Granholm's Jobs Today OK'd
LANSING - The Michigan House and Senate overwhelmingly approved Gov. Jennifer Granholm's "Local Jobs Today" plan on May 10. It's a three-bill package that will pave the way for the creation of more than 7,000 jobs and $400 million in accelerated road and transit projects.

"This plan will put people to work, improve local roads, and strengthen economic development efforts in communities across Michigan," Granholm said. "I appreciate the strong bipartisan support this plan received in the Legislature."

The Local Jobs Today plan provides grants and loans to cities, counties, and local transit agencies, enabling them to take advantage of available federal transportation funding and create more than 7,100 jobs in Michigan in 2006 and 2007.

Accelerated projects include environmental cleanup sites, nursing home renovations, sewer upgrades and transportation projects.

The Local Jobs Today plan was first announced by the Governor and the original bill sponsor, Senator Mike Prusi (D-Ishpeming) in March as an effort to improve local road and transit facilities.

CWA spotlights pro-union Cingular
The Communication Workers of America (CWA) has launched an online and radio advertising campaign, urging the public to switch their wireless phone service to Cingular, the only unionized wireless service.

Cingular Wireless agreed to remain neutral in its employees' efforts to form a union. As a result, a year after its merger with AT&T, some 17,000 former AT&T employees have joined CWA. Overall, the union represents some 40,000 Cingular employees who work under union contracts providing regular wage increases, good benefits and a voice on the job.
"Cingular Wireless respects workers' rights to organize and bargain collectively," said CWA President Larry Cohen. "Before the merger with Cingular, 15,000 service reps, technicians and retail store employees at AT&T Wireless faced total management opposition when they joined our union.

"But once the merger with Cingular was announced, CWA locals around the country reached out, explained what neutrality would mean and began committee-building inside. We negotiated neutrality and card-check. Even before that, Cingular management told the former AT&T managers that neutrality at Cingular would be enforced."

Cingular's Don't Cell Out ads are running nationwide, urging consumers to make the switch to "the company that cares about workers' rights." The AFL-CIO said union members receive a 5 percent discount when they switch.