Here’s what workers in the US South and the colonies were up to between Friday, November 21 and Friday, November 28
New Campaigns
Due to the government having been shut down for more than a month, this is the first time we have NLRB filings in a long time, so we can’t go over everything on the radio. Subscribe to the newsletter to get the very long list of new campaigns and election results!
3,000 ground workers at JetBlue nationwide filed a petition to hold a union election with the International Association of Machinists (IAM)
Amazon Transportation Operations Management (TOM) Team drivers in Shepherdsville, KY announced they are unionizing with the Teamsters by marching on the boss. Organizing with the Teamsters Local 89, the union says they are the first CDL workers to organize at Amazon
120 workers at Canfor Southern Pine in DeRidder, LA filed a petition to hold a union election with Carpenters Local 301
20 workers at Starbucks in Little Rock, AR filed a petition to hold a union election with Starbucks Workers United, as did 24 at a location in Harrisonburg, VA
25 workers at Spire Energy in Hattiesburg, MS filed a petition to hold a union election with the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 605
52 workers at Pine Hill Rehabilitation and Wellness in Birmingham, AL filed a petition to hold a union election with the Retail, Wholesale, and Department Store Union (RWDSU) (Sharp readers will remember a 52 person nursing home employer in Birmingham where workers sought to organize with RWDSU in the last round-up we did before the government shutdown. That petition – which was for “North Hill Nursing and Rehabilitation Center” has been withdrawn. My guess is that the union put the wrong employer name on the filing and had to re-file)
244 workers at United Natural Foods Inc in Lancaster, TX filed a petition to hold a union election with the Teamsters Local 745
518 workers at Bering Straits Native Corporation in El Paso, TX filed a petition to hold a union election with the Teamsters Local 745
150 workers at Heatec in Chattanooga, TN filed a petition to hold a union election with the International Brotherhood of Boilermakers (IBB)
8 workers at RMC in Perryville, MO filed a petition to hold a union election with the Teamsters Local 600
26 workers at Rural Electric Cooperative in Lindsay, OK filed a petition to hold a union election with the IBEW Local 1002
15 workers at Kaldi’s Coffee Roasting Company, Inc. in Saint Louis, MO filed a petition to hold a union election with UNITE HERE Local 74
3 workers at Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, a division of the Robert W. Woodruff Center, in Atlanta, GA filed a petition to hold a union election with the American Federation of Musicians, Atlanta Local 148-462, but workers withdrew the petition shortly after
9 workers at CenterPoint Energy in Fort Worth, TX filed a petition to hold a union election with IBEW Local 220
15 workers at JWEMC Communications in Trinity, AL filed a petition to hold a union election with the IBEW Local 558 but later withdrew the petition
4 workers at EMCOR Government Services in Winchester, VA filed a petition to hold a union election with International Union of Operating Engineers (IUOE) Local 99
2 workers at RECO Equipment in Louisville, KY filed a petition to hold a union election with IUOE Local 181
10 workers at RMC in Sainte Genevieve, MO filed a petition to hold a union election with Teamsters Local 600
8 workers at EML in Washington, DC filed a petition to hold a union election with IUOE Local 99
5 workers at Amentum in Ft Eustis, VA filed a petition to hold a union election with the Teamsters Local 822
7 workers at Windstream Kentucky East in Calver City, KY filed a petition to hold a union election with IBEW Local 463
The employer filed a petition to hold a union election after a majority of workers at Mygrant Glass Company in Little Rock, AR demonstrated support for unionization with a union that appears to be called “B062 UNITED”
3 workers at Amberwood Estates Nursing and Rehabilitation in St Louis, MO filed a petition to hold a union election with SEIU Healthcare Missouri-Kansas, but later withdrew the petition
27 workers at ABM Building Services in Alexandria, VA filed a petition to hold a union election with United Association of Plumbers and Pipefitters (UA) Local 602
5 workers at RATP-Dev USA, Inc. in Asheville, NC filed a petition to hold a union election with the Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) Local 128
18 workers at Republic National Distributing Company in Chesapeake, VA filed a petition to hold a union election with the “Liquor, Wine Sales Representatives, Warehousemen, Clerical, Distillery, Rectifying, Tire, Plastic and Allied Workers Union Local 3.” A quick google search reveals this union to be sketchy at least, and it’s strange seeing workers at Republic organize with this union rather than the Teamsters, which has been organizing lots of Republic shops recently
15 workers at Honey Bucket in McDonough, GA filed a petition to hold a union election with the Teamsters Local 728
21 workers at Comanche County Electric Cooperative Association in Comanche, OK filed a petition to hold a union election with IBEW Local 220
14 workers at Luminant Generation Company LLC in Tatum, TX filed a petition to hold a union election with IBEW Local 2337
32 workers at Golden SVCS in Washington, DC filed a petition to hold a union election with the Security, Police, and Fire Professionals of America (SPFPA)
The employer filed a petition for a union election after a majority of the 10 workers at Duke Energy Progress in Garner, NC demonstrated support for unionization with the IBEW
39 security guards at Allied Universal in Washington, DC filed a petition to hold a union election with the United Government Security Officers of America, but later withdrew the petition
Workers at several workplaces likely pushed by their employers filed decertification petitions affecting the following bargaining units:
110 workers at Parsec in Jacksonville, FL – currently represented by Teamsters Local 512. The petition was filed by a National Right to Work Foundation Attornery. I believe these workers are the same ones that organized only a year ago. Friend of the show McKenna Schueler wrote about the campaign here
48 workers at Hyatt Vacation Ownership in Dorado, PR – currently represented by UNITE HERE Local 610, but the regional director closed this case, presumably due to insufficient signatures
30 workers at Penske Truck Leasing in Dallas, TX currently represented by the Teamsters Local 745. The petition was filed by a National Right to Work Foundation Attorney
85 workers at MBM Logistics in Orlando, FL currently represented by the Teamsters Local 385. These workers also unionized only a year ago, and also just ratified their first union contract (details below). Because they just ratified the contract, unless the petition was filed before the contract was ratified, this petition will likely be thrown out
139 workers at Kinetic in Gainesville, FL currently represented by the Communication Workers of America (CWA) Local 3174
6 workers at Ethyl Corporation in Pasadena, TX – currently represented by the United Steel Workers (USW) Local 227. The petition was filed by a National Right to Work Foundation Attorney
36 workers at Amrize Mid-Atlantic in Harpers Ferry, WV – currently represented by IBB. The petition was filed by a National Right to Work Foundation Attorney
13 workers at Cemex in Port Charlotte, FL – currently represented by the Teamsters Local 79, but the regional director closed this case, presumably due to insufficient signatures
Election Results
550 workers at Sanderson Farms in Hammond, LA voted 242 to 134 in favor of maintaining their unionization with the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW)
177 workers at M1 Support Services in Norfolk, VA voted in favor of unionization with the IAMAW
250 security guards at Chenega Global Protection in Atlanta, GA voted in favor of unionization with the United Government Security Officers of America Local 334, leaving the SPFPA
21 workers at the BBC in Washington, DC voted 9 to 2 in favor of unionization with the IBEW Local 120
42 workers at the House of Blues in Houston, TX withdrew their petition for a union election with the International Alliance of Theatrical and Stage Employees (IATSE) Local 51 – presumably because they already won their election during the government shutdown with a third party, as previously reported in our round-up
19 workers at Institute for Women’s Policy Research in Washington, DC withdrew their petition for a union election with the International Union of Painters and Allied Trades (IUPAT) Local 1937
An NLRB Regional Director closed a decertification petition, presumably due to lack of signatures, meaning 10 workers at BFS Group in Louisville, KY will maintain their unionization with the Teamsters Local 89
380 workers at Genesis Logistics in Stafford, VA withdrew their petition for a union election with the Teamsters Local 322
13 workers at Starbucks in Madisonville, KY voted 6 to 6 in an election with Starbucks Workers United, and ties go to the employer
60 workers at New Fortress Energy in San Juan, PR voted 25 to 33 against unionization with the USW
17 security guards for Allied Universal Security Services in Washington, DC voted 10 to 3 in favor of unionization with Union Rights for Security Officers, leaving Protective Service Officers United
78 security guards at Intercon Security Systems in Washington, DC voted 17 to 4 in favor of unionization with Union Rights for Security Officers
Strikes & Bargaining
Hundreds of workers – unionized with the International Association of Machinists (IAM) Local 2789 – at John Deere in Augusta, GA ratified a new four year union contract. The union says this is the strongest contract they’ve secured with the company in 20 years, and includes an 11% general wage increase, a $3,000 ratification bonus, more vacation days, no insurance premium increases, and more
Spirit Airlines is coming out of bankruptcy, and they are requesting that workers take it on the chin to help the company. The Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA) – which represents over 3,000 pilots at the company – and the Association of Flight Attendants (AFA-CWA) – which represents over 5,000 flight attendants at the company – have both tentatively agreed to temporary wage cuts. The pilots hourly pay will be cut by 8% and their retirement contributions will be cut from 16% to 8% total. Their pay will be restored with a 4% raise in August of 2028 and another 4% in January 2029, and retirement contributions will be restored in January 2029 as well. The AFA-CWA has agreed to reduce overtime pay and eliminate ground holding pay, and the company will restore the original terms of the contract once they hit a 7% or higher pre-tax margin in three consecutive quarters. The company executives are also taking a pay cut, to be no less than the pilots accept, although they did just hire a new CEO who got a $4M bonus this month. The agreements have to be ratified by the membership
The Recall Injustice Campaign – made up of several southern labor and environmental groups – released a letter to Hyundai-Kia calling on the company to negotiate a community benefits agreement with Southern communities to address issues such as child labor, prison labor, and low wages in their supply chain. Members of the coalition delivered the letter directly to executives at the LA auto show
Allegiant Air pilots, unionized with Teamsters Local 2118, will hold a nationwide picket on Nov. 18, at 10 a.m. local time to demand a fair contract and an end to ongoing negotiation delays. There will be 6 pickets in Florida
135 workers at Refresco beverage company in Ft Worth, TX – members of the Teamsters Local 767 – ratified a new four year contract that the union says contains “substantial wage increases,” along with other improvements
100 workers at MBM Logistics in Orlando, FL – unionized with the Teamsters Local 385 – ratified their first union contract. The Teamsters say the new contract includes a “$5 hourly wage increase, fully employer paid health care at no cost to employees, expanded vacation time, and seven new paid holidays.”
Firefighters in Jackson, MS secured their first collective bargaining agreement with the city in 20 years. The new contract contains major improvements according to the union, and gives the union a say in new policies
1,100 workers at CVS in Ohio, Indiana, and Kentucky – unionized with UFCW Local 75 ratified a new four year union contract that the union says contains wage increases and safer working conditions
Political & Legislative
After allowing the government to be shut down for over a month, creating enormous hardship for millions, the Trump administration suddenly announced that it would be unveiling a new healthcare plan that more or less did what Democrats were asking for during the shut down fight. Just as suddenly, the administration walked it back, but that seems to be the only proposal on the table right now, so we’ll see what happens
Southern Business and Development magazine has said that 2025 has been the worst year since it started keeping track in the 80s for economic development activity. They say that “deal activity in the region so far in 2025 is slower than any period during the COVID years of 2020 and 2021, as well as all years during the Great Recession from 2007-2010.” For context: “In the first seven months of this year, only 171 total projects were announced in the South meeting our thresholds from January 1, 2025, to August 1, 2025” and the average seven month total over the last 30 years is 318.5.
The Trump administration is moving to reduce protections for entertainment workers under the Occupational Safety and Health Act. Specifically, they aim to exclude entertainment employers from OSHA’s “general duty clause,” which is a catch all provision covering work that doesn’t have a specific standard yet, but for which dangers are recognized and preventable. OSHA estimates this will affect over 100,000 workers. The Economic Policy Institute says that if OSHA goes through with this, the deregulation “will result in a significant increase in preventable injuries among workers and a decrease in employer accountability.”
Reuters details at least 470 individuals or organizations that have been retaliated against by the Trump administration, including hundreds of federal workers
The Protest America’s Workforce Act – which would restore collective bargaining rights for federal workers who had it stripped from them by executive order – hit 218 signatures on the discharge petition, forcing a vote on the legislation. It will likely pass the House, but it faces much longer odds in the Senate. Even if it passed there, Trump would obviously not sign it. There is a provision to restore collective bargaining rights for DOD workers in the house-passed NDAA, but its not present in the Senate version, so we’ll have to see what comes out of the conference committee.
Harris County, TX commissioners passed a countywide worksite safety policy. One of the commissioners said that every year 100 workers die on construction sites in the county. The policy has a few different prongs, but what sticks out to me is that the prime contractors will be responsible for the safety of everyone on their site and that workers themselves have the authority to stop work if there is danger
In September SMART-TD – the largest rail union in the US – came out in support of a proposed merger between Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern, a merger that many progressives and labor movement activists have opposed. Since then, more unions have followed suit. Railroad Workers United (RWU) – a cross craft caucus of rank and file railroad works – issued a statement condemning the unilateral negotiations without other unions by SMART-TD, as well as their accepting a deal for their endorsement without disclosing the contents of the deal or polling their membership on it. RWU reaffirmed their opposition to the merger
