In today’s News and Commentary, Florida’s legislature considers proposals targeting unions, the University of Massachusetts Amherst is restructuring its Advancement office putting over 100 state jobs in jeopardy, UAW locals and Caterpillar have reached a tentative agreement, and ambulance unions in England suspend strikes to enter negotiations with the government.
On Friday, Republicans in Florida’s House of Representative filed a proposal, which would revise provisions pertaining to public sector union employees. HB 1445 would prevent the deduction of union dues directly from employees’ paychecks. Florida’s Senate will take up its version of this bill, SB 256, this week. SB 256 requires a union to maintain representation of 60% of eligible workers in order to be recognized. Along with Florida’s right-to-work status, these bills threaten unions’ abilities to attract and retain members. Both bills exempt law enforcement and firefighter unions from the proposed changes. Florida’s legislature has considered similar bills in the past, without success, however, Republicans now have a supermajority in the state legislature.
The University of Massachusetts Amherst is restructuring its UMass Advancement office, a move that university unions say will result in the privatization of more than 100 state jobs. The university argues that the jobs in question must be reclassified under the UMass Amherst Foundation (UMAF) nonprofit in order to comply with state pension rules. The restructuring will require the elimination of the public positions and their recreation as private UMAF positions, which current employees will then have to apply for. The University Staff Association and the Professional Staff Union have filed charges against UMass with the Department of Labor Relations, claiming the university bargained in bad faith, retaliated against union employees, and engaged in anti-union activity.
Four United Auto Workers (UAW) locals in Illinois and Pennsylvania have reached a tentative agreement with construction equipment manufacturer Caterpillar. After a January vote passed with over 98% over union members in favor, both the unions and the company have been preparing for a possible strike. The UAW increased strike pay to $500 per week. Caterpillar trained salaried employees to manage factory operations in the event of a strike. The union was seeking improvements to benefits, 401(k)s, and vacations. Details of the agreement have not been released. Members will continue to work under the old agreement until a vote is scheduled to ratify the new contract.
Three ambulance unions, representing tens of thousands of workers across England, have agreed to suspend proposed strikes in order to enter pay negotiations with the government. The strikes were scheduled for Monday and Wednesday of this week. The unions are seeking a one-off cost-of-living payment along with a new pay deal in this contract negotiation. The ambulance union strike is just one of many the National Health Service is dealing with in the first quarter of 2023. Nursing unions suspended a strike in February after a government promise to negotiate pay. Junior doctors are still set to strike in mid-March.
Daily News & Commentary
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November 24
Labor leaders criticize tariffs; White House cancels jobs report; and student organizers launch chaperone program for noncitizens.
November 23
Workers at the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority vote to authorize a strike; Washington State legislators consider a bill empowering public employees to bargain over workplace AI implementation; and University of California workers engage in a two-day strike.
November 21
The “Big Three” record labels make a deal with an AI music streaming startup; 30 stores join the now week-old Starbucks Workers United strike; and the Mine Safety and Health Administration draws scrutiny over a recent worker death.
November 20
Law professors file brief in Slaughter; New York appeals court hears arguments about blog post firing; Senate committee delays consideration of NLRB nominee.
November 19
A federal judge blocks the Trump administration’s efforts to cancel the collective bargaining rights of workers at the U.S. Agency for Global Media; Representative Jared Golden secures 218 signatures for a bill that would repeal a Trump administration executive order stripping federal workers of their collective bargaining rights; and Dallas residents sue the City of Dallas in hopes of declaring hundreds of ordinances that ban bias against LGBTQ+ individuals void.
November 18
A federal judge pressed DOJ lawyers to define “illegal” DEI programs; Peco Foods prevails in ERISA challenge over 401(k) forfeitures; D.C. court restores collective bargaining rights for Voice of America workers; Rep. Jared Golden secures House vote on restoring federal workers' union rights.