Unions

Following Governor’s Intervention, GLOBALFOUNDRIES and the Greater Capital District Building and Construction Trades Council AFL-CIO Agree to Project Labor Agreement

June 3, 2009 -- New York Governor David A. Paterson today announced that an agreement on a Project Labor Agreement (PLA) has been reached between GLOBALFOUNDRIES and local labor, allowing construction to move forward on one of the most advanced semiconductor manufacturing facilities in the world and one of the largest private sector industrial investments in New York State. The PLA between the Greater Capital District Building and Construction Trades Council AFL-CIO and M+W Zander – the firm working on the Fab 2 project – will be signed this week to finalize the labor peace agreement.    » read more »

SEIU Home Care Providers from Across the State Available to Comment Following Governor's Speech to Joint Assembly

June 2, 2009 -- Sacramento, CA - In response to Governor Schwarzenegger's speech to the joint session of California legislatures this morning--SEIU Executive Vice President Eliseo Medina issued the following statement:

"Governor Schwarzenegger offered the public a bad budget deal, and the public said no. Now the Governor wants to punish the people of California with senseless cuts that will cost the state billions down the road. It's this kind of failed leadership that has gotten us into this mess; more of the same short-sighted vision will not get us out.    » read more »

June 2, 2009 -- Pittsburgh – Workers employed at a Los Angeles carwash who are seeking to improve their standard of living by forming a labor union with the United Steelworkers (USW) are one step closer to achieving victory following a complaint issued May 28 against Vermont Hand Wash Inc., by the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB).

When some 40 employees decided in April 2008 to exercise their rights to organize a union to bargain collectively with carwash owner Benny Pirian, they became subject to threats, intimidation, humiliation, unlawful interrogation and surveillance, according to the NLRB’s complaint. Vermont Hand Wash management has been charged with targeting and firing three union leaders because of their union activities.    » read more »

June 2, 2009 -- (WASHINGTON, D.C.) -- United Steelworkers (USW) International President Leo W. Gerard today asked the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) to give the U.S. tire industry a “fighting chance” to survive the waves of low-priced and unfairly traded imports of consumer tires flooding the domestic market from China.

Gerard and other USW officers on the trade petition that seeks to stem those imports and rebuild the domestic industry. Members of Congress also testified and dozens of tire workers from affected plants sat in the hearing room.

Senators Robert Casey and Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania and other Democratic lawmakers argued before the commission that the case is a chance for President Barack Obama to chart a new course for U.S. trade policy.    » read more »

June 1, 2009 -- On March 30, 2009, President Obama laid out a framework for General Motors to achieve viability that required the Company to rework its business plan, accelerate its operational restructuring and make far greater reductions in its outstanding liabilities.

After two months of significant management engagement, General Motors has developed such a plan and has already begun to make progress toward its achievement. The Company has also secured commitments of meaningful sacrifice from all of its major stakeholder groups , sacrifices sufficient for this plan to proceed forward. As a result, the President has deemed GM’s plan viable and will be making available about $30 billion of additional federal assistance to support GM’s restructuring plan.    » read more »

June 1, 2009 -- WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Working American Dream – quality health care, good jobs and educational opportunity -- is the foundation for the new progressive majority. Workers are looking to government to play an active role in turning this economy around and renewing the American Dream, yet they remain skeptical of the effectiveness of government and the commitment of politicians to represent the interests of working families, according to a new survey conducted by Lake Research Partners and released today at the “America’s Future Now” conference.    » read more »

June 2, 2009 -- Washington, D.C. – Leo W. Gerard, International President of the United Steelworkers (USW) will present testimony before the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) Tuesday, Jun. 2, along with other USW officers involved with the domestic tire industry in a major trade case that seeks to stem the flood of imported consumer tires from China. Ten Members of Congress will also testify.    » read more »

First U.S. Manufactured ENERGY STAR® Qualified Water Heater Will Be Made in Kentucky Creating 400 New “Green Collar” Jobs

June 1, 2009 -- LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- GE’s (NYSE:GE) Consumer & Industrial division announced today that it will manufacture highly energy efficient hybrid electric water heaters in Louisville, Kentucky, at the Company’s Appliance Park facility - creating about 400 jobs.

The new hybrid patented technology will make GE the first manufacturer to introduce a water heater that will meet the new 2009 Department of Energy ENERGY STAR standards for heat pump hot water heaters, putting GE well ahead of the competition.    » read more »

Facing Tough Re-Election, Vitter Fires First Shot of 2010... at SEIU; SEIU Highlights Vitter's Anti-Working Family Votes in New Ad; Vitter Tries to Cash In on Shameful Record

May 29, 2009 -- Washington, DC -- Senator David Vitter (R-LA), facing an uphill battle for reelection and wanting to keep his options open for 2012, has aimed his fire on the Service Employees International Union, who dared to draw attention to his shameful anti-working families record in a new ad that ran in Thursday's Times-Picayune.    » read more »

May 29, 2009 -- WASHINGTON, D.C. – Change to Win executive director Chris Chafe issued the following statement regarding U.S. Labor Secretary Hilda Solis’ decision yesterday to suspend the midnight Bush Administration changes to weaken labor protections in the H-2A guestworker program.

“Change to Win applauds Labor Secretary Hilda Solis for her decision to suspend and reconsider anti-worker regulations that were issued by the Bush Administration as a gift to growers on its way out the door. We are extremely grateful to Secretary Solis for standing up for workers and insisting that these unlawful, anti-worker rules be reviewed and reconsidered.    » read more »

Newly Ratified GM-UAW 2007 National Labor Agreement Modifications Eliminate Competitive Gap for GM

2009-05-29 -- DETROIT, Mich. - General Motors today confirmed that its UAW-represented employees have ratified the modifications to the GM-UAW 2007 National Labor Agreement. The amended agreement covers approximately 54,000 hourly employees located in 46 U.S. facilities.    » read more »

Study analyzed public sector in four states over six year period

May 27, 2009 -- Majority sign up does not cause union or employer intimidation, according to a new report released by departments at University of Illinois, Rutgers University, Cornell University, and University of Oregon. Participants analyzed data from public sector workers in New York, New Jersey, Illinois, and Oregon for six years and found that out of more than 34,000 people who joined unions through majority sign up, a process sometimes referred to as “card check,” there was not “a hint” of union or employer intimidation.

The report states:    » read more »

May 26, 2009 -- America’s workers applaud the nomination of Judge Sonia Sotomayor to the United States Supreme Court. She is a brilliant jurist and in her distinguished career has worked at almost every level of our judicial system - as a prosecutor, litigator, trial court and appellate judge – and would bring more federal judicial experience to the Supreme Court than any justice in 100 years.

Judge Sotomayor will also bring to the Supreme Court a direct and personal understanding of the struggles America’s workers endure every day. She grew up in public housing in the Bronx, the daughter of a factory worker, and understands the real world consequences of the decisions she makes from the bench.    » read more »

Force Seniors and People with Disabilities Out of Their Homes and into Institutions

May 26, 2009 -- Los Angeles/Sacramento, CA -- Seniors, people with disabilities and the people who provide the care that permits them to live at home launched a statewide effort today to fight back against Governor Schwarzenegger's sharp and deep budget cuts with a 48-hour vigil at the State Capitol, a class-action lawsuit, and a new television and print ad campaign featuring President Barack Obama.

SEIU Ad Buy Features President, Affected Senior and Caregiver    » read more »

BankUnited Sale to Private Equity Sets Dangerous Precedent, Increases Economic Risk at the Wrong Time

May 26, 2009 -- WASHINGTON, DC - The Service Employees International Union is raising a red flag on last week's FDIC deal to sell Florida's BankUnited to a consortium of private equity firms.

"After last fall's economic collapse and the revelation of the true extent of the problems in the banking industry, one thing is clear: we need to ask a lot more questions before the barbarians storm the gate," said Anna Burger, SEIU's Secretary Treasurer and a member of the President's Economic Recovery Advisory Board.    » read more »