All articles tagged with #labor organizing
The Teamsters union is struggling to unionize Amazon and FedEx delivery workers despite recent successes with UPS, due to structural challenges and the employment of many delivery workers by small contractors, making organization difficult.
California's implementation of a $20 minimum wage for fast-food workers has sparked concerns among economists about potential long-term impacts on the state's economy and unemployment rate. Libertarian economist Scott Sumner believes that the wage increase could lead to higher unemployment rates as businesses may need to lay off workers or raise prices to offset increased operational costs. The wage hike, along with other movements to raise wages in the state, could have a lasting impact on employment rates and patterns of where people live and find jobs, potentially leading to shifts in workforce dynamics and migration patterns.
California implemented a $20 minimum wage for fast-food workers, sparking concerns about potential long-term unemployment. Economist Scott Sumner believes the mandate could increase the state's natural rate of unemployment, as businesses may lay off workers or raise prices to offset higher operation costs. While some studies show no negative impact on employment from raising the minimum wage, Sumner argues that higher wages could make businesses more selective in hiring. Additionally, recent wage increases for hospitality workers in Southern California may also contribute to a potential rise in unemployment. These movements could impact where people live and find jobs, potentially leading to a shift in workforce migration patterns.
A majority of workers at Mercedes-Benz's Alabama plant have signed authorization cards for United Auto Workers representation, marking a significant milestone in the union's efforts to secure leverage and gains for autoworkers. The UAW's push for representation at foreign-owned and EV startup plants follows its success with the Detroit Three automakers. The union's milestone at the Mercedes plant comes after a previous attempt to organize in 2014. The UAW has also gained support at Volkswagen's plant in Tennessee and Hyundai's plant in Alabama, with over 10,000 autoworkers signing authorization cards at 14 manufacturers.
Workers at Disneyland, including performers who portray characters like Mickey Mouse and Cinderella, are seeking to unionize to address safety concerns, scheduling policies, and fair pay. The campaign, led by the Actors' Equity Association, aims to improve working conditions for about 1,700 performers in parades, character actors, and support staff. The union, named "Magic United," is advocating for clean costumes, appropriate fabrics for intense dancing, stable scheduling, and fair pay. This effort comes amid a broader trend of growing public support for unions and follows previous unionization of Disney World performers in Florida.
Despite a slight increase in union membership last year, only 10% of the U.S. workforce belongs to a union, marking the lowest percentage in Labor Department records dating back to 1983. The growth in union membership was driven by younger workers, while public sentiment towards unions remains high. However, labor organizing faces challenges due to opposition and weaknesses in labor law, despite broad public support for unions.
The Supreme Court has agreed to hear Starbucks's appeal of a decision to reinstate seven terminated employees involved in a union drive, sparking a broader debate on the proper standard for court injunctions requested by the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) during labor disputes. The case has implications for labor organizing and has divided federal appeals courts on the standard the NLRB must meet to receive such orders. The outcome could have significant consequences for employers nationwide, and the case is likely to be decided by the end of June.
Union workers, particularly those in service and manufacturing roles, are experiencing a surge in wage growth, narrowing the gap with nonunion workers. While compensation for union workers has only increased by 11% since Q1 2020 compared to 14.6% for nonunion workers, wages for union workers grew by 4.6% in Q2 2023. This increase is attributed to significant labor action and a series of labor deals resulting in higher pay. Despite the catch-up, cumulative wage growth is still faster for nonunionized workers, but the gap is closing. Unionized workers are encouraged to organize during new contracting periods to negotiate better wages.
Resident advisers at the University of Pennsylvania have voted overwhelmingly to unionize, joining a growing movement of labor organizing among undergraduate students across the United States. The R.A.s, who currently receive free housing and some meals but no pay for their 15 to 20 hours per week of work, are demanding fair compensation, better communication, and a more democratic workplace. This vote expands efforts to bring undergraduates into labor's fold, with recent unionization efforts at other universities such as Columbia, Barnard, and Wesleyan. After the election results are certified, the university and the newly recognized union will begin negotiating a contract, a process that could take months.
A group of Democratic senators, led by Sen. Sherrod Brown, introduced a resolution to allow Senate staff to unionize and collectively bargain. The move comes more than a year after the House passed a similar resolution. However, Democrats would need to find nearly a dozen Republican senators in favor to overcome the 60-vote threshold to break a filibuster. Currently, only Sen. Ed Markey's staffers have unionized, but the Senate hasn't passed its own resolution to authorize unionizing, leaving organizers unprotected by federal labor laws.
Military-grade AI tools originally developed for intelligence purposes are now being repurposed to target American workers, allowing employers to use advanced data analytics to identify labor organizing, internal leakers, and company critics. While some companies claim to only use publicly available information, the consequences of using everyday military-grade surveillance against citizens of a free society are alarming. Urgent regulations are needed to establish which uses of AI, data sources, and methods are permissible and under which conditions they can be used.
Workers in various industries, including screenwriters, illustrators, and digital content creators, are rebelling against the use of AI to replace or degrade human work. They are mobilizing union power, targeting copyright violations with lawsuits, and pushing for industry-wide bans against the use of cheap AI material. The AI industry is foundationally reliant on resources owned and controlled by only a handful of big tech firms, and its power is extremely concentrated in Silicon Valley. The rebellion against AI is just getting started, and it will determine what kind of work we all get to do and who technology ultimately serves.
Amazon delivery drivers at a California facility have joined the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, a win for labor organizers who have long sought to gain a foothold at the e-retailer. The workers won voluntary recognition by Battle-Tested Strategies, a third-party delivery contractor, to be represented by the Teamsters, sidestepping the union election process. The agreement includes immediate wage increases and substantial hourly raises, along with provisions that address concerns around health and safety standards. The Teamsters and other big labor unions have long had their sights set on organizing warehouse and delivery workers at Amazon.
Workers at Ben & Jerry's flagship ice cream shop in Burlington, Vermont, have filed for a union election, which, if successful, would be the first among the company's US locations. The workers are seeking to join Workers United, a union affiliated with the Service Employees International Union. The move follows a string of service-industry campaigns at high-profile companies such as Starbucks, Trader Joe's and Apple.
A recent poll shows that Gen Z is the most pro-union generation alive, with a mean union approval of 64.3%. However, union membership is at an all-time low. The strike at Rutgers University, the first in the institution's 250-year history, is part of a larger trend in labor politics, where more young workers are embracing unions and the potential protections they can bring to the workplace. President Joe Biden and Democratic lawmakers have backed the sentiments in the PRO Act, which would impose heftier penalties on employers who try to squash unionization drives.