Posts tagged wages
Wayne County public defenders launch strike over healthcare, wage fight
July 24, 2026 // The union, which represents not just lawyers but also investigators, social workers and paralegals, has been fighting to maintain cost-free health insurance in addition to a 3% annual raise, instead of the 1% raises they’ve been offered.
State workers picket outside CalHR headquarters during SEIU 1000 negotiations
July 24, 2026 // Conversation about remote work comes as state workers are now required to work in-person at least four days a week in hopes of increased productivity. However, those opposed to in-person mandates point to cost savings. Assemblymember Alex Lee, D-San Jose, proposed a bill that would allow telework, citing improved air quality from fewer commutes and reduced office space needs bringing $225 million in potential savings. “We’re able to save the state billions of dollars when we have structural deficits,” Walls said. The topic was top-of-mind Wednesday as picketers held signs reading “Telework is not political,” “I’d rather be home working,” and “No RTO.”
LAUSD deadline looms to make painful cuts after county says board actions ‘erode confidence’
July 20, 2026 // The county rejected the plan, saying it lacked specificity and necessitates “an elevated level of fiscal oversight.” Among a list of eight acute budget issues, the July 2 letter faulted the L.A. Unified Board of Education for: Approving costly labor contracts exemplifying “mismanagement of the collective bargaining process.” A failure to carry out earlier approved budget cuts that “erodes confidence.” Raiding funds from a health benefits trust against “its own staff’s fiscal advice.” As a result of these and other district actions, Duardo said, L.A. Unified faces a cash shortfall of $231 million by November 2027, increasing to a $3.5-billion deficit by June 30, 2029.
Union sues to stop $110B Paramount-Warner Bros. merger
July 16, 2026 // Wayne Winegarden of Pacific Research Institute thinks the opposition is narrow and short-sighted. The institute is based in Pasadena, which is near Burbank and Hollywood. In a phone interview Wednesday with The Center Square, Winegarden said blocking the merger could leave both Warner Bros. and Paramount as unviable, uncompetitive standalone entities. If they fail individually, Winegarden said it will result in far fewer jobs for writers than a merged, competitive company will offer.
Mass General Brigham sends cease-and-desist to Nurses Association over ‘significant noise’ related to strike
July 13, 2026 // Mass General Brigham sent a cease-and-desist letter to the Massachusetts Nurses Association Friday over “significant noise” related to the nurses and technician’s strike that began Wednesday, the healthcare company announced. In a statement, Mass General Brigham wrote, “We have heard concerns from patients, families, visitors, staff, and nearby residents about the significant noise and activity outside the hospital, particularly overnight. Because this disruption is affecting residents and the hospital’s healing environment and creating challenges for patients and care teams, this afternoon we sent a cease-and-desist letter to the Massachusetts Nurses Association regarding excessive noise and other disruptive activities associated with the picketing, and we will be sharing a letter of apology with our neighbors.
Special Feature: How Public Employee Unions Built California’s Most Powerful Political Machine
July 13, 2026 // In California, public employee unions are often among the most influential organizations helping determine who becomes governor, mayor, county supervisor or school board trustee. They endorse candidates. They contribute millions of dollars to campaigns and independent expenditures. They provide campaign volunteers, voter outreach, mail programs, and political infrastructure that many candidates could not easily replace. By the time contract negotiations begin, the relationship between labor and management has often existed for months or years. That does not mean elected officials simply surrender to union demands. Many negotiate in good faith and work hard to protect taxpayers while fairly compensating public employees. But in government, the officials responsible for approving compensation packages are frequently supported by the same organizations representing the employees who will benefit from those agreements.
PECO worker strike ends: IBEW Local 614 wins pensions, retirement medical, wage hikes
July 7, 2026 // The new contract guarantees cash balance pension plans, full retirement medical coverage, and significant wage increases for all IBEW Local 614 members, according to the press release. The agreement also allows members to see any doctor for medical certifications, requires 24-hour notice for mandatory overtime in the call center, and doubles upgrade pay for members doing work outside their usual job duties.
PECO workers strike as power outages hit Pennsylvania
July 7, 2026 // Severe storms have caused widespread power outages in Pennsylvania, while over a thousand PECO workers remain on strike for a third day, with negotiations ongoing.
Brooke Shields stands behind unionizing workers of South Park creators’ restaurant
July 6, 2026 // Actors' Equity President Brooke Shields is supporting unionized workers at Casa Bonita, a Mexican restaurant owned by South Park creators, Trey Parker and Matt Stone
Opinion: Big Labor, DEI and the GOP
July 6, 2026 // These Republicans are promoting much more than the FLCA’s mandated arbitration after 120 days of collective bargaining. The bill gives the whip hand to unions in negotiating labor contracts, and along with that comes the left-wing cultural agenda that unions like the Teamsters and the SEIU have adopted. Take DEI—diversity, equity and inclusion—which unions have made part of their social-justice mission and collective-bargaining agreements. The General Teamsters Local Union No. 174 made DEI a feature of its negotiation with the Port of Seattle. The Writers Guild of America, East, included DEI targets for the hiring process and a formal diversity committee in its bargaining with Vox Media.