OAKLAND, CA — Workers at Alameda County's Fairmont Hospital, represented by the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 1021, held a rally yesterday to protest what they call unsafe working conditions, according to the Oakland Tribune.
One incident involved Lillie Ray, a six-year veteran at the hospital, being attacked by a patient with an infectious disease, the story stated.
According to the story, many workers are afraid of complaining about unsafe and potentially dangerous situations for fear of losing their jobs.
SEIU Local 1021 leaders claim that talks with the hospital about improving training and safety measures have produced no results, the story noted.
Valery Myers, a nurse at the hospital, said: "I can honestly say I felt safer working at a jail than I do here."
The rally drew roughly 30 attendees and was a chance to unveil a new whistle-blowers hot line for hospital workers to report unsafe conditions, the story added.
Friday, April 10, 2009
Mobile phone-controlled vacuum
SEOUL, South Korea — The South Korean telecommunications firm KTF recently released a new vacuum cleaner that can be controlled by a mobile phone equipped with 3G technology, according to Engadget.com.
The CW100 was designed and manufactured in collaboration with a Korean company called Microbot and is similar to the popular Roomba vacuum, the story stated.
The CW100 has an onboard video camera that sends live images to the user's mobile phone and is controlled through the phone's keypad, the story noted.
According to KTF, the new robot vacuum can also be used for monitoring children, elders or pets at home.
The CW100 will cost $370 and the data plan needed to operate it is an additional $3.70 per month, the story added.
The CW100 was designed and manufactured in collaboration with a Korean company called Microbot and is similar to the popular Roomba vacuum, the story stated.
The CW100 has an onboard video camera that sends live images to the user's mobile phone and is controlled through the phone's keypad, the story noted.
According to KTF, the new robot vacuum can also be used for monitoring children, elders or pets at home.
The CW100 will cost $370 and the data plan needed to operate it is an additional $3.70 per month, the story added.
School considers outsourcing and layoffs
NORTH ANDOVER, MA — The North Andover Public School System is looking for ways to save money and maximize their custodial department's $2 million budget, $1.9 million of which covers the salaries of their 41 custodians, according to the Eagle-Tribune.
Next year's budget calls for the layoff of at least 10 custodians, which would limit the ability of the remaining custodians to clean effectively, the story stated.
The custodial department is flirting with the idea of converting the cleaning operation to an every-other-day schedule to limit hours worked and minimize cleaning chemical consumption, the story noted.
The school system could save upwards of $850,000 a year by outsourcing its custodial staff, something it is considering, the story added.
School Committee member Brian Major said: "These days, we know we have to reposition how we're delivering services and at what cost we're delivering services. Everything's on the table."
According to the story, union rules require the custodians be notified if the school system considers privatization of cleaning services and the schools must provide the union with an analysis of the potential savings so the union can try and better any deal offered by a private contractor.
Next year's budget calls for the layoff of at least 10 custodians, which would limit the ability of the remaining custodians to clean effectively, the story stated.
The custodial department is flirting with the idea of converting the cleaning operation to an every-other-day schedule to limit hours worked and minimize cleaning chemical consumption, the story noted.
The school system could save upwards of $850,000 a year by outsourcing its custodial staff, something it is considering, the story added.
School Committee member Brian Major said: "These days, we know we have to reposition how we're delivering services and at what cost we're delivering services. Everything's on the table."
According to the story, union rules require the custodians be notified if the school system considers privatization of cleaning services and the schools must provide the union with an analysis of the potential savings so the union can try and better any deal offered by a private contractor.
Opera-singing mall janitor
CHARLOTTE, NC — Robert Thompson shows up at the SouthPark Mall to begin his workday long before the stores are open and when the only people there are mall walkers, according to WCNC-TV.
Those early bird exercisers who pace the mall at dawn do not need soft jazz music playing through the mall's PA system to entertain them, they have Thompson and his opera music, the story stated.
Thompson was never trained in the art, but found his niche after realizing that singing a song he had once heard was to the liking of the mall walkers, the story noted.
Now, all of the mall walkers know Thompson, not for his talent in keeping their mall clean, but for his talent in singing, and they look forward to listening to him in the wee hours of every morning, the story added.
Those early bird exercisers who pace the mall at dawn do not need soft jazz music playing through the mall's PA system to entertain them, they have Thompson and his opera music, the story stated.
Thompson was never trained in the art, but found his niche after realizing that singing a song he had once heard was to the liking of the mall walkers, the story noted.
Now, all of the mall walkers know Thompson, not for his talent in keeping their mall clean, but for his talent in singing, and they look forward to listening to him in the wee hours of every morning, the story added.
Proctor & Gamble investing in new plants
ALBANY, GA — Proctor & Gamble is eliminating two paper machines within the next month from its Albany plant and is investing in alternate locations in Utah, Wisconsin, Missouri and Pennsylvania, according to the Albany Herald.
Continuing operations at the Albany plant is no longer feasible for the company because of the rising costs to ship raw goods from Canada to the Southeast United States and because of Georgia's taxation on energy usage, the story stated.
Plant Manager Trey Bloodworth said: "Georgia is one of 10 states that still have the tax on energy used in manufacturing,” Bloodworth said. “None of the competing in-house paper plants have that tax. Missouri had it and they repealed it. Wisconsin had it and also repealed it. We’re competing against sister plants for volume and now they have a bigger cost advantage over us."
Health care costs are also affecting the plant's bottom line as they are 19 percent higher at the Albany plant than Proctor & Gamble's national average, the story noted.
Without help from the Georgia General Assembly to "level the playing field" so the Albany plant can compete with sister plants across the U.S., it is likely the plant's profitability will continue to dwindle, the story added.
Continuing operations at the Albany plant is no longer feasible for the company because of the rising costs to ship raw goods from Canada to the Southeast United States and because of Georgia's taxation on energy usage, the story stated.
Plant Manager Trey Bloodworth said: "Georgia is one of 10 states that still have the tax on energy used in manufacturing,” Bloodworth said. “None of the competing in-house paper plants have that tax. Missouri had it and they repealed it. Wisconsin had it and also repealed it. We’re competing against sister plants for volume and now they have a bigger cost advantage over us."
Health care costs are also affecting the plant's bottom line as they are 19 percent higher at the Albany plant than Proctor & Gamble's national average, the story noted.
Without help from the Georgia General Assembly to "level the playing field" so the Albany plant can compete with sister plants across the U.S., it is likely the plant's profitability will continue to dwindle, the story added.
3M offers buyouts to 3,600 employees
MAPLEWOOD, MINNESOTA — 3M is offering early retirement buyout packages to 3,600 of its non-union U.S. employees, according to the Pioneer Press.
Packages are being offered to 11 percent of 3M's total workforce and are based on an employee's age and their years of service, the story stated.
Lenny Sanicola, a benefits expert at human resources consulting firm WorldatWork, said: "It just goes to show how tough it is out there. Larger companies often turn to early retirement offers because they can save more money in pension expenses with such programs. One thing you have to be careful of: You don't want to diminish your work force so that when things turn around you're at a competitive disadvantage. There may be key talent they need to retain."
More than half of 3M's workforce now operates outside of the U.S. and the company is unsure how many U.S. employees will accept the early retirement offer, the story noted.
Eligible employees have until May 31 to make the decision whether or not to accept the buyout offer, the story added.
Packages are being offered to 11 percent of 3M's total workforce and are based on an employee's age and their years of service, the story stated.
Lenny Sanicola, a benefits expert at human resources consulting firm WorldatWork, said: "It just goes to show how tough it is out there. Larger companies often turn to early retirement offers because they can save more money in pension expenses with such programs. One thing you have to be careful of: You don't want to diminish your work force so that when things turn around you're at a competitive disadvantage. There may be key talent they need to retain."
More than half of 3M's workforce now operates outside of the U.S. and the company is unsure how many U.S. employees will accept the early retirement offer, the story noted.
Eligible employees have until May 31 to make the decision whether or not to accept the buyout offer, the story added.
America's first LEED-certified arena
MIAMI — The American Airlines Arena is the first in the country to be certified green by the U.S. Green Building Council's (USGBC) Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) rating system, according to the Miami Herald.
The American Airlines Arena is a concert and event venue and home to the National Basketball Association's (NBA) Miami Heat, the story stated.
The news of the certification was announced by Mayor Manny Diaz yesterday in a press conference with Miami Heat President of Business Operations Eric Woolworth, the story noted.
To obtain LEED certification, buildings must meet stringent standards for sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection and indoor environmental quality, the story added.
The American Airlines Arena is a concert and event venue and home to the National Basketball Association's (NBA) Miami Heat, the story stated.
The news of the certification was announced by Mayor Manny Diaz yesterday in a press conference with Miami Heat President of Business Operations Eric Woolworth, the story noted.
To obtain LEED certification, buildings must meet stringent standards for sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection and indoor environmental quality, the story added.
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