Folks,
Greetings from Pittsburgh, where our expose on the mismanagement of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette strike has gone viral.
Bolsonaro Asks Permission to Stay U.S.
Today, the Financial Times reported that fascist former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro has petitioned the U.S. government for a 6-month tourist visa. Bolsonaro entered the U.S. on December 30, 2022, on a diplomatic visa that expired today.
It is still being determined if the Biden administration will grant Bolsonaro a 6-month extension. However, Bolsonaro is allowed to stay in the U.S. as he awaits a decision on his visa extension, which could take up to 6 months.
Bolsonaro is likely to face prosecution for various crimes committed before, during, and after his presidency, including the January 8th attack on the Brazilian Congress. Already, his former Justice Minister Anderson Torres has been arrested for his role in the attack.
It remains unclear if Bolsonaro faces legal prosecution in Brazil, but he intends to stay in Florida for the time being.
“I think Florida will be his temporary home away from home,” his attorney told the Financial Times. “Right now, with his situation, I think he needs a little stability.”
For more, check out the Financial Times.
32,000 Disney World Workers Could Strike
Elsewhere in Orlando, 32,000 unionized Disney World workers are set to vote on a new contract beginning this week. Union leaders are encouraging members to reject the proposal, opening the door for a strike authorization vote.
Currently, Disney management is offering workers a $1-an-hour raise. However, with 75% of Disney World workers earning less than $ 15 an hour, the union is insisting on immediate raises of $ 3 an hour for all workers.
“The unions have been clear from our very first bargaining session that a dollar in the first year is not enough,” Matt Hollis, president of the Service Trades Council Union, told CNN. “A dollar does not afford Disney workers with the ability to keep up with the skyrocketing rent increases. And a dollar does not afford Disney workers the ability to continue to purchase basic necessities, such as food, gas, and utilities.”
7,000 Caterpillar Workers Vote to Strike
This week, 98% of more than 7,000 Caterpillar workers — members of the UAW employed in Illinois and Pennsylvania — voted to strike. A strike at Caterpillar would follow massive strikes by the UAW at John Deere in the fall of 2021 and, more recently, at Case New Holland.
For more, check out NPR Illinois.
Donate to Strike Travel Fund
With strikes happening every day across the U.S., Payday is trying to raise money to have a “Strike Travel Fund” so that we can afford to travel as soon as the strikes happen.
Donate to our Strike Travel Fund. Please sign up as one of our 740 recurring donors today if you can.
1st E-Bay Workers to Unionize
Finally, in Syracuse, New York, the first group of unionized eBay workers in the country is seeking to unionize. Vice has the story:
Workers at eBay-owned trading card seller TCGPlayer filed an Unfair Labor Practice charge on Friday, claiming that management at the company had violated federal labor law for the past two weeks. The charge comes just two days after workers at the company filed to unionize with the Communications Workers of America with a proposed unit size of 282. It’s the first unionization effort by any group of eBay workers.
The charge alleges “unlawful surveillance of union activity,” and that the “impression of surveillance [was] designed to interfere with, restrain and coerce employees” with regard to their right to organize.
“Multiple TCGPlayer supervisors and managers, including CEO Chedy Hampson, have patrolled the floor of the authentication center, taking note of employees who have worn any clothes or insignia identifying them as supporters of TCGunion-CWA,” the CWA said in a press release, referring to the company’s facility in Syracuse, New York. The filing lists Hampson, who founded the trading-card company 25 years ago, alongside three other managers at the facility.
News & Strikes Happening Elsewhere
- Strike Wave Brewing in Canada?
- Vermont’s largest health care union will almost double in size as UVM medical staff vote to unionize
- After 7 years of struggle, Uber, Bolt drivers get government-approved union in Nigeria, first in Africa
- As T.V. writers strike looms, Reality T.V. producers expect a boom in scripts
- Arby’s Workers in Michigan go on strike.
- Lithub has an excellent series on why workers are continuing to strike at HarperCollins
- Finally, Curbed has an indepth photo look at “Electchester”, a 103-area community of union coop-apartment buildings in Queens.
Alright folks, that’s all for today. Donate to help us build up a travel fund to cover strikes around the country. Please, if you can, sign up as one of our 740 recurring donors today
Keep sending tips, story ideas, comments, and complaints to [email protected]. Thanks again for all the support & solidarity.
Love & Solidarity,
Melk
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