Last week, Democrats, led by Sens. Elizabeth Warren (D, MA), Patty Murray (D, WA) and Chris Murphy (D, CT) and Reps. Rosa DeLauro (D, CT) and Bobby Scott (D, VA), introduced a bill, the Schedules That Work Act, which would push employers in fields with known scheduling abuses to create predictable and stable schedules and would protect workers who ask for schedule changes. Under the legislation, workers in fields with a record of scheduling abuses—such as food service, retail and cleaning—would get their work schedules two weeks in advance and workers would receive additional pay for being put on call without any guarantee of work, being scheduled for a split shift, if they report to work and are sent home early, or they receive schedule changes without at least 24-hour notice. Employers would be required to consider and respond to all schedule requests and grant those requests based on health, care for children or the elderly, a second job, continuing education, or job training, unless there is a legitimate business reason not to do so. Among those speaking at the event was UFCW Local 400 Executive Board member Paul Rickey, from Safeway in Falls Church. “Thanks to a strong collective bargaining contract, throughout the years Paul has been able to both advance his career and be there for his family when they needed him most,” said UFCW president Marc Perrone. - Kenneth Quinnell, AFL-CIO Now; photo (l-r): Perrone, Warren & Rickey The Supreme Court of Zimbabwe upheld a decision recently stating that companies can now terminate workers’ contracts at any time, without offering them layoff benefits, by giving them three months’ notice. The Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) is vowing to hold street protests until the government takes action to address the ruling, an anti-worker judicial action that ZCTU says destroys the gains "achieved over the past 35 years." Read more at the Solidarity Center. Homeward-bound commuters in Langley, Virginia Thursday afternoon were greeted by hundreds of protestors outside CIA headquarters, many of them sporting American flags and other patriotic garb. The demonstration was organized by Operating Engineers Local 99, which is trying to reach a contract agreement with AECOM, a subcontractor at the agency. “Look, we love our country and we love working at the agency, but we feel disrespected,” said Robert Poe, an electrical specialist and Local 99 shop steward, wearing a t-shirt with “USA” emblazoned on across his chest. “Here we have a company that’s violating labor laws, and is trying to slash costs on our backs.” Read more below. - report/photo by Chris Garlock; more photos here Operating Engineers Local 99 and its supporters will rally in front of the CIA this afternoon. Frustrated members authorized a strike after bargaining with AECOM stalled recently and the rally – which starts at 2:30pm at Langley Fork Park in McLean -- is intended to help them settle a fair contract and avoid a strike. “The workers at the site have received only one raise in five years and now AECOM is seeking huge concessions,” reports Local 99. Local 99 represents 3500 skilled men and women running HVAC systems, boilers, chillers and electrical systems in office buildings, hotels, government sites, universities and hospitals throughout the Washington metropolitan area.
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