MUST READ
Hollywood Union Sets Oct. 18 Strike Date, Pressuring Studios
Bloomberg
By Brian Eckhouse
October 13, 2021
The head of the AFL-CIO, which includes IATSE, spoke earlier Wednesday at the National Press Club. “This will be one of the largest work stoppages that most of the country will take notice on,” President Liz Shuler said. “These people are working overtime, they’re answering the call, and yet the companies now who are making some pretty tidy profits suddenly can’t pay overtime and suddenly you can’t have a meal break.”
MUST LISTEN
The National Women’s Soccer League, Institutional Failures, And Allegations Of Harassment
WAMU
By Amanda Williams
October 13, 2021
This week marks four years since the #metoo movement took off across industries, exposing toxic behavior and rampant sexual harassment and ousting those in power who caused or condoned it. Now, it’s soccer’s turn. A major investigation by The Athletic has brought accusations of sexual and verbal harassment by coaches in the National Women’s Soccer League to light. It prompted a weekend of game cancellations and calls for change. And when players returned to the field again last week, it was not to play as usual. How was this allowed to happen? And where does the league go from here?
IMMIGRATION
Time
By Jasmine Aguilera
October 13, 2021
The American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO), the largest federation of labor unions in the U.S., applauded the Biden Administration’s move. “[DHS] has taken an important step to ensure that immigration enforcement supports, rather than interferes with, the effective enforcement of the laws meant to protect all workers in this country,” said AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler in a public statement.
JOINING TOGETHER
The Washington Post
By Jacob Bogage
October 13, 2021
“This will be one of the largest work stoppages that most of the country will take notice of,” Shuler said. “Film and television has been a baseline for most people [during the pandemic], and these are the people that actually make that content happen, so we will stand with them in solidarity. We will use the full breadth and power of the labor movement to make sure that these companies are feeling the pain.”
IATSE Sets Strike Date for 60,000 Film and Television Workers, Ratcheting Pressure on Studios
Variety
By Brent Lang
October 13, 2021
Negotiations to prevent a strike that could bring the film and television production business to its knees are going down to the wire. Matthew Loeb, president of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, said early Wednesday that unless an agreement is reached, 60,000 union members will begin a nationwide strike against the major studios on Oct. 18 at 12:01 a.m. Such a work stoppage would be catastrophic, halting production across the U.S. Loeb said the union will continue bargaining with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers this week in the hopes of reaching an agreement that addresses core issues. The unions are seeking a 10-hour turnaround between shifts for all workers, as well as a 54-hour turnaround on weekends. They are also seeking increased meal penalties, as a way to force productions to stop for lunch, and an end to discounted rates for streaming services. “The pace of bargaining doesn’t reflect any sense of urgency,” Loeb said. “Without an end date, we could keep talking forever. Our members deserve to have their basic needs addressed now.”
More than 100K workers threaten strikes as unions flex muscles
The Hill
By Karl Evers-Hillstrom
October 13, 2021
Workers in various industries nationwide are threatening to go on strike in a sweeping effort to secure higher pay and better working conditions. More than 100,000 unionized employees — between Hollywood production crew members, John Deere factory workers and Kaiser Permanente nurses — have overwhelmingly voted to authorize strikes and are preparing to join the picket line unless they get stronger collective bargaining agreements.p
Kellogg’s strike gaining traction, support from Omaha labor unions
WOWT
By Leigh Waldman
October 13, 2021
Workers at Omaha’s Kellogg’s cereal plant have now been on strike for more than a week as union representatives on the picket line say negotiations continue to break down. Chris Haynes, senior negotiator at BCTGM Local 50G, says negotiations remain at a stalemate. “As of right now, we are at a standstill with the company. We reached out to the company, they’ve said they reached out to us but as of right now, we are not currently talking,” said Haynes. Senior Union negotiator Haynes describes the negotiation status of the Kellogg’s worker strike as “radio silence” and the BCTGM Local 50G Union President, Dan Osborn agrees. Osborn says employees want to work, but only for what they deserve.
Hollywood production workers union says strike could begin Monday
The Hill
By Karl Evers-Hillstrom
October 13, 2021
Roughly 60,000 film and TV production crew workers will go on strike Monday if they do not secure a new contract with Hollywood and streaming giants. International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) President Matthew Loeb said Wednesday that the union will continue to negotiate with studios to secure more time for meal breaks, sleep and better wages. If they cannot come to an agreement by 12:01 a.m. Monday, production workers will begin a nationwide strike. “[The] pace of bargaining doesn’t reflect any sense of urgency,” Loeb said in a statement Wednesday. “Without an end date, we could keep talking forever. Our members deserve to have their basic needs addressed now.”
Hollywood crews will strike on Monday if new contract deal is not reached with producers
CNBC
By Sarah Whitten
October 13, 2021
After more than a week of failed negotiations, the union representing Hollywood crews announced Wednesday that its members will go on strike Monday if they cannot reach an agreement on a new contract. “The pace of bargaining doesn’t reflect any sense of urgency,” said Matthew Loeb, president of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, in a statement Wednesday. “Without an end date, we could keep talking forever. Our members deserve to have their basic needs addressed now.”
WAGE THEFT
Port truckers win $30 million in wage theft settlements
Los Angeles Times
By Margot Roosevelt
October 13, 2021
One of the world’s largest trucking companies, XPO Logistics, agreed Tuesday to pay $30 million to settle class-action lawsuits filed by hundreds of drivers who said they earned less than minimum wage delivering goods for major retailers from the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach. The settlements amounted to a major victory for the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, which applauded the lawsuits as part of a decades-long effort to organize the twin ports’ more than 25,000 drivers.