AFL-CIO Press Clips: July 15, 2022
LABOR AND ECONOMY
Inflation hit a new high last month. Here's how it's changing life in the U.S.
NPR
July 14, 2022
NPR's Steve Inskeep speaks with William Spriggs, economist for the AFL-CIO, about inflation, which hit 9.1% for the twelve months ending in June.
JOINING TOGETHER
On the eve of Comic-Con, why these San Diego hotel workers are considering a strike
The San Diego Union-Tribune
By Lori Weisberg
July 13, 2022
In a strategic move to secure higher pay for workers at the Hilton San Diego Bayfront, their labor union is threatening to strike during next week’s Comic-Con if it can’t reach an agreement with the hotel on a new contract. With a strike authorization vote looming Friday, San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria and two City Council members joined a union-led rally Wednesday, urging the hotel ownership to deliver a fair contract for the hundreds of housekeepers, servers, dishwashers and front desk agents staffing the 1,190-room convention hotel.
2,000+ Join Rally in Solidarity With Philadelphia Museum of Art Workers
Hyperallergic
By Billy Anania
July 14, 2022
On Wednesday, July 13, more than 2,000 trade unionists and art workers rallied on the steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art (PMA) in support of the PMA Union’s campaign for a fair contract. Now 22 months into stalled negotiations, the union’s third rally since April brought together national and local labor leaders to demand management meets at the bargaining table in good faith. Organized under the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Local 397, PMA workers formed the first wall-to-wall museum union in August 2020 with an 89% supermajority.
Baltimore Museum of Art workers vote to join union
CBS Baltimore
By Brandon Weigel
July 14, 2022
Curators, conservators, security guards and other staffers at the Baltimore Museum of Art voted overwhelmingly Thursday night to join a union. The workers will join the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Council 67, a local union representing public services employees such as nurses, corrections officers and sanitation workers. AFSCME says it represents more museum workers than any other union through Cultural Workers United, which counts staffers at the MET, the Museum of Contemporary Art L.A. and the American Museum of Natural History as members.
Topeka Goodyear union prepared to strike as last resort
KSNT
July 14, 2022
Contract negotiations between Goodyear and a local union are taking place right now. Negotiations have been going on since June 7, and they have until July 29 to reach an agreement. “They need to come to the table and give us a good agreement,” said A.J. Stattelman of United Steelworkers Local 307.
Motion Picture Academy Museum Recognizes Workers Union
The Wrap
By Jeremy Fuster |
July 14, 2022
The Academy Museum of Motion Pictures will voluntarily recognize its employees’ new union, Academy Museum Workers United, after weeks of talks between the union and management. The union recognition was announced in a joint statement by AMWU and the Academy Museum, which last week named Jacqueline Stewart as its new president and director. AMWU will unionize with the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Council 36, which represents labor unions in museums and other nonprofit cultural institutions.
PBS NewsHour content creators reveal unionization effort
Editor & Publisher
By Katie Kilkenny
July 14, 2022
Content creators at PBS NewsHour have revealed that they are attempting to unionize with SAG-AFTRA, which already represents the news unit’s anchors and correspondents. The workers, who are calling their group the NewsHour Union, announced their organizing attempt on Tuesday. “As the creative engine behind one of the most trusted news institutions in the country, our goal is to strengthen this pillar of American television news by creating a better, healthier and more transparent workplace,” the organizing committee said in a press release, adding that they are hoping to foster “the best workplace in public media.”