Folks,
Greetings from the Burgh, where I’m getting back into the swing of things after taking a week off for a vacation in the New River Gorge National Park. Big thanks to all of our readers, who donated to our vacation fund.
Be sure to check the segment on This American Life that cites Payday Report.
Six Major Unions Call for Biden to End Military Aid to Israel
While unions have quickly lined behind Vice President Kamala Harris’ run for President, they still have concerns over the Biden-Harris Administration policy on Gaza. Several unions plan to protest Netanyahu’s visit on Wednesday.
A group of 6 major unions including the Association of Flight Attendants (AFA), American Postal Workers Union (APWU), International Union of Painters (IUPAT), National Education Association (NEA), Service Employees International Union (SEIU), United Auto Workers (UAW), and United Electrical Workers (UE), sent their letter to Biden today.
“Mr. President, the time to act decisively to end this war is now. Stopping US military aid to Israel is the quickest and most sure way to do so, it is what U.S. law demands, and it will show your commitment to securing a lasting peace in the region,” the unions said in an unprecedented letter to Biden.
A copy of the full letter can be read here
(Full disclosure: My father Gene Elk is a retired national officer of the UE)
250 Microsoft Video Games Unionize in First Wall-to-Wall Union
At Microsoft’s Bethesda studio, 241 video game workers unionized in the first wall-to-wall union campaign at a major game studio. Previous campaigns had only unionized certain skilled tech workers, but this union represents all employees at Bethesda Game studio.
“It is clear that every worker can benefit from bringing democracy into the workplace and securing a protected voice on the job,” said Senior System Designer Mandi Parker in a press release. “We’re thrilled to get down to brass tacks and win a fair contract, proving that our unity is a source of real power to positively shape our working conditions, our lives, and the company as a whole.”
Lebanese Journalist Wounded in Israeli Strike Carries Olympic Torch
In October, a Reuters journalist was killed and six other journalists were wounded in an October attack by Israel in Lebanon.
Now, Christina Assi, a journalist from Agence France Presse, who lost part of her leg in the attack, is carrying the Olympic torch, but from a wheelchair. Al-Jazeera has the story:
“I wish Issam was here to see this. And I wish what happened today was not because we were struck by two rockets,” Assi told The Associated Press, struggling to hold back her tears.
“I wish I could have honoured journalists this way while walking and in my best health.”
Al Jazeera, AFP, and Reuters have all accused Israel of targeting their journalists, saying that their employees were positioned far from where the clashes with Hezbollah took place and that their vehicles were clearly marked as belonging to the press.
Rights groups Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch say the Israeli attack was deliberate and should be investigated as a war crime. On Friday, the Committee to Protect Journalists, a media watchdog, said at least 108 journalists, most of them Palestinians, have been killed since the start of Israel’s war on Gaza.
For more, check out Al-Jazeera.
News & Headlines Elsewhere
- GM stops assembly at Missouri truck plant after UAW strike at Lear seat factory
- W.N.B.A. Players, bargaining power soaring, seek expert Advice on labor deal
- University of Florida dining hall workers seek unionization
- British Amazon workers vote against unionizing in Coventry
- Amazon workers at Southern California air hub walk off the job
- Finally, NPR has a long look at how trench collapses have killed hundreds of workers in the U.S. over the last decade
All right, folks, that’s all for today. We will have more tomorrow. Keep sending story ideas, tips, comments, and complaints to melk@paydayreport.com
Donate to help us cover labor’s fight for 2024, especially here in Western PA. (This election season, a grant from Illumine Service Foundation matches all donations up to $20,000.)
Thanks again for all the support – we will return in a few hours.
Love & Solidarity,
Melk
