Sunday, March 29, 2015

Today's Teamster News 03.29.15

Teamsters
Environmental Waste Workers Vote 11-0 to Join Teamsters Local 107  teamster.org   ...On March 26, 2015, workers at PSC Environmental Outsourcing, LLC in Philadelphia voted 11-0 to join Teamsters Local 107...
Saint Vincent Hospital workers march on boss, request recognition as Teamsters  TeamsterNation   ...Holding signs that read "Recognize Our Union" and "Health Care Workers Deserve Good Health Care," the group marched from the hospital atrium to the CEO’s office to present a letter requesting recognition of their chosen union, Teamsters Local 170...
Trade
A new US-EU free trade agreement could make countries subservient to corporations  Business Insider   ...The potentially game-changing trade deal is aimed at radically reconfiguring the legal and regulatory superstructures of the world’s two largest markets, the United States and the European Union – for the almost exclusive benefit of the world’s biggest multinational corporations...
Struggling steel industry asks Congress for help  Chicago Tribune   ...CEOs for the country's largest steel companies told the Congressional Steel Caucus Thursday that the government needs to take a three-pronged approach to save the industry from illegal trade practices -- improve its trade policies, invest in the workforce and finance improvements to the nation's infrastructure...
Taiwan needs to address US beef-pork import issue to speed up TPP bid: DC officials  China Post   ...The Taiwan government needs to resolve issues surrounding the import of U.S. meat products to speed up its push to join the U.S.-led Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), two senior U.S. government officials said Thursday in Washington, D.C...
Seattle mulls stance against fast track for Trans-Pacific Partnership  Seattle Globalist   ...Seattle City Council is set to vote on a resolution Monday that takes a stance against fast-track trade promotion authority for the free trade deal known as the Trans-Pacific Partnership, or TPP...
State Battles
Right-to-work, outsourced lotto bills on hold  Lansing State Journal   ...No hearings have been held or scheduled on legislation that would expand right-to-work laws to public safety employees and the Michigan State Police...
A lawyer shows up at a 'right-to-work' hearing. And ... cue the laughter.  Upworthy   ..."Right-to-work is good for my business, the bankruptcy business..."
Businesses, workers adjusting to Oakland's higher minimum wage  Inside Bay Area News   ... As Oakland's minimum wage was raised from $9 to $12.25 an hour on March 2, Salazar no longer must choose between paying her rent on time and buying food for her family...
War on Workers
Wage increases by big retailers to sway pay at local companies  Toledo Blade   ...Next month several hundred retail workers at Wal-mart, Target, TJ Maxx, Marshalls, and HomeGoods stores in the Toledo area will get a raise. That will lead to other area retail workers’ paychecks getting bigger, experts predict...
Which Companies Are Buying the Election? (opinion)  New York Times   ...With each passing year since 2010, when the Supreme Court's decision in Citizens United opened the floodgates to secretive political giving, politiciaans appear to value so-called dark money more and value disclosure of unnamed donors less...