Our latest roundup of worker wins includes numerous examples of working people organizing, bargaining and mobilizing for a better life.
University of Chicago Press Workers Overwhelmingly Vote to Form Union: Staff at the University of Chicago Press have overwhelmingly voted to join the Chicago News Guild, The NewsGuild-CWA (TNG-CWA) Local 34071. Under the name University of Chicago Press Workers Guild (UCPWG), workers at one of the largest and most prestigious university publishers in the country are organizing to secure fair wages, manageable workloads and workplace transparency. “I’m immensely proud of my fellow workers for their hard work and dedication to winning this election,” said Meredith Nini, senior promotions manager at the Press. “These election results show that Press workers are bound together with a common mission. We look forward to bargaining for a contract that ensures a sustainable and equitable workplace for years to come.” “I am so excited to have these workers join the Chicago Guild,” said Chicago News Guild President Owen Schmidt. “This result demonstrates that these workers are ready for real change and a voice in their workplace. I’ve been so impressed by the organizing committee for their persistence and commitment to democracy. They are going to do so many great things at the local level and I stand with them in their fight for pay equity, better working conditions and a more democratic workplace.”
CBS Production Assistants File to Join LIUNA: Production assistants (PAs) on the set of CBS’ new show “Cupertino” have filed for an election to join the Production Assistants United, an affiliate of Laborers (LIUNA) Local 724. If the vote is successful, the bargaining unit would cover 23 PAs working on the upcoming Silicon Valley legal drama. “The entertainment industry on the production level is full of incredibly hardworking craftspeople and laborers,” PAs said about their organizing drive. “Healthcare, turnarounds and fair wages are all safeguards for workers to ensure that they are given a high quality of life. Why have production assistants been conditioned to think they don’t deserve those things as well? Especially right now, studios are actively eroding the old standard for PA contracts – taking away 12-hour guarantees and lowering pay rates. Our union effort is a way for us to ensure that we can have a voice in these conversations that determine our livelihoods.”
NYSNA Members at Catholic Health/St. Charles Hospital Secure Tentative Contract: Members of New York State Nurses Association (NYSNA)—an affiliate of National Nurses United (NNU)—reached a tentative contract agreement late Thursday night with Catholic Health/St. Charles Hospital administrators, averting a work stoppage that was set to begin today. The three-year deal contains a number of major wins like enforceable safe staffing standards, new workplace violence protections, safeguards on artificial intelligence, an 11% wage increase and more. “NYSNA nurses at St. Charles fought tooth and nail for a fair contract that will help us fix the staffing crisis at the hospital we love,” said Rob Barone, RN, the president of NYSNA’s local bargaining unit at St. Charles Hospital and intensive care nurse. “We are proud of what we accomplished and encourage our members to ratify this contract. We are looking forward to improving accountability for safe staffing, so we can deliver the best possible care to our friends, families and community. As we move forward with our transition with Good Samaritan University Hospital, St. Charles nurses’ goal is to ensure a strong future for this hospital based on quality care with enough nurses—and this contract will do just that.”
Illinois Public library Workers Vote to Form Union: Staff at the Geneva Public Library District in Illinois are coming together to form a union with AFSCME Council 31. The workers filed a petition with the Illinois Labor Relations Board in May. The bargaining unit will represent 55 staff members who are ready to have a strong voice on the job, respect and stability. In a letter to their co-workers, members of the union organizing committee said, “An empowered and unified workforce leads to greater employee satisfaction, retention, and productivity, resulting in a better library for everyone. To that end, we have filed to form a worker’s union of Geneva Public Library staff in order to collectively claim a seat at the table where decisions are made in this institution that means so much to us and to our community.”
Hachette Book Group Employees Win Election for Largest Union in Trade Publisher History: Workers at Hachette Book Group—the third-largest trade publisher in the world—have decisively voted to form a union with the Washington-Baltimore News Guild (WBNG), Local 32035 of The NewsGuild-CWA. Approximately 600 staff will be covered by the bargaining unit, which is now the largest union in trade publishing history. Workers cite concerns around pay, benefits and work-life balance as core motivators for organizing. “We now go into negotiations with a strong mandate from our coworkers,” said Maisa Nammari, a production associate, in a WBNG press release. “Hachette workers have shown that we reject a publishing industry model that prioritizes corporate profits while actively undermining our career growth and making it increasingly difficult for us to support ourselves and our families. We will build a better Hachette and set new standards that benefit the whole company. When workers tap into our collective bargaining power, change is possible! A publishing model that protects the integrity of workers and enables us to work with passion and dignity is within our reach!”
Maryland Dispensary Workers Ratify First Contract: United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 400 members at The Apothecarium cannabis dispensary in Maryland unanimously voted to ratify their first collective bargaining agreement. The new agreement contains a number of wins, including guaranteed wage increases over the life of the contract, paid bereavement leave, a formal grievance procedure, mandated work-week schedule postings, severance pay and more. “It’s great to work for a company that listens and actively works with the union to hear our needs and try and come to the best possible solution that works for everyone,” said Samira Wilson, who was also part of the bargaining committee. “And a big thanks to our union for being there and checking in on us to make sure that we have everything we need.” “I congratulate our Apothecarium members on their first collective bargaining agreement,” said Local 400 President Mark Federici. “Their activism and solidarity earned them a contract that improves their lives and strengthens their security.”
Judge Sides with AFSCME to Protect Public Service Loan Forgiveness: Last week, in a lawsuit filed by AFSCME and other allies, a federal judge blocked the Trump administration from implementing a new rule that would disqualify public service workers for federal student loan forgiveness. Since the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program was created, more than 1 million borrowers have received debt relief by working in public service or nonprofit jobs. The court’s ruling ordered the U.S. Department of Education to abandon this proposed change, which would have allowed the administration to exclude organizations for political reasons. “We applaud the court for blocking this illegal, partisan effort to strip public service workers of critical debt relief,” said AFSCME President Lee Saunders in a statement. “Countless public service jobs require workers to get degrees, leaving many in crippling debt even as they do the work necessary to keep our communities running. The Public Service Loan Forgiveness program is a promise that those who dedicate their careers to helping others will receive the backing they need.”
Columbus Metropolitan Library Workers Form Union: Ohio’s State Employment Relations Board confirmed on Tuesday that staff members at the Columbus Metropolitan Library (CML) have successfully voted to form a union with the Ohio Federation of Teachers. The bargaining unit covers roughly 600 librarians, customer services specialists, youth engagement specialists, materials services associates, drivers, sorters and other library workers. Under the name CML United, workers came together to address concerns around working conditions and the library’s reliance on poorly compensated part-time employees. Despite facing multiple delays and unfair labor practices by management, workers persevered and overwhelmingly won their election. “We stood together, across different branches and different job titles, because we know that CML is a stronger library system for our communities when workers have a voice,” said Nancy Gillespie, an information services specialist at CML’s Whitehall Branch. “We not only know what changes are needed to improve conditions for CML workers, we also know what our patrons need and expect from their libraries because we’re the ones who have direct, daily communication with them.”
CWA Wins Settlement with unWired Broadband Over Unfair Labor Practices: The Communications Workers of America (CWA) announced that it has reached a settlement with unWired Broadband, resolving unfair labor practice charges stemming from the discipline and termination of several workers. As a result of the settlement, four union members who work for the internet service provider headquartered in Fresno, California, will receive $75,000 in back pay. This win is the latest milestone in an organizing campaign in which workers have endured captive-audience meetings, anti-union messaging from management and the illegal firing of workers on the organizing committee. “It is critical that every company respects workers’ rights—and even more important when a company like unWired is receiving millions of dollars in taxpayer-funded grants from the California Public Utilities Commission to expand broadband to underserved communities,” said CWA District 9 Vice President Frank Arce. “unWired technicians stood together through a tough organizing campaign, and this settlement delivers meaningful relief to the workers who were affected. CWA is proud to stand with them and we expect unWired to come to the table and negotiate the strong first contract these workers have earned.”
Broadway Cleaners Reach Tentative Agreement: Broadway cleaners, represented by Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 32BJ, have reached a tentative agreement with theater owners. Members across more than 30 venues voted in late June to authorize a potential work stoppage if the Broadway League refused to settle a fair contract. Highlights of the agreement include a $5 per hour wage increase, improvement to defined benefit pension, health care coverage safeguards, strengthened anti-discrimination protections and more. “We risked our lives during COVID to make sure Broadway could safely reopen,” said Martha Aristizabal, a porter at the Ambassador Theatre. “We work long nights and weekends, often missing major milestones with family and loved ones, to do the hard work it takes to put on each and every performance. This victory honors all that we’ve put in over the years. By winning wage and pension increases, improving paid leave, and protecting our health care, we can dedicate more to taking care of ourselves and enjoying time with the people we care about.”
Culinary Union Reaches Tentative Agreement at Allegiant Stadium: Members of UNITE HERE’s Culinary Union have reached a tentative agreement (TA) at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. More than 730 cooks, servers, bartenders and concessions workers at the venue are employed by Oak View Group. Negotiations for this new deal covering essential staff at the highest-grossing stadium in the country have been ongoing since last summer. In a social media post, the union said, “Culinary Union is pleased to announce a tentative agreement on a strong union union contract was reached with Oak View Group protecting 730+ cooks, servers, bartenders, & concessions workers at Allegiant Stadium. Congratulations to Allegiant Stadium workers!”