Today's AFL-CIO press clips
JOINING TOGETHER
Journalists at Jezebel, The Root, Gizmodo, Lifehacker and other G/O Media newsrooms strike
Poynter
By Angela Fu
March 1, 2022
Roughly 100 unionized journalists at six different G/O Media newsrooms went on strike Tuesday morning after negotiations for a third contract broke down. The workers are part of the Gizmodo Media Group Union, which includes editorial employees at Jezebel, The Root, Lifehacker, Kotaku, Jalopnik and Gizmodo. The union is organized with the Writers Guild of America, East, which represents a number of digital journalists.
Nearly 300 Troy union employees still locked out, picketing
Dayton247now
By Chelsea Sick
March 1, 2022
It has been more than a week since nearly 300 union employees at Collins Aerospace employees were locked out of the facility. They say they have been without pay during this time. The union employees say they have been picketing around-the-clock since they were locked out of the facility on February 21. On Tuesday, UAW Local 128 President Joe Konicki says he sent the letter below to the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services, hoping to get his members the unemployment benefits he says they deserve.
Stop & Shop, union representing 35,000 workers, reach labor deal
Mass Live
By Jim Kinney
March 1, 2022
Unionized Stop & Shop workers in Massachusetts, Connecticut and Rhode Island gained raises with no increase in their health-care cost when they ratified a new four-year contract over the weekend. The deal includes wage increases for every employee with at least six months of service of up to $4, including a $15 hourly starting rate for part-time employees and $17.30 starting rate for full-time employees, according to information put out by united Food and Commercial Workers Local 919 in Connecticut.
High hopes among union workers as Eaton Corp. resumes contract discussions
WQAD
By Jennifer Somers, Khalia Patterson and Jenny Hipskind
March 1, 2022
After some delay, Eaton Corporation representatives returned to bargaining discussions with International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) union members Tuesday. Now, on Day 12 of the strike, it's time for Eaton Corporation to respond to the settlement offer that IAM proposed. As IAM District 6 business representative John Herrig told News 8, "The ball is in their court."
IN THE STATES
Ky. bill slashing unemployment passes Senate committee
KFPL
By Ryan Van Velzer
March 1, 2022
A bill limiting unemployment benefits for Kentuckians passed out of a Senate committee Tuesday despite bi-partisan concern that the bill could harm unemployed Kentuckians and their communities. Opponents of the measure included Republicans and Democrats, and faith and labor leaders. Several of them described the measure as a ruthless attempt to force Kentuckians back to work for low wages. President of the Kentucky State AFL-CIO, Bill Londrigan, said similar laws in other states have not boosted the labor force. He said slashing benefits in Kentucky would result in more hardship for unemployed workers and their communities. “[Unemployment insurance] benefits are spent at the local grocery store, gas station and pharmacy and to pay essential heating, water and mortgage payments,” he said. “By cutting the number of weeks of benefits less money will be spent in local economies.
AFL-CIO statement on state’s budget forecast
Grand Rapids Herald Review
March 1, 2022
Minnesota AFL-CIO President Bernie Burnham issued the following statement on today’s state budget forecast showing $9.25 billion in unallocated budget dollars: “For the past two years, working people were forced to deal with a global pandemic, social crises, & economic uncertainty. These challenges served to widen the existing racial & economic inequities in our state. Today’s budget news means Minnesota has the resources to immediately invest in working people and families and begin building a more just and equitable state. “With these additional dollars we can leverage federal matching funds for job creating state and local infrastructure projects; we can recognize the frontline workers who kept our state going during the pandemic’s darkest days with $1500 bonuses; we can begin a paid family & medical leave program that gives working people the freedom to care for themselves and the people they love without sacrificing pay; and we can fully fund the schools and public services that Minnesotans rely on.
Labor unions form new group to combat climate change in Maine
Maine Public
By Nicole Ogrysko
March 1, 2022
Labor unions in Maine say they have a lot of ideas on how the state can combat climate change and create clean energy jobs. More than a dozen unions have created a new Maine Labor Climate Council, which they officially launched Tuesday. The unions say Maine has an opportunity to tackle climate change, the economic fallout from the pandemic and income inequality all at once. Cynthia Phinney, president of Maine AFL-CIO, said the recommendations could generate 10,000-to-20,000 jobs per year for the next two decades in Maine, depending on how far the state takes them. "As we create a roadmap to transition to a planet-sustaining economy, we see the opportunities to create good jobs that help end that economic divide," she told reporters Tuesday. "As the transition will impact what works get done and how it will get done, we see the necessity of bringing labor's voice to the center of plans to transition."
VOTING RIGHTS
Vice President Kamala Harris to speak at Bridge Crossing Jubilee on Sunday
Selma Sun
March 1, 2022
Vice President Kamala Harris will be a speaker at the 57th Annual Bridge Crossing Jubilee on Sunday. Organizers announced on Tuesday that Harris, the first woman and first African American elected Vice President, will speak at the foot of the Edmund Pettus Bridge on Sunday afternoon. Other leaders attending the March are SCLC President and CEO Dr. Charles Steele on Sunday, Repairers of the Breach President and Co-Chair of the Poor People’s Campaign Bishop William Barber and Co-Chair of the Poor People’s Campaign Rev. Dr. Liz Theoharis on Monday, Rainbow PUSH Coalition Founder and President Rev. Jesse Jackson on Monday, Transformative Justice Coalition Founder and President Barbara Arnwine, Esq. on Monday, National Action Network Founder and President Rev. Al Sharpton on Tuesday, Black Voters Matter Co-Founders LaTosha Brown and Cliff Albright on Wednesday, National AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler and AFSCME President Lee Saunders on Thursday and more.