Labor Relations
North Korea Recalling Workers From Jointly Run Factory
April 8, 2013 8:18 am | by Hyung-Jin Kim, Associated Press | News | CommentsNorth Korea said Monday it will suspend operations at a factory complex it has jointly run with South Korea, pulling out more than 53,000 North Korean workers and moving closer to severing its last economic link with its rival as tensions escalate.
Judge Deals Blow To High-Tech Workers' Lawsuit
April 8, 2013 7:58 am | by Michael Liedtke, AP Technology Writer | News | CommentsA federal judge on Friday struck down an effort to form a class action lawsuit to go after Apple, Google and five other technology companies for allegedly forming an illegal cartel to tamp down workers' wages and prevent the loss of their best engineers during a multiyear conspiracy broken up by government regulators.
CAT Laying Off More Than 400 In Illinois
April 5, 2013 1:57 pm | News | CommentsCaterpillar Inc. says it plans to lay off more than 460 employees this June at its plant in Decatur. Rachel Potts is a spokeswoman for the Peoria-based company. She said Friday that Caterpillar is laying off the employees as part of an ongoing series of production cuts.
Fisker To Cut Three-Fourths Of Its Work Force
April 5, 2013 1:46 pm | by Tom Krisher, AP Auto Writer | News | CommentsAnaheim, California-based Fisker has struggled with financial and production problems, and its co-founder resigned last month. In March, Fisker furloughed its staff of about 220 for one week. At one time the company employed about 600 workers.
Unemployment Rate Drops To 7.6 Percent
April 5, 2013 8:36 am | by Christopher S. Rugaber, AP Economics Writer | News | CommentsThe Labor Department says the unemployment rate dipped to 7.6 percent from 7.7 percent. While that is the lowest in four years, the rate fell only because more people stopped looking for work. The weakness may signal that companies were worried last month about steep government spending cuts that began on March 1.
Chile Port Strikes Block Copper, Fruit Exports
April 5, 2013 8:02 am | by Eva Vergara and Luis Andres Henao, Associated Press | News | CommentsThe stoppage in the world's top copper producing nation began in the northern port of Angamos more than two weeks ago, when workers began demanding a 30-minute lunch break and a place to set up a cafeteria. Dock workers in other northern ports have joined in solidarity, causing huge losses for the mining, timber and fruit industries in export-dependent Chile.
Intelligrated Robotics Lab To Host Students During National Robotics Week
April 4, 2013 10:01 am | by Intelligrated | News | CommentsIntelligrated will host college students from Washington University and Missouri University of Science and Technology. Visits will include tours of the company’s Alvey® Robotics Lab, a 5,050-square-foot research and development facility that focuses on concepting and applying new robotic innovations.
Unemployment Aid Applications Jump To 385,000
April 4, 2013 9:20 am | by Christopher S. Rugaber, AP Economics Writer | News | CommentsWeekly applications increased 28,000 to a seasonally adjusted 385,000, the Labor Department said Thursday. It was the third straight weekly increase and the highest level since late November. The four-week average, a less volatile measure, rose to 354,250.
Bills Spark Debate Over Paid Sick Time In Michigan
April 3, 2013 11:28 am | by Alanna Durkin, Associated Press | News | CommentsLegislation recently approved by committees in the Republican-controlled House and Senate would prohibit counties, townships and cities from adopting policies that requires employers to provide paid or unpaid leave not required under federal or state law.
Survey: Private Employers Add 158K Jobs In March
April 3, 2013 8:49 am | by Christopher S. Rugaber, AP Economics Writer | News | CommentsA survey shows U.S. companies added fewer jobs in March compared with the previous month, as construction firms held off on hiring after three months of solid gains. Payroll processor ADP says employers added 158,000 jobs last month, down from February's gain of 237,000 and January's 177,000.
Euro Area Unemployment At Record 12 Percent
April 2, 2013 8:28 am | by Pan Pylas, Associated Press | News | CommentsEurostat, the EU's statistics office, said the rate in February was unchanged at the record high after January's figure was revised up to 12 percent from 11.9 percent. Spain and Greece have mass unemployment and many other countries are seeing their numbers swell to uncomfortably high levels.
Manufacturing Revival Radio: Pat Lee With The Fabricators & Manufacturers Association
April 1, 2013 10:55 am | by Manufacturing Revival Radio | Podcasts | CommentsNational Manufacturing Day as a new U.S. holiday? I say yes! And so does Pat Lee, Director of Marketing for the Fabricators & Manufacturers Association (FMA). In fact, she and FMA are right in the middle of a major effort, along with folks from NIST, part of the Department of Commerce, the National Association of Manufacturers and the Manufacturing Institute to make it happen.
Senators: Illegal Immigration Deal Not Yet Finalized
April 1, 2013 9:36 am | by Philip Elliott, Associated Press | News | CommentsThe AFL-CIO and the pro-business U.S. Chamber of Commerce reached a deal late Friday that would allow tens of thousands of low-skill workers into the country to fill jobs in construction, restaurants and hotels. Yet despite the unusual agreement between the two powerful lobbying groups, lawmakers from both parties conceded that the negotiations were not finished.
The Many Perks Of Working In Silicon Valley Tech
April 1, 2013 9:20 am | by Martha Mendoza, AP National Writer | News | CommentsApple Corp.'s 176-acre campus will be one of the world's largest workplaces. On the outside, many of the new buildings boast striking architectural designs and will collectively be among the most environmentally friendly in the country. Inside, there are walls you can draw on, ping pong tables, Lego stations, gaming arcades and free haircuts.
Unemployment Falls In 22 States
March 29, 2013 10:35 am | by Paul Wiseman, AP Economics Writer | News | CommentsUnemployment rates fell in 22 U.S. states in February from January, a sign that hiring gains are benefiting many parts of the country. The Labor Department says unemployment rates rose in 12 states and were unchanged in 16. Nationally, unemployment slid to a four-year low of 7.7 percent in February, down from 7.9 percent in January.
Koch Foods Expansion To Create 750 Jobs In Georgia
March 29, 2013 8:35 am | News | CommentsA food processing and distribution company is planning to expand a plant in western Georgia and looks to create 750 new jobs. Gov. Nathan Deal Thursday announced Koch Foods is planning to expand its plant in Hamilton — about 25 miles northeast of Columbus.
Japan Jobless Rate Up, Prices, Manufacturing Fall
March 29, 2013 8:29 am | by Elaine Kurtenbach, AP Business Writer | News | CommentsThe government data released Friday showed the main consumer price index fell 0.3 percent from a year earlier as deflation continued to defy the combined efforts of the government and central bank to move toward a 2 percent inflation target. However the CPI was up 0.1 percent from January's figure.
Auto Workers Union Membership Up Slightly
March 29, 2013 7:52 am | News | CommentsThe United Auto Workers union says its membership rose slightly last year as the U.S. manufacturing sector continued its recovery. The UAW said Thursday it had 382,513 members in 2012. That was an increase of nearly 1,800 workers — or less than 1 percent — from the previous year.
The Job Of A Leader
March 28, 2013 1:45 pm | by Paul Glover, Founder, The Glover Group | Articles | CommentsThe primary purpose of every leader is to recharge the workforce each day. It may sound cheerleader-ish, but when you think about the amount of energy required to do a job, it makes sense for leaders to make sure that their employees have the energy or fuel necessary to perform.
Right-To-Work Law Takes Effect In Michigan
March 28, 2013 12:35 pm | by David Eggert and Mike Householder, Associated Press | News | CommentsThe law allows Michigan workers to choose not to financially support unions that bargain on their behalf. It applies to labor contracts that are extended or renewed starting Thursday, so many unionized employees will not be affected until their existing collective bargaining agreements end months or years from now.
Jobless Claims Jump To 357,000
March 28, 2013 8:39 am | by Paul Wiseman, AP Economics Writer | News | CommentsThe number of Americans seeking unemployment benefits jumped by 16,000 last week, the second straight weekly increase. But the longer-term trend in layoffs remained consistent with an improved job market. The Labor Department says applications increased to a seasonally adjusted 357,000 for the week ending March 23.
Is Re-Industrialization The Key?
March 27, 2013 11:53 am | by Dr. Tom McNamara, Assistant Professor of Operations Management, Rennes School of Business | Blogs | CommentsMost economists agree that the “Great Recession” of 2008 ended sometime around August 2009, and while the economy has been slowly recovering, unemployment still appears to be a stubborn problem. The headline rate is just a shade under 8 percent, but another measure, U6, stands at an incredible 14.4 percent.
Ex-Employee Sues United Tech Over Tuition Program
March 26, 2013 12:02 pm | by Stephen Singer, AP Business Writer | News | CommentsA former employee of United Technologies Corp. is suing the aerospace conglomerate over its tuition program that financed graduate school but laid him off before he could receive company stock. He says the stock he received had a vesting date of Oct. 1, 2013. He was laid off in 2012.
NC, Ore. Daimler Trucks Plants To Lose Fewer Jobs
March 25, 2013 9:21 am | News | CommentsDaimler Trucks North America says it won't have to lay off 1,300 factory workers in North Carolina and Oregon as it warned in January and instead will cut about 600 jobs. Portland, Ore.-based Daimler Trucks says its Portland factory that builds Western Star trucks has cut its workforce by about 230 employees.
Techie Fired After Tweeting About Men's Comments
March 25, 2013 7:58 am | by Martha Mendoza and Sudhin Thanawala, Associated Press | News | CommentsFranklin said Richards put the company's business in danger, divided the developer community and could no longer be effective at the company. One of the men in the photo Richards posted has also been let go from his job at San Francisco-based mobile game company PlayHaven.
