Work Reform

Hi.

I was curious about peoples opinion of HSE, especially in the context of the modern workplace.

It seems to be mostly nonsense. Or it seems to be about covering the asses of the management in case something actually happens at work, not really about keeping people safe. Mostly the solutions are to sign another piece of paper.

Especially the idea that every large accident is a consequence of a lot of small incidents that accumulates. This idea just seems made specifically to blame the people on the bottom of the hierarchy whenever something occurs.

Anyways. HSE useful or not?

Edit: HSE - Health, safety and environment.

Hollywood’s video game performers voted to go on strike Thursday, throwing part of the entertainment industry into another work stoppage after talks for a new contract with major game studios broke down over artificial intelligence protections. 

The strike — the second for video game voice actors and motion capture performers under the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists — will begin at 12:01 a.m. Friday. The move comes after nearly two years of negotiations with gaming giants, including divisions of Activision, Warner Bros. and Walt Disney Co., over a new interactive media agreement. 

SAG-AFTRA negotiators say gains have been made over wages and job safety in the video game contract, but that the studios will not make a deal over the regulation of generative AI. Without guardrails, game companies could train AI to replicate an actor’s voice, or create a digital replica of their likeness without consent or fair compensation, the union said.

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.world/post/17755582

Sean O’Brien, general president of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, called out Republicans who oppose unions and big corporations in his remarks at the Republican National Convention, drawing mixed reactions at times from the crowd.

#Teamsters #Republicans #RNC

Summary

1. Sean O'Brien, the General President of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, expressed gratitude towards the hardworking teamsters and union members in Milwaukee.
2. He thanked President Donald Trump for inviting him to speak at the Republican National Convention.
3. O'Brien highlighted the challenges faced by American workers and emphasized the importance of creating a bipartisan coalition to address these issues.
4. He praised President Trump for being open to hearing critical voices and discussed the Teamsters' history of working across the aisle with Republican lawmakers who support labor rights.
5. O'Brien also emphasized the importance of unions in advocating for fair wages, benefits, and working conditions, and called out corporate unions formed by major employers as detrimental to workers' rights.
6. The speaker discussed how companies like Amazon prioritize profits over the well-being of American workers, highlighting the disconnect between corporate elites and the working class.
7. They emphasized the importance of putting American workers first, advocating for trade policies that prioritize workers, legal protections for workers, and reforming labor laws to support unionization.
8. The speaker criticized massive corporations for exploiting workers and relying on public assistance instead of providing adequate benefits.
9. They called for meaningful change to ensure the security and prosperity of American workers, expressing a commitment to fighting for their rights.

I'm all for higher minimum wages, unions, paid leaves and other forms of worker protection, but it seems like the most forms of worker protection focus on maintaining a division between an employer(s) who owns the business and the employee who makes money for the business but does not own it. IMO, this division is unethical and exploitative because it denies the worker the full value of their work.

Are there any political or social movements that push for policy or legislation that makes all businesses to be worker owned cooperatives?

I work in a restaurant, high-end, multiple locations across the US. We are in Chicago, specifically. We have corporate in for the week as we launch a new menu with training for the whole team every day. Yesterday, second day, right before the end of the day, they sprung on us that they are changing our pay structure.

I have minor concerns but some of my coworkers have major ones. We met beforehand today to get united in our talking points. We raised them at the meeting with the corpos and though the bosses were clearly pressured and made (verbal) concessions, they would not acknowledge our concerns.

We had another off-premises meeting just now where we agreed to all skip the (technically optional) training meeting tomorrow while each sending the same written message through the official, and public, communication channel. We will still show up for our actual scheduled shifts.

Where I feel we're strong:

• We're asking to keep the status quo rather than make a change. All we want is income stability.

• All but four of us were at the organizing meeting, and of the four missing, two said in advance they'll do what the group decides and one of the others spoke up verbally during the meeting today in support.

• The bosses have already offered us concessions, some we asked for (after initially refusing) and some we didn't ask for (greater leeway in comping [giving away] menu items, which may or may not improve tips).

• Most of us don't need this specific job, and can find a new one in less than a week. If it comes to an actual walkout, they will have to close the restaurant.

• Management has already been trying to hire more staff for months, and cannot find worthwhile candidates; of the few they've hired, half don't make it through training. We are not easily replaced.

Where I feel we're weak:

• Some servers have said they can't afford to strike if it means lost income or losing a job.

• The management we're talking with may not have the authority to roll back this decision.

• The company already made these changes at one other restaurant in the chain already, and we can't count on other locations to support us.

Any advice is appreciated. None of us has done anything like this before.

Edited to fix typos and add location.