(TONAWANDA) – Thirty-three City Drivers, Line Haul Drivers and Dockmen who are employed at Land-Air Express Of New England’s Tonawanda Terminal have voted for Union Representation with Teamsters Local 375, representatives of the Kenmore-headquartered Union tell WNYLaborToday.com this afternoon. A majority of the Land-Air Express Workers recently more»

Maine Governor LePage Removes Labor Mural In Stealth Move By Tula Connell/National AFL-CIO News Now Blog Over the weekend, Republican Maine Governor Paul LePage secretly removed from a State Building an 11-panel mural depicting Working Families’ History. Like Republican State Legislators in Wisconsin who passed a bill killing Collective Bargaining more»

Republican Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker started and then escalated what has become an all-out, full-fledged attack by the Republican Party and the wealthy on Working People – both Union and non – across the United States. But targeting and taking away Collective Bargaining, as well as a host of other hard-fought Workers’ Rights that have been won more»

Alliance For Retired Americans Commemorates One-Year Anniversary Of Health Care Reform Last Wednesday was the one-year anniversary of President Obama’s signing of the Affordable Care Act – the Nation’s Historic Health Care Reform Law - and Alliance For Retired Americans Activists held events around the country this week to mark the occasion. Members more»

Flight Attendants Reach Tentative Contract At AirTran AFA-CWA Flight Attendants at AirTran won pay increases and enhanced work rules in a two-year tentative agreement reached last week, in negotiations mediated by the National Mediation Board. The agreement covers more than 2,000 Flight Attendants and will be sent to the membership for review and a more»

News, Notes & Observations collected while covering the Western New York Labor Community over the past several days: Congratulations to the Western New York AFL-CIO Area Labor Federation (WNYALF) on its extremely successful 2011 Annual Meeting that was held Saturday at the United Auto Workers Region 9 Facility in Amherst – which was jam-packed with a more»

WNYLaborToday.com Editor’s Note: Labor Leaders and Union Representatives (pictured above) packed Saturday’s 2011Western New York AFL-CIO Area Labor Federation meeting that was held at the United Auto Workers (UAW) Region 9 Headquarters in Amherst. Those in attendance listened to a number of speakers, including the heads of each of Western New York’s more»

(ALBANY) - Thirty-three people were arrested in a peaceful, non-violent direct action protest by CUNY faculty and staff yesterday (Thursday, March 24th), after they sat down and blocked access to the New York State Capitol's Executive Chamber. Demonstrators demanded that Albany not pass an austerity budget that pays for a hefty tax break for the more»

(ALBANY) - Thirty-three people were arrested (pictured above) in a peaceful, non-violent direct action protest by CUNY faculty and staff yesterday (Thursday, March 24th), after they sat down and blocked access to the New York State Capitol's Executive Chamber. Demonstrators demanded that Albany not pass an austerity budget that pays for a hefty tax break more»

From The National AFL-CIO News Now Blog: Nora Frederickson, AFL-CIO Media fellow, forwarded this profile of the Oregon Young Emerging Labor Leaders program: One week, Oregon’s young workers might be speaking out on the radio. Or they might be dishing up food at a Portland homeless shelter. They might be learning about Labor History through the more»

Unbelievably – and once again, Republicans are trying to erase the history of America’s Working People. In Maine, Republican Governor Paul LePage has ordered the removal of a 36-foot mural depicting the state’s Labor History from the Department of Labor. In part, the 11-panel piece depicts a 1986 paper mill strike and “Rosie the Riveter” at more»

WNYLaborToday.com Editor’s Note: For a report on today’s remembrance ceremony in New York City, read the AP Wire Service Report via Crain’s New York Business.com at www.crainsnewyork.com/article/20110325/FREE/110329895. When word got out two weeks ago that Republican Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker had ordered the windows of the state Capitol more»

(SCHENECTADY) – Nearly 700 New York State Nurses Association (NYSNA)-Represented Registered Nurses (RNs) at Ellis Medicine in Schenectady have approved a new four-year contract that contains stronger provisions to monitor and address their staffing concerns, Union Officials announced today. NYSNA says the new contract will help “create an more»

(PITTSBURGH) - The United Steelworkers (USW) have denounced efforts by extremists on the New Hampshire House of Representatives Finance Committee that have introduced an amendment to the State Budget that would effectively strip the State’s Public Employees of their right to bargain collectively. “These attacks on Middle-Class Workers and their more»

WNYLaborToday.com Editor’s Note: IUPAT (International Union of Painters & Allied Trades) District Council 4 Business Manager Dan Boody (pictured above) made the trip down from Buffalo to Mayville Wednesday in order to participate and address a rally of some 300 Union Members and Community Activists, who sent County Legislators a loud and clear message more»

(ALBANY) - Throngs of Teachers, Unionists, Activists and Public Employees - some beating drums and others blowing sharp whistles - fired up the Capitol on Tuesday (March 22nd) to publicly protest cuts being proposed by Governor Andrew Cuomo to Public Education and Health Care. For anyone who might have wondered what all the noise was about, speaker after more»

Montana Public Employees Association Joins National And State Of Montana AFL-CIO (HELENA, MONTANA) - Quint Nyman, Executive Director of the Montana Public Employees Association (MPEA), Jim McGarvey, President of the Montana AFL-CIO and National AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka have announced the MPEA will affiliate with the National AFL-CIO and the Montana more»

WNYLaborToday.com Editor’s Note: When Union Members and Chautauqua County residents participate in the “We Are One” Rally for Workers’ Rights outside the Gerace Office Building in Mayville Wednesday afternoon, they’ll be carrying signs that read: “When They Kill Unions Who Is Left To Fight?” and “Collective Bargaining Works.” The signage more»

WNYLaborToday.com Editor’s Note: Labor Council for Latin American Advancement (LCLAA) Executive Board Member and United Federation of Teachers Representative Jose Vargas of the Bronx swears in the Executive Board Members of the newly-chartered Buffalo/Western New York LCLAA Chapter Monday evening. Pictured from left to right are: Vargas, Buffalo/WNY more»

(NIAGARA COUNTY) – The now scuttled $4.5 billion Verizon Data Center Project was a decision that ultimately cost Niagara County a historic construction agreement that would have not only required local hiring from three area counties, but heavy minority, female and disabled veteran involvement, Niagara County Building & Construction Trades more»

Week of Events Marks 100th Anniversary Of Deadly Triangle Fire The 100th anniversary of the deadly Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire in New York City will be commemorated this week with events in several cities. On March 25th, 1911, 146 people died when fire broke out in the 10-story factory employing young immigrant women, many of whom jumped to their more»

“We Are One” Events Celebrate The Life Of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. April 4th marks the 33rd anniversary of the strike of the Memphis, Tennessee Sanitation Workers and the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., who stood in solidarity with the Striking Workers as they fought for their right to bargain collectively and form a Union with the more»

News, Notes & Observations collected while covering the Western New York Labor Community over the past several days: It was announced at last week’s monthly Buffalo AFL-CIO Central Labor Council Meeting that without immediate funding action from Albany, the extremely successful statewide Workforce Development Institute (WDI) and the WDI’s Western more»

WNYLaborToday.com Editor’s Note: The U.S. News & World Report’s 10 Most Unionized Cities in the United States story can be accessed directly at: www.usnews.com/news/slideshows/the-10-most-unionized-cities. U.S. News & World Report today released its ranking of the 10 Most Unionized Cities in the United States. Buffalo-Niagara Falls Ranked more»

WNYLaborToday.com Editor’s Note: Buffalo Professional Firefighters Association Local 282 President Dan Cunningham provided WNYLaborToday.com with the City of Buffalo’s General Fund Reserved and Unreserved Fund Balances (2000-2010) Chart that is pictured above in order to illustrate and underscore the fact that Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown is sitting on more»

(WASHINGTON) - Tens of thousands of Working People under attack from Republican governors in 12 states are receiving some high-level support and encouragement from Vice President Joe Biden and U.S. Labor Secretary Hilda Solis – who told workers during a virtual town hall meeting held Thursday evening that the Obama Administration will stand with them and more»

(MADISON, WISCONSIN) - A Wisconsin judge issued a temporary restraining order today (Friday, March 18th) blocking the State's new and contentious Collective Bargaining Law from taking effect, raising the possibility that the Legislature may have to vote again to pass the bill. Lawmakers had passed Republican Governor Scott Walker's measure last week, more»

(WASHINGTON) - While Republican Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker may have won the most recent battle in Madison by securing passage of an anti-Union bill, Labor Activists are optimistic they may emerge as the victors in the long run. Forming a Union is a lengthy process, and although Labor Officials say they already see more interest from workers, it's too more»

WNYLaborToday.com Editor’s Note: WNYLaborToday.com will post a Labor News Video later this evening on the Rally To Save Our Schools! event that took place today on the University at Buffalo’s South Campus. Our Viewers/Readers will be able to view the video by accessing WNYLaborToday.com’s Facebook Page at http://www.facebook.com/wnylt. (BUFFALO) more»

(NORTH TONAWANDA) – United Steelworkers (USW)-Represented Workers at North Tonawanda’s Smurfit-Stone Container Corporation have ratified - by a more than 20-to-1 margin - their first Union-Negotiated Contract with the leading manufacturer of paperboard and paper-based packaging that was recently sold to Georgia-headquartered Rock-Tenn Company. The more»

Do Not Pass Go: Missouri Rallies Halt Republicans’ Anti-Union Bill By www.politicususa.com As Republicans sought to pass a “Right To Work” bill in Missouri, more than 500 workers packed the State Senate gallery, reminding lawmakers of the 5,000 anti-Union bill protesters who filled Kiener Plaza last week. Republicans were unable to even more»

The Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire (pictured above) that took place in New York City a century ago is now being memorialized in programs across the country. It took that fire on March 25th, 1911, and the deaths of 146 innocent garment workers - mostly women, mostly Jewish, mostly immigrants - to bring about meaningful safety regulations and to respect more»

WNYLaborToday.com Editor’s Note: Paul Cole held the second highest office in the New York State Labor Movement - Secretary-Treasurer of the 2.3 million-member New York State AFL-CIO - from 1984 through 2005. He was elected Secretary-Treasurer Emeritus in December 2005. Cole is currently the founder and executive director of the American Labor Studies more»

(LOCKPORT) - 1199 SEIU (Service Employees International Union) United Healthcare Workers East-Represented Registered Nurses (RNs), who are employed at Eastern Niagara Hospital's Lockport Memorial Facility, have opened negotiations with management on a new contract, Union Officials announced. The current Collective Bargaining Agreement that covers 125 RNs more»

WNYLaborToday.com Editor/Publisher Tom Campbell was recently interviewed by David Sherman, a columnist for the Weekly Independent Newspapers of Western New York, a group of community newspapers with a combined circulation of approximately 75,000 homes. To read the interview click here.

WNYLaborToday.com Editor’s Note: Cory McCray, who serves as chairman of the Baltimore, Maryland-headquartered Young Trade Unionists Group, has been reported on and profiled by WNYLaborToday.com several times in recent months. WNYLaborToday.com has also republished several worthy columns authored by McCray over that same period of time that targets Young more»

Wisconsin Lawmakers Take Away Collective Bargaining Rights of Public Workers The Wisconsin State Assembly approved a bill ending Collective Bargaining Rights for most of the State's Public Employees as State Legislators passed Republican Governor Scott Walker's explosive proposal by a vote of 53-to-42. Thousands of furious protesters had already streamed more»

News, Notes & Observations collected while covering the Western New York Labor Community over the past several days: First off - WNYLaborToday.com would like to remind our viewers/readers that the Niagara-Orleans AFL-CIO Central Labor Council is holding an educational meeting this Wednesday (March 16th), beginning at 5:30 p.m. at the International more»

(MADISON, WISCONSIN) - Clogging the Wisconsin Capitol grounds and screaming angry chants, tens of thousands of undaunted Pro-Labor Protesters descended on Madison again Saturday and vowed to focus on future elections now that contentious cuts to Public Worker Union Rights have become law. Protests have rocked the Capitol almost every day since more»

James Parks/National AFL-CIO News Now Blog This Wisconsin Moment is a historic opportunity to come together and shift the national focus back to creating jobs and building Middle-Class Living Standards, says National AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka. Speaking to the Campaign for America’s Future Summit on Jobs and America’s Future in Washington, more»

The United Steelworkers Slam Republican Wisconsin Governor Walker’s Assault On Democracy (PITTSBURGH) – The following statement was released this morning by the United Steelworkers (USW) on the anti-Union/Worker actions that were taken last evening by Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker and Republican Senators: In a clear violation of Wisconsin’s Open more»

James Parks/National AFL-CIO News Now Blog Thousands of Working Families are gathering in Madison this morning and statewide for a rally to protest last night’s rigged vote in the Wisconsin State Senate to eliminate the rights of Public Employees to bargain for good Middle-Class Jobs. After Wednesday evening’s vote, thousands of angry protesters more»

U.S. Labor Secretary Solis Stands With Workers In Fight For Rights/10,000 CWA Members Participate In History-Making Phone Call With 10,000 Communications Workers of America (CWA) Members on the line, CWA President Larry Cohen placed a historic phone call to U.S. Labor Secretary Hilda Solis, who pledged her support for workers fighting to save their more»

WNYLaborToday.com Editor’s Note: Pictured above, Bricklayers & Allied Craftsworkers Local 3 Journeyman Gene McAndrews (on the left) joins with Local 3 Business Manager Rick Williamson in holding one of his apprentice competition trophies that he was awarded several years ago. Many don’t know, but this Union Bricklayer also plays the role of the NHL more»

(AMHERST, NEW YORK) – With Governor Andrew Cuomo giving tax breaks to the wealthiest three-percent of New Yorkers “who should be paying their appropriate amount of taxes” and instead considering laying off Public Employees to help close a $10 billion budget deficit, CSEA (Civil Service Employees Association) Western Region 6 President Flo Tripi asks: more»

The problems facing Working Women extend across national boundaries, and today – on International Women’s Day - women organizers on opposite sides of the world shared ideas and inspiration. In a live teleconference, National AFL-CIO Secretary-Treasurer Liz Shuler and four young women organizers in the United States talked with a roomful of women more»

(ALBANY) – The New York State Nurses Association (NYSNA) has launched a multi-media advertising campaign to draw attention to the flaws in existing plans for $2.3 billion in reductions proposed for the Medicaid program. The campaign advocates for a “go slower” approach on Medicaid reform to allow time for a carefully considered Medicaid redesign more»

(BUFFALO) - Sixteen plant workers and drivers employed at Praxair Distribution on Broadway Avenue have voted for Union Representation with Teamsters Local 449. A National Labor Relations Board Election was held in late February and the workers voted 11-to-5 to Go Union, Teamsters Local 449 Vice President/Business Agent Mike Gerviss told WNYLaborToday.com more»

Statement by National AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka on the February Jobs Report: We’re finally seeing the beginning of a fragile economic recovery. The economy continues to grow, but the recovery remains threatened by irresponsible budget cutting in Congress and in states and cities across the country. Employment rebounded sharply in February as the more»

WNYLaborToday.com Editor’s Note: Cory McCray, who serves as chairman of the Baltimore, Maryland Young Trade Unionists Group, has been reported on and profiled by WNYLaborToday.com several times in recent months. WNYLaborToday.com has also republished several worthy columns authored by McCray over that same period of time that targets Young Union Members more»