In today’s news and commentary, Lori Chavez-Deremer’s confirmation hearing, striking King Soopers workers return to the bargaining table, and UAW members at Rolls-Royce authorize a strike.
Lori Chavez-Deremer, President Trump’s nominee for Secretary of Labor, faces a Senate confirmation hearing today. Chavez-Deremer may face more No votes from Republicans than other Trump cabinet members. Rand Paul, a senior member on the committee that must advance her nomination, called for her to publicly renounce her support for the PRO Act. Senator Tommy Tuberville of Alabama said he could support Chavez-Deremer if she comes out as “pro-right-to-work.” Across the aisle, John Fetterman has said he will support Chavez-Deremer, meaning she can lose as many as four Republicans and still be confirmed.
Striking King Soopers workers will return to the bargaining table, UFCW Local 7 announced Monday night. The workers had been on strike since February 6, after their contract ended January 17. Striking workers risked losing health insurance coverage starting in April if the strike continued; under the return-to-work agreement, King Soopers agreed to maintain their coverage. King Soopers is a Colorado grocery chain owned by Kroger. Local 7 is also negotiating a new contract with Albertsons, which attempted to merge with Kroger last year.
UAW members at a Rolls-Royce plant in Indianapolis have authorized a strike if necessary as their contract’s expiration date approaches. The Rolls-Royce complex employs over 800 members of UAW Local 933 and “is the primary Rolls-Royce facility making aircraft engines for U.S. government contracts,” according to a UAW press release. The workers’ contract expires on February 26. On Thursday, workers voted by 99.5% to authorize a strike, with 86% of the membership participating in the vote. A UAW video calls for ending tiers and notes that new employees at the plant pay as much as $16,000 a year for health insurance.
Daily News & Commentary
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April 18
Two major New York City unions endorse Cuomo for mayor; Committee on Education and the Workforce requests an investigation into a major healthcare union’s spending; Unions launch a national pro bono legal network for federal workers.
April 17
Utahns sign a petition supporting referendum to repeal law prohibiting public sector collective bargaining; the US District Court for the District of Columbia declines to dismiss claims filed by the AFL-CIO against several government agencies; and the DOGE faces reports that staffers of the agency accessed the NLRB’s sensitive case files.
April 16
7th Circuit questions the relevance of NLRB precedent after Loper Bright, unions seek to defend silica rule, and Abrego Garcia's union speaks out.
April 15
In today’s news and commentary, SAG-AFTRA reaches a tentative agreement, AFT sues the Trump Administration, and California offers its mediation services to make up for federal cuts. SAG-AFTRA, the union representing approximately 133,000 commercial actors and singers, has reached a tentative agreement with advertisers and advertising agencies. These companies were represented in contract negotiations by […]
April 14
Department of Labor publishes unemployment statistics; Kentucky unions resist deportation orders; Teamsters win three elections in Texas.
April 13
Shawn Fain equivocates on tariffs; Trump quietly ends federal union dues collection; pro-Palestinian Google employees sue over firings.