U.S. Union Chief Cautions Fed Against ‘Rashly’ Raising Rates
Bloomberg
By Katia Dmitrieva
March 24, 2022
Shuler said that the rapid price increases will form a key part of union contract negotiations in coming talks, particularly around raising the cost of living. “It has been top of mind at the table, no question about it,” she said. U.S. workers have become increasingly vocal about their pay, benefits and treatment after a pandemic that shined a light on labor conditions and essential workers. “We’re trying to make up for lost time,” Shuler said. “We haven’t had the wage increases to keep up with inflation, even just moderate inflation.”
POLITICS
Longshoremen seek workers’ comp law change for COVID-19 coverage
Roll Call
By Jessica Wehrman
March 24, 2022
While the 2021 COVID-19 relief law made it far easier for federal workers diagnosed with COVID-19 to receive workers’ compensation, and some 28 states and Puerto Rico have taken action to extend workers’ compensation to cover the illness, longshoremen, ship repairers, shipbuilders and harbor construction workers are governed by a separate law, the 1927 Longshore and Harbor Workers Compensation Act. That means they still have to meet a higher burden of proof to receive COVID-19-related workers’ compensation, including proving they were infected on the job. According to the Transportation Trades Department, AFL-CIO, while the Department of Labor has accepted 86 percent of the COVID-19 claims for federal workers, it accepted only 7 percent of the COVID-19-related claims from longshoremen and other harbor workers between April 2020 and October 2021.
JOINING TOGETHER
Skowhegan millworkers ratify new union contract, averting strike
Bangor Daily News
By Christopher Burns
March 24, 2022
Skowhegan millworkers voted Wednesday to ratify a new union contract, averting a strike this week. The new three-year contract between the United Steelworkers Local 4-9 and Sappi North America was described as the most “lucrative” for workers since 1995 when the mill changed hands, according to the Maine AFL-CIO. “For many months, the company questioned our solidarity. The members spoke loud and clear,” Patrick Carleton, the union’s president, said Wednesday. “After working in the plant through the pandemic, this contract offer represents the dedication and commitment to keep our company profitable in our markets. It was long overdue.”
Minneapolis school negotiators hopeful that deal close to end strike
Star Tribune
By Kim Hyatt and Mara Klecker
March 24, 2022
Talks between Minneapolis Public Schools and the union representing its teachers and support staff went throughout the day and into the evening on Thursday, with both parties optimistic that they were closing in on a deal to end the three-week strike. Shaun Laden, president of the education support professional chapter of the Minneapolis Federation of Teachers, said progress was made toward a deal during a virtual mediation session Wednesday night. "We went late into the evening had a very productive session with district negotiators," Laden said. "Education support professionals are extremely close to a deal. ... Hopefully, that momentum will carry over into negotiations with our teacher chapter."
Strike authorization vote Friday for hundreds of union workers at ISU
WJBC
By HOI ABC
March 24, 2022
The union representing about 350 Illinois State University workers are scheduled to vote Friday whether to authorize its bargaining team to call a strike. The university and American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Local 1110 have met for a 20th negotiating session on Tuesday, but they did not reach an agreement on wages for employees who work in building services, dining, and grounds maintenance. They’ve been working under a contract that expired in June of last year. Union spokesperson Anders Lindall said results of the vote will be announced Monday. A vote authorizing the bargaining team to call a strike does not mean a walkout is imminent, according to Lindall.
Union workers at Chevron's Los Angeles refinery ratify contract
Reuters
By Erwin Seba
March 24, 2022
Union workers at Chevron Corp's (CVX.N) Los Angeles refinery in El Segundo, California, ratified the U.S. oil producer's last, best and final contract offer on Wednesday, a United Steelworkers (USW) local union official said. The ratification at the southern California refinery comes as USW members at the company's San Francisco Bay-area refinery in Richmond remained on strike for a third day after twice rejecting a similar contract proposal. In Richmond, there has been no progress towards renewing talks between Chevron and USW Local 12-5, which represents the workers at the Richmond refinery, said BK White, first vice president of the local.
IN THE STATES
After morning rally in Bucyrus, lighting plant workers will travel to Columbus for protest
Telegraph Forum
By Gere Goble
March 24, 2022
Speakers in Columbus will include Carl Kennebrew, president of IUE-CWA; Tim Burga, president of Ohio AFL-CIO; Will Evans, president of IUE-CWA Local 84704, which represents workers at the Bucyrus plant; and Barb Basore, a worker at the Bucyrus plant whose family has provided a combined 500 years of service to the company.
VOTING RIGHTS
Labor, voting rights groups aim to seize the moment
Atlanta Civic Circle
By Kendall Glynn
March 24, 2022
“People lost jobs, healthcare benefits, their homes and more,” because of the COVID-19 pandemic, said Sandra Williams, executive director of the Atlanta-North Georgia Labor Council, a coalition of labor unions with members in 18 metro Atlanta counties. “Denying individuals a voice at their job is just like denying them a voice at the ballot box,” Williams added. These coalitions are crossing lines of race and class since both labor exploitation and voting restrictions disproportionately affect Black and Latino people. “Voting rights and unions put power behind our voices,” said AFL-CIO president Liz Shuler in a February manifesto published just after Congress again failed to pass the John Lewis Voting Rights Act on Jan. 19. The AFL–CIO is one of the nation’s largest unions with 12.5 million members.