Worker Wins: A Safe and Secure Workplace

Our latest roundup of worker wins includes numerous examples of working people organizing, bargaining and mobilizing for a better life.

Nurses Celebrate Historic Victory Against Kaiser Wage Theft: The California Nurses Association (CNA)—part of National Nurses United (NNU)—successfully won an arbitration agreement compelling Kaiser Permanente to pay back tens of millions of dollars in stolen wages. CNA represents more than 25,000 nurses across 22 Kaiser facilities. The union was alerted by nurses about compensation issues several years ago following a change in Kaiser’s payroll system. Lost wages date back to at least early 2021—Kaiser spent years and untold sums in legal expenses to avoid paying nurses what they were owed. “Unfortunately, Kaiser wants to normalize stealing from nurses,” said Michelle Gutierrez Vo, RN in adult/family medicine at Kaiser Fremont Medical Center and a president of CNA. “They changed their payroll system, messed it up, and let the mistake steal millions of dollars from nurses. When we called them on it, their fancy lawyers fought us tooth and nail for every single dollar. Nurses wouldn’t take no for an answer, and we won back millions of dollars in stolen wages, and we went above and beyond Kaiser’s earlier attempts to settle for less.”

Post-Gazette Journalists to Be Awarded Millions After Union-Busters Lose Supreme Court Case: This week, the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s appeal of a ruling requiring the company to pay Newspaper Guild of Pittsburgh, The NewsGuild-CWA (TNG-CWA) Local 38061, members after management made illegal unilateral changes to their working conditions. The newspaper—which was owned by Block Communications until earlier this year—cut workers’ pay and implemented increases in health care costs. Now, with no further venue for appeal, the Post-Gazette owes millions of dollars to its current and former employees. “I’ve actually lost count of the number of agencies, judges, courts, and other authorities that have told the Blocks that the workers were right and the multi-millionaires were wrong. Our members were the first to tell them—more than nine years ago now,” said Jon Schleuss, president of The NewsGuild-CWA. “It’s staggering to think how much money and time the company wasted on losing when that could have been spent on dignified working conditions and improving the caliber of local journalism.” “A lot of honest, determined people sacrificed more than most know to get this ruling enforced and finalized,” said Andrew Goldstein, Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter and president of the Newspaper Guild of Pittsburgh. “The Blocks and their co-conspirators in company management and elsewhere knowingly and willfully broke federal law for years, bringing untold harm to not only their workers but the news industry more broadly. We’re looking forward to getting quite literal payback and hope this serves as a warning to similarly reckless owners. Shame on the Blocks.”

UAW Members at Whitney Museum Ratify Contract on Eve of Strike: UAW Local 2110 members ratified their contract with the Whitney Museum of American Art the night before workers were set to walk off the job. Staff members had planned to picket throughout the week and during a new retrospective exhibit that was going to attract major press attention. The agreement contains major economic wins, longevity bonuses, up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave, greater bereavement leave, and stronger health and safety provisions. “This contract was hard fought,” said Katie Fong, a curatorial assistant who was part of the union’s bargaining committee. “I’m particularly proud that we’ve made significant gains for some of the lowest-compensated museum staff, especially front of house, facilities and curatorial staff.” “Solidarity across all ranks of our union made a huge difference at the end,” said Erika Wentworth, who works on the museum’s graphic design team. “The Museum knew we were serious about striking and in these last few days, we made a lot of progress.”

Detroit Historical Society Workers Join AFSCME: Staff at the Detroit Historical Society have overwhelmingly voted in favor of forming a union with AFSCME Michigan, joining a growing movement of cultural workers in Detroit and around the country who are organizing for a strong voice on the job. This victory comes after months of organzing—an effort that was motivated by the need for fair wages and a contract that protects both workers and the future of the institution. “We often talk about moments in history at the Detroit Historical Society,” said Macsen Kirkpatrick Johnson, a visitor experience associate supervisor. “To know that we are part of the foundational history of the labor movement in our museum, in a city that helped form the labor movement, is nothing short of inspiring.” “My family has worked in the museum for generations,” added Rebecca Phoenix, a visitor experience associate. “By coming together to form our union with AFSCME, my co-workers and I will have a voice in the work that we do every day. We are passionate about the atmosphere we create, and we know that our union will ensure that the Detroit Historical Society remains an important cultural institution in the city of Detroit for generations to come.” 

Dayton Ballet Dancers Win First Collective Bargaining Agreement: The American Guild of Musical Artists (AGMA) and the Dayton Performing Arts Alliance (DPAA) have jointly announced that they have reached the first collective bargaining agreement covering Dayton Ballet dancers. The newly ratified three-year contract establishes a more consistent compensation structure for dancers while ensuring 29 weeks of work, expanded leave, short-term disability benefits, a guaranteed 4% retirement contribution match, improved scheduling provisions and much more. “Announcing our first union contract is an incredible milestone for the Dayton Ballet dancers,” said the Dancers of the AGMA Negotiating Committee. “This agreement reflects the strength of standing together and our steadfast commitment to building a stronger future for ourselves and for all who come after us. We’re proud of what we’ve accomplished together.”

Philz Coffee Workers in California Join UFCW: Staff at four Philz Coffee locations in California have voted to join the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) locals 5 and 770. These latest victories add 40 new members from cafés in Glendale and Torrance and roughly 35 from storefronts in San Francisco and Cupertino to the Philz Coffee United union. These baristas, shift leads and trainers are organizing to secure fair wages and benefits, improved scheduling processes, workplace safety provisions, and protections against invasive surveillance and unequal discipline. “I am really excited to move forward with unionizing,” said Makella Campbell, a barista at Philz Coffee’s Cupertino Main location. “This whole process has made me appreciate my coworkers more and it helped me understand my rights and responsibilities as an employee. It seems like we all have a common goal: a safe and secure workplace.”