Posts tagged contract negotiations
CONNECTICUT: Senator’s Dual Roles Raise Ethical Questions Amid Legislative Decisions
April 29, 2024 // Citing the need to pay people “a fair wage and a fair pension,” Sen Hochadel argued that the state must provide higher wages — which already exceed the private sector — to address state job vacancies. This stance suggests a dual agenda: to attract job candidates to the state and swell the ranks of her union with more dues paying members. During her remarks, the Senator acknowledged her members, expressing appreciation for their contributions to the state of Connecticut and urged her colleagues “to vote yes.” While this advocacy may not be surprising, she also serves as the president of the Connecticut American Federation of Teachers (AFT) — one of the unions involved in the negotiations. AFT represents a broader group than just teachers. The union also includes dues paying members who are state employees in the executive and judicial branches, as well as staff at state colleges, universities and UConn Health.
Gannett journalists in the solar eclipse’s path go on strike
April 9, 2024 // Both Austin and Rochester are in the path of totality, and journalists at the two newsrooms say their outlets have devoted considerable resources to covering the eclipse. Democrat and Chronicle education reporter Justin Murphy said his newsroom has already published dozens of stories about the eclipse and has a “major” print issue planned for the event. “We see the eclipse as the exact sort of news event that demands experienced local reporters who know where to be, who know who to speak with, who know what to ask,” Murphy said. “We’ve put a huge amount of thought into where … all the different reporters are going to be set up to capture not only the eclipse itself, but all the different geographies and demographics of our community — the different experiences that people are going to be having.” But after the Newspaper Guild of Rochester failed to reach an agreement on a contract with Gannett Friday night, workers decided to launch an open-ended strike.
Boston University graduate students go on strike, citing lack of progress in negotiations
March 26, 2024 // At Monday’s rally on Marsh Plaza, organizers were supported by representatives from other labor unions and elected officials, including Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley and Sen. Elizabeth Warren.
Area restaurants taking a hit as MASS MoCA strike enters its second week
March 15, 2024 // MASS MoCA is in the former location of Sprague Electric, a sprawling campus with multiple buildings. A brewery and several eateries are among those who rent space from the museum. Xavier Jones owner of Bigg Daddy's Philly Steak House said he's had a significant drop in customers, because of the strike. People who live or work in North Adams don't want to cross a daily picket line, Jones said. Just a week before the strike began, on social media Jones posted that he was hiring, looking for chefs to prepare his signature Philly Cheesesteak and chicken wings. On Monday, he said so few customers have placed orders since the strike began, he's had to cut staff, and he is concerned he'll have to cut back even more.
Biden admin silent as federal accountability site for union work remains missing
March 13, 2024 // OPM had altered its federal database to make it easier for unions to target and recruit employees not supporting the union. “This upgraded resource will be an excellent tool for our union to locate non-union employees across the federal government who are rightfully entitled to representation and a voice in their workplace,” NFFE National President Randy Erwin said in the release, which has now been removed. “NFFE specifically requested assistance in identifying the hundreds of thousands of unrepresented government workers, and today OPM delivered on its commitment to promote employee organizing and collective bargaining by rolling out the enhanced database. We are excited to help these federal employees who have not yet joined a union organize in their workplaces and obtain critical rights and benefits through unionizing.”
Starbucks union organizes record 21 stores in 1 day
February 22, 2024 // The organizing blitz is likely intended to pressure the coffee chain, which says it wants to reach contracts at all organized stores this year, during negotiations.
Flight attendants from 4 unions say they will picket multiple airlines Tuesday in global protest
February 13, 2024 // Protesting attendants work for carriers from American Airlines in Fort Worth, Southwest in Dallas, United, Alaska Air and more. Informational pickets, which won’t interrupt flights or schedules, are planned in more than 30 cities across the U.S. the UK, and Guam.
How More Than 200 Employees Have Been Forced Into a Union Only 8 of Them Voted For
January 18, 2024 // The union filed an application for an election when the company was in its infancy and there were only 14 eligible voters. At the time of the election, there were nearly 100 flight attendants, but through a loophole in the law, only the original 14 were allowed to vote, and of them, eight voted for the union. Since then, the company has continued to grow. Now, Avelo Airlines’ 200-plus flight attendants are saddled up with a union voted in by eight people. Think of that: More than 200 people have been forced into an affiliation with an entity that only eight of them embraced.
Unionized nurses at 2 Pennsylvania community hospitals to strike this month amid ongoing contract negotiations
December 14, 2023 // “The increases they’re offering don’t even touch the inflation rate right now,” Rumer said. Moreover, Rumer accused Prime of failing to deliver on its promises since buying Suburban Community and Lower Bucks hospitals in 2016 and 2012, respectively.