Workers at the Walters Art Museum in Baltimore, who are members of Walters Workers United (WWU), an affiliate of AFSCME Maryland Council 3, unanimously voted to ratify their first union contract.   “I’m thrilled that nearly two years of dedication from everyone in our

Explore the DOGE-led layoff plan reversal by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and its impact on veteran services.

A U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia judge blocked the Trump administration from dismantling the Voice of America (VOA).

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DETROIT (Reuters) -The United Auto Workers (UAW) said on Wednesday it won a vote at a Ford joint-venture plant in Kentucky to unionize it, but believed 41 challenge ballots still pending to be illegitimate. A win for the union would give it a much-needed boost in the U.S. South by securing membership at another electric vehicle (EV) production facility, a key battleground as the automobile industry electrifies. The union urged the company to recognize that a majority of BlueOval SK’s production and maintenance employees had chosen to join it. "They (Ford) should immediately drop their anti-democratic effort to undermine the outcome of the election," the union, which represents workers across Ford, General Motors and Jeep-maker Stellantis, said in a statement. Referring to the challenge ballots, it added, "We believe they are illegitimate and represent nothing more than an employer tactic to flood the unit and undermine the outcome." The National Labor Relations Board and Ford did not respond to a request for comment outside regular business hours. The BlueOval SK joint-venture expects to bring on 5,000 workers across two Kentucky battery plants when they are at full capacity, a spokesperson said. The first, which now employs about 1,450 people, started production this summer, while the second has been delayed. UAW President Shawn Fain has sought, with little success, to expand on a historic win last year at a Volkswagen plant in Tennessee. The labor group suffered a defeat at a Mercedes plant in Alabama in May 2024. 3rd party Ad. Not an offer or recommendation by Investing.com. See disclosure here or remove ads. Fain has emphasized the importance of winning votes at battery and EV plants, a focus of its 2023 strike against Detroit’s automakers. The union previously notched victories with Ultium Cells, a joint venture between GM and LG Energy Solution, at battery plants in Ohio and Tennessee. ProPicks AI analyzes thousands of stocks using 100+ institutional-grade financial metrics to identify the strongest opportunities. With 80+ strategies across global markets, you might be surprised where GM appears. Our flagship Tech Titans strategy doubled the S&P 500 within 18 months, including notable winners like Super Micro Computer (+185%) and AppLovin (+157%). Each strategy refreshes monthly with 10-20 high-conviction picks. Even if GM isn't currently featured, you'll discover similar opportunities in the same industry or theme—stocks the AI identifies before they breakout. Now up to 50% off while our Summer Sale lasts.

Hertta-Maria Amutenja  The Mine Workers Union of Namibia (MUN) has won a dispute with Sinomine Tsumeb Smelter over its voluntary separation programme (VSP). A recent ruling found the company must comply with section 34 of the Labour Act. The decision followed two days of conciliation talks on 12 and 13 August 2025. Section 34 requires companies to consult employees and unions and give proper notice before asking workers to leave for economic, technological, or operational reasons. The dispute began when MUN accused Sinomine of bypassing fair labour practices by pushing ahead with the VSP without engaging the union.  The union said the scheme was a “disguised termination of employment” and should be handled under Section 34 procedures for collective dismissals.  The company argued the process was voluntary and did not require union involvement. Minister of justice and labour relations Fillemon Wise Immanuel referred the matter to conciliation under section 80 of the Labour Act to determine the legal position.  The ruling upheld the union’s view, and both parties signed a settlement agreement to place the VSP under section 34. “This ruling is a clear example of using the law to ensure workplaces in Namibia remain fair and peaceful,” said Immanuel. The ruling ends weeks of disagreement between the union and the company.  In July, MUN accused Sinomine of refusing to negotiate and advised workers not to apply for the programme until the dispute was resolved.  The Namibian Competition Commission also expressed concern that the VSP could be a disguised retrenchment. Immanuel suspended the programme and warned the company not to accept applications from employees during the dispute. The July standoff came after earlier conflict over planned retrenchments. In June, MUN rejected the proposed job cuts, calling them unjustified and procedurally flawed.  In a letter to minister of industry, mines and energy Natangue Ithete, MUN’s secretary general George Ampweya accused the company of undermining the union’s role and bypassing due process by holding “informal and irregular engagement processes” led by the human resources division instead of company leadership. MUN warned that job losses would harm workers, their families, and the wider Tsumeb community.  Member of parliament Willem Amutenya also opposed the retrenchment plans, saying the smelter is a key part of the town’s economy and that the separation packages had serious socio-economic consequences for workers with loans.