Posts tagged work stoppage
Trump backs dockworkers in fight against automation. The move risks higher prices, experts say
December 14, 2024 // The U.S. Maritime Alliance, or USMX, the organization representing shipping firms in negotiations, said on Thursday that such automation would improve efficiency and increase capacity. Those enhancements would benefit U.S. companies and consumers that depend on goods from abroad, the group added. “We need modern technology that is proven to improve worker safety, boost port efficiency, increase port capacity, and strengthen our supply chains,” USMX said in a statement.
The strike at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette is now the longest in the nation. And it’s not over.
December 9, 2024 // Zack Tanner, the Newspaper Guild’s president, stood away from the crowd, wearing a Penguins jersey and smoking a cigar. His dog, a 103 lb. Akita named Bella, had been a little too excited by another, smaller dog in the crowd. “This has been elongated to this point solely because of the people inside,” he said. “In a labor battle, there’s strikers and there’s scabs. There’s two sides to a picket line.” As the strike has gone on, tensions between both sides have grown, and it’s unclear how or when the strike will end. On Nov. 13, the first negotiations between the Post-Gazette’s lawyers and the union in over a year ended after Tanner threw a chair at the wall of a conference room in the Omni William Penn Hotel.
Unionized Women & Infants Hospital workers prepare to launch strike Dec. 12
December 2, 2024 // The hospital highlighted its “generous proposal,” crafted over two months’ worth of “good faith” negotiations, according to a hospital press release. The current offer includes a $19 million wage and pension package over three years. That package would sport a minimum 5.5% wage increase for union employees, with some receiving higher bonuses, as well as low-cost health plans for workers. A strike, however, would cost the hospital at least $9 million just to continue operations as normal, and striking workers would not be paid for any shifts missed, Sullivan said.
Charlotte airport workers strike to protest low wages as U.S. enters busy Thanksgiving travel week
November 26, 2024 // Service workers at Charlotte Douglas International Airport are on strike during a busy week of Thanksgiving travel to protest what they say are unlivable wages Employees of ABM and Prospect Airport Services cast ballots Friday to authorize the work stoppage in North Carolina beginning Monday at 5 a.m. The companies contract with American Airlines to provide services including cleaning airplane interiors, removing trash and escorting passengers in wheelchairs With airport officials saying this holiday travel season is expected to be the busiest on record, the companies have acknowledged the seriousness of a strike during the holiday travel season
NY Times tech workers union ends strike — without new contract
November 12, 2024 // The Tech Guild, which represents some 600 software engineers and programmers at the Gray Lady’s digital platforms, returned to work on Tuesday morning without management having met their demands for higher wages and job protections. However, union leaders declared victory in the labor dispute.
Service Employees International Union workers reach tentative agreement with University of Michigan Health
October 15, 2024 // SEIU Healthcare Michigan agreed to a three-year deal with U-M Health ahead of a potential work stoppage planned for Tuesday (Oct. 15), which has now been canceled. SEIU represents about 2,700 respiratory therapists, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) specialists, phlebotomists, patient care technicians, inpatient unit clerks, and clerical staff who work for the clinical operation of Michigan Medicine, University of Michigan Health. The agreement was a first for the newly formed collective bargaining unit.
Commentary: Labor unions are mobilizing in new and old industries alike
October 6, 2024 // How job security issues are addressed following this wave of strikes could set the tone for what other hospitality, manufacturing and transportation unions seek when their contracts are up for negotiation again.The Conversation
Dockworkers strike suspended, tentative agreement includes 62% pay raise over 6 years
October 4, 2024 // The tentative agreement would increase workers’ wages by 62% over the life of the 6-year contract, sources familiar confirm to ABC News. This represents a significant increase from the shipping industry group’s offer of a 50% wage increase earlier this week. The union had been pushing for a 77% pay hike over six years.
From the Rust Belt to the Ports: A Warning About Extortive Union Demands
October 4, 2024 // Not all labor unions are ‘pro-worker.’ With 36 ports striking today, the International Longshoremen Association is threatening other jobs, “I will cripple you, and you have no idea what that means."
Biden Backs ILA Strikers Warning Shippers on Price Spikes
October 2, 2024 // “Now is not the time for ocean carriers to refuse to negotiate a fair wage for these essential workers while raking in record profits,” Biden said in a statement from the White House. “My administration will be monitoring any price gouging activity that benefits foreign ocean carriers, including those on the USMX board.”