Archive for January 14th, 2009
Solis Avoids Disputes Over Union Issues at Confirmation Hearing
Senate Republicans spent much of a hearing attempting to draw President-elect Barack Obama’s choice for labor secretary, Rep. Hilda Solis, into a fight over union issues. But Solis provided little ammunition.
At the end of a relatively brief confirmation hearing on Friday in which Solis repeatedly refused to voice her opinions on hotly contested issues such as organizing rights, the Californian’s nomination appeared intact.
Republicans are concerned that Solis, a strong supporter of unions in her eight years in the House as a representative from Southern California, will bring a pro-union bias to the Labor Department.
Work to resume at Riverdale steel plant
RIVERDALE, Ill. | ArcelorMittal’s currently idled Riverdale finishing plant will resume steel operations in two weeks.
“ArcelorMittal Riverdale employees are returning to ready the facility as we prepare to resume operations on Jan. 26 in order to meet the demand for the facility’s unique product mix,” said ArcelorMittal spokeswoman Katie Patterson.
Of ArcelorMittal’s Riverdale plant’s 244 workers, 54 have been on voluntary layoff for more than a month, and another 135 have been on involuntary layoff, said Gary Bender, president of United Steelworkers Local 9481, which represents the finishing mill’s workers. The other 55 workers have remained on the job or are in training.
UAW members no fans of Sen. Corker
In the homes of many a United Auto Worker, U.S. Sen. Bob Corker from Tennessee is a household name — and not in a good way.
“He’s a sell-out,” said Bill Bagwell, a second-generation auto worker who drives a forklift for General Motors Corp.
Unions revamp campaign for card-check bill
Organized-labor leaders announced Tuesday a campaign to spend millions to press lawmakers to pass legislation that would make it easier for unions to organize, promising a contentious fight with business associations.
American Rights at Work, a worker advocacy group, said it had made a $3 million ad buy to begin Thursday, to lobby for passage of the Employee Free Choice Act. The ads will run nationwide for the next two weeks and feature workers imploring lawmakers to pass the bill in order to improve their economic situation.
