News for 23 January 2009

Fla. minimum wage increase stirs debate The minimum wage in Florida rose 42 cents to $7.21 per hour this month, igniting a debate over whether the increased pay will help workers or whether it will hurt the economy because small businesses simply can't afford to pay it. Read more
West Melbourne Freezes Worker's Wages -- Calling the West Melbourne City Council's action "a bad decision" and morale-busting, city employees and former city leaders rebuked a vote by the council to freeze wages without reviewing budget data Read more
This Miracle Brought to You by America's Unions. They're calling it a miracle--the successful landing of a US Airways jet in the Hudson and subsequent rescue of all 155 passengers. They're detailing the heroism of all involved, starting with the pilot and including cabin crew, ferry crews, and first responders. What they're not telling you is that just about every single one of these heros is a union member. Read more
Is Obama relying too much on tax cuts?I don’t know yet. But news reports this morning certainly raise questions. Let’s lay out the basics here. Other things equal, public investment is a much better way to provide economic stimulus than tax cuts, for two reasons Read more

Labor News 9 Dec

Merrill's Thain Wants $10 Million Bonus: Report
Merrill Lynch Chief Executive John Thain has suggested to directors that he get a 2008 bonus of as much as $10 million, but the battered company's compensation committee is resisting his request, the Wall Street Journal said, citing people familiar with the situation Read more...

Legislators return to town, start chasing coin
Lobbyists may still be nursing their overworked checkbooks from the election season that culminated last month, but with the Florida Senate beginning its first committee work-week today the fundraisers for 2010 are ready to launch. Read more...

Chrysler’s Friends in High Places
In early November, as America’s automakers grasped for a lifeline from Washington, the Treasury secretary, Henry M. Paulson Jr., placed a call to his predecessor, John W. Snow. The topic: Chrysler L.L.C. Read more..

Area’s unions ponder role Membership remains relatively high here
The union membership rate in the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton labor market sharply outpaces national figures, a legacy of the region’s stormy relationship between workers and management. But while working conditions have greatly improved since the era when dozens of coal miners died underground and young children picked rock from chutes of coal, local union leaders believe American workers still need organized representation. Read more...