Greetings from Rio de Janeiro, where after a week of exhausting travel, I want to update folks on a few things that happened both in the U.S. and Brasil.
Brazilian Intelligence Warns of Trump Interference
With polling showing that the race for Brazilian president is neck-and-neck, new documents released by the Brazilian intelligence agency ALBIN warn that interference by the Trump Administration is reaching a “critical” level.
According to documents obtained by the Folha de São Paulo, ALBIN warned that the Trump Administration is trying to interfere to replace “the influence of powers rival to the US in Latin America and denial of those powers' access to strategic assets, natural resources, and infrastructure in the region, in favor of their control—whether direct or indirect—by the US government or US private capital."
For more, check out the Folha de São Paulo
Trump Training Brazilian Journalists to Attack Lula
A report by veteran Brazilian journalist Leonardo Demori showed that the US Embassy and their consulates in Brasil are actively attempting to influence Brazilian journalists on how to attack Lula. The embassy has even offered free trips to the United States for journalists willing to go along with the Trump Administration's plan.
For more on the US’s attempt to influence Brazilian journalists, check out the Grande Guerra.
Send a Yinzer Labor Reporter to Cover Trump’s Attempt to Steal Brazilian Election
As the Trump Administration attempts to bribe Brazilian journalists to attack Lula, it’s important that we have an American labor reporter on the ground to cover the Trump Administration’s attempt to interfere in the election.
While most American outlets are ignoring the presidential election in Brasil, Payday has a reporter on the ground who is fluent in both Portuguese and Pittsburghese. It's important that we call out the attempts to steal the election, but we need your help to do it.
SEIU Leaders Call on Union to Remove Dave Regan
For nearly a decade, Payday Report has covered allegations of sexual misconduct and other abusive behavior by SEIU United Healthcare Workers West President Dave Regan. However, with Regan leading the fight to pass the billionaires tax in California, corporate media outlets have finally begun to raise questions about Regan’s conduct; leading to some unions calingl for Regan to resign.
Earlier this week, the California Nurses Association called on Regan to resign.
“His cynical actions have repeatedly prioritized his narrow self-interest at the risk of harm to patients and other health care workers,” said CNA Executive Director Puneet Maharaj in a statement this week. “When he is also engaging in personal acts of bullying, intimidation, and physical aggression, we have all seen enough. It is long past time for him to go.”
Later in the week a group of 10 SEIU Local Presidents from SEIU California released a statement saying that they investigated the allegations against Regan and thought it was time for him to go.
“SEIU California leaders filed charges against Dave Regan alleging a pattern and history of bullying, threats, harassment, physical violence and attempted extortion,” said the leaders in a statement released this week. “Two independent legal investigations examined these charges, as well as Regan’s allegations against the State Council. Their reports largely confirmed the charges against Regan and discredited his allegations.”
The union leaders filed charges with SEIU’s national headquarters and are calling on the union to remove him.
“Our first responsibility as an organization is to lead with our values. We stand with all those who are bullied, harassed, or targeted at work, and we stand by our charges,” wrote the leaders. “Our national union must now act swiftly to carry out our internal due process and ensure accountability to our values. Every leader is responsible for their role in protecting and promoting respect, workplace justice, gender equity, racial justice, and nonviolence in our union and beyond.”
For more on the charges, check out the statement from SEIU California.
John Deere Recalls 375 Workers to Boost Inventory Ahead of Strike
In August, over 10,000 John Deere workers voted overwhelmingly to reject a recent contract proposal, and a strike in 2027 is looking more and more likely. Now to prepare for a potential strike, John Deere has recalled 375 laid-off workers to build up their inventory ahead of it.
The UAW praised the decision, but said it was not enough.
“Today’s announcement calling 375 employees back to work is a good start, but it is not enough," Laura Dickerson, a United Auto Workers vice president, said in a statement this week. "Our members voted down John Deere’s contract extension offer in large part due to the company’s decision to lay off 1,600 workers and outsource product.”
"We expect to see every one of the 1,600 workers on layoff back to work and outsourced product returned to our facilities, or Deere is going to have serious issues in our 2027 negotiations,” added Dickerson.
For more, check out the Des Moines Register.
Union Wins Release of University of Washington Doctor
Finally, this week, a federal judge ordered the immediate release of a University of Washington doctor saying that imprisoning 43-year-old Robert Sidhe, a Kenyan immigrant, presented a heavy risk of stroke.
Sidhe’s union, the Washington Federation of State Employees, secured a lawyer and fought for his release. He had been involved in his union.
From the Seattle Times:
Sidhe does not appear to be at risk of losing his job, at least in the short term. An email from a UW human resources staffer to a Washington Federation of State Employees representative confirmed the university will not consider him a no-show and will use his accrued leave while he is detained. If he needs more leave, union members have said they want to donate some of theirs.
Mike Yestramski, president of the statewide state employees union, said Sidhe is “exactly who we want” in the United States, “a leader within our union, within his church, within his community.”
He was elected a delegate to an international union convention last month in Chicago, noted Paula Lukaszek, president of the union local that represents UW Medical Center employees. He came a day late because he had a biometrics appointment with immigration authorities, often a routine procedure where fingerprints, photo and the like are taken.
ICE has started arresting people with pending immigration cases and no criminal record at airports, including at Sea-Tac. But Sidhe flew to Chicago without incident.
“He really seemed to enjoy the convention,” Lukaszek said, noting Sidhe went around introducing himself to people and talking about the need for increased healthcare access.
For more, check out the Seattle Times.
News & Headline Elsewhere
- Trump administration paid federal workers $6.7B to quit, GAO audit says
- Boeing and engineers' union reach tentative contract agreement
- Over 600 unionized Duquesne Light workers in Pittsburgh vote overwhelmingly to strike
- Unionized staff at three major NYC museums vote for strike
- Stanford moves to block RAs from unionizing
- Mexican Volkswagen workers reject wage deal amid strike risk
- German port workers reject contract and move to strike vote
- Costa Rica health workers plan nationwide strike over unpaid salaries
- Finally, the Uruguayan government moves to bust a port workers strike
Okay, folks, that’s all for today. Keep sending comments, complaints, and cooking recipes to melk@paydayreport.com
