[Onthebarricades] Worker protests - global North - Aug-Sept 2008

[global resistance roundup]

* IRELAND: Building workers blockade union offices
* IRELAND: Nurses; cleaners protest
* GERMANY: VW workers march for special status
* FRANCE: Renault strike over cuts
* POLAND - BELGIUM: Protest to save Gdansk
* UK: Biscuit workers protest to keep jobs
* LATVIA: Doctors, police protest low wages
* US: Protest at anti-union builder * Firefighters quit * Pilots protest 
UPS deal * Mill owners protested
* UK: Sacking causes union protest
* US: Pilots protest forced leave
* CANADA: Hiring practices protest
* AUSTRALIA: Geoscientists protest over pay * Queensland public workers 
protest
* US: Washington protest to "save our jobs" * Workers protest plant 
closure * Airline protest
* CANADA: Aerospace strike over safety
* US: Detroit - bus protest
* AUSTRALIA: Hospital admin protest
* EUROPE - FRANCE: Rail demo in Paris






http://www.breakingnews.ie/ireland/mhqlqlcwauau/rss2/

Protesting BATU members ordered to vacate offices
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11/09/2008 - 15:16:50
Members of the Building and Allied Trade Unions (BATU) have today been 
ordered by the High Court to vacate the union offices in north Dublin 
where they have been staging a sit-in protest.

Mr Justice Kevin Feeney also ordered them to take down the brick wall 
which was built in front of the entrance.

It follows an ongoing dispute between members and management regarding 
financial issues within the union.

BATU members are demanding the resignation of the general secretary, and 
want the union to opens its books to an auditor.

An interlocutory injunction is now in place restraining them from 
occupying the building.






http://www.breakingnews.ie/Ireland/mhqlgbqlqlgb/rss2/

Building union members threaten more protests

08/09/2008 - 17:13:15
Members of a construction industry trade union who blockaded their 
headquarters in a row with management warned today they would escalate 
their protest unless union bosses enter talks.

Eighteen men with the Building and Allied Trade Union (Batu) barricaded 
themselves into the head office demanding the resignation of the union 
chief and an internal audit.

The sit-in at Blessington Street on Dublin’s northside follows the 
redundancy of two union officials last May, allegedly laid off as part 
of cost-cutting measures.

Dan O’Connell, spokesman for the protestors, said it was imperative Batu 
chief Paddy O’Shaughnessy agree to talks.

“If he comes down and talks to us maybe we can resolve this before it 
gets out of control,” he said.

“People are talking now about blockading the whole street.

“People want to bring it to a head now. We’re coasting along at the minute.

“The ideal situation is if Paddy comes and says lads lets sit down.”

Union members claimed they were taking the action over the treatment of 
the workers laid off last May and the lack of transparency with the 
union’s finances.

Mr O’Connell said there are dozens of union members involved in the 
sit-in and that there is always 18 present.

“We always have at least 18,” he said.

“We have the place locked down.

“We are now in the process of asking him (Mr O’Shaughnessy) to step down.

“We are waiting for a response either way from him. We want him to step 
down and put himself forward for re-election.”






http://www.breakingnews.ie/ireland/mhqlojmhgbau/rss2/

Nurses protest in Cavan over working hours
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29/08/2008 - 08:38:01
Nurses at Cavan General Hospital will protest this lunchtime claiming 
the nationally agreed 37.5-hour working week has not been implemented there.

INO members said they will be highlighting the "abject failure" of 
management to implement this working week for all nurses and midwives at 
the hospital.

They said they are comparing themselves with colleagues around the 
country who now enjoy a shorter week.

Industrial Relations Officer with the INO Joe Hoolan said if something 
is not done, the action will escalate.







http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2008/0930/1222719690840.html

Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Cleaners protest over dismissals
In this section »
• Tributes paid to Bernadette Greevy
• A remarkable voice of remarkable longevity
• Survey shows support for tax increase for better services
• Major car dealer agrees not to engage in 'clocking'
• Minister links children's cereals to health issues
• Emissions target will not be met, says Smith
A group protests outside the European Foundation for the Improvement of 
Living and Working Conditions at Loughlinstown, in Dublin, yesterday. 
They were supporting cleaning staff who say they have been unfairly 
dismissed by a contract firm.
Photograph: Cyril Byrne
STEVEN CARROLL and CHARLIE TAYLOR
A PROTEST was mounted in south Dublin yesterday by a team of cleaners 
who claim they were unfairly dismissed from contract jobs at an 
EU-founded organisation which monitors working conditions.
The six local women worked at the European Foundation for the 
Improvement of Living and Working Conditions (Eurofound) in 
Loughlinstown for between nine and 18 years. They claim they were sacked 
for complaining about working with chemicals and not receiving wages on 
time.
The workers were not directly employed by the organisation but by a 
series of contractors. They say working conditions deteriorated when AFM 
Ireland, a Blanchardstown-based cleaning company, took over the contract 
at the premises some 18 months ago.
"We had to use shoddy equipment and the final straw was the chemicals 
they brought in three months ago. Everybody was coming down with chest 
infections and we said enough is enough and complained," said Bridget 
Tresson, one of the cleaners.
Ms Tresson said the six cleaners requested a meeting with AFM management 
on September 8th, but this did not take place.
"Despite promises, nobody came out to meet us until Friday. But when 
they did, it was to say goodbye and tell us new people were starting and 
our P45s would be with our wages." They were replaced by four Lithuanians.
AFM Ireland's director, Paul Higgins, denied the six employees had been 
sacked and said that he was "absolutely shocked" the protest was taking 
place.
Mr Higgins said there had only been one instance in which the cleaners 
had been paid late and this was due to a problem with the company 
accounting system. He said there had never been a complaint concerning 
the chemicals used by the company before.
"I have the same chemicals in use at quite a number of sites and there's 
no issue with them. If there was, we would have removed them immediately 
. . . It seems like they are making a case over nothing," he said.
"The women say they were sacked but they gave us notice that they were 
leaving . . . We wanted them to stay." Mr Higgins denied the company had 
taken on new cleaners on a lower wage.
"We are subject to the Joint Labour Council wage rates and I can 
guarantee that everyone is paid the same rates."
Ms Tresson said it was "ridiculous" to think they would quit. "We live 
in the area and have worked here for years. We're not just going to quit 
like that."
A spokesman for Eurofound said the organisation had a facilities 
contract in place with a company called Vector Management which, in 
turn, employs AFM for cleaning services at its premises.
"We have very strict guidelines on how we impose rights on to our 
contractors and if there's anything coming out of this we would look at 
that again," he said.














http://uk.reuters.com/article/consumerproducts-SP/idUKLC58303220080912?feedType=RSS&feedName=consumerproducts-SP

Thousands protest in support of VW law in Germany
Fri Sep 12, 2008 1:04pm BST

WOLFSBURG, Germany (Reuters) - Thousands of Volkswagen (VOWG.DE) staff 
staged one of the biggest protests in the carmaker's history on Friday 
to show their support for a a German law that gives the firm special 
state protection.
Both the European Commission and Porsche (PSHG_p.DE), Volkswagen's 
biggest shareholder, oppose the so-called VW law, which gives the state 
of Lower Saxony extra power to shape company strategy with its 
shareholding of just over 20 percent.
Union IG Metall said 40,000 Volkswagen workers from inside and outside 
Germany protested outside the company's works at its Wolfsburg 
headquarters. They were joined by staff from MAN (MANG.DE), the 
truckmaker in which VW holds a large stake.
"In times of shareholder value and finance market-driven capitalism we 
need more, not fewer VW laws in our country," IG Metall's leader 
Berthold Huber shouted in a passionate address to the noisy demonstration.
After the EU's highest court ruled last October that the 48-year old law 
violated EU rules on the free flow of capital and needed changing, the 
German government made changes aimed at satisfying concerns in Brussels.
But those changes were rejected as insufficient by EU Internal Market 
Commissioner Charlie McCreevy.
Huber told the Westdeutsche Allgemeine Zeitung daily he would shift the 
protests to Brussels if the Commission lodged another complaint against 
the VW law, as McCreevy's office has threatened.
Earlier this week, Lower Saxony's premier said the state would raise its 
stake in Europe's biggest carmaker to 25 percent to retain its blocking 
minority if necessary.
(Writing by Dave Graham; Editing by Louise Ireland)






http://www.motoring.co.za/index.php?fArticleId=4606010

Renault workers walk out in protest
STRIKE CALLED OVER PLANNED JOB CUTS
+ Click to Enlarge

JOBS UNDER THREAT: Workers gather outside a Renault plant in 
Sandouville, France after they stopped work in protest against planned 
job cuts. Image: AFP

September 11, 2008

Thousands of Renault workers walked off the job today (September 11) in 
protest against a plan to cut 4000 jobs in France.

Renault said the strikes did not affect all of its factories while union 
officials said disruptions lasted one or two hours.

Workers were protesting a plan announced on Tuesday (September 9) for 
the "voluntary departure" of 4000 Renault employees in France by April 
2009 and an additional 2000 job cuts elsewhere in Europe.

Renault employs 41 000 people in France and is struggling to overcome 
the effects of a sluggish domestic and European market
About 1500 people stand to lose their jobs at Douai
.

It says the cuts could save €350-million (about R4-billion) in 2009 and 
€500-million (about R5.7-billion) in 2010.

The CGT union called for the strike action.

A management spokesman at the Douai factory in northern France, which 
employees 5600 people, said only "a dozen" workers were taking part in 
the strike while union officials declined to give figures. About 1500 
people stand to lose their jobs at Douai.

Union officials said 20 percent of the 4500 staff at the Cleon factory 
near the western city of Rouen walked off the job for two hours. 
Renault, however, said less than 10 percent of staff at Cleon had walked 
off the job and that less than seven percent of workers had taken part 
elsewhere.

CGT spokesman Fabien Gache said he was "mostly satisfied" with 
participation in the protests held as management met with employees to 
outline the number of jobs to be cut at each factory. - AFP







http://www.poland.pl/news/article,Shipyard_protests_get_under_way_in_Brussels,id,348619.htm

Shipyard protests get under way in Brussels
2008-10-03, 15:36
A protest of Polish shipyard workers started in Brussels this afternoon. 
Workers from the Gdansk shipyard gathered in front of the European 
Commission to demand support for the plans saving their yard.
Brussels has not as yet received such a plan but is waiting for the 
documents signaling that there is still hope for the Gdansk shipyard. 
The Gdansk shipyard is a relatively small company, the only one which 
had been privatised and which received the smallest grant from the 
budget. The Polish government has to present a separate restructuring 
plan, only for the Gdansk yard.
The initial one, which combined the Gdansk yard with Gdynia, has been 
rejected by the EU Commissioner for competition Neelie Kroes. Neelie 
Kroes has also not accepted the restructuring plan for the Szczecin 
shipyard.
If the European Commisison formally rejects the plans, the yards will 
have to repay the state aid received and will be faced with bankrupcy.







http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/staffordshire/7652503.stm

Saturday, 4 October 2008 13:26 UK
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Protest to keep 950 biscuit jobs
Biscuit factory workers and residents have been protesting to keep about 
950 jobs in a Staffordshire town.
The demonstration to save Fox's Biscuits in Uttoxeter followed a 
petition launched by workers.
Northern Foods wants to merge its plants in Uttoxeter and Batley, West 
Yorkshire, and build a new factory on one of the sites by 2011.
It said staff at the plant which shuts would be offered jobs at the new 
base. A decision is expected in early 2009.
The Uttoxeter site employs about 950 people, while 1,280 staff work at 
Batley.
Northern Foods has said both factories were old and in need of investment.
The company has begun a period of consultation with regional development 
agencies, local councils and unions to decide which plant to shut.






http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/09/26/europe/EU-Latvia-Protests.php

Latvian doctors, police protest low wages

The Associated Press
Published: September 26, 2008


RIGA, Latvia: Health workers, teachers and police are demonstrating in 
the Latvian capital to demand higher salaries.
Several protests are being held in Riga where anger is growing against 
the government's decision to freeze public sector wages.
Authorities say about 1,500 medical workers and teachers took part in a 
rally Friday. Protesters wielded signs saying "Don't make us go work 
abroad" and "Save us, we save you."
About 200 police officers staged a rally outside the Interior Ministry 
later Friday demanding a wage increase.
The government has decided to freeze public sector wages in an effort to 
rein in public spending next year. Latvia's economy has stalled 
following years of double-digit growth.






http://www.nhregister.com/articles/2008/08/29/news/valley/b1--shpicket_art.txt

Union stages protest at Avalon Huntington site

Friday, August 29, 2008 6:41 AM EDT
By Michelle Tuccitto Sullo, Naugatuck Valley Bureau Chief
SHELTON — A union is demonstrating outside the Avalon Huntington 
apartment complex, which is under construction on Bridgeport Avenue, to 
protest alleged work, hiring and wage practices.

Jeff Wolcheski, a business representative and organizer with the New 
England Regional Council of Carpenters union, said AvalonBay Communities 
Inc. has been hiring subcontractors that employ immigrant workers who 
are being paid substandard wages. Wolcheski said wages have been paid in 
cash, without the proper removal of taxes.

“The cheaper they can get the job done, the more money they make,” 
Wolcheski said. “They have a lot of Latinos who don’t speak the language 
who reached out to us. These guys are making $8 to $10 an hour.”

Wolcheski said workers are being misclassified as independent 
subcontractors, which he said lets contractors circumvent the law with 
regard to state and federal taxes, workers’ compensation and 
unemployment benefits.
None of the demonstrators, who held signs with messages like “AvalonBay 
— Support Tax and Insurance Fraud,” are working on the project 
themselves, according to Wolcheski.

“If they were operating legitimately, we wouldn’t be here,” Wolcheski 
said. “They shouldn’t take advantage of people because they don’t speak 
the language or understand how things are supposed to work.”

The pickets got several supportive beeps from passing motorists Thursday.

“We’ll be here for a while, until we can get them to adhere to community 
standards,” Wolcheski said. “We’ll keep going out to make people aware 
of it. We’ve been getting a ton of public support.”

Scott Kinter, vice president of construction for New England with 
AvalonBay, said union and nonunion workers are used on the company’s 
projects.

“This is the New England Regional Council of Carpenters using bullying 
tactics in an attempt to get us to use 100 percent union carpenters on 
our projects,” Kinter said. “They are definitely in a dispute with us 
because we use a mix of union and nonunion labor. Instead of working 
with us, bidding on a project and being competitive, they’d rather stand 
out on Bridgeport Avenue holding signs and sending a message that just 
isn’t true.”

According to Kinter, the company hires several contractors who perform 
work on its construction projects.

“There is a requirement that they observe all state and federal laws,” 
Kinter said. “If a contractor doesn’t follow the law, then we deal with it.”

Kinter said all AvalonBay employees have taxes taken out of their wages, 
and the company observes all state and federal laws.

“We seek to employ contractors who can perform high quality work on 
schedule and are committed to following all laws and regulations,” 
Kinter said.

Gary Pechie, director of the wage and workplace standards division at 
the state Department of Labor, said the agency has visited the job site 
twice, once in July and once on Monday, and issued stop work orders 
against 10 companies working there. Only five of them have been allowed 
to resume work, he said Thursday.

“We stopped those companies from working there, until they can verify 
compliance with workers’ compensation law,” Pechie said.

State officials interviewed workers and said companies were 
misclassifying employees as subcontractors to avoid required payments, 
such as for state and federal taxes and workers’ compensation, according 
to Pechie.

The companies were primarily drywall installers, painting and home 
improvement companies. They included: Mario Aqustin of New Jersey, Diaz 
Drywall of New Jersey, F & M Home Improvement of New Jersey, MCC 
Painting of New Jersey, Mario Drywall of New Hampshire, M & J Carpet of 
New York, L & G Drywall of Bridgeport, Mario Pineda of New Jersey, 
Ramsey Drywall of New Haven, and Victor Rivera of New Jersey, according 
to the state.

“When you shut down 10 companies, then there certainly are problems at 
that job site,” Pechie said.

AvalonBay has apartment complexes around the country. Apartments at the 
Shelton location rent for $1,959 to $2,709 a month, and will be 
available between September and November of this year, according to the 
company’s Web site.







http://cms.firehouse.com/content/article/article.jsp?id=60790&sectionId=46

Illinois Firefighters Quit Department in Protest of Chief

Posted: 08-28-2008
Updated: 08-29-2008 11:45:17 AM

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KEVIN BARLOW
The Pantagraph (Bloomington, Illinois)

CLINTON - As a volunteer firefighter for the city of Clinton, Aaron 
Kammeyer isn't used to getting applause for serving the department.
He has been thanked many times during the hundreds of calls over his 4 
1/2 years on the squad, but Wednesday night was the first - and likely 
last - time he received an ovation as a firefighter.
He received it for quitting the department.
A group of about two dozen Clinton residents gathered Wednesday night at 
the fire station to protest the controversial installation of Shawn 
Milton as the city's new fire chief, and they applauded as Kammeyer 
dropped off his equipment and letter of resignation.
"It's not easy to quit," Kammeyer said. "This is part of your life. The 
decision was made last week to bring in Shawn, but we really need 
someone in there who can bring us back together."
Fellow firefighters Ken Holt and Daryn Black also quit Wednesday.
Prior to the resignations of Kammeyer, Black and Holt, the squad was 
down to 24 members. Fully staffed, the department would have 42 members.
Clinton Mayor Ed Wollet said he has been in contact with area fire 
departments and has been assured help will be available if needed.
Shawn Milton, son of Public Health and Safety Commissioner Jerry Milton, 
was approved as chief in a 3-2 City Council vote last week. The chief's 
appointment is on an interim, part-time basis that will come up for 
renewal May 1.
Ceremony a surprise
Shawn Milton said the swearing-in ceremony on Tuesday came as a surprise 
even to him, and firefighters said they learned of it from news reports.
"We were expecting him to be sworn in at the next City Council meeting 
on Tuesday," Holt said. "I don't know why it had to be such a secret."
The chief took office a day after a two-hour City Council meeting in 
which several firefighters aired their concerns about the father 
nominating the son for a position the father would oversee.
Jerry Milton said the decision was made to swear in the chief early so 
the department would have a chief in case there were any fire calls.
Shawn Milton replaced Jeff Pearl, who died in November. At that time, 
Shawn Milton was appointed assistant chief along with his 
brother-in-law, Brian Armstrong, who resigned from the squad immediately 
after the vote last week.
"Even if we were to try and give him a chance, the swearing-in situation 
was a sign that things are probably going to get a lot worse," Kammeyer 
said. "The fact (is) that it was kept a secret from the department, and 
if they are going to start that, then I don't think things will change 
at all."
http://www.portfolio.com/views/blogs/mixed-media/2008/09/03/ny-times-labor-protest-give-ps-a-chance/?tid=true

Sep 3 2008 4:27PM EDT
'NY Times' Labor Protest: Give P's a Chance
New York Times Co. executives may talk a good game about how the paper's 
future lies online, but web-side employees are still getting treated 
like second class citizens -- and they're very politely not going to 
take it anymore!
Officers of the New York Times Digital Guild asked members to wear 
badges with the letter "P" on them yesterday to protest the stalled 
negotiations over their much-needed new contract. While the web workers' 
demands are relatively straightforward -- they want their salaries 
matched to those of their print-side counterparts -- the talks are bound 
up in a bigger dispute between the Newspaper Guild and NYT Co. 
management over health benefits, overtime pay and other 
difficult-to-resolve issues.
A Times Co. spokeswoman confirmed the protest but offered no comment on 
the underlying issue, while several Guild officers didn't reply to messages.
And in case you're wondering what that "P" was supposed to mean, it was 
for "parity" -- not for "Please, Mr. Sulzberger, may we have some more?"





http://www.ajc.com/services/content/business/stories/2008/07/23/dhl_ups_protest.html?cxtype=rss&cxsvc=7&cxcat=6

DHL pilots plan to protest UPS cargo deal

By RACHEL TOBIN RAMOS
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 07/23/08
Between 60 and 70 DHL pilots and workers are expected to protest in 
front of UPS' Sandy Springs headquarters for two hours Thursday.
The pilots, represented by the Air Line Pilots Association, will be 
doing "informational picketing" about a proposed deal for UPS to fly 
DHL's air cargo in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

This will be the pilots' third protest after one at DHL headquarters in 
Plantation, Fla., and another at a DHL sponsored Major League Baseball 
event in New York.
"We want to make the public aware of this proposed agreement that would 
cause the loss of 10,000 jobs and we believe violates U.S. antitrust 
laws," said Capt. Pat Walsh, an ALPA officer who represents 500 pilots 
at ASTAR, a cargo carrier that currently has DHL's contract to fly cargo 
and is 49 percent owned by DHL. A air cargo carrier represented by the 
Teamsters, ABX, also stands to lose its contract. DHL's hub is in 
Wilmington, Ohio.
"Nobody wants to see job losses in the United States," UPS spokesman 
Norman Black said. "But this is not a UPS issue. DHL has to decide where 
they want to award contracts for air lift. [The pilots] need to continue 
talking to DHL. It is not our decision."
Black said that if the deal goes through, it will keep 14,400 UPS 
workers employed in Ohio. He also rejected claims the deal would violate 
antitrust regulations. He said it's similar to a deal that FedEx and UPS 
have to transport United States Postal Service air cargo.
Nonetheless, a delegation of Ohio senators and congressional leaders has 
asked the Department of Justice to monitor the proposed deal. The White 
House has said it will appoint someone to watch the deal.
ALPA took out a half-page ad in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, saying 
that "UPS can save those jobs — and American families." Similar ads have 
run in other cities. They've also hired a billboard truck and biplane 
with a banner to spread the message from downtown to Sandy Springs.






http://portland.bizjournals.com/portland/stories/2008/09/01/daily20.html

Wednesday, September 3, 2008
Workers to protest new owners of Pope & Talbot mill
Portland Business Journal

The Minnesota investment firm that bought the last Pope & Talbot pulp 
mill in the U.S. will be the subject of protests claiming it slashed the 
wages and benefits of workers at the Halsey, Ore., plant.
The United Steelworkers, in a news release Wednesday, said it will 
protest the headquarters of Wayzata Investment Partners on Friday 
demanding the company “bargain fairly with employees over the terms of 
their labor agreement rather than unilaterally implementing changes.”
The mill shut down on May 9 when Pope & Talbot, the bankrupt 
Portland-based paper products company (Pink Sheets: PTBTQ), transitioned 
from Chapter 11 reorganization to Chapter 7 liquidation proceedings.
On June 20, Wayzata Investment Partners made a winning $31.15 million 
cash bid for the mill in the second of two bankruptcy auctions. The 
investment firm, with $5 billion under management, created Cascade 
Pacific Pulp as a wholly owned subsidiary to run the mill.
The mill resumed operations on June 27, but the union said longtime 
workers were fired and made to reapply for their jobs. Their wages were 
then slashed by 12 percent to 28 percent and employees were forced to 
pay up to $3,000 for deductibles and up to $10,000 in out-of-pocket 
expenses to retain family health insurance, the union said.
A person answering the phone at Wayzata Investment Partner’s Minnesota 
headquarters declined to answer questions Wednesday.
The union members — joined by cohorts from Minnesota locals — will 
protest at the company’s offices at noon on Friday to seek a meeting 
with managing partner Patrick Halloran.
“If we have no other way of making contact with absentee owners like 
Wayzata Investment Partners, we have to go to them,” Jim Gourley, 
financial secretary for USW Local 1189 in Halsey, said in the news release.






http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/retailandconsumer/2795629/MandampS-sacking-sparks-GMB-union-protest.html

M&S sacking sparks GMB union protest

By James Hall, Retail Editor
Last Updated: 4:39PM BST 03 Sep 2008
The GMB union plans to launch a series of protests against Marks & 
Spencer after the retailer yesterday sacked a member of staff for gross 
misconduct.
M&S dismissed the member of staff for leaking planned changes to M&S's 
redundancy pay to the press. The member of staff, who has been at the 
store group for 25 years, was suspended late last month and sacked 
yesterday after a disciplinary hearing.
A GMB spokesperson described the dismissal as "outrageous" and said that 
the union plans to "launch a campaign against what we think is corporate 
bullying". The spokesperson said that the union will also consider 
balloting its members for strike action. Several hundred M&S staff 
members are thought to be members of the union.
A spokesperson for M&S confirmed the dismissal and said: "We would never 
take a decision like this lightly." However the spokesperson added that 
there were two reasons why the retailer took the action that it did.
"Firstly, the individual leaked internet company information and made 
derogatory and speculative comments in the media. Secondly, we could not 
be confident that the individual would not disclose information in the 
future," the spokesperson said.
• More on retail
The employee in question has not been named. It is understood that he 
has been allowed eight days' holiday pay, worth around £700.
The leak to the media concerned M&S's plans to reduce redundancy 
benefits. Following internal consultation the retailer modified its 
plans slightly last week.






http://www.nbc6.net/travelgetaways/17366681/detail.html?rss=ami&psp=news

Spirit Airlines Pilots Protest Furloughs
Group Claims Spirit Reducing Pilots, Not Workload
POSTED: 8:35 am EDT September 2, 2008
UPDATED: 8:52 am EDT September 2, 2008

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. -- A group of Spirit Airlines pilots spent Labor 
Day protesting what they said is too much work for a soon-to-be lighter 
staff.
Some pilots are angry about a furlough date effective Monday that the 
company placed on nearly 70 pilots. Another furlough order affecting 45 
pilots was instituted in August.
A group protesting at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport on 
Monday claimed that Spirit Airlines has not reduced the number of 
flights considering the reduced amount of manpower.
"Over the past few months, we've had several key sections of our 
contract they've violated, long-standing sections, and we're not happy 
about it," said Spirit Airlines pilot Sean Creed. "It's dramatically 
affecting everybody's quality of life."
When NBC 6 contacted Spirit Airlines for a response, a representative 
said, "While our industry is changing dramatically, Spirit continues to 
work with our pilots to reach an agreement that will ensure the growth 
of the company and the success of each pilot's career."











http://www.cbc.ca/canada/newfoundland-labrador/story/2008/08/29/friday-prtotest.html?ref=rss

N.L. workers protest hiring practices in St. John's
Last Updated: Friday, August 29, 2008 | 8:54 AM NT Comments37Recommend56
CBC News
Some provincial government employees staged a protest before going to 
work Friday morning outside Metroplace on Kenmount Road in St. John's.
The building is home to the Human Resources, Labour and Employment 
Department.
Amanda Galway, a NAPE member involved in the protest, told CBC News 
workers are frustrated with current hiring practices.
"Filling positions within the department, so it's promotional positions, 
different classifications. Lateral moves. Anything of that nature," she 
said.
The union that represents them, the Newfoundland and Labrador 
Association of Public and Private Employees (NAPE), is not saying 
anything officially about what prompted the protest.
One protester wore a placard saying, "Trainee to management in five months?"
CBC News has learned that a new employee was recently promoted to 
management.
The group of about 50 workers didn't stop anyone going into Metroplace, 
and they returned to work at 8:30 a.m.









http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/08/26/2346992.htm

Geoscience staff protest over pay
Posted Tue Aug 26, 2008 3:08pm AEST
Updated Tue Aug 26, 2008 3:10pm AEST
• Map: Canberra 2600
More than 120 staff at Geoscience Australia in Canberra have held a 
noisy protest at the collapse of pay negotiations with management.
Staff claim their wages have been below the public service average for 
10 years.
CPSU organiser David Hermolin says management's current offer does not 
even cover rises in the cost of living.
"Management is really concerned about the cost of this pay rise and what 
this would cost if they actually pay staff a pay rise that allows them 
to keep up," he said.
"We're more concerned with what will happen if they don't do it."
The unions say staff turnover has risen to 9 per cent for scientists and 
11 per cent for administrative staff.
About 450 staff signed a letter urging Minister for Resources and Energy 
Martin Ferguson to intervene.
A spokesman said the Minister will not comment and it is a matter for 
Geoscience management.






http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,,24343624-2702,00.html?from=public_rss

Qld workers to protest pay 'insult'
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September 14, 2008
Article from: The Australian
AROUND 100 public servants will protest in Brisbane today against a 
Queensland government's 3.25 per cent pay rise offer they describe as an 
"insult".
Liquor, Hospitality and Miscellaneous Union (LHMU) secretary Gary 
Bullock said protesters hoped to confront Premier Anna Bligh and her 
ministers at a Community Cabinet meeting to raise their concerns about 
the "inadequate offer''.
The protesters represent a range of professions including teacher aides, 
dentists, radiographers and paramedics.
Mr Bullock said the workers had been presented with the pay offer and 
told any increase beyond that rate must be matched with productivity gains.
"For many of our workers who already work above and beyond the call of 
duty, it's very difficult to find any further areas they can make 
productivity gains,'' he said.
"For example, the workload of our Queensland Health members has 
increased significantly as more people feel the financial pinch and 
abandon the private health system.
"As for teacher aides, many of them are preparing lesson plans and 
activities in their personal time while only being paid for the hours 
they are in the classroom.''
He said the increase, which was well under the inflation rate of 4.5 per 
cent, was "an effective pay cut in real terms for these workers''.
Mr Bullock said paramedics wanted a six per cent pay rise per year and 
teacher aides would need an offer close to five per cent.
The protest will begin at 12.45pm (AEST) outside Belmont State School, 
Carindale.
- AAP






http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,24340762-29277,00.html?from=public_rss

Workers to protest over pay rise
AAP
September 13, 2008 05:55pm

HUNDREDS of public sector workers angered by the Queensland Government's 
3.25 per cent pay offer plan to take their protest to Brisbane tomorrow.
LHMU state secretary Gary Bulloch said the workers found the 
Government's offer an “insult”.
Mr Bulloch said the State Government's wage increase did not match 
inflation or the consumer price index (CPI) increase of 5.1 per cent.
He said with petrol increases, interest rates up and rents on the rise, 
public workers were doing it rough.
“Paramedics are working a hell of a lot of overtime ... Their family 
life is non-existent,” he said.
“Teachers' aides are performing practical work at home and putting in 
additional time at schools to make sure the kids come first.”
Many of the protesters are members of the Liquor, Hospitality and 
Miscellaneous Union (LHMU) and represent a range of professions 
including teacher aides, dentists, radiographers and paramedics.
Mr Bulloch said the workers could walk out tomorrow and work in private 
industries, and they would be better paid.
“Parliamentarians, judges and director generals haven't had to suffer 
3.25 per cent.
“The Government is not keeping up with CPI.”
Mr Bulloch said paramedics wanted a 6 per cent pay rise per year and 
teacher aides would need an offer close to five per cent.
Several other unions will also participate in the protest at Carindale 
in Brisbane's inner-south.
Their protest will begin at 12.45pm (AEST) outside Community Cabinet, 
Belmont State School.







http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/news/queensland/workers-to-protest-over-petty-pay-increase/2008/09/13/1220857894945.html

Workers to protest over petty pay increase
September 13, 2008 - 5:56PM
Hundreds of public sector workers angered by the Queensland government's 
3.25 per cent pay offer plan to take their protest to Brisbane tomorrow.
LHMU state secretary Gary Bulloch said the workers found the 
government's offer an "insult".
Mr Bulloch said the state government's wage increase did not match 
inflation or the consumer price index (CPI) increase of 5.1 per cent.
He said with petrol increases, interest rates up and rents on the rise, 
public workers were doing it rough.
"Paramedics are working a hell of a lot of overtime ... Their family 
life is non-existent," he said.
"Teachers' aides are performing practical work at home and putting in 
additional time at schools to make sure the kids come first."
Many of the protesters are members of the Liquor, Hospitality and 
Miscellaneous Union (LHMU) and represent a range of professions 
including teacher aides, dentists, radiographers and paramedics.
Mr Bulloch said the workers could walk out tomorrow and work in private 
industries, and they would be better paid.
"Parliamentarians, judges and director generals haven't had to suffer 
3.25 per cent.
"The government is not keeping up with CPI."
Mr Bulloch said paramedics wanted a six per cent pay rise per year and 
teacher aides would need an offer close to five per cent.
Several other unions will also participate in the protest at Carindale 
in Brisbane's inner-south.
Their protest will begin at 12.45pm (AEST) outside Community Cabinet, 
Belmont State School.
AAP










http://www.wcpo.com/news/local/story/Save-Our-Jobs-Coalition-To-Hold-Washington-D-C/wQHd9MnSS0KigaQxeAJrLA.cspx

"Save Our Jobs" Coalition To Hold Washington, D.C. Protest

Last Update: 9/12/2008 7:39 pm
Related Links
• Schools, Hospital Worry About Pending DHL Layoffs
• Task Force Brainstorms DHL Air Park Redevelopment
• Judiciary Committee Holds Hearings On DHL Deal
Reported by: Tom McKee
The "Save Our Jobs - Save Our Community" coalition is heading to 
Washington, D.C. Tuesday for a protest rally at the German Embassy.
The topic is the likely job cuts at the DHL Air Park in Clinton County 
that could affect workers in Southwestern Ohio, Northern Kentucky and 
Southeastern Indiana.
Coalition spokesperson Tony Olson says members picked the German Embassy 
because the German government has an ownership stake in the company that 
owns DHL.
The rally is scheduled for 10:30 a.m.
DHL is negotiating a 10-year contract with UPS to provide all of its air 
domestic packaging operations.
If that deal is finalized, it will likely mean the elimination of 8,200 
jobs at ABX Air, ASTAR Air Cargo and DHL.






http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/business/stories.nsf/story/3291E7E0EDD08705862574C10004C2B7?OpenDocument

UAW rallies Fenton workers to protest shuttering of minivan plant
By Angela Tablac
ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH
10/09/2008

Shirley Weber walked the rally line outside Chrysler LLC's Fenton 
minivan plant Wednesday not only for her own job, but for the jobs of 
two of her children.

Weber, an assembly line worker at the minivan plant, has worked for the 
automaker since 1984. Two of her three children also work at the Fenton 
operations, one son in the minivan plant and another son in the 
neighboring pickup plant.

Now, as Chrysler has reduced the pickup plant to one shift and is about 
to shutter the minivan plant on Oct. 31, Weber and other members of the 
United Auto Workers are lobbying to keep their jobs in Fenton. Those 
efforts continued Wednesday, as workers carried signs promoting the 
local plant and captured the attention of drivers along Interstate 44.

About 900 people attended the rally, said Joe Shields, president of UAW 
Local 110. The local union represents workers at the minivan plant who 
make the Dodge Grand Caravan, Dodge Caravan cargo van and an export 
version of the Chrysler Town & Country.

Weber, who works in the paint repair part of the assembly line, said the 
plant offers "very good jobs" that would be tough to lose.

Ford has already left the area when it closed its Hazelwood plant, said 
Weber, 64, of St. Peters. "Now, if Chrysler leaves, it'll be hard in the 
state" to find good-paying assembly jobs.

Weber and other workers said they hope help comes from politicians. And 
on Wednesday, a few local officials offered their support to the workers.

Both St. Louis Mayor Francis Slay and County Executive Charlie Dooley 
talked to the crowd.

Slay said the recent push by Chrysler and other automakers to secure up 
to $50 billion in federal loans for retooling plants shows an interest 
in reinventing the industry and its products. But the changes at the 
Fenton plants, Slay said, shows Chrysler is "also trying to reinvent the 
auto worker" and take jobs outside the United States.

Slay said the minivan plant closing "will have an unbelievable impact on 
this region."

On June 30, Chrysler announced the plant's idling and said minivan 
production will be consolidated at its plant in Windsor, Ontario. The 
automaker also said it would reduce the number of shifts at the adjacent 
pickup plant, where the Dodge Ram is made, from two to one.

Chrysler employs about 1,500 workers at the minivan plant.

In the weeks after the announcement, workers have protested the changes 
by gathering outside Chrysler's headquarters in Auburn Hills, Mich., and 
by running advertisements in several publications.

Chrysler spokesman Ed Saenz said Wednesday that the automaker knew about 
the rally.

"We can certainly sympathize with what our employees are going though 
there," he said. "But the decisions were not made lightly, and were made 
on market conditions."

Shields said the union members understand the economic conditions, "but 
what we can't understand is them shifting our work up there" to Canada.

Since the Canadian facility opened in 1983, it has been the lead plant 
for minivan production. Workers at the Fenton plant started building 
minivans in 1995, and that location has been used to help with 
production overflow. Since January, it has been running only one shift.

"There are business case differences between the two operations that 
make it prudent to operate the three shifts in Windsor" versus shifts in 
Fenton, Chrysler's Saenz said. He declined to elaborate.






http://www.jsonline.com/business/32540594.html

Midwest Airlines workers protest leasing plan
By Tom Daykin of the Journal Sentinel
Posted: Sep. 12, 2008
About 200 Midwest Airlines pilots, flight attendants and their 
supporters rallied Thursday to protest the airline’s recent decision to 
hire an outside contractor to operate additional flights, bringing an 
upcoming layoff of 270 Midwest employees.
Those will be the latest in a series of major job cuts for the Oak 
Creek-based company, which will end up with 45% of the work force it had 
when the year began.
The union workers and their family members met outside the local office 
of the Air Line Pilots Association on S. Howell Ave., just across the 
street from Mitchell International Airport. They hope to raise public 
support for their cause, said Jay Schnedorf, chairman of the local 
pilots union.
“They are outsourcing these jobs,” even though Midwest CEO Timothy 
Hoeksema said the January sale of Midwest to TPG Capital and Northwest 
Airlines Corp. would help preserve jobs, Schnedorf said in an interview 
after the rally.
With the latest round of layoffs, Midwest will have cut 1,850 jobs since 
the beginning of the year. The company’s work force was around 3,380 
employees when it was sold for $451.8 million to TPG/Northwest on Jan. 
31. It will have around 1,530 employees with the latest cuts.
Midwest said last week that it has agreed to lease a dozen Embraer 170 
jets from Indianapolis-based Republic Airways Holdings, beginning Oct. 
1. The jets will be flown and maintained by Republic employees for the 
first year or so, which is why Midwest will be laying off some of its 
workers.
Republic, to secure the 10-year lease, agreed to provide a one-year, $15 
million loan to cash-strapped Midwest. Republic has a separate loan 
commitment of another $10 million for Midwest if the company achieves 
certain financial goals.
Republic’s $25 million in financing is part of up to $60 million in new 
cash for Midwest. The airline said the new cash, including commitments 
from TPG Capital, represents significant progress in its financial 
restructuring plan and could help the company avoid a Chapter 11 
bankruptcy filing.
But the Embraer 170s, which will fly under the Midwest Connect banner, 
are replacing some Boeing 717 jets that Midwest Airlines uses. The 
Embraer 170s are smaller and do not offer the signature wide seats the 
Boeing 717 jets have. Schnedorf said those changes will hurt Midwest 
passengers along with its workers.
“They must think the public is stupid, and isn’t going to notice” the 
changes, Schnedorf said. He also said the change violates the labor 
agreement between the company and the pilots union.
Midwest’s aircraft decision will cause difficulties for employees who 
are losing their jobs, said airline spokesman Michael Brophy. But the 
agreement with Republic, and the accompanying financing from Republic 
and TPG Capital, allows Midwest to remain viable, he said.
Midwest believes the agreement with Republic doesn’t violate the labor 
agreement, Brophy said. He said the company’s plan is to rehire the 
furloughed flight crews and maintenance workers after they’re trained on 
the new jets. That process will likely take eight months to a year.







http://www.cbc.ca/canada/nova-scotia/story/2008/10/02/imp-health-protest.html?ref=rss

IMP workers off job in protest over safety issues
Last Updated: Thursday, October 2, 2008 | 11:25 PM AT Comments11Recommend31
CBC News
The union represents about 500 plane mechanics and other workers at IMP 
Aerospace in Halifax. (CBC)
About 150 workers at IMP Aerospace in Halifax refused to go to work 
Thursday, claiming their long list of health and safety concerns has 
fallen on deaf ears.
The members of the Canadian Auto Workers union stood outside their 
worksite at the airport.
Scott Beaver, president of Local 2215, claims the Nova Scotia Department 
of Labour issued 76 infraction orders between April 2004 and April 2006, 
but nothing has been done since the federal Labour Department took over.
"Despite all the accidents and incidents, work refusals, internal 
complaints, past orders by the province, calls and e-mails to the 
federal inspector, it's business as usual at IMP," Beaver said.
Toxic exposure alleged
He said some workers have been exposed to high radiation levels, while 
others have been exposed to polyurethane paint and solvents.
The workers say the final straw came this week when a white powder was 
tracked around the worksite. They claim it was asbestos, a material used 
in construction that can lead to cancer if fibres are inhaled.
IMP lawyer Ron Campbell rejects that claim.
"Subsequent testing revealed that that was not asbestos and there was no 
asbestos contamination," he said. "We did air quality testing and we 
hired an external contractor to come in and do the cleanup."
Campbell said any concerns about unsafe practices are dealt with by a 
joint union-management committee on health and safety, which is required 
under federal law.
He also rejects the union's claim that there are 76 outstanding orders 
from the province and he doesn't know why the union has taken this stance.
The province oversaw safety regulations at IMP until 18 months ago, when 
the federal Department of Labour took over. A federal inspector is 
investigating the latest complaints from the union.
Campbell said company officials were hoping workers would be back on the 
job by the end of the day.
IMP Aerospace has military contracts to work on Canadian Sea King 
helicopters and Aurora patrol planes, as well as U.S. and Norwegian 
military aircraft. The CAW represents about 500 workers at the plant.






http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20081002/METRO01/810020397/0/POLITICS

October 2, 2008
Detroit
City bus protest upsets riders
Drivers, acting on their own without union support, hit routes late in 
support of fired colleague.
Santiago Esparza / The Detroit News
DETROIT -- City officials expect bus operations to resume as normal 
today, one day after an informal work stoppage flummoxed and frustrated 
scores of riders.
Upset over the firing of a driver, more than 100 drivers on Wednesday 
either refused to drive their routes or were intentionally 90 minutes 
late for work, said Meagan Pitts, a spokeswoman for Mayor Kenneth 
Cockrel Jr. Early Wednesday, she described the situation as a "crisis." 
But by noon, the last of the protesting drivers had hit their routes, 
she said.
That was too late for Robin Gill, a Detroiter who waited for more than 
an hour for a bus to take her to school at the Last Chance Academy.
Advertisement
"I'm cold," she said as a crowd of about 40 people waited for buses. "I 
am just trying to get to school to continue my education. They should 
have posted signs."
Geraldine Dove, 35, and her fiancee, Carnell Moore, 49, said they waited 
at least a half-hour for a bus at a stop at Woodward and Grand River. 
They experienced a similar delay before catching a bus from Joy Road. 
They were running errands with their three children -- and becoming 
frustrated.
"They treat the people who have to take the bus" with disrespect, Dove 
said.
Pitts said the drivers "acted on their own" and not as part of an 
organized effort by the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 26. Union 
President Henry Gaffney said he would not comment on the situation 
because "we had nothing to do with it."
He disputed the number of drivers who participated in the protest action 
and said numerous buses are not in operation on a given day because of 
mechanical problems. Gaffney did not have a specific number.
"Every day they (transportation officials) have drivers off the road 
because they do not have buses to drive," Gaffney said. "They 
(transportation officials) need to do their jobs."
Pitts did not dispute that buses are sometimes off routes because 
repairs are needed.
The clash began when Detroit Department of Transportation officials 
fired a driver Tuesday, citing multiple discipline problems. About 
one-third of the 300 buses that travel routes at 6 a.m. were affected.





http://news.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=638672&rss=yes

Hospital admin workers to stage protest
14:14 AEST Mon Sep 29 2008
98 days 14 hours 18 minutes ago

Queensland Health workers will stop work for two hours on Tuesday to 
protest against a pay offer.

Thousands of Queensland Health administrative workers will stop work for 
two hours Tuesday to protest against the state government's pay offer, 
which they say is "substandard".
Australian Services Union (ASU) Queensland branch secretary Julie 
Bignell said members - who have been offered a package of four per cent 
per annum for three years - wanted to send a strong message to the 
government.
"The message is: stop taking your support staff for granted," Ms Bignell 
said.
"They deserve to keep their heads above water and get a decent pay rise 
that keeps pace with inflation.
"They deserve to be listened to and valued for their contribution, and 
they are sick of being the last priority for Queensland Health."
The union says patient care will not be jeopardised, despite all 
hospitals in the state stopping work between 11.30am and 2pm (AEST) Tuesday.
Staff on switchboards and in emergency departments will maintain 
skeleton staffing.
Ms Bignell said members felt they had no choice but to take the action.
"The absolute contempt that they (the government) have shown towards 
admin support staff has made our members very, very angry, and tomorrow 
they will be taking the opportunity to show them how deep that anger 
is," she said.
Staff will rally in the Brisbane CBD and outside Gold Coast Hospital 
Tuesday.







http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1226510226.28

European railworkers to protest in Paris Thursday
12 November 2008, 18:21 CET
(BRUSSELS) - Thousands of rail workers will protest in Paris Thursday 
against EU plans to split up national railways in a "relentless 
ideological campaign" for privatisation, a European rail union said.
"European rail workers will be saying 'enough is enough' and protesting 
against privatisation, but more importantly, for publicly-owned, 
environmentally sound, properly funded, customer responsive rail 
networks," said Sabine Trier, deputy general secretary of the European 
Transport Workers' Federation (ETF).
The last few years have seen "total restructuring, fragmentation and 
privatisation, and for workers more stress, less job security, longer 
hours and a cut to the workforce of half," she said Wednesday.
The ETF, an umbrella group for transport trade unions throughout Europe, 
also said the EU should encourage the development of freight rail lines 
the length and breadth of the continent "in the name of the fight 
against climate change".
Trier said that while the objective was to gather thousands of rail 
workers form across 13 EU countries for the demonstration there would be 
no disruption to any services.
The demonstrators will march throughout Paris on Thursday after 
gathering at the Place de la Bastille.