Labor News Update - 05/04/2023

Labor News

A report from the Department of Labor found that hundreds of minors, including 10-year-olds, were found working across three Kentucky McDonald's locations. http://rssfeeds.courier-journal.com/~/738502196/0/courierjournal/news~yearolds-hundreds-of-minors-found-working-at-McDonalds-in-Kentucky-other-states/

Unions Build Wealth for the American Working Class — Union membership not only increases wealth for working-class families but also narrows racial wealth gaps and offers a path to the middle class. https://www.americanprogress.org/article/unions-build-wealth-for-the-american-working-class/

Workers are winning union elections, but getting a first contract can take years https://www.epi.org/publication/union-first-contract-fact-sheet/?mc_cid=985f2fddb6&mc_eid=277d37adef

Sign FiredUp! Worker Solidarity Network's Petition to Protect Workers Retaliated for Organizing https://ky.aflcio.org/news/sign-firedup-worker-solidarity-networks-petition-protect-workers

Honoring Those Who Died on the Job: The Working People Weekly List https://aflcio.org/2023/5/3/honoring-those-who-died-job-working-people-weekly-list

Actors' Equity Association Membership Ratifies New Unified Touring Agreement with The Broadway League https://aflcio.org/2023/5/3/service-solidarity-spotlight-actors-equity-association-membership-ratifies-new-unified

Starbucks workers in Aurora, Strongsville file for election https://www.crainscleveland.com/retail/two-more-cleveland-area-starbucks-file-union-election

Planned Nurses Strike Called Off At St. Rose Hospital https://patch.com/california/sanleandro/planned-nurses-strike-called-st-rose-hospital

Members from the Culinary Union address Clark County commissioners about their ongoing contract negotiations with Valley Hospital, and the possibility of going on strike if an agreement is not made by May 9. https://news3lv.com/news/local/culinary-union-bring-contract-concerns-to-clark-county-commissioners

Workers Picket Outside Graduate Hotel Site In Princeton https://patch.com/new-jersey/princeton/workers-picket-outside-graduate-hotel-site-princeton

Striking film and television writers are set to meet with union leadership on Wednesday, the second day of a work stoppage that threw Hollywood into disarray as the industry deals with changes brought on by the streaming TV boom. https://www.reuters.com/business/media-telecom/union-brief-hollywood-writers-strike-disrupts-tv-production-2023-05-03/

AI vs. Hollywood: Writers battle “plagiarism machines” in union talks https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2023/05/ai-vs-hollywood-writers-battle-plagiarism-machines-in-union-talks/

Snoop Dogg Shows Solidarity With Writers on Strike: ‘Where the F--- Is the Money?’ https://variety.com/2023/music/news/snoop-dogg-writers-strike-larry-jackson-panel-1235602434/

Billboard companies sue carpenters union after federal judge in St. Louis dismisses complaint https://www.stltoday.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/billboard-companies-sue-carpenters-union-after-federal-judge-in-st-louis-dismisses-complaint/article_2e3048ca-e92e-11ed-a940-0bff0d1c09a9.html

Nearly a third of nurses nationwide say they are likely to leave the profession https://www.npr.org/2023/05/02/1173107527/nursing-staffing-crisis

SEPTA and Regional Rail union are fighting over pay and managers filling in as engineers https://www.inquirer.com/transportation/septa-regional-rail-operators-engineers-wage-increases-labor-negotiations-20230503.html

Greg Regan and Shari Semelsberger, President and Secretary-Treasurer of the AFL-CIO Transportation Trades Department (TTD), issued this statement after the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) issued a safety advisory regarding  accident mitigation and train length: https://ttd.org/news-and-media/press-releases-and-statements/statement-on-fra-safety-advisory-on-train-length/

Politics, Government & Legislation

Columbus adds pay protections for freelance Workers https://www.axios.com/local/columbus/2023/05/02/columbus-ohio-freelance-worker-pay-protections

Kentucky: Beshear Campaign Raised Nearly $7 Million For Reelection https://ky.aflcio.org/news/beshear-campaign-raised-nearly-7-million-reelection

Democrats move pro-union amendment out of divided Pa. House https://www.mcall.com/2023/05/03/democrats-move-pro-union-amendment-out-of-divided-pa-house

Auto union withholds support for Biden, citing electric vehicles — The president of the influential United Auto Workers said the group is seeking better pay and benefits for its workers at electric vehicle facilities. https://www.politico.com/news/2023/05/03/auto-union-withholds-support-for-biden-citing-evs-00095136

An Illinois billionaire attacking Ohio voters also funded Jan. 6 and election deniers https://www.rawstory.com/dick-uihlein-2659938857/

NLRB News & Decisions 

Julie Su Nomination Advances; Show Your Support https://aflcio.org/2023/5/1/service-solidarity-spotlight-julie-su-nomination-advances-show-your-support

Jobs, Business & Economy 

Fed's Powell: don't assume Fed can shield U.S. economy from debt limit default https://www.reuters.com/markets/us/feds-powell-dont-assume-fed-can-protect-us-economy-debt-limit-default-2023-05-03/

White House warns debt default could wipe out 8 million jobs, plunge stock market https://www.cnn.com/2023/05/03/economy/white-house-debt-default/index.html

US labor market softens as job openings drop, layoffs at highest level in over two years https://www.reuters.com/markets/us/us-job-openings-post-third-straight-monthly-decline-march-2023-05-02/

United plans to hire 15,000, adding to surge in airline jobs https://www.denverpost.com/2023/05/03/united-plans-to-hire-15000-adding-to-surge-in-airline-jobs/

Nearly 25% of jobs are set to be disrupted in the next five years — and A.I. could play a key role: World Economic Forum https://www.cnbc.com/2023/05/02/nearly-25percent-of-jobs-are-set-to-be-disrupted-in-the-next-five-years-wef.html

Labor Celebrates and Honors Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month 

May is Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. The TWU proudly celebrates the rich histories, cultures, and traditions of our Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander members. https://bit.ly/3HFzo2Z

Why Julie Su's Nomination as Secretary of Labor Matters to Asian-Pacific Americans and Beyond https://tucson.com/arizona-opinion-why-julie-su-s-nomination-as-secretary-of-labor-matters-to-asian-pacific/article_335fe4d2-e531-11ed-b810-5769527f5b03.html

Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month Profiles: Mai Xiong https://aflcio.org/2023/5/3/asian-american-and-pacific-islander-heritage-month-profiles-mai-xiong

This Day in Labor History 

Labor History in 2:00 Podcast:

May 4 -The Call for an Eight-Hour Day Met with Gunfire

On this day in Labor History the year was 1886. This was one of the most significant days in US labor history. 

A mass meeting of workers was called for that night in Chicago’s Haymarket Square.