Labor Relations
Carpet Company To Create 2,400 Jobs In Georgia
May 1, 2013 2:17 pm | News | CommentsA spokesman for Gov. Nathan Deal says a carpet manufacturing company will open two plants in northwest Georgia and create about 2,400 jobs. The Dalton area — about 90 miles northwest of downtown Atlanta — is internationally known as a carpet manufacturing hub and lost tens of thousands of jobs when the housing market stalled.
Abused Iowa Plant Workers Awarded $240M
May 1, 2013 1:53 pm | by Ryan J. Foley, Associated Press | News | CommentsAn Iowa jury on Wednesday awarded a total of $240 million to 32 mentally disabled Iowa turkey processing plant workers for what government lawyers described as years of around-the-clock abuse and discrimination by the Texas company that oversaw their care, work and lodging.
Survey: Employers Add 119K Jobs In April
May 1, 2013 8:53 am | by Christopher S. Rugaber, AP Economics Writer | News | CommentsA survey shows U.S. companies added the fewest jobs in seven months, indicating that government spending cuts and higher taxes may be weighing on the economy. Payroll processor ADP says private employers added just 119,000 jobs last month. And March's hiring was slower than first thought: the survey shows just 131,000 added, down from an initial estimate of 158,000.
Workers Rally For Better Conditions On May Day
May 1, 2013 8:42 am | by Margie Mason, Associated Press | News | CommentsTens of thousands of low-paid workers took to the streets on May Day to demand higher wages, better benefits and improved working conditions a week after a building collapse in Bangladesh became a grim reminder of the dangers of lax safety regulations in poor countries.
Worker Dies In Blender At Oregon Meat Plant
May 1, 2013 8:18 am | News | CommentsParamedics and sheriff's deputies were called around 11:45 p.m. Friday, after Avalos-Chanon was found entangled in the machinery. Another worker had hit an emergency stop button, but it was too late, Thompson said. Firefighters returned the following day to dismantle the machine and remove the body.
EEOC Asks Jury To Give Damages To Disabled Workers
May 1, 2013 7:43 am | by Ryan J. Foley, Associated Press | News | CommentsEqual Employment Opportunity Commission attorney Robert Canino said the former workers for Henry's Turkey Services suffered "broken lives" because of the conditions they endured while living at a run-down bunkhouse in rural Iowa and working at West Liberty Foods.
Richland College Garland Campus’ Machine Operator Program Offers New Skills, New Life
April 30, 2013 2:54 pm | Articles | CommentsIn 2010, Chris was living with his mother and working at Kroger making $7.35 an hour. His family was facing eviction and $7.35 an hour wasn’t enough to help. Chris went for a walk to clear his head. He wandered by Richland College’s Garland Campus on Walnut Street and decided to go inside.
U.S. Employment Compensation Up In 1Q
April 30, 2013 1:38 pm | by Martin Crutsinger, AP Economics Writer | News | CommentsAmericans' wages increased at a faster rate from January through March than the previous quarter, a trend that helped boost economic growth. But their benefits barely grew. The Labor Department says an index that measures wages and benefits rose 0.3 percent during the first quarter.
Consumer Confidence Up On Better Hiring Outlook
April 30, 2013 10:48 am | by Marcy Gordon, AP Business Writer | News | CommentsAmericans' confidence in the economy jumped this month, helped by a better outlook for the job market and expectations for higher pay. The Conference Board, a New York-based private research group, said Tuesday that its consumer confidence index rose to 68.1 in April.
CAT Closing South Carolina Plant
April 30, 2013 7:56 am | News | CommentsCaterpillar says it plans to close its Summerville remanufacturing plant next year, a move that will put 280 people out of work. The factory tears down, recycles and rebuilds heavy-duty transmissions and related components for original equipment makers, which then resell the parts to aftermarket buyers.
Japan Manufacturing, Hiring Rise In March
April 30, 2013 7:48 am | by Elaine Kurtenbach, AP Business Writer | News | CommentsJapan manufacturing and employment showed slight improvements in March, buttressing hopes that the economy may be headed for a moderate recovery. Factory output rose 0.2 percent, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry said Tuesday, in the fourth straight monthly increase.
China Career Boost Can Come With Health Risks
April 30, 2013 7:45 am | by Louise Watt, Associated Press | News | CommentsWhitney Foard Small loved China and her job as a regional director of communications for a top automaker. But after air pollution led to several stays in hospital and finally a written warning from her doctor telling her she needed to leave, Small packed up and left for Thailand.
Goodyear, Union Begin Contract Talks For 6 Plants
April 29, 2013 1:49 pm | by Thomas J. Sheeran, Associated Press | News | CommentsWith the contract between the Akron-based Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. and United Steelworkers of America expiring July 27, both sides have plenty of time and indicated the talks would be in recess until June while they evaluate each other's opening positions.
Kodak Selling 2 Businesses To UK Pension Plan
April 29, 2013 12:16 pm | News | CommentsEastman Kodak Co. has agreed to sell its personalized and document imaging businesses to its U.K. pension plan as part of an agreement that settles $2.8 billion of claims that the retirement fund had sought from the photography pioneer.
GE Aviation Opening Factory In Alabama
April 29, 2013 7:48 am | News | CommentsGE Aviation is opening a $50 million factory that will provide several hundred jobs in east Alabama. The 300,000-square-foot factory is located at Auburn Technology Park West, and officials say it's expected to hire between 300 and 400 people in coming years.
Welder Apparently Electrocuted At Arizona Plant
April 26, 2013 11:39 am | News | CommentsA man doing welding work on the rooftop of a Glendale manufacturing plant is dead of an apparent electrocution. Authorities say the man was badly burned and fell 20 feet to the ground after he somehow touched live wires around 11:20 a.m. Thursday.
S. Korea To Withdraw Workers At Factory In N. Korea
April 26, 2013 8:35 am | by Sam Kim, Associated Press | News | CommentsSeoul said it issued a Friday deadline for North Korea to respond to its call for talks because it was worried about its workers not having access to food and medicine. North Korea hasn't allowed supplies or workers to cross the border since early this month.
Worker Killed At Nissan's Tennessee Plant
April 26, 2013 7:56 am | News | CommentsThe employee of Lake Orion, Mich.-based Complete Automation was killed Thursday in the factory's paint plant. Bob Light, a spokesman for Complete Automation, said the employee was killed when a large electrical panel fell while it was being moved.
Survey: Americans Felt More Secure In Jobs In 2012
April 25, 2013 2:24 pm | by Christopher S. Rugaber, AP Economics Writer | News | CommentsConfidence in the U.S. job market has rebounded to roughly a normal level from its record low after the Great Recession, a trend that could help boost the economy. Americans increasingly feel they could find a new job if necessary, according to the results of the 2012 General Social Survey.
OSHA: OH Plant 'Could Have Prevented' Worker Death
April 25, 2013 2:17 pm | News | CommentsA federal agency has cited an Ohio aluminum plant with eight safety violations following the death of a worker who was crushed by a hot metal rack stacked with heavy aluminum. OSHA said Extrudex Aluminum acted with knowing disregard or plain indifference to hazards at the company's plant in North Jackson in northeastern Ohio.
Creating Better Jobs For Manufacturing’s Comeback
April 25, 2013 10:16 am | by Ray Attiyah, Founder and Chief Innovation Officer, Definity Partners | Articles | CommentsA favorite saying of mine is that we hire people not just for their hands, but also for their hearts and minds. When we hire frontline employees, it should not be just for the work they do on the line, but for the creative thoughts in their hearts and minds. What if we paid frontline manufacturing employees just $2 per hour for their labor but $14 per hour to use their minds?
Outokumpu Cuts 2,500 Jobs
April 25, 2013 8:55 am | News | CommentsFinnish metals group Outokumpu Oyj says it will slash 2,500 jobs worldwide in the next four years to cut costs by $455 million. The world's leading stainless steel maker says about a third of the job cuts will be applied this year, mostly in Germany, Sweden and Finland, in line with production capacity reductions and streamlining.
Unemployment Aid Applications Drop To 339K
April 25, 2013 8:46 am | by Christopher S. Rugaber, AP Economics Writer | News | CommentsThe number of Americans seeking unemployment aid fell last week to a seasonally adjusted 339,000, the second-lowest level in more than five years. The decline suggests hiring is improving from last month's sluggish pace. The Labor Department says applications for unemployment aid dropped by 16,000.
Novartis Plans To Cut 300 Jobs At Nebraska Plant
April 24, 2013 1:40 pm | News | CommentsNovartis plans to trim production and cut about 300 jobs from its Lincoln payroll. The Swiss pharmaceutical company said Wednesday that the job cuts will occur over the next two years, leaving about 450 workers to concentrate on making three products.
BASF To Cut 500 Jobs At Chemicals Business
April 23, 2013 12:17 pm | News | CommentsChemicals and oil company BASF say it is cutting 500 jobs by the end of 2015 at its specialized chemicals business. The company says the division is facing a changed business environment in some of its market segments, with new competitors and standardization requirements.
