Worker Wins: Looking Forward to What Comes Next

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

Temple Faculty, Administration Reach Tentative Agreement: The Temple Association of University Professionals (TAUP)—an affiliate of the American Federation of Teachers (AFT)—has secured a tentative agreement (TA) on a five-year contract with the administration of Temple University. This deal follows more than a year of negotiations and is subject to approval by both membership and Temple’s board of trustees. The TA features a $10,000 across-the-board raise for full-time employees upon ratification—amounting to a 10% raise for at least half the bargaining unit, which includes more than 2,300 faculty, librarians and other academic professionals. Over the life of the contract, a tenured professor on average will receive an 18% increase, while those who are nontenured will get about 23%. Other wins include expanded bereavement leave, improved parental leave, more protections for academic freedom, no increased health care costs and more. “This is the most complex and transformative agreement for our union since our 1990 strike, and contained in this agreement are historic wins on pay equity, job security, and numerous working conditions, benefits, and union power,” the union said in a statement posted to social media.

Workers at Two Maryland Cannabis Dispensaries Vote to Join UFCW: Workers at The Apothecarium cannabis dispensary in Burtonsville and Sweetspot cannabis dispensary in Olney announced on Sept. 16 that they had voted to join United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 400. Staff at both Maryland locations voted overwhelmingly to form a union, joining the ranks of their colleagues at numerous other dispensaries around the region and across the country who have organized with UFCW. With the global cannabis market projected to hit $145.4 billion by 2025, more and more workers in the nascent industry are joining together to secure contracts that ensure fair wages, safe working conditions and a voice on the job. “I’m incredibly honored to be working alongside such an awesome team that believes in representation for themselves and fellow workers,” said Matt Saundry, who works at The Apothecarium. “We’re grateful for the chance to work with [parent company] Terrascend to negotiate a contract, we appreciate them working with us throughout this process, and I’m looking forward to what comes next.”

CWA Wins Tentative Agreement at AT&T Southeast: The Communications Workers of America (CWA) announced on Sept. 15 that the union had reached a tentative agreement (TA) with AT&T Southeast, ending the longest telecommunications strike in the region. The new contract covers technicians, customer service representatives, and other workers who install, maintain, and support residential and commercial services in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee. Wages and health care costs were key issues for members. The deal includes across-the-board wage increases of 19.33%, with additional 3% increases for wire technicians and utility operations, and provisions that hold health care premiums steady in the first year and then lowers them in the second and third years. “I believe in the power of unity, and the unity our members and retirees have shown during these contract negotiations has been outstanding and gave our bargaining teams the backing they needed to deliver strong contracts,” said CWA President Claude Cummings Jr. “CWA members and retirees from every region and sector of our union mobilized in support of our bargaining teams, including by distributing flyers with information about the strike at AT&T Wireless stores.”

Volkswagen Workers in Chattanooga Rally to Win Strong First Contract: After a historic union election victory earlier this year, UAW members who work for Volkswagen in Chattanooga, Tennessee, geared up to begin negotiating a powerful first contract with the automotive giant last week. More than 400 newly minted UAW members, their family members and community supporters rallied on Sept. 15 to channel momentum from the vote to securing a contract that raises workplace standards, increases wages, improves benefits and codifies protections similar to those secured by autoworkers in other unionized plants. Other demands from Volkswagen workers include corporate accountability, workplace respect, retirement security and better paid time off. With representation across every department and shift at the facility, the 20-person elected bargaining committee has been meeting for weeks already to analyze survey data about members’ goals for the first agreement. “Our victory in April was just the beginning,” said Samuel Gallardo, an assembly line worker at Volkswagen. “Now we are focused on winning a contract that reflects the hard work and dedication of every worker here. We’ve shown that when we stand together, we win—first our union, and soon a contract that guarantees higher wages, better benefits, and a brighter future for all.”

Mercury Ballroom Stagehands in Louisville Vote to Form Union: On Sept. 12, stagehands at the Louisville, Kentucky-based Mercury Ballroom voted unanimously to join Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) Local 17. The unit will include around a dozen staff at the Mercury Ballroom, which is one of the city’s premier venues for live music, performances and other events. Local 17 already represents its counterparts at other major stages throughout the city. This resounding victory marks the third crew at a Live Nation venue to organize in recent months, following successful votes by workers at Denver’s Summit music hall and Marquis Theater earlier this summer. “This win demonstrates IATSE Local 17’s commitment to representing locations of all sizes,” said Local 17 Business Agent Greg Campbell. “The workers who support these types of clubs are the foundation of the live event music industry. From amphitheaters and clubs to opera houses and Broadway, all entertainment workers deserve the voice and protections that a union brings.”

Eos Workers Vote to Join USW: Some 160 workers at Eos Energy Enterprises in Pittsburgh voted to join the United Steelworkers (USW) earlier this month to ensure they have a voice in shaping the future of their role in the rapidly expanding clean energy sector. Workers at the zinc battery company manufacture batteries used to store electricity generated from renewable sources like solar and wind energy. The vote comes right as Eos is eligible for billions of dollars in clean energy federal investments from legislation like the Inflation Reduction Act. UAW members fought back against attempts to undermine their right to a free and fair union election, demanding that corporations receiving taxpayer money should respect the rights of their workforce. Their victory represents a powerful milestone in ensuring this emergent sector has high standards for labor rights. “We’re proud to be contributing to our nation’s energy future, but for that future to succeed, we need to earn fair wages and be treated with respect on the job,” said Dante Williams, an assembly operator at Eos. “Unionizing puts our future into our own hands, and now we’re looking forward to sitting down and bargaining a fair contract.”

Central Vermont Medical Center Support Staff Votes to Join Union: Support staff at Central Vermont Medical Center (CVMC) overwhelmingly voted earlier this month to join the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) Vermont. This unit will cover licensed nursing assistants, mental health technicians, phlebotomists, front desk staff and food service workers across CVMC’s locations—including the hospital, 27 community-based medical practices and a nursing facility. The resounding election victory comes just over a year after CVMC nurses and technical staff also joined the state chapter of AFT. Core issues for these invaluable workers are largely based around lack of employment protections other hospital personnel have, the need for safer patient-to-staff ratios, and demands for higher wages and better benefits. “We are passionate about our jobs, and we value being in service to our central Vermont community, so we are hoping to work collaboratively with the CVMC administration to come to mutually beneficial agreements that will impact our community positively,” said Spencer Starr, a patient service specialist and organizing committee member.

Ultium Cells Workers in Tennessee Win Card-Check to Join Union: On Sept. 4, the UAW announced that a majority of workers at Ultium Cells in Tennessee have signed union authorization cards and that the battery manufacturing company has agreed to do right by its staff and recognize their union. Ultium Cells, a joint venture of General Motors and LG Energy Solution, employs 1,000 workers at the Spring Hill plant, where they produce battery cells for electric vehicles. This facility is the second Ultium Cells factory built in the United States and the second to organize with the UAW—workers at the other location in Lordstown, Ohio, recently ratified their first contract in June. This victory is yet another win for autoworkers in the South, marking the latest big win in the state since thousands of Volkswagen employees in Chattanooga, Tennessee, made history with their union election earlier this year. “The UAW members at Ultium and VW are proving that the new jobs of the South will be union jobs,” said Director Tim Smith of UAW Region 8. “In the battery plants and EV factories springing up from Georgia to Kentucky to Texas, workers know they deserve the same strong pay and benefits our members have won. And we’re going to make sure they have the support they need to win their unions and win their fair share.”