As reported by the Washington Post, hundreds of fast-food workers in California have joined a new union, a first of its kind for the industry.
The California Fast Food Workers Union will be affiliated with the Service Employees International Union, which is also the force that was behind the Fight for $15 campaign, aimed at raising the minimum wage.
Unlike a traditional union, the fast-food workers model is launching as a so-called minority union, which isn’t formally recognized by the National Labor Relations Board. Instead of being formed by a majority workplace vote, minority union members join separately and voluntarily. Workers who join the union will pay $20 in monthly membership dues in exchange for union resources and support.
The new fast-food workers union outlined priorities that include raising the minimum wage by 3.5% over the next three years, protecting workers from being fired without a valid reason and establishing rules to guarantee workers are scheduled enough hours to make enough money to sustain themselves. The union will also advocate for workers who experience retaliation for organizing.
Uber, Lyft Drivers Strike on Valentine’s Day Over Pay
Thousands of drivers for ride-share platforms Uber and Lyft, as well as the food delivery service DoorDash, went on strike on Valentine’s Day.
According to the Washington Post, strikes lasted 24 hours in at least 17 U.S. cities, including Chicago, Los Angeles, Orlando, Philadelphia, San Francisco and Washington.
Drivers say Uber and Lyft are taking an increasingly large cut out of fares, forcing drivers to work longer hours to make ends meet. They are demanding a living wage that ensures drivers aren’t living in poverty, and transparency over how pay is calculated. They also want to end unfair deactivations — when a driver loses access to the platform, among other things.
The groups are also demanding improvements to safety features for drivers, amid a spate of carjackings and other attacks on Uber and Lyft drivers.
Disneyland Cast Members Announce Plans to Form a Union
Actors at Disneyland who perform as Mickey and Minnie Mouse, as well as other costumed characters at the California theme park, are moving to form a union, according to CBS News.
Calling themselves "Magic United," the cast members seeking to organize announced they are working with Actors' Equity Association, a union representing 51,000 theater actors and stage managers across the U.S. Although most of the roughly 35,000 workers at Disneyland already have labor unions, about 1,700 performers and character actors do not, the labor group said.
Magic United's main demands include higher pay, a safe and sanitary workplace, and transparency in scheduling and rehiring, according to the group.
Cisco to Lay Off 5% of Global Workforce
CNN has reported technology company Cisco plans to lay off 5% of its global workforce, amounting to thousands of employees, as part of a companywide restructuring.
The networking hardware and software maker said that it plans to shift its focus to “key priority areas,” such as artificial intelligence.
Cisco employs nearly 85,000 people, according to the company’s most recent annual report, meaning that more than 4,000 workers will likely be affected by layoffs.
Cisco said the layoffs would begin this year and continue into next year, adding that severance and other termination benefits for affected employees would cost the company nearly $800 million.
Editor’s Note: Additional Content
For more information and resources related to this article see the pages below, which offer quick access to all WorldatWork content on these topics:
