Today’s News & Commentary — September 14, 2017

According to the New York Times, 34,000 participants in the Teamsters union will have their pension benefits cut by nearly 30%. The participants voted to cut benefits in order to help the “cash-strapped plan.” Although more members voted no than voted yes, to defeat the proposal required a majority of the eligible voters not the votes cast. The Teamsters union is now the third so-called multiemployer pension plan to cut benefits.

An article in the Nation states that Canada is pressuring the Trump administration to raise labor standards as part of any NAFTA renegotiation. Particularly, Canada is focused on ensuring the U.S. protects unionization and collective bargaining. Canada has even urged the Trump administration to ban right-to-work laws. The Canadian government is being pressured by Canadian unions who fear that the U.S.’s lax labor standards take away Canadian jobs.

The Detroit News reports that Amazon will create 1000 new jobs in Shelby Township near Detroit. The new facility will be 1 million square feet and completes Amazon’s expansion into Michigan. This final facility will bring the total Amazon workforce in Michigan to 3,500.