Headlines for Wednesday, February 1, 2012

Unions vow to continue protests as Indiana Senate passes right-to-work bill

The Republican-controlled Indiana Senate today passed right-to-work bill.  Under the legislation, workers who choose not to join unions will still be able to reap the benefits of collective bargaining, without having to pay basic union fees.  Hundreds of protesters crowded the Capitol today. They have vowed to protest the Super Bowl, happening in Indianapolis this Sunday. The Indiana governor has promised to sign the legislation into law.

Hispanic group sues RNC over primary discrimination

Yesterday, presidential candidate Mitt Romney won the Republican primary in Florida and with it, all of the state’s 50 delegates. He would have won 100 delegates, but the Republican National Committee penalized the state for holding its elections early. Now a Latino group is suing the RNC to restore the lost delegates. FSRN’s Janelle Irwin reports, a favorable outcome in the case could reshape the way primary schedules are created in future elections.

Attorney Michael Steinberg represents the Hillsborough Hispanic Coalition.  He claims the current schedule for presidential primaries is discriminatory toward Latinos, because the states that are allowed to hold their elections early don’t have a significant Latino population.

The case is expected to be heard within six weeks, and a ruling could come as soon as June.  However, Steinberg says it’s also likely a decision won’t be made until after the August convention.  If that happens, the lawsuit wants the RNC to include states with Latino population near the national average in the early primaries of 2016.  Steinberg filed and lost a similar case against the Democratic National Committee in 2008. Janelle Irwin, FSRN, Tampa.

Susan Komen charity cuts ties with Planned Parenthood

The Susan G. Komen breast cancer charity has cut ties with Planned Parenthood, and many suspect the charity did so because of pressure by anti-abortion groups. Komen has also recently hired an anti-abortion former gubernatorial candidate from Georgia named Karen Handel to become its head of public policy.  Handel promised to eliminate state funding for Planned Parenthood during her campaign. Komen is reportedly pulling hundreds of thousands of dollars in grant funding that Planned Parenthood used to provide low cost breast cancer screening.  Komen cites a recent policy change requiring them to cut funding to the family planning non-profit because of an on-going Congressional investigation. That investigation, being headed by an anti-abortion Republican, is being called a sham by many progressive groups.

NY worker advocacy group seeks meeting with Attorney General Holder

Activists and workers rallied in New York City today to demand an investigation into the arrests of Chinese taxi drivers.  The arrests came after the drivers complained about unfair labor practices by their employer.  FSRN’s Salim Rizvi reports from the protest.

The protesters allege that for more than a decade, drivers worked up to 16 hours a day without wages and were forced to pay the Yes Car Service weekly fees to work.  In 2010, 20 drivers filed a complaint with the New York State Department of Labor, which awarded unemployment insurance to one driver.  The owner appealed the decision. Since then, the drivers complain that agents from the US Department of Labor and US Attorney’s office have been visiting their homes and harassing them.  According to the advocacy group Justice Will Be Served, federal agents arrested three limousine drivers on harassment and other charges.  Josephine Lee is with the campaign.

The group wants US Attorney General Eric Holder to intervene. They have planned another rally for March 1 if their demands are not met. Salim Rizvi, FSRN, New York City.

Pre-election protests continue in Senegal

Thousands of people converged in Dakar, Senegal Tuesday to protest President Abdoulaye Wade’s bid for a third term in office.  Opposition parties say his candidacy is a violation of the country’s Constitution, which only allows two terms.  FSRN’s Alpha Jallow reports from Dakar.

A traffic jam in the capital delayed the start of Tuesday’s rally, which was organized by the June23 Movement and supported by most opposition parties.  The opposition denounced the ruling of the Constitutional Court clearing the President to run again.  They said that the Court would be held responsible for the blood that has been spilled, a reference to the five people killed so far in anti-Wade protests.  Former UN diplomat Ebrima Fall blames the government for the violence.

Plans to march to State House were later aborted because of a heavy security presence barricading the road.  As the protest continued into the evening, at least one more person was killed by a police truck.  Elections are scheduled for end of February. Alpha Jallow, FSRN, Dakar.