Our latest roundup of worker wins includes numerous examples of working people organizing, bargaining and mobilizing for a better life.
Juilliard Production Crew Workers Vote to Join IATSE: Production crew members at The Juilliard School voted overwhelmingly on Friday to form a union with the Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE). Workers at the private New York City performing arts conservatory perform essential production roles such as scenic shop crew, stagehands, costumers, and hair and makeup artists. The newly minted IATSE members took inspiration from exciting organizing efforts being championed by crew in the city’s off-Broadway community. The Juilliard Production Workers United logo includes a nod to the school’s beloved penguin mascot. “We know our work, and we know the demands of our shops,” said Lead Carpenter A.J. Coté. “We want our coworkers to thrive. I truly believe collectively we can represent ourselves better as a union. This is our livelihood; we deserve an equal part shaping it.”
Nurses at San Leandro and Alameda Hospitals Ratify New Contract: Members of the California Nurses Association/National Nurses United (CNA/NNU) who work at San Leandro and Alameda hospitals voted overwhelmingly last week to ratify a new five-year contract. This new deal brings over 380 registered nurses (RNs) across the two facilities under the same collective bargaining agreement. Major highlights of the contract include provisions that establish economic parity between nurses at each hospital, changes to scheduling practices that prioritize nurses who live and work in the community over nonunion travel nurses, meal break protections, and more. “Every single article of our contracts was up for negotiation and nurses upheld the high standards of care we’ve historically fought for,” said Linda Strack, RN, who works in the operating room at Alameda Hospital. “Because we remained united in our goal to improve nurse and patient health and safety, this landmark agreement raises the bar for the recruitment and retention of Bay Area nurses.”
Austin-Based Bookstore Staff Win Powerful AI Protections: Staff at an independent bookstore in Austin, Texas, represented by Office and Professional Employees (OPEIU) Local 277, are celebrating new critical artificial intelligence (AI) safeguards in their collective bargaining agreement. A powerful 100% of voting BookPeople United members cast ballots to approve their new contract earlier this month. The deal included several important provisions, including the prohibition of replacing any worker or position at the storefront with AI. Workers said they fought to secure these protections after realizing that emergent technology like ChatGPT could potentially be used to destroy jobs at the storefront. “Making sure that we’re protecting jobs through this transition into this new tech world is the most important thing we can do,” said Texas AFL-CIO Communications Director Tara Pohlmeyer. “It’s setting a standard for a lot of other unions that workers at BookPeople were able to get this into their contract.”
Norse Atlantic Airways Flight Attendants Reach Tentative Agreement: U.S.-based flight attendants for Norse Atlantic Airways, who are represented by the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA (AFA-CWA), have reached a tentative agreement (TA) on their second-ever contract. The low-cost trans-Atlantic airline was founded in February 2021, and a few months later, AFA-CWA negotiated a pre-hire agreement with management ahead of the company’s launch that ensured industry-leading compensation and union membership once flight attendants demonstrated majority support. The Norse crew will begin voting on the new TA next week. “While our Flight Attendants continue to deliver critical services for Norse Atlantic, this tentative agreement builds on our historic pre-hire agreement and job security, the highest per diem in the industry, regular wage increases, and more benefits,” said Norse AFA President Katarzyna Mroczek.
Center for International Environmental Law Staff Secure Voluntary Recognition: Staff members at the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) are celebrating that management has voluntarily recognized the Washington-Baltimore News Guild (WBNG), The NewsGuild-CWA Local 32035 as their bargaining representative. The CIEL Unite bargaining unit covers workers across the United States and Switzerland. A supermajority of staff went public with their efforts to form a unit with WBNG back in February. With their attention now turned to beginning the negotiation process, members aim to win an agreement that protects staff and advances CIEL’s mission to protect the environment. “For over 35 years, CIEL has been at the forefront of advocating to ensure that human rights are at the cornerstone of environmental law,” said the CIEL Unite organizing committee. “CIEL’s staff are immensely proud of our work to defend our right to a healthy planet. We know our strength comes from a diverse, dynamic, international staff that believe in building long-term power, advancing justice, and ensuring representation for affected communities. Our union is grounded in these same principles. We look forward to working with CIEL leadership at the bargaining table and to finding creative solutions to advance core values of equity and justice, compassion, empathy, and respect.”
Faculty at Nevada State University Win Union Election: This week, faculty members at Nevada State University voted to join the Nevada Faculty Alliance, an affiliate of the American Association of University Professors (AAUP) and American Federation of Teachers (AFT). This is the fourth collective bargaining chapter of the Nevada Faculty Alliance, and academic workers voted to organize with a landslide vote of 104–8. Having prevailed through the election process, faculty are now eagerly turning their attention toward bargaining a fair and empowering contract with administrators. “This work could not have been done without the countless hours of organizing, research and outreach executed by faculty on our Collective Bargaining Organizing Committee,” said Andrew Lavengood-Ryan, lecturer of mathematics in the Department of Data, Media and Design. “I have had the distinct pleasure of working with and leading some of the most incredible people at Nevada State over the past year and half, and it is so fulfilling to see all of that work come together. We look forward to negotiating with NSU administration directly for a fair, collaborative contract that protects faculty needs.”
Minnesota Science Museum Workers Ratify Historic First Contract: After over 550 days of dedicated organizing efforts, members of AFSCME Council 5 who work at the Science Museum of Minnesota (SMM) are celebrating their first-ever union contract. Staff voted in January 2023 to form SMM Workers Union, a wall-to-wall bargaining unit that includes scientists, researchers, lab technicians, educators, customer service and more. Victories in the deal include substantial wage increases, new parental leave benefits, clear and enforceable job security protections, and longevity pay that rewards years of service. Despite leadership at the St. Paul museum instituting retaliatory layoffs directly after workers voted to join AFSCME and slow-walking bargaining, SMM Workers Union members stood strong and emerged victorious. “Management fought us at every turn,” said Jennings Mergenthal, a community engagement specialist. “But after 550 days, we won. Not just any contract—we won a fair contract. A contract that ensures a better future for museum workers and raises the standard for cultural institutions across the country.”