AFL-CIO Now Blog

Better Access to WARN Act Information Needed for Workers, Communities

superuser — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 22:12:00 -0400

Coalition Launches Drive to Fight Social Security Cuts

superuser — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 15:11:00 -0400

Judge Blocks Major Parts of Arizona’s Anti-Immigrant Law

superuser — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 02:09:00 -0400

‘The Horror! The Horror!’—McConnell Stars in AFSCME Guerilla Video

superuser — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 19:11:00 -0400

Peinovich Named President of National Labor College

superuser — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 22:08:00 -0400

Dr. Paula Peinovich has been appointed president of the National Labor College (NLC). She has served as interim president since January and will serve a three-year-term as head of the nation’s only fully accredited institution devoted to educating working families and labor activists.

Peinovich holds a Ph.D. in higher education policy from the University of Pennsylvania and has devoted her career to increasing access for underserved learners. Says AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka:

Dr. Peinovich’s outstanding track record as a teacher, scholar and administrator makes her uniquely qualified to lead the only institution of higher education in America that is solely devoted to the needs of working people and their unions.

Peinovich has served as both provost and president of Walden University, a distance education graduate university based in Minneapolis. She is the former president of the Association for Continuing Higher Education. Previously, she spent more than a decade as vice president of academic affairs at Excelsior College, another online institution based in Albany, N.Y. A former college English instructor and AFT local union officer, Peinovich says:

As someone with a passion for lifelong learning, I’ve found a true home at the National Labor College. The faculty and staff here are outstanding, and it is a rare privilege to work with our student body, who come to the NLC from all walks of life and from all corners of the U.S. and Canada to pursue their dreams.

Peinovich says the NLC has a wide and accessible range of programs to meet “adult learners on their own terms.”

With our new green workplace representative program, flexible degree programs offered through a distance learning model, union skills continuing education classes and certificate programs, the Labor College is extremely well-positioned to offer our student body of adult learners a wide range of educational choices for the future.

She succeeds William Scheuerman, who retired earlier this year after serving as NLC president since February 2008.

Union Members Help Keep Daimler Plant Open—and More Bargaining News

superuser — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 15:12:00 -0400

Union members negotiate a contract that keeps an Oregon Daimler Trucks plant from closing, and more news from the “Bargaining Digest Weekly.” The AFL-CIO Collective Bargaining Department delivers daily, bargaining-related news and research resources to more than 1,300 subscribers. Union leaders can register for this service through our website, Bargaining@Work.

SETTLEMENTS
Multiple, Daimler Trucks North America: Good news in Portland, Ore., where a Daimler Trucks North America plant slated for closure will remain open after union members ratified new three-year contracts with the company. Most of the nearly 700 workers are members of Machinists (IAM) Local 1005, and others are represented by Painters and Allied Trades (IUPAT) Local 1094, Teamsters Local 305 and SEIU Local 49.

USW, Vale Inco: Some 3,000 United Steelworkers (USW) members at Vale Inco in Canada approved a five-year contract, ending a yearlong strike, one of the longest in Canadian history.

ALPA, Jazz Air: Pilots at Canadian airline Jazz Air ratified a new six-year contract. The 1,500 pilots are represented by the Air Line Pilots (ALPA).

USW, AK Steel: Members of USW Local 1865 in Ashland, Ky., ratified a three-year contract extension July 9 at AK Steel. The 750 workers covered by the contract will receive annual lump sum payments of $1,500, and the hourly wage will be increased by $1 in September of this year.

UWUA, DTE Energy: Members of Utility Workers (UWUA) Local 223 in Michigan ratified a new three-year contract with DTE Energy. The contract covers nearly 4,000 workers.

IUOE, Mid-American Regional Bargaining Association: Members of Operating Engineers (IUOE) Local 150 in Chicago ratified a new three-year agreement last week.

ALPA, Spirit Airlines: Pilots at Spirit Airlines last week ratified a new five-year contract, which includes raises for the 500 members of ALPA. The contract came after four years of negotiations and a five-day strike last month.

USW, Alcan Aluminum: Members of USW Local 5668 ratified a two-year contract with Alcan Aluminum in Ravenswood, W.Va. The contract maintains current health care benefits and provides the 700 workers with annual $0.35/hour wage increases.

UFCW, Shaw’s: A four-month strike by United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) warehouse workers at Shaw’s in New England ended with a settlement July 8. More than 300 workers fought to save their benefits and pay with the support of the AFL-CIO and Teamsters.

UFCW, Multiple Supermarkets: The BNA Daily Labor Report (subscription required) reported that members of UFCW Local 1500 in New York ratified 39-month contracts with King Kullen, Pathmark and Stop & Shop supermarkets. The 16,000 workers will receive weekly wage increases of between $60 and $110 over the term and will maintain their current health care co-pay of $20.

NEGOTIATIONS
UNITEHERE!, Hyatt: The same day thousands of hotel workers protested Hyatt hotels around the country, members of UNITEHERE! Local 483 in Monterey and Carmel, Calif., reached a tentative agreement with the company. No details of the deal covering 400 workers at two properties have been released.

NNU-MNA, North Adams Regional Hospital: In Massachusetts, North Adams NNU nurses voted to authorize a strike if necessary. Management is demanding the union agree to a gag order provision that would not permit nurses to speak out about patient care, working conditions and staffing.

WORK STOPPAGES
IAM, Pratt & Whitney The IAM earlier this month won a significant court battle to save 1,000 Pratt & Whitney jobs in Connecticut. The long fight to save the jobs will soon move to the bargaining table. The IAM contract expires Dec. 5.

Disclaimer: This information is being provided for your information only. As it is compiled from published news reports, not from individual unions, we cannot vouch for either its completeness or accuracy; readers who desire further information should directly contact the union involved.

Weingarten Condemns Firing of 241 D.C. Teachers

superuser — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 22:14:00 -0400

The announcement today that 241 District of Columbia public school teachers would be fired under the school system’s new evaluation process raises questions about D.C. School Chancellor Michelle Rhee’s “penchant for firing teachers rather than providing supports to develop their skills,” AFT President Randi Weingarten said. This brings to almost 600 the number of D.C. teachers Rhee has fired in just over a year.

Weingarten said:

Firing teachers en masse may sound to some like strong action is being taken, but in the absence of real professional supports and valid teacher evaluations systems, it simply perpetuates a destructive and failing strategy.

She said she hopes the recent contract with D.C. teachers, which calls for teachers to receive professional development and other supports throughout their careers, will bring “much-needed changes for District schools.”

Weingarten urged Rhee to follow the lead of school systems that successfully use other tools to develop highly skilled teaching forces “rather than stubbornly adhering to the destructive cycle of ‘fire, hire, repeat.’”

You can read Weingarten’s full statement here .