Today's Teamster News 09.20.13

<a href="http://www.kirotv.com/news/news/strike-lockout-possibilities-darigold-workers/nZ2Df/" rel="nofollow">Strike, lockout possibilities for Darigold workers</a>  KIRO TV   ...Workers at Darigold, who have worked without a contract since June 1, staged an informational picket line a couple of weeks ago with signs that read "just practicing." Now the members of Teamster Local 117 believe their company has set the stage for a lockout or strike...<br /><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/09/18/union-membership-middle-class-income_n_3948543.html?utm_hp_ref=business" rel="nofollow">Middle-Class Decline Mirrors The Fall Of Unions In One Chart</a>  Huffington Post   ...This week the Census Bureau reported the <a href="http://www.census.gov/prod/2013pubs/p60-245.pdf" rel="nofollow">latest depressing decline</a> in middle-class incomes during the so-called economic recovery. But it may have missed an important factor in this story. As union membership declines, middle-class incomes shrink...<br /><a href="http://www.correntewire.com/income_poverty_and_healthcare_2012_the_patient_did_not_get_worse_but_remains_seriously_ill" rel="nofollow">Income, Poverty, and Healthcare 2012: The Patient Did Not Get Worse But Remains Seriously Ill </a> Corrente   ...A comparison of real household income over the past five years showed an 8.3 percent decline since 2007, the year before the nation entered an economic recession, and a 9.0 percent decrease from the 1999 peak of $56,080...<br /><a href="http://oilprice.com/Energy/Gas-Prices/The-Era-of-Cheap-Gasoline-is-Over.html" rel="nofollow">The Era of Cheap Gasoline is Over </a> OilPrice   ...The last time the average price for a gallon of regular unleaded gasoline in the United States was below $3.00, however, was the day before Christmas Eve 2010. AAA said that, on average, prices may never be that low again...<br /><a href="http://citizen.typepad.com/eyesontrade/2013/09/as-presidents-export-council-meets-no-chance-to-meet-obamas-export-doubling-goal-exports-fall-under-.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+eyesontrade+%28Eyes+on+Trade%29" rel="nofollow">As President’s Export Council Meets, No Chance to Meet Obama’s Export Doubling Goal; Exports Fall Under Free Trade Agreements</a>  Public Citizen   ...recent government data show it will be virtually impossible to meet Obama’s stated goal of doubling exports by the end of 2014. The same data shows that in 16 out of 16 months since the Korea “free trade” agreement (FTA) took effect last year, U.S. goods exports to Korea have fallen below the average export level in the year before the deal...<br /><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/20/world/europe/pope-bluntly-faults-churchs-focus-on-gays-and-abortion.html?_r=0" rel="nofollow">Pope Says Church Is ‘Obsessed’ With Gays, Abortion and Birth Control</a>  New York Times   ...Six months into his papacy, Pope Francis sent shock waves through the Roman Catholic church on Thursday with the publication of his remarks that the church had grown “obsessed” with abortion, gay marriage and contraception, and that he had chosen not to talk about those issues despite recriminations from critics...<br /><a href="http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/envelope/cotown/la-fi-ct-onlocation-film-czar20130918,0,4158515.story" rel="nofollow">Search for L.A. film czar drags on at City Hall</a>  Los Angeles Times   ....L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti is still searching for a film czar to serve as an industry advocate in City Hall and to help stop runaway production...<br /><a href="http://www.calculatedriskblog.com/2013/09/aar-rail-traffic-increased-in-august.html" rel="nofollow">AAR: Rail Traffic increased in August</a>  Calculated Risk   ...The Association of American Railroads (AAR) ... reported increased total U.S. rail traffic for the month of August 2013, with intermodal setting a new record and carload volume increasing overall compared with August 2012...<br /><a href="http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/09/19/meely-navy-yard-shooting-understaffed/2837045/" rel="nofollow">Union rep: Cutbacks cost lives in Navy Yard shooting</a>  USA TODAY   ...A top union official for Washington Navy Yard police says he believes fewer lives would have been lost had the department not been understaffed during the attack that left the shooter and 12 of his victims dead...<br /><a href="http://blogs.sfweekly.com/thesnitch/2013/09/tensions_between_bart_and_unio.php" rel="nofollow">Tensions Between BART and Unions Escalate, Transit Strike Looming</a>  SF Weekly   ...After another full day of negotiations Wednesday, it's fair to say things between BART and its unions are getting worse, not better...<br /><a href="http://peoplesworld.org/labor-to-play-heavily-in-state-elections-next-year/" rel="nofollow">Labor to “play heavily” in state elections next year</a>  People’s World   ...Organized labor, with its community allies, will "play heavily" in state gubernatorial and legislative races next year, its top two political operatives say...<br /><a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2013/09/19/watch-the-growth-of-u-s-income-inequality-with-this-animated-map/" rel="nofollow">Watch the growth of U.S. income inequality with this animated map</a><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">  </span>Washington Post   ...Here's <a href="http://economistsview.typepad.com/economistsview/2013/09/state-inequality-visualizations.html" rel="nofollow"><span style="color: blue;">a fascinating visualization</span></a> of how inequality in the United States has evolved over the years...<br /><a href="http://www.boston.com/business/news/2013/09/19/postmaster-says-usps-may-need-emergency-rate-hike/e8272wQV5SRxZ0N3eVHQgP/story.html" rel="nofollow">Postmaster says USPS may need emergency rate hike</a>  Associated Press   ...The Postal Service may need an emergency rate increase to stay afloat, according to Postmaster General Patrick Donahoe who says the agency’s cash balance next month likely will cover only five days of its average daily expenses...<br /><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/elizabeth-kucinich/monsanto-protection-act_b_3921968.html?utm_hp_ref=business&ir=Business" rel="nofollow">The Monsanto Protection Act Is Back!</a>  Huffington Post   ...The agrichemical companies may have the best lobbyists in town. Last May, the agrichemical giants -- Monsanto, Dow, Syngenta, Bayer, DuPont, BASF -- pulled off a stunning maneuver to protect their massive profits. These companies could have legal protection to continue selling their products even if the courts pulled the products from the market...<br /><a href="http://www.latimes.com/business/money/la-fi-mo-jpmorgan-case-rare-admission-bank-broke-law-20130919,0,735274.story" rel="nofollow">In JPMorgan case, a rare admission: bank broke the law</a>  Los Angeles Times   ...The $920-million settlement <a href="http://www.latimes.com/topic/economy-business-finance/financial-business-services/jpmorgan-chase-%26-co.-ORCRP010217.topic" rel="nofollow">JPMorgan Chase</a> and Co. struck with regulators in the "London Whale" fiasco contains something rare: an admission the bank broke the law...<br /><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/09/19/more-amazon-warehouse-workers-sue_n_3950295.html?1379590888" rel="nofollow">More Amazon Warehouse Workers Sue Retailer Over Unpaid Security Waits</a>  Huffington Post   ...A growing number of Amazon.com warehouse workers are suing the online retail giant and its contractors for requiring them to undergo time-consuming and unpaid security screenings in order to do their jobs...<br /><a href="http://wepartypatriots.com/wp/2013/09/19/misplaced-idea-to-private-the-tennessee-valley-authority-brings-unions-gop-together/" rel="nofollow">Misplaced Idea to Private the Tennessee Valley Authority Brings Unions, GOP Together</a>  The We Party   ...The budget proposed by President Barack Obama in April floated an idea to privatize the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), a crown jewel of the New Deal. Labor unions expressing deep opposition to the idea are being joined by unlikely allies in the fight...<br /><a href="http://www.prnewschannel.com/2013/09/19/ohio-unions-keep-watchful-eye-on-right-to-work-legal-challenge-in-indiana/" rel="nofollow">Ohio unions keep watchful eye on Right to Work legal challenge in Indiana</a>  PR News Channel   ...Ohio union supporters are anxiously watching the developments in Indiana on the heels of the state’s controversial Right to Work law being ruled unconstitutional by a Lake County judge last week…<br /><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/penda-d-hair/wisconsins-antivoting-law_b_3942241.html" rel="nofollow">Wisconsin's Anti-Voting Law Heads to Federal Court</a>  Huffington Post   ...With deceptively little fanfare or attention, a federal judge in Wisconsin is poised to preside over the first trial challenging a photo ID law under Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act...<br /><a href="http://florida%20gov.%20rick%20scott%20seeks%20supreme%20court%20review%20of%20worker%20drug%20test%20%20associated%20press/" rel="nofollow">Florida Gov. Rick Scott seeks Supreme Court review of worker drug test</a>  Associated Press   ...Florida Gov. Rick Scott plans to seek U.S. Supreme Court review of his executive order requiring random drug tests for thousands of state employees...<br /><a href="http://www.lansingstatejournal.com/article/20130918/NEWS04/309180048/Senator-Flawed-bidding-process-led-privatization-prison-food-service?nclick_check=1" rel="nofollow">Senator: 'Flawed' bidding process led to privatization of prison food service</a>  Lansing State Journal   ...A Republican senator told the Civil Service Commission on Wednesday that a flawed bidding process led to the state’s decision to privatize food service for 45,000 Michigan prisoners and eliminate about 370 state jobs...

Today's Teamster News 09.20.13

Strike, lockout possibilities for Darigold workers   KIRO TV   ...Workers at Darigold, who have worked without a contract since June 1, stag...

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