Labor Relations Today

St. Paul Orchestra Files Unfair Labor Practice Charges Against Management: Euan Kerr of Minnesota Public Radio reports that the American Federation of Musicians (AMF) has filed unfair labor practice charges against the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra's (SPCO) management. In particular, the charges allege that SPCO management has failed to adequately respond to an AMF information request regarding SPCO works being published online.

"To understand their proposal we need to know what those recording are, we need to know who was involved in the making of those recordings, we need to know who the guest artists were, and we have been asking for that information since September," [AMF President Ray] Hair said.

SPCO management responded in kind, alleging that the AMF has thus far refused to negotiate the issue in good-faith. Moreover, the SPCO management team expects the Board to vindicate its position.

MI Panera Bakers Working to Unionize: E.B. Solomont of the St. Louis Business Journal reports that bakers at a Panera bread franchise in Michigan are fighting against their employer in an attempt to unionize. The bakers have been working towards collective representation by the Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers International Union (the Union) for over a year. Dan Wood, a baker leading the effort, had this to say:

 “I don’t want to hurt the company,” Wood told the Huffington Post. “I just want us to be recognized for what we are: the engine. You can’t buy anything from a Panera that we don’t touch.”

Officials at Panera's headquarters have issued a statement, saying that the company's goal is to treat all workers with respect. We will keep you posted as the situation unfolds.

NYC Drivers' Strike Called Off By Union: The Associated Press reports that the New York City school bus drivers' strike, which began over a month ago and has left more than 150,000 students stranded, has been called off by the Amalgamated Transit Union, Local 1181. Regular service is expected to resume this morning.

Driver Philip Pan proudly displayed a hand-written "welcome back" card on the dashboard of his bus. Pan says he and the people he serves are "like a family."

The strike was purportedly abandoned because New York City's leading mayoral candidates have promised to address drivers' job security concerns if elected. Interestingly, Mayor Michael Bloomberg had said previously that the drivers' requests for increased job protections were illegal under New York law.