On the picket line
By
Sue Davis
Published Feb 1, 2008 11:29 PM
Union membership rising
The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported the largest rise in the number of U.S.
workers belonging to labor unions in the last quarter-century. In 2007 the
rolls increased by 311,000 for a total of 15.7 million workers, despite a
decline in manufacturing jobs, particularly in auto.
The overall percentage of organized workers rose to 12.1 percent of the
workforce, including 7.5 percent of private-sector workers and 35.9 percent of
public-sector workers. Membership grew most in construction and health
services, with a higher rate of 14.7 percent in Western states compared to 13.8
percent in Midwestern states.
Labor leaders hailed the turnaround. Stewart Acuff, AFL-CIO organizing
director, cited organizing drives of 40,000 child care workers in Michigan and
New York. (New York Times, Jan. 26)
Directors Guild finalizes new contract
On Jan. 17 the Directors Guild of America agreed to a contract for its 13,500
members, after months of informal talks with the production companies (Alliance
of Motion Picture and Television Producers). After members ratify the contract,
the deal will take effect on June 30.
The three-year contract achieves a breakthrough in several digital areas, which
are similar to the issues in the Writers Guild of America strike. The deal
roughly doubles the residuals rate paid for film and TV programs resold on
cassettes and DVDs. (This rate is much higher than that last offered to the
writers in early December.) For the first time the deal requires studios and
production companies to pay a reuse fee when advertising-supported programs are
streamed free over the Internet. Among other gains, the agreement also
increases minimum compensation rates. (New York Times, Jan 18)
Writers Guild back to the table
After negotiating a contract with the DGA that includes new or increased
compensation for digital uses of directors’ work, the AMPTP announced it
would resume “informal” negotiations with the Writers Guild of
America. They suspended talks a month into the WGA strike in early
December.
The WGA announced in mid-January that it would continue efforts to organize
reality and animation writers but not as part of the current contract
negotiations. (New York Times, Jan. 23) Though the WGA allowed the Screen
Actors Guild Awards to proceed on Jan. 27 and will not picket the Grammy Awards
on Feb. 10, what’s to become of the Oscars scheduled for Feb. 27? WGA
holds the fate of the Oscars as a very strong bargaining chip.
Starbucks picketed in NYC
On Dr. Martin Luther King’s birthday holiday, Jan. 21,
picketers in Manhattan protested Starbuck’s refusal to pay workers
overtime on the national holiday. The pro-union crowd, carrying an Industrial
Workers of the World banner, chanted outside a Starbucks at Fifth Avenue and
East 33rd Street.
The IWW, founded in 1905, has been striving to organize Starbucks workers since
2004. Last April the National Labor Relations Board—no reliable friend of
labor—accused Starbucks of breaking the law 30 times while fighting
pro-union activity at four shops. After braving the cold weather for about a
half hour, the protesters moved to Wild Edibles, a seafood shop that the IWW is
also trying to organize. (New York Times, Jan. 22)
Washington Post workers seek contract
Working without a contract for the past five years, 400 mailroom workers who
assemble the newspaper at Washington Post printing plants started an unusual
campaign to kick-start negotiations.
Members of the Communication Workers initiated a radio, print and billboard
advertising campaign in early January focused on the paper’s signature
sections. One headline is “Looks like greed is in Style. Just ask
Washington Post executives.” Each ad directs readers to a Web site,
washingtonpostunfair.com, which discusses the issues and asks supporters to
write to Post CEO Donald E. Graham or the Post ombudsman. One of the company
demands, which the workers refuse, is dropping their pension plan to join the
company’s. (New York Times, Jan. 21)
Articles copyright 1995-2012 Workers World.
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