AFL-CIO Press Clips: June 2, 2022
MUST READ
‘This is our time’: How women are taking over the labor movement
19th News
By Chabeli Carrazana
June 1, 2022
The shift happening now comes along with a critical change in leadership at the nation’s major unions. After the death of former AFL-CIO president and prominent national union leader Richard Trumka in 2021, longtime labor leader Liz Shuler took over as president — marking the first time a woman took the helm of the largest and most powerful federation of labor unions in the country. “As work is changing, as the workforce is changing, we are going to be changing with it,” Shuler told The 19th. “Coming out of COVID-19, work is looking differently. That’s why the labor movement is so sorely needed: to show workers that they have a voice and a place in that change.”
APPRENTICESHIPS
Union apprenticeship programs reduce social inequalities in Oregon’s construction industry
Portland Business Journal
By NECA IBEW Local 48
June 1, 2022
Construction is the third fastest growing industry in Oregon, and union-led apprenticeship programs are empowering women and people of color to build skillsets to join the industry. More opportunities for construction workers are on the horizon, with a continuous rise in labor demand as 17% of the workforce nears retirement. The Oregon Employment Department predicts 11,900 new construction jobs over the next decade. According to a 2021 research study conducted by Larissa Petrucci, Ph.D., through the University of Oregon’s Labor Education & Research Center, union apprenticeship programs are leading in diversity and showing higher success rates all around compared to nonunion programs, especially for women and people of color. Petrucci found that within Oregon, women and people of color are significantly more likely to complete their programs in a union apprenticeship compared to a nonunion apprenticeship. They are more than twice as likely to enter a high-wage trade if they go through a union apprenticeship program. More specifically, 46% of women in union programs enroll in trades with an average hourly wage of $40 or higher, compared to 19% in nonunion programs.
JOINING TOGETHER
These Baristas Have Been on Strike for Over 3 Months to Get Their Union Recognized
In These Times
By Hannah Faris
June 1, 2022
At Great Lakes Coffee Roasters, a cafe in Detroit’s Midtown neighborhood, 20 baristas have been on strike since February 16, demanding recognition of their union and a first contact. Calling themselves “Comrades in Coffee,” these workers have launched one of the first recognition strikes — a labor action forcing an employer to acknowledge a collective bargaining representative — that the city has seen in years. Their demands include higher wages and improved workplace safety and benefits. The baristas also say they want to set a new standard for cafes across Detroit, while joining a national movement of cafe organizing. The small chain employs about 24 baristas and cooks across the metro area, in the flagship cafe in Midtown and four satellite locations in local grocery stores. Workers are organizing with Unite Here Local 24, Detroit Metro’s hospitality union representing over 7,000 workers in the hotel, food service and airport industries. Over three months into the strike, management has closed down its largest store while still refusing to meet workers at the bargaining table.
Musicians To Rally At Carnegie Hall For Fair Contract With Distinguished Concerts International New York
Deadline
By David Rob
June 1, 2022
Musicians will rally Monday outside Carnegie Hall for a fair contract with Distinguished Concerts International New York, a for-profit company that holds most of its concerts at the celebrated venue. The rally will start at 6 pm ET. DCINY’s orchestra formed a union with Local 802 of the American Federation of Musicians more than two years ago, but DCINY “has essentially locked them out and refuses to offer industry standards like union wages, proper rest breaks, health insurance, retirement payments, recording or streaming payments, job security, a primary hiring list and more,” the union said in a statement.
Ohio State Marion professors attempting to form Ohio State's first faculty union
Marion Star
By Sophia Veneziano
June 1, 2022
Faculty at The Ohio State University at Marion are attempting to form the first faculty employee union at Ohio State. A majority of tenured and tenure-track faculty at Ohio State Marion submitted union authorization cards with the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Ohio Council 8 to the Ohio State Employment Relations Board (SERB) in March, and the process is still pending before the board amid campus faculty claiming the organization has not yet acknowledged the efforts to organize. By organizing with AFSCME, Ohio State Marion faculty hope to gain equal pay and workload expectations with their faculty colleagues, to secure rules and governance on the Marion campus and to ensure that professors can negotiate health care benefits and prevent further loss of pensions.
IN THE STATES
New top officer at Northwest Oregon Labor Council
Northwest Labor Press
By Don Mcintosh
June 1, 2022
Northwest Oregon Labor Council has a new top officer. Thomas Mosher, a 41-year-old attorney and political consultant, won election as executive secretary-treasurer at NOLC’s May 23 delegates meeting. He took office immediately, replacing Bob Tackett, who retired. Mosher is a member of American Federation of Musicians Local 99 and was one of three candidates nominated at NOLC’s April monthly delegates meeting. Another candidate, UFCW Local 555 political liaison Fiona Yau-Luu, dropped out of the running shortly before the vote, so delegates chose between Mosher and Eva Rippeteau, longtime political coordinator for Oregon AFSCME. Delegates for each affiliated union cast votes based on the number of members they pay dues to the council for. The result was 12,883 for Mosher and 10,335 for Rippeteau.
UNION BUSTING
Amy’s Kitchen faces labor complaints at its San Jose plant
The Mercury News
By Deena Shanker
June 1, 2022
Amy’s Kitchen Inc., a maker of frozen vegetarian meals and soups, has been accused of unfair labor practices at its plant in San Jose, California, according to complaints filed Wednesday with the National Labor Relations Board. Unite Here, a union representing approximately 300,000 workers in Canada and the US, says the company engaged in activities such as required attendance for anti-union meetings, disciplining employees for participation in labor activities and the termination of two employees for supporting a union. The group is also seeking a temporary injunction to halt the alleged practices. “We are calling on Amy’s management to stop retaliating against workers, to stop disciplining them, to agree to a neutral process without threats and intimidations,” said Raquel Alvarez, president of the local chapter of Unite Here. “Workers should be able to fight for better conditions without fear.”
LABOR AND COMMUNITY
Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive delivers for needy families
Labor Tribune
June 1, 2022
Thanking union members and everyone in the bi-state region for their support of the 2022 national “Stamp Out Hunger” food drive on May 14, National Association of Letter Carriers Local 343 Executive Board member Pamela Stepney spoke to delegates of the St. Louis Labor Council on May 17 hailing the success of this year’s drive. Although collection totals are still being compiled across America, in St. Louis, as of May 20, over 170,000 pounds of food had been collected, enough to feed 89,863 meals.Since the first drive was held in 1993, almost two billion pounds of food have been collected. This year’s national results are not available yet. This is the first year the drive has been held under normal conditions since 2019, before the COVID-19 pandemic. National partners in this year’s drive include the U.S. Postal Service, the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union, the National Rural Letter Carriers’ Association, Vericast, United Way Worldwide, the AFL-CIO, Valpak, Kellogg Co. and CVS Health.