From The Stand: Click Here for Link

BATTLE CREEK, Mich. — On October 5, some 1,400 members of the BCTGM International Union at Kellogg’s cereal plants in Battle Creek, Mich., Omaha, Neb., Lancaster, Pa. and Memphis, Tenn. took a stand on the future of their workforce by going on strike. In contract negotiations, the company had proposed to take away premium health care benefits, retirement benefits, holiday and vacation pay, cost-of-living wage increases, and jobs by moving production lines to Mexico. Management also proposed a new two-tier system where new hires make less money, have higher health insurance payments and will not earn a pension. They had even proposed to remove the Union Label from all Kellogg’s cereal boxes! For nearly 8 weeks, Kellogg’s workers have stood strong on the picket line, demanding a fair contract offer. Let’s show these brave Kellogg’s workers that organized labor throughout the country has their backs!  Here’s how you can support them.

► From the Michigan Advance — Kellogg talks to resume Tuesday as union strike nears 8 weeks — Negotiations between union workers and cereal giant Kellogg are set to restart this week, as workers at the company’s four cereal plants near two months of striking for better wages, better hours and the end of a two-tier pay scale. Prior to the day before Thanksgiving, talks had come to a standstill between the two parties. ​

​Originally Posted 11/8/2021 on previous WPEA Website
 
The federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration has released an Emergency Temporary Standard requiring employers with 100 or more employees to adopt COVID vaccination policies by January 4, 2022. Covered employers must require that employees be vaccinated or be tested weekly for COVID.
This rule will affect WPEA members at the Fort Vancouver Regional Library and the Kitsap Regional Library. All other WPEA members are already covered by existing mandates.
 
Here are the details:

• Employers w/ 100 or more employees must develop, implement, and enforce a mandatory COVID-19 vaccination policy. This policy must be in place by January 4, 2022.
• An employer’s policy may allow employees to remain unvaccinated if they get tested weekly and wear a mask at work. This exception is not available to healthcare workers.
• Workers must get paid time off to get vaccinated (up to 4 hours), and can use sick leave (a “reasonable” amount) to recover from any side effects.

Any policy enacted by employers will be a change in working conditions and therefore subject to impact bargaining between the employer and WPEA.

Originally Posted 10/18/2021 on previous WPEA Website
A Thurston County judge has issued a ruling Monday that will allow Governor Inslee’s vaccine mandate to stay in place. Judge Carol Murphy denied plaintiffs’ request for an injunction staying Inslee’s proclamation 21-14 (the vaccine mandate for state employees, educators, & health care workers). Judge Murphy’s ruling was not on the merits of the case, but merely means that the mandate stays in effect while the case is being heard.