Report: European Multinationals Violate Labor Standards In U.S.
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A new report shows that many European-based multinationals follow international labor standards in their home country, but do a 180 when they deal with workers in their U.S. subsidiaries.
The title of the report, “A Strange Case,” is based on the Robert Louis Stevenson novel, “The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr, Hyde,” said the report’s author Lance Compa, senior lecturer at Cornell University’s School of Industrial and Labor Relations. The European multinationals, like the Stevenson character, have two distinct personalities, Compa says. In Europe, where there are strong unions and tough labor laws that are vigorously enforced, the companies have no choice but to treat their workers with respect and abide by international standards.
Eleanor Roosevelt: She Was One of Us
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Just came from a great event that served as a reminder of why it’s so important to observe Dec. 10, Human Rights Day, which marks the passage of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights by the United Nations.
Here at the AFL-CIO in Washington, D.C., author and historian Brigid O’Farrell discussed her new book, “She Was One of Us: Eleanor Roosevelt and the American Worker.” Introducing O’Farrell to the packed crowd, AFL-CIO Secretary-Treasurer Liz Shuler said, “Eleanor worked tirelessly to ensure all people enjoy” basic workplace rights. In fact, Roosevelt was the mover behind adoption of the Declaration of Human Rights, and—less known—labor worked with her to push hard for passage of Article 23, which states in part that:
Everyone has the right to form and to join trade unions….
NYU Graduate Workers Demand Right to Bargain
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After fighting for nearly a decade to gain dignity and respect on the job, teaching assistants, research assistants and graduate assistants at New York University (NYU) are demanding university President John Sexton voluntarily recognize their union within a week or they will ask the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) for a new union election.
The grad student workers voted to join Graduate Student Organizing Committee (GSOC)/UAW Local 2110 in 2000 and negotiated a four-year contract with the university. That contract expired in 2004 and the university refused to negotiate a new one and ceased recognizing the union.
Boland, Smith Join Executive Council
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The AFL-CIO Executive Council welcomed two new members at its meeting in Orlando today: Bricklayers (BAC) President James Boland and Bruce Smith, president of the Glass, Molders, Pottery, Plastics and Allied Workers (GMP).
The council also honored retiring council members John Ryan,, John Flynn and UAW Secretary-Treasurer Elizabeth Bunn.
New council member Boland served as BAC’s secretary-treasurer before taking over from Flynn, who recently retired. In its statement honoring Flynn’s service, the council says;
Organizing heads up Flynn’s legacies to the BAC, but there are many others-stewards training, new member orientation, labor-management craft committees, the National Training Center, health care purchasing coalitions and much more.
Smith joined GMP in 1972 and held various offices until he was elected as secretary-treasurer in 2004. He was sworn in as GMP president in January, taking over for Ryan, who now serves as assistant to the president.
The council statement said one of Ryan’s most important accomplishments is the contracts he helped win for his members.
In 2008 alone, GMP negotiated contracts with three giant glass companies-Owens Illinois, St. Gobain and Anchor Glass-that actually improved on earlier contracts despite overwhelming pressure to make concessions.
Bunn, the highest ranking woman in her union’s history, was honored in the council statement as “a pioneer in the organizing of graduate employees and other white-collar workers.”
Her strategic vision and creativity are credited with helping tens of thousands of people win better lives.
Bunn has been named AFL-CIO Organizing Director.
Foxwoods Casino Dealers Reach Historic Tentative Contract
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More than a year after contract negotiations began, some 2,500 casino dealers at Foxwoods Resort Casino and MGM Grand in Connecticut, members of UAW Local 2121, have a tentative settlement for a first contract. Foxwoods/MGM, owned by the Mashantucket Pequot tribe, is the largest gaming complex in the country.
If ratified, the contract would provide an average 12 percent increase in wages over two years and establish a more equitable distribution of tips. The contract also creates what the union describes as “an industry model” for job safety, including programs to reduce repetitive stress injuries, a major extension of medical leave time for workers out with serious illnesses for more than six months and a unique 24-table “smoke-free pit” for workers and customers.
Atlantic City Casino Workers Standing Firm for Fair Contract
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Two years after voting for the UAW, gaming employees at casinos in Atlantic City, N.J., still don’t have contracts. But they are standing firm in support of their freedom to bargain.
Management at Trump Plaza Hotel and Casino still refuses to bargain with the union despite a National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) ruling last year that management engaged in unfair labor practices. The NLRB ordered the casino to negotiate in good faith, but that hasn’t happened, the union says.
AFL-CIO Thanks Sweeney for His Service as President
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During the 2009 AFL-CIO Convention, President John Sweeney will be stepping down after more than five decades in the union movement and 14 years heading the AFL-CIO. Today, the AFL-CIO Convention unanimously approved a resolution honoring Sweeney and pledging to carry on his values and his hard work.
Union leaders and activists from across the movement stood in support of the resolution, praising Sweeney as a leader and as a person.
As president of the AFL-CIO, Sweeney has fought to strengthen local union organizations and get them involved in their communities, and he also has strengthened the global union movement and increased the role of America’s unions in fighting for workers around the world. Through the creation of Working America, Sweeney helped mobilize and educated 3 million workers without a union. Through the founding of the Alliance for Retired Americans, he gave a voice to 4 million retirees and kept them actively engaged. It’s a record to be proud of and a legacy that will keep the union movement strong in the future.
Diversity Summit: Future of Unions Depends on Including All Workers
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| UAW Secretary-Treasurer Elizabeth Bunn (center), Nat LaCour, recently retired AFT secretary-treasurer, and AFL-CIO President John Sweeney were among speakers at the AFL-CIO Diversity Conference today. |
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| More than 500 participants took part in the standing-room only AFL-CIO Diversity Conference. |
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The future of the union movement depends upon our ability to recruit and promote people of color and women, the fastest growing groups of union members. Today, at the AFL-CIO National Summit on Diversity, more than 500 union activists celebrated the progress made since passage of the historic adoption of Resolution #2 at the 2005 AFL-CIO Convention, which set goals to make the movement more diverse. They also mapped strategy to increase diversity at every level in the future.
In a strong and emotional speech, AFL-CIO President John Sweeney said the priority on diversity in his leadership may well become the biggest legacy of his 14 years leading the federation.
“If we are to have equal educational opportunity, and equal job opportunity, and equal economic opportunity in America, then we must also have equal union opportunity in America.
“We are motivated by our moral imperatives but we also are moved toward our goals by practical persuasions. Simply put, we cannot expect more from our younger and women and minority members unless they can expect more leadership opportunity from our federation.
“Brothers and sisters, we don’t have one dues rate for African American, or Hispanic, or Asian Pacific-American members, and another rate for the rest of our members. Our women members don’ t pay lower dues than our male members. We don’t have lower dues for our gay and lesbian and transgender members or for members with disabilities. So why should they get fewer opportunities to lead and to learn?”
Sweeney’s message resonated with the audience, which interrupted his speech about a dozen times with applause and gave him six standing ovations.
UAW Secretary-Treasurer Elizabeth Bunn and former AFT Secretary-Treasurer Nat LaCour, co-chairs of the Executive Council Committee on Diversity, praised Sweeney for his leadership and determination to bring diversity to the union movement.
Atlantic City Casino Workers Authorize Strike
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Gaming workers at Bally’s and Caesars casinos in Atlantic City voted overwhelmingly over the weekend to authorize a strike if they are unable to reach a contract agreement with management.
The workers have been trying to gain a first contract for two years after voting to form a union with the UAW in 2007.
Says Ed Hendricks, a Caesars slot technician for 15 years:
Nobody wants a strike, but we’re going to stand up to enforce our rights. We have negotiated for almost two years, but instead of reaching an agreement the company keeps cutting back. Harrah’s [owner of both casinos] has cut our 401(k) match, increased our benefit costs and laid off our fellow workers.
Casino Workers Form New Gaming Council
Casino workers from Atlantic City, Las Vegas, Detroit and Connecticut joined together today to carry out a broad organizing, bargaining and communications agenda.
The new Gaming Workers Council, which includes the UAW, Transport Workers (TWU) Gaming Division, the AFL-CIO and SEIU, also will reach out to other partners to support a common agenda on behalf of workers in the casino industry.
The group’s first order of business will be support for ongoing contract campaigns for casino dealers in Atlantic City. Says Sharon Masino, a casino dealer at Caesars in Atlantic City and a member of the UAW/AC Dealers Union:
With everybody joining together, we’ll be stronger than ever. We’re going to win good contracts in Atlantic City and move on to help casino workers all over the country.
