@LRToday Morning Round-Up: March 23, 2012
"Exclusive: UAW steps up bid to organize VW U.S. plant: sources" -- Reuters
The United Auto Workers union is soliciting signatures of support from workers at Volkswagen AG's U.S. factory, an escalation of its effort to establish a foothold outside the Detroit automakers.
In early March, the UAW started passing out authorization cards for workers to sign in an early formal step needed for union representation, workers at the factory in Chattanooga, Tennessee, told Reuters.
UAW President Bob King has said organizing U.S. plants run by foreign automakers, known in the industry as transplants, is crucial for the union's survival.
"Worker Rights Get Promotional Drive" -- Wall Street Journal (paid)
Federal regulators are preparing a drive to tell workers at nonunionized businesses they have many of the same rights as union members, a move that could prompt more workers to complain to employers about grievances ranging from pay and work hours to job safety and management misconduct.
The National Labor Relations Board will focus on workers' rights to engage in "protected concerted activity," which allow two or more employees to take action for their mutual aid or protection, NLRB Chairman Mark Pearce said in an interview. That means employees may discuss working conditions with their employer or among themselves—including in online conversations—and bosses can't retaliate. An individual also may act on behalf of colleagues, according to the 1935 National Labor Relations Act, enforced by the NLRB at most private-sector companies.
"Labor unions take a stand against Verizon Wireless" -- KSFY
You may have seen a handful of people waving outside Verizon on 41st Street in Sioux Falls Thursday.
No they're not promoting a new cell phone, they're protesting against the communications giant. But Sioux Falls isn't the only city seeing these protests flare up.
Protestors are calling it a national "Day of Action." It's a response to the on-going contract talks between Verizon and the Communications Workers of America.
"Money Minute: Do labor unions have a future? [Video]" -- Los Angeles Times
More grim news from the labor front: American Airlines reportedly plans to ask a bankruptcy judge to throw out its union contracts if workers won't agree to yet more cutbacks.
This would mark another big setback for organized labor, which has seen its influence wane as fewer workers join its ranks.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, union membership dropped to just 11.8% of the U.S. workforce last year. That's only about a third of the peak unionization rate of 35% in the 1950s.
"The GOP’s assault on labor rights: What is happening in the states?" -- The Hill
The past 15 months have seen a remarkable assault by the GOP on federal labor rights.
Republicans have introduced numerous bills designed to undermine the National Labor Relations Act, all with wonderfully deceptive names suggesting they would strengthen the rights of ordinary workers: Workforce Democracy and Fairness Act, Protecting Jobs from Government Interference Act, Employee Rights Act, Jobs Protection Act, Employee Workplace Freedom Act, Secret Ballot Protection Act, National Right to Work Act, Truth in Employment Act, National Labor Relations Reorganization Act, and others.
"Union chief considers national boycott of Station Casinos" -- Las Vegas Review-Journal
The president of the national AFL-CIO said a nationwide boycott of Station Casinos is under consideration, but stopped just short of calling for one at a Thursday news conference in Las Vegas.
Richard Trumka, president of the national AFL-CIO, which represents some 11 million workers, was in Las Vegas to lend support for the ongoing campaign by Culinary Local 226, which is leading the charge to organize some 5,000 of Station Casinos' 13,000 workers.
