New Administration “No Savior,” but Offers Opportunity to Fight and Win
In August, the UE General Executive Board issued a statement declaring that “The working class cannot afford four more years of Trump,” and urging “UE members and locals to make every effort to oust Trump from office in the November elections, recognizing that the only way to do that is to elect Joe Biden.” However, the GEB statement continued, “We are clear that Biden is no savior, and will likely seek to implement the same kind of corporate-friendly policies as previous Democratic presidents Obama and Clinton.” The GEB statement concludes that after the election, UE members should “be prepared to fight like hell to hold a Biden administration accountable to the people.”
Read more on ueunion.org »
Local 150 Convention: Fight for Safe Jobs and Organize the South
Over 70 delegates and guests gathered on November 14 and 15 over Zoom for UE Local 150’s 11th biennial convention. Local 150 President Bryce Carter noted that “This convention is certainly a unique one for us,” being held virtually and in the context of a pandemic. “Our country is in a crisis,” he said, “a moment of turmoil and despair. A moment where from one day to the next day there is uncertainty.”
Read more on ueunion.org »
Twelve years ago today, UE Local 1110 members made history by occupying their factory, Republic Windows and Doors, after being told that their plant would be closing. Much like today, the nation was suffering from a catastrophic financial collapse. A new president had been elected, but had yet to assume office. The workers’ bold action captured the imagination of the nation, and President-elect Obama felt compelled to endorse their cause.
By taking militant action to address issues widely felt among the working class, Local 1110 members forced one of the nation’s most powerful banks to come to the table and negotiate. After six days, they won a $1.75 million settlement. Eventually, the factory was re-opened, and it is still in business, now as a worker co-operative, New Era Windows.
Read more about the Republic Windows and Doors factory occupation in this UE NEWS Feature, written for the 10th anniversary in 2018 »
Locals 893, 896 Prevail in Iowa Recertification Elections
In recertification elections held in October, UE Locals 893/IUP and 896/COGS won support from over seventy percent of their bargaining units. “This sends a strong message to Governor Reynolds and the Republican-led legislature that we won’t stand down while they attempt to take away our hard won rights and benefits,” said Local 893 President Becky Dawes. “We did it together and with grassroots organizing.” Read more »
Rail Crew Drivers Continue to Join UE
The national UE contract with Hallcon allows non-union workers to come under the contract by collecting cards from their co-workers. In recent months, this process has brought over 65 drivers from yards in Wisconsin and Minnesota into Local 1177, and 20 drivers in Ohio into Local 716. 300 drivers at the Union Pacific yards in and around Houston, Texas and Lafayette, New Orleans and Shreveport, Louisiana have also joined Local 977, under another agreement between UE and Hallcon. Read more »
Western Region Council Meeting: Answer to “World Thrown Into Chaos” is Organizing, Education, Political Action
In her President’s Report to the Western Region council meeting, held over Zoom on November 7, Western Region President Charlene Winchell declared that “The world has been thrown into chaos because of the lack of leadership from our president.” She noted Trump’s mishandling of the COVID-19 pandemic and his encouragement of violence and “vilifying of organizations that stand up for people’s rights” such as Black Lives Matter and organizations fighting for the rights of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people. Read more »
New Local 155 Contract at Stepan Includes Gains, Reverses Previous Givebacks
UE Local 155 members who work at the Stepan Company plant in Fieldsboro ratified a new three-year contract in mid-November that improves time off, clarifies job descriptions, and addresses a number of issues caused by short-staffing. Read more »
Local 222 Dispatchers Win Additional Holiday, New Stipend
A new contract for Simsbury dispatchers, members of Local 222 Sublocal 41, will raise wages nearly eight percent over the course of three years, and adds a new holiday. The new contract, retroactive to July 2019, provides for wage increases of 2.25% in the first year and 2.35% in the second and third years. Improvements were made to holiday pay, and Veterans Day was added as a new holiday. Read more »
UE Local 506 Wins Large Back-Pay Award for Terminated Member
In one of its largest arbitration awards, UE Local 506 won nearly $136,000 in back-pay and interest for one of its members who was terminated without just cause while he was employed by GE Transportation at its locomotive facility in Erie, PA. Read more »
Local 170 Convention Elects New Leadership, Sets Political Action Priorities
Since the state of West Virginia does not provide public-sector workers with collective bargaining rights, they have to win improvements, and defend their rights, through political action. As Local Vice President Samantha Crockett wrote in a letter to members following the convention, “Our rights as public-sector workers can be easily either taken away or reinforced by the action or inaction by our elected officials. As working people, we have the right to expect that our governmental bodies will respond to the needs of our members.” Read more »
Women’s Caucus Holds Leadership Training
On November 19, a dozen women leaders and members of UE participated in the “Advancing Women’s Leadership” workshop hosted by the UExtraordinary Women Caucus. Participants identified the qualities of good union leadership regardless of gender, such as being a good listener and involving other members in advancing union goals. After listing many obstacles that women sometimes face when they contemplate pursuing leadership positions, members discussed ways to overcome these challenges. Read more »
Register Today for the 2021 Medicare for All Strategy Conference
The 2021 Medicare for All Strategy Conference, co-sponsored by the Labor Campaign for Single Payer, will be held online on January 23 and 24, 2021. All UE local leaders are urged to consider attending. The early-bird registration price of $35 is only available until December 18, so we urge you to register as soon as possible. Read more »
UE International Website Relaunched
We are pleased announce the relaunch of the UE International website at www.ueinternational.org. The redesigned site highlights relationships with our many international union partners, and returns access to important tools like our bilingual dictionary of labor terms, available again in both English and Spanish. Visit the site »
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