| External Mediators Should Hold Off
Civil activists have suggested bringing in external mediators to end the stand-off between the authorities and the opposition, but NBCentralAsia analysts say both sides are still capable of holding talks and outsiders should keep their distance. On March 29, the head of the Association of Non-Government and Non-Commercial Organisations, Toktayim Umetalieva, called for outside mediation. “Kyrgyzstan has reached a point where international players like the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, the Collective Security Treaty Organisation, or the European Union should intervene to preserve the peace," she told the 24.kg news agency. The opposition United Front for a Worthy Future for Kyrgyzstan headed by Felix Kulov is planning mass rallies for April 9-11 to demand the president's resignation and early presidential elections.
Tridico Supports the Union
SooNews' Frank Tridico returns to the columns giving a strong message to the Communications, Energy and Paperworkers Union of Canada (CEP), which represents 335 employees of St. Marys Paper. Tridico argues that the union's rejection in what appears to be a last-chance offer to save a restructuring effort was the right thing to do. That proposal that included a five-year extension to a three-year 20% wage rollback that workers already gave ownership voluntarily one year ago. Tridico argues that while the percentage used in the proposal has been 20%, it is more likely to be much higher than that when previously negotiated annual wage increases, now frozen, are factored in. Tridico took an earlier stand along with MP Tony Martin in arguing that workers' pensions should not have been part of negotiation.
Strike vote taken by Stennis contractor
More than 100 unionized private aerospace workers at Stennis Space Center have voted to reject a new labor contract offer and say they will strike if their employer refuses to renegotiate. The workers are employed by Jacobs Technology, which absorbed Sverdrup Corp., a longtime contractor for NASA. The company performs critical test facilities maintenance and is involved in testing space shuttle main engines at Stennis. A vote on the contract was held Thursday night. "The contract was rejected and we unanimously voted to strike," said Joe Harrington, district business representative for Local 2249 of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers. He said meetings are scheduled for April 27 with a federal mediator. Harrington said the local has only about 118 members.
Nuclear Regulatory Commission Ranks as Top Workplace
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission was dubbed the No. 1 large government agency to work for in rankings released by a nonprofit group yesterday. The NRC, which has headquarters in Rockville, got high marks from employees in several categories, including effective leadership, training and development, teamwork and support for diversity. .
New twist in Air NZ outsourcing saga
The Service and Food Workers Union is seeking urgent mediation to deal with what it says is harassment of its members by managers at Air New Zealand.
The union's Northern Region Secretary Jill Ovens says managers have been systematically phoning members, and threatening them with dire consequences if they do not leave the union by Monday.
She says the company wants them to join the Engineering, Printing and Manufacturing Union instead.
The EPMU recently accepted a deal to prevent ground service jobs being outsourced - some staff took pay cuts, while others received increases.
Jill Ovens believes the Air New Zealand managers have clearly been overstepping the line.
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