Service + Solidarity Spotlight: F-35 Instructor Pilots on Strike for Respect, Fairness at San Diego’s Miramar Air Station
Working people across the United States have stepped up to help out our friends, neighbors and communities during these trying times. In our regular Service + Solidarity Spotlight series, we'll showcase one of these stories every day. Here’s today’s story.
Military pilot instructors at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar in San Diego, like the ones in the new “Top Gun: Maverick” film, went on strike on Friday. Lockheed Martin has refused to fairly compensate the eight highly accomplished pilots who are members of Machinists (IAM) Local 1125. These workers have advanced qualifications that include the requirement to perform and teach specialized tactics in the air combat environment to F-35 military pilots.
“Each instructor here has proudly served our nation’s military in the fighter squadrons across the world and continues to put in countless hours to perfect our craft and ability to instruct at very high levels,” said Military Pilot Trainer Ryan Cunningham (pictured above, fourth from the left). “We’re asking that Lockheed Martin treat us with the same respect we demonstrate to this company, our military, and specifically this profession, each and every day.”
Kenneth Quinnell Tue, 06/07/2022 - 09:45Coming Out Swinging: 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.
Shakespeare Theatre Company Stagehands Are Unionizing: “The production staff at Shakespeare Theatre Company has filed for union recognition, citing labor issues including low wages compared to other regional theaters and unfair treatment during the COVID-19 pandemic. Shakespeare’s production employees were in talks with with IATSE Local 22, the union that represents the D.C. region’s stagehands, before the pandemic. Organizers want the bargaining unit to represent about 50 full-time and part-time production staffers, per Arancibia, though he says Shakespeare is arguing that the part-time staff would not qualify. (‘We believe that all STC employees who share in our long-term commitment to theater in the District should and will have access to the vote,’ Proudfoot-Ginder says.) A hearing with the National Labor Review Board to determine who qualifies for the bargaining unit is scheduled for June 10 and a vote will follow shortly after that. The crew members’ main goal is to create a collective bargaining unit and negotiate a contract that protects the backstage workers as much as the actors and increases pay raises across the staff, according to assistant stage operations supervisor Rob Garner.”
Tourism Workers Come Out of Pandemic Swinging: “The industry was decimated when COVID hit, causing conventions and leisure travel to disappear overnight. But the hotel workers and stagehands who make concerts and other major events possible have come out of the pandemic swinging with complaints about pay, hours and conditions in a very public way. They’re capitalizing on a tight labor market to make new demands and drawing energy from a younger, more diverse base, as well as their allies in elected office. The goal is two-fold. The unions want to improve the conditions of people who are the backbone of tourism. They also see this moment of rising inflation and high labor demand as an opportunity to create a more visible and influential workforce, which San Diego has always lacked.”
Firefighters in Yakima Save Puppy from Ducting: “The Yakima Firefighters IAFF Local 469's Engine 95 responded to a call from a humane society on June 1 that reported a puppy was stuck in the ducting. The humane society had been fostering puppies when one fell into a floor vent, getting stuck in the building ducts. Engine 95 responded and removed the basement ducting to free the puppy.”
Microsoft Tries Collaborating with Unions to Avoid ‘Public Disputes’: “‘We know labor and management can be true partners in a company’s success, and it’s important for companies to respect workers’ rights.’ AFL-CIO president Liz Shuler said in a statement. ‘Microsoft’s collaborative approach to working with its employees who seek to organize is a best practice that we look forward to seeing implemented at Microsoft and other companies.’”
It’s Official: Steelworkers Union Says Yes to Arconic Deal: “Union workers at the Arconic plant in Massena have a new contract. The United Steelworkers Union announced that the union membership has approved a four year deal with the company. The newly ratified agreement covers workers in Massena, as well as those at Arconic facilities in Davenport, Iowa; Alcoa, Tennessee; and Lafayette, Indiana. In Massena, 125 workers are covered by the new deal. Across the country, the total is 3,400.”
Vox Media Union Takes Next Step Toward Potential Strike: “A union at Vox Media has taken the next step toward a potential strike against management as the expiration date for the group’s current contract draws near and negotiations for a successor agreement continue. The governing council at the Writers Guild of America, East, which represents around 350 editorial and video staffers at the Polygon, The Verge and Eater publisher, voted unanimously on Wednesday to authorize a strike for members at the company to start at 12 a.m. ET on June 13, as soon as the union’s first contract expires. ‘The council of the Writers Guild of America, East takes strike authorization votes very seriously. Almost every one of us has experienced the stress of a work stoppage,’ WGA East president Michael Winship said in a statement. ‘But we also fully understand the issues our members are fighting for at the bargaining table—from fair pay increases to successorship language protecting workers if their employing company is sold. Therefore, unanimously, we have voted to authorize a strike should the company not agree to a fair contract by June 13 at 12:00am ET.’”
Missouri Representatives Work to Save 1,000 GKN Jobs: “GKN Aerospace announced in February it will shut down its factory in Hazelwood by the end of 2023. Some area lawmakers are trying to save those jobs. 1,000 jobs are at stake, and GKN Aerospace said those layoffs are starting soon. When leaders announced the closure, they said the company would start reducing positions in mid-2022 and would be completely closed by the end of 2023. Congresswoman Cori Bush from St. Louis and Congressman Emanuel Cleaver from Kansas City have asked GKN leaders what they can do to prevent the plant’s closure. The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers responded to the letter from representatives Bush and Cleaver saying it will ‘work to educate elected officials on Capitol Hill on the importance of keeping the facility open and maintaining this highly skilled workforce.’ The union said its members currently produce aircraft parts for a wide variety of U.S. Department of Defense platforms, and many of the members are U.S. military veterans.”
Labor Leaders Hail Bus Maker Pact to Hire More Women, Minority Workers: “One of the nation’s largest bus manufacturers has agreed to hire and promote more women and racial minorities, a deal that worker advocates say is a model for ensuring that federal funds to replace diesel buses with battery-powered buses boosts workers in struggling communities. The deal, announced Thursday at events in California and Alabama, is in response to a lawsuit over a $500 million contract New Flyer won in 2013 to supply buses to the LA Metro transit agency. But its effects will ripple through the country to communities where the company has plants and potentially to other cities and states, where it could serve as a template for public-sector infrastructure contracting, labor officials say.”
Organized Labor Is Making a Comeback Nationwide. Will It Spread to North Dakota and Minnesota?: “After decades of attrition, the labor movement appears to be making a comeback throughout the United States. Motivated by the COVID-19 pandemic, droves of workers have sought to unionize their workplaces. Huge national corporations, including a trio with operations in the Fargo-Moorhead area, have also felt the reverberations of this trend. Bernie Burnham, the president of the Minnesota AFL-CIO, has been closely monitoring the recent string of positive union news. Ask her about the success of unions, be it at Starbucks, Amazon or Target, and the word ‘exciting’ comes up frequently. ‘People have just realized there’s a better way to work and that they all deserve much better pay, respect, benefits and all those things that unions can bring to them,’ Burnham said. Landis Larson, Burnham’s North Dakota counterpart, agreed that the pandemic led employees to realize that their employers weren’t looking after them as well as they ought to be. ‘I think people are realizing the usefulness that a union has in their workplace,’ Larson said.”
Kenneth Quinnell Mon, 06/06/2022 - 11:16Pride Month Profiles: Marisa Borreggine
For Pride Month, the AFL-CIO is spotlighting various LGBTQ+ Americans who have worked and continue to work at the intersection of civil and labor rights. Today's Pride Month profile is Marisa Borreggine of UAW.
Marisa Borreggine studies the interface between climate modelling, sea-level theory and ancient human migration. At Harvard, they helped create the Queer Earth Scientist Organization (QuESO) and served as vice president of the Harvard Graduate Students Union (HGSU-UAW) from 2020 to 2021. They currently specialize in handling grievance cases related to power- and identity-based harassment and discrimination and train grievance officers on trauma-informed grievance handling strategies.
Kenneth Quinnell Mon, 06/06/2022 - 09:50Service + Solidarity Spotlight: UAW and AFT Call for School Buses Across the Country to Be Union-Made Electric Vehicles
Working people across the United States have stepped up to help out our friends, neighbors and communities during these trying times. In our regular Service + Solidarity Spotlight series, we'll showcase one of these stories every day. Here’s today’s story.
The UAW and the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) called on school districts across the country to electrify the nation’s school bus fleet and to do the work with union labor. The Biden administration is providing seed money to accelerate the process as part of the infrastructure bill that passed last year.
“After a week like last week,” AFT President Randi Weingarten said, “it’s pretty remarkable to have a press conference that shows you what is possible.”
Watch the full press conference.
Kenneth Quinnell Mon, 06/06/2022 - 09:30Economy Gains 390,000 Jobs in May; Unemployment Steady at 3.6%
The U.S. economy gained 390,000 jobs in May, and the unemployment rate remained steady at 3.6%, according to figures released Friday morning by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Continuing strong job creation numbers are a clear sign that the worker-friendly policies implemented by President Biden are having a positive impact on working people.
In response to the May job numbers, AFL-CIO Chief Economist William Spriggs tweeted:
Payroll employment rose 390,000 in May, revisions were made down for March and up for April for a net change down of 22,000. So the number was strong but shows a very slight cooling. The unemployment rate stayed roughly the same at 3.6 percent. @AFLCIO
— William E. Spriggs (@WSpriggs) June 3, 2022What appears to be an anomaly of rising unemployment and rising employment makes clear that using the unemployment rate as a gauge of labor market tightness can be misleading. The current debate on tightness assumes labor force participation is fixed. It clearly is not.
— William E. Spriggs (@WSpriggs) June 3, 2022Because Black labor force participation is more sensitive to hiring, and white labor force participation is more sensitive to wage growth, this divergence I think reflects that wage growth is much weaker than some understand. The wage growth has been from higher minimum wages.
— William E. Spriggs (@WSpriggs) June 3, 2022Last month’s biggest job gains were in leisure and hospitality (+84,000), professional and business services (+75,000), transportation and warehousing (+47,000), construction (+36,000), state government education (+36,000), private education (+33,000), health care (+28,000), manufacturing (+18,000), wholesale trade (+14,000), local government education (+14,000), mining (+6,000). Employment in retail trade declined by 61,000. In May, employment showed little change in other major industries, including information, financial activities and other services.
Among the major worker groups, the unemployment rate for Asian Americans declined to 2.4% in May. The jobless rates for teenagers (10.4%), Black Americans (6.2%), Hispanics (4.3%), adult men (3.4%), adult women (3.4%) and White Americans (3.2%) showed little or no change over the month.
The number of long-term unemployed workers (those jobless for 27 weeks or more) was edged down in May and accounted for 23.2% of the total unemployed.
Kenneth Quinnell Fri, 06/03/2022 - 14:33Solidarity Leads to Victory: Worker Wins
Despite the challenges of organizing during a deadly pandemic, working people across the country (and beyond) continue organizing, bargaining and mobilizing for a better life. This edition begins with:
Mine Workers, Next-Gen Battery Maker Sparkz Ink Labor-Management Agreement: The Mine Workers (UMWA) announced today that the union has secured a labor-management agreement with Sparkz, the next-generation battery manufacturer re-engineering the battery supply chain, that would mark one of the largest climate-tech union workforce partnerships in the United States. Sparkz announced in March it will begin construction of a Gigafactory in West Virginia this year to commercialize their zero-cobalt battery, which will employ up to 3,000 workers, and it will partner with the union to recruit and train dislocated miners to be the first group of production workers to be hired. “This agreement is a win-win for the laid-off coal miners who will work in this facility, their families and their communities,” UMWA International President Cecil Roberts said. “This is a first step to putting some of those people back to work in good, well-paying, family-sustaining jobs.”
Missouri Library Workers Officially Form Union with AFSCME: From museums in big cities such as Chicago and Philadelphia to local libraries in rural areas, cultural workers everywhere are joining together to make their voices heard—and they’re winning. On Monday, Daniel Boone Regional Library workers in Columbia, Missouri, announced that they have voted by a wide margin to form a union with AFSCME. This victory is part of a broader wave of workers who are standing up to demand respect on the job and strengthen our communities. “Together we voted overwhelmingly in favor of our union, 101 to 55, and we are excited to officially begin bargaining as Daniel Boone Regional Library Workers United,” the workers said. “The bonds we have built over the last few months have been nothing short of incredible, and we look forward to growing even stronger as a united union family.”
Hotel Workers in California Vote to Form Union with UNITE HERE Local 2: Workers at Marriott’s Ritz-Carlton Half Moon Bay voted 110–103 to form a union with UNITE HERE Local 2. The National Labor Relations Board will soon certify the election, and the local is confident that the union has won. Workers beat back “an aggressive anti-union campaign” ahead of the vote. “Soon, we’ll be on to negotiations for the affordable health care, fair wages and dignified workloads that workers deserve,” Local 2 said.
Video Game Workers Win Historic Union Election at Raven Software: The quality assurance team at Activision Blizzard subsidiary Raven Software overwhelmingly won their union vote on Monday. The group, known as the Game Workers Alliance, have joined the Communications Workers of America (CWA), and the election is a harbinger of growing worker power in a growing industry where workers need a strong voice on the job. These workers have made history by forming the first union at a leading video game company in the United States. “The outcome of this election, the voice of the people coming together to vote yes for this union, is further validation that even a small group of folks in Madison, Wisconsin, standing together in solidarity can face up against a AAA studio giant like Activision, and come out the other side victorious,” Becka Aigner, a quality assurance tester at Raven Software, told The Washington Post. “Now that the fight for recognition is through, we can focus our efforts on negotiations.”
Workers at Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles Ratify First Contract: AFSCME members at the Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA) in Los Angeles ratified their first contract with the museum. The two-year deal comes three years after they voted to be represented by AFSCME and includes pay raises, vacation days for part-time and temporary employees, health insurance for part-time employees, expanded paid parental leave and grievance and arbitration protections. “It’s been a long process. We’ve definitely achieved a lot, but there is still more work to be done in terms of shaping the museum field and making jobs within it more sustainable,” said Olivia Leiter, a member of the union’s organizing committee. “We went public three years ago, and have been negotiating for over two years now. We’ve put a lot of time and work into this and I think there’s a general feeling of excitement.”
AFSCME Local 2021 Members Celebrate Pay Raises They Helped Secure Through Their Union: After a year of relentless work, members of AFSCME San Antonio Local 2021 are celebrating imminent bonus checks that are financed by the American Rescue Plan. Facing an uphill battle after San Antonio City Manager Erik Walsh opposed including the premium pay in the city’s draft spending plan, Local 2021 members signed petitions, sent hundreds of emails, made hundreds of calls, lobbied City Council members and generated local media coverage to achieve this win. AFSCME members helped lead the fight to secure passage of the American Rescue Plan Act, which made these bonuses possible. “I went to almost all public town hall meetings across the city and not one person from the public said no,” said Romelia Parvinchi, a big rig driver for the San Antonio Department of Public Works. “Even citizens were saying city employees deserve the American Rescue Plan money for doing public service work during a pandemic. We risked our lives to keep San Antonians safe and public services operating.”
Connecticut Labor Movement Wins Ban on Captive Audience Meetings: Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont signed into law a bill to outlaw employers from forcing workers to attend closed-door captive audience meetings in their attempt to bust organizing campaigns. The Connecticut AFL-CIO, led by President Ed Hawthorne (AFSCME), fought hard to get the bill passed and celebrated its enactment. “In just over six weeks, workers will no longer be forced to attend meetings about their employer’s position on politics, religion, or union organizing,” Hawthorne said on Wednesday. “As only the second state in the nation to take action in this way, Connecticut is leading the way in protecting the rights of working people.”
HFIU Local 36 Wins Wage Increases for Members in Oregon, Washington: Members of Heat and Frost Insulators (HFIU) Local 36 in Oregon and southwest Washington recently secured two contracts that will provide significant hourly wage increases throughout the life of the agreements. Local 36’s journeymen insulators will see their wages increase by a total of $10 an hour in the next four years. Members of the union who work as firestoppers will have their hourly wages increased by $8.50 over the coming three years. The new contracts also provide higher employer contributions to health and pension benefits, increased per diem and new protections against hiring nonunion labor. Local 36 Business Manager Walt Caudle told the Northwest Labor Press that these gains are a result of the union’s long-term organizing success in Oregon and Washington’s insulation trade.
Equity Secures Release from NDAs for Members Who Worked Under Scott Rudin: Actors’ Equity Association (Equity) reached an agreement with The Broadway League that releases its members from nondisclosure agreements (NDAs) that prohibited them from speaking about workplace abuses by producer Scott Rudin. Equity first called for this change when the producer was accused by former assistants last year of abusive workplace behavior, and it became clear that NDAs were preventing far more workers from speaking out. The League also agreed that going forward, its producers will only use nondisclosure language in contracts or riders in limited, approved circumstances. “As new shows develop, we understand that sometimes NDAs are necessary to protect these works in progress,” said Al Vincent Jr., executive director of Equity. “However, NDAs may not and will not be used to protect anyone from the consequences of their own bad behavior. This settlement is a major step in ensuring they will not be used in that way again.” Read more in The New York Times.
WGAE, WGAW Ratify New Contract with CBS News: The Writers Guild of America, East (WGAE) and the Writers Guild of America West (WGAW) ratified on Friday a new collective bargaining agreement covering approximately 260 newswriters, producers, graphic artists, desk associates and others at CBS News. The three-year contract contains significant wins for these workers. “Because our members at CBS News mobilized and made their voices heard, we won a solid contract that raises pay, includes a hefty boost in pension contributions, increases fees and makes transformational gains for longer-term ‘temporary’ employees—severance pay and parental leave,” said WGAE Executive Director Lowell Peterson. “In a challenging environment, we were able to make real gains.”
Workers at Impact Justice Vote to Form Union with OPEIU: Employees at Impact Justice (IJ) overwhelmingly voted to form a union with Office and Professional Employees (OPEIU) Local 29 on Friday, joining thousands of nonprofit employees across the country represented by OPEIU’s Nonprofit Employees United (NEU). Their union, Impact Justice United (IJU), sought voluntary recognition from the nonprofit organization’s leadership in February. But after management’s concerted attempts to stall and disrupt the process, the bargaining unit filed for an election with the National Labor Relations Board and overwhelmingly won by a vote of 23–3. “I see Impact Justice United as a continuation of previous efforts to ensure our daily practices are living up to our core values of imagination, integrity and liberation,” said Kaid Ray-Tipton, a senior program associate at IJ.
Steelworkers at Arconic Tentatively Agree to New Four-Year Contract: United Steelworkers (USW) members at Arconic have tentatively agreed to a new four-year contract that includes significant pay increases, improved retirement benefits and other gains. "The hourly wage increases are to make up for the termination," USW Local 105 wrote on Facebook. "Wages are something we can count on in overtime and our vacation rate. We could never depend on PFP which is variable pay, to pay out. We can depend on our wages." The workers previously voted unanimously to authorize a strike.
Kansas City, Missouri, AFSCME Members Secure Average Raise of 12.6%: Members of AFSCME who work for the city of Kansas City, Missouri, agreed to a new four-year contract that will provide an average raise of 12.6%. The new contract provides $16 per hour as a minimum wage for seasonal and part-time workers and $17 per hour for full-time workers. “This is a step in the right direction," AFSCME Local 500 President Reginald Silvers said. “The goal is recruitment, retention and training, and we have solved some of those problems with these negotiations. Local 500 is grateful and appreciative.”
SAG-AFTRA Members Ratify New Commercials Contracts: Members of SAG-AFTRA overwhelmingly voted last week to ratify their new commercial contracts. The vote was 92.25% in favor. The agreements reflect important structural changes in the industry, especially in digital streaming. The two contracts provide $120 million in gains for members, hair and makeup equity for workers of color, increased contributions to the union’s health care plan and much more. “We did it!” SAG-AFTRA President Fran Drescher celebrated. “As we move into a digital age, bold moves and structural changes had to be made.... These contracts create a baseline upon which to build a new future.”
American Rescue Plan Saves BAC Local 5 NY Members’ Pensions: Thanks to the American Rescue Plan that Congress passed and President Biden signed into law last year, participants of Bricklayers (BAC) Local 5 New York’s pension plan will be able to receive about $61.8 million in assistance to save their retirement benefits. The pension plan, which covers 821 participants, was projected to run out of funds this year, and without federal investments, it would have been required to reduce members’ benefits. “I worked hard my whole life and it’s honorable work—there’s nothing wrong with it. And unfortunately, society today has led people to believe that it’s beneath yourself to work with your hands,” explained Local 5 member Doug Bush. “And that’s also what contributed to a perfect storm with this pension.” Local 5’s pension plan is one of many pensions that the American Rescue Plan helped save.
ATU Local 689 Emerges Victorious from Three-Day Strike: After a strong and unified strike, Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) Local 689 bus operators for D.C. Circulator bus system overwhelmingly voted to approve a new contract with their employer. More than 150 union members walked off the job Tuesday morning in Washington, D.C., shutting down Circulator for three days this week. In their new contract, members of Local 689 won double-digit pay increases and stronger retirement security, and prevented changes to Family and Medical Leave Act rights and the outsourcing of members’ jobs. “This is a great day for Local 689,” union President Raymond Jackson said Thursday. “Local 689 D.C. Circulator members did what we do best and won. Transit agencies across the country are now on notice.” The labor movement stood shoulder to shoulder with these bus operators during their strike. Transportation Trades Department, AFL-CIO, (TTD) Secretary-Treasurer Shari Semelsberger rallied workers on the picket line. “My great-grandfather started on the street tracks here in D.C. after he arrived from Italy,” she explained. “ATU Local 689 gave him a life with great benefits and great pay that he could raise a family of six on.”
Mechanics in Puerto Rico Win Organizing Campaign with IAM: The IAM is on a winning streak all across America. And on Thursday, the union notched another victory when more than 200 mechanics and related workers in Aguadilla, Puerto Rico, won their campaign to form a union with the IAM. These aerospace workers at Lufthansa Technik explained their campaign began because of various workplace issues, including reduced work hours, irregular work rules, and unfair wages and benefits. “This election is the voice and feeling of all of our co-workers who desire to progress here on the island without the need to abandon our families,” said Jonathan Diaz, senior aircraft mechanic. “We will demonstrate that in Puerto Rico we do good and are better not only as humans but as workers.”
UFCW Supermarket Workers in California Ratify New Contracts with Safeway and Vons: United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) members working at Safeway, Vons, Save Mart, Lucky and Food Max chains in California voted overwhelmingly to ratify new contracts. “The new contracts feature historic wage increases in recognition of Union members’ courageous service in keeping the stores functioning efficiently throughout the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Jacques Loveall, president of UFCW 8-Golden State. “They also include medical benefit improvements with employer-paid contributions for the plans, adjustments to wage progressions, and the creation of additional Lifetime Income Security Accrual Account (LISA) retirement plans for current and future members.”
3,000 IAM Members at Pratt & Whitney Ratify Contract with Job Security, Strong Benefits: Some 3,000 members of Machinists (IAM) District 26, Local 700 in Middletown and Local 1746 in East Hartford, Connecticut, voted to ratify a new contract with aerospace manufacturer Pratt & Whitney. The three-year agreement, which took effect on Monday, contained significant gains: improved job security, a minimum average of $2,400 in health care savings, strong wage increases and more paid time off. “During the pandemic, our members, deemed essential, took their roles to maintain production, and helped the company remain profitable, seriously,” said IAM International President Robert Martinez Jr. “The IAM continually proves why we are the premier aerospace and defense labor union globally. Our members stood alongside their negotiating committees to demand a contract representing their commitment to the company.”
NABTU Secures Landmark Offshore Wind Project Labor Agreement: Earlier today, there was a major victory for America’s pro-union clean energy future. During a press conference at the AFL-CIO headquarters, North America’s Building Trades Unions (NABTU) and Ørsted signed a project labor agreement (PLA) to construct the company’s U.S. offshore wind farms with America’s union workforce. Members of the Biden–Harris administration, including Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo and Secretary of Interior Deb Haaland, took part in the celebration. The first of its kind in the United States, the National Offshore Wind Agreement (NOWA) sets the bar for working conditions and equity, injects hundreds of millions of dollars in middle-class wages into the American economy, creates apprenticeship and career opportunities for communities most impacted by environmental injustice, and ensures projects will be built with the safest and best-trained workers in the country. Authorized by 15 international union presidents and their local affiliates, the NOWA covers all of Ørsted’s contractors and subcontractors that will perform offshore wind farm construction from Maine down to Florida. This PLA is a significant milestone because it creates an example for offshore wind and other clean energy firms to follow: one where labor standards, environmental protection and good business practices can and should go hand in hand. As AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler remarked, “This is what it looks like to put the words ‘high-road labor standards’ into action.” This high-caliber agreement for working people and the planet reminds us that clean energy jobs can and will be good-paying, family-sustaining union jobs.
Portland and Seattle Shipworkers Approve New Contract with Vigor Marine: Union workers at shipyards in Portland and Seattle approved a new three-year contract with Vigor Marine. Nearly 1,000 workers are covered by the agreement, including members of the AFL-CIO Metal Trades Department, Boilermakers (IBB), Electrical Workers (IBEW), Painters and Allied Trades (IUPAT), Laborers (LIUNA), International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers (SMART), United Association of Union Plumbers and Pipefitters (UA), Machinists (IAM), Operating Engineers (IUOE) and Teamsters. The contract includes significant pay raises and bonuses.
Public Service Employees in Columbus Win Hero Pay: After months of bargaining, members of Communications Workers of America (CWA) Local 4502, who work for the city of Columbus, Ohio, won hero pay and a vaccine reward. The new memorandum of understanding between the city and the union provides $1,000 in hero pay to full-time front-line workers, $500 to other full-time employees who worked during the applicable time period and a separate $500 vaccine reward. Local 4502 worked with other city unions to win the pay, which is funded with money that Congress allocated as part of the American Rescue Plan. “During the height of the pandemic, our members picked up extra shifts, worked extended shifts, different hours, and different days all to maintain the services our Columbus community depend on,” said Local 4502 President Susan Wilson. “They are the best of the best, and now they are finally getting compensation for their sacrifices and the recognition they deserve.”
New America United Secures Voluntary Recognition: Working people at New America have secured voluntary recognition of their new unit, New America United (NAU), which represents more than 65 members. “When we began our organizing effort two years ago, we anchored our union in the goals of providing an excellent workplace for all New Americans and embodying our organization’s principles of equity, participatory governance, and economic opportunity,” the NAU organizing committee wrote. “We look forward to working with leadership on a contract that supports our collective aspirations and lays the groundwork for a more inclusive and vibrant New America.”
‘Solar Opposites’ Production Workers Vote to Form Union with TAG-IATSE: Production workers who create the popular “Solar Opposites” adult animated comedy show are the latest workers to find their union home in The Animation Guild-IATSE Local 839 (TAG). Last week, a committee of workers unanimously voted to form a union. These new union members are just the latest to join TAG’s campaign for a #NewDeal4Animation, demanding equitable compensation for their work on animated productions. The victory at “Solar Opposites” follows a trifecta of recent organizing wins for the union at the studios of animation company Titmouse in New York, Vancouver and Los Angeles.
IUEC Ratifies New Contract Establishing First-Ever Safety Committee with Contractors: Members of the Elevator Constructors (IUEC) have reason to celebrate after union delegates voted to ratify a new nationwide contract that contains increased wages, strong benefits and a new labor-management safety committee. “Two things matter most to me—ensuring my brothers and sisters are taken care of from a pay and benefits standpoint and keeping them safe on the job,” IUEC General President Frank Christensen said, adding that his members’ jobs are innately dangerous. “The reality is this: For the elevator industry to be a safer one, a strong partnership must exist between labor and management.”
5,000 IAM Members at Lockheed Martin Ratify Contract with Historic Pay Increases: Some 5,000 members of Machinists (IAM) District 776 in Fort Worth, Texas, voted on Sunday to ratify a new contract with Lockheed Martin. The new collective bargaining agreement makes significant gains, including 16% wage increases over the life of the contract, retirement plan upgrades, a $4,000 ratification bonus and improvements in field pay. IAM members at the Fort Worth facility build the F-35, the world’s most advanced multirole fighter jet. “We have once again proven why the IAM is the largest and strongest aerospace and defense labor union in the world,” said IAM International President Robert Martinez Jr., who began his IAM membership as an aircraft assembler at the Fort Worth facility. “Our members stood strong and demanded a strong contract every step of the way.”
TWU Members at Alaska Airlines Ratify New Contract: Dispatchers at Alaska Airlines, members of TWU, voted overwhelmingly to approve a new 5-year contract. The contract increases pay, makes sure wages stay competitive, enhances benefits and streamlines training. “TWU was impressed with the logic-based approach taken in these negotiations by the Alaska negotiators,” said Gary Peterson, TWU international vice president and air division director. “Early on both groups agreed on the industry analysis each of us had independently performed, which helped us reach an agreement in-line with our amendable date.”
Members of IUPAT Local 2012 Win Strike for Fair Wages in Kansas City: Some 600 members of the Painters and Allied Trades (IUPAT) Local 2012, District Council 3, have voted to accept a new contract after going on strike for more than a week in their fight for fair wages to keep up with the skyrocketing cost of living. The construction workers in the Kansas City area recently rejected a proposal for a 1% pay increase from The Builders’ Association, a regional group of construction employers. They have been on the job since the start of the pandemic. “These were tough negotiations and it’s been a tough couple of weeks,” IUPAT District Council 3 Business Manager Frank Carpenter said. “We appreciate the willingness of the contractors to come back to the table and their recognition of the value our members bring to their businesses.”
West Michigan Cannabis Workers Vote to Join UFCW Local 951: Workers at Heritage Provisioning, a retail cannabis outlet in Battle Creek, Michigan, voted to join United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 951. John Cakmakci, president of Local 951, said: “UFCW 951 is committed to raising the standards for all workers in this unique and rapidly developing industry. I'm excited and hopeful this will serve as a pathway to expanding union coverage to include more workers in the cannabis industry.” Riley Boles, one of the workers at Heritage, said: “I'm really excited to be a part of something bigger than just myself. My dad is a union member and I'm proud to not only become one also, but to make history as the first UFCW 951 organized cannabis facility.”
St. Paul Teachers Secure Contract and Avert Potential Strike: The St. Paul, Minnesota, school board approved a new contract with teachers, narrowly avoiding a strike after three weeks of picketing. René Myers, a member of the union's bargaining team, said: “When we entered those last days together, there was a noticeable shift in attitude toward the work, and things began to happen. When you were present, things began to happen.” The new contract includes pay raises, bonuses, more on-staff psychologists, increased district contributions to employee health plans, a cap on class sizes and other benefits.
Verizon Workers In Washington Become First in U.S. to Organize Outside New York: Verizon workers at stores in Everett and Lynwood, Washington, became the first unionized Verizon employees outside of New York. Verizon employee Austin Hitch said: “We really want to codify what we already have—we have pretty good benefits and 401(k)s, but Verizon has been systematically taking things away from us, and we want to put a stop to that.” The workers will be represented by the Communications Workers of America.
Fordham Graduate Student Workers Vote to Join CWA: Graduate student workers at Fordham University overwhelmingly voted to join the Communications Workers of America (CWA). The workers are seeking higher pay, expanded health care benefits, child care and other support for working parents and a formal grievance procedure. Senior teaching fellow Carolyn Cargile said: “Graduate student workers are paid $15,000 to $20,000 thousand less than the living wage in New York City. They’re also really overworked, and the conditions of our work can be very exploitative. Also, there are no real accommodations for graduate student working parents. They don’t have access to the kinds of resources that faculty or other employees of the university do when it comes to child care or family leave.”
City of Flint Workers Secure Contract with Wage Increases and Other Benefits: Workers for the city of Flint, Michigan, secured their first "real" contract since 1999. Kathryn Neumann, a member of the bargaining committee for AFSCME Local 1600, said: “It's been since 1999 since local 1600 had a contract that is truly a contract,” explaining that a "true" contract is one that doesn't increase pay but increases employee contributions to benefits like health care. The new agreement will increase salaries 7-8% across the board for workers who are employed in a variety of city departments, including building safety, water and sewer and traffic engineering.
California Grocery Workers Avoid Strike After Winning New Contract: Tens of thousands of workers at 540 grocery stores across California approved a new contract with higher wages, stronger health benefits, increased guaranteed hours for part-time workers, improved store safety and a secured pension. The workers, represented by the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW), work at Ralphs, Albertsons, Vons and Pavilions. Erika Bentzen, a food clerk at Ralphs in Thousand Oaks, said: “We made history! This was the first time members were part of the negotiations and I believe it made a difference having us there. This is the best contract in the country."
Kenneth Quinnell Fri, 06/03/2022 - 11:51Tags: Organizing
Pride Month Profiles: Kelly Pagels
For Pride Month, the AFL-CIO is spotlighting various LGBTQ+ Americans who have worked and continue to work at the intersection of civil and labor rights. Today's Pride Month profile is Kelly Pagels of the Professional Aviation Safety Specialists (PASS).
Kelly Pagels has been a proud member of Professional Aviation Safety Specialists (PASS) since entering public service in 2019 as a promoter of aviation safety at the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Pagels is vice president of FAA Pride and is dedicated to amplifying the voices of the LGBTQ+ community to help foster a culture that values diversity and inclusion at the FAA and PASS.
Kenneth Quinnell Fri, 06/03/2022 - 10:00Service + Solidarity Spotlight: IAFF Local 1173 Members Rescue Man and Service Dog
Working people across the United States have stepped up to help out our friends, neighbors and communities during these trying times. In our regular Service + Solidarity Spotlight series, we'll showcase one of these stories every day. Here’s today’s story.
Members of Fire Fighters (IAFF) Local 1173 pulled a man and his service dog to safety after the vehicle they were in veered off the road and into the water near Bayland Marina in Baytown, Texas. The driver, a paraplegic who had a vehicle designed to enable him to drive without the use of his feet, was driving on May 22 when he used the wrong control, causing his vehicle to leave the roadway and fall into the water. Local 1173 members responded to the scene and, with no time to spare, went into the water, stabilized the vehicle and pulled the driver and his dog out to safety.
“Water rescues near the marina can be difficult as the water is very murky, making it difficult to see anything,” explained Local 1173 President Dallas Webb. “Our Local 1173 members did an outstanding job that day.” The driver and his dog were sent for medical assessment and both are doing well.
Kenneth Quinnell Fri, 06/03/2022 - 09:30Pride Month Profiles: Dane Chilton
For Pride Month, the AFL-CIO is spotlighting various LGBTQ+ Americans who have worked and continue to work at the intersection of civil and labor rights. Today's Pride Month profile is Dane Chilton of the Ironworkers.
Dane Chilton is a trans ironworker out of Local 86 in Seattle. He has been a member of the Ironworkers since 2008 and in the trade far longer. At age 37, Chilton started transitioning—something he said he waited a long time to do. Chilton recalls his transition, fondly saying, “I received a world of support from other Ironworkers, my local and the Ironworkers. That support made all the difference and gave me a safe space to be my true self.”
Kenneth Quinnell Thu, 06/02/2022 - 10:00Tags: Pride
Service + Solidarity Spotlight: TWU Celebrates National AMT Day
Working people across the United States have stepped up to help out our friends, neighbors and communities during these trying times. In our regular Service + Solidarity Spotlight series, we'll showcase one of these stories every day. Here’s today’s story.
On May 24, members of the Transport Workers Union (TWU) recognized National Aviation Maintenance Technician (AMT) Day. The union counts more than 10,000 AMTs among its members who are responsible for servicing and maintaining nearly 1,000 aircraft. These workers are the real engines behind the planes.
“I am honored to represent all my fellow AMTs, who celebrate our craft today and those from TWU representatives who worked tirelessly, not looking for recognition individually, to promote the AMT craft and made the AMT Day recognition a reality,” said TWU Air Division Director and International Vice President Gary Peterson.
Kenneth Quinnell Thu, 06/02/2022 - 09:30Celebrate Pride Month: What Working People Are Doing This Week
Welcome to our regular feature, a look at what the various AFL-CIO unions and other working family organizations are doing across the country and beyond. The labor movement is big and active—here's a look at the broad range of activities we're engaged in this week.
A. Philip Randolph Institute:
APRI family and friends! Please find the 51st APRI NEC call letter and registration forms here, and you also can print them from the https://t.co/dv53dlnJ1E website!
Also be aware, rooms are filling up fast so please go to https://t.co/fgBCupYNjA to reserve your room today!! pic.twitter.com/YU1eT9vdiT
Actors' Equity:
A very happy first day of #Pride!
This month marks the 53rd anniversary of the #Stonewall riots, a turning point for gay liberation and a time when people rose up against systemic discrimination and harassment. We honor their courage and continue the fight for LGBTQIA+ rights. pic.twitter.com/tAZjtw0pj0
AFGE:
Get the latest news about contract negotiations between AFGE and the VA → https://t.co/W7qGpJsJiK
— AFGE (@AFGENational) June 1, 2022AFSCME:
Workers’ rights and LGBTQ+ rights are one and the same, rooted in the same struggle for freedom, equality, dignity and humanity. This Pride Month, let’s celebrate by recommitting to this fight. pic.twitter.com/jTw1zeBlPV
— AFSCME (@AFSCME) June 1, 2022Alliance for Retired Americans:
It can be difficult to identify long COVID in older Americans, especially if they have other medical conditions.
Seniors can check w/ their primary care physicians if they notice something is off after having COVID and can consult specialists if need be. https://t.co/LRuw0vWc7S
Amalgamated Transit Union:
This year, the ATU is celebrating Pride Month by recognizing LGBTQ+ rank-and-file members who have made a difference in their Locals and our Union. Our first member is Brother Brendan Anderson, Local 1005-Minneapolis, MN. #pridemonth pic.twitter.com/lDkwddKJQ3
— ATU, Transit Union (@ATUComm) June 1, 2022American Federation of Musicians:
The International Executive Board of the American Federation of Musicians of the United States and Canada issued the following statement regarding the recent gun violence tragedies. https://t.co/d7oMQpw0mm pic.twitter.com/acX191FhBr
— AFM (@The_AFM) May 27, 2022American Federation of Teachers:
Read the latest #AmericanEducator on supporting students’ & educators’ #socialemotional needs & rebuilding community support for & participation in public schools: https://t.co/nlKUYRJAwR pic.twitter.com/4XlJTeUW6z
— AFT (@AFTunion) June 1, 2022American Postal Workers Union:
“Belonging to the APWU while achieving goals and overcoming challenges provides a particular sense of pride and solidarity, and promotes meaning of the U and I in Union.” - Secretary-Treasurer Liz Powell #APWUnited #BuildingUnionPower https://t.co/sf1l3yQQ6R
— APWU National (@APWUnational) May 27, 2022Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance:
Ren Hanami is Chair of the @SAGAFTRA National APAM (Asian Pacific American Media) Committee and a proud union member. She advocates for AAPI workers in front of and behind the camera. Celebrate AAPI leaders like her by giving to APALA! https://t.co/k1S5BXdO5k pic.twitter.com/ROsFAJXcl9
— Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance, AFL-CIO (@APALAnational) June 1, 2022Association of Flight Attendants-CWA:
June is #PrideMonth! AFA-CWA supports all LGBTQ+ Flight Attendants and workers as we fight for protections on the job and in our communities. #PRIDE
— AFA-CWA (@afa_cwa) June 1, 2022Boilermakers:
Today, we pause to remember those who gave the ultimate sacrifice serving our nation 🇺🇸#BoilermakersUnion #MemorialDay pic.twitter.com/MAYypIYXiL
— Boilermakers Union (@boilermakernews) May 30, 2022Bricklayers:
This #MemorialDay, BAC honors our fallen soldiers. pic.twitter.com/y7Cf1MGvTT
— Bricklayers Union (@IUBAC) May 30, 2022Coalition of Black Trade Unionists:
Congratulations to the CBTU St. Louis chapter for receiving Chapter of The Year Award at the 51st CBTU Convention Awards Banquet!
Thank you to all the St. Louis chapter members who put the work in and who volunteers their time whenever we call. This award goes to all of you! pic.twitter.com/bIHZw4mTzq
Coalition of Labor Union Women:
On 2/17, WNBA superstar Brittney Griner was detained upon in Moscow. On 4/29, Griner was officially classified as a Wrongful Detention by the U.S. State Department, which signals the U.S. government will seek to negotiate her release. Please sign.https://t.co/MwUy2GZV5t
— CLUW National (@CLUWNational) May 31, 2022Communications Workers of America:
Tower Climbers put their lives at risk everyday connecting millions of Americans. They're joining together to improve conditions for all as the Tower Climbers Union/CWA. ✊ pic.twitter.com/MBodN6ttbg
— CWA (@CWAUnion) May 31, 2022Department for Professional Employees:
Professionals need unions to have a legally protected say in their workplace to secure better wages, benefits, and working conditions. pic.twitter.com/so82XjExW9
— Department for Professional Employees (@DPEaflcio) June 1, 2022Electrical Workers:
What is it like to be a woman in the construction industry? A new report from has some answers. https://t.co/Eg4PMybxbp
— IBEW (@IBEW) June 1, 2022Fire Fighters:
While a small pool is a great way to beat the heat, fire fighters and emergency medical responders are urging homeowners to practice simple safety rules to avoid a tragedy. #IAFFSafetyTips pic.twitter.com/4QixSNw3GJ
— International Association of Fire Fighters (@IAFFNewsDesk) June 1, 2022Heat and Frost Insulators:
The Insulators International is committed to helping veterans like Kevin transition to civilian life. Learn how you can too: https://t.co/PeinQE2Tcx pic.twitter.com/Pp4V9ZeN9W
— Insulators Union 🦎 (@InsulatorsUnion) June 1, 2022International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers:
Manitoba Liberal Party Calls Out Bell MTS's Broken Promise to Manitobans and TEAM-IFTPE Local 161 Members https://t.co/J4ey5XHNTq
— IFPTE (@IFPTE) May 27, 2022International Labor Communications Association:
Today’s #MemberMonday spotlights @ocsea! Members of the Ohio Civil Service Employees Association, @AFSCME, proudly work in public service to make sure our water is clean, our roads are clear, and our communities are safe. pic.twitter.com/Qeju8WBSFL
— International Labor Communications Association (@ILCAonline) May 30, 2022Ironworkers:
We see you @Ironworkers44 👀💪#Ironworkers #1u https://t.co/gW1JTqi0eC
— Iron Workers Union (@TheIronworkers) June 1, 2022Jobs With Justice:
Did y'all know that in 1989 artist @Kahn75Si recorded an album honoring Jobs With Justice and the labor movement?
Check out the song Jobs With Justice and the full album here! #JWJat35https://t.co/rpRVBGfqiO
Labor Council for Latin American Advancement:
The attack on reproductive rights is not only a women's issue but a worker's issue, a class issue.
In the newest episode of the #ElDesvio LCLAA President Yanira Merino discusses the intersections between #reproductiverights and labor justice. Listen here: https://t.co/JSCiyRxWvC pic.twitter.com/fgl93AgAA6
Laborers:
SOLIDARITY! #FeelThePower https://t.co/a2mm9JaD6k
— LIUNA (@LIUNA) May 27, 2022Machinists:
FACT: 17 highest union membership states:
👉Have higher minimum wages
👉Have median annual incomes $6,000 higher than the national average
👉Have higher unemployment insurance
When unions are strong, our economy is strong. #UnionStrong
Maritime Trades Department:
Congress recognizes WWII Merchant Marine Veterans with Congressional Gold Medal.https://t.co/mtOJEK95N3 pic.twitter.com/NhO5tMm6kY
— MaritimeTrades (@Maritime_Trades) May 19, 2022Metal Trades Department:
Registration is open for the 2022 Annual Metal Trades Department Conference. Sponsorship and exhibitor opportunities are available. Register today at https://t.co/mzgpah0a5V pic.twitter.com/FopAbPi15t
— Metal Trades Dept. (@metaltradesafl) June 1, 2022Mine Workers:
May we never forget, that freedom isn't free. Happy Memorial Day from the United Mine Workers of America. pic.twitter.com/z3ac9heTPh
— United Mine Workers (@MineWorkers) May 30, 2022Musical Artists:
AGMA joins in celebrating the diversity of the LGBTQIA+ community with our members, affiliate unions, and colleagues in the performing arts industry: https://t.co/rDJeZRUP0Z pic.twitter.com/bsMuN7QFKY
— AGMA (@AGMusicalArtist) June 1, 2022National Air Traffic Controllers Association:
Houston TRACON member Joe Wright will receive the Archie League Medal of Safety June 17 for his exceptional work to aid Piper Cherokee pilot who lost his gyro in bad weather on approach to Ellington Field. https://t.co/tXd4CzaBlb pic.twitter.com/kD2BezC6Qj
— NATCA (@NATCA) June 1, 2022National Association of Letter Carriers:
The NALC Veterans Group is hosting a 2.6-mile Ruck March on Aug. 10 at 6:30 p.m. at NALC’s 72nd biennial convention in Chicago. Sign up for $40 and you’ll receive a memorial t-shirt. Sign up now! https://t.co/YmDFLYFXpZ pic.twitter.com/JLcMOctidD
— Letter Carriers (@NALC_National) June 1, 2022National Day Laborer Organizing Network:
JOIN THE MARCH & RALLY TO #StopICEtransfers & Pass the #VISIONAct!
Friday, June 3rd @ 4:00 - 6:00 PM
📍 Freedom Park - 14199 All American Way, Westminster
Co-Sponsor the Action: https://t.co/hsybNhmKRc@vietriseoc#ICEOutofCA #ICEOutofOC #OrangeCounty #OC pic.twitter.com/BVU4XHgB91
National Domestic Workers Alliance:
Care work is essential. Plain and simple. pic.twitter.com/SKvtKXtKZj
— Domestic Workers (@domesticworkers) June 1, 2022National Federation of Federal Employees:
Today's e-News: Memorial Day Message from President Erwin, NFFE Demands Pay Raise for Wildland Firefighters, Organizing in Georgia, and more - https://t.co/hjhNqYdMzE pic.twitter.com/sJiQAsVh1B
— NFFE (@NFFE_Union) May 27, 2022National Nurses United:
After 9️⃣ months of actions — including petitions to negotiate a fair contract, an informational picket in January, and a 24-hour strike in April — #UnionStrong RNs at @huhospital finally reached an agreement. Congrats @nurseshealdc! 🎉 🎉 🎉 https://t.co/cSWbuAeLFr
— NationalNursesUnited (@NationalNurses) June 1, 2022National Taxi Workers Alliance:
Pay up @ChipotleTweets! While your CEO gets fat off the riches, the cost of food for your workers is rising at fastest pace since 1980. Bread & milk cost more each month for 17 straight months. #SolidarityForever with @FastFoodUnion #RaiseForAll pic.twitter.com/sQaqi7idJq
— NY Taxi Workers (@NYTWA) May 26, 2022NWSL Players Association:
That’s our ED! 👊 @meghannburke https://t.co/MoRB1HlnY2
— NWSLPA (@nwsl_players) May 28, 2022NFL Players Association:
Keep inspiring @TDLockett12 💪 #MentalHealthMatters https://t.co/ss7VhzvUJx
— NFLPA (@NFLPA) June 1, 2022North America's Building Trades Unions:
"The apprentices who benefit from this partnership represent the future of New York’s unionized construction industry.” 👀🙌
Read about the new program aimed at growing the pipeline of @GoIUPAT apprentices in NYC.https://t.co/7A23GvI7a2
Office and Professional Employees:
Happy #PrideMonth!
LGBTQIA+ rights are workers’ rights. #UnionPride pic.twitter.com/n8zpk6pZds
Painters and Allied Trades:
When we stand together, we can break down barriers and accomplish anything.
IUPAT's LGBTQ+ Committee and our union's leadership are fully dedicated to ending discrimination that divides us and to representing and uplifting everyone who does our skilled trades. pic.twitter.com/K9ePof2j8B
Plasterers and Cement Masons:
#OPCMIA Members: Nominate a Steel Edge Woman as @NABTU_TWBN Tradeswoman Hero of the Month! Go to https://t.co/7teMcdOCIj for details on how to nominate a sister who deserves recognition for going above & beyond the call.https://t.co/aiPdJEY0by
— OPCMIA International (@opcmiaintl) May 31, 2022Pride At Work:
It's Pride Month, and we'd like to kick things off by inviting you to join us as a member! Help support the LGBTQ+ community in the labor movement! @AFLCIO https://t.co/BZPLrNxEhX
— Pride at Work (@PrideatWork) June 1, 2022Professional Aviation Safety Specialists:
This Memorial Day, PASS joins our brothers & sisters @unionveterans in remembering those who made the ultimate sacrifice for our nation. It is our duty to honor them every day. #HonorTheirSacrifice #publicservice #unionsolidarity pic.twitter.com/JAm8oYfJkE
— PASS (@PASSNational) May 29, 2022Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union:
NEW: The @BAmazonUnion vote hinges on 416 challenged ballots. Every vote must be counted, and every objection heard. "This moment is historic, and the workers in Bessemer, AL have inspired working people all over the country." -@sappelbaum https://t.co/Gi1uqLH3Yj pic.twitter.com/ilsTSnic5i
— RWDSU (@RWDSU) March 31, 2022Roofers and Waterproofers:
Summer is right around the corner! If you are working outside, learn to recognize the signs of heat exhaustion, because it can make you dizzy and lead to falls. https://t.co/h24QyxssPz #roofersafety365 pic.twitter.com/MaRZCPEftD
— Roofers Union (@roofersunion) May 23, 2022SAG-AFTRA:
From hip-hop news and an exclusive interview with SAG Award-honoree @TroyKotsur, to the union’s latest work in entertainment and media, the digital issue of SAG-AFTRA magazine has all you need to stay in-the-know. https://t.co/sAGCuCznrt?#sagaftramember pic.twitter.com/PqfwOGbDMo
— SAG-AFTRA (@sagaftra) May 19, 2022Seafarers:
Felt great to once again observe #NationalMaritimeDay in person. Terrific ceremony if we may say so, @DOTMARAD and thanks for letting us be part of it. #1u #Maritime #DOT pic.twitter.com/LFmWQU2wnN
— Seafarers Union (@SeafarersUnion) May 24, 2022Solidarity Center:
"We hear very powerfully from workers that respect & dignity on the job are key to why they form unions" @Shawna_SolCntr speaking at event on new Solidarity Center report showing how unions improved working conditions in Honduran maquila factories. Watch➡️https://t.co/cfRXiKD3GC
— Solidarity Center (@SolidarityCntr) June 1, 2022The NewsGuild-CWA:
We condemn the death of yet another journalist, killed while covering the Russian war against Ukraine. French photojournalist Frédéric Leclerc-Imhoff was 32. https://t.co/IsktkQAPPu https://t.co/QKaHqDrcrV
— NewsGuild-CWA (@newsguild) May 31, 2022Theatrical Stage Employees:
Take a minute to meet Trailblazer and Proud @IATSELocal33 member Margaux, our first #PrideMonth member spotlight of 2022.
To learn more about Margaux, head here: https://t.co/V5CAOObefj pic.twitter.com/9rF4497oQc
Transport Workers Union:
🚨ATTN TWU Transit Locals: Don't miss this helpful webinar from the @NationalTWC on June 7! Jarvis Williams, our brother and President of @twulocal208 in Columbus, Ohio, will be one of the featured presenters! Register here: https://t.co/A2LucvJ8Y8 https://t.co/QrpqlyXYC0
— TWU (@transportworker) June 1, 2022Transportation Trades Department:
“If you want to actually improve the supply chain from a rail perspective, then getting a fair contract for workers is the most important thing you can do to achieve that,” said Greg Regan, President of @TTDAFLCIO. https://t.co/fOEegv1kfi
— Transportation Trades Department (@TTDAFLCIO) May 25, 2022UAW:
Memorial Day message from UAW President Ray Curry - https://t.co/LduGyyKRJr pic.twitter.com/gm1h7rMg6i
— UAW (@UAW) May 30, 2022Union Veterans Council:
Today we use our service to honor the sacrifice of all those who have fallen in support of our country. #MemorialDay2022 #1u #Honortheirsacrifice pic.twitter.com/JFR4klPE0Q
— Union Veterans Council🪖✊ Pass the #PROAct (@unionveterans) May 30, 2022UNITE HERE:
Workers want guests to know that turning down daily housekeeping is hurting housekeepers and threatening jobs.
“When I come home from work now, the only thing I want to do is go to bed,” said Martha Bonilla, a housekeeper at Caesar's in Atlantic City.https://t.co/KSyYaK3FDG
United Food and Commercial Workers:
#UFCWVictory ✊🏿✊🏻✊🏽✊🏾
ICYMI: @UFCW_3000 healthcare workers at RadiantCare Radiation Oncology in Washington state ratified their first union contract that includes guaranteed wage increases and improved workplace protections.
Learn more: https://t.co/ZEgp9an3cQ
United Steelworkers:
Meet the Tongan-American Unionist on a Pilgrimage To Support Striking Workers Around the U.S. @inthesetimesmag https://t.co/7C3lmWBiiJ
— United Steelworkers (@steelworkers) May 31, 2022United Students Against Sweatshops:
Kyaw San Oo, one of the workers at the center of USAS’s current wage theft campaign against Nike, has shared about his experience in the full video you can watch at https://t.co/nppGy6WEJf.
Visit (https://t.co/MzPFmZIGZh) to check out more information and to spread the word! pic.twitter.com/sFhJ3eIfyh
Utility Workers:
In honor of #MemorialDay, UWUA Local 105 member and combat veteran Jon DeBoe shares what today means to him as a veteran and discusses the importance of #Solidarity. Listen to the full interview here: https://t.co/0XYahyTO1O pic.twitter.com/OWOQ9JzenJ
— UWUA National (@The_UWUA) May 30, 2022Working America:
We stand in solidarity with all fast food and retail workers across the U.S who fight for better wages, working conditions and benefits!!! #UnionStrong https://t.co/LlZLLA85lJ
— Working America | Pass the #PROAct (@WorkingAmerica) May 24, 2022Writers Guild of America, East:
Please take a moment to send a letter to Vox Media's CEO Jim @Bankoff to support the union as we continue to bargain for a fair contract.
Send a letter here ⬇️https://t.co/sBMdKX3xwv
Pride Month Profiles: Da'Laine Simpson
For Pride Month, the AFL-CIO is spotlighting various LGBTQ+ Americans who have worked and continue to work at the intersection of civil and labor rights. Today's Pride Month profile is Da'Laine Simpson of AFGE.
Da’Laine Simpson is president of AFGE Local 2004, coordinator for District 3 of the Y.O.U.N.G. program, an active member of AFGE Pride and is active with AFGE B.L.A.C.K. He also founded Bro2Go Inc., a nonprofit committed to empowering, equipping and motivating ex-offenders through mentorship, philanthropy, professional development and job placement.
Kenneth Quinnell Wed, 06/01/2022 - 10:00Tags: Pride
Service + Solidarity Spotlight: WNBPA Joins Calls for Release of Brittney Griner
Working people across the United States have stepped up to help out our friends, neighbors and communities during these trying times. In our regular Service + Solidarity Spotlight series, we'll showcase one of these stories every day. Here’s today’s story.
On Feb. 17, WNBA star and two-time Olympic gold medalist Brittney Griner was arrested by Russian authorities at a Moscow airport. Since her arrest more than three months ago, the Women’s National Basketball Players Association (WNBPA) has been strongly advocating for her release. Our union sisters in the NWSL Players Associations (NWSLPA) have joined the WNBPA and thousands of fans in calling for the U.S. government to prioritize Griner’s release from prison. Like so many other elite female athletes, Griner was playing abroad because of unjust pay inequity in American sports.
“It has been 82 days that our friend and sister, Brittney Griner, has been wrongfully detained in Russia. It is time for her to come home,” the NWSLPA tweeted on May 10. “Know that we are watching. We are paying attention.” On Saturday, the NWSLPA retweeted the WNBPA’s statement as Griner’s detention in Russia reached 100 days. Click here to sign the petition.
Kenneth Quinnell Wed, 06/01/2022 - 09:30This Is a Crisis Point: 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.
‘This Is a Crisis Point’: Job Training Deficit Leaves Critical Jobs Unfilled: “‘Employers have actually been putting less and less money in training over the course of time, and offloaded onto the government,” AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler said. ‘The government has been under-resourcing it; they offloaded it onto the individual. And so that means that they’re taking on more of the risk.’”
Coalition of Black Trade Unionists Meet in L.A.: “Melvin, who will celebrate his 10th anniversary as CBTU president, said, ‘Black workers, Black communities, Black women, Black youth, Black seniors, Black incarcerated men and women are under siege from all directions. ‘Our very humanity is in peril—stoked by anti-Black racism and by the monstrous Big Lie of a stolen presidential election. We must come together—now—in this embattled landscape to affirm our beautiful humanity and to lead the way out of these dark, dark days. True, our plate is full, but we come to L.A. ready to work.’ Melvin, who is also secretary-treasurer of the New York AFL-CIO, said the run-up to the midterm elections would be front and center. ‘Everything is on the ballot in November,’ he declared. ‘Voting rights, civil rights, women’s reproductive freedom, control of Congress and statehouses across the country. The January 6 insurrection showed the world that the Radical Right has decided to take down democracy in order to hold onto power by any means necessary.’”
OSHA Inspects Less Than One-Half of 1% of Firms Yearly: “In 2019, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration inspected fewer than one-half of 1% of U.S. firms it regulated, the non-partisan watchdog Government Accountability Office told Congress on May 25. And that’s around its usual inspection percentage, GAO official Thomas Costa said.”
Job Gains of Black Americans Are Under Threat as Economy Slows: “‘We’re still going to be the last hired, so if you increase the unemployment rate, you just undo all the gains,’ says William Spriggs, chief economist at the AFL-CIO and a Howard University professor. ‘What’s the point of the tight labor market? It is the necessary condition for Black advancement.’”
Culinary, Resorts World Las Vegas Ratify a Labor Contract Covering 2,000 Workers: “Culinary Workers Local 226 announced Wednesday it reached a three-year labor agreement with Resorts World Las Vegas, marking the first all-new union contract at a major Strip resort since 2015. Union negotiators representing the Culinary and its affiliated Bartenders Local 226 reached an agreement with Resorts World management on contract language following a negotiating session on May 17. Three days later, the contract covering more than 2,000 non-gaming employees was ratified by 99 percent of the workforce.”
Women in Construction Say They Find Their Work Rewarding. Why Are There So Few of Them?: “In the construction sector, by contrast, the statistics are drastically different. Preliminary U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data for February show that 13.9% of the 7.6 million employed construction workers are women, said Gary Steinberg, an economist for the agency who is also from Brighton. By comparison, women filled 74% of public education jobs at the beginning of this year, he noted. ‘Women taking on a skilled trade is not typically encouraged in American society and gender roles are ingrained in our culture," said electrician apprentice, Natalia Reyes of Rochester.”
Raven Software Employees Win Union Election: “A group of approximately 30 quality assurance testers at the Activision Blizzard subsidiary Raven Software won their bid for a union Monday afternoon. The workers, who have organized as the Game Workers Alliance, told The Washington Post they hope others in the video game industry follow suit. Eligible workers at Raven Software, which makes Call of Duty titles in Madison, Wisconsin, mailed in ballots to vote in the election this month. The Milwaukee office of the National Labor Relations Board counted the ballots via video conference Monday afternoon, with a tally of 19 voting in favor and 3 against. Both parties have until May 31 to file an objection. If no objection is filed, the results become official on that date, and Raven management must begin bargaining with the union in good faith.”
Report: Google Fiber Subcontractors’ Record Shows Value of Union Labor: “Prepared by the Texas Climate Jobs Project, a year-old nonprofit allied with the Texas AFL-CIO that promotes tackling the climate crisis through good union jobs, the study focuses on Google Fiber, which has been active in Austin since 2013 and San Antonio since 2015. The report homes in especially on the company’s contracting chain—the web of subcontractors that execute Google’s work in Texas. The Climate Jobs Project identified 46 Google Fiber subcontractors in Austin and San Antonio, then dug through government databases to find various violations and problems associated with the companies—issues that labor advocates say often stem from using non-union subcontractors who cut corners on safety and training.”
The U.S. Women’s National Team Notches Its Most Deserved Victory Yet: “The U.S. women’s national soccer team is no stranger to winning—yet this week’s victory closing the gender pay gap between the squad and its male counterpart must taste especially sweet. The battle was as hard-fought as any match, and the prize is worth more to all of sports than any trophy. The U.S. Soccer Federation announced on Wednesday that collective bargaining with the men’s and women’s national teams had resulted in a deal to equalize salaries and bonuses. This final hurrah comes after years of argument between the women’s team and the national governing body, including a lawsuit settled last year for $24 million. During this confrontation, the athlete-employees continued working hard for their employer on the pitch—defeating the globe’s best time and time again with their usual panache. The United States is now the first country to reach equal pay for its men’s and women’s soccer teams. Ideally, it will be far from the last.”
Amazon Accused of Firing North Randall Worker Who Was Trying to Unionize Fulfillment Center, NLRB Investigating: “But while details are lacking, the charge does point to one thing. Unionization is at least being discussed at North Randall’s Amazon facility. Dan O’Malley, leader of the North Shore AFL-CIO, said Amazon has tried to stop unions in the past. ‘Although we are still learning the details of this particular incident in North Randall, Amazon’s illegal and merciless union busting tactics are well documented,” O’Malley said.”
Kenneth Quinnell Tue, 05/31/2022 - 12:11Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month Profiles: Darlene Lombos
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 Darlene Lombos of the Painters and Allied Trades (IUPAT).
Darlene Lombos, IUPAT District Council 35, is the executive secretary-treasurer of the Greater Boston Labor Council. She is the first woman and person of color to be elected in this top leadership position and is a founding member of the Massachusetts chapter of the Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance. Lombos believes that women have always been the backbone of the labor movement, and in this political moment, labor needs to build the foundation of a new broad-based women's movement. Lombos approaches this moment as a once-in-a-generation opportunity to rebuild the public good toward our vision for vibrant, equitable, democratic communities and an empowered, united, multiracial working class.
Kenneth Quinnell Tue, 05/31/2022 - 09:53Service + Solidarity Spotlight: Texas AFL-CIO Compiling Ways to Help in Aftermath of Uvalde School Shooting
Working people across the United States have stepped up to help out our friends, neighbors and communities during these trying times. In our regular Service + Solidarity Spotlight series, we'll showcase one of these stories every day. Here’s today’s story.
The Texas AFL-CIO has posted a list of resources for union members, retirees and allies looking to help the Uvalde, Texas, community in the aftermath of Tuesday’s devastating mass shooting at Robb Elementary School that killed 19 children and two teachers. Affiliated unions are working with the state federation to assist in the labor movement’s response, especially after the crowds that have descended on Uvalde dissipate. If you are wondering how you can help, this developing resource page will get you started.
Kenneth Quinnell Tue, 05/31/2022 - 09:30Alliance for Retired Americans Facilitates Partnership with Labor Movement, SUNY to Help Students with Family, Financial Obligations
Building on a mentorship program that the Machinists (IAM) established with Aviation High School in Long Island City, New York, the Alliance for Retired Americans has brought together the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), the United Federation of Teachers (UFT) and the IAM in a partnership with the State University of New York (SUNY) that provides pre-enrollment credits toward a college degree for high school students. The credits are for extra classes taken in a high school aviation program.
The partnership will credit graduates from Aviation High School who earn their Federal Aviation Administration airframe or powerplant license with 28 to 29 college credits—roughly the equivalent of one year of college—toward a bachelor’s degree in transportation management or labor studies before they enroll in courses at SUNY Empire State College.
Left to right: Janella Hinds, Vice President, Academic High Schools, UFT; Mary Vaccaro, Vice President for Education, UFT; Steven Jackson, Principal, Aviation High School; Dora Cervantes, General Secretary-Treasurer, IAM; Alliance for Retired Americans President Robert Roach; Sue Epstein, Executive Director, Office of Partnerships, SUNY Empire State College; Nathan Gonyea, Officer in Charge, SUNY Empire; Maria Figueroa, Dean, Harry Van Arsdale Jr. School of Labor Studies, SUNY Empire.
IAM officials have had a mentorship program with Aviation High School for two decades, and the alliance facilitated discussions between AFT, UFT and SUNY officials to set a goal and execute a plan. The work culminated in Aviation High School and SUNY Empire State College representatives formally signing the new agreement on April 27.
“The Alliance is engaging with young people as well as seniors. The program helps students who have to take care of parents, grandparents or other family members during high school, so they are not left behind due to their caregiving responsibilities. It also helps students who have financial or other family obligations and may need to work,” said Robert Roach Jr., president of the alliance. “UFT members, who are affiliated with AFT, were key to obtaining this agreement. Their dedication and expertise led to this successful outcome. This is a program that could go nationwide if the results are what we believe we can achieve.”
More photos from the signing event can be viewed here. Visit the SUNY Empire State College website to learn more about this new and exciting program.
Kenneth Quinnell Fri, 05/27/2022 - 13:11Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month Profiles: Mikayla Robinson
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 Mikayla Robinson of UAW.
Mikayla Robinson is a UAW staff member based in Massachusetts and a member of the National Organization of Legal Services Workers, UAW Local 2320. She serves as an at-large vice president on the Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance's national executive board and is the chair of APALA's Young Leader Council.
Kenneth Quinnell Fri, 05/27/2022 - 10:00Service + Solidarity Spotlight: UVC Prepares the Labor Movement to Observe Memorial Day
Working people across the United States have stepped up to help out our friends, neighbors and communities during these trying times. In our regular Service + Solidarity Spotlight series, we'll showcase one of these stories every day. Here’s today’s story.
Memorial Day 2022 is quickly approaching, and to help our unions and federated bodies prepare for this important holiday, the Union Veterans Council, AFL-CIO, (UVC) has created a communications toolkit. With more than 1 million active working military veterans in our movement, every union has members who have served in America’s armed forces. While workers across the nation spend time celebrating with our family and friends, let us also take a moment to remember those who died in service to our country.
Post the following graphics on social media on Memorial Day (Monday, May 30):
- Honor Their Sacrifice (Facebook)
- Honor Their Sacrifice (Instagram)
- Service Through Sacrifice (Facebook)
- Service Through Sacrifice (Instagram)
The UVC will collect and share videos highlighting the voices of union veterans and members. Click here to record a short video and tell us why Memorial Day is important to you. Unions and federated bodies are also being urged to take part in community projects such as cleaning veterans’ memorials and parks in their local area and laying a wreath.
Kenneth Quinnell Fri, 05/27/2022 - 09:38Working People Respond to Elementary School Mass Shooting in Uvalde, Texas
After another mass shooting, this time at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, working people across the country are saying enough is enough and are calling for action by the U.S. Senate that would prevent gun violence and protect children, working people and everyone else from this scourge. Here's what working people are saying:
AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler:
America’s labor movement is absolutely devastated by the loss of 19 children and two teachers who were shot and killed in their classrooms yesterday afternoon at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas.
On a day when the teachers and students of Robb Elementary School were planning to gear up for summer vacation, they instead faced the unimaginable. Classrooms should be the safest place for a child to learn and for educators to teach.
Yesterday’s horrific tragedy occurred just 10 days after the racially motivated shooting of 10 Black people who were grocery shopping in Buffalo, New York.
These mass shootings are a stark reminder of why the Senate must stop hiding behind arcane procedures to avoid preventing gun violence and take action. Because working people deserve safe workplaces without fear of a mass shooting. And America’s children deserve to learn and thrive in safe schools.
Our hearts are with the family members, friends and loved ones of the victims, the Uvalde community, and educators and school staff everywhere.
Texas AFL-CIO:
The Texas AFL-CIO reacted to the news of the mass shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas.
“Our hearts are broken—yet again,” the state federation said on Tuesday. “Fourteen children and a teacher at Robb Elementary in Uvalde died today, reportedly at the hands of an 18-year-old shooter. Unspeakable tragedy, repeated endlessly. We mourn in solidarity with Uvalde.”
News outlets are reporting that as of today, the death count has risen to include 19 students and two teachers.
AFSCME President Lee Saunders:
Once again this week, we are grieving the loss of innocent lives, including 19 children, in a mass school shooting. We extend our deepest condolences to the families enduring unimaginable heartbreak and to the entire community of Uvalde, Texas. Now, we must also turn anguish into action.
AFSCME has long supported common-sense measures to keep our children safe and to keep deadly firearms out of the hands of dangerous people. We renew our call today for bold measures like expanded background checks and restrictions on the sale of guns to suspected terrorists and others who pose a danger to our communities. We need much bigger investments in mental health services and substance abuse treatment. We need enhanced school security measures – better infrastructure; more School Resource Officers; improved readiness training for teachers and school staff; and more.
The only way we will make change on this life-or-death issue is through the political process. If you are feeling anger and despair, the answer is to hold politicians accountable. The answer is to vote. The answer is to organize your neighbors. The answer is to support candidates at the federal, state and local levels who will take this crisis seriously, who will take the steps necessary to protect our children and our communities.
AFSCME members serve as school employees, emergency medical personnel, law enforcement officers and behavioral health professionals. In other words, we are on the front lines of this crisis. We have a lot at stake. We have expertise to bring to bear. And we will no longer tolerate a failed status quo that has tragic and deadly consequences.
It is long past time to treat this gun violence epidemic like the urgent public health problem that it is. We can balance the rights of responsible gun owners with the right of students, teachers, paraprofessionals, custodians, cafeteria workers, crossing guards and others to walk through the schoolhouse doors without fearing for their lives.
Across the country, we will observe moments of silence this week to remember those who were murdered at Robb Elementary School, just as we did for the victims of the recent supermarket shooting in Buffalo, New York, just as we do seemingly every week. But when we engage on these issues in the political arena, we cannot be silent. We must speak out with clarity and conviction, with passion and resolve, to save the lives of our children.
Amalgamated Transit Union International President John Costa:
The Amalgamated Transit Union is shocked and saddened by the horrific shooting at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas, that took the lives of 19 children and 2 teachers and injured dozens.
Our hearts and condolences go out to the victims of this senseless act of violence, their families, and friends, along with our praise for the heroic first responders who brought a halt to the savage murder, saved many lives, and treated the injured with their quick action.
The ATU knows all too well about gun violence after losing our Local 265-San Jose, California, members to a mass shooting at a railyard a year ago tomorrow, Thursday, May 26.
Our country once again mourns for another community devastated by gun violence less than two weeks after mass shootings in Buffalo, California, and Houston. Families are forever changed. Survivors are left to heal both physical and mental wounds.
Thoughts and prayers aren't enough. We must find the courage to come together as a nation to take serious action to ensure that these unspeakable acts of violence never happen again.
American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten:
Within the span of a week, our country has witnessed two mass shootings, the gunning down of innocent people in what should be our community’s safest spaces. As we await further details, some things are clear: These are despicable acts of hatred designed to terrorize us all. The communities of Buffalo and now Uvalde will join a long list of places that will never be the same. Our hearts are with all of them.
Only in America do people go grocery shopping and get mowed down by a shooter with hate in his heart; only in this country are parents not assured that their kids will be safe at school.
Gun violence is a cancer, and it’s one that none of us should tolerate for one single moment longer. We have made a choice to let this continue, and we can make a choice to finally do something—do anything—to put a stop to this madness.
Communications Workers of America:
Once again our country is in mourning over a mass shooting. Once again children and teachers have been injured and killed in a senseless, preventable act of violence. Our thoughts are with the grieving families in Uvalde, Texas, a community that will be marked forever by this tragedy.
National Nurses United/New York State Nurses Association:
As we witness yet another mass shooting, this one taking the lives of at least 19 children and two teachers at a school in Uvalde, Texas, the registered nurses of National Nurses United (NNU) and New York State Nurses Association (NYSNA) are deeply disturbed by Congress’ refusal to reduce gun violence and ensure safe schools, workplaces, and all areas of society by enacting desperately needed gun control laws. Shamefully, Tuesday’s shooting is the 213th mass shooting in the United States this year alone, according to the Gun Violence Archive, an independent data collection organization, and comes just 10 days after a white supremacist shot and killed 10 Black people in Buffalo, N.Y.
“It’s clear that gun violence is a deadly threat to public health in this country,” said Jean Ross, RN and president of NNU, the country’s largest union and professional association of registered nurses. “People can’t go shopping at the supermarket or send their kids to school without fear of getting shot and killed. We all need to be able to feel and be safe: at school, at work, in places of worship, everywhere.”
NYSNA President Nancy Hagans, RN, said, “The trauma of gun violence and especially the mass shootings we have witnessed in recent weeks deeply impacts the victims, survivors, families, first responders, medical professionals who treat the victims, and the entire community. Across the country, nurses, workers, and parents all feel the pain of loss and the despair of knowing too little has changed since the last tragic mass shooting. We need our political leaders to offer more than empty rhetoric — we need real change. Gun violence is a public health emergency, and we need to use every tool possible to remedy it.”
In keeping with nurses’ commitment to promote the health and well-being of all people, NNU has called since 2019 for the ban of assault weapons.
“Assault weapons are incredibly lethal,” said Ross. “These weapons are designed with only one purpose in mind: to kill human beings.”
Gun violence is a leading cause of premature death in the United States, the American Public Health Association notes. Guns killed more than 45,000 people in the United States in 2020, a 43 percent increase from 10 years earlier. As of 2020, gun violence became the leading cause of death for children and teens up to the age of 19, according to a study from the University of Michigan.
“Our community is still reeling from the racist mass shooting and the bomb threat at the Erie County Department of Health clinic in Buffalo,” said Murnita Bennett, RN, a NYSNA member at Erie County Medical Center. “Now our schools are tightening security in the event of more copycat gun violence. How can we heal from violence when our communities still feel under siege? As a society, we must prioritize saving lives and creating safe, healthy communities for everyone, regardless of zip code. We need our elected leaders to take action.”
Nurses who care for gunshot victims say it is hard for lay people to imagine the damage bullets cause to the human body. Angela Alvarez, a registered nurse at Long Beach Memorial Medical Center in Long Beach, Calif. says it is especially difficult for nurses and other medical professionals when a gun victim is a child.
“They haven’t really lived their life yet,” said Alvarez. “It’s just pure sadness. I remember standing in a trauma room, everybody just stood there and cried and held each other. It is such a sad and devastating thing to witness.”
The number of firearms in circulation now stands at nearly 400 million, according to news sources, a number that has nearly tripled since 2000 and that has spiked sharply in the past three years. So-called “gun rights” groups spent nearly $16 million lobbying in 2021. While Gov. Greg Abbott has bragged about Texas having some of the most lax gun laws in the United States, Republican lawmakers in Congress have routinely blocked even moderate federal gun control legislation.
“Nurses advocate for our patients’ health and for public health,” said Ross. “We will be joining efforts to win the gun control reforms we need to make our society safe. This means confronting the extremist agenda of far-right politicians and their gun lobby backers, and it means holding them accountable for disregarding the health and safety of our communities.”
UAW President Ray Curry and UAW Region 8 Director Mitchell Smith:
Our union grieves today over another senseless and violent tragedy. Nineteen children were taken from their families in Uvalde, Texas yesterday. Two educators who devoted themselves to their profession are gone. UAW members will stand with the community of Uvalde both today and tomorrow.
UNITE HERE International President D. Taylor:
Another day in America, another mass shooting tragedy. What actually needs to happen for there to be reform? UNITE HERE joins the overwhelming majority of this country in calling for comprehensive background checks as a first step to tackle these senseless murders.
These are kids we’re talking about here. Black grandparents and workers at the grocery store. Church goers. Who are we as a labor movement if we don’t join the fight to end this nonsense?
We cannot become numb to this. And we cannot let ourselves feel powerless against this. We have everything it takes to hold politicians accountable for this—and as a labor movement, we have the organizing chops to move mountains when we try.
UNITE HERE sends much love and solidarity to the grieving families today and every day.
Alliance for Retired Americans President Robert Roach Jr.:
The members of the Alliance join with all Americans who were devastated by this most recent, terrible gun violence in Texas in calling for an end to the heinous bloodshed. Our thoughts are once again with the deceased, the injured and all of their loved ones. We send our deepest wishes for healing to everyone affected by this senseless attack, this time at an elementary school.
We need the United States Senate to take appropriate and aggressive action on gun safety immediately. We must protect American citizens, families, workers, teachers, and especially children, from this incessant violence. And we must act without delay to keep guns out of the hands of criminals and the mentally ill.
John Durso, President of Long Island Federation of Labor and RWDSU/UFCW Local 338:
Earlier this month, we watched another tragedy develop in which a gunman entered a public space and took innocent lives. This time, Black employees and shoppers were targeted at a Tops Friendly Market in Buffalo, where 10 people, including four Tops employees—one of whom was a member of UFCW Local 1—were shot and killed in an act of racist domestic terrorism.
Grocery workers have already had an incredibly challenging two years navigating their own health and safety on the front lines of the pandemic. They are the people we rightly hailed as heroes, the essential workers we depended upon to make it through the worst of the pandemic. The last thing they should have to worry about now is an armed individual with a motive coming into their workplace.
This shooting was another preventable act of gun violence. In 2021, there were at least five separate incidences of gun violence in supermarkets across the country. The deadliest shooting of 2021 left 10 dead at a King Soopers grocery store in Boulder, Colorado. My union, Local 338 RWDSU/UFCW, lost one of our own last April, after a gunman opened fire at a Stop & Shop in West Hempstead and killed longtime member Ray Wishropp.
People shouldn't go to work thinking there is a chance they won’t come home. They shouldn’t have to think about the possibility of deadly violence occurring at their workplace. It is critical that this trend does not continue. We need to be doing more to protect working people.
I’m not saying we must take guns away—but more needs to be done to monitor extremism, misinformation, and people who pose a risk to the safety of our society. The Buffalo shooter had already been investigated for making threatening statements about wanting to carry out a mass shooting last year. Statements like that should have been a clear sign that this was someone who should not have been allowed to legally purchase a gun.
Gun violence is endemic in our country. We must call on elected officials on the state and federal level to establish common sense gun legislation, including universal background checks, and we must do a better job of policing ghost guns and high-caliber assault rifles. According to the FBI, there were 40 active shooter incidents in 2020, the highest rate in two decades. Twenty-four were in “commerce-related environments” including supermarkets, gas stations, and convenience stores.
We cannot continue to stand by and allow these senseless, preventable acts of violence to occur. Our elected officials must listen to the constituents who voted them into office and move to ensure that no more lives are taken because people who shouldn’t be allowed to purchase guns can walk into a gun shop and buy a deadly weapon without an issue.
Our hearts break for the families of those who lost their lives in the Buffalo shooting, and our brothers and sisters at UFCW Local 1 whose members worked at the Tops supermarket and provided a key service to their community. We know that moments of senseless violence will leave an impact on their families and communities for a long time to come.
Nebraska State AFL-CIO President Susan L. Martin:
Yesterday, we learned of yet another senseless, preventable shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde Texas. I can’t begin to imagine the horror and feeling of loss this community is dealing with right now. Our hearts and prayers go out to this community and to all communities that have been affected by these senseless actions.
It is time to pass common sense laws to keep these assault weapons out of the hands of those who are not responsible enough to use them. It is time to approach our elected officials and hold them accountable to our citizens and not to lobbyists.
Oregon AFL-CIO:
Yesterday, yet another tragic and completely preventable loss of life occurred in Uvalde, Texas. Oregon’s labor movement sends our sincere condolences to the families and loved ones of the 21 people who died in this unspeakably horrific incident. School should be the safest place for our children to learn and educators to teach. The terror caused by another violent act in a school must lead to meaningful action from lawmakers to ensure no more families have to face the mountainous grief and sorrow that far too many have already experienced.
The tragic events at Robb Elementary School occurred just 10 days after the racially motivated shooting of 10 Black people grocery shopping in New York. These most recent mass shootings remind us of why the Senate has to stop hiding behind their arcane procedures which allow them to avoid taking real action to prevent gun violence. Working families deserve safe schools and workplaces, without fear of mass shootings.
We must do better for our kids, for our educators and school employees, and for our communities. Our hearts are with the families, friends and loved ones of the victims and with the entire Uvalde community as they mourn and grieve.
Philadelphia Council AFL-CIO:
Hate fueled gun violence in our society is a terrible scourge. We must act with courage and decisiveness. Gun violence destroys people, families, and whole communities. It shatters our liberty and freedom. Who is free when children cannot go to school safely? What are our freedoms worth if we can’t send our children to school or shop in a grocery store without fear of mayhem, injury, and death? The recent mass killings in Buffalo, New York last week appear to be inspired by racial hate. Ten killed and three wounded for the simple crime of shopping while black. As of now, we do not know the precise motive for the killings yesterday at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas. This much we know, it was a manifestation of evil. There is no motivation that can explain the killing of over a dozen innocent children.
The last two weeks have made it crystal-clear that there are people among us that would do us all harm. They were given an operational assist by a poor public safety system and the ease with which bad actors can acquire extremely deadly weapons of mass destruction. What else can you call a military style rifle with enormous ammunition capacity?
Gun accessibility and weaponized hate has made us all unsafe. We must take steps for an immediate passage of legislation for universal background checks to keep guns out of the hands of those who are unworthy of gun ownership and have a history of potentially dangerous conduct. Certain types of weapons need to be banned. Let’s return the 1990’s assault weapons ban and eliminate the high-capacity magazines that fuels such deadly rampages. Owning a gun is a constitutional right, owning a weapon of mass destruction is not. We can decide what is responsible, legal, and constitutionally protected gun ownership in our nation. We must define it. Unregulated, uncontrolled gun ownership is not liberty, it is license for a few to terrorize and kill, and ultimately to destroy our communities. Those who allow this to continue, will be solely responsible for the continued threats, injuries, and murders.
The alleged killer in the Buffalo shootings was known to police – he was questioned and released a month before his killing spree. We need a national background check system to flag people who have a history of violence, have been tagged and tracked as dangerous, or with severe mental illness that would make them a danger to themselves and others. These people should not be able to purchase weapons.
Lastly, something must be done to compel social media platforms to stop the spread of misinformation and broadcasting of violence and hate-filled communication. Criminal statutes should allow civil authorities to pursue criminal facilitation and accessory charges against social platforms which spread violent images and others whose actions support hate crimes and mass violence.
In the words of Mother Jones: “We mourn the dead, fight like hell for the living.”
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Kenneth Quinnell Thu, 05/26/2022 - 11:07
