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UAW Membership Rises for Fourth Consecutive Year

Brent Snavely Detroit Free Press
The United Auto Workers announced their fourth straight year of increasing membership. The union added that the two-percent membership increase for 2013 does not include several thousand workers who have voted in favor of union representation, but do not yet have contracts with their employers.

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On the "Past, Present, Future of Collective Bargaining"

Marc Beallor Portside
Earlier this week, Portside Labor ran an article that featured the St Paul Federation of Teachers recent contract campaign, describing it as 'an impressive example of [a] new direction in collective bargaining.' Marc Beallor, while recognizing the exemplary nature of the SPFT campaign in its use of creative bargaining techniques, takes issue with the notion that they are 'new'. Beallor also points out that the article does not accurately describe bargaining law.

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The Present, Past, and Future of Collective Bargaining

Peter Rachleff Twin Cities Daily Planet
Collective bargaining is under attack from right-wing, anti-union politicians. But union members are fighting back - pushing new boundaries in what unions do and challenging the notion of "management prerogatives." The Saint Paul Federation of Teachers’ recent contract campaign is an impressive example of this new direction in collective bargaining.

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"Cesar Chavez" the Film Premiers in New York City

Melissa Castellanos Latin Post
The new film, which won the Audience Award at SXSW last week, tells the story of the iconic labor leader's fight to unionize farm workers, the inception of the United Farm Workers of America, and highlights the fight for better pay and conditions for farm laborers in the fields of California. "Cesar Chavez," which was screened at the White House on Wednesday, hits theaters March 28th.

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Seattle Marches to a $15 Beat

Paul Bigman Labor Notes
New Mayor Ed Murray says, “We know it is not a matter of if we get to $15 per hour, but when and how we get there.” All nine city council members publicly endorse the concept. But underneath the apparent consensus are differences on what $15 means and how long it should take. So labor and community groups in Seattle are mobilizing to hold the council’s feet to the fire—and to get the job done by ballot initiative if the council compromises too far.

Mr. and Mrs. Labor-Management: Struggling to Make Their Marriage Work

N.B., SpeakOut Op-Ed Truthout
It became obvious that the logical thing for Management and me to do was to ratify our relationship by getting married. It's true that prenuptial agreements have the tendency to kill the romance, but Management and I had reached a place where the only key to listening to one another's proposals and keeping our heartfelt promises alive in our increasingly one-sided relationship was a collective bargaining agreement - AKA the CBA.

Tidbits - March 6, 2014

Reader Comments - International Women's Day; Cecily McMillan; Ukraine; Venezuela; Are Unions Necessary?; Gov. Christie and Bridgegate; What the Hell Is Barack Obama's Presidency For?; War in Iraq; Announcements - Dignity in Action -San Francisco -Mar 8; Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire Commemoration -New York - Mar 25; New book - Save Our Unions: Dispatches from A Movement in Distress; Today in History - Supreme Court rules in Dred Scott - March 6, 1857

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The Economy Hub - Are Unions Necessary?

Michael Hiltzik Los Angeles Times
One simply can't explain the decline of union representation without acknowledging the role of employer opposition and its empowerment by government policy, as outlined in a 2009 report from the Economic Policy Institute. The government role includes the expansion of "right to work" laws, and the enfeeblement of the National Labor Relations Board and its intimidation by members of Congress.

Book Review - Sanitation Workers: You Gotta Love Them

Michael Hirsch The Indypendent, Issue # 194
Injury rates for sanitation workers outstrip harm done even to cops and firefighters. The Bureau of Labor Statistics ranks refuse and recyclable materials collection as the nation's fourth most dangerous job, exceeded only by commercial fishing, logging and plane piloting. Like Rodney Dangerfield's everyman, they get no respect.
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