Mar
2013 1
2013 1
As of Yesterday, Investigating and Enforcing Fair Pay for Women Got a Little Bit Easier
Investigating and enforcing fair pay for women in the workplace is a concern of the U.S. Department of Labor which announced that its Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) rescinded two enforcement guidance documents that halted investigations into pay discrimination. Known as “Compensation Standards” and...
Feb
2013 25
2013 25
Oregon Building Trades Roll Out Testimony Videos Ahead of Today’s Potential I-5 Bridge Replacement Vote
Today could be the day Oregon legislators vote on HB2800, the I-5 bridge replacement bill. This project is currently the central focus of the Oregon Building and Construction Trades Council (ORBCTC) because of the 1,900 jobs it will create during construction alone. ORBCTC has been effective in using its website to message on this issue ...
Feb
2013 25
2013 25
Local Unions, Workers Rights Group Come to the Aid of an Ecuadorian Family Taken Advantage of by Massachusetts Roofing Subcontractors
In Worcester, MA a 26-year old roofer, Jose Loja, and four of his peers are owed money for work done on the Botany Bay apartment complex. However, due to a broken system it is unlikely that the company will be forced to pay. Loja told reporters that he is owed $9,000 and that the four ...
Feb
2013 19
2013 19
ACLU Files Lawsuit Challenging Strict, Misguided New Rules in Place at Wisconsin Capitol
New rules set in motion by Wisconsin lawmakers that limit visitor activities in the state Capitol building are being challenged by the American Civil Liberties Union. The overly broad rules — which restrict visitors from wearing hats, taking pictures, and doing pretty much anything that could be construed as a slight to state lawmakers...
Feb
2013 8
2013 8
Local 395 Ironworker Who Placed 12th Out of 12,000 Contestants in Last Year’s Apprenticeship Competition is a Product of Helmets to Hardhats
In the hands of caring members of dedicated local unions, the Helmets to Hardhats (H2H) program can become a driving force in ensuring a smooth transition from military life to civilian life for returning veterans. The unemployment rate for post-9/11 veterans remains at 11.9 percent, much higher than the average for non-veterans. The need for ...
Feb
2013 7
2013 7
Vermont Introduces “Right-to-Work” Kryptonite Law, S.14 the “Fair Share Bill”
With Missouri, Pennsylvania and other states threatening to go the “Right-to-Work” route this year, Vermont stands out as one of the few states setting the opposite example. With what might be described as an “Anti-Right-to-Work” law, Vermont’s Senate Committee on Economic Development voted 5-0 to introduce a...
Feb
2013 7
2013 7
NY AG Schneiderman Sets New Tone for Wage Theft Punishment by Levying Felonies on Violator
New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman is taking the fight against wage theft to new levels and the owner of a tile subcontracting company who did work on JFK Airport is the first of many who will feel his wrath. While most wage theft cases involve fines and penalties along with threats of future banishment ...
Feb
2013 5
2013 5
SEA CHANGE? Second Group of Port Drivers Seeks Teamsters Unionization
Recently, conditions for truckers at the Los Angeles/Long Beach ports have deteriorated to the point where workers are banding together to unionize despite the imminent threat of job loss. As 2012 came to a close, drivers for the Australian Toll Group worked to certify the first union contract for port drivers since deregulation took place ...
Feb
2013 4
2013 4
IBEW Local 309 Member Turns Department Store Job Union Using Social Media
Much like the technology itself, the potential for unions to gain from social media is unlimited. There has been a marked uptick in union use of social media to organize, inform and activate but there has been little progress in the quest to turn a social media presence into a way to create jobs. A ...
Jan
2013 29
2013 29
Iowa Becomes 14th State to Team With Dept. of Labor on Employee Misclassification Front
On January 17th, Iowa became the 14th state to join a nation-wide initiative being coordinated by the U.S. Department of Labor to combat misclassification. The signing of a memorandum of understanding between DOL’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD) and similar agencies at the state level will allow Iowa’s Wage and Hour Division to send a...
Jan
2013 28
2013 28
Following in Teamsters Footsteps, Dept. of Defense, MT Senators Tackle Veteran Re-Employment
A decade ago, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters joined with the Armed Forces and American Legion to help military truck drivers find good-paying jobs in the industry when they returned to civilian life. The program has been successful but has also seen its share of challenges, including record-keeping slip-ups that keep companies from...
Jan
2013 24
2013 24
As Shale Gas Work Comes to Mahoning County, Building Trades Look to Ensure Mahoning Workers Get the Jobs it Brings
In Mahoning County, Ohio, members of the building trades may have made inroads towards getting work on a new Hickory Bend cryogenic plant slated for Springfield Township. The $300 million project will help ship natural gas collected from the region’s Utica Shale by shipping “wet” gas via truck and sending “dry” gas...
