ProgressNow.org Daily News Digest

City seeks 2% pay cut from cops, fire crews - The Denver Post

http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_11266985 Mayor John Hickenlooper's administration has asked the unions that represent Denver's police officers, firefighters and sheriff's deputies to renegotiate salary contracts and accept a 2 percent salary cut next year. Kelly Brough, the mayor's chief of staff, confirmed that she and other administration officials have been meeting with all three unions to come up with ways to close a mushrooming budget gap for next year. She said she asked for the wage concessions during those negotiations. "We went to the unions and said we want to work with you and spread this out and keep everyone here," Brough said. "There is nothing harder on a family or community than when people lose their jobs." At least one union, the Fraternal Order of Police, which represents sheriff's deputies, has rejected the offer. That union's response, articulated in a letter to the membership, has created concern among rookie deputies and recruits that the city will lay them off.

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Report: Colo. jobless fund near peril - The Denver Post

http://www.denverpost.com/business/ci_11240543 A deepening recession could put Colorado's unemployment-insurance fund at risk as payouts to laid-off workers grow, a Washington, D.C., interest group said Monday. Colorado has an eight-month reserve in its jobless-insurance pool, placing it among about 30 other states that have an uncomfortably narrow financial cushion, according to the National Association of State Workforce Agencies. The Colorado fund could develop a shortfall if the developing recession turns out to be one of the worst on record, said Rich Hobbie, executive director of the group. "I'd say Colorado is in relatively good shape right now," Hobbie said, "but they're not far away from peril." The director of Colorado's unemployment-insurance program disputed the group's conclusions, saying the state has an adequate reserve and should be able to meet its obligations in the foreseeable future.

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SEIU: Ill. governor “out of control” - The Denver Post

http://www.denverpost.com/business/ci_11198700 The head of the Service Employees International Union said in Denver on Thursday his union "had no involvement in anything improper" in the scandal surrounding Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich. "When all the facts are out, it will be very clear we have a governor who is out of control," SEIU president Andy Stern said after a downtown labor rally. "You will see that the SEIU has had no involvement in anything improper. We have a governor who clearly abused his authority." Blagojevich was indicted Tuesday on federal charges that he put the Senate seat vacated by President-elect Barack Obama up for sale. The criminal complaint describes how an SEIU official apparently acted as an intermediary between the governor and Obama's staff in discussions over the Senate seat.

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Groups rally to support labor act - The Denver Post

http://www.denverpost.com/business/ci_11199819 A national drive to make it easier for employees to unionize took to the streets of Denver on Thursday with a march and rally of about 400 people. Leading the charge was Andy Stern, international president of the Service Employees International Union. "We want change that works. That's why we're here today, " he said at Denver's Auraria campus. SEIU and other labor groups are pushing the "Employee Free Choice Act," which would eliminate the secret-ballot requirement in union elections. Businesses would be required to recognize unions if a majority of their employees signed union cards. Opponents say the act would open workers to pressure and intimidation. President-elect Barack Obama supports the act, but it's unclear how hard he will push it.

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Wages a sticking point in Union Station development : Local News : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2008/dec/09/wages-a-sticking-point-in-union-station/ Plans to redevelop Denver Union Station are expected to be finalized in the coming months. But the benefits to the community, such as good-paying jobs for operation and maintenance work on the public areas of the proposed transportation hub, remain a sticking point. The Front Range Economic Strategy Center and the Campaign for Responsible Development want prevailing and living wages to be paid to the four types of workers who will be servicing the public spaces. If the city does the contracting, then the city's prevailing and living wage ordinances must apply. Three Metro Districts have promised to do the same. But it remains unclear what will happen if the contracting falls under the Denver Union Station Project Authority, which will oversee financing.

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Jobless aid spread thin in Colo. - The Denver Post

http://www.denverpost.com/business/ci_11132450 More than 320,000 people have sought help this year at state job centers, with more than 6,000 getting classroom training to become more marketable, according to the department. The number of job seekers who visited the Adams County Workforce Center doubled to 1,370 last month from 680 in November 2007, Kline said. At the same time, advertised job listings are down by about 25 percent in the past year, Kline said. Northglenn resident Patty Conti is among those struggling to find work as job opportunities dwindle. Conti has survived on temporary jobs since March, when she lost her longtime position as an administrative assistant at a floral wholesaler. In the past month or so, even the temporary positions have dried up, she said. And competition is fierce for those positions that are open.

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GJSentinel.com: Pipeline workers: Company owes us

http://www.gjsentinel.com/news/content/news/stories/2008/11/25/112608_2a_Pipeline_protesters.html About a dozen former employees of Energy Transfer Company and U.S. Central Pipeline protested Tuesday in front of the Mesa County Courthouse and Grand Junction City Hall, between Fifth and Sixth streets on Rood Avenue. The protesters said their former employers have not paid them for three weeks of work. The men and women carrying signs and placards had been working on a natural gas pipeline between Rulison and Parachute in Garfield County. Work on the pipeline unexpectedly ceased late last month, putting 150 employees out of work. Now, the former pipeline workers face an uncertain future, as many of them came to Colorado from all corners of this and other countries, and some say they are in dire straits.

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Frontier, Teamsters reach tentative pact : More Business : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2008/nov/22/frontier-teamsters-reach-tentative-pact/ Frontier Airlines and the Teamsters union have come to a tentative agreement over contract changes for 125 workers who clean aircraft cabins. The four-year deal includes an undisclosed level of wage cuts but would not change employee benefits. It also stipulates that Frontier aircraft cleaners receive pay hikes if customer service agents get wage increases. Workers will vote next month on whether to ratify the deal.

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Craig Daily Press / Just punching the clock

http://www.craigdailypress.com/news/2008/nov/19/just_punching_clock/ When it comes to finding employees with a strong work ethic, Cindy Looper said she’s seen businesses from across the spectrum struggle. “There’s a sense of entitlement,” said Looper, co-owner of Elk Run Inn in Craig. “People think they need a paycheck but don’t necessarily think they have to show up or do a full day’s work.” Yet, not all local businesses are having difficulty finding qualified, quality applicants. Nikki Webber, Cook Chevro­let office manager, said the company’s newest batch of hires has been more qualified than new work force entrants they’ve had before. And, as far as finding employees with a good work ethic, “I don’t really think that’s been a problem,” Webber said. Still, the trouble companies have finding quality workers, if they have it, appears not to be limited to a particular field.

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GJSentinel.com: Lawyers helping some workers caught in pipeline legal fight

http://www.gjsentinel.com/news/content/news/stories/2008/11/18/111908_2A_lawyers_pipeline.html Two Glenwood Springs attorneys have taken up the causes of more than 20 of the roughly 150 workers who have yet to be fully paid for work on a pipeline project between Rulison and Parachute. Working separately, Ted Hess is representing 13 U.S. Central Pipeline workers and Sandy Karp nine other workers. Karp said he is looking into “whether or not there’s any liability on the part of the various companies that were involved in the pipeline” and considering a possible class action lawsuit. Hess has filed a demand for payment for four weeks of work from U.S. Central Pipeline under Colorado’s Wage Claim Act.

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Carrier urged not to outsource : More Business : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2008/nov/15/carrier-urged-not-to-outsource/ Several politicians are lobbying Frontier Airlines to keep its heavy maintenance operations in Denver rather than move them to Central America. Colorado Sen. Ken Salazar and U.S. Reps. John Salazar and Mark Udall - all Democrats - sent a letter to Frontier CEO Sean Menke expressing "strong concern" over its recent efforts to outsource. A bankruptcy court judge overseeing Frontier's Chapter 11 case recently ruled that the carrier could only outsource the operations as a "last resort."

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Concrete pipe kills construction worker : Local News : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2008/nov/14/concrete-pipe-kills-construction-worker/ The Occupational Safety and Health Administration is investigating the cause of a construction-site accident that killed a man in a Grand Junction subdivision. Police say 21-year-old Daniel Cleveland, of Grand Junction, was working in a trench about 11:15 a.m. Wednesday when a 30-inch concrete pipe next to the trench rolled in on top of him. He was pronounced dead at a hospital. It's unclear what caused the pipe to roll. Police spokeswoman Kate Porras says the pipe was on the ground at the time.

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Construction worker crushed to death - The Denver Post

http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_10969364 A construction worker was crushed to death under a 8-foot-long concrete conduit in an accident Wednesday morning. The pipe, which was 30 inches in diameter, had to be lifted off of the man with heavy equipment after it dropped or rolled on top of him, said Battalion Chief Rob Ferguson of the Grand Junction Fire Department. Construction workers were laying a stormwater-drain system at a new housing development at 29 Road and Brodick Way when the accident happened, Ferguson said. The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration will investigate the fatal accident, he said.

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Deal includes 12% pay hike over 4 years : More Business : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2008/nov/08/deal-includes-12-pay-hike-over-4-years/ Members of the largest union at Qwest Communications International Inc. have ratified a new contract that includes a 12 percent wage increase over its four-year term. The Communications Workers of America said Friday that 77 percent of voting members ratified the deal that covers about 20,000 employees in 13 states. Union members earlier had rejected a proposed three-year contract. The latest contract, which expires Oct. 6, 2012, increases base salary for sales employees who receive commissions and increases pension benefits for new retirees. It also adds a monthly premium for health coverage, the union said.

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Pipeline workers in court as contract dispute is hashed out

http://www.gjsentinel.com/news/content/news/stories/2008/11/06/110708_3a_pipeline.html Several of the approximately 150 workers caught in the middle of a contract dispute between a pipeline company and its contractor showed up to listen this week as the disagreement was aired out in court. “We’re all just here to find out what’s actually happening,” said Cody Burleson of Durango. The workers lost their jobs and failed to receive their last paycheck in a dispute over a natural gas pipeline being built between Rulison and Parachute. Contractor U.S. Central Pipeline has accused ETC of failing to pay it more than $2 million, but ETC contends it has paid U.S. Central Pipeline in full.

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Lynx flight attendants to take union vote - The Denver Post

http://www.denverpost.com/business/ci_10890699 The Association of Flight Attendants said Monday that it plans to hold a representational election on behalf of the 87 flight attendants at Lynx Aviation, Frontier Airlines' regional-service subsidiary. The AFA collected signature cards from Frontier flight attendants and filed a petition Monday for the election with the National Mediation Board. Frontier spokesman Steve Snyder said, "We hope our Lynx flight attendants will continue to give us the opportunity to address their concerns directly without third-party intervention so we can jointly decide what is best for the future success of our company."

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GJSentinel.com: 150 unpaid workers part of contract dispute

http://www.gjsentinel.com/news/content/news/stories/2008/11/03/110408_4a_pipeline_dispute_u.html A construction yard that has become part of a wide-ranging contract dispute between a pipeline company and its contractor lacks proper Garfield County permitting, the county says. County commissioners decided Monday to pursue possible court action days before a hearing is scheduled over another legal issue about the property on County Road 323 in Rulison. ETC Canyon Pipeline, LLC, says in a court filing that property owner Calvin Murray and contractor U.S. Central Pipeline prevented it from recovering around $1 million worth of pipes, valves and other supplies from the property, which is keeping it from finishing the 14-mile pipeline. ETC is hoping for a court order Wednesday to let it retrieve the supplies.

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Union extends contract vote - The Denver Post

http://www.denverpost.com/business/ci_10860488 Qwest employees represented by the Communications Workers of America union are getting more time to vote on a proposed four-year contract. Mail ballots were initially to be counted today, but the union said Thursday it was giving members until Nov. 6 to return the ballots because some members reported delays in receiving them. The union plans to announce voting results Nov. 7.

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Qwest union vote extended to Nov. 6 : More Business : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2008/oct/29/qwest-union-vote-extended-to-nov-6/ A union vote on a four-year labor agreement with Qwest Communications has been extended a week to Nov. 6 with the results to be announced Nov. 7, a union official said Wednesday. Al Kogler, spokesman for District 7 of the Communications Workers of America, said a third party was used to conduct balloting, and "we found that many members haven't gotten the ballots as quickly as we had hoped." Kogler wouldn't predict whether the tentative agreement, which calls for a wage increase of 12.55 percent over four years and modest health care premium sharing, would be approved. An earlier agreement was rejected by the members. Qwest CEO Ed Mueller said he believed the offer was fair and was cautiously optimistic of approval.

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Workforce Centers offer job-loss assistance to pipeline employees | PostIndependent.com

http://www.postindependent.com/article/20081025/VALLEYNEWS/810249983/1001 Workforce Centers in Western Colorado will be providing assistance to U.S. Central Pipeline workers who are currently out of work after a disagreement over a contract for pipeline work. “We know that it is a shock to the workers affected by this turn of events,” said Workforce Center director Rosemary Pettus, in a news release. “Staff at our Workforce Centers can help them address all of the problems associated with that job loss. We can provide workers with important information to help them get back on their feet with a plan of action.” Workforce Center staff can help workers file for unemployment benefits or file a wage claim for payment of wages due them. The Workforce Center can also provide job search assistance to the workers. U.S. Central Pipeline (USCP) was the contractor in a 14 mile pipeline expansion project. USCP informed around 150 of its workers on Oct. 17 that they could not pay them because of a monetary dispute with the project owner Energy Transfer Corporation (ETC).

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UFW leader to visit Greeley today

http://www.greeleytribune.com/article/20081025/NEWS/110259989/1002 Arturo Rodriguez, the second president of the United Farm Workers of America based in California, is coming to Greeley on Saturday. He will appear at the Rodarte Center, 920 A Street, at 11:30 a.m. with the grandaughter of civil rights leader Cesar Chavez, who helped form the UFW in 1962. Her name is Christine, and she has ties to Colorado with her marriage to Oscar Gonzales, a local Obama organizer.

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GJSentinel.com: Conflict between companies leaves workers without checks

http://www.gjsentinel.com/news/content/news/stories/2008/10/21/102208_2a_Workers_stiffed.html About 150 workers building a pipeline near Parachute have been left jobless and without pay for about two weeks of work as two companies are in a $2.5 million dispute. Workers for contractor U.S. Central Pipeline had nearly completed an expansion of a 14-mile pipeline when the company accused the project’s owner, Energy Transfer Corporation, of failing to pay for a portion of the project. Workers reported that U.S. Central Pipeline officials told employees Friday, on payday, that as a result they would not be paid. Spokeswoman Vicki Granado of Energy Transfer Corporation disputes the claim, saying the company even made extra payments to U.S. Central Pipeline, and the issue is between U.S. Central Pipeline and its employees.

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Pipeline workers left without paychecks after contract dispute | PostIndependent.com

http://www.postindependent.com/article/20081021/VALLEYNEWS/810209991/1001 A disagreement over a contract for pipeline work near Parachute has left around 150 people without pay for a little over two weeks, employees of U.S. Central Pipeline say. U.S. Central Pipeline called an emergency meeting at noon Friday — on payday — and told its employees that Energy Transfer Corporation (ETC) was not paying any more to central pipeline, central pipeline employees said. The company says ETC owes it a large amount of money, but ETC says it has paid the amount of the contract in full and even paid additional sums of money to central pipeline. The workers just want to get paid.

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Union hopeful on contract - The Denver Post

http://www.denverpost.com/business/ci_10713254 Officials of Qwest's largest union say a newly negotiated contract proposal might fare better with members who voted down an earlier deal. The proposal for Communications Workers of America District 7 replaces the previous three-year contract offer with a four-year term and codifies language on measuring worker performance. About 20,000 Qwest employees are represented by CWA. In late September, they voted to reject a deal that had been negotiated by CWA and Qwest officials.

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Dozens of Muslim workers fired in Swift dispute still seeking jobs : Updates : The Rocky Mountain Ne

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2008/oct/12/dozens-muslim-workers-fired-swift-dispute-still-se/ GREELEY — A group that tried to mediate in a dispute over prayer breaks at the JBS Swift & Co. plant says 16 workers who were fired in the dispute have their jobs back. Dozens more among the roughly 100 workers who were fired last month are still looking for work, East African Community Council member Graen Isse said this week. The dispute happened after Muslim workers requested an earlier lunch break on the evening shift at the meatpacking plant during the holy month of Ramadan, so they could pray and end their fasting for the day. Muslims fast between sunrise and sundown during Ramadan. Other workers argued the workers were asking for special treatment.

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