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☆ Workers at Two Wells Fargo Branches Say They Will Vote on Whether to Form a Union
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-20 | by ( Ben Eisen | Photographs Adria Malcolm For The Wall Street Journal | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Workers at two Wells Fargo bank branches are planning to launch unionization efforts Monday, shifting the attention of the resurgent labor movement to an industry that has historically been cool to it. Employees in Albuquerque, N.M., and Bethel, Alaska, said they would notify the National Labor Relations Board that they plan to hold elections to decide whether to unionize. If they get enough votes, they could start the first union at a major bank in decades.

Organizations: Employees, National Labor Relations Board Locations: Wells Fargo, Albuquerque, N.M, Bethel , Alaska

The federal government is delaying a new rule that could make it easier for millions of workers to unionize after business groups challenged it in court. The National Labor Relations Board said Thursday that the rule — which was scheduled to go into effect in December — will now be effective Feb. 26. The rule sets new standards for determining when two companies should be considered “joint employers" in labor negotiations. But the new rule would expand that definition, saying companies may be considered joint employers if they have the ability to control — directly or indirectly — at least one condition of employment. But the NLRB says the current rule makes it too easy for companies to avoid their legal responsibility to bargain with workers.

Persons: McDonald's isn't, National Retail Federation —, Sen, Bill Cassidy, Cassidy, Democratic Sen, Joe Manchin, Joe Biden Organizations: National Labor Relations Board, Republican, U.S . Chamber of Commerce, American, Lodging Association, International Franchise Association, National Retail Federation, NLRB, U.S, Louisiana Republican, Health, Education, Labor, Pensions, Federal, Democratic, House Locations: —, Texas, Louisiana, West Virginia

Circuit Court of Appeals threw out a 3-2 decision issued last year by the National Labor Relations Board, which had said Tesla couldn’t prohibit union attire. The court opinion noted that Tesla allowed workers to affix “any number or size” of pro-union stickers to company-issued clothing. “We may have concluded differently had Tesla prohibited union insignia," read the opinion issued Tuesday by a unanimous panel of three 5th Circuit judges. The opinion comes as the 5th Circuit prepares for arguments in another union-related matter involving Tesla, NLRB and the assembly plant in Fremont, California. But that order was vacated after the full 5th Circuit, currently with 16 full-time judges, voted to hear the matter.

Persons: Tesla, didn't, ”, Jerry Smith, Elon Musk, Musk, Smith, Ronald Reagan, Leslie Southwick, George W ., Stephen Higginson, Barack Obama Organizations: ORLEANS, United Auto Workers, U.S, Circuit, National Labor Relations Board, Associated Press, UAW, NLRB, Twitter Locations: California, Fremont , California

☆ Largest Starbucks strike in history is planned for Thursday. It shows US labor unrest isn’t over yet
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-16 | by ( Chris Isidore | Danielle Wiener-Bronner | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

But the union said the limited duration strike on a key promotion day for Starbucks is important in its efforts to win their first contract at the chain. The union, Starbucks Workers United, won its first representation vote at the company in December 2021, at a store in Buffalo, New York. But many of the stores on strike remained open in past strikes, because management replaced the unionized striking workers with workers from nearby non-union stores and managers. That’s possible because of the close proximity of many Starbucks stores to one another. The union earlier this fall filed an unfair labor practice charge with the NLRB over Starbucks’ refusal to bargain around promotion days.

Persons: haven’t, Moe Mills, Mills, “, ” Mills, ” Organizations: New, New York CNN, Starbucks, United Auto Workers, SAG, Writers Guild of America, Starbucks Workers United, CNN, National Labor Relations Board, NLRB, Red, Kaiser Permanente, Los Angeles, Teamsters, UPS, Michigan, Boeing Locations: New York, Buffalo , New York, St, Louis , Missouri, Kaiser, Detroit, East Coast

Companies Tesla Inc FollowNov 15 (Reuters) - Tesla Inc (TSLA.O) did not violate U.S. labor law by prohibiting workers at its flagship Fremont, California, assembly plant from wearing pro-union t-shirts, a federal appeals court has ruled. The electric vehicle maker adopted its uniform policy in 2017 amid an organizing campaign by the United Auto Workers union (UAW). President Joe Biden said last week that he supported the union's efforts to organize workers at Tesla and Toyota. Tesla's "team wear" policy required employees to wear black shirts imprinted with the Tesla logo. A three-judge 5th Circuit panel in March had affirmed the labor board's decision.

Persons: Tesla, Joe Biden, Elon Musk, tweeting, Daniel Wiessner, Nick Zieminski Organizations: Tesla, Tesla Inc, Circuit, Appeals, National Labor Relations Board, NLRB, United Auto Workers union, UAW, U.S, Detroit Three, Toyota, Thomson Locations: Fremont , California, New Orleans, Albany , New York

☆ College students plotting to get Starbucks kicked off campuses plan to join baristas as they walk off the job on Red Cup Day
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-13 | by ( Nancy Luna | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Starbucks workers plan to walk off the job on November 16, which is expected to be Red Cup Day. Students from campuses around the US plan to join Starbucks employees when they walk off the job later this week on what is expected to be Red Cup Day. Starbucks has not officially announced when Red Cup Day will be held this year, but last year, it was held on Thursday, November 17. College students actively campaigning to boot Starbucks from campuses plan to join workers November 16, a day the union is labeling "Red Cup Rebellion." Starbucks Workers United represents more than 300 unionized Starbucks stores and 9,000 workers.

Persons: —, Ella Clark, Caitlin Power, Alex Yeager, Yeager Organizations: Red, College, Service, Starbucks, Georgetown, Cornell University, Cornell, University of Washington , University of Minnesota, University of Maryland, Baltimore County, University of Louisville, University of Chicago, UCLA, Stanford University, Boston University, American University, University of Arizona, Workers, Starbucks Workers United, Portland Press Herald, National Labor Relations, Starbucks Workers Locations: San Francisco, Ithaca, Baltimore, Gardner , Massachusetts

☆ SpaceX chief told employees to 'focus on your job' for humanity's sake after they raised workplace complaints, report says
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-11 | by ( Marta Biino | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

SpaceX's COO told employees to "focus on your job" when they raised workplace concerns in 2022. AdvertisementAdvertisementSpaceX COO Gwynne Shotwell told employees in a 2022 email to "focus on your job and the mission of SpaceX — to get humanity to Mars as quickly as possible," after they raised workplace complaints in an open letter, Reuters reported. Shotwell's email was in response to an open letter written by SpaceX employees that criticized the company's dismissive attitude toward employee concerns and inconsistent enforcement of discipline policies, per the report. Nine employees were fired for raising complaints in the letter — and eight of those have since filed unfair labor practice complaints with the National Labor Relations Board. SpaceX's mission "to go to Mars as fast as possible and save humanity permeates every part of the company," Tom Moline, a former SpaceX engineer who was fired after he made workplace complaints, told Reuters.

Persons: Elon, —, Gwynne Shotwell, Tom Moline Organizations: Reuters, Service, SpaceX, National Labor Relations Board Locations: Brownsville , Texas, Hawthorne , California, McGregor , Texas, Brownsville

☆ At SpaceX, worker injuries soar in Elon Musk’s rush to Mars
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-10 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +35 min

Through interviews and government records, the news organization documented at least 600 injuries of SpaceX workers since 2014. The more than 600 SpaceX injuries Reuters documented represent only a portion of the total case count, a figure that is not publicly available. SpaceX injury data reporting failures SpaceX facilities failed to submit injury data annually, as required by regulators, for most years since 2016. Workers welded rocket parts up to 12 hours a day, six days a week, often in temperatures over 100 degrees Fahrenheit, the SpaceX workers said. The accident occurred when he and other SpaceX employees were being transferred between two vessels.

Persons: Lonnie LeBlanc, LeBlanc, LeBlanc’s, hasn’t, Musk, ”, Tom Moline, Francisco Cabada, Cabada’s, Elon Musk, Ydy Cabada, Kennedy didn’t, Kennedy, “, Jordan Barab, Travis Carson, Carson, entrepreneurism, Jeff Bezos, Chris Cunnington, Phillip Fruge, ” Fruge, ” Carson, Elon, Carson “, Florentino Rios, Rios, Rios inched, Richard Hinojosa, ” Rios, Cabada, Ydy, SpaceX hasn’t, Michael Sanchez, ” Sanchez, Francisco’s, Evelyn Cabada, ” Barab, Boring, Paige Holland, Musk’s, Moline, Gwynne Shotwell, ” Shotwell, Shotwell, CalOSHA, Ann Rosenthal, Steven Trollinger’s, Trollinger, –, Chris Weimer, Ron Weimer Organizations: Elon, SpaceX, U.S . Marine Corps, U.S . Occupational Safety, Health Administration, OSHA, Musk’s, V2, Reuters, Regulators, Kennedy Space Center, U.S . National Aeronautics and Space Administration, NASA, ” Reuters, California OSHA, CalOSHA, ”, Workers, Boeing, Cabada, Boring Company, National Labor Relations Board, billionaire’s, Federal Locations: McGregor , Texas, LeBlanc, amputations, Hawthorne , California, Brownsville , Texas, Redmond , Washington, Florida, Cape Canaveral, California, Brownsville, Texas, Mexico, Moline, Carson, American, SpaceX’s Brownsville, Rios, Hawthorne, Los Angeles, “, ” Holland, Thielen, Holland, Federal, After Texas

Mr. Biden made history with his visit when he became the first president to appear on a picket line to support the striking workers. When word came down that the union had struck a deal with the automakers, Mr. Biden stepped away during a state dinner welcoming the Australian prime minister and called the U.A.W. “The union situation is a win for Biden,” said Barry Rabe, a professor of public policy at the University of Michigan. Mr. Fain has yet to give Mr. Biden the U.A.W.’s endorsement, but he has also outlined ambitious goals that would be much harder to achieve if Mr. Trump returned to the White House. And while Mr. Biden visited picketing workers and voiced support for their strike, Mr. Trump visited a nonunion plant in Michigan and said union members “were being sold down the river by their leadership.”

Persons: Biden, Trump, Shawn Fain, “, ”, Barry Rabe, Fain, ’, Trump’s Organizations: Democratic, Biden, University of Michigan, National Labor Relations Board Locations: autoworkers, Michigan

☆ Dotdash Meredith union members marched on a top exec at the publisher of People, Entertainment Weekly, and more, as their 2-year contract battle heats up
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-09 | by ( Reed Alexander | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

On Wednesday, organizers of the Dotdash Meredith Union took a step to show they're ready to escalate their efforts. Dotdash Meredith sources requested anonymity to speak freely about the status of negotiations and the union's thinking, citing sensitivity over the ongoing talks. Dotdash Meredith spokespersons did not respond to requests for comment. "We've spoken to management across the table and we've appealed to their common sense," a second union source said, adding, "People should see this as us saying, 'We've tried to bargain. The union sources said workers are seeking a provision to prevent the use of AI in generating journalistic content, but the publisher had so far refused to agree to such a clause.

Persons: Dotdash Meredith —, Meredith Union, We're, that's, Dotdash Meredith, —, Meredith, Leah Wyar Romito, Martha Stewart, we've, We've, That's, Wyar, Leah Wyar, we're, Leah, Romito, Neil Vogel, Dotdash, Vogel Organizations: Entertainment, company's Entertainment, Zoom, People, TV, National Labor Relations Board, Dotdash Meredith Union, NLRB, New York Times Locations: Manhattan, Wyar, New York

☆ Biden backs Tesla, Toyota unionization, slams Trump
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-09 | by ( Nandita Bose | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

BELVIDERE, Illinois, Nov 9 (Reuters) - President Joe Biden on Thursday backed the United Auto Workers' efforts to unionize carmakers Tesla (TSLA.O) and Toyota (7203.T) and asked auto workers to reject his Republican opponent, Donald Trump. En route to the event, Biden told reporters that he “absolutely” supports the UAW's efforts to unionize Tesla and Toyota workers. Tesla did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the remark by Biden, who has backed UAW efforts in other speeches. Trump, the frontrunner for the Republican presidential nomination, visited a nonunion factory in Michigan in September while Biden joined a picket line with striking UAW workers, Biden reminded workers. MUSK'S ANTI-UNION STANCEBiden's comments may renew friction between the U.S. president and Tesla CEO Elon Musk, especially as the UAW seeks to organize Tesla workers.

Persons: Joe Biden, carmakers Tesla, Donald Trump, Biden, Shawn Fain, unionize Tesla, Tesla, Trump, Fain, Elon Musk, Musk, Biden sparred, UAW's Fain, Mark Burton, Gretchen Whitmer, Burton, Nandita Bose, Susan Heavey, David Shepardson, Sayantani Ghosh, Steve Holland, Heather Timmons, Ben Klayman, Matthew Lewis Organizations: United Auto Workers, Toyota, Republican, UAW, Democratic, Union, U.S, nonunion, GM, National Labor Relations Board, NLRB, Trump, Labor, Biden, General Motors, Ford, Dodge, Michigan, San, Thomson Locations: BELVIDERE , Illinois, Belvidere , Illinois, Belvidere ., Michigan, U.S, Georgetown , Kentucky, Tesla’s Fremont , California, Honigman, Washington, San Francisco

☆ Where are the 12 US gov't funding bills to avert shutdown?
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-08 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +7 min

But first, the House and Senate would have to agree upon the overall dollar amount of spending for the 12 bills combined. The Senate passed its version as part of a three-bill package on Nov. 1 with strong bipartisan support. DEFENSEOne of the largest of the 12 bills funds the Department of Defense - the Army, Navy, Air Force and the CIA. The Senate's version passed out of committee on July 27. The Senate's version passed out of committee on July 27.

Persons: Jon Cherry, shutdowns, Joe Biden, Biden, Kevin McCarthy, Moira Warburton, Aurora Ellis Organizations: U.S . Capitol, REUTERS, Rights, Democratic, Republican, Senate, of Veterans Affairs, Army, Navy, Air Force, U.S . Department of Agriculture, Food and Drug Administration, of Transportation, Federal Aviation Administration, Department of Housing, Urban, House Republicans, Amtrak, Department of Defense, CIA, Department of Energy, Nuclear Regulatory, of, of Indian Affairs, Land Management, Environmental Protection Agency, The, Department of Homeland Security, FBI, Federal Emergency Management Agency, Department of State, Agency for International Development, Peace Corps, Congress, Capitol Police, of Congress, Office, Treasury, of Columbia, Federal Trade Commission, COMMERCE, of Commerce, U.S . Census, U.S . Patent, Department of Justice, Republicans, HUMAN, of Education, Department of Health, Human Services, Department of Labor, Social Security Administration, National Labor Relations Board, Thomson Locations: Washington , U.S, United States, New York, U.S, Washington

DURHAM, N.C. (AP) — Romeo Myrthil and his Dartmouth teammates are pursuing multiple goals to start the college basketball season. “I feel like NIL's been moving on a lot and changing the landscape of college basketball," Myrthil told The Associated Press after the Duke game. Dartmouth College lawyers have argued to the National Labor Relations Board that players shouldn't be considered employees. When it's time to play basketball, it's time to play basketball. AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball

Persons: Romeo Myrthil, There's, They're, Duke, Myrthil, Green, Robert McRae III, it'll, McRae, shouldn't, Ivy League doesn't, ” McRae, ” ___ Organizations: Dartmouth, Service Employees International Union, Associated Press, Ivy League, Ivy, ”, Dartmouth College, National Labor Relations Board, basketball Locations: DURHAM, N.C

☆ Google contractors who helped train the Bard AI chatbot vote to unionize
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-07 | by ( Caroline Haskins | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

AdvertisementAdvertisementGoogle contractors with Accenture, who write Google Help articles and review AI-generated content from the Bard chatbot, voted on Monday to unionize with the Alphabet Workers Union, which represents Google employees and contractors. The vote comes after a coalition of 118 Accenture workers announced their union in June. Google is currently appealing the NLRB's September ruling that it is joint employer of Accenture contractors. Accenture contractors worked on BardGoogle rushed its release of Bard in an effort to make a product to compete with OpenAI's ChatGPT. Other Google contractors have unionizedMonday's vote marks the second time this year that contractors for Google successfully voted to unionize with the NLRB.

Persons: Cognizant, —, Bard chatbot, Monday's, Bard, Organizers, Jen Hill, Courtenay Mencini, Bard Google, OpenAI's, Hill, Laura Greene, Greene, OpenAI Organizations: Accenture, Service, Alphabet Workers Union, Google, National Labor Relations, Alphabet Workers, Bloomberg, Workers, . Workers, Meta Locations: Manila

Starbucks is increasing pay and benefits for most of its U.S. hourly workers after ending its fiscal year with record sales. At least 366 U.S. Starbucks stores have voted to unionize since 2021, according to the National Labor Relations Board. But Starbucks and the Workers United union have yet to reach a labor agreement at any of those stores. The company said program also won't be available to employees at unionized stores since it involves prize money and travel. Starbucks has appealed that ruling, saying NLRB’s standards don’t allow employers to make unilateral changes in the wages or benefits of unionized employees.

Organizations: Starbucks, Seattle, National Labor Relations Board, Workers United, Employees Locations: U.S, American, Canada

He said the UAW's new contracts were so good they had even led to nonunion auto workers getting raises. Honda (7267.T) told Reuters it was evaluating the recent UAW deals with the Detroit Three automakers and would remain competitive. "If (Toyota workers) come calling, which they have, we're going to educate them and be there for them," Smith told Reuters. Toyota's move earlier this week to raise wages is in line with the strategy the Japanese automaker and other nonunion automakers have used to keep UAW organizers at bay. Nonunion automakers have kept hourly wages close to the UAW rates at the Detroit Three.

Persons: Shawn Fain, Fain, It'll, Tim Smith, Smith, Elon Musk, Toyota's, Joseph White, David Shepardson, Lisa Baertlein, Ben Klayman, Matthew Lewis, Jamie Freed Organizations: DETROIT, United Auto Workers, Detroit, Toyota, UAW, nonunion, Honda, Reuters, Detroit Three, General Motors, Ford, Louisville Assembly, GM, National Labor Relations Board, NLRB, Tesla, Thomson Locations: WASHINGTON, U.S, United States, Georgetown , Kentucky, Louisville, Tesla's Fremont , California, Fremont, Detroit, Washington, Los Angeles

☆ Some Tesla workers say they'd never work in a unionized factory, even as Ford and GM workers are set to get a major pay boost
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-02 | by ( Grace Kay | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

While Elon Musk has spoken out against unions, a major Tesla factory reportedly has a UAW organizing committee that's speaking with workers. Some Tesla workers say they wouldn't join a unionized company and predicted the UAW would struggle to find footing at Tesla. AdvertisementAdvertisementThe United Auto Workers might have set its sights on Tesla, but some workers at the EV company told Insider they'd be hard-pressed to join a union. Even before the 36-day strike, Ford and GM already spent over $20 more per hour on factory workers than Tesla, according to analysts. Still, other workers told Insider they wouldn't jump ship even for a better pay package at a unionized company.

Persons: Elon Musk, —, Shawn Fain, Tesla, Musk, they'd, Metall, Marquard, it's, you've, Fain, Elon Organizations: UAW, Tesla, Service, United Auto Workers, EV, Detroit automakers, Ford, General Motors, GM, Fremont, Elon Musk's, National Labor Relations Board, Buffalo New, NLRB, Bloomberg, Workers Locations: Fremont, California, Buffalo New York, rehire, company's Brandenburg, Tesla, Tesla's

☆ The UAW won big against Detroit automakers. Unionizing Tesla and Toyota will be tougher
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-01 | by ( Nathaniel Meyersohn | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +11 min

But the UAW’s ambitious plans to organize Tesla and other non-union automakers face steep odds. To grow, the UAW will need to gain a foothold at non-union automakers, which produce more than half of the cars assembled in the United States. Historically, UAW talks with the Detroit automakers have been closely watched by non-union automakers and suppliers. Anti-union companiesThe UAW will have to overcome weak protections for labor organizing in the United States and automakers’ aggressive tactics to defeat unions. It may be easier for UAW to organize Volkswagen and other European automakers like BMW and Mercedes-Benz than automakers from Asia, experts say.

Persons: Tesla, Shawn Fain, ”, Harry Katz, “, Thomas Kochan, Tesla's, Justin Sullivan, Bill Lee, Nikki Haley, Joe Biden, Kochan, ” Kochan, “ There’s, “ Fain, he’s, Harley Shaiken, Jesse Jackson, John J, Kim, Elon Musk, Musk, “ Tesla, ” Shaiken, Biden, Erica Smiley, Smiley, ‘ we’ve, won’t Organizations: New, New York CNN, United Auto Workers, Ford, General Motors, Jeep, Chrysler, Detroit automakers, UAW, American, Toyota, Hyundai, Honda, Volvo, Mercedes, BMW, Nissan, Volkswagen, Cornell University’s School of Industrial and Labor Relations, Labor, Companies, Employers, National Labor Relations Act, MIT Sloan School of Management, Getty, Workers, Benz, Tennessee Gov, Former South Carolina Gov, Environmental Defense Fund, Alabama, M University, Jackson State University, University of California, Berkley, Chicago Tribune, Tribune, Service, Tesla, National Labor Relations Board, Employees, Bloomberg, CNN, Biden Union, Union, Biden, Justice, Detroit Locations: New York, United States, California, Texas, Tesla's Fremont , California, Tennessee, Kentucky, Alabama, Volkswagen’s, Chattanooga, Michigan, Detroit, Chicago, Chattanooga , Tennessee, Asia, Europe, Tesla’s Fremont California, ”

The UAW's talks, replete with weekly addresses by union President Shawn Fain, were among the most unabashed. The agreements may be a selling point for non-union shops to push for unionization, said San Francisco State University labor and employment professor John Logan. Nissan (7201.T) and other competitors may feel compelled to boost wages to retain their workforce. UPS AND ITS RIVALSThe UPS deal in August raised pay and eliminated a two-tier wage system for drivers at the Atlanta-based company. That bolstered organizing efforts among Amazon workers and put pressure on UPS rivals to close a growing gap in pay.

Persons: Shawn Fain, Harley Shaiken, Stellantis, John Logan, Mack, Marcos Feldman, Feldman, Joe Biden, Kate Bronfenbrenner, Bianca Flowers, Jonathan Oatis Organizations: United Auto Workers, Detroit Three, Ford Motor, Chrysler, General Motors, University of California, Berkley ., San Francisco State University, UAW, Starbucks, Economic, UPS, Caterpillar, Workers, Deere & Co, Employers, U.S . Department of Labor, Amazon, National Labor Relations Board, Atlanta -, FedEx, Reuters, Cornell University, Industries, Thomson Locations: Detroit, Berkley, Berkley . Union, New York, Atlanta

Starbucks is suing for trademark infringement, demanding that Workers United stop using the name Starbucks Workers United for the branch that is organizing the coffee company's workers. But posts and retweets from local Starbucks Workers United branches supporting Palestinians and condemning Israel were still visible on X Wednesday. Seattle-based Starbucks filed its lawsuit in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Iowa, noting that Iowa City Starbucks Workers United was among those posting pro-Palestinian messages. In a letter sent to Workers United on Oct. 13, Starbucks demanded that the union stop using its name and similar logo. In its response, Workers United said Starbucks Workers United’s page on X clearly identifies it as a union.

Persons: Service Employees International Union —, Lynne Fox, Republican Sen, Rick Scott of, Randy Fine, Sara Kelly, Workers United hasn't, “ Organizations: Starbucks, Workers, Starbucks Workers United, Starbucks Workers, Twitter . Workers, Service Employees International Union, Southern, Southern District of, Iowa City Starbucks Workers United, Workers United, ” Workers, Republican, SEIU, Amazon, Hollywood, National Labor Relations, NLRB Locations: Palestine, Israel, Philadelphia, Seattle, U.S, Southern District, Southern District of Iowa, Iowa, Rhode, Rick Scott of Florida, ” Florida, Gaza, Buffalo , New York

☆ Twitter illegally fired a worker who pushed back at Elon Musk's RTO demands, says NLRB
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-14 | by ( Polly Thompson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Elon Musk's X has been accused of breaking federal law for firing an employee who complained about return-to-office mandates. Five days later she was fired for breaking an unspecified company policy. AdvertisementAdvertisementTwitter illegally fired an employee who complained about Elon Musk's return-to-office mandates, the National Labor Relations Board said. AdvertisementAdvertisementThe complaint says that Yao Yue, a principal software engineer, criticized Musk's policy, tweeting "don't resign, let him fire you," and posting "don't be fired. Yue was then fired five days later in November, with the only explanation given was that she'd violated an unspecified company policy.

Persons: Elon Musk's, Yao Yue, —, didn't, Musk, Slack, Yue, I’m, witter Organizations: Service, Twitter, National Labor Relations Board, NLRB, X, CNBC, ue 岳峣, EO Locations: usk

☆ Efforts to form a new union have surged 58% since Biden became president, federal officials say
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-14 | by ( Charles R. Davis | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

The national labor agency says it processed over 2,500 petitions to form a new union in the last year. That's up from fewer than 1,700 petitions in the 2021 fiscal year, an increase of 58%. The National Labor Relations Board announced Friday that petitions to form unions continue to rise following a "dramatic surge" the year before. Compared to fiscal year 2021, when Biden entered office, requests for union recognition are up 58%. AdvertisementAdvertisementThe rise in union organizing — and complaints about employer retaliation — has been accompanied by a massive increase in labor actions.

Persons: —, Joe Biden, Biden, autoworkers Organizations: Service, National Labor Relations, NLRB, Cornell University

☆ Elon Musk’s X illegally fired employee who publicly challenged return-to-work plans, NLRB alleges
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-13 | by ( Jonathan Vanian | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

The NLRB alleged that X fired Yu after she attempted to organize other Twitter workers who were upset about Musk's sudden change to the company's work requirements. Five days later, Yue was fired and told that she was violating an unspecified company policy, the legal document said. The NLRB alleges that X has "been interfering with, restraining, and coercing employees in the exercise of the rights guaranteed" under national labor law. "After 12 amazing years and 3 weeks of chaos, I'm officially fired by Twitter," Yue said in a tweet on Nov. 15. WATCH: Elon Musk has "cut off the good guys, empowered the bad guys" on X

Persons: Elon Musk, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Fatih Aktas, Elon Musk's X, management's, Yao Yue, Musk, X, Yu, Yue, Slack, Yue's, Twitter, X didn't, I'm Organizations: United Nations, UN, Anadolu Agency, Getty Images, National Labor Relations Board, Twitter, San, National Labor Relations, NLRB, CNBC Locations: New York, United States, San Francisco

☆ 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

☆ Why Tesla isn’t unionized
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-12 | by ( Nathaniel Meyersohn | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

Tesla workers earn on average about $55 an hour in wages and benefits, compared to $66 to $71 an hour at Detroit’s Big Three, according to industry estimates. In an aerial view, brand new Tesla cars sit in a parking lot at the Tesla factory on October 19, 2022 in Fremont, California. Brendan McDermid/ReutersThe union, Tesla Workers United, filed an NLRB complaint alleging the company illegally fired its supporters. Tesla is one of the most valuable companies in the world, and some production workers have become millionaires from their shares in Tesla, Musk has said. A Tesla Model X is worked on a factory line with Tesla X's and Tesla S's at the Tesla factory on Wednesday, July 18, 2018 in Fremont, Calif. Lea Suzuki/The San Francisco Chronicle/Getty Images“Tesla tries to make it seem like if you’re unionized you’re not going to get stock,” said Bryan Schwartz, a lawyer who has represented Tesla employees in lawsuits against the company, including an ongoing class action lawsuit for racial discrimination.

Persons: New York CNN — Tesla, Tesla, ”, John Logan, Justin Sullivan, Elon Musk, ” Logan, “, Risa Lieberwitz, Lieberwitz, Brendan McDermid, ” Lieberwitz, Musk, “ Musk, Lea Suzuki, “ Tesla, you’re, Bryan Schwartz, Mike Miller, Miller, Shawn Fain, Alain Jocard, Paul Sancya, Elon, ” Fain Organizations: New, New York CNN, United Auto Workers, Ford, General Motors, Tesla, UAW, EV, UAW doesn’t, San Francisco State University, Getty, Workers, Cornell University School of Industrial and Labor Relations, National Labor Relations Board, Companies, Employers, National Labor Relations Act, “, NLRB, Tesla Inc, Panasonic, Tesla Workers United, SpaceX, San Francisco Chronicle, “ Workers, AP, Detroit automakers, CBS Locations: New York, United States, Detroit, Fremont , California, America, unionize, Austin , Texas, Sparks , Nevada, Buffalo , New York, Buffalo, U.S, Tesla, Fremont , Calif, AFP

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