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Black History Month Profiles: Brittani Murray

This year, for Black History Month, we're taking a look at a group of leaders who are currently active making Black history across the labor movement. Check back daily for a new profile and meet some of the people working to improve not only their community, but also to improve conditions for working people across the country. Today's profile is Brittani Murray of the United Steelworkers (USW).

Brittani Murray from USW is the co-president of Pride at Work. Recently, Murray led a panel on the intersections of queer, labor and Black liberation at the Creating Change Conference. Murray does the work every day to empower and uplift her union brothers, sisters and siblings and work toward creating an inclusive space for all people in their union.

Kenneth Quinnell Fri, 02/09/2024 - 10:44

Service & Solidarity Spotlight: Minneapolis Children’s Theatre Front of House Staff Union Voluntarily Recognized, Join IATSE

Working people across the United States have stepped up to help out our friends, neighbors and communities during these trying times. In our Service & Solidarity Spotlight series, we'll showcase one of these stories every day. Here’s today’s story.

The 29 front of house, ticketing staff and public-facing workers at Children’s Theatre Company in Minneapolis are joining  Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) Local 13 after management agreed to voluntarily recognize the group’s union.

“This organizing campaign would not have gone as smoothly if it was not for the complete solidarity of this unit,” said IATSE Representative Amanda Sager. “They were on top of everything from the start. I am personally very proud of them.”

Kenneth Quinnell Fri, 02/09/2024 - 10:36

While both chambers of Arizona’s state legislature have been controlled by an anti-worker majority for more than three decades, significant progress has been made in recent years to elect lawmakers who are committed to advancing an agenda that favors working people. 

In fact, in 2024, only a handful of seats across both chambers need to be flipped to secure an historic union-friendly trifecta consisting of a pro-union governor, and a majority in both legislative chambers in the state. 

Statewide elections in Arizona have also become much more competitive in recent years, with labor-backed candidates winning the gubernatorial and presidential elections in 2022 and 2020, respectively, for the first time in numerous election cycles. 

Momentum Builds to Benefit Hard-Working Arizonans 

Although her ability to pass labor-friendly laws has been limited because of the current composition of the state legislature, Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs has fought aggressively on workers’ behalf throughout her first year in office. 

In November, Gov. Hobbs spearheaded an effort to ensure workers have access to quality, affordable child care options, especially those in the state’s growing semiconductor industry. 

While the effort is new, Hobbs envisions a plan tailored for workers across all industries that will be adaptive to the state’s diverse and growing economy.

Unprecedented federal funding from President Joe Biden’s CHIPS and Science Act and Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act have helped spur massive job growth in Arizona’s construction and semiconductor industries. Gov. Hobbs has already committed $4 million to support the Build it Arizona apprenticeship and job training program to ensure a pathway to securing these jobs. 

Hobbs has collaborated with several unions to improve transparency, oversight and enforcement of workplace health and safety rules in the semiconductor industry. 

Additionally, Hobbs’ administration has initiated the state’s first-ever comprehensive program to protect workers from excessive heat. 

Hobbs will not face reelection until 2026. 

Last year, another labor-backed ally who was first elected statewide in 2022, Attorney General Kris Mayes, received the Arizona AFL-CIO’s Elected Leader of the Year Award. 

Upon receiving the award, Mayes announced the creation of a new worker protection unit inside the Arizona Attorney General’s office which will focus on issues including misclassification, wage theft, employer tax and payroll fraud, workplace safety, workers’ rights, and more. 

Arizona Voters Face Consequential Election in 2024 

In addition to Arizona’s contentious state and federal elections, we should also pay attention to an effort that was announced in October to give Arizonans the opportunity to decide whether to remove “Right to Work” language from the state constitution. 

In order to put the decision on voters’ ballots in November, the coalition of lawmakers and worker advocates leading the campaign would need to gather nearly 400,000 signatures. 

Needless to say, Arizona will be a battleground on all fronts in 2024, and Steelworkers are prepared to work tirelessly to ensure the best possible outcome on Election Day.

25 Years in the Labor Movement, Over 100 Years in the Making

Shari Semelsberger’s journey at the Transportation Trades Department, AFL-CIO (TTD) began on February 8, 1999, but her roots in the labor movement date back much further. On either side, Semelsberger’s family’s history within the American labor cause dates back to more than a century ago.  Her identity and her values are intertwined with the principles of labor unions. 

“My first experience in the labor movement was when I was six years old. My mother took me  to the first Solidarity Day March in Washington D.C.in  1981,” she recalled. 

Each branch of Semelsberger’s family tree tells the story of a blue-collar worker, beginning with her maternal great-grandfather’s arrival to the United States from Italy in 1913. Roughly a decade later he became a member of the Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) Local 689, where he worked on the street car tracks in Washington, D.C. Three generations of men on her father’s side worked for Washington, D.C.’s railroad and transit systems. 

Her paternal great-grandfather was a police officer at Washington Railway Terminal and her grandfather began his career at the young age of 17 working on the railroads and after 48 years of service retired as Yardmaster in Charge at Union Station. Her parents, grandparents, great-grandparents, siblings, aunts, uncles, and cousins have belonged to over a dozen local unions since the early 20th century, including IAM, ATU, IAFF, CWA, various units of the AFL-CIO, OPEIU, Letter Carriers, Operating Engineers, Teamsters, and Yard Masters under SMART-TD. They have worked in public service sectors such as firefighting, postal service, and law enforcement, as well as news publication and union administration.  Members of her immediate family, including Shari, collectively have over 200 years of membership in OPEIU Local 2 alone. 

“[Unions] provided a life for me, for my family,” Semelsberger said. “I remember when I was little, every time I was able to go to work with my mom or go to conventions or see my aunt, it was always exciting, I guess because they were proud of where they worked. People were happy to be there– to see you. You could take your kid to work.” 

Semelsberger insists that thanks to unions, the women in her family broke through the financial constraints and societal expectations of the status quo. Semelsberger’s maternal grandmother, Toni, a single mother of six, had no choice but to begin working full-time the same year her youngest son was born. An occupation that provided anything less than fair wages, good benefits, and job security would not be enough. As a shop steward, Toni spent two decades at the International Association of Machinists and  Aerospace Workers  (IAM) headquarters. 

Semelsberger’s father, Alton “Moe” Grimes, a veteran and a member of multiple union chapters throughout his life, served in the Vietnam War during the Tet Offensive campaign. During that time, Semelsberger’s mother, Marie, secured her first job within the labor movement, serving as a temp at the D.C. Labor Council. 

“Back then, most women stayed at home. She was a young mother and considered a single mother while my dad was overseas. She had to work, she had to provide,” Semelsberger said. By chance, her placement at the DC Labor Council turned into a 16-and-a-half-year stint, and Marie became secretary to the President.  After her 16-and-a-half-year stent, she continued her dedication to the labor movement when she joined the International Association of Fire Fighters.  Marie retired in March 2007 after 23 and half years at the IAFF, and 40 years in the labor movement. 

Semelsberger’s mother was adamant about buying American-made, union-made goods. Semelsberger speaks to her mother’s passion and dedication to workers, a trait she would inherit herself. 

“When she was in management, she still gave a voice to the workers. She has always been very dedicated to the labor movement. If you think about it, it was the foundation that gave us a good life,” Semelsberger said. 

Before joining the Transportation Trades Department, Semelsberger worked as a marketing associate in a non-unionized workplace. She was overworked, underpaid, and sacrificed her health for the sake of her job on multiple occasions.

“I wouldn’t take lunch or bathroom breaks,” she said. “I ended up in the hospital with kidney stones.” 

Semelsberger’s mom found a job posting for a receptionist position at TTD, and the labor federation hired her in February of 1999. From an entry-level position, Semelsberger worked her way up the ranks in office positions, including assistant to the executive director and office administrator. Shari would go on to earn a union administration degree from the National Labor College, graduating in 2003. She learned about the business side of unions: PAC and FEC reports, prevention of misused funds, negotiations, and mediation. 

On November 30, 2020, her and her colleagues’ worlds would shift when Larry Willis, TTD’s president, tragically and unexpectedly died from injuries sustained in a bicycle accident. Then secretary-treasurer, now President Greg Regan asked Semelsberger to be his partner in leadership—and she initially refused. 

“I hesitated and said I didn’t want to sacrifice time with my kids or my own time. My commute is long, I volunteer at my children’s schools, and I don’t have the extra time—but Greg said, “You’re already doing the work,” she said. Previous TTD leadership told Semelsberger that her talents were best suited for numbers, for business, and for working with people. 

She ultimately accepted Regan's offer and ran alongside him in the election. TTD’s Executive Committee, comprised of (then) 33 union leaders, unanimously elected her as their secretary-treasurer on February 17, 2021. 22 years after starting at the Transportation Trades Department, she was now second-in-command at the largest transportation labor federation in the country.

Semelsberger's leadership journey began amid the COVID-19 pandemic when many transportation workers were deemed essential. 

“During the pandemic, you had people who were proud to be workers and proud of their jobs. They did it with dignity and their lives on the line,” she said. Despite the sacrifices made by employees during the coronavirus pandemic and lockdown era, some companies failed to show up with benefits like hazard pay, paid sick leave, or even basic safety precautions. 

“You’ll never get back the time you spent away from your family or what you went through physically and emotionally,” Semelsberger said. 

Though the labor movement saw momentum in 2023, union membership rates within the last few years are the lowest ever recorded. Steady gaps in wealth inequality and extreme CEO-to-worker pay gaps come at the brunt of employees’ labor and often exploitation. 

“For these companies not to give employees a share of their profits, it’s wrong. Because of that, people should not have to be pushed to go on strike. The wealth of these companies is in the workers. Without them, what do you have?” she asked. 

Semelsberger pointed to changes she witnessed over the years and the commonality of union-busting tactics used by employers today.

“At the height of the labor movement, when one guild went on strike, the entire job would grind to a halt,” she said, citing construction projects as an example. She notes that solidarity slowly diminished as companies forced workers to cross picket lines and participate in union action only before or after work. 

Companies continue to breadcrumb benefits or wage increases in lieu of supporting organizing workers, promising attributes of union membership while simultaneously intimidating employees from forming one. Current organizing campaigns include Starbucks Workers United, a tri-union campaign at Delta Airlines, and the UAW’s fight to unionize workers at more than a dozen automakers, including Tesla. .

 “Union workers are so essential because they are skilled in their craft, dedicated, and loyal because of what they get back from their employer. In order to receive, you have to give,” Semelsberger insisted. “When workers are disposable, your company will eventually become worthless.” 

Legacy in Labor

“If I had one word to describe the labor movement…it would be family,” Semelsberger said. She recalled a story from September of 2022, during Category Five Hurricane Ian. Her father-in-law, Steve Semelsberger, “Popie,” who lives alone in Rotonda West, Florida—between Ft. Myers and Sarasota—was unreachable after the storm hit Ft. Myers. The next day, Semelsberger’s sister-in-law Jennifer Grimes, who works at the IAFF headquarters, mentioned her worry over losing contact with her father-in-law during a meeting with Pat Morrison, Operations Chief for the International Association of Fire Fighters. Morrison immediately sprung into action, informing General President Ed Kelly, and reaching out to  firefighters on the ground in Tampa. He said, “I will go get him myself if I have to!”  The firefighters went out into the field and found Mr. Semelsbeger safe and at home. 

Semelsberger and her husband Paul, who retired from the AFL-CIO in 2017 after dedicating 32 years in the labor movement, ensure that unions are part of their kids’ lives. “We were so excited when both were learning  about Cesar Chavez and the United Farm Workers at school.” In addition, When ATU Local 689, her great-grandfather’s union, went on strike, she and her husband visited the members, bringing their two children to drop off food in person at the union hall. On another occasion, Semelsberger joined the picket line alongside Regan and spoke to the members about how proud she is to be part of this movement and honored to stand with and join their fight.  “That was a full circle moment for me.  Local 689 was part of the foundation that started my family’s roots within the labor movement. Not long after being elected secretary-treasurer, I was standing with that same local nearly 100 years later.”  

Semelsberger spoke to the momentum we saw last year in the labor movement and the enthusiasm coming from Generation Z and Millennials around organizing. In a 2023 poll conducted by GBAO on behalf of the AFL-CIO, 88% of Americans under 30 viewed unions favorably, while 7 in 10 Americans overall were supportive of unions. She noted that union jobs are a sustainable option for those who may not be able to afford college or simply do not want to enroll in higher education. The U.S. Department of the Treasury recently published a study showing how unions aid in closing the wealth inequality gap and growing the middle class: 

“Treasury’s report shows that unions have the potential to address some of these negative trends by raising middle-class wages, improving work environments, and promoting demographic equality.” 

Racial, gender-based, and general socioeconomic inequality can be alleviated through good union jobs, while union contracts raise the bar for non-union workers. 

“The good thing about a union contract is that it’s not biased. It’s for everyone,” Semelsberger said. “The trades, the crafts, and the training they provide give workers an opportunity to enter a variety of industries making a great wage and having benefits and a pension to retire on.” 

She believes that every person should get a chance at fair wages, benefits, and the American dream. After 25 years of serving the transportation labor movement and following generations of union membership, she asserts that belonging to the labor family is the best way to do that.

This post originally appeared on the Transportation Trades Department's website.

Kenneth Quinnell Thu, 02/08/2024 - 11:05

Black History Month Profiles: Keturah Johnson

This year, for Black History Month, we're taking a look at a group of leaders who are currently active making Black history across the labor movement. Check back daily for a new profile and meet some of the people working to improve not only their community, but also to improve conditions for working people across the country. Today's profile is Keturah Johnson of the Association of Flight Attendants (AFA-CWA).

Keturah Johnson is AFA-CWA's international vice president and Pride at Work's national executive board secretary, making her the first queer woman of color and combat veteran elected to serve in both roles. Johnson says it's an honor to work to make all spaces, including union spaces, safe and supportive for all people, including immigrants, trans people, Black and Indigenous people and the LGBTQ+ community.

Kenneth Quinnell Thu, 02/08/2024 - 10:27

Service & Solidarity Spotlight: RWDSU-UFCW Post Cereal Workers in Michigan Ratify a New Contract

Working people across the United States have stepped up to help out our friends, neighbors and communities during these trying times. In our Service & Solidarity Spotlight series, we'll showcase one of these stories every day. Here’s today’s story.

Members of Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union-UFCW (RWDSU-UFCW) Local 374 who work at the Post Cereal plant in Battle Creek, Michigan, ratified a new contract. The three-year contract includes an immediate $1.50 per hour raise for maintenance employees, who will receive an additional 6% increase over the life of the agreement. Employees in other departments will see an 8.75% increase. The workers also achieved a three-year reduction in the time it takes new employees to achieve the full wage rate. Starting wages were also increased by $2.37. Other benefits include improvements to eligibility for additional vacation time; limits on mandatory overtime; a reduction in employee insurance premiums; the elimination of the company’s ability to increase insurance out of pocket premiums; an increase in disability benefits; and the elimination of the previous five-year waiting period for eligibility for disability benefits.

Kenneth Quinnell Thu, 02/08/2024 - 10:07

In December’s Election Connection newsletter, we touched upon the critically important 2024 election cycle, and how our efforts to elect union-friendly lawmakers at all levels of government will be vital to lifting all working families for years to come. 

Union voters will be on the front lines, as we set out to defend those who have stood with us to secure a long list of legislative victories such as protecting worker pensions, investing in American manufacturing, strengthening workers’ rights, and helping forge a path for more workers to win the protection of a union contract. 

In addition to the presidential election, voters will decide who controls Congress with all 435 seats in the U.S. House of Representatives up for election along with 34 in the U.S. Senate. 

Voters will also weigh in on who they believe is best suited to control 86 legislative chambers spread across 44 states, 11 of which will be choosing their next governor. 

With so many important elections happening this year, we are thinking strategically about where we focus our work in an effort to ensure the biggest impact on behalf of our members and families.

With consideration for a variety of factors including union membership density, past election outcomes, state and federal legislative goals, and more, the USW plans on coordinating a robust electoral campaign in many states across the country, including the following: Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin.

In the coming months, we will be dedicating a portion of our monthly newsletter to discuss what is at stake.

Black History Month Profiles: Beverly Williams

This year, for Black History Month, we're taking a look at a group of leaders who are currently active making Black history across the labor movement. Check back daily for a new profile and meet some of the people working to improve not only their community, but also to improve conditions for working people across the country. Today's profile is Beverly Williams of the Southern Nevada Labor Council.

Beverly Williams is the secretary-treasurer of the Southern Nevada Central Labor Council. She the vice president of Teamsters 986 and a business representative. She is the first African American woman to hold both positions.

Kenneth Quinnell Wed, 02/07/2024 - 10:19

Service & Solidarity Spotlight: WGAE Members at Onion Inc. Ratify New Contract with G/O Media

Working people across the United States have stepped up to help out our friends, neighbors and communities during these trying times. In our Service & Solidarity Spotlight series, we'll showcase one of these stories every day. Here’s today’s story.

Writers Guild of America East (WGAE) members at Onion Inc., ratified a new contract with parent company G/O Media. The Onion Inc. Union, the 36-member bargaining unit representing the creative staff at The Onion, The A.V. Club, Deadspin and The Takeout, voted to authorize a strike if a new deal could not be reached. The new three-year agreement includes raising the minimum starting salary by $10,000 to $60,000 in the first year of the contract, and up to $64,000 in the final year of the contract, 3% raises in each subsequent year of the contract, a minimum of 12 weeks severance pay with no cap in the event of layoffs, successorship language that allows workers to receive full severance if their employment is terminated in the event of a sale or within 30 days of working with the new entity, the establishment of a policy on the use of generative artificial intelligence (GAI) within 12 months, a gender-neutral increase in parental leave, WPATH standard of care in health benefits, and increased guaranteed holidays.

The Onion Inc. Union said, “We’re thrilled about this deal that addresses our unit’s top concerns, and we’re so grateful to every person who showed support throughout our bargaining process. Our unit’s strength and solidarity, together with our incredible labor allies, got us here.”

Kenneth Quinnell Wed, 02/07/2024 - 10:05

Black History Month Profiles: Lisa Dawn Cave

This year, for Black History Month, we're taking a look at a group of leaders who are currently active making Black history across the labor movement. Check back daily for a new profile and meet some of the people working to improve not only their community, but also to improve conditions for working people across the country. Today's profile is Lisa Dawn Cave of Actors' Equity Association.

Lisa Dawn Cave is an eastern stage manager councilor who has served on Equity’s national council for more than 11 years. Originally joining Equity as a performer, Cave eventually changed her focus to stage management. Her many contributions to the union include serving as a vice chair of Equity’s Production Committee and on the current Show Development Negotiating Team. Cave serves on the board of Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS and is a founding member of both Black Theatre United and Broadway & Beyond: Access for Stage Managers of Color. In 2023, she was one of the recipients of the Tony Honors for Excellence in the Theatre in recognition of her achievements and unwavering dedication to the Broadway community. 

Kenneth Quinnell Tue, 02/06/2024 - 10:19

Service & Solidarity Spotlight: Lush Cosmetics Workers in Lexington, Kentucky, Join UFCW Local 227

Working people across the United States have stepped up to help out our friends, neighbors and communities during these trying times. In our Service & Solidarity Spotlight series, we'll showcase one of these stories every day. Here’s today’s story.

Workers at the Lush store in Lexington, Kentucky, joined United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 227, becoming the second unit of Lush workers in Kentucky to join the local. The seven employees work as cosmetics sales ambassadors and floor leaders and sell vegetarian and vegan bath bombs, creams, soaps, shampoos and other products. They are concerned about insufficient wages and insufficient working conditions.

“I came to work at Lush because of what Lush stands for: ethical buying, how inclusive the products are, and how innovative they are with non-packaging and ingredients,” said Naomi Stone, who is a sales ambassador at the Lexington store. “Despite how great the company is for customers, in my three months of working here, I have noticed a large turnover in employees and I can’t see how using company resources and time to constantly hire and train new people is efficient and sustainable. A union would help create better working conditions and ensure long-lasting loyal employees, which will increase the customer experience.”

Kenneth Quinnell Tue, 02/06/2024 - 10:08

2024 Election Presents Important Decision for SOAR Members, All Retirees

Last year, unions, including the USW, made significant progress toward electing pro-worker, pro-retiree allies in key gubernatorial, legislative and judicial offices nationwide.

While we can’t possibly list every victory from the last year, I feel it is necessary to highlight a few of the biggest:

• Union-backed candidates were victorious in four special elections in Pennsylvania, which helped secure a new pro-union, pro-retiree majority in the state’s House of Representatives.
  
  
• Michigan’s newly-elected, pro-union governor and legislature – the state’s first in nearly 40 years – acted to restore workers’ collective bargaining rights by repealing the state’s so-called right-to-work law and putting an end to the unfair pension tax.
  
  
• Wisconsin voters turned out in droves to secure a 4-3 pro-union state Supreme Court majority. 
  
  
• Minnesota’s pro-worker, pro-retiree legislature and governor, Tim Walz, passed a state budget (HF3028/SF3035) that was hailed as the “most significant worker protection bill in state history.”
  
  
• In Ohio, voters defeated Issue 1, which would have raised the threshold for voters to amend the constitution to a supermajority of 60 percent and enacted stricter requirements for getting amendments on the ballot.
  
  
• Labor-backed candidates maintained control of Virginia’s State Senate while reclaiming a pro-worker majority in the general assembly for the first time since 2021.
  
  
• Our close friend, Governor Andy Beshear of Kentucky, won reelection; and,
  
  
• In Pennsylvania and Indiana, we proudly backed close allies who were victorious in their campaigns for local and state offices.

This year presents union members and retirees with another historic opportunity to build upon these victories.

In addition to the critically important presidential election, voters will weigh the decision of who controls Congress, with all 435 U.S. House of Representatives up for election, along with 34 U.S. Senate seats. 

Control over 86 legislative chambers will also be decided by voters in 44 states, 11 of whom will choose their next governor.

Eighty-two state supreme court and 216 intermediate appellate court seats will also appear on voters’ ballots this November.

While much attention will be given to the presidential campaign, we must keep in mind that state and federal lawmakers also make decisions which impact our ability to access health care, afford the medications we are prescribed, the availability of various health care services in our communities, and so much more. 

It’s a New Year, and Something To Think About

I hope everyone enjoyed a healthy and happy holiday season and is well-rested and ready to begin another year of activism and involvement in your community and your union through SOAR.

During the extremely cold weather days we have been experiencing here recently in Western New York, I have spent a lot more time indoors thinking, and I would like to share some of those thoughts with you.

• A recent report revealed how successful members of Congress were, for those of them who were willing to report it, regarding their success or failure in picking winning stocks. The report also reflected how fortunate they were in the timing of selling stocks before the stock took a significant drop. The report seems to reflect that many members of Congress were much more active in buying or selling stock successfully than they were concerned about passing legislation that would help working people.
  
  
• Recently, an investment firm sold 264 houses in the Las Vegas area to another company in one day. This sale was part of a larger sale of 1,900 single-family homes in the Sun Belt area. Investment groups have been buying up homes nationwide for a few years now. A recent study showed this could lead to higher rental prices and fewer available homes.
  
  
• Exxon Mobile has reported a decline in revenue for the last half of 2023 compared to the same period in 2022. Public records indicate this is true. For those last six months of 2023, Exxon only made around $98,000,000 per day! I wonder why gas prices have not come down.
  
  
• General Motors took a strike from the UAW, claiming the demands were too much. Within days of reaching an agreement with the UAW, GM reported to its shareholders that the company would begin to buy back $10,000,000,000, a BILLION worth of stock and would increase its stock dividend by 33%.

SOAR will be involved in this year’s electoral process and will attempt to make sure only candidates who support our issues are supported by us.                   

I wish you all a happy and healthy New Year!

Sources:

• https://unusualwhales.com
• https://investor.exxonmobil.com/earnings/financial-results
• https://fortune.com/2023/11/29/gm-stock-buyback-10-billion-electric-cars/

Members of the USW 3M Council began their Jan. 25 meeting mapping out a strategy for combating the chemical company’s attempts to change the pension structure they believe may be coming given a recent announcement regarding nonunion workers. 

3M announced in early January that it will freeze U.S. pension plans for nonunion employees, effective Dec. 31, 2028.

 USW International Secretary-Treasurer John Shinn, who oversees bargaining in the chemical sector, said that the situation starkly illustrates the benefits of forming a union and collectively bargaining a contract, namely that that management cannot unilaterally alter or eliminate benefits for USW members.

“We expect that 3M will likely try making changes to our members’ pensions in future negotiations, and we are going to have to be organized and have a well-planned campaign,” said Shinn.

Facing Down Other Changes

The group also addressed strategy around other proposed changes.

Members at multiple 3M locations are dealing with the company’s attempts to alter contractual overtime premium payments, with USW now hiring attorneys to handle arbitration at Cottage Grove. The changes primarily impact anyone who works a rotating shift or 12-hour shifts.

“We’re going to tell the company they can’t just jam changes down our throat,” said Shinn. “They have to work with us.”

Meanwhile, at the Tonawanda facility in New York, contract negotiations were nearing completion when 3M handed over a 150-page benefits book that included massive changes. At the time of the council meeting, the bargaining committee was hard at work reviewing the book and submitting their comments. 

The Tonawanda team is also hoping to make headway on a health and safety proposal as part of the union’s sector-wide plan to improve conditions at all USW-represented chemical facilities.

The 3M Council plans to meet in-person this April. Stay tuned for announcements regarding a date and location.

Click here to download this Action Call as a PDF

 New Hampshire Steelworkers:
We Showed Up in Force in January, We Need You Again 

Back in January, we asked you to show up at the statehouse and voice your opposition to House Bill 1377-FN, this year’s House version of so-called Right-to-Work (RTW), and you delivered! Now, we need your help again.

Next Wednesday, the House Labor Committee will be holding another public hearing, and they need to hear from us. 

So-called RTW is deliberately designed to make it harder for unions to help workers negotiate with their employers for better pay and working conditions. It deprives unions of the resources they need to organize and provide basic services to the workers they represent.

Backers of these laws claim they protect employees’ freedoms, but we know better. So-called RTW laws are nothing more than an attempt by corporate special interest groups to weaken unions or even go as far to abolish unions altogether—they couldn’t care less about the freedom of New Hampshire’s workers. 

Here are two ways you can join the fight! 

1. Come to Concord February 7th! 
   Time: 9:30 AM 
   Location: Legislative Office Building, Room 307 
   New Hampshire State Capitol 
   107 N Main St, Concord, NH 03301 
2. Tell the House Labor Committee that so-called Right to Work is WRONG for New Hampshire. 

 To sign in to register your position on a bill and/or submit testimony, click HERE. 

1. After clicking the link, fill in the content boxes with your first and last name, as well as your town, state, and email address. 
2. Select the date of the hearing on the calendar (2/7), by clicking on the relevant date. 
3. In the drop box below "Select the Committee," select House Labor, Industrial and Rehabilitative Services 
4. In the drop box below "Choose the Bill," select 9:30 AM - HB 1377 
5. Select the appropriate option for the "I am" drop box (likely "Member of the Public") 
6. Fill in the content box under "I'm Representing" with the business, organization, or group you are representing. If you are representing yourself only, write "myself." 
7. Under the “Indicate Your Position on this Bill,” check the circle that says "I Oppose this Bill" 
8. If you wish to speak during the hearing to present your testimony, you will need to attend in person at the State House, but you may upload your testimony if you cannot attend. 
9. If you wish to submit testimony on the bill, click the “Choose File” button to upload the testimony file from your computer. 
10. Once you have reviewed that the information that you have entered is accurate, click the “Submit” button at the bottom of the webpage. 

In the past, both democrats and republicans have come together and agreed RTW has no place in New Hampshire. We need that kind of solidary with workers once again. 

 For more information on this issue or how you can get more involved with Rapid Response, please contact District 4 Rapid Response Coordinator, Mark McDonald at mmcdonald@usw.org. 

Having Our Hard Work Respected: The Working People Weekly List

Every week, we bring you a roundup of the top news and commentary about issues and events important to working families. Here’s the latest edition of the Working People Weekly List.

Growing in the Cannabis Industry: “Those of you who follow our updates a little more closely than the average partner might have noticed that over the past year or more, we’ve talked a lot about our successes in organizing in one particular industry: legal cannabis. In January, I was fortunate enough to attend one of our first ever bargaining sessions with a cannabis employer. As we continue to grow by leaps and abounds in this industry—we have yet another election in just over a week—I think it’s time we discussed it in detail so anyone with questions can understand why there’s been a strong focus on these workers.”

Workers at José Andrés’ The Bazaar Say They Want to Form Union: “Workers at José Andrés’ flashy D.C. restaurant The Bazaar have announced their intention to form a union with Unite Here Local 25. The union announcement did not say how many employees would be included, but the restaurant has a large staff. The union said it would include a range of jobs, including hosts, food runners, cooks, waiters, bartenders and more. Bloomberg reports it would cover about 140 employees. The union says a ‘supermajority’ of employees supported the move. It seeks management to voluntarily recognize their union.”

U.S. ‘Avatar’ Workers Vote to Unionize in Boost for VFX Organizing Effort: “U.S.-based visual effects artists who help bring James Cameron’s 'Avatar' epics to life have voted to unionize in a National Labor Relations Board election. Of an eligible 88 workers at Walt Disney Studios subsidiary TCF U.S. Productions 27 Inc., who assist with productions for Cameron’s Lightstorm Entertainment, 57 voted to join the union and 19 voted against, while two ballots were void. These workers include creatures costume leads and environment artists as well as others in the stage, environments, render, post viz, sequence, turn over and kabuki departments.”

Chicago Tribune’s Unionized Newsroom Staff to Go on Historic 24-Hour Strike Thursday: ‘Enough Is Enough’: “In what’s believed to be a first in Chicago newspaper history, reporters and other newsroom staffers at the Chicago Tribune plan to go on strike Thursday, joining hundreds of other Tribune Publishing employees in a nationwide action after years of contract negotiations. More than 200 journalists and production workers at seven newsrooms across the country are participating in the 24-hour strike to demand fair wages and that management not eliminate their 401(k) match benefits, according to a news release from The NewsGuild-CWA, which represents the employees.”

The Onion Union Reaches Tentative Deal with Management, Averting Strike: “A strike has been averted at The Onion and several of its sister publications, at least for now. Hours before their current labor agreement was set to expire, The Onion union—representing staffers at The Onion, Onion Labs, The A.V. Club, Deadspin and The Takeout—reached a tentative deal on a new contract with owners G/O Media. According to union, affiliated with the Writers Guild of America East, the new agreement ‘made important gains in wages and workplace protections.’ No other details were immediately available.”

Culinary Union Reaches Deal with Plaza, 13 Resorts Still Without Contracts: “The Culinary Union said a tentative new five-year contract has been reached with the Plaza in downtown Las Vegas. News of the deal came in early Wednesday morning. The union says the agreement covers about 250 hospitality workers. This comes just hours after Culinary announced a tentative agreement with Treasure Island on the Las Vegas Strip.”

Advocacy Group for Retirees Endorses Biden in Re-Election Bid: “A grassroots group advocating for retired Americans endorsed President Biden in his re-election bid Tuesday, citing his accomplishments that have benefitted seniors during his first term in office. The board of the Alliance for Retired Americans (ARA), a nonprofit group with more than 4 million members founded by the AFL-CIO, voted Tuesday to make the endorsement official, according to a release provided exclusively to The Hill.”

Duke Raleigh Hospital Maintenance Workers Vote to Join a Union: “‘We’re just trying to provide for our families, be treated fairly, and have our hard work respected,’ said Duke Raleigh worker Corey Brown in a press release from the state AFL-CIO. ‘People have kids, houses, and lives at stake, and before the hospital could do pretty much whatever they wanted. Now we will have the power to secure our future together.’”

Pitt Graduate Workers Request Union Recognition: “Graduate workers at Pitt are asking for voluntary recognition of their union, claiming majority support for collective bargaining. Hundreds of graduate workers, United Steelworkers organizers and unaffiliated supporters gathered on the first floor of the Cathedral of Learning Tuesday to deliver a letter to Chancellor Joan Gabel with a request.”

Union Members Secure Wage Increases at West Michigan Harding's Stores: “Union workers at Harding's stores in Hartford voted to ratify a new contract Friday. Members of the United Food and Commercial Workers Local 951, or UFCW, voted on Jan. 26 in favor of a three-year agreement for Harding's Store #965 that would feature significant wage increases for employees.”

Columbus Museum of Art Becomes First Ohio Museum to Ratify Union Contract: “The Columbus Museum of Art announced Tuesday it has ratified its first contract with AFSCME Ohio Council 8. The museum is the first in Ohio to ratify a union contract. Brooke Minto, the museum's executive director and CEO, said in a released statement, ‘The Columbus Museum of Art is happy to have reached its first collective bargaining agreement with AFSCME Ohio Council 8. This commitment signifies a mutual desire between both parties to achieve an agreement that is both equitable for our colleagues and economically viable for the organization.’”

Biden Orders U.S. Contractors to Reveal Salary Ranges in Job Ads: “The Biden administration plans to require companies with federal government contracts to disclose expected salary ranges in job postings, as part of a broader effort to boost race and gender pay equity. U.S. contractors, as well as federal agencies, will also be prohibited from using a job applicant’s compensation history to set their starting pay. ‘These new actions adopt commonsense policies that will help pay millions of workers fairly, close gender and racial wage gaps, and yield tangible benefits for the federal government and federal contractors,’ President Joe Biden said in a statement coinciding with the 15th anniversary of the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act. That law overturned a U.S. Supreme Court decision that restricted when workers could file pay discrimination complaints.”

Brown Prepared to Voluntarily Recognize Postdoc Union Pending Signature Validation: “The University will recognize the Brown Postdoc Labor Organization—the first dedicated union on campus for postdoctoral researchers and Dean’s Faculty Fellows—provided the signatories in BPLO’s petition for unionization are validated by federal mediators. BPLO filed a representation petition with the National Labor Relations board Dec. 28, roughly three weeks after they announced their intention to unionize. In administering the petition, organizers seek to demonstrate that they have enough support to form a union, according to Caroline Keroack, a postdoctoral research associate and BPLO organizer.”

Sports Illustrated Union Files Labor Grievance Over Mass Layoffs: “The union representing the staff of Sports Illustrated filed an unfair labor practice charge against the magazine’s publisher, alleging it engaged in illegal union-busting tactics when it sent layoff notices to all of the unionized staff, according to a copy of the complaint reviewed by The Washington Post. According to the complaint, the NewsGuild alleges Arena fired employees because of their ‘support of the Union engagement in Union activities and/or engagement in other protected activities.’”

500 Nurses at Chicago Area Hospital Plan Third Strike Since August: “Hundreds of nurses at a hospital in Joliet could be walking off the job again next week. The 500 union nurses at Ascension Saint Joseph in Joliet notified the hospital on Monday they plan to walk off the job for two days on Feb. 8 and 9. The same nurses also went on strike twice last year—in August and November—amid a contract standoff with management. The nurses said they're upset Ascension has implemented the terms of its ‘last, best and final’ contract offer, which the union rejected in December, claiming it failed to deal with their concerns over staffing.”

WSU’S Coalition of Academic Student Employees Ratifies Its First Contract: “At academic institutions nationwide, student workers continue to organize. Student staff at Washington State University are the latest to get a big win. The Coalition of Academic Student Employees has ratified its first union contract. With the agreement, student employees will get paid vacation for the first time, as well as earn six weeks of paid parental leave.”

Local Transit Union Members Are Near-Unanimous in Vote to Strike for Better Wages: “Bus drivers, mechanics and other members of the transit union voted to authorize a strike as they seek better pay and more safeguards in a new contract with their employer. Union members were able to vote through 6 a.m. on Friday. We've now learned the majority of those union members voted to strike rather than accept the latest contract offer from Transdev, which runs our public bus system for the Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada.”

Down East Community Hospital Nurses Rally for Improved Working Conditions and Patient Safety: “Nurses and technicians at Down East Community Hospital are holding rallies this weekend to call attention to the chronic staffing shortage at the facility that they say is a safety issue. They're part of the Maine State Nurses Association and have been bargaining for a new contract since last September.”

Kenneth Quinnell Mon, 02/05/2024 - 14:12

Black History Month Profiles: Vonda Wilkins

This year, for Black History Month, we're taking a look at a group of leaders who are currently active making Black history across the labor movement. Check back daily for a new profile and meet some of the people working to improve not only their community, but also to improve conditions for working people across the country. Today's profile is Vonda Wilkins of the Communications Workers of America (CWA).

Vonda Wilkins is a proud union member and area vice president from CWA Local 7019 in Phoenix. Wilkins worked with other CWA members to successfully demand that her employer, Lumen Technologies, designate Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day as a paid holiday for all employees. A member of the CWA national committee on Civil Rights & Equity, she has also facilitated training on how to build an anti-racist union. Wilkins' involvement in her union and other community groups is a testament to her unwavering dedication to social justice.

Kenneth Quinnell Mon, 02/05/2024 - 10:21

Service & Solidarity Spotlight: Culinary Union Reaches Tentative Agreement with Downtown Grand Las Vegas; Strike Averted

Working people across the United States have stepped up to help out our friends, neighbors and communities during these trying times. In our Service & Solidarity Spotlight series, we'll showcase one of these stories every day. Here’s today’s story.

The UNITE HERE Culinary Union reached a tentative agreement on a new five-year contract with the Downtown Grand Hotel & Casino for nearly 200 hospitality workers. The contract took more than two years to fully achieve and there were thousands of workers who participated in rallies, protests, civil disobedience, picketing, surveys, picket sign making, strike voting, and delegations inside the properties. The contract secures historic protections and significant wage increases.

Kenneth Quinnell Mon, 02/05/2024 - 10:05

Contact: Jess Kamm Broomell, (412) 562-2444, jkamm@usw.org

(PITTSBURGH) – United Steelworkers (USW) International President David McCall today issued the following statement as workers continue to fight to enforce their contracts with U.S. Steel and protect the domestic steel industry:

“Steel is vital to our national security and critical infrastructure, and USW members are proud to manufacture some of the highest quality products in the world.

“Unfortunately, the proposed sale agreement between Nippon Steel and U.S. Steel puts our members’ and our nation’s interests in jeopardy.

“Today we received personal assurances that President Joe Biden has our backs. He’s always been a friend to the American worker and our union, and we’re grateful he’s taking an interest in this matter.

“It’s essential that we continue to safeguard our domestic steelmaking capacity, and we appreciate the president’s ongoing commitment to revitalizing our critical supply chains and rebuilding our nation’s economic strength.”

The USW represents 850,000 workers employed in metals, mining, pulp and paper, rubber, chemicals, glass, auto supply and the energy-producing industries, along with a growing number of workers in health care, public sector, higher education, tech and service occupations.

Economy Gains 353,000 Jobs in January; Unemployment Unchanged at 3.7%

The U.S. economy gained 353,000 jobs in January, and the unemployment rate was unchanged at 3.7%, according to figures released Friday morning by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

January's biggest job gains were in professional and business services (+74,000), health care (+70,000), retail trade (+45,000), social assistance (+30,000), manufacturing (+23,000), government (+36,000), and information (+15,000). Employment declined in mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction (-5,000). Employment showed little change over the month in other major industries, including construction, wholesale trade, transportation and warehousing, financial activities, leisure and hospitality, and other services.

Among the major worker groups, the unemployment rates for teenagers (10.6%), Black Americans (5.3%), Hispanics (5.0%), adult men (3.6%), White Americans (3.4%), adult women (3.2%), and Asian Americans (2.9%), showed little or no change in January.

The number of long-term unemployed workers (those jobless for 27 weeks or longer) was little changed in January and accounted for 20.8% of the total number of people unemployed.

Kenneth Quinnell Fri, 02/02/2024 - 11:07