JWA Newsletter - March 2026: St. Patrick's Day & Officer Recruitment
Happy St. Patrick's Day, Comrade!
We hope everyone has a fun (and safe) time celebrating!
- Officers Needed
- Valentine's Day Event Recap
- Rights Reminder
- Steward's Corner
- Grievances and Results in Elgin
- Organizing Poetry
Officers Needed: Secretary and Assistant Treasurer
As mentioned last newsletter, we still need a new secretary!
In addition, we are also searching for a backup for our treasurer, who has reduced capacity due to health issues.
Please let us know if you or someone you know would be a good fit for either of these roles by replying to this email or nominating on our Discord server.
Valentine's Day Event Recap
We coordinated and handed out valentines at four different locations on February 11th!
The following people led the effort:
- Frank in Tampa, Florida
- Daniel in Elgin, Illinois
- Beth in Houston, Texas
- Jesse and Reggie in Columbus, Ohio
If you also led such an effort, please reply to this email and let us know! We will give you credit (anonymously if desired).
If you feel that you missed out, join us on Discord to get involved and spread the reach of our next effort!
Rights Reminder
Worker rights are protected by the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) of 1935.
According to this federal law, the following actions are legally protected rights:
- speaking about pay
- discussing working conditions
- talking about any and all terms and conditions of employment
- forming, joining, supporting, and chatting about unions
- any joint action for mutual aid and protection
Further, this act outlaws retaliation, interference, and a variety of other unfair labor practices.
Many of us were told this year not to discuss our compensation numbers. Indeed, in a recent widely assigned training, one of the assessment questions implies that discussing those numbers is a violation of company policy.
Such a company policy would be a violation of federal law!
The company is subject to the law, not the other way around.
On a side note, this is why we in the union encourage the use of the "Bank Business" time code for any weather related working from home. If the local authorities declare driving illegal due to weather, you didn't decide to WFH. You are simply following the law.
Steward's Corner
A prospective member anonymously reported numerous operational and policy problems at an Illinois-area Lockbox site. Key allegations include:
- Shifting, undocumented, and archaic production tracking practices
- Cut-throat competition over metrics, promoting overwork and corrupt record-keeping
- A few slow time clocks for too many employees, leading to inaccurate attendance records and unfair warnings
- Inadequate supplies necessary for job performance, and blaming employees for this employer failure
- Despite the "Clean Desk" policy preventing reliance on paper, procedural updates are rarely shared electronically
- Hiring, firing, and job-assignment practices are opaque and seem prone to favoritism and misrepresentation.
We the members of the JPMC Workers Alliance demand justice for these workers!
Union recognition and collective bargaining would ensure fair worker treatment and compensation under sane, standardized procedures and consistent management.
If you see similar problems in your workplace, get in touch. We have people all over the company who building worker power to apply corrective pressure.
Grievances and Results in Elgin
On 19 February, a member in Elgin, Illinois shared a grievance.
In his department, bathroom access outside of pre-scheduled breaks was indirectly limited to seven minutes per day. Using the bathroom had been labeled "discretionary time" and was therefore subject to disciplinary action for overages.
Other Union members thought this policy to be bizarre and probably a violation of an OSHA safety code, and recommended a complaint accordingly.
As of 24 February, a two-page warning letter from OSHA is posted in the facility identifying the specific regulation, stating the nature of the alleged violation, and demanding the company correct itself or face a full OSHA inspection. The letter states that OSHA received the allegation on 11 February, 8 days before the union at large learned of the problem.
At this time it's unclear whether whoever filed the initial OSHA report is the same person or even associated with the Union, but we are monitoring the situation and will take appropriate action to keep OSHA updated on the situation.
We respect the company's desire to maintain productivity while hourly employees are on-the-clock, but we also believe that it is unhealthy, unsafe, and even unproductive to constrain bathroom access in a punitive manner.
Let us rather assume good faith by default and address outliers on a case-by-case basis with both compassion and common sense.
Organizing Poetry from BK
Note: Based on a true story that took place at a Chase call center in Katy, TX in February.
It Started in the Hallway
UNION MEETINGS
Did you know we hold union meetings on our Discord server?
The next few meetings are:
- Saturday, 7 March, 6PM Eastern
- Tuesday, 17 March, 7PM Eastern
- Saturday, 28 March, 6PM Eastern
- Tuesday, 7 April, 7PM Eastern
- Saturday, 18 April, 6PM Eastern
If you are union-eligible, we hope to see you there!
If you aren't sure of your eligibility or simply want a better understanding of the distinction, check our resource for managers.
DONATIONS
The JWA runs on the goodwill, effort, and financial resources of those who donate. We absolutely do not charge dues, but we do have costs.
If you can afford it and believe in our efforts, please contribute either in person or via our donation page.
REMEMBER
The union is us. We are the union.
Change is coming. Be a part of it.
Excitedly Yours,
The JPMC Workers Alliance
Written with love by BK, Beth, and Reggie
P.S. Previous editions are available on our website!