Wage and Hour Division’s Post

Labor and Labor Supply Chains in 90 Seconds -- Saying the quiet part out loud: In procurement, non-union labor in the industrial supply chain is nearly always a “plus” when it comes to selecting suppliers even inside companies which present a labor friendly face. -- The industrial labor movement was originally essential to give workers a voice during a time of miserable conditions from mining to factory production. George Orwell’s “The Road to Wigan Pier” and Upton Sinclair’s “The Jungle” are still mesmerizing reads and history lessons that I flip the pages of frequently. Start here to learn about the conditions that led to unionization. -- Today, unions are not necessary anymore for high wages and safety (in industrial settings) in North America. In fact, those who do not join a union in a for-profit setting in a given industry such as steel (e.g., Nucor vs. US Steel) often make more money and enjoy higher occupational safety standards than workers at their union counterparts. The irony is that over three-quarters of those recently surveyed in the US believe “unions have a positive effect on safety, pay, hours, job security, and benefits for workers.” -- The US government, among others, is getting better at intercepting shipments produced through forced and child labor (as well as those facing religious discrimination) thanks to new supply chain risk and customs/compliance capability. In 2022, The US Customs and Border Patrol detained approximately 2,000 shipments worth an estimated $358 million for suspected forced labor. For shipments originating from certain geographies, the customs and border interception rate for goods topped 40% according to a friend who works in this area -- a huge improvement over past years. -- People tend to care more about labor and working conditions for workers the closer (in proximity) they are. #labor #laborday #supplychains #procurement

B.C. port workers vote to reject mediated agreement. This is the second time the longshore workers' union has rejected a deal in the B.C. port strike. Port workers in #BritishColumbia have voted to reject a mediated contract offer, extending job action that prevented billions in goods from moving for almost two weeks earlier this month. In a letter posted on the union's website, International Longshore and Warehouse Union Canada #ILWU President Rob Ashton says workers are now calling on their employers to "come to the table'' and negotiate directly, instead of doing so through the BC Maritime Employers Association (BCMEA). In a statement, the #BCMEA says it is disappointed the four-year tentative agreement was rejected, calling it a, "good deal that recognized the skills and efforts of B.C.'s waterfront workforce while providing certainty and stability for the future of Canada's West Coast ports." The rejection raises the prospect of back-to-work legislation to end the uncertainty at more than 30 port terminals and other sites, including Canada's largest port in Vancouver. The four-year agreement between the union and maritime employers went to a vote of about 7,400 workers on Thursday and Friday, after union leaders presented the deal to local chapters on Tuesday. #portworkers #shipping #ports #Vancouver #WestCoast #union #export #import https://lnkd.in/gP54nFjF

In lieu of the upcoming annual wage review, the Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU) and Australian Chamber of Commerce & Industry (ACCI)'s submissions to increase minimum wages are operating in rigid dichotomy, with one side labelling the other as "irresponsible, unaffordable", and risky. #cranes #craneoperators #liftingindustry #liftingequipment #liftingoperations #liftingsolutions #constructionindustry #miningindustry #infrastructure #heavymachinery #heavyequipment #finance #business #businessowner #smallbusinessowner

Unite the union: Winning for members 💪 Unite seals hefty pay rise for north east National Express drivers Drivers set to receive nearly 19.6% pay increase thanks to trade union action. Drivers working for National Express in the north east of England are set to receive a significant pay increase of 19.6% over the next two years. Following prolonged negotiations between the union and the employer, including the threat of industrial action when negotiations stalled, workers will be benefitting from an increased pay-packet. Drivers will receive an over 10% pay rise back-dated to July 2023 and then further rises in July of this year and January 2025 bringing the total increase to 19.6% over two years until the next anniversary in July 2025. Unite general secretary Sharon Graham: 💬 National Express LTD drivers in the north east are rightly celebrating this hefty pay rise that they, and Unite, worked hard to obtain. This proves once again that Unite is the winning union and the power that collective bargaining brings to workers. #nationalexpress #joinaunion #unitetheunion #jobspayconditions ⤵

Business News. Nigeria unions suspend strike after wage offer Nigeria’s trade unions have suspended a general strike by workers that has brought economic activity to a halt this week. https://lnkd.in/d4e44zz5 On New Minimum Wage, Tinubu Directs Edun to Come Up With Cost Implications in 48 Hours President Bola Tinubu on Tuesday directed the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister for the Economy, Mr Wale Edun, to, within two days, come up with the cost implications of an affordable, sustainable and realistic new minimum wage for Nigerian workers. https://lnkd.in/dzibAhH8 UK lifts Nigeria’s manufacturing sector with $17m The UK-funded Manufacturing Africa programme has scored a significant win for Nigeria’s clean energy sector. Three companies in the programme’s portfolio—Arnergy, Koolboks, and BURN Manufacturing have collectively secured $17million in Foreign Direct Investment... https://lnkd.in/dyBS8Kb5 Sell crude to Dangote refinery, FG directs IOCs The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission has said it would mandate international oil companies to supply crude oil to Dangote oil refinery. https://lnkd.in/dJ9uN7zW Tax Committee Proposes 1 Per Cent Revenue Collection Fees The Presidential Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms Committee (PFPTRC) has proposed a one per cent tax collection fees by firms and consultants who collect taxes on behalf of the government. https://lnkd.in/dyAwgT4G Damilola Hassan Lydia Amobi-Offor Ola Belgore ACIArb Michael Abiodun Thomas

Could the current row between the Dubai-owned stevedore, DP World, and the Maritime Union of Australia, see a repeat of the 1998 waterfront dispute? Could it reignite inflation and cause the Reserve Bank to continue lifting interest rates? These are questions that are being pondered because of disruptions at DP World's port terminals in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Fremantle. A key element of the dispute between the Maritime Union of Australia and DP World is about pay. The Fair Work Commission ruled that workers at DP World, could stop work at its Sydney, Brisbane and Fremantle terminals. The MUA withdrew some work bans to prevent DP World from responding with lockouts at port terminals around the country. It backed down from plans for eight hour delays and bans on certain shipping lines but said it will go ahead with lower-level stoppages including two-hour pauses on work. The MUA is asking for a 16 per cent pay rise for more than 1,500 workers over two years, which it says is still below the rate paid by bigger rival Patrick. DP World is also considering the union's request for back pay, it wants a rise of 27 per cent over two years. But if the work stoppages persist and again escalate, experts warn of dire consequences.

New Post: B.C. port dispute: Workers hold union vote to determine fate of deal 
 A union vote among British Columbia port workers is underway to determine the fate of a deal with employers that could bring their long-running industrial dispute to an end. 
 The International Longshore and Warehouse Union Canada is holding its vote from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. today and tomorrow to decide whether to ratify the agreement recommended by negotiators. 
 Rejection would raise the prospect of more federal involvement in the case, with the Canada Industrial Relations Board directed to impose a deal or binding arbitration on both sides if a negotiated resolution can't be reached. 
 The dispute shut down more than 30 port terminals and other sites for 13 days in July. 
 Labour lawyer Don Eady says workers in Canada across multiple sectors are facing the dual threat of wage increases not keeping up with inflation, as well as the erosion of jobs caused by automation and the use of contractors. 
 Eady, who is a partner at Toronto-based firm Paliare Roland, says port workers have to decide if the language in the new deal addresses those issues adequately for members, and it is within their legal rights to reject the agreement because it is ultimately another step toward a settlement under the collective bargaining system. David Shawn

Ensuring wage compliance is crucial for employers. Here's a quick read that highlights the five red flags of wage noncompliance that organizations should be aware of.