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What I’ve Been Reading This Week

 

It had been a few weeks since we heard of an effort to unionize at a major company.  This week, a unionization effort at MSNBC is worth noting and leading this off for this post.

As always, below are a couple articles that caught my eye this week.


200+ MSNBC Workers Move to Unionize

Last week, over 200 MSNBC workers moved to unionize and become a local chapter of the Writers Guild of America, East.  As The Hill reported, MSNBC President Rashida Jones said that while she respected the decision to unionize, the union would not be recognized unless a majority of eligible employees vote for unionization by way of an election.  The timetable for that election is not certain at this time.  However, critics have been quick to point out that while MSNBC has championed pro-worker and labor friendly coverage and reporting over the years, they have chosen to not voluntarily recognize a union in their very own “backyard.”


Aloha? For Some Remote Workers in Hawaii...Not So Much

The Wall Street Journal has an interesting article that serves as somewhat of a follow up on workers that have chosen to relocate to Hawaii (temporarily) to work remotely during the coronavirus pandemic.  As the article notes, some of the workers that have gone to Hawaii have been able to enjoy the beaches, hiking, sightseeing, and overall ability to get off the grid.  Although getting off the grid also comes with poor WiFi in parts of Hawaii, time zone differences resulting in early morning conference calls, along with a general malaise with sitting behind a computer screen when paradise is right outside the door.  Unfortunately for some, even a (work) get away to Hawaii might not be all that it is cracked up to be.


Which Large Scale Employers Are Calling Employees Back to the Office...and Which Are More Flexible

With any luck, things are on the backside of dealing with the coronavirus pandemic (in regard to disruptions to the workplace/work routines).  As a result, many employers (large and small) have started to bring workers back into the office and resume a more “traditional”/pre coronavirus schedule.  This article from CNN has a breakdown of how a few large scale employers are handling bringing their workers back to the workplace.  This is worth a read for those interested to see where the trend is going, in regard to work vs. in person work.


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