The slogan: NEW provides opportunities for women to achieve economic self-sufficiency through employment in nontraditional work

I was at the Bank of America project in NYC, when speaking to a Carpenter apprentice, I first learned about NEW: Nontraditional Employment for Women. She told me how they helped her and her sister to learn about the construction trades. She was very happy to be working as a NYC Carpenter. I kinda forgot about it for a while, because I was working and it was on an elevator and it was a quick conversation, I didn't grab all the facts. Fast forward a few months and I got a chance to speak with a Laborer on my latest job at lunch who proudly displayed her "NEW" shirt. I asked about the organization. She explained to me that it was like having a second union, how she learned exactly what it was like to work in the construction trades. The I noticed a bus shelter poster about NEW, unfortunately I was driving bye and didn't read it, someone should tell the DOT that these things are a major distraction to drivers. So now I decided to go online and learned that there is a ton of media about the organization.

NEW, while working with many local unions, isn't wholly centered on the Building and Construction Trades, they also work with Consolidated Edison, Keyspan, PSE&G, Time Warner, Amtrak, Greyhound Lines, MetroNorth Railroad, Norfolk Southern Railroad and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.

Heres the clips from MSNBC, from the NEW press:

NBC Nightly News, May 18, 2008
NBC Weekend Today, May 24, 2008

NEW was featured on the national edition of NBC Nightly News on Sunday, May 18, 2008 and NBC Weekend Today on Saturday, May 24, 2008.

The story follows Tamara Grant, an apprentice with Plumbers Local Union 1 of New York City and a proud NEW graduate, on the job at the new Yankee Stadium.

Tamara Grant talks candidly about her life prior to NEW and how the program helped her attain financial security for her family. The piece also features Lee Zaretzky, President of Ronsco, Inc., who discusses the importance of NEW in preparing women for the skilled trades.

In addition, NBC News has also posted two web-only videos. One expands on the interview with Tamara Grant, while the other is an interview with Kelly Housser, a NEW student, who emphasizes the effect that NEW has had on her life and her newfound confidence.

You can check out their site for more information

"The Teamsters reached an agreement with New Era Cap earlier this year with its Mobile, Alabama workers that helped lead to today's victory." - Jimmy Hoffa Jr., President International Brotherhood of Teamsters

In Feburary 2008, the Teamster, New Era Cap and the NAACP jointly announced a tentative 3 year agreement in the Mobile, Alabama facility. Part of that agreement was that the company and the union would remain neutrality, whereby they would stand clear of coercion in the organizing of other New Era Cap facilities.

Friday, the workers in the Jackson, Alabama facility, which employees 326, voted overwhelmingly, 209-77, to become union members in the Teamsters Local 991.

"We are pleased to welcome the New Era Cap workers to the Teamsters and we will work hard to represent them," said Teamsters General President Jim Hoffa. "The Teamsters reached an agreement with New Era Cap earlier this year with its Mobile, Alabama workers that helped lead to today's victory."

"I was not surprised at the size of the victory because all the workers know we need a change in how we are treated and I tip my hat to the Teamsters for coming in here and helping us," said Nancy Phelon, a three-year worker who works in Stitching. "I know the Teamsters will be behind us from now on."

Read more in the Press Release at PR Newswire

"The Teamsters reached an agreement with New Era Cap earlier this year with its Mobile, Alabama workers that helped lead to today's victory." - Jimmy Hoffa Jr., President International Brotherhood of Teamsters

In Feburary 2008, the Teamster, New Era Cap and the NAACP jointly announced a tentative 3 year agreement in the Mobile, Alabama facility. Part of that agreement was that the company and the union would remain neutrality, whereby they would stand clear of coercion in the organizing of other New Era Cap facilities.

Friday, the workers in the Jackson, Alabama facility, which employees 326, voted overwhelmingly, 209-77, to become union members in the Teamsters Local 991.

"We are pleased to welcome the New Era Cap workers to the Teamsters and we will work hard to represent them," said Teamsters General President Jim Hoffa. "The Teamsters reached an agreement with New Era Cap earlier this year with its Mobile, Alabama workers that helped lead to today's victory."

"I was not surprised at the size of the victory because all the workers know we need a change in how we are treated and I tip my hat to the Teamsters for coming in here and helping us," said Nancy Phelon, a three-year worker who works in Stitching. "I know the Teamsters will be behind us from now on."

Read more in the Press Release at PR Newswire

Teamsters General President Jim Hoffa and NAACP Chairman Julian Bond discuss the results of a report by the civil rights organization that shows a pattern of racial discrimination and worker harassment at New Era Cap facilities in the Deep South.

From UnionReview:

New Era is the exclusive manufacturer of Major League Baseball caps. The company also has contracts with a number of college programs throughout the United States, its products are known to be staple Hip-Hop fashion statements for both musicians and fans.

While both the Teamsters Union and the NAACP state that Major League Baseball should join them in demanding justice from New Era Cap, NAACP Chairman Julian Bond said today that the Civil Rights group will hold off for two weeks before reaching out to MLB because of "some overtures from the company." We look forward to seeing what, if anything will come out of the next couple weeks.

Mr. Hoffa reminded reporters that the workers went out to organize with Teamsters Local 991 stating that the black workers were held to worse conditions than white workers.
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In other news on this situation from Ai.com:

"The University of Wisconsin-Madison has decided that New Era is not the type of company we want to do business with," said Dawn Crim, head of community relations.

Not allowed in facility

Crim said Wisconsin primarily ended its contract with New Era because it wouldn't let the Workers Rights Consortium into the Mobile facility to investigate.
The consortium is one of two groups -- the other is called the Fair Labor Association -- that monitors labor conditions in factories that make college-logo items.

Both are involved in the New Era dispute, and the sides disagree about whether either can be impartial.

Scott Nova, executive director of the consortium, said the Washington, D.C.-based group has been seeking to visit the Mobile facility since November, but said New Era has denied entry. He said that violates the code imposed by the consortium's 177 collegiate members.

Marciniak said New Era doesn't want to let the consortium in because it's dominated by anti-sweatshop activists who've already taken a position against the company. "I think the WRC has a bias, for sure," the spokeswoman said.

Instead, she said New Era wants a mutually acceptable third party investigator.

Nova said the consortium has not yet reached any conclusions about conditions in Mobile, and that it would be up to member colleges to take actions when the group's inquiry is complete.
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Posted by Richard at UnionReview.com

As Foot Locker is brought up on race and gender discrimination charges and its supplier New Era Cap Company continues to intimidate its workers and also participate in racial discrimination at its Alabama plant, the Teamsters and other groups banded together to begin leafleting at Foot Lockers throughout the United States and abroad.

Interestingly enough ... we probably won't see this news item reported on CNN anytime soon ... why is that?

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