Tuesday Night Links

Wal-Mart and Chinese Unions

Wal-Mart is famous for resisting unionization all over the world. So it made worldwide headlines this summer when, after resisting for two years, Wal-Mart finally agreed to recognize unions in its Chinese stores. To evaluate the significance of this, it is necessary to look at how Chinese unions usually operate -- and how Wal-Mart's case was different.

Miller Brewing Company's Spam

I thought you folks would be interested in receiving the following official statement from Miller Brewing Company regarding the immigration issue:

Miller Brewing Company has never supported illegal immigration and we have always supported the full enforcement of current U.S. laws.

Miller did not sponsor the Labor Day immigration march held in Chicago.

Going forward, Miller will closely review all requests for support from community and charitable organizations to ensure that we are not indirectly funding or associating our name with advocacy efforts on the immigration issue.

We plan to stick to the business of brewing, marketing and selling great beer.

Thanks for your interest in this topic.

Miller Media Relations September 05, 2006

Tribune sees profit from free newspaper

NEW YORK (MarketWatch) -- A free alternative Chicago newspaper published by the Tribune Co. is expected to turn a profit by the end of 2006, The Chicago Tribune reported in its online edition on Monday.

The newspaper, RedEye, is increasing its daily distribution to 150,000 copies from 100,000 copies and will add more than 1,000 distribution boxes throughout Chicago.

"Increasing our distribution and investing in this campaign will allow us to meet the strong demand of our current readers and introduce RedEye to new readers," said Brad Moore, general manager of RedEye.

Tribune Co. (TRB), based in Chicago, also publishes the Chicago Tribune and the Los Angeles Times.

Detroit Cancels School Amid Strike

DETROIT - Detroit Public Schools officials canceled classes until further notice Tuesday, the eighth day of a teachers strike.

It was supposed to have been the first day of school for the district's 130,000 students. But instead, students returning from summer vacation were greeted by teachers on picket lines instead of in classrooms.

Union Seeks OK to Strike Again

Acknowledging that his union's two-day strike failed to bring the city back to the bargaining table, the executive director of the Engineers and Architects Assn. told a labor rally Monday that he would seek an official sanction from the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor today for another strike. Robert Aquino, the union's executive director, which represents more than 7,500 Los Angeles city employees, did not seek such a sanction before the strike Aug. 22 and 23.