PSAC Calls on New Parliament to Repair Worker Relations  —In response to the October 19 Canadian election results that firmly rejected the Harper Conservative government the Public Service Alliance (PSA) of Canada is calling for reform. “The new Liberal government has a strong mandate for change,” said PSAC National President Robyn Benson. “That change needs to include restoring public services and building a positive relationship with the federal public service. We call on the Liberals to practice a new kind of politics and to work collaboratively with the NDP and other progressives in Parliament to put Canada back together again.”

Before and during the election, the PSAC carried out a public information campaign to convince Canadians to stop cuts made by the previous Conservative government. “We know from our own campaign work that voters were fed up with the Harper Conservatives’ attacks on the public service. As the largest public service union, we look forward to sitting down with the new government as soon as possible to discuss how to repair the damage done, including how to improve labour relations in the federal public service,” said Benson.

Among other demands, the PSAC called on Parliament to repeal omnibus bills passed in its last four years that fundamentally changed collective bargaining laws, as well as health and safety protections for federal workers.

Pandora Reaches Settlement with Labels —Internet radio service Pandora announced a $90 million settlement with three major record labels—Sony, Universal, and Warner—over royalties for older songs. The settlement follows a similar $210 million deal between the labels and Sirius XM back in June.

Pandora was sued last year for nonpayment of recording royalties for older (pre-1972) songs. “Major settlements with Sirius XM and now Pandora means that an iconic generation of artists, and the labels that supported them, will be paid for the use of their creative works,” Cary Sherman, the chief of the Recording Industry Association of America, says in a statement.

Pandora and Sirius XM still face class action suits from former band members of the Turtles, as well as problems with music publishers in regards to songwriting copyrights. Pandora says it was taking a $23.9 million charge in its third-quarter results, representing the difference between the rates it had wished to pay and its deals with the licensing agencies ASCAP and BMI.

For its third quarter, Pandora reported its revenue had increased 30% from a year ago to $311.6 million. However, its label settlement and write-down of royalties contributed to a net loss of $85.9 million, compared with a loss of a little more than $2 million last year.

20,000 Pensioners Lose Health Benefits in Canada — United Steelworkers (USW) Ontario Director Marty Warren blames Canada’s federal conservative government for 20,000 pensioners losing their health and drug benefits overnight last week.

Under US Steel Canada’s bankruptcy proceedings the company will be severed from its parent company, US Steel, and allowed to stop paying the benefits, as well as its municipal taxes to the City of Hamilton and Haldimand County.

“Our federal government allowed US Steel to take over some of the most modern and efficient steelmaking facilities in North America, based on legal commitments to workers, pensioners, and communities,” says USW Local 8782 President Bill Ferguson. “It’s time for this government to step up—before this election—and help us save and rebuild this industry.

The province of Ontario will provide $3 million for a hardship fund to help US Steel pensioners pay health care and prescription drug costs. It will only fund costs for about six months.

WAGE Act Would Strengthen and Protect Workers — Leading democrats are calling for passage of the Workplace Action for a Growing Economy (WAGE) Act introduced by Senator Patty Murray (D-Washington, DC) and Representative Bobby Scott (D-Virginia). The bill would ament the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) of 1935 to solidify and strengthen worker protections for all workers, union or not. The American workplace has changed dramatically since the labor law was reformed to constrain worker power and then “frozen.”

Under the proposed legislation union organizers would be protected. AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka, who is helping to lead the push for its passing, says that labor rules “for too long have been rigged against working people” and called the measure “a critical first step in addressing both a changing economy and labor laws that have failed to keep up with a changing workplace.”

TPP a Step Backward — A recent article by International Association of Machinists & Aerospace Workers (IAMAW) President Tom Buffenbarger called on congress to “put American people first and reject the deeply flawed Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP). “As a labor union whose members build products that are exported all over the world, the IAM has always taken a strong interest in the development and growth of international trade. We know firsthand that trade done right will improve living standards and strengthen our economy,” he began.

“Unfortunately, the recently concluded Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) represents a new low in corporate dominance of our nation’s trade agenda,” he said, explaining that despite rhetoric, it is “a step backward in efforts to achieve effective labor standards and human rights.”

Though the agreement has not been made public yet, Buffenbarger cited reports that indicate among its flaws: weak, ineffective, and substandard labor standards; weakened rules of origin for the auto industry; reduced access to affordable medicine; less effective financial regulations; and secret government tribunals to interpret and enforce the agreement.