The “Lion of Labor” in west-central Illinois, Larry Dawson, died on June 28. Dawson, 81, was a man of faith and service, and had been a Steamfitter for Local 353 for more than 60 years and was longtime president of West Central Illinois Building and Construction Trades Council.
Striking Operators settle with Illinois American. On June 29, workers represented by the International Union of Operating Engineers Local 399 returned to work after a weeks-long strike at Illinois American Water’s Peoria District. Issues had ranged from short-staffing to wages the union said were less than comparable work in the area.
During the 19-day work stoppage, bargaining resulted in an agreement the utility described as “fair, reasonable, and respectful” for the 14 workers and the jobs they handle.
High Court rules against U.S. workers in Starbucks’ NLRB case. In an 8-1 vote, the Supreme Court curbed the National Labor Relations Board’s toughest tool against labor lawbreakers: getting injunctions when traditional punishments aren’t enough to make injured workers whole. Starbucks sued the Board over its injunction against the firm for firing the “Memphis 7,” baristas fired for discussing unionizing.
The decision could make it more difficult to immediately stop alleged Unfair Labor Practices while they’re being investigated, which can take years.
Some 450 Starbucks stores are unionized, and 20 more stores’ workers are organizing, according to the union.
Meanwhile, the Court also last month ruled 6-3 that routine findings by federal experts must henceforth be determined by judges, too. That upends the 40-year-old “Chevron doctrine” that’s deferred to people with expertise to interpret appropriate actions when Congress wasn’t specific in laws. Now, some appointed federal judge could preside over suitable consequences for, say, employers breaking labor laws or safety regulations.
“The constitutionality of hundreds of statutes may now be in peril, and dozens of agencies could be stripped of their power to enforce laws enacted by Congress,” said Justice Sonia Sotomayor in her dissent.
Becky Pringle, president of the National Education Association teachers union, said the Court’s “MAGA supermajority granted themselves blanket authority to rewrite the rules in favor of the billionaires and major corporations — while leaving the American people to pay the price.”
Illinois Amazon drivers strike over Unfair Labor Practices. In July, Amazon drivers at the company’s delivery station in Skokie went on strike over the corporation’s violations of federal labor law. The 100 drivers who organized with Teamsters Local 705 in Chicago are demanding Amazon recognize their union and bargain a fair contract.
“Amazon workers around the country are organizing with the Teamsters to get the pay, safety and respect that they deserve,” said Randy Korgan, Director of the Teamsters Amazon Division. “Other warehousing and delivery Teamsters are on the picket line with them today because when workers are united, we are stronger than Amazon.”
The independent Amazon Labor Union this summer affiliated with the Teamsters.
AFL-CIO Endorses Harris for President. The day after President Biden withdrew from the presidential race, the labor federation, which represents 60 unions’ 12.5 million workers, endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris for president.
AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler described Harris as “a true partner in leading the most pro-labor administration in history. In her distinguished career in public office, she’s proven herself a principled and tenacious fighter for working people.
“From taking on Wall Street and corporate greed to leading efforts to expand affordable child care and support vulnerable workers, she’s shown that she’s on our side. With Kamala Harris in the White House, together we’ll continue to build on the powerful legacy of the Biden-Harris administration to create good union jobs, grow the labor movement and make our economy work for all of us.”
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