Labor News & Commentary September 11, 2024 Samsung workers continue a strike in India & more

https://onlabor.org/september-11-2024/

By Jacqueline Rayfield

Jacqueline Rayfield is a student at Harvard Law School.

In today’s News and Commentary, New York Times tech workers authorize a strike, labor organizers and Palestine activists work together on college campuses, and Samsung workers continue a strike in India.

Over 600 New York Times tech workers voted yesterday to authorize a strike. Contract negotiations between their union, the New York Times Tech Guild, and the newspaper management stalled over contract topics including wages, remote work policy, and just cause protection. The Guild represents the largest union of tech workers in the country and saw an 89% participation rate in Tuesday’s vote.

Across the country, student unions and Palestinian liberation activists have been working together on college campuses since the spring. Dartmouth union members and Palestinian activists describe their collaboration: “t’s the same people working for the same vision.” On Dartmouth’s campus, this collaboration launched both a student encampment and a general strike in tandem. Students hope that this model will spread to other schools and prepare for union negotiations and the ongoing struggle for Palestinian liberation in the new school year.

Unionized workers at Samsung Electric in India continue one of the largest strikes in the nation in recent years. As the strike enters its third day, union leaders insist that the strike will continue until Samsung meets key demands regarding wages and working conditions. The struck Samsung plant contributes over 20% of Samsung’s $12 billion revenue in India annually.