In November 2009, the United Food & Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 99 union ordered a strike against Fry’s foods in Arizona, a Right to Work state.  During this time, while UFCW did not have a monopoly bargaining contract in effect, almost 800 employees resigned their union memberships and revoked their dues authorizations. UFCW and Frye’s continued to automatically and illegally take dues from these employees anyway. The NLRB sided with the union, but after nearly 10 years of fighting, employees represented by the National Right to Work Legal Defense Fund won their case in the DC Circuit Court of Appeals. Read more about it here.

After a March 4 pro-union rally (discussed in this previous post), Nissan has declined to speak with United Auto Workers (UAW) about their demands. The auto manufacture stated it’s up to the Canton plant’s 6,400 employees to decide if they want a union before any discussions are considered. U.S. Sen Bernie Sanders and NAACP President Cornell William Brooks were among those who attended the rally and had asked Nissan and UAW to discuss a neutrality agreement. Read more about the ongoing situation here.

More than 300,000 workers are planning a walk-out on International Workers Day, May 1, citing President Trump’s immigration policies as a factor in their dissatisfaction. Service Employees International Union (SEIU), who endorsed Clinton for President in 2015, will play a major role in the protest.

Read more about the protest here.

In a work environment that is offering fewer employees financial independence, America’s freight railroad industry has bucked this trend. They stand in the top 7% of industries in overall employee compensation, have a higher average employee retention, better health insurance benefits than the ACA’s “platinum plan,” and a more viable retirement solution than the Social Security Administration. With increased training and opportunities for workers in all education levels, the freight rail industry has excelled despite global challenges, making America’s rail network the best in the world.

To learn more about their successful practices, read the article I wrote for Inside Sources here.

Citing broken promises, inconsistent application of company rules, and anti-union intimidation tactics, approximately 3,000 employees held a pro-union rally outside Nissan’s Canton, MS plant on March 4. The United Automobile Workers (UAW) union is looking to represent the Nissan employees. In addition to the workers, UAW President Dennis Williams, U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, and Ohio’s former U.S. Sen. Nina Turner were also in attendance.

Nissan Human Resources Director Rodney Francis claimed the accusations were false. “The UAW has been targeting this facility for a number of years, so this is not new to our facility here,” he said. “But our employees are pretty focused and dedicated on trying to get good, quality vehicles out on the roads today.”

Read more about the rally and UAW’s efforts here.

Last month, House Republicans voted to overturn a rule that required federal contractors to disclose wage theft and worker safety violations within bids for new government contracts. On Monday, the Senate will weigh-in on this repeal.

Businesses, including the Chamber of Commerce, have called the law “costly, unnecessary, and unworkable.” Proponents of the law have argued that repealing it will make it easier for contractors to break labor laws, using tax dollars to do so. Almost one quarter of the workforce is employed by a company that holds a federal contract.

If the Senate votes to repeal the rule, President Trump is expected to approve the decision.  Read more about the rule here.