I have been a member of NPEU for almost 20 years. It was always a rank-and-file-led union ... until recently. I'm part of NPEU Members for a Democratic Union so we can return NPEU to being as democratic as possible.
PEN America purports to be about supporting intellectual freedom and defending writers around the world. But in practice, they are a unionbusting outfit. They offered voluntary recognition to their union, only to turn around and drag their feet on negotiating and bringing in union avoidance consultants and promoting nonunion employees. And they refuse to pay their employees a living wage. Don't send them money. #1uhttps://portside.org/2024-05-05/workers-say-pen-america-slow-walking-union-negotiations
The National Association of Letter Carriers has engaged in union/management partnership for far too long, to the point where rank and file members are shut out of contract negotiations and not even allowed to vote. If we are to dig the Postal Service out of its hole, we need a union that will fight for its members, not cozy up to the likes of Trump swamp creature Louis DeJoy. #1uhttps://labornotes.org/blogs/2024/04/momentum-open-bargaining-grows-letter-carriers
"Just in Time" delivery systems have been shown to be a colossal failure. Productivity collapsed, especially after the Great Recession. Now, Amazon's dense delivery systems are upending that model, but they are vulnerable to strikes. Which is why the bosses are running scared these days. #1uhttps://labornotes.org/2024/05/end-lean-production-and-whats-ahead
A mine manager in #NewYork has pleaded guilty to manslaughter charges and will serve six months in prison and five years probation after he overrode safety features on a damaged crane, causing the death of a worker. If Amazon doesn't start treating its workers like human beings, maybe a little jail time could come in handy for certain bosses. #1uhttps://www.dol.gov/newsroom/releases/sol/sol20240419
Last month, workers at the Barnes & Noble at 82nd Street in #NewYorkCity overwhelmingly voted to unionize. Six other Barnes & Noble stores have unionized and one at Barnes & Noble Education (a separate entity). McNally Jackson, Goods for the Study, Greenlight Bookstore, and Book Culture have also unionized. #Books#1uhttps://www.rwdsu.org/news/bnuwswin
“Volkswagen workers in Chattanooga, Tenn., passed a historic vote to join the United Auto Workers on Friday, becoming the first Southern auto factory to approve a union with an election since the 1940s.”
Heading home early from Labor Notes. Thanks to the organizers and speakers for a remarkable weekend, and thanks to everyone I met for the conversations. (And if you picked up a copy of YOU DESERVE A TECH UNION, thank you for that too.)
Head’s full, heart’s on fire. Can’t wait for the next LN 💖
"The entire Democratic Party would be much healthier, a much better place, if labor was running it. Labor is too weak to do that right now. But we know, for example, even academic studies show that being in unions makes white workers less racist, essentially. It promotes equality, it promotes economic equality, it promotes gender equality, it helps to stop discrimination"
Eric Adams is not a Democrat. He is trying to steer retired teachers from #Medicare into Medicare Advantage, which does not offer the same benefits and which is hard to get out of. He is doing so with the help of the teachers' union. Now, a group of teachers are campaigning against it and challenging the leadership. No more union/management partnerships. Unions have to be independent of management. #1u#NewYorkCityhttps://nysfocus.com/2024/02/26/medicare-advantage-uft-retiree-advocate
Rivian, which is owned by Amazon, is laying off 10% of its workforce. That is not the only problem. Workers are paid 2/3 of what they made when Mitsubishi owned the plant, there is no union, and injuries are rampant. Ambulances are called there all the time. #1uhttps://perfectunion.us/ev-factory-jobs-are-worse-than-you-think/
The NLRB finds SpaceX guilty of illegally firing workers who engaged in federally protected activities; in response, SpaceX files a lawsuit arguing that the NLRB’s enforcement mechanisms are unconstitutional.
the whole thing would be hilariously tim curry bellows at sky dot gif, if it wasn’t so horrifying