Our latest roundup of worker wins includes numerous examples of working people organizing, bargaining and mobilizing for a better life.
Cannabis Workers in Arizona Ratify a First Union Contract: Workers at Local Joint by Zen Leaf and Zen Leaf–Chandler cannabis dispensaries in Arizona voted to ratify their first union contract last month with United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 99. This marks a historic milestone as they become the first cannabis industry union members to do so in the state’s history. The ratification vote comes nearly two years after both dispensaries voted in favor of organizing with Local 99. In 2021, the locations were acquired by Zen Leaf’s parent company, Chicago-based Verano Holdings—a multistate operator that owns more than 120 dispensaries across 13 states. Some workers report that the buyout was a huge motivating factor for the union drive, giving them the voice on the job they needed. The four-year contract includes major wins like guaranteed wage increases, seven paid holidays, paid time off, paid bereavement leave, a 401(k) option, seniority and qualification-based promotions, and just-cause discharge. “Today marks a significant milestone not just for Zen Leaf employees, but for all Arizona cannabis workers,” said Local 99 President Jim McLaughlin. “With guaranteed wage increases and seniority-based promotions, workers at Zen Leaf can finally plan for their futures and forge a career path in the industry they helped build. This goes to show that Arizona’s cannabis industry works best when workers have a seat at the table.”
Biden Proposes New Rule to Protect 36 Million Workers from Extreme Heat: Last Tuesday, President Joe Biden proposed a new rule to protect workers from excessive heat on the job as tens of millions of people in the United States already have been under heat advisories this year. The Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA’s) new measure would establish the nation’s first federal safety standard addressing excessive heat in the workplace. The proposed rule includes requirements for identifying heat hazards, developing heat illness and emergency response plans and implementing work practice standards like regular rest breaks, access to shade and water, and heat acclimatization for new employees. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, from 1992 to 2022, a total of 986 workers across all industry sectors died from exposure to heat, with construction accounting for about 34% of all occupational heat-related deaths. “The AFL-CIO has long called for these prevention measures to be codified in federal law, and we are glad to see President Biden and Acting Secretary of Labor Julie Su take the threat of extreme heat seriously with this important action,” said AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler in a press release. “We urge OSHA to work with unions to strengthen the rule’s provisions and finalize it as quickly as possible so that workers can return home safely to their families at the end of each work shift.” Read the full statement from the AFL-CIO here.
The Brookings Institution Staff Union Secures Landmark Three-Year Agreement: Brookings United—the staff union for workers at the nonprofit research organization The Brookings Institution—announced that members have voted to ratify a three-year collective bargaining agreement (CBA). The union is an affiliate of the Nonprofit Professional Employees Union (NPEU), a local of the International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers (IFPTE). Building on an initial yearlong contract reached in May 2023, the new CBA includes wage increases with set salary floors, extended paid family leave, improved retirement benefits and processes to strengthen communication pathways between management and members. “We are proud to have secured our first full collective bargaining agreement,” said Naomi Maehr, president of the Brookings United bargaining committee. “This milestone would not have been possible without years of hard work from countless organizers, bargaining team members, and stewards, as well as the support of our membership who unanimously ratified this agreement.” “Congratulations to the Brookings Institution and all of our Brookings United members on this monumental contract,” said NPEU President Amy Chin-Lai. “I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know this team throughout the bargaining process, and I am proud of the assistance that NPEU was able to offer to our members throughout these negotiations. By coming together around a shared vision for the future, you were able to negotiate an agreement that will have a positive impact on the working lives of Brookings staff for years to come.”
Biden to Extend Overtime Protections to 1 Million Workers: In an executive action announced Monday, President Biden extended overtime protections to 1 million workers; he has pledged to continue to further expand these safeguards if reelected. The new overtime protections stem from a rule finalized in April in a section of the Fair Labor Standards Act based on an updated Department of Labor (DOL) calculation. Now, workers making less than $43,888 a year are eligible for extra pay when they work long hours, putting more money in the pockets of workers. Additionally, the Biden administration has vowed to further extend these protections to another 3 million workers by increasing the overtime threshold to $58,656 next year. “For more than 80 years, the 40-hour workweek has been a pillar of fairness for American workers,” said Acting Secretary of Labor Julie Su in a DOL news release. “Today, our rule to restore that balance by expanding overtime protections for our nation’s lower-paid salaried workers goes into effect. The Biden-Harris administration is giving millions a chance to reclaim their time and share in the economic prosperity that they help create, and we will continue to do good by the people that make this country great.”
Nurses Ratify New Contract with MyMichigan: Last week, after 18 rounds of bargaining over the course of six months, members of the Michigan Nurses Association—an affiliate of National Nurses United (NNU)—who work at MyMichigan Medical Center Sault voted to ratify a new contract. Nurses staged a strike in April, voted to authorize an additional work stoppage in June and held the line at multiple pickets in order to secure this victory. And their bravery has paid off. The new contract covers approximately 120 members and includes wage increases that will move the top-of-the-scale wage beyond $50 an hour by the end of the contract. “We’re proud of our solidarity and strength as a union that made this possible, as well as the amazing community support for which we are so grateful,” said Colleen Waucaush, RN, president of the Michigan Nurses Association local bargaining unit at the hospital, in a press release. “This journey was worth it to set up a better future for local nurses and our hospital, which ultimately means a better future for everyone in the eastern U.P. Nurses never lost our focus on providing the best care possible for our patients, and we’re proud that this contract will support making that happen every day at our hospital.”
Michigan Kroger Workers Ratify New Contract: Last week, members of United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 951 in Michigan voted to ratify a new Kroger contract that secures major improvements to wages and benefits. The three-year contract went into effect on Sunday, triggering immediate wage increases of up to $1.50 per hour. The agreement also includes provisions that ensure more paid time off for workers with 18 years of service, prevent increases in the weekly cost of health and welfare benefits for the life of the agreement and that establish improvements to workplace safety protocols. In total, the Local 951 bargaining committee secured a commitment from Kroger of more than $8 million in associate health care investments and more than $500,000 in investments for retirement benefits. “We fought hard for significant wage increases and an overall improved contract for the Kroger members,” said Courtney Phillips, secretary-treasurer of UFCW Local 951. “I am proud of the members who served on the bargaining committee and worked together to achieve contract gains that improve the lives of their fellow members.” Jackie Davis, who works at a Kroger in Saginaw, Michigan, added in a news release: “I have been on the bargaining committee in the past and this is the most money I have ever seen from the company. I am very proud. The committee was able to come together and made decisions for what was best for all the employees.”
UAW Reaches Historic TA at BMW’s Regional Distribution Center in Pennsylvania: International Union, United Automobile, Aerospace and Agricultural Implement Workers of America (UAW) members who work at the BMW Regional Distribution Center in Palmer Township, Pennsylvania, have won a historic tentative agreement (TA) that includes wage increases and an end to the two-tier wage system. The contract, if ratified, also would secure major improvements in areas of worker concerns like policies on time off, uniforms, overtime exemptions and attendance. This victory was made possible in part by members’ unwavering commitment to solidarity through the bargaining process. Before the TA was reached, workers flexed their power by voting 99% in support of authorizing a strike—sending a clear message to BMW that they were willing to do whatever it took to secure the provisions they deserve. Additionally, to keep the pressure on to win a contract before the current agreement’s June 30 expiration, workers organized red shirt days and held multiple rallies in front of the facility. “We knew that if we stuck together and refused to be divided, we could win,” said Zach Haas, chief steward and bargaining unit chair. “This agreement is going to mean a better life for me and my co-workers.”
IATSE Secures TAs on Area Standards Agreement and Basic Agreement: The Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) secured major wins last week with announcements of tentative agreements (TAs) on all issues for the Area Standards Agreement (ASA) and the Basic Agreement. The latest agreement between IATSE and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) for the studios and streamers means that, if members vote for ratification, it will avert another summer of Hollywood strikes. The Basic Agreement TA comes after more than three months of bargaining and includes provisions like a 7% raise in minimums in the first year, followed by raises of 4% and 3.5% (which matches the terms won by SAG-AFTRA last fall). Other notable victories include increases to overtime compensation, new protections around artificial intelligence (AI) and more. The ASA TA was announced Thursday and came after two days of talks. The contract includes some identical language like the same scaled wage increases and improved overtime compensation as in the Basic Agreement, as well as wins like Juneteenth added as a holiday and improved bereavement leave. The remaining Hollywood negotiations that need to be settled before the July 31 contract expiration date are the AMPTP‘s contract talks with the Teamsters.
ATU Local 757 Reaches Tentative Agreement with TriMet: The Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) Local 757’s bargaining committee reached a tentative agreement (TA) Tuesday with transit agency TriMet on a proposed new working and wage agreement. Operators, maintenance staff and other workers at TriMet are responsible for the daily functioning of bus, light rail and commuter rail service that connects the Portland, Oregon, metropolitan area. Highlights of this new contract include a 13.64% wage increase over the lifetime of the agreement, two additional floating holidays, a new monthly child care subsidy, the first annual increase in hourly “longevity” pay in 25 years, an increase to the employer-sponsored retirement and more. “This truly is a landmark agreement proposal that will greatly benefit ATU 757 members in a variety of ways, including personally and financially,” said Local 757 President Shirley Block. “As my tenure with TriMet and leading the ATU Local 757 comes to a close, I know this contract leaves my union brethren in a much better situation and sets them up for a prosperous future.”