Last Week in Labor: November 17-23, 2024.
57 Culinary Union workers arrested in picket line civil disobedience, Philly workers avoid strike with new TA, and other headlines.
57 Culinary Union workers arrested in picket line civil disobedience, Philly workers avoid strike with new TA, and other headlines.
Happy early Thanksgiving to those who plan to celebrate. I hope that no matter what your plans are, you take a moment to relax and find a bit of joy in these weird, uncertain times.
As a short note, I opened up a little end-of-year special for folks looking to upgrade to a paid subscription, or who would like to forward some of their mainstream newspaper cancellation money toward independent projects like mine. 20% for the year, either monthly or yearly, available til a couple days before Christmas. Every subscription helps me find myself on more stable financial footing so I can expand the newsletter and devote more time to its curation.
If you’re not interested, that’s fine too. These digests will always be free, as will other posts on this website.
Onwards…
Notable News in Labor
Unions Note Chavez-DeRemer's Record, 'But Donald Trump Is the President-Elect'
Congresswoman Lori Chavez-DeRemer has been tapped for labor secretary, garnering mixed reactions from some folks in the labor movement. Common Dreams’s Jessica Corbett has a great report on the pick.
The DOL pick has sparked debates about how much she will actually "do right by workers" and whether "Teamsters president Sean O'Brien and Donald Trump are effectively dividing the labor movement."
Philadelphia's largest city workers union reaches agreement to avert strike
Culinary Union Ups Strike Pressure on Virgin Hotels with Staged Arrests
Culinary Union 226 workers are still on strike outside Virgin Hotels in Las Vegas. Here’s a unique report on their recent escalation—
The union’s effort started in earnest last year, when Culinary was able to leverage corporate angst around the inaugural F1 race in Las Vegas to pressure Caesars, Wynn, and MGM to come to acceptable terms for new five-year contracts before the green flag dropped.
Since then, Culinary has secured similar deals with workers at the Venetian and virtually all independent casinos downtown and across Nevada.
But Virgin has resisted, which prompted union protestors to block traffic, and, according to script, be arrested.
AFSCME workers in Hennepin County come to tentative agreement
4000 workers in Hennepin County, MN, will vote soon on a whether to ratify tentative agreement that includes wage increases, shift differentials, and other needed items. Local report here:
“Our union members fought hard at the bargaining table and away from the table for this agreement, and it delivers sector-leading benefits, competitive wages, and much-needed workplace improvements.”
Thousands [picketed] for day two of UC workers strike
Thousands of workers picketed at for a second day at University of California campuses on Nov 21, where employees say facilities across the UC campuses are understaffed and underpaid.
Those behind the picket line take care of patients and their needs. They include radiologists, phlebotomists, medical assistants, custodians, security guards and food service workers.
Whole Foods Workers File for First-Ever Union, Defying Amazon
A fantastic report from the always wonderful Kim Kelly about Whole Foods workers in Philly organizing to form a union.
Since Amazon bought the company in 2017, Whole Foods has undergone a litany of changes — many, workers say, for the worse. The checkout area is heavily surveilled to account for increased self-checkout (which in some stores includes a palm-scanning biometric option) and as demand for delivery orders has skyrocketed, so has the infrastructure to support it, including bringing in an army of delivery drivers and shoppers who compete with workers and regular customers for aisle space. Amazon has also attempted to integrate its own grocery brands into Whole Foods, and is debuting robot-run “mini warehouses” to encourage customers to buy more of its conventional products. Its thirst for profits and quest to dominate the grocery market has led the company to expand at a rapid pace. Meanwhile, workers struggle to keep up.
Waffle House claims NLRB process is unconstitutional
The list of companies seeking to undermine the NLRB and declare parts or all of the NLRA unconstitutional appears to be growing. Waffle House is the latest company to sue the NLRB as unions attempt to take them to task for unfair labor practices.
Waffle House is asking the court to declare the statutes governing the appointment and removal of ALJs [Administrative Law Judges] and board members to be unconstitutional.
“The President must have meaningful oversight over subordinate officers of the executive branch,” Waffle House argued in the complaint. “The President lacks meaningful oversight over the Board’s ALJs.”
‘ASCENSION HOSPITAL…IS MAKING A MOCKERY OF THE CHURCH DOCTRINE’: BALTIMORE CATHOLIC NURSES PICKET BISHOPS FOR FAIR CONTRACT
Listen to the full report here.
“We are here to show solidarity with St. Agnes [nurses] and let the Bishops know that the Ascension Hospital chain is making a mockery of the Church doctrine in Baltimore. I have witnessed firsthand how Ascension focuses on profits over patient care.”
Head of America’s biggest teachers' union slams Donald Trump’s education plans
Republicans are threatening to defund critical agencies and groups. President of the American Federation of Teachers Randi Weingarten joins The Weekend to discuss Trump’s controversial education department pick.
Labor unrest continues at Oregon universities
Graduate students are Oregon State University have been on strike for two weeks. Here’s a recent report on the ongoing work stoppage.
Graduate students at Oregon State University finished their second week of striking Friday, as they continue a battle with administrators over wages and how frequently they can renegotiate their contracts.
The Coalition of Graduate Employees, which represents some 1,700 graduate student research and teaching assistants at the state’s largest university, started striking on Nov. 12 seeking a 40% raise for the lowest-paid graduate student workers.
‘A long time coming’: Pitt grad workers vote heavily in favor of forming union
Here’s a wonderful report on more grad student organizing, from my steadfastly brilliant union siblings over at the Pittsburgh Union Progress.
More than 97% of the votes cast in the election that took place over several days this week came back in favor of unionization, meaning the university’s roughly 2,100 graduate workers will join the ranks of the United Steelworkers.
Cast, crew of Casa Bonita unanimously vote to unionize
LAKEWOOD, Colo. — The cast and crew of Casa Bonita unanimously voted to unionize with the Actors' Equity Association and IASTE Local 7, respectively.
For more information on the union vote, check here.
NBC union projects messages to the bosses on 30 Rock
https://www.instagram.com/p/DCnZEEIt3Jd
Bosses at NBC News keep breaking the law, so we’re back outside 30 Rock to shine a little light on the situation.
Union workers have the right to a steward in investigatory meetings, but Cesar Conde’s management team illegally and inexcusably withheld that right from a member.
We’re not gonna let our colleagues get steamrolled by disrespectful bosses.
Fair contract now!
Frontline Healthcare Workers at Sharp HealthCare Ratify Landmark First Contract
After a historic unionization campaign and months of negotiations, nearly 5,000 frontline healthcare workers represented by SEIU-United Healthcare Workers West (SEIU-UHW) at Sharp HealthCare have ratified their first union contract. This landmark agreement represents a transformative victory for workers, patients, and the San Diego community.
Commentary & Analysis
Food Service Workers Can’t Afford to Eat the Food They Serve
Food workers are over twice as likely to be food insecure than workers in other sectors of the economy.
YOU LOVE TO SEE IT: Freeing Captive Audiences - The Lever
Employers have to free their captives, the Feds curb a health care giant’s shopping spree, Google’s big breakup levels up, scam call crackdowns are showing results, and Facebook’s anti-shareholder effort gets blocked.
The Painters Union President Isn't Sitting Down After Trump's Win - TVLR 11/23/24
Union Leaders Gear Up for the Long Struggle Ahead - In These Times
The second Trump administration has promised to gut labor protections and endanger undocumented workers. Jimmy Williams of the International Union of Painters and Allied Trades discusses the road ahead for organized labor.
Lean Into The Punch - Hamilton Nolan
How Things WorkLean Into the PunchOne thing you learn in boxing is that your natural instincts for self preservation can get you killed. Your urge to pull away from a punch will get you clipped on the chin; instead, you need to go down and in. When a guy wants to plant his feet and throw bombs at you, you need to move towards him, into his chest, where …Read more2 months ago · 82 likes · 15 comments · Hamilton Nolan
Labor by the Numbers
54 petitions for union representation were filed with the NLRB last week. Here are a few notable cases that I found interesting…
- In case you wanted to see that Whole Foods filing.
- 22 retail employees at a Midland, TX PetSmart filed for representation with UFCW Local 540
- 17 part-time and full-time stockers, cashiers, and other employees at Aldi on Staten Island filed for representation with UFCW Local 342
Looking Ahead
If you’ve got a…
- workshop,
- seminar,
- panel,
- conference,
- labor action,
- strike,
- protest
- walkout,
- negotiation,
- sit-in,
- or other item you’d like eyes on, shoot me a message.
I’ll add it to the "Looking Ahead” section and get it front of folks who might be able to join you in solidarity. Seriously. Send me a message. Shoot me an email at mel.buer.reports@gmail.com or mel@therealnews.com, send me a DM on Bluesky, send out your last carrier pigeon. If I get the message, I’ll add it to the digest.
That’s it, folks. I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving, and I just want to say that I’m so grateful that so many of you take a moment out of your Monday to read my digests. I’m glad that you find it helpful, useful. One of best weapons against the oncoming storm will always be knowledge—especially when that knowledge brings you closer to your fellow workers in solidarity.
Enjoy your holiday, and I’ll see you next week.
-Mel
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