Union Labor News: July 2007

• Wis. Senate Introduces Universal Health Care
  Overview of Healthy Wisconsin Your Choice, Your Plan Under the Healthy Wisconsin plan, everyone – individuals, families, and businesses – pays a fair share of... [More]
• Trades Solidarity Assists Painters in 2-Day Strike
  A 2-day strike by 400 painters and drywall finishers, with support from workers in other trades, beat back concessions and resulted in a fair contract settlement last month. Painters Local 802 targeted the biggest contractors and largest construction sites in the Madison area in its first strike in over 25 years. As the strike began on Friday, June 1, Local 802 member... [More]
• Good Building Trades Union Members Know Their Rights!
  The know they have the right to NOT work behind any picket line. They know they have the right to decide for themselves whether to walk off a job being picketed. They know that it might be their trade under attack next. They know that the two-gate system is an attempt to confuse them and an attempt to break up solidarity in the building trades. When a p... [More]
• Workers at CUNA Mutual Bracing for Major Layoffs
  The last decade’s been rough for members of OPEIU Local 39 at CUNA Mutual who have faced union busting tactics, protracted contract negotiations, and now increasing numbers of layoffs. Since 1999, over 500 union members at CUNA Mutual Group have received notice of layoff, 302 of those since the last contract was signed in November, 2005. During that time CUNA Mu... [More]
• IBEW L.965 Affirms Alliant Energy Pact
  Alliant Energy workers didn’t miss a beat as their old contract expired and a new four year deal was approved on the same day, May 31. IBEW Local 965 won some solid economic gains with annual wage increases of 3.25 percent, plus an added one percent 401k contribution, in the contract covering about 1,300 workers. Members approved the contract by a vote... [More]
• Just What is SCFL and What Does it Do?
  By Jim Cavanaugh, SCFL President Since early December the national AFL-CIO, in what’s called the “New Alliance” process, has been working with Wisconsin labor leaders to study the Wisconsin labor movement and to make recommendations for structural changes that will improve its effectiveness. In other states that have undergone this process, the... [More]
• Board Clears TAA on City Ethics Charge
  Charges against a union activist accused of misconduct while working in the City Clerk’s office were dismissed by the Madison Ethics Board, May 29. By a unanimous vote, the Board said that Alder Zach Brandon, who leveled the charges, failed to produce any evidence that Mike Quieto had used his position in the Clerk’s office to benefit the Teaching Assistants’ As... [More]
• No-Vacation Nation: 25% Get NO Paid Vacation
  The United States is the only advanced economy that does not guarantee its workers any paid vacation time, according to a report by the Center for Economic and Policy Research. As a result, 1 in 4 private-sector workers in the U.S. do not receive any paid vacation or paid holidays. The report, No-Vacation Nation, by Rebecca Ray and John Schmitt, finds that European wor... [More]
• American Family Gives Janitors Cold Shoulder
  The billion dollar corporation and area business leader, American Family Insurance, is again refusing to support the Madison janitors who clean its office complex in their fight for dignity and justice on the job. Many of the janitors employed at the Fortune 500 company's corporate headquarters on Madison’s far east side recently joined forces with Clean Power jani... [More]
• Next Generation Shares Family’s Union Values
  By Ben Brendler Throughout my entire life, I have been surrounded by the union way of life. My mother, as well as her father and grandfather before her, have all belonged to unions. This has laid a foundation for my life experience as well as given me a wealth of opportunities. Growing up in a union home has very much influenced my perception on... [More]
• Workers Sue Oscar Mayer Over Unpaid Work Hours
  Four employees at Kraft’s Oscar Mayer meat processing plant in Madison filed a class action lawsuit in the federal court May 30 alleging violations of federal and state laws requiring payment for time spent changing into and out of personal protective equipment and walking to their workstations. Jason Knudtson, Jeff Spoerle, Nick Lee, and Kathi Smith claim that Kraf... [More]
• Unionists Push Senate for Major Labor Law Reform
  Working families were out in force around the country on June 19 calling on their Senators to support the Employee Free Choice Act, legislation that would allow workers to form unions free from intimidation and bargain for a better life. As the Senate debate began that day on the bill, more than 4,500 union members joined with congress members, civil rights groups and... [More]