Here’s what workers in the US South and the colonies were up to from January 24 to 31
New Campaigns
- The employer filed a petition to hold a union election after a majority of the 200 workers at Le Diplomate in Washington DC demonstrated support for unionization with UNITE HERE Local 25 – this restaurant appears to have joined St Anselm and Pastis in rejecting voluntary recognition. Still no petitions at Rasiki or Modena, where workers have also requested voluntary recognition. The workers are organizing rallies and marches to pressure the companies
- 18 workers at Starbucks in St Louis, MO filed a petition to hold a union election with Starbucks Workers United, as did 22 workers at another location in Katy, TX
- 150 workers at Transdev Services in Dallas, TX filed a petition to hold a union election with the Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) Local 1338
- 4 workers at Swartz Pipeline in Olympia, KY filed a petition to hold a union election with the United Association of Journeymen and Apprentices of the Plumbing and Pipe Fitting Industry (UA) Local 798
- 15 workers at the Richmond Electricians’ Joint Apprenticeship Training Committee in Richmond, VA filed a petition for a union election with the IAMAW
- 46 workers at KR Contracting in Washington, DC filed a petition to hold a union election with the United Government Security Officers of America (UGSOA) Local 337
- 19 workers at Johnson Controls Fire Protection in North Little Rock, AR filed a petition to hold a union election with the UA’s Road Sprinkler Fitter Local 669
- 81 workers at Newport Healthcare in Leesburg, VA filed a petition to hold a union election with a union called “Union WOLF 703”
- Workers likely pushed by their employer filed a petition to decertify the International Union of Operating Engineers (IUOE) Local 101 as the union representing 5 workers at Martin Mariette Materials in Greenwood, MO
- 29 workers at Boise Cascade in Pompano Beach, FL filed a petition to hold a union election with the Teamsters Local 769
- 5 workers at King & George in Ft Myers, FL filed a petition to hold a union election with the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 177
- Workers likely pushed by their employer filed a petition to decertify the National Association of Broadcast Employees and Technicians (NABET-CWA) at Kansas City PBS in Kansas City, MO
Campaign Updates
- The International Association of Machinists (IAM), Association of Flight Attendants (AFA-CWA), and the Teamsters have had a long, ongoing campaign to organize ramp workers, flight attendants, and mechanics respectively at Delta Airlines. The IAM is reporting that they and the AFA are “getting close” to filing for a union election
Election Results
- 24 workers at REI in Greensboro, NC voted in favor of unionization with the Retail Wholesale and Department Store Union (RWDSU)
- Workers at Siemens USA in Ft Worth, TX voted 197 to 29 in favor of unionization with IBEW Local 220
- 270 workers at Southern Glazers Wine and Spirits in Lakeland, FL voted in favor of unionization with the Teamsters Local 79, as did 40 workers at the Louisville, KY location with Local 783
- 20 workers at Vestis Services in Vinton, VA voted 7 to 0 in favor of unionization with the Teamsters Local 171
- 11 workers at AEP Texas in Corpus Christi, TX voted unanimously in favor of unionization with IBEW Local 738
- 240 workers at Laboratory Corporation of America in Tucker, GA filed a petition to hold a union election with the United Food and Commercial Workers Union (UFCW), but the petition was withdrawn within the same week
- Workers likely pushed by their employer filed a petition to decertify the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAMAW) Local 219 as the union representing 18 workers at Lockheed Martin in Lexington-Fayette, KY, but this petition was withdrawn in the same week
- 10 workers at Northwood Health Systems in New Martinsville, WV voted 3 to 7 against unionization with the Northwood Workers Union, an independent union
- 15 workers at Wayne Farms in Enterprise, AL withdrew their petition for a union election with the IAMAW
- 19 workers at the American Red Cross in Tulsa, OK withdrew their petition for a union election with UFCW Local 1000
- 8 workers at Dominion Energy SC in North Charleston, SC withdrew their petition for a union election with the IBEW Local 398
- 41 security guards at Defense Contracting Activity and Paragon Systems as joint employers in Durham, NC voted 35 to 0 in favor of unionization with the Security Officers Association of RTP
- 9 workers at OQ Chemicals Corporation in Bay City, TX voted 1 to 8 against unionization with IUOE Local 564
- 1 worker at Rancho Operator in Florissant, MO withdrew their petition for a union election with SEIU Healthcare Missouri Kansas
- 32 security guards at Inter-Con Security Systems in Washington DC voted in a multi union election: 15 votes for the International Union of Security, Police, and Fire Professionals of America (SPFPA), 0 votes for National Association of Special Police and Security Officers (NASPSO), and 0 votes for no union
Settlements, Grievances, & Unfair Labor Practices
- UNITE HERE Local 737 in Orlando, FL is ramping up pressure on a Disney Springs restaurant to rehire an employee fired for union activity
Strikes & Bargaining
- The National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC) voted overwhelmingly to reject a tentative agreement with the postal service. In response, Build a Fighting NALC (BFN), a reform caucus within the union, put out a statement saying that the “result is a victory for our union, and a rejection of the current national leadership and its approach.” Further, BFN is calling on the national union to work with local unions to organize contract rallies to build support for a strong contract. Mike Caref, National Business Agent for the NALC and candidate for president in 2026, has a survey on his website encouraging carriers to share their reasons for voting no. He is also planning a march in Washington DC to demand a fair contract on March 23rd.
- Starbucks and Starbucks Workers United announced in a joint statement that both parties have agreed to bring in a mediator to assist the parties in reaching a “framework for single store contracts.” Michelle Eisen says that “going back to bargaining with a professional mediator involved is a positive step forward toward winning fair contracts for union baristas”
- The Teamsters say they have reached a tentative agreement on a new contract with Costco to cover their 18,000 members, narrowly avoiding a strike by only hours. The TA will be sent to a members for a ratification vote. Additionally, the company announced a raise to $30/hr for most employees at non-union stores, undoubtedly tied to the gains the Teamsters likely won in the new agreement.
- Workers at the University of North Carolina, unionized with UE Local 150, delivered a petition with 2300 signatures to the Chancellor to demand a raise in the minimum wage on campus to $25/hr, raise grad worker stipends to $40k/yr, and to meet and confer with the union over changes in working conditions
- The Trump administration sent an email encouraging most federal workers to resign by February 6th, kicking off lots of discussion about the fact that this is likely not even legal. Further, the administration has been issuing a significant amount of firings of federal workers perceived to be in conflict with the ideology of the new administration, including workers in the US foreign aid office. The HR director at USAID alleged that some such firings in his office violated the law, and informed the agency and DOGE (which is who was instructing him to carry out these firings) that he would not comply. He sent an email to his employees informing them that he would likely be fired as a result of his actions. Federal unions have cautioned their members against accepting the deal. And although air traffic controllers were initially sent the offer, their eligibility has been revoked. The postal service was always exempt
- Following the ostensible buyout, an email was sent to probationary employees that reads like a thinly veiled threat of mass layoffs
- Responding to the closure of DEIA offices and firing of personnel, AFGE has stated that “the directive to review employment practices must comply with existing CBAs. If agencies attempt to implement changes that conflict with CBAs, locals should notify their Districts, Councils, and AFGE National. Locals are encouraged to comply and then file a grievance to uphold the negotiated terms.”
- The IBEW joins other rail unions in reaching a tentative agreement with the rail careers, following an emerging pattern. This one also includes an 18.77% pay raise over 5 years. The TA will be sent to the members for a vote
- 50 Richmond, VA janitors, unionized with the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 32BJ went on strike over their employers failure to reach a fair contract with them
- IUE-CWA members kicked off a contract campaign at GE Aerospace in Dallas, TX, calling on the company to invest in their workforce and their plants
- Last year, 750 rail mechanics, unionized with the International Association of Machinists (IAM) District Lodge 19 voted down a tentative agreement. Last week, the union reached another deal, that they say builds on the one that was voted down. This new TA will go back to the membership for a ratification vote
- JetBlue pilots, unionized with the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA) have been in contract negotiations with the company since April of 2024, and renewed calls for a fair contract following the company’s fourth quarter earnings call
Political & Legislative
- In an expected move, Trump fired the General Counsel of the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) – Jennifer Abruzzo. Biden did the same thing to Peter Robb, the general counsel for the NLRB for Trump’s first term. The General Counsel is responsible for deciding which cases the board takes up. In an unexpected move, something that has never happened in the history of the country’s nearly 100 year old labor relations regime, and one which directly violates the National Labor Relations Act, Trump dismissed a sitting member of the NLRB – Gwynne Wilcox. This removal means the board can’t meet, because it doesn’t have quorum, so it can’t decide cases. He cited concerns that he felt the two are “unfair” to employers in his email dismissing them. Matt Bruenig notes that the “author (of the email) is not very familiar with the NLRB, Wilcox, or Abruzzo. It refers to both Abruzzo and Wilcox as “Members of the National Labor Relations Board” multiple times. Only Wilcox is a Board member. Abruzzo is the General Counsel. It also refers to Wilcox and Abruzzo as “Commissioners” multiple times. There is no commissioner role at the NLRB”
- Saturday morning, Trump also fired Jessica Rutter, another Biden appointee, who had been serving as acting General Counsel in Abruzzo’s absence
- In response to the firing of Wilcox and the OPM memo encouraging resignation, the union representing workers at the NLRB condemned the actions, ending with a meme saying “Resign? FORK-GET ABOUT IT”
- Donald Trump issued another executive order saying “[union contracts] executed in the 30 days prior to the inauguration of a new President, and that purport to remain in effect despite the inauguration of a new President and administration, shall not be approved” (although its important to note, as Bloomberg labor reporter Josh Eidelson does, that the order “does not purport to invalidate fully-approved collective bargaining deals reached in Biden’s final weeks It just tells agency heads not to approve any that were still pending approval..and restricts them from signing union deals in the weeks after the 2028 election)
- Several unions put out statements condemning grant freezes from the Trump administration, explaining the harm it will cause to their members
- Teachers unions have responded forcefully to Trump’s attacks on public education
- The Business Manager for IBEW Local 508 in Savannah, GA has an op-ed out in the Savannah Morning News cautioning Congress and the Trump administration against killing investments in clean energy, particularly given the massive amount of jobs they have created in Georgia
- Ted Cruz introduced legislation to abolish the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
- A bipartisan resolution – House Resolution 70 – was introduced in the US House meant to signal opposition to any privatization attempts was introduced last week, with support from the NALC
- Florida officials are willing to spend $500M to support immigration enforcement, and yet only spend $2M enforcing child labor laws
- Thanks to the UAW’s big contract win in 2023, GM workers will get to share in GM’s record profits with a record profit sharing check of $14,500
- In November, New Orleans, LA voters passed a Workers Bill of Rights overwhelmingly – Sarah Jaffe talked to residents and organizers about what this means for the city for In These Times
- The largest nurses union in the US – National Nurses United – released a statement explaining its opposition to the confirmation of RFK Jr to Secretary of Health and Human Services
- The Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) Local 1546 has been in contract negotiations with Baton Rouge, LA’s Capital Area Transit System. Following the union accusing management of bad faith bargaining, members voted to authorize a strike if necessary
- The Tampa Bay Times reports that Duke Energy is requesting the Trump administration roll back pollution regulations
- Several Alabama groups signed on to a letter to the congressional delegation encouraging them not to renew Trump’s tax cuts for the wealthy
- In some good Alabama news – it is one of only two states where 4th graders exceeded pre-pandemic scores in reading and math, with the states students climbing up the rankings significantly, moving from 52nd to 33rd in fourth grade reading, and From 49th to 31st in fourth grade math
- In 2023, at least 100 minors had to leave the state of Texas to get abortions, including at least 6 under the age of 12
- Alabama’s Attorney General Steve Marshall is pressuring Costco to end its DEI program
- Several entertainment unions are excited about the introduction of a bill to allow more entertainment workers to deduct work related expenses
- Members of the United Campus Workers (UCW-CWA) lobbied the Virginia legislature for collective bargaining rights for college employees
- Trump also DEI for a crash at the DCA airport (despite the fact that the program Trump has been calling out existed in his first administration too). Instead, what is much more likely to be found to be the cause is understaffing. Already it has been confirmed the air traffic controller was doing a job that is supposed to be done by two people. It’s probably worth noting that the head of the FAA was pushed out by Elon Musk without having a replacement.
- Speaking of DEI, the Defense Intelligence Agency has said they are pausing DEI observances such as Martin Luther King Jr Day and Juneteenth
- Alabama politicians claimed that pro-immigrant protests in Albertville, AL are “unacceptable.” Lt Governor Ainsworth said they “breaking our laws by simply being here”
Internal Union Affairs
- In extremely depressing news, union density declined yet again in 2024, finally hitting the dreaded single digits. Today, only 9.9% of US workers are union members. The AFL-CIO tried to put on a brave face in their release on the numbers, but Hamilton Nolan had a much more realistic take on his substack, that this sucks, and something has to change
- Speaking of needing to organize, Jacobin had a good piece about how the south is unorganized – not backward