Jason Vazquez is a staff attorney at the International Brotherhood of Teamsters. He graduated from Harvard Law School in 2023. His writing on this blog reflects his personal views and should not be attributed to the Teamsters.
As the historic rerun election at the Amazon warehouse in Bessemer, Alabama unfolds, several employees opposing the organizing effort explained their misgivings to Buzzfeed, revealing anxiety that collective bargaining might undermine their pay and benefits. The interviews reflect the potency of the unlawful antiunion tactics Amazon has unleashed, which have rattled employees and left many “afraid of losing pay, afraid of losing benefits, or their job,” as one organizer lamented. Ballots were mailed to thousands of eligible employees last month. They will be counted in a couple weeks.
On Tuesday the Senate overwhelmingly approved the bipartisan Postal Service Reform Act, a bill passed by the House last month. The measure, endorsed by the major postal unions, aims to shore up the Postal Services’ finances. The agency has been operating at a loss for several years. Experts explain that the bill, the result of bipartisan compromise, is unlikely to significantly alleviate the problems plaguing the Service, as it fails to root causes of its financial difficulties. Even so, unions representing hundreds of thousands of letter carriers embraced the Act’s passage, describing it as “a monumental victory” for their members and “one of the most critical pieces of postal legislation in modern history.”
Daily News & Commentary
Start your day with our roundup of the latest labor developments. See all
September 29
Unions, AI companies, and private equity firms form a new coalition to shape data center policies; unions express support for the Paramount-Warner Bros. merger.
September 28
The Protect College Sports Act nears passage in the Senate; San Francisco municipal workers agree to contract extensions.
September 27
The Trump Administration reaches a settlement with federal unions on reduction in force actions; the United Auto Workers file an en banc petition seeking review of a Second Circuit decision regarding labor arbitrations.
September 25
Healthcare workers rally to restore legal status for TPS holders; nurses at a Maine hospital overwhelmingly vote to form their union despite alleged aggressive union busting tactics.
September 24
NLRB abandons rule for offensive conduct during protected activity; New York home care workers seek a union election; maritime deck officers endure long fight for first contracts.
September 23
DoorDash settles delivery-worker pay claims; Philadelphia school workers win new contract; stock gains spur retirements.