Category: USA

CTU Strike Analogy

The 2012 Chicago Teachers Union strike was the first strike in 25 years.

By Doug Cunningham

AT&T’s merger with DirecTV could bring 16,000 more workers into union ranks. AT&T, which already has 41,000 union employees, is buying DirecTV for $49 billion. The Communications Workers of America saysit believes the merger can provide real benefits to workers and to consumers. AT&T Chairman Randall Stephenson says the company has a long history of working with its union members and the DirecTV workers will be free to decide for themselves whether or not to join a union. CWA says AT&T respects the rights of its workers to decide for themselves ion union representation. Federal regulators must still approve of the merger.

The following June 11 letter was sent out to the labor movement and signed by Myles Calvey, business manager, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 2222; Rich Rogers, executive secretary-treasurer, Greater Boston Labor Council; Dumond Lewis, president, United Steelworkers Local 8751; Steven A. Tolman, president, Massachusetts State AFL-CIO; Andrew Slip, staff rep., District 4 USW; […]

This report Labor appeal for Boston school bus drivers’ union appeared first on Workers World.

By Doug Cunningham

As the White House Summit on Working families got underway Tuesday at the Omni Hotel in Washington, hundreds of working moms and grandmothers rallied and held a strike at the National Zoo. They work for contractors paid by the federal government – over 50 profitable companies that operate at landmark buildings like the Pentagon, the Smithsonian Museums, the Ronald Reagan Building and the National Zoo. The workers are  urging President Obama to go beyond his executive order raising pay four the contracted workers to at least $10.10 an hour. In a letter to Obama and Labor Secretary Tom Perez the working motherland grandmothers called on them to require contractors to bargain with the workers collectively over wages and all terms of employment. Yesenia Vega was one of the striking moms.

[Yesenia Vega]: “I went to the strike because I want to ask for me because $10.10 is not enough for me to support my family here, and because  I would like to have the benefits because we don’t have vacation paid or day off pay.”

If Obama required federal contractors to collectively bargain with their workers, the workers say it would let the whole country know that the President of the United States truly believes in collective bargaining, that workers deserve a seat at the bargaining table in order to improve their wages, benefits and working conditions.

Going to Boston to help build support for the School Bus Drivers, United Steelworkers Local 8751 was a unique and rewarding experience. Why did I go? Because Local 8751 is at a difficult juncture and needs support. For the past eight months, the union has been resisting a major austerity assault by Veolia, a French […]

This report Boston School Bus drivers’ union, supporters call for Solidarity Day III appeared first on Workers World.

By Doug Cunningham

Roughly six hundred casino workers at northern California’s Graton Resort and Casino could have a union soon. They are voting this week on whether or not to join UNITE-HERE. The Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria tribal Chair Greg Sarris is pro-union and put language into the casino’s gaming contract with the state. Sarris says he wants unions at the casino to ensure his dream of a more equitable society. Voting will continue among the 600 workers into the weekend.