Warwick Beacon: Firefighters counter arbitration criticism leveled by panel
In an interview following an article that covered the Rhode Island League of Cities and Town’s panel discussion of the state’s binding arbitration process, the state firefighters union has responded strongly to criticisms levied against it, which they claim were unfair and disingenuous.
“To some degree, what the attorneys said didn’t surprise me, because I view them as they were salesmen. They were there at that forum to get themselves hired,” said Joseph A. Andriole, president of the Rhode Island State Association of Firefighters. “If they truly, at that forum, wanted to be objective and look at the process, they would have had a balance on that panel.” READ MORE
Providence Journal: Providence Teachers Union planning more action following State of City protest
The president of the Providence Teachers Union said Tuesday night’s raucous rally at the mayor’s State of the City address was the first of many planned protests until the city restores contract negotiations with the union.
Almost 900 teachers drowned out Mayor Jorge Elorza’s speech with shouts of “shame,” demanding a contract.
Union President Maribeth Calabro said Wednesday that the union is frustrated that contract talks broke off in mid-February after both sides had a “gentleman’s agreement” that called for modest pay raises. -READ MORE
Cision PR Newswire: Parking Workers At T.F. Green Airport Join Teamsters Local 251
Shuttle drivers and maintenance workers employed by Standard Parking (SP Plus) at T.F. Green Airport in Rhode Island are the newest workers to join Teamsters Local 251.
The workers voted 18-0 to join the Teamsters on January 10. The election was certified on January 23.
“The vote says so much. In these times, 18-0 in favor of the union tells you how badly management was abusing these workers,” said Matt Taibi, Teamsters Local 251 Secretary-Treasurer. -READ MORE
AFL-CIO Twitter: State fed presidents from MA, VT, RI, NH and ME share the challenges and opportunities they face in New England. Participating at the meeting was Rhode Island AFL-CIO President George Nee.
Painters & Allied Trades (LMCI): New Report: It would take 37 Years to Fix or Replace U.S. Structurally Deficient Bridges
The nearly 48,000-mile Interstate Highway System literally moves the U.S. economy. It carries 75 percent of the nation’s heavy truck traffic. A new report finds there is the equivalent of one “structurally deficient”-rated bridge, on average, for every 27 miles of our major highway network. The 1,800 structurally deficient Interstate bridges are crossed 60 million times daily.
When it comes to bridges needing attention, however, that’s just the tip of the iceberg. -READ MORE
AFL-CIO FaceBook: 75% win rate of the 296 union members who ran for office last year. Hear from them and the Path to Power. WATCH VIDEO
KITCHEN TABLE ECONOMICS
87%: The percentage of California businesses that said the state’s paid leave policy costs no extra money to administer, while also producing savings because of decreased employee turnover.
UPCOMING EVENTS:
UFCW, Local 328 will be handing out flyers to the customers of Whole Foods on the East Side informing them that Eastland Foods is not paying Sunday time and one-half. Please come out and join them.
When: Friday, February 9, 2018 @ 12:00 – 2:30 p.m.
Where: Whole Foods, 261 Waterman Street, Providence, RI
THIS WEEK IN LABOR HISTORY
1830 – First daily labor newspaper, N.Y. Daily Sentinel, begins publication.
1908 – The American Federation of Labor (AFL) founds the Building and Construction Trades Department as a way to overcome the jurisdictional conflicts occurring in the building and construction union.
1913 – Mary Harris “Mother” Jones is arrested while leading a protest of conditions in West Virginia mines. She was 83 years old at the time.
THIS WEEK ON LABOR VISION:
Rhode Island AFL-CIO 