Peoria teachers’ unity and community support made the difference in a settlement between the union and the Peoria Public Schools, leaders say. Bargaining started in March, and after 19 stymied negotiating sessions, a mediator was brought in. The third meeting with the mediator resulted in a Tentative Agreement on Sept. 15.
“I think the turning point was when we had a rally outside of the administration building/school board meeting in August,” said PFT bargaining chair Matt McCaw.
With about 90% of PFT members voting, 99% of them ratified the three-year contract on Sept. 18; the Board of Education unanimously approved the new contract on Sept. 26
Rail bargaining isn’t settled
Thirteen unions have been bargaining with major U.S. freight lines, and after involvement by Labor Secretary Marty Walsh and President Biden, a tentative agreement was reached to avert a strike. However, members of one of the unions, Machinists District 19, rejected the pact, with just 37% approving the settlement.
That proposed agreement features a 24% raise over five years, a $1,000-a-year bonus, one new paid day off and improved hearing benefits.
Machinists’ negotiators bargained additional achievements including a joint study on overtime, overtime meal options and forced overtime.
Meanwhile, picketing of freight yards from coast to coast organized by Rail Labor for Coordinated Bargaining in 2025 and endorsed by the grassroots Railroad Workers United (RWU) occurred on Sept. 21.
“These are the most favorable conditions ever, so they’re willing to fight, and they’re not done yet,” said RWU co-chair Ross Grooters. “They’re fighting for an adequate quality of life.”
About 115,000 railroad workers have worked beyond the 2019 expiration of their previous contract.
To finalize a new contract, each of the 13 unions’ members must approve the proposed contract, otherwise, a work stoppage remains possible after a 60-day “cooling-off” period, Dec. 9.
Teamsters launch Amazon division, rally at Amazon HQ
About 1,000 members of the Teamsters union and allies last month assembled outside Amazon’s headquarters in Seattle to show solidarity with Amazon workers and to denounce the corporation’s “union-busting tactics and dangerous labor practices.”
“Amazon should be afraid — the Teamsters are here standing shoulder-to-shoulder with so many communities demanding change,” said Sean M. O’Brien, president of the 1.2 million-member Teamsters union, which recently launched its Amazon division to support workers at the giant e-retailer.
“The Teamsters aren’t going away,” he continued. “Wherever Amazon abuses workers, we’ll be there. Amazon will not bust unions and get away with it. Amazon will not churn and burn American workers and get away with it. This corrupt corporate giant must answer to the Teamsters now, and we’re ready for the fight.”
UAW joins BlueGreen alliance
The United Auto Workers have a history of environmental and political activism, and the union recently joined the BlueGreen Alliance, the coalition of unions and green groups that for years has pushed the cause of unionists building “green” factories and projects.
Co-founded by the Steelworkers, The Alliance repeatedly makes the point that going green, especially in rehabbing and retrofitting buildings and in erecting “green” industrial plants, can produce many more union jobs than exist in fossil-fuel industries, and create “a clean, prosperous and equitable economy,” in UAW’s words.
Minnesota hospitals force 15,000 nurses to strike. Little progress on staffing, patient safety and adequate pay forced thousands of members of the Minnesota Nurses Association/National Nurses United to strike Sept. 12-15 at 16 hospitals – the largest private-sector nurses strike in U.S. history.
“Right now, 15,000 nurses oppose the corporatization of health care in Minnesota at the hands of hospital executives, as clinics and hospitals are closed, nurses are short-staffed, and patients are overcharged,” MNA added.
NLRB says workers can wear union goods at work
The National Labor Relations Board in September in a 3-2 vote, ruled for the United Auto Workers, which wanted workers to be able to wear UAW buttons, patches and other items with the union insignia at Elon Musk’s Fremont, Calif., Tesla auto plant, where electric vehicles are produced.
“Any attempt to restrict the wearing of union clothing or insignia is presumptively unlawful and x –consistent with Supreme Court precedent – an employer has a heightened burden to justify attempts to limit this important right,” said Board Chair Lauren McFerran.
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