Oct
2016 7
2016 7
Uber Drivers Rally in Queens to Fight Scourge of Misclassification, Demand Right to Unionize
Uber and Lyft drivers recently held a rally outside the Taxi & Limousine Commission (TLC) office in Long Island City, Queens. More than 14,000 rideshare drivers have petitioned in favor of unionization. The drivers are frustrated about shrinking pay, increasingly strict driver policies, and soaring commissions charges. Their attempts…
Apr
2016 6
2016 6
STUDY: Full-Time Public University Profs Earn Whopping 25% More Than Nonunion Counterparts
A new academic paper from a trio of professors in the state of Alabama has concluded that unionization pays big dividends for professors at regional public universities. In total, full-time instructors at regional public universities earn an average of $21,000 more — a 25 percent boost — in pay and benefits when they belong…
Mar
2016 15
2016 15
CA Labor Champion Reintroduces Bill That Would Allow On-Demand Workers to Organize
In California, Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez will reintroduce AB 1727, known as the “1099 Self-Organizing Act,” to create a hybrid workforce in the “on-demand” or “gig” economy. It would grant new rights to workers classified as independent contractors and toe the line of employment created by companies like Uber…
Mar
2016 11
2016 11
Chamber Sues Seattle to Halt On-Demand Driver Unionization; Uber Launches Phone Call Pressure Campaign
When the city of Seattle passed first-of-its kind legislation to allow Uber and Lyft drivers to organize, a lengthy court battle was predicted. Now, that shoe has dropped with the Chamber of Commerce (CoC) filing a lawsuit against the city over the ordinance. They argue that it violates federal antitrust laws: “Seattle and thousands…
Oct
2015 22
2015 22
Already Seeking Teamsters Representation, CA Plant Workers Hospitalized After Being Forced to Breathe Dangerous Chemicals
Workers at a Taylor Farms plant in Tracy, California were exposed to a toxic mixture of acetic acid and chlorine which led to the hospitalization of 20 workers. The incident is the latest in a string of grievances for the workers at the salad processing plant, who have been seeking to unionize like their [&hellip…;
Oct
2015 13
2015 13
New Rule Allowing Electronic Union Authorization Expected to Make IAM Campaign at Boeing More Fair
A new National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) rule allowing workers to sign election authorization cards online went into effect September 1st, just in time for the International Association of Machinists’ (IAM) broadening of its campaign at the Boeing Dreamliner plant in North Charleston, South Carolina. The new rule allows workers to…
May
2015 20
2015 20
Wary of Their New Boss, 189 Lawyers Working for PA AG Press for Unionization
A unionization effort by the 189 attorneys that work for Pennsylvania Attorney General Kathleen Kane is taking shape. The American Federation of Teachers Pennsylvania has invited the lawyers to a May 27th meeting at which they can discuss “workplace issues.” If successful, the effort would create a collective bargaining unit for the…
Nov
2014 21
2014 21
Teamsters Locals Ain’t Nothin’ to Truck With: Third FedEx Freight Crew Votes to Unionize
The campaign to unionize drivers at FedEx Freight and Conway forged ahead this week with another victorious vote, this time in North Carolina. 222 FedEx drivers at the Charlotte Terminal voted to join the Teamsters Local 71. The successful election marked the third victory for the Teamsters union, which has also recently organized workers…
Jul
2014 9
2014 9
Minnesota Now Has Its First Two Unionized Charter Schools. 148 to Go.
In Minnesota, union organizers are making inroads at charter schools as teachers increasingly feel they need power in numbers to affect positive change at the privatized schools. In January, teachers at the Twin Cities German Immersion School organized after minor clashes with higher-ups. And in July the teachers and staff of the…
Dec
2013 24
2013 24
If You Like Rights, Try: 30 Amazon Techs to Vote on Unionization in Delaware January 15th
A group of 30 technicians at Amazon’s Fulfillment Center in Middletown, Delaware have successfully petitioned the National Labor Relations Board to hold a union election. The petition was filed with assistance from the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAMAW) and the election will take place on January 15th in…
Dec
2013 11
2013 11
STUDY: For Women, Unionization Ensures Good Wages, Retirement Security Far More Than College
An issue brief from the Center for Economic and Policy Research has revealed the tremendous advantage unionized women have over their non-union counterparts in terms of wages and retirement security. The paper, “Women Workers and Unions,” studied women without a college degree and found those who joined a union frequently closed the…