Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner’s anti-union rhetoric and resolve will be tested in the leadup to June 30th, the date that a contract with 38,000 state employees expires and a statewide strike or lockout could ensue. Contentious negotiations between the Rauner administration and the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) have come to a near standstill, but the governor does not seem to mind. He intends to make good on his campaign promise to “accept a strike or lockout if that’s what it took to win concessions from state workers on their contract.” Democratic leaders and union representatives continue to attempt to negotiate, but Rauner is poised for a final showdown.
Union organizers are upping the pressure on fast food restaurants to raise their wages by promising a nationwide strike on April 15 – tax day – symbolic because they say employees should be paid at least $15 an hour.
Electrical and communications workers have been on strike for two weeks following an unsuccessful contract negotiation. The dispute centers around a phone company's hedge fund owners who remain intractable. "...[W]e're negotiating with wolves of Wall Street."
Rogue owners took control of Market Basket supermarkets in New England because the former CEO treated his workers too fairly. They wanted to squeeze every little dime out of it. Workers and customers alike were having none of it.
As of midnight on August 2nd, the six-year contract between FairPoint Communications, 1,700 International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) members, and 300 Communications Workers of America (CWA) workers expired. This is somewhat surprising, considering the unions have had a whopping 65 proposals rejected by management. They also say FairPoint has used some heavy-handed tactics throughout the process.
A few weeks ago, the beloved CEO of Market Basket Arthur T. Demoulas was fired in the latest of the “seemingly never-ending soap opera of a feud with his rival cousin and shareholder Arthur S. Demoulas.” Market Basket employees are now putting their jobs on the line, to stand with Artie T.
The contract that keeps thousands of dockworkers on the job at West Coast ports from San Diego to Seattle is expiring, but don't expect a disruption in the billions of dollars of trade that crosses the waterfront — at least not yet. As talks drag out, jitters will grow among the companies that last year imported or exported nearly $900 billion worth of cargo across the West Coast.
After three strikes and countless hours of dialogue with executives, Target's janitors have been given unprecedented rights in a new Responsible Contractor Policy.
Striking Vermont bus drivers have garnered the support of their community in Chittendon County. The drivers have faced the brunt of cutbacks, being forced to work inordinately long shifts without overtime or extra pay. Management wants business-friendly arbitrators to intervene, but the drivers are holding the line fast.
With management resisting any attempt a fair negotiation, the Bay Area's BART transit system unions are preparing to strike. Rebuffed after multiple concessions, there are few options left to the workers.
