UAW Members Ratify Pact with Oshkosh—and More Bargaining News
UAW members in Wisconsin ratify a new contract with Oshkosh Corp., and more news from the “Bargaining Digest Weekly.” The AFL-CIO Collective Bargaining Department delivers daily, bargaining-related news and research resources to more than 1,400 subscribers. Union leaders can register for this service through our website, Bargaining@Work.
SETTLEMENTS
UAW, Oshkosh Corp.: Members of UAW Local 578 voted to ratify a new five-year deal with Oshkosh Corp. in Oshkosh, Wis. The 3,100 workers approved the agreement, following two earlier rejections, after the company dropped proposals that would have allowed it to hire temporary workers.
AFT, Philadelphia School District: Teachers at Philadelphia’s public schools approved a one-year contract extension with the school district. The contract now runs through August 2013 and covers 15,000 members of the Philadelphia Federation of Teachers (AFT).
AFSCME, University of California: Patient care workers and service workers at University of California campuses ratified new contracts that will provide wage increases for some 20,000 AFSCME members. The patient care contract runs until Sept. 30, 2012, while the service contract expires Jan. 31, 2013.
Doctors, Teachers, Bakers and More Win Union Voice
 |
While Republican lawmakers and right-wing talking heads try to demonize the union movement, physicians, nurses, flight instructors, technicians, bakers and more are the latest workers to choose a voice on the job with AFL-CIO unions.
More than 1,900 AT&T technicians across Communications Workers of America (CWA) District 3 in the Southeastern United States recently joined CWA through majority sign-up. The workers perform installation and repair for AT&T’s U-Verse TV, Internet and voice service.
In Portland, Ore., 156 workers at Dosha Salon and Spa voted for CWA Local 7901 in a hard-fought, 18-month campaign that included fierce anti-union campaign. Organizing Coordinator Al Kogler said the hair stylists, massage therapists, nail technicians, spa hosts, schedulers and laundry workers at the four salon locations didn’t back down.
Instead, the workers stayed upbeat and stuck together, wearing red T-shirts to anti-union meetings and temporary pro-union tattoos.
Crew at ‘Biggest Loser’ Back at Work—and More Bargaining News
Some 50 workers reached a contract agreement and are back on the job at the reality show, “The Biggest Loser,” and more news from the “Bargaining Digest Weekly.” The AFL-CIO Collective Bargaining Department delivers daily, bargaining-related news and research resources to more than 1,300 subscribers. Union leaders can register for this service through our website, Bargaining@Work.
SETTLEMENTS
IATSE, Reveille Productions: Striking crew members of reality show “The Biggest Loser” are back at work after they approved an agreement reached between show producers and the Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE). Some 50 workers went on strike Nov. 8, after producers failed to recognize their decision to have IATSE represent them.
Telecom and Satellite TV Workers, Police Officers and More Join AFL-CIO Unions
Telecommunications workers, satellite TV installers, police officers and freight handlers are among the latest workers to win a voice at work with AFL-CIO unions.
In Indiana and Michigan, 315 AT&T Mobility workers joined the Communications Workers of America (CWA). The former Centennial Wireless workers joined through a majority sign-up agreement between CWA and AT&T.
In Indiana, some 290 customer care representatives at the Fort Wayne call center and a 10-person statewide unit of technicians now are represented by CWA Local 4900. In Michigan, a unit of 15 network technicians from Michigan won representation by Local 4100. Also, in Berlin Township, N.J., 19 workers in the town’s public workers department joined CWA Local 1040.
In Rancho Dominguez, Calif., 204 DirectTV installation technicians voted to join the Machinists (IAM). IAM organizer Felix Osuna says the workers’ concerns included unfair discipline, job security, respect on the job and poor compensation. Also joining the IAM was a group of service contract workers employed by Science & Management Resources Inc., at Maxwell-Gunter Air Force Base in Montgomery, Ala.
43,000 New Jersey Communications Workers Ratify Pact, and More Bargaining News
Some 43,000 New Jersey Communications Workers of America ratify a revised contract—and more updates here from the “Bargaining Digest Weekly.” The
AFL-CIO Collective Bargaining Department delivers daily, bargaining-related news and research resources to more than 1,100 subscribers. Union leaders can register for this service through our website, Bargaining@Work.
SETTLEMENTS
CWA, New Jersey: More than 43,000 workers in the largest union representing New Jersey state workers, the Communications Workers of America (CWA), ratified a revised contract that defers a raise and swaps furloughs this year for future vacation days. “During these hard economic times, nothing is more important than protecting vital public services and the jobs of working people,” said Hetty Rosenstein, CWA’s New Jersey area director.
IATSE Signs Deal with NETworks Touring Productions
 |
||||
|
||||
Five highly popular touring shows are now a part of the union family. In a significant organizing win, the Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) recently negotiated an agreement covering the backstage workers traveling with touring shows produced by NETworks.
NETworks previously was the most active nonunion company for touring legitimate theater productions. The five NETworks shows currently touring were nonunion, but will now be covered under a collective bargaining agreement that provides for good wages, working conditions and health and retirement benefits for stagehands, wardrobe and hair and makeup workers.
The agreement extends to current NETworks productions of “Sweeney Todd,” “The Drowsy Chaperone,” “Hairspray,” “The Wizard of Oz” and “Annie,” and into the 2009-2010 season. Additionally, there are currently seven productions planned that will be covered the following season.
Flight Attendants, Pilots, Mechanics, Stagehands and Others Join AFL-CIO Unions
 |
|
Airline pilots, flight attendants, city employees, mechanics and stagehands are the latest workers to choose a voice at work with AFL-CIO unions.
The independent National Pilots Association (NPA)—made up of the cockpit crews at AirTran Airways—has agreed to merge with the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA). The executive board of the 1,700-pilot union approved the merger agreement last month, and ALPA endorsed the merger in December. AirTran pilots will vote on the proposal starting this month.
NPA and AirTran have been in contract talks since 2004. NPA President Mike Best says:
Our hope is that the [switch to ALPA] will give us more resources to get a better contract sooner.
