MUST READ
A 16-year-old worker died at a poultry plant. Federal probes are underway.
The Washington Post
By María Luisa Paúl
July 20, 2023
“How many more children must die?” Liz Shuler, president of the AFL-CIO, the largest federation of unions in the country, tweeted Wednesday. “We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again: Any lawmaker who wants to undermine child labor laws, in 2023, is a disgrace.”
WORKPLACE SAFETY AND HEALTH
16-year-old worker dies at Mar-Jac Poultry factory in Mississippi; federal investigation ongoing
USA Today
By Eric Lagatta
July 20, 2023
“How many more children must die?” Liz Shuler, president of the AFL-CIO, the largest federation of unions in the country, tweeted Wednesday. “We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again: Any lawmaker who wants to undermine child labor laws, in 2023, is a disgrace.”
ENVIRONMENT, ENERGY AND CLIMATE
President Biden visits Philly shipyard as he courts organized labor and pushes green jobs
AP
By Josh Boak and Darlene Superville
July 20, 2023
Samantha Smith, strategic adviser for clean energy jobs at the AFL-CIO, said it’s important for the shift away from fossil fuels to not come at the expense of workers, arguing the goals of renewable energy and higher pay need to be complementary goals, not competing ones. Smith said unions have confidence that the manufacturing, infrastructure and energy investments under Biden will lead to more union jobs. “First of all, we do have the most union-friendly president that anyone can remember — that’s why we endorsed him early,” Smith said. “We have a lot of confidence in this president and his ability to turn more than $1 trillion of investments — including in clean energy — into union jobs.”
JOINING TOGETHER
Broadway union reaches tentative deal with management, averting strike
CNBC
By Daniel Arkin and Diana Dasrath
July 20, 2023
The show must go on. The union representing some 1,500 Broadway workers reached a tentative deal Thursday with theater industry management, averting a strike that would have closed the curtains on theatrical productions in New York as well as touring shows across the country. The deal was announced jointly by the union, the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) and two organizations representing management: the Broadway League, the industry’s trade group, and Disney Theatrical, a division of the media conglomerate.
New York Times union files grievance over plan to close sports desk
The Washington Post
By Ben Strauss
July 20, 2023
The union representing the New York Times newsroom filed a grievance Thursday challenging the company’s announcement that it plans to shutter its standalone sports desk and rely on the Athletic for its sports coverage in print and online. The grievance, sent from the NewsGuild to Times executives, accused the company of violating the union contract by “unilaterally removing bargaining unit work and by assigning such work to non-bargaining unit employees, namely the employees of The Athletic, a company owned by the New York Times.” Craig Becker, general counsel for the AFL-CIO and a former member of the National Labor Relations Board, said subcontracting is a common issue in labor disputes. A key factor is how much control the Times exerts over employment at the Athletic. “If they are controlling any terms of employment at the Athletic, there’s a better argument that they are just trying to escape the guild contract,” he said.
Grindr Employees Launch Union Drive Amid Tech Layoffs and Anti-LGBT Attacks
Time
By Josh Eidelson
July 20, 2023
Employees at the LGBTQ dating company Grindr Inc. are petitioning to unionize, extending a wave of organizing among tech workers. Workers filed a unionization petition with the U.S. National Labor Relations Board Thursday and announced the campaign to management during a previously scheduled all-hands Zoom. Pro-union staff say they’ve signed up the vast majority of a proposed bargaining unit of around 100 employees, including cloud engineering, IT, design, marketing and quality assurance workers. The employees are organizing with the Communications Workers of America, which over the past two years has won union recognition among New York Times Co. tech workers, Microsoft Corp. video game testers, Apple Inc. retail staff and subcontracted Google Fiber sales workers.
IATSE & Broadway League Reach Tentative Deal On Pink Contract
Deadline
By Erik Pedersen
July 20, 2023
IATSE has reached a tentative deal with the Broadway League and Disney Theatrical on a new “Pink Contact,” a day after talks had broken down. The agreement now goes to union members for ratification.
IN THE STATES
Organizers, politicians predict ‘massive wave of enthusiasm’ will revive labor movement
KUOW
By Monica Nickelsburg
July 20, 2023
For starters, the picture isn’t so bleak in Washington state, where union representation is nearly double the national rate. But the bigger story at the convention was the labor movement’s revival, driven by a more diverse generation of workers and activists. “If you look at the way the laws are backed against workers, low union density isn't a shock when the punishment for illegal union busting by companies like Starbucks and Amazon is merely fines that don't make a dent in their multibillion-dollar profits,” said April Sims, the new president of the Washington Labor Council. “Yet at the same time, there is a massive wave of enthusiasm for collective action and organized labor sweeping this country.” Amazon and Starbucks both deny they engage in union-busting tactics. Sims is the first black woman elected to lead a state AFL-CIO body. She represents a changing of the guard. Historically, the labor movement has been dominated by white men. But LGBTQ activists and people of color comprised the majority of speakers at the convention Tuesday.
Workers made big gains this session, but some important policies were deferred
Maine Beacon
By Dan Neumann
July 20, 2023
Topping the list of policies passed this session that will benefit working Mainers are a paid family and medical leave program, increased funding for child care and a tentative last-minute deal creating good-paying jobs in Maine’s budding offshore wind industry. But labor leaders and economists say other much-needed policies were also left on the table this year, including measures to finally raise the state minimum wage to $15 and repair the hole in the state pension system created over a decade ago.