Labor & Employment Law

Oakland Nurses Begin Three-Day Strike?and More Bargaining News

By Belinda Boyce

Some 700 nurses at Children’s Hospital in Oakland, Calif. began a three-day striek today and more news from the “Bargaining Digest Weekly.” The AFL-CIO Collective Bargaining Department delivers daily, bargaining-related news and research resources to more than 1,300 subscribers. Union leaders can register for this service through our website, Bargaining@Work.

WORK STOPPAGES
NNU-CNA, Children?s Hospital Oakland: Some 700 nurses launched a three-day strike today at Children’s Hospital in Oakland, Calif., to demand a fair contract. The California Nurses Association (NNU-CNA) has been in negotiations with hospital management since May, but health care coverage remains a major issue.

AFM, Detroit Symphony Orchestra: Detroit orchestra musicians applauded a world-renowned violin soloist’s decision to cancel her scheduled recital with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra. The Detroit players, along with the musicians of the Los Angeles Philharmonic and the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra appealed to Sarah Chang to not cross the picket line set up last week by members of the Detroit Federation of Musicians (AFM).

NEGOTIATIONS
NFLPA, NFL Teams: As the threat of a lockout continues, the NFL Players Association (NFLPA) could file a lawsuit against some NFL teams, alleging collusion. The NFLPA is investigating possible cases of teams conspiring to limit players’ salaries.

AFSCME, City of Philadelphia: Some 13,000 Philadelphia city workers continue to demand new contracts. The pacts for members of AFSCME Councils 33 and47 expired more than a year ago. The workers are urging Mayor Michael Nutter to begin bargaining. But Mcnutter thus far seems unwilling to budge from his original proposals calling for significant cuts to benefits.

IAM, Hawker Beechcraft: After officials from Hawker Beechcraft and the Machinists (IAM) met with Kansas Gov. Mark Parkinson last Tuesday, the company agreed to remain in Wichita if it can reach a long-term contract with IAM. Negotiations between Hawker and IAM were suspended when the company announced it had received an offer from the state of Louisiana to move its headquarters to Baton Rouge. IAM and management returned to the table Friday.

SETTLEMENTS
NNU-MNA, North Adams Regional Hospital: Members of the Massachusetts Nurses Association (NNU-MNA) at North Adams Regional Hospital ratified a new two-year contract. Though the contract does not include wage or benefit increases, it prevents the hospital from mandating overtime.

ALPA, Air Transat: The more than 300 pilots at Canada’s Air Transat have ratified a new contract that improves wages, working conditions and job security. The pilots are members of the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA).

UFCW, Loblaw: In Ontario, Canada, more than 30,000 members of United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) ratified a new five-year contract with grocery giant Loblaw.

UFCW, Oscar Mayer: Members of United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 431 in Davenport, Iowa, ratified a four-year contract with Kraft Foods’ Oscar Mayer, according to BNA Daily Labor Report (subscription required). The contract covers 1,600 production and maintenance workers.

Disclaimer: This information is being provided for your information only.  As it is compiled from published news reports, not from individual unions, we cannot vouch for either its completeness or accuracy; readers who desire further information should directly contact the union involved.

Full post as published by AFL-CIO NOW BLOG on October 12, 2010 (boomark / email).