Saturday, September 15, 2012

Today's Teamster News 09.15.12

Surging Energy Prices Drive Retail Sales, Inflation Higher  Iacono Research   ...August gains were driven by rising pump prices as gasoline station sales jumped 5.5 percent, but, when looking back at the last two months following data for the first half of the year that, to some degree, was affected by seasonal adjustment distortions, sales are picking up...
The Next Industrial Revolution Starts in this 20-foot Shipping Container  Gizmodo   ...in a place with little industry or infrastructure, Re-Char designed something new—a fully functioning, off-the-grid factory inside a shipping container. It worked. It worked so well, in fact, that Re-Char will now send the self-sufficient, open-source Shop-in-a Box anywhere in the world...
Verdict: Walker took constitutional rights to speech, association, equality, home rule  blue cheddar   ...Judge Colas’ said it is unconstitutional to restrict public union employee collective bargaining to wages-only. He ruled that it is unconstitutional to treat different public employee groups unequally by allowing cops and firefighters to deduct union dues but not “general employees” while yet another group has zero restrictions on their deductions...
Tentative deal reached with striking Chicago teachers  Chicago Tribune   ...Chicago Public Schools and the teachers union have reached a tentative agreement on a new contract and classes could resume for 350,000 students on Monday, according to school and union officials...
Contract talks with Vegas-based Allegiant Air flight attendants stall; union seeks mediation  Associated Press   ...Allegiant Air and a union representing 600 flight attendants say contract talks have stalled and the National Mediation Board is being asked to step in...Allegiant pilots last month voted to be represented by the International Brotherhood of Teamsters...
Teamsters approve contract with Hostess brands but other unions reject deal  Associated Press   ...Workers belonging to Hostess Brands’ biggest union on Friday narrowly approved new contract terms, raising the possibility that the maker of Twinkies and Wonder Bread will stay in business. But another group of employees rejected the contract terms that Hostess says are needed for it to survive...