Labor News Update - 05/08/2023

Writers Guild of America Strike Updates

Writers like me have shut down Hollywood. Here's why https://www.thenation.com/article/society/writers-strike-explainer-gondelman/

Striking Writers Are on the Front Line of a Battle Between Al and Workers https://www.vice.com/en/article/5d9gkq/striking-writers-are-on-the-front-line-of-a-battle-between-ai-and-workers

'Evil' Wraps Season 4 Production Early After Impressive Display of Union Solidarity https://collider.com/evil-season-4-writers-strike/

WGA Strike: DGA Boss Lesli Linka Glatter On “Fighting For Our Future,” Upcoming Studio Negotiations Next Week & Union Solidarity https://deadline.com/2023/05/writers-strike-dga-negotiations-lesli-linka-glatter-solidarity-studios-interview-1235358446/

ICYMI - Got a WGA union card? These bars and restaurants want to give you a discount during the strike https://www.latimes.com/food/story/2023-05-04/writers-strike-restaurants-bars-offer-discounts-wga-food-drink

Labor News

Union announces deal to end weeklong strike that affected St. Louis-area construction projects https://www.stltoday.com/business/local/union-announces-deal-to-end-weeklong-strike-that-affected-st-louis-area-construction-projects/article_8d52e9d4-ec5d-11ed-8cf9-9734efb9fbe3.html

REI Chicago Employees Vote To Unionize https://sgbonline.com/rei-chicago-employees-vote-to-unionize/

Springfield Symphony Orchestra and musicians reach agreement after years of negotiations https://www.ctpublic.org/2023-05-04/springfield-symphony-orchestra-and-musicians-reach-agreement-after-years-of-negotiations

'Let's Go Teachers Let's Go!' OEA Teachers Strike, March & Rally for Public Education https://youtu.be/pzt1eJymIMw

Oakland teachers union on strike; schools open without them https://www.thestar.com/news/world/us/2023/05/04/oakland-teachers-union-on-strike-district-says-schools-open.html

Barnes & Noble NYC Flagship Becomes Latest Store in Union Push https://www.retailtouchpoints.com/topics/store-operations/workforce-scheduling/barnes-noble-nyc-flagship-becomes-latest-store-in-union-push

Shocking video of Medieval Times strikers in Buena Park, California, run down by a car and then physically assaulted while picketing in a crosswalk had hundreds of thousands of views on social media in April. https://www.labornotes.org/blogs/2023/05/knights-strike-california

A rally for fair working contracts was hosted by the Mat-Su Education Employment Association and the Classified Employees Association after both groups were unable to reach an agreement with the Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District on employment contracts. https://www.alaskasnewssource.com/2023/05/04/massive-mat-su-union-rally-urges-fair-working-contracts/

Salt Lake City Public Library workers seek to form first library union in Utah https://www.afscme.org/blog/salt-lake-city-public-library-workers-seek-to-form-first-library-union-in-utah

Toledo Blade union members renew efforts to secure a labor contract https://www.ideastream.org/2023-05-04/toledo-blade-union-members-renew-efforts-to-secure-a-labor-contract

USPS sees ‘massive turnover’ in non-career workers as union protests short-staffing https://federalnewsnetwork.com/federal-report/2023/05/usps-sees-massive-turnover-in-non-career-workers-as-union-protests-short-staffing/?readmore=1vv

ICYMI - Focus organizing drives on workers without college degrees, US unions told https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/may/05/focus-labor-drives-on-workers-without-college-degrees-us-unions-told

The Newark Teachers Union wants to know what the city's public school district will do with its unused snow days. https://www.tapinto.net/towns/newark/sections/education/articles/what-are-newark-schools-doing-with-unused-snow-days-union-asks

San Jose recycling drivers allege union busting https://sanjosespotlight.com/san-jose-recycling-drivers-allege-union-busting/

ICYMI - Teamsters Begin Major Amazon Fight https://prospect.org/labor/2023-05-04-teamsters-begin-major-amazon-fight/

Politics, Government & Legislation

Bernie Sanders introduces his largest minimum wage proposal yet https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/bernie-sanders-introduces-largest-minimum-wage-proposal/story?id=99080030

House lawmakers ask for investigation into Apple store labor practices https://ca.movies.yahoo.com/house-lawmakers-ask-for-investigation-into-apple-store-labor-practices-195248699.html

Rhode Island House Passes Domestic Worker Minimum Wage https://www.thenewportbuzz.com/rhode-island-house-passes-domestic-worker-minimum-wage/41822

lowa governor will sign bill rolling back labor protections for children https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2023/05/04/iowa-child-labor-reynolds/

Bill would put cap on how many patients Maine nurses could care for simultaneously https://fox23maine.com/news/local/bill-cap-how-many-patients-maine-nurses-care-for-simultaneously-four-hospital-burnout-death

Kentucky League of Women Voters  guide to the May 16 primary: https://www.lwvky.org/2023-ky-primary-election

Add your name to the National Education Association's (NEA) petition and urge lawmakers to give teachers the support and respect they deserve: https://bit.ly/42zvdOn

ICYMI - Why United Auto Workers Union Is Not Yet Endorsing Biden Again For 2024 https://www.benzinga.com/news/23/05/32209030/why-united-auto-workers-union-is-not-yet-endorsing-biden-again-for-2024

Supreme Court will consider constitutionality of West Virginia’s system for approving charter schools https://wvmetronews.com/2023/05/07/supreme-court-will-consider-constitutionality-of-west-virginias-system-for-approving-charter-schools/

Beloved Kentucky sign language interpreter Virginia Moore dies — Virginia Moore and Gov. Andy Beshear helped keep Kentucky informed during some of the hardest days of the pandemic. http://rssfeeds.whas11.com/~/739192799/0/whas/home~Beloved-Kentucky-sign-language-interpreter-Virginia-Moore-dies 

NLRB News & Decisions 

More than 250 business leaders back Julie Su for Labor secretary as nomination hangs in the balance https://www.cnbc.com/2023/05/04/business-leaders-back-julie-su-for-labor-secretary.html 

In this weekend’s news and commentary, NLRB GC Abruzzo spoke about algorithmic management at the Anti-Monopoly Summit, House members asked the NLRB to investigate unfair labor practices by Apple, and the NLRB reversed a Trump-era rule making it easier to discipline workers for profane comments. https://onlabor.org/may-7-2023/

Members of the US House of Representatives Emmanuel Cleaver And Sylvia Garcia, sent a letter to the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) requesting an investigation into allegations of worker abuse at its Houston and Kansas City, Missouri stores. Politicians said Apple fired five Kansas City employees in retaliation for unionization efforts, and a large number of Houston He is concerned about allegations that he has disciplined his employee for attempting to organize. https://www.gearrice.com/update/apple-workers-are-not-as-lucky-as-it-seems-here-are-the-facts/

On Thursday night representatives of Unite-Here local 2 announced a settlement with Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn and the National Labor Relations Board over allegations of illegal reprisals against staffers trying to organize. https://norcalpublicmedia.org/2023050587795/news-feed/union-drive-at-sonoma-hotel-resort-draws-nlrb-scrutany

Jobs, Business & Economy 

Economy Gains 253,000 Jobs in April; Unemployment Down Slightly 3.4% https://aflcio.org/2023/5/5/economy-gains-253000-jobs-april-unemployment-down-slightly-34

JBS creates in-house sanitation service after US child-labour scandal https://www.just-food.com/news/jbs-launches-sanitation-service-after-child-labour-scandal/

This Day in Labor History 

Labor History in 2:00 Podcast:

May 8 - Getting the Rails In Line

If you are a member of a union, how well do you know your union’s history? You might be surprised to find out how far back that history goes. Such is the case with the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen.