Aug 15, 2024 - Donald Trump Says Striking Workers Should Be Fired

After 22 months on strike, CWA members at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (CWA Local 14827, Local 14842, and TNG-CWA Local 38061) were vindicated on Wednesday when the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) filed for an injunction against the company for its unlawful behavior during and leading to the country’s longest-running strike. In the filing, the NLRB argues that the Post-Gazette has demonstrated that it will not follow federal labor law without a federal judge forcing it to do so.

If approved by a judge, the injunction would compel the company to pay press workers (PPPWU), advertisers (CWA), and mailers (CWA) for health care costs incurred as a result of the Post-Gazette’s bad-faith bargaining and unilateral changes to union members’ health benefits. The injunction would also require the Post-Gazette to return members of the Newspaper Guild of Pittsburgh-CWA to the terms of their illegally violated 2014–17 contract, which includes the collectively bargained health care plan. It would also force the company to actually meet its legal obligation to bargain in good faith with all four striking unions on successor contracts and any agreements on health care, among other requirements of labor law that the Post-Gazette has violated.

“I’ve woken up every day for the past 22-plus months worried about making ends meet. I’ve been maced by PG-funded private security for simply picketing. I’ve had to postpone medical care as well as my wedding,” said Alexandra Wimley, a striking photojournalist and member of NewsGuild-CWA. “And while I’m extremely proud to be standing with my fellow strikers, fighting for what’s right, all of this could have been avoided if the company just followed the law.”

Read more about what the injunction could mean for the strike in the Pittsburgh Union Progress. Please also consider making a donation to help the striking workers as they continue to fight for a fair contract.

 
CWA Post-Gazette strikers celebrated the NLRB action to enforce the law and protect their rights.

During a live conversation on X with Elon Musk on Monday evening, Donald Trump expressed his support for firing striking workers, saying, “They go on strike, and you say, ‘That’s OK, you’re all gone. You’re all gone. So, every one of you is gone.’”

The United Auto Workers have filed an unfair labor practice charge against Trump and Musk for threatening workers who go on strike. The National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) forbids employers from firing striking workers, and threatening to do so is illegal.

As president, Trump appointed union-busters to the National Labor Relations Board, which enforces the NLRA. Supreme Court Justices and federal judges appointed by Trump have consistently ruled in favor of bosses over workers. The one major piece of legislation that he passed, the Tax Cut and Jobs Act, cut taxes for corporations and the wealthy while making it more profitable for companies to send jobs overseas. It also eliminated the tax deduction for union dues.

Click here to listen to the audio clip.

Last week, Acting Secretary of the Department of Labor Julie Su and representatives from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) hosted a roundtable discussion with union activists in Arizona, including CWA Local 7019 Piedmont Steward Imari Heard. The discussion centered on the need for heat regulations. Excessive heat poses a threat to workers in numerous roles, both indoors and outdoors.

Heard noted that “passenger service agents may work 10-hour shifts on the tarmac lifting heavy bags with a timeline that, at times, is very unrealistic in an environment that has many safety hazards. Without proper protection, extreme heat, high humidity, and direct sunlight can cause severe health issues like heat exhaustion or heat stroke.”

In Panama City, Fla., a number of workers had to be taken to the hospital due to heat stroke or heat exhaustion. An OSHA investigation found Piedmont didn’t protect workers and cited the company with a serious violation. Piedmont must now provide heat-mitigation aids like cooling stations, water, shaded areas, and breaks to cool off.

Heard, speaking on behalf of CWA, called on Piedmont Airlines to implement the heat protections they have been ordered to provide in Panama City at all of their stations and to protect the health of all Piedmont passenger service agents. She also thanked Secretary Su, the Department of Labor, OSHA, and the Biden-Harris Administration for the proposed OSHA rule on excessive heat in the workplace, which will save lives.

 
Acting Secretary of the Department of Labor Julie Su (left) met with CWA members to discuss the need for workplace heat regulations. CWA District 7 Staff Representative Shad Ercanbrack (center) and CWA Local 7019 Piedmont Steward Imari Heard (right) joined the conversation to advocate for workers.

Earlier this year, Frontier Airlines issued a new business model affecting where Flight Attendants can live, their commute, and dramatically impacting their pay. Known as “out and back,” the business model “has resulted in a massive hit to our compensation and time away from our homes,” said Jennifer Sala, AFA-CWA Frontier President.

In response, the 4,000 AFA-CWA-represented Flight Attendants at Frontier Airlines will engage in a strike vote starting August 20. Frontier Airlines has an obligation to negotiate over the impact of the business model change.

“This strike vote will show just how serious this issue is and the action Flight Attendants are willing to take to get it fixed,” said AFA-CWA International President Sara Nelson. “The change in time on the job and compensation is staggering. We will not pay for this business model change. The longer this goes on, the more Frontier will have to pay to make it right.”

Click here to read more about AFA-CWA and their fight for Frontier Airlines Flight Attendants.

Members of the Bird Union-CWA Local 1180 have been trying to negotiate a fair first contract at the National Audubon Society for more than two years but have been frustrated by management’s bad faith bargaining. This week, the NLRB issued a complaint against Audubon, charging the environmental nonprofit with breaking federal labor laws and discriminating against union members to illegally discourage union membership.

Bird Union-CWA Local 1180 members are mobilizing in an effort to fight back against Audubon’s unlawful actions. Bird Union members voted overwhelmingly to authorize a strike if Audubon continues to violate the workers’ rights under federal labor laws. CWA members across the country will take part in a National Bird Union Day of Action on Saturday, August 17, holding rallies to raise awareness of Audubon’s union busting and inequitable treatment of represented staff.

The NLRB’s complaint cites Audubon for refusing to bargain over minimum salaries, making unilateral changes to healthcare benefits, and discriminating based on union membership by denying union members new benefits that were given to non-represented staff, including enhanced parental leave.

 
Bird Union-CWA Local 1180 members hold a practice picket in Oakland, Calif., in preparation for a potential national strike if Audubon continues to violate the workers’ rights.

Earlier this week, participants in CWA’s Human Rights Conference showed their support for CWA District 3 members who are working without a contract at AT&T Southeast as negotiations continue by raising three fingers in solidarity.

Last week, members of The Daily News Union, a unit of the NewsGuild of New York (TNG-CWA Local 31003), sent a letter to the New York Police Department (NYPD) after the NYPD Deputy Commissioner of Operations Kaz Daughtry attempted to physically intimidate the Daily News Police Bureau Chief following a press conference.

Initially, instead of issuing an apology, NYPD representatives leveled a number of unfounded accusations against the bureau chief and The Daily News Union on social media. However, pressure from NewsGuild-CWA members and supporters resulted in a meeting between NYPD Deputy Commissioner of Operations Kaz Daughtry and New York Daily News Bureau Chief Rocco Parascandola where both parties were able to reach common ground.

“Collective action works,” said NewsGuild-CWA President Jon Schluess. “I am proud that all of us stood with our members at the Daily News Union and with all journalists who shine a light into the dark corners of our communities.”

At a time when news reporters are under physical attack across the globe and newsrooms are being gutted for quick profits, the NewsGuild of New York is taking threats against its workers very seriously.

A statement issued by the Executive Committee of the NewsGuild of New York after the incident reads, “Our entire union stands firmly with our members at the Daily News Union and with all the journalists who work to shine a light into the dark corners of our great city where corruption, injustice, and cynicism thrive. The public has a fundamental right to access independent news, and it is our mission to serve them without fear or favor. Our message to the NYPD is clear: We will not be intimidated or bullied into reporting anything less than the truth.”