BCTGM Local 22 (Minneapolis) Organizer Edgar Gomez together with communications staff at the Minnesota AFL-CIO worked with a City Pages journalist to tell the story of Franklin Street Bakery workers who have been fighting for the right to join a union for more than two years. The Baker Uprising: Minnesota's king of hunger relief faces mutiny in his bread factoryย ...
There can be no fair and equal workplaces if there is violence. Yet there is still no law at the international level that sets a baseline for taking action to eradicate violence and harassment in the workplace.ย According to the International Labour Conference (ILC), gender-based violence remains one of the most common and tolerated human rights abuses. ย According to statistics, 35% of women - 818 million women globally - over the age of 15 have experienced...
West Virginia Governor Jim Justice signed legislation Tuesday giving all state employees a 5% pay raise, the direct result of the heroic teacher strike that lasted nearly two weeks and highlighted the plight of low pay and rising health care costs in the Mountain State. American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten called the strength and resolve of the West Virginia teachers "heroic" proving that working people will not back down from attacks on labor. โMake no...
Repost from our Brothers and Sisters at the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE)- the largest federal employee union representing 700,000 federal and D.C. government workers nationwide and overseas.ย The richest 1 % of American households now own 40% of the country's wealth, and theyโre fighting tooth and nail to keep it that way. Thatโs why we see corporate-backed politicians doing everything they can to take away our voice, our rights, our freedom to join in...
Throughout the BCTGM International Unionโs 132-year history, each generation has fought hard to build a stronger Union upon the solid foundation forged by previous generations. In fact, the International Union has flourished for nearly a century and a half because of our โnever give upโ attitude and our willingness to โthink outside the boxโ when tackling challenges. Throughout our proud history, we have held strong to our unwavering committment to defending the quality of life...
A coalition of 11 Disneyland unions is calling on the Anaheim, Calif. resort to raise its base wage to $20 an hour after a survey of 5,000 workers found many were hard-pressed to pay for food and medical expenses and 11 percent said they experienced homelessness in the past two years. According to a 125-page report “Working for the Mouse,” , federal census and economic data show the average hourly wage for Disneyland resort workers dropped to...
An impending U.S. Supreme Court decision threatens the right of public employees to union representation and collective bargaining, and it is a decision that will โhit every public-sector worker across this country,โ says Corey Upchurch, a school bus driver for special needs children in Washington D.C. โJust imagine if money is taken off your table, or youโre not able to send your child to college or you not able to retire because you donโt have a...
BCTGM Local 6 members were among thousands of workers who rallied in Philadelphia's Thomas Paine Plaza on February 24 ahead of a Supreme Court voteย that could profoundly affect the ability of public-sector workers to improve their wages and working conditions.ย The Philadelphia rally, which included AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka, was a part of the national "Workers Day of Action" movement, which included events in 28 cities. Today, February 26th, the Supreme Court is scheduled to hear oral...
The BCTGMโs campaign against the outsourcing of North American Nabisco jobs has generated widespread support. From U.S. Congressional leaders, university students, union trade and justice activists to American veterans and consumers, the message carried by Nabisco workers across the nation has resonated loud and clear: ย stop the global exploitation of workers that is devastating families and communities. The campaign has grown particularly strong within the faith community, as leaders and activists have rallied behind Nabisco workers,...
In late January,ย the Bureau of Labor Statistics released data on changes in union membership from 2016 to 2017. It was good news for workers, as the total number of union members grew by 262,000 in 2017. Three-fourths of these gains (198,000) were among workers aged 34 and under, who account for less than 40 percent of total employment. According to a new study by the Economic Policy Institute (EPI), historically, younger workers have been less likely...
The North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) is a failure for working people across North America. It kills jobs, lowers ages and diminishes our democracy. For nearly 25 years, NAFTA has put the interests of powerful corporate CEOs ahead of environmental standards, healthy communities and regular working families across the continent. By contrast, a good trade deal would level the playing field for all workers with key provisions to: Eliminate corporate privileges like the Investor-State Dispute Settlement,...
Senator Secured Guaranteed Vote on Senate Floor U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH) has announced the creation of a bipartisan, House and Senate Joint Select Committee tasked with solving the pension crisis threatening more 1.5 million workers and retirees nationwide. The solution the Committee produces will be guaranteed an expedited vote on the Senate floor. Brown secured the creation of the Committee as part of the overall budget compromise announced on Wednesday, February 7. At Brownโs urging, the...
Yesterday afternoon, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau visited the University of Chicago as part of a 4-day educational tour discussing the replacement of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). When he arrived, Trudeau was greeted outside by BCTGM Nabisco 600 workers and union activists who called on the Canadian Prime Minister to demand labor protections in any renegotiation of the flawed trade agreement. Demonstrators rallied on behalf of American jobs and urged Trudeau to fight for...
On Saturday, February 3, BCTGM Local 22 joined forces with the Minnesota AFL-CIO and the greater Twin Cities labor community in support of Franklin Street Bakery workers at A Taste of Justice. The event represented the bakery workersโ response to the Taste of the NFL party hosted on the same day by their part-owner, Wayne Kostroski. BCTGM Local 22 President Bruce Peglow reported tremendous support from the labor/progressive community in the Twin City area, with an...
In January, more than 3,000 BCTGM members and retirees sent email messages to members of the U.S. Senate urging their support for theย Butch Lewis Act of 2017 (S.2147). The Butch Lewis Act of 2017ย would put pension plans back on solid footing, ensure they can meet their obligations to current retirees and workers for decades to come without cutting the benefits retirees earned, and safeguard them for the future. Email your Senators TODAY and add your voice: Please...