| UPDATE: CUPE optimistic about mediation
The Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) and Durham District School Board are going back to the bargaining table with the assistance of mediator William Kaplan. Meetings are scheduled for March 30 to April 2. Since March 21, 2,100 secretarial, custodial and maintenance, and educational assistants in Durham public schools have been on strike. Unresolved issues include wages, benefits, staffing, job postings and the threat of contract workers. Don Bryans, CUPE Local 218 president, is optimistic both sides will be able to resolve their issues through the mediation process. The Durham District School Board also said it was optimistic in a March 29 press release. "Kaplan's a very strong mediator," said Mr. Bryans and added he's known for being able to push parties into working together for a deal.
Retiree spreads word on state's lemon law as he wages fight over ...
Since Jim Mayhorn, 61, bought his new Ford F-150 truck in June 2006, it has been to the dealer for repairs seven times -- the first time with only 188 miles. He is now fighting to get either a new truck or his money back using lemon laws. In his spare time he hands out literature to others with the same problem. .
CA: State Law Banning Forced Arbitration Preempted
The Federal Arbitration Act preempts a California law that bars enforcement of predispute arbitration agreements in construction and design defect disputes, the Third District Court of Appeal has ruled. The justices Thursday reversed an El Dorado Superior Court judges ruling that John T. Shepard could not be forced to arbitrate with the builder of his house in the Cottonwood Park development in Placerville. Shepard claims that a plumbing pipe installed by Edward Mackay Enterprises, Inc. and Cottonwood Development and their subcontractor, Gary Lewis Construction, leaked and damaged his house and possessions. The defendants asked Judge Suzanne Kingsbury to compel Shepard to comply with a binding arbitration clause in the real estate purchase agreement. Shepard opposed the motion on the basis of Code of Civil Procedure Sec.
Rell, Staff Grilled On Arts Letters
Legislative Democrats on Thursday threw pointed questions at Gov. M. Jodi Rell, asking if her Capitol staff worked to solicit campaign cash from arts and tourism leaders whose groups depend on state funds to operate.
Last August, during state working hours, a top Rell aide obtained official address lists of arts and tourism groups' directors from the state's Commission on Culture and then forwarded them to Rell's chief of staff. Within weeks, people on the list received "Dear Friend" letters from Rell's campaign committee, in which Rell touted her recently announced $10 million "Cultural Treasures" arts initiative and asked for contributions up to $2,500. Some said Rell was tying her official action to a request for campaign money.
.
Top execs plot to prevent strike
With worries mounting that upcoming contract talks will be both contentious and complicated, heads of studios and networks have confabbed in recent days to hammer out strategies for heading off a work stoppage. The planning was capped by a Thursday morning powwow led by Nick Counter, president of the Alliance of Motion Picture & Television Producers. Heavyweights in attendance included CBS topper Leslie Moonves, Warner Bros.' Barry Meyer, ABC's Anne Sweeney, DreamWorks Animation's Jeffrey Katzenberg and NBC's Marc Graboff. Those at the meeting, Counter told Daily Variety, resolved to propose to the unions in the next few weeks that both sides agree to the creation of a jointly funded outside study group to generate a report -- a showbiz version of the report from the Iraq Study Group, headed by James Baker and Lee Hamilton.
|
