Worker Wins: With A Clear Voice They Achieved Those Goals

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

REI San Diego Store Votes to Form Union: Workers at REI’s San Diego store voted last week to join United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 135, making it the largest union-represented location for the retailer in the country. This victory for REI Union’s growing organizing efforts comes just days after the conclusion of a nationwide boycott of the company’s Anniversary Sale. More than 70,000 co-op members pledged not to shop and stood in solidarity with workers calling for the company to bargain in good faith. “It’s been a long road, but we all want to make REI the best version of itself that it can be, and that is what brought us to this moment,” said staff member Jae Michael. “We are the ones stewarding the values of this co-op every single day, especially when we cannot rely on executive leadership to do the same. With our union, we’ll have a say in the decisions that affect our jobs and our lives. When we first started to organize, I knew we were joining a nationwide movement to hold REI accountable to its green vests and co-op members. I’m beyond proud to be a part of the REI Union so we can achieve that mission together.”

Netflix Production Workers Ratify First Contract: Members of The Animation Guild (TAG), Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) Local 839, who work at Netflix Animation Studios (NAS) have voted to ratify their first union contract. Feature production workers at the streaming platform approved the new deal with an overwhelming 89% casting ballots in favor. The agreement contains provisions establishing wage minimums, dismissal pay and critical workplace protections. “Since I started at NAS in 2019, production workers had undergone constant change, and the shifts in the industry made it clear that we needed to unionize,” production coordinator Thalia Nalapraya said. “It was a heartbreaking experience to see my colleagues laid off from projects without any safety net. Now that we have ratified our contract, I feel so proud and grateful—to the organizing committee who guided us through the Union vote, the Negotiations Committee for taking the seat at the table and setting the foundations for future negotiations, and the production workers at DreamWorks, Disney, Nickelodeon and others who unionized before us. We wouldn’t have gotten here without learning from their experiences.”

Seattle Hospitalists Vote to Join AFT, Make State History: Swedish Medical Group hospitalists have voted to join Northwest Medicine United, AFT Local 6552, making history as the first physicians in the Providence system to unionize in Washington. Swedish Medical Group is part of Providence Swedish, Providence’s health system in the western part of the state. Approximately 115 medical professionals across five campuses in the Seattle area participated in the union election. “Physicians at Swedish Medical Group are organizing because they want a stronger voice in the decisions that affect patient care, physician autonomy and the future of healthcare,” said AFT President Randi Weingarten in a social media post. “I’m proud to stand with these hospitalists as they work to protect quality care and physician autonomy.”

Nevada Administrative and Clerical Workers Join AFSCME: More than 3,500 Nevada state employees in administrative and clerical roles have voted to join AFSCME Local 4041. The new bargaining unit covers administrative assistants in all state agencies, departments, state colleges and universities, as well as other assistants, clerks and clerical staff. Once the Employee Management Relations Board certifies the election results, the state will have up to 60 days to begin contract negotiations. “I am proud of my co-workers for coming together to organize our union. As admin assistants, we are the backbone of our offices — nothing happens without us. And we deserve the dignity and respect that comes with having a unified voice on the job,” said Maria Behic, an administrative assistant in Las Vegas. “We look forward to joining our AFSCME family in building our power in the workplace.”

Weyerhaeuser Workers in Pacific Northwest Ratify Historic Four-Year Agreement: IAM Union (IAM) District W24 members who work for Weyerhaeuser have overwhelmingly ratified a new four-year collective bargaining agreement. The bargaining unit covers 1,160 workers at the timber company’s sawmills, trucking operations, export yards and logging camps across Washington and Oregon. Highlights of the deal include an 11% total wage increase over the life of the contract, stronger pension and retirement benefits, expanded bereavement leave and more. “Weyerhaeuser IAM members wanted key family and financial issues addressed in the contract,” said IAM International President Brian Bryant. “With a clear voice they achieved those goals with help from District W24, the Western Territory and the International. We’re proud of our entire Weyerhaeuser membership at District W24.” “Strength and power were with this negotiating committee during the whole process,” said IAM Western Territory General Vice President Robert “Bobby” Martinez. “The Committee told the company they needed to listen to the membership, and the ratified contract speaks clearly that those issues were heard.”