Labor news will likely downshift in the coming week with the Thanksgiving holiday ahead, and employers could use that break. After all, this month has already seen more than its fair share of upheaval, with some huge changes projected to come in 2025.
Aggressive NLRB tactics from the current regime against employers top off this month’s organizing roundup:
Uber and Lyft drivers can theoretically unionize in one state, with Massachusetts being the first to take that plunge. At least, that is the result of a state-wide ballot initiative on November 5, and SEIU is ready to pounce. How this uncharted territory will work out is anyone’s guess because rideshare drivers are independent contractors and, therefore, not covered by the NLRA.
Wells Fargo will soon begin its first contract talks after 22 branches out of 4,300+ locations voted to join the CWA-affiliated Wells Fargo Workers United. Although the percentage of unionized branches remains relatively small, this remains the only successful organizing campaign at a major U.S. bank, so all eyes are on these contract negotiations.
CWA is increasingly targeting call center workers, and as one progressive publication sums up, it’s not surprising to some. Up to 4 million prospective members are currently working at 40,000 different locations throughout the U.S. This industry’s high turnover does pose organizing challenges regarding customer service reps and techs at cell phone and wireless internet providers, but CWA claims to have had greater success with airline call center reps, and they aren’t giving up on a bigger prize yet.
McMenamins hotel chain workers at two Pacific Northwest locations voted against unionization with IATSE. More than half of the potential bargaining unit decided not to vote, and of those that did, only 16 voted for the union, with 30 against representation.
Now for a collection of recent NLRB tactics:
Trader Joe’s workers at the first store to unionize (in Hadley, Mass) saw their decertification petition dismissed by an NLRB judge. Additionally, the NLRB has ordered the company to compensate workers at that location for allegedly sending them home for wearing union paraphernalia.
Amazon: The Teamsters are seeking to use the Cemex doctrine after the online retailer declined to recognize the unionization of a San Francisco warehouse without a formal vote. And at the Bessemer, Alabama warehouse, the NLRB is forcing a third union vote after a judge accused the company of interfering with a previous election.
Starbucks: The NLRB isn’t even close to being done with the coffeehouse giant amid a nationwide Workers United drive. A U.S. appeals court remains divided on whether the Board could order the company to reimburse a union activist for back pay after her dismissal. An NLRB judge also ruled that the company broke the law by excluding union cafes from raises because pay hikes needed to be negotiated with the union.
Meanwhile, Workers United and Starbucks have been praising their progress in nailing down a framework for single-store contracts. However, that end-of-2024 contract goal will probably not be satisfied unless a breakthrough happens.