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FEATURING CLAUDIA MAGAÑA - Labor organizing in the United States is on the rise. According to the Washington Post, “July was one of the busiest months for strikes in three decades.” But, alongside the uptick in union activity is a sharp increase in employer-retaliations against organizing workers. The Labor Department reports that the number of unfair labor practice charges brought against employers increased by 16% in the first half of the fiscal year. Republican Senator Tim Scott underscored this practice with his recent comment, "You strike, you're fired."

A case in point is Amazon, one of the nation’s largest employers, which contracts with thousands of smaller delivery companies. Earlier this year 84 workers with a contractor named Battle Tested Strategies in Southern California made history by joining the International Brotherhood of Teamsters. In spite of the fact that Amazon had an active contract with the delivery company, it ended the contract. Now, in response to what is being called a “national worker retaliation crisis,” the group called Unemployed Workers United has launched the “Fired Up!” campaign.

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