities

Bailout plan must help the middle class and grow the economy

Bailout plan must help the middle class and grow the economy
EPI
The financial bailout package that Congressional leaders are wrestling over is far from ideal, but given current political realities, it might represent the best chance to stop an impending financial meltdown. If passed in its current form, vigilant oversight is needed to ensure that taxpayers are protected and Wall Street doesn't get a free ride.

The Misrepresented Middle Class

The Misrepresented Middle Class
American Prospect
In the wake of the financial crisis, it's almost refreshing to have the media and our elected leaders finally focus on average Americans' biggest concern -- not terrorism or the culture war, but meeting their basic financial needs.

Kenya: Teachers Vow to Go Ahead With Strike

Kenya: Teachers Vow to Go Ahead With Strike
Kenya Post Primary Education Teachers Union (KUPPET) has asked parents to withdraw their children from secondary schools countrywide before their strike planned for October 3.

Friday, September 26, 2008

Looking for a holiday job? There's no time like right now

Looking for a holiday job? There's no time like right now
I f you're thinking about looking for a holiday job to earn extra cash, take advantage of employee discounts and gain some experience along the way, don't wait any longer.

Labor unions protest in New York against bailout

Labor unions protest in New York against bailout
Hard hats, transit workers, machinists, teachers and other labor unionists railed against the U.S. government's proposed bailout of Wall Street on Thursday in a protest steps from the New York Stock Exchange.

ITUC and ETUC Call on EU to Root Economic Partnership in Development

ITUC and ETUC Call on EU to Root Economic Partnership in Development
In a new statement issued today, the ITUC and the ETUC have called on the EU to listen to its partners in ACP countries and to concentrate on a pro-development approach in negotiating Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs).

Statewide Survey: Californians and Their Government

Statewide Survey: Californians and Their Government
Date: September 26, 2008
Time: 12:00-1:30 p.m.
Location: Stanley Mosk Library and Courts Building
914 Capitol Mall, Room 500
Sacramento, CA

Public Policy Institute of California's latest Statewide Survey comes at a time of national economic turmoil, a much-delayed and acrimonious state budget process, and an increasingly heated presidential campaign. The September Californians and Their Government survey presents Californians' opinions about the fall general election, including the presidential race and their support for Propositions 4, 8, and 11. It also assesses their views on the governor's and the legislature's job performance and their policy preferences on issues such as the state budget, the initiative process, the workings of the two-party system, and the importance of the 2008 presidential election.

Puget Sound area outpaced nation in economic growth

Puget Sound area outpaced nation in economic growth
The Puget Sound economy grew faster than the U.S. economy in 2006, according to the most recent statistics from the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis.

Thursday, September 25, 2008

California's Guard Seeks Educational Funding

California's Guard Seeks Educational Funding
NPR audio:
California's National Guard Force Is Shrinking. Officials in the National Guard are having trouble holding onto its troops in California. It is the only state that offers no education...

Across Country, Mixed Reaction To Financial Woes

Across Country, Mixed Reaction To Financial Woes
NPR audio:
People around the country talk about how the collapse of large investment banks is affecting them. One person says she is far from retirement and so there has been no immediate effect. Another says he feels safe as long as he has a job.

How Can We Reduce the Rising Number of American Families Living in Poverty?

How Can We Reduce the Rising Number of American Families Living in Poverty?
Brookings
In this testimony, Rebecca Blank argues for the need to modernize our poverty statistics so that we may have a better understanding of who is poor and how these numbers are changing over time. She discusses anti-poverty strategies for the next decade.

Are You Better Off in 2008 Than You Were in 2000?

Are You Better Off in 2008 Than You Were in 2000?
CEPR
During the final presidential debate of the 1980 election, Ronald Reagan, running against Jimmy Carter, turned to the camera and asked “Are you better off than you were four years ago?” The debate took place against a backdrop of spiraling inflation and rising unemployment.
23 out of 25 selected economic indicators worse now than 8 years ago.

New study exposes the human cost of China's economic miracle

New study exposes the human cost of China's economic miracle
China Labour Bulletin
A large part of China's remarkable economic development has been achieved at the expense of the basic rights of millions of former state-owned enterprise workers, says a new report released today by the Hong Kong-based China Labour Bulletin and Canada's International Centre for Human Rights and Democratic Development, commonly known as Rights & Democracy.

Strike pay to kick in for Machinists

Strike pay to kick in for Machinists
On Saturday, striking Boeing Machinists will get their first strike paychecks of $150. Talks are at a standstill, the CEO says.

Jobless claims pushed to 7-year high

Jobless claims pushed to 7-year high
AP - New claims for unemployment benefits jumped last week to their highest level in seven years due to the impact of a slowing economy and Hurricanes Ike and Gustav, the Labor Department reported Thursday.

Wednesday, September 24, 2008

Report: Health insurance costs grow more gradually in 2008

Report: Health insurance costs grow more gradually in 2008
Health insurance premiums rose a modest 5 percent this year for coverage that's getting skimpier, researchers say.

More in middle class seeking help with debt

More in middle class seeking help with debt
More middle-class Americans are suffering financial pain and reaching out for help, according to new numbers from the Consumer Credit Counseling Service of Greater Atlanta. The average annual household income of people who contacted CCCS last month was $49,308, an 18 percent increase over August 2007. That's "an amount far above historic levels for people seeking this service," CCCS reported. The agency counsels people from all over the country.

The facts about CEO pay

The facts about CEO pay
EPI
CEO pay has emerged as a very hot topic in Washington's debate over the proposed $700 billion Wall Street bailout. Details on the meteoric rise of CEO pay in the United States, plus comparisons to workers' pay and to CEO pay in other leading economies, can be found in The State of Working America, 2008-2009. Download a PDF of the relevant section on executive pay.

The unemployment trend by state

The unemployment trend by state
EPI
The national unemployment rate has risen to a five-year high of 6.1%, and many states are experiencing rates as high as 8.9%. This week's Economic Snapshot features an interactive map showing the unemployment rate of each state in August, as well as the employment gains and losses incurred by each state since the economic downturn began in December 2007.

GAO-08-1162T, Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation: Improvements Needed to Address Financial and Management Challenges, September 24, 2008

GAO-08-1162T, Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation: Improvements Needed to Address Financial and Management Challenges, September 24, 2008
The Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC) insures the retirement future of nearly 44 million people in more than 30,000 private-sector defined benefit pension plans. In July 2003, GAO designated PBGC's single-employer pension insurance program--its largest insurance program--as "high risk," including it on GAO's list of major programs that need urgent attention and transformation. The program remains on the list today with a projected ...

An Innovation Economics Agenda for the Next Administration

An Innovation Economics Agenda for the Next Administration
ITIF
In today’s economy, innovation – the development and adoption of new products and services, more efficient production processes, and new business models – is the most important factor driving increases in American standards of living. By putting innovation at the center of our nation’s economic policies, we can ensure robust economic growth and rising standards of living for all Americans. ITIF’s Innovation Economics Agenda for the Next Administration lays out eight key recommendations to spur innovation-led economic growth in the United States.

Most Working Americans Now Use the Internet or Email at Their Jobs

Most Working Americans Now Use the Internet or Email at Their Jobs
Pew Charitable Trusts
Many say communications technologies are a mixed blessing as they see the boundaries between work and home life blur, according to a new study by the Pew Internet & American Life Project.

Tuesday, September 23, 2008

GAO-08-1140T, Employment and Training Program Grants: Labor Has Outlined Steps for Additional Documentation and Monitoring but Assessing Impact Still

GAO-08-1140T, Employment and Training Program Grants: Labor Has Outlined Steps for Additional Documentation and Monitoring but Assessing Impact Still Remains an Issue, September 23, 2008
Since 2001, Labor has spent nearly $900 million on the High Growth Job Training Initiative (High Growth), Community-Based Job Training Initiative (Community Based), and the Workforce Innovation in Regional Economic Development (WIRED).

How do we fill 'forgotten,' middle-skill jobs

How do we fill 'forgotten,' middle-skill jobs
New report finds shortage of workers for increased openings in jobs requiring more than high school, less than a college degree. A new study shines a spotlight on the large "forgotten middle" of the labor market, where occupations from dental hygienist to truck mechanic require more than a high school diploma but not necessarily a four-year college degree. Many of these occupations pay better than the median wage, and they can't be outsourced, the study notes.

Seattle newspaper truck drivers approve strike

Newspaper truck drivers approve strike
The union drivers who take copies of The Seattle Times and the Seattle P-I from the presses to distribution centers voted on Sunday to approve a strike, a threat that comes as both papers struggle financially.

Got work?

Got work?
EPI
Since December 2006, the number of job seekers per job opening available has skyrocketed more than 60%. The number of job seekers per job opening is now firmly in recessionary territory--at a higher level than during any month of the official 2001 recession--and it shows no signs of leveling off. This week's Economic Snapshot and a companion Issue Brief look at current job openings trends, an important counterpart to the more commonly cited measures of unemployment.

Strategies Suggested to Address San Diego Police Officer Recruiting Shortage

Strategies Suggested to Address San Diego Police Officer Recruiting Shortage
Rand Research
The San Diego Police Department can help reduce an officer recruiting shortfall by making its recruiting materials more welcoming and leveraging its entire workforce to recruit new officers.

Monday, September 22, 2008

Why delaying retirement may be your best option

Why delaying retirement may be your best option
Work extra hours, save more, spend less -- those are strategies that'll help anyone. But if you're close to retirement, staying in the workforce longer (even if it's not for long) can really pay off.

Workers to pay 9% more for health-care in 2009

Workers to pay 9% more for health-care in 2009
Workers can expect health-care coverage costs to increase about 9 percent in 2009. U.S. workers already getting socked with higher gas and food prices in an all-around tough economy aren't likely to get a break from their health-care costs, which are expected to rise next year in the form of out-of-paycheck and out-of-pocket expenses.

An Analysis of the Obama Health Care Proposal

An Analysis of the Obama Health Care Proposal
Urban Institute
The Obama health care plan would greatly increase health insurance coverage, substantially increase access to affordable and adequate coverage for those with the highest health care needs, significantly increase the affordability of care for the low-income, and reduce the growth in health spending through a broad array of strategies.

Union chair resigns over the imposition of collective contracts at Wal-Mart

Union chair resigns over the imposition of collective contracts at Wal-Mart
Chinese Labour Bulletin
One of the few union activists ever to stand-up to Wal-Mart management has resigned from his position as union chair at Wal-Mart’s Nanchang Bayi store after being by-passed in collective contract negotiations.

Understanding the Black-White Earnings Gap

Understanding the Black-White Earnings Gap
American Prospect
Why do African Americans continue to earn less despite dramatic gains in education?

Black Women: The Unfinished Agenda

Black Women: The Unfinished Agenda
American Prospect
African American women made great progress in education and entering into previously forbidden occupations -- but their gains in earnings mysteriously stopped.

Regular Work in an Irregular Economy

Regular Work in an Irregular Economy
American Prospect
Ending the temp agencies' control of low-wage labor markets

Unionization and Black Workers

Unionization and Black Workers
American Prospect
Trade unions are still a key path to higher-quality jobs and greater dignity at the workplace.

Friday, September 19, 2008

California unemployment rate soars to 7.7% in August

California unemployment rate soars to 7.7% in August
The jump from 7.4% in July puts the state in a tie with Mississippi for the third-highest jobless rate in the U.S.. Unemployment in California rose for a fifth straight month to 7.7% in August, and economists predicted that a recovery won't come soon, given the depth of the Wall Street financial crisis.

8 indicted over hiring during Ralphs lockout

8 indicted over hiring during Ralphs lockout
Current and former executives and managers of the supermarket chain are accused of illegally rehiring locked-out workers during the 2003-04 dispute to undermine efforts by the grocery workers union.

Dissidents Win Screen Actors Guild Vote

Dissidents Win Screen Actors Guild Vote
The Unite for Strength group won 6 of the 11 open seats on the guild’s board, but had no immediate impact on the long-stalled contract negotiations with the major Hollywood studios.

Thursday, September 18, 2008

Labor Rights Can Be Good Trade Policy

Labor Rights Can Be Good Trade Policy
Center for American Progress
The United States for decades now has racked up large and growing trade deficits with the rest of the world. These deficitsat or above 5 percent of gross domestic product since the middle of 2004could contribute to much lower U.S. living standards in the

Illinois unemployment still rising, now at 7.3%

Illinois unemployment still rising, now at 7.3%
Unemployment in Illinois continued to track well above the national average in August, as the number of job-seekers climbed and employers continued to trim their payrolls.

Delta begins work on flight attendant seniority for merger

Delta begins work on flight attendant seniority for merger
Delta Air Lines is starting a process to integrate flight attendant seniority lists in its proposed merger with Northwest Airlines and will form a committee to represent its flight attendants' interests. Atlanta-based Delta sent a memo to its flight attendants outlining a process for an October election of a flight attendant seniority integration committee.

Reversal of Fortune

Reversal of Fortune
While bad economic news continues to pile up for America's working people, the economic trends are even more disheartening for African American families. Gains made during the strong labor market of the latter 1990s business cycle have eroded, even as the economy grew significantly

Jobless claims rise due to Hurricane Gustav

Jobless claims rise due to Hurricane Gustav
AP - New applications for unemployment benefits rose unexpectedly last week, largely due to Hurricane Gustav, the government said Thursday, adding further strain to the economy.

Wednesday, September 17, 2008

UK unemployment total rises again

UK unemployment total rises again
The number of people out of work rose by another 81,000 between May and July, to 1.72 million, official figures show.

Todd Pacific shipyard avoids strike

Todd Pacific shipyard avoids strike
The work force at the largest private shipyard in Seattle, Todd Pacific, avoided a strike Wednesday by approving the same offer it rejected earlier this month.

The Teacher Autonomy Paradox

The Teacher Autonomy Paradox
American Prospect
Only by relinquishing some autonomy will teachers finally be able to attain the true professional status they deserve.

Tuesday, September 16, 2008

Wall Street Woes Hits Workers' Mental Health

Wall Street Woes Hits Workers' Mental Health
NPR
The financial crisis on Wall Street isn't just hitting people's pocketbooks, it's also having an effect on their mental health.

Up To 50,000 Jobs At Risk In Banks' Collapse

Up To 50,000 Jobs At Risk In Banks' Collapse
NPR
Lehman Brothers' 26,000 employees started to clear out their offices Sunday as the securities firm files for bankruptcy. Meanwhile, Merrill Lynch collapsed and agreed to be taken over by Bank of America. Thousands of jobs will disappear in an industry that has lost 100,000 jobs since the start of the credit crisis a little more than a year ago.

Lehman Bros., Merrill Lynch employees anxious about futureLehman Bros., Merrill Lynch employees anxious about future

Lehman Bros., Merrill Lynch employees anxious about future
Workers at the two major investment banks are mired in uncertainty after the weekend's shake-ups. A mixture of shock, anxiety and grim resignation settled over tens of thousands of investment bankers, brokers and other Wall Street employees Monday as they absorbed the news that two of the nation's major investment banks were vanishing in the turmoil roiling the financial system.

Washington state unemployment jumps to 6 percent

State unemployment jumps to 6 percent
Washington's unemployment rate in August jumped to 6 percent, as more than 200,000 people sought work but couldn't find it, according to figures released Tuesday by the state Employment Security Department.

Alaska Airlines to cut up to 1,000 jobs

Alaska Airlines to cut up to 1,000 jobs
Seattle's Alaska Airlines said Friday it plans to cut 9 percent to 10 percent of its work force, or between 850 and 1,000 jobs, starting in November.

Distributional Analysis of Pension and Social Security Reforms : Alternative Approaches and a Report on an Expert Panel Meeting

Distributional Analysis of Pension and Social Security Reforms : Alternative Approaches and a Report on an Expert Panel Meeting
Urban Institute
In April 2008, the Urban Institute convened an expert panel of researchers inside and outside of government agencies to discuss how best to perform distributional analyses of proposals to reform Social Security and private pensions. The panel discussed key technical issues, including how to measure the baseline income distribution and characterize current policies, how to address changes that alter the timing of taxes and benefits, and how to measure and report gains and losses from policy interventions. The group revealed diverse viewpoints, but we conclude that current methods used in recent UI research fall within the range of reasonable alternatives.

Retiree Health Benefits After Medicare Part D: A Snapshot of Prescription Drug Coverage

Retiree Health Benefits After Medicare Part D: A Snapshot of Prescription Drug Coverage
Commonwealth Fund
Based on employers' responses to two national surveys, conducted in late 2005 and early 2007, fears that the Medicare Part D prescription drug benefit would "crowd out" existing retiree health benefits have not been realized. This issue brief finds most employers indicate that they will reconsider their current decision if the cost of coverage rises sharply or the Medicare Part D coverage becomes more comprehensive.

Unionization Substantially Improves the Pay and Benefits of Latino Workers

Unionization Substantially Improves the Pay and Benefits of Latino Workers
CEPR
To mark the beginning of National Hispanic Heritage Month, a new report by the Center for Economic and Policy Research (CEPR) documents a large wage and benefit advantage for Latino workers in unions relative to their non-union counterparts

The Joneses and the Joads

The Joneses and the Joads
New America Foundation
After storms ravaged Iowa last summer, devastation wasn't the only thing that people found amid the flood waters. Scores of out-of-work electricians from Michigan, hard hit by auto industry cutbacks, spied opportunity. Trekking hundreds of miles from home, where the unemployment rate of 8.5% is the highest in the U.S., they were eager to scoop up jobs rewiring Cedar Rapids -- even if it meant sleeping in a tent for weeks on end.

Boomers at the Bottom: How Will Low Income Boomers Cope with Retirement

Boomers at the Bottom: How Will Low Income Boomers Cope with Retirement
Urban Institute
This study uses the Urban Institute's DYNASIM model to project wealth and income at retirement for low-income boomers. The findings suggest that most with low lifetime earnings will also have low incomes at older ages unless they either continue working or move in with others who help support them financially. Saving more, working more consistently over their lifetime, and delaying retirement is projected to improve outcomes for low-earning boomers, but none of these actions will increase retirement living standards dramatically.

Monday, September 15, 2008

The Count: Health Costs: More Burden On the Worker

The Count: Health Costs: More Burden On the Worker
If you are on your company’s health plan, you might want to brace yourself for higher deductibles, as well as higher co-payments, higher premiums or both.

Some Alitalia Unions Agree on Rescue Plan

Some Alitalia Unions Agree on Rescue Plan
Four of its nine unions agreed on the outline of a business plan for the carrier, but negotiations continued on the thornier challenge of a new labor contract.

China pressures big firms to allow state-approved union

China pressures big firms to allow state-approved union
SHANGHAI, China -- Some of the world's biggest corporations are facing intense pressure from China to allow the state-approved union to form in their Chinese plants and offices. But many companies fear admitting the union will give their Chinese employees the power to slow or disrupt their operations and will significantly increase the cost of doing business here.

GAO-08-1160T, Diversity Management: Important Actions Taken and Planned to Further Enhance Diversity, September 16, 2008

GAO-08-1160T, Diversity Management: Important Actions Taken and Planned to Further Enhance Diversity, September 16, 2008
For GAO, having a diverse workforce at all levels is an organizational strength that contributes to the achievement of results by bringing a wider variety of perspectives and approaches to policy development and implementation, strategic planning, problem solving and decision making.

Making Work Pay – Again

Making Work Pay – Again
Ron Haskins offers ways policymakers could create an entitlement to housing assistance that would more fairly distribute housing benefits and convert housing into a more effective element in the nation’s work support system. The goal of reform would be to get the most out of the resources now devoted to housing by providing at least some benefit to all eligible families that want a housing subsidy.

How We Measure Poverty

How We Measure Poverty
Brookings
The U.S. government's method of measuring poverty, established in 1964, is badly outdated and leads to an inaccurate picture of who is, and is not, poor in America. If we want to debate new policies to help the poor, Rebecca Blank argues that we first need a poverty measure that shows us who they really are.

Friday, September 12, 2008

World Business Briefing | Europe: France: Job Loss Figure Raised

Business" href="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/12/business/worldbusiness/12fobriefs-JOBLOSSFIGUR_BRF.html" target=_blank>World Business Briefing Europe: France: Job Loss Figure Raised
The country lost more than twice as many jobs in the second quarter as initially reported as economic growth contracted for the first time in more than five years.

Radio Free Asia: Chinese Workers in Coca-Cola Dispute

Radio Free Asia: Chinese Workers in Coca-Cola Dispute
China Labour Bulletin
Employees and management face off at a Coca-Cola joint-venture bottling plant in southern China, as the country's official trade union begins to flex its muscles for the first time in decades.

Put a Cap on CEO Pay

Put a Cap on CEO Pay
New America Foundation
For a guy whose astute counsel helped to make so many CEOs rich, Peter Drucker had an intense loathing of exorbitant executive salaries. He hated high CEO pay on every level: what it said about the individual as a leader, how it undermined the smooth functioning of the organization, and the way it tore at the fabric of society as a whole.

Many CEOs see more pink slips ahead

Many CEOs see more pink slips ahead
AP - Nearly one-third of the country's top executives expect to cut payrolls in the coming months as companies cope with a weakened economy dogged by housing, credit and financial problems.

Thursday, September 11, 2008

Unemployment claims spike in Georgia

Unemployment claims spike in Georgia
Layoffs apparently spiked last month in Georgia, taking the largest one-year leap since October of 2001, the state Labor Department said Thursday.

Jobless claims fall less than expected

Jobless claims fall less than expected
AP - Government data show new applications for unemployment benefits fell less than expected last week as the struggling economy continues to take a toll on workers.

SPEEA demands return of outsourced work

SPEEA demands return of outsourced work
The Boeing Co. engineers Wednesday became the planemaker's second union to demand the return of work farmed out to contractors, an issue that contributed to the strike started by 27,000 Machinists on Friday.

Boeing sees at least 30-day strike

Boeing sees at least 30-day strike
The Boeing Co. expects the Machinists strike that has shut down its plane factories to last for at least a month and further push back the 787 Dreamliner, Chief Financial Officer James Bell said.

Low-Wage Workers in the United States: Status and Prospects : Before the Committee on Ways and Means Subcommittee on Income Security and Family Suppor

Low-Wage Workers in the United States: Status and Prospects : Before the Committee on Ways and Means Subcommittee on Income Security and Family Support United States House of Representatives
This testimony before the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Ways and Means Subcommittee on Income Security and Family Support describes the size and characteristics of the low-wage workforce and the jobs low-wage workers hold, the prospects for wage growth and upward mobility, and policies and programs that help support low-wage workers and their families.

Wednesday, September 10, 2008

GAO-08-1062, Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation: Need for Improved Oversight Persists, September 10, 2008

GAO-08-1062, Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation: Need for Improved Oversight Persists, September 10, 2008
The Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC) insures the pension benefits of 44 million private sector workers and retirees in over 30,000 employer-sponsored pension plans. In July 2007, GAO reported that PBGC's governance structure needed improvements, and asked Congress to consider expanding the board of directors to include additional members.

Women head for war in record numbers

Women head for war in record numbers
Sweat, mud and camouflage cream smeared across her face, her hair plastered to her forehead, Amanda Washbrook cut a bedraggled figure as she crawled on her belly through the nettles. Weighed down by a drenched uniform, webbing pouches and sleep

US oilfield deaths rise sharply

US oilfield deaths rise sharply
AP - Less than two months into the job in the oilfields of West Texas, Brandon Garrett was sliced in half by a motorized spool of steel cable as he and other roughnecks struggled to get a drilling rig up and running.

Kent State faculty get bonuses for meeting goals

Kent State faculty get bonuses for meeting goals
Kent State University is offering financial bonuses to professors if they help student retention numbers and attract more research dollars, an incentive usually given to school presidents and top administrators. Beginning this semester, 864 faculty members at...

Calif. unemployment fund running out of money

Calif. unemployment fund running out of money
As California's unemployment rate hits a 12-year high, the state program that pays benefits to the jobless is facing a severe money shortage and a huge backlog of unresolved appeals. The unemployment insurance fund, which paid out almost $662 million in...

Outsourcing issue still divides Boeing, Machinists union

Outsourcing issue still divides Boeing, Machinists union
A resolution of the Machinists strike at Boeing may rest finally upon one perennial issue: the outsourcing of Machinist work now done in local plants.

Job growth boosts Seattle area's standing in city study

Job growth boosts Seattle area's standing in city study
The Seattle area ranks this year as the 17th-best-performing U.S. city on an economic index, up from 77th place last year, making it the fifth-biggest gainer, according to a study.

Continental Cuts Pilots

Business" href="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/10/business/10air.html" target=_blank>Continental Cuts Pilots
By By BLOOMBERG NEWS on Airlines and Airplanes
Continental Airlines, trying to counter high fuel costs, will lose 363 pilots, or 7.3 percent, through layoffs, early retirements and leaves, the Air Line Pilots Association said.

Employee Benefits in Medium and Large Private Establishments

Employee Benefits in Medium and Large Private Establishments
National Compensation Survey - Benefits produces comprehensive data on the incidence (the percentage of workers with access to and participation in employer provided benefit plans) and provisions of selected employee benefit plans.

Ford to cut 500 workers at Ontario crossover plant

Ford to cut 500 workers at Ontario crossover plant
Ford Motor Co. said Wednesday it will eliminate 500 employees at its crossover assembly plant in Oakville, Ontario, as sales of the vehicles designed to woo SUV and truck buyers continue to slump. Ford of Canada spokeswoman Lauren More said the company will...

Study: Brazilian women obtain more rights than decade ago

Study: Brazilian women obtain more rights than decade ago
Brazilian women were enjoying more rights in 2006 than a decade ago, according to a study on gender and race inequality released by the government's Institute for Applied Economic Studies Tuesday. The 'Portrait of Gender and Race Inequalities' study

Study: Brazilian women obtain more rights than decade ago

Union Seeks to Mobilize Healthcare Workers

Union Seeks to Mobilize Healthcare Workers
Baltimore - After 15 years as a nurse at Bon Secours Hospital, Benjene Swift says she was fired in 2001 for speaking out against what she calls the hospital?s ? violation of regulations? and on behalf of patients who, Ms. Swift says, were

Moms returning to work find daunting job market

Moms returning to work find daunting job market
After dropping her kids off at school, Ellen Shupak heads to a job interview. This time, she's prepared to explain the gap in her resume and prove that even after five years at home, her sales skills still are sharp.

RAND's Rose-Colored Glasses

RAND's Rose-Colored Glasses
ITIF
In RAND’s Rose-Colored Glasses: How RAND’s Report on U.S. Competitiveness in Science and Technology Gets it Wrong, ITIF presents a detailed critique of the recent RAND report showing that in contrast to RAND’s rosy assessment, America’s lead on a number of key S&T indicators is eroding rapidly, where not vanishing entirely.

Workers' pay, benefits detailed

Workers' pay, benefits detailed
In Breaking Business News
The average cost to employers for employee pay and benefits was $28.48 per employee hour worked in June, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics said today.

Kenya: Jobs Tops Kenyans Wish List

Kenya: Jobs Tops Kenyans Wish List
The majority Kenyans are ready to live in peace with neighbours irrespective of ethnic background; Prime Minister Raila Odinga earns higher approval rating than President Kibaki; Kenyans are more concerned about unemployment, poverty and inflation than they are about a new constitution; the Grand Coalition Cabinet and Parliament have the trust of the people, but Kenyan do not trust the electoral system; and most favour a Truth, Justice and Reconciliation process to address the problem of ethnic tensions.

Ghana: GRC Workers Must Blame Themselves

Ghana: GRC Workers Must Blame Themselves
Early this year, workers of the Ghana Railways Company (GRC) embarked on a long strike action to demand better condition of service. Their decision affected companies such as the Ghana Bauxite Company (GBC) and Ghana Manganese Company (GMC) who were depending on the GRC for the haulage of their minerals to the Takoradi seat port for export.

Liberia: Work Forum Criticised, But Leaders Remain Hopeful

Liberia: Work Forum Criticised, But Leaders Remain Hopeful
A two-day Decent Work in Africa forum concluded on 09 September, calling for more jobs, better work conditions and higher incomes for Africans working in countries recovering from conflict.

Kenya: Teachers Vow to Go Ahead With Strike

Kenya: Teachers Vow to Go Ahead With Strike
A crisis looms in secondary schools and post-primary institutions as teachers and lecturers vows to push on with a planned strike even as Government downplayed the threat.

Namibia: Labour Relations Bear Remnants of 'Slavery'

Namibia: Labour Relations Bear Remnants of 'Slavery'
The Minister of Labour and Social Welfare, Immanuel Ngatjizeko, has voiced his concern over what he described as a labour market with remnants of a slave and master relationship between employees and employers.

Tuesday, September 09, 2008

Three McClatchy newspapers offer employee buyouts

Three McClatchy newspapers offer employee buyouts
Three McClatchy-owned newspapers in Washington are asking some employees to accept voluntary staff reduction buyouts as the papers cut costs because of declining revenue. It's the second round of cuts in three months at The Olympian, The News Tribune of...

Lengthy Boeing strike could harm US exports

Lengthy Boeing strike could harm US exports
If the Boeing strike drags on for more than three months, there could be long-lasting harm to the country's exports, economists said.

Brookings Institute: Poverty Reduction Strategies for the Next Decade

Poverty Reduction Strategies for the Next Decade
Brookings Institute
September 29, 2008, 9:30 AM to 2:00 PM
On September 29, several prominent scholars and policy advocates will outline their key recommendations to improve the quality of life for people at the bottom of the socio-economic ladder, including proposals to improve employment and earnings, strengthen families, enhance opportunities for children, and improve neighborhoods. Discussions of the proposals will be followed by comments from policy experts.

Union Plans to Protest Job Cuts at Renault

Union Plans to Protest Job Cuts at Renault
Plans by the carmaker to cut about 6,000 jobs through buyouts met with resistance Tuesday as a union called a one-day protest strike.

Targeting the Masses

Targeting the Masses
The Wall Street Journal reports that experts are pondering new models for helping workers become better savers. The Pew-supported Retirement Security Project is mentioned.

GAO-08-799, Women's Earnings: Federal Agencies Should Better Monitor Their Performance in Enforcing Anti-Discrimination Laws, August 11, 2008

GAO-08-799, Women's Earnings: Federal Agencies Should Better Monitor Their Performance in Enforcing Anti-Discrimination Laws, August 11, 2008
In 2003, GAO found that women, on average, earned 80 percent of what men earned in 2000 and workplace discrimination may be one contributing factor. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and the Department of Labor (Labor) enforce several laws intended to prevent gender pay discrimination. GAO examined (1) how EEOC enforces laws addressing gender pay disparities among private sector employers and provides outreach and what ...

Monday, September 08, 2008

Impacts of Early Childhood Programs

Impacts of Early Childhood Programs
Brookings Institute
Julia Isaacs and Emily Roessel assess the effects of five early childhood education programs—State Pre-K, Head Start, Early Head Start, Model Early Childhood Programs and Nurse Home Visiting—that have had positive impacts on children’s cognitive skills and/or school outcomes.

The Whiner's Recession

The Whiner's Recession
CEPR with ed-ops
Senator McCain and his friends no doubt still believe that the economy's fundamentals are strong, but Friday's jobs numbers clearly show how bad things have gotten. The 6.1 percent unemployment rate reported for August is almost as high as the worst levels from the last recession.

China's Outsourcing Appeal Dimming: Fuel Prices Squeeze Profit Margins for U.S. Manufacturers

China's Outsourcing Appeal Dimming: Fuel Prices Squeeze Profit Margins for U.S. Manufacturers
Harry Kazazian built his business on sleeping bags that are made in China and shipped across the ocean to the United States, but he realized recently that the math doesn't work anymore.

Out of Work and Benefits, Women Look for Relief

Out of Work and Benefits, Women Look for Relief
Prolonged joblessness is tearing bigger holes in the U.S. unemployment insurance system, critics say. They want an overhaul that starts qualifying part-time, short-term and low-income workers, among whom women are

Union Leader’s Legacy May Be Hard to Match

Union Leader’s Legacy May Be Hard to Match
Basil E. Hargrove, president of the Canadian Auto Workers union, enjoys a public profile in Canada that arguably has not been matched since the days of Walter P. Reuther and Jimmy Hoffa.

Times Will Shut Down Its Distribution Subsidiary

Times Will Shut Down Its Distribution Subsidiary
The New York Times Company in January will shut down a subsidiary that distributes newspapers and magazines in the metropolitan area, eliminating the equivalent of 550 full-time jobs.

Supreme Court in Mexico rules Wal Mart can't pay workers with store cards only usable in the chain's outlets

Supreme Court in Mexico rules Wal Mart can't pay workers with store cards only usable in the chain's outlets
Mexico's Supreme Court ruled that the country's top retailer, Wal-Mart de Mexico, violated the constitution by paying a worker in part with store cards only usable in the chain's outlets, the court said on Friday.

Out of work? More trouble is lining up

Out of work? More trouble is lining up
Seated beside a blue-jeans display at the Gap along North Michigan Avenue on Friday, Armando Torres filled in the last box of his application, then marched up three flights of stairs to join his fellow job seekers.

An alternative analysis of the Chinese government’s wage statistics

An alternative analysis of the Chinese government’s wage statistics
China Labour Bulletin
A casual glance at the Chinese government’s wage statistics indicates that wages have been increasing rapidly over the last decade, with double-digit increases recorded over the last four years consecutively.

Palin's Nomination Fuels Working-Moms Debate

Palin's Nomination Fuels Working-Moms Debate
NPR audio:
Breaking the so-called glass ceiling in politics or business is seen as a mark of progress for women in America. But women who do that while they raise kids often receive critical scrutiny over how they manage work and family in a way that men never do.

Women's Pay Disparity A Growing Campaign Issue

Women's Pay Disparity A Growing Campaign Issue
NPR audio:
Aiming for women voters, Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama has made equal pay for equal work a growing issue in his campaign. He's pushing for a Senate bill that would nullify a Supreme Court ruling that gives women a 180-day limit to file complaints about unequal pay.

State Paid Leave Program Has Not Boosted Employed Parents' Ability to Care for Ill Kids

State Paid Leave Program Has Not Boosted Employed Parents' Ability to Care for Ill Kids
California's 2004 Paid Family Leave Insurance Program, the first to be instituted in the country, has not increased the use of paid family leave by employed parents in order to care for chronically ill children, probably due to lack of awareness of the program.

Woman fired over Healthy San Francisco dispute

Woman fired over Healthy S.F. dispute
The city of San Francisco is investigating a woman's claim that she was fired for mentioning her rights to health care coverage under the city's universal heath care rules. Julie Ward, 37, was fired in May from her $38,500-a-year job as an assistant manager...

While cutting jobs during a downturn, companies can be sowing the seeds of profitability

While cutting jobs during a downturn, companies can be sowing the seeds of profitability
U.S. companies have cut more than 550,000 jobs so far in 2008 as they try to preserve their profits in a slumping economy, but analysts say such downsizing must be done carefully for corporations to have any long-term benefits

Machinists union talking tough

Machinists union talking tough
Picketers marked the first day of the Machinists strike against Boeing, while the union's national president talked strategy.

Boeing Machinists get their wish — a strike

Boeing Machinists get their wish — a strike
The frustration had been pent up inside Boeing Machinists for an extra 48 hours since they voted overwhelmingly to strike on Wednesday. At midnight Friday, all that...

Boeing strike impact to be felt globally

Boeing strike impact to be felt globally
Aerospace groups prepared for global disruption from a potentially lengthy strike at Boeing Co as one of the planemaker's biggest outside suppliers lost no time in cutting production and working hours.

Zimbabwe: Teachers Strike As Schools Open

Zimbabwe: Teachers Strike As Schools Open
THE third school term took off to a false start on Tuesday after thousands of teachers stayed at home in yet another protest over meagre salaries they are paid by the government.

Friday, September 05, 2008

Boeing workers prepare to strike as deadline nears

Boeing workers prepare to strike as deadline nears
Boeing Co's machinists prepared for a strike on Friday as the plane-maker and its largest union tried to hammer out a last-ditch deal on their latest three-year contract.

Tech firms fare better than most in jobs slump

Tech firms fare better than most in jobs slump
Technology appears to be one of the least hard-hit sectors in an economy beset by unemployment at a five-year high. The Labor Department reported Friday that companies slashed their payrolls by 84,000 jobs last month, sending the country's unemployment rate...

Todd Pacific workers vote down contract

Todd Pacific workers vote down contract
The work force at Seattle's largest private shipyard, Todd Pacific, voted down a new contract for the second time since its old contract expired July 31. Negotiations are to resume Monday.

Education and Training

Education and Training
ITIF
From the abacus to the slide rule to the computer, technology has always played an integral role in education—but information technology (IT) has now advanced to a point where it allows for fundamentally new and exciting improvements in the learning process. As discussed in this chapter, new online applications and tools have emerged with the potential to transform education by improving learning outcomes, serving multiple learning styles, and expanding access to education

Panasonic closing Peachtree City plant; 500 jobs lost

Panasonic closing Peachtree City plant; 500 jobs lost
Panasonic's car stereo manufacturing plant in Peachtree City will close by the end of next year, resulting in the loss of 500 jobs, a company spokesman said Friday. Panasonic officials notified workers of the decision on Thursday.

Blue Collar Michigan Voters

Blue Collar Michigan Voters
NPR audio:
Following John McCain's acceptance speech, we talk with swing-state, blue collar voters in Detroit. That city and its workers depend heavily on the auto industry. As big three automakers report double-digit drops in sales, what are they looking for from candidates?

One in seven Britons bullied at work

One in seven Britons bullied at work
Middle-aged men earning between 20,000 and 60,000 pounds in Britain's sprawling public sector are most likely to get bullied at work, said a survey on Friday which showed one in seven workers have faced abuse.

The big issues facing the TUC

The big issues facing the TUC
The Trades Union Congress (TUC) is about to hold its annual congress in Brighton, amid concerns over wages, the economy, housing, workers' rights, rising inflation, pensions and taxes. What are the biggest issues likely to be?

Then was the winter of our discontent

Then was the winter of our discontent
Trade unionists are gathering again this weekend for the TUC just as they did 30 years ago at the congress that triggered the Winter of Discontent.

UK Teachers to hold ballot on strike

UK teachers to hold ballot on strike
Another teachers' strike is threatened - with the National Union of Teachers announcing a ballot for industrial action.

You're sick? You're fired!

You're sick? You're fired!
One in six U.S. workers surveyed recently by the National Opinion Research Center at the University of Chicago said he, she or a family member had been fired, suspended, punished or threatened by an employer for taking time off due to personal illness or to care for a sick family member.

Chad Stone, Chief Economist, on the August Employment Report

Chad Stone, Chief Economist, on the August Employment Report
Center on Budget and Policy Priorities
August was the eighth straight month of job declines, with employers shedding a cumulative 605,000 jobs so far this year.

Employer That Reviewed Text Messages Violated Employee's Right To Privacy

Employer That Reviewed Text Messages Violated Employee's Right To Privacy
A company can be liable for violating its employees' privacy rights when it looks at the content of their text messages, even when the text-messaging devices were provided by the company, held the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.

Angola: Economy Weighing on Voters' Minds

Angola: Economy Weighing on Voters' Minds
Angola's economy may be booming on the back of high oil prices and strong diamond exports, but six years after a peace deal ended the 27-year civil war, unemployment stands at around 65 percent.

Nigeria: Unemployment is Time Bomb

Nigeria: Unemployment is Time Bomb
National President of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) Mr. Abdulwaheed Ibrahim Omar laments the high level of unemployment in Nigeria and warns that it is a time bomb which will explode any moment if the problem is not urgently addressed.

Jobless rate jumps to 5-year high of 6.1 percent

Jobless rate jumps to 5-year high of 6.1 percent
The nation's unemployment rate zoomed to a five-year high of 6.1 percent in August as employers slashed 84,000 jobs, dramatic proof of the mounting damage a deeply troubled economy is inflicting on workers

Thursday, September 04, 2008

Tough times stalling gender equality bid in the UK

Tough times stalling gender equality bid in the UK
The failure of women to apply for director-level jobs is a significant factor in maintaining the glass ceiling in the workplace, according to an industry expert. Fewer than one candidate in 20 for the top advertised jobs is female, judging by the 20-year

SEIU, beset by spending scandal, places a senior manager on leave

SEIU, beset by spending scandal, places a senior manager on leave
The Service Employees International Union today announced that it had placed a senior manager at its biggest California local on leave and that two lower-ranking staffers had lost their jobs, because of allegations that other employees were retaliated against in connection with a widening spending scandal.

Boeing, union leaders meet in Florida

Boeing, union leaders meet in Florida
With a 48-hour deadline approaching, representatives of The Boeing Co. and its largest union are hunkered down in a hotel at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Fla., trying to reach an agreement that would prevent a strike.

American may cut 469 jobs, most at O'Hare

American may cut 469 jobs, most at O'Hare
American Airlines has notified 469 employees -- a majority of whom work at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport -- that they may lose their jobs in November as the airline continues to cut back on flights.

Bike Messengers Branch Out

Bike Messengers Branch Out
NPR audio:
The bike messenger business is changing. Electronic document transfer — especially for legal documents — has cut into the business. But now, high gas prices and new bikes that can carry bigger loads mean that bike messengers are branching into bigger deliveries.

Fast Facts & Figures About Social Security

Fast Facts & Figures About Social Security
Fast Facts & Figures answers the most frequently asked questions about the programs SSA administers. It highlights basic program data for the Social Security (retirement, survivors, and disability) and Supplemental Security Income programs.

Colorado: High school diploma doesn't lead families out of low-income life, study shows

Colorado high school diploma doesn't lead families out of low-income life, study shows
The study by the National Center for Children in Poverty indicates that Colorado parents without any college education are more likely than not to raise their kids in near poverty.

Ford cuts shift, 600 jobs at Chicago plant

Ford cuts shift, 600 jobs at Chicago plant
Ford Motor Co. will drop one of the two shifts at its Chicago assembly plant by Nov. 3, a move that will result in the loss of jobs for about 600 temporary part-time workers.

Machinists at Boeing reject contract; strike on hold for 48 hours as mediator steps in

Machinists at Boeing reject contract; strike on hold for 48 hours as mediator steps in
Machinist voted overwhelmingly on Wednesday to reject what Boeing said was its last, best offer. But union leaders agree to give the company 48 hours to do better.

Letting staffers telecommute requires management

Letting staffers telecommute requires management
By Joyce M. Rosenberg, AP Business Writer
With gasoline prices expected to remain uncomfortably high, many small businesses are letting some of their staffers work at home. And some owners are discovering that allowing employees to telecommute can require a different management style, and some basic trust.

UK work week among EU's longest

UK work week among EU's longest
UK workers are among the hardest working people in Europe, with only Romanians and Bulgarians putting in longer hours, new research shows.

Health care co-pays, deductibles to rise

Health care co-pays, deductibles to rise
Mercer survey of employers finds average increase in out-of-pocket costs next year will be 5.7%

Working women discuss expectations of Palin as a candidate and mother

Working women discuss expectations of Palin as a candidate and mother
Even when Claudia Morrell's three daughters were small, she logged 60-hour workweeks, nights and weekends included, as a technology executive.

Africa: Operation of Labour Markets Important for Development of Small States

Africa: Operation of Labour Markets Important for Development of Small States
Conditions in labour markets in small developing states throughout the Commonwealth, and initiatives in them to develop human resources, are examined in a new Commonwealth Secretariat publication.

Nigeria: Food Crisis Looms in Country

Nigeria: Food Crisis Looms in Country
Workers in the Food and Beverage sector of the nation's economy are threatening to embark a nationwide strike from Tuesday, September 9, 2008, over alleged unwillingness of their employers to conclude agreement with them on a review of their salaries and allowances, raising fears that the food crisis in the country could worsen.

Namibia: Transnamib Workers Strike

Namibia: Transnamib Workers Strike
TransNamib workers went on strike yesterday, after the Ministry of Works and Transport failed to respond to their demands by noon yesterday.

Jobless claims jump, productivity soars

Jobless claims jump, productivity soars
AP - The number of newly laid off workers seeking unemployment benefits jumped unexpectedly last week, the government said Thursday, reversing three weeks of declines.

Wednesday, September 03, 2008

French businesses loath to end 35-hour work week

French businesses loath to end 35-hour work week
It's being called the coup de grace for France's decade-long experiment with a 35-hour work week — a policy that inspired both envy and ridicule in Europe and the U.S., and even some copycats.

Machinists turn out to vote on Boeing contract

Machinists turn out to vote on Boeing contract
In Boeing/aerospace
Several thousand Boeing Machinists marched raucously this morning from the Everett plant to the nearby union hall to vote on the company's...

Economic ripples from a strike at Boeing?

Economic ripples from a strike at Boeing?
Should the Machinists union vote today to strike Boeing for the fourth time in two decades, some of the region's highest-paid industrial...

Changes coming to docks

Changes coming to docks
A six-year contract negotiated between the International Longshore and Warehouse Union and the Pacific Maritime Association paves the way for the introduction of highly efficient and job-displacing technology.

Judge Rules That Gristede’s Broke Law on Overtime Pay

Judge Rules That Gristede’s Broke Law on Overtime Pay
A federal judge has ruled that Gristede’s violated federal and state laws by failing to pay overtime to hundreds of lower-level managers at its supermarkets.

Union Seeks Stronger Ethics Rules Amid Scandals

Union Seeks Stronger Ethics Rules Amid Scandals
The Service Employees International Union, the nation’s fastest-growing and most politically powerful union, said it was setting up an ethics commission after scandals at several of its largest locals.

Wage Gaps for Women Frustrating Germany

Wage Gaps for Women Frustrating Germany
Despite having a woman as head of government, Germany has one of the widest gender wage gaps in Europe.

Boeing Braces For Machinists' Vote, Possible Strike

Boeing Braces For Machinists' Vote, Possible Strike
NPR audio:
Members of Boeing's largest union vote Wednesday on whether to go on strike. The machinists union says the commercial aircraft maker's contract offer isn't good enough.

Britain: Maternity rights may stop women's employment

Britain: Maternity rights may stop women's employment
New rules mean that female staff due to give birth from next month onwards must receive job perks such as paid holiday, childcare vouchers and gym membership for a full year rather than six months. Companies will be liable for sex discrimination claims

Poor IT in Vietnam crippling outsourcing, say software firms

Poor IT crippling outsourcing, say software firms
The low quality of Vietnamese IT workers is posing a threat to the growing local software outsourcing market, which the government aims to expand into one of the world's largest.

California attorney general takes Orange County deputies' side in pension fight

California attorney general takes Orange County deputies' side in pension fight
Jerry Brown speaks of filing a brief opposing the county's effort to slash the benefits. The county's lawsuit seeks to repeal a retroactive increase, saying it was unconstitutional.

Study: Bigger bump could come from merit pay

Study: Bigger bump could come from merit pay
U.S. workers can expect skimpy raises in their base salaries next year, but top performers may still fatten their paychecks with merit compensation.

More workers cracking their 401(k) nest eggs

More workers cracking their 401(k) nest eggs
Workers are jeopardizing their future by raiding their retirement savings to take care of immediate needs.

Hollywood protests LAPD effort to take over security on location sets

Hollywood protests LAPD effort to take over security on location sets
A coalition of labor and industry groups tries to block a plan to replace so-called movie officers, many of whom are retired cops, with off-duty active police officers.

Plenty of schools left behind

Plenty of schools left behind
EPI Economic Snapshot
As the kids head back to school, a new analysis shows that school buildings are less ready to receive them than in the past. Get the fact at a glance in this week's Economic Snapshot.

Financing the Productive Economy

Financing the Productive Economy
New America Foundation Event
09/12/2008 - 12:15pm
The Heartland of America, from the Great Plains to New England, from the Mississippi Delta to the Rocky Mountain West, has been displaying new signs of life. Yet this opportunity cannot reach its full potential, unless there is intelligent public policy and public and private investment to catalyze it and make it happen. An increase of public and private investment in education, research and development, and public infrastructure will both maintain domestic demand and strengthen America’s productive capacity.

Hot jobs: Holiday pay times 14 in Kansas City survey

Hot jobs: Holiday pay times 14
The newest pay survey by the Kansas City Compensation and Benefits Association found some employers who give 13 or more paid holidays a year. Admittedly, it was a small representation (only four out of a total of 82 responses) and large companies were over-represented in the respondent pool.

GMAC slashing work force, reduces mortgage lending

GMAC slashing work force, reduces mortgage lending
Lender GMAC Financial Services said Wednesday it will close all of its 200 retail offices and lay off about 5,000 employees as part of plan to reduce its mortgage lending and servicing operations because of the housing market downturn.

Tuesday, September 02, 2008

Job losses continued across the Midwest in August

Job losses continued across the Midwest in August
Exports helped but didn't overcome a malaise in manufacturing.

Preoccupations: Girl Power at School, but Not at the Office

Preoccupations: Girl Power at School, but Not at the Office
New female college graduates, raised in a post-feminist culture, can have a hard time adjusting to a work place where gender bias still exists.

Boeing Awaits Strike Vote of Machinists

Boeing Awaits Strike Vote of Machinists
Union members are set to cast two votes that will determine whether they accept a new contract, or strike at a crucial moment in the development of Boeing’s newest plane, the Dreamliner.

USA: American union membership up substantially in 2008, study shows

USA: American union membership up substantially in 2008, study shows
Buoyed by a rising tide in California in general and Southern California in particular, U.S. unionization levels rose substantially this year, defying a decades-long trend of decline, according to a report by UCLA's Institute for Research on Labor and Employment.

Bellevue teachers set for strike

Bellevue teachers set for strike
Teachers will be walking the picket lines Tuesday, launching a strike on what was to be the first day of classes for more than 16,000 students.

Tough times temper labor celebration

Tough times temper labor celebration
Spiraling gas prices, escalating health care costs, dwindling job security and the looming possibility of a Boeing Machinists' strike were all on the minds of those attending Monday's annual gathering of union members from King County.

Labor Day, state should focus on... workers

Labor Day, state should focus on... workers
Over the last year, California homeowners learned a hard lesson: What a housing boom gives, a housing bust can take away. On this Labor Day, California's workers and their families are finding out something equally distressing: The bursting of a bubble can shatter hopes and prospects far from the site of the blast.

Are Low-Wage Workers Destined for Low Income at Retirement?

Are Low-Wage Workers Destined for Low Income at Retirement?
Urban Institute
Low-wage workers find it difficult to save for retirement. Without savings, they will have to rely on Social Security and pensions. Yet these income sources are based on earnings, which means that low-wage workers will have lower Social Security and pension benefits than higher-wage workers. This brief assesses whether boomers with low earnings between ages 22 and 62 are destined for low income at age 67. We find that nearly two-thirds of this group will end up with low income at retirement, but more than one-third will manage to defy the odds and escape being among the lowest-income older Americans.

Will Changing Job Demands Boost Older Workers' Prospects?

Will Changing Job Demands Boost Older Workers' Prospects?
Urban Institute
Employment is now less physically demanding and less likely to entail difficult working conditions than before, a trend that might spur employment at older ages. However, the shift to a knowledge-based economy has increased cognitive demands and placed a premium on mastering the latest technical skills. Between 1971 and 2006 the share of workers in cognitively demanding jobs (requiring such skills as reasoning, writing, and decisionmaking) increased from 25.7 to 34.8 percent. This development may curtail opportunities for older workers with limited education or those who lack recent training.

Iowa Plant Charged With Hiring Minors

Iowa Plant Charged With Hiring Minors
NPR audio:
In the wake of an immigration raid on Agriprocessors meatpacking plant in Iowa, a state investigation alleges that 57 minors worked there. Dropping out of school to work in the plant was a common practice, some town residents say. We hear about conditions from former employees.

Why Teacher Strikes Aren't What They Used To Be

Why Teacher Strikes Aren't What They Used To Be
NPR audio:
As school gets under way, something is missing: the sound of teachers picketing. Big urban strikes that used to interrupt the school year are pretty much relics of the past. That's because big cities are taking education more seriously, and teachers unions are going into negotiations looking for more than dollars — they have become part of the reform effort.

Hispanics Hit Hard As Workers Lose Hours: More Full-Time Jobs Turn Part-Time

Hispanics Hit Hard As Workers Lose Hours: More Full-Time Jobs Turn Part-Time
With the economy in the grip of a slowdown, American workers are increasingly losing full-time work to part-time employment, and the trend is particularly pronounced among Hispanics, contributing to the tough economic times hitting the nation's largest

Report Card: Workers worse off on pay, employment

Report Card: Workers worse off on pay, employment
This Labor Day finds workers in worse shape than they've been in years, according to a scorecard released Monday by Rutgers University.

Wages hardly keep up with cost of living

Wages hardly keep up with cost of living
If it seems like your paycheck is barely keeping pace with the cost of living lately, you're probably right. According to state statistics, the average hourly wage rose 22 percent in Broward during the past six years. In Miami-Dade, it rose 24 percent.

Union, ArcelorMittal reach tentative 4-year deal

Union, ArcelorMittal reach tentative 4-year deal
The United Steelworkers and ArcelorMittal, the world's largest steel producer, agreed Saturday to a tentative four-year contract.

Employee Free Choice Act Could Be Biggest Reform Since New Deal

Employee Free Choice Act Could Be Biggest Reform Since New Deal
CEPR
While it hasn’t gotten much attention, one of the most important issues that our elections this November could decide is the future of organized labor in the United States.

United States Trails High-Income Countries in Parental Leave Policies

United States Trails High-Income Countries in Parental Leave Policies
CEPR
As millions of Americans prepare to celebrate Labor Day by spending the day off with family and friends, a new report from the Center for Economic and Policy Research examines the parental leave policies of 21 high-income countries and finds the United States to be the least generous.

Labor Day: But where's the labor?

Labor Day: But where's the labor?
The mood of the American worker on this holiday -- in a word -- jittery. This Labor Day, organized labor celebrates (if you can call it that) its 12 percent-of-the-workforce clout - 7 percent if you count only the private sector. Gone are the days when the unionized workforce was an effective checks-and-balance agent for stratospheric executive pay.

Working past retirement a growing American trend

Working past retirement a growing American trend
Millions continue to work long past traditional retirement age. Americans are changing the game plan for retirement, with millions laboring right past the traditional retirement age and working into their late 60s and beyond.

Nigeria: Nuate Threatens to Disrupt BA Flights

Nigeria: Nuate Threatens to Disrupt BA Flights
The ongoing strike of Europe's mega carrier, British Airways has assumed another dimension as the National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE) has threatened to halt flight activities today (Tuesday), if the airline management does not accede to its demands for imposed working conditions.

South Africa: Working on Puzzle of Jobs Statistics

South Africa: Working on Puzzle of Jobs Statistics
IF SA defined employment the way some developing countries do, our unemployment rate could be as low as 13%, against the 23% reported in last week's quarterly labour force survey.