NFL, Players' Union Agree to Mediation

Posted: February 18, 2011 - 12:17am

By Barry WilnerAssociated Press

NEW YORK - The NFL and its players' union agreed Thursday to mediation in their labor dispute, two weeks before the collective bargaining
agreement expires.

The Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service, an independent U.S. government agency, will oversee negotiations in Washington beginning today.
After holding separate discussions with representatives from the league and the union, FMCS director George H. Cohen said both sides agreed to have the agency get involved in the stalled talks

IAM Urges Sen. Paul to Respect Flight Attendants

Tue. February 15, 2011

Last week, the Machinists Legislative team met face-to-face with Senator Rand Paul’s (R-KY) congressional staff to express our strong opposition to the Senator’s amendment to strip safety and health protections for professional flight attendants from the pending FAA Reauthorization bill (S.223).

The Legislative team presented Sen. Paul with a letter from IAM President Tom Buffenbarger and adamantly urged the Senator to reconsider his opposition to extending OSHA protections to flight attendants and to withdraw his amendment to strike Section 509 from the FAA bill.

“Flight attendants have been the first to die in hijackings and the very last to leave a burning or sinking plane, making sure everyone else made it out first,” said IAM Legislative Director Matt McKinnon. “They suffer permanent injuries in turbulence and endure inhuman schedules when weather and mechanical problems disrupt flights. At the very least, they are entitled to the same OSHA workplace protections that all other American workers enjoy.”

Machinists Break New Ground with Moduline

Thu. February 17, 2011

The IAM has broken new ground in its latest collective agreement with Moduline Industries Canada Limited in Penticton, British Columbia.

“For the first time, our workers over the age of 55 or with 30 years seniority can volunteer for a reduced work week schedule,” said IAM District Lodge 250 Directing Business Representative Stan Pickthall. The language calls for a four-day workweek and the participants must sign up for one calendar year and re-apply each December if they wish to continue on the reduced work schedule. “If more than ten employees apply, the shift will be granted on the basis of seniority,” added Pickthall.

House Committee Passes Unfair NMB Voting Rule Amendment

Thu. February 17, 2011

The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee approved legislation that would repeal a recently updated National Mediation Board (NMB) voting rule for air and rail workers. The language included in the FAA Reauthorization and Reform Act of 2011 would restore the unfair advantage carriers have enjoyed in union representation elections for more than 75 years.

Trumka: Walker ‘Can’t Have Our Freedom’

by Mike Hall, Feb 18, 2011

Huge cheers and applause are echoing across the Capitol plaza in Madison as AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka fires up those in the crowd, many of whom have been there for all the weeklong demonstrations.

“Incomes have stalled…now leaders like Walker want to take away our basic freedoms – like to have voice on the job.” #StateSOS #WIunion

“Gov. Walker, that’s too much to ask. You can’t have our freedom!” -Trumka #NotMyWI #WIunion #StateSOS #1u

New Yorkers: Solidarity with Cheeseheads

by Tula Connell, Feb 18, 2011

New Yorkers looked particularily festive in their bright yellow swiss cheese hats today, as hundreds became honorary Cheeseheads while marching in solidarity with embattled workers in Wisconsin.

Bob Fertik writes about the event at the Jobs Party blog:

In just 24 hours, NYC supporters of Wisconsin workers organized a spirited Cheesehead Rally in Manhattan to launch the Cheddar Revolution nationwide….

BREAKING: Wis. Republican Lawmakers Give Up Until Tuesday

by Donna Jablonski, Feb 18, 2011

Wisconsin’s Republican legislators have put off a vote on a bill that would undermine good, middle-class jobs and take collective bargaining rights away from some 200,000 public employees, according to JSOnline and other news reports.

AFL-CIO Blog Archives for January 2011

Read the AFL-CIO blog for January 2011.

AFL-CIO Blog Archives for December 2010

Read the AFL-CIO blogs for Decembeer 2010.

Buy Union for the Holidays, and All Year Long

by James Parks, Dec 12, 2010
This holiday season, union families can use their power to help keep good union jobs in the community by purchasing union-made goods and services. The AFL-CIO Union Label & Service Trades Department (UL&STD) has compiled a list of union-made products you can buy and another list of products and services that the AFL-CIO has approved for boycott.
Start your shopping list with a visit to the Union Label website, www.unionlabel.org, and click on Search for Union Products to see if a product is union made and what union produces it. If you can’t find what you’re looking for there, move on to the websites of individual unions that show up as links on the page.