Hannah Finnie is a writer in Washington, D.C. interested in the intersections of work and culture. She is a graduate of Harvard Law School.
Union leaders and the parent company of Nabisco (Mondelez International) reached a tentative agreement this week on a contract which, if agreed to by the workers, would end the five-week long strike by Nabisco workers. Nabisco workers in Portland, unionized with the Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers International Union, began striking in early August after their contract expired in May and they felt as though Mondelez’s offers were subpar. Portland workers specifically railed against the contract’s provision that could have them working 12-hour shifts while offering less possibility of overtime, which would amount to significant losses in their pay each year. During the pandemic, workers at Portland’s Nabisco plant say they’ve been working 16-hour days while Mondelez International’s revenue increased by 2.8 percent in 2020 and its CEO earned approximately $16.8 million.
Even though union leaders have agreed to the prospective contract, union workers must vote on it in order for it to be binding. So far, representatives from Portland’s Nabisco factory say they are voting against the proposed contract, though the official tally has not yet been counted.
Meanwhile, here at Harvard the Harvard Graduate Students Union-UAW Local 5118 is in the midst of a strike authorization vote after negotiations with Harvard University leadership stalled and the workers’ contract, representing approximately 5,000 workers, expired earlier this summer. The union listed just a few of the continuing points of contention here, including: that Harvard’s proposed 2.5 percent raise does not align with the 4 percent cost of living increase in the Harvard area last year; that hourly workers do not have adequate access to benefit funds; that Harvard’s contributions to cover its health care plan do not do enough to make the plan affordable; that Harvard must enhance its Title IX and non-discrimination protections and procedures for students; and more. The strike authorization vote, if it passes, would not guarantee a strike but would allow the union to go on strike anytime between October 1, 2021 and December 31, 2021. The vote is ongoing – the union says of Tuesday at 5p.m., members have cast 1,014 votes. The union needs two-thirds of votes to authorize the strike.
Lastly, the National Women’s Soccer League Players Association (NWSLPA), which represents athletes in the NWSL, announced yesterday that it has become an affiliate of the AFL-CIO, which also represents other players associations like the NFL Players Association. The NWSLPA says it hopes this move will allow it to tap into the AFL-CIO’s broader training and organizing efforts and boost their efforts to negotiate a strong contract with the NWSL. The NWSLPA seeks to significantly raise the minimum salary, which is currently $22,000, improve working conditions, and gain free agency for its players. The organization represents 200 players.
Daily News & Commentary
Start your day with our roundup of the latest labor developments. See all
April 24
NLRB seeks to compel Amazon to collectively bargain with San Francisco warehouse workers, DoorDash delivery workers and members of Los Deliveristas Unidos rally for pay transparency, and NLRB takes step to drop lawsuit against SpaceX over the firing of employees who criticized Elon Musk.
April 22
DOGE staffers eye NLRB for potential reorganization; attacks on federal workforce impact Trump-supporting areas; Utah governor acknowledges backlash to public-sector union ban
April 21
Bryan Johnson’s ULP saga before the NLRB continues; top law firms opt to appease the EEOC in its anti-DEI demands.
April 20
In today’s news and commentary, the Supreme Court rules for Cornell employees in an ERISA suit, the Sixth Circuit addresses whether the EFAA applies to a sexual harassment claim, and DOGE gains access to sensitive labor data on immigrants. On Thursday, the Supreme Court made it easier for employees to bring ERISA suits when their […]
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.