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Labor's Edge Articles by Mike Hall
5/15/12
Unions, Kaiser Permanente Reach Tentative Agreement
by Mike Hall
Kaiser Permanente and the nearly 100,000 members of the Coalition of Kaiser Permanente Unions, reached tentative agreement yesterday on a new, three-year national contract. The tentative agreement covers workers at hundreds of Kaiser Permanente health care facilities in nine states. The current agreement expires Sept. 30.
The tentative agreement includes wage increases and maintains current benefits plus improves the dental plan. Kaiser Permanente also has committed $19 million annually to two existing educational trust funds to ensure career development for its diverse workforce.
4/30/12
Brown Signs Law Protecting Project Labor Agreements in California
by Mike Hall
California Gov. Jerry Brown (D) signed into law last week a bill that says local governments cannot issue blanket prohibitions on project labor agreements (PLAs) without losing state funding for public works projects.
Los Angeles and San Francisco recently approved PLAs for projects that will create tens of thousands of good, middle-class jobs. But other cities—including San Diego— have tried to ban the agreements.
Around the country, Republican lawmakers with model legislation from the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) have been pushing bans on PLAs.
4/10/12
Get Ready for 99% Spring “Tax Wealth, Not Work” Actions
by Mike Hall
This week, some 100,000 activists from unions and community, faith and other progressive groups are in 99% Spring training sessions around the country, learning how to take back the economy from the 1%. Their first big round of actions is set for Tax Day, April 17. Click here to find a Tax Day action near you. Click here to find a training session near you.
In demonstrations around the nation, working families will raise their voices to demand that the 1% and corporations pay their fair share. The wealthiest Americans—like Mitt Romney—pay a far lower percentage of their income in taxes than do average working people—and some multibillion-dollar corporations don’t pay a cent.
3/1/12
Beyond the Weekend: How Unions Boost Us All
by Mike Hall
Union bashing may the popular sport for Republican presidential candidates (click here for more). But a new report looks at some of the real stories about how unions and union members are having positive impacts on jobs, health care, education and their communities.
Beyond the Weekend by American Rights at Work (ARAW) reveals that when employees come together in the workplace, the benefits of their collective action extend far beyond themselves.
2/21/12
Workers at SoCal Carwashes Win First Contracts
by Mike Hall
Workers at two more Southern California carwashes won their first contracts with carwash owners after they voted last year to join the United Steelworkers (USW) Local 675.
The workers at Vermont Carwash and Nava’s Carwash in South Los Angeles came together in the CLEAN Carwash Campaign to fight for their rights. The CLEAN Carwash Campaign is a coalition supported by the USW, the AFL-CIO and more than 100 community, faith and labor organizations in Los Angeles.
Today, the carwasheros celebrated their victory at a ceremony with AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka and Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa.
1/11/12
Southern California Car Washes Agree to $1 Million Back Pay Settlement
by Mike Hall
Eight California car washes agreed to an historic $1 million settlement with the state’s attorney general for routinely failing to pay minimum wage or overtime, creating false records of work hours and not paying money owed to employees who quit, according to Attorney General Kamala Harris. "Workers at these car washes were taken advantage of by unscrupulous employers who illegally denied them the pay and benefits they earned. I am pleased that the resolution of this case will allow workers to receive the pay they are owed," she said.
At least $800,000 of the settlement will go to workers who were underpaid, according to court records. Other parts of the settlement will pay taxes and penalties. Click here for a copy of the settlement agreement.
12/20/11
Act Now: Tell House Republicans to Stop Holding Jobless Hostage
by Mike Hall
The Republican-controlled House Rules Committee early Tuesday morning voted to block a full House vote on the bipartisan Senate compromise that extends unemployment insurance (UI) benefits for the long-term jobless. The current program expires Dec. 31.
Call House Speaker John Boehner at 202-225-0600. Tell him to stop playing politics with the lives of working familes–pass the Senate’s bipartisan bill to extend unemployment aid and middle-class tax cuts now.
Previously, Speaker Boehner indicated he supported the measure. But the Republican tea party wing raised such a ruckus, Boehner changed his tune, and now says the compromise should be rejected.
11/11/11
APWU Says Honor Vets with Jobs
by Mike Hall
On Veterans Day today, lawmakers will make a lot of speeches honoring the service of the nation’s military veterans. But many of these same lawmakers are backing legislation that could cost the jobs of 26,000 veterans who work for the U.S. Postal Service (USPS).
9/12/11
L.A. Stadium Project Means 23,000 Jobs
by Mike Hall
The California legislature approved of a bill that would allow expedited judicial reviews of any legal challenges to a proposed downtown Los Angeles NFL stadium and renovation of the neighboring Los Angeles Convention Center.
Maria Elena Durazo, executive secretary-treasurer of the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor, says the action is "a significant step forward in the creation of 23,000 good middle-class jobs for construction and hotel workers, stage hands and grips and janitors. This is our economic stimulus package and it will be financed with zero public dollars. The LA Labor Movement worked hard to score a major victory for all Angelenos."
8/8/11
Verizon Workers Fighting for Middle-Class Jobs
by Mike Hall
Today at picket lines and rallies up and down the East Coast, Verizon workers and their allies are telling the hugely profitable corporation that they will not allow it to destroy their middle-class jobs.
The workers—members of the Communications Workers of America (CWA) and Electrical Workers (IBEW)—went on strike yesterday after Verizon would not back off from its $1 billion giveback demands. That’s about $20,000 per Verizon family. The strike, says CWA District 1 Vice President Chris Shelton, is: "all about good jobs. Companies like Verizon should be investing in rebuilding the American economy, not contributing to the destruction of good, middle-class jobs."