TRADE
U.S., British officials kick off talks to strengthen trade ties
Reuters
By Andrea Shalal
March 21, 2022
Cathy Feingold, who leads the international department at the AFL-CIO labor union federation, welcomed efforts to give workers a voice in shaping trade policies and shifting away from free trade policies that resulted in "brutal global competition," lower wages and lower standards of living in both countries. "Our countries must be aligned in dealing with non-market economies like China and Russia and Belarus," she said. "By building a unified approach, we can more effectively create global rules that create fair competition and higher worker and environmental standards."
POLITICS
Senate passes bill to save Post Office
Labor Tribune
March 21, 2022
After years of work and plenty of squabbling over details, Congress has finally passed a bipartisan plan to ensure the future of the Post Office. The plan, called the Postal Service Reform Act of 2022, overwhelmingly passed the Senate on March 8 by a vote of 79-19. The bill now heads to President Biden’s desk where he is expected to sign it, since it previously passed the House by a vote of 342-92. “During this pandemic, we relied heavily on postal workers to deliver everything, from medication to election ballots to Social Security and pandemic relief checks, and as usual, the USPS did not disappoint,” said AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler. “This legislation ensures the USPS is financially stable, ends the destructive pre-funding retiree health care benefits mandate, and guarantees six-day delivery reforms that are desperately needed to keep this beloved institution running with the same efficiency we have all come to depend on. As the bill moves forward to President Biden’s desk, we know that the future of postal workers and our USPS is bright.”
JOINING TOGETHER
Southern California grocery workers move towards a strike amid contract impasse
Los Angeles Times
By Margot Roosevelt
March 21, 2022
Grocery workers across Southern California began voting Monday to authorize a strike against Ralphs, Albertsons, Vons and Pavilions in an effort to pressure the companies to raise wages. More than 47,000 workers at 500 stores are eligible to vote over five days with the result expected to be announced Sunday. A three-year contract between the United Food and Commercial Workers and Kroger, the parent company of Ralphs, and Albertsons, which owns Vons and Pavilions, expired March 6.
NY Times tech workers win largest tech union in United States
Liberation
By Alexis Moncada
March 20, 2022
On March 3, New York Times tech workers voted to unionize with the Communication Workers of America in a landslide victory of 404 to 88. The 600 member New York Times Tech Guild is now the largest tech worker union with bargaining rights in the United States, an historic jump from previous efforts to organize tech workers. Tech workers joined the New York Times News Guild, which was organized by workers during the Great Depression, winning recognition in 1940. At one time, workers at all different points in the production process of the Times were unionized; now, this is not the case. NYT tech workers represent an important sector of journalism workers in the internet age, and their unionization is a major development.
California grocery workers vote on strike authorization
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
By Richard Vogel
March 21, 2022
Thousands of southern and central California grocery workers started voting Monday on whether to authorize their union to call a strike against several major supermarket chains. About 47,000 workers at hundreds of Ralphs, Albertsons, Vons and Pavilions stores are eligible to vote this week. Results are expected to be released on March 27. The possible strike would involve grocery clerks, meat cutters, pharmacists and pharmacy technicians represented by seven locals of the United Food and Commercial Workers. Negotiations with Ralphs, owned by Kroger, and Albertsons, owner of Albertsons, Vons and Pavilions stores, ended without agreement before the latest three-year contracts expired on March 6.
RTD and ATU 1001 finalize three-year labor agreement
Mass Transit
By Mass Transit Staff
March 21, 2022
The Regional Transportation District (RTD) in Denver, Colo., and Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) Local 1001 have entered a three-year collective bargaining agreement (CBA). ATU 1001 members ratified the agreement March 17 and RTD’s Board of Directors authorized the agency’s General Manager and CEO Debra A. Johnson to enter into the agreement on Friday, March 18. The union represents two-thirds of RTD’s employees. “ATU 1001 is pleased with the outcome of our contract negotiations with RTD,” said ATU 1001 President and Business Agent Lance Longenbohn. “The bargaining was conducted in good faith, and many significant improvements were made in wages and working conditions. Under General Manager Debra Johnson’s guidance, the district demonstrated a commitment to its union employees and their well-being that is sure to contribute to our mutual goal of the success of the agency.”