Labor

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A worker (center) at the Ford plant in Genk, Belgium, smashes a plaque containing the company's mission statement with a shovel while another worker looks on, on Wednesday, Oct. 24, 2012, in front of the factory. The European Ford management announced it will close the plant at the end of 2014 — a move that will result in 4,500 direct job losses and 5,000 more among subcontractors. (Associated Press)

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A worker at the Ford plant in Genk, Belgium, reacts on Wednesday, Oct. 24, 2012, after the European Ford management announced it will close the plant at the end of 2014 — a move that will result in 4,500 direct job losses and 5,000 more among subcontractors. (Associated Press)

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Belgian Prime Minister Elio Di Rupo addresses the media in his office in Brussels on Wednesday, Oct. 24, 2012, on the announced closure of the Belgian Ford factory. The planned closure at the end of 2014 will result in 4,500 direct job losses and 5,000 more among subcontractors. (Associated Press)

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A worker at the Ford plant in Genk, Belgium, reacts on Wednesday, Oct. 24, 2012, after the European Ford management announced it would close the plant at the end of 2014 — a move that will result in 4,500 direct job losses and 5,000 more among subcontractors. (Associated Press)

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Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin III lost a fumble and was intercepted in Sunday’s loss to the Giants. Still, the rookie has only five turnovers through the first seven games. By comparison, veteran Matt Cassel lost his job as Kansas City’s starting QB after totaling 14 turnovers in the first five games. (Rod Lamkey Jr./The Washington Times)

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** FILE ** Independent Angus King greets workers leaving Bath Iron Works in Bath, Maine, on Monday, Oct. 22, 2012. (Associated Press)

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Office workers flood District streets in Chinatown in Northwest after a 5.9 earthquake in Virginia is felt in Washington, D.C., Tuesday, August 23, 2011. (Andrew Harnik / The Washington Times)

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Job hunter Bessie Soley of Locust Grove, Ga., fills out an employment application at the National Job Fair in Atlanta on Wednesday, Oct. 3, 2012. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)

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Thierry Coste of the European Union farmers union addresses the media in Brussels on Wednesday, Oct. 17, 2012, about the worst wine-grape harvest for the region in a half-century. (AP Photo/Yves Logghe)

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Trays of printed Social Security checks in Philadelphia wait to be mailed from the U.S. Treasury in 2005. (Associated Press) **FILE**

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Former General Electric Chairman Jack Welch tweeted his skepticism five minutes after the Labor Department recently announced the unemployment rate had fallen to 7.8 percent in September from 8.1 percent the previous month. (Associated Press)

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NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman speaks with reporters following talkswith the media following labor talks with the NHLPA in Toronto on Thursday, Aug. 23, 2012. Negotiations continue between the league and the players' union over collective bargaining as both sides try to avoid a potential lockout. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Chris Young)

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The Republican candidate for U.S. Senate in Missouri, Rep. W. Todd Akin, who home-schooled his children, not surprisingly has the avid backing of the state’s home-schoolers. Mr. Akin is running to unseat Sen. Claire McCaskill, who has the endorsement of teachers unions. (The Associated Press)