Unions in Massachusetts and throughout the nation have seen a uncommon coalescence of spiking public and political help, labor leaders mirrored at Boston’s annual Labor Day Breakfast on Monday, signaling confidence in the way forward for the motion.
“I can’t imagine being anywhere else on Labor Day than in the greatest union city in this country with the greatest movement in the labor movement with all of you,” mentioned Lou Antonellis, Business Manager of the IBEW 103.
Antonellis, amongst many different audio system, famous that help for unions is at a “50-year high,” “88% of workers under 30 support being in a union” and “labor’s political stars are finally aligning from the White House to the State House to Boston City Hall.”
The Labor Day Breakfast, held on the Boston Park Plaza resort Monday morning, introduced out a big selection of native union leaders and members — representing actors, resort staff, academics, musicians, nurses and lots of, many different professions — and political figures together with Gov. Maura Healey, Mayor Michelle Wu, Sens. Elizabeth Warren and Ed Markey, Reps. Ayanna Pressley and Katherine Clark and others.
Speakers from totally different unions all through Massachusetts spoke to profitable and ongoing unionization and negotiation efforts, together with Mass General Brigham docs’ vote to unionize into one of many largest unions of its variety this June, State House staff’ legislative push to permit them the proper to unionize, and Tufts RA’s resolution to strike throughout scholar move-in simply final Tuesday.
“We were just stabbed in the back after so many years of hard work and dedication at the Seaport Hotel,” mentioned Asima Memic, a employee on the resort for over 20 years, asking for help for the workers’ ongoing efforts to unionize. … “This is why we decided to form a union, a Local 26.”
The nation has seen over 500 labor actions in simply 2023, based on Cornell University’s School of Industrial and Labor Relations, together with huge efforts like UPS drivers’ profitable nationwide battle for brand spanking new situations and the continued WGA and SAG-AFTRA strike shutting down the leisure business.
Speakers additionally remarked Healey is the primary Massachusetts governor to attend the breakfast in a couple of decade, noting the state and Boston metropolis administrations’ sturdy help for labor.
In speeches, Healey touted various worker-centric insurance policies on this funds, together with an 8% wage improve for almost all of state staff, scholar debt aid for behavioral well being staff and features for MBTA staff of their newly signed contract.
Wu likewise showcased labor features in metropolis insurance policies, together with the newly created Cabinet of Worker Empowerment and the 48 now-settled metropolis labor contracts.
“I want to thank you all for proving worker power moves us forward in every way,” mentioned Healey. “That’s why in Massachusetts, every day is Labor Day.”
Source: www.bostonherald.com”