This week saw controversy from the art world all the way to the school boards, but also big wins in a local labor fight. A controversial exhibit showcasing Banksy’s artwork is coming to Cincinnati this weekend – but it’s not authorized by the artist. And a far-right member of the Lakota Board of Education is pushing a policy that targets the rights of trans students. Speaking of students, some Cincinnati-area McDonald’s locations have been fined for violating child labor laws by allowing kids to work late and use dangerous kitchen equipment. The fight for safe working conditions continues in Kentucky where DHL workers have voted to unionize at CVG after 22 people were severely hurt on the job last year. Catch up on the latest headlines below.
DHL Workers at CVG Vote ‘Yes’ to Joining Teamsters Union
While higher pay is a conversation DHL employees want to have with management, safer working conditions is the most pressing issue for employees who voted to join the Teamsters union on April 28. Workers told CityBeat that ramp associates are paid as low as $20 per hour to have life-threatening jobs loading and unloading nearly 400,000 pounds of cargo per day using equipment they described as dangerous or outdated. In 2022, there were at least 22 workplace injuries that required transport to a hospital or emergency room, according to Kenton County Airport Board records. Injuries included broken, crushed and dislocated limbs. Records show one worker suffered a “degloving” of his arm, an injury where the skin and tissue get ripped away from the bone. Read CityBeat’s story about the DHL win and what it means for the Amazon Air Hub unionizers across the street.
Lakota School Board Member Darbi Boddy Files Motion Against Trans Students’ Bathroom Choice, Sports Participation A far-right member of the Lakota Board of Education will have to wait to push her policy that targets the rights of trans students. Board member Darbi Boddy proposed a motion that would restrict trans students’ use of their preferred bathroom and bar trans women from participating on women’s sports teams. The motion reads, “Lakota allows boys in girls bathrooms as we speak, and it is damaging our children. This Board has the authority and the duty to fix this now. We cannot continue to be so feckless while our children suffer, and the liabilities increase.“ Boddy, who started her first term on the board in January 2022, has been an outspoken critic of masking, vaccine policies, Critical Race Theory, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion training, and LGBTQ+ allyship in the district. Read CityBeat’s Story about the citizen campaign to remove Boddy from office.
Controversial Exhibit Banksyland Secret Location Revealed, it Debuts in Cincinnati for One Weekend Only A controversial exhibit showcasing Banksy’s artwork is coming to Cincinnati this weekend – but it’s not authorized by the artist. Banksyland promotes an immersive and exclusive experience exhibiting works by Banksy, the famously elusive and independent street artist. Despite Banksyland’s problematic reputation of touring the world without permission from the artist, it’s racking up sold out dates across the U.S. Banksy’s website loudly condemns the use of the artist’s work by anyone who isn’t Banksy or its only official affiliated organization called Pest Control. The salvaged street works are presented on steel and concrete and include the iconic “Rat” graffitis. Also included in Banksyland are prominent Banksy creations like “Love is in the Air,” “Smiling Copper,” “Happy Choppers” and the notable, “Girl with Balloon.” Read CityBeat’s story about Banksyland’s stop in Cincinnati.
FOP President Says ‘Master Let You Back Into the Field’ Comment Doesn’t Warrant Punishment for Officer The president of Cincinnati’s police union is coming to the defense of an officer who is accused of making a racist remark toward a Black colleague. Officer Kurtis Latham, who is white, is on desk duty while the department conducts an internal investigation into claims that Latham told Officer Bakari Shaw, who is Black, “So, the master let you back in the field today,” according to a statement from the Cincinnati NAACP. According to a statement from Cincinnati Police Department Chief Teresa Theetge, an investigation was ordered immediately into the situation last week. But Dan Hils, the officer-elected leader of the local chapter of the Fraternal Order of Police, Cincinnati’s police union, told CityBeat that Latham’s statement was a poorly-worded joke that shouldn’t result in punishment. Read CityBeat’s story about Dan Hils’ reaction to the investigation.
Unpaid 10-Year-Olds Worked Past Midnight in Kentucky McDonald’s, Department of Labor Finds Children as young as 10 were found working past midnight at a McDonald’s restaurant in Louisville, Kentucky, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. As part of an investigation into federal child labor law violations in the Southeast, the Department of Labor said that three separate franchises that operate a total of 62 McDonald’s restaurants across Kentucky, Indiana, Maryland and Ohio “employed 305 children to work more than the legally permitted hours and perform tasks prohibited by law for young workers,” the agency wrote in a Tuesday press release.The agency found that one of the two 10-year-old children was allowed to operate a deep fryer, which is prohibited for working minors under 16. Read CityBeat’s story about the investigation into child labor at McDonald’s.
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This article appears in May 3-16, 2023.