One year ago this month, the New England Joint Board of UNITE HERE won the right to represent dealers at MGM Springfield. As of today, however, the NEJB and MGM are not any closer to an agreement for a simple reason. MGM declines to recognize the election the National Labor Relations Board held, certified and has upheld through its regional office twice.
On Monday, Springfield city councilors will consider a negotiated contract with the Springfield Police Supervisors Association (SPSA)—a contrast from the terms a state panel imposed last year. The new pact ostensibly addresses inadequacies both city officials and the supervisors had identified in the arbitration award.
After years of stuff reductions, farming out of printing to Springfield, and closure of its physical newsroom, staff at the Hartford Courant have received some good news of their own. The Courant Guild secured a contract with Tribune’s owner, Alden Global Capital, that will guarantee raises and retirement benefits.
A touch under 300 employees at MGM Springfield have voted to join a union in an election the National Labor Relations Board held last week. The results from 247 poker and table game employees out of 282 eligible employees in the bargaining unit considerably expands the number of MGM employees with union representation.
UPDATED: The final vote was 130-117 in favor of a union.
Table game and poker dealers at MGM Springfield are about to play a very different hand this weekend. About 277 workers at the Springfield casino can vote over the weekend on whether to organize under the New England Joint Board of UNITE-HERE.
UPDATED
The Springfield Police Supervisors Association’s pact with the city is due for another appearance Monday at the City Council. The body had sent it to committee as some councilors ostensibly sought to broaden the window to charge misconduct. However, the referral to committee keeps it off the Council floor pending action by the General Government Committee.
The Springfield City Council will consider a labor contract at its meeting on Monday. However, unlike most union pacts, the administration did not technically agree to it. Rather, it was imposed on the city and union under interest arbitration, a means to settle labor contract
BOSTON—The collapse of talks between the Association of Motion Picture & Television Producers and the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television & Radio Artists may seem distant. But on Wednesday, SAG-AFTRA members in the New England unit rallied here for better pay and for protection from studios seizing their likenesses via AI.
SPRINGFIELD—When ride-hailing companies like Uber and Lyft began pushing a ballot question to keep employees classified as contractors, the strategy was not exotic to AG candidate Shannon Liss-Riordan. Yet, for years the companies had reminded her of something exotic—dancing, that is.
A local battle in the crackling labor movement within journalism came to a close on Monday. The Pioneer Valley NewsGuild, which represents employees at the Daily Hampshire Gazette, announced their members had unanimously ratified an agreement with the paper.