MUST READ
Worker-led win at Amazon warehouse could provide new labor playbook
The Washington Post
By Jacob Bogage, Aaron Gregg and Gerrit De Vynck
April 2, 2022
“If you think of unions as just for a certain industry or sector from the ‘old economy,’ that’s not the case. It’s an outdated view of what unions are,” AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler said in an interview. “Unions are what you want them to be. The workers themselves define it, and I’m seeing all kinds of innovative examples of unions being used to negotiate their companies carbon footprint, and workers in some of these new ‘emerging industries’ are facing the same working conditions and challenges around securing predictable schedules and decent pay and benefits as workers in the traditional economy.”
LABOR AND ECONOMY
Economy adds 431K jobs in March, unemployment down to 3.6 percent
The Hill
By Sylvan Lane
April 1, 2022
The U.S. added 431,000 jobs and the unemployment rate dropped to 3.6 percent in March, according to data released Friday by the Labor Department. Job growth fell slightly short of expectations, as consensus estimates from economists projected a gain of roughly 490,000 jobs in March and a decline in the jobless rate to 3.7 percent.
The March jobs report was the first good month for Black women in a while
Business Insider
By Juliana Kaplan and Madison Hoff
April 1, 2022
"After the Great Recession , it took a long time for Black women's labor force participation to climb back up," Dr. William Spriggs, the chief economist of the AFL-CIO and economics professor at Howard University, told Insider. "Fortunately, we're not waiting years in this case." However, the participation rate dropped for Black men, as 149,000 Black men exited the labor force in March.
JOINING TOGETHER
SoCal grocery store workers, owners resume contract negotiations as possible strike looms
ABC7
By Elena Gomez
April 2, 2022
Negotiations resumed Saturday between grocery workers and store owners in Southern California, but with no deal in sight, unionized workers are preparing for possible picket lines. Grocery workers gathered Saturday at the UFCW 770 union headquarters to make picket signs in case of a potential strike at Ralphs, Albertsons, Vons and Pavilions stores.
AMAZON
Union Trails in Amazon Vote in Alabama, With Challenges Pending
The New York Times
By Noam Scheiber
March 31, 2022
“Regardless of the final outcome, workers here have shown what is possible,” said Stuart Appelbaum, president of the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union, which sought to organize the workers. “They have helped ignite a movement.” Speaking in a videoconference with reporters after the vote count, Mr. Appelbaum said the organizing in Bessemer had helped spark union campaigns at other companies, like REI and Starbucks, and in other parts of the country.
LABOR AND COMMUNITY
Junior League hosting Cinderella's Closet program, giving away free prom dresses
KQ2
By Jackie Elson
April 2, 2022
The Junior League of St. Joseph is hosting their prom program Cinderella's Closet. The group offers free prom dresses to area high school girls including accessories. The Junior League volunteers are available to help girls pick out and try on dresses. This is in partnership with AFL-CIO Community Services who helps provide the dresses from donations. There is still another date girls can go look for dresses but the junior league may add more dates this month.