Thousands of Graduate Workers in Chicagoland, Baltimore Join UE

On January 10 and 11, approximately 3,000 workers at the Northwestern University in Evanston, IL (just north of Chicago) voted by over 93 percent to join UE. Three weeks later, on January 30 and 31, 3,300 graduate workers at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore voted to join UE by a 97 percent margin. On January 31 and February 1, another 3,000 graduate workers at the University of Chicago voted on UE representation, but their votes will not be counted until March 16 due to mail ballots.

General Executive Board Demands Public Ownership of Railroads, Discusses Young Worker Upsurge

Meeting on January 28 and 29, UE’s General Executive Board unanimously endorsed a statement demanding that Congress “immediately begin a process of bringing our nation’s railroads under public ownership.” The statement notes that “the private owners of our nation’s Class 1 railroads have shown themselves utterly incapable of facing the challenge of the climate crisis, dealing fairly with their own workers, or even meeting the most basic needs of their customers.”

UE NEWS Coverage of First Contract Struggles

In the last UE NEWS Bulletin, we reported that three new UE locals settled hard-won first contracts covering over 2,500 workers. The Winter 2023 issue of the UE NEWS features extensive coverage these first-contract fights:

From New Mexico, Samantha Cooney of UGW-UE Local 1466 and Gauge Burnett and Jessica Tuleassi of UE Local 1498-GWU report how their locals were able to overcome management intransigence to win solid first UE contracts, with significant wage increases and essential union protections. Locals 1466 and 1498 represent, respectively, 1600 graduate workers the University of New Mexico and 900 graduate workers at New Mexico State University. These are the largest first contracts settled by UE in the last 25 years.

In Pennsylvania, the members of UE Local 696 engaged in a militant 20-month struggle to win a first contract at Planned Parenthood of Western Pennsylvania. Their first contract will raise base wages by an average of over $2 per hour in the first year, and guarantees a path to a $20/hour minimum base wage with at least three years of service. "The gains attained with this contract will help us recruit and retain good staff within the organization so we can fulfill the vital mission of PPWP,” said negotiating committee member Crystal Grabowski.

Workplace Action Wins Strong Wage Gains for Local 228

On December 1, 2022, members of UE Local 228 in Portsmouth, NH ratified a new 32-month agreement. The new contract contains no concessions and maintains the string of strong wage gains that began after the local first organized in 2016. Local 228’s 500 members process immigration documents and provide petitioner support at the State Department’s National Visa Center. Read more »

March on the Boss Wins Substantial Improvements for Local 1135

UE Local 1135 ratified a new three-year agreement with its new employer, Stryten Energy (members were formerly employed by Tulip Corp), on November 10, 2022. Stryten, a Georgia-based company with no prior union presence, attempted to pressure Local 1135 members into agreeing to an extension and new contract which would have included substantial increases for new hires without rewarding members who have put in their time. Members stuck together fought back, signed up over a 100 employees on a petition demanding real wage increases for all, and marched it on their boss. Read more »

Member Action Defeats Concessions, Wins Paid Parental Leave for Local 1107

Members of Local 1107 secured a new three-year agreement with Freudenberg-NOK in December. The contract includes across-the-board wage increases of 6.25 percent in the first year, 3 percent in the second year, and 2.5 percent in the third year. The local was able to bring the new hire rate up to $20.71 an hour, and won paid parental leave for the first time, with all employees entitled to two weeks upon birth, adoption, or foster care placement. Read more »

On King Holiday, Virginia Beach City Workers Rally for Collective Bargaining

Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. took his last stand supporting city workers in Memphis, Tennessee demanding the right to collectively bargain. As the nation celebrated the King holiday, the Virginia Beach City Workers Union, UE Local 111 honored his real legacy as they gathered at the Virginia Beach City Council meeting on Tuesday to request that the council pass a resolution in support of Collective Bargaining. Read more »

Also on the King holiday, members of UE Local 150-CAAMWU, which represents workers at Cummins Diesel, held their 33rd annual MLK Day “Workers Want Justice!” celebration at the Bloomer Hill Community Center in Whitakers, North Carolina. Read more »

Service Contract Act Locals Maintain, Improve Standards in Bridge Agreement with New Contractor

Members of Local 208 in Vermont and Local 1008 in California will begin working for a new federal contractor, IT Coalition (ITC), on February 1. On January 16, the locals signed off on bridge contracts that maintain all the standards of their existing collective bargaining agreements, with no concessionary changes, until May 31, 2023. The bridge agreements also include improvements to their healthcare benefits. Read more »

New Local 222 Contracts for Dispatchers, Food Service Workers, and Public Administrators

UE Local 222 is an amalgamated local which represents public-sector workers in various workplaces across the state of Connecticut. The local settled several new contracts this past fall, in the towns of Canton, Suffield and Stonington. Read more »

World of Labor: Half a Million Strike in United Kingdom Despite Attacks on Rights

The latest round-up of global labor news put together by the UE International Department includes coverage of the strike wave in the United Kingdom, strikes against government efforts to raise the retirement age in France, red-baiting attacks on unions in South Korea, and more. Read more »

Supreme Court Poised to Cripple Right to Strike

On January 10, the Supreme Court heard oral arguments in Glacier Northwest v. International Brotherhood of Teamsters, Local Union 174, a case which will potentially cripple the ability of private-sector unions to strike by opening them up to punitive lawsuits. Also in UE Political Action this month: Bernie Sanders asks, “What will Congress do to improve life for workers?” and union pressure wins small improvement in labor board funding.

UE Research and Education Fund Receives Major Grant to Support Green Locomotive Project

The UE Research and Education Fund, a non-profit that supports UE’s work in a variety of areas, received a generous grant in November from the Preston-Werner foundation. This grant will allow UEREF to greatly expand the support it provides to UE’s Green Locomotive Project — a campaign to create good union jobs, address climate change, and clean up pollution in communities near rail yards. Read more »

UE’s Leadership Program Continues with Second Group

A second cohort of UE activists began meeting in January, over Zoom, as part of UE’s Leadership and Staff Development Program (LSDP). As approved by delegates at UE’s last convention, UE embarked on the LSDP to strengthen skills and provide mentorship to members of all racial and ethnic backgrounds who are currently underrepresented in UE leadership or staff. Read more »

UE on Podcasts

Looking for some weekend listening? Or a podcast for your commute on Monday? UE General President Carl Rosen has appeared on three podcasts recently.

Earlier this month he appeared on the America's Work Force Union Podcast, talking about UE’s Green Locomotive Project, the right to strike, and how young workers are driving a surge in organizing. This past week, he joined the Class Matters podcast to talk about the obstacles and opportunities for Labor as we head into 2023, and the Rick Smith Show to talk about the recent UE statement demanding public ownership of the railroads.

UE Communications Director Jonathan Kissam also joined the Your Rights at Work radio show/podcast on Thursday to talk about Ralph Fasanella, a UE organizer who became one of the great painters of American working-class life.

Listen at the links above or search by show name on your favorite podcast app.