Chicago Pace Bus Drivers Come Down With "Blue Flu"
http://cbs2chicago.com/local/pace.bus.drivers.2.797666.html

Aug 18, 2008 8:39 am US/Central
Pace Bus Drivers Come Down With "Blue Flu"
MARKHAM, Ill. (STNG) ― About 36 Pace bus drivers working in the south suburbs have the "blue flu" Monday morning, causing a service slowdown according to Pace officials.

About 2 a.m. Pace officials began to be notified that about 10 percent of its 155 full-time drivers operating out of the South Division in Markham had called in sick, according to Pace spokesman Patrick Waldron.

But at 8 a.m. there were 36 drivers who've called off and there were 63 missed trips on nearly a dozen routes.

"It appears to be part of a labor dispute,'' according to Waldron, who said, "It's a blue flu."

Routes that are "completely out'' as of 8 a.m. are the 348, 753 and 452. "Each of these are short routes that connect with neighborhood Metra stations.'' he said.

The 348 does operate every half hour throughout the day, but the 753 and the 452 only operate during rush hour. Pace routes 353 and 352 could be considered alternates to the 348.

The Amalgamated Transit Union, Local 1028, rejected a tentative agreement with the drivers on Aug. 12, when it went to a vote and that "appears to have led to [the situation] today,'' Waldron said.

2993 for, 232 against
Teamsters 705
Authorizes Strike Against UPS

YouTube link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dwt2znM06Ws&fmt=6

Members of Teamsters Local 705, the big Chicago-area UPS local, voted today (Sunday, July 20) to authorize a strike against UPS. Local 705 has its own contract with UPS, separate from the National Contract. The vote was overwhelming: 2993 for a strike, 232 against. Video length 3:36.

The Labor Beat series is produced by Labor Beat. Labor Beat is a CAN TV Community Partner. Labor Beat is affiliated with IBEW 1220. Views expressed are those of the producer, not necessarily of IBEW. For info: mail@laborbeat.org, www.laborbeat.org. 312-226-3330.

Juan Campos, IBT 705 Recording Secretary

CHICAGO (Reuters) - Delta Air Lines Inc said on Tuesday its flight attendants are set to vote between April 23 and June 3 on whether to join a labor union.

The No. 3 U.S. carrier cautioned the workers, saying Delta flight attendants currently have a better working relationship with management than unionized peers at rival airlines.

Currently, Delta's only major unionized labor group is its pilots. If the flight attendants vote to join the Association of Flight Attendants, the workers will rely on that union for representation in contract talks.

Delta, which is seeking to lower its costs to offset its fuel bill, announced last week that it plans to cut 2,000 jobs. The carrier plans to achieve that target through voluntary retirement and buyout packages, which it plans to offer to 30,000 employees.

Delta and its rivals have been battered this year by persistently high fuel prices that erode the stability carriers gained through years of massive restructuring.

Delta shares were up 8 cents at $10.09 on the New York Stock Exchange.

(Reporting by Kyle Peterson; Editing by Andre Grenon) - originally published here.