Rolling Labor Action Thread

lmaooooo

“We want to thank Jeff Bezos for going up to space, because while he was up there, we were organizing a union,” a jubilant Chris Smalls said in remarks outside the NLRB offices in Brooklyn: https://t.co/PxBsVBAgGL

— Richard Kim (@RichardKimNYC) April 1, 2022

The latest unionized Starbucks is here in Knoxville, first one in the South. It was an 8-7 vote and there was a 16th ballot that Starbucks is challenging (because it was cast by an assistant manager who they say shouldn't have been able to vote), but the fact that they're the ones challenging it means they know it was a vote in favor. So I think either they lose 9-7 or 8-7, but it's going through either way.

this shit is my "inspirational fb meme" - just makes me feel immediately better xp

The first hometown one to unionize was last week - I got off the train three stops (40 min walk) early to stick my face inside a a Starbucks door for the third time ever and call out congrats to the workers

that's awesome. pretty sure it's never going to happen here (utah) for so many reasons, one of which is that conservatism runs so deep in the blood that almost all workers hate their own interests. i mean if it ever does happen i'd be shocked and elated.

Howard Schultz' new pitch for why workers shouldn't unionize: by the end of the year, Starbucks will be the most successful NFT platform in the world.

Why drink coffee when you can have a JPG of an ape drinking coffee?

Not sure if this is the right thread or not, but I've really been looking forward to K1m K3lly's book since it was announced. I was mostly offline for the long weekend and just now catching up on the brouhaha whipped up by the excerpt in the WaPost this weekend. Disappointing to see, even if it sounds like the book itself provides the proper citation. It also seems like the book's "Untold" subtitle is still stirring up a little bit of controversary today.

I like her writing a lot and I've really gotten a lot of our her labor reporting, this is a bummer all around.

There are currently 69 Unionized Starbucks in America! pic.twitter.com/sxOa69LDVm

— Every Union Starbucks (@everyunionsbux) May 15, 2022

Replies check out

Breaking: Dodger Stadium Workers Vote 99% to Authorize Strike Ahead of MLB All-Star Game pic.twitter.com/nQ70evlQj4

— UNITE HERE Local 11 (@UNITEHERE11) July 11, 2022

yessssss

fuck em up

They walking out at Amazon in Atlanta 😭 y’all not getting them prime day packages pic.twitter.com/rECUcRB1Lg

— Maybe: Papi Women Neglecter vol 5 (@JuicegawdinPriv) July 13, 2022

New strike dates dropped

RMT (Uk rail workers' union):

27 July
18 Aug
20 Aug

and drivers for 8 franchises walk on 30 July

It appears to be on, as they say, like Donkey Kong

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-62166276
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-62173334

hmm

https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/34248463/dodger-stadium-concession-workers-pleased-progress-negotiations-strike-all-star-game

We are the actors, stunt performers, and stable hands of Medieval Times in Lyndhurst, New Jersey joining together in union to create a fairer, safer, and more enjoyable workplace. With a supermajority of support, we are excited to be forming our union with the AGVA.

— Medieval Times Performers United (@MTUnitedNJ) June 28, 2022

haha nice

so much for the tolerant SPCA

I posted this elsewhere today but it's a good 'un

https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMNmWPuw5/?k=1

400 Planned Parenthood workers at @ppnorthcentral—who work at 28 locations across Minnesota, Iowa, North Dakota, South Dakota and Nebraska—have just won the hell out of their union, with 90% voting YES to join @SEIUHCMNIA in a 238-26 landslide! https://t.co/trnQBOWrn3

— Kim “FIGHT LIKE HELL📕Out Now!” Kelly (@GrimKim) July 21, 2022

sharing this one again because it’s a black-led independent union of Amazon workers in the South using tried-and-tested tactics to build support and shop-floor power. CAUSE estimates it now has 700 workers interested—far more people should know about them https://t.co/6a7x2GNkBO

— Alex Press (@alexnpress) July 21, 2022

UNANIMOUS WIN!

DALLAS IS A UNION TOWN!!!!

— SBWU Mockingbird Station (@sbwumbs) July 29, 2022

The Major League Baseball Players Association has launched a campaign to unionize Minor League Players across the country #1u #FairBall pic.twitter.com/DDq4Q8NOXI

— MLBPA Communications (@MLBPA_News) August 29, 2022

71% of Americans support labor unions

https://news.gallup.com/poll/398303/approval-labor-unions-highest-point-1965.aspx

fuck this

If unions like CWU and RMT melt over something like this, it doesn't give you much confidence that they'll actually fight as hard as they're gonna need to against the shit that's coming https://t.co/coC4NDFNGC

— Tony Collins (@tontytrains) September 8, 2022

who gives a shit tbrr

I do

why?

shouldn't need fucking spelling out

well at least now we know what the M in RMT really stands for.

idk sort of exasperating but i kind of get it. rare time what seems like of mass public support (or at least understanding) for widespread industrial action, probs no harm in waiting a few weeks for the next ones so as not to alienate the 'she was a nice old dearie' or 'its sad when anyone dies' lot

these fucking people shouldn't have any influence on unions and their strike planning and they aren't the majority imo

i trust mick lynch to read the room, the point is to win, and if delaying helps them win then delay. no one’s feelings about royalty have anything to do with the deal they’re fighting for

when Lynch isn't flavour of the month anymore or public opinion is turning against the strikes, is he supposed to read the room then as well?

yeah times like these are exactly when you SHOULD be striking cf the LA Dodgers' Stadium staff threatening to strike before the all star game

lol owned

You literally stormed out of the room in the middle of us reading the “Respect and Dignity” contract proposal to yall, so now we’re playing Mario Party & eating lunch waiting for you to come back to our table.

Slay I guess https://t.co/ttHdIc9N9w pic.twitter.com/BJXgC5Yjsr

— Tyler - Starbucks Workers United (@UnionTyler) October 25, 2022

apparently Starbucks has been doing this a lot i.e. showing up for 5 minutes then leaving so that they can technically claim that they’ve “negotiated” with x many branches

Plans by @BirkbeckUoL to sack 140 staff are a disaster for the university, its students and its staff

UCU will not stand by and let this happen and we urge the university to work with us and rethink these cutshttps://t.co/uv8ETG3AAz

— UCU (@ucu) October 31, 2022

Large number of redundancies planned in University of London, among both academic and administrative and support staff.

UCU and Unison will be involved in negotiations but we will see if this goes to a formal dispute and potentially a very large strike which could have long-term effects all round.

This is at a time when national UCU is already in dispute and has just secured a huge mandate for strike action, though on nationwide issues separate from local cuts like these.

mysteriously, the first Starbucks in Starbucks' home town to unionise is closing down due to "safety and security incidents"

coincidentally, the Starbucks five blocks away closed down due to "crime rates" earlier this year, four weeks after the staff voted unanimously to unionise

yeah they're doing it everywhere afaict

The Starbucks Union-Busting Playbook

Workers Say Starbucks Uses Long-Ignored Problems as an Excuse to Close Stores

pics like this warm my cold dead heart

https://twitter.com/labornotes/status/1617937086354706435?s=20&t=n4GoR5-UwOVFncICSp3Q7w

New: Latino immigrant kitchen workers and a group of racially diverse women servers walked out at the Twin Peaks restaurant in Brentwood, Tennessee, on Saturday, January 14. They say their employer is serving up of a toxic brew of racism and sexism.https://t.co/adHmDEFDTA pic.twitter.com/zD8MozN7wl

— Labor Notes (@labornotes) January 24, 2023

https://www.thedailybeast.com/nbc-and-msnbc-staffers-walk-off-the-job-in-contract-dispute

On a happier note

🔥💯🤝 pic.twitter.com/xwSTduMt2F

— HarperCollins Union on strike since 11/10/22 (@hcpunion) February 10, 2023

After four days of voting, membership has RATIFIED the March 9th Tentative Agreement 344-8. This ratification landslide and the gains of our new Collective Bargaining Agreement are a historic achievement for our union.

(1/11)

— TUGSA (@TUGSA_6290) March 13, 2023

That is very inspiring.

Support some awesomeness

https://www.bandcampunited.org/

https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/bandcamp-union-1234695308/

If you’re not following what a joke-authoritarian-parody UCU has become, they combined “two questions” as one question in an e-ballot to ensure HQ achieved what they wanted — pausing the strikes /and/ giving members a vote on the “deal” (which isn’t a deal, it’s an insult). https://t.co/2gnDdZCJH0

— Philip Proudfoot (@PhilipProudfoot) March 17, 2023

Much controversy at present around UCU (UK university union).