● The Chicago Teachers Union voted to authorize a one-day strike on April 1 as the union continues fighting for a fair contract. The union and the Chicago Public Schools have resumed negotiations in the wake of the strike vote. Read up on what's at stake and why teachers are ready to strike.
● The Illinois Supreme Court won't let Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel cut worker pensions:
"Politicians caused the pension debt by failing to set aside adequate contributions, in effect borrowing from future retirees to avoid raising revenue or cutting spending instead. At the same time, city workers such as librarians and truck drivers, school social workers and nurses were faithfully paying their share. They earned, contributed to and counted on a modest pension — just $32,000 on average — instead of Social Security, for which city employees are not eligible," said the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Council 31, the Chicago Teachers Union, the Illinois Nurses Association andTeamsters Local 700.
● Grocery chain A&P's bankruptcy is screwing workers and dumping the problem in the government’s lap.
● California Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez:
California has always led the nation in innovation. Once again, it’s time we do that — with innovative updates to our labor laws so that workers can keep up with the rest of our economy. I’ve introduced Assembly Bill 1727 — known as “The California 1099 Self-Organizing Act” — to accomplish exactly that.
This bill would simply allow independent contractors who perform their work through any hosting platform the basic rights to come together and collectively bargain. For the first time in history, these independent contractors could organize themselves into small or large groups and negotiate with their employer over working conditions, wages, health care and even retirement. The companies would simply have to bargain in good faith and couldn’t retaliate against workers who chose to organize.
● Workers Independent News report for March 24, 2016:
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