By Josh Eidelson

– Kutcher slams retailer: “You should be proud of your associates but I’m not sure if they should be proud of you”

– Celebrity actor/producer Ashton Kutcher and retail giant Wal-Mart had a spirited Twitter debate Tuesday over Wal-Mart workers’ wages.

Kutcher (@aplusk) kicked off the dust-up by tweeting about the news that an Ohio Wal-Mart took up an employee-to-employee food charity collection “so Associates in Need can enjoy Thanksgiving dinner.” He wrote, “Walmart is your profit margin so important you can’t Pay Your Employees enough to be above the poverty line?”

Fourteen minutes later, the company’s @WalmartNewsroom account, echoing its replies to others on the topic, tweeted back at Kutcher, “It’s unfortunate that an act of human kindness has been taken so out of context. We’re proud of our associates in Canton.” After 10 minutes, Kutcher shot back, “you should be proud of your associates but I’m not sure if they should be proud of you.”

Wal-Mart then offered Kutcher a video on “Opportunity and Benefits at Walmart,” saying, “We know you believe in opportunity like we do & we’d love to talk to you more about it.”

Kutcher quickly countered, “you had 17 billion in profits last year. You’re a 260 billion$ company. What are we missing?”

That set off a trio of tweets from Wal-Mart, starting with, “We think you’re missing a few things,” and then touting that “The majority of our workforce is full-time and makes more than $25,000/year”; that “about 75% of our store management teams started as hourly associates”; and that “every year, we promote about 160,000 people…”

Kutcher told Wal-Mart the company “does a lot of great things but it needs to be a leader on this issue as well.” In its final tweet to Kutcher – so far — Wal-Mart answered, “We know we can always get better as a company. This year we’ve made providing more opportunities for our associates a top priority.”

Kutcher returned to the topic an hour later, linking a blog post on a study estimating the cost of Wal-Mart workers’ use of public assistance, and saying “Walmart should be the leaders not the low water mark.”

Source: http://www.salon.com/2013/11/20/ashton_kutcher_vs_wal_mart_epic_twitter_clash_rages_over_poverty_wages/

Support the Friends of Labor of Laborers’ Local 332 “Coat Drive”

Donate a coat in good condition, so Laborers’ Local 332 can distribute these coats to the needy in homeless shelters throughout the city of Philadelphia! Come support the effort…drop off a coat in good condition at the Laborers’ Local 332 Union Hall on 1310 Wallace Street and help someone in need!

The “coat drive” deadline is Monday, November 25, 2013.

Thank You For Supporting Those Less Fortunate!

– Plumbers Local #690 Business Manager and PA. State Senate Candidate, John Kane, is the Featured Guest Speaker at the Launch of the PhillyLabor.com Business To Labor Networking event at the Iron Workers Local #401 union hall this Wednesday 11/20 from 6pm-8pm

John Kane, who has been the Business Manager of local #690 since 2007, is widely recognized throughout Philadelphia as a passionate advocate for his union’s members who is highly respected by his peers including fellow union leaders throughout the Philadelphia Building and Mechanical Trades.

As a candidate for Pennsylvania State Senator in the 26th Senatorial District, John Kane’s platform features commitments to school funding, standing up for women’s and worker’s rights, making big corporations pay their fair share of taxes and being a voice for working families in Pennsylvania.

The PhillyLabor.com Business to Labor Network (http://phillylabor.com/advertisenetworkpromote-your-business/) is an exclusive network of premium union and pro-union Businesses and Professionals committed to doing business with the Philadelphia area unions.

PhillyLabor.com “Business To Labor” Union Leader Meet and Greet Events are exclusive networking events that provide union and pro-union businesses and professionals in a plethora of industries with the unprecedented opportunity to meet face to face and network with Philadelphia area union leaders in a social, up close and personal atmosphere.

The Event is sponsored by the Injured Workers’ Advocacy Program (IWAP)

For additional information on the PhillyLabor.com Business To Labor Network and Meet and Greet Events, send inquiries to: info@phillylabor.com

By The PA. AFL-CIO

The Labor Movement in Northeast Pennsylvania turned up the heat on Dick Yuengling, the billionaire owner of Pottsville based D.G. Yuengling and son Inc., for supporting union busting right-to-work (for less) bills in Pennsylvania. Dick Yuengling recently said that “Pennsylvania would be better off as a right-to-work state” and that “Governor Corbett is a great man.”

His remarks are already costing his company lost sales and business, not only among union workers who heard the news, but also among other working families who don’t want to see more downward pressure on their wages by bad public policies that give more to the rich.

The right-to-work (for less) remark drew immediate condemnation from labor unions across Pennsylvania. On Saturday, November 9th, over 400 union members held a march and rallied on the steps of the Schuylkill County Courthouse in Pottsville, publicly rebuking Dick Yuengling for supporting union busting and economic policies that cut the wages and living standards of all workers.

News of the rally spread as far and wide as California. A news brief appeared in the LA Times. Liz Bettinger, a Schuylkill County native and staff representative for the United Steelworkers, said that the Pottsville area, with its very strong labor heritage, is a very good place to bring the argument. “We won’t let Dick Yuengling turn the clock back over 100 years to the days of the Molly Maguires,” she said.

The rally was sponsored by The Lehigh Valley Labor Council, The Northeastern Pennsylvania Area Labor Federation, The Pennsylvania AFL-CIO, The Schuylkill County Building and Construction Trades Council, and The Schuylkill County Labor Council.

Source: http://www.paaflcio.org/?p=3090

By The Philly Public Record

– The legendary Kraft/Nabisco factory at the corner of Roosevelt Boulevard & Byberry Road may be closing. The sweet smells from this factory have enchanted the noses of Roosevelt Boulevard drivers and neighbors for years. Owners of the factory announced they were looking to close the plant and move the production to Mexico.

Elected officials have sprung into action to help save the plant. Sen. Stack, Reps. Brendan and KEVIN BOYLE, COUNCILMEN BRIAN O’NEILL and BOBBY HENON have asked for a meeting with the company, city, and state economic-development officials. Last week, JOHN LAZAR of Bakers & Confectionery Workers Union Local 492 and HANK McKAY of Local 6 joined the elected officials outside of the factory to urge state and city officials to help save the factory and the jobs of 300 workers at Mondelez Plant in N.E. Phila. Stack wants Governor’s Action Team to open negotiations aimed at saving plant.

Source: http://www.phillyrecord.com/2013/11/city-hall-sam-fighting-to-save-sweet-jobs/