POLITICS
Biden, Harris pro-worker actions: Federal neutrality, OSHA to tackle high heat threat
People’s World
By Mark Gruenberg
April 15, 2022
That cheered Everett Kelley, president of the Government Employees, the largest union for federal workers. It represents some 700,000 workers, including free-loaders. “Working people everywhere should have the right to join together in a union and advocate for better working conditions at their place of employment without fear of retaliation or reprisal–and this White House gets it,” Kelley said in a statement. “Today’s action by the Biden administration will further the federal government’s goal of being a model employer,” Kelley continued. Through the moves Biden announced, “The White House is sending a powerful message to employers everywhere that efforts to interfere with union elections and workers’ union rights should not be tolerated.” Harris announced a major Occupational Safety and Health Administration initiative. Speaking in Philadelphia’s Sheet Metal Workers Local 19 hall, she said OSHA would target 70 high heat hazard industries both outdoors and indoors for its National Emphasis Program. That program of nationwide workplace inspections concentrates on the worst industries and highest hazards. Her announcement drew applause.
TRANSPORTATION
Fatigue is starting to put safety at risk, pilots say
CBS 58
By Gregory Wallace
April 16, 2022
"Our pilots are tired and fatigued," Evan Baach, a captain at Delta and official with Air Line Pilots Association, or ALPA, told CNN affiliate KSL at a Salt Lake City airport protest. He said pilots are working "longer days with shorter nights at home." Jason Ambrosi, chairman of the Delta group at ALPA, said that pilots are responsible as "the last line of defense" in aviation safety but "too often we are being pushed to our limits as Delta tries to add back flying and capture revenue." ALPA wrote in a message to Delta members last month that the pandemic presented "several opportunities for Delta to re-set its broken pilot staffing issue." As air travel rebounds now, the union wrote, unresolved problems are becoming more apparent: The number of pilots available to step in and cover for an issue caused by weather, maintenance, or a sick colleague is significantly smaller.
JOINING TOGETHER
Union: Tentative contract reached; potential worker strike at ISU averted
WGLT
By Charlie Schlenker
April 14, 2022
The union representing building, grounds, and food service workers at Illinois State University said Thursday evening it has reached a tentative, four-year contract agreement with the university. AFSCME Local 1110 had threatened a strike on Monday after months of negotiations failed to result in an agreement. Instead, the union said it will hold a ratification vote meeting. The parties agreed not to release details to the public until members review the proposal, according to a union statement.
Thousands of California grocery workers ratify new contract
ABC News
By The Associated Press
April 15, 2022
Tens of thousands of California grocery store workers have approved a new contract with major supermarket chains, avoiding a potential strike, it was announced Thursday. Union members in the central and southern areas of the state ratified a tentative deal that was reached last week. It grants some 47,000 employees higher wages, stronger health benefits, increased guaranteed hours for part-time workers, improved store safety and a secured pension, the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union said in a statement.
City of Flint reaches new contract with its largest union
ABC12
By Dawn Jones
April 14, 2022
It has been an agreement a longtime in the making for members of the city of Flint's largest union. "It's been since 1999 since local 1600 had a contract that is truly a contract," said 31-year city of Flint employee Kathryn Neumann. She described a "true" contract as one that doesn't cancel the pay increase with increased employee contributions to things like health care. Neumann was a part of the bargaining committee negotiating the new agreement for the city's largest union AFSCME Local 1600. The 184 members work in various city departments including building safety, water and sewer, and traffic engineering.
Loyola Aramark Workers Vote Overwhelmingly in Favor of Authorizing Strike
Loyola Phoenix
By Griffin Krueger
April 14, 2022
An overwhelming majority, 97%, of Loyola Aramark union members voted in favor of authorizing a strike, as Aramark has denied their demands for higher wages, 40-hour schedules and a guarantee in health insurance during layoffs, according to a message from the union. Following the release of a report by UNITE HERE Local 1, the union which represents Loyola Aramark employees, union members and student organizers began advocating for the workers. The report found on average Aramark employees make $17,000 a year, well below the estimated living wage in Chicago. The union said the pay increase it’s requesting would only cost Aramark two hours of their annual profit. In 2021 Aramark as a company yielded $12 billion in profit, according to their earnings reports. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, Aramark made more than $16 billion in 2019.
Fordham grad student workers to unionize
Manhattan Times
By Gregg McQueen
April 14, 2022
Yes to the union. Graduate student workers at Fordham University have successfully voted to unionize during an official National Labor Relations Board election held on April 7. At an election held on the Fordham’s Rose Hill campus in the Bronx, student workers overwhelmingly voted in favor of joining the Communications Workers of America (CWA) union, by a vote count of 229-15.
Verizon stores in Washington state vote to join union
KTAR News
By Associated Press
April 15, 2022
Employees at Verizon stores north of Seattle in Everett and Lynnwood won their union election on Friday, making them the first unionized Verizon stores in the country outside of New York. Workers voted to be represented by the Communications Workers of America, which has more than 700,000 members nationwide.
Delta pilots to picket at Sea-Tac Airport citing fatigue from staffing shortfall
KIRO
By MYNorthwest staff
April 16, 2022
Just like Alaska Airlines, Delta Airlines pilots plan to picket at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. The picket is scheduled for Tuesday. Pilots are citing fatigue from a shortfall of staff needed for the airlines’ flight schedule as things return to pre-pandemic levels. “Delta pilots will be picketing at SEA to protest Delta management’s scheduling practices that have caused pilots to fly long and often fatiguing trips,” said the union representing the pilots.
Sutter Health nurses, staff plan to strike Monday at some Bay Area facilities
The Mercury News
By Kayla Jimenez
April 16, 2022
More than 8,000 Sutter Health nurses and health care workers are planning a one-day strike Monday at more than a dozen Northern California healthcare facilities for better health and safety standards amid the COVID-19 pandemic they say has led to “moral distress” among workers. After 10 months of contract negotiations, the workers are urging management to invest in “pandemic readiness protections” including adequate stockpiles of personal protective equipment, increased nursing staff and an equal voice on health and safety committees. “I hope by going out on strike it finally moves Sutter to take nurses seriously. We deserve a strong contract not only to recruit nurses but to retain nurses we have now,” said Renee Waters, a nurse for 26 years at Sutter Roseville Medical Center, emphasizing that the pandemic has put a magnifying glass on the needs of health care workers. “A strike is a last resort.” The workers have been negotiating with Sutter Health over their concerns since June, according to the California Nurses Association.