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UAW Staff Union Strikes Over Union Busting
Last August, Payday wrote a 6,000-word investigation into how top-down bullying culture within the UAW was threatening to derail UAW’s internal progress. A court-ordered, confidential survey of several hundred UAW staffers showed that 40% of UAW staffers feared retaliation if they spoke about problems within the UAW.
Now, UAW staffers employed by the international UAW in the Northeast are striking and calling out union busting by the Fain Administration.
Workers say that the union is relying heavily on temporary employees, a practice they have criticized at the Big Three, and attempting to exclude them from the staff union. Some UAW organizers are kept on temporary status for up to three years.
The UAW Staff United says that one union organizer was dismissed by the International for organizing activity.
“Management’s insistence on being able to lay us off on a whim shows gross disregard for our needs and the needs of the rank-and-file,” said UAW staff union bargaining committee member Rita Akincillar in a statement.
For more on what’s driving UAW staff to strike, check out the full statement from the union here.
Volkswagen Workers Strike at Nine Plants in Germany
While the UAW and Volkswagen continue to negotiate a contract at its plant in Chattanooga, tens of thousands of workers at nine Volkswagen plants in Germany are on strike. They are striking over Volkswagen's decision to close three plants in Germany as they shift work to lower wages plants like Chattanooga.
The strike was a 24 hour strike, but it was the first time that all Volkswagen plants throughout Germany went on strike. Union leaders say the strike was a warning shot.
"How long and how intensive this confrontation needs to be is Volkswagen's responsibility at the negotiating table," said IG Metall union leader Thorsten Groeger told Reuters. "Anyone who ignores the workforce is playing with fire - and we know how to turn sparks into flames.”
US Postal Service Suspends Mail to Canada Amid Strike
Finally, this weekend, the United States Postal Service took the unprecedented step of suspending mail service to Canada. The moves come as a strike of 55,000 Canadian postal workers enters its 3rd week heading into the holiday season.
With the holiday season approaching, many small businesses are hoping that the strike will end soon. However, the federal mediator suspended talks over the weekend, saying that the two sides are still too far apart.
One of the key issues is the desire of Canada Post to hire more temporary workers, who won’t be given supplemental health benefits.
"[We] only took the difficult decision to call a strike after Canada Post announced the end to the existing collective agreements, an end to health benefits, and to lay-offs," the union said in a statement.
News & Headlines Elsewhere
- Dallas BallAGMA announces December 6 and 7 picket lines outside of DBDT Studios
- Workers at Ohio cinema house are latest to form a union through AFSCME
- South Korean workers at the nation’s top steelmaker POSCO prepare to launch their first-ever strike, officials said.
- Belgium becomes first country to pass law granting sex workers parental leave, employment benefits
- Top tech firms refuse to say whether they will help Trump deport immigrants
- Finally, the Green and Red podcast has launched a series of interviews commemorating the 25th anniversary of the Battle for Seattle.
Alright folks, that’s all for today. Keep sending tips, comments, and complaints to melk@paydayreport.com
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Love & Solidarity,
Melk
