BlueCollarWriter Labor News Update

Labor News Update - 09/15/2023

#HotLaborSummer Strike Coverage

The UAW union members at Ford, GM & Stellantis are now on STRIKE

The Stand Up Strike Begins at the Big Three | UAWUAW family and allies — A few minutes ago, thousands of UAW members at Ford, GM, and Stellantis walked out, marking the beginning of the Stand Up Strike. UAW members at GM Wentzville Assembly, Local 2250 in Region 4 are ON STRIKE. UAW members at Stellantis Toledo Assembly Complex, Local 12 in Region 2B are ON STRIKE. UAW members at Ford Michigan Assembly Plant – Final Assembly and Paint, Local

Working people feel a new sense of power and leverage. They’re looking at work in a different way. Use our map to see where workers are on strike across the country.aflcio.org/strike-map

Find a Picket Line

Working people want safe jobs with good health care, flexibility, sick leave, and where they feel respected and valued.

Click on the map in the link to see where workers are on strike across the country.

When Auto Workers Stand Up, Here's How to Stand with ThemSeptember 14: This article has been updated to identify the plants where workers will strike on day one. The likely Auto Workers (UAW) strike, which the union is dubbing the "Stand Up Strike," could be a turning point for the U.S. labor movement—and all of us across the movement can lend a hand to help the strikers win. Cross-union solidarity can turn up the heat on the Big 3 to end tiers and make green jobs good jobs. It can also boost strikers’ morale and build connections that endure for years to come.

Autoworkers are Fighting for the Future of the IndustryStagnant pay and hazardous conditions have driven autoworkers at the Big Three to organize.

'Courage': Bernie Sanders applauds UAW, unions for standing up to ‘greed and arrogance’Sen. Bernie Sanders: “I really applaud the courage of Shawn Fain and the workers at the UAW for standing up and saying enough is enough.”

WGA & AMPTP Set To Restart Talks Next Week(Updated with WGA statement) The writers and the studios are set to get back around the negotiating table. The AMPTP revealed Thursday that the two parties are “working to schedule a meeting next w…

Striking actors, writers swarm Hollywood in massive solidarity marchThousands of striking writers and actors staged a solidarity march through Hollywood Wednesday, culminating in a boisterous rally outside Paramount studios as the dual labor stoppages continue to halt movie and TV production.

Drew Barrymore’s Show Is Picketed as It Resumes Amid Writers’ StrikeThe star, who dropped out of an MTV awards show in May to demonstrate solidarity with striking writers, plans to bring her daytime talk show back without its unionized writers.

Soundtrack of the Revolution: Hold the Line

"World-famous rock artist Tom Morello (AFM) is known for his decades of performing music that cries out for justice. Throughout his time as the frontman for the band Rage Against the Machine, Morello has been a cultural icon and a force for change...“Hold the Line,” dedicated to every working person fighting for their rights on the picket line."

- Connecticut AFL-CIO

Labor News

Teamsters won't deliver Detroit 3 vehicles if UAW strikesTeamsters Local 299 President Kevin Moore said, "I understand their struggles and their issues." Truck drivers will not cross a picket line.

Organizing Portland: Local Labor Organizers See Surge in Union Solidarity, DiversityFor the last several months, union activity in Portland has appeared to surge, matching the national energy toward worker's rights particularly demonstrated by the ongoing, high-profile Writers Guild of America and SAG-AFTRA strikes. And Portland labor organizers say it's not all hype: Union membership is growing across all industries, and it's here to stay. "In my 10 or so years in the labor movement in one capacity or another, I've never seen this scale of...

Faculty and students push back against proposed cuts at West Virginia University - WV MetroNewsStarting at 9 a.m. Friday, the board of governors will gather again for a meeting that includes voting on final recommendations on what university officials are calling an academic transformation.

UFCW Celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month - The United Food & Commercial Workers International UnionFriday, Sept. 15 marks the beginning of Hispanic Heritage Month—a time for the UFCW to pay tribute to Hispanic Americans and their positive contributions to our union, communities and country. It provides an opportunity to celebrate the histories, cultures and contributions of American citizens whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean and Central and […]

NLRB News, Summaries & Decisions

Dartmouth men's basketball players file petition to unionizeThis isn't the first effort to form a union of college athletes, but it could be the first successful attempt.

NLRB Complaint Calls a Noncompete Agreement an Unfair Labor PracticeThe complaint against an Ohio spa follows General Counsel Jennifer Abruzzo’s memo seeking these kinds of cases.

Wisconsin salon owners fire employee over COVID-19 concerns, arrested for defying court ordersU.S. Marshals arrested Haven Salon + Spa owners Timothy and Carley Dillett this week.

NLRB Decision Could Make Unfair Labor Practices Charges Easier to BringEmployers should inform managers and supervisors about a recent National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) decision that could make companies more vulnerable to unfair labor practices charges.

Politics, Legislation & Government

CODE-CWA Member Brings Worker Voice to Senate AI ForumCWAers from across our union are actively engaged in shaping government policy on artificial intelligence (AI) and challenging corporate misuses of AI.

The who's who of the tech world meet with senators to debate plan to regulate AIMore than 20 business leaders and others, including tech titans Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg and Bill Gates, are on Capitol Hill to meet with U.S. senators.

DGA: “Years of Discord, Derogation, and Emotional Abuse”: Inside Daniel Cameron’s OfficeDEMOCRATIC GOVERNORS ASSOCIATION

State Supreme Court takes up Morgantown firefighter pay controversy - WV MetroNewsOral arguments held Wednesday at Marshall University.

Rail cutbacks threaten communities and cities in ways that could be ‘catastrophic’; officials urge passing of safety bill - Pittsburgh Union ProgressWorking as a rail car inspector for Norfolk Southern is a tough gig these days, especially for those who must travel near East Palestine, Ohio. A number of folks there remain angry over Norfolk Southern’s treatment of residents who continue to suffer from the effects of a Feb. 3 derailment that spewed toxins over the […]

Medicaid Purge Called 'Most Concentrated Health Insurance Loss' in US History - People's TribuneMedicaid Purge Called 'Most Concentrated Health Insurance Loss' in US History

Big Money for Broadband w/Mason Kalinsky, Hood to the Holler #ColonelsOfTruthThere are 54 days until Nov. 7th - This week we cover a couple of big money political stories - one about the election & one about roads, bridges & broadband...

Jobs, Business & Economy

Calls for Starbucks boycott grow amid aggressive union-busting activitiesBoycott would aim to use consumer power to pressure company to negotiate its first union contract

Economic Impact of an Auto Strike Could Be Felt NationwideAn extended walkout by the United Auto Workers in a contract dispute could raise car prices and affect jobs at the companies’ suppliers.

Workplace Safety

Telecom Workers: Protect Your Health and Your Future by Taking Advantage of Your Employer's Blood Lead Testing ProgramOur Health and Safety department has been following up with employers about their voluntary blood lead testing programs after recent news reports that highlighted concerns around lead in telecommunications.

Millersburg contractor faces more than $548K in fines for repeatedly failing to protect roofing employees from exposure to deadly fall hazardsFour times in less than three months, OSHA fines Ohio contractor exposing workers to fall hazards.

Labor History in 2:00

September 15 - The Invergordon MutinyOn this day in Labor History the year was 1931. That was the day that came to be known as the Invergordon Mutiny in Scotland. The global Great Depression had begun its sweep across Europe. In response to the economic crisis, the British government began cutting the pay of public sector workers. This included those in the armed forces. This came at a time when more workers were joining the armed forces because of the rising unemployment that ravaged the private sector. For those in the Navy the proposed pay cuts were ten percent for officers and as high as twenty-five percent for those under the rank of petty officer. As news of the pay cuts spread, sailors at Invergordon held meetings to discuss their response. Invergordon, Scotland had become an important harbor for the British fleet during World War One. The sailors decided to strike. On the day of the strike, several ships were scheduled to participate in exercises. But the sailors on four vessels refused to take their ships out of the harbor. Many men did not report for duty. Naval leaders gave in quickly, reducing the severity of the pay cut. But many of the leaders of the strike faced reprisals. Some were jailed and others were drummed out of the Navy. Spies for the Admiralty went below decks to monitor the sailors and report those who might cause future trouble. Government leaders tried to keep news of the strike out of the news. But workers’ rallies against public sector cuts spread to cities like Glasgow and London. The strike also caused a panic at the London Stock Exchange

September 15 Women and Children fight for a 10-hour WorkdayOn this day in Labor History the year was 1845. 5,000 female workers at the Allegheny Cotton Mills went on strike for a ten-hour day. The fast streams around Pittsburgh and Allegheny city were ideal to power cotton mills. The mills were overheated and filled with dangerous dust.

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