On the picket line

NWA mechanics end strike

The mechanics, cleaners and custodians of Northwest Airlines announced Nov. 6 that they had accepted a settlement ending their 444-day strike. The workers went on strike Aug. 20, 2005, rather than sign a contract drastically cutting their jobs and salaries. The deal allows the workers to accept layoff status and receive one week of pay per year of service up to five weeks. Those workers may bid on technician positions in the future. Those who wish to leave NWA will receive one week of pay per year of service up to a maximum of ten weeks. A press release issued by the Aircraft Mechanics union about the settlement concluded: “While we did not stop Northwest, we did stand and fight for what was just and right. There is no shame in fighting and losing—there is only shame in failing to have the courage to defend yourself and your coworkers.”

Boston nurses vote to strike

Over 95 percent of the registered nurses at Brigham & Women’s Hospital in Boston voted Nov. 13 to strike if negotiations do not produce a satisfactory contract by Nov. 27. The major issues are competitive wages, sick time and disability benefits, protection of newly licensed nurses and union rights. Management is offering the nurses a 3 percent raise each year of the two-year contract, while the nurses want a 5 percent raise to make their wages comparable to other area hospitals. According to financial records filed with the state, BWH’s profits increased by nearly 120 percent to more than $93 million in 2005 and by another $65.8 million through the third quarter of 2006. Management wants to cut nurses’ sick time to pay for the raises, while refusing to provide short-term disability benefits, the nurses’ top priority going into negotiations. The nurses also want to limit responsibilities imposed on new nurses, which is a major cause of high turnover. The Massachusetts Nurses Association is also fighting for contract language to ensure that all nurses will be represented by the union. This challenges the recent National Labor Relations Board ruling that nurses with minimal supervisory duties are not eligible for union representation. At a Nov. 14 press conference, the MNA chair at BWH, Barbara Norton, held up a stack of more than 100 official reports filed in the last two months that “document instances at this hospital when the staffing conditions and the patient assignments forced upon nurses threatened the safety of patients. This is why we are here today.”

Mass. FedEx workers vote to join Teamsters

The Teamsters finally broke through FedEx’s anti-union stance when a small group of home delivery drivers in Wilmington, Mass., voted to join Local 25 in Boston, according to a Nov. 17 Teamsters press release. These are the first workers in the FedEx Home Delivery system, a subsidiary of FedEx Ground, to win union representation. The National Labor Relations Board has ruled seven times since 1988 that FedEx Ground and Home Delivery drivers are not independent contractors and are eligible to join unions. Way to go Teamsters!

Don’t let Cintas fire immigrant workers!

The Cintas Corporation, which makes uniforms and various commercial cleaning products, is threatening the jobs of immigrant workers by implementing a new Department of Homeland Security proposal. The proposal—which is not yet a law—encourages employers to fire workers who are not able to correct Social Security number mismatches or verify that they are authorized to work in the United States. Currently, Cintas workers in California, Illinois, Connecticut, Minnesota and Wisconsin face termination. UNITE HERE, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and many civil rights organizations are protesting this regulation, which promotes anti-immigrant workplace discrimination, harassment and intimidation. UNITE HERE has launched a campaign to stop this policy before it’s adopted by other employers. To sign a petition, go to www.uniformjustice.org.