After a number of vice squad crackdowns on Manhattan S&M clubs, some outraged dominatrices are bonding together to defend their profession, which they say has been wrongly maligned as prostitution. The Post sent a reporter over to Dungeon Alley (a cluster of S&M clubs in Midtown) and Chelsea's Le Salon De Sade, where the dominatrices "were dressed to the hilt with no one to flog. " De Sade's owner Mistress Johanna says, "It's never been......

There have been worries that NJ's biggest paper, the Star-Ledger, will close, as it has been losing $30-40 million a year. The publisher outlined that it could stay opened if 200 buyouts are accepted by staff and union concession are met. Last week, its mailers union agreed to a new deal and yesterday the deliverers union reached a deal with Advance. Now all that's left is finding 200 employees willing to take buyouts, but Advance......

The NY Time has a huge, front page article on the curious "disability epidemic among" Long Island Rail Road retirees. In a nutshell, the article points out how many LIRR employees apply for disability after retiring...and they end up getting those federal payments. Back in 2004, 97% of employees who retired after the age of 50, applied for and received disability. The article starts off at the Sunken Meadow golf course, citing how dozens of......

Yesterday, The Star-Ledger's publisher George Arwady told employees that the newspaper will close on January 5 next year "if 200 buyouts and several union concessions are not met, or if the paper cannot be sold," according to Editor & Publisher. The e-mail explains there are three things that need to be done: Get concessions from drivers, cut non-union staff via buyouts and get concessions from the mailers' union. As the Star-Ledger itself reports, while the......

Verizon won't have to worry about 65,000 workers striking, as it came to an agreement with two unions on a new 3-year contract with a total of 10.5% in wage increases and changes to retirement benefits. While the sides negotiated past its original deadline last week, recently, labors leaders were unhappy with talks, setting a new deadline of 12:01 a.m. today. The Communications Workers of America said it was a "breakthrough agreement" that "provides a......

The new Yankee Stadium, Second Avenue subway, Citi Field and Freedom Tower are just some of the projects whose progress may be delayed a little more due to a strike by cement trucker drivers. Local 282 represents about 400 truck drivers, who bring cement to the various building union sites in the city. The NY Times reports that the concrete companies were caught by surprise when the union decided to strike a half hour after......

Though the clock ticked past last night's midnight deadline for contract negotiations between Con Ed and the Utility Workers Union of America Local 1-2, the two sides kept working and have worked out a tentative deal to avert a strike of about 9,000 members. Union spokesman Joe Flaherty, who had called Con Ed's previous offer insulting and "asinine," said though the talks were "extremely contentious," they came to an agreement about wage, safety, health care......

Tonight, if midnight strikes without a new contract from Con Ed, the 9,000 workers represented by the Utility Workers Union of America Local 1-2 could go on strike (unless Governor Paterson intervenes again, of course). The two sides are resuming their talks today at a NJ hotel. Union spokesman Joe Flaherty said the two sides are still fare apart, with Con Ed only offering a 0.5% raise for the first year, and 1% raises in......

Con Ed and the union representing 9,000 members agreed to extend their contract negotiations for another three days, after Governor David Paterson intervened late yesterday. The governor's spokesman Errol Cockfield said Paterson "expressed his concern that there should be no disruption in services and asked them to agree to a...cooling-off period. The governor suggested this time would allow tempers to subside and then both parties could return to the bargaining table in a more measured......

Thousands of Con Ed employees may be striking tomorrow, if the utility keeps up their act. Joe Flaherty, spokesman for the Local 1-2 of the Utility Workers Union of America, said of Con Ed's 0.5% base raise, "They want us to strike, no doubt about it. Half a percent, followed by 1% in the years after that, is just asinine." Flaherty says the union made their wage proposal on June 18, "After 12 today (noon......

Con Ed and about 9,000 workers are locked in a contract battle that may threaten the city's power come Sunday. According to Utility Workers Union of America Local 1-2, the utility and workers are "miles and miles apart." Union spokesman Joe Flaherty explained the union wants better wages and medical cost coverage, benefits for workers retired on worker's comp, and advancement in job titles. But Flaherty blasted Con Ed, "It's basically the Nancy Reagan school......

Last month, the NY Times found that an actuarial consultant who reviewed legislation pending in the State Legislature also had financial ties to labor unions. The consultant, whose expertise was used to examine the financial impact of bills (like retirement, pension benefit bills), even admitted he skewed his analysis to support unions. Now, the city has found the consultant's work underestimated costs by $500 million. The Times reports the independent actuary and Mayor Bloomberg's office......

Dina Matos McGreevey is having her days in court this week, as the divorce proceedings between her and former NJ Gov. Jim McGreevey drag on ever-longer. Having settled the child custody portion of the divorce, Dina and Jim are now squabbling about the important stuff: money. Matos McGreevey noted that once as the wife of a governor, she had $51,000/month lifestyle (the "cooks, gardeners, personal secretaries, drivers, security and lodging") . But then McGreevey robbed......

Two years after the FBI raided his offices, a former State Assemblyman and labor leader pleaded guilty to racketeering. Brian McLaughlin was charged with over 40 crimes, using his power as a seven-term Assemblyman, division head of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, and head of the NYC Central Labor Council to bribe and steal. In court yesterday, he admitted, "I took funds illegally, basically from three areas: employees in the electrical industry, campaign funds,......

Costumed performers and tour guides are fighting for unionization at the Lower East Side Tenement Museum, where they work to recreate the squalid living conditions of turn-of-the-century Jewish immigrants, the very group that was integral to 20th century unionization efforts. Dozens of the tenement employees protested last night outside a fundraiser for the museum at Chelsea Piers. Most of the guides work part time for an average $17 per hour, with no regular pay increases,......

Building workers such as doormen, office cleaners, and janitors will probably not go on strike at the start of 2008 after their local union reached an agreement with Manhattan commercial property owners. Union members still have to vote to ratify the new four year contract, but the union leaders are recommending they do so. NY1 described a jubilant scene with union members cheering upon the announcement of an agreement: "The $6.8 billion deal will give......

After drivers of Access-a-Ride vehicles went on strike yesterday, a federal mediator will step in and attempt to help negotiations along. The drivers have been unhappy with a tentative contract that put more of the burden of health care on them, which then makes a pay raise less substantial. The strike affects about 40% of the Access-a-Ride drivers; there are about 20,500 people who use the service. MTA, which uses Access-A-Ride but is not part......

Drivers from four different companies that operate vehicles for disabled and ill passengers have gone on strike. The 1,500 drivers want a new contract with the bus companies. The union has rejected a settlement with some wage increase and a slight increase in medical benefits twice. And not all drivers wanted to walk off the job - one driver told WCBS 2, "To have use go out on strike right now during the Christmas holiday......

State Supreme Court Justice Helen Freedman has ruled that the Broadway production of How the Grinch Stole Christmas can and will proceed, despite the theater owner’s attempt to lock out the stagehands. “Grinch” producers dragged Jucamcyn, the third largest owner of Broadway theaters, into court yesterday seeking an injunction to let the show go on. Local One, the stagehands’ union, is on strike until a contract is agreed upon with the producers’ league, of which......

According to Broadway insider Michael Riedel, it’s not “if” but “when” the stagehands will go on strike – and “when” could be a soon as tonight! The long and contentious contract negotiations between the producers and Local One are now at an acrimonious standstill over changes to rules governing overtime pay, work assignments and the number of stagehands required per production. Last night Thomas Short, president of the international union that must approve Local One’s......