Posts tagged Union
How California reached the unthinkable: A union deal with tech giants
September 15, 2025 // In roughly six weeks, three California Democrats, a labor head and two ride-hailing leaders managed to pull off what would have been unthinkable just one year prior: striking a deal between labor unions and their longtime foes, tech giants Uber and Lyft. California lawmakers announced the agreement in late August, paving a path for ride-hailing drivers to unionize as labor wanted, in exchange for the state drastically reducing expensive insurance coverage mandates protested by the companies. It earned rare public support from Gov. Gavin Newsom and received final approval from state lawmakers this week.
Baltimore City Community College staff demand ‘fair’ and timely wages
September 12, 2025 // After rallying for about 25 minutes, faculty and supporters walked to the administration building to deliver a list of demands to College President Debra McCurdy. They were greeted instead by Michael Thomas, the vice president of workforce development and continuing education, who took the list from Ryan Castle, AFT Maryland higher ed organizer, before everyone left the lobby. The list of requests includes: Timely and accurate pay for all faculty, including overload and adjunct work; Transparent communication and accountability from BCCC administration; Hiring and staffing solutions to fill vacant courses and reduce student impact; and Support for all faculty and respect for collective bargaining rights.
Spokane County library district unionizes, citing scheduling concerns
September 9, 2025 // Spokane County Library District is one of the last nonunionized public library districts in the state, according to Council 2 Director Michael Rainey. Unions are typically certified 60-90 days after filing for union recognition. Once the union is certified, the library district will meet with union members to start negotiations for the employees' first contract, which will likely include issues like scheduling concerns and compensation.
Op-ed: Can Zohran Make NYC a Union Town Again?
September 9, 2025 // The new mayor could host big online unionization trainings with the Emergency Workplace Organizing Committee, as Bernie Sanders and Alexandria Ocasio Cortez have already done. If this led even a small fraction of Zohran’s 60,000-plus volunteers and over 6 million social media followers to start organizing their own workplaces—or to take a strategic job to unionize it—this could potentially generate thousands of new unionization campaigns. And were Mamdani to act upon our proposal to launch a broad Movement for an Affordable New York (MANY), then the pool of new potential workplace organizers would grow significantly.
Louisville union members urge lawmakers to protect bargaining rights
September 8, 2025 // John Hetzel is the president of the Louisville chapter of the American Federation of Government Employees. He said federal and veterans’ rights need to return to employees. “Specifically, that is stripping people of their bargaining rights and their contracts. We just had that happen to us at the VA, and it affected 300,000 employees, and it’s devastating,” Hetzel said. Hetzel’s union and other allies are calling for support on HR 2550. That would overturn the president’s executive order that removes collective bargaining rights for workers at more than 30 federal agencies.
AFSCME’s Beverly Hansen Charged with Theft by Swindle
September 4, 2025 // On August 4, 2025, in the Seventh Judicial District Court of Minnesota, Beverly Hansen, former Finance Director of American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) State Council 65 (located in St. Cloud, Minn.), was charged in a criminal complaint with one count of theft by swindle, in the amount of $63,031, in violation of Minnesota Statute 609.52.2(a)(4). The charge follows an investigation by the OLMS Detroit-Milwaukee District Office and the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension.
Cannabis workers strike to form union in Ann Arbor
September 4, 2025 // UFCW says an Exclusive Brands worker who was recently fired had been supporting the unionization effort and also claims the company tried to block a union election. UFCW filed a complaint with the state cannabis agency and an unfair labor practice charge with the National Labor Relations Board in late August. An Exclusive Brands spokesperson declined to comment to Axios. The Livonia-based retailer and grower has seven dispensaries in Michigan.
Metro Transit workers’ union is taken over after ‘corruption or financial malpractice’
September 3, 2025 // The international ATU says Local 788, which represents 2,600 bus drivers, light rail operators and associated service employees in the St. Louis area, has a budget deficit of more than $930,000.
Commentary: Unions Are Shrinking Nationwide—But Not in California
September 3, 2025 // California, though, is noteworthy for its steady union presence. It hasn’t fluctuated much since 2005, despite the national decline. Further, the federal data set used to produce the union figures does not include home health care and child care workers who are classified as self-employed. In California, that takes in some 700,000 workers, even though their hourly wages are negotiated with individual counties through unions.
Walking Dead Production Driver Defends Victory over Teamsters for Unlawful Discrimination in Rigged “Hiring Hall”
September 2, 2025 // Virginia-based driver asks National Labor Relations Board to order notification and compensation of other victims of Teamsters’ discriminatory scheme