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Children are back in school in Seattle following a weeklong teachers strike that delayed the start of classes. Seattle Public Schools and the Seattle Education Association announced Monday night that they had reached a tentative agreement on a new contract, and late Tuesday they announced that the union's membership had voted to suspend the walkout pending ratification.
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Employees at Weyerhaeuser sites in Oregon and Washington are on strike, citing low wage increases and high health care premiums. The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, which represents more than 1,100 Weyerhaeuser employees, said negotiations for a new bargaining agreement have been ongoing since this spring.
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Seattle Public Schools says it has reached a tentative agreement with the union for teachers who went on strike last week over issues like pay and classroom support. The district said in a statement it would on Tuesday announce an update on when classes would begin.
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The National Labor Relations Board says Starbucks is violating U.S. labor law by withholding pay hikes and other benefits from stores that have voted to unionize. The labor board’s Seattle office filed the complaint late Wednesday.
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Baristas across the country are leading union drives at their workplaces. A combination of factors have led to this surge in activism among service workers who before now felt they had little voice.
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It’s become a common sight: jubilant Starbucks workers celebrating after successful votes to unionize at dozens of U.S. stores. But when the celebrations die down, a daunting hurdle remains. To win the changes they seek, like better pay and more reliable schedules, unionized stores must sit down with Starbucks and negotiate a contract. It’s a painstaking process that can take years.
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Alaska Airlines pilots have voted overwhelmingly to authorize a future strike if current contract negotiations with management and federal mediation efforts fail. The vote could increase pressure on Alaska Airlines management to come to a contract settlement.
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A subset of staff at the massive video game company Activision Blizzard voted to join the Communication Workers of America. The vote comes as Activision Blizzard is being purchased by Microsoft.
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Contract negotiations between 22,000 workers at 29 West Coast ports and representatives of shipping companies will begin next week with automation and its impact on jobs emerging as a major point of contention amid supply chain issues. Talks between the International Longshore and Warehouse Union and the Pacific Maritime Association will take place against the backdrop of pandemic safety issues, surging imports that left backlogs of ships anchored offshore, and declining exports.
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Starbucks’ sales climbed to record levels in its fiscal second quarter, but its profits took a hit from climbing labor and ingredient costs. The Seattle coffee company, which welcomed back former CEO Howard Schultz last month as its interim leader, introduced new pay raises and other benefits to improve its employee experience and head off a growing unionization movement.