Posts tagged childcare
ILLINOIS: SEIU HEALTHCARE MEMBERS EMPOWERED TO DROP UNION
August 16, 2023 // With locals in Illinois, Indiana, Missouri and Kansas, the union purports to represent more than 91,000 members. A closer look into reports published by the U.S. Department of Labor, however, reveals that SEIU HCII represents only about 59,000 workers. At least one third of those represented by SEIU HCII don’t seem to think the union’s services are worth their money. And they’re right. While the union collects tens of millions of dollars in membership dues each year, only a fraction is spent on “representational activities,” including collective bargaining and contract enforcement. In 2022, less than 22 percent of SEIU HCII’s $47 million in spending went towards member representation. The rest was spent on politics, administration, and other misguided union leadership priorities.
Labor organizers reflect on a new era of unionization at Dartmouth
June 13, 2023 // Over the past three years, Dartmouth students and faculty members have made large strides in labor organizing through three unions: the Student Worker Collective at Dartmouth, the Graduate Organized Laborers of Dartmouth and the Dartmouth College Library Workers Union. The Dartmouth College Library Worker Collective is the only union which has not been recognized by the College as of press time.which has not been recognized by the College as of press time. The Dartmouth spoke with various members of these unions to understand the motives, goals and challenges that they have faced.
Oakland teachers union opens vote on strike authorization
April 25, 2023 // There is general agreement that teachers are not paid enough. But at the offices of parent advocacy group The Oakland REACH, founder Lakisha Young said while she supports better salaries for educators, it should not be at the expense of the students. "Now we're being asked to sign on to an action that is disruptive to our children, just in support of teachers. And it's like, no, we can support teachers and not support a teacher strike," said Young. "It's what's been put on the table and maybe we need to create a new playbook behind this. Because this has become excessive." Another REACH member, Lupe Canchola, said, like a lot of parents, she will be hard-pressed to find a place for her child if the schools close. She said, in the past, she always supported the teachers' work actions.
U-M graduate student workers on strike, seeking better pay and benefits
March 30, 2023 // In addition to higher wages, the union's demands include "an affordable and accessible childcare subsidy, access to gender affirming care, an emergency fund for international students and transitional funding for survivors of sexual harassment," said GEO Contract Committee Chair Amir Fleischmann. "A strike violates GEO’s own agreement with the university," according to the release. "The current contract includes language specifying that the union agrees not to strike while the contract is in effect."
Many Rank-and-File UC Grad Student Workers Are Unhappy With Tentative Agreement
December 26, 2022 // More than two-thirds (68%) of Student Researchers United (SRU)-UAW members approved the tentative agreement, while about 62% of UAW-2865 members backed the proposal. Support among SRU-UAW voters ranged from 19% at U.C. Santa Cruz to 86% at U.C. Berkeley Lab. For UAW-2865, U.C. San Diego (73%) showed the strongest support for the agreement, while just one in five U.C. Santa Cruz voters approved the deal.
Amazon workers strike amid allegations of crackdown on unionization activities
October 27, 2022 // But Amazon workers plan to fight another union election at Amazon ONT8 warehouse in Moreno Valley, California. They plan to resubmit an election petition in the next few weeks, after an initial one was challenged. In the meantime workers across the US allege that the giant company is conducting a harsh crackdown on unionization activities and they have responded with protests and strikes.
CONTRACT WORKERS’ STRIKE THREAT DELAYS RETURN-TO-OFFICE DEADLINE AT GOOGLE MAPS
June 9, 2022 // Google Maps contract workers won’t have to return to the office today, the Alphabet Workers Union announced. They received a 90-day extension from their employer, IT services firm Cognizant Technology Solutions Corp. (NASDAQ: CTSH). The contract workers — who are based at Google’s office in Bothell, Washington — threatened on June 2 to strike over a requirement they return to the office. Cognizant emailed the 90-day extension shortly thereafter. Shelby Hunter, organizing, strategic, financial support, Monika Moore, Staffing Industry Analyst
HOW AMENDMENT 1 COULD GIVE ILLINOIS MORE ARSONISTS AS FIRE CHIEFS
May 27, 2022 // Analysis by the Illinois Policy Institute shows the language of the amendment would allow abuses of unionization and collective bargaining rights to nullify more than 350 existing state statutes. The amendment creates new threats for a wide variety of sectors, including policing, child care services and education. The impact of Amendment 1 would likely be felt by virtually all Illinoisans – including children.
Commentary: One proposal to modernize labor laws would benefit women; another could set them back decades
May 5, 2022 // The PRO Act seeks to regress to the 1950s workplace that denied workers the flexibility needed to balance work/life demands. The ERA would preserve the gains women have made and provide important rights of autonomy, privacy, and opportunity for women and men alike.
THE GREAT RESIGNATION: WHY ARE SO MANY AMERICANS LEAVING THEIR JOBS?
March 30, 2022 // Employers cannot control external factors that take employees out of the workforce, like personal health issues. However, they can attract workers by offering the maximum amount of flexibility, including enough flex to be able to care for children or other family members while employed. Employers must also reexamine their compensation packages to ensure they are competitive in the post-COVID environment with record-breaking inflation. Government, for its part, must not saddle businesses with needless burdensome requirements that restrict how businesses can adapt to attract workers.