Posts tagged Washington DC
Unions seek gains in hostile territory: ‘If you change the South, you change America’
September 15, 2023 // The Union of Southern Service Workers, an SEIU-backed group, is organizing low-wage workers from across the service industry. The National Domestic Workers Alliance, a non-union membership organization, is mapping blue-leaning Southern jurisdictions, such as Miami-Dade County, that could be open to enacting a floor of labor standards for homecare. That effort has already led to the passage of “Bill of Rights” legislation in 10 states and four cities. And the Southern Workers Assembly, an advocacy group for both union and non-union workers, is trying to educate and organize workplaces across the region.
Anti-labor group calls out SEIU for pattern of workplace misconduct: report
September 1, 2023 // The group rolled out a media campaign the same day, purchasing a TV commercial and a billboard in Times Square that read “Who’s America’s Worst Boss?” The sign featured pictures of SEIU President Mary Kay Henry alongside comedian and TV host Ellen DeGeneres and pop star Lizzo — both of whom have had workplace complaints lodged against them. Several male leaders at the union have received promotions in recent years despite being accused of harassment, according to the group’s report.
Booze, Bard, Union Card: Drunk Shakespeare Troupes Get Organized
July 18, 2023 // That almost instantaneous recognition has also caught fire across other branches of Drunk Shakespeare. There are five groups of Drunk Shakespeare troupes nationwide: Chicago, New York City, Phoenix, D.C., and Houston. So far two other troupes, in Phoenix and D.C., have joined the march toward a united front. Drunk Shakespeare D.C. ensemble member and union representative Kit Krull said the D.C. branch had been considering coming together for a few months. “Back in April, D.C. had a reckoning that led to us approaching management about structural and equity issues that accumulated over the year we’d been open,” they explained. “We weren’t using the word ‘union,’ but I believe we were beginning to think along those lines. When we heard that Chicago had unionized, we knew that we had to get in contact with them as soon as possible.”
Overwhelming Majority of Union Kitchen Workers File Petition Seeking to Remove UFCW Union
July 17, 2023 // Silva and her coworkers’ effort comes amid union boss-ordered pickets and boycotts against Union Kitchen Grocery locations, which have inflamed tensions among workers and raised questions about union officials’ motives. In some instances, reportedly union picketers have endangered workers by blocking exits, requiring the intervention of police. “The vast majority of the workers at Union Kitchen are sick and tired of the UFCW’s picketing, harassment of employees, and constant disruptions of our day-to-day work life,” Silva said. “If the union cares at all about what we want, they will respect our wishes and immediately disclaim their interest in representing workers who have overwhelmingly rejected them.”
MGM National Harbor Employees Vote in Favor of Unionization
July 6, 2023 // Such employee initiatives are part of a broader push towards better treatment for workers in the hospitality industry. Quebec recently saw casino staff begin an indefinite general strike, protesting over inadequate compensation. Unionized employees at Encore Boston Harbor casino also proved the value of forming a united front, protecting the rights of over 1,400 workers during tense negotiations with Wynn Resorts. MGM National Harbor staff joining the Teamsters highlights their determination to have a collective voice and negotiate for their rights. The success of this unionization effort and other similar initiatives carry broader implications for the labor movement in the hospitality sector, hopefully setting an example for others in the industry. The MGM parking ambassadors may inspire others to consider similar initiatives, driving positive change and promoting fair worker treatment.
D.C. Security Guard Fights Back Against Union Retaliation for Trying to Remove Union Forced Dues Power
June 15, 2023 // Due to D.C. lacking Right to Work protections, workers who oppose union boss agendas can still be forced to pay union fees as a condition of their continued employment. However, under Beck decision, union officials can never require non-members to fund activities not directly related to union monopoly bargaining. Beck has been interpreted by the lower courts, and the NLRB, to require that union officials provide certain union financial disclosures to justify the amount they claim a worker can be required to pay. Sebuabe has yet to receive justifications for the amount he can legally be forced to pay by union officials.
Red Rock Casino Slot Technicians Blast Regional Labor Board Ruling Trapping Them Under Unpopular Union, Appeal Decision
May 11, 2022 // Barrios’ attorneys show that the majority of the union’s accusations describe alleged employer malfeasance concerning bargaining units other than Barrios’. The Request for Review points out that, by the Region’s logic, “any employer’s unfair labor practice could block any decertification in any of its other units, no matter how remote.”
Does Democrats’ support for unions extend to their own employees?
April 22, 2022 // The CWU, a group of staffers that launched a union drive earlier this year, wants the House to vote on a resolution guaranteeing staffers protections as soon as next week. Currently, the Congressional Accountability Act allows staffers to organize, but doesn’t offer them any shield from retaliation, meaning staffers could be fired and blacklisted if they do so. Thus far, Pelosi’s office has not commented on when a floor vote could be scheduled on the resolution.