Posts Tagged workers rights

Harvard Dining Hall Strike
By Reina Gattuso • 7 years ago

Harvard Dining Hall Workers Strike Enters Third Week as “Tentative Agreement” Reached

For over two weeks now, Harvard’s Dining Hall Workers, of the UNITE HERE Local 26 union, have been participating in a historic strike to protest cuts to their health coverage and to demand a living wage.

For over two weeks now, Harvard’s Dining Hall Workers, of the UNITE HERE Local 26 union, have been participating in a historic strike to protest cuts to their health coverage and to demand a living wage.
By Maya Dusenbery • 9 years ago

Walmart fires worker for becoming pregnant

For years, Walmart has taken heat–in the courts and the streets– for gender discrimination, sexual harassment, and a generally shitty record on worker rights. In the spring, the company made a half-assed attempt to be less awful by changing their policy to say pregnant workers may be eligible for a “reasonable accommodation” if they have “a temporary disability caused by pregnancy.”

But former Walmart employee Candis Riggins was fired–and lost her home–thanks to her pregnancy. After Riggins landed in the hospital multiple times because she worked in maintenance and had to carry around toxic chemicals all day, she asked to be temporarily moved behind the cash register–a reasonable accommodation if I’ve ever ...

For years, Walmart has taken heat–in the courts and the streets– for gender discrimination, sexual harassment, and a generally shitty record on worker rights. In the ...
By Maya Dusenbery • 9 years ago

Photo of the Day: When 90 percent of Iceland’s women went on strike in 1975

Happy May Day!

Originally sparked by the Haymarket Massacre of 1886, when police cracked down on peaceful protestors rallying for an eight-hour work day in Chicago, International Workers’ Day has enjoyed a bit of a revival in the last several years. In 2006, activists organized “a day without an immigrant,” and immigrants’ rights actions have been a big focus of the day ever since. A couple years ago, Occupy activists attempted a (rather unsuccessful) nationwide general strike.

In honor of May Day — and as inspiration for future striking dreams — here’s an image from the feminist archives of one the more successful general strikes in history. On October 24 1975, Iceland’s women refused to do any work ...

Happy May Day!

Originally sparked by the Haymarket Massacre of 1886, when police cracked down on peaceful protestors rallying for an eight-hour work day in Chicago, International Workers’ Day has enjoyed a bit of a revival in the last ...
By Katie Halper • 10 years ago

Infographics: Happy Belated Labor Day

You may have noticed our (relative) absence yesterday. That’s because it was Labor Day, which we observed by not blogging (too much). But we want to wish everyone a Happy Belated Labor Day! These infographics represent some issues we should be thinking about not just on Labor Day, but all year round. Because labor and exploitation effects everyone. Like (and these are obviously intersecting groups)…

WOMEN


WOMEN OF COLOR

You may have noticed our (relative) absence yesterday. That’s because it was Labor Day, which we observed by not blogging (too much). But we want to wish everyone a Happy Belated Labor Day! These infographics represent ...
By Verónica Bayetti Flores • 10 years ago

Fast food workers across the nation strike for better wages

This week, fast food workers around the country have been holding strikes and demanding a living wage:

What began in Manhattan eight months ago first spread to Chicago and Washington and this week has hit St. Louis, Kansas City, Detroit and Flint, Mich. On Wednesday alone, workers picketed McDonald’s, Taco Bell, Popeye’s and Long John Silver’s restaurants in those cities with an ambitious agenda: pay of $15 an hour, twice what many now earn.

And while the stereotype of a fast food worker tends to be a teenager, two thirds of these workers are in fact adult women, and they’re disproportionately women of color – many of whom have children and other family to support:

One Taco Bell worker, ...

This week, fast food workers around the country have been holding strikes and demanding a living wage:

What began in Manhattan eight months ago first spread to Chicago and Washington and this week has hit St. Louis, ...
By Sesali B. • 10 years ago

Grocery store worker sues employer for death of newborn

Like many women, Reyna García had to work during her pregnancy. She submitted 3 doctor’s notes explaining her need to have a lighter work load due to her high risk pregnancy; all three of them were ignored. Then, in November, after experiencing pain, her request to leave work was denied. According to the complaint:

“García, a general merchandise manager at the Atascadero store, asked to leave work while in pain one day last November. But her request was turned down, and she continued heavy lifting at the store. She went into labor that night, rushed to the hospital and found out that her baby was losing fluid and sustaining brain damage, she says.

García gave birth two days later to a ...

Like many women, Reyna García had to work during her pregnancy. She submitted 3 doctor’s notes explaining her need to have a lighter work load due to her high risk pregnancy; all three of them were ignored. Then, ...

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