News

The Detroit News, the Detroit Free Press and the company that runs the two newspapers are appealing a judge’s order to reinstate 50 workers illegally fired for strike-related activities in 1996, a delaying tactic expected by union officials.

A new bill reducing the amount that New Jersey’s public workers contribute to their pension plan will mean more take-home pay for 260,000 state and local government employees.

When Lucent Technologies reported that its fiscal year first quarter earnings would be lower than anticipated, it caused a major drop in the company’s stock value — nearly 29 percent — accompanied by analysts’ speculation that the company would need time to restore “credibility and confidence.”

Local union leaders representing CWA members at AT&T and Lucent Technologies met to sharpen skills and further develop strategies to stop the companies from shifting work away from quality union jobs.

After narrowly averting a year-end strike, Sprint local service units covering 2,700 workers are looking forward to 3 percent annual wage gains, pension and savings plan improvements and enhanced pay incentives for service representatives.