Pride Month Profiles: Brittani Murray
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 Brittani Murray of the United Steelworkers (USW).
Brittani Murray helped turn the United Steelworkers' LGBTQ+ Advisory Committee into a bolder, more energetic force. She's also incredibly active in Local 3657 and in her community as an organizer with SisTers PGH and Pittsburgh Feminists for Intersectionality.
Kenneth Quinnell Mon, 06/13/2022 - 10:00Tags: Pride
Service + Solidarity Spotlight: UA Members Take Action to Fix Wastewater System in Alabama
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.
An estimated 80% of the homes in Lowndes County, Alabama, do not have access to reliable sewage systems, resulting in wastewater rising to the surface during rainy weather. Due to the lack of infrastructure and funding, many residents in the predominantly Black and underserved community have been forced to live in these unhealthy conditions for more than 25 years.
Members of the United Association of Union Plumbers and Pipefitters (UA) in Alabama teamed up with the International Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Foundation and others to volunteer in their communities to solve problems and ensure access to proper wastewater systems. The UA members repaired plumbing fixtures and fittings so they work in tandem with new septic systems being installed.
Kenneth Quinnell Mon, 06/13/2022 - 09:41Helping Workers in the South: 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.
Foundations Embrace Organized Labor with $20 Million Plan to Help Workers in the South: “It’s a lesson learned from the #MeToo movement, the wave of protests following the murder of George Floyd by Minneapolis police, and the string of union victories at places like Amazon and Starbucks that previously seemed impervious to attempts to organize, says Christian Sweeney, deputy organizing director at the AFL-CIO. ‘There’s a growing sense that the major problems in our country aren’t getting solved purely through policy interventions or charitable works,’ Sweeney says. ‘What’s driving this from the foundation side is that people see the labor movement broadly as a place to change the balance of power.’”
WGAE Members Approve Changes to Guild’s Constitution to Ensure 'Balanced Representation' Amid Digital Gains: “WGA East members have voted overwhelmingly to approve changes to the guild’s constitution that are designed to ensure a more ‘balanced representation’ of members by bridging the divide between those who work in film, TV and broadcasting, and those employed in digital newsrooms. The referendum, which was approved by a vote of 1,567-40 (98%-2%), includes the creation of three work-sector vice presidents covering members who work in Film/TV/Streaming, Broadcast/Cable/Streaming News and Online Media.”
Biden to Address Major Labor Conference Next Week: “President Biden next week will travel to Philadelphia to speak at a convention for the AFL-CIO, the largest federation of unions in the country. Biden will deliver remarks on Tuesday at the convention, which takes place every four years. It will be a high-profile event for Biden to emphasize his support for organized labor. The AFL-CIO is made up of 57 different labor unions representing more than 12 million workers.”
California Nurses Plan for Potential Second Strike of 2022: “Nurses at AHMC Seton Medical Center in Daly City, California, have voted to authorize their bargaining committee to call a strike, according to the union that represents them. The California Nurses Association represents 300 nurses at Seton. Its members are prepared to strike for a second time this year unless the hospital addresses what the union describes as critical and persistent patient care issues and the closure of vital services, according to a June 6 news release. The nurses went on strike in March. ‘The last thing we want to do is strike. We love our patients, our hospital and our community, but AHMC has failed all of us and we need to call attention to these critical concerns before it is too late,’ Michelle Kubota, a registered nurse at Seton, said in the release.”
TV and Movie Music Supervisors Are Looking to Unionize: “For an example of what a music supervisor can achieve, just look at the moment Kate Bush is having right now. After her song ‘Running Up That Hill’ was played on the most recent season of the Netflix hit Stranger Things, the song found new life on the charts, and has elicited a rare response from Bush herself. None of that could have happened without a music supervisor (Nora Felder, in this case). Now music supervisors are looking to unionize with the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, or IATSE. According to IATSE, 75% of film and television music supervisors have signed authorization cards to join the union. The union says music supervisors want to standardize pay rates in order to tackle discrimination and disparities; gain access to healthcare and retirement plans; and negotiate with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, which has not voluntarily recognized the union.”
Mills Announces $12M to More Than Double Apprenticeships in Maine: “Awards totaling $12.3 million to 14 organizations will expand apprenticeship opportunities across Maine in more than 50 new occupations. Gov. Janet Mills said the expansion is part of her administration’s effort to strengthen Maine’s workforce through the Maine Jobs & Recovery Plan. The funding is expected to reach more than 3,000 Maine people, doubling today’s total of 1,175 apprentices. Maine AFL-CIO plans to develop three new pre-apprenticeship programs focused on providing multi-craft core curriculum in partnership with IBEW 1253, New England Laborers Training Academy, Maine Building and Construction Trades Council, and RSU 19.”
Unions Lobby Biden for Bolder Approach to Student Debt Relief: “The AFL-CIO announced last month its support for canceling student debt. So too have traditionally blue-collar unions, such as United Auto Workers, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters and United Food & Commercial Workers, which all signed a letter last month urging Biden to cancel student debt ‘immediately.’ The broad union backing may provide Biden with some political cover and help counter concerns, even from some Democrats, that student debt cancellation will be perceived as elitist by voters who never attended college. ‘This is a working people’s issue,’ AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler said during a town hall with young workers last month. ‘There is a sort of stereotype that we’re talking about Ivy Leaguers who have racked up all this debt. It’s absolutely not true.’”
Kenneth Quinnell Fri, 06/10/2022 - 13:24Holding Employers Accountable: 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.
Actors' Equity:
ICYMI - We are pleased to share with you the results of Equity's 2022 Officer and Councilor Election! https://t.co/KcKBMEGx5S pic.twitter.com/sJkj7Goq7e
— Actors' Equity (@ActorsEquity) June 9, 2022AFGE:
Find out more about COSH and how they have been an important ally of AFGE in our fight for safe and healthy workplaces →https://t.co/qTd6n5cRAx
— AFGE (@AFGENational) June 9, 2022AFSCME:
Here is another example of the difference a union makes for working people. By standing together, employees of Kansas City, MO, who are part of AFSCME Local 500 secured much-needed raises & longevity pay at a time the city is losing workers left and right. https://t.co/wSqiWaz6YD
— AFSCME (@AFSCME) June 8, 2022Alliance for Retired Americans:
Without Social Security, millions of Americans would live in poverty.
But benefits are currently modest and seniors are still often struggling to make ends meet.
We must #ExpandSocialSecurity NOW!https://t.co/XjJUVr4LhD
Amalgamated Transit Union:
While worker pay hikes are a good step, Richmond Local says agency must improve safety on the job to address labor shortage. #NotOneMore #1u https://t.co/XDQ2AyAWln
— ATU, Transit Union (@ATUComm) June 8, 2022American Federation of Musicians:
Today, the NEA and NEH announced that they will each create a Chief Diversity Officer position. This is a win for creative professionals and their unions who have advocated for these positions because we know diversity is a strength. ✊🏿✊🏾✊🏽✊🏼 https://t.co/ravhOACAeX pic.twitter.com/6aesJxInIT
— AFM (@The_AFM) June 8, 2022American Federation of Teachers:
On Saturday, 6/11, AFT is partnering with @AMarch4OurLives and taking to the streets to demand an end to gun violence in our communities.
It will take all of us to make this happen. Click here to find events in your area and help us #EndGunViolenceNow. https://t.co/wAUNV2OARL pic.twitter.com/HzN5PRY7Qq
American Postal Workers Union:
On Memorial Day, the APWU honors those who gave their lives to defend our country. pic.twitter.com/9RXlzgA72i
— APWU National (@APWUnational) May 30, 2022Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance:
On Saturday, June 18th, APALA is proud to join the Poor People’s Moral March on Washington and the Polls. RSVP to join our meetup and march with us: https://t.co/MDOahnsupb
— Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance, AFL-CIO (@APALAnational) June 8, 2022Association of Flight Attendants-CWA:
“8 hours rest, 8 hours work, 8 hours for what we will” @FlyingWithSara burning down the house at the @MineWorkers convention today. pic.twitter.com/JFo9xjYbCh
— AFA-CWA (@afa_cwa) June 8, 2022Boilermakers:
How can unions emerge from the pandemic stronger? ✊ Read about a stop/start/continue analysis that @labornotes suggests union officials and members use to become more effective post pandemic. #BoilermakersUnion #1u
➡️ https://t.co/f8Zg3UuejC
Bricklayers:
This #MemorialDay, BAC honors our fallen soldiers. pic.twitter.com/y7Cf1MGvTT
— Bricklayers Union (@IUBAC) May 30, 2022California School Employees Association:
Excited about joint legislative budget proposal! Thanks to budget chairs @NancySkinnerCA & @AsmPhilTing for supporting classified employees & students by expanding our summer assistance program and home-to-school transportation, including @GavinNewsom's low-emission bus proposal.
— CSEA (@CSEA_Now) June 2, 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:
JUNE 23 - 25: Summer Institute for Union Women (Western Region) – El Instituto de Verano para Mujeres Sindicalistas (SIUW). Register here: https://t.co/cJcZBgkYXa (via @ualelabor) pic.twitter.com/qf7tJYhDGh
— CLUW National (@CLUWNational) June 8, 2022Communications Workers of America:
We look forward to continuing to collaborate with @WorkersUnited as we help workers win a union voice on the job. ✊https://t.co/rJEaG4NBsB
— CWA (@CWAUnion) June 9, 2022Department for Professional Employees:
"The move to hire Chief Diversity Officers at the NEA and NEH is a win for creative professionals." - DPE President @J_Dorning
Read our full statement here: https://t.co/YQVgZygDhq pic.twitter.com/72J1HIeKKt
Electrical Workers:
The world's largest combined solar and energy storage project is under construction by members of Bakersfield, Calif., Local 428. https://t.co/DxD3Bwk7ZE
— IBEW (@IBEW) June 9, 2022Fire Fighters:
IAFF’s Dr. Whu: “Massive amounts of asbestos were released into the air on 9/11 threatening emergency responders working to rescue and recover victims from Ground Zero. Since then, more than 270 #firefighters have died from 9/11 related illness.” https://t.co/VcrSv7Q6xt
— International Association of Fire Fighters (@IAFFNewsDesk) June 9, 2022Heat and Frost Insulators:
For the past 115 years, the International Association of Heat and Frost Insulators and Allied Workers has been at the forefront of the green energy movement. Learn what we have been doing to save the environment: https://t.co/ZvCcUDq3eR pic.twitter.com/IXICSko0sN
— Insulators Union 🦎 (@InsulatorsUnion) June 9, 2022International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers:
In the labor movement we recognize that LGBTQ+ rights are workers’s rights and we strive to organize unions in which all workers feel comfortable being open about their lives, and know that their needs will be represented forcefully at the bargaining table.
Happy #Pride! 🏳️🌈🏳️⚧️✊ pic.twitter.com/fJVvE0x2i3
International Labor Communications Association:
Congrats to ILCA member @uupinfo on releasing their first-ever episode of new podcast "The Voice!" Hosted by UUP President Dr. Frederick E. Kowal, Ph.D, the show features interviews with labor leaders and allies about issues facing NYers!
Check it out: https://t.co/09iX5DxOvG pic.twitter.com/K0Bty1ffPx
Ironworkers:
No better way to see the future of our trade than at an Ironworkers Apprenticeship Competition‼️💪 #ironworkers #apprenticeship #UnionStrong pic.twitter.com/cLRXSxD7CW
— Iron Workers Union (@TheIronworkers) June 5, 2022Jobs With Justice:
When workers stand up for their rights--bosses try to stop them. Watch the video and then sign the petition to the Biden Administration is has the power to protect workers from immigration-based retaliation! https://t.co/Ia5AULZVc1 pic.twitter.com/Kau3FOg7NR
— Jobs With Justice (@jwjnational) June 7, 2022Labor Council for Latin American Advancement:
Save the date for #LGBTQIAEqualPay Awareness Day on Wednesday, June 15th! Join the conversation on social media from 11:00am-12:00pm PT/2:00pm-3:00pm ET as we uplift the need for #prideinyourpay at work, at home, and in society. pic.twitter.com/b6qk6fxohR
— LCLAA (@LCLAA) June 9, 2022Laborers:
#LIUNA in the news:
Local officials, unions press Minnesota lawmakers to complete bonding bill https://t.co/2vG1h9FUAu via @pioneerpress
Machinists:
. @SoMdNews shared our Charlotte Hall Veteran's Home project - the 2021 IAM International President’s Capital Classic Golf Tournament raised more than $100,000 for improvement projects at the home, which employs IAM members! #MachinistsCarehttps://t.co/QsDnxYEmJ8
— Machinists Union (@MachinistsUnion) June 9, 2022Metal Trades Department:
There should never be barriers when it comes to voting. Its time to end discriminationinvotingpractices. #FreedomToVote https://t.co/RApfh1NIYm
— Metal Trades Dept. (@metaltradesafl) June 7, 2022Mine Workers:
#UMWA members yesterday at the UMWA Convention strongly approved of the announcement of Chris Williamson, Assistant Secretary of Labor for MSHA about the agency’s new enforcement initiative to reduce miner’s exposure to silica dust.https://t.co/VD4nJ7zh0t
— United Mine Workers (@MineWorkers) June 9, 2022Musical Artists:
Join AGMA’s Trans and Non-Binary Forum by June 17. AGMA members and non-union artists working in opera, ballet/concert dance, and choral performance are encouraged to join the discussion! https://t.co/wwVoHVSAQX pic.twitter.com/4bros5rvdA
— AGMA (@AGMusicalArtist) June 6, 2022National Air Traffic Controllers Association:
The Disaster Response Committee (DRC) met in May at the National Office in Washington, D.C., and DRC Chair Tom Flanary called the meeting “highly successful and productive.” https://t.co/H2n694qnbX pic.twitter.com/WceU5ATNUg
— NATCA (@NATCA) June 9, 2022National Association of Letter Carriers:
After two years, the #StampOutHunger Food Drive returned this year! While we’re still tallying the final numbers, check out these highlights from the food drive on May 14. https://t.co/Vcy8OZtLOU pic.twitter.com/G7ZAJJxQzD
— Letter Carriers (@NALC_National) June 9, 2022National Day Laborer Organizing Network:
How NYC Labor Centers Are Building Stronger Communities @NICE4Workers @workersjusticep @LaColmenaNYC #daylaborersnyc @NMCIR @CathCharitiesNYhttps://t.co/Q67hJlCrbN
— NDLON (@NDLON) June 7, 2022National Domestic Workers Alliance:
Louise Belcher understands the importance of the care economy and why we need Congress to pass funding for home and community-based services. #CareCantWait pic.twitter.com/CBsY65uaTz
— Domestic Workers (@domesticworkers) June 7, 2022National Federation of Federal Employees:
The 2022 Organizing Donation Program is closing soon! The deadline to enroll your local is Friday, July 1. For more information, see the video here: https://t.co/urPbunNeTH
— NFFE (@NFFE_Union) June 3, 2022National Nurses United:
We are thrilled to endorse @Delia4Congress for the U.S. House of Representatives in #IL3! We can’t wait to fight alongside her to pass #SafeStaffing legislation and #MedicareForAll in Congress. 🔥 pic.twitter.com/3cbNGsEfNp
— NationalNursesUnited (@NationalNurses) June 9, 2022National Taxi Workers Alliance:
"He says the way things are going now, most drivers will have to quit."
Poverty pay is forcing drivers out of work but @dkhos says the spike in gasoline doesn't affect @Uber biz. Equally heartless and clueless. https://t.co/yPjohP4Qcy
NWSL Players Association:
🌈 Pride Night on Primetime 🌈@sandiegowavefc 🆚 @ThornsFC
The @ALLY NWSL Broadcast
📺 @CBSSportsNet
👾 Twitch/nwslofficial3 (International Viewers Only)
⏰ 10:00pm ET
📰 https://t.co/Wmp4MXqTa1#SDvPOR | #AllTheAction pic.twitter.com/iZLVIuwvIy
NFL Players Association:
Camp szn is underway! Shoutout to all the guys giving back to their communities this summer and investing in the next generation. #communitymvp @JohnathanAbram1 @dpeoplesjones @denzelward @CoryLittleton58 pic.twitter.com/xfqBmZVoDu
— NFLPA (@NFLPA) June 8, 2022North America's Building Trades Unions:
NABTU’s gold standard Registered Apprenticeship model trains participants to join their union brothers and sisters as the safest and most efficient workforce in the industry 🙌 #NationalSafetyMonth pic.twitter.com/OrhNTiI6gg
— The Building Trades (@NABTU) June 8, 2022Office and Professional Employees:
Congrats to @LCWorkersUnited on winning recognition of THEIR UNION via card check! Let’s get that first contract 💪 https://t.co/OKf03NAuop
— OPEIU (@OPEIU) June 9, 2022Painters and Allied Trades:
Let's be emboldened, encouraged and given strength by those fighting from coast to coast to unionize and take on corporate giants like Starbucks and Amazon.
This is our moment to be a guidepost that inspires and to organize our industry, the construction industry. pic.twitter.com/L9uQRoVOoC
Plasterers and Cement Masons:
“Construction has a massive safety problem—and it’s costing firms untold losses in injuries, workers’ comp & lost productivity. A key solution...is an integrated safety program that uses digital technology...”https://t.co/1t0ybPpVdc
— OPCMIA International (@opcmiaintl) June 8, 2022Pride At Work:
Let's hear it for Justine Lindsay, the 1st openly trans @NFL Cheerleader! Now let's let them form a Union. @AFLCIO @NFLPA https://t.co/nSWvNjxXIc
— Pride at Work (@PrideatWork) June 7, 2022Professional Aviation Safety Specialists:
Many workers represented by PASS at FAA climb towers to service/repair equipment critical to nation's aviation system. PASS won a recent grievance over climbing systems not in compliance w/ safety standards & they will be removed. That's what unions do. #unionsolidarity #safety https://t.co/b0PPQwl4AH
— PASS (@PASSNational) May 31, 2022Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union:
Unionize – it’s what the cool kids are doing! Contact an organizer today: https://t.co/XZoh0VIN9V #OrganizeYourWorkplace pic.twitter.com/Ql5x7OIlXL
— RWDSU (@RWDSU) June 9, 2022Roofers and Waterproofers:
Overdoses from opioids are on the rise. Learn about opioid addiction and how to prevent it at: https://t.co/LpT7blHoA6 #roofersafety365 pic.twitter.com/21DRVboF9S
— Roofers Union (@roofersunion) June 8, 2022SAG-AFTRA:
For #BlackMusicMonth, we're spotlighting pioneer #ChuckD: a rapper & songwriter from #PublicEnemy. He created politically and socially conscious music, a torch now carried by artists like @kendricklamar, who regularly makes music about the Black American experience. pic.twitter.com/3socM68W5o
— SAG-AFTRA (@sagaftra) June 9, 2022Solidarity Center:
#Nigeria's app-based drivers' unions, Solidarity Center partners, launched a class-action lawsuit in 2021 against two international ridesharing companies demanding overtime & holiday pay, pensions, social security & union recognition!
Find out more: 👉 https://t.co/c9pVQnuCiF
The NewsGuild-CWA:
Good news for all workers! https://t.co/aEbqqZRTEJ
— NewsGuild-CWA (@newsguild) June 9, 2022Theatrical Stage Employees:
Locals often ask us how they can get started with safety training. This primer outlines a few of the programs we developed to help your local union’s training efforts every step of the way. #NationalSafetyMonthhttps://t.co/EPqtf7WnhM pic.twitter.com/zR6hYdFUmH
— IATSE Training Trust Fund (@IATSETTF) June 7, 2022Transport Workers Union:
This unabashed look at labor history in America explains how unchecked corporates greed got us to where we are, and how working people today are stepping up and fighting back. #1u https://t.co/rCj0vutF4Q
— TWU (@transportworker) June 9, 2022Transportation Trades Department:
"BNSF has been embroiled in a labor dispute over its attendance policy for months. According to Greg Regan, president of @TTDAFLCIO, around 1,000 workers have resigned since February."
Read more from @cnbc about how freight railroads are affecting port congestion ⤵️ https://t.co/gbQsG8YQgB
UAW:
UAW International Executive Board announces strike pay to increase from $275 per week to $400 per week.
“Our striking members and their families deserve our solidarity, and this increased benefit will help them hold the line," -UAW President Ray Curry - https://t.co/GKMmtM0mAr pic.twitter.com/yLMReTZPC3
Union Label and Service Trades Department:
A majority of American workers support more unionization inside their own companies, according to the CNBC|Momentive Workforce Survey. https://t.co/WZl3DHcg1o
— Union Label Dept. (@ULSTD_AFLCIO) June 3, 2022Union Veterans Council:
In response to the Senate advancing the landmark Sergeant First Class Heath Robinson Honoring Our PACT Act of 2022 addressing health care for #veterans impacted by environmental exposures, our Executive Director Will Attig issued the following statement: #ThereForTheFight pic.twitter.com/bQpCzs7nj8
— Union Veterans Council🪖✊ Pass the #PROAct (@unionveterans) June 8, 2022UNITE HERE:
Want to make a housekeeper's day? Choose daily housekeeping! 🌞
Rooms that have gone days without cleaning are much dirtier and harder on us to clean - so opting in for daily housekeeping is a free and easy way to help out your housekeeper.
Watch Luanna explain: pic.twitter.com/oOGW02NycI
United Food and Commercial Workers:
#UFCWVictory ✊🏿✊🏻✊🏽✊🏾
ICYMI: @UFCW27 members working at the Coca-Cola bottling plant in Baltimore, MD, ratified a new contract that includes improved pension and health care benefits and wage increases.
Click here to read more: https://t.co/pKIaLgjqp4 pic.twitter.com/lYW134AMDn
United Steelworkers:
We are so proud to announce “Stories of Pride”, our first virtual panel with the USW LGBTQ+ Advisory Committee. Join our mission of diversity & inclusivity for ALL our members - JUNE 30, 2022 08:00 PM Est time-Register here: https://t.co/4Vj6tzjTfU. #SteelPride pic.twitter.com/WHLB69xOZz
— United Steelworkers (@steelworkers) June 9, 2022Utility Workers:
The work you do has value, and you’re owed every cent you’ve earned! #UnionStrong pic.twitter.com/eKJplEBpIH
— UWUA National (@The_UWUA) June 7, 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:
We call on @VoxMedia CEO Jim @Bankoff to come to the table with fair proposals that meet the demands of the @vox_union. #VoxContractNow #1u https://t.co/6w4cRDo1J2
— Writers Guild of America, East / #PROAct (@WGAEast) June 8, 2022 Kenneth Quinnell Fri, 06/10/2022 - 10:04Pride Month Profiles: Liz Diesner
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 Liz Diesner of the United Association of Union Plumbers and Pipefitters.
For more than a quarter-century, Stacey Zimmerman has fought to make her state a better and more progressive place as a student activist, community organizer and (good) union troublemaker. Whether knocking on doors, running electoral campaigns for pro-worker candidates or leading lobbying efforts for essential worker pandemic pay at the state capitol, she has been a tireless advocate for Connecticut’s working families.
Kenneth Quinnell Fri, 06/10/2022 - 09:53Service + Solidarity Spotlight: NATCA Members Host Solidarity Event with ‘Top Gun’ Screening
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 movie “Top Gun: Maverick” has hit the big screen, and union members across the country are talking about it—including members of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA) who keep America’s airspace safe. NATCA members who work at St. Louis/Lambert Air Traffic Control Tower recently hosted a solidarity event with a screening of the “Top Gun” sequel. NATCA President Rich Santa attended and spoke with members from around the St. Louis region.
“It was awesome to get to spend time with local Central Region members and especially while celebrating a movie related to aviation,” NATCA Central Regional Vice President Aaron Merrick said. “We’re always excited about the opportunity to build solidarity, face to face, with other local facilities and our union leadership.”
Kenneth Quinnell Fri, 06/10/2022 - 09:38New York City Comptroller Brad Lander Praises Amazon’s Workers For Exercising Their Freedom to Unionize
In a video message to Amazon workers, New York City Comptroller Brad Lander praised Amazon workers who are exercising their freedom to come together into unions to negotiate for a fair return on their work. He explained that the company and its shareholders, as well as workers’ pension plans, will benefit over the long term by treating workers well.
At Amazon’s shareholder meeting on May 25, Lander joined New York State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli and Illinois State Treasurer Michael Frerichs to urge a vote against Amazon Director Judith McGrath. McGrath had refused to meet with the New York City Employees’ Retirement System and other investors to discuss Amazon’s treatment of its workforce.
Director McGrath chairs the board of director’s Leadership Development and Compensation Committee that awarded Amazon CEO Andy Jassy $212 million in 2021 total compensation, an amount that is 6,474 times Amazon’s median employee pay of $32,855. More than 20% of Amazon’s shareholders withheld their vote from McGrath. Click here to learn more.
Kenneth Quinnell Thu, 06/09/2022 - 15:14Pride Month Profiles: Annarose Foley
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 Annarose Foley of the American Federation of Teachers (AFT).
Annarose Foley is a middle school librarian, the Library Curriculum Committee head, president of the School Librarians of the Southern Tier–East and a member of the Ithaca Teachers Association.
Kenneth Quinnell Thu, 06/09/2022 - 09:53Service + Solidarity Spotlight: IFPTE Launches Member Engagement and Mobilization Program
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.
As part of their effort to better connect the members of the International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers (IFPTE) with the work of the international and local unions, IFPTE’s President Matthew Biggs and Secretary-Treasurer Gay Henson have launched a program to increase communication and interaction.
This campaign recently launched with a pilot program in New Jersey, which has been a target of the anti-union Freedom Foundation. IFPTE’s Member Engagement and Mobilization (MEMO) Program will include local union newsletters, regular engagement activities such as raffles and surveys of members to find out their concerns and priorities.
Kenneth Quinnell Thu, 06/09/2022 - 09:30Study: Labor, Retail and Service Workers Experienced 68% of Deaths in First Year of COVID-19 Pandemic
A new study published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health shows that the COVID-19 pandemic had a significantly worse impact on adults in low socioeconomic positions (SEP) employed in labor, service and retail jobs. The study analyzed nearly 70,000 adults between the ages of 25 and 64, when they died from COVID-19.
The study found that the mortality rate of adults with low SEP was five times higher than those with high SEP. White women, for instance, make up the largest percentage of the high SEP and Hispanic men are more likely to have a low SEP. This meant that the mortality rate for low SEP Hispanic men was 27 times higher than the rate for high SEP White women.
"The degree to which it takes a toll on communities is very unevenly distributed and we wanted to call attention to that issue," said University of South Florida epidemiologist Jason Salemi, who launched the study in conjunction with the COVKID Project using data from the U.S. National Center for Health Statistics. The data covers the first year of the pandemic, 2020.
The study found hazardous conditions in the workplace, including working in close proximity with others and the public and work that required on-site attendance.
"If we were to immediately heed the calls to return to 'normal' and stop worrying about community spread of the virus, there are certain subsets and members of our community who are going to suffer way more so than other members—and these people have already borne the disproportionate brunt of this pandemic," said Salemi.
According to Salemi, the plan is to expand the study with data from 2021 and beyond.
Kenneth Quinnell Wed, 06/08/2022 - 13:07Tags: COVID-19
Pride Month Profiles: Stacey Zimmerman
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 Stacey Zimmerman of SEIU.
For more than a quarter-century, Stacey Zimmerman has fought to make her state a better and more progressive place as a student activist, community organizer and (good) union troublemaker. Whether knocking on doors, running electoral campaigns for pro-worker candidates or leading lobbying efforts for essential worker pandemic pay at the state capitol, she has been a tireless advocate for Connecticut’s working families.
Kenneth Quinnell Wed, 06/08/2022 - 09:53Service + Solidarity Spotlight: ATU Calls on Authorities to Curb Rising Crime on Phoenix’s Public Transportation
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.
Newly released data from the city of Phoenix show that crime has hit a five-year high in and around the city’s public transportation network. Rising numbers of aggravated assaults and drug crimes are contributing to the crime increase on Phoenix’s public transit. Transit workers and the riding public in Arizona’s largest city are not alone. Rising crime is happening in many public transportation systems across the country, and the Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) is aiming to put a stop to it.
Bob Bean, president of ATU Local 1433 in Phoenix, told 12 News that transit crime noticeably escalated at the start of the pandemic.
“I think it’s between the city and the companies to put something forward to try and curb what’s going on out there,” he said. “The public should be able to ride the bus without having to worry about any of the garbage going on.”
Kenneth Quinnell Wed, 06/08/2022 - 09:26Keep Working Families Safe: In the States Roundup
It's time once again to take a look at the ways working people are making progress in the states. Click on any of the links to follow the state federations on Twitter.
Alaska AFL-CIO:
Happy #pridemonth🌈
Unions work to ensure EVERYONE has a safe workplace and rights on the job. #1u #PrideAtWork pic.twitter.com/RwtQlnMUkR
Arizona AFL-CIO:
Learn more about how the lack of project labor agreements is affecting Purple Line construction. #1union https://t.co/yAgHiZwFHE
— Arizona AFL-CIO (@ArizonaAFLCIO) June 6, 2022California Labor Federation, AFL-CIO:
Music supervisors are fighting for a union!
“When you’re a music supervisor and you’ve finished a project and your money is due, you have to wait sometimes a month, two months."
"Enough is enough."@IATSE #UnionStrong #1u #UnionDifferencehttps://t.co/7aL7gGKAU5
Colorado AFL-CIO:
Southwest has been violating the law for 2 years - during the worst of the pandemic. Punishing workers for taking time to get vaccines or quarantine - despicable.https://t.co/rXtAV170NJ
— Colorado AFL-CIO (@AFLCIOCO) June 2, 2022Connecticut AFL-CIO:
Senator @ChrisMurphyCT is proudly standing with workers at Starbucks organizing with @SBWorkersUnited! #1u @CCSBWU @VernonSBWU pic.twitter.com/9ZuBqtbmBQ
— Connecticut AFL-CIO (@ConnAFLCIO) June 1, 2022Florida AFL-CIO:
The Florida AFL-CIO, @NWFL_CLC, and the Big Bend Labor Chapter are proud to endorse @LoranneAusley for Florida Senate! Loranne has been a champion in the Florida Senate for Florida's working families. pic.twitter.com/LUkIxBHFJN
— Florida AFL-CIO (@FLAFLCIO) June 1, 2022Indiana State AFL-CIO:
Unionized women who work in the construction industry make FORTY PERCENT MORE than their non-union counterparts.
The union difference. pic.twitter.com/W2hYRVqgKb
Iowa Federation of Labor, AFL-CIO:
AFL-CIO Daily Briefs: Shuler; Pennsylvania AFL-CIO; AFSCME; IAM and MLK Labor https://t.co/IrXOlo3tiA
— Iowa AFL-CIO (@IowaAFLCIO) June 7, 2022Maine AFL-CIO:
“I think unions are about building community. Faith communities are about building community. I think if the two of them got back together that would be a really significant force in towns, neighborhoods and lives.” — Mike Seaveyhttps://t.co/4ZwMZDvrn8
— Maine AFL-CIO (@MEAFLCIO) June 4, 2022Maryland State and D.C. AFL-CIO:
.@LarryHogan hasn’t met a tax cut he doesn’t love… until now. When it comes to working people in Maryland his message is loud and clear: pound sand. https://t.co/l7XjuUS17U
— Maryland State and DC AFL-CIO (@MDDCStateFed) May 27, 2022Massachusetts AFL-CIO:
Thank you to @THE_PFFM for inviting President Tolman to speak at your Legislative Convention today. It was a priceless to discuss the ways we are working to make it safer for your members to protect our communities. #1u #mapoli #solidarity pic.twitter.com/bZ98WJmSJH
— Massachusetts AFL-CIO // Build Back Better (@massaflcio) June 6, 2022Michigan State AFL-CIO:
🚨ENDORSEMENT ALERT🚨@JimmieWilsonJr1 will fight to keep Michigan's working families safe, and we're all in to get him elected as the next Michigan State Representative in HD 32! @UAWLocal898 #Labor2022 pic.twitter.com/yBx9aMcKeq
— Michigan AFL-CIO 💉💪 (@MIAFLCIO) May 26, 2022Minnesota AFL-CIO:
Trades push Royal Credit Union to ditch contractor accused of underpaying immigrant workers https://t.co/K47enW4H4q #1u @MNBldgTrades
— Minnesota AFL-CIO (@MNAFLCIO) June 6, 2022Missouri AFL-CIO:
Join President Hummel and Secretary-Treasurer Berry in helping children of need of back-to-school supplies on June 22! pic.twitter.com/vGPm0rRBRz
— Missouri AFL-CIO (@MOAFLCIO) June 6, 2022Nevada State AFL-CIO:
Thank you to the @MineWorkers for inviting our Executive Secretary Treasurer Susie Martinez to speak at their 56th Constitutional Convention! #UnionStrong (1/5) pic.twitter.com/pXabEYyo3D
— Nevada State AFL-CIO // Pass the #PROAct (@NVAFLCIO) June 6, 2022New Hampshire AFL-CIO:
These reporters are our union brothers & sisters. No one should face threats simply for doing bargained-for work. @AFTNewHampshire @AFSCME93 @SEIU1984 @NHNEAPrez @UAW2322 @PFFNH @Local_789 @NTULocal1044 https://t.co/Gb0wIKy7hv
— NewHampshire AFL-CIO (@NHAFLCIO) May 31, 2022New Jersey State AFL-CIO:
We are proud to join the picket line and show St. Michael's the strength of our solidarity. Fair contract now! https://t.co/hdLHAssyAH
— New Jersey AFL-CIO (@NJAFLCIO) May 24, 2022New Mexico Federation of Labor, AFL-CIO:
— ✊ NMFL ✊ (@NMFLaflcio) May 27, 2022New York State AFL-CIO:
Our nurses show up for us every day, and this week the NYS Senate and Assembly showed up for them. THANK YOU for passing these bills to protect our nurses from mandatory overtime! Full statement from NY's union movement: https://t.co/DTouJcb6pE pic.twitter.com/iuiczteKRQ
— NYS AFL-CIO // #UnionStrong (@NYSAFLCIO) June 3, 2022North Carolina State AFL-CIO:
Great read: Talking to My Dad About Unions, Newspapers, and Birds https://t.co/PY3Jzo5ToZ @discourse_blog #1u
— NC State AFL-CIO // #OrganizeTheSouth (@NCStateAFLCIO) June 2, 2022North Dakota AFL-CIO:
Letter: Investing in child care solutions will benefit us all https://t.co/FZQqMxqGro
— North Dakota AFL-CIO (@NDAFLCIO) April 6, 2022Ohio AFL-CIO:
Any good #union member will go to the mat for their Sisters, Brothers and Kim. It’s who we are. We are so proud to be in a movement where we can only advance by ensuring the worker next to us can shine. There is #Pride in #Solidarity. https://t.co/ueT3E66T2Y
— 🇺🇦 Ohio AFL-CIO (@ohioaflcio) June 6, 2022Oregon AFL-CIO:
Union apprenticeships lead in diversity and show higher success rates compared to nonunion programs, especially for women and people of color. #UnionStrong https://t.co/3PSdbTjhFR pic.twitter.com/ssDgD3j2MK
— Oregon AFL-CIO (@OregonAFLCIO) June 6, 2022Pennsylvania AFL-CIO:
Wishing an empowering pride month to our union workers, organizers, and supporters! ✊🏽✊🏿✊🏼✊🏾
Learn more about our LGBTQ+ constituency group @PrideAtWork here:https://t.co/7gLGSdKZLk#1u #Pride2022! 🏳️🌈🏳️⚧️ pic.twitter.com/yEkmc1yS8M
Rhode Island AFL-CIO:
Thank you @SenMcCaffrey for your leadership on this issue!
Wage theft costs workers and tax payers millions of dollars each year. It’s time to put it to an end. #1u https://t.co/oHnWppymYV
Tennessee AFL-CIO Labor Council:
Add in rolling out the red carpet for Tennessee's "Right to Work" law, and you've got the Republican supermajority's corporate pitch (or a more honest version of it) to companies looking to relocate. #1u
via @TNLookout https://t.co/WJ2VZhEXIs
Texas AFL-CIO:
The latest episode of the Lone Star Labor Pod is up!
We sat down to speak with @SAALocal67 President Alejandra Lopez about the challenges educators are facing in Texas + how union members can help.#1U #EndGunViolencehttps://t.co/MglaQl2TS2 pic.twitter.com/8YferPiJaw
Virginia AFL-CIO:
Virginia’s labor movement sends prayers to and mourns with the #Uvalde Texas community today.
14 children and a teacher won’t return home today b/c of a mass shooting at Robb Elementary School. 💔
The time has passed to continue playing politics on this. #EndTheViolence NOW!
Washington State Labor Council, AFL-CIO:
Shoutout to @UFWupdates for fighting for emergency heat protections for agricultural workers! This is progress towards the permanent, enforced protections we need in Washington for the working people who feed us. #1u https://t.co/utmh6plbMY
— Washington State Labor Council, AFL-CIO (@WAAFLCIO) June 2, 2022Wisconsin State AFL-CIO:
Union workers picket in the rain as strike enters second month at CNH Industrial https://t.co/jcP19izqlS via @journaltimes
— WI AFL-CIO (@wisaflcio) June 6, 2022 Kenneth Quinnell Tue, 06/07/2022 - 13:00Pride Month Profiles: Adam Piasecki
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 Adam Piasecki of the American Federation of Teachers (AFT).
Adam Piasecki is an elementary school teacher, president of the Ithaca Teachers Association, a member of the New York State United Teachers (NYSUT) board of directors, a Mid-State Central Labor Council trustee, a member of NYSUT's Civil and Human Rights Committee, a NYSUT delegate, a National Education Association state delegate and a New York State Teachers' Retirement System delegate.
Kenneth Quinnell Tue, 06/07/2022 - 09:53Service + 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
