Folks,
Greetings from the Burgh, where Payday is busy tracking an uprising of worker power around the country.
Elon Musk Targets Federal Workers Unions
Recently, Trump announced that Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy would head up with the Department of Government Efficiency, an informal advisory board that is not an actual government department. Musk has announced that he would target approximately 50,000 federal employees for firing without regard to civil service protections.
Federal workers’ unions have vowed to fight back.
“But make no mistake: our union will not stand by and let any political leader – regardless of their political affiliation – run roughshod over the Constitution and our laws,” said AFGE President Everett Kelley in a statement.
For more on the plans to fight back, check out NBC News.
Help Cover Federal Employees Fighting Back Against Elon Musk
With Elon Musk targeting federal employees for firing, it’s likely that many federal workers will fight back.
Payday wants to cover the fight back, but our ability to crowdfund has been restricted by Elon Musk himself through throttling our account on twitter. We need your help now more than ever to cover this fight back.
Donate to help us cover federal employees fighting back. Please, if you can, sign up as one of our recurring donors today.
40,000 University of California Healthcare Workers Strike
In California, 40,000 healthcare workers employed by the University of California are out on a two day strike. The union says that they are protesting wages that have left many workers living in poverty.
“We have folks on public assistance and sleeping in their cars, and instead of meaningfully addressing that, the university is actually driving a further wedge at the table by adding in proposals around massive cuts to our health care,” AFSCME Local 3299 Director Liz Perlman told Capital Public Radio.
For more, check out Capital Public Radio.
Nashville Uber Drivers Strike During the Country Music Awards
In Nashville, hundreds of Uber drivers are on strike and refusing to pick up rides from the airport during the Country Music Awards.
According to the Tennessee Drivers Union, Uber and Lyft are now taking sometimes 50-60%, meaning a driver can earn $12.58 while the customer is paying $52.72.
Drivers demand that all drivers be paid similar rates.
“We are not fighting for customers to get overcharged. Riders are getting robbed as well. Uber and Lyft are charging riders more and at the same time they are paying the drivers less,” said Tennessee Drivers Union co-president Arkangelo Wilson.
For more, check out this op-ed by Nashville Uber driver James Aquirre in The Tennessean.
Colorado Governor Hesitant to Expand Collective Bargaining Rights
Finally, in Colorado, Democratic Governor Jared Polis says that he is hesitant to make it less difficult for unions to unionize in the state.
Under Colorado’s unique law, unions must win a first election and then a second election if they want to collect dues. If they don’t win a second union election then union shops in Colorado are considered “open shop,” making union membership voluntary.
Despite the bill to repeal the law receiving support from the Democratic Party’s leadership in the State House, the corporate Democrat Governor of Colorado is hesitant to sign the bill.
“National pundits have been highlighting that Colorado Democrats performed uniquely well in this election, and this is where we get a chance to put up or shut up as we face the threats of authoritarianism from (President Donald) Trump and his monopolist buddies working together to gut federal labor protections,” Democratic State Rep Javier Mabrey told the Denver Post. “Working people need the tools to fight back, and the second election is standing in their way.”
For more, check out the Denver Post.
Links & Headlines
- SEIU backs Sanders fight to impose an arms embargo on Israel
- 750 BlueOval SK (BOSK) electric battery workers in Kentucky have signed union authorization cards, achieving a super majority
- 50,000 students in higher education have unionized In just 2 years
- Mass General Brigham primary care doctors file to unionize, citing burnout
- Striking Massachusetts teachers appeal to governor on Statehouse steps
- Views of DEI have become slightly more negative among U.S. workers
- Finally, Volkswagen workers in Germany are threatening to strike over job and pay cuts
Alright folks, that’s all for today. Keep sending tips, story ideas, comments and complaints to melk@paydayreport.com
Donate to help us keep covering the fight back against the Trump Administration. Please, if you can, sign up as one of our recurring donors today. Thanks for everything!
Love & Solidarity,
Melk
