You ever wonder why health care goes up every year.
President and Chief Executive Officer
UNITEDHEALTH GROUP INC (UNH)
Headquarters: MINNEAPOLIS, MN
In 2010, Stephen J. Hemsley received $10,810,131 in total compensation. By comparison, the median worker made $33,190 in 2010. Stephen J. Hemsley made 325 times the median worker's pay.
Chairman Chief Executive Officer and President
AETNA INC (AET)
Headquarters: HARTFORD, CT
In 2010, Mark Bertolini received $8,808,852 in total compensation. By comparison, the median worker made $33,190 in 2010. Mark Bertolini made 265 times the median worker's pay.
Chairman of the Board President and Chief Executive Officer
METLIFE INC (MET)
Headquarters: NEW YORK, NY
In 2010, C. Robert Henrikson received $13,867,854 in total compensation. By comparison, the median worker made $33,190 in 2010. C. Robert Henrikson made 417 times the median worker's pay.
Just a thought. (Source AFLCIO)
Jock
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
Monday, May 30, 2011
Friday, May 27, 2011
Alaska Airlines replaces paper manuals with iPads
Seattle-based Alaska Airlines is giving pilots Apple iPads to replace paper flight manuals, it announced Friday.
Pilots typically carry a ‘flight bag’ with up to 25 pounds of paper manuals.
‘We’ve been exploring the idea of an electronic flight bag for several years, but never found a device we really liked,’ Gary Beck, Alaska Airlines’ vice president of flight operations, said in a news release. ‘When the iPad hit the market, we took one look at it and said this is the perfect fit.’
The iPads use an app called GoodReader, which has PDF versions of 41 flight, systems and performance manuals, reference cards and other materials, complete with links and color graphics. This lets pilots find information faster and more easily, Alaska said, adding that the materials also can be updated with a tap on the screen.
The airline evaluated iPads this past winter and spring with 100 line and instructor pilots and representatives from the Air Line Pilots Association union. It plans to give them to all pilots by mid-June.
Alaska also is looking to replacing paper aeronautical navigation charts with electronic versions on the iPad. These two initiatives, dubbed “Bye, Bye, Flight Bag,” should save about 2.4 million pieces of paper, the airline said.
The airline expects lower paper, printing and distribution expenses and reduced fuel consumption thanks to weight removed from the aircraft to offset the cost. It also expects fewer back and muscle injuries from pilots carrying flight bags that weight 50 pounds, saving more money.
Of course, Federal Aviation Administration regulations still require the iPad to be stowed during takeoff and landing.
Read more aerospace news. Visit seattlepi.com’s home page for more Seattle news.
Thursday, May 19, 2011
Monday, May 16, 2011
Sen. Sanders' 10 worst corporate income tax avoiders.
Exxon Mobil, Bank of America, GE and other giant corporations paid no U.S. taxes despite billions in profits. In fact, they pocketed big IRS refunds. It's a scandal, Sen. Bernie Sanders told colleagues on Wednesday. As congressional leaders and the White House haggled over how many billions of dollars to cut spending on programs for working families, Bernie tried to broaden the debate. He compiled a top-10 list of tax-dodging corporations. "Maybe we have to reduce that deficit not simply on the backs of working families, low-income people, the children, the sick, the elderly. Maybe, maybe we might want to call for shared sacrifice. Maybe Exxon-Mobil and some of the large oil companies might be asked to pay something in taxes."
Sen. Sanders' 10 worst corporate income tax avoiders.
1)Exxon Mobil made $19 billion in profits in 2009. Exxon not only paid no federal income taxes, it actually received a $156 million rebate from the IRS, according to its SEC filings. (Source: Exxon Mobil's 2009 shareholder report filed with the SEC here.)
2) Bank of America received a $1.9 billion tax refund from the IRS last year, although it made $4.4 billion in profits and received a bailout from the Federal Reserve and the Treasury Department of nearly $1 trillion. (Source: Forbes.com here, ProPublica here and Treasury here.)
3) Over the past five years, while General Electric made $26 billion in profits in the United States, it received a $4.1 billion refund from the IRS. (Source: Citizens for Tax Justice here and The New York Times . Note: despite rumors to the contrary, the Times has stood by its story.)
4) Chevron received a $19 million refund from the IRS last year after it made $10 billion in profits in 2009. (Source: See 2009 Chevron annual report here. Note 15 on page FS-46 of this report shows a U.S. federal income tax liability of $128 million, but that it was able to defer $147 million for a U.S. federal income tax liability of $-19 million)
5) Boeing, which received a $30 billion contract from the Pentagon to build 179 airborne tankers, got a $124 million refund from the IRS last year. . (Source: Paul Buchheit, professor, DePaul University, here and Citizens for Tax Justice here.)
6) Valero Energy, the 25th largest company in America with $68 billion in sales last year received a $157 million tax refund check from the IRS and, over the past three years, it received a $134 million tax break from the oil and gas manufacturing tax deduction. (Source: the company's 2009 annual report, pg. 112, here.)
7) Goldman Sachs in 2008 only paid 1.1 percent of its income in taxes even though it earned a profit of $2.3 billion and received an almost $800 billion from the Federal Reserve and U.S. Treasury Department. (Source: Bloomberg News here, ProPublica here, Treasury Department here.)
8) Citigroup last year made more than $4 billion in profits but paid no federal income taxes. It received a $2.5 trillion bailout from the Federal Reserve and U.S. Treasury. (Source: Paul Buchheit, professor, DePaul University, here, ProPublica here, Treasury Department here.)
9) ConocoPhillips, the fifth largest oil company in the United States, made $16 billion in profits from 2006 through 2009, but received $451 million in tax breaks through the oil and gas manufacturing deduction. (Sources: Profits can be found here. The deduction can be found on the company's 2010 SEC 10-K report to shareholders on 2009 finances, pg. 127, here)
10) Over the past five years, Carnival Cruise Lines made more than $11 billion in profits, but its federal income tax rate during those years was just 1.1 percent. (Source: The New York Times here.
I found this article on Senator Sanders web site. It's very good read take time and follow the links.
Here is Senater Sanders web site with a lot more information. Here
Jock
Sen. Sanders' 10 worst corporate income tax avoiders.
1)Exxon Mobil made $19 billion in profits in 2009. Exxon not only paid no federal income taxes, it actually received a $156 million rebate from the IRS, according to its SEC filings. (Source: Exxon Mobil's 2009 shareholder report filed with the SEC here.)
2) Bank of America received a $1.9 billion tax refund from the IRS last year, although it made $4.4 billion in profits and received a bailout from the Federal Reserve and the Treasury Department of nearly $1 trillion. (Source: Forbes.com here, ProPublica here and Treasury here.)
3) Over the past five years, while General Electric made $26 billion in profits in the United States, it received a $4.1 billion refund from the IRS. (Source: Citizens for Tax Justice here and The New York Times . Note: despite rumors to the contrary, the Times has stood by its story.)
4) Chevron received a $19 million refund from the IRS last year after it made $10 billion in profits in 2009. (Source: See 2009 Chevron annual report here. Note 15 on page FS-46 of this report shows a U.S. federal income tax liability of $128 million, but that it was able to defer $147 million for a U.S. federal income tax liability of $-19 million)
5) Boeing, which received a $30 billion contract from the Pentagon to build 179 airborne tankers, got a $124 million refund from the IRS last year. . (Source: Paul Buchheit, professor, DePaul University, here and Citizens for Tax Justice here.)
6) Valero Energy, the 25th largest company in America with $68 billion in sales last year received a $157 million tax refund check from the IRS and, over the past three years, it received a $134 million tax break from the oil and gas manufacturing tax deduction. (Source: the company's 2009 annual report, pg. 112, here.)
7) Goldman Sachs in 2008 only paid 1.1 percent of its income in taxes even though it earned a profit of $2.3 billion and received an almost $800 billion from the Federal Reserve and U.S. Treasury Department. (Source: Bloomberg News here, ProPublica here, Treasury Department here.)
8) Citigroup last year made more than $4 billion in profits but paid no federal income taxes. It received a $2.5 trillion bailout from the Federal Reserve and U.S. Treasury. (Source: Paul Buchheit, professor, DePaul University, here, ProPublica here, Treasury Department here.)
9) ConocoPhillips, the fifth largest oil company in the United States, made $16 billion in profits from 2006 through 2009, but received $451 million in tax breaks through the oil and gas manufacturing deduction. (Sources: Profits can be found here. The deduction can be found on the company's 2010 SEC 10-K report to shareholders on 2009 finances, pg. 127, here)
10) Over the past five years, Carnival Cruise Lines made more than $11 billion in profits, but its federal income tax rate during those years was just 1.1 percent. (Source: The New York Times here.
I found this article on Senator Sanders web site. It's very good read take time and follow the links.
Here is Senater Sanders web site with a lot more information. Here
Jock
Thursday, May 5, 2011
Voting Yes to Our TA Means
Voting “yes” to our transitional tentative agreement (TA) at UAL means voting to improve our wages and gain real job protections. Once we’ve voted to ratify this TA, we will immediately go into combined negotiations with UAL-CAL, where we intend to make more gains. Under this transitional TA we will make the following improvements to wages and benefits; scope language and job protections; and health care.
Wages & Benefits:
• The average mechanic will receive $27,000 in wage increases over the 30-month contract.
• Mechanics receiving an additional (second) license during the period of the agreement will earn approximately $11,000 more than the above stated $27,000 for an increase of about $38,000.
• Double time will be restored, as will two holidays and double time-and-a-half on holidays.
• All employees on the active payroll list will receive a $3,000 past wage credit upon ratification of the TA.
Scope Language & Job Protections:
• The TA establishes that “the Company shall not contract out work.”
• Strong scope language mirrors the language in the Teamster Continental contract which resulted in an increase in the mechanic force when UAL was outsourcing jobs.
• No more “blended work.”
• Furlough protection will apply to all mechanics, not just those with October 1989 or earlier seniority dates.
• Explicit protection has been negotiated for the SFO Maintenance Center.
• System bumping rights will be based on seniority, substantially reducing the possibility of furloughs.
Health Care:
• The TA provides for maintenance of benefits until 2013.
• A committee will be established within 30 days of ratification to explore options for health care.
• If there is no new combined agreement by January 1, 2013, we will have the CAL health plan and will receive a 2.5 percent wage increase to offset additional costs.
For all the details about the TA, go to www.teamster.org/ual
You should receive a ballot this week. If you do not receive a ballot by May 13th, contact your local union to obtain one by the May 18th deadline. Ballots must reach the Lanham, Md. post office by 10:00 a.m., June 2. Counting will begin at 11:00 a.m.
Your Negotiating Committee
Wages & Benefits:
• The average mechanic will receive $27,000 in wage increases over the 30-month contract.
• Mechanics receiving an additional (second) license during the period of the agreement will earn approximately $11,000 more than the above stated $27,000 for an increase of about $38,000.
• Double time will be restored, as will two holidays and double time-and-a-half on holidays.
• All employees on the active payroll list will receive a $3,000 past wage credit upon ratification of the TA.
Scope Language & Job Protections:
• The TA establishes that “the Company shall not contract out work.”
• Strong scope language mirrors the language in the Teamster Continental contract which resulted in an increase in the mechanic force when UAL was outsourcing jobs.
• No more “blended work.”
• Furlough protection will apply to all mechanics, not just those with October 1989 or earlier seniority dates.
• Explicit protection has been negotiated for the SFO Maintenance Center.
• System bumping rights will be based on seniority, substantially reducing the possibility of furloughs.
Health Care:
• The TA provides for maintenance of benefits until 2013.
• A committee will be established within 30 days of ratification to explore options for health care.
• If there is no new combined agreement by January 1, 2013, we will have the CAL health plan and will receive a 2.5 percent wage increase to offset additional costs.
For all the details about the TA, go to www.teamster.org/ual
You should receive a ballot this week. If you do not receive a ballot by May 13th, contact your local union to obtain one by the May 18th deadline. Ballots must reach the Lanham, Md. post office by 10:00 a.m., June 2. Counting will begin at 11:00 a.m.
Your Negotiating Committee
Monday, May 2, 2011
Join the Call and Participate
Join your negotiating committee and Teamsters representatives for a
“Tele Town Hall” to review our tentative agreement (TA) at UAL.
What: Tele Town Hall to learn more about our TA
When:Wednesday, May 4, 2011
at 11:00 a.m. ET or 7:00 pm. ET.
How: Dial 877-229-8493 and access code 14111
To learn more about this transitional
agreement and future negotiations.
Ballots will be mailed to homes on Tuesday, May 3 and will be counted
on9Thursday, June 2 at 11 a.m. ET.
If you received a prior notice with different dates, please note this
change to the balloting schedule. Opening the ballots on June 2 will
allow any interested members, business agents and officers to attend
the count in Washington, D.C. after the Memorial Day weekend. If you
are interested in attending the count, please contact your local union.
We look forward to having you on the call on May 4th.
Your Negotiating Committee
“Tele Town Hall” to review our tentative agreement (TA) at UAL.
What: Tele Town Hall to learn more about our TA
When:Wednesday, May 4, 2011
at 11:00 a.m. ET or 7:00 pm. ET.
How: Dial 877-229-8493 and access code 14111
To learn more about this transitional
agreement and future negotiations.
Ballots will be mailed to homes on Tuesday, May 3 and will be counted
on9Thursday, June 2 at 11 a.m. ET.
If you received a prior notice with different dates, please note this
change to the balloting schedule. Opening the ballots on June 2 will
allow any interested members, business agents and officers to attend
the count in Washington, D.C. after the Memorial Day weekend. If you
are interested in attending the count, please contact your local union.
We look forward to having you on the call on May 4th.
Your Negotiating Committee
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