Posts tagged Detroit
Unions’ power ebbs and flows
November 6, 2023 // Unionization efforts have expanded but many are taking place where there is little history of organized labor, creating a higher bar for workers. Colvin points to Starbucks workers who have seen union drives clipped in the last year. Starbucks has been accused of chilling organization by closing unionized stores and firing pro-union workers. There are also limits for organizers under current labor law. That means that what worked in the auto workers' labor campaign, for example, may not be possible for other industries.
Toyota Gives 9% Pay Bump to Most U.S. Auto-Factory Workers, Following UAW Gains in Detroit
November 2, 2023 // The UAW recently concluded a more-than-six-week strike at the Detroit automakers, after reaching proposed contracts at all three car companies for roughly 146,000 U.S. auto workers. Those agreements include a 25% general wage increase over four years, which the UAW says is more than members have received in the past 22 years combined. When cost-of-living adjustments are factored in, the increase would boost the top pay for Detroit Three production workers to about $42 an hour at the end of the contract’s term in 2028. UAW President Shawn Fain has promoted the wins in Detroit as providing momentum to a union that is looking to expand its membership more broadly in the auto industry, a goal that has been elusive in the past. He has signaled that the UAW’s next targets are U.S. factories at Toyota, Tesla and foreign-owned automakers that currently don’t have union-represented workers in the U.S.
Blue Cross shares how much it would pay workers to end strike
November 1, 2023 // The proposal by Blue Cross to United Auto Workers, which represents the striking workers, calls for 23% to 33% in wage increases during the four-year contract, according to the insurer's calculations. It also would shorten the time for Blue Cross workers to progress the salary scale to reach top pay to 10 years, down from what the union says is now 22 years. This decadeslong wait has been an especially sore point for workers on strike, which include those in customer service, billing, claims and maintenance.
Dozens of union workers arrested on Las Vegas Strip for blocking traffic as thousands rally
October 26, 2023 // Kahn said all union members currently receive health insurance and earn about $26 hourly, including benefits. She declined to say how much the union is seeking in pay raises because “we do not negotiate in public,” although the union has said it is asking for “the largest wage increases ever negotiated” in its history. The union hasn’t gone on strike in more than three decades. A walkout would be the latest in a series of high-profile job actions around the country, including walkouts in Hollywood and the auto production lines in Detroit.
Expert: Long UAW strike could have ‘chilling effect’ on W. MI economy
October 24, 2023 //
UAW members aren’t all assembling cars. More and more are unionized grad students
October 23, 2023 // These days, the "A" in UAW might as well include academia, as roughly 100,000 of the union's 383,000 members work in higher education. They include graduate students who work as teaching and research assistants, clerical and technical workers, adjunct professors and postdocs.
UAW members grow weary five weeks into strike, supply starts to thin
October 20, 2023 // Fletcher says workers are waiting for Ford and Stellantis to put all Electric Vehicle battery production in a UAW agreement similar to what GM pledged to do two weeks ago. But he said he feels Ford has given them a good enough offer he can live with. "Like I tell all these young guys – they’re wanting the moon and the stars – take what you can get before you lose what you got," he said. Experts in the auto industry are saying the strike has prompted a widening shortage of midsize trucks, which were already in short supply when the strike began in mid-September.
More than 330K striking Americans help unions flex power
October 19, 2023 // More than 330,000 American workers — from Hollywood actors to medical technicians — have participated in strikes since the start of September, according to Cornell University's labor tracker. Why it matters: Labor unions enjoying their highest approval ratings in generations are deploying hardball tactics in far-reaching sectors of the economy.
3,700 Detroit casino workers go on strike against MGM, MotorCity & Hollywood
October 17, 2023 // Those unions represent most of the workers at the three casinos, including dealers, cleaning staff, food and beverage workers, valets, engineers and more. 99% of the union voted in favor of striking if a deal was not reached. “Making the decision to strike is never easy, but it’s past time for the workers who keep Detroit’s casinos running to get their fair share,” said Nia Winston, President of UNITE HERE Local 24, the union of hospitality workers in Detroit. “The city’s big three casino operators are earning more than ever, and we’re prepared to stay out on strike until we get what we deserve.”
Unions say they’re “far apart” in talks with Detroit’s three casinos as contract end nears
October 17, 2023 // Another issue is the increasing use of technology in hotels and casinos to replace workers - such as automated check-ins at hotels, and bartending machines that can mix drinks. Winston said the unions want to be part of any discussions with management over whether those technologies are adopted in Detroit casinos.