The Postal Workers union and its supporters last month held mass rallies in Springfield and other cities coast to coast, demanding respect, a new contract and public input into Postal Service decisions.
Key points in negotiations are short-staffing, management stiffing the public — and the union — and no progress in contract talks.
“For too long, postal workers have been stretched thin, making miracles happen in understaffed facilities,” APWU said. “This has taken a toll on our health, our safety, and our ability to provide the service the public deserves.”
Short-staffing leads to worse service. For instance, on-time delivery in northern Illinois, from Chicago to the Quad Cities, is 69%, according to USPS’ own data.
The union and USPS customers have complained since Louis DeJoy — a major Republican donor with no Post Office experiences whose first campaign contribution was to racist Sen. Jesse Helms (R-N.C.) — was appointed Postmaster General by Donald Trump.
The USPS is a service, APWU stresses, so “the Postal Service needs to listen to and heed the overwhelming voices of Postal Workers on the job and at the bargaining table, as well as the needs of the American people.”
Machinists on strike at Molson-Coors in Milwaukee. Last month, the Machinists went on strike at Molson Coors Beverage Company in Milwaukee after rejecting the company’s “final offer.”
Top issues include the need for work-life balance — Molson-Coors insists on an alternate work schedule and other concessions that undermine members’ flexibility — and concerns about low wages that don’t keep up with inflation and aren’t on par with the compensation of other trades at the corporation.
“The courageous members of (Machinists) Local 66 and Local 510 are taking a stand and using their collective power and solidarity to preserve good family-sustaining jobs that build our Wisconsin middle class,” said Stephanie Bloomingdale, president of the Wisconsin State AFL-CIO. “We urge Molson-Coors to negotiate in good faith to reach a mutually beneficial contract.”
Teamsters’ O’Brien pushed no endorsement, leading to grassroots actions, Hoffa outburst. When the Teamsters international’s general board voted 13-to-3 to affirm union president Sean O’Brien’s preference for no endorsement for Kamala Harris, O’Brien cited a poll he claimed showed members supported Trump over Harris by a 27% margin. But he never explained the poll’s methodology.
However, within hours, some of those 13 said their regional Councils were endorsing Harris, and within 24 hours, regions and locals representing more than 500,000 Teamsters voiced their support for Harris.
In Illinois — where Teamsters Joint Council 25 endorsed Harris — spokesman Pasquale Gianni blasted Trump, saying, “His appointees and policies were very much anti-union.”
And former Teamsters President James Hoffa said the union failing to endorse a presidential candidate for the first time in 30 years was a mistake, commenting, “This election is too important for our union to not do its duty. We must take a stand for working Americans. There is only one candidate in this race that has supported working families and unions throughout their career, and that is Vice President Kamala Harris.”
SEIU reaches agreement with University of Illinois. After a week-long strike at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, food and building service workers represented by Service Employees Local 73 this week reached a Tentative Agreement with the university.
“The tentative agreement is consistent with our mutual goal of providing attractive wages in line with the market and making our campus a desirable place to work,” said Robin Kaler, UIUC’s Associate Chancellor for Strategic Communications and Marketing.
Shedd Aquarium workers petition to unionize with AFSCME. In October, workers at Shedd Aquarium in Chicago filed a petition to unionize with the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Council 31, and demanded that management recognize the union, Shedd Workers United.
Organizers filed for union representation with the National Labor Relations Board after a “strong majority” of employees signed union authorization cards.
“We love this institution. But incredible colleagues leave because they are burned out and used up,” said Rachel Berey-Wingate, who works in Shedd’s public-engagement department.
Due to Shedd’s inadequate sick leave, workers have been disciplined when they’re ill and miss work, added Berey-Wingate, who’s on the organizing committee.
“What we want is for Shedd Aquarium — an institution focused on sustainability for marine life — to place an equal focus on making this a sustainable place to work,” she said.
Shedd workers went public with their organizing campaign in April. Nationwide, AFSCME represents more cultural workers at museums and similar institutions than any other union — about 35,000.
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