JOINING TOGETHER
Workers at three Somerville cafes are planning to unionize
Boston Globe
By Diti Kohli
December 6, 2021
Employees at three Somerville coffee houses joined a growing labor movement among Greater Boston cafes Monday by taking steps to unionize. An 11-member organizing committee representing Diesel Café, Bloc Café, and Forge Baking Company penned a letter to their shared management team requesting them to voluntarily recognize the union and participate in good faith contract negotiations. The workers would be represented by the New England Joint Board UNITE HERE.
Sun Country Airlines, pilots agree on contract terms to boost pay
Star Tribune
By Gita Sitaramiah
December 6, 2021
Pilots at Sun Country Airlines will soon get a significant pay bump if their union members approve an agreement reached with the company. The Twin Cities-based carrier and the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA) are finalizing language after reaching an "agreement in principle" last week, and they expect a vote by pilots later this month.
Kellogg's workers await voting results on tentative agreement
3 News Now
By Zach Williamson
December 6, 2021
Tuesday marks nine weeks since hundreds of workers at the Kellogg's plant in Omaha went on strike. On Sunday, the workers voted on a tentative deal that could put the strike to an end. Now they await the results of the vote in which roughly 1,400 workers across Kellogg's four plants cast.
IN THE STATES
Trades Council's new president stresses advocacy, organization
Maine.Biz
By Jessica Hall
December 6, 2021
The Maine State Building & Construction Trades Council has elected Jason Shedlock as its president, representing more than 5,000 workers in 17 construction labor unions, following the retirement of Johnny Napolitano, who led the organization for the last 14 years. Shedlock was previously the executive director of the August-based Trades Council, which represents laborers, crane operators, iron workers and electricians. “Jason has worked closely with all the building trades over several years as a staff person, and has been engaged across Maine’s labor community through many initiatives of the Maine AFL-CIO. His experience will be an asset to the Council and the broader labor movement,” said Cynthia Phinney, president of the Maine AFL-CIO and member of IBEW Local 1837.
Young teens could work longer hours in Wisconsin under a GOP-backed bill
Wisconsin Public Radio
By Laurel White
December 6, 2021
Fourteen and 15-year-olds in Wisconsin would be able to work longer hours under a Republican-backed proposal at the state Capitol. In prepared testimony before the September legislative committee, Stephanie Bloomindale, president of the Wisconsin AFL-CIO, told lawmakers the plan is "another in a series that seeks to whittle-back child labor protection and enforcement." "Any attempt to reduce our child labor laws places Wisconsin in the wrong direction," Bloomingdale said.
VOTING RIGHTS
Justice Department sues Texas over state redistricting maps, citing discrimination against Latinos
Boston Globe
By David Nakamura and Devlin Barrett
December 6, 2021
The Justice Department has sued Texas for the second time in a month over voting-related concerns, this time alleging that Republican state lawmakers discriminated against Latinos and other minorities when they approved new congressional and state legislative districts that increased the power of white voters.