NEWS BREAKS - Friday, March 12, 2010

NEWS BREAKS

Anti-Union Rep Admits His Group Opposes Majority Rule

The vice president for one of the nation’s most anti-union, anti-worker organizations showed what we knew all along: Those fighting workers and their unions oppose the democratic process. During a hearing yesterday on a House bill to expand bargaining rights for the police and firefighters, Rep. Phil Hare (D-Ill.) exposed the myths and lies spun by the Big Brother-named National Right to Work Committee. Doug Stafford, the group’s vice president, attempted to portray the bill as forcing “monopoly bargaining on every police and firefighter … more http://blog.aflcio.org/2010/03/11/anti-union-rep-admits-his-group-opposes-majority-rule/

How Big Business Dupes the Masses
Living in these United States, there comes a point at which you throw your hands up in exasperation and despair and ask a fundamental question or two: how much excess profit does corporate America really need?
How much bigger do executive salaries and bonuses have to be, how many houses or jets or artworks can be crammed into a life? After all, as billionaire movie director Steven Spielberg is reported to have said, when all is said and done, "How much better can lunch get?" But since greed is not self-governing, hardly anyone …
more http://www.consortiumnews.com/2010/031210a.html

Steelworker Articles
USEC Union Ratifies Five-Year Contract – District 1
A five-year agreement between the United States Enrichment Corp. and United Steelworkers Local Union 689 at the Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant in Piketon has been approved by union members. Exact vote totals weren't provided, but a release from the two bargaining units indicated union membership voted "overwhelmingly" in favor of the ratification. "This is a positive step forward for both the union and for the United States Enrichment Corporation as we look ahead to providing continued quality work at the Piketon … more
http://www.chillicothegazette.com/article/20100312/NEWS01/3120307

Offer Has Rank-'N-File Fired Up – District 6
If anyone was voting yes to Vale Inco's offer to settle the eight-month strike by United Steelworkers, they were not admitting it out loud in the halls, the basement and the parking lot of the Caruso Club on Thursday morning and early afternoon. Up to 1,800 of the 3,000 striking members of USW Local 6500 attended a membership meeting and then cast their ballots on a settlement offer presented to them by mediator Kevin Burkett at exploratory talks on Sunday in Toronto. As members poured out of the hall, many of them threw the … more
http://www.thesudburystar.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=2489018

Mittal Upgrading Region Facilities – District 7
ArcelorMittal is upgrading its Indiana Harbor and Burns Harbor plants as part of a $138 million investment. The company said it plans to enhance coiling capability at the 84-inch hot strip mill at Indiana Harbor to improve quality and expand its product size range. ArcelorMittal wants to meet demand in the energy linepipe and heavy-gauge, water transmission pipe market by offering a complete range of sizes, and it plans to include ultra high-strength, hot rolled steels in a greater size range to serve the heavy equipment markets, including … more
http://www.post-trib.com/business/2098249,mittalplans0312.article

Pennsylvania AFL-CIO President Bill George Announces His Retirement – District 10
Pennsylvania AFL-CIO President William George today officially announced his plans to retire as President of the Pennsylvania AFL-CIO at the conclusion of his term in May of 2010 after serving for 20 years as the top union leader in Pennsylvania. "It wasn't an easy decision but it's the right decision and at the right time," George said. "I want to thank all of the Vice Presidents of the Pennsylvania AFL-CIO Executive Council, both past and present, which I have had the honor and privilege to serve. Without their support, their leadership and … more
http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/pennsylvania-afl-cio-president-bill-george-announces-his-retirement-87355512.html

Forest Firm's Boss Will Face Tough Questions – District 3
Most workers have 'no faith' that Western Forest Products will reopen sawmills by the end of the year
The new president and CEO of Western Forest Products will be on the hot seat during an expected to visit Nanaimo this month as part of a province-wide tour of company sites. Darrel Wong, president of the United Steelworkers Local 1-1937, which represents hundreds of laid-off workers at WFP's two idled sawmills and a remaining facility in Nanaimo, is encouraging his members to attend the meeting with Stephen Frasher … more
http://www.canada.com/Forest+firm+boss+will+face+tough+questions/2675028/story.html

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NEWS BREAKS - Friday, March 12, 2010