A Project of the High Road Strategy Center
In June this year, workers at the Pabst Theater Group (PTG) in Milwaukee voted overwhelmingly to unionize (with 34 voting for the union and just 2 votes against). PTG runs five entertainment venues in Milwaukee, including two of downtown Milwaukee’s most important venues: The Pabst Theater and The Riverside. The union vote came after a …
In January 2022, quality assurance workers at Middleton-based Raven Software began the process of forming a union. Raven Software creates video games under Activision Blizzard, including the Call of Duty franchise. Raven’s parent company, Activision Blizzard, has faced scrutiny for workplace discrimination and sexual harassment. At Raven, 12 unexpected layoffs in early December prompted a …
The national movement organizing union representation for Starbucks workers came to Wisconsin this year. By June, four Starbucks locations – Oak Creek, Plover, Appleton and one in Madison – voted yes on unionization. Across these locations, workers’ concerns included low pay, inadequate hours, poor COVID-19 safety precautions, and lack of benefits. A letter from the …
In late August, nurses at UW Health voted to support a three day walkout set for mid-September. The nurses’ campaign for a union began in 2019. The nurses have asked for voluntary recognition by demonstrating support of more than 1,500 nurses, arguing that recognition is possible (and the state Attorney General concurs). Management has not …
Wisconsin’s economic recovery from COVID-19 continued in December with the state adding 6,300 jobs. We have come a long way out of the massive jobs hole created in March 2020. Job growth has not been steady and consistent, so it is good to see these additional jobs. Even so, the state has 3.3% fewer jobs …
When we interviewed Lisa last summer, her work in a nursing home put her at the center of the stress and fatality of the pandemic. She was working increased hours with inadequate protection and with the intense additional emotional burden of being the only contact of residents during the lockdown. Unfortunately, when we checked in …
When we interviewed Mariah last summer, she shared how stressful it was to work in healthcare, from PPE shortages to the threat of disease transmission to at-risk family members. Understaffed & Overworked In the last year, her physical and mental health concerns have compounded as a result of understaffing. She’s concerned about the impact on …
When we interviewed Troy last summer, he had been laid off from all three of his jobs, and COVID-19 was dramatically changing his kids’ lives. A lot has changed since then at home and at work for Troy. He credits his union for much of the good news. Responsibilities Skyrocket Family responsibilities skyrocketed last year, …
COVID-19 shuttered the economy in March 2020. Jobs plummeted. Unemployment skyrocketed. The recovery has been uneven. Key data below show how we are doing (all relative to February 2020). In part one of four, we’re discussing the jobs outlook for working people this Labor Day: how many we have, who has them, and who doesn’t. …