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The Summer of Strikes: Workers Are Flexing Their Power in 2023 - The Labor Day AM Quickie 9/4/23

By Robert Hitt —

Labor Day feels like the right time to make a personal announcement: I'll be leaving the Quickie to start as an investigator for the Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division. It's been a pleasure writing for you all.

I'm off Twitter for the time being, but you can find me on my newly created BlueSky account.- Robert

Subscribe to the AM Quickie's NEW paid newsletters here!

THE BIG NEWS

Hot Labor Summer: UAW Strike Would Make 2023 A Standout Year for Worker Power

If 146,000 United Auto Workers walk off the job after their contracts expire on September 14th, the number of striking American workers will reach its highest peak since 2018, and a standout year for the the past two decades, according to the New York Times.

Despite the gradual downward trends in unionization rates for over half a century, the tight labor market, an increasingly pro-worker regulatory environment, more militant workers and union leadership, and strong public approval for unions have made the moment ripe for organized labor's resurgence.

On Thursday, the UAW filed complaints against General Motors and Stellantis alleging the companies are conducting bad faith negotiations, a "highly unusual" move at this stage of negotiations, according to the Wall Street Journal. The signal says UAW is unwilling to back down, and the automakers ought to come closer to the historic (based) demands of a 46 percent raise and 32-hour work week.

In other labor news:

  • Millions Would Be Newly Eligible For Overtime After Proposed Regulatory Change Many professional and administrative workers would be covered by overtime regulation if the salary threshold were raised to the proposed $55,000/year. via Bloomberg Law.
  • 18,000 Vegas Teachers Prepared to Make Illegal Walkout Teachers are barred from striking in Nevada, but the state reneging on promised funds for teacher wages is pushing them to walk out anyway. via the Payday Report.
  • 7,000 NY School Bus Drivers Could Start This Week School is set to start the 7th. via the Payday Report.
  • SAG-AFTRA May Extend Strikes to Include Video Game Companies Workers are seeking protections against artificial intelligence. via the Los Angeles Times.

Home Insurers Nix Natural Disasters from Policies

Five home insurers, Allstate, American Family, Nationwide, Erie Insurance Group, and Berkshire Hathaway have stopped coverage, or have excluded certain kinds of weather-related damage from policies, in the areas most vulnerable to climate change-related extreme weather events, according to a regulatory survey reviewed by the Washington Post. Weather-patterns that are harder predict and more severe make insurers' typical strategy of spreading risk to different constituencies across the country untenable. Florida and California, recently reeling from Hurricane Idalia and Tropical Storm Hillary, are seeing insurers flee or significantly withdraw, leading the states to create its own insurers. These policies could be a ticking financial time bomb for impacted states, according to Ben Jealous, executive director of the Sierra Club quote by the Post:

“When you see the insurance companies pulling out en masse because the cost of rebuilding homes in Florida is bankrupting them. It’s either hubris or folly to think the state wouldn’t be bankrupted stepping in to help.”

Ok then, what are people supposed to do? Aquaman can't buy all of the homes in soon-to-be submerged areas.

Dakota Tribe to Receive Minnesota State Park as Reparations for Largest Hanging in U.S. History

The 160-acre park was burial site of 38 Dakota men after their hanging for involvement in the US-Dakota war of 1862, per the Guardian. The Chairman of the Upper Sioux Community, Kevin Jensvold, has been advocating for the transfer of the 2 square mile park for 18 years, driven by the added insult that tribe members had to pay a fee to enter the park and visit their buried ancestors. The park also includes ruins of a federal complex that withheld supplies and food from starving natives. Minnesota Democrats passed the transfer in this year's legislative session, but Mayor Dave Smiglewski of nearby Granite Falls is not a fan of the move, per the Guardian:

“People that want to make things right with history’s injustices are compelled often to support action like this without thinking about other ramifications,” Smiglewski said. “A number, if not a majority, of state parks have similar sacred meaning to Indigenous tribes. So where would it stop?”

A better question is: why should it stop? This is the first transfer of its kind, but other national parks are co-managed with native partners. These kinds of deals are the least the United States can do after committing genocide against native populations.

QUICKEST QUICKIES

  • Judge Rules Florida Congressional Map Hurts Black Voters Florida may end up having to draw a new electoral map for 2024, with nationally relevant implications. via the New York Times.
  • 6 million Low-Income Families Could See Cut in Food Assistance by October The Biden administrati0n is asking for $1.4 billion in emergency funds for WIC. via the Washington Post.
  • Zelensky to Replace Defense Minister Rustem Umerov, a Ukrainian parliamentary member involved in negotiations with Russia, is expected to replace Oleksii Reznikov. via the Washington Post.
  • Dems Talking More About 14th Amendment to Disqualifying Trump Adam Schiff and Tim Kaine were on the Sunday talk shows touting the 14th amendment theory. It's still unclear to me how that would work, and I hope Democrats aren't seriously counting on that possibility to stop Trump. via Axios.

SOME NUMBER

100

That’s how many prisoners refused to return to cells in protest of excessive heat in the facility. via ABC News.

ON THE SHOW TODAY

9/4: Happy Labor Day! The MR Crew is off today but in the meantime please enjoy our annual audio compilation of labor-themed excerpts from luminaries such as Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Mario Savio, John L. Lewis, as well as Sen. Bernie Sanders reading the words of Eugene Debs.

DON'T MISS MR CLIPS‌

Union Boss Warns Billionaires They're About To Find Out

There's a "stark" difference between UAW present and UAW past, in a good way.

Biden Administration Unveils Ambitious Overtime Pay Expansion For Workers

It's kind of cool that for my new position, I'll have to investigate employers for violations of these rules if they pass.

PARTING WORDS

"I support the teachers 100% in this strike."

-- Ohio Republican State Senator Michael Rulli, at a rally for Youngstown teachers who are in their second week of striking. It's a good sign when even Republican lawmakers do this, whether or not they're truly sincere. via the Payday Report.

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- Robert

Subscribe to the AM Quickie's NEW paid newsletters here!

THE BIG NEWS

Already a Hot Labor Summer, A UAW Strike Could Make 2023 The Most Militant Year for Unions Since The Teachers' Strikes of 2018

UK Holding Migrant Children With Sexual Predators

The Observer reports that unaccompanied migrant children arriving by sea are being detained in an adult prison that holds 70 sex offenders. According the the Humans For Rights Network, one of the children was 14 when they were sent to the same cell block as the sex offenders for seven months. According to the Guardian, most of the children are Sudanese or South Sudanese who have been trafficked to the UK via small vessels departing from Libya. The UK's Home Office (the British equivalent to the State Department) disputes the ages of the children, claiming they are adults. But subsequent analysis from the UK's own officials concluded that over half of the Home Office's detained "adults," were, in fact, children, according to information obtained through freedom of information laws and reviewed by the Observer. Being classified as an adult meant that the children could be left unaccompanied with adult prisoners, and even share cells with them.  

Last year, the Tory government passed Nationality and Borders Act, which increased criminal penalties for border crossings and is probably contributing the increase of imprisoned kids. Inhumane treatment of migrants has become a calling card for conservatives the world over.

Construction Bids for Georgia EV Plants Going to Kemp's Donors, Shutting Out Unionized Employers

Luke Goldstein over at the American Prospect reports that construction projects for Georgia's green manufacturing renaissance have been going to donors to Republicans in the state, including donors to Governor Brian Kemp. The state is using an obscure development program, Regional Economic Business Assistance (REBA), which provides complete funding for a project's construction, but allows the state to select its prefered firms to do that construction. Multi-million dollar construction projects for new Rivian, Hyundai, and SK Battery plants are going to staunchly anti-union construction firms that donate to Republicans:

[Contruction firms that won state grants] are represented by the Associated General Contractors of Georgia, a trade association that’s donated over $1 million to Republican candidates across the state over the past decade, including $30,000 to Brian Kemp’s re-election bid in 2022. The association supported one of the state’s most aggressive anti-union laws, which was passed in 2013 and constrains project labor agreements among state contractors.

Individual grant-receiving firms and their big-wigs have donated tens-of-thousands of dollars to Kemp and other Georgia Republicans as well. Meanwhile, union contractors were completely shut-out from bidding for the lucrative projects.

QUICKEST QUICKIES

  • A Palestinian in Montreal Wants Canada to Deport Him, They Won't Do It Canadian authorities won't grant Youssef Ismail refugee status, but refuse to deport him because Israel won't let him in. via Mondoweiss.
  • American Citizens Likely Caught Up in Pakistan's Crackdown on Dissent The State Department has made no indication that it knows the number of citizens in Pakistani custody. via the Intercept.
  • Russia Confirms that Wagner Chief is Dead The Kremlin said they confirmed the identities of the bodies in the downed plane through DNA testing. How'd they have their DNA? via Financial Times.
  • Monster Hunters Descend on Loch Ness for Biggest Search Yet for Nessie My money's on squatchers finding Big Foot first. via the Washington Post.

SOME NUMBER

28 percent

That’s the share of remote workers that feel committed to the mission of the organization they work for. Have their employers considered creating a meaningful mission? via Gallup.

ON THE SHOW TODAY

8/28: Happy Monday! Sam is BACK from vacation. Him and Emma speak with Richard Kahlenberg, education & housing policy consultant and non-resident fellow at Georgetown University, to discuss his recent book Excluded: How Snob Zoning, NIMBYism and Class Bias Build the Walls We Don't See.

DON'T MISS MR CLIPS‌

UPS Negotiations Yield Massive Success

Being strike ready brings results.

WATCH: 98 Year-Old American Hero Goes Out Like A Champ Confronting Cops Raiding Her Home

Joan Meyer, founder of the Marion County Record and an American hero, calling the police chief an a**hole.

PARTING WORDS

"[R]emote work didn't allow people to build as much trust or be as innovative."

-- CEO of Zoom, Eric Yuan, on why he was ordering employees back to the office. I'm no business person, but isn't it unwise to undermine the raison d'etre of your own firm?

Quickie Discount Code Corner

Hey check it out! Stuff on sale!

IAC Laser Engraving: IAC Laser Engraving is a Leftist-owned Worker Collective started by long time listener, Ryan Lubin in September of 2021. Visit iaclasers.com to order your custom item today and  enter in Coupon Code: "MAJORITY10" at purchase to receive a 10% discount on their AMAZING products."

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Aura: Protect yourself from America’s fastest-growing crime. Try Aura for 14 days for free: https://aura.com/majority

ZBiotics: Go to https://thld.co/zbiotics_majority_0722  and get 15% off your first order of ZBiotics Pre-Alcohol Probiotic by using my code MAJORITY at checkout. ‌‌‌‌HoldOn Bags: HoldOn plant-based compostable kitchen/trash bags: Get 20% OFF with code MAJORITY at https://holdonbags.com/majority

StoryWorth: StoryWorth is an online service that helps every other figure in your life share stories through thought-provoking questions about their memories and personal thoughts. Get started right away with no shipping required by going to https://storyworth.com/majority you'll get $10 of your first purchase!

Henson Shaving: Go to https://hensonshaving.com/majority  and use code MAJORITY for a free 100-pack of blades!

Quip: If you go to this link RIGHT NOW, you’ll get your first refill FREE.

Shopify: Go to this link here for a FREE fourteen-day trial and get full access to Shopify's entire suite of features.

LiquidIV: You can get 25% off when you go to liquidiv.com and use code MAJORITYREP at checkout.

Stamps.com: Start mailing and shipping with stamps.com, and keep more money in your pocket every day. Sign up with promo code MAJORITYREPORT for a special offer that includes a 4-week trial, plus free postage and a digital scale.

ZipRecruiter: Find the right employees for your workplace with ZipRecruiter. Try it FOR FREE at this exclusive web address.

Nutrafol: For FIFTEEN DOLLARS OFF go to https://nutrafol.com/men/ with promo code MAJORITY.

Outer: See the difference at go.liveouter.com/MAJORITY. Plus, for a limited time, get $300 off and FREE shipping.

Sunset Lake CBD: Visit sunsetlakecbd.com.

Grove: Go to this link here today to get a free gift set worth up to fifty dollars with your first order. Plus, shipping is fast and FREE.

Headspace: Try this link, with discount code MAJORITY and get one month FREE of their entire mindfulness library.

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CozyEarth: Go to this link here and enter the special promo code MAJORITY at checkout to SAVE thirty-five percent