Swapping Stories: Labor Law
NLRB: THE RAT IS LEGAL
NLRB: THE RAT IS LEGAL
WASHINGTON (PAI)—The labor movement’s giant inflatable rat is legal, even at demonstrations in front of secondary employers, the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) ruled on May 26.
In a case involving Sheet Metal Workers Local 15 and Brandon Regional Medical Center – which hired below-wage non-union temps to build its addition years ago – the board voted 3-1 that use of the rat on a flatbed truck parked in public more than 100 feet from the hospital entrances, is kosher. So is leafleting of passing patients.
AFL-CIO: GOP CUTS PUT JOB SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS AT RISK
AFL-CIO: GOP CUTS PUT JOB
SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS AT RISK
By Mark Gruenberg
PAI Staff Writer
WASHINGTON (PAI)—Potential Republican cuts to future job safety and health spending put improvements in occupational safety and health at risk, a new AFL-CIO report says.
TOP NLRB OFFICIAL: RELOCATING PRODUCTION LINE TO AVOID UNION BREAKS LABOR LAW
TOP NLRB OFFICIAL: RELOCATING PRODUCTION
LINE TO AVOID UNION BREAKS LABOR LAW
By Mark Gruenberg
PAI Staff Writer
SEATTLE (PAI)—Boeing’s decision to locate its second assembly line for its new model “Dreamliner” super-jumbo passenger plane in non-union South Carolina, and not in its unionized plants in the Pacific Northwest, breaks labor law, the National Labor Relations Board’s top enforcement official declared on April 20.
JUSTICES DIG INTO DETAILS OF WAL-MART SEX DISCRIMINATION
JUSTICES DIG INTO DETAILS OF
WAL-MART SEX DISCRIMINATION
By Mark Gruenberg
PAI Staff Writer
WASHINGTON (PAI)—The U.S. Supreme Court dug into the details of Wal-Mart’s years of discrimination against the retail behemoth’s own woman workers, trying to figure out whether those women as a class could sue the monster company.
LABOR PLANS MASS MOBILIZATION APRIL 4
LABOR PLANS MASS MOBILIZATION APRIL 4
WASHINGTON (PAI)—Labor is planning a mass mobilization nationwide on April 4 to support workers’ rights, specifically the right to collectively bargain.
The decision was reached at the AFL-CIO Executive Council meeting in Washington, March 1-2, according to a nationwide conference call of activists. But the council did not formally announce it.
UNIONISTS MOBILIZE NATIONWIDE TO PROTECT WORKER COLLEAGUES
UNIONISTS MOBILIZE NATIONWIDE
TO PROTECT WORKER COLLEAGUES
By Mark Gruenberg
PAI Staff Writer
MADISON, Wis. (PAI)—First it was Madison, Wis. Then Indianapolis. Then, Columbus, Ohio. Next stops: Trenton, N.J., followed by Nashville.
Everywhere across the country, unionists were forced to mobilize to beat back anti-worker actions of GOP-run state governments – everything from cutting pay and pensions to banning union campaign finance committee contributions to politics to, most importantly, eliminating collective bargaining rights.
OBAMA PLAN CUTS LABOR DEPT. SPENDING
The Budget Battle: OBAMA PLAN
CUTS LABOR DEPT. SPENDING
By Mark Gruenberg
PAI Staff Writer
WASHINGTON (PAI)—Democratic President Barack Obama’s proposed Labor Department spending plan for the year starting Oct. 1 cuts the DOL budget by $40 billion. But that cut may be an illusion: Virtually all of it is in mandatory spending programs, such as jobless benefits, whose actual dollars flowing depend on the state of the economy.
COURT RULINGS AND WORKERS: REPAYING TRAINING COSTS DOESN’T PUSH YOU BELOW THE MINIMUM WAGE
A PAI Special Report: COURT RULINGS AND WORKERS: REPAYING
TRAINING COSTS DOESN’T PUSH YOU BELOW THE MINIMUM WAGE
By Mark Gruenberg
PAI Staff Writer
OAKLAND, Calif. (PAI)—What happens if a city trains a police officer on condition she stays five years on the job, but she resigns after two years and it docks her for training costs? Does that push her below the minimum wage – and is it legal?
LABOR’S 2010 LEGISLATIVE RECORD -- WINS, LOSSES
A PAI Special Report: LABOR’S LEGISLATIVE RECORD --
WINS ON WIDE ISSUES, LOSSES ON OTHER SPECIFICS
By Mark Gruenberg
PAI Staff Writer
WASHINGTON (PAI)—Unions and their allies entered the Democratic-run 111th Congress in 2009 with high hopes for their legislative agenda. They didn’t work out.
As the lawmakers staggered to a busy conclusion in ending their lame-duck session on Dec. 22 – after a 63-seat GOP gain on Nov. 4 gave Republicans control of the House next year – labor’s record can be summed up in two contrasting phrases.
From progressive to regressive: Wis. GOP declares war on workers
From progressive to regressive:
Wis. GOP declares war on workers
by Mike Konopacki and Kathy Wilkes
