IN THIS EDITION, YOU WILL FIND:
- Updates on Biden Administration budget proposal and action on the hill.
- News on two ongoing Amazon Warehouse union elections.
- News around the nation and in your region.
Federal Legislative and Policy Updates
- Rescuing Retirees: Local congressman says multiemployer pension crisis thwarted by American Rescue Plan funds. Virginia Congressman Bobby Scott (D-Newport News) said they knew for several years that pensions across the country were on the brink of failing due to several contributing factors, including deregulation and the 2008 financial crisis.“Through no fault of their own, people who had earned their pension, delayed their compensation in order to get paid later for work they’ve already done were about to lose their pensions,” he said.
- DOL filed an amicus brief in a case involving Ralph’s Grocery Company that is before the NLRB detailing what DOL views as the harm that confidentiality provisions in arbitration agreements pose for effective enforcement of worker protection laws under the DOL’s jurisdiction.
News From Around the Nation
- The Massachusetts House Speaker said that the legislature could seek to address the rising cost of childcare as soon as in next month’s budget. Massachusetts has some of the highest childcare costs in the nation.
- A Mississippi Senate committee will decide early this week whether to take up nine House bills restoring voting rights to people convicted of felonies. Senate Judiciary B Chair Joey Fillingane, R-Sumrall, said he will decide early this week whether to take up nine House bills restoring voting rights to people convicted of felonies.
- This legislative session UFCW Local 663 is working on legislation to create safety measures in the meatpacking industry and premium pay for frontline workers. On March 16, the local staff, leadership and 4 meatpacking members lobbied the Senate Labor and Industry Committee on behalf of all meatpacking workers in Minnesota. That same week the local participated in a mass roundtable with legislators to honor all the workers that passed during the pandemic. UFCW Local 663 highlighted the cumulation of these efforts by creating a blog post.
- Amazon faces a “willful serious violation” and a $60,000 fine for putting workers at risk of injury at its Kent, WA fulfillment center, pursuant to an investigation by the Washington State Department of Labor and Industries.
- Battered by two years of pandemic stress, tens of thousands of Southern California grocery workers voted overwhelmingly to authorize a strike if supermarkets don’t meet their wage demands as negotiations on a new contract resume in the coming weeks. The vote, taken over five days, could lead to walkouts beginning at some Albertsons, Vons, Pavilions and Ralphs markets stretching from Central California to the Mexican border. The United Food and Commercial Workers announced that 95% of those voting at seven local unions approved a potential strike.
