Accessibility links
labor union labor union
Stories About

labor union

UNITE HERE canvasser Wernel Martinez crosses a street in the Philadelphia suburb of Norristown after a long day of knocking on doors of voters.

UNITE HERE canvasser Wernel Martinez crosses a street in the Philadelphia suburb of Norristown after a long day of knocking on voters' doors. Andrea Hsu/NPR hide caption

toggle caption
Andrea Hsu/NPR

Business

Union workers could decide this election — and their unions know it

With much at stake on Election Day, labor unions have deployed canvassers to knock on doors in swing states. With polling tight, the focus is on turning out the vote.

UNION CANVASSING PUSH

Listen · 3:24
Transcript
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/nx-s1-5170308/nx-s1-5241454-1" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript
UAW strike at Daimler Truck averted at 11th hour

Union workers at Daimler Truck who make Freightliner and Western Star trucks and Thomas Built buses in North Carolina won significant raises and cost of living allowances. Karen Bleier/AFP via Getty Images hide caption

toggle caption
Karen Bleier/AFP via Getty Images

Business

UAW strike at Daimler Truck averted at 11th hour

More than 7,000 Daimler Truck workers, most of them in North Carolina, had threatened to go on strike. The UAW says the workers will get raises of at least 25% plus cost of living allowances.

Before the holiday season, workers at America's busiest ports are fighting the robots

Dockworkers Rebecca Schlarb, Yvette Bjazevic and Jimmy Monti. Philip Cheung for NPR hide caption

toggle caption
Philip Cheung for NPR

Business

Before the holiday season, workers at America's busiest ports are fighting the robots

As the shipping industry pushes for more automation at West Coast ports, the powerful union representing dockworkers is fighting back, saying robots will only kill good American jobs.

Before the holiday season, workers at America's busiest ports are fighting the robots

Listen · 7:09
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/1121243540/1121737952" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
Retired labor leader says his former union must think outside the box to save jobs

James "Spinner" Spinosa followed his uncles to the Los Angeles waterfront in 1969. He served in various leadership positions in the International Longshore and Warehouse Union, including as international president. Philip Cheung for NPR hide caption

toggle caption
Philip Cheung for NPR

Business

Retired labor leader says his former union must think outside the box to save jobs

James Spinosa led the West Coast dockworkers union through tumultuous shifts to new technologies over decades. With the shipping industry now pushing for more automation, he reflects on what's ahead.

Browse archive or search npr.org