July Labor Update

The Summer of Strikes is upon us. 

The biggest fight is arguably with UPS: The world is watching as they inch closer to the likelihood that 340,000 workers will go on strike on August 1; if so, this will be the largest strike of a private employer in decades. 

Although the company has already come to some concessions with the International Brotherhood of Teamsters (UPS’ union) on things like inward-facing surveillance cameras, air conditioning in delivery vans, and other non-economic issues, the company is still arguing that they don’t have the money to pay their workers what they deserve, despite earning record profits since the start of the pandemic.

Another strike also looming close to home is with workers at Loretto Hospital in the Austin neighborhood (represented by SEIU).  These health care workers gave the hospital notice that they will strike if an agreement is not soon met over their substandard wages and safe staffing levels.

Meanwhile, actors are on strike, and Disney’s CEO, Bob Iger, is chastising SAG-AFTRA (the Screen Actors Guild & American Federation of Television and Radio Artists) strikers’ “unrealistic expectations”  while he brings in a personal salary of $27 million a year. Those “unrealistic expectations” come from a union membership whose vast majority (86%) earn less than $26,000 a year – which is the minimum salary to receive health insurance.

While SAG-AFTRA and WAG (the Writers Guild of America) remain on strike, the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE – which represents about 1500 stagehands, hair and makeup artists, and wardrobe personnel on Broadway), reached a tentative agreement last week, narrowly avoiding a strike. If they hadn’t reached this agreement, nearly all of the entertainment industry in the country would have come to a standstill.

Looking at just these three sectors of labor (logistics, health care, and entertainment), we can see a vast number of workers who–like library workers–made it possible for the country to function safely during the pandemic. Starting in 2020, these workers realized their power (if they hadn’t already known), and are now taking that power to the negotiating tables. They were called “essential” and are now demanding that they be recognized as such. Our job is to support these union siblings as much as possible in their struggle.  Don’t cross that UPS picket line come August 1! March alongside our health care workers at Loretto Hospital!  Donate to any of these strike funds as these workers fight the important fights! (SAG-AFTRA; WAG; Entertainment Community) Their fight is our fight–an injury to one is an injury to all.