International Business News - Labor http://www.ibtimes.com All articles are copyrighted by IBTimes.com 400 100 http://www.ibtimes.com/ http://www.ibtimes.com/images/top_logo_ibt2_3.gif Qwest Communications International Inc. says it has reached a tentative agreement for a four-year contract with a union representing about 20,000 employees. http://www.ibtimes.com/data/articleimgs/149830-qwest-labor.jpg http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20081011/qwest-reaches-tentative-agreement-with-union.htm http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20081011/qwest-reaches-tentative-agreement-with-union.htm Sat, 11 Oct 2008 06:01:40 EDT Washington state officials say they have agreed to screen potential farm hands for immigration violations before referring them to jobs, after the federal government threatened to cut millions of dollars from a program that matches workers with jobs. http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20081008/wash-says-it-will-check-farm-workers-documents.htm Wed, 08 Oct 2008 17:54:15 EDT The largest union at Qwest Communications International Inc. says it plans to resume contract talks with the company on Thursday. The Communications Workers of America says a contract covering roughly 20,000 Qwest workers in 13 states has been extended until the end of the day Friday. http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20081007/qwest-union-to-resume-contract-talks-thursday.htm Tue, 07 Oct 2008 17:33:25 EDT The Georgia Department of Labor is shifting to 10-hour work days. State Labor Commissioner Michael Thurmond announced Tuesday that the department is switching to an alternative work schedule that will have staff rotating four, 10-hour work days. http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20081007/ga-labor-department-shifts-to-10-hour-work-day.htm Tue, 07 Oct 2008 13:43:20 EDT Oilfield services and equipment company Lufkin Industries Inc. said on Monday that its unions rejected a proposed contract but agreed to a one-week extension of the old one, which expired on Sunday. http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20081006/lufkin-industries-unions-reject-contract.htm Mon, 06 Oct 2008 08:25:12 EDT The Screen Actors Guild's negotiating committee voted Wednesday to support a strike authorization vote, a tactic meant to break stalled contract talks with Hollywood studios. http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20081002/actors-union-moves-closer-to-strike-vote.htm Thu, 02 Oct 2008 07:47:14 EDT The Screen Actors Guild's negotiating committee voted Wednesday to support a strike authorization vote, a tactic meant to break stalled contract talks with Hollywood studios. http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20081001/sag-negotiating-committee-calls-for-strike-vote.htm Wed, 01 Oct 2008 23:25:19 EDT Members of Qwest Communications' largest union rejected a proposed three-year contract on Tuesday, but there appeared to be no immediate threat of a strike. http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20080930/union-rejects-qwests-contract-proposal.htm Tue, 30 Sep 2008 20:27:20 EDT Wal-Mart Stores Inc. said Tuesday it has told suppliers to stop acquiring cotton from Uzbekistan to try and put an end to forced child labor in cotton harvesting. http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20080930/wal-mart-takes-action-on-uzbekistan-child-labor.htm Tue, 30 Sep 2008 09:40:49 EDT A federal grand jury indicted eight former Ralphs supermarket managers for allegedly rehiring hundreds of locked-out employees during a 2003 labor dispute, the U.S. attorney's office said Friday. http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20080919/ex-ralphs-managers-charged-in-la-with-labor-fraud.htm Fri, 19 Sep 2008 19:10:57 EDT An upstart group of actors said Thursday it won a majority of Hollywood seats up for re-election on the national board of the Screen Actors Guild, a shake-up that could dislodge the logjam in contract talks with the movie studios. http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20080918/sag-opposition-group-wins-majority-of-open-seats.htm Thu, 18 Sep 2008 23:21:34 EDT On the eve of its announcement of board election results, the Screen Actors Guild said Wednesday that 87 percent of members responding to its survey supported holding out for a better contract from Hollywood studios. http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20080917/screen-actors-guild-claims-87-percent-support.htm Wed, 17 Sep 2008 20:47:01 EDT United Auto Workers members have voted by about a 3-1 margin to approve a new, three-year contract with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan. The union announced Tuesday the contract covering the health insurer's 2,700 UAW-represented employees was approved 1,399 to 509. It includes 3 percent wage increases in each year of the contract, a $2,500 ratification bonus, lower prescription copays and increases in retirement benefits. http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20080917/uaw-members-ratify-contract-with-mich-blue-cross.htm Wed, 17 Sep 2008 12:19:43 EDT Casting directors and associates have tentatively agreed on a contract with Hollywood producers. The Teamsters union and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers said Friday they agreed after three days of talks on a three-year contract. It would cover about 400 casting directors and casting associates represented by Teamsters locals in New York and Los Angeles. Members will now vote on the agreement. http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20080912/producers-casting-directors-in-contract-deal.htm Fri, 12 Sep 2008 16:21:14 EDT On picket lines in Seattle and production lines in Pittsburgh, union workers are showing no fear in demanding a hefty chunk of the profits from Boeing Co. and United States Steel Corp., whose businesses have soared above the more widespread economic downdrafts in other sectors. http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20080910/labor-showing-no-fear-at-boeing-us-steel.htm Wed, 10 Sep 2008 20:07:16 EDT The owner and managers of the nation's largest kosher meatpacking plant were charged Tuesday with more than 9,000 misdemeanors alleging they hired minors and had children younger than 16 handle dangerous equipment such as circular saws and meat grinders. http://www.ibtimes.com/data/articleimgs/126727-slaughterhouse-child-labor.jpg http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20080909/iowa-files-child-labor-charges-against-plant.htm http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20080909/iowa-files-child-labor-charges-against-plant.htm Tue, 09 Sep 2008 19:13:42 EDT Members of the largest union represented at Qwest Communications International Inc. are receiving ballots to vote on a new contract to replace one that expired last month. http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20080904/union-workers-voting-on-qwest-contract-offer.htm Thu, 04 Sep 2008 12:10:06 EDT The National Labor Relations Board has agreed to hold a formal hearing in November regarding union complaints against the owner of Pacific Beach Hotel. http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20080904/hawaii-labor-board-gets-pacific-beach-hotel-case.htm Thu, 04 Sep 2008 07:54:27 EDT Touting gains made during his time in office, Gov. Brian Schweitzer released an annual Labor Day report Tuesday that was full of indicators that Montana's economy is as strong as ever. http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20080903/mont-governor-says-his-states-economy-is-cooking.htm Wed, 03 Sep 2008 11:01:34 EDT Michigan's governor has celebrated a Labor Day tradition by shattering her own record for running across the state's five-mile-long Mackinac Bridge. Gov. Jennifer Granholm is among thousands of people observing the holiday by parking their cars and walking or running across the span that stretches between Michigan's upper and lower peninsulas. http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20080901/thousands-make-annual-holiday-trek-across-the-mac.htm Mon, 01 Sep 2008 12:28:50 EDT