Today's Teamster News 05.13.13

<="http://www.voacambodia.com/media/video/1655615.html">Garment Workers Gather To Demand More Wages, Better Conditions Voice of America   ...Thousands of garment workers gathered in a demonstration to demand better salaries and improved working conditions for the hundreds of thousands of workers in Cambodia’s factories. Workers say a government increase of the minimum wage, to $80 per month, is not enough to keep up with the rising cost of living in the country...
<="http://www.appeal-democrat.com/articles/proposed-125147-trade-aid.html">Mark Weisbrot: Proposed international trade pacts no aid to workers  Appeal-Democrat   ...The Trans-Pacific Partnership is a very special trade agreement. It is so special that our government officials who are negotiating it want to keep it completely secret from us...
<="ttp://www.govexec.com/management/2013/05/furlough-watch-potential-agency-agency-impacts-sequestration/61535/">Furlough Watch: Agency-by-Agency Impacts of Sequestration  Government Executive   ...Across-the-board budget cuts known as sequestration are having have serious implications for federal workers, as mandatory unpaid furloughs planned for hundreds of thousands of employees begin to take effect. Check out the list of possible agency-by-agency plans and effects...
<="http://www.alternet.org/world/enormous-corporate-colonization-project-underway-and-american-economy-will-never-be-same">Large Corporations Seek U.S.–European 'Free Trade Agreement' to Further Global Dominance  AlterNet   ...The Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership is the latest plan of conglomerates to strengthen their grip over the planet...
<="http://www.seattlepi.com/news/texas/article/Obama-in-Texas-presses-middle-class-jobs-agenda-4501617.php">Obama, in Texas, presses middle-class jobs agenda  Associated Press   ...Offering a more upbeat view of the economy, President Barack Obama resurrected his jobs proposals Thursday, advancing modest initiatives as he pushed for action on more ambitious efforts that face resistance from congressional Republicans...
<="http://www.labornotes.org/2013/05/detroit-fast-food-workers-join-strike-wave">Detroit Fast Food Workers Join Strike Wave  Labor Notes   ...“Want to know what all the fuss is? “We are standing up for justice!” At a busy intersection dotted with fast food brands, that is what 80 fast food workers and supporters chanted outside a Detroit Popeye’s Friday morning...
<="http://www.boulderweekly.com/article-11121-demand-more-from-walmart.html">Demand more from Walmart (opinion)  Boulder Weekly   ...Walmarts have been popping up all over the country in the last five years. For several years, Walmart has placed or tied for last among department and discount stores in the American Customer Satisfaction Index. The situation for the workers is even less satisfying...
<="http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/in-ga-and-nc-republican-legislators-reach-into-local-governments-controlled-by-democrats/2013/05/11/83b6d146-ba50-11e2-b568-6917f6ac6d9d_story.html">In Ga. and NC, Republican legislators reach into local governments controlled by Democrats  Associated Press   ...Even with Republicans holding unprecedented political power across the South, Democrats remain mostly in charge of urban centers in otherwise conservative states. Yet increasingly that control is threatened, not at the ballot box, but by Republican-led legislatures...
<="http://www.kansascity.com/2013/05/09/4227926/missouri-lawmakers-ok-state-income.html">Missouri lawmakers OK state income tax cut  Associated Press   ...Battling back against tax cuts in neighboring Kansas, Missouri lawmakers gave final approval Thursday to an income tax cut for businesses and individuals that could reduce state revenues by about $700 million annually when fully phased in...
<="http://www.sun-sentinel.com/fl-health-consumer-signup-navigators-20130512,0,5025732.story">Florida prepares for massive insurance signup  Sun Sentinel   ...Facing the next big health-care challenge in Florida, Uncle Sam plans to enlist hundreds of consumer "navigators" over the next several months to help enroll up to 3.5 million uninsured state residents by January, when everyone is required to have health insurance...
<="http://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/10/us/after-plant-explosion-texas-remains-wary-of-regulation.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0">After Plant Explosion, Texas Remains Wary of Regulation   New York Times   ...Five days after an explosion at a fertilizer plant leveled a wide swath of West, Texas, Gov. Rick Perry tried to woo Illinois business officials by trumpeting his state’s low taxes and limited regulations. Asked about the disaster, Mr. Perry responded that more government intervention and increased spending on safety inspections would not have prevented one of the nation’s worst industrial accidents in decades...
<="http://www.freep.com/article/20130509/NEWS06/305090119/health-centers-get-help-to-boost-staff">Michigan health centers get $3.8M to boost staff  Associated Press   ...Michigan’s community health centers can receive about $3.8 million from the federal government to help uninsured Americans enroll in health insurance coverage under the Federal Affordable Health Care Act...
<="http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/sns-rt-us-usa-worldtradecenterbre9490hu-20130510,0,6383486.story">Workers complete spire on New York's One World Trade Center   Reuters   ...Workers cheered and whistled as they completed the spire on New York's One World Trade Center on Friday, raising the building to its full height of 1,776 feet and helping fill a void in the skyline left by the September 11, 2001 attacks...
<="http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/politics/clout/chi-illinois-senate-passes-pension-bill-sets-up-showdown-with-house-20130509,0,2118291.story">Illinois Senate passes pension bill, sets up showdown with House  Chicago Tribune   ...Senate President John Cullerton sent his version of pension reform to the House, setting up a high-profile clash with the rival plan Speaker Michael Madigan already pushed through the House...
<="http://cumberlink.com/news/local/capital_region/liquor-store-union-ad-campaign-raises-questions-in-harrisburg/article_f86672a8-ba78-11e2-a21e-0019bb2963f4.html">Liquor store union ad campaign raises questions in Harrisburg  The Sentinel   ...There’s a good chance you’ve heard a commercial running on Harrisburg radio stations, but it’s mostly intended for the ears of lawmakers who are mulling liquor privatization...
<="http://www.kansascity.com/2013/05/11/4230509/tax-breaks-lawsuit-liability-left.html">Tax breaks, lawsuit liability left for Missouri Legislature in final week  Kansas City Star   ...With next year's budget plan finalized and an income tax cut passed, Missouri lawmakers now will turn their attention to resolving differences over tax credits and liability lawsuits before their mandatory adjournment on Friday...
<="http://www.myrtlebeachonline.com/2013/05/12/3483173/nc-senate-plan-expands-sales-tax.html">NC Senate plan expands sales tax base far and wide  Associated Press   ...Senate Republicans argue that exponentially expanding the number of transactions subject to the sales tax would promote fairness in a North Carolina tax system now packed with exemptions and loopholes...
<="http://www.blogger.com/" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><="http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/apnewsbreak-wash-courts-hacked-up-to-1-million-drivers-license-numbers-accessed/2013/05/09/eba5d7d0-b8d3-11e2-b568-6917f6ac6d9d_story.html">Washington state courts hacked; potentially up to 160,000 Social Security numbers accessed  Associated Press   ...The Washington state Administrative Office of the Courts was hacked sometime between last fall and February, and up to 160,000 Social Security numbers and 1 million driver’s license numbers may have been accessed during the data breach of its public website, officials said...
<="http://www.teamster.org/content/teamsters-energized-2013-unity-conference">Teamsters Energized at 2013 Unity Conference  IBT   …The 2013 Teamsters Unity Conference convened Sunday, May 12, welcoming thousands of Teamsters from the U.S., Canada and Puerto Rico to share their accomplishments, their challenges and the work they are doing to advance the lives of workers…
<="http://www.teamster.org/content/hoffa-statement-yrcw-efforts-acquire-frieght-division-abf">Hoffa Statement On YRCW Efforts To Acquire Frieght Division Of ABF  IBT   ...Teamsters General President James P. Hoffa issued a statement regarding recent reports that YRC Worldwide Inc. attempted to acquire ABF Freight Systems...
<="http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2013/may/10/slippery-slope-nyc-education-dept-threatens-fire-c/">Slippery slope? NYC threatens to fire school cafeteria workers for buying butter  Washington Times   ...The butter police are on the job. New York City school kitchen managers said they’re being targeted and “bullied” by bureaucrats who have threatened “disciplinary action” for buying butter, in violation of a five-year-old policy against using or offering the spread in cafeterias...
<="http://www.teamster.org/content/advanced-business-agents%E2%80%99-seminar-scheduled-july-29-31">Advanced Business Agents’ Seminar Scheduled July 29-31  IBT ...The IBT Training and Development Department will conduct an Advanced Business Agents seminar July 29-31, 2013 at Teamsters Joint Council 25 in Chicago...