Fifty four workers and families will be having happier holidays this season "thanks to the amazing generosity of many national and local unions and individuals," says Community Services Agency Executive Director Kathleen McKirchy. "This year’s Holiday Basket Project has been a big success," McKirchy said. "From collecting non-perishable food to sending in union grocery store gift cards, making direct financial contributions and providing special gifts for individual kids, unions and labor people stepped up to the plate with their hearts and their wallets. Labor Cares, Labor Shares!" Click here to read more. photo: (l-r) DCNA's Agnes Addington, Vickie Spence, LaKisha Little and Ed Smith with the Fuentes family (second from left, front); photo by Chris Garlock/Union City; click here for our Labor Cares, Labor Shares; 2015 Holidays photo album. A new 3-year contract with Bloomberg BNA (Bureau of National Affairs) would increase wages, freeze health care costs for two years, increase new-parent leave and protect retiree health care for Newspaper Guild members. Proposed annual increases range from 2.5 to 4 percent and all Guild-covered employees will receive a $425 signing bonus. "We were able to fend off most of management’s demands regarding the workweek," the Guild reported; 37.5 hours is still the “norm”, but there are some changes in how overtime is calculated. "Unfortunately, we did take some hits in job security in order to secure the economic benefits," the Guild noted, including a reduced notice period for layoffs and the right to subcontract work. A ratification vote will take place next week.
Transportation Security Officers picketed at Dulles Airport Saturday to call attention to the lack of a contract for TSOs nationwide. The TSOs are also seeking the same basic Title 5 workplace rights enjoyed by many other federal workers, including GSA pay scale, Family and Medical Leave Act and Fair Labor Standards Act. “Most passengers think we have these rights, but we don’t,” said AFGE Local 445 President Dustin Martin (at far left), who was joined by AFGE Council 100 members from as far away as Detroit and Orlando. “We have to bring this to the nation’s attention.” TSO agents are the men and women who run the security checkpoints at the nation’s airports. - report/photo by Dan Duncan |