Northeast Center for Youth and Families 07.01.09

The members of NCYF voted on and accepted a 1 year contract today.

 

Regional Summer School 06.22.09

The Region 9A is holding a one day training on Saturday, August 8, 2009 from 9 am - 4 pm. The Summer School training agenda is as follows:

　

Grievance Training

• Welcome /Introduction

• Types of Grievances

• Writing a Grievance

• Grievance Fact sheet and check list

• Requesting information

• Record keeping

• Legal Rights of Union Stewards

• Investigatory Interview

• Duty of Fair Representation

Choosing to Belong/ Organizing

• National Labor Relations Act (NLRA)

• What Did the NLRA Do?

• What was Business Response?

• Right -to -Work for Less

• National right-to - Work Committee.

If you are interested in attending the training, being held at the Regional office in Farmington, CT, please contact the Local's office. Space is limited and we must have your commitment no later than Monday, July 20, 2009.  Lunch will be provided.

 

 

Negotiating with Northeast Center for Youth & Families 06.03.09

Want to join us at the table to hear what management is offering? Want to see how the bargaining committee is using your responses to the survey? Do you want to know what progress is being made?  If you want answers and want to be actively involved in enhancing your contract then contact your UAW servicing representative. You can find that information and dates for upcoming bargaining meetings on the NCYF page of this website.

 

 

June 11 Day of Action Targets Chambers of Commerce

The campaign to win the Employee Free Choice Act is NOT DEAD!  It is, however, at a crossroads.  Negotiations are underway behind closed doors.  Senators are discussing what alternatives to the original bill could gain the support of moderate Republicans and Democrats in order to get some version of labor law reform passed this year.

 

Congressional and White House leadership have committed to passing something this year.  The question is – How far will the prevailing reform go to remove the illegal and immoral barriers that workers currently face in exercising their rights? 

 

We must publicly demonstrate and remind decision makers of the broad support that exists for the fundamental principles that underlie our support for the Employee Free Choice Act:  

·        Workers must have a real choice to form a union and bargain for a better life, free from employer intimidation.

·        Companies cannot be allowed to delay endlessly and stall out the choice of the majority of workers.

·        There must be real penalties for violating the law.  Companies must be held accountable. 

 

In June, Jobs with Justice coalitions across the country will mobilize at Chamber of Commerce branches to highlight the latest in a long line of nefarious practices of the US Chamber of Commerce in spending over $20 million dollars to spread lies to the public and to members of Congress about an issue that will allow workers to bargain for a better life and enjoy a voice at work during the worst economic recession since the Great Depression.  Randel Johnson, vice president of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, described the battle over the EFC Act as "Armageddon."

 

In Massachusetts, the statewide EFCA campaign steering committee, which includes the two Jobs with Justice chapters, the state AFL-CIO Federation, and Change to Win, has chosen Thursday June 11 to target local Chambers.

 

Coincidentally on June 11, the Affiliated Chambers of Commerce of Greater Springfield is holding its 2009 Annual Meeting at the Springfield Marriott, 11:30am-1:30pm.

 

NEW STUDY shows that majority sign-up (card-check) protects workers and gives them the chance they need to form a union.  It’s another critical point in favor of the Employee Free Choice Act, which would give workers across the country the choice about how to form a union and bargain for a better life. The study, “Majority Authorizations and Union Organizing in the Public Sector: A Four-State Perspective,” written by top labor policy scholars under the direction of Robert Bruno of the University of Illinois, looks at the experience of four states (New York, New Jersey, Illinois and Oregon) where public-sector workers have the freedom to form unions through majority sign-up.

 

 

Single-Payer Rally 05.27.09

Our organization is supporting the Western Mass Single Payer Network in asking Congressman Richard Neal to cosponsor HR 676, a single-payer solution to our nation’s health care crisis. 

 

That bill would expand and improve Medicare so no one has to worry about the cost of health care, and costs are controlled so there’s no profiteering at the expense of our health.  To operate Medicare takes about four percent of its income, while health insurance companies demand as much as 5 to 10 times that.  

 

The UAW along with many other organizations rallied at Neal’s office building, 300 State Street in Springfield today.  If you couldn’t make it, please call Neal at 413-785-0325 and tell him to support HR 676, the bill that actually reduces costs by eliminating waste and greed.  (you can find more rally photos in our photo galleries)

Links to rally coverage:

WAMC Northeast Public Radio (1)

WAMC Northeast Public Radio (2)

WWLP Channel 22 News

Daily Hampshire Gazette