State of the Unions

(Newser) - Organized labor is facing one of its toughest negotiating years in decades as the swooning economy prompts employers to seek givebacks and contract reopenings, reports the Wall Street Journal. With several major contracts expiring—AT&T, United Airlines, and Goodyear, among others—2009 could be punishing for labor. More »

(Newser) - Facing dissent in the rank-and-file, the Screen Actors Guild is delaying a member vote to authorize a strike, the Los Angeles Times reports. The union’s board will push back balloting slated to begin January 2 to “address the unfortunate division and restore consensus” at a special meeting January 12, said SAG’s executive director. "This will provide us with more time to conduct member education and outreach on the referendum before the balloting,” Douglas Allen wrote to members. More »

(Newser) - Washington's $17.4 billion loan to Detroit automakers may inflict a death blow to one of America's most powerful unions, the Washington Post reports. The loan requires UAW workers to accept pay and benefits “equal” to those of nonunion workers, a stipulation that undermines the union's purpose, analysts say. The deal is open to interpretation, however, and Barack Obama has called out its “unfair conditions singling out workers." More »

(Newser) - The defeat of the Detroit bailout bill by Senate Republicans is seen by some in Washington as a preemptive strike against organized labor, the Los Angeles Times reports. The GOP framed their opposition partly as a message to the United Auto Workers, claiming high wages were the cause of Detroit’s troubles. Many nay votes came from Senators in right-to-work states in the South and West. More »

(Newser) - No offense, actors, but TV viewers probably wouldn't notice a Screen Actors Guild strike if it happens. Production schedules will suffer, but not nearly like the disruption last year's writers strike caused, reports the Los Angeles Times . Many scripted series are almost done filming for the season, and more of them are now covered by AFTRA, a rival artists agency. More »

(Newser) - The US Chamber of Commerce, the nation’s largest business lobby, is throwing millions of dollars into an advertising campaign to prevent Democrats from winning a filibuster-proof 60-seat majority in the Senate, the Wall Street Journal reports. The group could spend $35 million, twice what it set aside for all 2006 congressional races. It’s almost exclusively promoting pro-business Republicans, drawing criticism from Democrats. More »

(Newser) - John McCain described Sarah Palin as a former union member when introducing his running mate in August, but was she? The Las Vegas Sun has been trying to find conclusive proof, but so far Palin’s union experience remains unclear. McCain officials were initially unresponsive, while her Alaskan office said: “I don’t believe the governor has ever been a member of a union.” More »