Posts tagged North Carolina
Michigan’s auto jobs drive South from 8 Mile to I-65
July 23, 2025 // The biggest winner was North Carolina, which added 1 million+ jobs in other industries over the period. But the Tarheel State lost 12% of its auto jobs in that time. Even auto winner Alabama added five times more jobs in other sectors than it did in auto jobs. The number of overall jobs in North Carolina from 2000 to 2023 increased by more than 27%, while the number of jobs in Tennessee grew by 23.7%. The overall national average of jobs growth during those years was 18.3%.
Op-ed: Virginia Must Clarify Its Labor Laws
June 9, 2025 // The ideal outcome for Virginia would be to repeal the Democrats’ 2020 law and return Virginia to being one of the few states that outright prohibit collective bargaining in the public sector. North and South Carolina have for decades, and Utah joined them with a new law signed by Governor Spencer Cox (R.) this year. But with Democrats currently in control of the Virginia General Assembly, a repeal effort would go nowhere. In the meantime, the proposed regulations are needed to make sure local government unions are following the law. Virginia is a right-to-work state with many strong protections for employees in unionized workplaces. Public employees deserve those protections just as much as private employees do.
5.9% of Washington Workers Are Union Members, 6th Most in the U.S.
June 9, 2025 // Union membership in the United States has declined to its lowest point in decades. In 1979, unions represented 24.1% of the American workforce. By 2024, that share had fallen to just 9.9%, according to figures from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and UnionStats. In absolute terms, this represents a drop of roughly 6.7 million members—from a peak of 20.9 million in 1979 to around 14.2 million in 2024.
Darn good policy’ George Leef on Right to Work and Rethinking Higher Education
April 20, 2025 // While acknowledging some setbacks — “Michigan being key among them” — Leef remains optimistic. “Union membership keeps shrinking. The union clout, I think, is less than it used to be,” he attests. Leef attributes this to a growing awareness among workers that, “unions don’t always represent the people they claim to; they’re oftentimes lining their own pockets.” Leef argues that labor relations were healthier before federal interference. “In our early history, people could sign up if they wanted to, or they were free to not sign up… Then the federal government stepped in and insisted that unions had some special right to represent workers,” he says.
Commentary: The tough fight to unionize Amazon
March 18, 2025 // Unionizing a gigantic 21st century warehouse with more than 4,000 workers is daunting. What economists call “the churn” of high worker turnover complicates solidarity-building. So does the heterogeneity of the work force at a place like RDU1 between its hip-hop princes, queer young Latinas and tractor-cap Trumpies along with migrants from more than thirty countries. The job’s grind makes mustering energy to raise labor’s flag tough too.
Amazon workers reject union in vote at North Carolina warehouse
February 19, 2025 // Amazon workers at a facility near Raleigh, North Carolina, overwhelmingly voted against unionizing on Saturday. Of the 3,276 ballots cast, there were 2,447 votes opposing the union and 829 in favor, according to the National Labor Relations Board. There were 77 challenged ballots, a gap that’s too narrow to change the outcome of the election. The results still need to be certified by the NLRB.
Amazon warehouse workers hold vote to unionize in North Carolina
February 12, 2025 // The company was also accused of coercion and being selective in its enforcement of company rules, according to a letter from CAUSE. Among the things organizers are asking for are consistent scheduling, one-hour paid lunch and higher wages. Amazon has a history of rejecting union actions, arguing that internal company changes are more beneficial for its workers.
REI Greensboro, NC, workers vote to unionize
February 3, 2025 // Greensboro workers began the process after REI reduced the workforce by 275 company wide in October 2023. Most of the cuts were "leads," who are the most experienced in the chain, with the Greensboro store losing two. According to the RWDSU, Greensboro joins 10 others fighting for fair pay, guaranteed hours, a path to full-time status, and transfer opportunities within REI. The vote to unionize was conducted Friday by the National Labor Relations Board.
Amazon Workers in North Carolina to Vote on Union Next Month
January 14, 2025 // The group, which is known as CAUSE, filed a petition last month with the National Labor Relations Board seeking an election. The organization and the NLRB said the voting is scheduled for Feb. 10 to Feb. 15.
Amazon workers in North Carolina to vote on unionization next month
January 10, 2025 // Amazon workers at a warehouse in North Carolina will vote next month on whether to join a union. If the election is successful, the warehouse would be only the second Amazon site in the U.S. to unionize. Carolina Amazonians United for Solidarity & Empowerment has been working to organize staffers for the past three years.