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About Northwest labor press. (Portland , Ore.) 1987-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 20, 2017)
PAGE 6 | January 20, 2017 | NORTHWEST LABOR PRESS NATIONAL In late December, Trump Inter- national Hotel Las Vegas reached agreement with UNITE HERE Local 226 on a first con- tract covering 520 food, bever- age and housekeeping employ- ees, a month after the National Labor Relations Board found that the hotel had violated fed- eral labor law and ordered it to bargain with the union. Workers at Trump hotels in New York and Toronto are rep- resented by unions, but the Ve- gas hotel had fought unioniza- tion, paying more than $500,000 to a “union avoid- ance” consultant. The new con- tract runs through May 2021 and provides for wage in- creases, company-funded pen- sion and health benefits, and a grievance procedure. Meanwhile, in Washington, D.C., UNITE HERE Local 25 reached agreement with the Trump International Hotel at the Old Post Office Pavilion to re- main neutral while the hotel’s 130 workers consider whether to unionize, and to voluntarily recognize the union if a majority of the employees sign authori- zation cards. Trump, sworn in today as president, is co-owner of both hotels. Cantwell and Murray side with Pharma over public Washington U.S. Senators Maria Cantwell and Patty Mur- ray were among 13 Democrats to vote against an amendment to allow Americans to legally im- port cheaper medicines from countries like Canada. The amendment failed 52-46. Twelve Republicans and all other Democrats — including Oregon’s Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden — voted for the amend- ment, which was sponsored by Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Ver- mont) and Amy Klobuchar (D- Minnesota). Washington DC City Council passes paid family leave Washington DC’s City Council has approved the most generous paid-family-leave law in the country. The ordinance, passed in a 9-4 vote, requires private- sector employers to provide paid leave to workers at up 90 percent of their wages (capped at $1,000 a week) — up to eight weeks for the birth or adoption of a child, up to six weeks to tend to sick relatives, and up to two weeks for personal illness. The paid leave will be funded by a city payroll tax of 0.62 per- cent that will raise an estimated $246 million a year. A late-October poll found 80 percent of D.C. voters in favor of the ordinance, and many small businesses were support- ive too. In 2004, California became the first state to offer paid family leave, followed by New Jersey, Rhode Island, and New York. The United States is the only in- dustrialized nation to not offer paid family leave nationwide. Photo from the Twitter feed of AFL-CIO president Rich Trumka – @RichardTrumka Trump hotels in Vegas and DC reach union agreements National AFL-CIO endorses Keith Ellison to lead DNC The Executive Council of the AFL-CIO has voted to endorse Rep. Keith Ellison (D-Minn.) to lead the Democratic National Committee (DNC). Several can- didates sought the endorsement of the national labor federation, meeting personally with mem- bers of the federation’s Political Committee, which ultimately recommended the endorsement. “Representative Ellison meets the high standard work- ing people expect from leaders of our political parties,” said AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka. “He is a proven leader who will focus on year-round grassroots organizing to deliver for working families across America. Under his leadership, the Democratic Party will em- body the values that our mem- bers stand for every day.” Ellison said the AFL-CIO knows the challenges facing America’s working families and how to speak to working Amer- icans of all colors, genders and backgrounds. “I am proud to be on their side, and I am even prouder that the AFL-CIO is on mine. Workers will be central to the Democratic Party,” he said. Many unions affiliated with the AFL-CIO have leaders as well as rank-and-file members on the DNC. However, the AFL-CIO does not have a direct affiliation with any political party, and membership includes those across the political spec- trum. The endorsement of DNC chair is a reflection of the values of AFL-CIO members and the vote among their representa- tives, Trumka said. President-elect Trump meets with AFL-CIO’s Trumka U.S. President-elect Donald Trump met with national AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka on Jan. 13. Trumka arrived at Trump Tower at 10:33 a.m. and left at noon. Neither side pub- licly divulged what was discussed, but Trumka described it as “a very honest and productive conversation” in a tweet. Trump didn’t tweet about it. Trump transition officials also attended a meeting the same day with several other union officials, hosted by International Brotherhood of Teamsters. Representatives of United Steel- workers, the International Association of Ma- chinists, and Communications Workers of America also reportedly attended. Trumka and other labor leaders have been very critical of Trump, but have also pledged to work with him on issues of agreement, such as renegotiating NAFTA and other trade deals. Trump has named a NAFTA critic as his trade ambassador: Robert Lighthizer, his nom- inee as the United States Trade Representative (USTR), was a former deputy USTR under Ronald Reagan.
