POLITICS
Unions raise alarm in House Democratic campaign chief race
The Washington Post
By Leigh Ann Caldwell and Theodoric Meyer
Nov. 21, 2022
Bera points to a 100 percent score from the AFL-CIO on its scorecard over the past three years and his support for the PRO Act, a bill that passed the House last year that would make it easier for workers to organize. He was endorsed for reelection by the California Labor Federation and the Sacramento Central Labor Council.
JOINING TOGETHER
Union voted in at C-J, welcomed by state AFL-CIO
Forward Kentucky
By Berry Craig
Nov. 21, 2022
Journalists at the Courier-Journal in Louisville voted on Friday to affiliate with the Indianapolis chapter of the NewsGuild union, a member union of the Communications Workers of America. The vote was 22-4. The NewsGuild was founded in 1933, and today has over 25,000 members across 200 media organizations. (The journalists at the Lexington Herald-Leader were already members.) "We are beyond thrilled to announce we overwhelmingly voted in favor of unionizing on a 22-4 vote," the C J Guild tweeted immediately after the vote. "We won." The tweet included a photo of a notepad with a handwritten tally. In a story posted on the KY AFL-CIO web site, state president Bill Londrigan shared his congratulations to the newly-formed union. “We congratulate the workers at the Louisville Courier-Journal who have recognized that a collective voice is what’s needed when dealing with a major corporation like Gannett. The Kentucky State AFL-CIO and its member unions stand in solidarity with the Courier-Journal workers not only in organizing, but also in focusing their efforts to get a fair contract.”
Museum workers union pickets at Carnegie Science Center
WESA
By Bill O'Driscoll
Nov. 21, 2022
About two dozen members of the United Museum Workers union came to the Carnegie Science Center this past Saturday. But it wasn’t to take in the Center’s brand-new exhibit, “Mars: The Next Giant Leap.” Rather, the workers were picketing over their contract talks with the Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh. Nearly 500 staffers at the four museums voted to join the United Steelworkers two years ago. But union members said the negotiations, which began in September 2021, have yet to yield a contract they can support.
Strike possible for food service workers at Detroit’s downtown convention center
Detroit Metro Times
By Steve Neavling
Nov. 21, 2022
Food service workers at Huntington Place in downtown Detroit are prepared for a “labor dispute” if they don’t get better wages, working conditions, and health care benefits, union leaders said Monday. The workers’ contract with Sodexo, a food service company, expires on Nov. 30. The workers are represented by Unite Here, a 300,000-member union of hotel and food service workers.
IN THE STATES
Philadelphia AFL-CIO Council President Pat Eiding retiring after more than 20 years
Audacity
By Pat Loeb
Nov. 21, 2022
Longtime labor leader Pat Eiding is turning over the reins of the Philadelphia AFL-CIO Council to new leadership after more than 20 years as president. Today, it represents 200,000 members from more than 100 local unions, relentlessly pushing workers’ rights and pounding the pavement for labor-friendly elected officials. Fans like City Councilmember Curtis Jones credit Eiding with putting in the work. After being elected to lead the council seven times, Eiding decided not to run this year. His mentee, Danny Bauder, was elected to replace him and will take over in January. Eiding said it’s the right time to pass the torch.