That Union Thing
Performers, reporters, producers, technicians, writers, editors, and photographers at the Hialeah Gardens Spanish-language station America TeVe, WJAN Channel 41, have filed for union representation through a National Labor Relations Board election. They seek to be represented by the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (AFTRA), and hope that union representation will enable them to gain basics such as breaks and mealtimes, as well as benefits such as paid vacation and medical insurance, which they currently do not receive.
While south Florida’s building industry continues to thrive, wages for the industry’s construction workers have not. Average hourly wages for construction workers have declined by 17.5 percent between 1973 and 2002, and only seven states have lower average construction wages than Florida. And some contractors are saving 25 to 40 percent by paying workers “off the books,” thus avoiding workers’ compensation insurance and payroll taxes.
In a step toward organizing independent truckers in the $80 billion container shipping industry, the Teamsters have opened the first hiring hall for truckers who haul containers from Port Everglades, the Port of Miami, and local rail yards. In addition to better wages, the truckers seek dignity and respect and an employee owner operator relationship.
A Federal Court has told the Department of Homeland Security that its personnel rules violate the rights and protections of employees to collectively bargain. The court struck down those rules on August 12. Judge Rosemary M. Collyer cited one requirement of collective bargaining that was absent at the Department: a binding contract. The Department of Homeland Security had previously issued rules and directives that declared portions of existing collective bargaining agreements null and void.
Wal-Mart’s fourth set of employees have voted for union representation. Workers at the Cranbrook, British Columbia Wal-Mart Tire & Lube Express recently received certification from the British Columbia Labour Relations Board to unionize, following three other Canadian bargaining units that are currently in first-contract talks. Two additional locations are in the process of receiving certification for union representation. All would be represented by the United Food and Commercial Workers Canada.
Lawmakers in Pennsylvania have introduced a bill that would require large companies such as Wal-Mart to issue annual reports stating how many employees are receiving Medical Assistance. The bill is a first step toward requiring companies to pay a fair share of their health-care costs, say sponsors.
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