News & Updates from across the RWDSU…
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Today, the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union (RWDSU) announced the ratification of a first union contract at the Bloomington, Illinois Barnes & Noble store. The union, which also represents three New York City Barnes & Noble Inc. stores, including the flagship in Union Square, Manhattan, raised the standard for safety, wages, and healthcare for their newest union members across the board. This announcement comes just days after the union announced the historic ratification of first union contracts for any Barnes & Noble workers in the nation at the three New York City stores, which collectively covered over 200 workers.
RWDSU members at six Guitar Center locations recently ratified a new three-year agreement! Importantly for sales associates and repair technicians, the contract maintains the current commission structure – unlike the non-union Guitar Center stores, where commission payouts have been slashed across the company. That’s the union difference!
A new three-year contract at Aperion Health Care in New Rochelle, Illinois, brings the Local 578 members there four percent annual wage increases and increases the starting minimum wage for new hires to $15 per hour. Two new paid holidays – members’ birthdays and a personal day - have been implemented. And there were numerous language improvements, including discrimination protection, reduced probation period from 90 to 60 days, Paid Time Off eligibility from the first year of employment, improvements in grievance procedure and funeral leave pay, higher uniform allowance and improved successorship language.
The RWDSU Chicago Joint Board last week conducted a Shop Stewards training to help members build skills that will allow them to assist fellow employees and ensure the union contract is followed in their workplace. Chicago Joint Board President Lisa Russel and Treasurer Ryan McIntyre led the event. Steward trainings not only impart valuable skills, but provide an opportunity for RWDSU members from different shops to build worker solidarity and discuss common issues they face.
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