Today's AFL-CIO press clips
IN THE STATES
Playhouse Square, CIFF accused of shutting out union projectionists from film festival
Cleveland.com
By Sean McDonnell
March 16, 2022
“The notion that they will be forced to vacate their own workspace and cede their craft to non-union workers goes against the bedrock principles of the labor movement - principles we know are widely shared in this Proud Union Town,” O’Malley said in a statement.
Bill adding extra penalties for assault on utility workers advances to Idaho House floor
KPVI
By Clark Corbin
March 16, 2022
Jason Hudson of the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations, or AFL-CIO, said utility workers often find themselves in dangerous situations alongside law enforcement or emergency responders. Utility workers may be called upon to shut off gas or electrical power before firefighters can enter a home to fight a fire. Utility workers are also sometimes called to restore power to neighborhoods and businesses after a driver crashes a vehicle into a powerline. As such, Hudson said their jobs are essential and they may find themselves in volatile, stressful situations where they experience aggression or violent confrontations.
Culinary Union in Las Vegas names new leadership
Las Vegas Review-Journal
By Richard N. Velotta
March 16, 2022
Culinary Workers Union Local 226 has announced its new leadership team following the retirement of former secretary-treasurer Geoconda Argüello-Kline. Ted Pappageorge, a Las Vegas native and a Culinary Union member since 1982 who worked as a busboy at the Sands, a barback at the Sundance and a bartender at the Mint, Horseshoe Club and Riviera, was appointed secretary-treasurer. He served as the union’s president from 2012 to 2022. The union also announced that Diana Valles, who worked as a guest room attendant at the Stardust and then at the Las Vegas Hilton and later as a casino porter and cook at the Flamingo, has been named the new president. Leain Vashon will continue as vice president of the union.
TRANSPORTATION
Rail Workers Punished for Taking Days Off, Union Says
The American Prospect
By David Dayen
March 16, 2022
Now the unions have escalated their concerns. Earlier this month, the Transportation Trades Department (TTD) sent a letter to Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and Labor Secretary Marty Walsh, asking their departments to investigate and potentially take action to terminate the policy. In an interview with the Prospect, TTD president Greg Regan questioned whether the policy violates the Family and Medical Leave Act and potentially impacts public safety. “Just doing an investigation can put a significant amount of pressure on these companies,” Regan said. “They are punishing someone for being sick in the middle of a pandemic,” Regan contended—and one that is far from over. COVID case rates are currently low in the U.S., but rising cases in Europe because of a new omicron subvariant called BA.2 could soon come here. Wastewater surveillance indicates that case rates are already rising here. Federal policies granting paid leave for COVID have expired. If an employee runs out of points once, they are subject to a suspension. If they run out a second time, it’s a larger suspension. And if they run out a third time, they are terminated. “One of our members said he’s a veteran suffering from PTSD, has his own treatments, and his mother is dying of cancer,” Regan said. “He’s told his union, ‘I see no scenario where I’m not out of a job in less than eight months with this policy.’”
JOINING TOGETHER
Stop & Shop Workers Ratify New Contract
The Provincetown Independent
By Thomas Lyons
March 16, 2022
After three months of negotiations, the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Union Local 328 secured a four-year agreement for Stop & Shop employees on Feb. 27. The contract applies to all unionized Provincetown and Orleans Stop & Shop employees and increases wages, improves health benefits, secures pension funding, and includes an “appreciation bonus” for both full- and part-time workers. These contract negotiations proceeded more smoothly than the 2019 talks, which led to a costly 11-day strike. In a Feb. 28 press release, UFCW officials hailed employees’ hard work in securing what they called a “zero concessions” contract. The union membership report touted strong health care benefits. Effective March 1, 2022, the health-care deductible for all eligible full-time employees dropped from $300 for individuals and $600 for families to $250 for individuals and $500 for families.
Oregon Nurses Association pickets outside Providence St. Vincent
KTVZ
By Kandra Kent
March 16, 2022
With their contracts expired since the end of January, nurses at Providence’s St. Vincent hospital, along with the Oregon Nurses Association, held a picketing event outside the hospital Tuesday evening to up the ante of labor negotiations. Among the top items on their wish list: specific nurse staffing levels spelled out in the contract. After two years of the pandemic, ONA said nurses are beyond tired of being stretched thin.
LABOR AND COMMUNITY
IATSE Donates $25,000 To Support Humanitarian Aid For Ukrainian Refugees
Deadline
By David Robb
March 16, 2022
IATSE said Wednesday that it is donating $25,000 to support humanitarian aid for Ukrainian refugees. The donation, made through the International and European Trade Union Confederation (ITUC), will provide food, water and medical supplies to refugees inside Ukraine and to those who have fled to neighboring countries. The donation was approved during IATSE’s general executive board meeting.