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☆ Tesla beats claim that it fired factory workers amid union campaign
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-27 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Brand new Tesla cars sit parked at a Tesla dealership on October 18, 2023 in Corte Madera, California. A U.S. labor board has dismissed claims that Tesla illegally fired employees working on Autopilot software at a New York factory to put an end to union organizing. A National Labor Relations Board regional official on Friday tossed out a complaint filed in February by Workers United, a union seeking to organize workers at Tesla's Buffalo, New York "gigafactory." Workers United claimed that within days of announcing a union campaign earlier this year, Tesla fired dozens of workers from its Autopilot department. Tesla and Workers United did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Persons: Tesla, Kayla Blado, Blado Organizations: National Labor Relations Board, Workers United, Workers Locations: Corte Madera , California, U.S, New York, Tesla's Buffalo , New York

A Tesla sign is pictured outside the Tesla Gigafactory 2 in Buffalo, New York, U.S., February 13, 2022. A National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) regional official on Friday tossed out a complaint filed in February by Workers United, a union seeking to organize workers at Tesla's Buffalo, New York "gigafactory." Workers United claimed that within days of announcing a union campaign earlier this year, Tesla fired dozens of workers from its Autopilot department. Tesla and Workers United did not immediately respond to requests for comment. President Joe Biden said this month that he supported the union's efforts to organize workers at Tesla and Toyota.

Persons: Carlo Allegri, Tesla, Kayla Blado, Blado, Joe Biden, Elon Musk, tweeting, Daniel Wiessner, Aurora Ellis, Alexia Garamfalvi Organizations: REUTERS, Tesla Inc, National Labor Relations Board, Workers United, Workers, United Auto Workers, UAW, Detroit Three, Tesla, Toyota, NLRB, Thomson Locations: Buffalo , New York, U.S, New York, Tesla's Buffalo , New York, Buffalo, Florida, Fremont , California, Albany , New York

☆ Apple illegally denied benefits to the first unionized store in the country, says National Labor Relations Board
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-23 | by ( Caroline Haskins | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Apple improved its benefits to Apple Store employees nationwide last year. In June 2022, the Towson Apple Store became the first Apple Store in the country to unionizeThe NLRB and the Towson union allege that Apple illegally denied these benefits to unionized workers. AdvertisementThe National Labor Relations Board filed a complaint against Apple on Wednesday, alleging that the company violated US labor law by withholding benefits from unionized workers at its Towson, Maryland, store, which became the first Apple Store in the country to unionize in June 2022. The initial IAM complaint , filed November 2, 2022, alleges that Apple improved its health and education benefits for Apple Store workers nationwide the month prior but excluded the unionized Towson workers from the improvements. Representatives for Apple, the Towson Apple union, and the NLRB did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Persons: —, Kayla Blado Organizations: Apple, Apple Store, Towson Apple Store, NLRB, Service, Labor Relations, International Association of Machinists, Aerospace Workers, Towson, IAM, Office, Towson Apple Locations: Towson, Towson , Maryland, unionize

☆ X illegally fired worker over return to office protest, US labor agency says
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-13 | by ( Samantha Delouya | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

The employee was illegally terminated for their actions, according to the complaint. The NLRB protects workers’ legal right to engage in “concerted activity,” which is when two or more coworkers band together to address workplace issues. However, this is not Musk’s first run-in with the labor agency. The NLRB has repeatedly cited Tesla and Musk for illegal or improper anti-union activities, such as interrogating or discriminating against employees who support unionizing. Musk has also been vocal about his opposition to labor organizing, and the NLRB once directed Musk to delete a 2018 tweet saying Tesla employees would lose their stock options if they formed a union.

Persons: CNN —, Slack, don’t, Kayla Blado, Musk, Tesla Organizations: CNN, CNN — Elon, National Labor Relations Board, NLRB, Workers, Tesla Locations: San Francisco

[1/2] Starbucks workers attend a rally as they go on a one-day strike outside a store in Buffalo, New York, U.S., November 17, 2022. Federal law only allows NLRB members, who are appointed by the president and confirmed by the Senate, to be removed for "neglect of duty or malfeasance in office." The Buffalo store is one of more than 360 Starbucks locations in the U.S. to unionize since 2021. The labor board is currently considering more than 100 cases accusing Starbucks of unlawful conduct, including firing union supporters, barring organizing in stores and refusing to bargain with unions. An NLRB official dismissed Cortes' petition in May, saying no election could be held until cases accusing Starbucks of unfair labor practices at the Buffalo store were resolved.

Persons: Lindsay DeDario, Ariana Cortes, Cortes, Kayla Blado, Daniel Wiessner, Alexia Garamfalvi, Deepa Babington Organizations: REUTERS, Starbucks Corp, U.S . National Labor Relations Board, Work Foundation, U.S . Constitution, Starbucks, NLRB, Senate, Democratic, Democrat, Buffalo, Thomson Locations: Buffalo , New York, U.S, New York, Washington ,, U.S ., Buffalo, unionize, Albany , New York

The CWA in a statement said Activision's conduct showed a clear pattern of disregard for workers' legal rights. "In spite of Activision Blizzard's anti-union efforts, workers continue to organize, speak out about their working conditions and win union campaigns," the union said. Activision has said its social media policy is lawful and does not bar employees from exercising their rights under U.S. labor law. Small groups of workers at Activision subsidiaries in New York and Wisconsin have voted to join the CWA in recent months. Boston-based employees of Activision unit Proletariat in January withdrew a petition to have an election.

The Communication Workers of America union (CWA) has accused the "Call of Duty" maker of a series of illegal labor practices at the union has sought to organize video game testers and other employees at the company and its subsidiaries. The CWA in a statement said Activision's conduct showed a clear pattern of disregard for workers' legal rights. "In spite of Activision Blizzard's anti-union efforts, workers continue to organize, speak out about their working conditions and win union campaigns," the union said. Activision is already facing a separate NLRB complaint issued last year claiming the company used a policy limiting what workers can post on social media to bar them from discussing working conditions. Activision has said its social media policy is lawful and does not bar employees from exercising their rights under U.S. labor law.

☆ Apple has infringed on worker rights, NLRB investigators say
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-31 | by ( Brian Fung | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Washington CNN —Apple has illegally imposed rules on its employees that prohibit them from discussing their wages and engaging in other protected activity, according to investigators at the National Labor Relations Board. The findings by NLRB agents determined that “various work rules, handbook rules, and confidentiality rules at Apple” are unlawful because they “reasonably tend to interfere with, restrain, or coerce employees” who attempt to assert their labor rights, NLRB spokesperson Kayla Blado told CNN Tuesday. The NLRB does not have the power to impose penalties, but can force employers to implement “make-whole remedies,” according to its website. According to Bloomberg, the cases in question were brought by two former Apple employees, one of whom cited an email from CEO Tim Cook vowing to crack down on information leaks at the company. Apple pushed back at those claims in a filing with the NLRB.

☆ U.S. labor board region sides with USC athletes seeking 'employee' designation
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-16 | by ( Steve Gorman | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) director of the agency's Region 31 office issued a finding of merit in an unfair labor practice charge brought by the student athletes against USC, the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and the Pac-12 athletic conference. The parties to the case were informed of the decision on Thursday, according to NLRB spokesperson Kayla Blado. read moreA separate case filed by college athletes in Indianapolis against the NCAA and others has been held in abeyance pending the outcome of the USC case. The judge's ruling could then be appealed to the full NLRB, which would render a decision as to whether USC, NCAA and Pac-12 are employers under labor law, and could order its own remedies. The National College Players Association, which brought the charges on behalf of 113 USC athletes, also could not be reached for comment.

☆ A topless bar unlawfully fired strippers after they complained about unsafe working conditions, labor board finds
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-10 | by ( Jyoti Mann | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Star Garden bar strippers were unlawfully fired, the National Labor Relations Board said . They dancers said they worked in unsafe conditions including rat infestations and rusty nails. The group of strippers were blocked from working at the Star Garden in February and have since been staging regular demonstrations outside the venue. They claimed that Star Garden committed 30 breaches of OSHA regulations that "protect workers' rights to safe and healthy workplaces." The women submitted a petition in March calling for the Star Garden to treat them with "basic dignity and humanity."

☆ US labor officials say Apple violated the law by allegedly interrogating employees and holding mandatory meetings about unionization
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-07 | by ( Britney Nguyen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

An Atlanta NLRB director found merit to allegations that Apple violated labor law. Apple, which did not respond to Insider's request for comment, has previously denied wrongdoing in a complaint with similar allegations concerning a New York Apple Store. We commend the NLRB for recognizing captive audience meetings for exactly what they are: a direct violation of labor rights." The Atlanta Apple Store in Cumberland Mall became the first Apple retail location to file for a union election in April. The employees in Atlanta eventually withdrew their call for a union vote days before the election, alleging intimidation from Apple.

☆ Worker complaints alleging anti-union shutdowns rise as organizing surges
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-04 | by ( Eli M. Rosenberg | Eli Rosenberg Is An Investigative Tech Reporter For Nbc News. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +13 min

The company, G&D Integrated, had closed the factory, saying it had suddenly lost its decade-old contract with a Japanese company, workers said. Starbucks closed multiple stores this year following union activity. Trader Joe’s, for example, abruptly closed a wine shop in the center of New York City where workers had been organizing. Demonstrators protest outside a closed Starbucks in Seattle on July 16. More than 40 percent of the stores had union campaigns, according to data from Starbucks Workers United, the union that has been organizing the workers.

☆ Amazon workers in California withdraw petition for union vote after defeat in New York
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-25 | by ( Catherine Thorbecke | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

Workers at a California Amazon facility withdrew their petition late last week to unionize with the ALU, just days after the labor group failed to win enough votes to unionize an Amazon facility in upstate New York. The move to withdraw comes roughly two weeks after the petition was submitted, per the NLRB’s docket of the case. In an email to CNN Business, ALU President Chris Smalls played down the significance of the withdrawn petition. Since the watershed union win at JFK8, the ALU hasn’t seen success with organizing efforts at other Amazon facilities. Moreover, Amazon has refused to recognize or meet with the union at JFK8 — and continues to challenge the union’s election win.

☆ Amazon workers at Southern California warehouse file for union election in potential first for the state
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-11 | by ( Annie Palmer | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Workers stand in line to cast ballots for a union election at Amazon's JFK8 distribution center, in the Staten Island borough of New York City, U.S. March 25, 2022. Amazon workers at a warehouse in Southern California have filed a petition to form a union with the National Labor Relations Board. Employees at the warehouse, located in Moreno Valley, California, are seeking to be represented by the Amazon Labor Union, a grassroots group of current and former Amazon workers that successfully unionized a Staten Island warehouse, referred to as JFK8, earlier this year. The move adds to a recent upswing of labor organizing among Amazon workers. Workers at a major Amazon air hub in nearby San Bernardino recently held walkouts to demand pay increases and highlight safety concerns.

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