Bill Bumpus an injury to one is an injury to all

On September 16, 2,200 clerical, blue collar, and professional workers in the Santa Cruz County chapter of Service Employees Local 415 walked out. Their employer was long committed to substandard wages, and now planning layoffs in response to a fiscal crisis. And there was only one solid pro-union vote on the county Board of Supervisors.

Economic Report:

The number of newly laid off workers dropped slightly last week. Initial jobless claims fell by 6,000 over the previous week. However, according to economists the numbers still aren’t at a point that would indicate consistent job creation. Claims were at 462,000 and they would need to fall below 425,000 to signal sustained growth.

As low wage workers continue to struggle in today’s economy a new book exposes a small group of managers that are playing the role of modern day “Robin Hoods.” Jesse Russell reports:

While researching a book about the difficulties of low-income workers, Brandeis University sociologist Lisa Dodson stumbled into the world that exists between low-income and middle class workers. Dodson found managers who were concerned about the wages being paid to workers they oversaw, but felt there was little they could do. However, among this group she found a number of modern day “Robin Hoods.”

read more

By Doug Cunningham

[Amy Carroll]: “It's a really exciting piece of legislation in New York state that's going to make New York state that's really going to make New York the leader in the fight to end wage theft."

Make The Road New York Legal Director Amy Carroll, on a bill introduced in the New York state legislature this week to combat wage theft. Wage theft by employers is a growing problem nationally and Carroll says it’s a big problem in New York, where the Coalition to Prevent Wage Theft & Protect Responsible Businesses will conduct a vigorous campaign against wage theft.

read more

Legislators say cities to blame for benefits. Sean P. Murphy, Boston Globe, March 10, 2010 A group of Massachusetts mayors, fed up with what they say is legislative inaction on skyrocketing municipal health care costs, has launched a ballot initiative for 2012 aimed at giving cities and towns more flexibility in reducing expensive benefits for employees, retirees, and elected officials. Mayor Thomas M. Menino of Boston hosted a strategy session of about 20 mayors in City Hall Friday. The group emerged with a proposal to allow communities to reduce benefits without union negotiations. ... Mayors

Robert J. Haynes, President, Massachusetts AFL-CIO, Malden, Boston Globe, March 8, 2010 The Globe professes that “the solutions are clear enough’’ to the problem of rising health insurance costs (“Soaring municipal health costs cry out for a state overhaul,’’ Editorial, March 2), yet does not address the actual solutions or the real problems, and chooses instead to scapegoat workers. The position that workers’ collective bargaining rights and agreements are the problem ... That