Workplace Issues Today

Thousands of council workers in Glasgow, Scotland, proceeded with their plans to conduct a 48-hour strike today, closing hundreds of schools and nurseries, and affecting the availability of home care services. Museums, leisure services and libraries will remain open but cafes and cleaning services could be disrupted. At issue are approximately 12,000 claims of unequal pay, despite a job evaluation plan introduced more than a decade ago that was supposed to alleviate pay inequality. Instead, jobs that were declared to be of equal value are still being paid inequally between female-dominated and male-dominated industries. The local authority had announced in January that it planned to reach a negotiated settlement to the claims, but local unions say there have been no progress despite 21 meetings in the past 10 months. Activist group Action 4 Equality estimates that backdated claims and pay increases could eventually cost between 500 million and 1 billion euros; the council disputes that number but admits that financial challenges exist.

See 8,000 Glasgow council workers strike today to protest pay disparities; hundreds of schools closed and home care services disrupted, BBC News, BBC News, Oct 23 2018

The UK government plans to implement a scheme to address the labor abuse and slavery that is taking place at hand car washes across the country. Individuals coming from Eastern Europe to work at hand car washes are frequently subject to poor working conditions, violence, and debt bondage. Most workers at these small firms are estimated to be victims of exploitation, according to modern slavery experts. The responsible Car Wash Scheme will attempt to combat worker slavery and abuse by auditing hand car washes, recognizing those that operate legally, and increasing investment into the anti-slavery drive so that more investigations can take place.

See Kieran Guilbert, Reuters, Oct 22 2018

Three trade unions in Nigeria are threatening to continue their strikes indefinitely if the government does not make an immediate effort to meet their demands for higher wages. The minimum wage in Nigeria is currently 18,000 naira ($49.59) per month. Unions compromised with government officials to come up with a new minimum wage of 30,000 naira ($82.64). However, unions have yet to see the new minimum wage agreement become law. The unions have stated that if they do not see that the government has made progress towards increasing the minimum wage by November 6, they will go back out on strike.

See Camillus Eboh, Reuters, Oct 22 2018

A Marriott owned hotel is under investigation by the California Labor Commissioner’s office after the union, representing cleaning staff, brought numerous allegations against hotel management and its third-party staffing agency. Marriott workers in multiple cities are currently on strike. In Chicago, the company is being sued for not paying workers properly. In California, the union has made claims that Marriott is exploiting undocumented workers. Hotel management insists that the allegations being made by the union are false, and are an attempt to increase bargaining power.

See Paige Smith, Bloomberg Law, Oct 19 2018

Two senators are taking Amazon to task on work environments that prevent workers from voicing concerns as well as pursuing union activities. Amazon had recently raised its minimum wage for US workers, following a campaign spearheaded by Senator Bernie Sanders to reproach the company for low wages. Now, Senators Sanders and Elizabeth Warren are reproving the retail giant over an Amazon video that was sent to managers at Amazon’s Whole Food Markets, warning them of union organizing “signs” such as workers who mention “living wage” and “steward”, and who hand out fliers and wear union shirts. The video also stated that unions were not “in the best interest of our customers”. Under federal labor law, managers are allowed to predict what happens were workers to unionize, but they cannot make threats if they were to do so. The two senators are also bringing up reports that workers have been retaliated against when voicing concerns over low pay and stressful work environments.

See Senators criticize Amazon over possible anti-union behavior, Jeff Stein, The Washington Post, Oct 18 2018

The thousands of undocumented workers who staff Louisiana’s seafood industry not only have to contend with physically dangerous work, but many have to duck sexual harassment as well. The workers remain quiet, because the owners of large seafood processing plants located in rural areas are often on good terms with local police, and they fear being reported to the police and being deported. They also fear police brutality, reportedly common against “guest” workers. One owner threatened violence against workers if they spoke about poor working conditions. The recently formed Seafood Workers Alliance – currently comprised of hundreds of members from 15 different plants in Louisiana – is helping workers organize to address these issues by suing employers and building community alliances – particularly with the African-American community - to help workers push back when abuses occur. Some low wage employers have tried pitting African-American workers against Latino workers, saying that guest workers have come to Louisiana to take their jobs. The Alliance has built enough momentum to help reinstate seven workers who had lost their jobs, including the president of the Alliance who had lost his job when trying to convince management to raise the wages from $9 an hour to $12 an hour.

See Undocumented workers in Louisiana fish for ways to right workplace wrongs in $2 billion seafood industry, Mike Elk, The Guardian, Oct 18 2018

A UPS union wants to change part of a labor contract that was recently ratified. While 54.2% of union members who participated voted to reject the contract, the contract was ratified because less than half of the bargaining unit voted. When this occurs, the union must have two-thirds of members voting no in order to reject the agreement. Some union members are upset because they feel that this vote is not representative of their opinion of the contract. Members take issue specifically with part of the contract that will create a new class of drivers who work on the weekends for a lower starting salary. According to a Labor Education Program Director at the University of Illinois, the outlook for the union is grim- even if the union is allowed the opportunity to re-vote and the contract is rejected. The director believes that the union lacks leverage, and the employer is unlikely to make concessions regardless of whether or not the contract is ultimately ratified.

See Andrew Wallender, Bloomberg Law, Oct 17 2018

Over 8,000 council workers in Glasgow, many of them women who have never been on picket lines, are planning to strike for two days next week to protest long-standing pay disparities. The strike will affect homecare, schools, nurseries, cleaning and catering services across the country, which is estimated to be the biggest pay-related strike seen in the United Kingdom. The issue stems from a 2006 decision by the Glasgow council to introduce a job evaluation plan that would address gender pay disparities, but female workers say that it furthered discrimination because despite female-dominated jobs (such as catering and cleaning) being declared of equal value to male-dominated jobs (such as trash pickup), those positions were still paid less due to a complex system that was detrimental to people who worked split shifts and irregular hours. Critics have accused the unions of favoring male workers with labor relations disputes over female workers for decades and of only using the current pay dispute to curry favor with the current Scottish National Party administration.

See Over 8,000 council workers in Glasgow plan two-day strike to protest pay disparity, Libby Brooks , The Guardian, Oct 16 2018

The choice of CEOs to choose lightening-rod celebrities in order to market products, or who limit current product supply lines to align with personal beliefs, are altering taboos of having politics at work. Corporate managers, who have traditionally declined to choose sides on sensitive topics at work, are increasingly making their positions known. For example, Levi Strauss’s CEO, who made a $1 million donation on behalf of the company towards preventing gun violence, experienced hate mail and threats towards him and his family, with some of the angry responses coming from employees, who felt that the company’s donation was hostile towards their gun ownership rights. CEO-sourced activism has increased since 2014, when Apple CEO Tim Cook openly supported gay rights, while the then-CEO of Starbucks shared an open letter about racial tensions in the country. Since then, Nike has chosen NFL quarterback-turned-activist Colin Kaepernick to represent the brand, while Dick’s Sporting Goods has chosen to raise the age for buying a gun to 21, while also pulling assault-type guns from store shelves. Society in recent years has become increasingly polarized, enabled by social media amplifying the ability to spread passionate opinions towards influencers. Corporations who choose to be influencers may play up their partisan identities, which can impact recruitment of younger workers.

See CEOs who market activism transform politics at work, Yuki Noguchi, NPR, Oct 16 2018

The management of an Indian rock quarry has been convicted of holding employees in debt bondage, and using violence to enslave workers. In India, “bonded labor” has been banned since 1976, but remains prevalent due to poor enforcement mechanisms. Typically when survivors are rescued, their cases are not pursued by the legal system; less than 2% of these cases result in a conviction. However, the court that oversaw this specific case sentenced the employers involved to over 11 years in jail. The hope is that this strict sentence will send a message to employers, and set a new precedent for cases involving slave labor.

See Anuradha Ngaraj, Reuters, Oct 15 2018

The prime minister of Japan intends to pass a bill this year that will allow foreign workers entry into the country, in response to blue-collar labor shortages. Japan is struggling to find people to fill positions in industries such as agriculture and construction. This foreign labor policy would have separate tracks for unskilled and skilled workers, with the latter being allowed to stay in the country indefinitely. In the past, Japan has restricted immigration due to a desire to keep the population more homogeneous in order to retain cultural values. However, as employers struggle to fill positions in key industries, policy makers appear to be more open to letting immigrant workers in.

See Peter Landers, The Wall Street Journal, Oct 12 2018

The New York City teachers union and city officials have peacefully reached a tentative agreement, several months before the old contract expires. The new 43 month contract includes compounded wage increases, and financial incentives to fill openings at schools with high employee turnover rates. Critics are displeased that the deal will not address large class sizes, or the expenses related to the pool of educators who are not teaching but remain on the payroll due to school closures or disciplinary action. The contract still has to be approved by union members, however it appears that both sides are content with the agreement.

See Leslie Brody, The Wall Street Journal, Oct 12 2018

The majority of Greece's 275 tourist attractions were shuttered Thursday, potentially losing about 100 million euros in revenue as over 3,000 members of the Vafiadis union, representing cultural ministry workers, participated in a one day strike over fears that more and more of the country's prized architectural sites were being placed on the list for privatization according to the terms of bailout lenders. A superfund was created in 2016 to manage and sell state assets for the next 99 years, as part of the bailout terms the country had to accept in order to remain in the EU. The finance minister denied that architectural and heritage sites would wind up on the list, but Greece is still well short of the funds it has said it would raise from privatization in order to pay its third and final bailout; the country has the highest debt load of any EU state and received 288 billion euros in rescue loans since 2010. The cultural minister has conceded that mistakes may have been made on the list and has asked the finance minister to release the list of properties that would be exempt from privatization in order to assuage fears.

See Greek tourist sites such as the Acropolis, the Parthenon close as over 3,000 cultural ministry workers strike against privatization fears , Helena Smith, The Guardian, Oct 11 2018

Massachusetts State Police troopers have been accused of payroll fraud following a financial review conducted within the department. Troopers who are union members have negotiated a benefit that allows them to take paid time off when engaging in union activity. A colonel revealed that union members have been taking advantage of this benefit on days when they are not scheduled to be on duty. The union has stated that they are prepared to take action against the misuse of this benefit. Unfortunately, the police department is planning to eliminate the practice of paying for union positions due to union members’ abuse of a taxpayer funded benefit.

See Matt Rocheleau, The Boston Globe, Oct 10 2018

Food industry workers are turning towards non-traditional unions and organizing tactics in order to attain greater wages and working conditions. In the past, food industry workers have struggled to organize and to make gains due to public perception of their positions being temporary, and primarily held by young people. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, around 1% of food workers are union members compared to around 10% of the general workforce. Now, the IWW and the Fight for 15 have emerged as key players in this renewed movement that uses aggressive tactics, such as salting, to secure benefits for these employees.

See Teke Wiggin, Huffington Post, Oct 10 2018

The world's largest hotel chain continue to experience a multi-city work walkout as nearly 3,000 additional workers went on strike in Hawaii on Monday. Unite Here, which represents hospitality workers, said 7,700 members were on strike in seven cities, including Detroit, Boston, San Diego, San Jose, Oakland, and San Francisco, for the hotel chains Marriott, Westin, and Sheraton. About 12,000 Marriott workers are currently working without a contract, thus more strikes may be expected in the near future. A local union president in Detroit commented that the workers had gone through a wage freeze and years of minimal wage increases due to the Great Recession, and now that the economy is recovering, are expecting more from Marriott's improved profits, which were up 25% from the previous year's second quarter. Besides pay raises, the union is also seeking "panic buttons" for housekeepers, in order to prevent sexual harassment and assault, as well as better scheduling for housekeepers, whose work schedules can be erratic when guests choose to skip room cleanings for conservation.

See Marriott strike continues, expands to seven cities as 3,000 workers go on strike in Hawaii, Dave Jamieson, Huffington Post, Oct 9 2018

A British union is encouraging Uber drivers to strike on Tuesday. In recent months, Uber drivers around the world have been protesting their working conditions. Drivers in the UK plan to avoid signing into the app for 24 hours, in order to protest low fares and minimal workplace rights. Additionally, drivers plan to hold protests outside of Uber’s offices. The Independent Workers Union of Great Britain is anticipating that hundreds of drivers will participate in the upcoming strike.

See Costas Pitas, Reuters, Oct 8 2018

Approximately 30,000 Toys ‘R’ Us employees were laid off with no severance pay, following the retailer’s closure. However, some of the company’s former employees have contacted the private equity firms that funded the toy retailer, asking for financial assistance. Many former Toys ‘R’ Us employees are facing financial hardship as a result of the abrupt store closures that took place this summer. Those employees who have been in contact with investment firms, have been successful; over $20 million has been raised for a hardship fund so far. The closure of Toys ‘R’ Us has led to major criticism of private equity, which is already facing widespread condemnation.

See Michael Corkery, The New York Times, Oct 8 2018

While many employees dream of the benefits of a freelance life – flextime, flexplace, being one’s own boss – the challenges – primarily financial and administrative – can be beyond what’s imagined. Freelancers are part of the expanding contingent workforce, which is estimated to make up one-third of U.S. employees. The challenges are that an employer is no longer contributing toward Social Security, health insurance, retirement, or paid vacations; women may find putting off maternity plans due to the uncertainty of income and lack of provided paid leave. Some may find that lack of training, the complexity of meeting tax requirements, and unfamiliarity with current demand has led them to undercharge for their services, but charging more in a gig economy may not be possible in low-paying fields or where competition for services is fierce. Financial insecurity makes it difficult for independent workers to save money; only 8 percent are able to save for retirement, compared to 42 percent of those with an employer.

See Rapidly growing contingent workforce face financial challenges, complications , Yuki Noguchi , NPR, Oct 5 2018

With the apparent decline of union power evidenced by the decreasing numbers of union members and strikes per year, as well as by the enactment of right-to-work laws in five states since 2012 and the Supreme Court ruling this year against required union fees for public employees in the Janus v. American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees, the labor movement appears to be struggling against current political climates. A new book, A History of America in Ten Strikes, suggests that what unions need to do to revitalize what characterized the powerful labor movement during its heyday years after the New Deal is to re-emphasize to employees that the labor movement is more than about wage and benefit protections, but that involvement in labor movements gives workers a stronger say in societal conditions and the politics that may prevent respect and fairness.

See New book shows labor movement's history and heyday lies in appealing to more democratic conditions, David Sessions, The New Republic, Oct 4 2018

The USMCA trade deal involving Mexico and Canada, introduced on Tuesday as an update to NAFTA by President Trump, received circumspect reactions by labor leaders, who, while appreciative of the administration’s attempts to seek input and answer queries, stated that they wanted to see more specific language regarding worker protections in the final version. The sticking point for House Democrats and labor officials is that while the deal does guard the workers’ right to strike, expands the definition of the minimum wage, and addresses violent intimidation of workers, it lacks a detailed plan as to how these will be enforced. The text of the trade deal was meant to be the final version, but union presidents are hopeful that enforcement mechanisms will be implemented in the bill that Congress will use to ratify the deal; labor officials are also waiting to see whether Mexico adopts its own labor law reforms.

See Labor leaders reactions remain guarded to proposed USMCA trade deal, seek systematic plan for enforcement of worker protections, Tory Newmyer, The Washington Post, Oct 4 2018

In order to address a shortage of skilled workers, Denmark leaders have proposed a policy that would reduce work permit requirements for foreign workers from specific countries. The country’s economy has grown tremendously over the past nine years. However, this economic growth and accompanying low unemployment rates has led to a labor shortage in several fields- especially those involving construction and technology. This specific policy is unique in that it will encourage workers from outside of the EU to immigrate to Denmark, and as a result it will likely face backlash from the more exclusionist Danish People’s Party. In order for this policy to be ratified, it will have to be approved by parliament.

See Peter Levring, Bloomberg, Oct 3 2018

On Tuesday, hundreds of fast-food workers from McDonalds, Burger King, and Wendy’s gathered in Detroit to push for a $15 minimum wage and the right to union representation - blocking several lanes of traffic - and resulting in 18 people, including Rashida Tlaib, former state representative who is running for a U.S. House seat, and Abdul El-Sayed, former Democratic candidate for governor, being arrested by Detroit police for disrupting the peace. At a similar protest earlier in the day in Flint, Michigan, eight people were injured when a pickup truck plowed into the protesting workers; Democratic gubernatorial candidate Gretchen Whitmer and Flint Mayor Karen Weaver were in attendance but were unhurt. Similar protests in favor of wage increases for fast food workers are expected later this week in Chicago and Milwaukee, amongst other cities; McDonald's recently experienced large-scale walkouts protesting sexual harassment. The fast food worker protests adds to the increasing labor unrest in Michigan. On Sept. 17, University of Michigan nurses voted in favor of a three-day work stoppage to protest "…continuous violations of their workplace rights." Two days later, 98 percent of the 160 housekeepers, servers, cooks and door attendants at the Westin Book Cadillac Detroit hotel voted in favor of a strike. Last but not least, more than 160 road projects in Michigan came to a halt for nearly four weeks after heavy equipment operators stopped working.

See Arrests, injuries highlight protests of fast food workers in Michigan, Annalise Frank, Crain's Detroit Business, Oct 2 2018

The U.S. 7th Circuit Court of Appeals in Chicago has ruled unanimously that suburban Lincolnshire in northwestern Illinois does not have the right to establish a local right-to-work law. “Right-to-work” laws allow workers to opt out of paying union fees even if those workers benefit from collective bargaining. The court stated that while the National Labor Relations Act allows individual states to pass right-to-work laws, it does not allow for passing that responsibility to local governments, due to the likelihood of conflicting labor laws on the local level. The decision conflicts with a ruling made by the 6th Circuit Court of Appeals in 2016 in Kentucky, which ruled in favor of local regions being able to establish right-to-work laws. This sets up the possibility that the case may be taken to the Supreme Court for review, which the Chicago-based Liberty Justice Center intends to do. The Liberty Justice Center represented Lincolnshire and also represented Mark Janus, whose case against “fair share” union payments reached the Supreme Court and dealt a blow to unions nationally earlier this year.

See Federal appeals court reaffirms decision to deny right-to-work laws in northwestern Illinois; conflicting with a 2016 federal court ruling in Kentucky that may bring case to Supreme Court, Mitch Dudek, Chicago Sun-Times, Oct 2 2018

New contracts have been ratified at five more Chicago hotels, while ten hotels remain out on strike in hopes of securing greater benefits and work conditions. The five that recently reached an agreement include four Hilton hotels, and the Inn of Chicago. The new contracts will increase wages, benefits, and overall working conditions for hotel hospitality workers. Union representatives also report that the new agreements will allow workers to keep their health benefits, in the event that they are laid off during the winter months.

See Alexia Elejalde-Ruiz, Chicago Tribune, Oct 1 2018

The European low-cost flight service, Ryanair, has canceled hundreds of flights as workers prepare to go out on strike. The company’s CEO has a history of expressing anti-union sentiment, consequently, unions were just recently granted recognition by the airline. One of the major sources of employee discontent comes from Ryanair using foreign-employment contracts, thus subjecting workers all over Europe to Irish labor laws. This employment arrangement creates tremendous inconvenience for workers- many find it difficult to open bank accounts, purchase phone plans, and access unemployment benefits in their home countries. An additional grievance that workers will protest in the upcoming strike is the use of third party hiring services and contractors, as opposed to hiring regular flight crews.

See Cole Stangler, The Atlantic, Sep 28 2018

The Dutch furniture store, IKEA, has been accused of disrespecting its workers’ rights to collective activity. Unions have alleged that management has harmed unionization efforts in the United States, Ireland, and Portugal. The Dutch government has been asked to intervene, as the company has not taken appropriate action against the anti-union management tactics being displayed in the aforementioned countries. In light of these allegations, IKEA has stated that it complies with labor laws in all markets where it operates, and that it respects its workers’ rights to unionize.

See Anna Ringstrom, Reuters, Sep 28 2018

Amazon has reportedly sent a training video to Wholefoods Inc. explaining workplace organizing and how to prevent it. It has been claimed that the video asks managers to be aware of the “warning signs” of union activity. Staff writer of Gizmodo, Bryan Menegus, released a tweet alleging that Amazon included the statement “Unions are lying, cheating rats” in its video. As a response, an Amazon spokesperson says that the company stands behind its video claiming that the company only wants to better engage its employees and better train its managers.

See Erin Corbett, Fortune, Sep 27 2018

Harvard’s newly formed graduate student union is preparing to vote on a long list of bargaining objectives. The list addresses a wide variety of issues- ranging from childcare to international student protections. Some of these goals include negotiating free tuition, lower housing costs, and greater health coverage. The union is also seeking to establish a formal third-party grievance procedure. Union negotiators hope to begin bargaining with the university before the end of the semester.

See Shera S. Avi-Yonah and Molly C. McCafferty, The Harvard Crimson, Sep 26 2018

Amidst an NLRB investigation into Tesla’s alleged labor law violations, emails have been uncovered that suggest that management was employing anti-union tactics. Gaby Toledano, who recently stepped down from her position as “chief people officer,” suggested in an email to Tesla CEO, Elon Musk, that key union advocates be offered positions as full-time safety staff. Toledano also wrote that she would consult with the Tesla legal team to guarantee that the full-time safety staff would be considered managers. Promoting union advocates to management positions would prohibit those individuals from supporting union organizing activities. Tesla continues to deny the allegations that the NLRB has brought against the company.

See Josh Eidelson, Bloomberg, Sep 26 2018

Labor unions in Argentina staged a nationwide strike on Tuesday to protest the declining value of the peso, one of the world’s highest inflation rates, and reduction measures ordered by President Mauricio Macri, including decreasing subsidies on utility rates, layoffs of state workers, new taxes on exports, and the elimination of several ministries. The strike grounded flights, crippled bus and train lines and closed the main agricultural port. Many hospitals provided only emergency services, garbage wasn’t picked up, and many stores and banks didn’t open. President Macri initiated market-friendly changes in 2015 that received praise from investors, but which have also caused labor unrest in a country with traditionally strong state benefits.

See Argentina’s workers strike to protest economic crisis, snarling essential services, Luis Andres Henao, The Associated Press, Sep 25 2018

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) filed a lawsuit against Walmart Inc. on Friday, claiming that the Walmart did not accommodate pregnancy-related medical restrictions, and denied pregnant workers' requests for unpaid leave. The Pregnancy Discrimination Act of 1978 prohibits workplace discrimination against pregnant women; in 2015 the Supreme Court also ruled that the act addressed the need to provide the same type of accommodations to pregnant employees as it does similarly disabled workers. The lawsuit was brought on behalf of employees at distribution centers in Wisconsin; the retailer is also facing class action lawsuits in Illinois and New York for denying accommodations to pregnant women in its stores.

See Equal Employment Opportunity Commission files lawsuit against Walmart for discrimination against pregnant workers, Vanessa Romo, NPR, Sep 24 2018

A California state senator has co-authored a bill that would require greater gender equality in public boardrooms, mandating that public companies headquartered in the state must place at least one woman on their board by the end of 2019. The bill also demands that two women must sit on public boards with five members, and three on boards of six or more by 2021. As of June 2017, more than 25% of the 445 publicly traded companies in California had no women on their boards. Opponents to the bill, including the California Chamber of Commerce, argue that the bill’s quota system does not address a lack of diversity along racial and ethnic lines, and that legislating to address gender equality would create “token” measures that would ultimately harm. Legislation pushing gender diversity is not unique – Massachusetts and Illinois have passed non-binding resolutions to address the issue. In 2003, Norway required 40% of corporate board seats be held by women, which was followed by France and other European countries. In 2015, Germany followed suit, requiring 30% of corporate board seats be held by women. Earlier this year, the New York State Common Retirement Fund announced its opposition towards the re-election of all directors on U.S. corporate boards without a single woman.

See California state senator proposes legislation that would mandate greater gender equality in publlic boardrooms, Edward Helmore, The Guardian, Sep 24 2018

A recent study, conducted by Vanderbilt’s Tae-Youn Park and Brownlee O. Curry Jr., has found that mothers represented by unions are at least 17 percent more likely to take advantage of paid maternity leave, than their nonunionized counterparts. Currently, the U.S. lags behind other industrialized countries in ensuring paid maternity and paternity leave. There are leave plans provided by individual employers and some state-based programs, however, Park notes that having those plans in place does not necessarily mean that parents will take advantage of them. Park’s research seeks to identify the barriers that prevent new parents from taking leave, and identifies unions as a key player in helping employees take advantage of existing parental leave plans.

See Nathaniel Luce, Vanderbilt Business News, Sep 21 2018

As of September 14, the National Labor Relations Board has asked field offices to begin pursuing unions that have been slow or unprofessional in responding to worker complaints. The NLRB is holding unions to a higher standard in providing fair representation to employees, by asking to implement or use tracking systems that records response time to worker complaints. The new directive is similar to other policy changes that increases pressure on unions in recruiting and maintaining membership numbers.

See New NLRB directive to hold unions accountable for negligent behavior, Hassan A. Kanu, Bloomberg BNA, Sep 20 2018

The graduate student union at Columbia University announced that it plans to strike again, in an attempt to pressure the university to negotiate. Graduate students first voted to unionize in 2016, since then they have been fighting for recognition. The university refuses to engage in negotiations with the union, with a university spokesperson stating that a union will threaten Columbia’s essential academic functions, and unnecessarily disrupt undergraduate students’ education. The strike in April interrupted core courses, and resulted in the cancellation of numerous discussion sections in the weeks leading up to finals. If the graduate student union strikes again, undergraduate courses will undoubtedly be impacted negatively.

See Emma James and Noah Percy, Columbia Spectator, Sep 19 2018

During the economic crisis in 2009, the minimum wage in Greece was decreased by up to 32 percent. This reduction was implemented in an attempt to stabilize the Greek economy and make it more competitive during a time of immense volatility. Following Greece’s third “international bailout,” leaders have submitted a draft amendment to parliament, in an attempt to rapidly increase the minimum wage. The draft states that the increase to the minimum wage will be complete by 2019, and will involve discussions with unions, employers, and government.

See Renee Maltezou, Reuters, Sep 19 2018

Nashville’s population increased by 11.6% between 2010 and 2016, but the subsequent construction boom has been deadly for its workers – 16 were killed during 2016 and 2017, the deadliest two year range in over 30 years, resulting in the city being named the most dangerous city in the south for construction workers in a 2017 report. Half of the deaths were Latino workers in a city where Latinos make up 10% of the population. 11 of the 16 deaths were due to lack of safety harnesses that could have prevented deadly falls. Workers spoke of a culture of intimidation and fear that prevented basic safety concerns from being addressed. Some progress is being made– a coalition of Latino, black, and white workers recently aligned with city council allies to have Major League Soccer agree to a list of improvements for the employees working on the football stadium being built, including building affordable housing in surrounding communities, preference for contractors with good workplace safety records, and an improved minimum wage of $15.50 for workers at the stadium. Current minimum wage for Nashville construction workers stands at $14 despite the building boom.

See Population boom leads Nashville to increasing fatalities for construction crews working in unsafe conditions, Mike Elk, The Guardian, Sep 18 2018

Construction workers in Turkey recently returned to work after protesting poor work and living conditions at the site of the new Istanbul airport. Employees have reported inadequate food, living quarters infested with bedbugs, and unsafe practices at the construction site. According to a statement released in February from Turkey’s labor ministry, accidents and health problems at the airport construction site have caused 27 worker deaths since 2015. Protests commenced after 17 workers were injured in a shuttle accident. The president of the IYI-SEN union believes that employees have returned to work due to threats from management, and notes that police presence at the work site has increased. According to union representatives, it is unclear as to whether or not protests will continue.

See Ali Kucukgocmen, Reuters, Sep 17 2018

In recent years, the gig model has offered an alternative employment solution in “shift work” industries that struggle with high turnover. The gig economy has expanded into the food delivery, transportation, hospitality, and retail industries with great success. The author suggests that one industry that could benefit greatly from adapting the gig model is the restaurant industry, which faces an exceptionally high employee turnover rate and as a result, high training costs. The restaurant industry shares a lot of commonalities with the other industries that have implemented the gig business model approach, the author proposes that industry leaders should consider shifting from employees to independent contractors.

See Chris Comparato, Forbes, Sep 17 2018

On Thursday, the NLRB proposed a rule that would overturn the Obama-era Browning Ferris standard. If this rule is passed, only employers who have direct influence over their employees will be defined as “joint employers.” This definition is narrow in contrast to the current standard which holds that a company that exerts direct or indirect control is considered a joint employer. Business groups have a strong interest in overturning the Browning-Ferris standard because it broadens the definition of the types of employers that can be held responsible for labor law violations.

See Daniel Wiessner, Reuters, Sep 14 2018

Pilots and cabin crew for Ryanair, Europe’s largest low-cost airline, walked out for a full day on Wednesday in Germany, grounding 150 flights out of a scheduled 400, with threats to engage in more strikes. Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary insisted that they were prepared to deal with strikes in order to defend their “cost base” and that the strikes had nominal impact on operations, warning that job cuts may result from continued “wildcat strikes.” The airline had come under criticism for hiring some of its pilots through third-party agencies rather than employing them fully; German services union Verdi is asking for significant pay increases for cabin crew. The airline had only recently decided to recognize unions last December in an attempt to improve relations with pilots and relieve staffing inadequacies.

See Ryanair pilots, cabin crew stage full-day walkout, halts 150 flights in Germany, Maria Sheahan and Sarah Young, Reuters, Sep 12 2018

1,250 United Steelworkers members in two local unions in Massachusetts have been on lock-out strike for three months in tense labor negotiations with National Grid, a British utility company, with two of the most contentious demands involving benefits most workers today no longer have. The unions are holding strong in trying to maintain a company-funded pension retirement plan for its new hires rather than a 401k retirement plan; they are also refusing to agree to a new health care plan that would raise costs substantially for employees. The unions’ insistence on not having a two-tiered system – one for current employees and one for new hires – in order to not incur resentment among workers, may hurt the unions’ bargaining potential in a time of waning union power. Union leaders are refusing to budge, however, saying they are doing this not just for themselves, but for “organized labor everywhere.” Locked-out workers are picketing company facilities, holding demonstrations, heckling replacement workers, and documenting numerous safety violations by inexperienced contractors and supervisors now doing the jobs, with almost 100 alleged safety violations being reported to the Department of Public Utilities. The locked-out workers are getting unemployment at half their base salary, but have no health insurance. The company’s lock-out after the contract expired this year is being challenged with the National Labor Relations Board.

See Labor lockout for Massachusetts utility workers trying to hold on to old-school benefits, union power, Katie Johnston, Boston Globe, Sep 12 2018

While Tesla CEO Elon Musk has insisted that he remains neutral on unions, several current and past employees have shed details on Tesla’s anti-union working climate, describing it as a “culture of fear.” . The car company has been in the news often for anti-unionization efforts, with employees stating that upper management has always quashed pro-union sentiments quickly, and those who are fired are pushed to sign non-disclosure agreements prior to receiving their last paycheck. One past employee cited the cause of his termination as being two unsatisfactory performance reviews whose ratings had been altered after the fact to give a lower score, although his supervisor’s positive comments remained. Prior to his unionization attempts, the employee’s performance reviews had been highly rated for several years; his supervisor confirmed that the ratings had been lowered. Currently on trial is an NLRB complaint over Musk’s promise in 2017 to fix safety concerns if unionization attempts ceased. Similar charges are currently under consideration by the NLRB, including alleged surveillance and intimidation against workers attempting unionization.

See Anti-union efforts persist at Tesla as employees speak out on intimidating work culture, Michael Sainato, The Guardian, Sep 10 2018

Cornell received the Goat of Labor Award at the 35th Labor Day picnic on Monday. The award is given to the employer accused of the most egregious labor violations in the local community. The ongoing labor issues at the Maplewood construction project was cited as the reason for Cornell winning the title. A petition was recently circulated by the Tompkins-Cortland Building & Construction Trades Council, an AFL-CIO affiliate. The petition urges the University’s use of local union labor in future construction projects.

See Hnin Ei Wai Lwin, The Cornell Daily Sun, Sep 5 2018

In the wake of Greece’s third EU bailout and the accompanying austerity measures implemented last month, seamen in Athen’s ports went on strike this week. Ships will remain docked for a full 24 hours. The national seamen federation PNO says that negotiations for a new collective bargaining agreement have stalled due to the employer’s inability to meet demands for wage increases. Shipping companies have been forced to reschedule numerous sailings.

See Renee Maltezou, William Maclean, and Ed Osmond, Reuters, Sep 5 2018

According to a recent poll by the Pew Research Center, 55% of Americans have a favorable view of labor unions, compared to 33% who hold an unfavorable view. The results are not a new development, in fact, the same poll has shown that a majority of Americans have supported the idea of labor unions for the last three decades. Still, BLS data shows that only 10.7% of all wage workers in 2017 were union members. Union membership fell to an all-time low in 2016, to about half of the 1986 rate of 20.1%. According to the Pew Research study, 51% of Americans view the decline of labor unions as effecting workers negatively, while 33% believe the decline has been good for working people. African Americans, people who hold advanced degrees, and young adults are most likely to believe that the decline of unionization has had a negative impact on workers. Along party lines, 68% of Democrats and left-leaning independents believe the decline of unions has negatively affected workers, while 53% of Republicans and right-leaning independents see the decline of unions as being mostly good for working people.

See Drew Desilver, Pew Research Center, Aug 31 2018

The NLRB has officially filed a complaint against Tesla for anti-labor tweets made by owner Elon Musk in May. The tweet threatened that workers would lose their stock options if they unionized. Shortly after the complaint was filed, Musk tried to explain his reasoning behind the comment, saying that the union was unlikely to let employees hold stock in Tesla. Nevertheless, the Board found Musk’s comment threatening and illegal. Musks social media activities have also sparked multiple lawsuits and an investigation by the Securities and Exchange Commission.

See Kate Gibson, CBS Money Watch, Aug 29 2018

Over the weekend, U.S. District Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson officially shot down Trump’s executive orders aimed at weakening federal labor unions. In an opinion published on Saturday, Judge Brown Jackson said that Trump exceeded his authority when he signed the executive orders in May, pointing to the fact that Congress established the collective bargaining rights for federal employees through the Federal Service Labor-Management Act. The case was brought by four Unions representing federal employees. The 122-page decision concluded that the unions’ had a stronger argument, and keeps the rights of Federal Employees intact.

See Gregory Korte, USA Today, Aug 27 2018