Factbox: From UPS to Detroit Three automakers, US labor unions flex muscle

Green Thumb Industries

22/09/2023 16:53

(Updates with details on the UAW strike)
    By Mrinalika Roy
       Sept 22 (Reuters) - A tight U.S. labor market, the
expiry of union contracts and high living costs have led to
tough negotiations for pay hikes and benefits from workers and
triggered strikes and protests across industries.
    Nearly 309,700 workers have been involved in work stoppages
and strikes through August this year, according to preliminary
data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, putting 2023 on
track to become the busiest year for strikes since 2019.    
    
    Here are some sectors and companies that faced tough
negotiations in 2023:
    
    MEDIA
    Hollywood is experiencing its first dual work stoppage of
writers and actors in 63 years, halting productions across the
industry and costing the California economy billions of dollars.
The strike is over compensation, staffing and residual payments
among other issues.
    
    AUTOMOTIVE
    The United Auto Workers (UAW) union last week launched
simultaneous strikes against Ford  F.N , General Motors  GM.N 
and Chrysler parent Stellantis  STLAM.MI  over pay and benefits,
initially targeting one U.S. assembly plant at each company.
    The union on Friday announced it would expand its strikes
against GM and Stellantis and target their distribution centers,
with UAW President Shawn Fain saying the expansion would turn
the strike into a nationwide event. 
    However, the union said it had made real progress in talks
with Ford. 
        
    PARCEL DELIVERY
    Teamsters union workers at United Parcel Service  UPS.N  
ratified a new five-year contract in August, a deal that raises
pay, eliminates a two-tier wage system for drivers, provides
another paid holiday and ends forced overtime.
    FedEx  FDX.N  pilots have been involved in a stand-off with
the parcel delivery firm over wages and legacy pensions. Pilots
rejected a tentative deal in July and negotiations are expected
to restart.
    
    AIRLINES & AEROSPACE FIRMS
    Pilots at several airlines including American Airlines
 AAL.O , Delta Airlines  DAL.N , United Airlines Holdings
 UAL.O , Spirit Airlines  SAVE.N , Jetblue Airways  JBLU.O 
negotiated new job contracts this year.
    Members of some unions like the Southwest Airlines Pilots
Association have voted to authorize a strike if a new contract
is not reached.
    Spirit AeroSystems  SPR.N  negotiated a new contract to end
a strike that led to a week-long work stoppage at its plant in
Wichita, Kansas.
    
    MANUFACTURING
    U.S. steel producer Cleveland-Cliffs Inc  CLF.N  has reached
a tentative agreement with the United Steelworkers union on a
new three-year labor agreement for its Northshore mining
operations.
    U.S. Steel  X.N , which is reviewing multiple proposals
ranging from partial acquisition to an entire buyout, is
embroiled in a tussle with the United Steel Workers union. The
company's unionized workers say they essentially have the power
to veto any transaction they do not approve of.
    
    CONSUMER & RETAIL
    More than 3,000 workers at more than 150 Starbucks  SBUX.O 
stores in the U.S. held strikes in June, following claims the
company had banned Pride Month decorations at some of its cafes.
 urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL4N38F1SO  urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL1N38F2Z6
    
    Thousands of Los Angeles-area hotel staffers went on a
three-day strike in July over improved wages, benefits and
working conditions. Union leaders representing the workers have 
threatened further walkouts.
    
    HEALTHCARE
    More than 7,000 nurses went on a three-day strike in New
York City over staffing levels and pay hikes in January.
    
    CANNABIS
    Unions representing cannabis workers have also increased
pressure on companies in the sector this year. 
    Workers at Green Thumb Industries'  GTII.CD  Chicago-area
RISE dispensaries went on a 13-day unfair labor practices (ULP)
strike in April, which was the longest ULP strike at a cannabis
retailer in U.S. history.
    Labor unions secured new contract agreements at multistate
operator-owned cannabis dispensaries in Illinois and in New
Jersey in July.
    
    ENERGY
    Unionized workers at Phillips 66's  PSX.N  refinery in
Roxana, Illinois, ratified a contract with the refiner in
late-stage negotiations, averting a potential strike.
    The union had been in talks with the refiner since summer,
when it rejected a company proposal and sought additional
benefits for holiday and vacation hours and pay, among other
improvements.

    <^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Work Stoppages in U.S.    https://tmsnrt.rs/48n57So
    ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^>
 (Reporting by Mrinalika Roy in Bengaluru; Editing by Sriraj
Kalluvila, Shounak Dasgupta and Anil D'Silva)
 ((mrinalika.roy@thomsonreuters.com))