Published By AMERICAN INCOME LIFE & NATIONAL INCOME LIFE LETTER LABOR ADVISORY BOARD APRIL 2016 Vol. 48 No. 2 NEWS FROM THE trying to cut the benefits and job security of to begin a process that could result in the AFL-CIO, CTW, union workers. In addition, 20 U.S. Sena- company adopting neutrality toward orga- INTERNATIONAL & tors recently sent a letter to Verizon CEO nizing in its nearly 150 nonunion plants Lowell McAdam calling for the company across the U.S. and Canada. Siemens’ an- NATIONAL UNIONS to reach a fair agreement. “It’s in the best nual worldwide meeting will be held in interests of our constituents that Verizon June in Washington, D.C. and union lead- After nearly a year of negotia- and its unions reach a fair agreement that ers hope that the $100 billion company will tions, Communications Workers of Amer- supports good jobs and ensures that Verizon vote to adopt neutrality for organizing at ica and International Brotherhood of can move forward in investing in state-of- its remaining North American plants. The Electrical Workers intensified pressure on the-art broadband buildout for our commu- company employs 40,000 employees at 149 Verizon to reach a fair contract covering nities,” the senators said. “Verizon workers North American plants that are nonunion. 29,000 CWA and IBEW members in the are the backbone of this company, and ex- The purpose of the recent meeting was to northeast and east coast states. CWA also ecutives have lost sight of what makes this increase communications between global reported that negotiations lag for wireless company so profitable,” said national CWA manufacturing giant Siemens and its labor retail store workers in NY and Massachu- President Chris Shelton. stakeholders on both sides of the Atlan- setts who have been without a contract tic. Among the unions participating in the since August 1, 2015. In March, the unions Six unions representing Sie- meeting were the International Brother- launched a hard-hitting TV ad campaign mens workers in North America and the hood of Electrical Workers and the Inter- that criticized Verizon executives for earn- German union IG Metall met with com- national Association of Machinists. ing millions a year in compensation while pany officials in late February in Florida Bakery, Confectionery, Tobac- co Workers and Grain Millers International Union (BCTGM) escalated the national boycott over Nabisco products made in Mexico following the layoff of the first 277 workers at the Southside Nabisco Chicago Bakery. More than half of the 1,200-plus jobs at the factory will be transferred to a lower-wage plant in Mexico. The BCTGM sent teams of the laid off workers around the country, focusing on large urban areas, to meet with unions, social organizations, churches, state labor federations, among others to promote its “Check the Label” campaign and continue to expand its coali- tion. The campaign encourages consumers to reject Nabisco products made in Mexico and instead buy those that are produced Verizon Wireless protest. Flickr.com photo used under Creative Commons from Thomas Altfather Good. in America in support of American jobs. TERRY O'SULLIVAN, President - Laborers' International Union of North America, Chairman - AIL/NILICO Labor Advisory Board VICTOR KAMBER, Vice President - American Income Life Insurance Company, Executive Director - AIL/NILICO Labor Advisory Board ROGER SMITH, Chief Executive Officer - American Income Life Insurance Company, President - AIL/NILICO Labor Advisory Board DENISE BOWYER, Vice President - American Income Life Insurance Company, Secretary - AIL/NILICO Labor Advisory Board Pg 2 LABOR LETTER “Nabisco’s plans to lay off American work- backbench, and it rewards their mates in the union Verdi. The union has organized fre- ers, put their jobs in Mexico and then return big property developers and construction quent strikes at Amazon warehouses across the products to the United States to sell is companies,” he said. Turnbull, meanwhile, Germany since May 2013 to force the re- the ultimate insult to both the American has threatened a July election if the Senate tailer to raise pay for warehouse workers worker and consumer,” said BCTGM In- did not agree to restore the ABCC. in accordance with collective bargaining ternational President David B. Durkee. The agreements in Germany’s mail order and national contract between Mondelēz Inter- A new study found that 17 per- retail sector. Amazon refuses to recognize national and more than 2,000 of its 4,000 cent, or one in six, of Hong Kong migrant the country’s collective pay agreements for union-represented workers expired on domestic workers surveyed are in forced la- the sector. Amazon employs around 9,000 February 29, 2016. bor. In “Coming Clean”, a first-of-its kind people in Germany which is the company’s report by the Justice Center Hong Kong, second-biggest market behind the United only 5.4 percent of the more than 1,000 States. The most recent strikes were held INTERNATIONAL domestic helpers surveyed showed no signs in the run-up to Christmas. In Leipzig, the LABOR NEWS of exploitation. “Unscrupulous recruitment union is calling for starting pay of 10.66 and placement agencies, brokers and mon- euros ($14) per hour, compared with 9.30 Nearly 200 London hospital eylenders, have a huge role to play, and lack euros now. In Bad Hersfeld, it wants pay of service workers, mostly female and migrant, of adequate regulation and of stiffer pen- 9.83 euros to be increased to 12.18. Verdi launched a one-day strike March 21 for alties on these agencies that overcharge is also is pressing for higher basic pay and big- a living wage. They are employed by U.S.- having a detrimental human rights impact ger supplements for night shifts. Amazon based Aramark at four mental health facili- on migrant domestic workers,” said Victoria founder and CEO Jeff Bezos is an outspo- ties where they work as cleaners and domes- Wisniewski Otero, co-author of the report. ken opponent of unions. tic staff. Many of Aramark’s London hospi- The yearlong study also found that of the tal employees are paid £7.38 an hour, more domestic workers in forced labor, one in than £2 below the London living wage set seven (14.0 percent) were trafficked into it. NATIONAL AND by the Greater London Authority. The strik- According to the survey, four out of 10 (39.3 POLITICAL EVENTS ers called for a new minimum hourly rate of percent) did not even have their own room £10 and better sick pay and overtime. They to sleep in, 35.2 percent shared a room with Employers now must disclose are represented by the GMB union which a child or an elderly person, and two per- outside consultants they hire to counter has been in negotiations with the company cent slept in a kitchen or communal space. workers’ union organizing efforts, accord- for weeks. “There’s a small proportion of “The survey findings provide much-needed ing to new rules released by the U.S. Labor the people who are striking who have been evidence to push for policy and legislative Department. First proposed in 2011, the union members for a number of years. But change around forced labor, human traf- new “persuader rule” required employers to the vast majority have not been in a union, ficking and domestic worker rights in Hong publicly report any actions, conduct or com- and they’ve never been on strike before,” said Kong,” said Piya Muqit, the executive direc- munications that are undertaken to, explic- union organizer Nadine Houghton. tor of the Justice Centre. itly or implicitly, directly or indirectly affect an employee’s decisions regarding his or Australian trade unions her representation or collective bargaining launched a blistering attack on Prime Minis- rights. “Workers should know who is behind ter Malcolm Turnbull for trying to resurrect an anti-union message. It’s a matter of basic a construction industry watchdog commis- fairness,” Secretary of Labor Thomas Perez sion abolished by Labour in 2012. Construc- said in a statement. “This new rule will al- tion, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union, low workers to know whether the messages the country’s biggest construction union, is they’re hearing are coming directly from their leading the fight against the proposed re- employer or from a paid, third-party consul- instatement of the Australian Building and tant,” he added. “Full disclosure of persuader Construction Commission, created to moni- agreements gives workers the information tor union activities in the industry. National Domestic workers rally in Hong Kong. Flickr.com they need to make informed choices about construction division secretary Dave Noon- photo used under Creative Commons from IDWF. how they pursue their rights to organize and an told the news media the Prime Minister bargain collectively. As in all elections, more was being held hostage by his big business Workers at an Amazon.com information means better decisions.” backers and a conservative party that ap- warehouse in Germany launched a new peared “obsessed” with slashing workplace round of rolling strikes in a long-running Broad majorities of Republi- rights. “These undemocratic and repressive dispute with the giant retailer. The walkout can primary voters view their party as a laws help the government with its base, it by workers at the warehouse in Koblenz source of embarrassment, according to a re- helps them settle the ‘Taliban’ in the Liberal lasted three days and was called by the trade cent New York Times/CBS News national LABOR LETTER Pg 3 poll. The survey revealed they think the campaign is more negative than in the past and are alarmed by the harsh attacks of their presidential contenders.