Iowa Federation of Labor, AFL-CIO
01/26/2023 | News release | Distributed by Public on 01/26/2023 16:41
AFL-CIO daily Briefs: Shuler; NNU; Redmond; WGAE; TNG-CWA and MPEG IATSE
Message from President Liz Shuler
- When the Trenton City Council refused to approve funding for AFSCME Local 2286's already negotiated contract last year, union member Crystal Feliciano decided to run for council to defend working people herself. On Tuesday, she won her election with the support of the New Jersey AFL-CIO.
- Working people are fed up with politicians who won't listen to us, and they are hungry for leadership that will not only protect our rights, but also expand them.
- There are many avenues for working people to use their voices to improve workplace conditions for themselves and other working people. Running for office is a challenging but rewarding pathway for those who can choose and commit to it.
- If politicians won't listen to working people, more and more working people will take the initiative to run for public office with the support of America's unions. We will continue to support the champions of working people.
Nurses Rally Nationwide for Safe Staffing
Thousands of registered nurses (RNs), members of National Nurses United (NNU), held actions today across the country to demand an end to the manufactured staffing crisis that decreases safety for nurses and patients. The national day of action also highlights the ongoing "quad-demic" that is exacerbated by the hospital industry's prioritization of profits over patients and employees. The quad-demic surge is based, in part, on a decades-long campaign by hospitals to decrease inpatient beds and short-staff units.
"We're the most trusted profession in America because we do everything in our power to take care of our patients, whether it's at the bedside or on the streets to fight back against corporate greed," said NNU Executive Director Bonnie Castillo, RN. "On our national day of action, NNU members will stand up for staffing models that adequately protect patients, nurses and our communities against public health crises."
Redmond Explains to Battle of Homestead Foundation Why Labor History Is Important
AFL-CIO Secretary-Treasurer Fred Redmond recently spoke during the Battle of Homestead Foundation's annual meeting. Redmond spoke about the importance of studying labor history to the foundation, whose purpose is to memorialize the labor conflict of the 1892 Battle of Homestead and clarify how the consequences of that battle remain with us today.
Redmond discussed the importance of studying labor history in order to learn the lessons necessary to continue the work of the labor movement.
"The labor movement has such a rich history," Redmond said. "It's full of moments like the Homestead Strike and the tragic battle on the Monongahela River. And these are moments that are important in our history and in our nation's history, because the fact of the matter is they're intertwined. You cannot separate this nation's history from the history of the labor movement."
Take Action: Help HuffPost Union Members Secure Fair Contract
The current contract between the Writers Guild of America, East (WGAE), and HuffPost expires at midnight on Jan. 31. WGAE members have been bargaining for a new contract for months, and important issues remain that must be resolved: fair guaranteed wage increases, an industry-standard 401k, health and safety provisions, and the ability to grieve out-of-title work. Management has refused to come to a fair resolution on those issues and has proposed wage increases that are lower than those in previous contracts.
The WGAE members at HuffPost are asking for your help. They deserve a fair contract and would like you to send a letter to Jonah Peretti, chief executive officer of HuffPost's parent company, BuzzFeed.
Take a few minutes today to show your solidarity and send a letter in support of the members of HuffPost Union.
Toledo NewsGuild Files Unfair Labor Practice Against Block Communications
The Toledo NewsGuild (a part of The NewsGuild-Communications Workers of America [TNG-CWA]) has filed an unfair labor practice (ULP) charge against Block Communications, the owners of the Toledo Blade. A reporter from the Blade was allegedly forced to perform work for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, another newspaper owned by Block. Post-Gazette workers are on strike, and Block forcing an employee to cross a picket line explicitly violates the terms and conditions of the collective bargaining agreement currently in effect.
The Toledo NewsGuild unit is made up of newsroom, advertising, circulation, finance, marketing and information technology workers. They are negotiating for a new contract. Their previous collective bargaining agreement expired in 2017, but its terms remain in effect until the new contract is approved.
The ULP filing states that management "interfered with, restrained and coerced employees in the exercise of rights secured by the [National Labor Relations Act], has discriminated against employees for their exercise of their protected rights and has engaged in bad-faith bargaining."
Post-Production Editors at 'Saturday Night Live' Approve Strike Authorization
Post-production workers at "Saturday Night Live" (SNL) who edit pretaped sketches have approved a motion to authorize a strike. The film editors, editors, assistant editors and media managers, represented by the Motion Picture Editors Guild (MPEG; an affiliate of Theatrical Stage Employees [IATSE]), have not yet announced a deadline for strike action. After sending their contract proposals to NBC Universal last month, they've seen no movement by the company toward addressing the workers' demands.
"The film workers at 'SNL' last year made it clear they want a union, and management acknowledged their wishes. Therefore, it's very disappointing that despite the guild's best efforts, there is still no framework for a contract in place," said MPEG National Executive Director Cathy Repola. "We remain committed to getting a contract in place as soon as possible and leave all options on the table to achieve that goal."
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