POLITICS
Effective government requires regular budgets
The Hill
By Everett Kelley
Feb. 17, 2022
Show me your budget, and I’ll tell you what you value. It’s a common refrain of President Biden. In 2020, the American people sent a new administration and a new Congress to Washington and set new priorities and values for the government through their vote. But nearly a year and a half later, the people’s government is still operating under the budget of the previous administration — under the values and priorities of the previous administration. Why? Because obstructionists in Congress have thus-far prevented efforts to perform a basic function of the legislative branch and fund the government, forcing a series of continuing resolutions that keep funding priorities frozen in the past and agencies scrambling to prepare for a government shutdown every time one of these temporary funding measures expires.
JOINING TOGETHER
Union reaches tentative agreement with Albertsons/Safeway grocery stores
The Denver Post
By Judith Kohler
Feb. 19, 2022
The union that led workers in a strike against Denver-area King Soopers grocery stores in January has reached a tentative agreement with Safeway and Albertsons stores in Colorado and Wyoming. The United Food and Commercial Workers Local 7 reached the agreement with the grocery chain Thursday, union president Kim Cordova said in a statement. Union members will vote on the contract next week, starting Monday for Denver and Broomfield employees. The union represents more than 5,400 Safeway employees in Colorado and Rock Springs, Wyo. Albertsons Cos. owns Safeway. “This agreement, which was secured without the need for a strike, ensures that workers receive paid sick leave, fair pay, a safe workplace, and access to affordable health care,” Cordova said.,
12 News Now
By Lupita Villarreal, James Grant and Kaitlin Griffin
Feb. 21, 2022
Locked-out ExxonMobil workers could be back at the refinery as early as Tuesday after United Steelworkers union members voted to accepted the power giants latest offer. "The final tally on the vote was 214 to 133,” Bryan Gross, union representative, said. “The company's proposal, latest offer passed."
Metro RTA, Transport Workers Union reach 3-year contract agreement
Daily Advent
By Cleveland.com
Feb. 21, 2022
The agreement between Metro RTA’s board of trustees and the Transport Workers Union of America Local No. 1 impacts 74 percent of budgeted Metro team members, including bus operators, vehicle service employees, vehicle detailers and customer care representatives. Metro RTA’s board of trustees approved the final agreement with the Transport Workers Union of America Local No. 1 membership for a three-year contract during a special meeting last week.
'Pretty brutal, but well worth it' | Union workers at Davenport's Eaton plant go on strike
WQAD8
By Shelby Kluver
Feb. 18, 2022
Union workers at Eaton Corporation's West Davenport location are officially on strike. A total of 364 members from the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, representing Locals 388 and 1191, say the contract offered by Eaton falls flat on wages, healthcare and retirement. Members of the IAM union began gathering outside Eaton's gates early Friday morning. Their first day of striking was met with brutally cold temperatures and an unforgiving mid-February wind. "The wind has been pretty rough," said Mike Roberts, a machinist from Moline. "Pretty brutal. But well worth it!"
Union workers say they're without pay amid contract negotiations
Dayton 247 Now
By Chelsea Sick
Feb. 21, 2022
Nearly 300 union employees at Collins Aerospace in Troy say they are without pay or insurance after the union rejected a proposed contract on Saturday. Dozens of union members picketed outside of the company on Monday, telling us they want to go back to work but got locked out of Collins Aerospace starting at midnight Monday. Recording Secretary of UAW Local 128, John Madewell says 296 employees have been forced out of work because the union and Collins Aerospace have not come to an agreement on contracts.
IN THE STATES
Former State Senator Sanders announces plans for Jubilee
The Selma Times-Journal
By James Jones
Feb. 18, 2022
Former state senator Hank Sanders announced via email Tuesday the plans for an over 50-mile march from Selma to Montgomery as part of the 57th Annual Bridge Crossing Jubilee. “This March involves most of the major National Voting Rights and Civil Rights organizations,” Sanders said. “It also involves many other organizations. Virtually all the national leaders fighting for justice and democracy will be marching. And there is a place in the march for you and me. Come march with us.”
Connecticut Senate Democrats latest group to push for more pandemic ‘hero’ pay
Hartford Courant
By Susan Haigh
Feb. 18, 2022
“It is easy to forget that early in the pandemic, essential workers didn’t have regular access to N95s. Vaccines were still a distant dream. But Governor Lamont deemed them essential with the stroke of a pen. And yet they showed up to work every day despite their fear,” said Connecticut AFL-CIO President Ed Hawthorne in a recent statement. “Now, as Connecticut is flush with federal grants and a robust Rainy Day Fund, it is time to show up for them by providing pandemic hazard pay.”
Brown, Ryan call for negotiations with stage workers
The Vindicator
By Andy Gray
Feb. 20, 2022
U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, and U.S. Rep Tim Ryan, D-Howland, are urging the Henry H. Stambaugh Auditorium Association to negotiate with IATSE Local 101 over the union’s lapsed contract at Youngstown’s DeYor Performing Arts Center. Jeff Hall, president of Local 101 of the union that represents theatrical stage employees as well as motion picture technicians and craftspeople, said its contract at DeYor, which includes Powers Auditorium and Ford Family Recital Hall, expired when the venue was managed by the Youngstown Symphony Society, but it continued to work for the Youngstown Symphony Orchestra under the terms of the old agreement and worked events for other promoters and arts organizations who rented the theaters. The Youngstown Symphony Society furloughed its staff and announced a management agreement with Stambaugh in December 2020. Hall said the Youngstown Symphony Orchestra no longer uses IATSE members, and the policies put in place by Stambaugh have made it impossible for union members to work there, even when promoters / organizations renting the theaters want to use them.
Union members protest as W.Va. lawmakers eye cutting duration of unemployment benefits
WCHS
By Bob Aaron
Feb. 21, 2022
Labor took its case to the street on Monday while trying to block a bill that would cut by more than half the duration of unemployment benefits offered in West Virginia. The Painters and Allied Trades organized a protest outside the Capitol on Monday, focusing on the bills negative impact on people working construction. Josh Sword, president of the West Virginia AFL-CIO, said he doesn’t understand why the push to change benefits. "The trust fund is as healthy as it ever has been, and unemployment rates are at historic lows. There's no rationale. There's no justification for doing it,” Sword said. “They're doing it simply because the legislative leadership wants to and it's a continued attack we've seen for the last seven or eight years on working families in West Virginia. "
LABOR AND COMMUNITY
Madison Park gets new van, equipment from local unions
Dorchester Reporter
By Reporter Staff
Feb. 18, 2022
The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 103 donated a brand new van to the electrical department of Madison Park Technical Vocational High School in Roxbury last week. The van, complete with a Madison-Park-branded decorative wrap, was filled with new electrical equipment, tools, and supplies valued at $10,000 and donated by NECA Greater Boston electrical contractors. The donations were given to Madison Park to support students preparing for careers in the trades. Madison Park students and staff greeted IBEW Local 103 and NECA representatives outside of the school to help usher in the donations. IBEW Local 103 decorated the van in the school’s colors, with “Madison Park Electrical Dept.” printed along the side. Donations contributed by NECA included power tools, hard hats, PPE, and branded merchandise. “Madison Park is very grateful for this generous donation,” said Sidney Brown, its head of school. “IBEW Local 103 and NECA offer so many amazing opportunities to our students and graduates. Now, they have truly gone above and beyond to support our school and to help us give our electrical program students the best possible education in their chosen field.”