Headlines for Thursday, December 17, 2009

Transportation security officers push for collective bargaining rights
If you’re traveling by air this holiday season, you will no doubt have some interaction with transportation security officers, the people responsible for security at airports.  But despite the high level of stress and responsibility and the vital services they provide, TSOs don’t have the power to renegotiate their contracts.  At a rally today in Los Angeles, the Security Officers are calling for collective bargaining rights.  Leilani Albano reports.

Airport workers marched alongside LA’s transportation security officers at the LAX airport this afternoon.  The action is part of a nationwide effort at 30 airports by the AFL-CIO to highlight their situation.

The Security Officers say they face substandard conditions, a hostile work environment and discrimination.  Although federal security officers are represented by the American Federation of Government Employees, they do not have collective bargaining rights.  Unionists argue that granting this would not only improve work conditions, it would enhance national security.

During the his 2008 Presidential campaign, Barack Obama pledged to extend bargaining rights to TSA workers through executive order, but that has not happened yet.  Leilani Albano, FSRN, Los Angeles.

Senate Committee approves Bernanke for second term as Fed head
By a 16-7 vote the Senate Banking Committee today approved Federal Reserve Chair Ben Bernanke to a second term in the position – but not without controversy.  Senators who voted no, like Oregon Democratic Senator Jeff Merkley blame Bernanke for not recognizing the onslaught and doing more to prevent the recession.

“Dr. Bernanke’s approach helped set our economic house on fire.  Since then Dr. Bernanke has shown himself to be quite adroit with the fire hose, helping to put that fire out.  But as we look to the future, and we look beyond the stage of putting that fire out, I think we need to for leadership that will be adept at rebuilding our economic house.”

Merkley was the only Democrat to vote against Bernanke.  The final confirmation will now be taken up by the full Senate, which is expected to approve the reappointment.

Major Mexican cartel leader killed in military bust
Mexican president Felipe Calderon is celebrating the death of one of the country's most powerful cartel leaders.  Shannon Young has the details.

The city of Cuernavaca sounded like a war zone Wednesday night as Mexican marines laid siege to a complex of high-rise condominiums. Inside one of the units was Auturo Beltran Leyva, boss of the cartel that bears his family name. The capo had been traced to the location after narrowly escaping arrest at a party last Friday.

The firefight lasted for 3 hours and resulted in multiple deaths, including the drug lord, at least 4 of his bodyguards, a special forces soldier, and a neighborhood civilian. Around 400 soldiers stood guard this morning at the condominium complex with the bodies of the cartel members.

The Beltran Leyva cartel is a major supplier of narcotics to the US.  Shannon Young, FSRN, Mexico.

Pakistan resists US pressure to fight militants
The government of Pakistan is resisting US pressure to step up the battle against Taliban insurgents in the country.  In particular the US wants Pakistan’s military to do more in the border province of North Waziristan – still a relatively safe place for insurgents from Pakistan and Afghanistan to regroup.  A US drone attacks killed 16 in that region earlier today.

Follow up: Migrants settle in Arkansas guest worker abuse case
After months of legal wrangling, an Arkansas farm owner has settled a lawsuit filed by four Mexican migrant workers over alleged abuses suffered at his farm.  FSRN’s Malcolm Glover in Little Rock has details.

The guest-workers were employed at Odom Farms in Austin, Arkansas from 2006 to 2008.  THEY alleged that Farmer Jack Odom brought them to the United States for work; forced them to live in a packing shed; failed to reimburse travel costs as required by law, and then confiscated their passports in order to keep them at the farm.  Southern Migrant Legal Services Attorney Sarah Donaldson says these actions violated several laws.

“Abuse of the guest worker program gives growers an unfair advantage over law abiding competitors.  Employers need to know that if they bring in guest workers and treat them unlawfully they’re going to have to answer for their actions… that’s what this settlement has achieved and the fact of the settlement shows that the grower recognizes that there was some liability here.”

Jack Odom could not be reached for comment.  In a previous interview, Odom said claims of poor living conditions were not true.  He also said workers’ passports were taken to keep them safe because several had them stolen in previous years.  Malcolm Glover.  FSRN.  Little Rock.

Sex workers in Canada rally for decriminalization of prostitution
Rallies are happening in at least 4 Canadian cities today to mark the International Day to End Violence Against Sex Workers.  FSRN's Aaron Lakoff has more.

An average of 60 attacks against sex workers in Montreal alone are reported every year to the sex worker advocacy organization Stella.

Under Canadian criminal law, sex work itself is legal, but it is illegal for sex workers to solicit, make a living from their work, or run a private website.  The current legal regime around sex work in Canada has already been called ‘unacceptable’ by the House of Commons Subcommittee on Solicitation Laws.

Rallies and marches to call for further decriminalization and an end to violence are set to take place today in Montreal, Toronto, Ottawa, Halifax, and American cities such as New York, San Francisco, and Boston.  Aaron Lakoff, FSRN, Montreal.