Work & Money
U of M service workers set strike dates as negotiations stall
The union representing 1,500 service workers across the University of Minnesota announced workers will strike at the university’s two largest campuses for four days next week if they fail to reach a deal on a one-year contract. The Teamsters Local 320 said on Thursday that workers at the Twin Cities campus will begin striking on […]
The student debt relief application is live: Here’s what you need to know
WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden announced Monday that student loan borrowers can begin to apply for debt relief through a new online application. Biden said the application is easy and fast. It will allow every borrower with an income of $125,000 or less ($250,000 for married couples) to have up to $10,000 in debt forgiven, […]
Workplace injuries loom behind recent rise in union activity
From strikes to union drives, the state of Minnesota has seen a flurry of labor activity in 2022. Those actions mirror what’s happening nationwide – workers, particularly those with demanding service industry jobs, are seeking better pay and conditions after years of pandemic-era turmoil. Low pay and outrageous policies, like Amtrak workers’ inability to take […]
Before sowing doubt in U.S. elections, Kim Crockett went after a union election
Before Kim Crockett called the 2020 presidential election “rigged” in her bid for secretary of state, she spent two years trying to overturn another election’s results she didn’t like: The vote by thousands of personal care attendants to join the Service Employees International Union. Crockett called the 2014 union election a “terrible fraud” that should […]
JBS, Tyson Foods invest in smartwatch app that monitors workers
Two of America’s largest meat companies — JBS and Tyson Foods — have invested in a smartwatch application that allows managers to monitor workers’ movements. The startup behind the application, Mentore, claims to improve worker productivity while reducing injuries. The repetitive, fast and taxing work of cutting and packing protein makes meat processing plants some of the […]
Workers launch 2-day strike at 7 of the biggest condo buildings in the Twin Cities
Desk attendants and caretakers at seven of the largest condo buildings in the Twin Cities launched a two-day unfair labor practices strike on Thursday night as they seek to unionize with the Service Employees International Union Local 26. Workers had set an Oct. 11 deadline for their employer FirstService Residential — one of the largest […]
11 states to share in $1 billion in funding for small businesses, entrepreneurs
WASHINGTON — The Biden administration announced Tuesday that an additional 11 states will receive up to $1 billion to support small businesses and entrepreneurs. Funding for the programs will come from the State Small Business Credit Initiative that Democrats reauthorized and expanded in their $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief package, known as the American Rescue Plan. […]
Labor activists, lawmakers call for greater accountability in construction following rape report
Union leaders, labor activists and Democratic lawmakers joined Norma Izaguirre, a worker who says she was raped on a construction site, in front of the state Capitol on Tuesday to call for greater accountability for developers who exploit workers and allow abuse to go unchecked. “The bravery of one survivor of sexual violence … has […]
University of Minnesota service workers vote to strike over ‘poverty wages’
Some 1,500 custodians, cooks, groundskeepers and other services workers across the University of Minnesota’s five campuses are threatening to strike for the first time in history unless the university agrees to substantial pay increases. “We intend to end poverty wages at the University of Minnesota,” said Mick Kelly, 65, a cook who’s worked at the […]
Nurses vote to stay in union at Mayo Health Clinic in Lake City
Nurses at the Mayo Health Clinic in Lake City voted to remain unionized on Thursday, rejecting a campaign supported by a national anti-union group to dissolve unions at health care facilities across the country. The election follows a major defeat for the nurses’ union earlier this year at the Mayo Clinic’s Mankato Hospital, where nurses […]
Ella reportó abuso sexual en el trabajo. El jefe le dijo que fue consensuado.
Este informe fue traducido del inglés por Ignacio Veliz Tiravanti. Read this article in English. Norma Izaguirre todavía tiene problemas para dormir. Durante meses, sintió que la estaban siguiendo, segura de que el hombre que, según ella, la violó y agredió sexualmente repetidamente en el trabajo cumpliría con sus amenazas de lastimarla a ella y […]
Mental health workers reach tentative deal at Fairview as strike continues at Allina
The union representing about 350 mental health workers at M Health Fairview announced a tentative agreement on a first labor agreement on Monday, a year after workers voted to unionize with SEIU Healthcare Minnesota. While workers at M Health Fairview hammered out a deal, more than 130 mental health workers at Allina hospitals launched a […]