Union wins in WI struggle/ etc

Chicago Teachers Raise the Bar     The Chicago Teachers Union has done the seemingly impossible. At a time when teachers are pilloried in the press and attacked by Democrats and Republicans alike, Chicago teachers walked out for seven days in a strike that challenged every tenet of the corporate agenda for overhauling education.     Verizon Workers Queasy at Deal     Leaders of the Communications Workers and Electrical Workers (IBEW)announced a tentative agreement with Verizon, but some workers say it's far from what they deserve. They're planning to vote no.   South African Miners Win through Wildcats      South African miners won a dramatic pay increase, following a wave of strikes that spread to many gold and platinum mines. The strikes grew after a massacre by police took 34 lives. The struggle exposures fractures in South African society that won't heal soon. Wisconsin Anti-Union Bill Overturned in Court     Just an hour before teachers in Madison, Wisconsin, rallied in solidarity with Chicago teachers, they learned that their suit to overturn Governor Scott Walker's anti-union bill had won. The mood at the rally was "giddy," said Jim Cavanaugh, who was local central labor council president during last year's uprising. Casino Organizing Puts Union's 'Las Vegas Standard' to the Test   Mario Medina wore a union button for 2.5 hours before his Las Vegas employer, Station Casinos, fired him. He's one of a dozen fired in what the Culinary Union says is the biggest organizing drive underway.  Video: Michigan Unions Battle for Amendments to Defend Democracy, Collective Bargaining    Unions have fought to place two measures on the ballot. One would block emergency managers, the second would enshrine collective bargaining rights. Former Labor Notes writer Paul Abowd explains the union-backed initiatives facing Michigan voters this fall.   New Book from Labor Notes:  The Steward's Toolbox       The Steward's Toolbox: Skills and Strategies for Winning at Work is for activists eager for practical advice. Full of concrete examples of grievance tactics, contract campaigns, and coalition-building, its 55 chapters were written by shop floor leaders experienced in building active, democratic unions.  Their lessons will help you inspire members, make new allies, and kick-start your union. Order it here for $15. Help Push Labor Notes Forward Please consider making a contribution so we can continue to provide the kind of independent news and analysis about the labor movement that you'll find nowhere else.  Push us all forward with your tax-deductible gift today.