Articles

Goodyear Fined $1.75 Million For 4 Deaths, But Will It Change Workplace Culture?

“In the past, there has been a general understanding that there are production pressures to make tires and get things out. We need to make certain moving forward that health and safety take precedent over [production]” says Frederick. “The union has got a role in this, and we need to earn back the faith of the community inside that fence.”




Spike in Latino Workplace Deaths Has Many Worried About Trump Era

“Whenever there is an increase in the criminalization of undocumented workers, it puts more pressure on workers to stay in the job that they are in, to not complain, to look the other way when there are hazards,” Robele says. “If you are choosing between saying that you are not going to go up on a rough in harness and potentially being deported and separated from your children most people aren’t gonna risk that.”



Payday on NPR Talking Kentucky “Right-to-Work” & Trump’s NLRB

This weekend, Payday Senior Labor Reporter was on NPR affailate WFPL in Louisville talking about how unions in the South are continuing to grow despite “right-to-work” legislation; gaining 150,000 union members last year alone.

However, Elk warns that if Trump dismantles the National Labor Relations Board that it will stop this organizing progress.


BREAKING: Kentucky Expected to Pass “Right-to-Work” This Week

Last year, Republicans regained control of the Kentucky State House for the first time in 95 years. As a result of the Trump wave, Republicans now maintain a 54 to 36 majority in the State House. Under proposed “right-to-work” legislation, unions in Kentucky could lose tens of thousands of dues-paying members; thus denying Democrats the financial support needed to take back the State House.



Federal Class Action Charges Chattanooga Outsourcing Plan Led to School Bus Deaths

“The school bus operation has been outsourced to balance the books of the school district” charges the lawsuit filed in federal court in Chattanooga today. “To maximize profit, the contractor overcrowded routes and offered school bus drivers low pay, few hours, and inadequate driver training and support. To avoid a self-created driver shortage, as they had experienced in other markets, the contractor sought out the most poorly trained, inexperienced, and poorly-qualified drivers to transport the most precious commodity of this community”



W.V. Senator Vows to Shut Down Government as 16,000 Miners Lose Health Care Benefits

“I have never believed partisan gridlock is a way to accomplish our policy goals, so I haven’t come to this decision easily,” said Manchin on the Senate floor yesterday in explaining why he would filibuster the spending bill. “My reason for doing this is that over two years ago we promised the retired coal miners of America—we promised them—mostly their families, and there are a lot of widows now; we promised them they would have their health care benefits that were guaranteed to them and their pensions.”


Deadly Chattanooga School Bus Company Paying Legal Bills of Bus Driver

Legal experts speculate that the decision for Durham to pay for Walker’s defense stems from their decision to clear their own legal liability. Already, three lawsuits have been filed against Durham accusing the firm of negligence in employing Walker. If Durham can help Walker beat legal charges then it makes it easier for the company to prove in later civil cases that it is not at fault.