Denver Airport Embraces Paperless Passes

DENVER March 12 (UPI) -- A Transportation Security Administration spokeswoman said a new program at Denver International Airport allows passengers to use paperless boarding passes.

TSA spokeswoman Carrie Harmon said the program implemented by TSA and United Airlines officials at the Denver airport allows passengers to board using boarding passes downloaded to their mobile phones, The Denver Post reported Friday.

US Airways Fined Over Pricing on Web Site

By Linda Loyd Posted on Mon, Mar. 8, 2010
INQUIRER STAFF WRITER

US Airways Group Inc. was fined $40,000 today by the U.S. Department of Transportation for not disclosing full ticket prices on its Web site.
The Transportation Department said it imposed the civil fine because US Airways violated rules that require airline advertisements to disclose the full price on the first Internet screen that provides a fare quote.

The department's Aviation Enforcement Office said that "for a short period of time," when consumers searched US Airways' Web site for one-way flights, the Tempe, Ariz., carrier provided fares that did not include additional taxes and fees, or any notice that the additional charges would be added later in the transaction.

Southwest Challenges US Airways with PHL-BOS Flights

By Joe Brancatelli Thursday, March 11, 2010

Southwest Airlines got its new terminal at Philadelphia International Airport late last month, and the 800-pound gorilla of low-fare airlines promptly renewed its challenge to US Airways, Philadelphia’s incumbent legacy carrier. Starting June 27, Southwest will fly five times a day between Philadelphia and Boston Logan, one of US Airways’ most profitable monopoly routes. According to government figures, US Airways’ average fare on PHL-BOS has been $345, by far the highest in the country for flights between 251 and 300 miles. Southwest’s introductory fare: $59 one-way.

FAA Urges $787,500 in Fines for American Airlines

March 12, 2010 5:28 p.m. EST

Washington (CNN) -- The Federal Aviation Administration on Friday proposed $787,500 in fines against American Airlines for maintenance violations.

The airline said it would review the proposed penalties and meet with the FAA to discuss them.

"American Airlines is very proud of our safety record and our employees' commitment to safety every day," the company said in a statement issued Friday. "Safety is fundamental to the American Airlines culture and to our success."

'I Am Not Your ATM'

by Laura Clawson, Mar 12, 2010

Working people have plenty to be angry with Wall Street about. A $700 billion bailout. Toxic assets and loan guarantees to the tune of hundreds of billions of dollars. A financial crisis and credit crunch. Billions of dollars in six- and seven-figure bonuses to the Wall Street executives who got us into this mess.

Unemployment reaching 10 percent. A mortgage crisis extending far beyond subprime loans. Abusive credit and debit card fees. More than five job-seekers for every one job.

Strike Is Set After Talks Fail at British Airways

By NICOLA CLARK
Published: March 12, 2010

British Airways cabin crew are preparing to walk off the job for seven days later this month after talks with management broke down without an agreement, a trade union that represents the carrier’s 13,500 flight attendants said Friday.

The union, Unite, said members agreed Thursday to stage an initial three-day strike beginning March 20, followed by a further four-day action from March 27.

AFGE's TSO Election Petition Moving Quickly

by James Parks, Mar 12, 2010

Even though the head of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has not been confirmed, AFGE is moving ahead quickly with its plans, seeking an election so transportation security officers (TSOs) can join a union.

On Feb. 22, AFGE filed a petition with the Federal Labor Relations Authority (FLRA) for an election to allow the 41,000 TSOs to vote on union representation. In 2003, the Bush administration stripped the workers of collective bargaining rights. The FLRA is moving the petition through its election process quicker than usual, AFGE President John Gage said on the “Inside Government” radio show.

Wage Gap Between Women and Men Bad, Women of Color Suffer Most

by Tula Connell, Mar 12, 2010

The pay gap between female and male workers in this country got a hearing in a Senate committee yesterday. But you wouldn’t even know the hearing happened: The issue apparently doesn’t rank up there with the antics of drunk superstars or foolish golfers to get attention by the corporate media.

Right now, U.S. working women receive 77 cents for every dollar paid to a male worker. The ratio has remained nearly unchanged for years. Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.) has been pushing for more than a decade to pass a paycheck fairness bill, and yesterday, the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee held a hearing on the Paycheck Fairness Act (H.R. 12/S. 182).

In Zimbabwe, the Voice of the Worker

In this cross-post from Border Jumpers, Bernard Pollack, who is taking a leave of absence from the AFL-CIO to travel through Africa, and Danielle Nierenberg send us another report from their journey through Zimbabwe.

Imagine being one of only five opposition voices in a country of 13 million people, where all radio, print and television is strictly controlled by the government. That’s Ben Madzimure’s uphill battle every day as editor of The Worker, the voice of the labor movement, in Zimbabwe—especially because his newspaper is only printed once a month, with only 5,000 copies distributed throughout the country.

Webb vs. Unions

By Phil Fretz5 :43 AM on Monday, Mar. 8, 2010

City Councilman Jack Webb, I keep hearing, says he won't run for reelection if he is unable to get meaningful pension reform passed after he becomes council president this summer.

That isn't exactly true.

Webb tells me that he plans to run, but he isn't going to let the campaign interfere with his duties as council president.

If pushing reforms means he loses, Webb says, he loses.

Let's be honest. The police and fire unions don't want anybody messing with their very lucrative pensions - and it can get pretty messy for those opposing them.

Remember a few months ago, when the police union president announced a boycott of the mayor's family business?

And, because the unions have so much money and manpower, it's hard to win a city election without their support.

Notice I said hard, not impossible. Webb didn't get their endorsement three years ago.

And he won, anyway.

It's a good bet that he won't get it again this time.

Webb's a fighter. That's what this city needs during these tough budget times.

Florida Teachers Union Rips John Thrasher's Education Bill

By Brandon Larrabee 7:22 AM on Tuesday, Mar. 9, 2010

TALLAHASSEE — The state’s largest teachers union ripped into a proposed overhaul of teacher contracts Monday, saying the bill represented an effort to score political points instead of serious education reform.

“It attacks the very people who work in our school system each and every day as opposed to giving them the resources that are needed to succeed,” said Andy Ford, president of the Florida Education Association, at a news conference called to slam the proposal from Sen. John Thrasher, R-St. Augustine.

Jacksonville Declares Impasse with Faternal Order of Police

By Matt GalnorStory updated at 8:25 AM on Friday, Mar. 12, 2010

Mayor John Peyton’s plan to shore up Jacksonville city finances is based heavily on getting some help from the unions.

But if he doesn’t get the help, he has other options — as he showed Thursday with the city’s largest union.

The chances of reaching agreement with the Fraternal Order of Police dimmed significantly when the city declared an impasse with the 2,400-member union of police and corrections officers.

“We came to the conclusion we were not moving forward,” Peyton said.

Peyton wants salary cuts, employees to pick up more of their health insurance costs and a less attractive overtime policy to address a “structural problem” of rising employee costs.

City Budget: Better Buckle Up

Story updated at 12:25 AM on Friday, Mar. 12, 2010

The forecast for city finances: Ugly today, with a 100 percent chance of looking worse tomorrow.

Get used to talk of potential layoffs, cuts in services and more tax and fee increases for years to come.

For starters, the city faces a $58 million budget hole for next year.

Factors such as decreasing revenues, a flat economy and rising pension and health costs translate into a projected budget deficit of $106 million for next year and $257 million for fiscal year 2015.

Last year's budget process was bruising, involving difficult cuts and a property tax hike. Yet, millions in the "easy" cuts have been made.

Mayor John Peyton's remedies include a 3 percent pay cut this year for city employees (something that remains to be negotiated with the city's unions) and raising fees next year, including garbage fees.

Teacher Accountability Measure Passes First Hurdle

By Brandon Larrabee 11:34 PM on Wednesday, Mar. 10, 2010

TALLAHASSEE — A bill to revamp teacher contracts and pay in Florida passed its first test Wednesday, gaining approval from the Senate Education PreK-12 Committee on a party-line vote.

The proposal, sponsored by Sen. John Thrasher, R-St. Augustine, passed the panel 6-2 after a sometimes contentious hearing in which Democrats and teachers organizations criticized the proposal as anti-educator while Republicans touted it as a key step in education reform.

“This is about teachers, but ultimately it’s about students,” Thrasher told fellow lawmakers before the vote.

Thrasher’s bill, filed last week , would base half of a teacher’s salary on student performance while extending to five years the period during which a new teacher can be fired at the end of each school year without cause.

U.S. Income Equality May Equal Mexico's by 2043

by Tula Connell, Mar 12, 2010

Two reports out this week offer a telling glimpse into the direction of the nation.

•The number of U.S. households with a net worth of at least $1 million jumped 16 percent last year after dipping sharply during the financial crisis, according to a new report. The Spectrem Group study also found “ultra-high net worth families—those with at least $5 million—grew 17 percent last year to 980,000.
•Some 6 percent of all workers were living in poverty in 2008, up from 5.1 percent in 2007—the highest proportion since 6.2 percent in 1994, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. In 2008, some 8.9 million adults were among the “working poor”—1.4 million more than in 2007.

British Airways Closer to Strike as Union Talks Fail

March 11 (Bloomberg) -- British Airways Plc’s 12,000 flight attendants moved closer to a strike after talks with Europe’s third-largest airline over pay cuts broke down.

Officials at Unite, which represents BA cabin crew, met this morning to discuss “next steps,” spokeswoman Pauline Doyle said in an e-mail. The union, which has the legal authority to announce a strike any time before March 15, doesn’t plan to make a statement on the situation today, she said.

US Airways Adds New Routes to Mexico, Canada

Thursday, Mar 11 07:48am

US Airways announced four new nonstop routes this morning. Two are to Canada and two are to Mexico. The airline's Charlotte hub gains three new destinations (Ottawa, Los Cabos and Puerto Vallarta) while Philadelphia gets one (Halifax). All four routes are scheduled to operate year-round.

Ottawa service begins May 31 with US Airways Express partner Air Wisconsin flying one daily round-trip flight on 50-seat Bombardier CRJ-200 regional jets. The Los Cabos and Puerto Vallarta routes start June 5, with US Airways offering five flights a week to Los Cabos and four to Puerto Vallarta. The carrier will fly 124-seat two-class Airbus A319 jets on the routes.

Southwest Airlines Cargo Receives Highest Honor for Air Cargo Excellence

Press Release Source: Southwest Airlines On Wednesday March 10, 2010, 4:39 pm EST

DALLAS, March 10 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Southwest Airlines Cargo was recognized as the top airline in the world in Air Cargo World's annual Air Cargo Excellence (ACE) Survey released today. Rated against 84 airlines, Southwest Airlines (NYSE:LUV - News) earned the highest overall airline score, led all airlines in the Performance and Value categories, and received the highest honor, the Diamond Award. The Air Cargo Excellence Survey, established five years ago and published annually by Air Cargo World, acknowledged Southwest Airlines Cargo for achievements in air cargo excellence in four key areas: Customer Service, Performance, Information Technology, and Value.

United Makes Firm Order for 25 Airbus A350s

Wed Mar 10, 4:01 pm ET

PARIS – United Airlines has made a firm order for 25 of Airbus' A350 extra-wide bodied jets, fulfilling a commitment signed in December, the European aircraft manufacturer said Wednesday.

Deliveries of the 314-seat A350-900s are scheduled to begin in 2016 and run through 2019, Airbus said in a statement.

The order is half of a 50-aircraft order United announced in December, when it also unveiled plans to buy 25 of Airbus' rival Boeing Co.'s 787 jets.

AFL-CIO Jobs Agenda

No one needs to tell America’s families that unemployment and underemployment are at crisis levels. We need jobs—and we need them now.

Wall Street has gotten its bailouts. Now it’s time for Main Street to get some immediate help.

The AFL-CIO is calling on Congress and the Obama administration to take five steps now to care for jobless workers and put America back to work.

A Call to Action on Jobs

A Call to Action on Jobs
March 02, 2010
Orlando, Fla.
AFL-CIO Executive Council statement

Today America is missing 11 million jobs—and millions more workers have either given up looking for jobs or are stuck in part-time work. At the same time, the party on Wall Street continues—producing speculation instead of investment, executive bonuses instead of jobs and sowing the seeds of another financial crisis even as we continue to suffer the consequences of the current one. This is the legacy of the failed deregulatory economic model of the past 30 years and the failed presidency of George W. Bush.

Inside the SEIU War Room

by Ambreen Ali

Some of the most influential strategy on health care was developed not on Capitol Hill, but two miles away in what looks like an ordinary office building.

On the first floor of its D.C. headquarters, Service Employees International United has created a war room to lead labor's fight for an overhaul of the nation's health system. At its crux, the space combines SEIU's grassroots and national efforts into a unified voice for passing the bill.

Lesson for Vanderbilt Students: Solidarity Scares U.S. Employers

by Tula Connell, Mar 10, 2010

Warning to college students: Joining in solidarity with low-wage workers on your campus can be hazardous to your freedom of speech.

At Vanderbilt University, members of Vanderbilt Students of Nonviolence recently met with campus workers to talk about working conditions for the lowest-paid employees and hammer out concrete actions all could take to make Vanderbilt a safer and more just place to work and learn.

Thousands Tell Big Insurance: Blocking Health Care Reform Is a Crime

AFSCME members declaring the Ritz-Carlton a crime scene.

by James Parks, Mar 9, 2010

Thousands of union members, community activists, religious leaders and others turned out in Washington, D.C., today to confront Big Insurance and demand insurance companies stop plotting to kill health care reform even as Congress debates bills to reform the nation’s broken health care system.