JOINING TOGETHER
'It's gonna be a hot labor summer' — unionized workers show up for striking writers
NPR
By Mandalit del Barco
June 14, 2023
Film and TV writers are now in their seventh week on strike against the Hollywood studios. Actors negotiating their own new contract with the studios as members of the union SAG-AFTRA may also go on strike soon, which would shut down productions entirely. The writers' fight for better pay and protections in the streaming economy is resonating with labor movements beyond Hollywood and beginning to unite workers across industries. On Monday in New York City, the Writers Guild of America rallied outside Amazon studios, buoyed by the leader of the country's largest labor union, the AFL-CIO, which represents 12.5 million American workers, including postal workers, mine workers and those in the entertainment industry. "Can you hear us Jeff Bezos?" taunted Liz Shuler, president of the federation. "We're not gonna take it anymore. We're here in force, not just the Writers Guild, we're here with the labor movement in this country standing strong in solidarity."
St. Joseph nurses vote to authorize a strike amid contract negotiations
The Wichita Eagle
By Michael Stavola
June 14, 2023
Nurses at Ascension Via Christi St. Joseph have voted to give their recently joined union permission to call a strike, according to a Wednesday morning news release sent out by the union. At St. Joseph, 90% of nurses voted in favor of authorizing a strike. It’s unclear how many of the 300-plus nurses voted or if all were allowed to vote.
Peoria library union says mediation sessions ended without a contract resolution
WCBU
By Tim Shelley
June 14, 2023
Union employees of the Peoria Public Library say their two days of contract mediation sessions with library administration last week were unfruitful. Library employee Rose Farrell told the Peoria City Council Tuesday that the library's latest offer was unacceptable to the point of being laughable. "Our staff cannot afford to eat more than one meal a day. Our staff are on government assistance. Our staff are housing insecure, and our staff cannot afford to work here," she said. Pay remains the major sticking point in the contract talks. Library employees organized under AFSCME have worked under an expired contract since the beginning of the year.
A rare union vote could reshape the architecture industry
Fast Company
By Nate Berg
June 14, 2023
Voting is underway on what could be an industry-altering union. Employees at the U.S. studios of international architecture and design firm Snøhetta are now deciding whether to form a labor union. It would be only the second private sector architecture firm in the U.S. to unionize. Known for its redesign of New York’s Times Square and the iceberg-like Oslo opera house, Snøhetta is a large and well-regarded design firm, with 350 employees and nine offices including studios in Oslo, New York, San Francisco, Australia, and Asia. Its union vote is one the industry is watching closely. In May, workers in Snøhetta’s U.S.-based studios filed paperwork with the National Labor Relations Board to form a union and join the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, which represents workers at companies including Boeing, United Airlines, and Harley-Davidson. Because the election involves some mail ballots, tallying of votes will happen in a few weeks, on July 7.
IN THE STATES
Minnesota Miracle: State legislature passes ‘avalanche’ of progressive and pro-labor laws
People’s World
By John Bachtell
June 14, 2023
“Whoa, holy buckets,” declared Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman after the close of a state legislative session that saw the passage of an “avalanche” of progressive bills, including the most sweeping pro-labor legislation in state history. “Our elected leaders listened to the thousands of union volunteers who knocked on doors last fall and continued to show up at the Capitol this year to enact the most pro-worker policy agendas Minnesotans have seen in more than a generation,” said Minnesota AFL-CIO President Bernie Burnham.
The Measure of a Man: Labor Leader Thomas P. Giblin
Insider NJ
By Insider NJ
June 14, 2023
A collaborative authorship of State AFL-CIO President Charles Wowkanech, Secretary Treasurer Laurel Brennan and Democratic State Committeeman Tom Barrett, the following is a tribute given to retiring Assemblyman Tom Giblin at this week’s NJ State AFL-CIO Legislative Conference in Atlantic City:vOn this occasion, we honor one of the lions in our ranks: Tom Giblin, Business Manager of Local 68, the flagship Local of the International Union of Operating Engineers (IUOE) and Executive Board member of our State AFL-CIO. We are proud to honor our union brother, he who is oftentimes a mentor and at all times a stalwart and loyal friend.