Posts tagged benefits
Workers at Lake Champlain Chocolates push to unionize
November 3, 2026 // Lake Champlain Chocolates’ annual wage increases have exceeded both inflation and revenue growth over the past nine years, Lampman said. Compensation for particular positions is determined by “the level of responsibility and experience required by the role,” rather than primarily by tenure, he said. A recent audit of the company’s benefits — which include full dental and partial vision plan coverage, as well as paid parental leave and “competitive” healthcare coverage options — indicated that the candymaker compared favorably with other similar-sized businesses, Lampman added.
Op-ed: Big Labor Schemes Power Grab for Democrats
November 3, 2026 // But there’s reason to doubt the sincerity of labor groups in building a long-lasting relationship. Away from the headlines, Big Labor has been an obstacle against the Trump Administration in court. Unions have sued the Trump Administration more than 70 times–nearly once a week–to stop initiatives including reducing and reorganizing the bloated federal bureaucracy, reducing federal spending, and reining in rogue “independent” bureaucracies full of personally motivated actors who didn’t want to be accountable to the President.
MN Opera Orchestra votes no confidence in Opera leadership as labor negotiations intensify
November 2, 2026 // The Minnesota Opera Orchestra musicians announced a formal vote of no confidence in Minnesota Opera leadership on Saturday, another escalation in contentious labor negotiations between musicians and leadership. The Opera Orchestra has been at odds with the Opera over cost-of-living wage increases. That dispute led the Opera to postpone the world premiere of "The Many Deaths of Laila Starr," which was due to open Saturday evening. While the vote of no confidence is an escalation, it is not an outright work stoppage. However, musicians did vote to authorize a strike in early October.
Amazon says it will not recognize workers’ unionization push at Merrillville warehouse
October 27, 2026 // Amazon does not plan to voluntarily recognize drivers who filed union authorization cards to join the Teamsters Local 142, setting up an election through the National Labor Relations Board. Transportation Operations Management, or TOM, Team drivers out of the 1 million-square-foot Amazon fulfillment center just off Interstate 65 in Merrillville rallied there Thursday to demand the company negotiate a union contract. The department employs about 21 workers out of the hundreds who work at the hulking Amazon warehouse, union leaders said.
Winchester Mystery House tour guides launch one-day unfair labor practice strike
October 27, 2026 // The guides, who organized with Teamsters Local 856 in 2025, lead thousands of visitors through the mansion's halls annually. The strike comes after management bypassed the bargaining table to approach guides directly to sign waivers regarding the usage of their image and likeness for marketing promotion materials, rather than negotiating the issue collectively, according to union officials.
Opinion: Mitch Carmichael: The 120-day clock that could rewrite your job
October 19, 2026 // The FLCA would set a timetable for negotiating a first contract after a union is newly certified or recognized. The parties would meet and begin bargaining within 10 days after the employer receives a written request. If they have no agreement after 90 days of bargaining, either party could request federal mediation. If mediation fails after another 30 days, the dispute will go to a three-person, federal-government arbitration panel. The panel’s decision would bind both sides for two years unless they agree in writing to amend it. That means a government panel, potentially unfamiliar with a particular West Virginia workplace, could decide matters as consequential as schedules, time off, health benefits and work rules. Unions and employers would have opportunities to present their positions, but neither would have the final say over terms imposed through arbitration. Nor would workers have an opportunity to ratify the final contract
New York City Carpenters Union Says Federal Oversight Has Ended
October 16, 2026 // The council said the end of the long legal process gives it greater authority over its operations and removes prolonged external approval processes. It said internal compliance and investigative systems, along with safeguards for the union and its members, will remain in place. The announcement did not describe the specific action or date that formally ended federal supervision.
IBEW members overwhelmingly approve 5-year contract, ending Duquesne Light strike
October 14, 2026 // Members of the IBEW Local 29 voted 526-184 to accept the terms of the tentative deal that was agreed upon last week.
Shawn Fain Claims Victory in UAW Election Rout
October 13, 2026 // UAW Vice President Mike Booth, who ran on a ticket opposing Fain, told The Wall Street Journal that there is no doubt about the outcome. Fain faced five challengers, including a UAW vice president with whom he had feuded. Fain’s allies defeated top UAW officials whom Fain viewed as impediments to his agenda for vice-presidential slots and other key roles.
Thousands more Chicago hotel workers could strike at any moment
October 13, 2026 // Union members say they want better health care benefits, pensions, protection for immigrant workers, wages that keep up with inflation and safer workloads. A 2025 survey by the UNITE HERE Local 1 union found 32% of its members lacked money to cover their rent or mortgage and around 29% lacked money to cover utility bills in the last 12 months.