Bill Bumpus Somerville MA - An injury to one is an injury to all

Two thousand Washington carpenters went on strike yesterday, out of 6,600 who currently work under the master agreement with the Association of General Contractors (AGC). Five jobs were picketed, including construction projects at Facebook’s Building X, the Microsoft’s Campus in Redmond, and Alphabet’s Google.

“I didn’t know what to expect. People can talk on Facebook, but you don’t know until it’s time for people to show up,” said Joe Rice, a general foreman at Local 30.

Two thousand Washington carpenters went on strike yesterday, out of 6,600 who currently work under the master agreement with the Association of General Contractors (AGC). Five jobs were picketed, including construction projects at Facebook’s Building X, the Microsoft’s Campus in Redmond, and Alphabet’s Google.

“I didn’t know what to expect. People can talk on Facebook, but you don’t know until it’s time for people to show up,” said Joe Rice, a general foreman at Local 30.

After narrowly rejecting a contract offer, the union representing 11,600 working carpenters in Washington state is set to start a strike tomorrow.

It’s the fourth offer that members have nixed. A scrappy band of rank and filers known as the Peter J. McGuire Group organized the no vote over inadequate raises—despite pressure from union leaders, who were promoting the deal. They are also seeking reimbursements for high parking costs, increased employer contributions to health care and pension funds, and stronger sexual harassment protections.

After narrowly rejecting a contract offer, the union representing 11,600 working carpenters in Washington state is set to start a strike tomorrow.

It’s the fourth offer that members have nixed. A scrappy band of rank and filers known as the Peter J. McGuire Group organized the no vote over inadequate raises—despite pressure from union leaders, who were promoting the deal. They are also seeking reimbursements for high parking costs, increased employer contributions to health care and pension funds, and stronger sexual harassment protections.

Eighty thousand New York City municipal workers who had been largely working remotely for the past 18 months were forced back this week to full-time, in-person work—after less than two weeks’ notice.

The majority of the city’s 300,000 municipal workers were already back at work. Many—such as sanitation workers and health care workers—never stopped working in person. These remaining 80,000 were those the city had deemed “non-essential.”

Eighty thousand New York City municipal workers who had been largely working remotely for the past 18 months were forced back this week to full-time, in-person work—after less than two weeks’ notice.

The majority of the city’s 300,000 municipal workers were already back at work. Many—such as sanitation workers and health care workers—never stopped working in person. These remaining 80,000 were those the city had deemed “non-essential.”

A tree is only as strong as its roots, and a union is only as strong as its actively involved members. Just as unions couldn’t function without stewards, unions also need member-volunteers to work on all sorts of committees, petition campaigns, direct actions, and more.

But the question is: How do you get members to volunteer their time, talents, and energy?

According to research on people who are active in social and political movements, the choice to get involved is based on three factors:

A tree is only as strong as its roots, and a union is only as strong as its actively involved members. Just as unions couldn’t function without stewards, unions also need member-volunteers to work on all sorts of committees, petition campaigns, direct actions, and more.

But the question is: How do you get members to volunteer their time, talents, and energy?

According to research on people who are active in social and political movements, the choice to get involved is based on three factors:

In recent decades, a top management priority at the bargaining table has been reducing the cost of retirement benefits. The pandemic and its economic fallout have generated a new round of employer demands for pension freezes, benefit cuts, plan conversions, and two-tier coverage. Jim Russell’s new book Labor Guide to Retirement Plans shows why and how private and public sector unions should be mobilizing members against such concessions.

In recent decades, a top management priority at the bargaining table has been reducing the cost of retirement benefits. The pandemic and its economic fallout have generated a new round of employer demands for pension freezes, benefit cuts, plan conversions, and two-tier coverage. Jim Russell’s new book Labor Guide to Retirement Plans shows why and how private and public sector unions should be mobilizing members against such concessions.

UPDATE, September 13: On Sunday, all nine UAW locals at John Deere were presented with the company's first offer and took their own strike authorization votes. According to workers at those meetings, the company proposed a long list of concessions, including an end to the moratorium on plant closures, increasing workers' health insurance premium payments from 0 percent to 20 percent, and an end to overtime after eight hours. While company-wide numbers weren't yet available, among plants where numbers have been reported so far, 99 percent of voting members authorized a strike.

UPDATE, September 13: On Sunday, all nine UAW locals at John Deere were presented with the company's first offer and took their own strike authorization votes. According to workers at those meetings, the company proposed a long list of concessions, including an end to the moratorium on plant closures, increasing workers' health insurance premium payments from 0 percent to 20 percent, and an end to overtime after eight hours. While company-wide numbers weren't yet available, among plants where numbers have been reported so far, 99 percent of voting members authorized a strike.

Update: On September 15, a Seoul court denied Yang bail. The KCTU stepped up the war of words. “In October, the government will see a general strike that knows no precedent,” the organization said in a statement—Editors

The South Korean government has arrested the leader of the country’s largest umbrella organization of independent unions, a move that will further strain ongoing tensions with the labor movement.

Update: On September 15, a Seoul court denied Yang bail. The KCTU stepped up the war of words. “In October, the government will see a general strike that knows no precedent,” the organization said in a statement—Editors

The South Korean government has arrested the leader of the country’s largest umbrella organization of independent unions, a move that will further strain ongoing tensions with the labor movement.

During a typical downpour, the rainwater also pours gobs of cash in tips into the pockets of immigrant gig workers as they zip around the city delivering takeout to New Yorkers hunkering down at home. Flash flooding warnings are not a case for worry; they are signs of a boon to come, as food delivery apps like GrubHub, DoorDash, and Relay offer bonuses to entice workers to traipse through snow and rain to feed homebound residents. On these days of extreme weather, upwardly mobile customers are apt to be less stingy.

During a typical downpour, the rainwater also pours gobs of cash in tips into the pockets of immigrant gig workers as they zip around the city delivering takeout to New Yorkers hunkering down at home. Flash flooding warnings are not a case for worry; they are signs of a boon to come, as food delivery apps like GrubHub, DoorDash, and Relay offer bonuses to entice workers to traipse through snow and rain to feed homebound residents. On these days of extreme weather, upwardly mobile customers are apt to be less stingy.

In 2015, tens of thousands of poor, mostly indigenous migrant farmworkers (or jornaleros) went on strike in Mexico, blockading the transpeninsular highway that connects agricultural production in the valley of San Quintín, Baja California, with distributors across the border in the United States. These workers produce crops including tomatoes, cucumbers, and berries for U.S. and world markets—under conditions they decry as “modern slavery.”

In 2015, tens of thousands of poor, mostly indigenous migrant farmworkers (or jornaleros) went on strike in Mexico, blockading the transpeninsular highway that connects agricultural production in the valley of San Quintín, Baja California, with distributors across the border in the United States. These workers produce crops including tomatoes, cucumbers, and berries for U.S. and world markets—under conditions they decry as “modern slavery.”

Being a steward is a hard, often thankless job. That simple fact makes the turnover in some unions terribly high—a sure recipe for a weakened union and a corps of seriously overworked veteran stewards.

It doesn’t have to be this way. Experienced stewards can use what they’ve learned to bring newer stewards along—to mentor them with opportunities, resources, encouragement, and support. Just the way a seasoned mechanic can show a new apprentice a few tricks, so too can the veteran steward lend a hand to the newcomer. Here are some ideas on how to do that.

Being a steward is a hard, often thankless job. That simple fact makes the turnover in some unions terribly high—a sure recipe for a weakened union and a corps of seriously overworked veteran stewards.

It doesn’t have to be this way. Experienced stewards can use what they’ve learned to bring newer stewards along—to mentor them with opportunities, resources, encouragement, and support. Just the way a seasoned mechanic can show a new apprentice a few tricks, so too can the veteran steward lend a hand to the newcomer. Here are some ideas on how to do that.