Santander Bank U.S. Workers Launch Union Organizing Drive

Santander Bank, Summer Street, Boston. (Creative Commons.)

By Doug Cunningham

Workers Independent News is heard Monday through Friday after the 6 and 11 p.m. news on 97.9 WHAV.

Workers Independent News is heard Monday through Friday after the 6 and 11 p.m. news on 97.9 WHAV.

Santander Bank’s 15,000 U.S. workers Tuesday declared their intentions to form a union.

The Committee for Better Banks and the Communications Workers of America are involved in organizing efforts to help workers organize a union at the Spain-based bank.

The workers want higher wages and a greater share of bank profits along with stable full-time jobs. Median bank teller wages in 2015 were just $26, 410.

While bank workers said they present a professional image, they’re really dealing with low wages and facing other worker issues. Some of Tuesday’s actions included delivering pro-union petitions in Dallas and Boston along with letters demanding Santander executives respect their right to form a union.

The workers want the same standards for U.S. workers the bank employees get in other countries. CWA is involved in helping bank workers in Texas organize.

GOP U.S. Rep. Urges Trump to Suspend Norwegian Air Permit

AFA-CWA says GOP Rep. Tom Reed of New York has sent Trump a letter urging him to revoke or suspend a Norwegian Air International foreign carrier permit.

The reason is that it threatens U.S. aviation jobs, according to the AFA-CWA. Reed told Trump the “flag of convenience” model used by Norwegian Air circumvents Norwegian labor laws.

CWA, AT&T Still Far Apart Over ‘Greedy and Retrogressive’ Demands

The CWA and AT&T are still far apart on most issues as they continue to try to reach an agreement on a new labor contract for 21,000 workers.

The union says it will not accept what it calls “greedy and retrogressive demands” from AT&T despite the company’s huge profits.

CWA says it wants a fair contract.

The union and AT&T are expected to reconvene talks soon. The CWA is urging its members to stay mobilized and committed to doing what it takes to reach a fair contract.