UE NEWS Updates

As public-sector workers, the members of UE Local 150, North Carolina Public Service Workers Union, who work for cities, state hospitals, and public universities across the state know that decisions made by the state legislature affect, and in some cases set, their wages, benefits and working conditions. Recently, the right-wing Republican supermajority in the state General Assembly lowered income tax for the wealthy, which pulls billions of dollars from the state budget that funds wage increases for state workers and other vital public services.

UE Local 1498 ratified a three-and-a-half year contract on November 22, following seven grueling weeks at the bargaining table with their employer, New Mexico State University. The contract fight included management stalling and stonewalling in the bargaining room, imposing deadlines to finish bargaining, calling police to a peaceful action by the membership, and changing bargaining locations multiple times to restrict members’ access and attempt to isolate the bargaining committee. Despite the tough negotiations, members were able to win their top priority – more tuition coverage.

UPDATE, 12/14: The South Korean parliament voted 204 to 85 to impeach President Yoon on Saturday, December 14.

On the evening of December 3, South Korea’s right-wing president Yoon Suk Yeol declared martial law, citing threats from “anti-state forces.” Following the announcement, hundreds of Korean citizens, including many members of the 1.2 million member Korean Confederation of Trade Unions, defied the ban on political activity, gathering at the parliament building where 190 lawmakers were able to enter the building and pass a unanimous motion rejecting Yoon’s imposition of martial law. Several hours later, Yoon rescinded his order.

UE Local 625 ratified a three-year contract on November 16 following a contract campaign which directly confronted the greed of their employer, Hitachi Energy. The vote was held in a crowded room of union members at the Kosciuszko Club in Mt. Pleasant. The workers, who build high-quality circuit breakers and high-voltage equipment at locations in Greensburg and Mt. Pleasant, had been working without a contract for over two weeks.