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NEWS ABOUT: public unions

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Wisconsin Law Ravages Union Membership

'There's nothing the union can do anymore'

(Newser) - Scott Walker will learn Tuesday whether the anti-union law he championed was good politics, but if its goal was to cripple public unions, it's already an unqualified success. Wisconsin public union membership has plummeted, the Wall Street Journal reports. The state's American Federation of State, County, and Municipal... More »

Postal Service Wants to Cut 120K Jobs

It also aims to exit federal health, retirement plans

(Newser) - The US Postal Service is looking to cut 120,000 jobs—20% of its workforce—and pull its workers out of federal health and retirement plans, reports the Washington Post . USPS would replace those benefits plans with new ones of its own. The proposal, which would include layoffs currently banned... More »

Right and Left Cheer the Wisconsin Recall Results

'NY Times,' 'Wall Street Journal' each find reasons to cheer

(Newser) - For a sense of how the results of the Wisconsin recall elections are playing out on the left and right, look no further than today's editorials in the New York Times and Wall Street Journal :
  • Times: Democrats shouldn't be discouraged even though they fell short of regaining control
... More »

Britain Hit By Massive Public Worker Strike

Hundreds of thousands leave jobs over pensions

(Newser) - Britain’s public sector ground to a halt today as hundreds of thousands of workers walked off the job in protest of changes to their pension plans. Roughly a third of the country’s schools had to close, with many of the rest running on skeleton staffs, the New York ... More »

NJ Passes Sweeping Worker Benefit Overhaul

Bill's passage marks big win for Christie, defeat for unions

(Newser) - Amid Wisconsin-style drama, New Jersey's Democrat-controlled legislature passed a plan to force public workers to pay more for benefits. The measure, bitterly opposed by the state's powerful unions, has already passed the state senate and Chris Christie is expected to sign it into law as soon as Friday,... More »

New Jersey Union VP Rails Against 'Adolf Christie'

He later apologized, called statements 'unacceptable'

(Newser) - Godwin’s law alert: A union leader in New Jersey went just a bit overboard yesterday in a rally in front of the statehouse, repeatedly likening Governor Chris Christie to Adolf Hitler. “It took World War II to get rid of Adolf Hitler,” Communications Workers of America... More »

Court Lets Wisconsin Union Law Take Effect

It's a big win for Governor Scott Walker, Republicans

(AP) - The Wisconsin Supreme Court handed Republican Gov. Scott Walker a major victory today, ruling that his polarizing union rights law can go into effect. In a 4-3 decision, the court said Dane County Circuit Judge Maryann Sumi overstepped her authority when she said Republican lawmakers violated the state's opening... More »

Torqued at Dems, Unions Sit on Wallets

Support to House Democrats drops nearly 50% in first quarter

(Newser) - Angry at lack of support by the Democratic Party in the face of Republican attacks, unions have sharply cut back their financial support, reports the Washington Post . Union political action committee spending for House Democrats dropped nearly in half for the first quarter of 2011, compared to the same period... More »

Scott Walker Backs Down, Won't Enact Union Law

Aide says he'll reluctantly comply with judge's ruling

(Newser) - Looks like Scott Walker won't be implementing his anti-union law against court orders after all. Judge Maryann Sumi issued a ruling today stating that the law had not taken effect, and a top aide to the governor tells the AP that he will reluctantly comply with it. The ruling comes... More »

Ohio Passes Anti-Union Bill

Bill in some ways harsher than Wisconsin's

(Newser) - Ohio's House and Senate each passed a controversial bill yesterday that will in some ways limit the rights of public workers even more than Wisconsin's much-discussed law. As lawmakers voted on the bills, jeers from pro-labor protesters and chants of "Shame on you!" filled their chambers, the AP... More »

Wisconsin Will Ignore Judge, Implement Union Law

State officials say it's officially in place, despite court warning

(Newser) - Wisconsin's battle over collective bargaining rights has gone from being the nation's most contentious labor fight to its most confusing. State officials said tonight they will continue implementing the new law-that-might-not-be-a-law, even though a judge made it "crystal clear" they should hold off until legal questions were resolved, reports... More »

Ohio House Panel Approves Anti-Union Bill

But bill is softened from original version

(Newser) - An Ohio House panel today passed a bill that would curb collective bargaining rights for public-sector unions, after adding a number of controversial amendments. The new additions would allow public workers to opt out of paying dues, force unions to hold a vote before spending money politically, and allow local... More »

Judge Blocks Wisconsin Union Law—Again

This time, violators will face sanctions, she warns

(Newser) - Judge Maryann Sumi had already blocked Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker’s controversial union bargaining law, but Republicans found a way around the court order—so yesterday, she blocked it again. “Apparently that language was either misunderstood or ignored, but what I said was the further implementation of [the law]... More »

Ferry Workers Fight to Keep 'Vomit Pay'

Washington state senator says it's an unfair perk

(Newser) - Washington state Sen. Mary Margaret Haugen thinks it’s time to get rid of a benefit long enjoyed by the state’s ferry workers: cleaning up puke. Thanks to the so-called “vomit clause” in workers' contracts, they get paid double-time whenever they have to mop up after a hurling... More »

Alaska GOP Lawmaker Introduces Anti-Union Bill

Measure designed to mirror Wisconsin's, says sponsor Carl Gatto

(Newser) - A Republican state representative in Alaska has introduced a bill that would strip many public employees of their right to collectively bargain for changes to their hours, benefits, or working conditions. If that sounds familiar, it’s because the bill is consciously designed to mimic the controversial one passed recently... More »

Judge Temporarily Blocks Wisconsin Union Law

District Attorney requested order, claiming GOP broke open meetings law

(AP) - A Wisconsin judge issued a temporary restraining order today blocking the state's new and contentious collective bargaining law from taking effect. The judge's order is a major setback for Gov. Scott Walker and puts the future of the law in question. Dane County Judge Maryann Sumi issued the order, which... More »

'Financial Martial Law' Passes in Michigan

Bill passes House, goes to governor

(Newser) - Michigan’s House yesterday passed a controversial bill that will install state-appointed emergency financial managers in troubled cities, giving each the power to do whatever is necessary to balance budgets—including breaking union contracts. One Senate Republican recently promised that the managers would only be sent to communities in need... More »

Wis. Republican Left District to Live With Mistress: Wife

And she'll sign the petition to get him fired

(Newser) - Protesters who showed up at the home of a prominent GOP Wisconsin state senator got a little scoop from his wife: Not only was Randy Hopper not home, she said, he also doesn't live there anymore, and in fact doesn't live in his district—owing to the fact that he's... More »

Wisconsin Democrats Return, Join Mass Protest

Tens of thousands march in Madison again

(Newser) - The 14 Democratic state senators who fled Wisconsin nearly a month ago returned from Illinois today, reports the Wisconsin State Journal . They were given a heroes' welcome by tens of thousands of pro-union protesters who again converged on the state Capitol in Madison. "It is so good to be... More »

Let the Fallout Begin: Wisconsin Bill Is Now Law

Governor Scott Walker quietly signs measure curbing union rights

(Newser) - Wisconsin's month-long drama came to a quiet end this morning as Gov. Scott Walker signed into law the bill curbing the power of unions. The bigger fight isn't over though: Next come expected court challenges and maybe recall elections for the Republicans who pushed the measure through, reports the Milwaukee ... More »

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