SOLIDARITY ALERT: Save These Workers' Pensions
Glass manufacturing workers at Gemtron in Vincennes, Indiana, make the glass that goes into refrigerators by Whirlpool, Sub-Zero and GE—huge brands used in restaurants and kitchens around the world.
Unfortunately, these workers are on an unfair labor practices strike since management has been unilaterally attempting to eliminate their pensions.
It’s the same story we see across the country—a story that workers are coming together to fight against. Gemtron was bought by SSW Advanced Technologies, and its CEO, Luis Liu, has refused to come to the table and acknowledge the union.
These workers were handed a piece of paper informing them that their pension was to be eliminated. “I’ve got 28 days left,” explained Mike, one of the workers on strike.
Will you write a letter to Gemtron CEO Luis Liu to ask him to come to the table and bargain in good faith? These workers have accepted years of concessionary contracts to protect their hard-earned retirements, and Gemtron has not met with them a single time. These are not hugely high-paying jobs.
The challenge in rural communities is that corporate CEOs think they can quietly gouge workers’ hard-earned benefits without much of a fuss. A car drives past Gemtron headquarters about every 10 minutes. That’s why we need your help to protect this hardworking community.
Kenneth Quinnell Fri, 05/10/2024 - 14:45Worker Wins: Making a Huge Difference in So Many Lives
Our latest roundup of worker wins includes numerous examples of working people organizing, bargaining and mobilizing for a better life.
Dotdash Meredith Union Wins Contracts: Editorial workers—represented by The NewsGuild of New York, a local of The NewsGuild-CWA—at People, People video, Entertainment Weekly and Martha Stewart Living have reached contract agreements with digital and print publisher Dotdash Meredith. Union members voted to ratify the contracts on Monday. Highlights of the new three-year agreements include average immediate wage increases of 28%, a 35-hour workweek with protections against overwork, protected holiday-pay premium, reinstitution of recall rights after layoffs and more. This victory has been a long time coming as workers have been bargaining since 2021, often in the face of anti-union activity. For most of the bargaining units, this is their first union-negotiated contract. “We’ve been in fight mode since 2020, when we began organizing some of our brands besides People print,” said Gabrielle Danchick, a copy editor at People and a member of the bargaining committee. “It’s a relief to finally flip the fight-mode switch off and take a breather as the company does the right thing. Because of our collective resolve and refusal to back down, we have a strong legally binding agreement that gives us the protections we need and the kind of pay that will make a huge difference in so many lives.”
Breeze Airways Flight Attendants Vote Overwhelmingly to Join AFA-CWA: On Tuesday, Breeze Airways flight attendants voted with 76.3% in favor of joining the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA (AFA-CWA). Breeze Airways, a low-cost airline headquartered in Utah, launched in 2021 and has expanded quickly to employ more than 650 flight attendants. The crew at Breeze began organizing because of experiences with inconsistent work rules, low pay, lack of adequate hotel accommodations, insufficient hours and disrespect from management. Within two weeks of announcing their intent to form a union, flight attendants filed for an election. Although Breeze Airways management launched an aggressive union-busting campaign—including hiring anti-labor consultants to break up the organizing efforts—workers held fast and secured a massive victory with this election. “Management broke out all the tired old union-busting, but together we weren’t intimidated or fooled,” said Robynne Martino, a flight attendant and member of the Breeze Airways AFA-CWA Organizing Committee. “Our work group spoke clearly. It’s time for Breeze to treat us with the dignity we earn every day on the line. We call on management to come to the table and negotiate a fair contract without delay.”
Apple Illegally Interrogated NYC Retail Staff, National Labor Relations Board Rules: The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) ruled earlier this week that Apple illegally interrogated staff at the World Trade Center store location in New York City. The NLRB ruled that the retail store in Manhattan violated labor law by badgering a worker about whether he supported a campaign to form a union with Apple Retail Union–Communications Workers of America (CWA). The agency also affirmed a judge’s ruling last year that Apple violated federal law in 2022 by confiscating flyers about organizing and barring workers from placing them on a table in the staff break room. Last month, the NLRB also sided with workers at Apple’s Penn Square store in Oklahoma City, approving a settlement agreement for an unfair labor practice charge after the tech retail giant terminated its COVID-19 policy without bargaining with the unit. “Time after time, when workers want to join a union, Apple has had an opportunity to live up to its stated values and failed,” CWA Communications Director Beth Allen said in a statement. “This is why workers need an independent voice—to help Apple live up to its credo and make sure that every member of the team is respected and valued.”
IAM Members at Case New Holland Approve New Contract: The Machinists (IAM) Local 2525 has ratified a new contract with agricultural and construction equipment producer CNH Industrial. The previous six-year contract expired on April 28, but the union and company agreed to extend the contract and continue negotiations up until this past Saturday. Workers at the Fargo, North Dakota, facility held fast on their demands for better compensation and improved benefits and safeguards for the well-being and livelihoods of all staff. Thanks to their endurance and the hard work of IAM’s negotiating team, the newly ratified agreement includes higher wages, retention of health care and pension benefits, and more time off. “Through their solidarity, IAM Local 2525 members have secured better wages and benefits, protected their economic stability, job security, as well as ensured the balance between work and life,” said IAM Midwest Territory General Vice President Sam Cicinelli. “Their victory underscores the fundamental truth that when workers stand together, they can achieve remarkable outcomes, shaping a workplace that values their work and honors their dignity.”
Biden Vetoes Bill Against NLRB Joint Employer Rule, Protecting Workers: President Biden vetoed a Congressional Review Act measure late last week that sought to overturn the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) rule preventing corporations from hiding behind a subcontractor or staffing agency when workers want to collectively bargain. The NLRB’s joint employer rule expands bargaining obligations and liability for labor violations for employers that have power over working conditions, even if workers are hired through a third party or by franchisees of a larger franchise. This regulation ensures that union members can bargain with each company that has the power to make changes in the workplace. A two-thirds majority in the House and Senate would be required to overturn the veto, an unlikely scenario as an overwhelming majority of congressional Democrats endorse the rule. “Without the NLRB’s rule, companies could more easily avoid liability simply by manipulating their corporate structure, like hiding behind subcontractors or staffing agencies. By hampering the NLRB’s efforts to promote the practice and procedure of collective bargaining, Republicans are siding with union-busting corporations over the needs of workers and their unions,” Biden said in a statement.
Retail Workers Vote to Form Florida’s First Union at H&M: Workers at an H&M location in Melbourne, Florida, overwhelmingly voted to form a union with United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 1625 on Friday, marking a historic first in the state for the clothing retailer. The election was secured by a supermajority of workers at the Melbourne Square Mall store, creating a bargaining unit of about 20 full-time and part-time staff. The multinational clothing company based in Sweden has 15 locations with workers represented by Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union-UFCW (RWDSU-UFCW) in New York, with some locations already having secured contracts guaranteeing paid time off, sick days, medical coverage and more. Workers at the Melbourne store first reached out to the international union earlier this year and were directed to Local 1625, which represents some 8,100 workers across Florida, to start the organizing efforts. Now that the retail and merchandising associates have won their election by a landslide, they’re ready to start bargaining a contract with better pay, more opportunities to secure full-time hours and quality health care.
Fungi Perfecti Workers Joining Together with LIUNA: On-site staff at Fungi Perfecti, which produces gourmet and medicinal mushrooms, have announced their intention to form a union with Laborers (LIUNA) Local 252. Unfortunately, the medicinal mushroom company, located in Olympia, Washington, has responded with an aggressive union-busting campaign rather than respecting the collective action of its workers. Local 252 already has had to file several unfair labor practice (ULP) complaints against Fungi Perfecti and has confirmed that more are in the works to protect the organizing efforts from illegal employer interference. Fungi Perfecti has enlisted the services of infamous anti-labor firms Littler and the American Labor Group (ALG), which represent clients like Amazon, Apple, Google and Starbucks, all of which also have faced multiple ULP charges. But, despite this, workers are steadfast in their goal of forming a union to better their working conditions. “ALG has been distributing anti-union propaganda that, in some cases, are outright lies,” said Derek Sewell, a warehouse worker for Fungi Perfecti. “But we will not be discouraged. It’s just unfortunate that they are spending thousands of dollars on union-busting to try to discourage us rather than investing in making Fungi Perfecti and better and more sustainable place to work.”
Portillo’s Workers in Aurora, Illinois, Vote to Join Ironworkers: Workers at a Portillo’s in Aurora, Illinois, voted to join a union last week, becoming the second wave of the Chicago-based food chain staff to do so. After six months of coming together to speak out against disrespect on the job and weathering union-busting tactics from management, production staff are joining Ironworkers Local 853. This victory comes a year after workers at the Portillo’s Food Service warehouse in Addison voted 28–20 to organize. Members are now shifting their focus to starting negotiations on a contract that includes livable wages, respect and dignity on the job, and better working conditions. “I’m so happy, we have a union! This has been a tough fight, but it was definitely worth it. I’m ready to fight for better pay, respect, and a better future for me and my kids!” said Chandra Wilson, a production associate.
House Cafeteria Workers in D.C. Win Big Under New Contract: Cafeteria and catering workers at the U.S. House dining facilities, represented by UNITE HERE Local 23, are celebrating a new contract ratified in March that raises wages and improves working conditions. Members are employed by food services contractor Sodexo, which oversees 10 House dining locations, including the Capitol Market in the basement of the Capitol, office building facilities like the Longworth and Rayburn cafeterias, and the Au Bon Pain in Cannon. The workers who keep representatives, staff and visitors fed in Washington, D.C., had a swell of local support early on in negotiations from Howard University students and union members from other locals, which they said made their success with bargaining possible. The new deal includes a $3 hourly pay bump in the first year and a raise of $7.50 over five years, no-cost health insurance coverage, increased pension contributions and more. “We were all pretty satisfied with the new contract and excited about the raises coming in the next couple of months as well as future benefits,” said Joseph Smith, a Local 23 member who works in the Longworth cafeteria. “We’re all just looking forward to what’s next.”
Biden Administration Expands Protections for Farmworkers: The Department of Labor (DOL) announced a final rule on Friday that aims to strengthen and expand protections against wage theft and other labor abuses for temporary agricultural workers with H-2A visas. Introduced in 1986, the H-2A program allows U.S. employers to hire workers from other countries for temporary or seasonal agricultural jobs that go unfilled because of domestic labor shortages. Because these farmworkers don’t have U.S. citizenship and rely on bosses for necessities like housing and transportation, their working conditions can be extremely exploitative. The new DOL rule regulates termination policies to prevent retaliation against laborers for speaking up about working conditions, prohibit employers from holding or confiscating a worker’s passport or other documentation, improve safety standards, and more. “This final rule makes important progress in enhancing recruitment protections, empowering workers with information, lifting wages, limiting retaliation, improving safety protections, enabling concerted activity and ensuring employer accountability,” said AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler in a press release. “When workers are able to join together safely and take collective action, we all win. The AFL-CIO commends the DOL for raising the bar on protections that will prevent further exploitation of migrant and America’s workers alike.”
Remaining West Coast IATSE Locals Reach Craft-Specific Tentative Agreements with Studios: All West Coast Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) locals have now reached tentative agreements with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers on its craft-specific issues as of late last week. IATSE locals 44—the Affiliated Property Craftspersons union—and 884—the Studio Teachers union—join 11 other West Coast crew unions that have won tentative deals since bargaining over their local-specific contracts that began in March. IATSE’s Basic Agreement General Negotiations, which cover broader contractual issues like wages, pension and health care contributions, artificial intelligence usage, job security, and residuals, resumed on Monday, April 29, and are slated to run through May 16. Negotiations for the Area Standards Agreement (ASA) will start on May 20 and are set to run through the end of the month. “Our locals’ craft-specific issues required the employers’ attention, and at the table we’re seeing improved engagement and dialogue,” IATSE Vice President Mike Miller said in a statement. “That indicates the studios’ negotiators have different marching orders this contract cycle. This approach will be helpful as we continue our negotiations over the next few weeks.”
Pitt Faculty Union Reaches Tentative Agreement on First Historic Contract: Full- and part-time faculty at the University of Pittsburgh—who are represented by the United Steelworkers (USW)—announced Thursday that the union had reached a tentative agreement on its first contract. The more than 3,000 Pitt faculty voted to organize with the USW during the fall of 2021 and have been negotiating with university administration for two years. Members will soon be voting on a contract that contains historic language on wages and job security, the top two bargaining priorities for the unit, including a standardized wage floor, more manageable workloads and better advancement opportunities. “We unionized nearly three years ago so that we could have a voice in the decision-making process and increased transparency,” said Tyler Bickford, a professor in the English department, who served on the bargaining committee. “We remained united through negotiations, and our perseverance paid off with a strong contract that will help us now and provide firm foundation on which we can grow in the future.”
UAW Members in North Carolina, Georgia and Tennessee Reach Deal with Daimler Truck: The International Union, United Automobile, Aerospace and Agricultural Implement Workers of America (UAW) announced a tentative deal Friday night with auto manufacturer Daimler Truck North America (DTNA) in the eleventh hour before contract expiration, covering thousands of workers at plants in North Carolina, Georgia and Tennessee. The four-year contract establishes huge wins for the 7,300 covered members, like a 25% pay increase over four years—including a 10% raise immediately when the deal is ratified—profit-sharing language, an end to wage tiers and the first ever cost-of-living adjustment guarantees since workers first organized. Members faced union-busting tactics from the Mercedes-Benz-owned company throughout negotiations, including retaliation against union members and bad-faith bargaining, forcing the UAW to file four unfair labor practice charges against Daimler. “Tonight, it’s clear the company, and the world, heard your message: WE build the product. WE make the profits. WE deserve a deal that reflects our hard work. But you did more than just that,” UAW President Shawn Fain said in prepared remarks. “With this agreement, you said: a rising tide needs to lift every single boat. No one gets left behind. UAW Family, that is solidarity at its best. We win more when we stick together.”
University of Kansas Faculty Vote ‘Union Yes’: On Thursday, seven months after filing for their election, faculty at the University of Kansas (KU) voted overwhelmingly to form a union. The United Academics of the University of Kansas (UAKU) is affiliated with the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) and the American Association of University Professors (AAUP), representing more than 1,550 academic workers at KU. Staff in the bargaining unit include full-time and part-time tenured and nontenure-track faculty, as well as teaching, research, clinical and online professors; lecturers; curators; librarians; grant-funded research scientists; and more. Members are seeking a contract that will provide job security, improved compensation structures like salary minimums and regular cost-of-living adjustments, and protections for academic freedom. “This is a really exciting day for us. By voting overwhelmingly to unionize, we now have a seat at the table to advocate for the needs of our university and the students we serve,” said Lisa-Marie Wright, an associate teaching professor in the Department of Sociology. “Our students deserve excellent, well-supported faculty, and that’s what we’ll fight for.”
Paramedics and EMTs Form Union with AFSCME in Montana: EMTs and paramedics at AMR Bozeman have unanimously voted to form a union with AFSCME Council 9, making them the first AMR employees to organize in Montana. AMR (American Medical Response) is a private ambulance company in the United States offering emergency and nonemergency medical transportation. When faced with low pay, high turnover and faulty equipment, staff tried going to management for help, but despite their urgency, AMR failed to provide them the resources needed to serve the community. So a core group of EMS professionals began collecting union cards with help from organizers at Council 9 so they could have a collective voice for enacting change. Despite AMR’s attempt to undermine their organizing efforts, all 34 workers who voted said yes to joining together for better conditions. “We really love what we do, we want to be helping people. But we need to make enough money to get by,” said EMT Chris Dooley. “That certainly sends a pretty strong message that this isn’t just a handful of people. We all landed on the same answer.”
Biden Rule Grants Overtime Pay to Millions of Workers: Some 4.3 million workers who previously didn’t qualify for overtime pay could now be eligible, thanks to a new Department of Labor rule from the Biden administration. The mandate will extend overtime protections to salaried workers who earn less than $1,128 per week—about $58,600 per year—when they work more than 40 hours in a week. The threshold increase begins July 1 and is estimated to result in an additional $1.5 billion in pay for millions of salaried workers. And, in order to keep up with changes in average earnings, the threshold will automatically increase every three years starting in 2027. “This rule will restore the promise to workers that if you work more than 40 hours in a week, you should be paid more for that time,” said acting Labor Secretary Julie Su. “Too often, lower-paid salaried workers are doing the same job as their hourly counterparts but are spending more time away from their families for no additional pay. That is unacceptable. The Biden–Harris administration is following through on our promise to raise the bar for workers who help lay the foundation for our economic prosperity.”
Vice President Harris Announces Final Rules on Minimum Nursing Home Staffing Standards: Vice President Kamala Harris announced on Monday final rules setting minimum staffing requirements at federally funded nursing homes and mandating that a certain amount of the taxpayer dollars they receive go toward wages for care workers. This is the first time the federal government is requiring staffing minimums for nursing homes that accept payments from Medicare and Medicaid—which nearly every single one does. The rule comes after the COVID-19 pandemic claimed the lives of more than 167,000 nursing home residents in the United States, exposing how deadly and dangerous understaffing can be in facilities caring for older and disabled Americans. Harris said this overdue change will mean more staff on site to care for residents, fewer emergency room visits, and more peace of mind for caregivers and families. In addition to requiring more staff, the Biden administration is regulating how federal health care dollars are spent, requiring more of that money go to care worker wages in an effort to reduce high turnover rates and grow the industry workforce. Currently, Medicaid pays $125 billion annually to home health care companies, but those facilities haven’t previously been required to report on how they were spending the money. “It is about time that we start to recognize your value and pay you accordingly and give you the structure and support that you deserve,” Harris told a group of care workers during a roundtable in Wisconsin after the announcement. “This is about dignity, and it’s about dignity that we as a society owe to those in particular who care for the least of these.”
Volkswagen Workers in Tennessee Pass Historic Vote to Join Union: In a historic victory, Volkswagen (VW) workers in Chattanooga, Tennessee, voted to join the UAW on Friday, making it the first auto factory in the South to vote to organize since the 1940s. An overwhelming majority of the 3,613 workers voted yes in a three-day election that drew high turnout. Against the backdrop of last summer’s intense Hollywood strikes, a recent sharp spike in National Labor Relations Board petition filings, coordinated health care worker walkouts and multiple other groundbreaking organizing victories, this win for VW workers is not only the biggest organizing success in years for the UAW—it’s also yet another piece of evidence that workers across industries and regions are fed up with not getting our fair share of corporate profits. Now that the election is over, the fight for a fair contract is next. Members are aiming for an agreement that secures more paid time off, more predictable scheduling, improved health care, retirement benefits and more. “This election is big,” said Kelcey Smith, a worker in the paint department at Volkswagen, in a UAW press release. “People in high places told us good things can’t happen here in Chattanooga. They told us this isn’t the time to stand up, this isn’t the place. But we did stand up and we won. This is the time; this is the place. Southern workers are ready to stand up and win a better life.”
Shedd Aquarium Workers in Chicago Vote to Form Union : Workers at Chicago’s Shedd Aquarium announced on Thursday that they are forming their union, Shedd Workers United (SWU), with AFSCME Council 31. When certified, SWU will represent around 300 staff working in animal care, community education, guest relations, facilities and other departments. Workers at the aquarium are in good company as they join the ranks of their peers at other local public institutions like the Field Museum, Museum of Science and Industry and the Chicago Public Library who all have recently organized with AFSCME Cultural Workers United. In a public letter signed by 60 workers, Shedd Workers United members said that through forming a union they can advocate not just for their own working conditions and rights, but also the welfare of the animals that are so beloved by their community. Core concerns for workers include the need for better work-life balance, improved compensation and solutions to high turnover rates. “We believe that through our union, we can use our voice to advocate for a sustainable, transparent, and equitable workplace for everyone at Shedd Aquarium, at every level,” workers said in their public statement. “We can further strengthen our role in the [diversity, equity, accessibility and inclusion] initiatives. We can democratize the decision-making process that affects us, our families, and the animals we care for, leading to better collective decisions made inclusively with everyone and every animal’s best interest at heart.”
Wichita Nurses Ratify First-Ever Union Contracts at Ascension Hospitals: Registered nurses, represented by National Nurses United (NNU), at two Ascension-owned hospitals in Wichita, Kansas, ratified new two-year contracts on Monday, successfully winning critical protections for patient care. Members have overwhelmingly approved these new deals—at Ascension Via Christi St. Francis, 96% of nurses voted yes, and 100% of nurses at Ascension Via Christi St. Joseph voted yes. This massive victory comes after nurses successfully leveraged their power by threatening a third strike at the hospitals if management refused to agree to fair deals. Highlights from the new contracts include staffing grids with enforceable nurse-to-patient ratios for every unit, salary increases, a transparent wage scale based on years of experience, new standards on infectious disease protections, better workplace violence prevention language and more. “This is a historic day for our union, our patients, our hospitals, and the entire city of Wichita,” said Shelly Rader, an RN in the emergency department at St. Francis. “We’ve shown Ascension that nurses won’t back down when it comes to fighting for better patient care and better working conditions. We organized to fight for and win a strong contract, and we’re very excited to announce we’ve done just that now that nurses have approved this contract.”
Kenneth Quinnell Fri, 05/10/2024 - 11:27Tags: Organizing
Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month Profile: Maria Teresa Hank
For Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month this year, the AFL-CIO is spotlighting various Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders who have worked and continue to work at the intersection of civil and labor rights in the United States. Today's profile is Maria Teresa Hank of the Transport Workers Union (TWU).
Maria Teresa Hank is an engaged union member who advocates tirelessly for workers' rights. As a Southwest flight attendant, Hank does not attend any meeting, action or rally without her “support your flight attendants” lanyards and giving anyone who will listen a quick background on why flight attendants deserve better protections. As a recent graduate of the Nevada State AFL-CIO candidate training program, she plans to run for office in a local capacity in 2026. She is of Filipino and Hawaiian descent.
Kenneth Quinnell Fri, 05/10/2024 - 10:19Service & Solidarity Spotlight: IAM Members at Case New Holland Approve New Contract
Working people across the United States have stepped up to help out our friends, neighbors and communities during these trying times. In our Service & Solidarity Spotlight series, we’ll showcase one of these stories every day. Here’s today’s story.
The Machinists (IAM) Local 2525 ratified a new contract with agricultural and construction equipment producer Case New Holland Industrial.
The previous six-year contract expired on April 28, but the union and company agreed to extend the contract and continue negotiations up until this past Saturday. Workers at the Fargo, North Dakota, facility held fast on their demands for better compensation and improved benefits and safeguards for the well-being and livelihoods of all staff. Thanks to their endurance and the hard work of IAM’s negotiating team, the newly ratified agreement includes higher wages, retention of health care and pension benefits, and more time off.
“Through their solidarity, IAM Local 2525 members have secured better wages and benefits, protected their economic stability, job security, as well as ensured the balance between work and life,” said IAM Midwest Territory General Vice President Sam Cicinelli. “Their victory underscores the fundamental truth that when workers stand together, they can achieve remarkable outcomes, shaping a workplace that values their work and honors their dignity.”
Kenneth Quinnell Fri, 05/10/2024 - 10:00Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month Profile: Anita Roberts
For Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month this year, the AFL-CIO is spotlighting various Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders who have worked and continue to work at the intersection of civil and labor rights in the United States. Today's profile is Anita Roberts of the
Anita Roberts, a union member since 1998, serves her colleagues at Naval Amphibious Base Coronado in San Diego as a mess attendant, cashier and shop steward. “Industrial, Technical & Professional Employees Union (ITPEU)/OPEIU Local 4873 has given AAPI members a voice at work,” Roberts said. “Our union recently won a great contract with guaranteed pensions, raises, job security, health care and good working conditions.”
Kenneth Quinnell Thu, 05/09/2024 - 10:09Service & Solidarity Spotlight: Flight Attendants at Utah Airline Voted Overwhelmingly to Unionize
Working people across the United States have stepped up to help out our friends, neighbors and communities during these trying times. In our Service & Solidarity Spotlight series, we’ll showcase one of these stories every day. Here’s today’s story.
Flight attendants at Utah-based Breeze Airways voted overwhelmingly to join the Association of Flight Attendants (AFA-CWA). The flight attendants filed for a union election in just two weeks, one of the fastest campaigns AFA-CWA officials have ever seen. More than 76% of Breeze flight attendants voted in favor of joining the union, which now represents the airline’s roughly 600 flight attendants. The workers are seeking to address issues such as low pay, inconsistent policies, insufficient travel accommodations, erratic scheduling and poor communication.
“Management broke out all the tired old union-busting, but together we weren’t intimidated or fooled,” said Robynne Martino, Breeze flight attendant. “Our work group spoke clearly. It’s time for Breeze to treat us with the dignity we earn every day on the line. We call on management to come to the table and negotiate a fair contract without delay.”
Kenneth Quinnell Thu, 05/09/2024 - 09:55Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month Profile: Gary Kakalia
For Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month this year, the AFL-CIO is spotlighting various Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders who have worked and continue to work at the intersection of civil and labor rights in the United States. Today's profile is Gary Kakalia of the National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC)
Gary Kakalia is a member of NALC Branch 1100 in Garden Grove, California, and is originally from Hawaii. He has served his fellow letter carriers as a shop steward for 20 years, and 2025 will mark Kakalia’s 30th year as a letter carrier. Alongside his wife, Linda, who is also involved in NALC as a branch officer, Kakalia is involved in a variety of activities that give back to the membership and the community, including the Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive. His favorite event was being dunked in a dunk tank to benefit the Muscular Dystrophy Association at the annual picnic.
Kenneth Quinnell Wed, 05/08/2024 - 10:11Service & Solidarity Spotlight: More than 400 Lab Professionals at LabCorp Win a Union
Working people across the United States have stepped up to help out our friends, neighbors and communities during these trying times. In our Service & Solidarity Spotlight series, we’ll showcase one of these stories every day. Here’s today’s story.
Lab professionals at Labcorp held a union election from March 1 to 3, where 434 workers voted to join the Oregon Federation of Nurses and Health Professionals, an affiliate of the American Federation of Teachers (AFT). The new union members work at labs in Portland, Oregon, and Salmon Creek, Washington, and include medical technologists, lab specialists and phlebotomists. The workers are the latest in a wave of health care unionization.
“I am excited that lab professionals at Labcorp have finally won a union and can now advocate for better wages, benefits and working conditions,” said Meagan Hollis, a medical laboratory scientist at Labcorp. “When we come together as health care professionals, we have the strength to make huge changes that can benefit the future of our entire health care system.”
Kenneth Quinnell Wed, 05/08/2024 - 10:00We Love Teachers: In the States Roundup
It's time once again to take a look at the ways working people are making progress in the states. Click on any of the links to follow the state federations on X (formerly Twitter).
Alaska AFL-CIO:
Teachers go above and beyond in the classroom every single day. We will keep fighting until every single teacher has the opportunity to retire with dignity and has enough resources in their classroom to deliver high-quality education. #PensionsForPublic #RaiseTheAKBSA pic.twitter.com/80eVOkwf9X
— Alaska AFL-CIO (@AKAFLCIO) May 7, 2024
Arizona AFL-CIO:
📢 Exciting News! 📢 Arizona AFL-CIO has just released additional endorsements for AZ House and Senate races on our Facebook/Instagram! While more are yet to come, you can check out the full list and learn how to get involved this election cycle at https://t.co/UjQplals8f. pic.twitter.com/oLADFJxVjj
— Arizona AFL-CIO (@ArizonaAFLCIO) May 3, 2024
California Labor Federation, AFL-CIO:
Congratulations to the graduates from our Alameda Organizing Institute! 40 labor warriors came through our training with new skills & tools for organizing their fellow workers and are already hard at work making sure our union siblings are represented & protected! @AlamedaLabor pic.twitter.com/SZXCASHlhx
— California Labor Federation (@CaliforniaLabor) May 7, 2024
Colorado AFL-CIO:
We look forward to the Governor bringing Colorado closer to a Workers' Rights state and signing the Worker Freedom Act! @GovofCO #coleg #copoliticshttps://t.co/uPI7SH2h8J
— Colorado AFL-CIO (@AFLCIOCO) May 5, 2024
Connecticut AFL-CIO:
Senate Majority Leader @senatorduff helps make the case for #UIforStrikingWorkers! Working people shouldn't have to choose between better working conditions or putting food on the table. #LevelThePlayingField
Take Action: https://t.co/kaWtA5S6hY pic.twitter.com/Av68NiBBvI
— Connecticut AFL-CIO (@ConnAFLCIO) May 1, 2024
Florida AFL-CIO:
Florida's teachers deserve a lot better.
That's it, that's the tweet. pic.twitter.com/ExbKLSDkoG
— Florida AFL-CIO (@FLAFLCIO) May 6, 2024
Georgia State AFL-CIO:
Happy National Nurses Day to our everyday heroes! Today, we celebrate your unwavering commitment and compassion. 🎉🩺 It’s time we stand together to ensure our nurses have the support, benefits, and respect they deserve. #SupportNurses #NursesDay2024 🌷🤝 @NationalNurses pic.twitter.com/cXC8509lBk
— Georgia AFL-CIO (@AFLCIOGeorgia) May 6, 2024
Illinois AFL-CIO:
The @IllinoisEPI's Chief Economist, Frank Manzo, recently published an op-ed analyzing the economic repercussions of a public labor shortage. Read the full article here: https://t.co/HIObzT9AUR pic.twitter.com/AEKqa0DC0B
— Illinois AFL-CIO (@ILAFLCIO) May 7, 2024
Indiana State AFL-CIO:
All across the state, in all types of industries, Hoosiers are joining unions! Our movement is building momentum. https://t.co/G7mhPHYwli
— Indiana AFL-CIO (@INAFLCIO) May 3, 2024
Maine AFL-CIO:
"When we don’t have enough staff to redirect patients, it can be very dangerous. I carry my two front teeth in a container in my purse as a reminder of what can go wrong." — Sally Nichols, Riverview Psychiatric Centerhttps://t.co/Puo817SirD #mepolitics
— Maine AFL-CIO (@MEAFLCIO) May 8, 2024
Massachusetts AFL-CIO:
This #MayDay, we’re standing up for our planet 🌎 and all workers—including immigrants and those displaced by climate disasters or conflict. Join us. https://t.co/CfpZGBbxJX pic.twitter.com/22ZY1pymPq
— Massachusetts AFL-CIO (@massaflcio) May 1, 2024
Michigan State AFL-CIO:
That union-made stage sure is a beautiful sight.
Draft weekend made possible by union workers. Shoutout to the crew – from IATSE stagehands to the crane operators – who built a record-breaking draft. And of course, shoutout to @NFLPA fighting for players on and off the field✊ https://t.co/xQBw8nSNQX
— Michigan AFL-CIO ✊ (@MIAFLCIO) April 28, 2024
Minnesota AFL-CIO:
Congratulations to all the graduates of our 3-Day AFL-CIO Organizing Institute! Looking forward to seeing how you will help empower working Minnesotans. pic.twitter.com/iryKTwuub9
— Minnesota AFL-CIO (@MNAFLCIO) May 3, 2024
Montana State AFL-CIO:
When we focus on working people, we focus on what matters. Because workers ARE the economy. #mtpol #mtlabor #unionstrong https://t.co/aNAv2N8SeH
— Montana AFL-CIO (@MTaflcio) May 2, 2024
Nevada State AFL-CIO:
Help us Stamp Out Hunger in tandem with the National Association of Letter Carriers at ULAN! They need volunteers for their food drive THIS Saturday from 2:30-5pm. pic.twitter.com/t6grBSFttQ
— Nevada State AFL-CIO // Pass the #PROAct (@NVAFLCIO) May 7, 2024
New York State AFL-CIO:
ICYMI: Workers’ Compensation Should Cover Mental Injury, Too by President Mario Cilento in the @timesunion https://t.co/B7VUrwdKQr
— NYS AFL-CIO // #UnionStrong (@NYSAFLCIO) April 29, 2024
North Carolina State AFL-CIO:
“Rest in peace my dear son,” said Mr. Gilgor. “May your memory be a blessing." Community Honors 217 North Carolina Workers Who Died on the Job https://t.co/S2hTKJubWR #WorkersMemorialDay #1u
— NC State AFL-CIO // #CountMeIn (@NCStateAFLCIO) May 2, 2024
North Dakota AFL-CIO:
Congratulations IAM local 2525! https://t.co/ReE5bM8P8y
— North Dakota AFL-CIO (@NDAFLCIO) May 7, 2024
Ohio AFL-CIO:
This is how @AFLCIO #Union members help end #gerrymandering with the @CitizenMapsOH campaign and @OhFairDistricts. And yes, we got plenty of signatures, too. pic.twitter.com/v28QIhTHRE
— Ohio AFL-CIO (@ohioaflcio) May 4, 2024
Oregon AFL-CIO:
“Unionized workers in the U.S. saw record raises, while nonunion workers’ pay barely beat inflation over the past 12 months, the latest government data show.”#ItsBetterInAUnion #TheUnionDifferencehttps://t.co/0BJCHYU7nB
— Oregon AFL-CIO (@OregonAFLCIO) May 7, 2024
Pennsylvania AFL-CIO:
We will never stop saying that when we stand together in solidarity, great things WILL HAPPEN! Congratulations @GETUPgrads on your union win! #YearOfTheWorker ✊✊✊ https://t.co/N2rUDrrZYG
— PA AFL-CIO (@PaAFL_CIO) May 3, 2024
Tennessee AFL-CIO Labor Council:
Next Saturday (May 11th), the @NALC_National's Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive is set to take place.
It's very easy to participate. Simply leave a bag of non-perishable food items at your mailbox on May 11th, and your letter carrier will handle the rest! #StampOutHunger #1u pic.twitter.com/9vL82aIhaj
— Tennessee AFL-CIO (@tnaflcio) May 4, 2024
Texas AFL-CIO:
Happy Teacher Appreciation Day!
Today we honor our Texas teachers, who have continued to fight for their students and communities in the face of nonstop attacks on public education. #1u pic.twitter.com/IARssx33Cn
— Texas AFL-CIO (@TexasAFLCIO) May 7, 2024
Washington State Labor Council, AFL-CIO:
Support locked out Boeing Fire Fighters‼️
💥 Join them on the picket line:
Auburn, Everett, Frederickson, Renton, Moses Lake, Seattle
💥 Donate to the lockout fund:
Venmo, PayPal, or check
Picket sign-up & lockout fund info: https://t.co/vBCgSUszqg pic.twitter.com/y8cEdDp8j1
— Washington State Labor Council, AFL-CIO (@WAAFLCIO) May 6, 2024
Wisconsin State AFL-CIO:
President Biden visiting Racine, expected to highlight $3.3 billion investment from Microsoft https://t.co/mJgd6fYrKZ via @journaltimes
— WI AFL-CIO (@wisaflcio) May 8, 2024
Kenneth Quinnell Tue, 05/07/2024 - 11:16Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month Profiles
For Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month this year, the AFL-CIO is spotlighting various Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders who have worked and continue to work at the intersection of civil and labor rights in the United States.
Kenneth Quinnell Tue, 05/07/2024 - 11:05Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month Profile: Jamie Uyeunten
For Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month this year, the AFL-CIO is spotlighting various Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders who have worked and continue to work at the intersection of civil and labor rights in the United States. Today's profile is Jamie Uyeunten of the International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers (IFPTE).
Jamie Uyeunten is the western regional federal vice president of IFPTE and has served as the president of Local 121 since 2010. Uyeunten is a general engineer at Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard, and she holds a bachelor of science degree in civil engineering from the University of Hawaii at Mānoa. Uyeunten is currently serving as a vice president of the Hawaii State AFL-CIO and is also sergeant-at-arms of the Hawaii Federal Employees Metal Trades Council.
Kenneth Quinnell Tue, 05/07/2024 - 10:39The Most Dangerous Jobs in America: The Working People Weekly List
Every week, we bring you a roundup of the top news and commentary about issues and events important to working families. Here’s the latest edition of the Working People Weekly List.
Report Exposes Racial Disparities in Workplace Safety: “‘These alarming disparities in workplace fatalities among workers of color are unacceptable, symptomatic of deeply ingrained racial inequity and the need to pay increased attention to the dangerous industries that treat workers as disposable,’ remarked AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler in a statement.”
Congress Has the Opportunity to Keep Millions of Americans Connected: “The internet is one of America’s greatest success stories and is now an essential part of daily life for millions of people around the world. Through significant investment, innovation and the hard work of thousands of people building modern and innovative broadband networks, we’re close to making the internet accessible to all Americans—regardless of where they live. The digital divide is a persistent challenge, but it’s one Verizon Communications and the Communications Workers of America are committed to solving.”
Citing Infrastructure Spending and Jobs, Philly Construction Union Endorses Biden: “Union leaders from the Philadelphia Building and Construction Trades Council announced their endorsement of Joe Biden for president at an event at their headquarters. The endorsement comes on the heels of a major national union endorsement, the North America’s Building Trades Unions. Leaders and members pointed to the Investing in America plan as the catalyst for the endorsement. ‘A lot of my members have been out working on the infrastructure bill,’ said Francis McLaughlin, business manager for International Union of Painters and Allied Trades District Council 21 (IUPAT).”
EPA to Ban Most Uses of Methylene Chloride: “The Environmental Protection Agency will ban most industrial and commercial uses of the carcinogenic chemical methylene chloride, under a final rule announced April 30. A solvent widely used in bathtub refinishing, as well as in paint strippers, cleaners, adhesives and sealants, methylene chloride has contributed to the deaths of 88 workers since 1980, EPA says. Most of the cases stemmed from exposure during home renovation contracting. In some instances, the workers were fully equipped with personal protective equipment.”
Urge DHS to Protect, Empower Immigrant Workers: “Around the world, workers’ lives, livelihoods and rights are under attack. Climate disasters and conflicts are displacing people from their homes, and are increasing risks for working people and all our families. In the face of those challenges, we stand united in our fight for justice for all workers at home and abroad. Immigrants and refugees have always helped to build, feed and care for our nation, and we will not allow them to be treated as a second class of exploitable workers. The AFL-CIO is calling on the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to take action today to help tear down barriers to worker organizing and empowerment, so that all working people in our country can live and work safely and with dignity.”
AFL-CIO: The Fights for Climate Justice and Racial Justice Are Intertwined: “‘Thinking about movements coming together in the same room today made me think of Dr. King and what he said,’ remarked AFL-CIO Secretary-Treasurer Fred Redmond, the highest-ranking African-American leader in the labor movement. ‘During his days, a term like environmental justice didn’t really exist, but he understood how interconnected these challenges were. Structural racism, economic injustice, and underinvestment in Black and brown communities. He told us in 1967 that the cities were gasping in polluted air and enduring contaminated water. What’s equally important is that he knew the solution, how important it was to stand together in solidarity. Organized labor can be one of the most powerful interests to do away with this evil that confronts our nation that we refer to as discrimination.’”
These Are the Most Dangerous Jobs in America: “Fatalities are on the rise, in part, because some employees are afraid of potential retaliation if they highlight dangerous conditions at their job, resulting in many workers operating in an unsafe environment, AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler said in a statement. Employee overdosing on drugs while at work, deadly violence against co-workers and suicides have also contributed to the jump in workplace deaths, according to the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration.”
Workers and Activists Across Europe and Asia Hold May Day Rallies to Call for Greater Labor Rights: “Workers, activists and others across Europe and Asia took to the streets on Wednesday to mark May Day with protests over rising prices and government labor policies and calls for greater labor rights. May Day, which falls on May 1, is observed in many countries to celebrate workers’ rights. May Day events have also given many an opportunity to air general economic grievances or political demands.”
Poor People’s Campaign Emphasizes Moral Resurrection of Economic Rights: “‘There is no greater form of oppression than when a country that has immense resources and wealth allows its people to suffer and die from a lack of resources,’ said Fred Redmond, secretary-treasurer of AFL-CIO. ‘Poverty is a failure of the system, it exists because we allow it to exist.’”
Pro-Worker Rules to Help Millions; Republicans Blast Them: “Union leaders cheered—and corporate-backed congressional Republicans slammed—three new Biden administration decisions to help workers and consumers. With deadlines for announcing new federal rules looming, the Labor Department issued two. One orders investment managers for pension plans to put recipients, not themselves, as the top priority. The other raises to $58,656 annually on January 1 the amount of money a worker can earn before becoming ineligible for overtime pay. ‘Expansion of the federal overtime rule will help millions more workers earn the pay they deserve,’ said AFSCME President Lee Saunders. ‘Some public service workers–including those in child welfare, mental health and substance abuse counseling–have been ineligible for overtime pay despite modest wages and the long hours they put in at essential jobs,’ he explained.”
Biden Praises UAW-Daimler Truck Agreement as a ‘Testament to the Power of Collective Bargaining’: “President Joe Biden praised the United Auto Workers and Daimler Truck for reaching a tentative in the eleventh hour Friday night, preventing a potential strike affecting 7,300 workers. ‘This agreement is a testament to the power of collective bargaining and shows that we can build a clean energy economy with strong, middle-class union jobs,’ Biden said in a statement Sunday.”
Labor Leaders Honor Key Bridge Victims on Workers Memorial Day: ‘We Have More Work To Do’: “Sunday was Workers Memorial Day, an annual day of remembrance for laborers killed or hurt on the job, started in 1989 by the AFL-CIO. Thousands of workers nationwide are estimated by the organization of labor unions to be injured or killed on the job each day, and the issue became front and center in Baltimore on March 26 after the six men, all employees of Brawner Builders, died while working an overnight shift filling potholes on the bridge that was struck by a cargo ship early that morning.”
Latino Workers Are Disproportionately at Risk of Dying While Working, Study Shows: “Latinos face a disproportionate risk of dying while on the job in the United States, a new report by AFL-CIO found. Fatality rates have been increasing over the years and continued doing so in 2022, the year analyzed by the organization, reaching 4.6 per 100,000 workers. That is 24% higher than the national average and a 24% increase over the past decade.”
On Workers Memorial Day, AFL-CIO’s Shuler Says Workers Still Pay ‘Ultimate Price’: “Even after decades of enforcement, activism and union campaigning, ‘workers are still paying the price every day’ in deaths and injuries on the job ‘for corporate greed,’ AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler says. Flourishing a copy of the federation’s 33rd annual report, ‘Death on the Job: A Toll of Neglect,’ Shuler told a Labor Department audience the job of campaigning to cut the toll is incomplete. Workers and their allies must lobby for tougher laws against companies and more enforcement, too, she said.”
Kenneth Quinnell Mon, 05/06/2024 - 09:42Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month Profile: Steven Moy
For Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month this year, the AFL-CIO is spotlighting various Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders who have worked and continue to work at the intersection of civil and labor rights in the United States. Today's profile is Steven Moy of the Electrical Workers (IBEW).
Steven Moy is a member of IBEW Local 3 in New York. He comes from a family of labor activists, including his young daughter who belongs to SAG-AFTRA. He began his career as a Local 3 apprentice in 1994. Since then, he's been active in the Asian American Cultural Society, where he filled several positions, including president. He was elected to the APALA National Executive Board in 2011. In 2012, Moy was appointed president of the New York City chapter of the Electrical Workers Minority Caucus. In January 2015, he was elected as president of the New York City chapter of APALA.
Kenneth Quinnell Mon, 05/06/2024 - 09:36Service & Solidarity Spotlight: Organizers Are Building a Movement to Meet the Moment at AFL-CIO Organizing Institute Trainings
Working people across the United States have stepped up to help out our friends, neighbors and communities during these trying times. In our Service & Solidarity Spotlight series, we’ll showcase one of these stories every day. Here’s today’s story.
More than 80 organizers, including participants and teaching fellows, joined together this week in Las Vegas and St. Paul, Minnesota, at the AFL-CIO Organizing Institute (OI) Three-Day Training.
The OI’s mission is to train union organizers to secure the kinds of huge wins that grow the labor movement and change lives for generations. Tens of thousands of member activists and staff organizers have been trained by the OI, which provides them with the best practices and mobilization principles that are key to helping workers win respect, dignity and a voice at work through forming a union. AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler joined attendees at the St. Paul session, where they were reinforcing the skills necessary to help usher in a new era of labor organizing.
Find more information about the OI and register your teams for training at aflcio.org/oi.
Kenneth Quinnell Mon, 05/06/2024 - 09:29Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month Profile: Jan Tokumaru
For Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month this year, the AFL-CIO is spotlighting various Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders who have worked and continue to work at the intersection of civil and labor rights in the United States. Today's profile is Jan Tokumaru of the Communications Workers of America (CWA).
Jan Tokumaru is a retired, Japanese American member of CWA Local 39521. She worked as a project coordinator for the California Labor Federation, AFL-CIO, the UCLA Labor Center and the Los Angeles Federation of Labor. She has served on the advisory committee of Los Angeles Trade-Technical College and California State University Dominguez Hills' labor studies program. As a member of Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance's Los Angeles chapter and Nikkei Progressives, Tokumaru continues her activism by building solidarity with labor and community partners in Southern California.
Kenneth Quinnell Sun, 05/05/2024 - 10:12Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month Profile: Emily Reyes
For Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month this year, the AFL-CIO is spotlighting various Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders who have worked and continue to work at the intersection of civil and labor rights in the United States. Today's profile is Emily Reyes of the American Federation of Teachers (AFT).
Emily Reyes is an elementary school teacher and leader with the United Teachers of Los Angeles (UTLA), AFT Local 1021. She serves as UTLA's vice chair at her school. She is also an active member on the UTLA West Area steering committee and served on the Political Action Council for Educators (PACE). Reyes began serving a two-year term on the California Teachers Association (CTA) state council. In addition, she represents Local 1021 on the APALA National Executive Board and as her local chapter’s executive vice president.
Kenneth Quinnell Sat, 05/04/2024 - 10:12The Enduring Legacy of Asian American Pacific Islander Workers and Union Leaders
As a Japanese American, I’m especially moved by the stories of early Asian and Pacific Islander immigrants and Native Hawaiians who are a part of the tapestry of our labor history, though their stories are not well celebrated. From the sugar fields of Hawai’i to the California coast where the Transcontinental Railroad originated to the grape fields in Delano, California, employers exploited these immigrant workers brutally.
The 19th century was the era when bosses perfected the strategy of pitting one race of workers against another, all in a cycle to drive down wages. But this was also the era where workers—especially Asian immigrants—figured out how to organize across races and nationalities. This was a matter of survival for those who defied expectations.
Their success is more remarkable when you think they often had to overcome cultural and language barriers to find commonality with others—and all in a time when the right to organize was not well protected.
There are countless stories of untold heroism in this history.
Native Hawaiian sugar workers staged the first general strike by native laborers in the Hawaiian Islands in 1841 because they rejected the western concept of work and being paid in scrip. Five thousand Chinese workers staged a strike covering 30 miles of rail in 1867. There’s the story of Japanese and Mexican agricultural workers fighting for justice together in sugar beet fields at the very beginning of the 20th century. The lessons of the Japanese-Mexican Labor Association repeated in the 1960s when Filipino workers banded with Chicano and Mexican workers to organize grape fields in California. Standing right alongside César Chávez were Larry Itliong and Philip Vera Cruz.
It’s extraordinary to think that these workers often were organizing at a time when they had little support from communities, press or even organized labor. In fact, it was the labor movement of the late 19th century that promoted the hateful Chinese Exclusion Act, which has the ugly distinction of being the first and only major federal legislation to explicitly suspend immigration for a specific nationality. These workers often were not welcomed into the unions of the day, but it didn’t stop them from acting collectively and demanding justice at work.
Today, the landscape of organized labor is vastly different from what existed in the 19th century. Almost 800,000 Asian American and Pacific Islanders (AAPI) call themselves union members (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2024).
In 1992, we founded the Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance, AFL-CIO (APALA) to recognize the role of AAPI union members in the movement and to make a commitment to organizing AAPI workers. APALA has since served as a vital entry point for AAPI union members to their union activism and as an important resource for unions as we continue to train AAPI organizers through our Organizing Institutes. We are also the bridge to AAPI communities which, not surprisingly, have become increasingly pivotal in elections as we continue to grow our voter turnout.
Despite a dark history of labor’s hostility toward AAPI workers, we are now a vital part of today’s labor movement and will remain vigilant to ensure we do not regress in the name of trade or nationalism. We will fight for worker rights, job protections and safe communities while uplifting all workers.
As immigration trends have changed, a new wave of AAPI workers is organizing in their sectors and winning. The New York Taxi Workers Alliance is organized by mostly south Asians from India, Pakistan and Bangladesh. Members staged a strike in 1998 where 98% of New York City’s 24,000 yellow cab drivers parked their cars on a single day to protest unfair and arbitrary fines. 98%! Young AAPI academic workers are leading in their unions and AAPI teachers who are members of the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) and National Education Association (NEA) are leading the fight to include AAPI history in our curricula.
There is still a long way to go and more organizing to be done. The rise in anti-Asian hate during the pandemic underscores that the ugliness of racism that fueled the nativist rhetoric of the 19th century isn’t that far away. False narratives about AAPI folks being meek and passive continue to undercut the truth that we will always fight for justice at both work and in our communities. Yet I’m optimistic as I look ahead to a new generation of AAPI union activists leading their unions. We are sharing the collective responsibility of uplifting our history and our members as rightful and powerful parts of the labor movement.
May is Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, a time to cast a spotlight on AAPI contributions to our culture and heritage. I welcome this as it focuses on a national conversation on our history. But I do look forward to the day when our AAPI labor history is seamlessly woven into the fabric of all labor history. A day when we think of our labor heroes and conjure up not only the images of Mother Jones, A. Philip Randolph and César Chávez, but also Larry Itliong or May Chen, who led the 1982 International Ladies’ Garment Workers’ Union (ILGWU) strike in New York City’s Chinatown. I think that is a fitting responsibility for us today to honor our heroes of yesterday.
Resources
Sandra Engle is a retired UAW member and executive director of the Asian
Kenneth Quinnell Fri, 05/03/2024 - 10:52Economy Gains 175,000 Jobs in April; Unemployment Up Slightly to 3.9%
The U.S. economy gained 175,000 jobs in April, and the unemployment rate was up slightly to 3.9%, according to figures released Friday morning by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
April's biggest job gains were in health care (+56,000), social assistance (+31,000), transportation and warehousing (+22,000), retail trade (+20,000), construction (+9,000), and government (+8,000). Employment was little changed over the month in other major industries, including mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction; manufacturing; wholesale trade; information; financial activities; professional and business services; leisure and hospitality; and other services.
Among the major worker groups, the unemployment rate for adult men (3.6%) increased in April. The rate for Black Americans (5.6%) decreased. The jobless rates for teenagers (11.7%), Hispanics (4.8%), adult women (3.5%), white Americans (3.5%) and Asian Americans (2.8%) showed little change over the month.
The number of long-term unemployed workers (those jobless for 27 weeks or longer) was little changed in April and accounted for 19.6% of the total number of people unemployed.
Kenneth Quinnell Fri, 05/03/2024 - 10:36Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month Profile: Mary Akimo-Lu’uwai
For Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month this year, the AFL-CIO is spotlighting various Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders who have worked and continue to work at the intersection of civil and labor rights in the United States. Today's profile is Mary Akimo-Lu’uwai of AFSCME.
For 17 years, Mary Akimo-Lu’uwai—a proud member of the Hawaii Government Employees Association (AFSCME Local 152)—has been a lifeline for patients at the Maui Community Mental Health Center. Even when wildfires were raging across her island last summer, Akimo-Lu’uwai was on the front lines, working extra hours to ensure the community’s most vulnerable continued to receive much-needed mental health care. To Akimo-Lu’uwai, her work is more than just a job, it’s part of a lifelong calling to help others.
Kenneth Quinnell Fri, 05/03/2024 - 10:12Service & Solidarity Spotlight: More Than 2,000 Oregon Health and Science University Research Workers Join AFSCME
Working people across the United States have stepped up to help out our friends, neighbors and communities during these trying times. In our Service & Solidarity Spotlight series, we’ll showcase one of these stories every day. Here’s today’s story.
Oregon AFSCME submitted union authorization cards signed by more than half of the over 2,000 research workers at Oregon Health and Science University (OHSU) on April 26. Under the state law, once Oregon Employment Relations Board verifies the cards, OHSU will be required to recognize Oregon AFSCME as the workers’ bargaining representative. The unit includes workers who conduct lab experiments, order equipment, file paperwork and care for animals used in studies. It will not cover faculty members who apply for grants and lead research.
Kenneth Quinnell Fri, 05/03/2024 - 10:04Tags: Organizing
