On Monday morning, hundreds of custodians holding purple 32BJ SEIU "Harvard On Strike" signs walked off the job, marching through Harvard Yard in Cambridge and demanding fair wage increases. The strike began Monday at 10 a.m., with a large cohort of custodians directly employed by Harvard who maintain dorms, classrooms, administrative buildings, and other facilities at the university. The strike will continue with two more cleaning units that Harvard contracts - C&W Services and ABM Industries.
With many Tate directors receiving six-figure pay packages and five-figure bonuses while staff are condemned to in-work poverty, it is no wonder we have seen such an overwhelming vote for strike action. Our members have rightly rejected another insulting pay offer from senior Tate management, and now stand ready to take strike action that will severely impact gallery operations.
"For example, we proposed to keep our benefits the same as they are now. We just wanted them protected under a contract," Tobin said. "[Hospice East Bay] said no, they want the right to make them worse. And so, that's been really shocking and disappointing."
The walkout, which union leaders say is the first in Fenway Park's 113-year history, follows more than a year of contract negotiations and months of escalating frustration over pay, job security, and automation.
"We are seeking improvements in the pension plan for the first time in over a decade," Jim Araby of UFCW Local 5 told KGO-TV. "We know Safeway can afford it. In 2023, Safeway paid a dividend to their shareholders of $4 billion. This year, they reported $80 billion in revenue and nearly $1 billion in net profit."
"It's not just about how much our members make. It's not just about their caseloads. It's about justice for all New Yorkers who deserve high quality representation." - Brandon Mancilla.
Residents in Contra Costa County are seeing limited return of trash services after a Republic Services strike, with collection starting again only for West Contra Costa County. While some services resume, others still face unresolved issues as trash piles up, raising public health concerns due to unsanitary conditions caused by the lack of regular trash collection.