Michigan Politicians Target Workers’ Comp
AFL-CIO Field Communications staffer Cathy Sherwin sends us this report.
Opponents of working people in Michigan are pushing a bill that would gut protections for workers hurt on the job and give employers more power to dictate where injured workers could seek treatment. The bill also would slash benefits by factoring in “imaginary” wages and pensions and deducting from benefits—reducing workers’ compensation by the amount someone might be able to earn, regardless of the availability of an actual job.
The bill, H.B. 5002, has passed the state House, and as legislators in the Senate took it up last week, they were faced with 150 police, firefighters, autoworkers and others packing the Senate hearing room and filling an overflow room to capacity as they described the H.B. 5002′s devastating impact on injured Michigan workers.
Michigan Public Radio quoted testimony by Chris Luty, with the Michigan State Police Troopers Association, that reinforced the dangers of subtracting imaginary wages:
What’s available out there—what’s really available out there—and what’s theoretically available out there are often two very different things.
In addition to the dozens who told their stories to the committee, many Read the rest of this entry »
Corker: Classless
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America’s economy is in a tailspin and millions of the nation’s autoworkers could lose family-supporting jobs if the industry tanks, but Republican Sen. Bob Corker knows what he’s concerned about: the “Valentine’s” Day cards autoworkers and their allies delivered to his Tennessee office.
I think delivering 4,200 incredibly tacky Valentine’s to my office was a classless thing to do.
Classless. The gall! The gall of workers who, if Corker had his way, would lose their jobs or get such severe cuts in pay they would become more casualties of the lingering Bush war on the middle class. Corker fought against assistance to the auto industry in December and voted against the economic recovery package that would save or create 3.5 million U.S. jobs.
Online Union-Made Car Guide
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If you’re in the market for a new car and you want to support good union jobs at the same time, check out a website that lists vehicles made by union workers in this country.
The “UAW Made” guide provides information for consumers who want to buy vehicles produced by workers who enjoy the benefits and protections of a union contract. All the vehicles are made in the United States or Canada by members of the UAW, Canadian Auto Workers (CAW) or IUE-CWA.
The list includes cars, vans, pickups and SUVs made by UAW and CAW members.
Click here to read the whole list.
