Today's AFL-CIO Press Clips
JOINING TOGETHER
SAG-AFTRA reaches tentative agreement with Hollywood studios in a move to end nearly 4-month strike
CBS News
By Megan Cerullo
Nov. 9, 2023
The union representing film and television actors has struck a tentative deal with entertainment industry studios on a new labor contract, SAG-AFTRA announced Wednesday, moving the sides closer to ending what has been a contentious nearly four-month strike. "In a unanimous vote this afternoon, the SAG-AFTRA TV/Theatrical Committee approved a tentative agreement with the AMPTP bringing an end to the 118 day strike," the union said Wednesday in a statement. While the new contract must still be ratified by SAG-AFTRA membership, the union announced the strike will end Thursday at 12:01 a.m.
Culinary Union reaches tentative agreement with Wynn Resorts ahead of strike deadline
Fox5
By Matt Kling
Nov. 10, 2023
With less than 3 hours until its strike deadline, the Culinary Workers Union Local 226 announced that they reached a tentative agreement for a 5-year labor contract with Wynn Resorts. In a social media post at 2:26 A.M. Friday morning, the union announced the deal which would cover approximately 5,000 hospitality workers in Las Vegas. The announcement came ahead of a 5:00 A.M. deadline for workers to strike. The deal with Wynn comes after the union reached tentative agreements with Caesars Entertainment and MGM Resorts International. All the deals avoid worker strikes ahead of Formula 1 in Las Vegas.
TWU Local 234 members ratify contract with SEPTA
Metro Philadelphia
By Jack Tomczuk
Nov. 12, 2023
Members of Transport Workers Union Local 234 have voted to approve a one-year contract with SEPTA, union officials said over the weekend. The collective bargaining agreement, which negotiators announced Oct. 27, averted a possible strike, which would have halted bus, trolley and subway service in the city. Local 234 members authorized a walkout in early October, ahead of the Oct. 31 expiration of its current contract. “This was a good agreement for our members,” Local 234 President Brian Pollitt said Saturday, in a statement. “It will put more money in our members’ pockets during a time of high inflation and help SEPTA with recruitment and retention.” “But I want to emphasize that it is very much a work in progress,” he continued. “It is only a one-year agreement. Much work remains, especially as it relates to compensation, safety and security issues.”
Casino and Blue Cross labor strikes stretch on in Detroit
Michigan Advance
By Ken Coleman
Nov. 11, 2023
Detroit casino workers are continuing their strike against three operators, hopeful that they’ll be able to secure a big win like the UAW has in tentative deals with domestic automakers. It’s day 26 for the strike. On Oct. 17, unionized casino workers at MGM Grand Detroit, MotorCity Casino, and Hollywood Casino at Greektown launched a strike affecting 3,700 casino workers, including dealers, cleaning staff, food and beverage workers, valets, engineers, and more. The Detroit Casino Council (DCC) is composed of UNITE HERE Local 24, the United Auto Workers (UAW), Teamsters Local 1038, Operating Engineers Local 324, and the Michigan Regional Council of Carpenters.
SAG-AFTRA strike ends with tentative agreement on three-year pact
People’s World
By Mark Gruenberg
Nov. 9, 2023
he SAG-AFTRA strike of 160,000 performers against major Hollywood studios, Netflix and similar streaming video producers, Broadway stages, TV networks and their ilk, is over. The two sides agreed on a tentative three-year contract, subject to ratification, and the 118-day walkout ended at 12:01 am Pacific Time on November 9. The news came in an exultant Instagram posting from SAG-AFTRA President Fran Drescher, the noted comic actress who became the face of the union during the struggle.
Hundreds of AC Electric workers remain on strike; service will not be impacted
6 ABC
By 6abc Digital Staff
Nov. 9, 2023
Hundreds of workers with AC Electric remain off the job Thursday following a strike over the weekend. About 400 workers went on strike at 12:01 a.m. on Sunday. Officials from AC Electric say the most recent contract expired on November 2 and at that time, they presented what they described as their 'best and final offer.' But officials with the union, IBEW Local 210, say that offer is unacceptable.
Hollywood actors union board approves strike-ending deal as leaders tout money gains and AI rights
WHYY
By Andrew Dalton
Nov. 11, 2023
Board members from Hollywood’s actors union voted Friday to approve the deal with studios that ended their strike after nearly four months, with the union’s leadership touting the gains made in weeks of methodical negotiations. Duncan Crabtree-Ireland, Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists’ executive director and chief negotiator, announced at an afternoon news conference that the tentative agreement was approved with 86% of the vote. The three-year contract agreement next goes to a vote from the union’s members, who are now learning what they earned through spending the summer and early fall on picket lines instead of film and television sets. That vote begins Tuesday and continues into December.
IN THE STATES
Jill Biden visits Pittsburgh to observe workforce hub progress
WESA
By Abby Yoder
Nov. 9, 2023
A panel of local workforce experts joined Biden, Su and Gainey, including CEO of Partner4Work Robert Cherry, Allegheny/Fayette Central Labor Council president Darrin Kelly, Community College of Allegheny County president Dr. Quintin B. Bullock, and executive vice president of operations with Re:Build Manufacturing Victor Mroczkowski.
TRANSPORTATION
Unions urge US regulators to probe Waymo, Zoox after Cruise crashes
Reuters
By David Shepardson
Nov. 9, 2023
More than two dozen unions urged U.S. auto safety regulators on Thursday to open an industry-wide probe into driverless vehicles including Alphabet's Waymo (GOOGL.O) and Amazon.com's (AMZN.O) Zoox. The unions, including the Transportation Trades Department, Transport Workers Union of America, Teamsters and United Auto Workers, cited the recent investigation into General Motors' (GM.N) self-driving unit Cruise and California's decision to suspend Cruise testing.