Today's Teamster News 10.27.13

<a href="http://peoplesworld.org/teamsters-score-big-organizing-gains-go-kosher-too/" rel="nofollow">Teamsters score big organizing gains, go “kosher” too! </a> People's World   ... while the biggest win was in Santa Monica, Calif., the most unusual saw the union "go kosher" - winning an election and a first contract for 15 kosher dining hall workers at the University of Pennsylvania...<br /><a href="http://www.alternet.org/economy/nine-democratic-senators-side-gop-entitlement-cuts" rel="nofollow">Sell-Out Alert: 9 Democrats Already Caving to GOP On Social Security Cuts </a> Alternet   ...There are at least nine in the Senate. California’s <a href="http://ourfuture.org/20130326/senate-kicks-the-chained-cpi-to-the-curb-but-leaves-the-back-door-open">Dianne Feinstein</a>, Montana’s <a href="http://ourfuture.org/20130326/senate-kicks-the-chained-cpi-to-the-curb-but-leaves-the-back-door-open">Max Baucus</a>, West Virginia’s <a href="http://www.msnbc.com/disrupt#53275328">Joe Manchin</a>, Delaware’s <a href="http://www.coons.senate.gov/newsroom/releases/release/serious-attempt-at-deficit-reduction-requires-closer-look-at-advice-in-bowles-simpson-report">Chris Coons</a> and <a href="http://www.carper.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ID=39f20a2e-d3b9-49b1-82a0-e9c67f00ba4f">Tom Carper</a>, and Colorado’s <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2012/10/09/the-gang-of-six-nay-eight-is-back-will-it-matter/">Michael Bennett</a> have all said they support cuts to entitlements in letters to constituents, proposed bills or statements...<br /><a href="http://medicalobserverph.com/putting-profits-first-no-way-health-groups/" rel="nofollow">Putting Profits First? No Way – Health Groups</a>  Medical Observer   ...militant health groups belonging to Health Alliance for Democracy and the People’s Health Movement-Philippines picketed the office of the World Health Organization to express their strong opposition to the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement...<br /><a href="http://www.scmp.com/news/china-insider/article/1336647/jiangxi-businessman-pays-model-mo-lulu-100000-yuan-breastfeed-him" rel="nofollow">Jiangxi businessman pays model Mo Lulu 100,000 yuan to breastfeed him</a>  South China Morning Post   ... at a private dinner after the automobile show, Mo breastfed a man who paid her 100,000 yuan. According to the report, the businessman called Mo “mom” every time he took a sip. Other people at the dinner took photos and uploaded them online...<br /><a href="http://www.americanprogressaction.org/issues/labor/news/2013/09/20/74751/middle-classes-are-stronger-in-states-with-greater-union-membership/" rel="nofollow">Middle Classes Are Stronger in States with Greater Union Membership</a>  Center for American Progress Action Fund   ... four of the top five union states—Alaska, Hawaii, Washington, and Rhode Island—had middle classes of above-average strength...<br /><a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2013/10/26/marty-sullivan-figured-out-how-the-worlds-biggest-companies-avoided-billions-in-taxes-heres-how-he-wants-to-stop-them/" rel="nofollow">Marty Sullivan figured out how the world’s biggest companies avoided billions in taxes. Here’s how he wants to stop them.</a>  Washington Post   ...it was Sullivan who in 2010 pieced together from public filings that Apple had understated its reported profits to hide the fact that it was paying a tax rate of less than 2 percent on its overseas profits, shining the spotlight on Apple’s tax avoidance schemes...<br /><a href="http://www.mybudget360.com/means-tested-benefits-government-benefits-more-than-fulltime-workers-census-data/" rel="nofollow">Means-Tested recovery: Over 108,000,000 Americans received means-tested benefits in latest report from Census Bureau, more than are currently employed full-time. </a> My Budget 360   ...the stock market is rallying higher and higher thanks to financial maneuvering but the actual American worker is taking it on the chin.  This is obviously unsustainable...<br /><a href="http://www.buzzfeed.com/rosiegray/libertarians-and-progressives-team-up-against-nsa-surveillan" rel="nofollow">Libertarians And Progressives Team Up Against NSA Surveillance</a>  Buzzfeed Politics   ...Organized by the coalition Stop Watching Us, which includes dozens of groups ranging from Internet freedom advocates to Tea Party organizations, the rally attracted hundreds of people to the Capitol Reflecting Pool to protest the electronic surveillance by the National Security Agency revealed by Edward Snowden this year...<br /><a href="http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2013/10/24/First-responders-pension-fund.html" rel="nofollow">Police, fire pension fund still falls short, report says </a> Columbus Dispatch   ...Rep. Lynn Wachtmann, the Napoleon Republican who leads the Ohio Retirement Study Council…threatened to dismantle the Police & Fire Fund as a separate board because of what he perceives as members’ continued intransigence. “Some of these members are union thugs who know about power and aren’t afraid to use power or abuse power if they need that to win...”<br /><a href="http://www.plunderbund.com/2013/10/26/tea-party-activists-gather-signatures-for-so-called-right-to-work-amendment/" rel="nofollow">Tea Party activists gather signatures for so-called right to work amendment</a>  Plunderbund   ...At this rate, Ohioans could vote to make Hillary Clinton the next president of the United States before we ever get a chance to vote on another anti-union measure in Ohio.  Unless, of course, they pick up a lot of funding and start collecting signatures at a faster pace...<br /><a href="http://host.madison.com/wsj/news/opinion/mailbag/letter-asbestos-bill-will-complicate-veterans-claims/article_c7f20289-bc20-5923-bc09-411005281a94.html" rel="nofollow">LETTER: Asbestos Bill Will Complicate Veterans' Claims</a>  Wisconsin State Journal   ...veterans make up only 8 percent of the population, but 30 percent of all mesothelioma-related deaths. Senate Bill 13 would add additional hurdles for victims seeking claims against asbestos companies and would delay or deny justice for asbestos victims...<br /><a href="http://abclocal.go.com/ktrk/story?section=news/bizarre&id=9300706" rel="nofollow">Georgia man runs into burning home to save beer</a>  KTRK   ..."I went back into the house like a dummy." That's what one man in Georgia said after he risked his life to save beer from his fridge while his house was on fire...

corporate tax avoidance organizing pensions plutocracy right to work for less social security spying TPP Today's Teamster News 10.27.13

Teamsters score big organizing gains, go “kosher” too!  People's World   ... while the biggest win was in Santa Monica, Calif., the most unusual saw the union "go kosher" - winning an election and a first contract for 15 kosher dining hall workers at…

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