Labor Day 2022: Some of Our Top Reads While Enjoying The Last Weekend Of Summer
Stories and trends to watch for after the beach chairs and barbecues.
Welcome to our first LaborUnionNews.com Labor Day post.
As you head off for what is often referred to as the “last weekend of summer”—and the first Labor Day Weekend in two years wherein most Americans are free to congregate outside (with or without masks)—we thought we’d share some of the top news stories that caught our eye this week and that you might want to check out while on that beach chair, or after you’ve had your fill of hamburgers and hot dogs.
First, for those who enjoy light history reading, the Department of Labor has a History of Labor Day page on its website.
However, for those more interested in contemporary happenings in the workplace, LaborNotes posted How Zoomers Organized the First Chipotle Union earlier this week.
It is an interesting read for HR and labor relations practitioners as the pro-union writers delve into some of the causal factors, as well as the tactics that the employees used to organize themselves before reaching out to the Teamsters.
It’s worth the read.
You probably also saw that support for unions is the highest it’s been since 1965, according to Gallup’s annual poll for Labor Day.
Seventy-one percent of Americans now approve of labor unions. Although statistically similar to last year's 68%, it is up from 64% before the pandemic and is the highest Gallup has recorded on this measure since 1965.
Indeed, unions are seeing a resurgence that, prior to the pandemic, would have been hard to imagine.
However, while much fanfare has been raised about the number of petitions filed so far in FY 2022 exceeding all of petitions in 2021, there is cause to be somewhat skeptical of the headlines, as LRI’s Phil Wilson noted earlier this year.
In fact, as Truthout points out, a lot of the union organizing that is occurring is going on at “progressive” companies and the “problem with nonprofit corporations and businesses with a progressive image is that their ideals don’t apply to those who work there.”
However, unions are (on average) winning more elections than in years past. Overall, unions have won nearly 77 percent of their elections so far this year, according to data first reported by Bloomberg Law and illustrated by Vox Media.
Although it’s too early to tell if those win rates will hold longer term, as the National Labor Relations Board data shows that the numbers were down slightly in July to 71% (both RC and RD elections).
Compare that to the NLRB data from June where unions were winning 74% overall.
On a related note: The Communications Workers of America filed a petition to unionize Apple employees in Oklahoma City. This comes about two months after employees at an Apple store in Maryland voted to unionize with the International Association of Machinists.
One Million New Members? Meanwhile, on Thursday, AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler repeated the labor federation’s goal to unionize one million new members over the next decade.
Shuler first announced the one million new union members goal, as well as the creation of Center for Transformational Organizing—a group of strategists, organizers and researcher who will focus on how to unionize new-economy companies—at the AFL-CIO convention back in June.
Shuler’s June announcement left “some union leaders ‘underwhelmed’,” according to veteran reporter Steven Greenhouse.
You can listen to the Labor Relations Radio interview with Steven Greenhouse here.
Fundamental Transformation of the Fast-Food Industry (and elsewhere?)…
Perhaps the biggest news story of the week took place in California. The California Senate just passed the SEIU-pushed AB257, which “establishes a process for wage and workplace standards to be set by a council, comprised of fast food employees, worker advocates, franchisors, franchisees and government officials,” reported Bloomberg’s Josh Eidelson
“We’re quite confident that the governor will sign this into law,” Service Employees International Union president Mary Kay Henry told Bloomberg.
Presuming AB257 is signed into law, it opens the door to European-style, government-imposed sectoral bargaining—perhaps for the first time in U.S. history—and will likely be replicated in other states and, quite possibly, other industries.
You can listen to the Labor Relations Radio interview on AB257 with the California Policy Center’s Lance Christensen here.
Speaking of the fast-food industry, workers at a Taco Bell in Kansas City, MO went out on strike protesting for “a living wage, respect, safer working conditions and a union.” Workers were encouraged and greeted by union activists as they exited the building.
Apparently, what’s good for the goose is not good for the gander after all.
Back in pro-union California—where Democrats enjoy a super, duper majority—a bill that would have allowed California Capitol employees to join a union died in the state legislature.
“Assemblyman Jim Cooper, D-Elk Grove, blocked Assembly Bill 1577, citing ‘major’ concerns,” reported the Sacramento Bee, “the primary one being that the measure did not include a no-strike clause.”
Opponents of the bill also point to the potential for a conflict of interest if staffers are represented by a union that opposes certain legislation.
Wrapping things up…
As you enjoy your Labor Day Weekend, as always, we’ll be posting at LaborUnionNews.com and look forward to sharing more stories with you on Tuesday.
Enjoy your holiday!