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News :: Miscellaneous |
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Labor Headlines from 12-29-01 |
Current rating: 0 |
by Peter Miller
Email: peterm (nospam) shout.net (unverified!) |
01 Jan 2002
Modified: 03 Jan 2002 |
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From the Illinois Labor Hour (WEFT 90.1 FM Champaign, Saturdays at 11 a.m.). Bush Keeps Government Funds Flowing to Lawbreakers, Thai Jewelry Workers Win!, Mine Workers Ratify New Agreement, Colombian Union Murders Continue to Grow, ANNOUNCEMENT: William Jenkins commemoration |
Bush Keeps Government Funds Flowing to Lawbreakers
Should companies that pollute illegally, defraud consumers, or violate workers' rights be allowed to receive lucrative government contracts? Last week, the Bush administration decided that yes, indeed, corporate criminals deserve government contracts. Reversing another of Bill Clinton's last-minute directives, George W. Bush repealed a rule that would have allowed government agencies to refuse federal contracts to companies that don't comply with labor, environmental, and consumer protection laws. The pro-business US Chamber of Commerce supported Bush's action and said the rule amounted to blacklisting corporations that break the law. The Chamber also complained that the rule would have added another test for contractors before they received federal dollars. The AFL-CIO responded with a news release calling Bush's action "an outrage." The labor federation criticized the timing of the announcement, coming during the week between Christmas and New Year's day, when many Americans are distracted from current events. The AFL-CIO statement cites reports showing the need for a rule keeping federal contracts out of lawbreakers' hands. In one year, the U.S. General Accounting Office found that 260 federal contractors with over five thousand health and safety violations received $38 billion in federal contracts. Another eighty firms that broke U.S. labor laws received $23 billion in taxpayer-financed projects.
http://www.aflcio.org/publ/press2001/pr1228.htm
http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A32785-2001Dec27?language=printer
Thai Jewelry Workers Win!
In anti-sweatshop news, we have a victory to report. After almost a year of struggle, workers at the Thai jewelry maker called Almond have declared victory! An agreement was reached on December 2nd between the management of Almond and ICEM (International Federation of Chemical, Energy, Mine and General Workers' Unions), which represents the workers. According to the Campaign for Labor Rights, a nationwide anti-sweatshop email network with nearly twelve thousand subscribers, the Almond workers remained strong and unified throughout this struggle, even in the face of severe anti-union intimidation. The settlement provides that: 1) fired union activists will get their jobs back--Forty Thai workers fired by Almond last December, including union leaders, will get their jobs back and will receive full compensation. 2) Their union will now have full bargaining rights at Almond. The agreement states, quote "Within 3 days of receiving a list of demands from the Union on behalf of its members, the Company will in good faith enter into meaningful negotiations with the Union." unquote. 3) Almond will drop all lawsuits connected with the dispute. Campaign for Labor Rights asked its Rapid Action Network and other groups to mobilize in solidarity with the Almond Union several times over the last five months. First, a letter writing campaign to Almond's US distributor, Michael Anthony Jewelers, generated 600 letters and emails. Then in October, a letter writing campaign targeting the Home Shopping Network, which sells Almond jewelry, generated nearly 1,200 letters to that company. Most recently, from November 23-30, Rapid Action Network groups organized leafleting actions at Kay Jewelers outlets in 36 cities across the country. Kay Jewelers is the number one retailer of Almond Jewelry in the US. The Campaign for Labor Rights extends its thanks to those who participated in the various levels of this campaign! Grassroots actions played an important role in securing the victory as both the Home Shopping Network and Sterling Jewelers (owners of Kay) responded to grassroots pressure by telling Michael Anthony to respect the rights of the Almond workers. Further updates on these negotiations and on the implementation of this agreement will be distributed to the email list, to which anyone can subscribe by sending email to CLRMain (at) afgj.org
www.summersault.com/~agj/clr
Mine Workers Ratify New Agreement
The Associated Press reported on December 22 that the United Mine Workers of America have reached a new contract with the nation's largest coal operators . An unusually long five-year agreement was reached with the Bituminous Coal Operators Association with only sixty percent of mine workers supporting the agreement. The contract agreement was reached one year before the end of the current contract, and covers an estimated 100,000 workers, including laid off miners and pensioners, although the Department of Labor says that the Mineworkers' union represents only 26,000 active miners. Few details about the contract are available, but Mineworkers President Cecil Roberts told a Pennsylvania crowd in April that mine workers deserved to share in the coal operators' good times, and he threatened a strike if a new contract couldn't be negotiated. The new contract reportedly contains improved early-retirement provisions, six hundred dollar bonuses for working miners, and raises totaling $1.50 per hour over the next five years.
http://www.umwa.org/homepage.shtml
http://www.appalachianfocus.org/_labor2/00000046.htm
Colombian Union Murders Continue to Grow
The International Confederation of Free Trade Unions issued a grizzly year-end announcement last week, regarding continued murders of trade unionists in Colombia. Nearly 160 trade unionists were murdered in Colombia last year, with no sign that union murders would begin to decrease. The ICFTU referred to a December 18 report sent by the International Labor Organization, the labor arm of the United Nations, detailing murders during only one week in November. During the week of November 10, ten trade unionists were assassinated, some after undergoing cruel torture, three others were taken hostage, and a further case is in serious medical condition following an assassination attempt. The ICFTU has repeatedly protested the growth in violence to Colombian President Andres Pastrana. Many of the murders are committed by right-wing paramilitaries who maintain close ties to the Colombian government. In its "war on drugs", the United States of American provides billions of dollars to the Colombian military with human rights conditions that are bypassed because human rights conditions continue to grow worse. As of December 18, one hundred sixty trade union members had been murdered in 2001, up seven from the previous year's total. For every ten union members murdered worldwide, seven are murdered in Colombia. For more information, go to the ICFTU website, www.icftu.org.
ANNOUNCEMENT:
A Commemoration of William Jenkins:
Trade Unionist, Union Reformer,
Videographer, Socialist, Activist
2 pm, Sunday January 6
U.E. Hall
37 S. Ashland
Chicago, IL
Speakers from organizations William Jenkins III belong to will commemorate his work; plus new video presentation of highlights of his videography.
All are invited.
If you are planning on attending please leave a message, or for more information: 773-561-0908
lduncan (at) igc.org
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Labor News During The Week |
by ML
(No verified email address) |
Current rating: 0
03 Jan 2002
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Peter and Bill do a great job of covering labor news every Saturday morning. Sometimes you just have to have more news during the week. For that you can turn to this excellent website that documents labor news from around the world:
http://www.labourstart.org/ |
