#laborrelations

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Scabiversary

Today, November 20th, is the anniversary of the first use of the word “scab” in print in 1816. The term was coined 200+ years ago by the Albany Typographical Society, referring to individuals who cross a picket line while workers strike. Here's some examples of the word "scab" mentioned in our collections.

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Happy Halloween! 🍬🍭🍫

As you eat your Halloween candy, maybe consider... what was it really like working in a candy factory? And in the 1920s, they didn't know either! This study, published in a pamphlet titled "Behind the Scenes in Candy Factories" was produced by The Consumers' League of New York and set out to uncover the true conditions behind the production process of the food the public consumes. To learn more about the Consumers' League of New York and the Candy White List standards, explore Collection 5307.

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Founding of the IWW

On this day in 1905, the Industrial Workers of the World, or the IWW, was founded at a 12-day convention in Chicago.

Their platform was radically different from that of any other contemporary union, and called for the organization of all workers, regardless of skill, gender, nationality, and religious creed, along industrial lines. Nothing less than the abolition of the wage system and of capitalism were the ultimate goals of the new organization, which became famous for its radical general strikes, militant tactics, and great appeal among new immigrants, women, and unskilled workers. Its members were nicknamed "Wobblies".

Learn more in our collections, particularly Collection #5210.

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Mother Jones marches against Child Labor

On this day in 1903 Mary Harris, more commonly known as “Mother Jones”, organized a children’s march in Philadelphia to focus public attention and demand action to stop textile mill owners from employing children to work long hours with dangerous machinery that had mutilated so many.

Three weeks later she led another march to New York City to encourage President Theodore Roosevelt to improve conditions for the child laborers. The National Child Labor Committee was formed the next year.

Photographer unknown. Image 6000-044pb10f08a from Kheel Center’s UNITE Photographs collection.

[kheelcenter]

Alice Hanson Cook

Alice Hanson Cook (1903-1998) was a labor educator first, through her work with the YWCA industrial department, Textile Workers Union, and Amalgamated Clothing Workers Union Joint Board in Philadelphia. She continued by contributing to research at Cornell through the ILR Extension working on a project titled "Integrating of Unions and Community", where she was then recruited by ILR to teach Labor History and Union Administration courses. Beyond teaching and research, she supported local Ithaca women's groups such as the Ithaca American Association of University Women, Professional Skills Roster, and Tompkins County Chapter of National Organization for Women.

While she retired in 1973, she was far from done with labor rights activism: she continued on to write several amicus briefs for discrimination cases worldwide, worked for the Ford Foundation on a study about working women worldwide, and published "Women and Trade Unions in Eleven Industrialized Countries", among other publications. She also wrote an autobiography, "A Lifetime of Labor", where she describes her self-proclaimed "patchwork career". Now, a dorm on West Campus is named in her honor, Alice Cook House.

📸 Collection 4354/009

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September Hashtag Party: Archives Patterns

When the American Textile History Museum closed in 2017, Cornell, including the Kheel Center, acquired nine tractor trailers full of close to 100,000 books, periodicals, manuscript collections, photographs, tintypes, glass plate negatives and trade catalogs that depicted the textile industry across New England and the country. This was one of Cornell's largest acquisitions ever. What else was included in that collections? Textile sample books! #ArchivesPatterns

Check out these colorful, intricate patterns that showcase the vivid liveliness of the 19th and 20th centuries that is often obscured by black and white media.

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Fair Labor Standards Act & Frances Perkins

On this day the Fair Labor Standards Act passed Congress, devised by FDR and Frances Perkins in 1938. The law set minimum wage standards, weekly hours maximums, and age limits for the workplace, impacting millions of workers since.

Interested in learning more about Perkins? See our exhibit in Catherwood Library, and read about her here:

Kheel Exhibit Honors Labor Champion “Ahead of Her Time”

Workers’ rights advocate Frances Perkins led state and federal policy changes throughout her career, which included teaching at the ILR Scho

[newsababil360]

SAG-AFTRA Pension Merger Sparks Debate as Union Approves New Four‑Year Deal

**Union Board Gives Thumbs‑Up to Four‑Year Deal, Paving Way for Pension Consolidation** The SAG‑AFTRA board voted overwhelmingly—by 89%—to endorse a four‑year agreement with the major Hollywood studios, a move that would trigger a Jan. 1, 2028 merger of the union’s two legacy pension plans into a single fund. Executives tout the consolidation as a cost‑saving measure, but the recommendation now awaits ratification by the broader membership, sparking debate among actors and crew about the long‑term impact on benefits and financial security. ### Key Takeaways - **Board Approval:** 89% of SAG‑AFTRA board members support the new four‑year contract with studios. - **Pension Merger Timeline:** The merger of the two existing pension plans is slated to take effect on Jan. 1, 2028. - **Cost‑Saving Rationale:** Union leadership argues that a single fund will reduce administrative overhead and improve investment efficiency. - **Membership Ratification Required:** The agreement is not final until the full union membership votes to ratify it. - **Potential Controversy:** Critics within the union warn that merging pensions could jeopardize accrued benefits for some members. - **Industry Impact:** A unified pension fund could set a precedent for other entertainment‑industry unions seeking similar efficiencies. - **Negotiation Context:** The deal follows months of intensive bargaining amid broader industry labor unrest. - **Financial Outlook:** Consolidation is projected to generate multi‑million‑dollar savings over the life of the agreement. - **Member Outreach:** SAG‑AFTRA plans a series of informational sessions to explain the merger’s implications. - **Future Negotiations:** The four‑year term may influence the timing and scope of subsequent collective‑bargaining cycles. #SAGAFTRA #PensionMerger #UnionNegotiations #EntertainmentIndustry #LaborRelations #ActorBenefits #Hollywood #CollectiveBargaining #FutureOfPensions #newsababil360 [Read Full Article](https://news.ababil360.com/sag-aftra-pension-merger-sparks-debate-as-union-approves-new-four-year-deal/)