MUST READ
U.S. labor movement’s next frontier is the tech industry, AFL-CIO’s Shuler says
Reuters
By Nandita Bose
December 3, 2021
The U.S. tech sector is the next frontier for labor organizing, and its workers are starting to understand the collective power unions have, President of the AFL-CIO Liz Shuler said on Friday at the Reuters Next Conference. Shuler said the labor federation - which comprises 56 affiliated unions and 12.5 million workers - wants to enable more organizing in the tech industry under her leadership. "What we are seeing in the tech sector is workers rising up. You look at companies like YouTube, Google, Apple. Their workers have been speaking out. They have been staging walkouts on issues like racial justice and sexual harrassment," Shuler said. "...You don't have the collective power that you have when you have a union, and I think tech workers are starting to connect the dots," she said.
LABOR AND ECONOMY
CNBC
By Hannah Miao and Nate Rattner
December 3, 2021
The unemployment rate for Black women fell sharply in November, but labor market recovery from pre-pandemic levels remains uneven across race and gender lines. “This is the first time where Black labor force participation got rewarded with actual job growth,” said William Spriggs, chief economist to the AFL-CIO and a Howard University professor. “The fact that Black workers are now showing greater success in their searches — that’s good news.”
A big reason for the labor shortage is hiding in plain sight — daycares are losing workers
Business Insider
By Juliana Kaplan and Madison Hoff
December 4, 2021
Dr. William Spriggs, an economics professor at Howard University and the chief economist for the AFL-CIO, said that to get women back into the labor force we need to fix the care economy — something Democrats are pushing for in their Build Back Better Act. "The government must provide the infrastructure, must provide the impetus to get that going. Without it, we can't get out of this conundrum," Spriggs said.
JOINING TOGETHER
Sparrow nurses union reaches tentative agreement with hospital
Lansing State Journal
By Annabel Aguiar
December 3, 2021
Sparrow Hospital's largest employee union reached a tentative agreement for a three-year contract after more than four months of negotiations and a vote to authorize a strike. Negotiations with the Professional Employee Council of Sparrow Hospital, a part of the Michigan Nurses Association, centered on the union's concerns over health care costs and unsatisfactory wage increases in a previous proposed contract.
Hospitality workers rally for higher wages, better conditions in Colonial Williamsburg
13 News Now
By Eugene Daniel
December 5, 2021
Hotel and restaurant workers in Colonial Williamsburg, a key part of the area’s economy, are calling for better pay and working conditions. About 100 hospitality employees held a demonstration on S. England St. and Newport Ave. on Saturday. The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation and the labor union are in contract negotiations, after the current contract ended on Nov. 30. UNITE HERE Local 25, a Washington D.C. based union representing more than 200 hospitality employees in Colonial Williamsburg, is calling for higher wages, affordable healthcare, an end to mandatory overtime and more time to spend with family.
IN THE STATES
Michigan hourly minimum wage will rise 22 cents to $9.87
Times Union
December 4, 2021
Michigan's minimum wage will rise by 22 cents to $9.87 an hour on Jan. 1. State law requires annual increases in the wage until it reaches $12.05 in a decade. The 22-cent raise was supposed to occur in 2021 but was automatically delayed because of high unemployment early in the coronavirus pandemic.
LABOR AND COMMUNITY
Worcester firefighters to conduct food and toy drive Sunday at 4 city supermarkets
Telegram & Gazette
By Anoushka Dalmia
December 3, 2021
The Fire Department's IAFF Local 1009 will be holding their annual food drive Sunday at four supermarkets in the city. Firefighters will be present from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the three Stop & Stop locations in the city (Grafton Street, Lincoln Street and West Boylston Street), and the Shaw's on Gold Star Boulevard. They will accept non perishable food donations, new unwrapped toys for "Toys for Tots" and cash donations, which will be used to buy food for the county food bank.