Cornell University dining, custodial, and maintenance staff went on strike in August. After ten days on strike, Cornell and the United Auto Workers reached an agreement that increases wages 21 to 25 percent over four years. The new contract also eliminates tiers and adds longevity bonuses.
Dallas Black Dance Theatre dancers have been fired after recently organizing for union representation. The company’s 14 dancers voted in favor of representation by the American Guild of Musical Artists in May. Since that time, the company has refused to replace four departing dancers, increasing the workload for remaining dancers. The dancers were also barred from teaching at the DBDT academy. The dancers were fired in August, supposedly because of a video they posted on Instagram, and shortly thereafter the company called for auditions for scabs. The dancers had sought union representation to improve both pay and working conditions. The company had regulated their appearance, including hairstyles, and the dance studio has insect infestations and unpredictable heating and cooling.
The National Labor Relations Board has denied Amazon‘s appeal to overturn an election. In 2022 workers at the Staten Island Amazon warehouse had voted to be represented by a union, and Amazon had appealed an earlier decision by a federal labor official denying an overturn of the election.
10,000 hotel workers at Hilton, Hyatt, and Marriott chains conducted a rolling strike on Labor Day weekend. They have been fighting for better pay, better health insurance, and consistent hours and reasonable workloads. They are also demanding automatic housekeeping and joint contract expiration dates. Hotel chains had used the pandemic as an excuse for service cuts and understaffing, and many continue to encourage guests to opt out of daily cleaning, enabling them to reduce staffing and overwork the remaining staff.