Jobs and Labor

Eddie Basha Jr. Spent Golden Years Fighting Greedy UFCW Labor Union; Philanthropist Grocer Dead at 75

Eddie Basha Jr., an Arizona legend who used profits from his successful grocery chain to fund countless charity causes, spent the last years of his life fighting allegations of racism, mistreating employees and even hurting babies by a labor union bent on domination. Though Basha, the grandson of A ... More >>

Phoenix Coyotes Now Short 33 Games -- NHL Cancels Games Through December 30

Here's the state of pro sports in the Valley: baseball's in the middle of the off-season, the Phoenix Suns have already found the basement of their division, the Arizona Cardinals totally suck, and the Phoenix Coyotes don't even get to play.We can further explain that last part: the NHL announced to ... More >>

NHL Now Canceling Regular-Season Games -- Phoenix Coyotes Lose Four

After canceling part of the pre-season, then the entire pre-season, the NHL has announced that it's starting to cancel some regular-season games.The NHL released a super-short statement saying regular-season games would be canceled through October 24, which includes 82 games league-wide, four of tho ... More >>

Anti-Union Bills Sail Out of Arizona Senate Government Reform Committee

Anti-union sentiments among Arizona's conservative politicos aren't letting up. Four anti-union bills aimed at thwarting unions' existence in the public sector sailed out of the Senate's Government Reform committee on Wednesday.

Phoenix City Council Delays Vote (Again) on Whether to Give Veolia Transportation a Break on Fines for Poor Performance

The Phoenix City Council has yet again postponed making a decision on whether to give Veolia Transportation, a company that operates city buses, a pass on fines assessed for poor performance. Vice Mayor Michael Johnson made a motion to withdraw the item, and the council agreed 8 to 1. Councilman Ji ... More >>

Skip Rimsza, Former Phoenix Mayor, Blasts Union-Supporting Mayoral Candidates

Former Mayor Skip Rimsza accuses three mayor candidates of being the preferred candidates of "union bosses."​ To former Phoenix Mayor Skip Rimza, union is a four-letter word.Rimza, who was mayor from 1994 to 2004, wrote a letter for one mayoral candidate that blasts three others whom he claims ... More >>

Arizona Republic Lays Off 30 to 40, Announces Closure of Chandler Offset Plant; "Yes" Fashion Magazine Ending

"Yes?" No.​ About 40 people have been laid off at the Arizona Republic, which also announced plans to close a Chandler press that prints USA Today and various inserts. The local pink slips come as part of a 2 percent layoff at Gannett's publishing division nationwide. About 700 people are lo ... More >>

Russell Pearce Slammed for Opposing Unemployment Extension

Uriel GarciaRandy Parraz at a press conference explaining that Senator Russell Pearce should be recalled because he has not shown leadership for the unemployed people of Arizona.​​A few women at the state Capitol invited Arizona Senate President Russell Pearce into their daily lives to show him ... More >>

Jan Brewer's Special Session, and the GOP's Hypocrisy

Senate President Pearce: A life spent sucking on the public spigot...Extending unemployment benefits to around 15,000 Arizonans still looking for work should be a no-brainer, assuming the wingnuts at the state Capitol had a pound of gray matter among 'em.It's federal money that's pumped into the sta ... More >>

Local Labor Unions UFCW 99 and UA 469 File Federal Complaint Against Arizona Over New Anti-Defamation, Anti-Picketing Law

A new Arizona law that limits the ability of labor unions to harass employers with picketing and defamation has drawn a federal complaint by two local unions. The United Food and Commerical Workers Local 99 and the Local Union No. 469 of the United Association of Journeymen and A ... More >>

Feds to Sue Arizona and South Dakota Over Anti-Union Law That Guarantees Secret Ballot Elections

​ The Obama Administration is gearing up to sue Arizona again. In a letter to Arizona and three other states, the National Labor Relations Board's lawyer announced  plans to sue over state laws that guarantee the right to a secret ballot election in unionization efforts. Wh ... More >>

Arizona's GOP Legislators Waste Time (and Tax Dollars) on Resolution Supporting Wisconsin Governor

​Republicans in the Arizona state Senate pissed away their time and your tax dollars last week when they passed a resolution backing Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker in his budget battle with labor unions and his efforts to put restrictions on collective bargaining for public employees.Say what you ... More >>

Veolia Transportation Finally Reaches Contract Agreement With Teamsters; Two Unions Down, One To Go

www.teamsterslocal104.com​Veolia Transportation and the Teamsters Local 104 have finally agreed on contract terms for the more than 60 workers who fuel, clean and maintain the tires on Phoenix city buses.The transit company and union leaders had been at odds since Veolia snagged its latest 5-year ... More >>

Arizona 2010 Ballot Measures Doing Well Include State and Local Ban on Affirmative Action; Voters Like Anti-Union Prop, Too

Image: www.freechoiceact.org/cwa Arizona voters overwhelmingly approved a ballot measure today that rejects the Employee Free Choice Act being pushed by labor unions​Arizona voters sent a strong message to labor unions in today's election, appear to have banned affirmative action in state a ... More >>

Veolia Transportation Says It "Highly" Values Employees, But Workers Say They Aren't Feeling the Love

​Veolia Transportation continues to negotiate with two labor unions representing employees who drive and maintain Phoenix city buses. Company execs already have inked a contract with the mechanics' union.Negotiations have been ongoing since union contracts expired June 30.During that ... More >>

Teamsters Lodge Charges with National Labor Relations Board Against Veolia Transportation

focusmidwest.com​A labor dispute that promoted Veolia Transportation officials to lock out about 60 union bus workers has led union reps to file charges against the company with the National Labor Relations Board.According to a letter from Cornele Overstreet, Regional Director of the NLRB in Phoen ... More >>

UPDATE: Veolia Transportation Agrees to Open Doors to Locked Out Union Workers

​A show of good faith?That's what Veolia is calling the company's latest offer -- this one to allow members of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters back to work after 2:59 a.m.on October 15.Coincidentally, October 15 is the deadline set by the National Labor Relations Board for Veolia Transp ... More >>

Phoenix Transit Workers Protest as Veolia Brings in "Strike Busters"

​Veolia Transportation officials and representatives of the three local transit unions continue to negotiate labor contracts and have managed to avoid a bus strike in Phoenix. So far. But more than two-dozen union workers who drive, fuel, clean, and repair Phoenix city buses protested, with br ... More >>

Arizona Legislature Begins Anti-Labor-Union Special Session; Language of Ballot Measure to be Fixed

​ Arizona lawmakers convened a special session today to fiddle with the language of a ballot measure intended to preserve secret-ballot elections in labor-union campaigns. Funny thing, though: Arizona's got a lot of problems -- and this ain't one of them. We've written abou ... More >>

Phoenix Warns of Bus Strike, $6.2 million Worth of Unpaid Employee Sick Leave is Part of the Ongoing Negotiations

Valley Metro​Phoenix sounded the alarms this week to prepare the public for a possible bus strike as talks continue with one of the transit unions.Negotiations are expected to continue throughout the day with the union representing employees who fuel and clean the buses (Teamsters Local Union No ... More >>

UPDATE: No Bus Strike In Phoenix Come Monday; Union Contract Extended To August 15

Phoenix bus riders have been spared a possible bus strike come Monday ...The Teamsters Local Union No. 104, which represents the employees who fuel and clean the buses, extended its contract until August 15.The other two unions that represent Veolia Transportation employees had already agreed to ext ... More >>

Hot Links: Fire Departments, Labor Disputes, and Shootings

​A fire broke out at the Boeing plant in Mesa early this morning. The fire, believed to be caused by a generator, was quickly contained by firefighters and a sprinkler system. No injuries were reported...The Phoenix Fire Department may be cutting some programs to avoid laying off firefighters. The ... More >>

Laid-Off Light Rail Operators Protest Cuts

Bob Bean (right) is among the union protestors at Central Station this morning.​A dozen or so light rail operators protested at the Central Station in downtown Phoenix this morning, holding hand-made signs that excoriated both Metro Light Rail and the Boston-based company that manages the line, AC ... More >>

Bashas' Announces More Store Closings; Terminating Leases as Part of Bankruptcy

​ Bashas' announced the locations today of all 14 stores it plans on closing by October 10. The family-owned chain filed for bankruptcy last month, but vows to stay afloat as a company and even improve its remaining 130 stores. As the Arizona Republic reported last week, the company is u ... More >>

Gannett Could be Ready to Cut 4,500 More Jobs, Blog Reports

  Gannett Blog reports that the media company might be preparing for more across-the-board layoffs. The blog, which has done a good job predicting previous layoffs, says it receives a comment recently from one its best sources that says:  1. Principal executive and Chief Financia ... More >>

Bashas' Employees Protest Union Tactics at UFCW Local 99's Phoenix Office

  Bashas' employees who say they're tired of a labor union's dirty tactics have launched a "grassroots effort" to strike back. The group "Save Our Stores" is fighting against the United Food and Commercial Workers Union Local 99, which has targeted the locally run chain for unionizati ... More >>

Metro Light Rail Operators Don't Have a Contract — Just Grueling Schedules and Smelly Passengers

PBS Channel 8 (KAET-TV) Slashes 13 Jobs in Latest Media Layoff

Thirteen staffers at PBS Channel 8 (KAET-TV) were given pink slips yesterday in a cost-cutting move expected to affect local programming. According to this morning's broadcast on National Public Radio's local affiliate, KJZZ (91.5 FM), the employees include a local production manager and severa ... More >>

Labor Unions' "Card-Check Bill" Dead; Act Would Have Removed Secret Ballot Union Elections

  A hotly disputed pro-labor-union bill that looked like it was heading for passage after Democratic gains in the 2008 election was essentially killed today by Pennsylvania Senator Arlen Specter. New Times first told our readers about this proposed federal law in o ... More >>

Court Gives Green Light to Bashas' Defamation Lawsuit Against UFCW Local 99

A legal battle with Wal-Mart over injury benefits broke this elderly store greeter’s spirit

In its war for new members, a labor union is using dirty tricks to turn Hispanics against Bashas'

Westcor Weenies

This raucous raven demands: Is Westcor taking a cue from the Jim Crow South, or is io's closing really about a lame-o lease dispute?

Ambulance Chasers

Winning ambulance contracts? It's all about who you know. (Unless it's about the dirt they've got on you.)

Stupid Party Tricks

When a black man complained of racism and ridicule, he was fired

Wrong Number

Laid-off AT&T workers refuse to hang up

Flashes

From the week of 11-09-2000

Lawsuit on Board

Fired AutoNation worker sues company for pregnancy discrimination

Working Stiffs

Arizona's low salaries, high turnover plague the worst-paid state employees in the country

Strike Two

Freddy Kroger

Teamsters face a nightmare on 99th Avenue

Unions Struggle for a Foothold

Labor Pains

St. Joseph's management is accused of illegal union-busting tactics

Scenes From a Slaughter

One for Me, None for You

State Department of Administration gives own accountants $5,500 raises, stiffs other bean counters

SIGN ZE PAPERS!FIRED PHOENIX NEWSPAPERS WORKERS CLAIM PRIVATE DETECTIVES USED STRONG-ARM TACTICS

UNION NUKED AT PALO VERDENLRB FILES COMPLAINT OVER CONTRACTOR'S REFUSAL TO HIRE UNIONISTS

COOKING THE BOOK

A MASSIVE FEDERAL INVESTIGATION UNCOVERS EVIDENCE OF UNION CORRUPTION AT THE YELLOW PAGES. WHILE COMPANY MANAGENT DOES NOTHING, EMPLOYEES AND CUSTOMERS PAY THE PRICE.

SORRY, YOU'VE BEEN RE-ENGINEEREDPALO VERDE LAYS OFF HUNDREDS, OUSTS UNION TRADESMEN, IN STREAMLINING EFFORT

VINDICATED, BUT NOT REINSTATEDFEDERAL AGENCY FINDS THAT TWO TELLOW PAGES WORKERS WERE WRONGLY FIRED