Tag: Strike

Commentary: Public Sector Unions Are a Growing Threat to Taxpayers

RealClearWire

Following the resolution of the six-week United Auto Workers strike last month and the ensuing glut of news coverage, one could be forgiven for believing that private sector unions were experiencing a generational comeback the likes of which haven’t been seen since their halcyon days of the 1950s.

The reality, however, couldn’t be further from the truth: union participation in the private sector is now a tiny sliver of the overall employment picture in the United States. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the unionization rate of private-sector workers currently sits below 6% at just under 7 million workers nationwide – down from 17 million in 1950.

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UAW Expands Strike Against GM Hours After Reaching Deal with Rival Stellantis and Ford

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The United Auto Workers (UAW) union on Saturday expanded its strike against General Motors (GM) after it reached an agreement with its competitors on Wednesday and Saturday, the union confirmed in an X post.

The UAW and Stellantis (formerly Chrysler) reached a deal similar to the four-year agreement reached on Wednesday between Ford and the UAW, which provides a 25 percent pay increase and cost of living adjustments, as well as the ability to strike over plant closures. It was expected that GM would also make a deal with the union after Stellantis on Saturday, but instead employees at a Tennessee GM factory received orders to expand the company’s strike, the local union posted on X.

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Report: Ford, United Auto Workers Reach Tentative Deal to End Strike

Just the News

The United Auto Workers union and Ford Motor Company have reached a tentative deal to end the ongoing strike, pending approval from union leaders.

The ongoing strike has thus far lasted nearly six weeks. Exact terms of the agreement remain unclear, though the final deal could be announced as early as Wednesday evening, CNBC reported, citing sources familiar with the talks.

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Auto Workers Union Just Shut Down Ford’s Biggest and Most Profitable Plant

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The United Auto Workers (UAW) unexpectedly walked off the job Wednesday evening at the largest Ford plant in an escalation of its strike against major automakers.

Around 8,700 UAW members walked off the job at 6:30 p.m. ET at Ford’s Kentucky Truck Plant in Louisville yesterday in a previously unannounced move, completely shutting down the plant, according to an announcement from the UAW. The new strike location comes as UAW workers are already striking at 43 other plants at the Big Three automakers — Ford, General Motors and Stellantis — across the U.S. in a strike that started after contract negotiations failed to reach a deal before their Sept. 14 deadline.

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Electric Vehicles Are Costing Auto Manufacturers Billions While Union Strikes Take Their Toll

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by Nick Pope   Electric vehicle (EV) production is costing most American automobile manufacturers billions of dollars, with a range of factors driving their unprofitability as unionized auto workers are striking to demand more from management. Companies like Rivian, Ford and General Motors (GM) are currently losing money on each EV that they sell, while Stellantis appears likely to lose money up front on their EVs when they bring them to market in 2024, according to numerous reports. Rivian has struggled immensely, according to The Wall Street Journal, and the “Big Three” carmakers are facing down the ongoing United Auto Workers (UAW) strike, with the union making demands that threaten to push costs even higher. The UAW is seeking to exact major concessions, with EVs featuring as a key driver of the labor dispute. Prior to the strike, the average UAW worker in Grass Lake, Michigan, made about $45,000 per year, according to data from ZipRecruiter. The UAW is seeking a 36 percent pay bump over the course of a four-year contract, yearly cost-of-living adjustments, restoration of pre-bailout pension benefits for all of its employees, increased protections to ensure job security, limits on the use of temporary workers and a 32-hour work week, according to CBS…

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Ohio Ford Workers Brace for Layoffs as Strike Continues

The Center Square

More than 300 striking auto workers at Ford’s Brook Park plant are preparing today for layoffs as the United Auto Workers strike against the nation’s Big Three automakers continues.

The UAW Local 1250 on its website told laid-off workers to register for strike assistance pay and Ohio unemployment benefits. About 370 total workers are expected to be impacted by the lay-off.

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UAW Strike Costs Billions in Losses with No End in Sight

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The United Auto Workers (UAW) strike has caused billions in economic damage and could further harm supply chains and local economies as the union and automakers fail to reach a deal.

The UAW has been undergoing a partial strike against the Big Three automakers — Ford, General Motors and Stellantis — which most recently expanded to a total of 43 locations after negotiations failed to reach a contract by the Sept. 14 deadline, already causing $3.95 billion in economic losses as of Tuesday, according to the Anderson Economic Group. The strike could be devastating to the Big Three’s market position, and stoppages could have greater effects downstream as supply chains are unable to move and local economies suffer, according to experts who spoke with the Daily Caller News Foundation.

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UAW Announces New Strike at GM and Ford Plants

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The United Auto Workers (UAW) announced that they would be expanding their targeted strike to more manufacturing plants at noon on Friday following a failure to reach a new contract with automakers.

UAW announced that 7,000 more workers at two plants will join the strike at just Ford and General Motors, sparing Stellantis, as negotiations over new contracts continue to fail to reach a resolution, according to a UAW livestream Friday. The union last announced an expansion on Sept. 22 from just three plants to 41 across the U.S., with the new plants being split between Stellantis and GM, sparing Ford of more strikes after saying that the company had been more willing to cooperate in negotiations.

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Worker Freedom Group: There Are Protections for Auto Workers Who Don’t Want to Strike

M.D. Kittle
Striking UAW workers

As Big Labor-bought President Joe Biden made his trip to Detroit on Tuesday for a photo-op stop on the United Auto Workers (UAW) picket lines, a worker freedom organization reminded those swept up in the UAW action that there are protections for workers who don’t want to strike. Nearly two weeks in, the UAW strike against Detroit’s “Big Three” automakers has grown to include 38 parts distribution plants in 21 states and more than 18,000 workers walking off the job. The union is targeting facilities and, at this point, is not calling its 145,000-plus auto workers to strike. A Reuters/Ipsos poll last week found 58 percent of respondents support the striking workers in general. “There may not be anyone who agrees with us right now, but I think if this [strike] goes as long as we think it might, there may be people who say, ‘I just can’t afford’ [the strike],’” said Mark Mix, president of the National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation. Every work stoppage has employees who don’t follow the union line, in this case, demands for a 40 percent wage hike, a 32-hour workweek at full 40-hour pay, and retirement and health plan enhancers. The powerful…

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UAW Announces Massive Expansion of Strike Against Major Automakers

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The United Auto Workers (UAW) announced on Friday that more workers will go on strike as the union and automakers continue to be unable to reach a deal.

The union announced that 38 new plants across the U.S. will join the partial strike at noon against the Big Three automakers as negotiations continue to fail to produce a new contract for the 146,000 workers, with strikes expanding against GM and Stellantis but not Ford, as the company has cooperated more than the others, according to the UAW announcement. The UAW first announced its partial strike on Sept. 14, striking at three plants: GM’s plant in Wentzville, Missouri; Ford’s plant in Wayne, Michigan; and Stellantis’ Jeep plant in Toledo, Ohio.

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Neil W. McCabe: Trump’s Decision to Skip the Second Debate and Go to Michigan Has Democrats ‘Freaking Out’

Tennessee Star Staff

National political reporter Neil W. McCabe shares his insights and political acumen as a new week in presidential politics unfolds on Wednesday’s episode of The Tennessee Star Report. Host Michael Patrick Leahy, along with all-star panelists Crom Carmichael and Carol Swain join in to discuss Donald Trump’s latest decision to skip the second debate and instead, go to the striking UAW auto workers – and sending Michigan Democrats into a tizzy.  TRANSCRIPT Michael Patrick Leahy: 7:20 a.m. – in-studio, original all-star panelist, Crom Carmichael; all-star panelist, Carol Swain. On the newsmaker line right now, the best national political correspondent in the country, our good friend, Neil W. McCabe. Neil, good morning. Neil W. McCabe: Hey, Michael, Crom, Carol, good to be with you. Michael Patrick Leahy: So we have some counterprogramming going on again from Donald J. Trump. We had the Tucker Carlson interview in the first debate of the Munchkins, and now there’s going to be a second debate at the Reagan Library Donald Trump is not going to go there. Tell us where he’s going to go and why. Neil W. McCabe: I’ll tell you, Donald Trump is brilliant. He is a showman and he is going…

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House Dem Predicts Biden Will Intervene to Stop Strike Against Big Three Automakers

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A House Democrat predicted Tuesday on an episode of Bloomberg’s podcast “Sound On” that President Joe Biden would intervene to avoid a major auto industry strike.

The United Auto Workers (UAW) is currently in negotiations with the Big Three automakers — Ford, General Motors and Stellantis — over employment contracts for unionized workers that are set to expire on Sept. 14. Virginia Democratic Rep. Don Beyer told “Sound On” host Joe Mathieu that he believes that Biden will prevent a strike between the Big Three and UAW by intervening in negotiations, citing past interventions in union negotiations.

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Major Auto Union Authorizes Strike for 150,000 Workers

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The United Auto Workers (UAW) union authorized a strike on Friday in negotiations with major automakers, according to the union.

The union voted 97% in favor of a strike for its 150,000 autoworkers as negotiations continue with the Big Three automakers, which include Ford, General Motors and Stellantis, according to a union press release. The union is demanding wage increases to counter inflation, defined benefit pensions, retiree healthcare, the elimination of tiers for wages and benefits among other demands.

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UPS Unionized Workers Vote to Authorize a Strike

Just the News

As contract negotiations continue, UPS workers who are part of the Teamsters union voted overwhelmingly to organize a strike that could start as soon as the beginning of August. 

The union wants better pay, elimination of surveillance cameras in the trucks and more full time jobs, according to CBS News. To bolster their case, the Teamsters point to record profits for UPS in 2022, saying the company paid out more that $8 billion in shareholder dividends. 

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Virginia Employees of Federally-Contracted Call Center Go on Strike

The Center Square

Hundreds of employees of the country’s largest federally-contracted call center went on strike in Virginia last week to protest claims of “unfair layoffs,” poor pay, lack of career advancement opportunities and racial inequality in the workplace.

Maximus is contracted with the Department of Health and Human Services to supply call center services for the federally-mandated health care marketplace, Medicaid and Medicare enrollees, and the CDC-INFO line. Maximus employees handle millions of calls on behalf of HHS every year.

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Parent Groups ‘Fed Up’ with Striking Los Angeles Unions ‘Using Kids as Pawns’

Susan Berry, PhD

Parent groups in California and those specifically in Los Angeles are enraged that tens of thousands of staff and teachers of the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) went out on strike Tuesday, demanding higher pay and increased staffing in district schools.

“Parents are fed up with LAUSD unions using kids as pawns in contract negotiations,” tweeted Parent Union (CPC), a coalition of parents, parent groups, education reform advocates and community leaders dedicated to advancing meaningful education policies, accountability and choice in California’s K-12 education system.” 

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Rail Workers Reject New Contracts, Reviving Strike Fears After Biden Took Credit for Ending Dispute

Just the News

A major rail-worker union having rejected a Biden administration-backed labor contract has reignited concerns about a strike that could worsen the county’s ongoing supply chain issues and fuel inflation that has already reached record highs, in part over a scarcity of goods. 

The Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employees Division of the Teamsters on Monday rejected the tentative contract in large part over a lack of paid sick days, union President Tony Cardell said.

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Columbus Teachers Start School Year on Picket Lines

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Students in Ohio’s largest school district will begin classes Wednesday remotely after teachers rejected a final contract offer and voted to strike late Sunday night.

Columbus Education Association teachers were on the picket line at several school buildings Monday morning, the first day teachers were scheduled to report, after 94% of its members voted to strike for the first time since 1975.

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Columbus Schools, Teachers at Impasse; Strike Vote Scheduled Sunday

The Center Square

Teachers in Ohio’s largest school district are prepared to continue negotiations over the weekend but have scheduled a Sunday meeting for a vote on a potential strike.

After 12 hours of negotiating Thursday, the Columbus City Board of Education made what it called its final contract offer, which teachers called substantially unchanged from their most recent.

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Ohio’s Largest School District Gives 10-Day Strike Notice

The Center Square

A little more than two weeks from the first day of school for students, teachers in Ohio’s largest school district voted late Thursday night to authorize a 10-day strike notice.

With contract negotiations stalled, the Columbus Education Association voted to give its strike notice. This allows it to file that notice with the State Employment Relations Board at any time. Students are scheduled to start school Aug. 24.

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Kellogg’s Employees Agree to New Contract Ending over Two Month Long Strike

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The roughly 1,400 striking Kellogg’s workers ended a 10-week strike and voted in favor of a new labor contract with the cereal giant, multiple sources reported.

“Our striking members at Kellogg’s ready-to-eat cereal production facilities courageously stood their ground and sacrificed so much in order to achieve a fair contract,” Anthony Shelton, the president of the workers’ union, the Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers International Union, said in a statement, The New York Times reported. “This agreement makes gains and does not include any concessions.”

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Kellogg Workers Vote to End Strike After Two Months

Morgan Nicole Veysey
Kelloggs Warehouse

The Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers International Union, and Kellogg Company have met at a tentative agreement. Both the BCTGM and the Kellogg Company said that they would also meet at the end of the week to further discuss a resolution. 

Anthony Shelton, president of the BCTGM, said in the organization’s news release, “I want to thank and commend all of the members of the bargaining committee for their many, many hours of extremely hard work to reach this tentative agreement. As always in our Union, the members will have the final say on the contract.”

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John Deere Strike Poses Problems for Georgia Farmers

The Center Square
John Deere tractor in a field

Georgia farmers already weathering crop shortages from a deep freeze during the spring could face another challenge this harvest season, according to the Georgia Farm Bureau.

More than 10,000 John Deere workers are on strike at 14 plants across the nation, including in Grovetown, near Augusta. Farmers have reported having a hard time finding parts for tractors and planters, and the sale of some tractors is on hold amid negotiations between union workers and John Deere.

A spokesperson for United Automobile, Aerospace and Agricultural Implement Workers of America (UAW), Brian Rothenberg, said Thursday negotiations with the company were “ongoing.” Workers are demanding more pay and better benefits. Some workers told Farm Journal Magazine the strike could go on until the end of the year. It is reportedly the largest private-sector strike in two years.

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Police Union Boss Urges Chicago Police Officers to Defy Mayor’s Vaccine Mandate

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A Chicago police union boss has instructed officers to defy the city’s upcoming COVID-19 vaccination reporting mandate, and predicted that at least half of the police force could be taken off the streets, this weekend.

Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot announced in August a directive ordering city workers to report their vaccination status by Friday, October 15.

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Commentary: How Unions Could Save America

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The general perception within Conservatism, Inc. and libertarian circles is that collective bargaining is a violation of the right of the individual to seek work without being compelled to join a union. That sounds good in principle, but there’s much more to the story.

A few years ago, the workers at a local grocery store chain in California went on strike. The reason they voted to strike was that management had implemented a new policy whereby most of the employees, including full-time career workers, had their hours reduced to fewer than 25 hours per week. At the same time, these employees had their health coverage taken away.

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Truckers Plan ‘Stop the Wheels’ Shutdown in Protest of Joe Biden’s Plans for Fracking Ban, Green New Deal

Jason M. Reynolds

If you notice store shelves that are empty of toilet paper and canned food again, it may be because of a truckers’ shutdown and not the Chinese coronavirus.

Truckers have been taking to social media to try to organize a “Stop The Wheels 2020” shutdown in protest of Joe Biden’s plans for the Green New Deal and a fracking ban in the event he assumes the presidency.

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More Than 900 Metro Nashville Teachers Stage Second Consecutive Sick Out Day to Protest Three Percent Raise

Jason M. Reynolds

  Hundreds of Metro Nashville teachers on Monday called out sick for the second day in a row to protest the size of their promised pay increase. WKRN reported that at least 906 teachers were absent Monday. A Metro Nashville Public Schools official told the station that reasons included personal and family illness, professional and personal leave and bereavement. The totals included 86 teachers from McGavock High School, WKRN said. On Friday, a total of 1,093 teachers and over 400 staff members from at least 18 schools were reported to have called out, The Tennessee Star reported. A total of 125 of McGavock’s 141 teachers stayed home Friday. The Nashville Scene reported that Friday’s sick out estimate has since been revised down to 960 teachers and 400 staff. Metro Nashville Mayor David Briley is proposing a 3 percent raise for educators, but that is not setting well with them. Educators, along with the school board, are demanding a 10 percent increase. Monday’s sick out forced the 9th grade college field trip at Hillsboro High School to be canceled. NewsChannel 5 said. One Twitter account that has been involved in the sick outs indicated that educators would return to their classrooms today.…

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Is a Teacher Strike Looming in Tennessee?

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Teachers’ strikes in Arizona, Kentucky, Oklahoma and West Virginia last year, as well as a walkout in Denver last month, have raised questions about whether Tennessee teachers might pursue a similar course. Now, a new activist group seeking to encourage teachers to engage in a work stoppage in Tennessee, has some policy makers wondering whether a teacher strike could happen sooner rather than later. In fact, the Tennessee Education Report, run by liberal Democrat activist Andy Spears, appears to be encouraging a teacher strike in the state with four recent “calls for action.” Teacher strikes have been illegal in Tennessee since 1978, but they are also unlawful in other states where teachers walked off their jobs. Teachers in Tennessee who participated in a strike would be subject to discipline, up to and including the loss of their jobs. Last year, when the prospects of a teachers’ strike in Tennessee arose, Tennessee Education Association (TEA) lobbyist Jim Wrye dismissed the threat posed by Tennessee law saying that if a large number of teachers walk off the job “you can’t fire everybody.” One of the activists promoting the strike agenda is also not dissuaded by the letter of the law. “They aren’t…

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Denver Teachers Strike Over Pay

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Denver teachers went on strike Monday after failing to reach a deal with administrators on pay. The school district said schools will remain open during the strike and will be staffed by administrators and substitute teachers. However, the district has canceled classes for 5,000 preschool children because it doesn’t have the staff to take care of them. Teachers started picketing before the start of the school day and students crossed through the picket lines on their way to class in some locations. At a press conference Monday morning, union leaders expressed frustration at failed talks to reach a deal over the weekend. Union president Henry Roman said teachers were committed to reaching a deal but said that both sides needed a cooling off period. Another negotiation session is expected Tuesday. “They need us. They need our labor, they need our minds, they need our talents to really make it happen,” lead union negotiator Rob Gould said. The main sticking points in the talks over a contract governing Denver’s incentive pay system, which started over a year ago, are lowering bonuses to put more money in teachers’ base pay and how to allow teachers to advance in pay based on education…

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Slate Magazine Green Lights a Strike by its Own Employees

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by Tim Pearce   The editorial workers and writers at the online publication Slate Magazine voted overwhelmingly to allow Slate employees to strike Tuesday. The final vote was 52 to one. Representatives from the Writers Guild of America – East, Slate employees’ union, and company officials are in talks discussing employees’ demands and the timeline of a potential walkout, Bloomberg reported. Union negotiators are pushing for stronger diversity policies and pay and benefits raises equivalent to cost of living increases. Slate employees are also pushing magazine management to ditch a “right to work” policy of allowing employees to opt out of paying union dues if they do not belong to the union. Most crucially, our unit continues to be outraged by management’s inclusion of a right-to-work clause, a technique designed to degrade the legitimacy of our union. Read more: https://t.co/hWCfbfvl9f — Slate Union (@SlateUnion) December 11, 2018 “We just feel that it’s a total and absolute betrayal of Slate’s most fundamental values,” Slate writer Mark Joseph Stern, who is a part of the union’s bargaining committee, told Bloomberg. The Supreme Court ruled on June 27, 2018, that forcing non-union members in public sector jobs to pay for union representation is a violation of the right to free…

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