The decision to back Cuomo has received harsh criticism from rank-and-file trade unionists even without his many scandals, Andrew Cuomo’s tenure as Governor saw an attack against labor that would make any Southern Republican look like a labor ally. During his time in office Cuomo, accelerated the push to privatize public education, stole money out of public transit funds and created a two-tier wage system for new hires with his “Tier 6” pension scheme. Not only did Tier 6 cut pensions for new hires starting in 2012, but it more than doubled pension contributions for many workers and increased the retirement age from 55 to 63 for the majority of the State’s workforce. Rank-and-file members have been clamoring for Tier 6 reform since, and it’s been slow-moving, the endorsement of Cuomo makes it clear that the misleaders of labor in reality support Cuomo’s signature piece of anti-union legislation.

While the misleaders of labor continue to fall in line with the monopolists in power, rank-and-file activists have stepped up to fight back against a monopoly-controlled New York City. Before Cuomo even entered the race, unions with active rank-and-file movements backed the Working Families Party slate of candidates (NYC has Ranked Choice Voting for Primaries) which includes notable candidates New York State Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani and New York City Comptroller Brad Lander.

Later, as many of NYC’s misleaders of labor were preparing to endorse Cuomo rank-and-file leaders stepped up to fight back against this betrayal. The misleaders of AFSME DC36 and UFT, two unions who led a massive betrayal by spearheading Mayor Eric Adam’s plan to force all retirees into a privatized Medicare Advantage plan, were set to back Cuomo until rank-and-file leaders got word and organized members against Cuomo. In a surprise move, DC37 ended up endorsing Mamdani, while the UFT, in attempt to face no political backlash, would refrain from endorsing anyone in the primary. The since voted-out leadership of SEIU Local 1199 endorsed Cuomo in April, now a rank-and-file movement is fighting to rescind that endorsement as well.

Many of the labor endorsements for Cuomo’s campaign should be of no surprise, starting with the historically reactionary building trades unions. His campaign was launched at the union hall of the Carpenters’ Union, a union which is actively using dual unionism throughout the country to undercut other building trades unions. The United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) and their subsidiary union the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union (RWDSU) have endorsed Cuomo, a move that should galvanize the growing rank-and-file discontent in that union.

And, we cannot forget the Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) who under current International President John Costa—who was appointed to replace the progressive, left-leaning and Staten Island’s own labor and community leader Larry Hanley in 2019—has made a sharp rightward shift back into the control of the Democratic Party establishment and business unionism has endorsed Cuomo. This endorsement has come while ATU members are working under increasingly dangerous working conditions due to lack of maintenance, conditions that can be traced back to Cuomo’s raiding of over $400k in funds from the MTA during his tenure as Governor.

Workers are tired of the constant givebacks, cost-of-living decline and benefit cuts that has been the hallmark of both Andrew Cuomo’s time as Governor and the current crop of labor misleaders tenure in office. The rank and file have increasingly gotten on board with the Zohran Mamdani campaign for Mayor not just because of Cuomo’s anti-labor history, but Mamdani’s plans for fast and free buses, a rent freeze on all rent-stabilized apartment, universal child-care, city-run grocery stores and many others which will help restore dignity in lives of working New Yorkers. In the State Assembly, Zohran Mamdani has also been a co-sponsor of the New York Health Act which would create a single payer health plan for all New Yorkers and has fought to fix the Tier 6 pension mess created by Cuomo.

It is clear the misleaders of labor do no stand on the same side as the rank and file in this race. The so-called leadership has coalesced behind the candidate of monopoly capital in Andrew Cuomo, while the rank and file has increasingly worked for and supported the anti-monopoly candidacy of Zohran Mamdani. The NYC mayoral primary takes place on June 24^th, but due to Ranked Choice Voting the results may not be final for another week. No matter the results, this election has shown the only path forward for labor movement is an anti-monopoly movement led by the class-oriented aspects of the labor movement.

The post Misleaders of Labor Coalesce Behind Cuomo as Rank-and-File Shifts Leftward first appeared on Labor Today.

In response, NYC H+H resumed contract negotiations, leading to the work stoppage being postponed. On January 13^th, a joint hearing was held by the City Council Committees on Hospitals, Health and Civil Service and Labor. According to the union, since September 2024, over 2,500 physicians have been fighting for a better contract. If an agreement was not reached, the strike would have commenced on January 21^st. It would have been the largest strike of healthcare workers in New York.

The union reached an agreement with H+H which includes significant base salary increases, a bonus for time served on the frontlines during the COVID-19 pandemic, rollbacks on cuts to sick leave hours, retention bonuses for designated specialties, benefit fund contributions to supplement members’ health benefits, reimbursement increases for continuing medical education and Juneteenth as a paid holiday.

The President of Doctors Councils SEIU stated that H+H has made short-sighted and rushed decisions without the input of frontline doctors, which leads to more doctors leaving and exacerbating short staffing and unsafe workloads. Over half of the doctors are working paycheck to paycheck.

In 2023, Elmhurst residents went on strike. They were the first resident physicians to strike in NYC in 33 years. Later that year, Morningside and West physicians voted to strike after 6 months of bargaining but reached a tentative agreement with Mount Sinai. It is commonplace for healthcare workers to suffer extreme stress and burnout from working long hours in understaffed facilities. On top of this, their wages do not keep up with the cost of living or cover student loan debt. This endangers the lives of patients who do not receive the quality of care they deserve. So long as these issues persist, future strike actions are not off the table.

The post Doctors Councils SEIU Reach Tentative Agreement with NYC Health + Hospitals first appeared on Labor Today.

BALTIMORE, MD—Over the weekend of October 5, 2024, Johns Hopkins graduate workers, members of UE Local 197-Teachers and Researchers United, were alarmed to find that five AI smart surveillance towers had been surreptitiously installed across the Johns Hopkins University (JHU) campus in Baltimore, Maryland. While TRU has an article in our contract clearly stating that changes to campus surveillance that may affect working conditions must be bargained with the union, no member of the university community (students, faculty, and workers alike) were consulted or informed about the purpose of the new surveillance technology. The university provided no information about how these cameras were going to be used, including whether community members’ biometric data was being collected and stored.

The rollout of the surveillance towers coincided with a series of attempts to repress freedom of expression on campus, including the recent formation of a private police force, an increase in disciplinary hearings for students engaged in peaceful protest, and the modification of the University Protest and Expression policies. TRU member Gabriel Kressin Palacios, who uncovered many of the changes the university covertly made to the protest policies, said, “What the administration disguised as small changes in wording made possible the major reinterpretation of the policies. This will allow the administration to declare many more protests as in violation, opening the door for arbitrary prohibiting of protests and stifling uncomfortable but important movements.”

Our members recognized this surveillance infrastructure for what it really was. From the blatant disrespect of our union contract to the suppression of student and worker organizing for Palestinian liberation, from the imposition of a private police force to the legacy of JHU’s prominent role as a weapons developer and military researcher, JHU has long been manufacturing the mechanisms to suppress popular movements, locally and abroad. These towers were no different.

In an email to our members shortly after the installation of the surveillance towers and changes to the protest policies, TRU pointed out that while these changes are purportedly made under the guise of free speech and safety, they effectively make free speech more restricted and the JHU campus less safe. For instance, under these new policies, every labor demonstration TRU did in the past year to win a historic graduate worker contract—including the over 500 member “union power” picket that won us union shop and $47,000 stipend during bargaining—would have been against Student Conduct Policies.

In response to heightened surveillance and suppression, TRU launched the petition “Stop Militarizing Campus” in mid-October demanding that JHU remove all surveillance infrastructure and bargain all changes of the contractually-enshrined right-to-protest policy with the union. In the weeks following, organizers flyered in their workplaces, held phone banks, had hundreds of one-on-one conversations with workers on campus, and collected more than 500 signatures in support of removing the surveillance towers. In late November, a report covering workers’ concerns about surveillance and freedom of expression appeared in the Baltimore Banner.

By early December, TRU had garnered enough momentum to deliver our petition in a silent march. Our members understood that the surveillance infrastructure along with covert changes in the protest policy were glaring attempts to intimidate student and worker movements on campus, particularly movements in support of Palestinian liberation. In an act of defiance, we chose to walk directly to the towers they were watching us from. We showed the university that however they choose to respond, our ability to protest, dissent, and organize – actions that won us the contract we have –will depend only on our collective power, regardless of JHU’s arbitrarily changing policies and ability to surveil or police us.

With no comment from the university, the towers were removed just a week later.

The post UE Local 197-TRU Organizes to Take Down AI Surveillance Cameras at Johns Hopkins University first appeared on Labor Today.

CONCORD, NH—The latest effort to expand anti-union “right to work” laws was defeated yesterday in New Hampshire — and UE Local 228 members were in the thick of the fight. Members sent emails and made calls to their legislators demanding that they oppose the legislation, which would have made New Hampshire the first state in the Northeast to legalize free-riding.

“This is a huge win for workers across New Hampshire and a clear failure for union busters trying to weaken our rights,” wrote Local 228 Chief Steward Shane Tassanari in a “victory alert” in the local’s Facebook group. “Thank you to everyone who took action, contacted representatives, and stood strong. Together, we made our voices heard and protected the rights we’ve fought for.”

The bill failed on a 200-180 vote in the Republican-controlled House of Representatives, with 25 Republicans joining Democrats in voting “no.” Republicans enjoy a 221-177 majority in the House, and control the Senate and Governor’s office as well.

One of the Republicans voting “no” was Rep. Mike Ouellet (Coos-3), who told a Local 228 member who called him that the “right to work people” had spent $8 million on the effort.

In a video sent to Local 228 members on Sunday, Local 228 President Jane Shepard O’Connor noted that “This bill is brought to us by outside sources, lobbyists from outside the state.”

She urged Local 228 members to send emails and make calls to state legislators ahead of the vote, which was expected to be close. “We as UE members have always been strong, we’re proud, and we’re loud,” Shepard O’Connor said. “So now’s the time — be loud, be proud, have your presence known. Call up your representative, the time has come to stop this.”

On the day of the vote, over half a dozen Local 228 members traveled to the state capital of Concord to rally against the anti-union legislation, where they were joined by UE Eastern Region President George Waksmunski. They were in the gallery of the house chambers at the time of the vote, which erupted into raucous cheers when the legislation was not only defeated, but “indefinitely postponed,” effectively prohibiting the bill from coming back again during the current legislature, which will be seated until 2026.

The post UE: Local 228 Helps Defeat “Right to Work” (for Less) first appeared on Labor Today.

WHARTON, NJ—After a petition and a march on the boss, the members of UE Local 115, who work at the Refresco bottling plant, convinced their employer to abandon a confusing vacation request policy.

Last year, many members complained that the vacation request form was unnecessarily confusing. Initially, corporate representatives agreed that the company would not use the form any more. However, plant management published the same form this year.

The local ran a petition and collected signatures from 105 members, more than a majority at the plant. On Wednesday, January 29, the company responded to the petition by saying that they would continue to use the confusing form. In less than 24 hours, the local organized a march on the boss. Six members showed up to the plant manager’s office unannounced, demanding that management use the normal vacation form for the plant and grant an extension to those that had already used the confusing form. The employer met the local’s demands only 20 minutes later.

The post UE Local 115 Members March on the Boss and Win Fair Vacation Request Form first appeared on Labor Today.

Despite these sexual misconduct allegations coming out in 2023, Davis was allowed to run in the December 2024 election. There is much speculation among rank-and-file members that he was allowed to run and was subsequently ousted to keep the current leadership group in power. Davis and his predecessor Utano came out of John Samuelson’s “Stand United” Slate, which has maintained power in TWU since 2009 despite its shortcomings.

Davis’ two predecessors oversaw contracts with increases in progression to top-pay and cuts to medical coverage, while real wages and working conditions have plummeted for New York City Transit (NYCTA) workers; Davis continued this lack of momentum one of the worst contracts in the union’s history. The lone contract Davis negotiated a contract that not only had a wage increase that fell way below post-COVID inflation, but he agreed to force TWU retirees off of traditional Medicare in favor of the for-profit Medicare Advantage scheme in exchange for a $7 million annual payout to the union.

Rank-and-file leaders of Local 100 have stepped up and started a petition calling for a new election. The petition states:

“Whereas the President of TWU Local 100 has been forced out of office, effectively nullifying the recent vote of the membership in the 2024 TWU Local 100 Union Elections; Whereas the current bylaws do not provide adequate relief or guidance in this unprecedented situation; Whereas the TWU Local 100 Bylaws state in Article III, Duties of the President, that: “In the event, a vacancy occurs in the office of the President, the Executive Board shall designate one of the Officers to act as President for the unexpired term,” We, the undersigned, demand the following: (1) A full membership vote to elect a new President for Local 100, ensuring that the leadership reflects the will of the union members and not an appointment by the Executive Board. (2) The suspension of the 18-month rule, which permits the appointment of a President and prevents other candidates from running for the position. (3) An election overseen by the Department of Labor, utilizing both electronic voting and secret ballot methods to ensure fairness, transparency, and accessibility for all members. The voice of the membership must be respected and upheld through a fair and democratic process. Immediate action is necessary to restore confidence in the leadership of TWU Local 100, protect the integrity of our union, and ensure full membership participation.”

The outcome of the debacle within TWU Local 100 not only affects its over 41,000 members but all workers at NYCTA, most notably the Amalgamated Transit Union which has members across three different locals in the system. LUEL stands with the rank and file for a democratic election against the current corrupt misleadership of TWU Local 100.

The post Sell-Out TWU Local 100 President Ousted in Sex Scandal first appeared on Labor Today.

This comes as the NLRB expects President-Elect Donald Trump to appoint new board members who will be more antagonistic to labor and the basketball team’s efforts.

The NCAA and the Amateur Model

College sports athletes have a unique classification in this country that goes back to the founding of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) in 1906. The NCAA regulates team players as student-athletes who are not considered employees and prevents them from obtaining a salary. They can do this by requiring the athletes to be considered ‘amateurs.’

Today, college sports produce a multi-billion dollar industry generated by the labor of the athletes. In college football, for example, the Big Ten Conference gave a $7 billion rights deal between three TV networks, creating an NFL-style television schedule on Saturdays.

The NCAA has been compared to being part of an “unlawful cartel” as was mentioned in the case (O’Brian v NCAA) in 2014,  when college football players attempted to sue the organization for enriching itself and its five dominant conferences that “illegally restricted the earning power of football and men’s basketball players while making billions off their labor.”

The NCAA has been lobbying Congress for a continuation of the exploitive “amateur” model. Senator Ted Cruz intends to lead the NCAA’s interest in the Senate when Republicans take control and Trump takes power later this month, in January.

“The situation is much more doable with Republicans in control,” said Tom McMillen, a former Democratic congressman “From the standpoint of the NCAA’s perspective, this is sort of an ideal scenario for them.”

Setting a New Precedent for Student Athletes

Due to the NCAA’s classification and Dartmouth’s control over their working conditions and scheduling of games, the team decided to unionize in 2023 and petitioned the NLRB. The ruling on the case agreed with the basketball team a new precedent that would end the amateur model of the NCAA and give employee status to college athletes.

“By filing a request to withdraw our petition today, we seek to preserve the precedent set by this exceptional group of young people on the men’s varsity basketball team,” Chris Peck, president of Local 560 said. “They have pushed the conversation on employment and collective bargaining in college sports forward and made history by being classified as employees, winning their union election 13-2, and becoming the first certified bargaining unit of college athletes in the country.

“While our strategy is shifting, we will continue to advocate for just compensation, adequate health coverage, and safe working conditions for varsity athletes at Dartmouth,” Peck said in a statement that called collective bargaining “the only viable pathway to address issues” facing college athletics today.

While the current withdrawal from unionization is disappointing, LUEL supports the efforts of the Dartmouth Men’s basketball team, along with any sports team, to find a path to unionization.

The post Anticipating NLRB Change, SEIU Withdraws From Representing Dartmouth Basketball Team first appeared on Labor Today.

HORSHAM, PA—Workers at Tinius Olsen, members of UE Local 155, recently demonstrated the power of collective action by compelling management to address hazardous working conditions that jeopardized their health.

The situation arose when management painted a large machine in the middle of the shop floor without proper ventilation, filling the air with toxic fumes. Workers began experiencing headaches and sore throats, prompting widespread concern. Chief Steward Dan Quinones described the severity of the conditions: “The entire shop stunk, and workers were getting sick. Even people who don’t usually speak up were coming to me, saying, ‘We need to file a grievance. This is unacceptable.’”

Quinones, himself affected by the fumes, took immediate action. “I was upset too because I’m sensitive to that stuff,” he said. “I approached the Plant Manager and the Safety Manager, and I was furious. I raised my voice and told them this was unacceptable.” Despite his protests, Quinones noted that management initially stood by without taking responsibility, further aggravating the situation.

Recognizing that management would not act without pressure, workers united to file a grievance citing violations of the union contract’s safety clauses. Nearly every member of the shop signed on to the grievance, many adding detailed accounts of the symptoms they suffered. “The whole shop came together,” Quinones said. “It showed our unity and our commitment to protecting each other.”

Within days, management responded during a grievance meeting, formally apologizing and agreeing in writing not to repeat the dangerous practice. Quinones ensured the written agreement was prominently posted on the union bulletin board. “If it happens again, we have this documented,” he explained.

The determination and solidarity of the workers at Tinius Olsen highlights the importance of collective action in ensuring safe working conditions for workers.

The post UE: Tinius Olsen Workers Force Management to Address Health Hazards first appeared on Labor Today.

Their organizing efforts were fueled by the desire to ensure that all graduate workers, regardless of their funding source, are treated equally under their employment terms. In the spring of 2024, they sought voluntary recognition, but WHOI’s administration presented a recognition agreement that excluded graduate fellows, students funded through fellowships rather than directly by MIT. This exclusion was a major sticking point for the workers, who rejected the agreement. Determined to represent all students, the workers organized a petition that gathered more than 100 signatures from their peers, professors, scientists, and staff. Workers and allies from various departments also came together to support the union in campus speak-outs. By July 2024, the union was officially verified, and a bargaining committee was elected.

The first bargaining session on October 1 marked a pivotal moment for the campaign. “Being in the same room as high-ranking WHOI administration and presenting the concerns we’ve gathered from students was surreal,” said Brynn Hamilton, a fourth-year graduate student at WHOI. “They have to listen and respond to us now; it was such a satisfying moment.” Hamilton, who joined the union campaign in late spring, has found the process empowering. “Having a graduate student union gives us autonomy over our working conditions.”

Levi “Veevee” Cai, a sixth-year graduate student who was previously involved in MIT’s Graduate Student Union (UE Local 256), echoed Hamilton’s sentiments. “Our unique situations, whether it’s transit, housing, or fieldwork, brought us together. It was surprisingly easy to organize because we already support each other so much,” he said.

A key goal of the union is to eliminate the two-tiered system at WHOI, where students funded through MIT have access to better benefits, such as vision and dental coverage, while fellows do not. The union is focused on ensuring all workers are protected equally, regardless of their funding source or supervisor. One of their priorities is improving conditions for workers who conduct fieldwork in isolated or remote locations, where they often face physical and emotional challenges without adequate safety plans or breaks.”

Hamilton said, “Looking at survey results and seeing what students want has made me reflect on how a union can affect all aspects of our working environments. It’s about ensuring that experiences like fieldwork and lab work are as positive and safe as they can be.”

Another goal of the union is to ensure that fellows receive recognition for their contributions to WHOI, as they often maintain lab equipment and write grant proposals, in addition to their academic work.

WHOI graduate workers are also pushing for expanded benefits like vision and dental subsidies, which MIT workers have through their contract but WHOI workers do not yet have.

WHOI graduate workers have personalized aspects of their union organizing in line with the institution’s unique, ocean-based culture — including using their own spin on traditional union terms. They refer to their “Contract Action Team” as “OrCA,” or “Organizing for Collective Action,” and map workers in different areas into “surfs” rather than “turfs.”

As their bargaining continues, Cai praised the ongoing support from fellow students, stating, “We’re currently negotiating our first contract and showing non-economic proposals to WHOI. It’s been amazing to see how supportive the student body has been. It feels like we’re building each other up.”

Hamilton expressed excitement about formalizing a grievance process. “WHOI has done a good job protecting students, but there are still gaps. The union can help close those gaps, ensuring students don’t fall through the cracks.”

Both Hamilton and Cai are hopeful for long-term improvements at WHOI. Cai stressed the importance of accountability and transparency, adding, “Most students enjoy working at WHOI, but there are areas, like housing and financial security, where we need improvements. The union is fighting to make sure everyone, especially those from less affluent backgrounds, have the resources they need.”

“We’re not just advocating for ourselves; we’re building something that will benefit future generations,” Hamilton said.

WHOI graduate workers were assisted by Director of Organization Mark Meinster and Field Organizers Heather Hillenbrand and Esther Kamm.

The post UE: Rising Tide of Solidarity—WHOI Workers Unite for Fairer Conditions first appeared on Labor Today.

RALEIGH, NC—Members of UE Local 625, who work for Hitachi Energy at plants in Greensburg and Mt. Pleasant, Pennsylvania, picketed the company’s North American headquarters last week, demanding that the company drop its concessionary demands and bargain a fair contract with the union. They were joined by members of UE’s North Carolina Local 150 and community allies.

“UE Local 625 makes the equipment that keeps our energy infrastructure safe,” said Local 625 President Gary Williams. “We want these to be family sustaining jobs so we retain workers that are the best at building our products. Hitachi is making huge profits, but does not want to invest into the workforce. It is pure corporate greed. But with the solidarity of our union and labor movement, we will get the contract we deserve.”

“When our fellow union members are under attack, we are gonna fight back,” said Willie Brown, president of the North Carolina Public Service Workers Union, UE Local 150. “We can’t sit by and watch corporate greed go unchecked. We are rallying at Hitachi’s headquarters to let them know that they need to do right by the workers that make their profits.”

The post UE Members Picket Hitachi Corporate HQ Demanding Fair Contract first appeared on Labor Today.