Union Plus has awarded $150,000 in scholarships to 130 students representing 43 unions, including three children of Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) members, in the 2011 Union Plus Scholarship Program.

Consumer Price Index (CPI):
-0.4% in Apr 2013
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Unemployment Rate:
7.5% in Apr 2013
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Payroll Employment:
+165,000(p) in Apr 2013
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Average Hourly Earnings:
+$0.04(p) in Apr 2013
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Producer Price Index (PPI):
-0.7%(p) in Apr 2013
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Employment Cost Index (ECI):
+0.3% in 1st Qtr of 2013
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Productivity:
+0.7% in 1st Qtr of 2013
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U.S. Import Price Index:
-0.5% in Apr 2013
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U.S. Export Price Index:
-0.7% in Apr 2013
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THE BOILERMAKERS UNION honored Linda Sanchez as Legislator of the Year at the annual LEAP conference May 7.

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Hoffa Calls On Senate For Quick Confirmation For Labor Secretary Nominee Press Contact Galen Munroe [email protected] 202-624-6911

(WASHINGTON) – The Teamsters Union applauds the vote by the Senate Health, Education, Labor & Pensions Committee to approve the nomination of Thomas Perez for Labor Secretary. Teamsters General President Jim Hoffa expressed his hope that the Senate would move quickly to confirm Perez’s nomination.

“Thomas Perez is the right choice for Labor Secretary and the Senate needs to get him confirmed as soon as possible,” Hoffa said. “I believe that we can take a significant step toward getting this country back on track with Perez running the Labor Department.”

In his post as the assistant attorney general for civil rights, Perez settled the three largest fair lending cases on behalf of working families targeted by unfair mortgage practices. He fought to protect the rights of students to achieve a quality education, increased the enforcement of human trafficking laws and stepped up efforts to protect the civilian jobs of military personnel who are serving our country. He also has been a champion for voting rights. Perez previously served as Maryland’s Labor Secretary.

Perez is the son of immigrants from the Dominican Republic. When he was 12, his father died of a heart attack and a Teamster became a surrogate father to him. That bond helped create his lifelong support for labor unions.

“We have watched the middle class get the short end of the stick for too long,” Hoffa said. “We need a strong advocate for working families like Thomas Perez in the Labor Department if we are going continue down the long road toward restoring the middle class.”

Founded in 1903, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters represents 1.4 million hardworking men and women throughout the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico. Visit www.teamster.org for more information. Follow us on Twitter @Teamsters and “like” us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/teamsters.

(05/16/13) APWU President Cliff Guffey is congratulating APWU retirees and other former employees who will soon receive the first installment of the $15,000 incentive the APWU negotiated last year. The first payment of $10,000 (minus applicable taxes and withholdings) will be available on May 24, 2013. The second installment of $5,000 will be paid on May 23, 2014. "We hope our newest retirees are enjoying their new lives," Guffey said. "We're sure they will enjoy the incentive."

For more information, visit the website below.http://digital.power-eng.com/power-eng/201305?sub_id=z4i0FLXN4hjs#pg6­ Headline News

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United Steelworkers (USW) local 13-2001 members tonight ratified three separate agreements with ExxonMobil Baytown for the operations, maintenance and laboratory groups.

The three-year agreements expire May 15, 2016 and cover about 850 workers at the Baytown complex. They met the provisions of the National Oil Bargaining (NOB) policy, and the local 13-2001 bargaining committee recommended them for approval.

ExxonMobil agreed to bargain over the American Petroleum Institute's recommended practice on fatigue, RP 755, and to establish a limit on the number of consecutive days an employee can work. The company also agreed to a full-time union process safety representative position to address process safety concerns. These two issues had been in contention during negotiations ... more

The recent top-down deal struck between the TWU and the IAM to jointly represent mechanics and related at the merging American Airlines and US Airways fails to address the serious concerns of their own members, including years of weak representation and concessionary bargaining.

Through their organizing, the mechanics have made it clear that they want better, stronger representation with the Teamsters, not a reinvention of the same poor representation they have suffered through already. It is absurd to think that two rival unions that have failed their members can somehow work together and provide the adequate representation that is long overdue. Instead, this self-interested alliance between two unions that are desperate to hold on to their disgruntled membership will lead to more instability, more concessions, more outsourcing and more setbacks for workers.

Large majorities of AA and US Airways mechanics are currently working with the Teamsters Union in a powerful drive to gain new representation. A petition for election has already been filed with the National Mediation Board on behalf of US Airways mechanics and related and a similar petition will soon be filed on behalf of AA mechanics and related. The process to oust the TWU and the IAM is well underway and it’s the mechanics who have been leading this effort from the beginning.

The Teamsters stand with AA and US Airways mechanics and related in their goal to protect jobs from outsourcing, stop the backsliding of standards, and advance the craft. Working with our members and the Teamsters Aviation Mechanics Coalition, we intend to create the largest and most powerful union of airline mechanics and related in the world – an aviation mechanics union capable of keeping jobs in the U.S. and in the middle class.

Thousands of AA and US Airways mechanics have contacted the Teamsters in this effort because they can no longer afford to fall further behind. The Teamsters are prepared with the enormous power of our union to stand behind the AA and US Airways mechanics and help them negotiate a strong contract at the new American Airlines.

For more information, visit www.teamster.org/aamx and www.usairteam.org. Call the AA campaign hotline at 877-589-4951 and the US Airways Fresh Start hotline at 1-800-786-9627.

U.S. DOT Must Take Swift Action to Prevent Unsafe Motor Carriers from Crossing the Border Press Contact Beth Weaver [email protected] 301-814-4088

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) - The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), the agency within the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) charged with overseeing the cross-border long-haul Pilot Program on North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) Trucking Provisions, has not taken definitive action to bar participation of unsafe Mexico-domiciled motor carriers. The Pilot Program was created to test and demonstrate the ability of Mexico-domiciled motor carriers to operate safely in the U.S. beyond the municipalities on the U.S.-Mexico international border or the commercial zones of such municipalities.

Specifically, a recent Pre-Authorization Safety Audit (PASA) of RAM Trucking, a motor carrier that has applied for participation in the Pilot Program, exposes serious deficiencies.  In addition, two motor carriers, Transportes Monteblanco AS DE CV and Servicio De Transporte Internacional y Local SA DE CV, continue to participate in the Pilot Program even though they received a less than Satisfactory rating in the safety Compliance Review (CR).

RAM Trucking has two affiliated trucking companies, Zaro Transportation LLC and Auto Transportes Zaros SA de CV. However, it did not identify these affiliates as it is legally required to do when it submitted its paperwork to participate in the Pilot Program.  Yet, more importantly, these two affiliates have among the worst Compliance, Safety, Accountability (CSA) Behavior Analysis Safety Improvement Categories (BASIC) scores for both driver fitness and vehicle maintenance in FMCSA’s Safety Measurement System (SMS) database. 

Joan Claybrook, Consumer Co-Chair of Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety (Advocates) and former Administrator of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said, “Zaro Transportation has a driver fitness BASIC score that is a disaster at 99.4% (100% being the worst score) and nearly as dismal a vehicle maintenance BASIC score of 95.7%.  Auto Transportes Zaros SA de CV, likewise has an unheard of 99.4% driver fitness score, and an even lower vehicle maintenance BASIC score of 99.5%.  The FMCSA should be using every tool available to protect motorists, not further endanger them by allowing treacherously unsafe Mexico-domiciled motor carriers to participate in the NAFTA Pilot Program.”

James Hoffa, General President of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, said, “We’ve said all along that our concern about this program was ensuring that Mexican trucks and drivers meet our U.S. safety standards, and it’s clear that FMCSA has not been exercising the proper oversight to accomplish this goal.  It’s wrong and inexcusable to endanger the traveling public in this way.”

“It’s blatantly clear that the only entities truly pushing for opening the border are big businesses in the United States seeking to force small business truckers to forfeit their own economic opportunities.  FMCSA’s actions show that they are following an agenda for large economic interests and are determined to accept a significantly lower standard for trucks from Mexico than what they apply to those in the U.S.  This altogether means compromised highway safety and loss of U.S. jobs,” said Todd Spencer, Executive Vice President of the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association.

John Lannen, Executive Director of the Truck Safety Coalition, stated, “We urge Administrator Ferro to correct these deficiencies immediately and take the proper steps to ensure the DOT pilot program for Mexican trucks has the necessary safety measures and procedures to protect the motoring public.  Failure to do so will continue to undermine the already low confidence in the study and needlessly endanger the American public.”   

According to Henry Jasny, Vice President and General Counsel of Advocates. “The participation of Transportes Monteblanco AS DE CV and Servicio De Transporte Internacional y Local SA DE CV should have been summarily terminated on the date they failed to receive a Satisfactory safety rating.  The FMCSA has committed a breach of faith with the American public.”

((05/15/13) Preliminary lab tests indicated the presence of ricin on two suspicious letters in Spokane WA, the Postal Service told the APWU on May 15. The letters are being analyzed and tested further for hazardous material, according to a Mandatory Stand-Up Talk management presented to workers.

May 15, 2013 - The Air Line Pilots Association, Int’l (ALPA), commends actions taken by the House Homeland Security Committee today to require additional oversight of U.S. overseas preclearance facility agreements entered into by U.S. and foreign governments.

In a voice vote today, the House Homeland Security Committee passed an amendment—proposed by Rep. Pat Meehan (R-Pa.)—to H.R. 1417, The Border Security Results Act of 2013, that would require the federal government to consider competitiveness and security issues when entering into reimbursement agreements with foreign governments for additional customs staff at preclearance facilities. The amendment, if ultimately approved by Congress, could prohibit funding for the Abu Dhabi preclearance facility by the government of the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
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(05/15/13) Approximately 250 APWU retirees celebrated Older Americans Month in St. Louis on May 10. "Our retirees were not only happy to begin a new chapter of their lives, they were also fired up and ready to stop post office closings, protect service standards, and support legislation that would stop cuts to seniors' benefits," said Retirees Director Judy Beard.

By popular demand, introducing ALPAgear.com: casual clothing and merchandise for the airline pilot or airline pilot enthusiast.

Polo shirts, jackets, and accessories—products to suit your off-duty, casual lifestyle. Wear ALPAgear apparel and show your unity and your pride!

Shop now at ALPAgear.com!

Merkley-Brown Amendment Creates American Manufacturing Jobs through Buy America Provisions

The United Steelworkers (USW) lauded today’s overwhelming support in the Senate, by a 60-36 margin, to pass the Merkley-Brown amendment (#866) to the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA).  This will ensure that federal taxpayer dollars used to fund water infrastructure projects under WRDA will be spent on goods and materials made here in America by American workers.

This amendment is consistent with previous Buy America provisions that have established the basic principle that when federal taxpayer dollars are spent on public infrastructure projects, Americans get the work.

“The Merkley-Brown amendment will maintain and grow domestic production of manufactured goods,” said USW International President Leo W. Gerard. “Buy America rules, backed by an open, competitive market-driven process, create and expand the U.S. manufacturing supply chain and retain and create jobs in the United States ... more

Progressive talk show host Leslie Marshall recently spoke with United Steelworkers (USW) International President Leo W. Gerard about how President Obama is constantly trying to find ways to revive industry and manufacturing and how the Republicans continue to attack him and the people who trying to earn a living wage.

Profits are up, the rich are getting richer. Meanwhile unemployment remains high; wages have been stagnant for decades and more Americans live in poverty. The promise by the Republicans, of jobs, jobs, jobs, has been lost in their disgusting attempts to stall this recovery.

"It's gotten to the point that it should be very, very clear that in order to continue to have a failed President, they're prepared to sacrifice the economic well-being of the nation and it's middle class," said Gerard.

They continued to talk about Elizabeth Warren's push to get reasonable student loan interest rates and a Republican “Comp Time” bill (HR 1406) that will take away opportunities for working people.

To hear the discussion, click the audio below.

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May 15, 2013 – The Department of Justice, which administers the Public Safety Officer Benefits (PSOB) program, has made major improvements to the process for reviewing and approving claims. Over the last several years, the program had become laden with excessive bureaucratic requirements and unreasonable delays in paying benefits to families of the fallen that were a result of the unnecessary and troublesome intervention of the DoJ’s Office of General Counsel (OGC).