MUST READ
The Man Who Keeps Baseball’s Union Moving
The New York Times
By Scott Miller
Sept. 12, 2022
Shortly after finishing his oatmeal and fruit plate, he was completing details to unionize more than 5,000 minor league players, offering power to a group that has traditionally been treated as disposable labor. In Washington, soon after, Clark announced his union would be joining the A.F.L.-C.I.O. Strategically, the hope is that aligning with the nation’s largest labor federation and its 12.5 million members will allow growth both in terms of influence and power. Throughout his athletic life, fighting for his career came naturally to Clark. As soon as his production diminished, he knew he would be replaced. Today, in different ways, the battles continue.
ORGANIZING
From cooks to nurses, Wisconsinites are organizing for better work
The Cap Times
By Natalie Yahr
Sept. 9, 2022
From nurses and housekeepers to theater workers and cooks, workers around Wisconsin are making their voices heard in a new surge of labor organizing.
JOINING TOGETHER
Nurses go on strike at Twin Cities, Duluth area hospitals
Star Tribune
By Jeremy Olson and Jana Hollingsworth
Sept. 12, 2022
When the Minnesota Nurses Association gave notice of the strike earlier this month, union president Mary Turner said hospitals are facing a "crisis of retention" that will leave them understaffed unless pay and benefits are substantially improved. "They need to see it as the crisis that it is," Turner said. "We've said over and over that this isn't something we do lightly, but we're not going to just sit back and do nothing. We can't." Safety and nurse staffing levels have been key issues, but the breakdown is largely over compensation and retention bonuses to keep nurses on the job amid a stressful pandemic.
Nebraska employees union to hold rally at start of contract negotiations
Omaha World-Herald
By Erin Bamer
Sept. 12, 2022
Nebraska's state employees union will hold a rally Tuesday evening to call on the state to raise wages ahead of contract negotiations. The Nebraska Association of Public Employees (NAPE), which represents more than 8,000 state employees, is to begin contract negotiations with state officials for a new two-year labor contract this month. Union members are rallying Tuesday at Centennial Mall outside of the Nebraska State Office Building in Lincoln to call on the state to increase the investment in their workers. The rally will begin at 5 p.m. A short program of speakers will begin at 5:30 p.m.
Largest private-sector nurses strike in U.S. history begins in Minnesota
The Washington Post
By Lauren Kaori Gurley
Sept. 12, 2022
“I can’t give my patients the care they deserve,” said Chris Rubesch, the vice president of the Minnesota Nurses Association and a nurse at Essentia Health in Duluth. “Call lights go unanswered. Patients should only be waiting for a few seconds or minutes if they’ve soiled themselves or their oxygen came unplugged or they need to go to the bathroom, but that can take 10 minutes or more. Those are things that can’t wait.” The Minnesota Nurses Association, the nurses union, said hospital administrators have continued to “refuse solutions” on understaffing and safety in contract negotiations. It said nurses have increasingly been asked to take on more patients for bedside care to make up for labor shortages, exacerbating burnout and high turnover.
94% of workers at Lordstown Ultium Cells vote to strike for union recognition
WFMJ
By Mike Gauntner
Sept. 12, 2022
94% of workers at GM’s new Ultium Cells battery plant in Lordstown voted Friday to strike for recognition by General Motors. Now that the vote has been passed, UAW 1112 President, Darwin Cooper tells 21 News the next step is to wait for word from UAW International to learn if GM will recognize the union, or if they will need to strike to gain that bargaining recognition. That process could take several weeks. If Ultium accepts to recognize the union, UAW 1112 and UAW International will go into negotiations. Union officials tell 21 News that last month, 85% of the workers signed union authorization cards.
IATSE member: New labor contract is 'going to save lives'
New Mexico Sun
By Caleb Lombardo
Sept. 12, 2022
Bryan Evans, a member of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) Local 480, spoke about the organization's settlement with the New Mexico film industry. A new labor contract was recently made in favor of union members, after a strike occurred at the end of 2021, according to KOB 4. "Having that in the contract – it's going to save lives; it really is," Evans said. "The number-one hazard for a studio mechanic is falling asleep at the wheel when you're driving a car. We've had multiple members – before this contract – get into car accidents commuting home after a long production day."
LABOR AND COMMUNITY
Joliet Employee Local 440 Golf Outing To Benefit K9’s For Veterans
WJOL
Sept. 12, 2022
A few openings still available for a golf outing this Friday to benefit K9s for Veterans. Joliet AFSCME Employee Local 440 is putting on the Friday, September 16th event at Inwood Golf Course. K9s for Veterans mission is to help veterans with post traumatic stress disorder transition back to civilian life once their military service has ended with the help of trained service dogs.