Cigars, baseball, competitive cocktail mixing and more

[The Union Advocate’s “This Month in the Archives” feature offers a look back at what the newspaper was reporting from 5 to 100 years ago. Our digital archives are online, searchable and free to anyone. Click here for access.] The St. Paul Cigarmakers struck a deal with the St. Paul Saints in May 1913, granting […]

Going against the grain, some small business owners back wage hike

Think the minimum-wage hike progressing through the Legislature is bad news for Minnesota’s small businesses? Think again. A survey released last week indicates strong support among small business owners nationwide for raising the federal minimum wage and adjusting it annually to account for inflation. Small business owners gathered at the Minnesota Capitol yesterday explained the […]

Musicians ratify contract, call for new SPCO leadership

Stressing that they “remain deeply concerned” about the ensemble’s future, musicians of the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra today announced their vote to ratify a three-year agreement with the orchestra, officially ending the lockout that began Oct. 21, 2012. The new contract will reduce the size of the SPCO from 34 to 28 musicians. It also […]

Letters to the editor: DFL caucuses, HHS budget, communism

Emphasizing the ‘L’ in ‘DFL’ Joan and I attended the city precinct caucus on April 16, 2013, at the Highland High School. We are new members of the Highland community after living on the East Side for over 50 years. It was a great experience meeting people who we have known ourselves in our new […]

At Washington conference, McCollum calls for investments in clean energy

U.S. Rep. Betty McCollum of Minnesota’s 4th Congressional District outlined a vision for “using the power of American manufacturing to secure America’s energy independence” in remarks made at the Good Jobs, Green Jobs National Conference in Washington, D.C. last month. The conference, now in its sixth year, met April 16-18, bringing together leaders from labor […]

May 2013 Poll

Jamie Gulley & Eliot Seide: Working together to grow our movement

After years of attacks and attempts to weaken workers’ rights, this year could be a major win for labor in Minnesota. Right now bills in both the House and Senate would extend collective bargaining rights to more than 20,000 workers who currently lack the right to form a union under state law. The bills cover […]

State’s transportation needs can’t wait, coalition warns

Support for transportation and transit investments among state lawmakers this session appears lukewarm at best, and that baffles Rep. Alice Hausman. “With all the grumbling and complaining about roads and potholes, you wouldn’t think funding transportation would be this hard,” the DFLer from St. Paul said. Hausman, who chairs the House Capital Investment Committee, joined […]

Letter Carriers will hold ‘Stamp Out Hunger’ food drive May 11

Remember to place a bag of non-perishable food items near your mailbox Saturday, May 11, date of the 21st annual “Stamp Out Hunger” food drive, organized nationwide by the National Association of Letter Carriers union. It’s the nation’s largest one-day food drive, and Letter Carriers throughout the Metro Area will be participating. Last year St. […]

Labor leaders weigh in as Senate takes up immigration bill

The U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee began hearings last week on an 844-page bill to overhaul the nation’s broken immigration system. The proposal includes a pathway to citizenship for 11 million undocumented immigrants, as well as new boarder-security measures, guest-worker programs, employee-verification methods and other changes to the immigration system. In Minnesota labor leaders who have […]