CWA Members Vote SBC Strike Authorization
WASHINGTON, D.C. (SLFP.com), May 2, 2004 - Members of the Communications Workers of America working at SBC Communications have voted overwhelmingly to give CWA leaders authorization to call a strike if they deem it necessary.
Contract negotiations currently are underway on behalf of 100,000 CWA-represented workers at SBC. The talks cover SBC operations in 13 states: Connecticut, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin, Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, Texas, Oklahoma, California and Nevada.
CWA has reported that 90 percent of its SBC members voted in favor of strike authorization in balloting conducted by CWA local unions. For a strike to take place, the next step would be for CWA's 18-member executive board to authorize President Morton Bahr to set a strike date.
CWA gave SBC a 30-day notice of intention to strike on April 7; the earliest date a strike could begin is May 8. CWA agreed to provide the advance notice in exchange for SBC's agreement to keep workers' health coverage in place in case of a strike until a new contract is ratified.
Under the auspices of the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service and Director Peter Hurtgen, national talks are taking place in Washington, D.C. CWA members are seeking strengthened employment security at SBC, including limits on outsourcing and access by union workers to jobs in the growth areas of the company.
These jobs have either been outsourced by SBC or are being performed by non-union personnel. They include thousands of technical and customer service jobs in growing areas such as high-speed DSL, business data systems, long distance, and WiFi wireless Internet access, with much of the work going to India, the Philippines and other countries.
At the same time, SBC has cut more than 20,000 union jobs in the company's core telephone operations over the past three years. CWA maintains that its members, whose skills and productivity helped SBC achieve profits of $8.5 billion last year, deserve the opportunity to work in the growing parts of the company as it deploys new technologies and expands into new business areas.
Another key issue for CWA members is preserving their health security. SBC has demanded substantial increases in out-of-pocket health care costs for active workers and retirees. A fair wage increase and pension improvements are other major goals for CWA members.
Internet Access Tax Moratorium Extended
HERNDON, VA (PRNewswire), May 2, 2004 - The Northern Virginia Technology Council praised Congressional leaders for enacting legislation to extend the federal moratorium on Internet access taxes.
"Congressional passage of the Internet Tax Non-discrimination Act was a priority for the technology community," NVTC President Bobbie Kilberg said in a statement. "We thank technology champion Senator George Allen (Virginia) for his leadership in winning Senate approval this week."
NVTC, a membership organization of over 1200 member companies located in a region that hosts more than half of the world's Internet traffic, has worked at both the state and national levels since 1997 to ban new Internet access taxes and multiple or discriminatory taxes on electronic commerce.
"We always have been a strong proponent and supporter of the enactment and eventual extension of the original Internet Tax Freedom Act," Kilberg noted. "Continuing the moratorium at the state level also enhances Virginia's technology policy leadership."
Sudhakar Shenoy, Chairman of NVTC and Chairman and CEO of IMC, Inc., noted that Senator Allen had strongly advocated a permanent ban and stated that "the vast potential of the Internet and related technologies will never be fully realized or universally deployed absent a permanent ban on Internet access taxes and on multiple or discriminatory taxes that negatively and specifically impact electronic commerce."
The initiative is seen as a major step to keep federal, state and local taxes on Internet access from inhibiting more rapid deployment of broadband, expansion of e-commerce and new services, such as voice over Internet Protocol (VOIP). The U.S. Senate and the House of Representatives now must reconcile differences in the versions of the Internet Tax Non-discrimination Act passed in each House.
Laclede's Landing Project Moves Forward
ST. LOUIS, (PRNewswire), May 2, 2004 - Pinnacle Entertainment, Inc. and the City of St. Louis have signed a development agreement for the Company's proposal for a casino and related development in the Laclede's Landing area of downtown St. Louis.
The agreement is the result of negotiations between Pinnacle and the St. Louis Development Corporation. SLDC was authorized January 15 by a unanimous vote of the City selection committee to negotiate with Pinnacle.
Pinnacle's $208 million downtown project will include a 75,000-square-foot, 2,000-slot casino, a luxury hotel, retail space, and a parking structure. As part of the agreement with the City, Pinnacle also agreed to build (potentially with one or more development partners) an additional $50 million of residential housing, retail, or mixed-use developments in the City within five years of the opening of the casino and hotel.
"This development agreement is another major step forward. We are now ready, with the City of St. Louis, to advance our proposal for consideration by the Missouri Gaming Commission," said Daniel R. Lee, Chairman and CEO of Pinnacle Entertainment. "We are very excited about developing this luxury project that will complement the adjoining America's Center Convention Center, the Edward Jones domed stadium, and the historic Laclede's Landing entertainment, residential and office district."
In 2003, Pinnacle responded to separate requests for proposals, one issued by the City of St. Louis for the area north of Laclede's Landing in downtown St. Louis, and the other issued by St. Louis County for a new gaming location in the South County area. In addition to the City project discussed above, Pinnacle was also unanimously selected by the County selection committee to develop its project in the community of Lemay in South St. Louis County. That project is now pending approval by the St. Louis County Council.
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