Today's Teamster News 06.19.13

<="http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/columnists/ct-oped-0619-page-20130619,0,2765102.column">Fast-food workers echo 'Occupy' spirit  Chicago Tribune   ...Labor unions have been knocked back, knocked down and knocked out for so long that a new generation of organizers is beginning to try something new. Instead of unionizing and then protesting, they're protesting first...
<="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/06/18/alan-grayson-trans-pacific-partnership_n_3456167.html">Alan Grayson On Trans-Pacific Partnership: Obama Secrecy Hides 'Assault On Democratic Government'  Huffington Post   ...Progressive Democrats in Congress are ramping up pressure on the Obama administration to release the text of Trans-Pacific Partnership, a secretive free trade agreement with 10 other nations, amid intensifying controversy over the administration's transparency record and its treatment of classified information...
<="http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/jun/18/brazil-protests-erupt-huge-scale?guni=Network%20front:network-front%20main-3%20Main%20trailblock:Network%20front%20-%20main%20trailblock:Position2">Brazil protests erupt over public services and World Cup costs  The Guardian   ...Some of country's biggest ever rallies sweep major cities as bus fare rise is last straw in spiral of high costs and poor services...
<="http://www.alternet.org/news-amp-politics/tech-companies-turn-over-user-information-government">When the Government Asks, Tech Companies Usually Turn Over User Information   AlterNet   ...How often do technology companies hand over user information to the government? More answers to that question have come out in recent days...
<="http://www.wjla.com/articles/2013/06/student-loans-government-looks-to-make-50b-profit-90221.html">Student loans: Government looks to make $50B profit  WJLA TV   ...Lauren Brice, who recently graduated with a law degree, has money on her mind. “My undergraduate loans and my graduate loans together are about $167,000,” she says. The notion that the government will make a record $50 billion profit on student loans this year has her unsettled...
<="http://www.businessweek.com/ap/2013-06-17/union-ratchets-up-pressure-on-amazon-germany">Union ratchets up pressure on Amazon Germany   Associated Press   ...Union members at online retailer Amazon's German operations have begun a two-day strike to ratchet up pressure on the company over pay demands. The ver.di union says Amazon's roughly 5,300 workers receive lower wages than their peers in the online retail industry...
<="http://www.presstv.ir/detail/2013/06/18/309566/us-workers-protest-over-low-wages/">US Workers protest over low wages  Press TV   ...People in California are protesting against working longer hours for less pay and less protection...
<="http://www.cnn.com/2013/06/18/us/florida-sick-leave-law/">Florida blocks cities, counties from voting on sick pay laws  CNN News   ...Florida's governor has signed a law that says cities and counties cannot make businesses offer paid sick leave...
<="http://articles.philly.com/2013-06-17/news/40029540_1_civil-service-commission-state-workers-rebovich-institute">Planned civil service changes irk N.J. state workers  Philadelphia Inquirer   ...New Jersey public employees are bracing for what their union leaders say is the latest anti-worker onslaught by the Christie administration...
<="http://newsok.com/oklahoma-voter-registration-law-survives-supreme-court-decision/article/3853658">Oklahoma voter registration law survives U.S. Supreme Court decision  The Oklahoman   ...The Supreme Court decision to strike down a voter registration law in Arizona will not affect the process in Oklahoma, which requires registrants to attest to U.S. citizenship but not provide documents proving their status...
<="http://www.pennlive.com/midstate/index.ssf/2013/06/voter_id_law_pennsylvania_supr.html">Why Pennsylvania's voter ID law probably won't be affected by the Supreme Court ruling on Arizona's election law  Patriot-News   ...A ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court Monday striking down an Arizona voter identification law will likely have little consequence in another legal case - that of the Pennsylvania voter identification law, legal experts said...
<="http://www.bostonglobe.com/business/2013/06/17/carnival-workers-denied-minimum-wage-suit-says/BuNkalaHqVnR8JFcqeTNxJ/story.html">Carnival operators sued over wage law  Boston Globe   ...Workers who set up carnivals around New England have sued a New Hampshire amusements company, alleging it violated minimum wage and overtime laws by requiring employees to work long hours at a low weekly salary...
<="http://www.wnyc.org/articles/wnyc-news/2013/jun/17/court-appointments-go-political-insiders/">Investigation Shows Politicians Profit off Foreclosure Sales  WNYC News   ...When New York State Senator John Sampson was arrested last month for allegedly embezzling $440,000 from foreclosure sales, the curtain pulled back on a little known corner of the state’s justice system – the job of foreclosure referee...
<="http://www.tampabay.com/news/localgovernment/teamsters-want-hernando-county-to-stop-reclassifying-jobs-adding-pay/2127265">Teamsters want Hernando County to stop reclassifying jobs, adding pay  Tampa Bay Times   ...The Teamsters union has put Hernando County on notice this week to "cease and desist" from the practice of reclassifying some county jobs. The union, representing 400 county workers, said the practice is allowing management to circumvent the employees' contract with the county and give altered jobs with higher salaries to chosen employees...
<="http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/city-of-oakland-considers-contract-with-known-lawbreaker-teamsters-joint-council-7-says-212029861.html">City Of Oakland Considers Contract With Known Lawbreaker, Teamsters Joint Council 7 Says  IBT   ...Politically connected firm poised to get lease despite nearly $1 million judgment for violating California Labor laws and a $235,000 debt to the City...
<="http://www.teamster.org/sites/teamster.org/files/61813BlastFaxmemo-form61413_0.pdf">Sign Up for the 2013 Teamster Women's Conference  IBT   ...The Teamster Women’s Conference will be held September 19-21, 2013 in New Orleans, Louisiana. Register now to join your Teamster Sisters and Brothers!...