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Updated On: Jun 26, 2009 (20:17:00)

Walmart Lowers Prescription Drug Prices By Putting Their Customers at Risk
The cost of prescription drugs has been a recurrent theme in health care reform, and Walmart has promoted their $4 generic drugs in an attempt to address the issue. However, the group "Wake Up Walmart" has released a report saying that Walmart's medication comes from Ranbaxy - a disrespected Indian drug maker - and that Walmart actually profits off these foreign investments. The FDA and the Department of Justice have repeatedly investigated Ranbaxy for insufficient contamination policies and for issuing false records, and eventually banned the importation of drugs manufactured at two Ranbaxy facilities. According to the Department of Justice, Walmart's supplier is responsible for introducing potentially "subpotent, superpotent, or adulterated" drugs into the market. Medications used by millions of Walmart shoppers could have contained active ingredients from unapproved sources, in unapproved blends, and in amounts weaker than FDA-approved doses. Despite these investigations, Walmart has given Ranbaxy the "Outstanding Supplier Award." Stated Ruben Burks , Secretary-Treasurer of the Alliance, "Walmart has been putting consumers at great risk. 'Safe' and 'affordable' are not mutually exclusive."

Boeing: WAKE UP... You need quality Machinists

Posted On: Jun 24, 2009 (12:54:15)

In today's Seattle Times -- Boeing's cred takes a beating with 787 delay (Jon Talton column) -- More and more, the idea of a global supply chain to cut costs and gradually replace those testy, expensive workers in Everett seems like a really dumb idea, especially for what is billed as the most sophisticated and complex commercial aircraft in history, one based on composites. So does the trial balloon of moving production to beautiful but backward South Carolina. There's a reason why seasoned Boeing workers in one of the world's top aerospace clusters are worth good money. Compare a two-month labor showdown to a two-year Dreamliner delay and there is indeed an issue with the "workforce reliability." Unfortunately it's the workforce in the executive suites.

Wells Fargo Bank in the news agian

Posted On: Jun 23, 2009 (09:37:05)

Workers Protest In National Day Of Action At Wells Fargo Banks Locations - 06/23/09

By Doug Cunningham

Workers are protesting today at more than a dozen Wells Fargo bank branches in a national day of action supporting Quad City Die Casting workers. The United Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers of America, UE, is taking on Wells Fargo in a bid to get the bank to extend credit to Quad City Die Casting and save 100 jobs there. UE is the same union that occupied the Chicago Republic Windows and Doors factory last year in a sit-down strike when banks cut off credit to that company. Wells Fargo got $25 billion in federal bailout money, but is cutting off credit to a successful company, jeopardizing the jobs.

Posted On: Jun 21, 2009 (15:23:06)

Supreme Court Makes It Harder For Workers Filing Age Discrimination Claims - 06/19/09

It may have just gotten a little bit harder for workers to file an age-discrimination suit. Jesse Russell reports:

The Supreme Court voted 5-4 on Thursday that workers must show that age was a factor in denial of a promotion, the cause of a demotion, or a number of other employment decisions in order to file an age discrimination case under the Age Discrimination in Employment Act. According to Judge Clarence Thomas who wrote for the majority, workers must show actions by employers would not have occurred in the absence of age bias. The ruling could have a direct impact on senior employees. Twenty-four thousand age discrimination cases were filed with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission in 2008. Senator Patrick Leahy of Vermont issued a statement protesting the ruling. He wrote, “This overreaching by a narrow majority of the court will have a detrimental effect on all Americans and their families.”

Did you know that TOM wanted to join the union?

Posted On: Jun 10, 2009 (12:45:55)

Mielke objects

Tom Mielke, the only county commissioner to attend Tuesday's discussion, objected to a labor representative being given a C-Tran board seat.

"When I get a seat at the union table, we can invite them to come here," he said.

Posted On: Jun 09, 2009 (10:16:19)

Rabbis Send Specter a Message: Support Employee Free Choice

by Seth Michaels, Jun 9, 2009

Today, a coalition of Philadelphia-area rabbis and rabbinical students will meet with Pennsylvania Sen. Arlen Specter to make the case for the Employee Free Choice Act.

Dozens of Pennsylvania rabbis and rabbinical students signed an open letter in support of Employee Free Choice, organized by the Philadelphia Jewish Labor Committee (JLC), and will deliver it today to Specter. Specter is a key vote in the fight for workers’ freedom to form unions and bargain—a fight that these rabbis know is critical to our economy and to basic fairness.

The meeting and letter are part of a larger outreach effort by the JLC to promote workers’ freedom to form unions and bargain. These values, say a growing coalition of rabbis, are a key part of the Jewish tradition of supporting the dignity of workers and the strength of communities.

Updated On: Jun 08, 2009 (00:27:00)

Business Leaders For A Fair Economy Support Employee Free Choice Act - 06/08/09

By Doug Cunningham

A thousand businesses have formed a coalition called Business Leaders for a Fair Economy to support the Employee Free Choice Act. Negotiations on the labor law reform making it easier for workers to join unions free of employer intimidation are ongoing, with action expected later this year once Al Franken is seated as Minnesota’s new senator. Business Leaders for A Fair economy says that good jobs with good wages create demand for the goods and services they provide and when workers do well it builds a stronger, more sustainable national economy.

Corporate Welfare ???

Posted On: May 29, 2009 (10:47:53)

Sen. Sherrod Brown criticizes GM for plan to move jobs to China

As General Motors ponders bankruptcy, one United States Senator is warning the company not to use federal money to close plants and move jobs to China. Ohio Senator Sherrod Brown took the automaker to task this week.

[Brown]: "I was in a state of disbelief last night when I learned that General motors is not going to create those jobs in the United states…not in big auto states….what GM wants to do is take our tax dollars and create jobs in China."

Brown said GM’s plan is to develop a new car that will be built in China and than sold in the United States.

[Brown2]: The audacities of such a plan can not me emphasized enough…