Tag: union

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World News

Largest Instructor’s Union Throws Help Behind Vaccination or Testing

Largest Teacher's Union Throws Support Behind Vaccination or Testing

The nation’s largest teachers’ union on Thursday offered its support to policies that would require all teachers to get vaccinated against Covid or submit to regular testing.

It is the latest in a rapid series of shifts that could make widespread vaccine requirements for teachers more likely as the highly contagious Delta variant spreads in the United States.

“It is clear that the vaccination of those eligible is one of the most effective ways to keep schools safe,” Becky Pringle, president of the National Education Association, said in a statement.

The announcement comes after Randi Weingarten, the powerful leader of the American Federation of Teachers, another major education union, signaled her strongest support yet for vaccine mandates on Sunday.

Ms. Pringle left open the possibility that teachers who are not vaccinated could receive regular testing instead, and added that local “employee input, including collective bargaining where applicable, is critical.”

Her union’s support for certain requirements is notable because it represents about three million members across the country, including in many rural and suburban districts where adults are less likely to be vaccinated. Overall, the union said, nearly 90 percent of its members report being fully vaccinated.

Still, any decision to require vaccination for teachers is likely to come at the local or state level. And even with their growing support, teachers’ unions have maintained that their local chapters should negotiate details.

“We believe that such vaccine requirements and accommodations are an appropriate, responsible, and necessary step,” Ms. Pringle said on Thursday. She added that “educators must have a voice in how vaccine requirements are implemented.”

California has ordered all teachers and staff members to provide proof of vaccination or face weekly testing, an order that applies to both public and private schools. Hawaii is requiring all state and county employees to be vaccinated or be tested, including public-school teachers. And Denver has said that city employees, including public school teachers, must be fully vaccinated by Sept. 30.

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Health

U.S. academics union says Covid case surge in youngsters led to again necessary photographs

U.S. teachers union says Covid case surge in kids led to back mandatory shots

A healthcare worker administers a dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine to a student during a ‘Vax To School’ campaign event at a high school in the Staten Island borough of New York, U.S., on Tuesday, Aug. 10, 2021.

Jeenah Moon | Bloomberg | Getty Images

A recent surge of Covid cases in kids across the U.S. led the nation’s second-largest teachers union to back vaccine mandates for educators as schools prepare for in-person learning this fall, said Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers.

“This is what really scares me: in the last three weeks, we’ve gone from the number of kids testing positive from 20,000 to 40,000 to 72,000,” she said, citing data from July. The number of kids who tested positive for Covid during the week ended Aug. 5 was even higher at 93,824, according to the most recent data from the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Weingarten, who was speaking in an interview Wednesday with CNBC’s “Squawk Box,” said schools should give teachers time off to get the shots and allow for medical and religious exemptions for those who don’t want them.

“Kids under 12 can’t get vaccines, this delta virus is very transmissible, so we need to be in school for our kids, with our kids, but we need to keep everyone safe,” Weingarten said. “And that means vaccines are the single most important way to do it, and the second way to do it is masks.”

Approximately 90% of teachers are already vaccinated, Weingarten said during the interview, citing White House data. But with many children still ineligible for vaccination, Weingarten stopped short of advocating for an immunization requirement for students under 12.

As the delta variant surges, states have begun enhancing their Covid mitigation protocols to prevent the virus from spreading among faculty and students. On Aug. 4, Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker introduced a mask mandate for all state students regardless of their vaccination status.

New Jersey also issued a mask mandate for all students and staff on Friday, and Louisiana’s mask mandate for public indoor settings includes students from kindergarten through college.

Becky Pringle, president of the largest U.S. teachers’ union, the National Education Association, told the New York Times last week that any vaccine mandate should be negotiated at the local level.

Reuters contributed to this report.

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Politics

Richard Trumka, head of AFL-CIO union federation, dies at 72

Richard Trumka, head of AFL-CIO union federation, dies at 72

AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka addresses the Economic Club of Washington in Washington, DC on April 23, 2019.

Mandel Ngan | AFP | Getty Images

AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka, a former coal miner who rose to lead the 12.5-million-member labor organization, died Thursday. He was 72.

Trumka, who became leader of the nation’s most powerful labor organization in 2009, died of an apparent heart attack, according to two sources who had been briefed by AFL-CIO aides.

At the time, Trumka “was doing what he loved, spending time, celebrating his grandson’s birthday,” AFL-CIO Secretary-Treasurer Liz Shuler said in a note to staff.

“We are heartbroken,” wrote Shuler, who under the group’s constitution will perform the duties of president until the AFL-CIO’s Executive Council elects a successor to Trumka.

President Joe Biden, whose 2020 run for the White House was endorsed by the AFL-CIO, called Trumka a close friend after learning of the labor leader’s death.

“The labor movement, the AFL-CIO and the nation lost a legend today,” said Tim Schlittner, communications director of the federation, which is comprised of 56 union affiliates and is major force in Democratic politics.

“Rich Trumka devoted his life to working people, from his early days as president of the United Mine Workers of America to his unparalleled leadership as the voice of America’s labor movement,” Schlittner said.

“He was a relentless champion of workers’ rights, workplace safety, worker-centered trade, democracy and so much more. He was also a devoted father, grandfather, husband, brother, coach, colleague and friend. Rich was loved and beloved.”

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-New York, choked back tears as he spoke on the Senate floor about Trumka.

“I rise today with some sad, horrible news about the passing of a great friend Rich Trumka who left us this morning,” Schumer said, before pausing to compose himself.

“The working people of America have lost a fierce warrior at a time when we needed him most.”

Trumka grew up in the coal-mining town of Nemacolin, Pennsylvania. As a college and law school student, Trumka worked as coal miner, as his father and grandfather had done.

At 33 years old, he ran and won on a reform ticket for the presidency of the United Mine Workers of America, becoming the youngest leader of that union in its history.

In 1995, Trumka was elected secretary-treasurer of the AFL-CIO, which had been formed 40 years earlier by merger of the American Federation of Labor and the Congress of Industrial Organization.

Trumka more recently was a major force in Biden’s selection of Marty Walsh as secretary of the Labor Department.

As Biden was assembling his Cabinet, Trumka’s lobbying for the then-Boston mayor was crucial to cementing Biden’s choice to nominate Walsh over Rep. Andy Levin, the Michigan Democrat who was the preferred candidate of some of the AFL-CIO’s affiliated unions

Trumka was equally influential when Republicans occupied the White House.

In 2019, Trumka convinced several skeptical Democratic House members, including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., to pass then-President Donald Trump’s revised version of the North American Free Trade Agreement, known as the USMCA.

Labor unions have long criticized NAFTA, claiming it sent tens of thousands of U.S. union manufacturing jobs over the border to Mexico, where wages are lower and labor unions represent industries, and not the workers in them.

Trumka later said that while USMCA was far from perfect, it was a large step toward undoing the harm caused by NAFTA. USMCA passed the House in Dec. 2019, with 41 Democrats voting against it.

While Trumka was influential, his rise in union politics since the 1980s coincided with a marked drop in membership in American unions during that time.

In 1983, about 20% of U.S. workers belonged to a labor union, but by 2019 that had fallen to just above 14%, according to Labor Department statistics.

But in recent years, the labor movement has gained momentum, as employees have pushed for better wages and improved working conditions across industries from fast food to aviation to large retailers such as Amazon. That push has come at the same time as corporate profits have soared.

Trumka noted that shift in momentum during his last major speech on July 27, at the virtual convention of the Texas AFL-CIO.

“My fellow union members, make no mistake about it: The labor movement in Texas is growing more powerful,” Trumka said. ” The anti-worker attacks have not discouraged you! The uphill climb has not stopped you. Since the pandemic hit, you’ve done the hard work. You’ve made your voices louder. And you’ve made your communities and state stronger.”

“So it should come as no surprise that America is turning toward the values of unionism.”

Sara Nelson, a prominent labor leader and president of the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA, which represents some 50,000 cabin crew members at more than a dozen airlines, said she was “shocked and saddened” by Trumka’s death.

“The very best way to honor Rich’s legacy is to fight back stronger than ever for American workers,” Nelson said.

Pennsylvania Lt. Gov. John Fetterman said Trumka’s death was “truly heartbreaking.”

“We lost a larger than life figure who spent a career fighting for, and defending the Union Way of Life,” Fetterman, a Democrat, wrote in a tweet.

“It’s left to the rest of us to pick up the slack and never stop fighting.  #UnionStrong.”

New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy ordered flags in that state flown at half-staff to mark Trumka’s death.

“America’s and New Jersey’s working families have lost one of their most steadfast and dedicated allies,” Murphy said in a statement. “Organized labor has lost one of its most powerful voices.”

– Additional reporting by CNBC’s Kevin Breuninger

Categories
Entertainment

Dwyane Wade and Gabrielle Union Take pleasure in North Fork Trip

Dwyane Wade and Gabrielle Union Enjoy North Fork Vacation

Dwyane Wade and Gabrielle Union are currently enjoying a relaxing North Fork vacation on Long Island, New York, and we couldn’t be more jealous. From family time with 2-year-old daughter Kaavia to dinner with friends, the couple made sure to document their entire trip on Instagram. Gabrielle’s best friend, Deirdre Maloney, and her family join the duo for the vacation, which makes for some excellent “shady baby” content from Kaavia.

The two all smiled as they took a short boat ride before visiting Croteaux Vineyards. There, Gabrielle did her best to teach Dwyane what a “trot” is and took full advantage of the vineyard’s rosé. While Gabrielle can say, “It’s like a panther” on Dwyne’s Instagram Story, our best guess is that it moves much like a horse. Regardless, Dwyane has taken his duty as an “Instagram Husband” very seriously – he knows ALL of Gabrielle’s best angles. See some of the couple’s best vacation photos ahead of time, including some precious family moments.

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Business

Met Opera Protest: Union Rallies In opposition to Proposed Pay Cuts

Met Opera Protest: Union Rallies Against Proposed Pay Cuts

Tensions heightened when the stagehands learned that the Met had outsourced some of its set construction to non-union stores in other parts of the country and overseas. (In a letter to the union last year, Peter Gelb, the general manager of the Met, wrote that the average full-time stage worker cost the Met $ 260,000 in 2019, including services The regular and sometimes full-time work at the Met is accounted for, the average wage is much lower.)

The stage lock was not absolute. Claffey said that at the Met’s request, he allowed several members of Local One to work at the Met under the terms of the previous contract, specifically to help the union cloakroom workers on duty.

But while the Met has now signed a deal with the American Guild of Musical Artists, who represent their choir, they haven’t yet reached out to Local 802 of the American Federation of Musicians, who represent the orchestra. Both groups were on leave for almost a year without pay after the opera house closed before being brought back to the negotiating table with the promise of partial compensation of up to $ 1,543 per week.

Adam Krauthamer, the president of Local 802 pointed out that due to the division of labor in the Met, other performing arts institutions were ahead of the Met’s reopening.

“Broadway sells tickets. The Philharmonie plays performances. They are building stages right in front of our eyes, ”said Krauthamer in a speech at the rally. “The Met is the only place that continues to try to destroy its workers’ contracts.”

The rally was supported by several local politicians speaking, including Gale Brewer, the President of Manhattan District, and New York State Senators Jessica Ramos and Brad Hoylman, who had a message for the Met’s general manager: “Mr. Yellow, could you please leave the drama on stage? “

Categories
Entertainment

Metropolitan Opera Reaches Deal With Union Representing Refrain

Metropolitan Opera Reaches Deal With Union Representing Chorus

The Metropolitan Opera, whose efforts to cut its workers’ wages to survive the pandemic had embroiled them in a bitter dispute with their unions and threatened to derail its planned reopening in September, announced Tuesday it was one I reached an agreement with the union representing his choir and other workers.

The union, the American Guild of Musical Artists, which also represents soloists, dancers, actors and stage managers, is the first of the three largest unions to reach such a deal after months of sometimes bitter separation between work and management over such depth and The pandemic wage cut should be permanent. The Met had tried to cut wages for its highest-paid unions by 30 percent, which would cut these takeaway workers by around 20 percent.

The terms of the contract – the culmination of 14 weeks of negotiations – were not disclosed immediately. The company said they would remain confidential until the union voted to ratify the agreement on May 24.

In the past few weeks, New York officials have taken steps to ease restrictions on live performances, and in the past few days several major Broadway shows have announced their intention to resume performances in September and October. Whether the Met can reopen in September after the pandemic forced the opera house to remain closed for more than a year depends on how quickly it can resolve its remaining labor problems.

Peter Gelb, the Met’s general manager, said in a statement that he was grateful to the guild “to recognize the extraordinary economic challenges facing the Met in the coming seasons”.

Leonard Egert, the guild’s executive director, said in a statement that the new contract “would ensure that the Met becomes a fairer and better place to work”.

“We are excited to strike a new deal at the most difficult time in the history of the performing arts,” he said.

The Met’s deal with the guild is just one step towards reopening. The union that represents its stage workers, Local One of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, has been locked out since December after both sides failed to reach an agreement on wage cuts. Without his union stagehands, it will likely be impossible to start performing. And the union that represents the Met orchestra is still negotiating their contract.

The opera company, the nation’s largest performing arts organization, says it has lost $ 150 million in revenue since the coronavirus pandemic – including ticket sales for the Opera House and its cinema simulcasts, as well as revenue from shops and restaurants forced it to close its doors more than a year ago. When the Met reopens in September, it will have been 18 months without performing live at their opera house.

The Met’s management has argued that such a long period of closure – and the uncertainty about audience return at a time when New York tourism could take years to return to preandemic levels – is financial sacrifices of its own Employees. It is said that half of the proposed wage cuts would be restored once ticket receipts and core donations returned to prepandemic levels. Some major American orchestras and opera companies have already negotiated wage cuts with their workers to help them survive the pandemic.

After the opera house closed, the members of the orchestra and choir went unpaid for almost a year. Then the company brought them to the negotiating table with an offer of up to $ 1,543 per week, less than half what they normally get.

Union members plan to gather outside Lincoln Center on Thursday to show solidarity during the tense negotiations with management. Union leaders have accused the Met’s management of using the pandemic as a reason to force concessions from work.

If approved, the agreement with the guild will take effect on August 1st. Union members will continue to receive partial payments for the time being.

Categories
Business

NBA union government leads talks to assist gamers earn more money from NFTs

NBA union executive leads talks to help players make more money from NFTs

Joi Garner, Executive Vice President and General Counsel of THINK450, the licensing and marketing subsidiary of the National Basketball Players Association.

Source: Joi Garner

The National Basketball Association and its players union will soon benefit from the rise of the NFTs, and union officer Joi Garner leads one side of the discussion.

The league and the National Basketball Players Association are negotiating with Dapper Labs to rerun a 2019 license agreement. Dapper is the creator of the popular NFT brand, NBA Top Shot. Garner is Executive Vice President and General Counsel of Think450, the licensing and marketing arm of NBPA. She said the renewal talks piqued the players’ interest.

“It’s probably the most requested license agreement [among players]”Garner told CNBC.

Garner, who is the negotiator for NBPA deals discussions, was unable to reveal details of the discussions with Dapper for privacy reasons. But she said the union would maximize player value as NFTs grew in popularity.

The NBA licenses clips to Dapper Labs, which they digitize and convert into a limited number of NFTs to increase the scarcity of their top shot product. Some NFTs offer highlights in different angles and digital graphics. And many of the NFTs are sold out.

In licensing agreements, leagues and unions usually receive a percentage of revenue from the sale of an intellectual property company’s product. And it’s not uncommon for a stake to be included in deals either.

In 2017, the NBA granted players their naming, image, and likeness rights so that the NBPA could also coordinate rights money. As a result, companies must enter into dual agreements with the NBA and NBPA in licensing deals.

According to a report on blockchain news site CoinDesk, Dapper Labs is worth more than $ 7.5 billion after a recent fundraiser. In a February CNBC article, the company said NBA Top Shot products generated over $ 230 million in revenue.

With these figures, the NBPA gets a good overview of the income generated. Garner joked that she needs to get this agreement right, adding the union-hired technical advisors to provide input on the future of the NFTs.

“The pressure on this deal ensures we are getting the greatest possible value for the players,” said Garner. “What we don’t want is to take out jewelry insurance” or take less money now for a product that will generate more in the future.

Aim for $ 200 million

Against the background of contract negotiations, Garner joined the NBPA in 2018 under Think450 President Payne Brown. The unit was created to increase sales for players who take advantage of licensing and marketing agreements. Most recently, Garner has signed union agreements with companies like Kia and DoorDash.

The Think450 unit is slated to generate $ 200 million over the next few years, and Garner will play a major role.

“The goal for Payne when he joined us in 2018 was that he wanted to double sales in five years. That’s a big goal, but he hasn’t forgotten, and neither have I,” said Garner .

Garner said NBPA is reviewing content distribution offers for three projects, including a documentary covering Vince Carter’s final season and the 2020 pandemic season. This documentary features behind-the-scenes footage of the NBA’s NBA campus by a production team from Pop stars Beyonce were filmed.

“This story we’re finalizing is about to hit the market,” Garner said, adding that the film project will be finalized with the April 2021 ruling in the trial of former police officer Derek Chauvin, convicted of the murder of George Floyd in May 2020.

Garner is also monitoring the CBD sector for licensing deals, but added that the NBPA would need to consult the NBA as products could contain marijuana, which is still banned nationwide, although states are allowed to legalize it.

She said the Think450 will be in “hyper-growth mode” for the remainder of 2021. However, before it looks to the future, completing the renewal with Top Shot is a top priority.

“Confusing that wouldn’t do me any good,” said Garner. “Everyone is watching. I think the industry is also watching how this works and whether NFTs will stay here.”

Correction: This article has been updated to reflect that former police officer Derek Chauvin was convicted of the murder of George Floyd.

Categories
Business

Amazon is accused of corrupting the union voting course of at an Alabama warehouse.

Amazon is accused of corrupting the union voting process at an Alabama warehouse.

The union, sensibly defeated in its efforts to organize an Amazon warehouse in Alabama, is attempting to dismiss the election results and accusing the company of corrupting the voting process by intimidating and monitoring workers.

On Monday, the retail, wholesale and department store union appealed to the National Labor Relations Board, which oversaw the voting process via email last month.

The union lost its offer to organize the camp at a ratio of more than 2 to 1. Many workers said the union had not convinced them of the benefits of the organization and that they were largely satisfied with Amazon’s wages, benefits and working conditions.

In a statement on Monday, Amazon said: “Instead of accepting the choice of these employees, the union seems determined to continue to misrepresent the facts in order to advance its own agenda. We look forward to the next steps in the legal process. “

At the center of the union’s complaint is a mailbox that Amazon installed in the warehouse parking lot, where workers can cast their ballot papers. The union said Amazon brought the collection box without permission from the labor authority. The company also used video cameras to monitor workers who cast their ballots there and encouraged them to toss the ballots in the box instead of mailing them from home, the union said.

The union said these actions by Amazon “created the impression that the collection box was a polling station and that the employer had control over the conduct of postal votes”.

The union also accused Amazon of other tactics that may have intimidated the workers, such as hiring local police to patrol the parking lot while the organizers were outside and possibly pulling union-friendly workers out of the “captured audience” meetings that did the Company had held to raise the issue of organizing the ride among employees.

The company “would require the employee to come forward, identify them and then remove them from the meeting in the presence of hundreds of other employees, thereby compromising and / or chilling the employees’ right to freely discuss issues related to the union organizing campaign will, ” said the union in its filing with the labor authority.

The union has asked the Labor Authority to hold a hearing on their petition in order to overturn the results. If the union succeeds in its legal challenges, the labor authority could order another election to be held.

Categories
Business

Insider Journalists Kind a Union

Insider Journalists Form a Union

Journalists from Insider, the news site formerly called Business Insider, said Monday they formed a union and joined a wave that has swept up digital media companies.

A majority of more than 300 editors, a group of reporters, editors and video journalists, voted in support, union officials said.

Insider, which changed its name this year, was co-founded by Henry Blodget in 2007 as a business-oriented publication focusing on the technology industry. In recent years it has expanded its areas of coverage.

Axel Springer, a Berlin-based digital publisher, paid $ 343 million in 2015 for a 97 percent stake in the company and bought the remaining 3 percent in 2018. Mr. Blodget remained managing director. Insider, who has grown during the pandemic, raised the minimum annual salary for employees to $ 60,000 in February.

The Insider Union asks the company for voluntary recognition. It is represented by The NewsGuild of New York, which also represents editorial staff for the New York Times and other publications.

“I’ve seen us grow from the start-up energy of a young company to a much larger, much more formal company,” said Kim Renfro, an entertainment correspondent who has been with the Insider Union since 2014 as a natural part of that progress . “

William Antonelli, editor at Insider, said the union will focus on diversity and inclusion, pay fairness and be more transparent about how executives rate employees.

Nicholas Carlson, Insider’s global editor-in-chief, said in a statement: “The satisfaction, job security and happiness of our journalists are extremely important to us. We will fully respect every decision our newsroom ultimately makes. “

Forming a union at Insider is part of a broader industry trend after efforts were organized at BuzzFeed News, Vice, The New Yorker, and Vox Media. Last week a group of more than 650 technicians formed a union at The Times.

Categories
World News

How Amazon fought the union drive in Alabama

How Amazon fought the union drive in Alabama

Die Menschen protestieren am 22. März 2021 in Los Angeles, Kalifornien, um die gewerkschaftlichen Bemühungen der Arbeiter im Amazonasgebiet von Alabama zu unterstützen.

Lucy Nicholson | Reuters

Amazon hat letzte Woche eine Gewerkschaftsaktion in einem seiner Lagerhäuser in Alabama besiegt, ein großer Gewinn für den E-Commerce-Riesen, der seit langem gegen Gewerkschaftsversuche in seinen Einrichtungen gekämpft hat.

Die Arbeiter im Lagerhaus in Bessemer, Alabama, stimmten mit überwältigender Mehrheit für die Ablehnung der Gewerkschaftsbildung, wobei weniger als 30% der Stimmen dafür stimmten. Die Gewerkschaft für Einzelhandel, Großhandel und Kaufhäuser, die die Gewerkschaftsaktion leitete, beabsichtigt, das Ergebnis in Frage zu stellen, und argumentiert, dass Amazon vor und während der Abstimmung mit einigen seiner gewerkschaftsfeindlichen Aktivitäten gegen das Gesetz verstoßen habe.

Das Ergebnis ist ein Rückschlag für die organisierte Arbeit, die gehofft hatte, dass die Bessemer-Wahl dazu beitragen würde, bei Amazon Fuß zu fassen. Gewerkschaften, Arbeitnehmervertreter und einige Mitarbeiter des Bessemer-Werks, bekannt als BHM1, sind jedoch der Ansicht, dass die Bessemer-Wahlen weitere Organisationsversuche in anderen Lagern im ganzen Land ankurbeln werden. Die Gewerkschaftsführer sagten, die Wahlen in Bessemer hätten der Öffentlichkeit auch gezeigt, wie weit die Arbeitgeber gehen werden, um Gewerkschaften zu verhindern.

Nach Angaben mehrerer Arbeitnehmer und Gewerkschaftsvertreter, die die Taktik beschrieben haben, hat Amazon bei BHM1 eine aggressive PR-Kampagne gestartet, die Textnachrichten an Mitarbeiter, Broschüren, eine Website, auf der die Arbeitnehmer aufgefordert wurden, “ohne Gebühren zu arbeiten”, und Flugblätter, die in Badezimmern veröffentlicht wurden und die die Arbeitnehmer aufforderten zu “NEIN stimmen.”

Amazon verschickte Textnachrichten und Mailer, in denen die Mitarbeiter in seiner Einrichtung in Bessemer, Alabama, aufgefordert wurden, “NEIN zu stimmen”.

Die größte Gelegenheit für Amazon, die Arbeitnehmer zu beeinflussen, bestand in Form von so genannten Captive-Audience-Meetings, an denen die Arbeitnehmer während ihrer Schicht teilnehmen mussten. Amazon hielt die Treffen wöchentlich von Ende Januar bis zum Versand der Stimmzettel Anfang Februar ab. Die Mitarbeiter saßen ungefähr 30 Minuten lang in PowerPoint-Präsentationen, um die Gewerkschaftsbildung zu entmutigen, und erhielten die Gelegenheit, Fragen von Vertretern von Amazon zu stellen.

Gefangene Publikumsversammlungen sind eine gängige Taktik, die Arbeitgeber bei Gewerkschaftskampagnen anwenden. Befürworter vorgeschlagener arbeitsrechtlicher Reformen wie des Gesetzes zum Schutz des Organisationsrechts, das im Senat verabschiedet werden soll, haben argumentiert, dass Treffen in Gefangenschaft als Forum für Arbeitgeber dienen, um gewerkschaftsfeindliche Botschaften zu übermitteln, “ohne der Gewerkschaft die Möglichkeit dazu zu geben.” reagieren.” Das PRO-Gesetz würde es Arbeitgebern verbieten, diese Treffen obligatorisch zu machen.

Amazon sagte, es habe laufende Treffen in kleinen Gruppen veranstaltet, um den Mitarbeitern die Möglichkeit zu geben, alle Fakten über den Beitritt zu einer Gewerkschaft und über den Wahlprozess selbst zu erfahren.

Das Unternehmen verteidigte auch seine Reaktion auf die Gewerkschaftskampagne im weiteren Sinne und argumentierte in einer Erklärung nach dem Ergebnis, dass die Arbeitnehmer “weitaus mehr Anti-Amazon-Botschaften von Gewerkschaften, politischen Entscheidungsträgern und Medien gehört haben, als sie von uns gehört haben”.

Warum einige mit “Nein” gestimmt haben

Die Nachrichten von Amazon in den Meetings waren für einige BHM1-Mitarbeiter überzeugender als für andere.

Ein Mitarbeiter von Bessemer, der letztes Jahr bei Amazon angefangen hatte, sagte, er habe das Gefühl, Amazon habe bei Gesprächen mit Arbeitnehmern über die Gewerkschaft einige Schreckensstrategien angewandt, sagte aber auch gegenüber CNBC, er verstehe nicht, wie die Gewerkschaft den Arbeitnehmern bei BHM1 helfen würde. Diese Person, die um Anonymität bat, um Vergeltungsmaßnahmen zu verhindern, sagte, die RWDSU habe nicht erklärt, was sie für die Arbeitnehmer tun würden, und nicht auf ihre Anfrage nach Informationen darüber geantwortet, wie sie Mitarbeitern auf anderen Baustellen geholfen hätten.

Abgesehen von seinen Zweifeln an der RWDSU sagte dieser Mitarbeiter, er habe auch in erster Linie positive Erfahrungen bei Amazon gemacht. Während sich einige Arbeiter über den stressigen und anspruchsvollen Charakter der Arbeit beschwerten, sagte er, ein früherer Baujob habe ihn auf die körperliche Arbeit der Lagerarbeit vorbereitet, so dass er es leicht finde. Die Bezahlung und die Vorteile von Amazon sind auch eine Verbesserung gegenüber seinem vorherigen Job.

Am Ende stimmte dieser Arbeiter gegen die Gewerkschaftsbildung.

In privaten Facebook-Gruppen, in denen Amazon-Mitarbeiter miteinander interagieren, teilten andere BHM1-Mitarbeiter ihre Gedanken über die Gewerkschaftskampagne mit. Ein Arbeitnehmer befürchtete, dass die Arbeitnehmer bei einer Abstimmung in der Gewerkschaft den Zugang zu bestimmten Leistungen von Amazon verlieren würden, beispielsweise zum Weiterbildungsprogramm, bei dem Amazon einen Prozentsatz der Studiengebühren für die Ausbildung von Lagerarbeitern für Jobs in anderen Bereichen mit hoher Nachfrage zahlt.

Ein anderer Arbeiter war der Meinung, dass eine Gewerkschaft nicht notwendig sei, und behauptete, wenn man hart arbeitet, könne man bei Amazon erfolgreich sein: “Ich habe mit Nein gestimmt. Amazon ist nur ein Spiel mit Regeln. Lernen Sie die Regeln, spielen Sie das Spiel, steigen Sie auf, gewinnen Sie. “”

Obligatorische Sitzungen

Einige BHM1-Mitarbeiter empfanden die gewerkschaftsfeindlichen Nachrichten von Amazon als zu aggressiv.

Ein Mitarbeiter von BHM1, der als Stower arbeitet und Gegenstände in leere Lagerplätze in der gesamten Einrichtung überführt, sagte, Amazon habe die Texte, Flyer und obligatorischen Besprechungen so gestaltet, dass die Botschaft vermittelt wird, dass die Gewerkschaft niemandem helfen würde. Dieser Arbeitnehmer bat um Anonymität aus Sorge um den Verlust seines Arbeitsplatzes.

Der Arbeiter, der für die Gewerkschaft gestimmt hatte, sagte, er sei vorsichtig, Unterstützung für die Gewerkschaftsbildung vor Amazon und seinen Mitarbeitern zu zeigen, und sei nervös, Fragen zu stellen, statt dumm zu sein, um nicht gefeuert zu werden.

Luftaufnahme der Amazonas-Einrichtung in Bessemer, Alabama, 5. März 2021, in der die Arbeitnehmer darüber abstimmen werden, ob sie sich gewerkschaftlich organisieren wollen.

Dustin Chambers | Reuters

In einer obligatorischen Sitzung, die vor der Verteilung der Stimmzettel im Februar stattfand, versuchte Amazon, Zweifel daran zu wecken, wie die Arbeitnehmergebühren ausgegeben werden, indem er den Arbeitnehmern mitteilte, dass die RWDSU jährlich mehr als 100.000 US-Dollar für Fahrzeuge für Arbeitnehmer ausgab. Der Arbeiter war skeptisch gegenüber der Präsentation von Amazon und dachte, dass Amazon wahrscheinlich jedes Jahr viel mehr für Autos ausgab als die Gewerkschaft.

Gewerkschaftspräsident Stuart Appelbaum sagte in einem Interview, dass die RWDSU Autos für einige Vertreter kauft, deren Aufgabe es ist, von Arbeitsplatz zu Arbeitsplatz zu reisen, um Mitglieder zu vertreten und zu betreuen.

Amazon sagte, es wolle den Arbeitnehmern, insbesondere denjenigen ohne Vorkenntnisse der Gewerkschaften, erklären, dass eine Gewerkschaft ein Unternehmen ist, das Beiträge erhebt und erklärt, wie diese Beiträge verwendet werden können.

In einem weiteren obligatorischen Treffen teilten die beiden Bessemer-Mitarbeiter CNBC mit, Amazon habe Beispiele früherer Verträge verteilt, die die RWDSU gewonnen habe, und versucht, die Mängel der Gewerkschaft herauszustellen. Amazon behauptete auch, dass die RWDSU in erster Linie eine Geflügelarbeitergewerkschaft sei, die nur über begrenzte Erfahrung in der Vertretung von Lagerarbeitern verfüge.

Appelbaum sagte, Geflügelarbeiter machten einen bedeutenden Teil der RWDSU-Mitgliedschaft in Alabama aus, und viele der Organisatoren, die die Kampagne leiteten und sich beim Abschluss ihrer Schicht an Amazon-Arbeiter außerhalb von BHM1 wandten, stammten aus nahe gelegenen Geflügelfabriken. Die Gewerkschaft vertritt auch Arbeitnehmer in anderen Branchen, darunter Einzelhandel, Lebensmittelproduktion, gemeinnützige Organisationen und Cannabis, sagte Chelsea Connor, Sprecherin der RWDSU.

Auf die Frage, ob die RWDSU als Geflügelgewerkschaft charakterisiert sei, antwortete Amazon, sie wolle den Arbeitnehmern zeigen, wie gut oder schlecht die Gewerkschaft ihren Arbeitgeber verstehen könne.

Während der Treffen versuchte Amazon auch, negative Ergebnisse hervorzuheben, die sich aus der Abstimmung für die Gewerkschaft ergeben könnten. Amazon sagte den Arbeitern, die Gewerkschaft könne die Arbeiter zum Streik zwingen und die Arbeitnehmer könnten in Zukunft ihre Leistungen verlieren, sagten die Arbeiter gegenüber CNBC.

Das Mid-South-Büro der RWDSU, das die Organisation bei Amazon leitete, widersprach der Behauptung von Amazon, dass die Gewerkschaft BHM1-Arbeiter zum Streik zwingen würde, und nannte es laut den an die Arbeiter verteilten Mitteilungen eine “Angst-Taktik”.

“Amazon hat unterstellt, dass die Gewerkschaft Sie in einen Streik ziehen wird”, sagte Randy Hadley, Präsident des Mid-South Council, in einem Brief an die Arbeiter im Februar, in dem auch andere Behauptungen von Amazon angesprochen werden. “Hier sind die Fakten, unsere Mitgliedschaft und unsere Mitgliedschaft kontrollieren NUR, ob mit einer Super-Mehrheit gestreikt werden soll oder nicht. Dies bedeutet, dass fast 4.000 Amazon-Arbeiter abstimmen müssten, um in den Streik zu treten. Ein Streik kann bei Bedarf nützlich sein, ist es aber auch.” sehr, sehr selten. Dies ist eine weitere Angst-Taktik von Amazon. “

Amazon sagte, es wollte die Arbeitnehmer darauf hinweisen, dass die Gewerkschaft bei einer Abstimmung in einer Gewerkschaft einen Streik fordern könnte, da dies der Haupthebel der Gewerkschaft gegenüber einem Arbeitgeber ist.

Als Antwort auf die Frage, ob es den Arbeitnehmern mitgeteilt wurde, dass sie ihre Leistungen verlieren könnten, wenn eine Gewerkschaft gewählt wird, sagte Amazon, es habe versucht, die Arbeitnehmer im Rahmen der allgemeinen Bildung über Gewerkschaften darüber zu informieren, dass es viele Ergebnisse gibt, die sich aus Tarifverhandlungen ergeben können.

Nicht die letzte Anstrengung

Amazon-Mitarbeiter, Gewerkschaftsführer und Arbeitnehmervertreter hoffen, dass der Verlust in Alabama nicht der letzte Versuch sein wird, die weitläufige Belegschaft des Einzelhandelsgiganten zu organisieren.

Möglicherweise gibt es auch zukünftige Kampagnen bei BHM1. Der Arbeiter, der für die Gewerkschaft gestimmt hat, sagte, einige gewerkschaftsfreundliche Angestellte hätten die Möglichkeit diskutiert, sich an die Teamsters zu wenden und eine zukünftige Gewerkschaftskampagne in ihrem Lager durchzuführen.

An anderer Stelle erwägen Amazonas-Arbeiter und Gewerkschaften unterschiedliche Organisationsstrategien. Das Teamsters kommuniziert mit Amazon-Fahrern und Lagerarbeitern in einer Einrichtung in Iowa und erwägt Wege, um Arbeiter über den Wahlprozess hinaus zu sammeln. Amazon-Mitarbeiter in Chicago haben eine Gruppe gebildet, um Mitarbeiter in Einrichtungen in der Region zu organisieren, die Amazonians United Chicagoland heißt.

Ein Mitarbeiter einer Amazon-Einrichtung in New Jersey, der ebenfalls um Anonymität bat, sagte, er habe sich zuvor an eine Gewerkschaft gewandt, um die Einrichtung zu organisieren. Nachdem der Arbeiter das Ergebnis in Bessemer gesehen hatte, sagte er, dass sie zum Zeichenbrett zurückkehren und sich mit informelleren Taktiken befassen, um eine Hebelwirkung zu erzielen.

Susan Schurman, Professorin an der School of Management and Labour Relations der Rutgers University, verwies auf die Alphabet Workers Union, eine kürzlich gegründete Minderheitengewerkschaft mit mehr als 800 Google-Mitarbeitern, als potenzielles Modell für Amazon-Mitarbeiter.

Im Gegensatz zu traditionellen Gewerkschaften repräsentieren Minderheitengewerkschaften nicht die Mehrheit der Arbeitnehmer, sondern nur diejenigen, die sich für einen Beitritt entscheiden. Sie werden auch von der NLRB nicht anerkannt und fungieren nicht als Verhandlungspartner mit Arbeitgebern.

Schurman sagte jedoch, dass Minderheitengewerkschaften als “Weg zu Mehrheitsgewerkschaften” dienen und ein wirksames Instrument für den Aufbau von Arbeitnehmerunterstützung sein können, noch bevor eine formelle Kampagne mit der NLRB gestartet wird.

“Warum nicht bleiben und eine Organisation aufbauen und dabei bleiben?” Sagte Schurman. “Lassen Sie die Arbeiter neue Mitglieder rekrutieren und den Wert einer kollektiven Verhandlungsmacht demonstrieren.”

Appelbaum, der Präsident der RWDSU, sagte, eine Strategie der Minderheitengewerkschaft sei “eine Überlegung wert”.

“Wir haben noch keine Entscheidung getroffen, aber ich denke, wir werden es uns ansehen”, sagte Appelbaum. “Wir wissen, dass wir nicht weggehen.”