Posts tagged Minnesota
4 reasons why labor unions love Tim Walz
August 8, 2024 // The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers noted that Walz, a former teacher, understands the struggles of working people. The AFL-CIO hailed the governor as a principled fighter and labor champion. The Service Employees International Union pointed to what it called "the Minnesota Miracle," a sweeping package of pro-worker laws passed by the state's Democratic legislature last year and signed into law by Walz.
Democratic Governors Association, chaired by Tim Walz, involved in alleged union laundering scheme
August 7, 2024 // One of the three complaints, filed with the Pennsylvania Department of State, the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General, and the Dauphin County District attorney accuses the Walz-chaired DGA of failing to report receipt of significant contributions from PSEA’s political fund in violation of Pennsylvania’s Election Code. The Pennsylvania Attorney General’s office has confirmed that the complaint has been forwarded to its Criminal Division for “further review.” If confirmed, the alleged violations may result in civil fines or criminal prosecution of PSEA and/or DGA officials.
Opinion: UAW’s President Shares Union’s VP Wish List, and It Conflicts With Likely Kamala Pick Shapiro
August 5, 2024 // After a notable moment of dead air, Fain explained that the UAW has "really broken down these candidates, looked at them." Who is the top favorite? Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear, who, the union organizer pointed out, has walked the picket line with UAW, like lame duck Pres. Biden. He also gushed about the Bluegrass state progressive governor's ability to win reelection in a "traditionally" red state: He's been with us through every bit of our walk, and he's won in a state that [former Senate Majority Leader, GOP Minority Leader] Mitch McConnell is from. It's been a red state traditionally. He's won twice there.
Illinois bans companies from forcing workers to listen to their anti-union talk
August 2, 2024 // U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the National Federation of Independent Business are challenging similar laws in other states. The groups say the laws are a violation of the First Amendment, denying employers their right to free speech, and are also in conflict with the National Labor Relations Act, which protects an employer's communications with employees as long as they do not contain threats of reprisals or promises of benefits.
Minneapolis Park Board files unfair labor practice against striking union members
July 22, 2024 // Park Board officials now say some of the union members’ picketing activity violated state law, claiming employees blocked access to public facilities and interfered with food deliveries to Sea Salt at Minnehaha Regional Park and Bread and Pickle at Lake Harriet. The unfair labor practice filing also claims picketers blocked off the parking lot at the Southside Operations Center for about an hour and a half on Thursday morning.
Minneapolis park workers strike prompts war of words and some cancellations
July 11, 2024 // “Threatening they would lose their jobs, threatening demotions or taking away seniority… and also telling them they would not be allowed to come back to work until the strike was resolved and the contract has been ratified which is illegal,” said AJ Lange with LIUNA 363. A spokesperson for the board shared information that was sent out to employees Monday afternoon. It said “The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board was made aware that striking Local 363 employees plan to return to work on Thursday, July 11. The MPRB will welcome all striking employees back on Thursday. No employee who went on strike will be turned away.”
Teaching doctors to unionize
June 27, 2024 // Once mostly self-employed or part of physician-owned groups, doctors are increasingly employees of hospitals or private equity firms. And, as employees, they have a right to organize, prompting unions of all stripes to make the case. Doctors who’ve joined say they’re persuaded by a desire to reclaim control over their lives, and to bargain for better pay and work conditions that they believe private equity and hospital ownership threaten.
Ban on ‘captive audience’ meetings, AI regulations among 466 Ill. bills to pass this session
June 4, 2024 // If the “captive audience” bill is signed by the governor, employers would still be allowed to discuss religion and politics with employees, but workers would have the right to skip the meeting, whether on or off the clock, without retaliation. The Illinois AFL-CIO labor organization brought the legislation to state Sen. Robert Peters, D-Chicago, and celebrated its passage as a win for workers. In a news release, Illinois AFL-CIO President Tim Drea said the meetings “are a direct violation of workers’ rights.”
Penske Truck Rental Employees in Minneapolis and Nashville Overwhelmingly Vote to Remove Machinists Union
May 17, 2024 // The Minneapolis and Nashville-based workers are not the only Penske employees to remove unwanted union so-called “representation” with legal aid from the National Right to Work Foundation. In 2022, every worker but one as a Penske facility in Indiana signed a petition seeking to decertify the Teamsters union officials at that location. Before an NLRB-supervised decertification election was scheduled, Teamsters officials issued a statement, disclaiming representation in an apparent attempt to spare themselves the embarrassment of an overwhelming vote by workers to reject the union’s so-called “representation.”
Citing ‘burnout,’ doctors with ChristianaCare file papers to form system’s first labor union
May 15, 2024 // The petition, which only required a 30% vote, was delivered to the NLRB office in Philadelphia late Tuesday. The union would be the first in the 136-year history of ChristianaCare, Delaware’s largest private employer with about 11,600 staff members. Should the doctors elect to form a union, the next step would be collective bargaining on a contract to address duties, wages and other issues.