Tag Archives: Labor Issues

Striking New York Times tech workers made their own versions of Wordle and Connections

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The New York Times Tech Guild asked the publication's readers not to play its games, including Wordle and Connections, in solidarity when it announced that it was going on strike on November 4. Now, the guild has released its own versions of the The Times' games so that readers can still play without crossing its digital picket line. Of course, the workers' versions won't be able to keep your Wordle streak running, but they're pretty much the same games you've been playing on the publication's website. 

The guild is made up of over 600 unionized tech workers that include software engineers, product managers, data analysts and designers — the people behind the publication's games, as well as The Times' Cooking app. In the guild's GoFundMe for the strike, it said it's been bargaining for its first contract over the past two years, but the The Times' management "dragged its feet" and even allegedly committed unfair labor practices by implementing return-to-office mandates without bargaining and trying to intimidate members who were going on strike. 

The guild explained that it's pushing for The Times to address racial disparities in its workers' pay and to ensure real job security. Apparently, the publication's management had fired someone days before a major brain surgery in the past and had used performance review plans as a pretense to fire employees. The guild is also accusing management of disproportionately targeting women and POCs with its "arbitrary disciplinary process."

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/general/nyt-tech-workers-on-strike-made-their-own-versions-of-wordle-and-connections-130047922.html?src=rss

Rideshare drivers in Massachusetts can unionize without being full-time employees

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Massachusetts has passed a statewide ballot initiative that gives rideshare drivers the opportunity to unionize while remaining independent contractors. The initiative was brought forward by the Service Employees International Union and the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers. It passed with a narrow margin of about 54 percent of the vote.

The measure will allow the state's 70,000 rideshare drivers to form unions and leverage collective bargaining power, which is not permitted for independent contractors under the National Labor Relations Act. These workers can unionize if they receive signatures from at least 25 percent of active drivers in Massachusetts. The initiative also creates a hearing process so that drivers for companies such as Lyft and Uber can bring complaints about unfair work practices to a state board. However, the ballot initiative does not contain language about strike protections. It also does not extend to food delivery drivers.

Uber and Lyft did not actively campaign against the Massachusetts measure, but they have raised concerns about the specific language. Some labor advocates also opposed the initiative, cautioning that it could hamper efforts for rideshare drivers to win recognition as full-time employees. "We're not against unionization," Kelly Cobb-Lemire, an organizer with Massachusetts Drivers United, told The New York Times. "But we don't feel this goes far enough."

Independent contractors often are not protected by federal or state labor laws because they aren't full-time employees. The Massachusetts ballot measure could create a precedent for other states to offer unionization options for gig workers. California has been a battleground for labor protections for gig workers who drive for Uber and Lyft for several years. Most recently, a court allowed California drivers to retain independent contractor status.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/rideshare-drivers-in-massachusetts-can-unionize-without-being-full-time-employees-212202426.html?src=rss

NLRB accuses Grindr of using a return-to-office mandate to upend a unionization drive

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The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) has filed a complaint against Grindr. According to Bloomberg, the agency alleges that a return-to-office (RTO) mandate that limited remote work and effectively meant a relocation requirement for many workers was an attempt to fend off a unionization drive. Around 80 of Grindr's 178 employees quit as a result of last year's RTO demand, according to the Communications Workers of America (CWA).

The NLRB's general counsel office has accused Grindr of violating labor law by retaliating against workers who were attempting to organize. Per Bloomberg, the agency additionally claims the company refused to recognize the union or to negotiate with it in good faith, which would also be a violation of labor law.

A Grindr spokesperson told the publication that the claims were "meritless." They added that some employees started signing union cards "only after it was known that the transition back to in-office work was underway."

According to the CWA, the company announced on August 4 last year that workers would have to attend its offices at least two days a week. A supermajority of workers announced their unionization in July. The union claims that, by the end of August, around half of the staff had been forced to resign. This, in part, was said to a result of relocation requirements. 

Among other issues, having to relocate would have required some of Grindr's trans employees to find alternate healthcare providers, the union has said. "The RTO mandate gave workers two weeks to choose between ending their tenure at Grindr or relocating to their respective team’s newly assigned 'hub' city to work in-person twice a week," the CWA said when it filed an Unfair Labor Practice against Grindr in September 2023. As CNN noted, many of the workers who had been hired remotely were suddenly required to report to a Grindr office in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco or Washington DC. 

This is hardly the first time Grindr has been in hot water lately. Earlier this year, the company was sued for allegedly sharing personal information — including HIV statuses and test dates, ethnicity and sexual orientation — with advertising companies without users' consent.

In a statement sent to Engadget, Grindr United-CWA called today's complaint "another huge victory" for the union. The full statement follows:

Today’s complaint from the NLRB is another huge victory for our union. After management instated a retaliatory relocation policy just days after we went public about our organizing efforts, more than half of our colleagues were either forced to relocate to a “hub” to work in person, or leave the company with a severance in exchange for our silence.

When we filed an unfair labor practice charge with the NLRB last year, we collectively held Grindr accountable in protecting workers’ rights and our right to form a union. That’s why we formed Grindr-United: to ensure collaboration and a seat at the bargaining table.

We hope this NLRB filing sends a clear message to Grindr that, with a union, we are committed to negotiating fair working conditions in good faith. As we continue to build and expand worker power at Grindr, this win in our favor is a positive step toward ensuring that Grindr remains a safe, inclusive, and thriving place for users and workers alike. 

Update, November 4, 5:40PM ET: This story was updated after publish to include a statement from Grindr United-CWA.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/nlrb-accuses-grindr-of-using-a-return-to-office-mandate-to-upend-a-unionization-drive-211507122.html?src=rss

SAG-AFTRA strikes against League of Legends over voiceover company actions

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SAG-AFTRA has called a strike against the video game League of Legends. Under this action, any union voice actors must cease working on the popular MOBA from Riot Games. The union said it has also filed a charge of unfair labor practice against Formosa Interactive, which provides voiceover services for League, with the National Labor Relations Board.

Formosa Interactive was one of several high-profile video game companies named in a strike by voice acting talent earlier this year. SAG-AFTRA is working to negotiate with those developers for protections against AI replicas of its members, including those who perform in games.

Today, the union alleged that Formosa attempted to “cancel” a game that was included in the strike. "When they were told that was not possible, they secretly transferred the game to a shell company and sent out casting notices for “non-union” talent only," according to the press statement. "SAG-AFTRA charges that these serious actions are egregious violations of core tenets of labor law – that employers cannot interfere with performers’ rights to form or join a union and they cannot discriminate against union performers."

League of Legends is just one of the titles where Formosa Interactive provides services. In addition to voiceover work, Formosa Interactive also offers services such as facial capture, sound design and mixing. It has credits on games including God of War Ragnarok, Apex Legends, Genshin Impact, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Microsoft Flight Simulator.

Riot Games has issued the following statement about the strike: "League of Legends has nothing to do with the complaint mentioned in SAG-AFTRA’s press release. We want to be clear: Since becoming a union project five years ago, League of Legends has only asked Formosa to engage with Union performers in the US and has never once suggested doing otherwise. In addition, we’ve never asked Formosa to cancel a game that we’ve registered. All of the allegations in SAG-AFTRA’s press release relating to canceling a game or hiring non-union talent relate to a non-Riot game, and have nothing to do with League or any of our games."

Update, September 24, 2024, 5:47PM ET: Updated to include statement from Riot Games.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/sag-aftra-strikes-against-league-of-legends-over-voiceover-company-actions-212839780.html?src=rss

SAG-AFTRA strikes against League of Legends over voiceover company actions

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SAG-AFTRA has called a strike against the video game League of Legends. Under this action, any union voice actors must cease working on the popular MOBA from Riot Games. The union said it has also filed a charge of unfair labor practice against Formosa Interactive, which provides voiceover services for League, with the National Labor Relations Board.

Formosa Interactive was one of several high-profile video game companies named in a strike by voice acting talent earlier this year. SAG-AFTRA is working to negotiate with those developers for protections against AI replicas of its members, including those who perform in games.

Today, the union alleged that Formosa attempted to “cancel” a game that was included in the strike. "When they were told that was not possible, they secretly transferred the game to a shell company and sent out casting notices for “non-union” talent only," according to the press statement. "SAG-AFTRA charges that these serious actions are egregious violations of core tenets of labor law – that employers cannot interfere with performers’ rights to form or join a union and they cannot discriminate against union performers."

League of Legends is just one of the titles where Formosa Interactive provides services. In addition to voiceover work, Formosa Interactive also offers services such as facial capture, sound design and mixing. It has credits on games including God of War Ragnarok, Apex Legends, Genshin Impact, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Microsoft Flight Simulator.

Riot Games has issued the following statement about the strike: "League of Legends has nothing to do with the complaint mentioned in SAG-AFTRA’s press release. We want to be clear: Since becoming a union project five years ago, League of Legends has only asked Formosa to engage with Union performers in the US and has never once suggested doing otherwise. In addition, we’ve never asked Formosa to cancel a game that we’ve registered. All of the allegations in SAG-AFTRA’s press release relating to canceling a game or hiring non-union talent relate to a non-Riot game, and have nothing to do with League or any of our games."

Update, September 24, 2024, 5:47PM ET: Updated to include statement from Riot Games.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/sag-aftra-strikes-against-league-of-legends-over-voiceover-company-actions-212839780.html?src=rss

Hundreds of Amazon drivers in NYC join the Teamsters union

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Hundreds of Amazon drivers in New York City have joined the Teamsters union in the hope of obtaining better pay and working conditions. The union says a majority of drivers at each of three delivery service partners (DSPs) working out of a Queens warehouse have signed authorization cards.

According to a Teamsters press release, the drivers have been organizing for a year to secure fair pay, consistent schedules, reasonable workloads and proper pay maintained trucks. They walked off the job last December as part of a nationwide protest against Amazon’s alleged unfair labor practices and union-busting efforts.

At least on paper, joining the union should give the drivers more leverage as they push Amazon for better working conditions. But that doesn’t necessarily mean the company will play ball. The Amazon Labor Union, one of the first major successful organization efforts within the company in the US, has yet to secure a union contract, two years after forming. The group became a Teamsters affiliate this summer.

However, the union has found some success on behalf of Amazon workers. Last month, a regional National Labor Relations Board director determined that Amazon is a joint employer of some third-party drivers in Palmdale, California. The Teamsters hope that finding will set a precedent for the rest for DSP drivers elsewhere. The Queens drivers are the first Amazon workers to organize with the Teamsters following that decision.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/hundreds-of-amazon-drivers-in-nyc-join-the-teamsters-union-202758685.html?src=rss

An Apple Store in Oklahoma City is close to approving an union agreement for its workers

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Talks between Apple and the union for the Apple Store in Oklahoma City have produced a tentative agreement that includes new benefits and protections for its staff. The Penn Square Mall Apple Store in Oklahoma City announced they’ve reached a “tentative labor agreement” with Apple and the Communication Workers of America (CWA), according to a released statement.

Terms are still being negotiated between both parties but the benefits for the store’s employees would be significant. The three-year agreement reached between the CWA and Apple would give employees a wage increase of up to 11.5 percent. An Apple spokesperson said by email that if the contract is ratified, employees would receive a 4 percent raise in the first year of employment and 3 percent in the second and third year each “based on employee performance.”

The agreement would also offer employees guaranteed paid time off and health and other benefits, allow employees to have a say in scheduling and the establishment of a “safer and more democratic workplace” through a grievance submission process with committees overseeing safety, health and working relations. An Apple spokesperson also noted the scheduling options “were provided to all other US stores in 2022.”

The Oklahoma City Apple Store had been working to form a union since 2022, becoming the second Apple Store in the US to unionize. Employees passed a strike authorization vote in August that passed with unanimous support and started a picket in front of the store ahead of bargaining sessions in early September. Workers will vote to ratify the tentative agreement on September 22.

CWA District 6 Vice President Derrick Osobase called the agreement achievement “a historic day for our members who have now secured a contract at the world’s most profitable company.”

The Apple Store in the Towson Town Center in Towson, Maryland became the first location to unionize. Members approved the union in 2022 with the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM). A store in the Cumberland Mall in Atlanta, Georgia tried to form a union in 2022 with the CWA but workers called it off accusing Apple of committing “repeated violations of the National Labor Relations Act.”

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/an-apple-store-in-oklahoma-city-is-close-to-approving-an-union-agreement-for-its-workers-222605021.html?src=rss

Microsoft and Activision Blizzard accused of ‘bad faith bargaining’ by Raven Software union workers

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Raven Software’s union — the first of its kind in the gaming industry — has hit another snag negotiating its collective bargaining agreement with Microsoft and Activision Blizzard, games journalist Stephen Totilo reported in his Game File newsletter. The union has filed an unfair labor practice complaint with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), alleging chiefly that their employer refuses to bargain, or is not bargaining in good faith. The Raven workers succeeded in their union drive, joining the Communications Workers of America (CWA), over two years ago.

The full complaints have not been made available to the public as of Wednesday. We also reached out to Microsoft and Activision Blizzard for a comment on the complaint but did not receive a response as of presstime.

CWA president Claude Cummings Jr. released a statement following the unfair labor practice charges. He urged Microsoft to follow through on its agreement to respect the rights of the Raven Software workers’ union efforts.

“After Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard, our members were optimistic that they would progress quickly to a first contract at Raven Software,” Cummings wrote. “Unfortunately, that has not happened. We encourage Microsoft to address the concerns raised in the unfair labor practice charge and make reaching a fair agreement a priority.”

An NLRB investigation revealed Activision Blizzard withheld raises from Raven’s workers following a separate unfair labor practice charge. The complaint filed by the CWA on behalf of workers in 2022 also accused the game publisher of retaliating against workers attempting to form a union by laying off staff members and moving QA workers to separate teams.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/microsoft-and-activision-blizzard-accused-of-bad-faith-bargaining-by-raven-software-union-workers-183040645.html?src=rss

Apple has reached a contract agreement with unionized US retail employees for the first time

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Apple and the unionized employees at its Towson, Maryland retail store have reached a tentative agreement that could secure them better pay, job protections, scheduling improvements to support a work-life balance and a more transparent disciplinary process. The Towson location in 2022 became the first Apple Store in the country to unionize, and back in May, it voted to authorize a strike against the company after “unsatisfactory” negotiation outcomes.

The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers’ Coalition of Organized Retail Employees (IAM CORE) said it’s been negotiating with Apple since January 2023. Under the tentative three-year agreement they’ve now reached, workers would be given average raises of 10 percent over the life of the contract, and starting pay rates for most positions would go up. The agreement would also establish a severance clause. The union represents about 85 employees, who will get to vote on the agreement on August 6.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apple-has-reached-a-union-contract-with-us-retail-employees-for-the-first-time-212422613.html?src=rss

Apple has reached a contract agreement with unionized US retail employees for the first time

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Apple and the unionized employees at its Towson, Maryland retail store have reached a tentative agreement that could secure them better pay, job protections, scheduling improvements to support a work-life balance and a more transparent disciplinary process. The Towson location in 2022 became the first Apple Store in the country to unionize, and back in May, it voted to authorize a strike against the company after “unsatisfactory” negotiation outcomes.

The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers’ Coalition of Organized Retail Employees (IAM CORE) said it’s been negotiating with Apple since January 2023. Under the tentative three-year agreement they’ve now reached, workers would be given average raises of 10 percent over the life of the contract, and starting pay rates for most positions would go up. The agreement would also establish a severance clause. The union represents about 85 employees, who will get to vote on the agreement on August 6.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apple-has-reached-a-union-contract-with-us-retail-employees-for-the-first-time-212422613.html?src=rss