(NORTH TONAWANDA) – CSEA (Civil Service Employees Association) Unit 7692 has reached a tentative agreement on a new, four-year contract with the City of North Tonawanda, which includes wage increases in years three and four of the contract and improvements made to the 87-Member Workforce’s Life Insurance Coverage and Optical Fund, CSEA Officials tell more»

Encouraged by the participants' rave reviews of the first National AFL-CIO Young Workers' Summit that was held last year, the Communications Workers of America (CWA) is urging their CWA Locals to send Leaders and Activists to this year's event - which is scheduled take place from September 29th to October 2nd in Minneapolis. The Young Workers’ Summit more»

News, Notes & A Bunch Of Observations Made While Covering The Western New York Labor Community Over The Past Several Days: WNYLaborToday.com Makes The Switch To A Paid Publication Jamie Wallace of Lee’s Summit, Missouri… John Neubauer of Syracuse… Brenda Tucker of Oakland City, Indiana… Bruce Popper of Rochester… Tom Meadows of Los more»

(PITTSBURGH) – United Steelworker (USW) Members at nine Anchor Glass Container facilities – including one in Elmira Heights in the Southern Tier of New York State - are on strike, charging the company has not bargained fairly on central issues of the negotiations, including wages, pensions and Health Care, USW Officials said. The Union and the more»

(ATLANTIC CITY, NEW JERSEY) - Setting the stage for what may be a major civil disobedience on Labor Day Weekend, the City of Atlantic City has threatened to prosecute UNITE HERE Local 54 picketers on the Atlantic City Boardwalk. "The Atlantic City Solicitors' Office is trying to use the threat of prosecution to stop Workers from exercising their right to more»

(WASHINGTON) – National AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka released the following statement after the August Jobs Report was issued yesterday (Friday, September 2nd): The August Jobs Report reinforces the growing alarm Working People are feeling as the economy worsens. Job creation last month was net zero. Our dying recovery is crying out for bold more»

Twenty-five of the 100 Highest Paid U.S. CEOs earned more last year than their companies paid in Federal Income Tax, a pay study from the Institute for Policy Studies (IPS) found. The study, which was released on Wednesday (August 31st), also found many of the companies spent more on lobbying than they did on taxes. At a time when lawmakers are facing more»

(BUFFALO) – United Auto Workers (UAW) Members in Buffalo are disappointed and surprised American Axle CEO Dick Dauch announced the company intends to close its suburban Cheektowaga gear-making plant in February. “This latest plant closing announcement from American Axle is deeply disappointing” said UAW Vice President Cindy Estrada, who directs the more»

(WASHINGTON) – Detailing the desperate need for jobs and the need for a voice for Working People in the political process, National AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka outlined a broad new mobilization effort to speak to and for Working People on economic issues - year-round. Joined at a Labor Day press event held in Washington by Workers from the States of more»

An Open Letter To WNYLaborToday.com’s Viewers Readers From Editor-Publisher Tom Campbell WNYLaborToday.com – Western New York’s Regional, On-Line Labor Newspaper – has come a very long way in a very short period of time since we first launched our Labor News Website back in April 2008. Over the course of time, WNYLaborToday.com has become more»

(SYRACUSE) - Andrew Liszewski grew up at the foot of St. Agnes Cemetery in Syracuse, building forts in the woods and whizzing his bike down the steep hills. As an adult, he took a job there, digging the graves of fellow parishioners for the Roman Catholic Church. Liszewski and five other gravediggers tell 25 years worth of stories about how tricky it is more»

(WASHINGTON) - A group of Wisconsin Union Officials has voted to ban Republican Politicians from a local Labor Day Parade, underscoring how partisan the State has become in the wake of this year's clashes over Collective Bargaining Rights. The Marathon County Central Labor Council, which sponsors the parade, includes some 30 local Unions. Council more»

(PITTSBURGH) - The United Steelworkers (USW), through the joint efforts of its Organizing and Legal Departments, has won two landmark cases before the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) - ensuring the ability of workers to more freely exercise their right to organize a Labor Union, it was announced In Lamons Gasket Company, the USW more»

(WASHINGTON) - When the 2011 National Football League (NFL) Season kicks off on September 11th, the players on the field – including those playing for the Buffalo Bills - will once again be Union Members of the National AFL-CIO. After negotiating a fair and secure contract and reconstituting their Union, the National Football League Players Association more»

(LOS ANGELES & NEW YORK) – The American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (AFTRA) and the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) are continuing formal discussions between the AFTRA New Union Committee and the SAG Merger Task Force to facilitate the creation of one Union to represent all members of Screen Actors Guild and AFTRA, it was announced. more»

News, Notes & A Bunch Of Observations Made While Covering The Western New York Labor Community Over The Past Several Days: Buffalo AFL-CIO Labor Council’s Facebook Page Grows By Leaps & Bounds Buffalo AFL-CIO Central Labor Council President Mike Hoffert, who’s gearing up for the Council’s Annual Labor Day Parade on Monday, September 5th in more»

(WASHINGTON) - National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) Chairman Wilma Liebman, who has served on the NLRB Board for nearly 14 years and under three presidents, has left the agency upon the completion of her third term at midnight August 27. As such, the White House has announced the designation of NLRB Member and former Buffalo Attorney Mark Gaston Pearce to more»

Verizon Workers End Walkout As Company Agrees To Bargain Fairly/Two-Week Strike, Public Pressure Force Verizon Back To Restructured Talks Verizon Workers returned to work last week stronger than ever in their fight for a fair contract, fortified by the bravery they showed in striking during a recession and by the public's strong embrace of their courage more»

(LONDON) - Two Bakery Workers died in agony after their bosses sent them into a giant oven to carry out repairs on the cheap, a court in England has heard. The machine should have been allowed to cool for 12 hours, but was only left for two. David Mayes and Ian Erickson were unaware of the full danger as they crawled into the oven because fans had cooled more»

Retirees Tell GOP Presidential Candidate Rick Perry That “You Can Run, But You Can't Hide” When It Comes To Social Security The following statement was issued by Edward Coyle, Executive Director of the Alliance for Retired Americans: “Today’s retirees weren’t born ‘yesterday.’ They know why Rick Perry is backpedaling on Social Security. more»

WNYLaborToday.com Editor’s Note: WNYLaborToday.com was first introduced to Marvin Bing, Jr. (pictured above) on the Social Network Facebook. Your Regional, On-Line Labor Newspaper became friends with him and then actually spoke via telephone with Marvin - a 27-year-old Union Member with the Amalgamated Transit Union International who currently lives in more»

WNYLaborToday.com Editor’s Note: Robert Reich (pictured above) is Chancellor's Professor of Public Policy at the University of California at Berkeley. He’s served in three national administrations, most recently as U.S. Secretary of Labor under President Bill Clinton. Reich has written 13 books, including The Work of Nations, Locked in the Cabinet more»

The most powerful Union Official in the country today (Thursday, August 25th) offered reporters his harshest critique of President Obama to date, questioning Obama's policy and strategic decisions and claiming he aligned himself with the Tea Party in the debt limit fight. "This is a moment that Working People and, quite frankly, history will judge more»

(WASHINGTON) – Communications Workers of America (CWA) International President Larry Cohen and United Steelworkers (USW) International President Leo Gerard have issued the following statement regarding their request to a member of the House Select Intelligence Committee that there be an investigation of press reports that the government of Colombia more»

(WASHINGTON) – The powerful Labor Group - the National AFL-CIO - is forming a Super PAC to engage non-Union members ahead of the 2012 Elections. The move follows measures by States like Wisconsin and Ohio to curb Bargaining Rights of Public Workers in fights that are part of a broader national confrontation between Republicans and Labor Groups that have more»

(WILLIAMSVILLE) - With a number of issues impacting Workers as their Unions come under increasing public discussion and debate, Teachers, Union Education Directors and other interested parties will have an opportunity to explore the history and activities of the American Labor Movement in an October 1st conference that will be held at the New York State more»

(WASHINGTON) - The Transport Workers Union of America (TWU) has unveiled a follow-up video at www.worstgovernorever.com, as Republican Governor Rick Scott of Florida leads in the national Worst Governor Ever Election, on the heals of having one of lowest gubernatorial approval ratings in the Nation. Republican Governor Rick Perry of Texas is a close more»

One evening last week, while I was at home writing a Labor News Story for WNYLaborToday.com, there was a knock on my front door. It was two women working for Lancaster (N.Y.) Town Board Candidate Karen Healy-Case. They were going door-to-door in my neighborhood asking for voter support in the upcoming September Primary Election. As they handed me her more»

Not lost on the major job action that involved 45,000 Union-Represented Verizon Communications Workers during a just-ended 14-day Strike was the great amount of community support both the CWA (Communications Workers of America) and the IBEW (International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers) received while walking the picket line. With the growing and more»

(WESTERN NEW YORK) – CWA (Communications Workers of America) Local 1122 President James Wagner says the 14-day Strike conducted by the CWA and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) who are employed by Verizon Communications was, in the end, “bittersweet” - but Wagner now believes this is the “time for change” as negotiations more»

News, Notes & A Bunch Of Observations Made While Covering The Western New York Labor Community Over The Past Several Days: As I was driving over the Peace Bridge Saturday afternoon and just about ready to cross over into Canada, my iPhone rang. It was Communications Workers of America Local 1117 President Greg Chenez calling WNYLaborToday.com to more»

The National AFL-CIO’s Social Media Family is growing with the addition of our new AFL-CIO Latino Page and a Spanish Language Twitter feed. The new initiatives are part of the Union Movement’s continuous effort to reach out to the Latino Workforce - especially Younger Workers, and Organized Labor wants to hear stories from Latino Workers and forge new more»

Texas Governor Rick Perry Runs Into The New Hampshire Alliance On The Campaign Trail Texas Governor Rick Perry has entered the race to win the Republican nomination for President in 2012. But just days later, his stop on the campaign trail was met with dozens of angry Seniors and protesters from the New Hampshire Alliance. And they sent Perry a strong more»

When the 45 National AFL-CIO Union Summer 2011 Interns are asked what they did for their summer vacation, they won’t have any stories to tell about lounging on the beach or backpacking through Europe. Instead, they’ll tell you about making a real difference in people’s lives and how much their involvement has contributed to their sense of Social more»

(WASHINGTON) – After walking 14 days on the picket line, 45,000 Union-Represented Verizon Communications Workers from New England to Virginia – including more than 1,000 right here in Western New York - will return to work on Tuesday (August 23rd). The announcement was made today (Saturday, August 20th) by the Communications Workers of America (CWA) more»

(BUFFALO) - Efforts to reach a fair Labor Agreement between the United Auto Workers (UAW) Workers and American Axle and Manufacturing have been thwarted by the company's unwillingness to negotiate a new contract with a Livable Wage for 66 Union-Represented Workers employed at the company's Suburban Buffalo Gear-Making Plant in Cheektowaga, UAW Officials more»

Republican Governor John Kasich’s S.B. 5 and Republican Lawmakers must be feeling the heat. Recently, 1.3 million Ohioans signed petitions to put on the November ballot the repeal of a law that eliminates the Collective Bargaining Rights of more than 350,000 Public Employees. As a result, Kasich & Company are pleading for a so-called more»

(WILKES-BARRE, PENNSYLVANIA) – Working People in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania say they've had enough of the political banter about jobs and they want lawmakers to put the rubber to the road and start coming up with ideas that get results. During a rally held earlier this week in the Keystone State, Working People told local media outlets they “are more»

(WESTERN NEW YORK) – Buoyed by a marching contingent of nearly 40 Union Members from the National Conference of Firemen and Oilers (NCFO), more than 100 Striking Verizon Communications Workers of America (CWA) and International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Members were joined by other Unions in Dunkirk to stand up for the Middle Class and more»

Wisconsin Working Family Voters have defended two of the Democratic State Senators who stood up to Republican Governor Scott Walker’s attack on Workers Rights from a Republican/Tea Party-led attempt to recall the pair yesterday (Tuesday, August 16th). Voters propelled State Senator Bob Wirch to a 57% to 43% win over Jonathan Steitz. In the other race, more»

(GOWANDA) – Union-Represented Workers at the Gowanda Rehabilitation Nursing Center in Southern Erie County have overwhelmingly ratified a new three-year contract, 1199 SEIU (Service Employees International Union) Representatives announced today (Tuesday, August 16th). The new agreement preserves the affordability of Health Insurance for the 125 Gowanda more»

(ALBANY) – Civil Service Employees Association (CSEA)-Represented Executive Branch Employees have ratified a contract agreement with New York State that keeps people working and protects their rights and benefits, CSEA Officials announced today (Tuesday, August 16th). The agreement was approved by a total vote of 16,896-to-11,856, nearly a 60% approval more»

In Wisconsin, the Statewide Teachers Union has issued pink slips to 42 of its employees as a result of Union-Busting Policies enacted by Republicans this year. The Wisconsin Education Association Council (WEAC), a heavy hitter in Democratic campaign funding, announced that the layoffs constitute 40% of its employees. It did not provide details on who lost more»

Billionaire Warren Buffett, who owns The Buffalo News, is urging Congress to raise taxes on the Nation’s wealthiest individuals to help cut the U.S. budget deficit, saying it won’t inhibit investment or job growth. “My friends and I have been coddled long enough by a billionaire-friendly Congress,” the chairman and chief executive officer of more»

News, Notes & A Bunch Of Observations Made While Covering The Western New York Labor Community Over The Past Several Days: Was The Glass Half-Full Or Half-Empty For Organized Labor In The Wisconsin Recalls? Depending on who you speak to, the question still needs to be asked: Was the glass half-full or half-empty for Organized Labor when it comes to more»

(WESTERN NEW YORK) - After weeks of tough negotiations that culminated in a tentative agreement for each of three individual bargaining units, Teamsters Local 264-Represented Workers At Erie Logistics - which delivers a variety of foods and groceries to Tops Markets across Western New York - have overwhelmingly ratified their respective contracts, Union more»

WNYLaborToday.com Editor’s Note: This Op-Ed Piece comes to WNYLaborToday.com via Norman Mitchell, a former and now on-strike technician at Verizon Communications who lives in Deerfield, New Hampshire. Mitchell published the following piece on the Verizon Strike on his Facebook Social Network Page, noting the column was previously published on the more»

(GOWANDA) – After nearly three months of bargaining, Employee and Management Negotiating Committees have reached a tentative agreement on a new Labor Contract covering 125 Union Workers at the Gowanda Rehabilitation Nursing Center, 1199 SEIU (Service Employees International Union) Healthcare Workers East Representatives announced. The tentative more»

Crushing Postal Workers and slashing service will not solve the U.S. Postal Service’s financial crisis, the American Postal Workers Union (APWU) President Cliff Guffey said in response to the announcement that the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) will seek Congressional support to cut 120,000 jobs, break its Labor Contract that was signed earlier this year and more»

Social Security's 76th Anniversary is Today/ Sunday, August 14th On July 30th, the Alliance for Retired Americans celebrated the 46th Anniversary of the Medicare and Medicaid Programs. Today (Sunday, August 14th), the Alliance is celebrating the 76th Anniversary of Social Security - and Alliance Members have been working to educate other members and the more»