Today's AFL-CIO press clips
JOINING TOGETHER
Kroger's King Soopers union workers approve new contract
Reuters
By Praveen Paramasivam
Feb. 1, 2022
Workers at nearly 80 King Soopers, owned by Kroger Co (KR.N), approved a new three-year contract, the Colorado-based chain said on Tuesday, ending a stalemate that had caused a 10-day strike at the start of the year. King Soopers will invest $170 million in wage increases through the life of the agreement, with additional health-care investments. The union had planned to strike from Jan. 12 until early February for better wages and working conditions but called it off on Jan. 21 after reaching a tentative deal. Union President Kim Cordova said the deal followed several days of negotiations and the possibility of a sympathy strike by stores in California and Seattle.
KENS
By Zack Briggs
Feb. 1, 2022
Musicians with the San Antonio Symphony have been on strike since late September. But there’s potential renewed hope from both sides of the ongoing labor dispute to reach an agreement soon. The strike stemmed from symphony management’s contract that would slash 30 full-time positions (72 to 42) and cut pay. On February 14, the musicians' union and the symphony board will engage in negotiations once again but with a mediator. “The gentleman who approached both sides seems to be from all that we’ve been able to determine, a very reasonable person and our hope and expectation is that he will be able to strike a fair balance during the course of these proceedings,” said Richard Oppenheim, president of the AFM Local 23.
IN THE STATES
The Tennessee Tribune
Jan. 31, 2022
Tennessee AFL-CIO President Billy Dycus issued the following statement in response to Governor Bill Lee’s State of the State address. “Overtly partisan and pandering directly to the most extreme factions of the Republican supermajority, Governor Bill Lee’s State of the State Address failed to touch on any of the real crises facing Tennessee’s working families. With hardly any mention of the still-ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, a lack of good-paying jobs, or Tennessee’s ranking at the bottom of multiple lists, it was nearly impossible to recognize the version of our state that Governor Lee referenced in his remarks.
Senator wants to tie unemployment benefits to jobless rate
Columbia Missourian
By Sean Brynda
Feb. 1, 2022
Jacob Hummel for the Missouri AFL-CIO stated that the bill would not be beneficial to all employees within the state. “Eight weeks for some of our industries is just entirely too short,” Hummel said. “If I am speaking for the construction industry, there are times in which we are laid off for three months at a time due to a winter slowdown … There are many people out there with a particular skill set and I can tell you right now, it takes more than eight weeks to train people to learn a new trade skill.” Hummel said the bill would not provide a large enough safety net to protect blue-collar workers in certain industries such as electrical, construction and carpentry. “What I’m saying is that we are punishing very hard-working people that through no fault of their own, their occupation may slow down for a period of time, and that is harmful,” Hummel said. “I just don’t think that we are going to attract any workers into the state when we need them the most by cutting out something that is going to help them possibly in the long run.”
UNION BUSTING
U.S. Labor board official seeks swift punishment for anti-union threats
Reuters
By Daniel Wiessner
Feb. 1, 2022
The U.S. National Labor Relations Board's top lawyer on Tuesday called on regional staff to more aggressively police employers who threaten workers during unionizing campaigns, and take them to court before they can fire pro-union workers. NLRB General Counsel Jennifer Abruzzo in a memo to staff lawyers said seeking federal court orders barring interference with union organizing earlier in the process would deter businesses from retaliating against union supporters and discouraging unionization efforts.