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John Fry is a student at Harvard Law School.
In today’s news and commentary, Teamsters president speaks at RNC; Starbucks decertification campaign fails; and Biden taps new PBGC leader.
Teamsters president Sean O’Brien spoke at the Republican National Convention yesterday, a historic move that has polarized workers and leaders throughout the labor movement. O’Brien’s speech, the first ever by a union president at the RNC, contained both praise for former President Trump and fiery rhetoric about corporate greed and the shortcomings of current labor law, the latter of which appears to have taken the Milwaukee crowd by surprise. The speech comes amid increasing speculation over the Teamsters’ potential presidential endorsement, as other major unions have rallied behind President Biden. Recent reports suggest that the Teamsters may not endorse any candidate. Within the union, reactions to O’Brien’s RNC appearance have been mixed: one of the union’s leaders has spoken out against it, calling Trump a proven enemy of the labor movement, and other rank-and-file members have noted the contrast between labor policy under Trump and Biden.
The NLRB has rejected a decertification campaign at a Starbucks location in Oregon, the latest in a trend of failed bids by the company to oust the nascent Starbucks Workers United from stores around the country. While workers can typically petition to decertify a union starting one year after the union is elected, this waiting period can be extended if the employer commits unfair labor practices. That is precisely what has happened at over 20 stores, as workers have accused Starbucks of using unlawful union-busting tactics in order to encourage decertification. The Oregon decision shows that this tactic has not been effective, and it may become less prevalent now that the company and the union have re-engaged in collective bargaining, pursuant to a truce of sorts announced earlier this year.
President Biden has selected Deva Kyle to head the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation, an agency that insures and oversees union pension plans. The PBGC has been under increasing scrutiny over its dispensation of pension bailout money, which was authorized for the first time ever in 2021 in the American Rescue Plan. The agency overpaid millions of dollars to a Teamsters fund after accidentally including many deceased participants in its calculations. Kyle currently practices employee benefits law at union-side firm Cohen, Weiss and Simon.
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July 16
Teamsters president speaks at RNC; Starbucks decertification campaign fails; Biden taps new PBGC leader
July 15
Workday bias suit moves forward; DOL proposes new LMRDA rule; Bronx Defenders to go on ULP strike
July 14
Teamsters president to speak at RNC; youth work permit requirement rollbacks; eulogies to Jane McAlevey.
July 12
Dollar Tree and OSHA settle; union leaders split over Biden support; new report on low wages.
July 11
President Biden meets with union leadership and a New York law firm announces new applicant screening policy regarding student protest activity.
July 10
NSEU calls for indefinite strike; Disney may face nation's largest strike this year; UAW monitor reveals details of investigation