#labor disputes and negotiations

[ebookporn]

Publishing, Under Pressure

The books business has had a difficult year.

by Julie Bosman

Book bans are sweeping schools and libraries. A failed corporate acquisition resulted in an antitrust trial and an executive shake-up. Strife over low wages has sparked labor actions.

This is a moment of upheaval for the book publishing industry, a multibillion-dollar business with extraordinary cultural power and influence in the United States.

The industry is also facing other headwinds. After a boom in sales during the pandemic, some high-profile books underperformed this year. Michelle Obama’s most recent book, “The Light We Carry,” had less than one quarter of the first-week print sales of her 2018 memoir, “Becoming.” Publishers are worried that 2023 will be a bumpy year, with fears of a recession ahead.

In today’s newsletter, I’ll explain three issues that are causing angst in the publishing industry: free speech, labor and corporate consolidation.

READ MORE

[theusarticles]

Britain is being hit by a wave of strikes. Why have things got so bad? | CNN

Britain is being hit by a wave of strikes. Why have things got so bad? | CNN

London CNN  —  Another day, another round of strikes in Britain. As the Christmas holidays approach, railway workers have brought the transport network to a standstill. Border Force staff are preparing to walk out. Postal workers, bus drivers and civil servants are either in the middle of strike action or threatening to strike. This week, nurses staged their biggest walkout in decades. And on…

[creativitytoexplore]

Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa taken off the field on stretcher during game against Bengals | CNN

Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa taken off the field on stretcher during game against Bengals | CNN

CNN  —  The Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa was taken off the field on a stretcher on Thursday during a game against the Cincinnati Bengals, after suffering apparent head and neck injuries – less than a week after being injured in another game. Tagovailoa is conscious, has movement in all his extremities and was taken to a local hospital for further evaluation, the team said in an…

[tmarshconnors]

The Pointlessness of the SAG Strike 2023

In recent weeks, the entertainment industry has been rocked by news of the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) strike in 2023. While the actors involved in the strike have their reasons and concerns, it's essential to critically examine whether this strike is truly necessary or if it might be, in fact, quite pointless.

Economic Impact: One of the most immediate consequences of the SAG strike is the significant economic impact it has on the industry. Thousands of jobs, from actors to crew members, are being affected. Production companies are losing millions of dollars every day the strike continues. Given the economic hardships that many people have faced in recent times, including the COVID-19 pandemic, one must question the wisdom of causing further financial strain on the industry and its workers.

Demands and Priorities: The demands put forth by the striking actors are not unreasonable. However, one could argue that these demands might not be the top priority in a world grappling with more pressing issues. With global crises like climate change, social justice, and healthcare disparities, is a higher salary for already well-paid actors truly the most critical concern? Many people struggle to make ends meet, and it's hard to sympathize fully with actors making exorbitant salaries, especially when so many others are struggling.

Timing: The timing of the SAG strike is questionable, at best. It's happening in an era when the industry is still recovering from the disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Many people in the entertainment business are just getting back on their feet after months of uncertainty and unemployment. Striking now seems insensitive to the plight of others in the industry.

Alternative Solutions: Are strikes the only way to resolve disputes and negotiate better terms? In an industry that thrives on creativity and innovation, one would hope for more imaginative and collaborative solutions. Negotiation and dialogue could lead to more mutually beneficial outcomes without causing widespread disruption and financial loss.

Public Perception: Lastly, it's worth considering the public perception of the strike. In an age where people are increasingly disillusioned with celebrities and their lavish lifestyles, a strike like this may only further alienate the audience. The entertainment industry depends on the support and admiration of the public, and a strike that seems self-serving could harm its reputation.

In conclusion, while the actors participating in the SAG strike 2023 may have legitimate concerns, it's crucial to weigh the impact of their actions on the broader industry and society as a whole. In a world facing numerous pressing issues, this strike may indeed appear pointless to many, given its economic consequences and the perceived priorities of those involved. Perhaps there are more constructive ways to address the concerns of actors and create a fairer and more equitable entertainment industry.

[townpostin]

Madhu Koda Leads Protest Against Outsider Hiring at Gua SAIL

Joint Unions Demand Cancellation of 18 Non-Local Appointments Former CM warns of economic blockade if July 3 meeting fails to reach consensus. GUA – Former Chief Minister Madhu Koda led a protest at the Chief General Manager’s office at Gua SAIL, demanding the cancellation of 18 non-local hires and addressing worker grievances. "We’ve been protesting since December when these outsiders from…

[just2bruce]

ILA stops negotiations with USMX

The labor deal between US East and Gulf Coast ports and the International Longshoreman’s Association (ILA) may be unraveling. The current agreement expires at the end of September. It was a six-year deal. The major issue at present is an Auto Gate system Maersk and APM Terminals are using that processes trucks autonomously, with no ILA labor. The union claims this directly contradicts what was…

[fawziamlaw]

The UAE is a great place to work! Labor disputes are rare, and when they do arise, they are resolved quickly and effectively. Some of the common issues arise from contract termination, wage non-payment, working conditions, and end-of-service benefits are all issues that can be resolved through negotiation, mediation, labor committees, and arbitration.

[the-final-sif]

Hi! Do you know if there is any reason why the union wouldn't contact Quackity/Quackity Studios directly?

Yes! I believe actually have a decent sense of this! Now, I'll be up front that I am not French, nor am I well versed in french labor unions, but I do think after some research I understand the confusion.

The short answer is because they don't want Quackity to contact the union directly. They want Quackity/the management to talk to the workers involved in the dispute.

The union is willing to be a go-between if need be, but what they actually want is negotiations between QSMP & the actual workers, and more particularly for workers to not be completely ignored for 3 weeks and then fired (what happened to Pomme's admin).

The workers in question have been messaging their management/contacts at qsmp and trying to get any kind of answer to no avail, and what the Solidaires union is doing is placing public pressure onto Quackity/QSMP to actually answer these workers and come to the table with them.

If you actually read the statements put out by the union, this is pretty clear,

(march 13th statement)

To avoid it, we invite Quackity to be proactive by opening a social dialogue with all their workers. A negotiated outcome remains possible: it will need to address monetary demands concerning work already performed and that to come, as well as claims to improve working conditions.

(march 20th)

Last week, we invited Quackity and other Quackity Studios executives to engage in negotiations with their workers. As far as we know, no contact has been attempted, either directly or via us. In fact, most of them saw all their communication media cut off without prior notice nor any further explanation.

If you actually read the call to action, the union is not asking to be contacted directly, although they are willing to refer. They're literally saying "fucking text your workers back and don't leave them on read for 3 weeks". That's what they wanted QSMP to do.

The actual role of the union in situations like this isn't to be directly negotiating contracts but rather offering legal counsel to workers and helping sue for unfair dismissal (something that this union has done to other game dev studios in the past including Ubisoft). They're tackling the unfair working conditions, and part of that is placing public pressure for Quackity to actually respond to the workers. It's up to him to actually reply to workers and make things right, and if he fails to do that, well he gets to get dragged in front of french court to justify his choices.

[ebookporn]

Royal Mail Strike Drives In-store Shopping

British retailers were urging their customers to buy holiday gifts in person last week rather than online, as strikes by the Royal Mail postal service meant deliveries might not arrive in time, the Telegraph (via MSN) reported. 

Waterstones CEO James Daunt told the BBC: "If people want to be certain of getting deliveries in time for Christmas, they need to go into stores. That's definitely the advice we're giving.... I know it's easy for us to say go into shops, as we're a national retailer. It's the independent retailers all over the country who will be suffering the most from this. I feel desperately sorry for them."

The Booksellers Association noted there could be "positive consequence" from the strikes, however. BA managing director Meryl Halls said: "If the silver lining from the very challenging situation around Royal Mail strikes does help produce busy local high streets this Christmas, many bookshops will be pleased to welcome the increased traffic."

[reportwire]

5 things to know for Oct. 11: Ukraine, Rail strike, Trump, School shootings, Speeding | CNN

5 things to know for Oct. 11: Ukraine, Rail strike, Trump, School shootings, Speeding | CNN

CNN  —  If you’re planning to take a trip this winter, now’s the time to pounce on the best prices available for airfares. Some travel experts recommend securing holiday flights before Halloween because prices typically increase considerably as Thanksgiving gets closer. Here’s what else you need to know to Get Up to Speed and On with Your Day. (You can get “5 Things You Need to Know Today”…

[felassan]

Article: 'All unionized Dragon Age: Dreadwolf QA workers have been laid off'

The Keywords Studios workers were laid off in late September

Text:

"All of Keywords Studios’ unionized QA workers were laid off from the studio in late September after Dragon Age: Dreadwolf developer BioWare declined to continue its contract in August. The QA workers, who were contracted to assist with playtesting and quality assurance at BioWare Edmonton, won their union vote in June 2022. All 16 eligible voters said “yes” to joining United Food and Commercial Workers Canada Union, Local No. 401. It was a historic vote, making the group the first games industry union in Canada. Keywords Studios workers were in bargaining with the company when they were laid off following the news of 50 job cuts at BioWare itself. A UFCW representative told Polygon that 13 people were laid off — everyone supporting BioWare. Liz Corless, Keywords Studios’ global head of marketing, confirmed that 13 Edmonton-based QA workers were laid off. “We can confirm that regrettably the 13 Edmonton-based staff have now left the business following the end of a fixed term client contract,” Corless wrote in an email. The group of workers were laid off on Sept. 27. Russwurm added that Keywords Studios has “taken the position there is no more work available.” (Keywords Studios has several QA job postings listed on its website, in Canada and across the world. Many, but not all of these listings, are related to language localization and require specialties that the laid-off workers may not have.) Russwurm said the union filed an employment standards complaint against Keywords Studios this week. He added that Keywords Studios offered “minimal severance,” which the union is disputing. Severance has not yet been paid out, he said. (Several BioWare employees laid off at that time are currently suing the company for “adequate severance.” These are two separate issues with two separate companies, however, despite being linked to Dragon Age: Dreadwolf.) Though the unionized QA workers did not yet have a contract with Keywords Studios, they can attempt to negotiate better severance pay. Keywords Studios is headquartered in Ireland but has more than 20 worldwide offices. The studio was founded in 1998, and does not publish or develop its own games — instead, it provides art, QA, audio, and other development support for other studios, like BioWare."

[source]

(emphasis mine as there are two issues with two companies)

[iww-gnv]

NEW YORK, July 10 (Reuters) - Pro-union baristas at Starbucks are taking their campaign on the road on Monday and trying a new tactic along the way: asking the coffee chain's customers to organize pickets at non-unionized U.S. cafes. The Workers United union plans to hand out flyers during a 13-city bus tour to customers with a QR code that takes them to a sign-up sheet to organize their own protests during a "national 'Adopt-a-Store' day of action" on Aug. 7, according to copies of the flyers seen by Reuters. The union is taking a more aggressive tactic of directly targeting customers as contract negotiations drag on. The union and company blame each other for bargaining delays and alleged labor law violations. Starbucks has been accused of more than 570 unfair labor practice charges. On Thursday, the National Labor Relations Board sued Starbucks over its refusal to rehire 33 workers as it shuffled three downtown Seattle stores into its "Heritage District" after one of those cafes unionized. The dispute is threatening Starbucks' reputation as a progressive employer, with some investors pressuring the company to account for its treatment of pro-union employees.

[macmanx]

"Y'all are losing profits, hand over fist. And I know that there are meetings happening in backrooms all over this town," Burton said, adding "greed isn't good for any of us. So let's get real. Let's come back to the table. Let's make a fair and equitable deal and let's get back to work."

Takei said actors are struggling to make a living in the changing entertainment industry. "We're here to ensure that the young actors coming up, building their careers, will have the incentive to keep on keeping on, rather than giving up and opening up a restaurant or something," he said. "We want them to be able to survive on their art of acting. We're here in solidarity to support their careers so that they can enjoy the career that LeVar and I have enjoyed."

Hurd said the fight going on in Hollywood is a microcosm of the labor movements around the world. "We've been ready since July 13th to negotiate. We've asked every week for them to come back to the table," she said. "I have faith and hope that they will come to a respectful contract and then come to the table and bring it to us too, because we are ready to get back to work. Writers and actors are at the table. Where are they?"

[just-late-roman-republic-things]

Hello! Hope things are well in the jlrrt-sphere. More questions for you. How lawless was Rome, particularly in the late republic?

Okay, so I watched HBO Rome and they had an interesting interpretation of Atia and Servilia. But one of the most shocking turns is Atia kidnapping and torturing Servilia. And getting basically no consequences for it. I kinda get it can be explained in the show with the whole civil war going on and I think at that point Antony was in charge of the city. But realistically, could someone get away with treating a noblewoman like that?

And did people get "arrested" per se? Or were they trusting people not to run off while they awaited their trial?

Great questions. I'm honestly not sure about the exact answers, but I recall a few things:

Republican Rome had no police force. Neighborhoods in the city were normally expected to police themselves. The paterfamilias was expected to take responsibility for "family-level" disputes, and Rome's jury courts were expensive and often impractical for regular folks. I suspect that blood feuds, gang violence, and "protection rackets" occurred often, based on what's happened in other communities without accessible legal authorities, but that's just my best guess.

A lictor or magistrate could arrest people, and Rome did have a small jail for people awaiting sentencing. But long-term imprisonment was not an official punishment; forced labor/enslavement was preferred.

For safety, you would normally leave your home accompanied by slaves, friends, or bodyguards. Only the poorest Romans didn't have a slave, and Romans spent little of their daily lives alone.

It seems to have been rare for noblewomen to be personally targeted by political violence. In fact, there was a long tradition that when a man was exiled or out of favor, his female relatives would visit politicians' houses to beg for clemency or to negotiate on his behalf. Hortensia (daughter of the orator) even led an all-female protest against the second triumvirate without fear of violent retaliation. Sulla never proscribed a woman, and I don't think the second triumvirate did, either.

Even Fulvia, who personally led soldiers and was hated by Octavian's troops for doing so, was still allowed to return unharmed to Antony. If I overlooked any counter-examples, let me know!

On the other hand, I think many people underestimate the impact of slavery on public safety. Any time you left your home without a sufficient guard, there was a risk of being kidnapped and sold into slavery. Slavery meant constant fear of violence at all levels of society. It's hard to appreciate how dangerous and traumatic this was, and how it brought out the worst in people, without reading slave narratives.

I also haven't seen the episode in question, but I think it would be very dangerous to attack a noblewoman like Servilia. Not only would she probably never leave home without a bodyguard, she'd have blood and marriage connections to a lot of men you don't want to piss off - and perhaps her own client network she could mobilize, too. Hell, even Octavian would probably be furious because it'd make him look bad and damage his political capital.

That said, I haven't looked into Roman law much, so think of this as more of my best guess. Readers, please feel free to add more info or correct me if needed!

[sgiandubh]

Wrap-up?

Dare we hope for a reasonable wrap-up of the SAG-AFTRA saga soon?

I predicted 'one week tops' and I am already at day+10, which was to be expected, in a way. But the first signs of a potential détente were there at day +7 already, and that made me grin.

Current state of play seems to be a common push to finally be over with that strike, with a strong preoccupation of SAG-AFTRA to land a fair deal, in the process. No efforts are spared as we have recently seen with long week-end separate working sessions. And a constant go-between with AMPTP, who finally started to show some will to compromise on the most thorny parts of the problem: AI, minimum rates and streaming residuals. There also seems to be some renewed flexibility on the union's side, with regard to the studios' 'last, best and final offer' of last Friday, as we are informed by a very well-written article in Variety (https://variety.com/2023/biz/news/sagaftra-strike-ai-amptp-contract-1235783065/):

As far as streaming residuals go, there seems to be a catch with regard to the studios' last offer. The 100% increase is - very probably - not calculated on a net worth basis and it stands only if the show is among the platform's best viewed (so long for the hopes & dreams of many C and D listers):

Several items on the negotiation list are still open. For some reason, I found this particular one very interesting:

What is new-ish, compared to last week's state of play is the added pressure of the quarterly earnings calls on the studios' shoulders (https://variety.com/2023/tv/news/warner-bros-discovery-david-zaslav-sag-aftra-strike-ends-soon-1235784065/). In this case, Warner Bros Discovery:

Did you get what that man wanted to say with that last, painfully torturous phrase? Mmhm. Thought so: me neither. And FWIW, I just happen to know that a mouthful of clichés aligned like that at the end of a speech usually mean nothing else but this possible translation I am offering here:

'We know we've severely screwed up on that one and we're currently on damage control mode. However, we're not ready to acknowledge that we've been almost completely disconnected from the general audience's expectations since at least the COVID-19 pandemic, an unpredictable act of God situation to which our response was very poorly calibrated. We are still not willing to adjust our existing business model and strategy, and sincerely hope to be done as soon as possible with this protracted labor dispute, in order to avoid further critical losses.'

This tells me we might see an end rather sooner than later. I think it's a matter of days, by now and I will also follow ***'s own quarter call, tomorrow.

[racefortheironthrone]

What are your thoughts on government intervention to end labor disputes in general? On one hand, forced settlements almost always favour management, and if management knows that the government will intervene, they have an incentive to stall negotiations and run out the clock, so to speak. On the other hand, some shutdowns will have far reaching negative effects on society as a whole, particularly if the strike involves the public service or things like railroads or ports.

In terms of my take on government intervention to end labor disputes, I'm fully in favor of procedural hypocrisy (or, as a philosophy PhD might put it, consequentialism) because the only question that really matters is whose side the government is intervening on behalf of. (This is where I'm going to make a massive plug on behalf of my colleague Erik Loomis' book A History of America in Ten Strikes, and in particular recommend his chapters on the Anthracite Coal Strike of 1902 and the Flint Sit-Down Strike of 1937.)

As a labor historian, I would say that as a rule, the state almost always intervenes in labor disputes at some level, whether it's the local cops and local government, the state militia, the U.S Army, or the courts. For most of labor history, the state has intervened on behalf of capital, and was broadly succesful in using its police power to crush strikes and keep the trade union movement economically marginal.

Where the union movement has been most successful is not when the state is neutral (because capital versus labor is not historically a fair fight between opponents of equal weight), but when the state intevenes on behalf of labor. So yeah, government intervention in labor disputes is awesome - when it's Governor Frank Murphy sending in the National Guard to keep the cops and the strikebreakers out of the plants in the Flint Strike, or the "Madden Board" NLRB enforcing the Wagner Act through the work of the Economic Division and the Review Division, or the National War Labor Board ordering Little Steel to recognize SWOC and agree to the union's terms.

Specifically on the issue of forced settlements, whether they're a good thing or a bad thing depends entirely on whose terms the settlement is made, which in turn depends on how labor law is written and enforced (and staffed). The whole reason why the Taft-Hartley Act of 1947 mandates that "neither party shall be under any duty to accept, in whole or in part, any proposal of settlement made by the [Federal Mediation] Service" is because one of capital's biggest grievances against the "Madden Board" NLRB was that the Board's orders and settlement proposals had systematically favored workers between 1935-1947.

I think the numbers tell the tale - when the state was at its most "neutral" at the turn of the 20th century, union density hit a ceiling of 10% of the workforce. The only time that the labor movement broke through that ceiling was during WWI and then the New Deal, when the state shifted to supporting unions. And then when the state began to shift back in the direction of capital and labor law increasingly favored management, the union movement began to shrink.

This is why I always tell my students that the state is like a great stationary engine, and the only thing that changes is where that engine's power is being sent to. If you refuse to engage in electoral politics and only rely on direct action, the engine doesn't go away - it just gets harnessed by the other side and the power is used against you.