Posts tagged warehouse workers
‘UPS dug their heels in’: Teamsters UPS strike plans emerge, could affect 30 percent of parcels
July 21, 2023 // “If we are unable to hire, properly train or retain qualified employees, we could experience higher labor costs, reduced revenues, further increased workers’ compensation and automobile liability claims, regulatory noncompliance, customer losses and diminution of our brand value or company culture, which could materially adversely affect us,” the company said. Teamsters chief asks White House not to intervene if UPS workers strike Teamsters spokespeople said last Friday that the hiring of nonunion workers is an affront to the collective bargaining process and makes negotiations more difficult.
Union Gets Big Pay Raise at Inefficient West Coast Ports
June 21, 2023 // The disruption tactics the ILWU has been using over the past few months to gain leverage in negotiations appear to have hurt its own members this year, with paid work hours down 25 percent through April 14 compared to the same period last year. That’s partly due to shippers choosing other ports and partly due to dockworkers working less on union orders. Common work actions include assigning fewer workers and slowing down the pace of work. The JOC said that cranes at the port of Seattle–Tacoma went from 25 container moves per hour to fewer than ten. As Peter Tirschwell argued on June 6 in the Wall Street Journal, by delaying negotiations for as long as it did, the ILWU might have missed an opportunity for a bigger pay raise. Ocean carriers earned extraordinary profits due to soaring container rates in 2021 and 2022, but those rates came back down to Earth at the end of last year and are largely back to normal now. And the constant uncertainty every time a West Coast contract expires contrasts with the relative ease with which the International Longshoremen’s Association, which represents East Coast dockworkers, has come to contract agreements for decades. The delay-and-prolong approach of the ILWU helps encourage shippers to go elsewhere, leaving less demand for longshore labor on the West Coast.
The Teamsters Say They Unionized Drivers at an Amazon Facility in California – But It Might Be More Complex
May 2, 2023 // Amazon told Sourcing Journal (SJ) that it had terminated its partnership with Battle-Tested Strategies before the agreement was reached. “This particular third-party company had a track record of failing to perform and had been notified of its termination for poor performance well before [The Teamster’s] announcement,” said Amazon spokesperson Eileen Hards to SJ.
Northern California workers at cannabis delivery service Grassdoor unionize
March 27, 2023 // “These workers are critical to the success of the cannabis supply chain, and they deserve to have prosperous, sustainable careers that reflect the value they bring to their employers,” Peter Finn, Western Region International vice president and Teamsters Food Processing Division director, said in a statement. “We look forward to working with them on securing better wages, benefits, and working conditions.” Grassdoor driver Alexander Torres joined the union to secure paid vacation and paid time off, according to the release.
Amazon warehouse workers plan walkouts, call for strikes on Black Friday
November 25, 2022 // Labor stoppages are being planned for several warehouse locations throughout the country, including Bessemer, Ala.; Columbia, Md.; Detroit, Mich.; Durham, NC; Garner, NC; Joliet, Ill.; Philadelphia, Pa.; Portland, Ore.; and Washington, DC. There is also a planned work stoppage at several Whole Foods store locations. Whole Foods is a subsidiary of Amazon. Amazon employees and labor activists also plan to hold a protest rally in front of a New York City residence owned by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, according to CBS News. The labor actions are being organized on social media under the hashtag #MakeAmazonPay.
Amazon’s new robot can recognize objects!
November 16, 2022 // The company says it can run operations more efficiently and safely by using robots in its warehouses. Amazon, “Sparrow “By taking on repetitive tasks, it will allow our employees to focus their time and energy on other things, while also increasing safety.” sparrow, It will help us increase efficiency by automating a critical part of our order fulfillment process so we can continue to deliver fast to our customers.” He added that he was able to create more than 700 new job categories using robots.
Amazon raises hourly wages by about $1 amid increasing union pressure
October 3, 2022 // Over the next year, Amazon will dedicate nearly $1 billion to increasing the average wages of its warehouse and transportation workers from about $18 to $19 per hour. Amazon will also expand access to Anytime Pay, a tool that allows employees to access up to 70% of their paychecks sooner than once every week or two. The company also added additional investment in career development programs, including the Amazon Intelligence Initiative. This program offers a 12- to 14-month course to help employees develop technical skills, with the ultimate goal of transitioning them into AWS-related engineering roles.
Shakeup Of Teamsters Local 492 In New Mexico Continues As Hollywood’s Teamsters Local 399 Takes Over Its Film Jurisdiction
August 31, 2022 // Their resignations come in the wake of last week’s announcement, first reported by Deadline, that following an investigation and audit of Local 492’s financial records, the executive board of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters had transferred Local 492’s jurisdiction over film and TV production in the state to Hollywood’s Teamsters Local 399. Sources tell Deadline that prior to the takeover, Local 492’s movie division had been run like a “dictatorship” in a state that has become a major production hub thanks to its generous tax incentives program. Local 399 has long preserved its jurisdiction over film and television work in the 13 Western States through its “Black Book” agreement with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers.
Amazon Labor Union president tells Senate that workers’ rights aren’t a ‘Democrat or Republican’ issue
May 9, 2022 // “You’re singling out a single company because of your political agenda to socialize this country,” Senator Graham said. “Every time I turn around, you’re having a hearing about [how] anybody who makes money is bad.”
$30 per hour to start? Staten Island Amazon union has high hopes, but could face a tough road after victory
April 29, 2022 // Among other things, the nascent Amazon Labor Union, or ALU, has said it wants longer breaks for warehouse employees, more time off and a dramatically higher minimum hourly wage of $30, up from just over $18 an hour now at the Staten Island facility.