Portside

Forced arbitration strengthens corprorate power over individual workers while weakening workers collective rights.

In May, the Supreme Court rejected a class action suit brought by Epic workers, effectively limiting the collective bargaining rights of 60 million workers. But the case — now back in district court — is far from dead.

Workers rights under the law have suffered systemic neglect since the National Labor Relations Act was passed in 1935. Fixing it is a start, but much more needs to be done.

“This has been a terrible 18 months-plus for working people in this country,” said Celine McNicholas, director of labor law and policy at the Economic Policy Institute. “It’s an unprecedented attack on workers.”

Unions must either demand a place at the table or be part of the meal

After an all out effort by the labor movement, voters in Missouri rejected "right to work" legislation by a 2-1 margin. This reprised a labor victory from 40 years ago when voters rejected similar anti-worker legislation.

By joining together and working in union, we will fight the corrupt forces intent on dismantling worker protections and continue the fight for safe jobs with good wages and benefits, dignity and respect in the workplace for all.

Employers use lockouts to weaken unions. Lockouts sabotage the functioning of the union-management relationship, and they undermine standard and secure jobs in favour of more precariousness. Lockouts are also sometimes used to shift production from one plant or country to another, as well as to close unionized plants.

Just cause — a legal right to your job — should be an essential part of any package of reforms to restore workplace dignity and fairness.