April 01, 2011 NILRR News Clips

Public Unions: Is California Next?

Wall Street Journal Online

3/31/2011

Wisconsin’s public union fight is the battle of the century
in American politics. But while the governors of Wisconsin and Ohio have led the
pushback, it’s possible that the public-pension battle could shift in the future
to California–with or without the participation of its governor, the endlessly
recyclable Jerry Brown. Even in this bluest of states, the ground is shaking
beneath the unions.

Wisconsin Unions Get Ugly

Wall Street Journal Online

3/31/2011

Having lost their fight in the legislature, Wisconsin
unions are now getting out the steel pipes for those who don’t step lively to
their cause. A letter we’ve seen that was sent to businesses in southeastern
Wisconsin shows that Big Labor’s latest strategy is to threaten small businesses
with boycotts if they don’t publicly declare their support for government union
monopoly power.

Dated March 28, 2011, the letter is addressed to “DEAR
UNION GROVE AREA BUSINESS OWNER/MANAGER,” in Racine County. And it begins with
this warm greeting: “It is unfortunate that you have chosen ‘not’ to support
public workers rights in Wisconsin. In recent past weeks you have been offered a
sign(s) by a public employee(s) who works in one of the state facilities in the
Union Grove area. These signs simply said ‘This Business Supports Workers
Rights,’ a simple, subtle and we feel non-controversial statement given the
facts at this time.”

Teamsters Pension Fund to Cut Payments For YRC Truckers, as TDU Blames
Leadership

Daily Labor Report Online

3/31/2011

The Central States, Southeast, and Southwest Areas Pension
Fund, which administers pensions for some members of the International
Brotherhood of Teamsters, March 22 announced major changes to the pension plan
for IBT members employed at financially struggling trucking company YRC
Worldwide Inc.

Alabama Appeals Injunction Enjoining Law Barring Public Worker Deductions for
Politics

Daily Labor Report Online

3/31/2011

The state of Alabama March 22 filed an appeal challenging a
federal district court’s preliminary injunction barring enforcement of a state
law that makes it a crime to arrange for public employee payments “by salary
deduction or otherwise” to political action committees or to “membership
organizations” including unions that use any portion for “political activity”
(Morton v. Alabama Educ. Ass’n, 11th Cir., No. 11-11266, notice of appeal filed
3/22/11).