The Supreme Court’s ruling in the United States v. Texas case was a setback for working families. The court could have cleared the way for millions of hardworking immigrants to finally gain a measure of increased dignity on the job and security in their lives. Instead, hardworking members of our communities, our families and our unions will continue to live in limbo and in fear.

At least eight protesters were killed and 53 injured earlier this week in clashes with police in Oaxaca, Mexico, during demonstrations against neoliberal education reforms. The teachers union in Oaxaca has been leading protests this summer against the federal government’s move to impose a national education plan that blankets over indigenous concerns in Oaxaca and imposes teacher evaluations that disadvantage schools in the poor region, as well as attacks against the union, including the controversial arrests of union leaders, mass firings of protesting teachers and the freezing of union bank accounts.

In the United States, our child care system is failing and this has hidden costs for working families. The typical annual cost for child care for a family with two children (an infant and a four-year-old) is nearly $18,000. That averages to about 30% of the typical working family's paycheck. This cost is so high that many can't afford it and leave the workforce altogether, with 75% of mothers and 50% of fathers in a recent poll saying they either left the workforce or switched to a less-demanding job.

A remarkable union is about to take place—the partnership between the AFL-CIO and Gamaliel, an interfaith national community organizing network. This partnership reunites two important pillars in American history—faith and working people in unions—and is crucial for the survival of this nation.

After hearing the ruling on the United States v. Texas, AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka made the following remarks:

Today's Supreme Court ruling is a setback for all those who have fought for more humane and rational enforcement of our nation's immigration laws. While we are deeply disappointed by the court's failure to reach a decision, we will redouble our organizing efforts to defeat the obstructionist, anti-immigrant forces behind this lawsuit and ensure that all working people can assert their rights on the job and in the community without fear of deportation.

A wide range of experts, including veterans service organizations, leading academics and medical experts came together in Washington, D.C.., to oppose cuts to the VA and to explore the future of veterans' health care. They explained that the VA provides an array of important services that are vital to the lives of U.S. veterans. In addition to taking care of veterans and their medical needs, the VA also trains doctors, researchers and other health care providers, provides telehealth services to our communities, legal services for veterans and takes part in disaster response efforts.

AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka issued the following statement in response to the release of the 2016 Social Security and Medicare Trustees' Reports (after the jump):

Starting this week, nearly 10,000 registered nurses, affiliated with National Nurses United (NNU), are striking in Minnesota, California and Massachusetts in order to improve patient safety and quality care at the hospitals where they work. The nurses are taking a stand on behalf of their patients at hospitals in the three states owned by various corporations that are raising serious questions about their commitment to patients and their health care providers. While the nurses are striking against the specific details of each situation, they are fighting back against similar problems seen at hospitals throughout the country.

On June 14, 5,000 people gathered in Washington, D.C., for the first-ever White House Summit focused on gender equity. Union women and allies from AFT, AFSCME, the Bricklayers (BAC), Coalition of Labor Union Women, Electrical Workers (IBEW), Labor Council for Latin American Advancement, North America's Building Trades Unions, Office and Professional Employees (OPEIU), the United Steelworkers (USW), United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) and other unions stood united to make sure working women had a strong presence alongside the entrepreneurs that were being celebrated by corporate funders. As celebrities took center-stage, at the entrance all eyes were on working women.

Union leaders and members have been at the forefront of the fight for social justice in South Korea, organizing and participating in peaceful demonstrations throughout 2015, including protests against the weakening of worker protections. Disturbingly, the South Korean government has increasingly responded to dissent with police brutality, mass arrests and harsh jail sentences targeted at leaders.

Each week, we take a look at the biggest friends and foes of labor. We celebrate the workers winning big and small battles, and we shame the companies or people trying to deny working people their rights.

Working people at Verizon recently had a major victory. Check out this new video to learn more about the story of how Verizon employees stood up for their rights and won this fight.

Every week, we bring you a roundup of the top news and commentary about issues and events important to working families. Here’s this week’s Working People Weekly List.

Rain, wind and a four-hour round-trip from her home could not keep English teacher Jessica Nelson away from City College of San Francisco to join a one-day strike on April 27, the first strike in the school’s history.

Born and raised in South Dakota, I am proud to come from a working class family.  To this day, my parents both work in manual labor for hourly wages without the benefit of a union, retirement plans or much in the way of benefits.  But they, and my entire family for that matter, have always been there for me and provided the support I needed to be the first in my family to attend college and eventually end up in Washington, DC working for the AFL-CIO.  My working class background shaped who I am and it's always who I will be.  And it's why I believe in giving working people a fair shot at making a better life.   

Too many Latino workers face disease, major injury and death while laboring in dangerous jobs with inadequate safeguards. In 2014, 804 Latino workers died on the job, with 64% of these fatalities being Latino workers born outside of the United States. Latino worker deaths recently have decreased even though more Latinos are working in the construction industry than ever before: Nearly 70% of new construction jobs between 2012 and 2015 were filled by Latino workers. The job fatality rate among Latino workers has declined by 38% since 2001, when the rate of Latino worker fatalities reached its highest (6.0 per 100,000 workers). But Latino workers continue to be at increased risk of death on the job, with a fatality rate that is 9% higher than for workers overall.

Working people in the AFL-CIO's affiliate unions have chosen to endorse Hillary Clinton for president of the United States. The endorsement reflects a comprehensive, democratic process initiated one year ago to capture the interests of the 12.5 million working people the federation represents.

I am so thrilled that we at the AFL-CIO are partnering with John Legend’s #FREEAMERICA campaign to raise awareness of the need to end mass incarceration. Our first step in this historic partnership was taking 30 labor leaders to Washington Corrections Center for Women, an all-women’s prison in Washington state, to hear from those affected by the system and to learn about effective ways to reduce recidivism. The experience was truly transformational and liberating for myself and for those involved.

Have you ever wondered about the ways Americans plan and save for retirement and why the whole process seems so complex? John Oliver has and he explains why saving for retirement means navigating a potential minefield of high fees and bad advice.

The AFL-CIO Young Worker Advisory Council released a statement today on the Orlando massacre:

"The AFL-CIO Young Worker Advisory Council extends its deepest sympathy and solidarity to all who have been affected by the unspeakable violent act, fueled by hatred and bigotry, which took the lives of 49 innocent people and injured at least 50 more at Pulse in Orlando early Sunday morning."