Unions join forces against harassment and deportation of members

When 200 immigrant workers – from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua and Venezuela – had their work authorizations revoked at a Louisville, Kentucky, appliance factory, unions there came together in protest. Appliance Park was a General Electric Plant before it was sold to the Haier company. It is the only unionized plant producing GE appliances; 97% of the workers at the plant are members of the Communication Workers industrial division (IUE-CWA Local 83761).

IUE-CWA President Carl Kennebrew said: “What is happening to our members at Appliance Park is unfolding at workplaces and in communities all across the country. We cannot allow those who are sowing division to win. Blaming immigrants is an age-old trick to create fear and distract us from the takeover of our economy by billionaires.” (Labor Notes, April 17)

The Kentucky state AFL-CIO condemned the targeting of immigrant workers and held know-your-rights training for affiliated unions whose members may also be affected by deportation orders. ../

Jefferson County teachers’ union member Cassie Lyles teaches at a high school near the Appliance Park plant and fears students will be afraid to attend class because of the government’s harsh and unjust treatment of their family members. 

Lyles said:  “I think the best thing we can do is stick together, because it’s not just going to affect people at the Appliance Park. This is going to affect workers in every union. These are our neighbors. These are kids who are in my building. So we want to make sure that we stand strong.” The National Education Association has shared resources with teachers to handle potential raids. 

In another show of solidarity, members of the graduate student workers union at University of Pennsylvania, affiliated with the United Auto Workers, delivered a petition to the Provost office, signed by over 2,000 graduate student workers. It demanded the Penn administration agree to enshrine strong protections against harassment, discrimination and abuse in their union contract. Penn has targeted students for participating in pro-Palestine demonstrations, a clear violation of their right to free speech.

Health care workers organize against pandemic ‘New Normal’

The COVID-19 pandemic continues to take a tremendous toll on health care workers because of staffing shortages and the large volume of patients treated. Health care facility management, however, used those two factors to help their own profit margins and haven’t taken a hit to their bottom line. 

Workers are calling this the “new normal,” and many are unionizing as a way to fight back. Over 1,000 workers at New York’s Crystal Run Healthcare primary care centers, a United Healthcare/Optum Care subsidiary, successfully joined Service Employees Union 1199 United Healthcare Workers East early this year. 

Close to 2,300 nurses organized with the Oregon Nurses Association at three Legacy Hospital System facilities. ONA credits the win to nurses’ frustration with the corporatization of health care — executives with business degrees calling the shots with no clear understanding of the actual needs of nurses and their patients. The nurses at the bedside recognize this profit-driven strategy is detrimental to their patients’ recovery and to their own work-life balance. 

Entertainment and cultural labor wins

The Independence Seaport Museum is the latest Philadelphia cultural institution where workers have organized with the Cultural Workers United (CWU) American Federations of State, County and Municipal Employees Local 397. 

A worker at the museum stated: “I support ISM Workers United, because I believe we need a voice in the decisions that affect us. Our ships’ crews endure sweltering or frozen days on the ships, and they should be among the staff who determine when it is safe for them — and for the public — to be on our historic ships. A union will help secure that safety.” (Philly CWU Instagram, April 4)

Philly CWU District Council has recently declared itself a “sanctuary union.” A resolution approved by the membership declares in part: “We will not voluntarily cooperate with federal agents to enforce immigration laws, including, but not limited to, collecting personal information from our members or other individuals which might reveal their immigration status.” (Philly CWU Instagram, April 23)

Workers at two Sony-owned Alamo Drafthouse theatres in New York City ended their 56-day strike with a win. Alamo Drafthouse union members are represented by United Auto Workers Local 2179. The union filed an Unfair Labor Practice charge against the company after it laid off over 70 workers. The strike was called in February when the theatres refused to bargain in good faith. The union ended the strike after an agreement was ratified that will reinstate the laid-off staffers as well as restore their previously accrued paid time off, sick time and seniority.