Labor Relations
The Lead
Q&A: On Equity (And Unions) At Nissan’s Miss. Plant
March 19, 2013 9:43 am | by Joel Hans, Managing Editor, Manufacturing.net | Articles | Comments
The relationship between Nissan management and the Canton plant's employees haven’t always been smooth — recently, some workers have sought out union membership, and in the meantime, have formed into a group called the Mississippi Alliance for Fairness at Nissan (MAFFAN).
Fisher-Price Moving, Eliminating About 100 NY Jobs
May 23, 2013 9:09 pm | News | CommentsThe majority of jobs will be reassigned to Mattel's El Segundo, Calif., headquarters, and workers have been offered relocation packages, but an unspecified number of employees received layoff notices, said Fisher-Price, the maker of Little People and Power Wheels.
Study: No Higher Cancer Rate At Conn. Pratt Plant
May 23, 2013 8:49 pm | by Stephen Singer, AP Business Writer | News | CommentsThe researchers at the University of Pittsburgh and the University of Illinois at Chicago said they identified 723 workers diagnosed with tumors between 1976 and 2004 at the United Technologies Corp. subsidiary. The tumors were malignant, benign or unspecified and included 277 cases of brain cancer.
Unemployment Aid Applications Fall To 340K
May 23, 2013 9:30 am | by Paul Wiseman, AP Economics Writer | News | CommentsThe number of Americans applying for unemployment benefits fell by 23,000 last week, further evidence that the job market is slowly returning to health. Applications for unemployment aid declined to a seasonally adjusted 340,000 in the week ending May 18, the Labor Department said Thursday.
Median CEO Pay Rises To $9.7M In 2012
May 22, 2013 2:14 pm | by Christina Rexrode, AP Business Writer | News | CommentsAfter years of pressure from corporate governance activists unhappy about big payouts, many companies have revamped their compensation formulas. They have awarded a bigger chunk of compensation in stock to align pay more closely to performance and have become more transparent about how compensation decisions are made.
New Show Brings Messy Workplaces To Television
May 22, 2013 2:03 pm | by David Bauder, AP Television Writer | News | CommentsIn its initial incarnation, employees were given the power to determine who should be laid off within companies that needed to shrink for economic reasons. The show drew awful advance publicity — one magazine called it a step toward public executions — and never aired.
Indian Guest Workers Sue Company In Miss., Texas
May 22, 2013 7:35 am | News | CommentsDozens of Indian guest workers are suing an Alabama-based marine and fabrication company, claiming it financially exploited them and forced them to live in squalid conditions after bringing them to work at Gulf Coast shipyards after Hurricane Katrina.
Germany's SAP To Recruit Tech Staff With Autism
May 21, 2013 1:37 pm | News | CommentsGerman software giant SAP AG said Tuesday it plans to recruit people with autism to take make full use of their talents to process information. Autism is a developmental disorder characterized by difficulties in communicating, emotional detachment and rigid or repetitive behavior.
Ericsson Closes Down Cable Production, Cuts Jobs
May 21, 2013 12:16 pm | News | CommentsWireless equipment maker Ericsson AB says it will close down its telecom cable manufacturing operation and cut around 350 jobs in Sweden. Ericsson said Tuesday it has given notice to 318 workers in the city of Hudiksvall in Sweden and has started negotiations with unions to cut another 36 positions in Stockholm.
Firm To Appeal Nuclear Plant Whistleblower Case
May 21, 2013 8:04 am | by Roxana Hegeman, Associated Press | News | CommentsThe Labor Department's Occupational Safety and Health Administration found Enercon Services violated whistleblower protections when it retaliated against an engineer for raising concerns during construction work at the Wolf Creek nuclear power plant in Burlington.
NC Colleges Look To Expand Advanced Manufacturing
May 17, 2013 1:52 pm | News | CommentsNorth Carolina's community colleges are working to train factory workers comfortable in a new manufacturing world of computers and robots. State community college leaders are meeting Friday with manufacturers to assemble training courses in line with a skills certification plan that's recognized by factories across the country.
Canada Trying To Lure Silicon Valley Tech Workers
May 17, 2013 1:40 pm | News | CommentsThe Canadian government is trying to lure Silicon Valley tech workers who are frustrated by U.S. visa policies, just as Congress wrestles with a long-sought overhaul of America's immigration system. Canada's minister of citizenship, immigration and multiculturalism arrived in the San Francisco Bay area Friday for a four-day visit aimed at snapping up talent for his country's high-tech economy by offering startup entrepreneurs a new visa.
4-month Strike At Peugeot Citroen Plant Ends
May 17, 2013 11:27 am | News | CommentsA four-month strike at a car factory north of Paris has come to an end, although the workers say they will still fight a plan to close the plant. PSA Peugeot Citroen said Friday that it had signed an agreement with the CGT union to end the strike, which started in January. The CGT called the strike "suspended."
Unemployment Falls In 40 U.S. States
May 17, 2013 11:22 am | by Christopher S. Rugaber, AP Economics Writer | News | CommentsSolid hiring helped push down unemployment rates in 40 U.S. states last month, the most since November. The declines show job markets are improving in most areas of the country. The Labor Department says unemployment rates only rose in Louisiana, Tennessee and North Dakota. Rates were unchanged in seven states.
Labor Group: Apple Making Progress At Foxconn
May 17, 2013 7:44 am | News | CommentsThe Fair Labor Association said Thursday that Apple's largest supplier, Foxconn, has made all recommended improvements to working conditions that were due by the end of December. The group says there have been "notable increases" in workers' participation in union committees.
Obama Focusing On Job Creation In Baltimore Visit
May 17, 2013 4:08 am | by Nedra Pickler, Associated Press | News | CommentsObama is to fly by helicopter Friday about 40 miles north to Baltimore, which has had its share of tough times in the move from an industrial to service economy. But Maryland has experienced steady job growth so far this year as part of a nationwide economic recovery.
Alcoa Cuts 500 Jobs In Canada
May 16, 2013 2:33 pm | News | CommentsAluminum smelter and parts-maker says it will close down two production lines at a plant in Canada and cut about 500 jobs there because of lower aluminum prices. A planned upgrade for the facility in Quebec is being pushed back by three years, to 2019, the company said.
The Hidden Cost Of Summer Heat
May 16, 2013 2:29 pm | by Megan Browning, Big Ass Fans | Articles | CommentsUncomfortable working conditions lead to heat-related illnesses and decreased productivity, which negatively affect the bottom line of the business. When working conditions become distracting and debilitating to workers, personal comfort must be addressed to regain lost productivity.
Jobless Claims Jump To Highest Level In 6 Weeks
May 16, 2013 8:38 am | by Christopher S. Rugaber, AP Economics Writer | News | CommentsThe number of Americans seeking unemployment aid rose 32,000 last week to a seasonally adjusted 360,000, the most since late March. The jump comes after applications fell to a five-year low. The Labor Department says the less volatile four-week average rose just 1,250 to 339,250, a level consistent with modest hiring.
2 Companies To Expand Operations In Puerto Rico
May 16, 2013 7:57 am | News | CommentsOne of the largest eye care companies in the U.S. is expanding its operations in Puerto Rico. Gov. Alejandro Garcia Padilla says CooperVision will invest $250 million to build 15 new production lines, a project that will create some 350 new jobs. The company currently employs 1,600 workers at a plant in the southern town of Juana Diaz.
France Approves Major Labor Reform Package
May 14, 2013 1:31 pm | by Sarah DiLorenzo, AP Business Writer | News | CommentsThe bill is one of President Francois Hollande's signature pieces of legislation designed to overhaul the country's notoriously hidebound labor market. It includes measures such as making it easier for workers to change jobs and for companies to fire employees.
High-Tech Pushes For More In Immigration Bill
May 14, 2013 8:22 am | by Erica Werner, Associated Press | News | CommentsHigh-tech companies looking to bring more skilled workers to the U.S. pushed Monday for more concessions in an immigration bill pending in the Senate. Labor unions said these companies had already obtained enough in the legislation and further changes risked chipping away at protections for U.S. workers.
Landmark $240M EEOC Verdict To Be Slashed To $1.6M
May 13, 2013 12:05 pm | by Ryan J. Foley, Associated Press | News | CommentsThe Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and Henry's Turkey Service agreed in legal briefs filed late Friday that under federal law, each plaintiff can only recover $50,000 apiece — a far cry from the $7.5 million a jury awarded each worker earlier this month. On Monday, one advocate for the men called the cap "grossly unfair."
North Dakota Tops Nation In Rate Of Worker Deaths
May 10, 2013 1:39 pm | News | CommentsThere were 44 worker deaths in North Dakota in 2011, for a rate of 12.4 deaths per 100,000 workers. That was well above the national rate of 3.5 fatalities per 100,000 workers, the report said. "The oil boom has come with a hefty price tag of a steep increase in deaths on the job," the labor union said in a statement.
Obama To Open Middle-Class Jobs, Opportunity Tour
May 9, 2013 2:21 pm | by Darlene Superville, Associated Press | News | CommentsAiming to show he's still focused on creating jobs, President Barack Obama is beginning a series of quick trips around the country to resurrect ideas from his State of the Union address that became overshadowed by the intense debates over gun control, immigration and automatic spending cuts.
Lawsuit: Merck Discriminates Against Women
May 9, 2013 1:25 pm | News | CommentsA Merck & Co. sales representative is suing the drugmaker for at least $100 million, saying Merck doesn't give women equal opportunities for advancement and punishes employees for taking maternity leave. Kelli Smith, who has worked at Merck since 2004, says in the lawsuit that the company's sales plans create incentives to discriminate against women.
