Terri Gerstein (’95), director of the State and Local Enforcement Project at the Harvard Center for Labor and a Just Economy and senior fellow at the Economic Policy Institute, co-authored an essay for CNN highlighting key issues at play in the Teamsters Union’s recent authorization of a strike at UPS (“The UPS Strike Authorization Vote Is About More Than Just Pay,” June 28). “The UPS strike authorization vote also reflects the increasing willingness of workers in a range of industries to exercise collective power to seek better conditions for themselves, their coworkers and future generations. And it’s not just about pay. Railroad workers last fall sought paid sick days. The Amazon Labor Union was formed because of concerns about Covid safety. Kellogg’s workers went on strike in 2021 over a two-tier compensation structure. And on Friday, workers in about 150 Starbucks locations went on strike over the company’s alleged restricting of Pride decorations in some locations.”
