BlueCollarWriter Labor News Update
Labor News Update - 04/17/2023
Labor News
The United Steelworkers union is calling for more testing and cleaning at paper mills across the industry following an outbreak of blastomycosis, a rare fungal infection, at an Upper Peninsula paper mill that has killed one worker and sickened at least 21 others as of Thursday. https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/michigan/2023/04/15/union-calls-for-expanded-testing-and-cleaning-after-up-paper-mill-fungal-outbreak/70118343007/
The tentative deal announced by Rutgers University and its striking unions early Saturday was notable for the solidarity it showed between tenured university professors and the part-time employees who have increasingly taken their place in recent decades, labor experts said.
Teamsters General President Sean M. O’Brien, UPS Teamsters, and local leaders from throughout Southern California rallied at Teamsters Local 952 in Orange, Calif., on April 15, as the union gears up for negotiations on a new contract protecting more than 340,000 package delivery drivers and warehouse logistics workers nationwide. https://teamster.org/2023/04/ups-teamsters-rally-for-a-strong-contract-in-southern-california/
Louisville, Indianapolis Teamsters make gains in strike against Sysco
U.S. workers at anti-poverty World Bank say they can't keep up with bills https://www.cbsnews.com/news/world-bank-workers-are-underpaid/
Student workers hope to unionize as they critique the New School’s “austerity” https://www.newschoolfreepress.com/2023/04/14/student-workers-hope-to-unionize-as-they-critique-the-new-schools-austerity/
After issuing a strike threat for touring companies earlier this month, Actors’ Equity Association (AEA) has announced that they have reached a new tentative agreement with the Broadway League. The agreement remains subject to ratification by Equity members. https://www.americantheatre.org/2023/04/14/actors-equity-broadway-league-reach-touring-agreement/
Undergraduate student workers at the University of Oregon have filed to become the largest student worker union in the country. If their efforts are successful, it would force the school to pull up a chair at the bargaining table. https://www.klcc.org/economy-business/2023-04-15/university-of-oregon-undergraduate-workers-apply-to-form-union
Cal State undergraduate workers seek union representation
Judge denies University of Michigan injunction against striking grad union
UFCW Local 75, Kroger revisit wages after cut-fruit pilot https://www.winsightgrocerybusiness.com/labor/ufcw-local-75-kroger-revisit-wages-after-cut-fruit-pilot
Kroger and Albertsons Workers From Seven UFCW Unions Hold Holding Actions in Front of Stores to Raise Awareness About Proposed Megamerger https://smmirror.com/2023/04/kroger-and-albertsons-workers-from-seven-ufcw-unions-hold-holding-actions-in-front-of-stores-to-raise-awareness-about-proposed-megamerger/
The United Food and Commercial Workers International Union Local 27 began picketing a Wilmington nursing home this week as contract negotiations drag on with new management.
Politics, Government & Legislation
Rolling Back “Right-to-Work” in States Like Michigan Sends a Message to Anti-Union Bosses
https://jacobin.com/2023/04/right-to-work-michigan-repeal-labor-decline
'It's becoming crippling:' The number of school counselors, social workers, dropping in TN https://newschannel9.com//nashville-middle-tennessee-google-inews-facebook-twitter-its-becoming-crippling-the-number-of-school-counselors-social-workers-dropping-in-tn
Florida bill that would place new restrictions on some but not all public employee unions https://www.news4jax.com/news/local/2023/04/15/florida-bill-that-would-place-new-restrictions-on-some-but-not-all-public-employee-unions/
Oregon workers making minimum wage will get 70-cent raise per hour starting July 1 https://katu.com/news/local/oregon-workers-making-minimum-wage-will-get-70-cent-raise-on-july-1
Ohio's 988 suicide hotline is seeing a spike in calls. How is the state handling it? http://rssfeeds.cincinnati.com/~/735366461/0/cincinnati-news~Ohios-suicide-hotline-is-seeing-a-spike-in-calls-How-is-the-state-handling-it/
Fox News apologizes to judge overseeing Dominion case: 'This was a misunderstanding' https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/fox-news-apologizes-judge-overseeing-dominion-case-misunderstanding/story?id=98612998
NLRB News, Decisions & Summaries
UMWA International Union President Cecil E. Roberts wrote a letter of support for Acting Secretary Su in favor of her nomination as Secretary of Labor.
Jobs, Business & Economy
OSHA, cannabis company reach $14k settlement in Holyoke worker’s death https://www.boston.com/news/local-news/2023/01/03/trulieve-holyoke-worker-death-osha-settlement-investigation/
David's Bridal laying off over 9,000 workers
https://amp.cnn.com/cnn/2023/04/14/business/davids-bridal-layoffs/index.html
How companies get inside gig workers' heads with 'algorithmic wage discrimination' https://www.cbsnews.com/news/algorithmic-wage-discrimination-artificial-intelligence/
Spending at US retailers fell in March as consumers pulled back after the banking crisis fueled recession fears. https://amp.cnn.com/cnn/2023/04/14/economy/march-retail-sales/index.html
Walmart's chief merchandising officer for its US operations is stepping down from the job as the retailer faces a tougher year ahead, an internal memo shared to US associates Friday said https://www.cnn.com/2023/04/15/business/walmart-cmo-charles-redfield/index.html
Former Home Depot CEO issues grim warning over US bankruptcies: ‘It’s different than anything I’ve seen’ https://www.foxbusiness.com/economy/home-depot-ceo-predicts-a-lot-of-bankruptcies-in-us-economy-its-different-than-anything-ive-seen
More than 50,000 retail locations could permanently shut their doors over the next five years, according to UBS analysts. Those closures would cut the current U.S. store count of about 940,000 by around 5% by the end of 2027, according to the analysts. https://www.foxbusiness.com/lifestyle/slowdown-consumer-spending-ecommerce-demand-could-force-50k-stores-close-five-years
'Finally, they believed me': Jury sides with former workers over auto dealer employment discrimination suit https://www.ksdk.com/article/news/investigations/finally-they-believed-me-jury-sides-with-former-workers-over-auto-dealer-employment-discrimination-suit/63-ea883bee-c3c4-407d-9d10-2043ca1fd67a
This Day in Labor History
Striking workers marched outside the Red Diamond coal mine in Jefferson County in April 1934 during the Great Depression. The strike was quickly broken when threatened by armed members of the Alabama National Guard. https://encyclopediaofalabama.org/media/striking-mine-workers/
The history and impact of the American labor movement https://www.studocu.com/en-us/document/university-of-texas-at-austin/american-government/the-history-and-impact-16/51194516
Labor History in 2:00 Podcast:
On this day in Labor History the year was 1912. That a day of tragedy for workers in the goldfields of Siberia. Gold miners by the Lena River in Southeast Siberia worked under brutal conditions. The Lena Gold Mining Joint Stock Company ran the mining operation. The lucrative gold fields lined the pockets of shareholders, including Russian aristocracy and British industrialists.
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