Worker Wins: We Wanted a Fair Wage

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

Democratic Party of New Mexico Staff Form Union: The Democratic Party of New Mexico (DPNM) announced on Friday that workers at the state party joined the Machinists (IAM) Local Lodge 794, and have successfully bargained a contract that protects staff and improves working conditions. Workers began this process nearly two years ago, hoping to strengthen the DPNM and ensure more sustained future victories. The collective bargaining agreement contains multiple provisions aimed at improving staff quality of life, economic stability and well-being. Highlights include codification of workplace standards, prohibiting artificial intelligence from replacing human labor, improved leave, better health care coverage and more. “It is exciting to be here at the Party while we are making this historic effort that will have a positive, lasting impact for future staff,” said DPNM Finance Assistant Clayton Caté. “As DPNM staff, now we will know that management decisions will have accountability and a codified process to adhere to going forward.” “It is truly historic that the Democratic Party of New Mexico staff is finally unionized, and I am so proud to welcome them to the IAMAW family with a unique collective bargaining agreement that took into account many different aspects of their mission and political day-to-day work,” said Local Lodge 794 President Directing Business Representative Ashley Long. “DPNM employees have been working hard to get pro-Labor candidates elected for years, without having union representation themselves, so this was very well-deserved and long overdue for the staff.”

Thousands More Nevada State Employees Win Union Election: A group of nearly 3,000 state employees—including those working for the welfare agency and Nevada Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV)—won union representation as AFSCME Local 4041 this week in an election overseen by the state’s Government Employee-Management Relations Board. Nevada state workers won collective bargaining rights back in 2019, and since securing their first contract, AFSCME members have seen more than 30% wage increases as well as other new benefits and improved grievance procedures. The new bargaining unit that will join negotiations in the fall includes engineering technicians from the Department of Transportation, DMV service technicians, family support specialists in the Division of Welfare and Support Services (DWSS), and library technicians throughout Nevada System of Higher Education institutions and more. This election victory almost doubles the size of Local 4041, increasing their power to deliver victories for these critical public sector workers. “We see the benefits of having a union contract and voice on the job; that’s why we’ve organized as AFSCME and voted to have union representation. I’m excited tech workers now get to join our fellow AFSCME members at the bargaining table this fall,” said Austin Krehbiel, a family support specialist at the DWSS.

UAW Members Secure Tentative Agreement with Cornell University: After more than a week on strike, International Union, United Automobile, Aerospace and Agricultural Implement Workers of America (UAW) Local 2300 members who are responsible for food service, building upkeep, grounds maintenance and other duties at Cornell University secured an historic tentative agreement (TA). The deal includes massive economic victories, such as record wage increases of up to 25.4%, a cost-of-living adjustment and elimination of the two-tier wage system. Additionally, the union secured significant improvements to policies regarding time off, uniforms, inclement weather and workplace safety. The TA makes major strides to raise the quality of life and working condition standards for critical workers who make the prestigious Ivy League university run. Over the past four years, Cornell’s endowment has ballooned by 39% to almost $10 billion, and tuition for students has increased 13%. In contrast, UAW members’ buying power has fallen by 5% in that same period. Workers will vote on whether to ratify the contract on Sunday and Monday. “The workers at Cornell used their power to push back on Cornell’s arrogance and win a great contract,” said UAW Region 9 Director Daniel Vicente. “They stood together and showed the university that they were willing to do what was needed to win what they deserve.”

SMART-TD Announces Tentative Deal for Conductors with Amtrak: Last week, the International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers-Transportation Division (SMART-TD) announced a tentative agreement for a seven-year contract with Amtrak that covers conductors and assistant conductors. Details of the agreement will go out to membership for a ratification vote over the next few weeks. Key economic highlights of the contract include substantial wage increases that are retroactive to July 2022, greater new hire training per diem, more conductor certification pay and improved training pay. SMART-TD also secured major wins relating to worker health and work-life balance, such as more paid parental leave, designating Martin Luther King Jr. Day as a paid holiday, improvements to bereavement pay and expansion of overtime.

Guitar Center Workers in Six Locations Ratify New Contract: Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union (RWDSU-UFCW) members at six Guitar Center locations in Illinois, Massachusetts, Nevada and New York ratified a new three-year contract. The agreement includes multiple meaningful wins for staff, like an increased minimum wage rate for every position—which will continue to go up every year throughout the life of the contract—and an additional seniority wage adjustment for more tenured workers. Additionally, members are maintaining their union health care plan with the addition of a new short-term disability benefit. Other highlights are an updated attendance policy that increases the grace period for being late, provisions protecting the right to call additional labor-management meetings during the year, work schedule transparency, upward mobility opportunities, protections for the current commissions policy and more.

Memphis City Workers Celebrate Across-the-Board Pay Raises and Bonuses: AFSCME members who work for the city of Memphis, Tennessee, are celebrating much-needed wage hikes and bonuses they secured through their organizing efforts. These critical public sector workers secured $5,000 bonuses along with pay raises of at least 5%. Staff who keep Memphis’ hospitals, schools and roads functioning saw this increase hit their bank accounts starting last month. Those who keep Memphis clean by working for the city’s Solid Waste Department saw pay raises ranging from 6% to 34%. These well-deserved wage bumps and bonuses are thanks to AFSCME Local 1733 members, who had been hard at work negotiating with the Memphis City Council since April. “We came to the table with our proposals for the wage increases that we wanted, but the city kept turning it down,” said Tomorrow Bonds, a member of Local 1733’s negotiations team. “But we decided we weren’t going to take their counterproposals for less, and we wanted a fair wage.”