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Local and National News
President Hoffa on Mornings with Maria: We have to get jobs back
July 20, 2017 | Teamsters General President Jim Hoffa said in a Fox Business News interview yesterday that the interests of workers must not be forgotten as the administration begins to renegotiate NAFTA. Watch here.Clare Rose, Teamsters have TA after weeks of strike
July 17, 2017 | Clare Rose and its 130 delivery drivers and warehouse workers have negotiated a new contract, ending a nearly three-month strike against East Yaphank beer distributor, company and union officials said. The deal restores pension contributions for workers but remove a sales function that had been responsible for part of drivers’ pay. Ed Weber, president of Local 812, said in a statement the union was pleased to reach and agreement “that preserved our pension and provides fair wages under a new sales model.” … newsday.comTeamsters tell Big Pharma shareholders: Vote no on boss’ bonus
June 26, 2017 | The Teamsters are trying to punish Big Pharma for flooding the country with prescription pain killers by hitting one of its top leaders where it hurts – in the eyes of shareholders. The union has taken the unusual step of directly calling on McKesson Corp. shareholders to turn thumbs down on July 26 to the $1.1 million bonus that was awarded earlier this year to its Chief Executive… nbcnews.com Related: Teamsters urge McKesson shareholders to reject CEO pay plan amid opioid probe. (Why this issue matters to our union.)Call your senators now to oppose their ACA repeal and replace bill
June 26, 2017 | Senate Republicans recently released their Affordable Care Act repeal and replace bill called the Better Care Reconciliation Act. This legislation is terrible for working families in America. The bill will likely cause tens of millions to lose insurance coverage over the next decade while cutting taxes for the very wealthy and corporations. The Teamster have long opposed proposals to tax workers health benefits; this legislation retains the 40% excise tax (“Cadillac tax”) on high quality plans but repeals all other ACA taxes. Hardworking Americans shouldn’t have to experience a 40% penalty on their collectively bargained benefits while the wealthy and corporations see their taxes repealed. Tell your senators to VOTE NO on the the Better Care Reconciliation Act of 2017.Older news items can be viewed at 888 News.
Mar. 14, 2017 | Newspaper publisher Tronc may close on an acquisition of the celebrity news magazine Us Weekly as soon as next week, paying over $100 million, according to sources familiar with the potential purchase. Representatives for Tronc and Us Weekly didn't return calls seeking comment, but the sources said it's still possible the parties may not reach agreement on final terms… chicagobusiness.com
Dec. 6, 2016 | …The postelection uptick in support for journalism has not been limited to nonprofit media; the newspaper conglomerate Tronc Inc. (formerly Tribune Publishing) and The New York Times, among others, have reported thousands of new subscribers since the election. But for the growing number of nonprofit journalism organizations, the moment may provide the kind of opening they have needed to take on a much larger role for a field that continues to face significant financial challenges and sinking public trust… nytimes.com Nov. 1, 2016 | Gannett Co. has dropped its attempt to buy Tronc, Inc., ending a dramatic months-long pursuit by Gannett to extend its reach as the nation’s largest newspaper publisher amid a rocky revenue environment. The companies in private discussions had recently agreed on a purchase price of $18.75 a share in cash, according to people familiar with the matter…Tronc said the deal fell apart when Gannett couldn’t line up financing… wsj.com Mar. 14, 2017 | Newspaper publisher Tronc may close on an acquisition of the celebrity news magazine Us Weekly as soon as next week, paying over $100 million, according to sources familiar with the potential purchase. Representatives for Tronc and Us Weekly didn't return calls seeking comment, but the sources said it's still possible the parties may not reach agreement on final terms… chicagobusiness.com
Dec. 6, 2016 | …The postelection uptick in support for journalism has not been limited to nonprofit media; the newspaper conglomerate Tronc Inc. (formerly Tribune Publishing) and The New York Times, among others, have reported thousands of new subscribers since the election. But for the growing number of nonprofit journalism organizations, the moment may provide the kind of opening they have needed to take on a much larger role for a field that continues to face significant financial challenges and sinking public trust… nytimes.com Nov. 1, 2016 | Gannett Co. has dropped its attempt to buy Tronc, Inc., ending a dramatic months-long pursuit by Gannett to extend its reach as the nation’s largest newspaper publisher amid a rocky revenue environment. The companies in private discussions had recently agreed on a purchase price of $18.75 a share in cash, according to people familiar with the matter…Tronc said the deal fell apart when Gannett couldn’t line up financing… wsj.com
Elsewhere in The News
July 20, 2017 | WORKERS' RIGHTS | Another big battle is brewing between President Trump and organized labor – this time over his picks for the National Labor Relations Board. On Wednesday, a Senate committee gave the green light to Republicans Marvin Kaplan and William Emanuel – Trump’s appointees for two vacant spots on the BLRB. Both lawyers have a proven track record of fighting against unions – and the AFL-CIO has already voiced its opposition to their nominations… In the coming months the NLRB is expected to weigh-in on several issues of importance to workers and unions – and possibly overturn some key Obama-era decisions… nydailynews.com
July 19, 2017 | WORKERS’ RIGHTS | … Led by President Donald Trump appointee Ajit Pai, the FCC is working to roll back rules that ensure the free and open flow of information on the internet. Net neutrality supports the open and free flow of information—without discrimination and without favoring content or services….Make no mistake: Net neutrality is one of the defining workers’ rights and civil rights issue of our time. We all know the internet is driving changes in culture, politics and the economy. It is also one of the key spaces where workers can organize—and where mass movements for racial and economic justice blossom and build power…. inthesetimes.com
July 18, 2017 | TRADE AGREEMENTS | US labor union leaders and Democratic lawmakers on Monday reminded President Trump they expect him to keep election campaign promises to protect American workers in NAFTA talks, but they stopped short of demanding termination of the 1994 trade pact with Canada and Mexico. Their comments came hours before US trade representative Robert Lighthizer was to outline the administration's priorities for the talks. Under US "fast-track" rules, the administration must release the priorities 30 days before negotiations begin. President Richard Trumka of the AFL-CIO, an umbrella organization of unions representing 12.5 million workers, said the North American Free Trade Agreement had been an "unequivocal failure" and should be completely renegotiated… csmonitor.com Related: AFL-CIO says working people should do the re-write
July 17, 2017 | COLLECTIVE BARGAINING | … Randy Johnson, senior vice president of labor, immigration and employee benefits at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, noted the majority of NLRB policies come from rulings in cases that are brought before the board, so it has to wait for a case before it can reverse a policy. “It’s not going to be instantaneous,” he said. The cases that come before the board depend largely on the board’s general council, Richard Griffin Jr., who was appointed by President Obama in 2013. But employee rights groups are quick to point out that Griffin’s term expires in November… thehill.com
• Teamsters win strike at Clare Rose, Long Island.
• Big week in Congress for Trump labor picks.
• The sorry state of the U.S. economy.
• In search of a working class agenda.
• Unions won’t lie down as their clout is threatened.
• Senate GOP health bill could cost nearly a million jobs.
• AFL-CIO warns of NLRB nominees’ bad records.
• Republicans are working against workers.
• Republicans in several states are lowering the minimum wage.
• We will not rest in our fight to make the American dream real for all workers.
• Consumer groups, unions praise rule limiting companies’ use of forced arbitration.
