MUST READ
WGA Rallies With L.A. Unions: ‘It’s Going to Be a Hot Labor Summer’
Variety
By Gene Maddaus
May 26, 2023
Liz Shuler, the national president of the AFL-CIO, was also on stage, along with Yvonne Wheeler, the president of the L.A. County Federation of Labor, and Rusty Hicks, the chair of the California Democratic Party. After the rally, the group of hundreds of union members marched a block up Figueroa Street.
JOINING TOGETHER
Multi-union rally set for downtown LA Friday as WGA work stoppage closes out its 4th week
ABC7
By City News Service
May 26, 2023
As the Writers Guild of America strike wraps up its fourth week -- with no end in sight -- the strikers will break from the picketing script that's defined the first month of their walkout and will instead take part in what's expected to be a large, multi-union rally in downtown. "We're switching up the usual L.A. studio picket schedule so writers can turn out for a historic, multi-union rally," WGA leaders said in a message to members last week.
450 unionized TruStage workers continue strike in Madison
Madison.com
By Emilie Heidemann
May 27, 2023
Astrike by a union of 450 TruStage workers continued into a second week Friday. TruStage, formerly known as CUNA Mutual Group, said Friday it has resiliency plans to furnish services for its customers amid the strike. Hundreds of TruStage workers, who are part of the Office and Professional Employees International Union Local 39, have been picketing near TruStage’s offices at 5810 Mineral Point Road from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. since May 19.
Hollywood writers to participate in multi-union rally downtown LA
CBS Los Angeles
By KCAL News Staff
May 26, 2023
"We're switching up the usual L.A. studio picket schedule so writers can turn out for a historic, multi-union rally," WGA leaders said in a message to members last week. The striking writers are expected to be joined by numerous unions for a 5 p.m. rally at South Figueroa and West 12th streets near the Convention Center, where the state Democratic Party is holding its annual meetings. According to the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor AFL-CIO, in addition to the WGA, the rally will include members of SAG AFTRA, IATSE and the Teamsters, along with hotel workers, teachers, SEIU 721, SEIU 1000 and AFSCME.
UAW organizes supplier of Jeep, Chevy Corvette, Ford Bronco and Mustang roofs
Detroit Free Press
By Phoebe Wall Howard
May 26, 2023
UAW President Shawn Fain commended the nearly 200 new members who fought to organize an automotive parts supplier that makes tops for the Ford Mustang, Ford Bronco, Chevrolet Corvette and Jeep. Webasto, a global company headquartered near Munich, Germany, has a presence in Rochester Hills, Auburn Hills, Plymouth Township, New Hudson and Fenton. The manufacturer makes roof, charging, heating and air conditioning and battery systems. Workers at Webasto Roof Systems in Plymouth Township, who began their organizing drive in November, voted earlier this month to join UAW Local 3000 in Woodhaven. "This election was a tough fight with heavy employer opposition. But these workers, as courageous as they were, they stuck together," Fain said Wednesday during live remarks to members streamed on the UAW Facebook page. "This win goes on to prove that we are continuing to get back to our roots and back in the fight."
Deadline
By David Robb
May 26, 2023
Saying that “acting careers are at stake,” SAG-AFTRA President Fran Drescher has sent an audio message to the guild’s members urging them to vote “Yes” for strike authorization. The guild’s often fractious national board voted unanimously last week to recommend that members authorize a strike in advance of the June 7 start of its negotiations with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers. The guild’s current contract expires June 30. “SAG-AFTRA is taking a big bold step as the union prepares for our upcoming TV, theatrical and streaming negotiations,” Drescher said in a message posted on social media. “We’re asking you, one of our members, to vote ‘Yes’ for a strike authorization. This will give our negotiating team much needed leverage at the bargaining table. You know, acting careers are at stake. We must ensure that our employers don’t continue to devalue the performers who bring productions to life.”
Labor Is Rising”: Hundreds Of Union Workers Gather In Solidarity With WGA At Los Angeles Rally
Deadline
By Rosy Cordero and Katie Campione
May 26, 2023
In solidarity with WGAw President Meredith Stiehm stood Hollywood Teamsters Local 399 secretary-treasurer and chief negotiator, Lindsay Dougherty; SAG-AFTRA national executive director and chief negotiator, Duncan Crabtree-Ireland; UTLA President, Cecily Myart-Cruz; Kurt Petersen, Co-President of UNITE HERE Local 11; and California Federation of Labor AFL-CIO Executive Secretary-Treasurer, Lorena Gonzalez, among others.
NLRB
Tysons contractor faces unfair labor charge over call center worker layoffs
FFX Now
By Angela Woolsey
May 26, 2023
A union representing Maximus call center workers filed unfair labor practices charges against the Tysons-headquartered contractor this week. In charges filed with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) on Tuesday and Wednesday (May 23 and 24), the Communications Workers of America alleges that the government services company, which operates call centers for Medicaid and Medicare, has retaliated against employees and illegally tried to discourage them from unionizing. The CWA says it filed the complaints because Maximus is laying off more than 700 call center workers this month who handle customer service for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC).
IN THE STATES
Industries facing worker shortages push to roll back child labor protections
NPR
By Katarina Sostaric
May 25, 2023
The push to change the labor laws brought protesting Democrats and labor unions to the state capitol. Charlie Wishman is president of the Iowa Federation of Labor. He and others say the bill could allow businesses to take advantage of low-income and migrant children for cheap labor and jeopardize their education.
Training the next generation of electric utility workers
KGW8
By Tim Gordon
May 28, 2023
There is a lot going on at PGE's Sherwood Training Center, where a class of 20 pre-apprentice workers are taking the first steps, learning to be linemen. This relatively new facility has it all, from the classrooms to the outdoors, spiked with utility poles for practice. “This training center is very specialized, so our training scenarios are very lifelike— you don't find that in every utility,” said Jim Phelps, PGE apprenticeship programs manager.
LABOR AND COMMUNITY
Local firefighters hang up free life jackets for the public to borrow
KIMA
By Alahna Martinez
May 28, 2023
It's that time of the year to start enjoying water activities, and Yakima firefighters want to make sure you're safe by offering free life jackets to borrow. Today, firefighters stocked up their life jacket board.
Leaders from IAFF Local 469 say these are provided by donations and personally bought by the station.
You can take as many as you need, but once you're done, they ask that you return them.