Posts tagged labor unions
New Hampshire to consider ‘right to work’ proposal
January 29, 2025 // Not surprisingly, union leaders oppose the 'right to work' legislation, arguing that it prevents workers from negotiating higher wages and conflicts with contractual agreements between workers and employers. ‘Right to work’ legislation has been debated in New Hampshire for decades but has failed to win enough support to become a law. The Legislature approved a ‘right to work’ bill in 2011 but was vetoed by then-Gov. John Lynch. The most recent effort came in 2021 when Democrats blocked a Republican-led proposal to prevent labor unions from collecting dues from private sector workers.
Kansas unions rallied at Statehouse. They’re seeking these 3 policy changes
January 17, 2025 // Labor unions rallied at the Kansas Statehouse on Tuesday lobbying state lawmakers to increase the minimum wage, increase authority of local governments and reject public school vouchers. The event was attended by about 200 union members under the banner of the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations, the largest federation of unions in the United States.
Former EEOC Commissioner and Acting WHD Administrator Keith Sonderling Announced as Pick for Deputy Secretary of Labor
January 16, 2025 // The deputy secretary of labor serves as the de facto chief operating officer of the DOL, managing an approximately 17,000-person workforce and a $14 billion dollar budget. Further, the deputy manages the politically appointed heads of each agency that falls under the DOL, including vital agencies such as the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, WHD, the Employee Benefits Security Administration, and the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP), among others. Sonderling has a track record of prioritizing clear guidance on both traditional issues such as those found in wage and hour law or occupational safety and cutting-edge issues such as the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in the workplace. Sonderling’s record throughout his career provides insight into what employers can expect from Sonderling’s leadership as the deputy secretary of labor.
I4AW Report: Transparency Needed in the Process of Federal Collective Bargaining
January 14, 2025 // I4AW’s report, titled “Transparency Needed in the Process of Federal Collective Bargaining,” reveals that likely hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars are spent each year on costs associated with the process of collective bargaining between the federal government and labor unions.
DNC union blasts Dems for laying off workers without severance on one-day’s notice: ‘Betrayal of party values’
November 22, 2024 // “These cuts go far beyond typical campaign turnover and impact employees who were previously told their positions would be retained after the election. Chair Jaime Harrison and Executive Director Sam Cornale refuse to address their staff face to face and have offered no explanation,” the union added. Between January and mid-October of this year, the DNC hauled in some $539 million, according to Federal Election Commission records.
With much at stake, labor unions knock on millions of doors in final campaign push
October 31, 2024 // The American Federation of Teachers has sent hundreds of its members from New York to Pennsylvania and from Illinois to Wisconsin to canvass “labor doors.” The United Auto Workers has similarly deployed union members to fellow members’ homes and work sites, in addition to an aggressive phone, text and mail campaign.
From the Rust Belt to the Ports: A Warning About Extortive Union Demands
October 4, 2024 // Not all labor unions are ‘pro-worker.’ With 36 ports striking today, the International Longshoremen Association is threatening other jobs, “I will cripple you, and you have no idea what that means."
Commentary: Democracy and Labor Unions
September 18, 2024 // Unlike with politicians, there are no periodic reelections for unions. Millions of workers who have union representation have never had any chance to voice their preference for continuing with it or dropping it.
Presidents from 6 labor unions throw support behind Kamala Harris at DNC: Watch speech
August 23, 2024 // "We are going to build a younger, darker, hipper, fresher, sneaker wearing labor movement," Verrett said. "A movement that is going to be more inclusive and built for the middle class. And we are going to end poverty-wage work once and for all”
Commentary: Call for End to Israel Aid Is More Proof Organized Labor Is Progressivism and Progressivism Is Organized Labor
July 24, 2024 // The UAW called for a cease-fire in Gaza in December of last year, with some UAW locals calling for one mere days after the Hamas attack on October 7. The UAW, in particular, has a large contingent of higher-education workers in its ranks, with college campuses being hotbeds of anti-Israel activism. The UAW represents about the same number of workers at the University of California system as it does at General Motors. The UAW Arab Caucus, which also supports the BDS movement, called for the union to change its stance from calling for a cease-fire only to also calling for a halt to all U.S. military aid back in February.