Today's AFL-CIO Press Clips
ORGANIZING
Wells Fargo employees in Virginia Beach push for a union
The Virginian-Pilot
By Trevor Metcalfe
Jan. 26, 2024
A group of Wells Fargo tellers and bankers in Virginia Beach want a union, citing low pay and staffing issues. Six workers at the Wells Fargo at 301 Little Neck Road recently filed for a union election in a petition to the National Labor Relations Board, organizers said in a Jan. 16 announcement. “I have been consistently asked to work more hours — come in early, stay longer — numerous times because of understaffing,” Virginia Beach Wells Fargo teller Shelly Traugott said. The unionization effort is part of a national campaign by Communications Workers of America’s Wells Fargo Workers United group. The branch is one of the first to file for an election under the campaign. Workers at branches in New Mexico and Florida voted to become the first and second branches to form unions in December and early January.
Traugott was hired to work part-time at the branch but she said she’s been asked to work more hours and cover shifts at other locations.
Pittsburgh Union Progress
By Andrew Goldstein
Jan. 26, 2024
Workers at Chatham University say they want more transparency from the school’s administration. So, trying to lead by example, they took the unusual step of holding an open-to-the-public union card-signing event Thursday evening at East End Brewing Co. in Larimer. “We’re really committed to an open and transparent process,” said Jessie Ramey, director of the women’s program and an associate professor at Chatham. “In fact, we’d like to be a part of a new wave in organizing, and I think that this could be part of a new paradigm where we work a little bit more openly.”
WSU’S Coalition of Academic Student Employees ratifies its first contract
Northwest Public Broadcasting
By Lauren Gallup
Jan. 26, 2024
At academic institutions nationwide, student workers continue to organize. Student staff at Washington State University are the latest to get a big win. The Coalition of Academic Student Employees has ratified its first union contract. With the agreement, student employees will get paid vacation for the first time, as well as earn six weeks of paid parental leave.
JOINING TOGETHER
Culinary union makes more progress in contract talks, but strike deadline looms on Feb. 2
KANW
By Yvette Fernandez
Jan. 26, 2024
The Culinary Union continues to seek new contracts with Las Vegas resort casinos and is preparing for a potential strike as fans begin arriving for the Super Bowl on Feb. 11. On Tuesday, the union announced they reached a tentative agreement for a five-year contract with Strat for 700 employees. On Wednesday, the union reached a contract for 500 more workers at Hilton Grand Vacation, and on Jan. 20, the union announced a deal with the Westgate. This came after Culinary Union members picketed at the Sahara and the Strat on Jan. 19.
Local transit union members are near-unanimous in vote to strike for better wages
KTNV
By KTNV Staff
Jan. 26, 2024
Bus drivers, mechanics and other members of the transit union voted to authorize a strike as they seek better pay and more safeguards in a new contract with their employer. Union members were able to vote through 6 a.m. on Friday. We've now learned the majority of those union members voted to strike rather than accept the latest contract offer from Transdev, which runs our public bus system for the Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada.
Down East Community Hospital nurses rally for improved working conditions and patient safety
Maine Public
By Carol Bousquet
Jan. 26, 2024
Nurses and technicians at Down East Community Hospital are holding rallies this weekend to call attention to the chronic staffing shortage at the facility that they say is a safety issue. They're part of the Maine State Nurses Association and have been bargaining for a new contract since last September.
Culinary Union holds informational picket outside Circa, Golden Nugget, Fremont
News 3
By News 3 Staff
Jan. 26, 2024
The Culinary Union amped up their efforts on Friday as they continue contract negotiations with Las Vegas casinos. Union members held an informational picket marching around Circa and expect to continue outside Fremont and Golden Nugget. A member of the Culinary Union said the workers simply want to send a message to owners, 'things need to be equal across the board.'
Washington Macy's workers on strike, contract vote scheduled
NBC
By Tomas D'Anella
Jan. 26, 2024
UFCW 3000 says employees from the Bellingham and Southcenter Mall Macy's have joined the strike as workers continue to push for a fair contract. The union says workers will continue to strike and boycott the store until the contract is achieved.
Las Vegas Culinary Union reaches another contract agreement with a Strip property
Fox5 Vegas
By Mark Rosenberg
Jan. 27, 2024
he Las Vegas Culinary Union has reached a contract agreement with another property on the north end of the Strip. According to a news release from the Culinary Workers Union Local 226, they agreed to terms on a new five-year contract with Circus Circus.
NLRB
A show of solidarity and strategy
Pittsburgh Union Progress
By Karen Carlin
Jan. 28, 2024
Members of the Newspaper Guild of Pittsburgh and other workers on strike from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette were joined by local unions and allies of organized labor Saturday to discuss the barriers they face in the enforcement of U.S. labor law. The event, held at the Pittsburgh Federation of Teachers Union Hall on the South Side, also marked the one-year anniversary of a National Labor Relations Board administrative law judge’s ruling that the Post-Gazette didn’t negotiate in good faith, illegally imposed working conditions and unlawfully surveilled workers engaged in union activities. The five Post-Gazette unions have been on strike since October 2022.
STATE LEGISLATION
Proposals could change how many hours minors can work in Indiana
Fox59
By Hannah Adamson
Jan. 25, 2024
As workforce shortages continue to grow, a number of bills could change how many hours minors in Indiana can work each day. The Indiana State AFL-CIO said it’s eyeing three child labor bills this session, and that the bills (one of which passed through a House committee on Monday) could reverse years of their work to protect young Hoosiers. ”It’s rolling back child labor laws that we have now,” said Shawn Christ, secretary treasurer of the Indiana State AFL-CIO. “Around the nation, we’re seeing these bills pop up–same exact bills.”
CARE ECONOMY
Care quality declines when hospital privatizes for profit
People’s World
By Mark Gruenberg
Jan. 26, 2024
When hospital chains privatize in pursuit of profits, the quality of patient care goes down—way down–compared to a control group of other hospitals, a new study shows. Outcomes after discharge are worse. Which is what the Minnesota doctors said and National Nurses United has said for years. There are 27.3% more patient falls in the for-profit hospitals. “Central line-associated bloodstream infections” rose 37.7% a summary of the study said. That’s even though the patients in the for-profit hospitals were younger than those in the larger control group.