All articles tagged with #ratification
Studios, including Netflix, NBCUniversal, Warner Bros. Discovery, and Disney, have congratulated SAG-AFTRA on ratifying its new contract, which received 78.33% of the yes votes. The studios expressed their support for the historic gains and protections for performers, stating that the industry and the jobs it supports can now return in full force.
Sweden's Foreign Minister, Tobias Billström, announced that Turkey has pledged to ratify Sweden's bid to join NATO "within weeks." The Turkish parliament had previously postponed a session to vote on Sweden's accession bid, but no new conditions were put forward in a recent conversation between the foreign ministers of both countries. Hungary is also yet to ratify Sweden's membership status in the alliance.
Unionized workers at three downtown Detroit casinos have reached a tentative contract agreement with the casinos, potentially ending their monthlong strike. The agreement, which includes wage increases and benefits, must be ratified by union members before taking effect. The strike was launched due to disagreements over healthcare costs and wages, with workers seeking contract improvements after years of pandemic hardship. The strike has had a significant impact on tax revenues for the city and state of Michigan.
Members of the United Auto Workers (UAW) union have ratified new labor contracts with Ford and Stellantis, with support from around 68% and nearly 70% of UAW workers respectively. The contracts include a 25% increase in base wages, cost-of-living adjustments, bonuses, and pay raises. They also improve conditions for temporary employees and reduce the time needed to reach the top pay rate. The ratification comes after workers at General Motors also voted to approve their contract. The Big Three automakers are now assessing the financial impact of the new contracts as they continue their push into electric vehicles. Stellantis has offered voluntary buyouts to about half of its salaried employees, while the UAW is focusing on organizing efforts at non-union auto factories.
Hollywood film and TV writers have ratified a new three-year contract with major entertainment studios, officially ending a bitter five-month labor dispute. Over 8,500 writers voted, with 99 percent in favor of the contract. The Writers Guild of America, representing over 11,000 screenwriters, celebrated the accomplishment. The Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers also congratulated the union, emphasizing the importance of writers returning to work. The strike by actors continues, with negotiations ongoing between the studios and SAG-AFTRA. The strikes have had significant financial consequences for the industry, but there is optimism that a deal with the actors' union could be reached soon.
The Writers Guild of America (WGA) members have ratified a new contract with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, officially ending the five-month-long strike. The three-year agreement includes improvements in areas such as artificial intelligence guardrails, residuals, writers room staffing, data transparency, and pay hikes. The deal runs from September 2023 to May 2026. The WGA is now urging the studios to negotiate a fair contract with the still-striking SAG-AFTRA, and until then, WGA members will continue to support their fellow performers on the picket lines.
The Writers Guild of America (WGA) has sent out ratification ballots to its members, bringing them one step closer to officially ending their 150-day labor dispute with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers. The proposed contract, which includes provisions on AI, residuals, writers room staffing levels, and data transparency, has received unanimous support from the WGA West board and the WGA East council. Voting started today and will end on October 9, with results to be announced on the WGAW and WGAE websites. An in-person meeting is scheduled for October 9 to answer any questions about the tentative agreement.
Hungary's parliament speaker, Laszlo Kover, has cast doubt on the need for Hungary to approve Sweden's bid to join NATO, potentially causing further delays in the process. Hungary's approval has been stalled since July due to concerns over criticism of Hungary's democratic backsliding by Swedish politicians. Hungary's foreign minister also recently expressed concerns over biased accusations against the Hungarian government. While most NATO members have ratified Sweden's bid, Hungary and Turkey have yet to do so, and both countries are coordinating their stance on the matter. It remains unclear whether the Swedish ratification will be on the agenda when Hungary's parliament reconvenes later this month.
Wabtec and the United Electrical Workers unions have reached a tentative agreement, which includes wage increases, improvements to the grievance process, and additional benefits for union members. The proposal will be voted on by union members, who have been on strike for over two months, and will remain on strike until the contract is ratified.
Cleveland-Cliffs, a U.S. steel producer, has reached a tentative agreement with the United Steelworkers union on a new 3-year labor agreement for its Northshore mining operations in Minnesota. The agreement, which covers approximately 430 workers, is pending ratification by the local union membership. No further details were disclosed.
The Teamsters union, representing around 340,000 UPS workers, has endorsed a tentative labor contract agreement reached with UPS, avoiding a potential strike. The majority of local unions have endorsed the agreement, and now all rank-and-file UPS Teamsters will have the opportunity to vote on ratification between August 3-22. The new five-year agreement covers U.S. Teamsters-represented employees in small-package roles and includes higher wages, the end of two-tier wages for drivers, improved benefits, and other provisions. The contract is valued at $30 billion and is considered a significant achievement for both the union and the company.
An agreement for the ratification of Sweden's NATO membership is within reach, with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg convening a meeting between Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson to reach a political agreement. Turkey has blocked Sweden's membership bid, accusing it of sheltering Kurdish PKK terrorists. Once an agreement is reached, the Turkish parliament still needs to formally ratify Sweden's NATO membership.
The Directors Guild of America has ratified a new contract with studios and streamers, securing gains on wages, global streaming residuals, safety, diversity, and creative rights. The new contract will take effect from July 1st and will extend through June 30th, 2026. The DGA's contract talks were sandwiched between those for the Writers Guild of America, who are currently on strike over its negotiations, and SAG-AFTRA, which is ready to strike should an agreement not be reached by the end of next Friday when the deadline roles around.
House Democrats, led by Reps. Ayanna Pressley and Cori Bush, were expelled from the Senate after protesting the chamber's inability to pass the Equal Rights Amendment. The lawmakers chanted "What do we want? ERA! When do we want it? Now!" as they demanded the Senate remove the deadline preventing the amendment's ratification. The resolution failed in a 51-47 vote, with only Sens. Lisa Murkowski and Susan Collins voting with Democrats in favor of removing the deadline. Republicans who oppose the ERA argue that the amendment is not needed because the same protections are offered in the 14th Amendment.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer is pushing for a vote on a resolution to add the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) to the Constitution, more than a century after it was first introduced in Congress. The ERA passed the House and Senate in 1972 but failed to meet the 38-state threshold for ratification. Sens. Lisa Murkowski and Ben Cardin are working on a bipartisan resolution to remove the seven-year deadline for ratification. Critics argue that the ERA is unnecessary given the protections of the 14th Amendment and other laws. The resolution faces an uphill battle in the Senate.