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December 11, 2008 |
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Thursday,
December 11, 2008
Employee
Free Choice Act gains backing, momentum
The momentum for the Employee Free Choice Act is
growing as it gains a broad spectrum of backers. One of the largest
environmental groups, the Natural Resources Defense Council, just announced
its support of the bill, which would level the playing field by allowing
workers to choose how to join a union. Meanwhile, the Sierra Club has
reiterated its support. More.
Unemployment
news:
► Today from AP -- New unemployment claims surge unexpectedly -- New claims for jobless benefits rose more than expected last week, exceeding even gloomy expectations for an economy stuck in a recession that seems to be deepening.
► In today's Seattle P-I -- Jobless benefits call centers a growth industry -- Washington's Department of Employment Security has two primary call centers, one in Spokane and one in South Seattle. In November alone, the two centers answered 104,687 calls, an increase of 40% from the same time last year. Since July, the department has hired 92 new agents and is interviewing to hire 32 more to start in January. By November, 87,769 people claimed regular unemployment benefits in 2008, an increase of 30,000 from 2007. All for a check that ranges from $130 to a maximum of $541 each week.
Government news:
► In today's Seattle P-I -- Health plans to be pared -- To make up a $7 million budget gap, the state Department of Health will abandon two plans that had the potential to save lives: colorectal cancer screenings for low-income people and a prescription-drug monitoring system that would have helped health care providers know a patient's drug history.
► In today's Everett Herald -- Snohomish County to create plan to stimulate economy -- The plan is likely to evolve from a series of meetings with local business and community leaders.
► In today's Seattle Times -- Even if a deficit budget is legal in Washington state, it's still a bad idea (editorial) -- Once the door is opened to borrowing for current expenses, all restraint is gone. (This comes from the voice of experience. The Seattle Times has run up more than $91 million in debt and has been called "possibly one of the worst performers in a troubled newspaper industry.")
Boeing
news:
► At HeraldNet.com -- Boeing, SPEEA dispute in Kansas continues -- Boeing engineers and technical workers there are being encouraged to “Say NO to voluntary overtime” by their union leaders after contract talks with the company went sour last week.
► From AP -- Boeing delays Dreamliner flight, deliveries -- Boeing is delaying the first flight of its highly awaited 787 to the second quarter of 2009 and won't ship its first delivery until the following year due to the recent Machinists' strike and production glitches.
► In today's News Tribune -- Good news, bad news for aerospace -- Despite anticipated financial turbulence in the new year, the aerospace industry may experience modest growth in 2009.
National news:
► In today's NY Times -- Houses OKs auto rescue plan -- The House votes 237-170 to approve a $14 billion rescue of the American automobile industry, but the bailout plan, which would provide emergency loans to GM and Chrysler -- Ford has said it will not seek emergency loans -- was in jeopardy because of strong Republican opposition in the Senate. (Washington's delegation voted along party lines with Democrats voting "yes" and Republicans voting "no.")
► In today's LA Times -- Most American favor government intervention on economy -- Sixty percent of those surveyed back assistance for homeowners facing foreclosure, and 64% favor tighter regulation of financial institutions. But lukewarm support is shown for helping carmakers.
► In today's NY Times -- Chicago factory sit-in ends with 2 loan agreements -- The six-day standoff ends after Bank of America, a federal-bailout recipient that had cut off financing for the company, said it would lend the company $1.35 million. More than 200 laid-off workers will get 60 days of severance pay, plus vacation pay they are owed, union officials say.
► In today's -- Houses passes bill to ease pension crunch for retirees, companies -- The bill would create a moratorium on a law requiring retirees older than 70 1/2 to withdraw money from their 401(k) accounts and other defined contribution plans by the end of 2009 or face a tax penalty. It also would scale back a requirement that companies immediately fully fund their pension plans if they fail to meet certain benchmarks, even if their pensions have suffered big losses.
► In today's LA Times -- Dell sees value in backlash against foreign call centers -- The computer maker charges to hook customers up with tech support agents based in North America. But some analysts say the service should be provided free.
► In today's NY Times -- Economy complicates labor dispute in Puerto Rico -- At a squat green factory in the mountains, workers stitch together camouflage uniforms for U.S. troops. They arrive around sunrise, and the first thing they see is a banner that reads, “Say no to the union!”
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 11, 2008
Employee Free Choice Act gains broad backing
The following was just posted at AFL-CIO Now:
The momentum for the Employee Free Choice Act is growing and the legislation is gaining a broad spectrum of backers. The range of support shows how much the public understands that a strong union movement can benefit the economy and the nation.
At the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Poznan, Poland, one of the largest environmental groups, the Natural Resources Defense Council, announced its support of the bill, which would level the playing field by allowing workers to choose how to join a union. Also at the conference, the Sierra Club reiterated its support.
During the 2008 election, Carl Pope, executive director of the Sierra Club, said the bill is essential to building a new green economy.
An economy that treats workers fairly is one that is also fundamentally better for our planet. We and our allies in the labor movement understand that building the clean energy economy will revitalize our troubled economy, rebuild the middle class with millions of new jobs that can’t be shipped overseas, and make America more secure. Both together and separately we are taking this important message to the millions of voters in battleground states that will decide the outcome of this election.
Working people have made passage of the bill their top legislative priority. Both President-elect Barack Obama and Vice President-elect Joe Biden co-sponsored it when they were in the Senate.
Recently, the National Baptist Convention of America (NBCA), one of the nation’s largest African American religious groups with 3 million members, announced its support of the bill. In a letter to AFL-CIO President John Sweeney, the Rev. Samuel Tolbert, general secretary of the NBCA, writes:
The (NBCA) will join with you in raising the level of awareness of our leadership and our membership of the importance of workers across the spectrum having the right to form and join a union if they so choose.
I continue to believe that workers have a right to have a voice in the process that determines their wages, hours and conditions of employment.
Other groups that have recently signed on in support of the bill include the Alliance for Justice, New Democrat Network, Friends Committee on National Legislation, National Organization for Women, Human Rights Campaign, Consumers for Auto Reliability and Safety, National Partnership for Women and Families, People for the American Way, Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good, League of Rural Voters, Gamaliel Foundation-Transportation Equity Network, National Association of Consumer Advocates and the National Consumers League.
Copyright © 2008 -- Washington State Labor Council, AFL-CIO