Tag: Trade union

Tea Party teams with union leaders to fight Obama’s trade plan

Tea Party teams with union leaders to fight Obama’s trade plan

By Alexander Bolton – 02/04/14 06:00 AM EST

Normally the bitterest of enemies, labor unions and the Tea Party are reaching out to each other to defeat President Obama’s trade agenda.

The groups are at separate poles when it comes to taxes, ObamaCare and who should be the next president, but they agree that making it easier for the administration to negotiate and win congressional approval of trade deals is a bad idea.

“This is one of those issues that 90 percent of the left and 90 percent of the right agree on,” Judson Phillips, president of Tea Party Nation, said. Continue reading “Tea Party teams with union leaders to fight Obama’s trade plan”

Being a union member has advantages

Ask The Lawyer

By Bill Bransford

Being a union member has advantages

June 3rd, 2013 | Uncategorized

In theory, your rights as a union member should be the same as your rights if you are in a bargaining unit and not a union member. Being a union member means you pay dues. Nonmembers do not pay dues but are supposed to receive representation rights and other benefits related to the union being the exclusive representative of employees in the bargaining unit.

While federal-sector labor unions have an obligation to represent all employees in the bargaining unit fairly, dues-paying members are likely to be more knowledgeable about the union and how it works and are likely to receive services from the union with a smile and enthusiasm that may not necessarily be present if the union is representing someone who is not paying dues. One of the biggest advantages of being in a bargaining unit is a grievance procedure that includes the availability, at the union’s option, of having grievances resolved by an outside arbitrator. Because arbitration is expensive and because it  is difficult to challenge a union’s decision against arbitration, being a dues-paying member is a factor in your favor to obtain the arbitration option, if needed. Arbitration is widely viewed in the labor relations community as more favorable to employees than is the Merit Systems Protection Board. Continue reading “Being a union member has advantages”

What’s So Great About Unions, Anyway?

AFL-CIO Now

02/19/2013  Elizabeth Shuler

Let’s be honest. Sometimes, outside of election campaign seasons, even progressives wonder what’s so great about unions. Sure, we had a role to play before job safety laws, the eight-hour day, Social Security and civil rights laws were passed. But today?

Even our friends aren’t immune to the relentless attacks on unions from the right and the stereotypes that come with them: union thugs, lazy workers, relics of the past, self-absorbed, yadda, yadda, yadda.

Most of you know that as union strength has declined over the past three or so decades, so has the middle class. That’s because unions are just regular working people who come together to balance power with employers and bargain for better living and working standards. And when unions are weakened by corporate and right-wing politicians, all working people feel the squeeze. Continue reading “What’s So Great About Unions, Anyway?”

Employees, unions get further details on furloughs

Employees, unions get further details on furloughs

Flickr user Wolfgang Lonien

The Obama administration reached out to federal labor unions Friday to provide more detailed information about potential employee furloughs in the event the budget sequestration process unfolds, and the Office of Personnel Management posted answers to common questions about how the furlough process would work in practice.

In a posting on its website Friday, the National Treasury Employees Union said it had participated in a call with Obama administration  officials earlier in the day in which the officials indicated they have had further discussions with agencies about the potential sequester and “the need to engage with their unions before taking any personnel actions such as furloughs.” Continue reading “Employees, unions get further details on furloughs”

AFL-CIO Unions Pledge Solidarity with Hyatt and PKC Workers in World Day for Decent Work Action

10/09/2012; Mike Hall

 

AFL-CIO Unions Pledge Solidarity with Hyatt and PKC Workers in World Day for Decent Work Action

Trade unions and the 175 million workers with the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) joined together Oct. 7 and called for decent jobs and respect for workers’ rights on the annual World Day for Decent Work. This year, the AFL-CIO honored the day by standing in solidarity with Hyatt hotel workers and workers at the Mexican operations of the Finnish auto parts manufacturer PKC.

Letters from AFL-CIO unions to workers mobilizing to win respect and a union voice on the job at Hyatt and PKC pledged their solidarity and support. AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka says the letters from the unions “will tell the workers that we support their rights to organize and bargain—the only road forward for fairness and decent work and,” Continue reading “AFL-CIO Unions Pledge Solidarity with Hyatt and PKC Workers in World Day for Decent Work Action”

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