‘We’re Excited About What’s Ahead’: The Working People Weekly List
Every week, we bring you a roundup of the top news and commentary about issues and events important to working families. Here’s the latest edition of the Working People Weekly List.
About 200 South Jersey Healthcare Workers Vote to Unionize: “About two hundred workers at a pair of South Jersey health care firms voted to unionize in separate elections last week, New Jersey’s largest healthcare union announced. Health Professionals and Allied Employees, the state’s top healthcare labor union, said about 160 workers at Samaritan Healthcare & Hospice will unionize after a 95-27 vote. The group—which includes registered nurses, nurse practitioners, social workers, and others—said they sought unionization due to unrealistic workloads.”
Harvard Custodians Ratify New Four-Year Contract After Months of Bargaining: “Harvard custodians overwhelmingly ratified a new four-year contract this week, capping nearly six months of contentious bargaining with the University. A majority of members of Service Employees International Union 32BJ participated in the vote, which was conducted by paper ballot at worksites across campus and hand-counted by union leaders. Custodians cast ballots at locations across the Harvard system—including Harvard Yard and graduate schools—with polling stations open from morning through evening on Monday and Tuesday.”
IBEW Plans New Union Hall in Mount Pleasant: “The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 430 plans to build a new 11,500-square-foot union hall building northwest of Washington Avenue (Highway 20) and West Road in Mount Pleasant, according to plans to be reviewed by the village Plan Commission. The building would serve as the new home for the local business office and meeting hall for IBEW Local 430. Its union hall is currently located at 1840 Sycamore Ave. in Racine. The building will be occupied by four to six business office staff during workdays. IBEW Local 430 holds membership meetings throughout the year with each meeting open to its approximately 150 union members.”
Judge Orders Restoration of Voice of America, Putting Hundreds of Journalists Back to Work: “A federal judge on Tuesday ordered the Trump administration to restore the government-run Voice of America’s operations after it had effectively been shut down a year ago, putting hundreds of employees who have been on administrative leave back to work. U.S. District Court Judge Royce C. Lamberth gave the U.S. Agency for Global Media a week to put together a plan for putting Voice of America on the air. It has been operating with a skeleton staff since President Donald Trump issued an executive order to shut it down.”
Home Care Workers Unionized 10 Years Ago: Good for Workers, Good for Their Clients: “Among the greatest challenges in human services during the past decade has been attracting and retaining the workforce needed to support our growing population of seniors and people with disabilities. For home care positions, particularly in the less skilled jobs, there are simply not enough people. Personal care attendants, often referred to as home care workers, do the difficult work of supporting seniors and people with disabilities so they can remain in their own homes. This can include bathing and toileting and mobility, helping their clients run errands, light housekeeping and meal preparation. They are not medical professionals but may monitor health and behavior.”
NFLPA Elects Former Browns Offensive Lineman J.C. Tretter as Union’s Next Executive Director: “The NFL Players Association announced on Tuesday that former Cleveland Browns offensive lineman J.C. Tretter has been elected by the Board of Player Representatives to be the union’s next executive director. Tretter ascends to the role after serving as NFLPA president from 2020 to 2024, along with his nine-year career in the league. ‘On behalf of the Board of Player Representatives, we are proud to welcome J.C. Tretter as our new executive director and confident in the leadership that he will bring to our union,’ the NFLPA said in a statement. ‘This decision reflects the responsibility our Board of Player Representatives carries on behalf of every player. We conducted a thorough, deliberate search to identify the right long-term leader to deliver sustained, meaningful progress for our members. J.C. earned the trust of our Board and demonstrated a clear commitment to serving this membership. We’re excited about what’s ahead.’”
Postal Workers Union Launches Safety Campaign in Nevada, Across U.S.: “The American Postal Workers Union is calling for major safety reform at the U.S. Postal Service after a series of troubling events. Last fall in Michigan, a postal worker was crushed to death next to a machine, and his body wasn’t discovered for hours. The union says the Postal Service consistently reports more workplace injuries than nearly all other federal agencies. Workers contend with industrial accidents, vehicle crashes, severe weather, exposure to toxic substances, and even explosives sent through the mail.”
Virginia Lawmakers Pass Bill to End Collective Bargaining Ban for Public Workers: “Virginia lawmakers on Saturday passed legislation to lift a state ban on public sector collective bargaining for about half a million public sector workers. The bill would apply to public teachers, firefighters, maintenance workers, and other employees employed by local governments and school boards, along with people who work at state agencies. Virginia labor advocates and policy watchers say this is a historic moment given how long the ban was in place and the number of workers it would impact. ‘This is probably one of the most significant pieces of legislation that will advance worker rights, specifically for public sector workers, in a very long time,’ said Rodrigo Soto, legislative and campaigns director at The Commonwealth Institute for Fiscal Analysis.”
IAFF Shares Cancer Presumption Win for New Mexico’s Firefighters: “The International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) has spotlighted how after years of fighting for stronger presumptive coverage, New Mexico firefighters have secured a legislative win that expands occupational cancer protections. The victory followed coordinated advocacy by the New Mexico Professional Fire Fighters and the IAFF, culminating in the passage of House Bill 128. Signed into law by Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, the measure strengthens the state’s cancer presumption statute and enhances workers’ compensation protections for firefighters diagnosed with occupational cancers.”