Articles

Unions in the News for early May 2010

May 11, 2010 – Los Angeles Times – What unions do for Americans – “unions today seek to preserve fairness for workers and a semblance of the American middle class.” [This article is a must-read for all City employees and all union members.]

May 10, 2010 – Working in These Times – A Long-Awaited Victory for Labor in Rail, Airline Industries – [Most of us did not realize that, in those two industries only, someone who chooses not to vote at all in a union representation election has their vote automatically counted as ‘no union’.] “The National Mediation Board (NMB) voted 2-1 to allow union elections to work the same way as political elections—and union elections in other industries—in the United States: Union representation can now be approved by a majority of those voting.” [Workers have long faced many hurdles in getting fair representation.]

May 9, 2010 – Los Angeles Times - A Kern County mining town feels hope leaching away – “world's second-largest borax mine to lock out 570 workers . . . The International Longshore and Warehouse Union Local 30, which represents the locked-out employees, holds regular emergency meetings to help those in the direst circumstances. . . free medical screenings for workers without insurance. And each week, donated food is handed out at the union hall.” [This article highlights the bad-faith of management by trying to break the union and thus eliminate benefits and institute lower pay.  Our brothers and sisters in Local 30 deserve our support and assistance in their struggle, not to mention our prayers.  This is why everyone needs unions.]

May 8, 2010 – Los Angeles Times -  SEIU picks Mary Kay Henry as president – “She vows to heal rifts with other labor groups” [This is an encouraging sign, but] “she had no intention of leading the SEIU back into the AFL-CIO” [This is a discouraging sign.  Apparently, she thinks she can have it both ways.]

May 10, 2010 – Beyond Chron - SEIU President Henry Faces Test Over Raynor Bombshell – “paid by one union while working to benefit another . . . SEIU rewarded Raynor with a top union position for engaging in conduct it told their workers and the court that SEIU opposed. . . Raynor and his allies misappropriated $15 million . . . Henry now either moves quickly to remove Raynor from power and walk the talk of reform, or else expose SEIU’s new ethical standards as a joke . . . The panel’s detailed findings . . . forwarded to the Departments of Justice and Labor on February 25. Yet SEIU has taken no action in response” [Maybe this pending investigation had something to do with Stern's sudden retirement.]

May 3, 2010 – SF Gate - SEIU agrees to furloughs as city trims layoff list to 425 – “SEIU agrees to furloughs as city trims layoff list to 425 . . . virtually identical to the one other city unions already have accepted. . . limit the number of immediate layoffs to 425”