HEALTH PROVIDERS PICK AFGE—Some 850 doctors, pharmacists, dentists, optometrists, registered nurses and other health care professionals employed by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs in the North Florida/South Georgia Veterans Health System voted for AFGE Local 2779 on Oct. 9. "Federal employees recognize the benefits of union representation, not only for themselves, but for the federal government and the American people," AFGE President Bobby L. Harnage Sr. said.

CWA RINGS BELL—In one of the first major organizing victories by Internet workers in the United States, 350 customer service representatives at Atlanta-based BellSouth.net, the Internet division of BellSouth Corp., chose respect on the job with Communications Workers of America Local 3204 on Oct. 10. Recognition came after a majority of the workers turned in cards supporting CWA. The union negotiated a card-check provision in its 2000 bargaining agreement with BellSouth.

PROBATION OFFICERS JOIN IBT—A 242-member unit of adult and juvenile probation officers in San Bruno, Calif., voted Oct. 2 to join Teamsters Local 856. They join other Bay area probation officers and juvenile counselors in Marin, San Mateo, Tulare and San Francisco counties already represented by Local 856.

LABORING FOR A WIN—A total of 122 workers recently voted to join the Massachusetts Laborers Public Employee Council. Sixty employees at the Wakefield Department of Public Works voted unanimously to affiliate with the council and LIUNA Local 544. Also, 62 counselors and respiratory therapists joined the LIUNA ranks at Cambridge and Somerville hospitals.

NURSES GIVE NOD—Sixty nurses of Providence Seaside Hospital in Seaside, Ore., voted for a voice at work Oct. 2 with the Oregon Nurses Association (ONA), a United American Nurses affiliate. They join ONA-represented nurses at three other Providence-area hospitals.

NEW RULES—The Governing Board of Presidents of the AFL-CIO Building and Construction Trades Department voted Oct. 17 to adopt significant policy changes to more effectively resolve jurisdictional disputes between unions. Arbitrators have used a "decision of record" such as an agreement between organizations or a convention action as the top criteria to assign jurisdiction to a particular craft. But in certain cases a decision of record may not apply in today’s market. The new rule allows a union that claims to actually perform the majority of a specific type of work in a specific locale to ask an arbitrator to set aside the decision of record for that job in favor of "area practice." "For the first time since 1984, the unionized construction industry is changing policies and procedures to meet the demands of this modern economy," BCTD President Edward C. Sullivan said.

BACK TO THE TABLE—Contract negotiations between the International Longshore and Warehouse Union and the Pacific Maritime Association (PMA) are scheduled to resume this week after a federal judge ordered an end to the employer lockout of 10,500 workers at 29 West Coast ports and imposed an 80-day cooling-off period. The ILWU and the PMA met with federal mediators last week to make plans to resume contract negotiations as required by the court order. The Bush administration, in an unprecedented move, invoked the Taft-Hartley Act Oct. 9 to end the lockout, an action that "tipped the balance of power heavily in the employer’s favor," said AFL-CIO Secretary-Treasurer Richard Trumka. Meanwhile, AFL-CIO President John Sweeney called on the U.S. Department of Labor and the governors of California, Oregon and Washington to enforce safety laws on the ports to ensure the safety of the dockworkers as they unload the huge backlog of cargo that accumulated during the lockout.

POLITICIANS PUT ON NOTICE—In 100 cities coast to coast, union activists turned out Oct. 14-20 for "No More Business As Usual" national days of action demanding that candidates for public office take a stand against corporate greed and for working families. In Baltimore, on Oct. 19, AFL-CIO President John Sweeney, Maryland union leaders, former WorldCom workers and hundreds of working family activists walked a precinct calling for Congress to pass corporate accountability reforms that protect jobs and retirement and health care benefits. On Oct. 18, the New York City Central Labor Council sponsored a rally at the Manhattan headquarters of Verizon Communications Inc., where thousands of CWA members are threatened with layoffs while the company’s top nine executives collected $394 million in total compensation between 1997 and 2001. And at the Anniston Army Depot in Anniston, Ala., AFL-CIO Secretary-Treasurer Richard Trumka rallied with hundreds of working families—Alabama’s public employees lost $48 million in retirement savings with Enron Corp.’s collapse. AFL-CIO Executive Vice President Linda Chavez-Thompson led a rally and precinct walk in San Antonio Oct. 19 and UNITE President Bruce Raynor joined activists in Portland, Maine, to demand an end to sweatshops and for fair trade policies.

HOUSE REJECTS UI EXTENSION—In a straight party-line vote Oct. 16, the U.S. House of Representatives rejected a Democratic economic stimulus proposal to extend the emergency federal unemployment benefits program for another six months and to add 13 weeks of benefits for jobless workers in all states, increase the federal minimum wage by $1.50 an hour and create jobs and improve our infrastructure by boosting highway spending by $4 billion. "The move by the Republicans in the House to reject these crucial proposals is the capping event in a legislative session marked by the astonishing arrogance of the Republican-led House in handing out legislative rewards to corporations, such as a $254 million tax break for Enron, while ignoring the very real needs for families struggling through the recession," AFL-CIO President John Sweeney said.

NO DELAY—Transportation unions plan an all-out effort to lobby members of Congress to pass the Airline Worker Relief Act before this session ends. The bill, introduced by Rep. James Oberstar (D-Minn.), would extend unemployment benefits for airline workers who were laid off after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. Many have exhausted their benefits. The unions hope Congress will consider the bill when members return Nov. 12 after the election. "Laid-off workers cannot wait until lawmakers get around to it next year," said AFL-CIO Transportation Trades Department President Sonny Hall.

FIRE FIGHTERS VICTORY—In a significant win, a U.S. District Court jury Oct. 18 awarded nearly $350,000 in back pay and compensatory and punitive damages to Dean Bitner, president of Fire Fighters Local 4007 in Springdale, Ark. City officials demoted and then fired Bitner for union activity, IAFF said. Arkansas is a "right to work for less" state, which does not have collective bargaining laws. "The verdict is a clear win for the rights of every American to express his views, even if it’s on behalf of their local union," said IAFF President Harold Schaitberger.

UNFAIR PRACTICES—The Boston office of the National Labor Relations Board filed 17 unfair labor practices charges Oct. 17 against UNICCO Service Co., Boston’s biggest cleaning contractor. The charges claim UNICCO threatened striking workers. About 10,000 Boston-area janitors represented by SEIU Local 254 have been on strike for four weeks, seeking better health benefits from cleaning contractors, including UNNICO. On Oct. 9, Gov. Jane Swift (R) canceled the state’s $1.9 million contract with UNNICO and invited bids from competitors.

A NEW DEAL—Members of the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union Local 338/United Food and Commercial Workers, ratified a four-year contract with the Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Co. in the New York metropolitan area Oct. 6. The contract, which covers 8,600 workers, raises wages between $105 and $115 per week, depending on job classification, and improves health care benefits.

CONTINENTAL AGREEMENT—Mechanics represented by IBT and Continental Airlines reached tentative agreement Oct. 18 on a new contract. The tentative pact, which covers about 3,000 workers, would increase wages and improve work rules and job security.

SPREAD THE GOOD WORD—At a U.S. Senate briefing Oct. 16, local presidents of AFSCME and AFT joined management representatives from the governments of Toledo and Cuyahoga County, Ohio, and Phoenix to explain the benefits to communities when unions and management work together. The participants discussed joint union-management partnership improvements in education, children’s safety and water quality. The AFL-CIO Working for America Institute was among the briefing sponsors.

DIVERSITY IN MEDIA—Communications, broadcast and entertainment unions have joined with the Center for Economic and Policy Research to review the impact of growing consolidation of media outlets. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is considering relaxing the rules limiting ownership of broadcast media. "We have seen what deregulation has done to our telecommunications, airline and energy industries," said Paul Almeida, president of the AFL-CIO Department for Public Employees. "The very cornerstone of our democracy rests on the FCC meeting its obligation to ensure the diversity of voices and localism. Any step closer to loosening these rules or deregulating these markets is a step in the wrong direction."

STEINBOCK AWARD—The International Labor Communications Association (ILCA) will give its highest honor, the Max Steinbock Award, to Matt Bates for his article "Reality Checks" about the nation’s unemployment insurance system, which appeared in the IAM Journal. The award, named for a former ILCA president, is given for outstanding journalism that explores an issue of concern to working families. The Steinbock Award will be presented along with about 200 others during the annual ILCA luncheon Nov. 15 at AFL-CIO headquarters. For more information and a list of all the award winners, visit http:\\ilca.aflcio.org or call the ILCA at 202-637-5068.

SETTLEMENT IN SAIPAN—Seven clothing retailers and 23 manufacturers have agreed to a landmark settlement of a federal class-action lawsuit alleging violations of wage and hour laws and other workers’ rights in Saipan, Northern Marianas. The companies will compensate more than 30,000 garment workers, follow a code of conduct, finance independent monitoring of factories and explore using the International Labor Organization as a monitoring body. "This case breaks new ground" said UNITE President Bruce Raynor. "Under this agreement, defendants have established a program that will assure the rights of garment workers are fully and effectively protected."

SIGN THE PLEDGE—The AFL-CIO has launched a new website, www.socialsecuritypledge.org, to hold candidates accountable on the key issues of protecting Social Security and providing a real prescription drug benefit under Medicare. The site lists candidates who signed a pledge to support Social Security and Medicare.