Hundreds of skilled trades workers across the California State University system held protests on January 23, to call attention to the threats to students caused by years of neglect of campus facilities.
CSU has accumulated a $2+ billion backlog of neglected repairs and maintenance work, which continues to grow by $143 million a year.
“CSU raises tuition, but fails to invest in student safety and the safety of the workers who make the university run,” said Jason Rabinowitz,
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Reservations, front desk, concierge, and rooms control employees at the W San Francisco hotel have joined the more than 1,000 hospitality workers already represented by Teamsters 856 after a resounding yes vote in February.
For Priya Kumari, the choice to join Teamsters 856 was an easy one. After years of talking with members of Teamsters 665 and UNITE HERE Local 2 who work in other departments at the W, she realized what a difference a strong collective bargaining agreement could make.
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Less than a year after a 400 workers in Sonoma’s solid waste and recycling industry voted to become union members, Local 665 scored another win with an 80% Yes vote in an NLRB election to represent workers at most of North Bay transfer stations and the county landfill.
“These workers were employees of the County of Sonoma until they were out-sourced about five years ago” says Local 665 Secretary-Treasurer Mark Gleason. “They are very aware of the benefits that were taken away when Republic Services,
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For 16 years, Yolanda Jimenez has spent her summer months working in the canning area of Pacific Coast Producers in Woodland. She recently became a supervisor, overseeing the work of 15-20 other workers. “I’ve been there for a long time. Each July, when I go back, it’s like being with your family. Everybody knows you and greets you.”
Yolanda just became a trustee for Local 601 and is excited to learn more about how the union functions. “Most of the people, we don’t know what the union does for us. But I’ve learned that the union is us…and if we can get more involved we can get more help.”
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Source: Trucks.com
A California Supreme Court ruling threatens to upend the use of independent-contractor drivers by motor carriers in the state, creating turmoil for the trucking industry.
In Dynamex Operations West Inc. vs. Superior Court, the court adopted a narrower standard for determining if a worker is an employee or an independent contractor in California wage-and-hour disputes.
Most workers should be considered employees based on the intent of decades of California policy,
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Hundreds of Skilled Trades workers across the California State University system held protests on Tuesday, January 23, to call attention to the threats to students caused by years of neglect of campus facilities.
CSU has accumulated a $2+ billion backlog of neglected repairs and maintenance work, which continues to grow by $143 million a year.
“CSU raises tuition, but fails to invest in student safety and the safety of the workers who make the university run,” said Jason Rabinowitz,
Keep readingThe three major car rental agencies at San Francisco Airport (Hertz, Avis and Enterprise—which collectively own all the other major agencies) are all union—signatory either to Local 665 or 856. One of the three is trying to get the employees to decertify the union. “We’re not going to name the agency at this point, but we’re working to fight that off,” says Local 665 Vice President Chuck Andrew.
The rental car agencies operate under a lease agreement with San Francisco,
Keep readingHere is a brief summary of the most notable new labor and employment laws and regulations that became effective on January 1, 2018:
Expansion of drugs subject to DOT testing
Those working in industries regulated by the Department of Transportation (DOT) should be aware of a new rule issued by the DOT that expands the current drug testing panel to include commonly prescribed pain medications like Vicodin and Oxycontin. These opioid-based pain medications can be obtained legally through a valid medical prescription.
Keep readingDrivers Join UNFI Workers Across the Country in Seeking Better Working Conditions
(SAN FRANCISCO) –– Drivers with the largest natural and organic food supplier in the United States, United Natural Foods, Inc. (UNFI), have chosen representation by Teamsters Local 853 in Oakland.
The 31 drivers based out of Gilroy, Calif., transport supplies for UNFI to major clients like Whole Foods, Amazon, Genentech, Sprouts and Google.
The drivers are seeking fair scheduling and compensation for excess hours,
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