This Black Friday, retail workers are organizing for dignity in the workplace. In the American Prospect, David Dayen profiles United for Respect, an alt-labor coalition and organizing powerhouse that’s fighting low pay and indecent working conditions in a retail industry that employs almost 16 million people. United for Respect grew out of OUR Walmart, a worker voice campaign at Walmart that resembled a union drive and, after years of organizing, forced the company to raise its wages, provide family leave to all employees, and improve pregnancy accommodations. United for Respect is now taking the model to the entire retail industry, taking on private equity, fighting for better pregnancy non-discrimination policies, and leading campaigns for local fair workweek legislation. UFR organizers are also fighting to demand severance pay for retail workers who are laid off. After the Toys ‘R’ Us bankruptcy, UFR demanded a severance package for workers from the private equity firms that laid off 33,000 workers after saddling the company with debt—and won an unprecedented $20 million severance fund. This Black Friday, United for Respect will be highlighting workers who faced retaliation for organizing to improve workplace conditions.
Walmart opened its Black Friday sale at 6 p.m. on Thanksgiving, forcing workers to leave their families and work during the holiday. But Walmart isn’t offering workers holiday pay, the Guardian revealed on Wednesday. Instead, Walmart is offering workers a measly 15% discount to people who work shifts over the holiday — which they can only redeem during once, during just two dates in December. Walmart’s minimum wage is just $11 an hour, but the company also “rolled out a $20 billion stock buyback program after the wage increase was announced” in 2018.
More than 2,000 Amazon workers across six Amazon distribution centers are going on strike this Black Friday to demand higher wages. The walkouts are part of a long-run dispute between Amazon and workers organized with the German union Verdi and part of a pattern of strikes the union has called during peak business periods for Amazon. Most recently, German workers walked out during Amazon Prime Day this July. Verdi and striking workers are demanding that Amazon raise warehouse workers’ pay to match the collective-bargaining agreements reached for the mail order and retail industry in Germany’s sectoral bargaining system.
Read OnLabor’s own Charlotte Garden’s explainer on the PRO Act’s proposals to fight the fissured workplace.
Daily News & Commentary
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February 9
In today's News & Commentary, recalling the Red Scare today and organizing Amazon's distribution system, while it lays off 4,700 workers in Quebec.
February 7
In today’s News and Commentary, the NLRB withdraws its objections to SpaceX’s constitutional challenge, Whole Foods asks the NLRB to set aside a union election in Philadelphia, and the AFL-CIO launches a campaign to push back against Musk. The NLRB filed a letter with the Fifth Circuit indicating it would not address SpaceX’s challenge to […]
February 6
Gwynne Wilcox files lawsuit challenging her removal from the NLRB, and unions file a lawsuit challenging DOJE's request to access Department of Labor information.
February 5
Trump's disagreements with Abruzzo & Wilcox, Dollar General's plan for ICE agents, remote work in federal CBA's.
February 4
In today's news and commentary King Soopers workers announce a strike, Congressman Biggs introduces a bill to abolish OSHA, the UAW announces willingness to support Trump's tariffs, and Yale New Haven Health System faces a wage and hour class action.
February 2
President Trump seeks to nullify recent collective bargaining agreements with federal workers; Trump fired the NLRB’s acting General Counsel; Costco and the Teamsters reach a tentative deal averting a strike; Black History Month began yesterday with the theme African Americans and Labor