Posts tagged PHILADELPHIA
May Day demonstrations in US and around the globe protest Trump agenda
May 4, 2025 // Hundreds of thousands of people in the U.S. and around the world rallied Thursday in May Day protests that united many in anger over President Donald Trump’s agenda from aggressive tariffs that are stoking fears of global economic turmoil to his administration’s immigration crackdowns. In the United States, organizers framed this year’s International Workers’ Day protests as a pushback against what they see as the administration’s sweeping assault on labor protections, diversity initiatives and federal employees.
Dual enrollment students’ classes could be disrupted by looming community college strike in Philly
March 19, 2025 // Over the weekend, 97% of the community college’s staff and faculty union members voted to authorize a strike, should their union and the college’s administration fail to reach a contract agreement. The union is demanding pay raises that keep pace with inflation and class size reductions, the return of a child care center on campus, and subsidized transit passes for staff and students. The vote means union members agreed to allow their leadership to call a strike at any time, but the faculty are not on strike.
Philly congressman, union leaders, workers protest Trump’s federal layoffs
February 27, 2025 // “As to how we’re doing, the only answer is poorly,” Alex Berman, the executive vice president of the National Treasury Union Chapter 71, which represents Philly-area IRS workers, told NBC10 on Monday. “I have been on my phone constantly talking to the more than 400 people at my chapter alone who were let go under false pretenses. Now we’re looking at, if you don’t do X, you’ll be fired.” Berman referred to an email that was sent to federal workers last week asking them to detail their work. Monday’s rally took place at Independence National Historical Park where two employees were recently laid off, according to a union official.
IBEW Local 98 fined $25,000 for Dougherty lobbying
February 24, 2025 // Prosecutors alleged Henon, who worked as the union’s political director while also serving on City Council, was essentially on retainer to the union leader, using his council position to help Dougherty attack rivals in other unions and pressure large companies to hire union electricians. In November 2021, they were convicted on the majority of counts they faced. The jury found both men guilty of conspiracy and honest services fraud and Henon guilty of bribery.
Trump, Elon Musk, and Philly unions are the wild cards in this year’s DA race
February 24, 2025 // But with risk comes reward. If Dugan prevails, it would be seen as a major win for the building trades and would represent the second time in three years that the group helped install its preferred candidate in a major citywide election. One union that has been silent so far is the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 5, which represents current and retired Philadelphia police officers.
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.
Chicago History Museum workers want to join an arts industry unionization wave
February 17, 2025 // Hannah Johnson, who works in member relations at the museum, is on the organizing committee. She said she and others at the Chicago History Museum have been inspired by cultural workers who have recently unionized, both locally and nationally. “We felt that now was a really good time to really seek out that sense of stability and security regarding our jobs, our wages and our benefits, and also request higher degrees of transparency from management,”
Philadelphia Union Member Receives Probation for Unlawful Payment Demands and Assault
February 6, 2025 // August 19, 2020, was not a banner day for Fiocca, having received a paycheck reflecting less than the full-time hours he expected, it was then he accosted the project manager from Local 98, and his response was not measured but aggressive and loaded with physicality. He slapped, choked, and spat on the project manager, which contributed to his current predicament. U.S. Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero highlighted the incident saying, "Fiocca, as the nephew of then-Local 98 Business Manager John Dougherty, abused his power and influence and resorted to violence to unlawfully claim wages he did not rightfully earn." She emphasized the importance of maintaining lawful conduct among union members, steering clear of intimidation tactics.
Whole Foods asks agency to set aside results of union win at Philadelphia store
February 5, 2025 // In a filing submitted to the agency this week, attorneys for Whole Foods Market argued the union involved with the election, held last week at a store in Philadelphia, interfered in the process by promising employees a 30% wage increase if they unionized and providing free transportation to them the day of the vote. The company also accused The United Food and Commercial Workers International Union – which worked to unionize workers through a local chapter – of intimidating employees who supported Whole Foods. The company did not provide specific details on its allegations, which the union disputes.
LNP, WITF journalists to vote on unionizing
February 3, 2025 // Not everyone in the newsrooms is in favor of affiliating with a union. Michael Long, 51, an LNP | LancasterOnline deputy editor, said he will be voting no. “Across the board, unions decrease profitability,” Long said in an email to LNP | LancasterOnline colleagues. “And if you take away money from an organization that is already losing money, it will only hasten more layoffs.” When grievances occur, Long said in a followup interview, “there’s nothing stopping us from making concerted, good-faith efforts to address them ourselves with management.”