Work Reform

cross-posted from: https://lemm.ee/post/64411674

Last Thursday, May 16, a veteran worker at the sprawling Ford Rouge complex in Dearborn, Michigan, collapsed and died on the shop floor after his shift at the body shop somewhere between 9:00 and 10:00 p.m. The deceased worker was identified as Darius Williams. Co-workers on the afternoon shift told the World Socialist Web Site that Williams was one of the highest seniority workers in the plant with 33 years at Ford.

His team leader reported that Williams had said good night before walking toward the exit with no sign of pain or discomfort. Workers nearby saw Darius crumpling to the floor unresponsive just before reaching the exit door.

An emergency response team attempted to revive Williams with a defibrillator but their efforts failed. As of this writing, there has been no report of a medical diagnosis to explain the sudden death of Darius Williams.

Over the last few years there have been scores of deaths at the Rouge complex. The company is systematically intensifying the rate of exploitation, laying off entire shifts and doubling and tripling the number of jobs an individual operator must perform. Many report that older workers are especially targeted for the grueling treatment in a deliberate effort to force them into early retirement, disability or death.

Workers at a recent factory meeting called by management reported that a co-worker defied intimidation to denounce this deliberate policy. He said:

They just double up jobs for the people who have high seniority—make them do two jobs and wait for them to drop dead. The speed-up is pervasive and many workers do not speak out, because the union has done nothing to defend their co-workers who have.

Paywall removed: https://archive.is/Lzs5V

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.world/post/29657554

Regulation Needed to Guarantee Living Wages and Benefits, Decent Working Conditions
Major digital labor platforms, also known as gig companies, operating in the United States misclassify gig workers as independent contractors, denying them labor rights,

And the kicker...

“They promise flexibility but, in reality, they leave workers at the mercy of unstable and subminimum wages, little social protection, and in constant fear of termination without recourse.”

These folks need to be recognized as employees, so they can immediately

• sue to get paid a living wage
• and reliable working hours
• feel more comfortable organizing around (that is, joining or forming) a union

It's all in the title. Basically, anybody who doesn't celebrate probably should, or are part of the problem.

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.world/post/28248378

Interview about Union Workshop Event: https://lemmy.world/post/28247917

Information:

1. UNION POWER ‘25 Conference
2. OUR POWER IS IN OUR LABOR!
3. BECOMING STRIKE READY IN THE GREEN MOUNTAINS!
4. Saturday, April 26, 10AM-4PM
5. O.N.E. Community Center, 20 Allen St., Burlington, VT 05401 US

Workshops On:

1. Organizing a Union!
2. Building Shop Floor Power!!
3. Bargaining To Win!!!
4. Becoming Strike Ready!!!!

Speakers On:

1. The Rise of Fascism & The Challenges Facing The Labor Movement
2. How Unions & The Working Class Must Organize To Meet These Threats & WIN

Lead Sponsors: UVM Staff United (AFT), AFSCME Local 1674, AFSCME Local 3977, UFCW Local 1459

Professional union childcare available if requested in advance. Contact: [Email, click link and scroll to this section.] The conference site is accessible.

Event by:

1. UVM Staff United (AFT), AFSCME Local 1674, AFSCME Local 3977, UFCW Local 1459

Sponsored by:

1. Green Mountain Labor Council, AFL-CIO Montpelier, VT

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.blahaj.zone/post/24651479

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.world/post/28250104

Summary

The DOGE team, effectively led by White House adviser Elon Musk, “may have taken data related to union organizing and labor complaints and hid its tracks,” according to whistleblower Daniel Berulis.

After gaining high-level access to sensitive National Labor Relations Board systems, DOGE engineers reportedly turned off monitoring tools, manually deleted access logs, and exfiltrated approximately 10 gigabytes of potentially sensitive information.

Cybersecurity experts characterized these actions as similar to those of “criminal or state-sponsored hackers.”

Berulis warned, “the bits of the puzzle that I can quantify are scary,” emphasizing that the incident represents “a serious, ongoing security breach” warranting further investigation.

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.world/post/28185329