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On April 10, 2013 former Solicitor General of the Labor Department Eugene Scalia testified against the Specialty Healthcare decision that allows “micro units” of very small groups to be organized by unions. Scalia makes the point that this decision flies in the face of NLRB precedent, sound labor policy, and basic common sense. Worth a read. Josh Eidelson writes in The Nation that the “alt-labor” group Working America is headed to all 50 states. The group claims to have 3.2 million members (more than the biggest “real labor” groups like unions) and at this point focuses mainly on political issues and tactically avoids any social issues. This is one of the experimental ways Richard Trumka wants to try to stem the loss of union members across the country. I’ve suggested for years that the labor movement needs to reinvent itself like this (more of an AARP for workers) and it is interesting to see this experiment actually get embraced. Although the article points out that many unions oppose putting any money toward this effort. Worth a read. The Daily Caller investigates whether Hoffa Jr. is losing power over the pension crisis facing the Teamsters. As the Central States plan founded by Hoffa’s father circles the drain, members are losing patience with the son. SEIU thugs are fanning out over California to “help” people fill out their ballots in the Kaiser re-run election. This is another great example of why mail ballots should be banned. This was one of the reasons the last election was overturned – so how much money is saved when you have to keep re-running the same election? This article tries to answer the question do unions matter to young workers? While it interviews organizers and young workers in Canada it offers a great picture of the challenges unions face attracting new members today. Highly recommended read. Small companies often are not well prepared to handle human resource issues and such shortcomings could mean big trouble for small-businesses which are rarely equipped to financially sustain themselves through even a single lawsuit. In today’s uncertain economy it is more important than ever for small-business owners to focus their entrepreneurial spirit toward educating and training themselves to avoid having disasters tomorrow. It is in this spirit that LRI President Phil Wilson, who has experienced firsthand the challenges of running a successful small business, chose to share some of his own wisdom with other small-business owners and entrepreneurs on “How to Avoid Costly HR Mistakes.” The article, written by Sheryl Nance-Nash, is published on Intuit Small Business Blog. Today, President Barack Obama announced his intent to nominate three additional individuals to serve as Members of the National Labor Relations Board, which will bring the number of pending nominations to a full complement of five. In making the announcement, the president said, “I am pleased to nominate these individuals to serve on the National Labor Relations Board. By enforcing workplace protections, upholding the rights of workers and providing a stable workplace environment for businesses, the NLRB plays a vital role in our efforts to grow the economy and strengthen the middle class. With these nominations there will be five nominees to the NLRB, both Republicans and Democrats, awaiting Senate confirmation. I urge the Senate to confirm them swiftly so that this bipartisan board can continue its important work on behalf of the American people.” The three nominees are: Current NLRB Chairman Mark Gaston Pearce, attorney Harry I. Johnson, III, Continue reading President Obama announces intent to nominate three additional Board members Margaret Thatcher, Britain’s powerful Prime Minister who transformed Britain during her 11-year term died of a stroke according to Politico. She was 87. Thatcher and her kindred spirit Ronald Reagan each took on unions in their own country while saving both countries from economic ruin. From Politico: “The Iron Lady who ruled for 11 remarkable years imposed her will on a fractious, rundown nation — breaking the unions, triumphing in a far-off war, and selling off state industries at a record pace. She left behind a leaner government and more prosperous nation by the time a mutiny ousted her from No. 10 Downing Street.” May the Iron Lady rest in peace. The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals upheld a $1.57 million verdict against the National Union of Healthcare Workers according to the San Jose Mercury News. That verdict requires Sal Roselli’s breakaway group to pay SEIU for dues money they took when they broke away from SEIU. The two unions remain locked in a bitter battle to represent Kaiser Permanente workers in California.
“Officially, it [CIW] is a “worker center,” which allows it to circumvent oversight and disclosure rules under the National Labor Relations Act and the Labor Management Reporting Disclosure Act,” Brown wrote. |
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