UE in the News

It's been nearly 60 years since Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated while supporting sanitation workers on strike in Memphis. Yet, city workers in Durham have said they are still fighting the same fight.

Public works maintenance technician Vincent Daniels works two jobs and almost 80 hours a week to feed his family. Daniels is planning his wedding but told ABC11 a honeymoon is unlikely because he doesn't make enough.

"I have to drive Uber as soon as I get off work because I can't afford the bills I have," said Daniels. "If they raise wages they can get employees. We have half the workforce they did two years ago because everyone is leaving because the money is not there."

According to union reps, the new two-year deal includes base wage increases from 11 to 18 percent.

Kevin White, president of Local 728, said that he was pleased with the outcome and proud of what members were able to accomplish.

“I, along with the majority of our members, feel like this is a great contract. We didn’t take a loss on a single thing, made gains greater than some unions who had to go on strike, and it was all possible because our members came together to form a credible threat,” said White.

UE Local 150/Charlotte City Workers Union and Charlotte Firefighter Association Local 660 have “drafted a workers bill of rights, a list of 28 proposed policies that would give city workers certain rights if they’re under investigation. It includes requirements to notify employees if they’re under investigation and what for, to make audio recordings of disciplinary interviews, and to have a representative during questioning.”

The tight labor market has encouraged unions to think and act bigger and bolder. ... [S]some newly unionized workers have won excellent contracts: this month more than 3,800 graduate student workers at MIT won a 12.6% increase in their stipend, a $10,000 needs-based childcare subsidy and an 84% dental subsidy.

“Every single person deserves fair employment standards and competitive pay rates. The world is changing quickly; we all have the right to try to secure our futures, pursue our dreams and raise our families. Our employers would have us sacrifice those rights to secure their own profits,” said [UE Local 728 member Tiffany] Wittenback. “I have worked at this facility for over seven years, and while I’m proud of what I’ve accomplished, I am no longer interested in the empty promises and hollow praises.”