Labor Blotter

Senator Hillary Clinton is reaching out to labor in her likely bid for the Democratic presidential nomination. Meetings are scheduled next week with several major labor unions including the International Association of Firefighters and the Service Employees International Union.

FedEx delivery drivers in Wilmington, Massachusetts voted to join the Teamsters, the first drivers to do so within the FedEx Home Delivery System. The National Labor Relations Board has ruled seven times since 1988 that FedEx Ground and Home Delivery Drivers are not independent contractors and are eligible to join unions.

The Massachusetts Nurses Association and Brigham and Women's Hospital averted a strike by reaching a tentative agreement that includes a pay raise and contract language protecting newly licensed nurses and union rights.

Nearly 1000 workers at the the world's largest hog slaughterhouse staged a two day wildcat strike at the Smithfield plant in Tar Heel, North Carolina after the company fired 75 workers whose social security numbers did not match government records. The United Food and Commercial Workers Union, in what is a change for organized labor in the United States, has been attempting to organize the plant despite the fact many of the workers are illegal immigrants.

Labor Blotter

The strike against Goodyear Tire and Rubber by the United Steelworkers of America entered its seventh week without a resolution. In the latest round of negotiations between USW, representing about 15,000 workers in 16 plants, and Goodyear, the world’s largest tire company, the union has rejected proposals that would drastically reduce pay and benefits to union members.

The National Air Traffic Controllers Association, AFL-CIO continues to operate under imposed work rules by the Federal Aviation Administration after the FAA broke off contract negotiations on, ironically, Labor Day. The new rules include a two tier pay system which freezes the salaries of current controllers and pays new hires 30 percent less, deleting the requirement for breaks after two hours on a control position, and routine denial of sick leave.

Houston, Texas janitors represented by Service Employees International Union endured a month long strike and shocking acts of police brutality to win salary increases and health insurance benefits. The pay increase, to be phased in over three years, raises hourly wages from $5.30 to $7.95.

Ford Incorporated is offering buyout packages to employees after announcing it intends to reduce its workforce by 30,000 hourly and 14,000 salaried positions by 2008. Ford lost nearly $7 billion in the first three quarters of 2006.

Nike Incorporated has stopped placing orders for hand-stitched soccer balls from Saga Sports, a Pakistan based company, after a six month investigation. Nike found numerous labor, environmental, and safety violations within Saga’s facilities, including allegations by trade unionists and employees of worker harassment, wrongful termination, and inaccurate payment of wages.