Community
1 in 7 employers misclassifies workers, state says
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More than 17,500 Minnesota employers – one in seven – illegally misclassify workers as "independent contractors," the Legislative Auditor says in a new investigative report.
Smithfield executive is chosen as ‘Grinch of the Year’
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Receiving 28% of nearly 10,000 votes cast, Smithfield Chairman Joseph Luter III narrowly beat out American Airlines CEO Gerard Arpey to win the seventh annual online "Grinch of the Year" election sponsored by National Jobs with Justice.
Community
Holiday rush, understaffing mean long lines, safety woes at post office
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Did your trip to the post office to mail holiday cards and packages mean long lines and frustration? The reason is simple: there aren\’t as many postal workers as there used to be.
Landmark case seeks enforcement of state prevailing wage law
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In a first-of-its-kind case, three construction workers have filed a public interest lawsuit against an Owatonna electrical contractor for allegedly not paying prevailing wage on state-financed construction projects.
U.S. trade policy responsible for increased imports of unsafe toys, report finds
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A new report called "Santa\’s Sweatshop," released locally by the Minnesota Fair Trade Coalition, argues that the massive relocation of toy production from the United States to countries with weaker consumer safety enforcement is an underlying cause of the recent surge in dangerous toy recalls.
Organizing
Report advocates greater leadership role for women in unions
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Increasing leadership roles for women in unions would benefit female workers, unions, the labor movement and women in general, a new report says.
Policy
Mortgage crisis hits home for working families
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By the time Audrey Buchite finished recounting her family\’s financial fall to the brink of losing their Zimmerman home, you could hear a pin drop in Sen. Norm Coleman\’s public forum on the mortgage and foreclosure crisis.
Fight just beginning over FCC’s media ownership rules
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Unions representing media workers roundly condemned Tuesday\’s decision by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to allow big-media moguls like Rupert Murdoch to swallow up more local media across the country and reduce the diversity of news and programming.
Community
Candlelight vigil calls on Wal-Mart to ‘do right by all workers’
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UFCW Local 789, along with community and faith leaders, will gather outside of the Midway Wal-Mart store Tuesday to call on the world\’s largest retailer to take responsibility and do better this holiday season.
Vote set for Anoka-Hennepin school contract
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Informational meetings are being held this week for members of Anoka-Hennepin Education Minnesota to review a new contract settlement. The union\’s Executive Board is recommendng approval in the vote set for Jan. 8-10.