UE NEWS Updates

Pages

Women’s Caucus Holds Leadership Training

December 5, 2020

On November 19, a dozen women leaders and members of UE participated in the “Advancing Women’s Leadership” workshop hosted by the UExtraordinary Women Caucus. Participants identified the qualities of good union leadership regardless of gender, such as being a good listener and involving other members in advancing union goals. After listing many obstacles that women sometimes face when they contemplate pursuing leadership positions, members discussed ways to overcome these challenges.

Local 222 Dispatchers Win Additional Holiday, New Stipend

December 5, 2020
Simsbury, CT

A new contract for Simsbury dispatchers, members of Local 222 Sublocal 41, will raise wages nearly eight percent over the course of three years, and adds a new holiday. The new contract, retroactive to July 2019, provides for wage increases of 2.25% in the first year and 2.35% in the second and third years. Improvements were made to holiday pay, and Veterans Day was added as a new holiday.

Rail Crew Drivers Continue to Join UE

November 24, 2020
Wisconsin, Minnesota, Ohio, Texas, Louisiana

Under an agreement in the national UE contract with Hallcon, any group of non-union drivers can organize and come under the contract by collecting cards from their co-workers. If they get a majority of drivers signed up, an independent mediator checks this to a list Hallcon provides, and the workers are then covered by the contract.

Local 150 Convention: Fight for Safe Jobs and Organize the South

November 17, 2020
North Carolina

Over 70 delegates and guests gathered on November 14 and 15 over Zoom for UE Local 150’s 11th biennial convention. Local 150 President Bryce Carter noted that “This convention is certainly a unique one for us,” being held virtually and in the context of a pandemic. “Our country is in a crisis,” he said, “a moment of turmoil and despair. A moment where from one day to the next day there is uncertainty.”

Western Region Council Meeting: Answer to “World Thrown Into Chaos” is Organizing, Education, Political Action

November 17, 2020

In her President’s Report to the Western Region council meeting, held over Zoom on November 7, Western Region President Charlene Winchell declared that “The world has been thrown into chaos because of the lack of leadership from our president.” She noted Trump’s mishandling of the COVID-19 pandemic and his encouragement of violence and “vilifying of organizations that stand up for people’s rights” such as Black Lives Matter and organizations fighting for the rights of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people.

Local 170 Convention Elects New Leadership, Sets Political Action Priorities

November 17, 2020
West Virginia

Since the state of West Virginia does not provide public-sector workers with collective bargaining rights, they have to win improvements, and defend their rights, through political action. As Local Vice President Samantha Crockett wrote in a letter to members following the convention, “Our rights as public-sector workers can be easily either taken away or reinforced by the action or inaction by our elected officials. As working people, we have the right to expect that our governmental bodies will respond to the needs of our members.”

Locals 893, 896 Prevail in Iowa Recertification Elections

November 12, 2020
Iowa

In recertification elections held in October, UE Locals 893/IUP and 896/COGS won support from over seventy percent of their bargaining units. “This sends a strong message to Governor Reynolds and the Republican-led legislature that we won’t stand down while they attempt to take away our hard won rights and benefits,” said Local 893 President Becky Dawes. “We did it together and with grassroots organizing.”

Pages

Subscribe!

If you like what you read, please consider subscribing to the UE NEWS — for as little as $5/year you can support great labor journalism and receive the print edition of the UE NEWS four times per year.

You can also sign up to receive monthly UE NEWS Bulletins via email, or follow UE on Facebook or Twitter.