Here’s what workers in the US South and the colonies were up to from February 16th to February 23rd:
NEW CAMPAIGNS
A supermajority of journalists at the San Antonio Express-News are requesting voluntary recognition for their unionization with the San Antonio NewsGuild
The employer filed for a union election after a majority of the 17 workers at Packer Transport in Clinton, TN filed a petition to hold a union election with, probably the Teamsters since the employees are school bus drivers and the Teamsters have been on a roll organizing those types of workers, but the NLRB doesn’t say
Workers likely pushed by their employer filed a petition to decertify the Washington-Baltimore News Guild CWA Local 32035 as the union representing 7 workers at The Daily Progress in Charlottesville, VA
4 workers at the Ceasar Chavez Foundation in Austin, TX filed a petition to hold a union election with Lone Star Labor Education
6 workers at Wells Fargo in Apopka, FL filed for a union election with the Communication Workers of America (CWA)
3 workers at Marty Cancila Collision Center in Florissant, MO filed a petition to hold a union election with the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAMAW)
Workers at 21 different starbucks locations filed a petition to hold a union election in the largest single day for petition filings since the campaign kicked off a couple years ago, including at the following locations in the South:
2 in Denton, TX, although one of those was later withdrawn
Christiansburg, VA
Little Rock, AR
Sulphur, LA
13 workers at Louisiana Fair Housing Action Center in New Orleans, LA filed a petition to hold a union election with the United Auto Workers (UAW) Local 3230
17 workers at Prosolar systems in Christiansted, VI filed a petition to hold a union election with the United Steel Workers (USW) Local 8526
The employer filed a petition to hold a union election after a majority of the 2 workers at Teavee Oil & Gas in Winfield, WV demonstrated support for unionization with USW Local 628-04
The employer filed a petition to hold a union election after a majority of the 5 workers at Union Oil & Gas in Winfield, WV demonstrated support for unionization USW Local 628-04
CAMPAIGN UPDATES
Ahead of its annual March shareholder meeting, the AFL-CIO’s Strategic Organizing Center built a presentation for shareholders arguing that Starbucks’ response to the union efforts have hurt shareholder value. They further argue in favor of replacing 3 board members with more worker-friendly candidates
As the union campaign at Delta rolls on, 145 members of Congress wrote a letter demanding neutrality from the company, with the notable absence of any Georgia official. Georgia congressperson and member of the Congressional Labor Caucus Hank Johnson has said he is “neutral” on the campaign.
As the UAW is continuing their historic campaign to organize non union southern and electric car manufacturing workers, they announced a commitment to spend $40 million over the next two years on the campaign
The UAW also announced a new solidarity project to support organizing efforts and build solidarity with workers in Mexico
ELECTION RESULTS
2 workers at Consolidated Nuclear Security in Amarillo, TX withdrew their petition for a union election with the Metal Trades Council of Amarillo Local 306 (affiliated with IAM & OPEIU)
47 workers at the Texas Tribune withdrew their petition to hold a union election after winning voluntary recognition
99 workers at Monongolia Emergency Medical Services in Morgantown, WV voted 49 to 23 in favor of unionization with the International Association of EMTs and Paramedics (IAEP), an SEIU affiliate
85 workers at the Southern Electric Corporation of Mississippi voted
4 workers at Lee County Electric Cooperative in North Ft Myers, FL voted 3 to 1 in favor of unionization with the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 1933
11 workers at Coqui del Mar in Adjuntas, PR voted 6 to 5 in favor of unionization with the Coqui Del Mar Workers Union
16 workers at West Virginia University Hospitals in Morgantown, WV voted 10 to 6 in favor of unionization with the Laborers International Union of North America (LIUNA) Local 814
STRIKES & BARGAINING
A recent decision by the International Trade Commission to not impose tariffs on tin has some USW members in WV concerned about the future of their jobs after Cleveland-Cliffs announced they would shutter the plant indefinitely. USW Local 2911 President Mark Glyptis said he will be fighting to get solutions from DC for his 1000 members
Housekeepers at University of North Carolina are calling on the university to end paid parking for workers
Hundreds of ATU Local 689 workers are on strike against Fairfax Connectur in Virginia
Management of WAMU, American University Radio, and NPR member station, announced their intent to lay off 15 workers and News Guild members, as well as shut down the DCist, a newsletter run by the station. The President of the New Guild encouraged the General Manager of the station to reverse course or resign.
UAW Local 862 and Ford avoided a strike last week after Ford addressed the concerns of the workers at the Kentucky Truck Plant
The NBA’s Washington Wizards and the NHL’s Washington Capitals were proposing moves from DC to Northern Virginia, but are facing opposition from unions in Northern Virginia, with Virginia Diamond, Northern Virginia AFL-CIO President, saying “there’s been no interest at all on the part of this developer to consider signing agreements that would protect the rights of workers.”
POLICY, POLITICS, AND LEGISLATION
A bill that would allow 14 and 15 year old Alabama children who are failing school to get jobs without authorization from the school or their parents made it out of a Senate committee without Democratic opposition last week
In West Virginia, a similar bill passed the House of Delegates
New legislation proposed in Florida to build on the anti-union bill that passed last year has made it out of House Committee. The bill could make it easier to decertify some bargaining units while also granting more exemptions to others.
A joint venture to build a battery manufacturing plant between Ford and SK in Kentucky is facing struggles, as workers report mold, sickness, and grueling hours
Tennesse Senate Democrats proposed, and Tennessee Republicans rejected, legislation that would cap insulin at $35/month, import drugs from Canada, provide medical debt relief for Tennesseans, and exclude medical bills from credit reports
Kentucky Teamsters are advocating against a state house bill that would legalize driverless trucks in Kentucky with little to no oversight
CWA is supporting legislation that would increase penalties for assaulting a utility worker in Georgia
The Teamsters donated $45,000 to the Republican National Committee in January, days before Sean O’Brien’s meeting with Trump, newly public records have confirmed
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