Here’s what workers in the US South and the colonies were up to from September 20 to October 4
New Campaigns
Nearly 3,000 workers across 18 bargaining units are in new union campaigns, and 466 workers across 3 units are in new decertification drives
35 workers at Kloeckner Metals in Charlotte, NC filed a petition to hold a union election with the United Steel Workers (USW)
13 workers at Starbucks in Norman, OK filed a petition to hold a union election with Starbucks Workers United, as did 15 more in Atlanta, GA location, 21 more in Fredericksburg, VA, 20 more in Norfolk, VA, and 15 more in Bossier City, LA
2200 workers at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, TN filed a petition to hold a union election with Vanderbilt Graduate Workers United (VGWU – UAW)
The employer filed a petition to hold a union election after a majority of the 84 workers at Faurecia Emissions Control Systems in Arlington, TX demonstrated support for unionization with the United Auto Workers (UAW)
34 workers at United Plumbing Company in Goshen, KY filed a petition to hold a union election with the United Association of Plumbers and Pipefitters (UA) Local 502
202 workers at University Medical Center New Orleans filed a petition to hold a union election with National Nurses United (NNU)
The employer filed a petition to hold a union election after a majority of the 2 workers at Nail City Painting in Wheeling, WV demonstrated support for unionization with the International Union of Painters and Allied Trades (IUPAT) District Council 53
Workers likely pushed by their employers filed a petition to decertify the National Conference of Firemen & Oilers (NCFO – SEIU) Chapter 320 as the union representing 207 workers at Cardinal Aluminum in Louisville, KY
150 workers at First Student (a school bus company) in Baton Rouge, LA filed a petition to hold a union election with the Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) Local 1546 (this could potentially start a turf war with the Teamsters, who have a national contract with the company)
14 workers at American Electric Power Texas in Pearsall, TX filed a petition to hold a union election with the International Brotherhood of electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 738, as did 12 more workers at the Eagle Pass, TX location
Workers likely pushed by their employer – along with help from the National Right to Work Foundation – filed a petition to decertify the Office and Professional Employees International Union (OPEIU) as the union representing 207 workers at Findhelp in Austin, TX
53 workers at Atlanta Gas Company in Atlanta, GA filed a petition to hold a union election with IBEW Local 1997
47 workers at Windstream Services in Sugar Land, TX filed a petition to hold a union election with the Communication Workers of America (CWA)
2 workers at United Natural Foods in Sarasota, FL filed a petition to hold a union election with the Teamsters
The employer filed a petition to hold a union election after a majority of the 16 workers at Southern Glazier’s Wine and Spirits in Farmers Branch, TX demonstrated support for unionization with the Teamsters Local 745
13 workers at Aquila Food Distribution in Mercedes, TX filed a petition to hold a union election with the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 455
22 workers at Frontier Strategies in San Antonio, TX filed a petition to hold a union election with OPEIU Local 4873
Security guards filed a petition to decertify the Security Police and Fire Professionals of America (SPFPA) as the union representing 52 guards at Defense Contracting Activity and Paragon Systems as joint employers
Campaign Updates
In July, Compass Coffee workers voted in union elections at multiple locations across DC. You’ll remember though, that the company hired dozens of new employees just before the election – including lobbyists for Uber. So the election results were not determinative due to the amount of challenged ballots. While workers wait for the NLRB to make a decision on the eligibility of certain voters, the company continues to retaliate, having fired two more workers last week. The union has set up a hardship fund to raise money for their fired members.
The Teamsters announced that they have grown the union by 50,000 in the last two and a half years since Sean O’Brien was elected to the General Presidency
Election Results
1,234 workers across 18 bargaining units are newly unionized, 153 workers in 3 unites voted against unionization, 47 workers decertified their union, and 64 workers withdrew their petition for a union election
Workers at the Monongalia County Assessor’s Office in West Virginia voted in favor of unionization with the United Mine Workers of America (UMWA), and now, the union reports that workers in other departments of the county commission have expressed interest in unionizing. The County Commission is so far not inclined to allow the workers to vote on a union election – since public sector employers in West Virginia don’t have to by law – but that was also the initial stance of the Assessor’s office.
20 workers at WLRN in South Florida withdrew their petition for a union election with SAG-AFTRA after they were voluntarily recognized by their employer
217 workers at Unity Health Care in Washington DC voted 123 to 9 in favor of unionization with the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME)
122 workers at MBM Logistics in Orlando, FL voted 60 to 47 in favor of unionization with the Teamsters Local 385
7 security guards at Securemedy in Washington DC voted 1 to 0 in favor of unionization with the National Capital Union for Security Officers (NCUFSO)
40 workers at the National Alliance of State and Territorial AIDS Directors (NASTAD) voted 26 to 3 in favor of unionization with the Washington Baltimore News Guild (WBNG – CWA) Local 32035
9 workers at BFS Group in Shelbyville, KY voted 5 to 4 in favor of unionization with the Teamsters Local 89
21 workers at Veolia Water Services of North America in Tampa, FL voted 10 to 8 in favor of unionization with the International Union of Operating Engineers (IUOE) Local 30
29 workers at Barter Theatre in Abindgon, VA voted 4 to 21 against unionization with the International Alliance of Theatrical and Stage Employees (IATSE)
20 workers at Transdev Services in West Palm Beach, FL voted 17 to 3 in favor of unionization with ATU Local 1577
16 workers at Live Nation in Aberdeen, KY voted 8 to 0 in favor of unionization with IATSE Local 17
166 workers at Breakthru Beverage in Jacksonville, FL voted in favor of unionization with the Teamsters Local 947, as did 166 workers at the Ft Myers, FL location with Teamsters Local 79, 166 more workers at the Tampa, FL location with the same local, and another 160 in Orlando
47 workers at Waste Management of Tennessee in Memphis, TN voted 40 to 4 in favor of decertifying the Teamsters Local 667 as their union
12 workers at UPS in Louisville, KY voted 5 to 7 against unionization with the Teamsters Local 89
4 workers at Kentucky Power in Pikeville, KY voted 3 to 0 in favor of unionization with IBEW Local 978
46 workers at AEP Texas in Laredo, TX voted 40 to 4 in favor of unionization with IBEW Local 738
95 workers at HMS Ferries in Ceiba, PR voted 33 to 59 against unionization with the IAMAW
17 workers at Science Applications International Corporation in Leesburg, VA voted 5 to 9 against unionization with the IAMAW
17 workers at Starbucks voted 10 to 7 in favor of unionization with Starbucks Workers United, 23 in Nashville, TN voted 17 to 1 in favor of unionization, and 14 in Alpharetta, GA voted 11 to 1 in favor of unionization
64 workers at Rivers Portsmouth Gaming in Portsmouth, VA withdrew their petition for a union election with the Teamsters Local 822
Settlements, Grievances, & Unfair Labor Practices
Workers at Hyatt Place in the Austin, TX airport voted to unionize on July 10. Since then, instead of negotiating in good faith for a first contract – the company has fired 2 workers. Bernie Sanders and Texas Congressman Greg Casar led a small delegation of political leaders and workers in confronting hotel management and telling them to respect workers rights
Strikes & Bargaining
The International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) went on strike last week and anti-worker forces in the Democratic and Republican forces really let the mask slip. AL Governor Ivey said “Big Labor” was “exploiting” Alabamians, and Florida Governor DeSantis announced intentions to bring in the national guard to do longshore work. Fortunately, thanks in part to Biden’s refusal to invoke Taft-Hartley and Acting Labor Secretary Julie Su’s interventions, but mostly to the withholding of the ILA’s labor, the companies came to their senses and offered the union a deal they could agree to, with a tentative agreement on raises of about 62% over 6 years and protections against automation
The American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Local 1624 is blasting the $218M tentative agreement the city of Austin, TX has reached with just the police union as too expensive – potentially leaving other departments to face cuts
Kansas City Tenants Union just began a rent strike against two properties, demanding rent caps, new owners, and collectively bargained leases
After authorizing a strike, the Teamsters reached a tentative agreement with Hertz – the car rental company, covering some 3,000 workers in several states including Texas. The agreement will now be put to a vote
Food workers at Sodexo Fannie Mae in Virginia with UNITE HERE Local 23 won a first contract that the union says contains higher wages, healthcare, new job rights, and more paid time off
Food workers at Aramark Georgetown Law in DC with the same union also ratified a new contract that the union states contains raises, parental leave, pension, and better language on equity
United Launch Alliance (ULA) in Decatur, AL whose machinists are unionized with the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAMAW) Local Lodge 44 successfully completed another launch, which is good news for the workers 6 months out from contract negotiations
Political & Legislative
A federal judge said that transit unions in the state of Florida must be exempt from the notoriously anti-union SB256 due to a federal law that mandates collective bargaining rights for some transit workers for states and municipalities to be able to receive federal funds
Construction of new factories in the US has hit a 50 year high thanks to investments front he CHIPS and Science Act
The International Association of Fire Fighters are touting the work their members are doing across the Southeast in response to Hurricane Helene. IBEW lineman in Alabama are similarly engaging in this kind of recovery work, for which they received probably the first positive mention of a union in the history of Yellowhammer News (a right wing rag in Alabama)
Florida’s minimum wage just increased to $13/hr, but they don’t have a Department of Labor or any other authority tasked with ensuring bosses actually follow the law
Internal Union Affairs
5,000 tradeswomen gathered in New Orleans for the 14th annual Tradeswomen Build Nations Conference, with the support of the North American Building Trades Unions (NABTU)
The Service Employees International Union (SEIU) has committed to spending $50M to organize the South over the next 6 years
