Labor
President Biden touts jobs and economy in Philadelphia on Labor Day
PHILADELPHIA — President Joe Biden made his seventh trip of the year to the City of Brotherly Love on Monday, telling an audience of union workers that America’s best days are ahead of it, and that support for unions is the strongest it’s been in 60 years. “I told you when I ran for president […]
Job growth exceeds economists’ expectations as unemployment inches up
The labor market is stable and healthy, economists and policy experts say, although the unemployment rate ticked up in the month of August. The Bureau of Labor Statistics’ report released Friday showed that unemployment rose to 3.8% in August from 3.5% in July. Meanwhile the economy added 187,000 jobs, above expectations of 170,000 jobs from […]
On this Labor Day, unions are stronger than ever | Daniel P. Bauder
Most of us have a morning routine. Wake up, take a shower, make sure the kids are up and getting ready for school. Soon enough, everyone is fed and dressed and ready to head out the door to start the day. In a city like Philadelphia, most of us choose public transit to get to […]
Workers in Pennsylvania continue to have, and use, real leverage over employers
Wages have kept up with inflation, and a tight labor market continues to give workers more leverage than they’ve had in decades. But divided legislative branches at the state and federal level mean progress toward other improvements for workers’ conditions often stalls, and is why there’s “zero chance of enacting a major pro-worker labor law […]
Two union reps arrested in incident at Harrisburg Area Community College
Two members of the Pennsylvania State Education Association (PSEA) were arrested during an incident at Harrisburg Area Community College’s Lancaster campus this week, in what the college calls a “publicity stunt” and the faculty union says was simply an attempt to provide information to other faculty. Kathy Sicher, president of Harrisburg Area Community College Educators […]
President Biden to visit Philadelphia on Labor Day
President Joe Biden will make his seventh visit to Philadelphia this year on Labor Day, the White House reported Friday. AFL-CIO Philadelphia spokesperson Maggie Mullooly confirmed that the president will attend a rally ahead of the organization’s Labor Day parade, beginning at 9:15 a.m. on Monday. The Philadelphia Inquirer reported that the rally will be […]
Wabtec union workers ratify new contract, ending strike
A few days shy of Labor Day, union workers at the Erie plant of Wabtec Corp. ratified a new contract on Thursday, ending a strike that had lasted more than two months. The 1,400 members of the United Electrical, Radio, and Machine Workers of America union (UE), Locals 506 and 618 had been on strike […]
Wabtec, Erie unions reach tentative contract agreement
The unions representing striking rail workers at the Wabtec Corp. plant in Erie have reached a tentative agreement on a new contract, both sides confirmed Wednesday. According to a statement from the unions, members will vote on the agreement Thursday, and if ratified, will bring the strike to an end. The 1,400 members of the […]
Labor leader Shuler touts union support as possible auto strikes loom
In Shuler’s comments Tuesday at the AFL-CIO’s first State of the Unions event in Washington, she cited polling that showed support for unions cut across party lines. The AFL-CIO commissioned a poll by GBAO, a Democratic polling and research firm, that found 91% of Democratic respondents and 52% of Republicans approved of unions, with even higher numbers supporting the right to strike.
Pennsylvania’s unemployment rate drops to record low of 3.5% in July
Pennsylvania’s unemployment rate dropped to 3.5% in July, the lowest rate on record (dating back to January 1976), according to state data released on Friday. That’s a decline of three-tenths of a percentage point from June, according to the Department of Labor and Industry, and 0.8% percentage points lower than the July 2022 unemployment rate […]
Wabtec says progress made in bargaining talks with union
After a bargaining session on Thursday, Wabtec Corp. reached a tentative agreement with striking workers from the United Electrical, Radio, and Machine Workers of America union (UE), at its Erie plant, over vacation scheduling, according to the company. Bargaining is set to resume on Tuesday, Aug. 22, and Wednesday Aug. 23, the company said. The […]
VP Kamala Harris unveils new wage rule for federal projects
Construction workers who work on federal projects are poised to receive better wages and worker protections under a Department of Labor rule touted by Vice President Kamala Harris on Tuesday. Speaking at a union hall in Philadelphia, Harris praised the Biden administration’s economic agenda and pointed out that the new rule would be the first […]