North America
The decline of African-Americans in unions and manufacturing, 1979-2006
Article about the diminishing numbers of African-American workers in trade unions, which is dropping faster than the general decline in unionisation in the US.
For much of the postwar period, a higher share of African-American workers have been in unions than workers from other racial and ethnic backgrounds. As union representation and union coverage have declined for the country as a whole, unionization rates for African-Americans have fallen more quickly than for the rest of the workforce.
Canada: Paper mill workers end wildcat strike
Staff at the Nackawic paper mill returned to work on Tuesday following an unofficial walkout over hiring practices.
The Canadian Press reported that the wildcat strike that stopped operations at the AV Nackawic mill in New Brunswick ended at noon on Tuesday 6 March.
Local 219 of the Canadian Auto Workers walked out Monday afternoon, leaving a few hourly workers to maintain the boilers at the mill in Nackawic. Tembec Birla bought the mill after St. Anne Nackawic went bankrupt in September 2004.
West Virginia: 300 teachers call in sick in pay dispute
As strikes are illegal, hundreds of school workers in Monongalia County went on sick-out on Tuesday giving school children the day off as all state schools were forced to shut.
The evening previously about 30 teachers in Brooke County demonstrated at the county schools office. These teachers received praise in the press, as opposed to the vitriol dished out on the Monongalia strikers.
Of the sick out, Ry Rivard wrote on da.wvu.edu that county superintendent Frank Devonoit said was not clear how many were protesting and how many were actually sick.
US labor law reform moves forward in Congress
The main labor law reform being pushed currently by the unions in the USA has just been approved by a vote of the US House of Representatives but Bush threatens to veto it.
The US House of Representatives passed 241 to 185 the "card check" bill that would amend the main labor law in the USA, the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA). The NLRA is the main labor law covering most of the private sector but excluding railways, airlines, agriculture, domestic service, and the public sector.
Canada: Rail strikers defy back to work calls
Workers who have been on strike for two weeks, against the wishes of the United Transportation Union, are to vote on a new one-year deal.
Wltribune.com reported that CN Rail and the United Transportation Union (UTU) have signed a tentative one-year agreement, ending a two-week walk out by 2,800 conductors and yard services employees.
The union remains in legal strike position pending the results of a ratification vote March 26.
I don't want to change my lifestyle - I want to change my life
It seems clear to me that the women's movement in Boston hasn't really been doing much this year as compared to last year. I think that the reason behind this is that people have tried very hard not to think about what they were doing, and have therefore become encased in dogma. I also feel that people have settled for reforming their lives instead of changing them.
TV bosses bank scripts due to writers strike threat
TV studio execs in the US might try to nip the potential threat of a writers strike by tucking away scripts or even shooting extra episodes of hit dramas and sitcoms.
Carl DiOrio and Nellie Andreeva reported on Backstage.com that the fledgling plan represents what a key management insider described as "phase one" of studio strike preparations. It's considered more important for TV execs than those in film to get a jump on planning for a possible writers walkout - the current WGA contract expires Oct.
Libcom interview with former UPS workers group Uprise! member, 2007
An interview with a former member of revolutionary UPS workers group Uprise! by libcom, based on a libcom questionnaire. Uprise! was active in 2002 and 2003.
Organizing for class struggle at UPS - Uprise!
An article by Nicolas Phebus of the Collectif Anarchiste La Nuit (NEFAC-Quebec City) about the revolutionary workplace group Uprise! at delivery firm UPS while it was still active in 2002.
December 2002
Teamsters local opposes Iraq war - Uprise! press release
Press release from revolutionary UPS workers group Uprise! announcing its Teamsters Local 705 approving its resolution to oppose the drive for the Iraq war.
