The Wire
Big Business and lots of money line up against Employee Free Choice Act
From today's Wall Street Journal, we're learning about the groups that are fighting the Employee Free Choice Act (EFCA). It's the usual suspects -- the Chamber of Commerce and NFIB -- and they're going to have a huge warchest:
Lining up against the bill is the Coalition for a Democratic Workplace, including trade groups such as the U.S. Chamber of Commerce as well as retailers and the National Federation of Independent Business. The group plans to run television ads in several states and House districts, targeting Democrats and Republicans.There will also be some pain associated with voting against EFCA. And, there's already been enough pain suffered by America's workers.
"We will make sure that there is some pain associated with voting for this," said coalition spokesman Todd Harris.
Their efforts parallel those of the Center for Union Facts, which also is rallying companies to oppose the law and spent between $2 million and $3 million last year on television and other ads against it.
Business leaders say the law could allow unions to organize all or a portion of a company's work force before management became aware of the campaign.
Posted by Staff on Wednesday, February 14 | 3381 comments | Permalink
Chrysler laying off 16% of workforce, closing plants
Another major setback for American workers with Chrysler's announcement of massive layoffs and plant closings:
Chrysler said it would close its Newark, Del., assembly plant in 2009, as well as a parts distribution center in Cleveland.
It also will eliminate one shift of workers at two truck plants in Warren, Mich., and St. Louis.
In all, Chrysler said 13,000 employees, or 16 percent of its work force, would lose their jobs by the end of 2008, including 11,000 hourly workers.
Of those hourly workers, 9,000 will lose their jobs in the United States and 2,000 in Canada. Another 2,000 white-collar workers will see their jobs eliminated over the next two years.
This is another blow to middle class workers in four states: Delaware, Ohio, Michigan and Missouri.
Posted by Staff on Wednesday, February 14 | 1283 comments | Permalink
Fast Track on the fast track?
As this AP article suggests, we hear that the President's team and business interests are working for speedy renewal of the administration's Trade Promotion Authority, also known as "Fast Track Authority." Our sources say that there are still many problems with the proposal and that the questions around fast track authority should be on the slow, deliberative path. Thus, reports like today's AP story that "the administration was having a 'quiet conversation with Democrats on the Hill on labor and the environment" are of concern for those of us who want to see Democrats hold the line for solid labor and environmental standards in future trade agreements. Once the administration has fast track authority, Congress is allowed only an up or down vote on the passage of individual trade agreements. Less Congressional oversight at a time of record-setting trade deficits (2006 was the fifth consecutive year of record-setting trade deficits) is a step in the wrong direction. The House Ways and Means Committee is currently reviewing fast track and we hope they will resist the urge to put fast track on the fast track. More to come on this-Posted by Web Team on Tuesday, February 13 | 292 comments | Permalink
Cuellar: “I’m one of those Democrats” who supports the GOP plan to add tax breaks to the min. wage
Classic Republican talking point from Texas Congressman Henry Cuellar. There hasn't been an increase in the federal minimum wage for ten years. Republican Senators prevented passage of the minimum wage tax increase unless they could attach more tax breaks. Now we learn that Rep. Henry Cuellar is "one of those Democrats" who agrees with the GOP strategy according to an article in the Rio Grande Valley's TheMonitor.com:
Many lawmakers have accepted the bill’s passage and are now pushing for tax incentives that would help small businesses cope with the increase in expenses. One of those legislators is U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Laredo, whose district includes Starr and western Hidalgo counties.
"There are always concerns, and I’m one of those Democrats that want to see minimum wage increased with some tax incentives for small businesses," Cuellar said.
Good to know that Cuellar is willing to put conditions on the minimum wage increase -- especially since his district includes part of the Rio Grande Valley, which The Monitor.com says has "some of the lowest wages in the nation."
Posted by Staff on Monday, February 12 | 1250 comments | Permalink
Bush Administration negotiating “fast track” deal with South Korea before they lose that authority
The "fast track" issue will play a key role in American politics through June. The Bush Administration is currently negotiating a trade deal with South Korea -- and trying to insure the deal is done before the President's "fast track" authority expires according to Reuters:
The White House's "fast track" authority to negotiate trade agreements that Congress must approve or reject without making changes expires at the end of June. The legislation also requires the White House to give Congress 90 days' notice before signing any trade deal, making late March the effective deadline for the pact with South Korea.
The larger-than-usual negotiating teams show both sides are serious about resolving the remaining issues, Cutler said.
Another good sign is "all the negotiating groups are back at the table," including four -- automotives, pharmaceuticals, trade remedies and food safety -- that did not meet last month in Seoul, Cutler said.
One issue of particular concern to the new Democratic majority in the U.S. Congress is whether the agreement will include a binding commitment for the two countries to abide by certain core international labor standards -- such as freedom to organize and bargain collectively.
We'd like to think that core international labor standards are a concern for Bush, the GOP and all the Democratic Members of Congress. Unfortunately, that's not the case.
Posted by Staff on Monday, February 12 | 3227 comments | Permalink
Poverty is on the rise in American suburbs
A combination of economic factors, including the loss of manufacturing jobs and rising health care costs, have resulted in a new American phenomenon: suburban poverty. In fact, suburbs now have more poverty than major cities according to a report from the Brookings Institute.
As the nation's manufacturing sector continues to contract, cities like Cleveland, Dallas and Detroit are feeling the pain, and so are the suburbs that surround them.
The suburban poor defy stereotypes about how and why people slip into poverty. Howard and Jane Pettry, of Middleburg Heights, Ohio, see themselves as working-class—just facing hard times. In December, Jane was laid off from her job at a local supermarket, and a week later Howard had a heart attack and missed a month of work from his job at a grain mill. Now Jane's collecting unemployment and they're staring at the poverty line as they struggle to pay the mortgage and the bills. "I've worked all my life and paid my taxes," says Jane. "Now we're living off credit cards. It's terrible."
Suburban poverty can also be invisible. Poor people who live in the city tend to be concentrated in subsidized housing or in neighborhoods where the rent is low, which in turn attract retail businesses that target customers with low incomes. Poor suburbanites often live in the same ZIP codes as their affluent neighbors, shop at the same stores and send their children to the same public school. And if people don't see themselves as poor, they often don't seek the help they need.
The dream of the middle class is fading for many American families. Increasing the minimum wage is a good first step (but it's still not law yet). But, much more is needed -- Americans need a living wage, better access to health care and more domestic jobs.
Posted by Staff on Friday, February 09 | 605 comments | Permalink
More on EFCA
Here is a post from Represenative Miller, sponsor of the Employee Free Choice Act, that just went up on The Huffington Post. It tells the story of one person who tried to form a union and the dramatic retaliation he endured for his efforts. There are many, many stories like this, and they illustrate the dysfunction of the current system. As Representative Miller writes, "The Employee Free Choice Act is simple: it says that when a majority of workers sign cards authorizing a union, they get one, period." This is a time when Democrats in Congress can take concrete steps to ensure that their 2006 victories translate into the economic progress that middle class families have been missing.
Posted by Web Team on Thursday, February 08 | 3368 comments | Permalink
Employee Freedom of Choice Act introduced with 220 House sponsors
Yesterday, a key piece of pro-worker legislation was introduced in the U.S. House. More importantly, unlike past sessions when the bill was introduced to no avail, this year, "The Employee Freedom of Choice Act" is expected to pass in the House. The bill will show us where members of Congress stand on issues important to the middle class. The Toledo Blade provided coverage of the bill's introduction:
Bill Lawhorn, 50, who worked 11 years at Consolidated Biscuit Co. before he was fired in 2002, spoke at a press conference yesterday in Washington to announce the reintroduction of an Employee Free Choice bill into the House of Representatives.
The bill would amend the National Labor Relations Act, unchanged since 1947, to allow a union to be certified if a majority of employees sign authorization cards, to provide federal help in reaching a first contract, and to require stiffer fines for employers who violate employee rights during an organizing campaign
Introduced in 2003 and 2005, the bill failed to get majority support. It was reintroduced this week by U.S. Rep. George Miller (D., Calif.) and had 220 co-sponsors, including U.S. Rep. Marcy Kaptur (D., Toledo) and seven Republicans. The Democrat-controlled House is likely to pass the bill.
A similar Senate bill is being co-sponsored by Ted Kennedy (D., Mass.) and Arlen Spector (R., Pa.). The bill's Senate chances are less certain.The text of the bill, H.R. 800 with the list of House sponsors, can be found here.
Posted by Staff on Wednesday, February 07 | 1730 comments | Permalink
