#union

Can we unionize? And will it help?

shutting down California's hot shots! Low volume! Go trump

Union members in Pittsburgh rallied to protest recent layoffs and advocate for amendments to the city's Transit Revitalization Investment District Implementation Plan. The demonstration highlighted concerns about job security for service workers following construction projects. Protesters emphasized the need for sustainable, family-sustaining jobs in revitalized downtown areas. Amendments to the TRID plan aim to ensure building owners create plans for post-construction employment. The union aims to maintain Pittsburgh's identity as a union town.

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

https://www.wtae.com/article/downtown-pittsburgh-union-layoffs-trid-plan-protest/73256472

A new agreement has been reached between UPS and the Teamsters union regarding driver severance packages. This settlement resolves a conflict over a controversial voluntary buyout program. The deal limits the "Driver Choice Program" to 7,500 drivers nationwide, offering them $150,000 for early retirement. Buyouts will now be awarded based on seniority, prioritizing long-term employees. Union leaders stated the agreement protects workers and contract rights, while UPS affirmed it supports employees during operational changes.

Louisville, Kentucky

https://www.wdrb.com/news/business/ups-teamsters-union-reach-settlement-on-driver-severance-packages/article_5c3d580d-0787-49dc-bdd1-6ea3503ad594.html

A Maryland union president has strongly criticized the University System of Maryland for allegedly withholding promised wage increases and proceeding with layoffs. The union claims the system broke its contract by not providing negotiated raises to its members. This action has led to the filing of an unfair labor practice complaint and a lawsuit against the university system. Union leaders expressed concern for employees who perform essential work and are now facing job or income loss. The University System of Maryland declined to comment on the matter, citing pending litigation.

Baltimore, Maryland

https://www.wbal.com/afscme-president-blasts-university-system-of-maryland-over-pay-dispute-and-layoffs

A union representing Bethesda employees has filed a complaint alleging labor law violations in Montreal. Workers were reportedly promised employment through September during severance negotiations. However, termination letters were sent that week, offering only the minimum legal severance. This action follows broader layoffs at Xbox, impacting over 3,000 employees. Similar accusations of bad-faith bargaining have been made against Microsoft in the US and Canada.

Montreal, Quebec

https://www.engadget.com/2221909/bethesda-accused-of-breaking-canadian-labor-laws-with-montreal-layoffs/

What if Verizon rewarded performance instead of seniority? A non-union workplace could allow merit-based raises, faster promotions, and stronger one-on-one relationships between employees and management. High performers should have the opportunity to stand out and be recognized.

If unionized Verizon employees wanted to remove their union, there is a formal legal process under U.S. labor law. It isn’t something the company can simply decide, nor can a small group of employees do on their own.

In general, the process is:

1. Employees file a decertification petition with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB).
2. At least 30% of employees in the bargaining unit must support holding an election by signing a petition or authorization cards.
3. The NLRB determines whether an election is appropriate. There are timing rules—for example, elections generally cannot be held during the term of a valid collective bargaining agreement except during a specific “window period” before the contract expires (subject to NLRB rules and exceptions).
4. A secret-ballot election is held.
5. If a majority of employees who vote choose “no union,” the union is decertified as the bargaining representative.

Use that like button to cast your vote.

I’m hearing the whispers of an EISP around August 10!!Sounds like an across the board offer.Nothing special just the regular EISP.But sounds like no restrictions

CWA Canada is criticizing Microsoft's recent layoffs at Bethesda Game Studios Montreal. Approximately a dozen union members were terminated in a brief video call, denied the opportunity to ask questions. These employees will receive pay for eight weeks while staying home. This incident is part of a larger wave of 3,200 job cuts across Xbox. The union plans to pursue legal and contractual actions to defend its members.

Montreal, Quebec

https://gameluster.com/bethesda-montreal-layoffs-cwa-canada-microsoft/

Chicago Teachers Union members are actively protesting a proposed budget that includes nearly 2,000 layoffs and a shortened school year. Speakers at a recent budget hearing overwhelmingly voiced opposition to these cuts, highlighting the negative impact on educators and students. The union is urging county and state officials to provide necessary funding to prevent further reductions. Members who received layoff notices are being advised on their contractual rights and encouraged to organize against the proposed measures. The union is also advocating for a special legislative session to address the state's underfunding of public schools.

Chicago, Illinois

https://www.ctulocal1.org/posts/layoffs-fight-2026/

Has anyone in Dell's Sales organization thought about starting a union or organizing with other sales representatives?

A union helped many Amazon employees secure higher compensation and improved benefits. I'm curious if others have considered whether organizing could help address some of the issues sales employees are experiencing at Dell.

For too long, Dell has failed to treat its sales employees fairly. Many of us have gone months without receiving our full commission payouts due to issues with compensation systems. Bonus payments have been mishandled, base pay has been reduced to levels that many find unsustainable, and the list of concerns continues to grow. The company loves to share how well they are doing, but has endlessly demonstrated a lack of care for its sales representatives......

We deserve fair compensation and to be paid out correctly.Tell Dell surveys alone are not enough. It's time to build a union that advocates for employees' rights.

There is strength in numbers. I'm thinking of starting one, and I am curious if there's others that would be willing to support.

If former employees would like to help, they can help us with change petitions and obtaining national press.

Thousands of Google employees have signed a petition demanding improved layoff protections. The Alphabet Workers Union is advocating for severance packages at least matching previous terms and the offer of voluntary buyouts before involuntary layoffs. They also seek the option of extended paid leave instead of lump-sum severance, particularly for visa holders. Additionally, the union opposes a quota-based performance rating system they believe unfairly impacts employees. These demands come amidst a significant increase in tech industry layoffs, with AI restructuring cited as a major driver.

Mountain View, California

https://hrexecutive.com/google-employees-demand-severance-guarantees-as-tech-layoffs-near-157000/

25 union members who are collection reps just got the vtp (voluntary termination pay) to leave the company. This is up to 104 weeks pay depending on seniority. This is only the beginning. It is expected that more will be surplussed until all union workers in Leg T are gone. Luckily for them however, they get a generous package to move on, thanks to the union negotiated contract. The payout, including money and medical, dental and vision benefits is much better than the severance pay that low level managers get. Too bad for them. Sooner or later, we'll all be laid off.

when are the drones at Larry's sweatshop going to do the same?

Everyone's exhausted hearing the word AI. It's in every memo, every excuse for why headcount keeps shrinking. Fine. Let's actually use it, then. Not to write emails faster. To see the picture clearly.

We used it to pull profit numbers back to the year this company formed. Not a single loss year in over two decades.

We used it to compare executive pay against the exact years benefits got cut.

We used it to see that severance costs are often a fraction of what gets paid out in dividends in a matter of weeks.

We used it to understand who stock buybacks actually benefit, and it is not the person worried about their next paycheck.

We used it to recognize known corporate playbooks: titles structured to strip organizing rights, restructuring that lines up with headcount targets already decided.

We used it to confirm national union density has been eroding for seventy years, and we're living the tail end of it.

We used it to separate real savings from cost shifting, franchise conversions and rehire-at-a-lower-rate schemes that look like savings but are wage suppression with extra steps.

None of this required insider access. It's all public, buried under enough jargon that reading it feels like a second job.

So if they're going to hand us the tool and tell us to use it or get left behind, use it. Educate yourself on the company you actually work for. Don't take what they hand you in a rally with the claps and the p-m poms as the whole picture. Pull the numbers. Pull the board backgrounds. Pull the org chart changes. Do the research yourself, not because someone told you what to think, but because you finally can see it for yourself.

Once enough of us see the same picture, at the same time, the direction gets a lot less complicated.

So assuming the Union Eisp will be announced soon .The summer manager riff Is over .So hopefully it’s an enhanced buyout to everyone who wants out .This is possible it could be after September riff scheduled.I just don’t understand how the management continues to operate as if the whole company is not just smoke & mirrors !!!As if the CEO actually cares about the direct reports doing the dirty work like a band of executioners!!Pretty sure the associates that are mostly union have been taking more abuse from the same managers who fear for their Jobs for years .Lets face it from gps tracking to time questioning .When most associates actually have done nothing wrong along with have given no abuse to the management.Pretty sure if I was management I would just track on thru my day as if I saw nothing .Crazy how some managers still go after associates inside and outside for no reason as if the corporation cares about them till the next riff.

Which took the heavier impact ?

Not left vs right. This is up vs down.

1. The “manager” title with no direct reports. Federal labor law excludes supervisors from union eligibility, so titling people into that bucket without giving them real authority shrinks who’s even allowed to organize. In a store that’s two assistant managers and a store manager who can’t organize while the reps under them can. Go up the chain and it never stops. District manager can’t. Senior director can’t. VP can’t. It is not accidental who ends up on which side of that line.

2. Coordinated response when union talk starts. Extra staffing so people can “take time off,” sudden one on ones to “hear concerns,” the moment a store shows organizing interest. That is a known playbook, not something that happens organically.

3. The “one unionized store” comparison. “See, nothing’s different, they just pay dues.” That is not proof unions do not work. It is proof one isolated store has no leverage. Power comes from density, not outliers. Funny how those stores rarely get closed while unionized.

4. Reorgs as the vehicle for cuts, not the goal. The org chart does not change because the new structure is better. It changes because headcount needed to shrink and restructuring is the mechanism. “Right sizing” language usually means the number came first and the chart is just catching up.

5. Benefits eroding slowly enough that no single year feels like the moment. Vacation accrual caps shrinking. Tuition assistance cut in half. Stock and incentive programs trimmed. Healthcare costs climbing. Pensions that used to exist for a subset of employees, gone for new hires. None of it happens all at once, so it never feels like a breaking point. It just feels like death by a thousand cuts. This is exactly the kind of thing that gets written into a contract instead of quietly decided for you year after year.

6. Pay secrecy norms. Talking about your raise percentage, your review score, or your pay band feels taboo, even though discussing wages with coworkers is explicitly protected activity.

7. “Family” language. Reframes an adversarial labor conversation as disloyalty to “the team.”

8. The word “union” itself gets the stigma, not the concept. Strip the label and it is just organizing together for bargaining power. People used to have real leverage in the workplace. Now the default is asking nicely for more while getting handed less.

9. The designated fall guy. Bring in a leader on a short runway whose whole job is the unpopular cuts. Once the hard part is done, a successor comes in and gets to be the relief, thank god it is not like it used to be, while the structural cuts already happened.

10. Manufactured internal strife. Departments blaming each other instead of recognizing everyone is on the same side of this. Division between departments is a lot more useful to leadership than solidarity across them.

11. “Savings” from layoffs are often not real savings. Convert corporate stores to franchise and the labor cost doesn’t disappear, it shifts to an indirect operator while the company still takes its cut. Lay off tenured people and rehire for the same functional need at a lower rate, and headcount looks similar in six months but the average cost per employee dropped because tenure and its pay got reset to zero. That’s not reduced need for labor. That’s wage suppression using a layoff as the delivery mechanism.

One more thing worth saying plainly. Not every union is a good union. Organizing does not automatically mean your interests are protected. Corruption can creep into any institution, including the ones built to fight for you. That does not make the underlying idea wrong. It just means accountability does not stop once something is organized, it just shifts to a different table. Our own FIOS and wireline employees are already organized through CWA. It’s not a foreign concept here.

Now let’s talk about “the company isn’t making money”

Verizon has reported a profit every single year since at least 2001. Not one loss year, through the 2008 financial crisis, through COVID, through every merger. 2020 net income was $17.8 billion. 2021 was $22.1 billion, the highest of the decade. Those were not sacrifice years where the company ate a loss to protect jobs. Those were some of the most profitable years the company has ever had.

2025 net income was $17.6 billion. Dan Schulman’s 2025 total compensation was $34.3 million, on a new contract that includes performance equity worth up to $59.5 million more. The six highest paid named executives combined made about $120 million in 2025, and that’s only the publicly disclosed portion of the leadership team.

Where does the profit actually go? $11.5 billion in dividends paid to shareholders in 2025. A $25 billion stock buyback authorized on top of that. Buybacks don’t hand cash to executives directly, they buy shares on the open market mostly from large institutional holders like index funds and pension funds, while propping up the stock price for everyone who keeps holding. Compare that to the severance cost of the November layoff of 13,000 people: $1.6 to $1.8 billion, a one time charge that’s smaller than what gets paid out in dividends alone in about six or seven weeks.

Yes, some of the money goes back into the network. $17 billion in capital expenditures in 2025. That’s real and legitimate. But that number is also being cut for 2026, down to $16 to $16.5 billion, because the heavy build phase is mostly done. Meanwhile the buyback authorization just grew.

If someone tells you layoffs are happening because the company can’t afford to pay people, that claim does not survive contact with the company’s own numbers.

So what’s the actual moral here

This was never about whether the company can afford to treat people well. It’s about a choice, made over and over, about where the money goes. And the tools used to make that choice feel inevitable, the misclassified titles, the reorg-as-cover, the stigma on the word union, the vague streamlining language, all serve one purpose: making a distributional choice look like a structural necessity. Making “we decided you get less so someone else gets more” sound like “there wasn’t enough to go around.”

US union density peaked around 1954 at roughly 35% of all workers. Today it’s about 9%. Most people in this workforce right now grew up hearing “we don’t need a union, look how well we’re treated,” during a period when that was actually true. That belief never got re-examined as conditions changed underneath it. We’re applying an old conclusion to a reality that no longer matches it.

Is it going to be perfect if we organize? No. But right now we’re fighting each other instead of the actual problem, and giving away power for free in the process. Density is the only thing that turns this from a list of grievances into actual leverage at an actual table. We’re all in the same boat here, just on different floors. What would it take to stop having this conversation store by store, department by department, and start having it together?

For nothing management gets the axe again. Brownosing for nothing lol bet your wishing you joined a union NOW!!!! Lol and tell me can you hear me NOW keep your service with us too DS needs a new Ferrrari vroooooooooooom.

Why can’t union reps get laid off seems unfair

Supervisor said he has meeting 11-1230pm. We are in wireline… Cssc rep union . We are doomed

Hey I was laid off in the last batch one thing that I was told was we should've tried to unionize. It's the only thing that would protect your jobs. Fight back!

Meeting were held with the general manager, members and union to discuss the closing of call centers in Tustin CA and Cerritos CA. Management said they will consolidate both offices into a new office space. They are pushing propellor out of the business. The union hasn’t sent out a single message to its dues payers. We really don’t know what the union does here except sit in meetings and say nothing.

The board is getting harder to use due to what looks like coordinated astroturfing—which may be the whole point. So, I’ve pivoted to calling union reps and coworkers directly, since I'm not based near a major office. The reception has been remarkably positive. People are bringing up the Teamsters, UAW, and others. If you're exploring this route, start at the AFL-CIO site (https://aflcio.org/formaunion); it’ll point you toward local chapters.

Got the rug pulled from under us, no longer going to be working from home full-time, actually need to be in the office more of the time. Union apparently knew about this and didn’t object. Maurice is a clown.

A nurses union has filed a lawsuit against Sturgis Hospital. The union alleges the hospital violated state employment law. This action follows recent layoffs at the facility. The lawsuit seeks to address the alleged legal infractions. The hospital has not yet publicly responded to the suit.

Sturgis, MI

https://www.woodtv.com/video/nurses-union-sues-sturgis-hospital-after-layoffs/11972278/

Carlex will permanently lay off 325 employees in Tennessee. The company filed a WARN notice with the state labor department. These layoffs are scheduled to begin on September 7, 2026. Employees affected are part of a collective bargaining agreement and have no bumping rights. The rapid response team will assist those impacted by the job reductions.

Vonore, Tennessee

https://fox17.com/news/local/over-300-employees-to-be-impacted-by-permanent-layoffs-at-carlex

Sadly it will probably be the regular one.In which case there maybe a few that are planning on leaving soon so they will benefit.But the rest who are not close to Medicare eligible will stay the next 4 to get closer to that age.Me being one !!!The current medical retirement disaster was one of the biggest mistakes of the last few negotiations on the part of the union .Probably right after the worst one deciding to give up new members pensions.I remember adamantly saying no way to both issues .While most of my brainwashed fellow members kept repeating what the union told them that we will get it all back later when things are better with economy and people are more on our side .Ya right.I will say union wise it has provided some job security and little better treatment then being non.We have also watched the mismanagement within the ranks become a neutered company run union .Wishing luck to all my long term buddies that you get that big Eisp your waiting for but sadly it may be more disappointing

A judge has indicated the possibility of a buyer for the Schwebel Baking Company, which had announced plans to cease operations. This development comes after the Teamsters Union filed a lawsuit contesting the closure. The company, in business for over 120 years, is reportedly considering an expedited Chapter 11 bankruptcy to facilitate a sale. Discussions are ongoing between parties to determine the feasibility of this potential purchase. The identity of the prospective buyer has not yet been disclosed.

Youngstown, Ohio

https://www.wtae.com/article/schwebel-baking-company-buyer/71921509

Union representatives at WK Kellogg's Memphis plant allege the company is violating their collective bargaining agreement. The Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers International Union (BCTGM) claims WK Kellogg is disregarding seniority rules for job placements during workforce reductions. Union leaders state their proposals to preserve jobs and honor seniority have been met with resistance. They believe the company is prioritizing profit over its dedicated workforce. The union plans to monitor the situation and pursue legal action if necessary.

Memphis, Tennessee

https://www.memphisflyer.com/union-kelloggs-not-following-agreements-on-layoffs/

So most thought by July a package would come .Now I hear there’s discrepancy on how many or who even on the amount

Over 400 employees, including many teachers and aides, were initially laid off by the Cleveland Metropolitan School District. Nearly 130 of these individuals have since been recalled to their positions. This recall process is guided by a union contract that prioritizes laid-off staff for open roles. Despite these recalls, the district anticipates a significant reduction in overall staff for the upcoming school year. The district attributed its ability to rehire staff to creative resource reallocation and public pressure.

Cleveland, Ohio

https://signalcleveland.org/since-layoffs-dozens-of-cleveland-educators-have-been-recalled-to-cmsd/

Bethesda union workers are organizing a "Save Our Devs" march to protest recent Xbox layoffs. The OneBGS union represents affected employees and seeks better protections. The protest will occur at multiple ZeniMax office locations. Workers are demanding improved severance packages and healthcare support. They also want opportunities for affected employees to transfer to other roles.

Rockville, Maryland

https://chshyd.in/gaming/bethesda-union-members-plan-july-15/

With all the constant talk regarding RIF and layoffs. Plus, rumors of a reorganization of the lines of business. The company has not asked for any reduction of headcount on the union side. What gives?

I hear a vote is on the horizon

Jersey City officials confirmed that over thirty municipal employees will be laid off. The announcement came during a city council meeting on Friday afternoon. Union leaders also acknowledged the impending job losses. The Solomon administration is implementing these workforce reductions. The exact reasons for the layoffs were not detailed in the report.

Jersey City, New Jersey

https://jcitytimes.com/five-city-councilmembers-decry-solomons-scare-tactics-on-worker-layoffs/

After five mass RIFs in less than four years and many other unacknowledged workforce reductions, the only way for coworkers to achieve any transparency or fairness is through collective bargaining. I’m shocked that the Teamsters haven’t already organized the warehouses.

While organizing “knowledge workers” is more difficult, the CWA has had some success with bargaining for better severance packages, standards governing reductions, and guardrails around AI (and company’s false narratives about “efficiency gains”) at Google and Microsoft. If you’re an individual contributor, your right to discuss pay, benefits, and working conditions and organize a union is protected under the National Labor Relations Act.

Power concedes nothing without a demand. If you’re tired of CDW’s coworker last decisions such as authorizing a $1 billion stock buyback that they paid for with your former coworkers’ jobs, demand change collectively.

I’ve got a feeling that as AI invoked layoffs pick up, we will see a rise in white collar unions. Anyone here open to starting a trend here?

Workers represented by OneBGS will march at four studio locations on July 15 to protest the elimination of 440 union positions. This action follows recent mass layoffs impacting Bethesda and ZeniMax. The union aims to hold Xbox accountable for its treatment of laid-off employees and future workforce reductions. The marches are intended to signal the union's commitment to negotiations over severance and benefits. This dispute highlights ongoing labor tensions within the gaming industry.

https://gameluster.com/onebgs-save-our-devs-march-xbox-layoffs/

Bethesda Game Studios union members are organizing protests at four studio locations next week. These demonstrations are in response to nearly 450 job cuts across ZeniMax. The union plans to demand preferential transfers and stronger severance packages. They aim to show Xbox management their commitment to protecting affected workers. Protests are scheduled for July 15th at Bethesda offices.

Rockville, Maryland

https://www.videogameschronicle.com/news/bethesda-union-confirms-xbox-layoff-protests-we-wont-quietly-disappear/