Today's Teamster News 10.14.13

<a href="http://www.newswire.ca/en/story/1241573/negotiations-between-teamsters-and-cn-derail" rel="nofollow">Negotiations between Teamsters and CN derail</a>  Teamsters Canada   ...The Teamsters Canada Rail Conference (TCRC), which represents some 3,300 conductors, trainmen, yardmen and traffic coordinators at Canadian National (CN), are gearing up for a fight with the railway company...<br /><a href="http://dobetternissan.org/2013/10/compa-report" rel="nofollow">Report outlines how Nissan in Canton, Miss., is violating international human rights standards of workers who want to organize and bargain collectively</a>  Do Better Nissan   ...in the Canton plant, according to the report, Nissan has launched a campaign of fear and intimidation to nullify these rights...<br /><a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-10-11/federal-workers-stretch-last-paycheck-until-shutdown-ends.html" rel="nofollow">Federal Workers Stretch Last Paycheck Until Shutdown Ends</a>  Bloomberg   ...The average federal employee earned an annual salary of $76,353 in 2012, and the lost income is exerting a drag on the economy as well as forcing employees who live paycheck-to-paycheck to figure out how to cover their bills until the shutdown ends...<br /><a href="http://www.theguardian.com/news/datablog/2013/oct/09/worlds-wealthy-where-russia-rich-list?CMP=twt_gu" rel="nofollow">The world's wealthy: where on earth are the richest 1%?</a>  The Guardian   ...Amid a record high for average global wealth its figures reveal striking inequalities – such as 35% of Russia's riches in the hands of 110 people...<br /><a href="http://www.economicpopulist.org/" rel="nofollow">Don't Count on a 1.5% Social Security Increase, the Figures Have not Been Released Yet</a>  Economic Populist   ...The problem with this headline announcement by the press is the social security cost of living increase has not been announced yet and is highly dependent on government inflation statistics for September...<br /><a href="http://truth-out.org/news/item/19334-the-tragedy-of-greece-as-a-case-study-of-neo-imperial-pillage-and-the-demise-of-social-europe" rel="nofollow">The Tragedy of Greece as a Case Study of Neo-Imperial Pillage and the Demise of Social Europe</a>  Truthout   ...A public debt crisis has been used as an opportunity to dismantle a rudimentary social state, to sell off profitable public enterprises and state assets at bargain prices, to deprive labor of even its most basic rights after decades of hard-fought struggles against capital, and to substantially reduce wages, salaries and pensions, creating a de facto banana republic...<br /><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2013/10/13/opinion/sunday/the-end-of-the-nation-state.html?partner=rss&emc=rss&_r=0" rel="nofollow">The End of the Nation-State?</a> (opinion)  New York Times   ... though most of us might not realize it, “nonstate world” describes much of how global society already operates. This isn’t to say that states have disappeared, or will. But they are becoming just one form of governance among many...<br /><a href="http://electionlawblog.org/?p=55927&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+electionlawblog%2FuqCP+%28Election+Law%29" rel="nofollow">Breaking: Judge Posner Admits He Was Wrong in Crawford Voter ID Case</a>  Election Law Blog   ..."we…. weren’t really given strong indications that requiring additional voter identification would actually disfranchise people entitled to vote..."<br /><a href="http://www.nakedcapitalism.com/2013/10/why-ceo-pay-will-keep-rising-to-even-more-insanely-unjustified-levels-while-ordinary-workers-fare-worse.html" rel="nofollow">Why CEO Pay Will Keep Rising to Even More Insanely Unjustified Levels While Ordinary Workers Get Squeezed</a>  naked capitalism   ...Even casual scrutiny will tell you that the current ridiculous levels of CEO pay bear no relationship to anything other than their highly developed rent extraction skills...<br /><br /><br />

CEO Pay European debt crisis government shutdown Greece negotiations rail social security trade union busting voter suppression Today's Teamster News 10.14.13

Negotiations between Teamsters and CN derail  Teamsters Canada   ...The Teamsters Canada Rail Conference (TCRC), which represents some 3,300 conductors, trainmen, yardmen and traffic coordinators at Canadian National (CN), are gearing up for a fight …

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Striking railroad Teamsters ordered back to work, no single operators allowed

An Akron, Ohio, district court judge this afternoon ordered striking locomotive engineers and trainmen at the Wheeling and Lake Erie Railway back to work. He also ordered the railroad to refrain from allowing supervisors or management to operate trains.<br /><br />The order by Judge John R. Adams ended the strike by the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen that began this morning. The walkout stopped virtually all activity by the railroad, which generally runs 45-50 trains a day.<br /><br />BLET President Dennis Pierce said,<br /><blockquote class="tr_bq">I hope that the condition imposed by the judge will lead W and LE to recognize the importance of this issue to our members, who now will be returning to work with the assurance that while the matter is under consideration by the court, no further provocative actions may be taken by the carrier.</blockquote>According to a <a href="http://www.ble-t.org/pr/news/newsflash.asp?id=5489" rel="nofollow">BLET statement</a>, the workers walked out because the W and LE repudiated its contracts between locomotive engineers and trainmen. The railroad used supervisors to do the work of the engineers and trainmen, and running one-person operations.<br /><br />A <a href="http://www.ble-t.org/pr/pdf/Temporary-Restraining-Order-9-20-13.pdf" rel="nofollow">temporary restraining order</a> will remain in effect until a hearing can be held on the railroad’s request for a longer-term injunction.<br /><br />Pierce also thanked General Chairman Bob Linsey, Local Chairmen Kevin Nahrebecki and Lonnie Swigert, and all officers and members of Division 292, as well as general counsel Mike Wolly and his team for their outstanding efforts.<br /><br />The BLET is part of the rail conference of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters.<br /><br />

BLET rail strike Striking railroad Teamsters ordered back to work, no single operators allowed

An Akron, Ohio, district court judge this afternoon ordered striking locomotive engineers and trainmen at the Wheeling and Lake Erie Railway back to work. He also ordered the railroad to refrain from allowing supervisors or management to operate trai…

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Today's Teamster News 09.04.13

<a href="http://www.ble-t.org/pr/news/newsflash.asp?id=5471" rel="nofollow">BLET, Tacoma Rail sign new 5-year agreement</a>  teamster.org   ...This agreement covers about 20 locomotive engineers and contains a signing bonus and significant wage and paid time off improvements, as well as health and welfare benefits equal to other city workers in Tacoma, Wash...<br /><a href="http://www.bmwe.org/news/2013/FAMES_DeviceDistractionAlert_Final.pdf" rel="nofollow">Safety alert for rail workers</a>  teamster.org   ...All distractions, electronic or otherwise, reduce your focus on safety and can be fatal. This is true whether you are on or near the track or highway...<br /><a href="http://www.teamster.org/content/henry-j-%E2%80%9Chank%E2%80%9D-breen-founder-and-first-director-airline-division-passes-away" rel="nofollow">Henry J. "Hank" Breen, Founder and First Director of Airline Division, Passes Away</a>  teamster.org   ...he assumed the position of Airline Division Director in 1961 at a time when the air cargo industry was largely unrepresented within an industry represented by other unions in the passenger airline industry...<br /><a href="https://events.teamster.org/ei/cm.esp?id=4010034&pageid=_3FH0ULU6B" rel="nofollow">2013 Teamster Women's Conference Registration</a>  teamster.org   ...The Teamster Women’s Conference will be held September 19-21, 2013 in New Orleans, Louisiana.  Register now to join your Teamster Sisters and Brothers!...<br /><a href="http://thehill.com/blogs/on-the-money/1005-trade/319949-obama-underscores-need-to-finish-asia-pacific-trade-deal-this-year" rel="nofollow">Obama underscores need to finish Asia-Pacific trade deal this year </a> The Hill   ...the president once again underscored his stance that the 12 nations involved in negotiating the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) should conclude talks this fall, the White House said...<br /><a href="http://act.aflcio.org/c/18/p/dia/action3/common/public/?action_KEY=7025" rel="nofollow">Don't Let Corporations Hijack Another Trade Deal</a>  AFL-CIO   ...Corporations are trying to manipulate the Trans-Pacific Partnership—a free trade agreement being negotiated right now that would be bigger than NAFTA—to increase their power over the global economy, so they have a say in everything from your rights at work to the prices of your prescriptions and the safety of your child’s toys...<br /><a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/federal_government/labors-thomas-perez-jobs-jobs-jobs/2013/09/01/b6ae9b7e-11b2-11e3-b4cb-fd7ce041d814_singlePage.html" rel="nofollow">Labor’s Thomas Perez: ‘jobs, jobs, jobs’</a>  Washington Post   ...I’ve traveled the country in my short time here on the job, talking to CEOs...<br /><a href="http://www.psmag.com/business-economics/the-case-of-the-still-missing-jobs-64727/" rel="nofollow">Why This Particular Recovery Is So Bad at Creating New Jobs</a>  Pacific Standard   ...Businesses are reluctant to invest their record profits in new workers, and instead, they’re hoarding cash—because they aren’t convinced people can afford to buy the goods and services they sell. Too many of them are unemployed!...<br /><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/bank-economists-summers-as-fed-chair-would-cost-05-off-gdp-and-350000-jobs-2013-9?op=1" rel="nofollow">ECONOMISTS: Summers As Fed Chair Would Shave 0.5% Off GDP And Cost Us 350,000 Jobs</a>  Business Insider   ...10-year Treasury rates have already risen because of the expectation that Summers will be nominated...<br /><a href="http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2013/06/expendables-temps-corporate-giants" rel="nofollow">The Expendables: How the Temps Who Power Corporate Giants Are Getting Crushed</a>  Mother Jones   ...Overall, almost one-fifth of the total job growth since the recession ended in mid-2009 has been in the temp sector, federal data shows. But according to the American Staffing Association, the temp industry's trade group, the pool is even larger: Every year, a tenth of all US workers finds a job at a staffing agency...<br /><a href="http://prospect.org/article/whats-killing-poor-white-women" rel="nofollow">What's Killing Poor White Women?</a>  The American Prospect   ...For most Americans, life expectancy continues to rise—but not for uneducated white women. They have lost five years, and no one knows why...<br /><a href="http://www.latimes.com/nation/la-na-aging-bridges-20130904,0,4964515.story" rel="nofollow">Across U.S., bridges crumble as repair funds fall short</a>  Los Angeles Times   ...Engineers say thousands are close to collapse. And between the recession, sequestration and congressional gridlock, money to fix them is scarcer than ever...<br /><a href="http://politicker.com/2013/09/koch-family-sinks-big-money-into-new-pro-lhota-pac/" rel="nofollow">Koch Family Sinks Big Money Into New Pro-Lhota PAC</a>  New York Observer   ...David Koch and his wife, Julia, have each contributed $145,050 to “New Yorkers for Proven Leadership,” which will begin airing television ads tomorrow touting the former MTA chairman and deputy mayor, sources said...<br /><a href="http://www.policymic.com/articles/61901/moral-monday-activists-in-north-carolina-demand-republicans-pay-attention-to-their-constituents" rel="nofollow">Moral Monday Activists in North Carolina Demand Republicans Pay Attention to Their Constituents</a>  PolicyMic   ...the protests were North Carolina’s new civil rights movement: especially as they resist the racially charged voter suppression legislation — described by some as the most restrictive in the country — that that impedes democracy for people of underprivileged racial and economic backgrounds...<br /><br /><div><br /></div>

airline contract Jobs life expectancy Moral Mondays rail safety temporary workers TPP Today's Teamster News 09.04.13

BLET, Tacoma Rail sign new 5-year agreement  teamster.org   ...This agreement covers about 20 locomotive engineers and contains a signing bonus and significant wage and paid time off improvements, as well as health and welfare benefits equal to other…

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Teamster organizing victory in Texas!

<div class="MsoNormal"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBc3y-9sBte1juXch_Yso-XhViDpMbPg3TqGj1zpE0s6arAbzFFr11lsmJPTCGGpRT1ATLl1nA_XKnwDG8KuFaWa1LTR2D5f5h2SePLfZMMqyOVKf7k78gKVOkg5NOFvoj6dfFZp4beemP/s1600/Victory.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBc3y-9sBte1juXch_Yso-XhViDpMbPg3TqGj1zpE0s6arAbzFFr11lsmJPTCGGpRT1ATLl1nA_XKnwDG8KuFaWa1LTR2D5f5h2SePLfZMMqyOVKf7k78gKVOkg5NOFvoj6dfFZp4beemP/s200/Victory.jpg" width="133" /></a></div>Please give a warm welcome to our 25 new Teamster brothers and sisters who voted on Thursday to join the Brotherhood of Loco</div>motive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET). They are train and engine service employees who work for the Texas-Pacifico Transportation Ltd. short line.<br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Texas-Pacifico operates freight service over approximately 380 miles in West Texas, from San Angelo Junction to Alpine Junction. It also operates from Paisano Junction to International Bridge near Presidio, Texas, and it interchanges with the BNSF Railway, Union Pacific, Ferromex and the Fort Worth & Western Railroad.</span><br /><br />The National Mediation Board has certified the election results.<br /><div class="MsoNormal"><br />BLET National President Dennis R. Pierce welcomed the new Texas-Pacifico workers to the House of Labor and thanked them for voting BLET. The Brotherhood will begin contract negotiations with rail management as quickly as possible, he said:</div><div class="MsoNormal"><blockquote class="tr_bq"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The best way to respond to the confidence shown by our new Texas-Pacifico members is to help them realize the goals they identified in their first-ever collective bargaining agreement, and that job begins today.</span></blockquote></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Brother Pierce thanked Kent Confer, BLET special representative and director of organizing, for his hard work in securing the election victory at Texas-Pacifico. He also thanked General Chairman Alan Holdcraft, 1^st Vice Chairman Robby Cunningham and Secretary-Treasurer Chris Mosser for their help in the organizing effort.</span><br /><br />Our new brothers and sisters at Texas-Pacifico will belong to the BLET’s BNSF (former AT&SF) General Committee of Adjustment.</div><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div>

organizing victory rail Texas Teamster organizing victory in Texas!

Please give a warm welcome to our 25 new Teamster brothers and sisters who voted on Thursday to join the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET). They are train and engine service employees who work for the Texas-Pacifico Transportati…

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