Labor Relations 101

Goings On In The World Of Labor

The Center for Investigative Reporting did a piece on how labor unions are funneling their money through attack ads against Republican Candidates.  Worth checking out.

http://centerforinvestigativereporting.org/blogpost/20081030unionpower—morethanmeetstheeye

Michaline Maynard of the New York Times wrote an excellent story about the cultural shift that is gradually taking place in Detroit, Michigan as General Motors and Chrysler continue to discuss merging. The prevailing notion is that half of Chrysler's manufacturing plants would close if this merger takes place, not to mention the number of auto parts makers that will go out of business.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/31/business/31detroit.html_r=1&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss&oref=slogin

Not to be outdone, Ford is vowing to become the automotive industry leader...no matter what GM/Chrysler has to say about it.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/31/business/31ford.html?partner=rssnyt&emc=rss

Meanwhile, Forbes is offering a different perspective to the GM/Chrysler merger.  Consulting firm Grant Thornton LLC is predicting that this merger will devastate Chrysler.  GM will only retain seven of the 26 models in Chrysler's lineup.  Chrysler, as we know it, will cease to be.

http://www.forbes.com/2008/10/30/automobiles-chrysler-gm-biz-manufacturing-biz-cz_jm_1031gmdeal.html?feed=rss_news

Goings On In the World Of Labor

Katie Merx and Tim Higgins of the Detroit Free Press did a nice job detailing the opposition General Motors and Chrysler are facing from labor unions around the world.

In West Virginia, labor unions and mine operators Tuesday criticized proposed federal rules to expand drug testing to include more than 116,000 coal miners, asking for sweeping changes to the proposal, or for it to be dropped.

Good article in the Chicago Tribune regarding Senator Barack Obama.  Labor unions are canvassing all over the nation for him, but issues of race and socio-economic class are proving to be a stumbling block for their efforts. 

The Next Victim of the Market Crash?  Your Salary.  Income for the median household will be lower in 2010 than it was a decade earlier, which hasn't happened since 1930.

George is Out! Firefighters Receive Promotions

Jake Wagman of the St. Louis Post Dispatch is reporting that on Tuesday five firefighters were promoted to the rank of battalion chief, ending a long, contentious battle between former Fire Chief Sherman George and Saint Louis Mayor Francis Slay. 

The conflict between George, who is African American, and Slay was over the long held belief that the 2004 test used to determine promotions was culturally biased against African Americans.  George refused to grant any promotions until the results of a federal court case, which tested the viability of the bias claim.  The federal court ruled that the 2004 test was not discriminatory.  George was then ordered by Mayor Slay to approve the 2004 promotions.  George refused, which served to anger not only Mayor Slay but the White fire fighters as well.

And what about the charges that the 2004 was culturally biased and discriminated against ethnic minorities?
The small group of promoted personnel included two African American males and the highest ranking female in the history of the St. Louis Fire department.

Although the issue of the promotions has been set aside, the question is how will Mayor Slay and his administration deal with the racial conflict which this matter has created.  White and African American firefighters, although represented by the same union IAF Local 73, are far from unified on this issue.  African American firefighters have lobbed charges of racial discrimination against their union, while White firefighters publicly supported the ouster of Sherman George. 

Something will have to be done to foster a sense of harmony among the firefighters.  If not, this will serve to destroy the harmony of what was once considered a treasured brotherhood.

Blogger Union Unite?

Cnn.com has an interesting post up regarding the "new" debate about bloggers forming a union in an effort to receive health care coverage, and collective bargaining rights.  Supposedly, Susie Madrak of Suburban Guerrilla brought up the idea of bloggers uniting behind a union. 

"I think people have just gotten to the point where people outside the blogosphere understand the value of what it is that we do on the progressive side...And I think they feel a little more entitled to ask for something now."

After reading this I immediately went to Ms. Madrak's blog only to read the following quote:

"Just got off the phone with another reporter. I told her no, I wasn’t specifically trying to get bloggers to join a union but rather, I was looking at any and all vehicles through which bloggers could affiliate and thus get affordable health insurance. No, there really wasn’t anyone we could bargain with about wages and working conditions, and yes, I did think we deserved support as opposed to someone who blogs about, say, model trains, because after all, we raised lots and lots of money for Democrats last year and targeted it into key races - namely, that our strength was in making local races national, and sending financial support their way."

The reality is that Ms. Madrak is not directly calling for the unionization of bloggers, but she is advocating for their right for health insurance and better overall support.  The question is, where and who will bloggers receive this support from?