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The Bronx Defenders Union Announces Unlimited Unfair Labor Practice Strike Beginning Week of July 22, 2024

Bronx, NY  – On July 2, 2024, one day after the contract between The Bronx Defenders (BxD) and its wall-to-wall union, The Bronx Defenders Union–UAW Local 2325 (BxD Union), expired, BxD Union’s Bargaining Committee voted to authorize an unlimited Unfair Labor Practice (ULP) strike beginning the week of July 22, 2024.

The difficult decision to authorize a strike comes after the Bargaining Committee attempted for months to engage BxD’s executive management team in bargaining without success. BxD’s failure to bargain in good faith—an unfair labor practice—has left BxD Union with no choice but to call for a strike. 

“For the past six months, the Bargaining Committee has worked tirelessly to meet the demands of all 260 of our members. BxD Management, in their failure to bargain in good faith, has shown us that they don’t serve the Bronx communities we defend. Sadly, the solidarity, equity, and empathy with which our union operates appears foreign to them,” said Tyler Johnson, Bronx native, Civil Legal Advocate, and member of the Bargaining Committee. “Nonetheless, BxD Union stands ready to show BxD Management the value of our labor and the power of our collective solidarity. We cannot be bullied, gaslit, or intimidated. We’re ready to strike.”

The Bargaining Committee was empowered to call for a strike by a historic strike authorization vote. On June 27, 2024, with 93% of members participating, 93% of BxD Union voted to authorize the Bargaining Committee to call for a strike if necessary. With this vote, BxD Union became the first of the alternate providers formed after 1994 to authorize a strike in thirty years, since the Legal Aid Society went on strike under Mayor Giuliani.

Members of BxD Union cannot effectively defend the people of the Bronx when they are among the lowest-paid public defenders in New York City, contending with high attrition and unmanageable caseloads. On strike, they will protest BxD’s unfair labor practices and call for competitive salaries and benefits, no rollbacks of existing benefits and protections, a one-year contract, and key noneconomic benefits, including free speech and sustainable working conditions.

BxD Union is prepared to return to the bargaining table and make every effort to avoid this strike. BxD’s management can avert the extreme disruption a strike will cause, including interruption of client services, by agreeing to BxD Union’s reasonable contractual framework.

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UAW Reaches Historic Agreement at BMW’s Regional Distribution Center in the Lehigh Valley 

Palmer Township, PA — UAW members who work at the BMW Regional Distribution Center in Palmer Township, PA, have won a historic tentative agreement that, if ratified, includes record wage increases and ends the two-tier wage system. The agreement also introduces major improvements to policies on time off, uniforms, overtime exemptions, and attendance. The deal comes after workers at the BMW facility built a credible strike threat that forced the company to offer a contract that properly reflects workers’ immense value.  
 
“We knew that if we stuck together and refused to be divided, we could win,” said Zach Haas, chief steward and bargaining unit chair. “This agreement is going to mean a better life for me and my coworkers.”  
 
BMW has raked in a massive $50 billion in profits since 2021 and paid out $7.2 billion to shareholders last year alone. Company CEO Oliver Zipse was generously rewarded with a nearly $10 million payday in 2023. Yet, workers at the facility have seen their standard of living continue to decline as wages and benefits have stagnated for years.  
 
For weeks, workers ramped up their campaign to win a record contract before the current agreement’s June 30 expiration. They organized red shirt days and held multiple rallies in front of the BMW facility, with community leaders often joining them to offer their support.  
 
On June 8, members voted by 99% to authorize a strike, sending a clear message to BMW that workers were more than willing to walk if the company continued to lowball negotiations. 
 
“I couldn’t be prouder of these workers for demanding better working conditions and a better life for themselves,” said UAW Region 9 Director Daniel Vicente. “They stood together and showed BMW that they were willing to do what needed to be done to win what they know they deserve. They’re a testament to the power of solidarity.”  
 
Workers at the RDC will attend informational meetings and vote on the agreement in the coming days.  
 
The record tentative agreement at the BMW-RDC follows a string of contract victories for the UAW, including major wins at the Big Three automakers, Daimler Truck, Allison Transmission, and Aramark, among others. 

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UAW Members at Cornell University Speak Out Ahead of Contract Expiration

UAW Local 2300 members who work at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York, are speaking out about unsustainable working conditions and declining living standards despite the institution’s nearly $10 billion endowment. The union and Cornell kicked off contract bargaining on June 4 and the current agreement expires on June 30.

In a new video released by the UAW, “We are the Heart, Soul, and Backbone of Cornell,” workers share their struggles to make ends meet as their wages have stagnated and the cost of living continues to rise. Over 1,000 members of UAW Local 2300 are demanding a living wage, cost-of-living adjustments to protect against inflation, and increased staffing, among other key demands.

The video can be accessed here, and the media is invited to use the footage.

“House is double. Tax is double. Food is double. And tuition is double also,” Gopini Lama, a food service worker at Cornell, says in the video. “Everything doubled, but our pay did not double.”

Since 2020, the university’s endowment has increased by a staggering 39% while many workers can no longer afford to live in Ithaca or even pay for parking on campus.

“I don’t own a single thing in this life except for a 12-year-old car,” says Mitja Bontempo, a gardener at the university. “I don’t have the money to marry and have kids if I want to. They take us for granted. We are not adequately recognized and compensated. That’s the bottom line.”

“We’re chronically short-staffed. We’re chronically dealing with at least one or two positions absent,” says Leo Louis, a greenhouse grower at Cornell. “So that’s where you get into a situation where you’re working seven, eight days in a row. But you don’t get overtime, so workers burn out. So, then you’re more likely to lose more people.”

Negotiations are taking place at Cornell during a historic wave of unionization at college and universities across the country as workers continue to stand up and demand justice on and off the job.

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Nurses, Medics at CareFlight Vote to Join the UAW

Dayton, OH – On Wednesday, June 12, more than 70 nurses and medics at CareFlight servicing Miami Valley Hospital voted to join the UAW.

The workers provide critical care to severely injured or ill patients in need of immediate treatment via air or ground transportation. They are looking to improve working conditions, including fairer wages and benefits and have a greater voice on the job.

“This was an amazing morning,” shared Nikki Coleman, a flight nurse at CareFlight. “We look forward to having our voices heard and our needs addressed in a fair and transparent contract.”

She added, “Most importantly, we remain dedicated to serving our community by providing the very best service.”

“UAW Region 2B is proud to welcome the CareFlight nurses out of Miami Valley Hospital into our union,” said UAW Region 2B Director David Green. “Their desire to stand up and use their voices to fight for a fair and just contract has been heard.”

He added, “I want to personally thank the volunteer organizing committee (VOC) for all their hard work, and I commend Bill Lucas out of the organizing department and Eric Gadd, R2B servicing representative, for their support to the CareFlight nurses. When we work together, we win every time! Welcome to the UAW!”

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UAW Members at Pennsylvania BMW Distribution Center Vote to Authorize Strike, If Necessary

Nazareth, PA – On Saturday, June 8, workers at BMW’s Regional Distribution Center in Nazareth, PA, voted by 99% to authorize a strike if necessary. The contract covers warehouse workers and expires on June 30.

The workers at the distribution center are facing stagnant wages and calls for concessions against a backdrop of rising cost of living and massive profits and shareholder payouts by BMW. Many of the workers have gone without a pay increase for over a decade, and the wage for most at the facility is less than $22 per hour, far lower than what economists estimate it costs for a family to live in the region.

“We’re part of the reason BMW’s raked in billions in profits, but workers in Nazareth haven’t seen that translate into pay raises. In fact, we’re falling behind,” said Zach Haas, bargaining unit chair. “We’re united and ready to join the stand up movement if we need to so we can get our fair share.” 

BMW has amassed $50 billion since 2021, with more than 20% of its revenue generated in the United States. The company has spent more than $3 billion in stock buyback schemes in the last two years and has announced plans to lavish another $1 billion on Wall Street shareholders in the future. BMW CEO Oliver Zipse received $9.6 million in total compensation last year alone.

BMW workers are the latest UAW members standing up to corporate greed. Thousands of UAW members have won record contracts in the last year, including auto workers at Daimler Truck, the Big Three automakers, and Allison Transmission workers in Indianapolis, IN.

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UAW Members at Ultium Cells in Lordstown Reach EV Industry-Defining Tentative Agreement

UAW Local 1112 has reached a historic tentative agreement at Ultium Cells in Lordstown, Ohio, where workers build electric vehicle batteries for GM vehicles. The agreement marks a historic breakthrough for electric vehicle workers and a path forward that ends the race to the bottom pursued by corporate America throughout the EV transition.

The local agreement builds on the successes of the national contract that Ultium workers joined as a major win of the Stand Up Strike.

“Eighteen months ago, this company was on a low road path to poverty wages, unsafe conditions, and a dark future for battery workers in America,” said UAW President Shawn Fain. “Ultium workers said, ‘Hell no,’ got organized, and fought back. Now they’ve more than doubled their wages by the end of this contract, won record health and safety language, and showed the world what it means to win a just transition.”

“We were told at the beginning of bargaining that Ultium workers would never be allowed to join the UAW’s national agreement at GM,” said UAW Vice President Mike Booth. “Not only did we prove them wrong, but we did them one better, winning a major local agreement that sets the standard for the EV battery industry.”

“Five years ago, when they closed Lordstown Assembly, it was a major gut punch – I know, I lived it,” said UAW Region 2B Director David Green. “They wrote Lordstown off for dead. They thought we’d settle for low wages and unsafe jobs. They thought wrong, and now Ultium workers are leading the way.”

“Organizing to win our union took relentless persistence on behalf of hundreds of my coworkers at Ultium. Negotiating this contract was no different,” said UAW Local 1112 Shop Chairman Josh Ayers. “We want this agreement to become a cornerstone for current and future battery plants across the nation. First we planned. Then we took action. And now we have a tentative agreement to be proud of.”

Now, the 1,600 UAW members at Ultium Cells will review the details of the agreement and hold a ratification vote in the coming days. If ratified, the agreement will set a new standard for electric vehicle battery workers everywhere and mark a major milestone in the just transition to EVs.

For more on the fight for justice at Ultium, visit UAW.org/Ultium.

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Bargaining Update 6/8/24

Workers at BMW’s Regional Distribution Center in Nazareth, PA, voted by 99% to authorize a strike, if necessary.

United, these members are pushing back against concessions and fighting to end tiers, win record wage increases to match BMW’s record profits, COLA, profit sharing, and dignity on the job.

The current contract expires on June 30.

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Happy Pride Month from the UAW Women’s Department

UAW Brothers and Sisters, 

The UAW’s commitment to ensuring equity, dignity, and inclusion both in life and in the workplace is unwavering. Collective bargaining remains our most powerful tool against discrimination of any kind. It is through this process that the UAW fights tirelessly so that working people of all sexual orientations, gender identities, and expressions can enjoy the protections of a union contract. 

We honor the legacy of LGBTQIA+ organizers whose contributions have too often gone underappreciated and unknown. LGBTQIA+ people face ongoing discrimination due to the lack of adequate federal protections in the workplace. At the same time, state legislatures continue to pass extreme, discriminatory laws that restrict both LGBTQIA+ rights, especially trans rights, and the freedom to join a union. Our movement will never tolerate hate and will continue to be a force for progress whether it’s in the courts, on the streets, or at the ballot box this fall. 

The UAW Women’s Department proudly stands in solidarity with the LGBTQIA+ community everywhere, this month and always. Together, we strive for a world where everyone is treated with the respect and equality they deserve. We are committed to creating safe, inclusive environments where all workers can thrive without fear of discrimination. 

Our fight is far from over, but together, we will continue to push forward, championing the rights and dignity of all individuals. The strength of our union lies in our diversity, and it is through unity that we will achieve lasting change. 

In solidarity, 

LaShawn English, Director
UAW Women’s Department
UAW Region 1

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Bargaining Update 6/6/24

Dear brothers and sisters,

Your bargaining committee met with an unprepared management team once again. Yesterday we presented our initial economic proposals. Today we reminded the company of those demands, and we’ll continue to show them why we are standing up together!

NO MORE TIERS – At times – workers were earning up to 47% less while working the same job. Never again. Equal pay for equal work.

RECORD WAGE INCREASES – While we fight to erase years of concessions, the company had the audacity to talk about minor percentages (3.8%, less than $1), but provided no real proposals of their own.

REAL PROFIT SHARING

COLA

BONUSES

When we return to the table next week, we’ll present to the company more of our demands:

AFFORDABLE HEALTHCARE

RETIREMENT BENEFITS

It’s time for BMW to do what’s right and settle for a record contract. Please continue to report bad management behavior and unfair labor practices to your union stewards and bargaining team. We will return to the table next week on June 11th, 12th, and 13th.

Please join us this Saturday, June 8th at Local 677 Union Hall 2101 Mack Blvd. Allentown, PA 18103 from 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm for our strike authorization vote!

STAND UP UAW at BMW!!

Actualización De Negociación En Español 6/6/24

Queridos hermanos y hermanas,

Su comité de negociación se reunió una vez más con un equipo directivo que no estaba preparado. Ayer presentamos nuestras propuestas económicas iniciales. ¡Hoy le recordamos a la empresa esas demandas y continuaremos mostrándoles por qué estamos unidos!

NO MÁS NIVELES – En ocasiones, los trabajadores ganaban hasta un 47% menos, mientras trabajaban en el mismo trabajo. Nunca más. Salario igual para trabajos iguales.

AUMENTOS SALARIALES RÉCORD – Mientras luchamos por borrar años de concesiones, la empresa tuvo la audacia de hablar de porcentajes menores (3,8%, menos de 1 dólar), pero no presentó propuestas reales propias.

PARTICIPACIÓN REAL EN LAS UTILIDADES

REAJUSTE SALARIAL

BONIFICACIONES

Cuando volvamos a la mesa la próxima semana, presentaremos a la empresa más demandas nuestras:

CUIDADO DE SALUD ASEQUIBLE

BENEFICIOS DE JUBILACIÓN

Es hora de que BMW haga lo correcto y se conforme con un contrato récord. Continúe informando sobre el mal comportamiento de la dirección y las prácticas laborales injustas a los delegados sindicales y al equipo de negociación. Volveremos a la mesa la próxima semana los días 11, 12 y 13 de junio.

¡Únase a nosotros este sábado 8 de junio en el Local 677 Union Hall 2101 Mack Blvd. Allentown, PA 18103 de 1:00 pm a 3:00 pm para nuestra votación de autorización de huelga!

¡¡LEVÁNTATE UAW en BMW!!

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UAW Workers Walk Out at Penske Logistics in El Paso after Company’s Refusal to Bargain in Good Faith

Members of Local 286 who work at Penske Logistics walked off the job in an unfair labor practice strike following the company’s refusal to negotiate a first contract in good faith. 

More than 40 workers in the clerical unit of the El Paso, TX, facility voted to form their union over a year ago and have been stonewalled by the company in their attempt to win a first contract. Members are seeking fair pay, real paid time off, and better benefits, particularly health care.

“I am on strike because clerical workers at Penske deserve a fair contract, and to be able to care for our families,” said Juan Amparan, a Penske worker. “Health insurance is so expensive that my family hasn’t been able to afford to go to the doctor. This company treats us like we are machines and tools, but we are people.”

With a high premium and $6,000 a year deductible, the current option is so unaffordable that half of the workers don’t receive any health insurance. Most workers make around $18 an hour, while health care premiums cost around $180 per week. Workers are pushing to raise wages to at least $20 an hour and are striking to bring company negotiators back to the bargaining table in hopes of reaching an agreement.

“The company’s refusal to sit down with workers and hash out a deal with fair pay and benefits so workers can care for their families is unacceptable,” said UAW Region 8 Director Tim Smith. “It’s time for Penske to get serious and negotiate in good faith.”

Penske Logistics workers are the latest UAW members standing up to win their fair share of the massive profits they produce. Last year, thousands of UAW autoworkers walked out on strike for six weeks and won record contracts at the Big Three automakers.

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