Amid ongoing contract negotiations and the constant threat of a worker strike, officials representing Ralphs, Vons and Albertons issued a statement today addressing the state of their bargaining with the grocery workers' union. In it, they comment on the agreements reached so far at the negotiating table, which include retaining parts of the current pension plan. more ›

Bowing to pressure from city leaders, Newport Beach lifeguards have agreed to a "scaled-down" pension benefits agreement, according to the Daily Pilot. Newport paid approximately $500,000 toward 14 full-time lifeguards' pension plans In 2010. more ›

Vons, Ralphs, and Albertsons announced in a statement that a tentative agreement has been struck with the grocery workers' union, United Food and Commercial Workers Locals (UFCW), regarding the pension portion of the paperwork. Terms of the agreement that affects more than 60,000 employees in the region were not disclosed. more ›

Who knew that the suspected Grim Sleeper serial killer and the city of Bell scandal could be somewhat related? They are, but not directly, just anecdotally. City and state worker pensions have been an increasingly controversial topic as government budgets diminish and now Lonnie Franklin's pension from the city of Los Angeles is out there. more ›

Nothing really happened yesterday in the capitol other than the Democratic plan to fix the budget went nowhere (for those following the possible closure of most all state parks, this means more time to advocate). Now Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg is vowing to work everyday to pass the budget by July 1st. If that date is not met, the state will begin sending IOUs instead of payments to bills. Here's to another day of being $24 billion in the red. more ›