The federal government pays more than $100 million a year to employees who aren’t doing their actual government jobs, but rather working for unions representing government employees against management — with taxpayers essentially funding both sides of the bargaining table. 
For decades, the government has tracked and reported those figures, but the Biden administration has removed the reports.
Under the policy known as “official time,” hundreds of nominal government employees haven’t done anything but full-time union work in years, yet remain on the federal payroll. Not only is the policy expensive to taxpayers, but it also props up the power of unions by subsidizing their activities, giving them resources even if employees don’t support them enough to pay dues. Those unions fight against the firing of employees accused of misconduct, and advocate for policies that sometimes pit the interests of employees over the interests of taxpayers, such as resisting a return to in-person work.
The Office of Personnel Management has historically kept track of and published how the program is being used, including during the Obama administration. But the data has not been updated since 2019 — when the government shelled out for <a href="https://www.opm.gov/about-us/reports-publications/agency-reports/taxpayer-funded-union-time-fy-2019.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">2.6 million hours</a>, or nearly 300 years&#8217; worth, of employee time that was actually spent on union business.
The Biden administration has even been secretive about its secrecy. In December, The Daily Wire asked OPM why the page listing the reports was missing, along with all historical reports except 2019, which can only be located via the search function. A spokesperson said, “Previous reports on official time are not currently available because OPM is reorganizing our website to improve navigation and customer experience.&#8221;
But months later, they remain gone. OPM refused to answer the question of whether OPM was still collecting the statistics, why it hasn’t published reports for the years since 2019, and whether The Daily Wire could review those reports even if they aren’t housed online. 
A report by the <a href="https://www.freedomfoundation.com/labor/biden-administration-covering-up-taxpayer-funded-union-activities-in-the-federal-workforce/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Freedom Foundation</a> questioned the accuracy of OPM’s explanation, saying that the factual information detailing how taxpayer money was spent was taken down around July 2023, the same month that OPM added a “Worker Empowerment” page boasting that the administration supports “policies, practices, and programs that promote worker power, worker organizing, and collective bargaining.”
The think tank said there is a difference between supporting unions and hiding public data in service of an agenda. “Despite differing views on the policy’s merits, recent presidential administrations of both parties have made regular attempts to at least measure the use of official time across the federal workforce,” it said.
On Thursday, in honor of Sunshine Week—a celebration of government transparency—Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) introduced a bill requiring the reports to be reinstated, called the Taxpayer-Funded Union Time Transparency Act.  She said the bill requires agencies to publish detailed records about the cost and justification of taxpayer-funded union work.
“I’m dragging shady spending into the light and exposing abuse of our dollars. Public service should always be about benefiting taxpayers, not bureaucrats. From failing to return to the office to wasting time on the job, we cannot allow the Biden administration to disregard critical reporting requirements and transparency measures. Every cent of Iowans&#8217; hard-earned money should be serving them, not bargaining for more tele-‘work,’” she said in a statement.
Ernst obtained limited data from the Small Business Administration showing that at that agency, official time hours rose from 3,200 in fiscal year 2020 to nearly 4,000 in fiscal year 2023, suggesting that across the government, official time expenses could be at record highs.
In 2014, the Washington Examiner found more than <a href="https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/1939047/too-big-to-manage-taxpayers-fund-top-dollar-federal-employee-union-reps-through-official-time/">500 employees</a> who did no or almost no work for their actual government jobs, despite drawing a full-time salary from taxpayers, because of official time. That includes 271 employees on full-time union release with the Department of Veterans Affairs, and 201 from the IRS.
Then-Sen. Tom Coburn said “I just don’t think the federal taxpayers ought to be paying for that… That’s what union dues are for. What’s irksome to me is that we are paying someone to be a pharmacist or a nurse, but they’re not doing that. They’re doing union work.”

Federal Employees Hold Rally Calling For End Of Government Shutdown

Biden Hides Public Records Showing How Much Taxpayers Are Paying Unions

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Labor Unions

Office of Personnel Management

Transparency

Sen. <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/bernie-sanders" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Bernie Sanders</a> (I-VT) introduced a bill Wednesday that would shave 8 hours off the standard 40-hour work week that has been around for several decades.
A <a href="https://www.sanders.senate.gov/wp-content/uploads/32-Hour-Workweek-Act_Fact-Sheet_FINAL.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">summary</a> from Sanders said the legislation, called the &#8220;Thirty-Two Hour Workweek Act,&#8221; would amend the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 by lowering the maximum hours threshold for overtime compensation for non-exempt employees.
The <a href="https://www.sanders.senate.gov/wp-content/uploads/WIL241041.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">bill</a> would require overtime pay at time and a half for workdays longer than eight hours and overtime pay at double a worker&#8217;s regular pay for workdays longer than 12 hours, the summary said. It would also &#8220;protect&#8221; workers&#8217; pay and benefits to ensure no loss in pay.
&#8220;Moving to a 32-hour workweek with no loss of pay is not a radical idea,” Sanders said in a <a href="https://www.sanders.senate.gov/press-releases/news-sanders-introduces-legislation-to-enact-a-32-hour-workweek-with-no-loss-in-pay/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">statement</a>. &#8220;Today, American workers are over 400 percent more productive than they were in the 1940s. And yet, millions of Americans are working longer hours for lower wages than they were decades ago. That has got to change.&#8221;
He added, &#8220;The financial gains from the major advancements in artificial intelligence, automation, and new technology must benefit the working class, not just corporate CEOs and wealthy stockholders on Wall Street. It is time to reduce the stress level in our country and allow Americans to enjoy a better quality of life. It is time for a 32-hour workweek with no loss in pay.&#8221;
As chairman of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP), he held a <a href="https://www.help.senate.gov/hearings/workers-should-benefit-from-new-technology-and-increased-productivity-the-need-for-a-32-hour-work-week-with-no-loss-in-pay" target="_blank" rel="noopener">hearing on the bill</a> Thursday. The legislation has the support of several labor unions and a companion bill in the House, which was introduced by Rep. Mark Takano (D-CA).
As polls <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2023/08/22/workers-overwhelmingly-want-a-4-day-workweekon-one-condition.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">show</a> a high level of support for a hypothetical four-day work week, there has been a push at the state level, in places such as <a href="https://www.nbcboston.com/news/local/mass-bill-that-would-create-4-day-workweek-to-be-heard/3190043/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Massachusetts</a> and <a href="https://www.abc27.com/pennsylvania/pennsylvania-lawmaker-proposes-4-day-workweek-bill/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Pennsylvania</a>, to give the 32-hour model a try. <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2023/09/19/countries-with-shortest-and-longest-workweeks.html#:~:text=Kiribati%3A%2027.3%20hours%20average%20per,per%20week%20per%20employed%20person" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Companies and other countries</a> have already begun to move in that direction, with data showing some <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2023/02/24/worlds-biggest-4-day-workweek-experiment-shows-big-health-benefits.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">positive results</a>. However, not everyone is on board with the legislation being proposed by Sanders.
Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-LA) <a href="https://twitter.com/SenBillCassidy/status/1768287808320381303" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> a &#8220;32 hour work week for 40 hours of pay is one more example of the federal government promising free money. Nothing is free. It would kill jobs and increase inflation.&#8221;
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Roger King, senior labor and employment counsel at the HR Policy Association, <a href="https://www.help.senate.gov/hearings/workers-should-benefit-from-new-technology-and-increased-productivity-the-need-for-a-32-hour-work-week-with-no-loss-in-pay" target="_blank" rel="noopener">warned</a> during the hearing on Thursday that the proposal from Sanders would cause a &#8220;productivity gap&#8221; in many industries that could then lead to &#8220;added costs&#8221; for consumers. He also said the bill would &#8220;interfere&#8221; with &#8220;flexibility&#8221; for employees and cause a &#8220;worker shortage&#8221; for employers.

Senator Bernie Sanders

Bernie Sanders Unveils Bill To Implement 32-Hour Work Week

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Organized labor in America seems to be at a crossroads. On the one hand, the union membership rate in 2022 dropped to 10.1%, <a href="https://www.bls.gov/news.release/union2.nr0.htm" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the lowest level</a> on record. At the same time, Americans’ approval of unions in general has been <a href="https://www.americanprogress.org/article/what-you-need-to-know-about-gen-zs-support-for-unions/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">on the rise</a> since 2012. And if the current data is any indication, the latest generation to enter the workforce is poised to give unions a surge the likes of which they haven’t seen in decades. While they’re at it, they might also fundamentally change the meaning and purpose of the labor movement in this country.
Gen Z shows strong pro-union tendencies. According to the 2020 American National Election Studies survey, Gen Z gave unions a <a href="https://www.americanprogress.org/article/what-you-need-to-know-about-gen-zs-support-for-unions/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">64.3% approval rating</a>, surpassing Millennials at 60.5%, Gen X at 57.8%, and Baby Boomers at 57.2%. They’ve demonstrated their commitment as active organizers, unionizing <a href="https://www.insidehighered.com/news/faculty-issues/labor-unionization/2023/04/26/were-not-slowing-down-student-workers-say" target="_blank" rel="noopener">student workers</a> on college campuses and baristas at <a href="https://time.com/6148475/starbucks-union-organizers-gen-z/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Starbucks locations</a> across the country. The Left-leaning Center for American Progress reports that not only is Gen Z the most pro-union generation currently alive, they are more pro-union than other generations were at the same age. 
 
Gen Z’s strong support for unions is a broader part of their <a href="https://www.edweek.org/teaching-learning/gen-z-has-a-passion-for-political-activism-schools-can-nurture-it/2023/01" target="_blank" rel="noopener">demonstrated predisposition</a> for political activism. John Della Volpe of the Harvard Kennedy School Institute of Politics, the author of “Fight: How Gen Z Is Channeling Their Fear and Passion to Save America,” has observed that this generation has chosen “to lean in and fight and try to change the system,” on issues from climate change to gun control to foreign policy. 
 
As American labor unions struggle to decide whether their primary function is to negotiate on behalf of workers or to act as foot soldiers and financial backers for a kaleidoscope of progressive political causes, it’s not difficult to see which side Gen Z will come down on. If the <a href="https://www.inc.com/principal/5-ways-gen-z-may-impact-your-workplace-and-why-thats-a-good-thing.html#:~:text=Diversity%2C%20equity%2C%20and%20inclusion%20(,on%20them%20than%20older%20generations.&amp;text=2-,In%20fact%2C%2074%20percent%20of%20Gen%20Z%20employees%20say%20it's,a%20company%20that%20prioritizes%20DEI." target="_blank" rel="noopener">74% of Gen Z members</a> who consider Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) policies to be a top priority are any indication, we can expect them to use the power of organized labor to implement DEI policies in more workplaces, following the lead of <a href="https://www.aft.org/resolution/dei-and-racial-justice-investments">the American Federation of Teachers</a> (AFT), the second-largest teachers union in the United States.
Indeed, teachers’ union activism has become the norm nationwide. The National Education Association (NEA), the nation’s largest teachers union, <a href="https://www.nea.org/resource-library/nea-lgbtq-resources#:~:text=The%20NEA%20is%20committed%20to,welcoming%20schools%20for%20all%20students.">promotes and provides</a> teaching resources on pro-LGBTQ+ topics on its website. The Oakland Education Association took an anti-Israel stance by endorsing a <a href="https://www.ktvu.com/news/oakland-union-endorses-pro-palestine-teach-in-says-they-wont-be-intimidated" target="_blank" rel="noopener">‘teach-in’ in support of Gaza.</a> 
If the <a href="https://www.timesofisrael.com/poll-most-young-americans-back-ending-israel-many-find-jewish-genocide-calls-okay/">60% of young Americans</a> who consider Hamas’ October 7, 2023 massacre of Israeli citizens to be “justified” end up joining their workplace unions, they will likely be only too happy to support more such actions.
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It’s fair to ask what any of this has to do with unions’ supposed goal of bargaining for better wages and conditions for workers. The data is regrettably clear: with this trend towards increased activism, representation for actual union members has suffered. Some of the nation&#8217;s largest labor unions routinely spend as much or more on political activities than they do on representing their existing members. For example, in 2022 the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), representing over 1.8 million workers, <a href="https://americansforfairtreatment.org/resources-and-data/seiu-where-do-your-dues-go/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">spent $63.5 million</a> on political activities and lobbying, which is more than double what it spent representing its membership. The American Federation of Teachers <a href="https://americansforfairtreatment.org/resources-and-data/aft-where-do-your-union-dues-go/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">spent $46.9 million</a> supporting Left-wing politics in 2023, while the National Education Association <a href="https://americansforfairtreatment.org/resources-and-data/nea-where-do-your-union-dues-go/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">spent less</a> on member representation than it did on political causes. 
 
Organized labor is already diverting too much time and money away from the well-being of workers and toward unrelated political agendas. As more members of Gen Z join unions and gain leadership positions, we can only expect this trend to increase.
As a member of Gen Z, it is disheartening to watch my generation embrace the entanglement of labor unions and partisan politics. Rather than prioritizing the genuine needs of their members, unions carry out the agendas of their Democratic allies, advocating for policies that prioritize a political agenda over addressing the practical concerns of workers. When they push for unreasonable demands such as a four-day work week (<a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/newyork/news/companies-around-the-world-adopt-four-day-work-week-pilot-programs-to-meet-growing-demand-from-gen-z-and-millennial-employees/#:~:text=About%2083%25%20of%20Gen%2DZ,their%20employer%20offers%20the%20option." target="_blank" rel="noopener">supported by 83% of Gen Z and Millennial workers),</a> it undermines good faith collective bargaining. The regular union members, who deserve representation that is focused on responding to their needs, will be the ones to suffer.
The American labor movement has lost its way, and unfortunately, Gen Z doesn’t look poised to help find it any time soon.
However, despite the prevalence of Gen Z’s mindset, there is hope to be found in the workers all over the country pushing back against that mentality. Several hundred of these employees are members of the organization I work for – Americans for Fair Treatment. Our <a href="https://americansforfairtreatment.org/category/member-spotlight/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">members</a> are teachers, law enforcement, and public servants from across the country who stand against pressure from their unions and their co-workers for the individual rights of all employees.
* * *
Andrew Breschard is the Community Manager at <a href="https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/americansforfairtreatment.org/__;!!F0Stn7g!H6OhYq765ApSVaoPx_zalKEQD0GT0i39OEI3GACqk7AFmbpUqS676sRi4YtHyVzV9h1Z918R258MqLlpGe8NMSzT$" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Americans for Fair Treatment</a>, a national nonprofit that educates public employees about their rights in a unionized workplace.
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

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Is The American Labor Movement Ready For Gen Z?

AFL-CIO

Gen Z

Readers Pass

Teachers Unions

The four largest <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/unions" target="_blank" rel="noopener">public sector unions</a> spent nearly $700 million backing Democrats and leftist causes during last year&#8217;s elections, with nearly 60% of the funds coming from union dues, according to an analysis of spending by the Commonwealth Foundation.
Of the $708.8 million spent on politics during the 2022 midterm elections by the National Education Association (NEA), American Federation of Teachers (AFT), American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), and the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), about 96% of the money went to Democrat political action committees or other leftist causes, the Commonwealth Foundation <a href="https://www.commonwealthfoundation.org/research/government-unions-fund-politics/">found</a>.
The four unions combined outspent the defense, transportation, and construction industries. “Any progressive organization that you can think of is probably getting something from the unions,” Commonwealth Foundation Senior Fellow for Labor Policy David Osborne told The Daily Wire.
Millions of union PAC dollars went toward leftist groups like For Our Future and dark money group the Sixteen Thirty Fund, as well as Democrat candidates like Georgia Senator Raphael Warnock and Pennsylvania Democrat Governor Josh Shapiro.
While it’s no surprise that unions overwhelmingly back Democrats and Democrat causes, Osborne that many union members likely didn’t know how much their dues were being spent on the “pet political projects” of union leaders rather than representation for members.
“What unions often try to hide is the fact that membership dues can also be used for politics,” he said. “The union doesn’t really have to tell membership what it’s [the money] going to go to. Doesn’t have to take a vote on it. By and large, what they do is, take all that money and then shovel a bunch of it over to a super-PAC, sometimes it’s affiliated with the union so that they can do all kinds of political spending that members may never find out about.”
According to the report, about 57% of the total money spent on politics by the unions came from union dues, while the rest came from state and federal PACs, which union members are encouraged to support.
“When employees learn that their dues are being used to fund political projects, that’s a value in and of itself. There are some things they can do as individuals to cut off the funding if they desire,” Osborne said.
The biggest beneficiary of union dollars was Shapiro, who raked in about $4,540,000 million from the PACs during his campaign for office, the Commonwealth Foundation found. Osborne told The Daily Wire that this number was “absolutely shocking,” pointing out that this amount was three times more than any other individual.
Shapiro <a href="https://www.law.com/thelegalintelligencer/2023/08/28/major-unions-ratify-contract-proposals-with-shapiro-administration/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">would</a> later negotiate with members of both the local SEIU and AFSCME, which included an increase in pay and benefits for union members.
Other top recipients of union money at the state level included California Attorney General Rob Bonta ($1,297,200), Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson ($1,179,100), and failed Texas gubernatorial and 2020 presidential candidate Beto O’Rourke ($990,000).
<div id="attachment_666625" style="width: 1005px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-666625" decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="wp-image-666625 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/12/Screen-Shot-2023-12-11-at-4.22.41-PM-995x576.png" alt="" width="995" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/12/Screen-Shot-2023-12-11-at-4.22.41-PM-995x576.png 995w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/12/Screen-Shot-2023-12-11-at-4.22.41-PM-300x174.png 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/12/Screen-Shot-2023-12-11-at-4.22.41-PM-768x445.png 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/12/Screen-Shot-2023-12-11-at-4.22.41-PM-1536x890.png 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/12/Screen-Shot-2023-12-11-at-4.22.41-PM.png 2022w" sizes="(max-width: 995px) 100vw, 995px" />Courtesy: The Commonwealth Foundation.</div>
At the federal level, union PACs gave significantly to Warnock ($60,500), House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries ($50,000), and failed Senate candidates Mandela Barnes ($45,000) and Tim Ryan ($42,000).
“In total, PACs tied to the four largest government unions contributed to 282 candidates for the House of Representatives. Of those, 273 were Democrats, seven were Republicans, one was a third-party candidate, and one was an independent,” the report says.
The report made note of the close ties between the unions and President Joe Biden, who has billed himself as the most &#8220;pro-union&#8221; president ever. &#8220;During the COVID-19 pandemic, Biden&#8217;s Centers for Disease Control directly adopted language suggestions from the AFT into the organization&#8217;s school reopening guidelines,&#8221; the report notes.
Text messages <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/texts-show-teachers-union-working-with-cdc-director-to-keep-schools-closed" target="_blank" rel="noopener">revealed earlier this year</a> showed AFT President Randi Weingarten and NEA President Becky Pringle texting with former CDC Director Rochelle Walensky about school reopening policies.
<div id="attachment_666631" style="width: 1034px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-666631" decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="wp-image-666631 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/12/Screen-Shot-2023-12-11-at-4.19.53-PM-1024x544.png" alt="" width="1024" height="544" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/12/Screen-Shot-2023-12-11-at-4.19.53-PM-1024x544.png 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/12/Screen-Shot-2023-12-11-at-4.19.53-PM-300x159.png 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/12/Screen-Shot-2023-12-11-at-4.19.53-PM-768x408.png 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/12/Screen-Shot-2023-12-11-at-4.19.53-PM-1536x815.png 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/12/Screen-Shot-2023-12-11-at-4.19.53-PM-2048x1087.png 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />Courtesy: The Commonwealth Foundation.</div>
A variety of Democrat-leaning PACs and leftist organizations also pulled in a significant amount of money from union spending. For example, the unions gave a whopping $29,138,171 to the SEIU Political Education and Action Fund, a PAC that primarily backs Democrats for federal office and $13 million to the State Engagement Fund, a Left-wing dark money group. The Senate Majority PAC and the House Majority PAC, which support Democratic majorities in Congress, both received millions of dollars from the union PACs.
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The report found that the union political spending favored Democrats in every state but Alabama, Mississippi, South Dakota, Utah, and Wyoming. The states with the most union political spending were Illinois ($27.9 million), California ($24.9), Minnesota ($13.2 million), Pennsylvania ($12.1 million), and Washington ($7.5 million).
“Armed with millions of members and numerous special privileges, the four largest unions have dedicated significant financial resources toward maintaining and expanding the legal structures from which they derive their power,” the report says, pointing out that union-backed candidates performed well during the midterms, and states like California continue to expand union privileges.
“Government unions use this power not only to advance leftist causes but also to elect political leaders who will protect their interests and influence. The result, unfortunately, is that federal, state, and local governments are increasingly led by politicians who care more about union executives than union members or taxpayers,” Osborne said.

Gubernatorial Candidate Josh Shapiro Campaigns With John Fetterman In Philadelphia

Gov Unions Spent Over Half A Billion Dollars Backing Democrats, The Left During Midterm Elections: Report

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Raphael Warnock

Service Employees International Union (SEIU)

spending

A fight nearly broke out during a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/u-s-senate" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Senate hearing</a> Tuesday morning between a Republican senator and a union leader over remarks that the union leader made online toward the senator.
Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-OK) confronted Sean O&#8217;Brien, president of the Teamsters union, during a Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee hearing.
The confrontation was sparked by a post that O&#8217;Brien made about Mullin on X in which he mocked the senator&#8217;s height and called him a &#8220;fraud.&#8221;
&#8220;Greedy CEO who pretends like he’s self made,&#8221; O&#8217;Brien wrte. &#8220;In reality, just a clown &amp; fraud. Always has been, always will be. Quit the tough guy act in these senate hearings. You know where to find me. Anyplace, Anytime cowboy. #LittleManSyndrome[.]&#8221;
Mullin read O&#8217;Brien&#8217;s post in front of the Committee and noted that after the last time the two had a confrontation in front of the Committee, O&#8217;Brien &#8220;got pretty excited about the keyboard&#8221; and proceeded to attack Mullin numerous times online.
&#8220;Sir, I wish you were in the truck with me when I was building my plumbing company; myself and my wife was running the office because I sure remember working pretty hard and long hours,&#8221; Mullin said.
After finishing reading the post, Mullin said, &#8220;Sir, this is a time, this is a place. You want to run your mouth. We can be two consenting adults, we can finish it here.&#8221;
&#8220;Okay, that&#8217;s fine,&#8221; O&#8217;Brien responded. &#8220;Perfect.&#8221;
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&#8220;You want to do it now?&#8221; Mullin asked.
&#8220;I&#8217;d love to do it right now,&#8221; O&#8217;Brien said.
Mullin told O&#8217;Brien to stand his &#8220;butt up then.&#8221;
&#8220;You stand your butt up,&#8221; O&#8217;Brien said, prompting Mullin to jump up out of his chair.
Committee Chairman Bernie Sanders (I-VT) yelled at both of them, especially Mullin.
&#8220;Oh, my god. Oh, stop it,&#8221; Sanders said. &#8220;Sit down. You&#8217;re a United States Senator.&#8221;
&#8220;Hold it! This is a hearing,&#8221; he added. &#8220;And God knows the American people have enough contempt for Congress, let&#8217;s not make it worse.&#8221;
WATCH:
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MUST WATCH: Things got heated in a Senate HELP Committee hearing today.<a href="https://t.co/2Lrlbq5XyQ">pic.twitter.com/2Lrlbq5XyQ</a>
&mdash; Steve Guest (@SteveGuest) <a href="https://twitter.com/SteveGuest/status/1724515331807354887?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 14, 2023</a></blockquote>
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Labor Union Hearing

WATCH: Fight Nearly Breaks Out During Senate Hearing Between GOP Senator, Union Boss

Markwayne Mullin

<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/starbucks" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Starbucks</a> and its barista labor union have filed dueling lawsuits against each other over a pro-Palestinian social media post from the union in the wake of Hamas&#8217; attacks on Israel this month.
Starbucks <a href="https://apnews.com/article/starbucks-workers-united-union-lawsuit-israel-palestinian-f212a994fef67f122854a4df7e5d13f5" target="_blank" rel="noopener">filed</a> a lawsuit against Starbucks Workers United in federal court in Iowa on Wednesday, accusing the union of damaging Starbucks&#8217; reputation by posting on social media in support of Palestinians.
The Seattle-based coffee giant is alleging trademark infringement and demanding the union stop using the name &#8220;Starbucks&#8221; and a green logo that looks similar to the Starbucks logo.
The Starbucks workers&#8217; union responded by filing its own lawsuit against the company in federal court in Pennsylvania. The union is accusing Starbucks of defaming the union by implying that it supports &#8220;terrorism, hate and violence.&#8221;
The union is requesting to be allowed to keep using the Starbucks name and the similar logo.
Starbucks Workers United posted “Solidarity with Palestine!” on X on October 9, two days after Hamas launched its deadly attacks on Israel that killed more than 1,400 people. The union&#8217;s post was <a href="https://freebeacon.com/democrats/starbucks-union-championed-by-bernie-sanders-and-aoc-celebrates-hamas-attacks/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">quoting</a> another post that included a picture of a bulldozer tearing down part of the Israel-Gaza border.
The union <a href="https://apnews.com/article/starbucks-workers-united-union-lawsuit-israel-palestinian-f212a994fef67f122854a4df7e5d13f5" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> in its lawsuit that workers put up the post without authorization from union leadership. The post was deleted after about 40 minutes.
The Iowa chapter of the union also <a href="https://freebeacon.com/democrats/starbucks-union-championed-by-bernie-sanders-and-aoc-celebrates-hamas-attacks/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">promoted</a> a rally supporting Palestinians, and the Boston chapter <a href="https://twitter.com/BostonSBWU/status/1711410725057392729" target="_blank" rel="noopener">posted</a> that it condemns the Israeli military for &#8220;senselessly and viciously bombing, murdering, and injuring innocent Palestinians.&#8221;
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The union, an affiliate of the Service Employees International Union, <a href="https://www.newsweek.com/starbucks-sues-pro-hamas-baristas-union-1835966" target="_blank" rel="noopener">represents</a> about 9,000 Starbucks baristas and other employees at more than 360 of the coffee company&#8217;s 34,000 stores worldwide. On its website, the union <a href="https://sbworkersunited.org" target="_blank" rel="noopener">accuses</a> Starbucks of an &#8220;unprecedented union-busting campaign&#8221; and said the company &#8220;refuses to bargain with us in good-faith.&#8221;
The union&#8217;s president accused Starbucks of exploiting the violence overseas to fight the union.
“Starbucks is seeking to exploit the ongoing tragedy in the Middle East to bolster the company’s anti-union campaign,” Workers United President Lynne Fox <a href="https://apnews.com/article/starbucks-workers-united-union-lawsuit-israel-palestinian-f212a994fef67f122854a4df7e5d13f5" target="_blank" rel="noopener">wrote</a> in a letter to Starbucks.
Meanwhile, Starbucks said it was inundated with more than 1,000 complaints about the union&#8217;s social media post. Hostile customers confronted Starbucks workers, who also received threatening phone calls, Starbucks <a href="https://apnews.com/article/starbucks-workers-united-union-lawsuit-israel-palestinian-f212a994fef67f122854a4df7e5d13f5" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a>.
&#8220;Starbucks unequivocally condemns acts of terrorism, hate and violence, and we strongly disagree with the views expressed by Workers United,&#8221; Starbucks Executive Vice President Sara Kelly <a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/press/2023/starbucks-condemns-acts-of-terror-strongly-disagrees-with-statements-made-by-workers-united/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> in a statement on Tuesday.
Hamas&#8217; attacks killed at least 27 Americans along with hundreds of Israeli civilians, including children. More than 200 Israelis <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/article/israel-hostages-hamas-explained.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">have been</a> taken hostage.
Israel is now waging a massive counteroffensive, <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/israel-hamas-war-gaza-palestinians-death-toll-ground-offensive-expected/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">launching</a> airstrikes in Hamas-controlled territory and preparing for a ground offensive.

Starbucks Coffee shop

Starbucks And Barista Union Sue Each Other Over ‘Solidarity with Palestine’ Post

Hamas

Israel

Palestinians

Starbucks

Thousands of <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/economy" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Walgreens</a> employees walked off the job this week, saying they are overworked and underpaid.
Walgreens locations <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2023/10/09/business/walgreens-walkouts-cvs-pharmacy/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">closed</a> in Arizona, Washington, Massachusetts, and Oregon, and potentially other states as well, based on social media posts from pharmacy staff and customers.
The anonymous organizer of the walkout, who has worked at Walgreens for over a decade, <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/investigations/2023/10/09/walgreens-walkout-pharmacists-protest-working-conditions/71122866007/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">estimated</a> that several hundred pharmacists and pharmacy technicians joined the walkout.
The pharmacy workers claim that unsafe working conditions are putting their patients at risk, as well as themselves. Employees have described being the only pharmacist on staff for a 12-hour shift or having 300 prescriptions to fill while they are working alone. They are also dealing with insurance companies, vaccination appointments, patient calls, and flu and COVID tests.
Meanwhile, customers waiting for their prescriptions often get frustrated.
“When you’re a pharmacist, a missed letter or a number that’s wrong in a prescription could kill somebody,” the organizer <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2023/10/09/walgreens-pharmacy-strike-vaccine/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a>.
“The company has cut hours drastically while continuing to pile more work and new programs on top of us. Customers are not being taken care of. Our patients are not being cared for. It is not safe,” the organizer <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/investigations/2023/10/09/walgreens-walkout-pharmacists-protest-working-conditions/71122866007/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">added</a>.
A Walgreens spokesman <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/investigations/2023/10/09/walgreens-walkout-pharmacists-protest-working-conditions/71122866007/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> the walkout had a &#8220;minimal&#8221; effect and that only a &#8220;small number&#8221; of pharmacies experienced disruptions.
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The Walgreens workers are <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2023/10/09/walgreens-pharmacy-strike-vaccine/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">demanding</a> that the pharmacy giant hire more staff, implement mandatory training hours, offer payroll transparency, and give notice when staff will be cut or when a position opens.
Walgreens employees are not unionized, so the walkout effort was organized on a subreddit for pharmacy workers.
The walkout was inspired by a similar walkout by CVS employees in several Kansas City stores several weeks ago, the organizer said. CVS employees are not unionized either.
The protest also comes after more than 75,000 employees with health care behemoth Kaiser Permanente walked off the job for three days, also citing staffing shortages.
Walgreens spokesman Fraser Engerman <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2023/10/09/walgreens-pharmacy-strike-vaccine/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> the company acknowledges that recent years have been “unprecedented” and “a very challenging time,” and the company also understand the “immense pressures felt across the U.S. in retail pharmacy right now.”
“We are engaged and listening to the concerns raised by some of our team members,&#8221; Engerman said. &#8220;We are committed to ensuring that our entire pharmacy team has the support and resources necessary to continue to provide the best care to our patients while taking care of their own well-being.”
The Walgreens spokesman also added that the company is making &#8220;significant investments in pharmacist wages and hiring bonuses&#8221; to attract and retain employees in Walgreens stores that are harder to staff.

California Scenics

Walgreens Pharmacy Workers Walk Off The Job

Health

Health Care

World

Around 75,000 Kaiser Permanente health care workers went on strike this week hoping to get better pay and benefits in what has been described as the largest health care strike in U.S. history.
Unions representing the workers are hoping to pressure executives at Kaiser to invest in attracting more workers as hospitals have struggled to maintain sufficient staffing levels. The strike has <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2023/10/04/health-care-workers-strike-at-kaiser-permanente.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">impacted</a> hospitals and medical facilities in California, Colorado, Oregon, Virginia, Washington, and Washington, D.C.
Thousands of vocational nurses, emergency department technicians, radiology technicians, X-ray technicians, respiratory therapists, medical assistants, pharmacists, and others began the strike on Wednesday. The strike is expected to continue until Friday. 
&#8220;Frontline healthcare workers are awaiting a meaningful response from Kaiser executives regarding some of our key priorities including safe staffing, outsourcing protections for incumbent healthcare workers, and fair wages to reduce turnover,” Caroline Lucas, executive director of the Coalition of Kaiser Permanente Unions, <a href="https://www.axios.com/2023/10/04/kaiser-permanente-union-strike-health-care-workers" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> in an email statement on Wednesday. 
Lucas told CNBC that many health care workers were burning out and leaving the industry. 
“We have folks getting injured on the job because they’re trying to do too much and see too many people and work too quickly. It’s not a sustainable situation,” she said. 
Kaiser spokeswoman Hilary Costa said Wednesday evening that the workers union and company executives had reached some points of agreement. According to Costa, Kaiser had agreed to wage improvements, better medical and health plans, and education assistance programs. 
&#8220;We remain committed to reaching a new agreement that continues to provide our employees with market-leading wages, excellent benefits, generous retirement income plans, and valuable professional development opportunities,&#8221; Costa said. 
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Kaiser, the largest non-profit health care organization in America, has a <a href="https://thehill.com/business/4238729-kaiser-permanente-strike-what-to-know/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">total</a> of 305,000 employees, meaning that about 25% of its workforce has been on strike. 
“Kaiser has not been bargaining with us in good faith and so it’s pushing us to come out here and strike,” radiologic technologist Jacquelyn Duley <a href="https://apnews.com/article/kaiser-health-care-workers-strike-b8b40ce8c082c0b8c4f1c0fb7ec38741" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told</a> the Associated Press. “We want to be inside just taking care of our patients.”
The health care strike comes amid a string of other labor strikes, including from the United Auto Workers and Hollywood Screen Actors Guild.

U.S.-CALIFORNIA-BALDWIN PARK-HEALTH FACILITIES-WORKERS-STRIKE

Thousands Of Health Care Workers Strike As Hospitals Face Staffing Shortages

strike

As it relates to the president&#8217;s claims that &#8220;<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/collections/bidenomics" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Bidenomics</a>&#8221; is good for the American autoworker, or any other kind of American worker for that matter,  the president is &#8220;full of s***&#8221; — to steal a phrase from the man himself.
The Biden administration&#8217;s push to &#8220;electrify&#8221; the car industry is going to kill hundreds of thousands of jobs. He&#8217;s tried to stave off the backlash by <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/as-auto-strike-looms-biden-admin-announces-15-5-billion-for-electric-vehicle-manufacturers" target="_blank" rel="noopener">sending billions</a> to &#8220;retrofit&#8221; existing factories, but even then plenty of well-paying roles will be eliminated in key swing states, according to <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/biden-pushes-electric-vehicles-which-kill-union-jobs-auto-workers-engine-epa-685b14a1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">one study</a>.
To try and pull the wool over the eyes of the striking United Autoworkers&#8217; eyes, Biden recently joined the picket line on Tuesday in Michigan. While there, Biden promised he was on the side of the blue-collar voter, all while ignoring that his administration&#8217;s goal of <a href="https://freebeacon.com/biden-administration/complete-transformation-new-biden-rule-would-force-automakers-to-ditch-gas-sell-electric-vehicles/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">boosting electric car</a> sales will push auto manufacturing to countries like China where it is cheaper to make parts necessary for such vehicles.
For many, the scene brought to mind another time on the 2020 campaign trail when Biden was videotaped lashing out at a Michigan factory worker who dared stick up to him over gun rights. While then-candidate Biden was touring a Fiat Chrysler plant in Detroit, a worker accused Biden of  &#8220;actively trying to end our Second Amendment rights.&#8221;
&#8220;You&#8217;re full of s***!&#8221; Biden said before calling him a &#8220;horse&#8217;s a**.&#8221;
Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) shared the clip on Wednesday, saying, &#8220;Don’t ever forget how Joe Biden actually feels about working-class Americans. What kind of elected leader talks to voters that way?&#8221;
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Don’t ever forget how Joe Biden actually feels about working class Americans. 
What kind of elected leader talks to voters that way? <a href="https://t.co/mDPzZ7l9G1">pic.twitter.com/mDPzZ7l9G1</a>
&mdash; Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) <a href="https://twitter.com/tedcruz/status/1707121863791460517?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 27, 2023</a></blockquote>
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Former President Donald J. Trump also spoke in Michigan this week, and pointedly told UAW, &#8220;Biden&#8217;s mandate isn&#8217;t a government regulation, it&#8217;s a government assassination of your jobs and your industry. The auto industry is being assassinated.&#8221;
He added, explaining that so long as the Biden administration is focused on forcing EVs onto the American people, the auto industry will suffer.
&#8220;And it makes no difference what you get, I don&#8217;t care what you get in the next two weeks or three weeks or five weeks,&#8221; he said of contract negotiations. They&#8217;re going to be closing up and they&#8217;re going to be building those cars in China and other places. It&#8217;s a hit job on Michigan and on Detroit, and that&#8217;s not sustainable.&#8221;
Indeed, CNN has asked the Biden administration what they have to say to &#8220;rank-and-file&#8221; union members who oppose EV, in spite of union &#8220;leadership&#8221; that wants it to happen.
Well, in short, Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg dismissed such concerns with the same attitude Biden had toward the Fiat Chrysler employer in 2020.
&#8220;Look, this technology is happening,&#8221; he said bluntly this week. &#8220;It is coming. It is coming no matter what.&#8221;
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Pete Buttigieg on whether the lack of rank-and-file worker support for Biden&#39;s forced EV &quot;transition&quot; is a &quot;problem&quot;:
&quot;Look, this technology is happening. It is coming. It is coming no matter what.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/WEK7Izm3HW">pic.twitter.com/WEK7Izm3HW</a>
&mdash; RNC Research (@RNCResearch) <a href="https://twitter.com/RNCResearch/status/1707036226207744053?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 27, 2023</a></blockquote>
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It should be noted there was an overlooked quote from Biden&#8217;s infamous interaction with that autoworker in March of 2020. The worker said to Biden, &#8220;You’re working for me, man.&#8221;
“I’m not working for you,” Biden retorted — a remark explained away or ignored by legacy media.
Now, as his EV push threatens to destroy the livelihoods of Americans everywhere, that statement seems to be remarkably true. Biden&#8217;s not working on behalf of U.S. autoworkers — no matter what he said at his stop at the picket line.
The views expressed in this piece are the author’s own and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

TOPSHOT – Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden has heated exchange meets workers and discusses gun rights as he tours the Fiat Chrysler plant in Detroit, Michigan on March 10, 2020.

Flashback: Biden Tells Auto Worker He’s ‘Full Of S***’ In Resurfaced 2020 Clip

Biden Tells Auto Worker He’s ‘Full Of S***’: 2020 Clip Resurfaces Amidst UAW Strike

China

Donald Trump

electric vehicles

Michigan

Steven Rattner, who once served as the Obama administration&#8217;s &#8220;car czar,&#8221; slammed President <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/joe-biden">Joe Biden</a> for joining the United Auto Workers (UAW) picket line.
NBC News <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/white-house/biden-makes-history-striking-auto-workers-picket-line-rcna117348" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> the criticism on Tuesday just as Biden arrived in Michigan to stand with protesters who are striking against &#8220;Big Three&#8221; automakers Ford, General Motors, and Stellantis in an effort to secure higher wages, improved benefits, <a href="https://apnews.com/article/uaw-strike-ford-gm-stellantis-contract-offers-5dd4dee2056b7efe06d2a55433d8d13a#:~:text=In%20addition%2C%20the%20UAW%20has,pay%20raises%2C%20among%20other%20benefits." target="_blank" rel="noopener">and more</a>.
“For him to be going on a picket line is outrageous,” Rattner told the news outlet.
&#8220;There’s no precedent for it,&#8221; he added. &#8220;The tradition of the president is to stay neutral in these things. I get the politics. The progressives all said, &#8216;We don’t want a mediator; we want an advocate.&#8217; And he bowed to the progressives, and now he’s going out there to put his thumb on the scale. And it’s wrong.&#8221;
Rattner, a Wall Street financier, led former President Barack Obama’s auto industry task force and <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB124751573500734529" target="_blank" rel="noopener">oversaw</a> the federal auto industry bailout of 2009.
He wrote a guest essay <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/09/20/opinion/uaw-strike-economy-biden.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">published last week by The New York Times</a> that expressed support for auto workers getting paid more but warned that the &#8220;increasingly militant U.A.W. is overplaying its hand with an overly lengthy and overly ambitious list of demands.&#8221;
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Rattner also said he was worried about the &#8220;implications&#8221; the UAW strike could have on the economy and Biden.
&#8220;A prolonged strike, which could lead to far more widespread shutdowns of auto facilities, could jeopardize the economic recovery,&#8221; Rattner said. &#8220;Our nearly $800 billion auto industry accounts for 3 percent of economic output, with a particular concentration in the Midwest, where states like Michigan are critical to President Biden’s re-election.&#8221;
Biden, who served as Obama&#8217;s vice president, visited the picket line just one day before former President Donald Trump is <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-plans-to-skip-second-gop-debate-to-rally-with-striking-autoworkers" target="_blank" rel="noopener">expected to deliver</a> a speech to striking auto workers in Detroit instead of attending the second GOP primary debate.
&#8220;The President joins the picket line in solidarity with the men and women of the United Auto Workers union as they fight for a fair share of the value they helped create,&#8221; said the White House, according to a press pool report.

President Joe Biden

Obama’s ‘Car Czar’ Blasts Biden For Joining Auto Worker Picket Line

Obama's 'Car Czar' Blasts Biden For Joining Auto Worker Picket Line

Auto Companies

Executive

Obama Administration

SAG-AFTRA members on Monday voted 98% in favor of authorizing a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/strike" target="_blank" rel="noopener">strike</a> against ten major <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/video-games" target="_blank" rel="noopener">video game</a> companies. 
The <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/unions" target="_blank" rel="noopener">union</a> is currently on strike against the TV and film industry, as is the WGA (Writers Guild of America), which has resulted in a total Hollywood shutdown. The WGA went on strike beginning May 2, while SAG-AFTRA&#8217;s work stoppage began July 14.
Now, the video game industry is under the spotlight as another potential strike looms. The union’s last strike against the gaming companies lasted 183 days in 2016 and 2017, per a Deadline <a href="https://deadline.com/2023/09/sag-aftra-approve-strike-video-game-industry-1235555756/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">report</a>.
“It’s time for the video game companies to stop playing games and get serious about reaching an agreement on this contract,” SAG-AFTRA President Fran Drescher said in a statement. 
Monday&#8217;s vote gives the national board the authority to call a strike. It doesn&#8217;t necessarily mean it will happen.
“The result of this vote shows our membership understands the existential nature of these negotiations, and that the time is now for these companies — which are making billions of dollars and paying their CEOs lavishly — to give our performers an agreement that keeps performing in video games as a viable career,” Drescher continued.
Many of the union&#8217;s demands are similar to those requested by writers and actors striking against the studios, centered on compensation and the use of artificial intelligence (AI).
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“After five rounds of bargaining, it has become abundantly clear that the video game companies aren’t willing to meaningfully engage on the critical issues: compensation undercut by inflation, unregulated use of AI, and safety,” SAG-AFTRA National Executive Director and Chief Negotiator Duncan Crabtree-Ireland said. 
“I remain hopeful that we will be able to reach an agreement that meets members’ needs, but our members are done being exploited, and if these corporations aren’t willing to offer a fair deal, our next stop will be the picket lines.”
Audrey Cooling, a spokesperson for the video game producers party to the Interactive Media Agreement, said they are working hard to work out a deal and avoid another strike.
“We will continue to negotiate in good faith to reach an agreement that reflects the important contributions of SAG-AFTRA-represented performers in video games. We have reached tentative agreements on over half of the proposals and are optimistic we can find a resolution at the bargaining table,” she said in a statement to The Daily Wire.  
Both sides are reportedly set to resume negotiations on Tuesday.

Video games

SAG-AFTRA Members Vote To Authorize Strike Against Video Game Industry

Unions

Video Games

Ford announced on Monday that it is pausing construction on a multi-billion dollar battery plant in Marshall, Michigan that had drawn scrutiny from U.S. lawmakers over the company&#8217;s partnership with Chinese battery-maker Contemporary Amperex Technology Co. Ltd., or CATL.
&#8220;We&#8217;re pausing work, and we&#8217;re going to limit spending on construction at Marshall until we&#8217;re confident about our ability to competitively run the plant,&#8221; Ford spokesman T.R. Reid said in a statement. &#8220;There are a number of considerations, all of which we’re evaluating in terms of our competitiveness.&#8221;
“We haven’t made a final decision about the investment there,&#8221; Reid added, noting that the pause on the $3.5 billion plant was effective immediately.
The statement did not mention the ongoing strikes from the the United Auto Workers (UAW) union, who lashed out after hearing the news.
&#8220;This is a shameful, barely-veiled threat by Ford to cut jobs,&#8221; UAW President Shawn Fain said in a statement. &#8220;Closing 65 plants over the last 20 years wasn’t enough for the Big Three, now they want to threaten us with closing plants that aren’t even open yet. We are simply asking for a just transition to electric vehicles and Ford is instead doubling down on their race to the bottom.&#8221;
The Detroit News <a href="https://www.detroitnews.com/story/business/autos/ford/2023/09/25/ford-motor-company-electric-vehicle-battery-plant-marshall-pausing/70963467007/">noted</a> that when plans for the plant were announced earlier this year that Ford had hoped to be producing 2 million electric vehicles per year by 2026 but the company had to abandon those goals because the market demand is not what the company anticipated.
The announcement came as the <a href="https://www.thestreet.com/technology/ford-pulls-out-all-the-stops-to-revive-a-struggling-brand" target="_blank" rel="noopener">struggling</a> auto brand lost billions of dollars last year under the leadership of CEO Jim Farley in part because of bad investments and poor vehicle quality which has led to expensive recalls, according to a <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/02/02/business/ford-earnings-fourth-quarter-2022.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">report</a> from The New York Times.
Republicans from the House Committee on Energy and Commerce <a href="https://d1dth6e84htgma.cloudfront.net/09_01_23_E_and_C_Letter_FORD_ae9859a956.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">sent a letter</a> to Farley on September 1 requesting information on the company’s relationship with CATL. The partnership, made in February, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/ford-slammed-for-teaming-up-with-chinese-company-to-build-batteries-becoming-a-national-security-threat" target="_blank" rel="noopener">garnered criticism</a> from some lawmakers who pointed to national security concerns.
“While Ford has labeled this project a ‘commitment to American manufacturing’ and asserts it will create 2,500 new American jobs, we are concerned that Ford’s partnership with a Chinese company could aid China’s efforts to expand its control over United States electric vehicle supply chains and jeopardize national security by furthering dependence on China,” the letter said.
Republicans referenced congressional testimony that said CATL could stop working on the project if tensions between the U.S. and China escalated, leaving the vehicle maker in a bind over how to source batteries for its vehicles. The lawmakers also questioned who would be employed at the plant currently under construction in Marshall, Michigan.
“Additionally, Members learned at this hearing that Chinese companies often supply their own workers to projects in Latin America and Africa, reinforcing fears that CATL will import workers for this facility rather than creating jobs for United States workers,” the letter said.
The GOP lawmakers requested a copy of the licensing agreement between Ford and CATL, along with communications from Ford discussing federal incentives for the project.
“We seek to learn more about whether this partnership, and others like it, will potentially exacerbate our reliance on China. Should China gain control of domestic electric vehicle production, the United States would be exposed to serious national security risks at a time of escalating geopolitical tensions,” the Republicans said.

Germany’s Chancellor Olaf Scholz Officially Opens Ford Motor Co.’s Cologne Electric Vehicle Center

Ford Halts Controversial Battery Plant Amid Strikes From Auto Workers Union

Communist China

Ford Motor Co.

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