Today's AFL-CIO press clips
JOINING TOGETHER
GMG Union calls out private equity owners amid ongoing strike
Axios
By Kerry Flynn
March 3, 2022
As part of its open-ended strike that began March 1, the roughly 100 GMG Union members at G/O Media have begun asking people to send a letter of support to Great Hill Partners, the digital media company's private equity owners. Why it matters: Private equity ownership has caused employee frustration across media, as workers allege the firms are not investing in either journalism or in staffers' well-being.
New York Times Tech Workers Vote to Certify Union
The New York Times
By Katie Robertson
March 3, 2022
Tech workers at The New York Times on Thursday voted in favor of certifying their union in a National Labor Relations Board election, making it one of the biggest tech unions in America. The workers voted in favor, 404 to 88, easily reaching the needed majority of the ballots that were cast. A win means the union, the Times Tech Guild, can begin negotiations for a contract with management. The Times Tech Guild is represented by the NewsGuild of New York, which also represents editorial workers at The New York Times and at Wirecutter, the company’s product-review website. In 2019, The Times voluntarily recognized the Wirecutter union.
First Starbucks, Now REI: The Movement To Unionize Retail Workers Picks Up
Forbes
By Pamela N. Danziger
March 3, 2022
By an overwhelming majority, retail employees at the REI Co-Op in its Manhattan SoHo store voted to joining the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union (RWDSU). In an in-person vote conducted by the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), 86% of the 116 REI workers chose to have the RWDSU on their side in contract negotiations. All workers at the store, including full- and part-time sales staff, will now have union representation.
IN THE STATES
LETTER: Much to appreciate in President Biden's State of the Union address (Opinion)
Inforum
By Landis Larson
March 2, 2022
Landis Larson, president of North Dakota AFL-CIO, writes that he was relieved to hear President Biden's focus on goods being "Made in America." 8As a proud member of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, building some of the finest tractors in the world for 40 years, I was excited to see last night's State of the Union address focus heavily on the importance of "MADE IN THE USA." A strong policy of "MADE IN THE USA," combined with the historic bipartisan
infrastructure bill, will help build a strong economy with good jobs for our manufacturing and building trades unions.
Colorado lawmakers introduce bill declaring Juneteenth a state holiday
Colorado Public Radio
By Matt Bloom
March 3, 2022
Colorado lawmakers have kickstarted the process of making Juneteenth an official state holiday, joining the federal government and many businesses that already observe it. On Wednesday, members of the Black Democratic Legislative Caucus gathered with supporters outside the state Capitol to promote SB22-139. The bill would add Juneteenth to the calendar of state holidays starting this year. “I think Juneteenth is largely seen as an African American thing, but it should be seen as something for the general population,” said Sen. Janet Buckner, one of the bill’s sponsors. “It should be something to be educated about and never forgotten.”
APPRENTICESHIPS
Gov. Awards $8M to Michigan Statewide Pre-Apprenticeship “Ready for Construction” Program
Your News Net
By Erin Hatfield
March 3, 2022
Governor Gretchen Whitmer and the Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity have awarded an $8 million grant to the Michigan State AFL-CIO Workforce Development Institute to support the Michigan Statewide Pre-Apprenticeship “Ready for Construction” program that will connect more than 640 unemployed and underemployed Michiganders. Whitmer said “The ‘Ready for Construction’ program puts Michiganders first by providing a path to high-paying jobs in construction, an industry critical to our state’s infrastructure, it helps expand and diversify our state’s talent pool and opens the door to meaningful opportunities that will have a real impact on Michigan workers, families, businesses and communities.”