Posts tagged Massachusetts
‘Gone too far’: Chair of Newton School Committee tears up after classes canceled for 10th day
February 1, 2024 // The teachers’ union insists that Newton Mayor Ruthanne Fuller has the money it’s asking for if she reallocates money to schools. “The offer we proposed would continue to make Newton one of the highest-paying school districts in the state,” Fuller said. Newton School Committee Chair Chris Brezski was visibly emotional in his opening statement on Wednesday night. “There’s really only one kind of progress that matters right now. My kids aren’t going to school again,” he cried. “This has gone too far.”
How RAs at Emerson became the latest undergrads to unionize
January 29, 2024 // Since 2022, OPEIU Local 153 has worked with students at Wesleyan University, Barnard College, Fordham University, the University of Pennsylvania, Tufts, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, and Swarthmore College to form unions. Since then, student unions at Wesleyan, Tufts, RPI and Barnard have all successfully ratified contracts with school officials, according to Heyne. “Last year was a particularly rough year to be an RA,” Drake Skelly, a senior at Emerson who is a member of the union’s organizing committee, told Boston.com in emailed comments. RAs are assigned certain nights where they are “on call” and must do rounds through dorm buildings at certain times to check for problems. Skelly pointed to recent changes that mandated the RAs walk another set of rounds at 2 a.m. on weekends as a sticking point. RAs asked Emerson officials to explain why the additional mandates were necessary, but college leaders denied the request for an explanation, he said.
Wisconsin Rapids Ocean Spray workers will hold union vote in February. How does it work?
January 25, 2024 // Dillon Gorman, the business manager for IBEW 965, said he's organized and attended rallies all over the state at various companies, each time staying the required distance from the property, but offering to share more information with workers about what their options are as they leave or arrive at work. These days, it's easier to share information about unions, health care options, election information and more, as they can also easily share that online on the IBEW website. Gorman said they organized the rally in Wisconsin Rapids because workers at the Ocean Spray plant had reached out to the union for more information after they said the company recently changed some working conditions and benefit structures. On Wednesday, workers came from all over the state, including Eau Claire, Kenosha, Milwaukee, Beaver Dam and Janesville to show support.
Contract talks break down, schools closed in Newton Friday as teachers continue strike
January 25, 2024 // A judge's court order says the union owes $375,000 for the illegal strike. A hearing could be held on Friday to "discuss a more meaningful approach to ensuring compliance with the law."
Planned Parenthood Northern California workers move to unionize
January 25, 2024 // Planned Parenthood Northern California workers announced their unionization efforts today at all of the nonprofit’s 18 regional locations, including a San Francisco health center at 1522 Bush St. A “supermajority” of the organization’s hundreds of clinicians, nurses, social workers, administrative and support staff voiced their support for the forthcoming union, PPNorCal United, through union authorization cards, according to Service Employees International Union Local 1021, which PPNorCal United intends to join. Chelsea Fink, a communications specialist with SEIU 1021, said the union drive grew rapidly over the past two months, fueled by the short staffing and scheduling issues that have plagued Planned Parenthood since the Supreme Court ended federal protections for abortion rights in June 2022.
NLRB seeks to force Trader Joe’s to reopen New York wine store
January 25, 2024 // The NLRB said its general counsel is seeking remedies including compelling Trader Joe’s to reopen the store, which was located in New York City’s Union Square neighborhood and closed in 2022, and “make-whole relief” for its workers. The NLRB intends to encourage the union and Trader Joe’s to reach a settlement and has scheduled a hearing before an administrative law judge starting on May 7. Either party could appeal the judge’s decision to the board and ultimately to a federal appeals court. The UFCW hailed the NLRB’s decision to file the complaint as a victory for Trader Joe’s workers in their effort to gain leverage against Trader Joe’s.
Newton schools closed Wednesday as teacher strike enters sixth day; fines up to $100k
January 25, 2024 // Since the strike continued Monday into Tuesday, the teachers union has to start paying fines for striking. They are expected to pay $25,000 and that fine will double each day the strike continues. On Wednesday the teachers union is expected to pay $50,000 in fines. That means fines for striking could reach $200,000 by Thursday. A Middlesex Superior Court judge said they would be expected to be back in court at the end of the week.
Newton schools will be closed again Monday as teachers remain on strike
January 22, 2024 // "I ask the union to join us and put the kids first," Fuller added. Schools were closed Friday after the Newton Teachers Association voted overwhelmingly the day before to start the strike. A judge issued an injunction Friday evening ordering teachers to end their strike by 3 p.m. Sunday and get teachers back to class Monday but after hours of back-and-forth between the union and the school committee, a deal wasn't reached this weekend.
Massachusetts Teachers Illegal Strike Wave Rolls On
January 17, 2024 // Public school workers can’t legally strike in Massachusetts—but Andover’s is just one of a series of school unions that have struck over the last four years, defying the ban, and in some cases paying heavy fines as a result. The Massachusetts Teachers Association is pushing for legislation that would legalize public sector strikes after six months of bargaining.
Labor Board will hear union complaints against Trader Joe’s on Tuesday
January 16, 2024 // Recently, some workers have started an effort to decertify the union. One of the union opponents, Leslie Stratford, said in an email that almost half of the employees at the Hadley store have signed a petition to disband the union.