Here’s what workers in the Southern U.S. and her Colonies were up to from October 20-27:
The employer filed for a union election after a majority of the 21 workers at Starbucks in Atlanta, GA showed support for unionization with Starbucks Workers United
6 workers at Lincare Inc in Wheeling, WV filed for a union election with the Teamsters, Chauffeurs, Warehousemen & Helpers Union Local 67
3 workers at Johnson Controls in Springfield, Mo filed for a union election the United Association of Journeymen and Apprentices of the Plumbing and Pipe Fitting Industry Local 669, the Road Sprinkler Fitters Local
4 Workers at CMI Management in Quantico Base, VA filed for a union election with the International Union of Operating Engineers (IUOE) Local 99
72 workers at CenterPoint Energy in Byram, MS filed for a union election with UA Local 619
36 workers at Patriot Plumbing in Winchester, KY filed for a union election with UA Local 452
14 firefighters at L3 Harris Technologies in Greenville, TX filed for a union election with the United Automobile, Aerospace, & Agricultural Implement Workers of America (UAW) Local 967
The employer filed for a union election after a majority of the 23 workers at a Starbucks in Denton, TX showed support for unionization with Starbucks Workers United
11 workers at Grantmakers for Effective Organizations in Washingotn DC filed for a union election with the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 1199
11 security guards at Garda World Cash Services in North Charleston, SC filed for a union election with the Security, Police, and Fire Professionals of America (SPFPA) International Union
Anti-union workers at Blackhawk Mining LLC, Glancy Surface Mine in Wharton, WV filed a petition to decertify to United Mine Workers of America (UMWA) Local 1503 as the union representing the 88 workers there
2 workers at the Fedex Office in Austin, TX filed for a union election with the Lone Star Labor Education Union (never heard of them)
Anti-union workers at Valero Services in West Memphis, AR withdrew their petition to decertify the United Steel Workers (USW) International Union as the union representing the 7 workers there
2 workers at Childrens National Hospital in Washington, DC withdrew their petition for a union election the the DC Nurses Association
8 workers at L&W Supply Corporation in Karns, TN withdrew their petition for a union election with the Teamsters Local 519, and this happening only one week before the election was scheduled for.
27 workers at Swissport Fueling in Fort Myers, FL withdrew their request to amend the bargaining unit
Anti-union workers at Max Finkelstein LLC in Winchester, VA filed a petition to decertify the Retail, Wholesale, and Department Store Union (RWDSU) as the union representing the 500+ warehouse employees and drivers there, and before getting to the election the union filed a disclaimer of interest with the NLRB, in which in “waives and disclaims any right to represent the employees.” It seems like the union thought the election was heading to a pretty overwhelming no vote, but a shame to see the surrender nevertheless.
6 workers at Given Glass and Glazing in South Charleston, WV voted to decertify the International Union of Painters and Allied Trades (IUPAT) District 53 as the union representing them
81 workers at Pepsi Beverages North America in Collierville, TN voted to keep the Teamsters Local 667 as their union in a decertification election
8 workers at Sysco Louisville in Louisville, KY voted in favor of unionization with the General Drivers, Warehousemen, and Helpers Local 89
9 workers at SSM Health Saint Louis University Hospital in Saint Louis, MO voted in favor of unionization with SEIU Missouri/Kansas Division
9 workers st Blue Sprocket Pressing in Harrisonburg, VA voted in favor of unionization with the Teamsters Local 29
329 workers at Lockheed Martin in Lexington, KY voted in favor of unionization 156-133 with the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAMAW)
Union Rights for Security Officers won a run off election after none of the 3 unions vying to represent 67 security guards at Centerra Group in Washington DC got a majority in the first round in August
600 workers for the City of Richmond voted in favor of unionization with the Teamsters Local 322 – the first time any union has represented Richmond workers. Collective bargaining for public sector workers was previously illegal in VA until 2021.
The NLRB found that the National Audubon Society has violated labor laws during negotiations with its union employees, represented by the Bird Union – CWA by refusing to bargain over mandatory subjects of bargaining, unilaterally imposing changes, denying union members benefits given to nonunion employees, and failing to disclose relevant financial information to the union. Negotiations have been going on for 18 months.
Amazon Teamsters extend their strike from California to Georgia
Memphis soy protein production workers with Bakery, Confectionary, Tobacco workers and Grain Millers International Union (BCTGM) Local 390G have been on strike since June – last week they took their strike to New York to the headquarters of their company, International Flavors and Fragrances in coordination with the New York City Labor council that brought out several unions in support.
4,000 UAW members at Mack Trucks continue their strike – UAW President Shawn Fain said that after members voted down the contract, the company just wanted to rearrange the deck chairs and get a revote. This is something that has happened in the past when both union leadership and the company feel like the membership is ahead of their skies, including in the UAW I’m sad to say, but Shawn Fain made clear that those days were over and the union will require real movement before taking a deal back to the membership.
Shangrila dispensary workers with United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 655 in Columbia, MO are still on strike – they began in May.
Three Brothers Coffee workers with UFCW 1995 in Nashville, TN have been on strike since June
A bill was introduced in Congress last week by Adam Schiff, AOC, and Donald Norcross to make striking workers eligible for unemployment insurance nationwide
Receivers of billions of dollars in public money from the CHIPS Act have nevertheless been found to have very exploitative labor practices – that’s why last week a community coalition sent an open letter to CEOs of beneficiary companies calling on them to uphold the standards recommended in the Act.
From the Alabama Reflector: The end of the COVID emergency will mean a 15% cut in the Alabama Department of Human Resources’ (DHR) funding in the current fiscal year, due to declines in federal funding.
After an election complaint was filed in the officer elections for the Machinists District Lodge 19, the DOL has now ordered a rerun of the election, date TBD.
Palestine was reportedly a hot topic at the national AFLCIO executive council meeting last week, reportedly dominated by a 30-minute anti-Israel monologue from the president of the American Postal Workers Union, who described himself as an “anti-Zionist Jew.”
The presidents of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, the Laborers International Union of North America, and the International Union of Operating Engineers signed a national tri-trade solar agreement governing the construction of utility-scale solar projects, making it easier for developers, contractors, and unions to bring critical renewable energy generation online to power America’s communities.
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