We are introducing a new section that will be posted at least once weekly, Labor Briefs, we will bring you short updates on happenings around the international labor movement.
UE: Members of Local 222-21 Gain Wage Increases and Better Benefits in Two New Contracts
TRUMBULL, CT | MAY 11—After three days of negotiations, the members of Local 222 Sublocal 21 who work as support staff and supervisors for the Trumbull Board of Education bargained and ratified two new contracts. The members won 2.75 percent wage increases each year of the three-year contracts. The workers were also able to negotiate with the company to have their insurance premiums increase only half a percent each year for the life of the contract, totaling only 1.5 percent, and won a matching increase of 0.5 percent to their 401(k) benefits.
The Local 222-21 bargaining committee consisted of Jeffery VanSteenburgh and Michele Mirmina. They were assisted by Field Organizer Sherry Bryant.
Workers at Amazon DXT4 in Gain Union Certification
LAVAL, QC | MAY 13—Workers at an Amazon warehouse in Laval, Quebec have signed enough union cards to gain certification by the Quebec Labour Tribunal and will be organized under the Confédération des syndicats nationaux (CSN). Under Quebec law, the union can be legally recognized even if Amazon refuses to enter collective bargaining. Unlike the United States, which requires a vote in order to unionize, Card Check is in effect in Canada, meaning once a majority of union cards are signed in a workplace the employees legally gain representation.
Meeting of the WFTU Committee for Democratic and Trade Union Rights on C87
INTERNATIONAL | MAY 10—A meeting of the WFTU committee for the Democratic and Trade Union ٌRights, headed by its president Janaka Adikary, took place virtually on May 9th, 2024. The meeting was focused on the referral of the interpretation of the Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise Convention, 1948 (No. 87) of the ILO in the International Court of Justice.
The committee after discussing the aspects of this dispute and in line with the direction of the WFTU Secretariat prepared a written statement to be submitted to the ICJ analysing the principled and well-documented position of the WFTU.
WFTU and ICATU Meeting in View of the 112th ILC
INTERNATIONAL | MAY 21—The WFTU General Secretary, Pambis Kyritsis and the ICATU General Secretary, Jamal Kadri remotely met today and discussed several issues concerning the workers and the trade union movement in view of the 112th International Labour Conference which is going to be held on June 2024 in Geneva.
The WFTU and ICATU intensifying their strong ties and collaboration discussed on their activities, intervention, and coordination within the ILC for the promotion of the interests of the workers and peoples all over the world.
