Tentative Deal Between Unions, Rail Carriers Reportedly Includes Sick Time Win for Workers by Jake Johnson
September 15, 2022
Introduction:
(Common Dreams) The Biden White House on Thursday announced a tentative agreement between unions and rail carriers that reportedly includes a win for workers on sick leave, an issue central to the dispute that nearly resulted in a nationwide strike.
The Washington Post reported that the deal, which still must be approved by union members, would give rail workers "the ability to take days off for medical care without being subject to discipline."
The Post's Lauren Kaori Gurley noted on Twitter that "workers will receive voluntary assigned days off and a single additional paid day off. (They previously did not receive sick days.)"
"The agreement provides members with the ability to take unpaid days for medical care without being subject to attendance policies," Gurley added.
In a statement Thursday morning, President Joe Biden said the deal represents "a win for tens of thousands of rail workers who worked tirelessly through the pandemic to ensure that America's families and communities got deliveries of what have kept us going during these difficult years. "
“It’s Not Over”: While Biden Touts Rail Deal, Workers Have Yet to Vote—And Many Remain Skeptical by Jeff Schuhrke
September 16, 2022
Introduction:
(In These Times) President Joe Biden took a victory lap on Thursday after his administration helped broker a deal to stave off what would have been the first national freight railroad strike in 30 years. But the potential crisis is not over until rank-and-file rail workers vote on whether to approve the agreement — which could take weeks.
“Until railroad workers in the coming days can digest this and have their questions answered, there’s no consensus able to build on whether this deal is good, bad or ugly,” said Ron Kaminkow, a Nevada-based engineer and member of the Teamsters-affiliated Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers & Trainmen (BLET).
The tentative agreement reached early Thursday covers over 60,000 workers with the BLET and the Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers-Transportation Division (SMART-TD), two of 12 rail unions that have been in contract negotiations with the major freight rail carriers for nearly three years. While the other unions had already reached tentative deals, the BLET and SMART-TD were the last holdouts.
BLET President Dennis Pierce, who was directly part of the high-stakes negotiations, told In These Times that in accordance with the union’s internal processes, the tentative agreement will first be reviewed by the union’s general chairmen, who will finalize the document before it is sent out to the membership for a ratification vote via mail.
“This is probably going to take three to four weeks to [get full details into the members’ hands],” Pierce said. “It’s not a delay tactic, it’s just the way the process works. Everyone needs to remain calm, because they will have their day to exercise their democratic rights on whether they want this to be their contract or not.”
Rail Bosses Said No to Paid Sick Leave—So We’re Still on Track for a Strike by Abigail Weinberg
September, 2022
Introduction:
(Mother Jones) Earlier this month, when railroad workers threatened to strike over “grueling” conditions—like formal discipline for taking any time off at all—the Biden administration brokered a tentative deal, avoiding a work stoppage that could have crippled supply chains and cost the US billions of dollars a day. Crisis averted.
Or not. As more details of the deal come to light, it’s unclear that union members—who have to vote on the deal—will get on board. Workers had complained of weeks on call without a day off, overwork after staff cuts, and underpayment amid high inflation. One engineer told my colleague Noah Lanard that workers were “just fighting for the basic right to be able to be people outside of the railroad”—not for the $10 million–plus pay packages of top rail CEOs.
The current proposal offers raises, limits the rise of health care premiums, and tweaks a tight scheduling system used to cut staffing. But the sticking point in negotiations has been sick time. Despite rail workers’ unpredictable schedules, they’re penalized for sick days, medical visits, and family emergencies. The consequences of the strict sick-day policy can be fatal: In June, the Washington Post reported, a locomotive engineer died when he suffered a heart attack on the job—after postponing a doctor’s visit because he’d been called into work.
The tentative agreement removes penalties for up to three routine medical visits a year—but only on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, or Thursdays, and only if scheduled 30 days in advance. As some union members pointed out to the New York Times, you can’t always know a month ahead of time that you’ll need care, and unions already often manage to undo the discipline workers receive after unpaid leaves for health care.
Formalizing the deal will be an uphill battle. As the Post points out, some 115,000 union members have to ratify the contracts to avoid a strike. Two major unions haven’t accepted the agreement, and a third, smaller one already rejected it, aiming to make improvements by the end of September. The remaining votes are expected to take place across the following two months.
Weyerhaeuser Union Worker Strike Enters 11th Day With No End in Sight by Alanna Madden
September 23, 2022
Introduction:
LONGVIEW, Wash. (Courthouse News) — Timber giant Weyerhaeuser has found itself in hot water with unionized employees for the first time in 36 years, as over 1,100 union workers have walked off the job in 14 locations across Washington state and Oregon over low wage increases, increased health premiums and cut vacation time.
Friday marked the 11th day of the strike and Weyerhaeuser — once described as a local, family-focused company — may be waiting its workers out.
“We’re striking for better health care and, of course, better wages,” said Alfred Hendricks, a Weyerhaeuser electrician among hundreds of Longview, Washington, employees who have been striking outside the facility day and night since Sept. 13.
“The company's been reporting $1.9 billion in profit the past two years, and we're looking just to get a small increase,” Hendricks said, citing Weyerhaeuser’s self-described “record net earnings” in 2021, which are actually larger than Hendricks reports. In a January press release, Weyerhaeuser reported “record net earning of $2.6 billion, or $3.47 per diluted share, on net sales of $10.2 billion” — roughly a 226% increase from its “net earnings of $797 million on net sales of $7.5 billion for the full year of 2020.”
But despite a record-breaking year of profits, Weyerhaeuser hasn't negotiated a contract with its unionized employees, who range from sawmill workers and log yard scalers to mechanical loggers and log truck drivers — all of which have been working under expired contracts since May 31.
California governor approves farmworker unionization law
Source: Associated Press
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — A broadly smiling California Gov. Gavin Newsom joined about two dozen jubilant, cheering farmworkers camped outside the state Capitol Wednesday to sign one of the most contentious bills before him this year, reversing course on a measure to help farmworkers unionize after President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris supported it.
The White House support pinned Newsom in a difficult political position after his office announced before Democratic lawmakers sent him the bill that he would not sign it.
But Newsom approved the bill only after he, the United Farm Workers and the California Labor Federation agreed on clarifying language to be considered during next year’s legislative session to address his concerns around implementation and voting integrity.
The new law gives California farmworkers, who harvest much of the nation’s fruit and vegetables, new ways to vote in union elections beyond physical polling places on farm property. Proponents say that would help protect workers from union busting and other intimidation, while owners say such a system lacks necessary safeguards to prevent fraud.
JBS, Tyson Foods Invest in Smartwatch App that Monitors Workers by Madison McVan
October 13, 2022
Introduction:
(Investigate Midwest) Two of America’s largest meat companies — JBS and Tyson Foods — have invested in a smartwatch application that allows managers to monitor workers’ movements.
The startup behind the application, Mentore, claims to improve worker productivity while reducing injuries. The repetitive, fast and taxing work of cutting and packing protein makes meat processing plants some of the most dangerous workplaces in the country. Despite workers’ pleas, meat companies have fought to increase the pace of work.
The investments signal that the big meat companies could follow in the footsteps of other industries that have increased surveillance in an attempt to improve worker productivity. Amazon, in particular, has come under fire for using tracking technology to speed production so much so that, in at least some cases, its delivery drivers have not had time for bathroom breaks.
Experts said the use of digital technologies and AI to manage workers can have negative effects, such as increased stress and injuries, particularly when companies use the technology to make disciplinary decisions.
Railroads reject sick time demands, raising chance of strike
Source: AP
By JOSH FUNK
OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — The major freight railroads appear unwilling to give track maintenance workers much more than they received in the initial contract they rejected last week, increasing the chances of a strike.
The railroads took the unusual step of issuing a statement late Wednesday rejecting the Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employes Division union’s latest request to add paid sick time on top of the 24% raises and $5,000 in bonuses they received in the first five-year deal.
Union Pacific CEO Lance Fritz said Thursday that he thinks the main reason the BMWED rejected its initial contract last week was that the details of improved expense reimbursement in the deal were still being negotiated at UP while workers were voting. So it wasn’t clear exactly what those workers would receive for their travel expenses when they go on the road to repair tracks.
Six of the 12 railroad unions that represent 115,000 workers nationwide have approved their tentative agreements with the railroads so far, but all of them have to ratify their contracts to avoid a strike. The unions have agreed to put any strike on hold until at least mid-November while the BMWED negotiates a new deal and the other unions vote on their proposed contracts, so there’s no immediate threat the the trains most businesses rely on to deliver their raw materials and finished products will stop moving. A railroad strike could devastate the economy.
caltrek wrote: ↑Fri Oct 14, 2022 5:50 pm JBS, Tyson Foods Invest in Smartwatch App that Monitors Workers by Madison McVan
October 13, 2022
Introduction:
(Investigate Midwest) Two of America’s largest meat companies — JBS and Tyson Foods — have invested in a smartwatch application that allows managers to monitor workers’ movements.
The startup behind the application, Mentore, claims to improve worker productivity while reducing injuries. The repetitive, fast and taxing work of cutting and packing protein makes meat processing plants some of the most dangerous workplaces in the country. Despite workers’ pleas, meat companies have fought to increase the pace of work.
The investments signal that the big meat companies could follow in the footsteps of other industries that have increased surveillance in an attempt to improve worker productivity. Amazon, in particular, has come under fire for using tracking technology to speed production so much so that, in at least some cases, its delivery drivers have not had time for bathroom breaks.
Experts said the use of digital technologies and AI to manage workers can have negative effects, such as increased stress and injuries, particularly when companies use the technology to make disciplinary decisions.
Here Is Where Amazon Workers Are Going Out On Strike by Meg Herschlein
October 21, 2022
Introduction:
(More Perfect Union) Workers at six warehouses across three states walked off the job during the 2-day Amazon Prime day sale last week. This is the first multi-state coordinated action at Amazon facilities ranging from fulfillment centers to an air freight fulfillment center. The different types of facilities were chosen to disrupt critical pieces of the Amazon logistics network. The largest walkout happened at KSBD in San Bernardino, one of only three Amazon “air hubs” and the largest on the west coast. All of the workers who participated in walkouts during Prime Day had taken collective action before and were not met with satisfactory responses from Amazon.
Stone Mountain, Georgia (ATL2) – Workers walked out in September demanding $24/hour…
Buford, Georgia (DGE9) – Workers delivered a petition with 100 signatures during July Prime Day asking for $24/hour...A day after their walkout, workers in Buford GA reported a slower beltpace and a more manageable workload.
San Bernardino, CA (KSBD) – 900 workers signed a petition in July demanding a $5/hour raise…
During Prime Day, more than 120 workers walked off the job to protest Amazon’s response.
Joliet, Illinois (MDW2) – 600 workers in Joliet, IL delivered a petition to management demanding $25/hour and improved safety, but Amazon has not taken them seriously. On Prime Day 50 workers walked out demanding $25/hour.
Joliet, Illinois (MDW4) – Directly across the street from MDW2, eight workers at MDW4 walked off the job during Prime Week in coordination with the “Pay Us or Chaos” campaign out of Georgia.
Channahon, Illinois (ORD9) – 9 workers at a warehouse in Channahon, IL walked out during Prime Day.
Weyerhaeuser Workers Continue Strike, Prepare to Vote on Tentative Deal by Robert Desaulniers
October 21, 2022
Introduction:
(KEZI) SPRINGFIELD, Ore. -- Striking Weyerhaeuser workers held a rally in Springfield as they enter their sixth straight week of striking, with a vote for a tentative agreement with the timber company scheduled for the week of October 24.
Workers from as far as Seattle came down to show their support for each other and their union at a rally in front of the union hall on A Street in Springfield on October 21. Workers told KEZI they were striking to get their fair share after making Weyerhaeuser a large sum of money during the COVID-19 pandemic. Union desires include a livable family wage that keeps up with inflation, lower premiums for health benefits, and for outstanding safety issues to be addressed.
“I do have confidence in the union to get a fair deal, as of last night we have a tentative agreement,” said Terry Carlson, a processor operator at Weyerhaeuser. “I don't know what the tentative agreement is right now. We will be voting on it next week. Throughout the week every lodge has got a day which they will vote for, like always the union will bargain our contract, the fate of it is up to us. It's all in our hands, that's the beauty of being a union worker."
Striking workers say they are prepared to continue striking if they’re not satisfied with the deal. Those involved with the strike, such as Brandon Bryant, the District President of the International Association of Machinists, say they might ask for government intervention if a deal can’t be reached.
"We have called in a federal mediator,” Bryant said. “We've been working with the federal mediator for the last two weeks to help kind of referee our bargaining to make sure that we keep moving in the right direction. He's helped twist our arms, he's helped twist the company's arms and it's helped us come to an agreement."
Fast Food Giants are Trying to Overturn New Pro-Worker Law in California by Libby Rainey
October 27, 2022
Introduction:
(More Perfect Union) Less than two months after California Governor Gavin Newsom approved a landmark law to increase the minimum wage at fast food restaurants and give workers a role in setting industry standards, labor union SEIU charged that canvassers collecting signatures for a ballot measure to overturn the pro-worker law have been deliberately lying to voters.
AB 257 — also known as the Fast Food Accountability and Standards (FAST) Recovery Act — creates a state-wide council of workers, franchisees, officials, and corporate representatives to determine state-wide standards for fast food workers, including a minimum wage increase up to $22 an hour by 2023. Newsom signed the bill into law in early September, despite relentless opposition from fast food corporations.
But the bill’s opponents quickly jumped to a new tactic to thwart the progressive policy: a ballot initiative that would leave the fate of the law to voters in 2024. The effort is backed by a corporate front group known as “Save Local Restaurants” – a coalition that has received millions of dollars in donations from Starbucks, Chipotle, McDonald’s, and more. (The coalition is co-chaired by the National Restaurant Association, the International Franchise Association, and the nation’s largest corporate lobbying group, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce). If the ballot measure opposing AB 257 can gather enough signatures to qualify for the 2024 ballot, enactment of the law will be suspended until voters have a chance to weigh in. Lyft and Uber used a similar tactic in 2020, pouring millions of dollars into an effort to exempt gig drivers from a California law designating gig workers as employees.
The effort to kill the groundbreaking labor rights law is already in full swing. According to complaints filed Thursday by SEIU with the California Attorney General and Secretary of State, paid canvassers at multiple locations across California have told voters that signing the petition to put AB 257 on the ballot would raise the minimum wage — obscuring the fact that the bill in question has already been signed into law. SEIU included video footage of multiple canvassers misrepresenting the ballot initiative to voters at different California locations.
Hundreds of Resident Doctors Unionizing ay New York’s Montefiore Medical Center by Paula Pecorella
November 1, 2022
Introduction:
(More Perfect Union) More than 1,200 resident doctors and fellows at Montefiore Medical Center (MMC) in New York announced Tuesday that they are forming a union, citing burnout, low pay, and unsafe working conditions as their top grievances. Montefiore is one of the nation’s largest health systems, comprising ten hospitals and more than 200 clinics across Westchester, Hudson Valley and the Bronx.
Resident physicians have earned their medical degree and are participating in graduate medical training. To date, 10 medical residency programs have formed unions with SEIU’s Committee of Interns and Residents, growing its membership from 16,000 to over 23,000 since 2019.
“A lot of people don’t know the world of residency. We’re physicians, so they think we’re getting all the benefits and salary and honor of being a physician,” said Isuree Katugampala, a third-year medical resident at MMC. “But honestly, we are low wage workers when you consider the time we put in and the pay we get back.”
Medical residents are often expected to work 6 days and 80 to 100 hours per week, and typically earn $50,000 to $70,000 per year depending on their location. At MMC, residents say the pay and hours are unsustainable for New York City.
MMC residents who worked through the initial years of the pandemic say another reason for unionizing was the lack of proper resources for care for their patients. Rather than providing basic PPE, the hospital instead gave resident doctors garbage bags and Yankees rain ponchos and told them to make due.
American Airlines pilots' union rejects new contract proposal
Source: CNBC
American Airlines pilots’ union on Wednesday said its board of directors rejected a tentative agreement for a new contract, the latest in a series of setbacks in labor talks across major U.S. airlines.
The Allied Pilots Association, which represents roughly 15,000 American Airlines pilots, said its board voted against the tentative deal 15-5. The proposal called for 12% raises for pilots on the date of contract signing, plus 5% after one year, and 2% after two years, according to a copy of the agreement in principal.
American didn’t immediately comment. The rejection comes a day after United Airlines pilots turned down a deal that would have included more than 14% raises.
Labor unions are pushing for higher wages and better schedules, among other improvements, in new labor deals. The Covid-19 pandemic had put labor talks on hold as airlines focused on making it through a massive drop in travel demand.
Twitter Sued in Class Action Lawsuit Over Mass Layoffs Without Proper Legal Notice
by Sarah Perez and Ivan Mehta
November 4, 2022
Introduction:
(TechCrunch) Twitter is being sued for not giving employees advance notice of a mass layoff that began in earnest early Friday. The lawsuit alleges that Twitter violated worker protection laws, including the federal Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act as well as the California WARN Act, both of which require 60 days of advance notice.
The lawsuit was filed Thursday as news spread that the company — now under the ownership and direction of Elon Musk — would begin mass layoffs early Friday in an effort to reduce costs by eliminating 3,700 jobs, or 50% of its total workforce.
Bloomberg first reported the news of the lawsuit filed in the U.S. District Court in the Northern District of California.
The complaint alleges that Twitter began its layoffs November 1, when it terminated the plaintiff in the lawsuit, Emmanuel Cornet, without providing the proper written notice in violation of U.S. and California law. Additional plaintiffs, Justine De Caires, Jessica Pan, and Grae Kindel said they were terminated November 3 by being locked out of their accounts. The lawsuit added that California’s Employment Development Department had not received a notice related to the mass layoffs that began Friday.
Philadelphia Home Depot workers vote to reject unionization
Source: AP
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Home Depot workers in Philadelphia rejected the first store-wide labor union at the world’s largest home improvement retailer Saturday night, a loss for a fledgling movement to organize at major U.S. companies.
Workers voted 165 to 51 against forming a union representing 274 employees at the store, WHYY-FM reported.
The National Labor Relations Board oversaw the voting. A board spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request from The Associated Press for information about the vote.
The defeat for the organizers, who sought to join Home Depot Workers United, could discourage activist workers who have successfully formed the first unions at big chains, including Amazon, Starbucks, Trader Joe’s and Apple, but have since suffered setbacks in getting collective bargaining off the ground or organizing more unions.
Tesla's construction workers at Texas gigafactory allege labor violations
Source: Guardian
Construction workers who toiled on one of Tesla’s sprawling so-called gigafactories will file a complaint and a case referral with the federal Department of Labor on Tuesday detailing exploitative work conditions they say they experienced while building the plant.
Whistleblowers came forward to allege serious labor and employment violations during construction of the electric car manufacturer’s massive new facility in Austin, Texas, that left them vulnerable to injuries and wage theft.
Amid accusations of constant hazards and onsite accidents, one worker said his bosses at an unnamed subcontractor falsified credentials instead of actually providing him and others with required job training involving education about health, safety, and workers’ rights – including the right to refuse dangerous work.
Other whistleblowers are reporting what they describe as wage theft and say they weren’t paid at all or didn’t receive proper overtime compensation for their work on the hi-tech facility.
'Red Cup Rebellion': Workers at 100+ Starbucks Locations Strike to Protest Union Busting
by Jake Johnson
November 17, 2022
Introduction:
(Common Dreams) Thousands of unionized Starbucks workers at more than 100 locations across the United States are walking off the job Thursday to protest the coffee giant's refusal to engage in good-faith negotiations with stores that have voted to organize.
Workers United, the union representing thousands of Starbucks employees, dubbed the nationwide day of action the "Red Cup Rebellion," a pro-labor counter to Starbucks' annual "Red Cup Day."
As Starbucks gives away free reusable cups to customers to mark the holiday season, striking employees nationwide are handing out Starbucks Workers United-branded cups to build public awareness of the union drive and spotlight the company's aggressive and unlawful efforts to crush it.
(See article linked below for Twitter feeds).
"Whether it's firing one of my coworkers for wearing a suicide awareness pin, how they've closed down a dozen locations in the process of unionizing, or how we're being denied benefits that non-union stores are getting, Starbucks has left behind the very values that drew many of us to the company in the first place," Michelle Eisen, a Buffalo Starbucks worker, said in a statement.
"You cannot be pro-LGTBQ, pro-BLM, pro-sustainability, and anti-union," Eisen added. "This Red Cup Day, we're organizing for a voice on the job and a true seat at the table."
Five things to know about the new DOL complaint about child labor in meatpacking plants by Sky Chadde
November 15, 2022
Introduction:
(Investigate Midwest) Packers Sanitation Services Inc., or PSSI, is a large maintenance company that cleans meatpacking plants for some of the largest meat companies in the U.S., including JBS and Tyson Foods. Its employees work overnight to clean the residue of animals off heavy machinery.
Last week, the U.S. Department of Labor filed a complaint against PSSI for allegedly employing minors, some of whom suffered chemical burns from the cleaning supplies.
Here are the five things to know about PSSI and the complaint.
PSSI often employs immigrants. In the 1950s, meatpacking was a unionized, well-paying job, but then companies started moving plants to rural areas and hiring immigrants. In 2015, at least a quarter of all meat and poultry workers were foreign-born non-citizens, according to a federal report.
Aligning with the industry, PSSI employs many immigrants, including some whom are undocumented, according to a 2017 investigation by Bloomberg.
The DOL discovered at least 31 minors at three Midwestern plants. Comparing employment and school records, the agency found some were as young as 13. Also, evidence “indicates,” the DOL said in its complaint, that PSSI may employ children at its 400 operations around the country. The overnight shifts affected some of the minors’ schoolwork: One said he often fell asleep in class or skipped school, while another said he dropped out. All of the minors spoke Spanish.
Outrage as Starbucks Moves to Close First Unionized Shop in Its Home City of Seattle by Jake Johnson
November 22, 2022
Introduction:
(Common Dreams) Starbucks announced late Monday that it will soon shutter yet another unionized location—this time the Seattle shop that was the first to unionize in the coffee giant's home city.
While Starbucks said in a statement that the planned closure is due to "safety and security" concerns, workers and union representatives characterized the decision as clearly retaliatory given the Broadway East and Denny Way's status as the first organized shop in the city where Starbucks was founded and is currently headquartered.
"Starbucks and [billionaire CEO] Howard Schultz believe they are above the law. They believe they can do whatever they want and get away with it," Starbucks Workers United wrote on Twitter. "This is unacceptable and will not stand."
December 9 is the final day before the store will be closed to the public. As Starbucks Workers United Seattle pointed out, that is the one-year anniversary of the first-ever Starbucks union victory in Buffalo, New York last year.
The Broadway and Denny location is one of several unionized stores in Seattle that Starbucks has moved to shut down in recent months as the company continues its relentless anti-union campaign across the country, drawing accusations of mass labor law violations and legal action from the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB).
Major Strike Looms as Largest Rail Union in US Rejects White House-Brokered Contract by Jake Johnson
November 21, 2022
Introduction:
(Common Dreams) The largest railroad workers union in the United States announced Monday that its members voted to reject a contract negotiated with the help of the Biden White House, once again raising the prospect of a major strike or lockout as employees revolt over profitable rail giants' refusal to provide adequate paid sick leave.
The Transportation Division of the International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail, and Transportation Workers (SMART-TD) said in a statement that just over 50% of its members voted to reject the proposed contract. Members of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET)—the second-largest rail union in the U.S.—voted to ratify the contract, the union said Monday.
If any of the rail unions decide to strike, the others have vowed to honor their picket lines. SMART-TD said a strike or lockout could begin as soon as December 9.
"SMART-TD members with their votes have spoken, it's now back to the bargaining table for our operating craft members," said Jeremy Ferguson, the union's president. "This can all be settled through negotiations and without a strike. A settlement would be in the best interests of the workers, the railroads, shippers, and the American people."
"The ball is now in the railroads' court. Let's see what they do. They can settle this at the bargaining table," Ferguson added. "But, the railroad executives who constantly complain about government interference and regularly bad-mouth regulators and Congress now want Congress to do the bargaining for them."
