Service + Solidarity Spotlight: Pittsburgh’s Labor Movement Responds to Shocking Bridge Collapse
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.
“Things like this should never happen in a country of ours.” That was the message from Allegheny/Fayette Central Labor Council President Darrin Kelly (IAFF), a Pittsburgh firefighter who was at the scene of the massive bridge collapse that left at least 10 people injured. “It’s just surreal to see this in our city,” he told WESA. “It underscores how important it is we realize that it’s everybody’s duty to protect each other and build a stable infrastructure.”
The major bridge collapsed around 6:39 a.m. ET, just hours before President Joe Biden planned to come to Pittsburgh to emphasize the immediate need to modernize our infrastructure by implementing the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. Biden met with first responders at the site and surveyed the wreckage this afternoon. With 446 bridges in Pittsburgh, “we’re going to fix them all,” he promised. The recently enacted Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act will invest $40 billion in new bridge construction nationwide, including $1.6 billion to fix Pennsylvania’s bridges.
Kenneth Quinnell Mon, 01/31/2022 - 09:36Speak With One Voice: 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:
Work at Actors' Equity!
We have a full-time position open in New York - Product Owner.
Learn more and apply on our website: https://t.co/pEvipfsfj2 pic.twitter.com/fFRqOKWc0Q
AFGE:
Take a look at the latest AFGE Government Standard and read how we're working to secure as many legislative victories as we can to improve the lives of government workers and their families. #1u https://t.co/iUdyCS13AU
— AFGE (@AFGENational) January 27, 2022AFSCME:
Thanks to changes made by the Biden Admin, more working people and families are eligible for the Earned Income Tax Credit (#EITC), which could lower your taxable income or give you a larger refund. See if you qualify: https://t.co/BxfuhYv6a3
— AFSCME (@AFSCME) January 28, 2022Alliance for Retired Americans:
USPS will start mailing free at-home COVID tests soon!
Make sure you order yours here: https://t.co/rs5cgbdkAShttps://t.co/gmv14xmXzA
Amalgamated Transit Union:
This morning in Pittsburgh a bridge collapsed with a bus on it, our members at Local 85 were heroes getting everyone off the bus safely. With President Biden going to Pittsburgh today to tout the historic Infrastructure bill, that ATU helped secure. #1u #UnionStrong pic.twitter.com/WmRNtN4wP9
— ATU, Transit Union (@ATUComm) January 28, 2022American Federation of Musicians:
Join with us to tell Congress to restore tax fairness for working-class musicians, stage managers, singers, dancers, actors, stagehands and other arts workers by supporting the Performing Artist Tax Parity Act: https://t.co/mklKXyB5X7
— AFM (@The_AFM) January 28, 2022American Federation of Teachers:
This morning, AFT released the results of a National Survey of Public School Parent Voters conducted with Hart Research Associates and Lake Research Partners.
Here's a thread with a few of the key findings. 🧵 https://t.co/o4vSSiC13y
American Postal Workers Union:
APWU Live with President Mark Dimondstein https://t.co/CCAGyLRn19
— APWU National (@APWUnational) January 25, 2022Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance:
Tweet at your Senator to demand action on #immigration this year. We won’t accept any excuses for inaction! It’s time for Congress to keep its promise and deliver a path to citizenship: https://t.co/h6LAOCg8Dj #WeAreHome #GreenCardsNow #DisregardTheParl
— Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance, AFL-CIO (@APALAnational) January 28, 2022Association of Flight Attendants-CWA:
AFA Piedmont Flight Attendants today announced a TA that includes substantial wage increases, no cuts to healthcare program, & work rule improvements.
“We organized to mobilize action. We spoke with one voice... And we won.” https://t.co/LEWceklTS1 #1u pic.twitter.com/VkBhU8f1kN
Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers:
Jon Donaire workers on strike in Sante Fe Springs, Calif. are only asking for a $1 per year raise over the 3-year contract.
Read this letter from U.S. House of Representatives 👉 https://t.co/yIR6CPEfxQ#RichProductsPoorWorkers pic.twitter.com/1fv9AQfLd8
Boilermakers:
#Boilermakers l👀k out for the monthly issue of the IBB Update that hits inboxes Friday 📥
Not subscribed? Sign-up for news updates here: https://t.co/6rInXnDk2V pic.twitter.com/yuh0m7xEbr
Bricklayers:
"I think the tragedy is that we have a Congress with a Senate that has a minority of misguided senators who will use the filibuster to keep the majority of people from even voting." - Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., 1963 #MLKDay2022 pic.twitter.com/UcY3lriOtj
— Bricklayers Union (@IUBAC) January 17, 2022California School Employees Association:
CSEA is proud to sponsor @NancySkinnerCA's #SB878 to ensure that all public-school students are offered safe and reliable transportation to school and back home. #RoadtoSuccess https://t.co/beEHu8z1os
— CSEA (@CSEA_Now) January 25, 2022Coalition of Black Trade Unionists:
Back Together Again! #CBTU22 #unions #blacklabor #BlackLivesMatter #1u pic.twitter.com/upBJuTuP3H
— CBTU (@CBTU72) January 28, 2022Coalition of Labor Union Women:
When Virginia became the 38th state to ratify the ERA, all constitutional requirements for the ERA to become the 28th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution were satisfied. Yet, the ERA has not been published by the Archivist, who has an administrative duty to publish the amendment..
— CLUW National (@CLUWNational) January 26, 2022Communications Workers of America:
Nearly a decade has passed since Senate Democrats put an end to the filibuster for executive nominations, but Republicans, on behalf of their corporate sponsors, continue to abuse the confirmation process.
Read more from CWA President Chris Shelton:https://t.co/q3VEBrU9LX
Department for Professional Employees:
Yesterday, we joined entertainment unions and employers in urging the House and Senate to include the Performing Artist Tax Parity Act in any omnibus legislation for FY 22. https://t.co/DvFS1Et7S6
— Department for Professional Employees (@DPEaflcio) January 28, 2022Electrical Workers:
— IBEW (@IBEW) January 27, 2022Fire Fighters:
Wear appropriate shoes in ice and snow and watch out for slick surfaces. Falls on ice can be deadly. #IAFFsafetytips pic.twitter.com/K53NyiIBvl
— IAFF (@IAFFNewsDesk) January 28, 2022Heat and Frost Insulators:
When disease control matters, in medical facilities for doctors, nurses, visitors & patients, insulation matters. https://t.co/poXrkoAd0r
— Insulators Union 🦎 (@InsulatorsUnion) January 28, 2022International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers:
Leadership at @amprog should be ashamed of their employees making $42k a year while living in one of the most expensive cities in America. Embarrassing. We stand with @UnionAtCAP!
— IFPTE (@IFPTE) January 26, 2022Ironworkers:
Major labor unions are pushing the National Labor Relations Board to restore Obama-era precedent that made it easier for unions to organize small groups of a company's employees, over the objections of business groups.https://t.co/oRBsrF32Fu
— Ironworkers. (@TheIronworkers) January 25, 2022Jobs With Justice:
Big news for 390,000 federal contractors. https://t.co/EoFUpELJ2i
— Jobs With Justice (@jwjnational) January 28, 2022Labor Council for Latin American Advancement:
LCLAA Congratulates Xiomara Castro the First Female President of Honduras and urges the Biden-Harris administration to support policies that honor the rights and improve the lives of people in Honduras. #honduras #president pic.twitter.com/wwMw4b7VAA
— LCLAA (@LCLAA) January 27, 2022Labor Heritage Foundation:
JANUARY 27: Online screening, With Babies and Banners (with filmmaker Lyn Goldfarb). This Oscar-nominated documentary tells the dramatic story of the women of the great General Motors sit-down strike— an event that changed American labor history. Register:https://t.co/oGO3tZL8Tx
— Labor Heritage (@LaborHeritage1) January 25, 2022Laborers:
Good news! #LIUNA #UnionStrong https://t.co/Bh3MIvHMVq
— LIUNA (@LIUNA) January 28, 2022Machinists:
It's the least we can do for those who sacrificed everything for our freedom. Machinists Union members volunteer cleaning up wreaths at @ArlingtonNatl. pic.twitter.com/20UCESTxbi
— Machinists Union (@MachinistsUnion) January 28, 2022Metal Trades Department:
The sentiments of Dr. King ring as true today as they did in 1958. I will continue to stand up for what is right for working families, even in the most challenging of times and circumstances. Will you join me? pic.twitter.com/bIYo6G3SN7
— Metal Trades Dept. (@metaltradesafl) January 17, 2022Mine Workers:
Alabama coalminers on strike for 10 months vow not to be ‘starved out’ https://t.co/ZNsbjKhpLg
— United Mine Workers (@MineWorkers) January 26, 2022Musical Artists:
AGMA Announces New National Executive Director: https://t.co/gvs8DVR6xP pic.twitter.com/gUfqPny2nM
— AGMA (@AGMusicalArtist) January 28, 2022National Air Traffic Controllers Association:
.@NATCACharitable supported more than 30 holiday programs across the country. NATCA members at facilities in 19 states led the contributions to holiday charity programs. https://t.co/idYI9wfy3K pic.twitter.com/2EOmpGkizI
— NATCA (@NATCA) January 28, 2022National Association of Broadcast Employees and Technicians-CWA:
ABC Negotiations: Bulletin #12#negotiations #bulletin #Union pic.twitter.com/u17v5h7aOj
— NABET-CWA (@NABETCWA) January 25, 2022National Association of Letter Carriers:
Does one of your fellow letter carriers deserve to be highlighted? Let us know who (+ a photo), the branch, & why they deserve the highlight via email at social@nalc.org. There's a chance your fellow letter carrier will be featured in our new #MemberMonday series. pic.twitter.com/VZmjDuGyhc
— Letter Carriers (@NALC_National) January 28, 2022National Day Laborer Organizing Network:
4 months ago, we launched a Blue Ribbon Commission (BRC) of workers and worker orgs from across the country that have confronted/denounced workplace abuse. The goal: Make visible the rampant abuses facing migrants and demand action by President Biden to respect their rights. 1/7 pic.twitter.com/sozFBCK6c4
— NDLON (@NDLON) January 26, 2022National Domestic Workers Alliance:
The pandemic exposed what many care workers already knew to be true…
That care workers are underpaid and overworked and without them other work wouldn’t be possible. The Senate needs to invest in care workers because #CareCantWait https://t.co/qZ2QwhsOcA
National Federation of Federal Employees:
From article below, NFFE-IAM President Randy Erwin: “This is a tremendous stride towards ensuring all federal workers are paid a living wage that allows for them to provide for their families. No employee working for the federal government should be struggling to make ends meet.” https://t.co/LMZLReC4Hz
— NFFE (@NFFE_Union) January 21, 2022National Nurses United:
Earlier this month #UnionStrong RNs paid tribute to fallen nurses in a powerful candlelight vigil outside the White House and called to end preventable nurse deaths.
It’s time President @JoeBiden follow through on his promise to #ProtectNurses and prioritize public health. pic.twitter.com/aa7PmkFjpk
NWSL Players Association:
It’s time. #ContractNow pic.twitter.com/0l1UnObZxR
— NWSLPA (@nwsl_players) January 25, 2022NFL Players Association:
Not only do we have @nflpabowl guys in town – but some familiar rookie faces are here signing their @PaniniAmerica trading cards 😎 @8kMike @ZachWilson @TheRealF1ash pic.twitter.com/bQiFuGuk6e
— NFLPA (@NFLPA) January 28, 2022North America's Building Trades Unions:
“There's no reason in the 21st century why people are still exposed to this substance that was poisoning people back in the 18th century.”@VP is visiting Milwaukee to discuss the good-paying, union jobs that will come from lead pipe removal 👏https://t.co/0Ta82cfyZx
— The Building Trades (@NABTU) January 24, 2022Office and Professional Employees:
Unionizing is one of the most effective forms of self-care. And one of the only kinds that could possibly lead to you owning a sweet bomber jacket. https://t.co/2D6QMKEhQZ
— OPEIU ║ #PassThePROAct ✊ (@OPEIU) January 25, 2022Painters and Allied Trades:
Our union’s trades build vital & transformational infrastructure that profoundly impacts how we live like hospitals.
IUPAT DC 39 LU 1984 is hard at work on the new Acute Care Hospital in Corner Brook, Newfoundland, expanding their long-term care facility and cancer care program. pic.twitter.com/nxIBuqYsIe
Plasterers and Cement Masons:
— OPCMIA International (@opcmiaintl) January 25, 2022Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union:
"The pandemic has proven just how essential farmworkers are in our lives and finding a path to paid overtime after a 40-hour week is the moral thing to do."
Lower the OT threshold for NY farmworkers to 40 hrs/wk! #FarmworkerOvertime @jessicaramos https://t.co/GAoQzh08Si
Roofers and Waterproofers:
Welcome to the movement, #GenU! Let's see tens of thousands of you unite and organize and make it happen. Let's normalize #union workplaces in America. @SBWorkersUnited https://t.co/WPCbr4onue
— Roofers Union (@roofersunion) January 28, 2022SAG-AFTRA:
The Performing Artist Tax Parity Act (PATPA) would provide tax relief to our members making less than 100k (or 200k w/ spouse). #PATPA levels the playing field for arts workers.
We’re only 2,289 more signatures away from reaching our goal of 25,600!
Sign: https://t.co/OmnIePZBNU
Solidarity Center:
148 #journalists in #Mexico have been killed since 2000, making it the deadliest country in the Western Hemisphere in which to practice journalism, per @pressfreedom https://t.co/tvbNmczduR
— Solidarity Center (@SolidarityCntr) January 28, 2022The NewsGuild-CWA:
Solidarity with @sfcguild in the fight for a fair contract! https://t.co/JqsW70cjFz
— NewsGuild-CWA (@newsguild) January 28, 2022Theatrical Stage Employees:
Architects are trained creative professionals facing issues similar to those faced by entertainment workers, including uncompensated OT, over-use of unpaid internships, and employee misclassification.
We stand with architectural workers' right to organize w @arch_workers_u! pic.twitter.com/6bh2KcBmmd
Transport Workers Union:
.@bridgetfleming has always been a champion for working people. We need her in DC now to fight for good, union jobs. https://t.co/PfShmitAPd
— TWU (@transportworker) January 27, 2022Transportation Trades Department:
Congratulations to Deirdre Hamilton on being sworn in at the National Mediation Board, the government body that facilitates labor-management relations in the aviation and rail industries. Her swearing-in restores a pro-worker majority to the Board. ✊ https://t.co/IPqrmzWUIr
— Transportation Trades Department (@TTDAFLCIO) January 26, 2022UAW:
Taxes should be fairer for seniors and working people. @GovWhitmer wants to repeal the retirement tax, saving half a million households an average of $1,000 a year. #MISOTS22
— UAW (@UAW) January 27, 2022Union Veterans Council:
Across the country union veterans are stepping up to run for office, at all levels! @steelworkers union veteran @chazforcongress is just one more example of how this community continues to serve, check his story out! #1u #UnionVets https://t.co/yVI4ERyqPL
— Union Veterans Council🪖✊ Pass the #PROAct (@unionveterans) January 24, 2022UNITE HERE:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Hotel Workers Hold National Day of Action Shining Light on “Shadow Bosses” Driving Cuts to Services in the Hospitality Industry
—With Events in 21 Cities, UNITE HERE Calls to Close Hotel Owners’ Tax Loophole, End Job Cuts
RELEASE: https://t.co/kHctxCuokn pic.twitter.com/aT5R3BT312
United Food and Commercial Workers:
🥮Today is #NationalChocolateCakeDay and we want to thank all UFCW members in grocery stores and bakeries across the country, who help make everyone's celebrations sweeter.
Visit your UFCW store today and pick up some delicious union-made chocolate cakes! pic.twitter.com/WUP2iZeata
United Steelworkers:
The National Labor Relations Board says the nascent Amazon Labor Union has enough support from workers to hold an election for a Staten Island work site https://t.co/QK8Nqk6rHi via @WSJ
— United Steelworkers (@steelworkers) January 28, 2022United Students Against Sweatshops:
Spend your Valentine's eve demanding that universities put students and workers over profit 😘💖Join us on Sunday 2/13 for campaign updates, guest speakers, and more as we kick off another semester of organizing! Register: https://t.co/KpRbTYaduH pic.twitter.com/d3W1bIFL1M
— USAS (@USAS) January 25, 2022Utility Workers:
What’s your favorite pro-worker film? 🎬 Bonus points for one from the past 15 years! https://t.co/xdgHDf84J4
— UWUA National (@The_UWUA) January 28, 2022Working America:
We are stronger when we stick together! #strikekingsoopershttps://t.co/sL4CpotIHc
— Working America | Pass the #PROAct (@WorkingAmerica) January 23, 2022Writers Guild of America, East:
Listen to the latest from the #OnWritingPodcast now!
Shownotes and the episode transcript: https://t.co/koxnpMwCg4 https://t.co/Ke87E1113f
How Our Collective Voices Can Be Heard: 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:
Slate Workers Ratify Second Union Contract as Members of WGAE: The 56 members of Slate Union-WGAE unanimously ratified their second contract with the online magazine, Writers Guild of America, East (WGAE) announced on Monday. The new three-year contract includes significant wage increases, 13 weeks of paid parental leave and a budget of $10,000 a year for diversity initiatives, to be spent at the discretion of the labor-management committee. Workers at Slate won union recognition in January 2018, and ratified their first collective bargaining agreement in January 2019. The Slate bargaining committee said: “In just more than three years since our first contract with the WGAE, the union has significantly improved the economic and employment conditions of Slate’s staff. This contract improves upon the previous one with five additional weeks of parental leave, higher salary floors, guaranteed increases in annual cost of living raises for more than half of the staff, and other critical benefits. We are proud of the work we did with the WGAE to secure this contract and are hopeful for the future of Slate.”
IAFF Gains New Affiliate in Michigan: The Fire Fighters (IAFF) welcomed the new members of Perry Fire Rescue-IAFF Local 5360 as the international union’s newest affiliated union in Michigan. “The Michigan Professional Fire Fighters Union leadership has done an incredible job organizing new IAFF locals and increasing membership,” said IAFF 8th District Vice President Mark Sanders. “Our new Perry Rescue Local 5360 members will be great assets to the 8th District and the state of Michigan. It is great to have them as part of the IAFF family.” The Perry Area Fire Rescue is a combination fire department with a growing number of full-time firefighters who provide fire and EMS response to several jurisdictions in Shiawassee County. “As decisions are being made about the future of our department, we want to make sure we have a seat at the table,” said Local 5360 President Seth Arabanas. “We look forward to doing our part to move our department forward and to network with other IAFF locals like ours.”
UFCW Members at King Soopers Ratify Agreement to End Strike: After a 10-day strike, thousands of workers at King Soopers in Colorado, represented by United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 7, ratified a three-year collective bargaining agreement with their employer on Monday. This groundbreaking contract meets many of the union members’ demands, including significant wage increases, better health care and pension benefits, new paths to full-time employment and enhanced safety measures at work. “From the beginning of this process, we promised our members that we would procure the very best contract we could. We are excited that our members voted overwhelmingly to ratify this industry-leading contract that will ensure King Soopers will respect and protect Essential Workers as well as pay them fairly,” said Local 7 President Kim Cordova. “This would not have been possible without the support of our allies throughout Colorado and across the country. To those who stood alongside our members, honored the picket line, and showed up in solidarity, we thank you from the bottom of our hearts.”
IATSE Local 8’s Training Center in Philadelphia Secures $1 Million State Grant: With a proud legacy of preparing workers for good union jobs in Pennsylvania’s entertainment industry, Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) Local 8 will receive $1 million from the state to expand its training center in Philadelphia. State Rep. Elizabeth Fiedler announced the grant award on Jan. 14, which will support Local 8’s project to renovate its facility and train more entertainment workers. “The entertainment industry is one of the fastest growing segments in our economy. As we continue to grow and service this industry, we are pressed to provide the training necessary to keep the work in Pennsylvania,” said former Local 8 President and Business Manager Michael Barnes, who is now IATSE’s first international vice president. “Working with Rep. Elizabeth Fiedler, Local 8 was successful in obtaining state matching funding to expand our training facility to address the anticipated demand for entertainment following the COVID-19 pandemic.”
Raven Workers Launch Video Game Union: Workers at Raven Software’s quality assurance (QA) department on Jan. 21 launched their new union, the Game Workers Alliance Union, with the Communications Workers of America (CWA). They are seeking voluntary recognition from their employer as a supermajority of workers expressed their desire to form a union at the studio owned by video game giant Activision Blizzard. These video game employees mostly work on the popular Call of Duty series. “Today, I am proud to join with a supermajority of my fellow workers to build our union, Game Workers Alliance (CWA). In the video game industry, specifically Raven QA, people are passionate about their jobs and the content they are creating,” said Becka Aigner, QA functional tester II at Raven. “We want to make sure that the passion from these workers is accurately reflected in our workplace and the content we make. Our union is how our collective voices can be heard by leadership.” On Dec. 6, more than 60 Raven workers walked out in protest after Activision Blizzard laid off 12 of the studio’s QA testers. The Raven QA strike was the third work stoppage since Activision Blizzard was sued in late July over sexual harassment and misconduct claims. Earlier this week, CWA responded to Microsoft’s plan to acquire Activision Blizzard and called for workers’ voices to be heard in the future direction of the company.
WGAE Members at Salon Ratify Second Collective Bargaining Agreement: Salon staffers unanimously ratified their second contract since joining the Writers Guild of America, East (WGAE). The new three-year contract includes salary increases, minimums salaries, longevity bonuses, expanded paid parental leave, strong diversity language and other benefits. In a statement, the Salon bargaining committee said: “We worked hard and in good faith with management to secure a contract that will vastly improve life for current and future employees. We believe the contract will not only lift the standards at Salon, but in the industry. Raising the salary floor and pay equity were high priorities for us, and now no WGAE member will make under $60,000. And our minimums for all titles better reflect the quality of our work and the dedication of our colleagues.”
Veterinary Workers in Upstate New York Make History, Vote to Join IAM: Veterinary assistants and technicians in Brighton, New York, voted overwhelmingly to form a union with the Machinists (IAM)—and these new union members are the first veterinary workers on the East Coast to form a union. The National Labor Relations Board announced the results in mid-January as more than two-thirds of workers voted in favor of forming the VSES Employees for Change-IAM to collectively bargain with their employer. Sam Estes, an ultrasound technician, told WXXI News: “We’re gonna band together and actually be able to have the conversations we’ve been hoping for and hopefully they’ll be good negotiating partners through that process with us.” “This historic election resulted from courageous workers in the veterinary industry who not only wanted to make change for themselves but wished to set an example for veterinary workers all across the nation,” IAM International President Robert Martinez Jr. said. “I congratulate Liz Hughston and the National Veterinary Professionals Union for their partnership to make this victory a reality. Today’s victory put the veterinary industry and private equity investors on notice about making sure their business model is based on equity and respect.”
New Jersey State AFL-CIO Gets Pro-Worker Bills Over the Finish Line: The New Jersey State AFL-CIO is celebrating a string of legislative victories that came at the tail end of the state’s last legislative session. Several pieces of legislation advocated for by the state federation and its affiliates passed both houses or were signed into law this month. They include the Responsible Collective Negotiations Act, which ends the ability to impose contracts, creates a new topic of “permissive” subjects of negotiations and fixes several membership issues caused by the U.S. Supreme Court’s Janus v. AFSCME decision. The state legislature also passed bills to toughen penalties for assaults on New Jersey’s transit workers, promote apprenticeship programs in public works projects and mandate periodic cancer screening for firefighters. New Jersey State AFL-CIO officers, President Charles Wowkanech (IUOE) and Secretary-Treasurer Laurel Brennan (Workers United), said: “As a new legislative session begins today, the New Jersey State AFL-CIO thanks legislative leadership, Gov. [Phil] Murphy and all the legislators that voted in support of a pro-worker agenda throughout the ‘lame duck’ session of the legislature that ends today.”
Maine Democratic Party Staffers Gain Voluntary Recognition of New IBEW Local: Staffers at the Maine Democratic Party voted to be represented by IBEW Local 1837 and the party voluntarily recognized the new unit. “We’re all really excited. All of our staff are very much on board with it,” said April Thibodeau, party affairs director and a shop steward. “By forming a union, we hope that we can set better work-life boundaries, create more permanency in our staff, and strengthen the relationship between the Maine Democratic Party and the labor movement in Maine.”
Art Institute of Chicago Workers United Certified by NLRB: Employees at the Art Institute of Chicago voted to form a union, becoming an affiliate of AFSCME. The Council 31 unit consists of 266 art installers, curators, custodians, librarians and retail workers. “Winning our union means a voice in our workplace and a chance to improve working conditions for ourselves, our colleagues and those who will follow us for generations to come,” said museum archivist Anna Feuer. The new union members are seeking higher wages and better working conditions.
Animation Guild Organizes First Company Outside of Los Angeles with Titmouse Studio in New York: Employees at Titmouse, the New York studio that produced "Harriet the Spy" and "Superjail!," have voted to join The Animation Guild, IATSE Local 839. This is the first group of employees from outside of Los Angeles County to organize with the guild since it was chartered in 1952. Titmouse management voluntarily recognized the union, which includes 3-D modelers, directors, storyboard artists, prop designers and others. The new union is seeking to review worker classification and role definitions, improve overtime payments and unrealistic schedules, set wage floors and upgrade health benefits. “I’m overjoyed that my students and young peers will be able to thrive in an environment that supports them from today forward. To my fellow New Yorkers in animation and production, I’m confident that our collective pain is being recognized now that we have a seat at the table,” said Titmouse story artist Chrissy Fellmeth.
WGAE Members at Jewish Currents Ratify First Union Contact: Seven members of the Writers Guild of America, East (WGAE) who work at Jewish Currents unanimously ratified their first union contract with their employer this month. Founded in 1946 and relaunched in 2018, Jewish Currents is a daily digital and quarterly print publication dedicated to covering the Jewish left, and the left more broadly. The editorial staff organized with the WGAE in July 2020 and received immediate voluntary recognition. Their inaugural contract includes significant wage increases and improvements to benefits. Lowell Peterson, WGAE’s executive director, said, “The editorial staff at Jewish Currents won a contract that includes fair pay, benefits, work-hours and a seat at the table with the Board of Directors. It is through the power of collective bargaining that workers can win a real voice in their work life.”
IUOE Local 49 in Minneapolis Approves New Contract, Cancels Potential Strike: Members of Operating Engineers (IUOE) Local 49 who work for the city of Minneapolis ratified a new contract in early January. The union, which represents 110 public service workers who are equipment operators and mechanics, had voted last month to authorize a strike if necessary. “This was a challenging negotiation, but it has now come to an end, and our members look forward to continuing to do the work necessary to make the city of Minneapolis function,” Local 49 said in a statement. “Budgets are a priority document, and we expect Twin Cities public sector entities to make their frontline workers more of a priority in future years. Our members keep cities operating and they have earned that respect.”
Columbia University Student Workers Tentatively Approve New Contract: Student workers at Columbia University tentatively agreed to a new contract that raises wages and improves health benefits. The workers ended a 10-week strike upon reaching the tentative agreement. The contract includes pay raises, dental insurance, an emergency medical fund and other benefits. “It has been a really, really long road,” said Lilian Coie, a member of the bargaining committee. “Even though the agreement isn’t perfect, we’re very happy with it.”
Image Comics Staffers Form Comic Book Workers United: Creating the first union in comics publishing, workers at Image Comics voted to form Comic Book Workers United (CBWU), an affiliate of the Communications Workers of America. “We’re beyond thrilled to announce that today we, Comic Book Workers United, have WON our union election, making Image Comics the FIRST unionized comic book publisher in the United States,” a statement from CBWU said....Winning this election is only the beginning—as always, we are #drawninsolidarity and are eager to continue working together with CWA on the next steps towards securing a strong, fair, and exemplary first contract for comic book publishing workers.”
Federal Firefighters Secure New Benefits and Safety Measures: Firefighters who work for the federal government will enjoy new benefits and safer working conditions with the passage of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), recently signed into law by President Biden. A priority provision for the Fire Fighters (IAFF) in the 2022 NDAA will permit federal firefighters to voluntarily swap shifts. It also establishes a new parental bereavement leave benefit and requires the Department of Defense to prevent the use of toxic chemicals in firefighting foams. “The demanding 72-hour workweek required of our federal fire fighters is nothing short of brutal. I know firsthand just how difficult it can be to tend to personal or family matters without the flexibility of shift trades,” said IAFF General President Edward Kelly. “Correction of this oversight is long overdue, and I am confident this legislative victory will go a long way in resetting the work-life balance of those impacted. I am also very pleased that our federal brothers and sisters will have access to a new parental bereavement leave benefit available to them following the loss of a child. Perhaps most importantly, the provisions around toxics [perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS)] will provide additional tools to extinguish cancer from the fire service.”
Workers at Politics and Prose Form First Bookstore Union in Washington, D.C.: Workers at bookstores and cafés across the country are joining together to have a collective voice on the job. The employees at Washington, D.C.’s Politics and Prose are among a growing number of these workers forming unions, having received voluntary recognition from their employer. The new members of United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 400 are the first workers at a bookstore in the nation’s capital to create a union. “We are proud to join the growing movement of booksellers and baristas across the country who have unionized their workplaces,” said the Politics and Prose Workers Union organizing committee. “Forming our union has not only served as an affirmation of our shared values within the Politics and Prose community, it will also strengthen our workplace and ensure the long-term success of our beloved community hub. We look forward to negotiating our first contract and welcoming more bookstore workers in D.C. and beyond into our union family.”
UNITE HERE Workers at Colonial Williamsburg Unanimously Ratify New Contract: Workers at Colonial Williamsburg, members of UNITE HERE Local 25, voted unanimously to ratify their new contract. The new contract includes pay increases, dramatic changes to mandatory overtime policies, a new system for assigning overtime and other benefits. “We have said throughout this campaign that teaching history should not mean re-living it at work,” said John Boardman, executive secretary-treasurer of UNITE HERE Local 25. “Now, our members can take pride in the fact that they have won 21st-century working conditions at Colonial Williamsburg.”
Kenneth Quinnell Fri, 01/28/2022 - 10:00Service + Solidarity Spotlight: New Partnership Expands Veteran Job Opportunities in Southern California’s Utility Sector
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 Utility Workers Military Assistance Program (UMAP), in partnership with Utility Workers (UWUA) Local 132 and Southern California Gas (SoCalGas), recently launched a new program to tackle homelessness among veterans through training and employment opportunities. UMAP’s effective training-to-placement model will benefit 40 veterans over the next several months, and those who successfully graduate will work for SoCal Gas as leak technicians.
“This exciting new partnership between UMAP and SoCal Gas will create a clear path forward for veterans who otherwise may have faced uncertainty about what to do next after leaving the military,” said UWUA Director of Veterans Affairs and Workforce Development Rick Passarelli. “Veterans are looking for a hand up and not a handout, and this program is a lifeline when they need it. We’re excited this program can begin to benefit veterans in California.”
Kenneth Quinnell Fri, 01/28/2022 - 09:27Service + Solidarity Spotlight: UFCW Members at King Soopers Ratify Agreement to End Strike
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.
After a 10-day strike, thousands of workers at King Soopers in Colorado, represented by United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 7, ratified a three-year collective bargaining agreement with their employer on Monday. This groundbreaking contract meets many of the union members’ demands, including significant wage increases, better health care and pension benefits, new paths to full-time employment and enhanced safety measures at work.
“From the beginning of this process, we promised our members that we would procure the very best contract we could. We are excited that our members voted overwhelmingly to ratify this industry-leading contract that will ensure King Soopers will respect and protect Essential Workers as well as pay them fairly,” said Local 7 President Kim Cordova. “This would not have been possible without the support of our allies throughout Colorado and across the country. To those who stood alongside our members, honored the picket line, and showed up in solidarity, we thank you from the bottom of our hearts.”
Kenneth Quinnell Wed, 01/26/2022 - 09:27Service + Solidarity Spotlight: Elevator Constructors Commend Efforts to Protect Children from Dangerous In-Home Elevators
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.
Three companies that sell in-home elevators agreed to federal regulators’ request earlier this month to recall their products for being dangerous to children. Elevator Constructors (IUEC) General President Frank Christensen welcomed the companies’ recall, as well as the work of regulators at the Consumer Product Safety Commission and advocacy groups like Kids in Danger that helped make it happen.
“Residential elevators, when not properly installed, inspected and modified, are not safe, especially for children who have been hurt and even killed after becoming trapped between residential elevators’ interior car and exterior hall doors. The gap between these two doors—ultimately, a very preventable issue—turns in-home elevators into death traps,” Christensen explained in a press release last week. “As long as this hazard exists, our union will do everything in its power to assist in identifying a sustainable, affordable solution to this problem, which we strongly believe should include a combination of regular inspections, proper registration policies and the incorporation of space guards where needed.”
Kenneth Quinnell Tue, 01/25/2022 - 09:28Service + Solidarity Spotlight: Equity Calls for Tax Fairness for Arts Workers at Congressional Hearing
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 House Committee on Small Business held a remote hearing about the creative economy on Wednesday in which Actors’ Equity Association (Equity) Secretary-Treasurer Sandra Karas testified on behalf of the union. “The arts and culture sector is responsible for 5.2 million jobs and 4.3% of GDP,” Karas pointed out. She explained how this industry has been especially hard hit by the COVID-19 pandemic and its recovery has been slower than many others.
Karas asked committee members to support the Performing Artist Tax Parity Act (H.R. 4750), a bill to create tax fairness by allowing arts workers to deduct their business expenses. “Performing artists pay a high percentage of their income on necessary out-of-pocket costs to look for work and stay current in the industry,” she said. “This bill is targeted to low income and middle class taxpayers, not the high earning stars.” Karas also called for passage of the Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act to strengthen unions in the arts sector.
Click here to tell Congress to restore tax fairness for arts workers.
Kenneth Quinnell Mon, 01/24/2022 - 09:50Working People Respond to President Biden's First Year in Office
Union members across the country went all out during the 2020 campaign to elect a pro-worker president to the White House. And over the past year, the Biden–Harris administration has been delivering for America’s workers. From the passage of the American Rescue Plan to the enactment of the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, the labor movement has made real progress working in partnership with this administration.
Here are just some of the other advances we’ve achieved in the last year:
- President Biden fired the anti-worker National Labor Relations Board general counsel and installed a pro-worker majority on the board.
- Union member Marty Walsh (LIUNA) was appointed to serve as secretary of labor.
- The Biden–Harris administration created the White House Task Force on Worker Organizing and Empowerment.
- President Biden used his bully pulpit to advance the causes of the labor movement, including calling for passage of the Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act, supporting workers’ right to organize at Amazon and calling out Kellogg’s corporate greed during an active strike.
- More of President Biden’s lower court judicial nominees were confirmed in his first year than any president since John Kennedy.
- President Biden appointed more Black women to the U.S. Court of Appeals than any president in history.
As we look to the future, our sights are set on passing the Build Back Better Act, reforming America’s outdated labor laws, and protecting our basic rights and freedoms. Our job is far from over, and we’re ready to continue making progress for all working people in this country.
AFGE Shares Its Top 10 Victories in 2021:
AFSCME President Lee Saunders:
The Biden–Harris administration made a promise to fight for working people. And bar none, this is the most pro-union White House in generations.
The president and the vice president share working people’s values and have governed accordingly, sticking their necks out to advance our rights and freedoms. They understand what keeps Americans up at night. They have expressed solidarity with workers trying to form unions. They have been outspoken and unapologetic in their support for collective bargaining to win better pay and benefits for all, not just the people at the top.
The American Rescue Plan, signed by President Biden just seven weeks into his term, invested hundreds of millions of dollars in public services, saving jobs and keeping our everyday heroes on the front lines. That’s on top of direct checks to working families, education funding to reopen schools safely, enhanced unemployment benefits and a whole lot more. A few months ago, President Biden signed an infrastructure bill that will create union jobs and revitalize our communities by upgrading everything from roads and public transit to water systems and broadband.
There is plenty of unfinished business. It remains critical that we expand voting rights and protect the integrity of our democracy. We have joined the president in that struggle and will continue doing everything possible to ensure fair elections that give every citizen a voice. The administration, together with its allies, must now focus its energies on passing key components of the Build Back Better Agenda, transforming millions of lives by lowering prescription drug costs and making child care more affordable, among many other things. And we still need labor law reform, making it easier for workers to organize and claim their seat at the table.
We have seen major accomplishments on behalf of working people during the first year of the Biden–Harris administration. Now, we must continue the fight for greater progress in the years to come.
American Federation of Teachers (AFT):
The AFT tweeted the following message earlier today:
“In less than one year, [President Biden] delivered a Bipartisan Infrastructure Law that will build our economy and country back stronger for working families with: clean drinking water, good-paying union jobs, roads and bridges, transportation, electric vehicle chargers.”
Communications Workers of America (CWA):
During his campaign, Joe Biden pledged to be the most pro-worker president in our country’s history, and he has spent the last 365 days delivering on that promise.
On his very first day in office, President Biden fired Peter Robb, Donald Trump’s union-busting National Labor Relations Board general counsel, making it clear that he stood on the side of workers, not corporations. He nominated Jennifer Abruzzo, a brilliant former CWA attorney who understands how the actions of the NLRB impact the daily lives of people at their workplaces. With Abruzzo as general counsel and the addition of Gwynne Wilcox and David Prouty to the NLRB, the Board has a pro-worker majority and is once again fulfilling its mission to protect the right of workers to join together to improve their wages and working conditions.
He appointed a union member—Marty Walsh—as Secretary of Labor, and used his executive power to strengthen Buy America requirements for federal spending, provide protections, job security, and a minimum wage increase for federal contractors, ban non-compete agreements that limit job opportunities, and ensure that jobs and wages are taken into account during banking mergers. Throughout the Biden administration, union leaders and activists are being invited to share information and expertise to help shape policies that affect working people.
President Biden established a Task Force on Worker Organizing and Empowerment, led by Vice President Kamala Harris. He has used his bully pulpit to encourage workers to join unions and to demand that companies stop bringing in scabs when workers go on strike.
President Biden has had two monumental legislative victories in his first year: the American Rescue Plan and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. The American Rescue Plan provided critical funding to keep workers safe, protect jobs, and stabilize the pensions we’ve earned. It extended the successful payroll support program, directing money toward saving thousands of airline jobs instead of sending it into the pockets of executives and shareholders. Funding from the bill is being used to provide premium pay for essential state and local government workers and to invest in broadband infrastructure.
The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act will transform our lives, finally addressing much needed repair and improvements to our roads, bridges, airports, and utilities. The bill supports the expansion and affordability of broadband and prioritizes broadband projects from employers who follow labor law. All of this investment means more jobs, not just during the buildout phase, but because the new infrastructure will create new opportunities.
While President Biden has laid a strong foundation, much remains to be done. The COVID pandemic has disrupted our lives, and over a million women have left the workforce, many because of a lack of affordable childcare options. Workers are organizing for better pay and working conditions, but weak and outdated labor laws make it much too difficult for them to build power by joining unions. With each passing day the potential impact of climate change grows more severe.
President Biden’s worker-centered Build Back Better plan would address these problems, but it remains mired in the U.S. Senate, trapped by arcane rules and procedures, including the filibuster, that allow a small number of Senators to block policies supported by large majorities of Americans.
As we enter the second year of the Biden presidency, we must use our voices and our votes to build on the progress that we have made and empower working people to make lasting change by passing the Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act and the Public Service Freedom to Negotiate Act.
Electrical Workers (IBEW) International President Lonnie Stephenson:
On the campaign trail and throughout his presidency, Joe Biden has promised to be the most pro-union, pro-worker president in history. As President Biden celebrates his first year in office, I can say with confidence his actions are matching his words.
During his first year in office, President Biden took significant and historic steps to promote, protect, and enhance the rights of working people, including IBEW members. He appointed a union member to lead the Department of Labor. He created the first-ever White House Task Force on Worker Organizing and Empowerment. He ordered the federal government to spend taxpayer dollars on American goods made by American workers, and he signed dozens of executive orders that promote worker-friendly policies, including those that create good jobs in the energy sector.
Among other significant achievements, President Biden signed into law the historic $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan, which provided working families the financial support they needed to make it through the pandemic. Included in this legislation is the Butch Lewis Emergency Pension Plan Relief Act, which saved pensions for millions, ensuring that those who work for a living will retire with the dignity they were promised.
And he signed into law the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, the single largest investment in infrastructure in American history. This once-in-a-generation investment in infrastructure will put millions to work in good union jobs modernizing the electric grid, repairing and expanding the vital transportation services Americans rely on, and creating the reduced-carbon energy solutions that will power our economy well into the 21st century and beyond.
On behalf of the IBEW’s 775,000 active and retired members, I applaud President Biden on these achievements and thank him for prioritizing the needs of working families.
Machinists (IAM) International President Robert Martinez Jr.:
The Biden–Harris administration’s policies are good for working families, including IAM members who have benefited from the actions of this administration. When I met with the administration at the beginning of their term, I advocated for investment in infrastructure that will benefit American workers and communities. President Biden kept his promise to strengthen Buy American laws and support extending much-needed economic relief to all workers, including our members in the airlines, manufacturing and transportation industries. The IAM looks forward to continuing to work with the Biden–Harris administration to move the pro-worker, pro-democracy agenda.
Click here to read more from the IAM.
Masters, Mates & Pilots (MM&P) International President Don Marcus:
The women and men of the International Organization of Masters, Mates & Pilots thank President Biden and his administration for their untiring efforts to bring common decency, common sense and common good back to the federal government. President Biden recognizes that the labor movement is the last bastion of both working people and democracy itself. Thank you, President Biden, for standing up for equality, democracy and humanity.
Office and Professional Employees (OPEIU):
We are now one year into the most pro-union presidential administration in modern history. We knew it wouldn’t be easy, and we still have a long way to go. But there have already been concrete wins for working people in spite of relentless obstruction and anti-worker animus among many members of Congress.
We now have a pro-worker majority at the National Labor Relations Board. We have a union sibling, Secretary Marty Walsh, at the helm of the Department of Labor. And with the American Rescue Plan, $1.9 trillion has been released to states and localities to spend on COVID mitigation, infrastructure and more.
Though we still have a long way to go to enact the rest of our legislative priorities -- passing pro-worker legislation like the PRO Act, the outright cancellation of student debt, strengthening of voting rights and implementation of Build Back Better -- we have much to be proud of.
Plasterers and Cement Masons (OPCMIA) General President Dan Stepano:
In just his first year in office, President Joe Biden has already made history.
He signed the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act into law, the largest investment ever made in our infrastructure, an achievement that eluded his predecessor. This urgently-needed bill will create 1.5 million jobs, including many for OPCMIA members. No president in my lifetime has done more to create good work for our brothers and sisters.
That alone would be enough to rank him among the best presidents ever. But he has done much more.
President Biden saved our members’ retirement security when he signed the historic $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan, which included the Butch Lewis Emergency Pension Plan Relief Act. In addition to ensuring that OPCMIA members will be able to retire with the dignity they were promised, the law helped ease the burden of the COVID pandemic, created jobs, reduced poverty, fed families, and provided urgently-needed relief for those who were suffering.
President Biden has been the most pro-union, pro-worker president since Franklin Delano Roosevelt. He appointed a building trades union member as Secretary of Labor. He created the first-ever White House Task Force on Worker Organizing and Empowerment. On his first day in office, he fired the union-busting general counsel of the National Labor Relations Board. And he restored collective bargaining rights to federal employees.
Plus, President Biden got more federal judges confirmed in his first year in office than any president in 40 years, and all are far more likely to side with workers than management.
To top it all off, President Biden’s first year saw the creation of more than 6 million jobs, the best record of any president in history. The unemployment rate dropped from 6.2 percent to 3.9 percent, the biggest single-year drop in history. Unemployment claims dropped from 18 million to just 2 million. Nearly 5 million Americans gained health care coverage. And child poverty dropped to what is expected to be the lowest level ever.
In contrast to the naysayers in the news media and the lies spread by devotees of the former president, Joe Biden has kept his promises—and he did it with no margin for error in Congress. There remains much to be done, and many more obstacles to hurdle, but on the one-year anniversary of his inauguration, let’s give credit where credit is due: President Biden has delivered for America’s working families.
School Administrators (AFSA) President Ernest Logan:
While entering office in the middle of national turmoil, Joseph Robinette Biden Jr., the 46th president of these great United States, honored and delivered the promises he made to educators during the campaign.
We measure candidates and elected officials by their actions that impact our professions and the education we can deliver to the children we serve, and in both cases, I am proud to say that Joe Biden is the “Best Education President.”
President Biden advocated and fought for the federal government to provide the most money and resources ever to our nation’s children and the schools that serve them through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). Not only are the funds designed to help solve issues around COVID-19, but there are assets for forward thinking ideas, including dollars to build new school infrastructure, capital to overcome the challenges of the digital divide, assistance in training the next generation of school leaders and a strong focus on early childhood education, just to name a few.
Unfortunately, many school districts around the country have not yet used these resources as intended and persist in locking out the voices of school leaders on decisions to use these incredible funding resources. Until the people who are tasked to run schools have a stronger voice at the table in every community, parent and voter frustrations will continue. The President has more than done his part; now it is time for school districts to do theirs.
Seafarers (SIU) President Michael Sacco:
We applaud President Biden’s strong support of the U.S. Merchant Marine, including the Jones Act, and are grateful to have a pro-union leader at the helm. He took office at an incredibly difficult moment and has risen to the occasion. We look forward to continuing to work with his administration.
UAW President Ray Curry:
President Joe Biden has always been an unwavering friend to labor and the working men and women of this nation. In his first days in office, he signed an executive order to enforce the Buy American initiative and enhance critical supply chains. He heard the pain and worry of millions of Americans from coast to coast as we battled this terrible pandemic and answered with the American Rescue Plan (ARPA) to give families a lifeline in an unprecedented time of need and ensure that life-saving vaccines were available. He continues to work every day to protect all of our families during this pandemic. He understands how important it is to our country and our communities to strengthen the labor movement and has pushed for the Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act to level the playing field for workers who want to join a union. And he is committed to the smart transition to a new model of mobility and manufacturing. That is why he is insisting that as we shift to electric vehicle technology, government investments are tied to good-paying union jobs. He knows that if we do this right, the environment and workers can both win.
President Biden was also successful when other Administrations repeatedly failed to pass a bipartisan infrastructure package to fix the nation’s crumbling roads, bridges, waterways and airports. Under his leadership, he advanced numerous provisions aimed at ensuring the infrastructure plan produces good-paying jobs with strong labor standards. And he is committed, despite the opposition who would seek to keep millions from the polls, to protect our voice in our democracy through passage of the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act. This legislation will restore key protections of the Voting Rights Act, which have been eroded by anti-democracy forces.
As a union leader and on behalf of our UAW family, we are honored to mark this milestone day in the Biden Administration and say unequivocally that we have a President who is proud to say the word “union” and back it up with actions, deeds and courage.
UNITE HERE International President D. Taylor:
Today marks one year since the inauguration of the most pro-union federal government in recent memory. Let us take stock of what that has meant for workers.
In this marker moment for organizing, we saw a sitting President weigh in on an active strike campaign in favor of workers. But actions speak louder than words. We are just one-year into a four-year term, but this year has been a world of difference from the previous administration that blatantly prioritized the needs of rich corporations and billionaires over workers and families amid a global pandemic.
Under the Biden–Harris administration, we have seen swift action to ensure key cabinets and agencies are headed by pro-worker leadership—including an actual labor leader heading the Department of Labor—with the backing and direction to advance the policies that will change lives. We also saw the passage of one of the most transformational pieces of legislation via the American Rescue Plan that for months helped keep some cash in people’s pockets while allowing for tens of thousands of laid-off workers to access free healthcare through 100% COBRA coverage.
Now, it is 2022—and Midterm elections are around the corner. Our members are going to be asking themselves if they are better off than they were before voting for this President. Looking ahead, this administration must do whatever it takes to fulfill critical campaign promises.
One of the most urgent needs for the Biden–Harris administration is to move the #BuildBackBetter Agenda forward. This includes pushing for its full passage as one package—or breaking it up so that we can have folks on the record on every issue. Working people need to see their elected leaders fighting to get something done—and calling the question on the issues that matter—so we can hold these politicians accountable in November.
TTD Celebrates a Year of Victories for Transportation Labor:
The Transportation Trades Department (TTD), AFL-CIO, led by President Greg Regan and Secretary-Treasurer Shari Semelsberger, commended the achievements of the Biden administration’s first year in office, calling it “a capstone year of legislative victories for transportation labor unions and working people.” The alliance of 36 transportation unions highlighted a wide range of accomplishments, including the establishment of the White House Task Force on Worker Organizing and Empowerment, passage of the American Rescue Plan, recognition of the essential work that transportation workers have performed throughout the pandemic and implementation of the largest infrastructure investment in American history.
Kenneth Quinnell Fri, 01/21/2022 - 10:36Service + Solidarity Spotlight: ALPA Pilots Committed to Keeping Aviation Safe Amid 5G Signal Deployment
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.
For years, the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA) and its industry partners have raised red flags on the aviation safety threat posed by the 5G C-Band spectrum that the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) auctioned off without requiring safety mitigations. AT&T and Verizon recently announced they would again delay deployment of 5G signals around key airport locations so that aviation stakeholders, including pilots, can ensure the safety of the air system by protecting commercial airliners against radar altimeter interference.
“While AT&T and Verizon’s announcement of a delay at certain airports acknowledges the seriousness of the aviation safety and operational risks, airline passengers and shippers deserve a commitment from the telecom companies not to launch the new 5G service at any of the airport locations identified by the FAA as being susceptible to 5G interference until a permanent fix is found,” said ALPA President Capt. Joe DePete. “The United States has the safest air transportation system in the world, and our trained-for-life pilots plan to keep it that way. But this is no way to protect that safety record and America’s vital aviation industry, which is so critical to our nation’s economy and the global supply chain.”
Kenneth Quinnell Fri, 01/21/2022 - 09:26Service + Solidarity Spotlight: MEBA Fights for Better Pay and Working Conditions for Staten Island Ferry Mariners
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 Marine Engineers’ Beneficial Association (MEBA) is raising the alarm about New York City’s ability to attract and retain skilled mariners to work on the Staten Island Ferry. At the union’s urging, U.S. Rep. Nicole Malliotakis of Staten Island sent a letter to Mayor Eric Adams, asking him to repair a broken wage structure that is compromising consistent ferry sailings, mariner retention and passenger safety.
MEBA, which represents captains, assistant captains, engineers and mates on the ferries, has pointed out that officers in the fleet work for much less than industry wages, with inadequate benefits, and have not received a pay increase in almost 11 years. “Nobody sticks around, they leave,” said MEBA Secretary-Treasurer Roland “Rex” Rexha, a former shop steward at the ferry system. “Why would they stay at the Staten Island Ferry when it’s not even close to industry wages?”
Kenneth Quinnell Thu, 01/20/2022 - 09:26Service + Solidarity Spotlight: Union Members Working at USPS Ready to Deliver Millions of COVID-19 Test Kits
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 Biden administration has announced a program to mail up to 500 million at-home COVID-19 test kits to every household that requests them. These kits could be mailed to as many as 160 million addresses. Union members who work for the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) will be critical to the success of the program. You can order free COVID-19 test kits through COVIDTests.gov.
“The APWU is excited and fully supports this plan,” said American Postal Workers Union (APWU) President Mark Dimondstein. “It is in the interests of the health and wellbeing of the general population as this dangerous pandemic continues. It underscores the invaluable role of the public Postal Service in the lives of the people. It shines a light on the importance of maintaining universal service to every address and person.”
“The ongoing pandemic has proven beyond a shadow of doubt the critical importance of the services we provide six and seven days a week to keep people connected and essentials moving,” National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC) President Fredric Rolando said. “This partnership is the perfect example in action. Letter carriers are proud to be the face of this important initiative as we continue serving all communities equitably.”
The National Postal Mail Handlers Union-LIUNA (NPMHU-LIUNA) stated: “This pilot provides Mail Handlers with the opportunity to perform an essential Public Health Service to the American Public in our battle against the coronavirus pandemic. Mail Handlers are proud to be a part of these critical efforts.”
Kenneth Quinnell Wed, 01/19/2022 - 09:24Together We're Strong: 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:
Thank you, retired Alaska IBEW member Jackie Endsley, for bringing to light the power imbalance between workers and corporate America! #1u #UnionStronghttps://t.co/PuzAGktpw7
— Alaska AFL-CIO (@AKAFLCIO) January 19, 2022Arizona AFL-CIO:
Disgusting, @Starbucks. Arizona's labor movement stands in solidarity with Starbucks workers on Power and Baseline. ALL workers should be able to join a union, free of intimidation. https://t.co/XpjRKrT8bl
— Arizona AFL-CIO #SidelineTheFilibuster (@ArizonaAFLCIO) January 19, 2022California Labor Federation, AFL-CIO:
“The largest one-time political donation in Massachusetts history.”
You’re going to see that headline over and over as @lyft @uber & Big Gig LIE to MA voters and cheat & exploit workers. Say NO#Prop22Unconstitutional @noprop22ma #StopBigGig https://t.co/S0V1YP66gr
Colorado AFL-CIO:
Thank you @Ed4Colorado for your service and for fighting for working people in your district and across Colorado. https://t.co/PxA9QXp1rz
— Colorado AFL-CIO (@AFLCIOCO) January 11, 2022Connecticut AFL-CIO:
Congratulations to the hard working members of @CWA1298! pic.twitter.com/6HK6cu8JyA
— Connecticut AFL-CIO (@ConnAFLCIO) January 18, 2022Florida AFL-CIO:
“This is elitist,” Templin said. “This is a legislative body saying, ‘We know more than the people. We know better than you do. That shouldn’t be in the constitution.'”https://t.co/ypgiSG21i2
— Florida AFL-CIO (@FLAFLCIO) January 19, 2022Georgia State AFL-CIO:
There is no better champion for Georgia’s working families than @staceyabrams, which is why the Georgia AFL-CIO and its affiliates are extremely proud to endorse her run for Governor. pic.twitter.com/qHpWynGyWJ
— Georgia AFL-CIO // Pass The #ProAct (@AFLCIOGeorgia) January 19, 2022Indiana State AFL-CIO:
We can’t afford a backslide to Jim Crow-era voting restrictions. Dr. King fought too hard and sacrificed too much.https://t.co/CVLnwhj7SJ
— Indiana AFL-CIO (@INAFLCIO) January 19, 2022Iowa Federation of Labor, AFL-CIO:
Add your name: Stand with Public Education Professionals https://t.co/LbNETIBpJa
— Iowa AFL-CIO (@IowaAFLCIO) January 19, 2022Kentucky State AFL-CIO:
Make the Call → Protect Voting Rights
We need democracy in the U.S. Senate to save American democracy.
That means passing the Freedom to Vote: John R. Lewis Act.
Use the link below to call your US Senator and urge them to Sideline the Filibuster.https://t.co/wlvMTxgMXU
Maine AFL-CIO:
If you’re a cannabis worker in Maine & want to form a union let us know! https://t.co/mGExr68tCz
— Maine AFL-CIO (@MEAFLCIO) January 19, 2022Maryland State and D.C. AFL-CIO:
Today we honor the life and legacy of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. A giant in the fight for Civil Rights and Labor Rights. #MartinLutherKingDay pic.twitter.com/vI1Dc9polg
— Maryland State and DC AFL-CIO (@MDDCStateFed) January 17, 2022Massachusetts AFL-CIO:
Checkout this resource regarding leave available if you test positive for #COVID19, have a family member who tests positive, need to quarantine, or are recovering from a vaccination. #1u pic.twitter.com/HXCilB7ODC
— Massachusetts AFL-CIO // Build Back Better (@massaflcio) January 13, 2022Michigan State AFL-CIO:
— Michigan AFL-CIO ?? (@MIAFLCIO) January 7, 2022Minnesota AFL-CIO:
Walz asks lawmakers to back record $2.7 billion bonding bill https://t.co/LDjvvecjgT Let's improve our infrastructure and create the family-sustaining jobs Minnesotans demand. #1u #mnleg pic.twitter.com/GgNap4gunH
— Minnesota AFL-CIO (@MNAFLCIO) January 19, 2022Missouri AFL-CIO:
Unions promote economic equality and build worker power, helping workers to win increases in pay, better benefits, and safer working conditions. But the benefits of unions extend far beyond the workplace. #1u https://t.co/bqjF7lCve8
— Missouri AFL-CIO (@MOAFLCIO) January 17, 2022Nebraska State AFL-CIO:
Pass the John Lewis Voting Advancement Act and the Freedom to Vote Act. Our votes matter! #1u pic.twitter.com/i1XAfWcipZ
— NE State AFL-CIO (@NEAFLCIO) January 12, 2022New Hampshire AFL-CIO:
Tracking the progress of our 2022 legislative agenda in the Senate's Executive Departments & Administration Committee today. Special thanks to our labor brother & NH AFL-CIO Executive Committee member Sen. Kevin Cavanaugh for his invaluable work in the Senate & on this committee. pic.twitter.com/XWl3nnMV9Q
— NewHampshire AFL-CIO (@NHAFLCIO) January 12, 2022New York State AFL-CIO:
Dr. King is known as a catalyst of change for desegregation, equal voting rights, and civil rights - but he was also a staunch champion of the labor movement. In fact, the day before he was assassinated in 1968, he gave a speech in support of the AFSCME Sanitation Strike. (1/4) pic.twitter.com/w1FHQqdYqG
— NYS AFL-CIO // #UnionStrong (@NYSAFLCIO) January 17, 2022North Carolina State AFL-CIO:
BREAKING: @USDOL recovers almost $450k in unpaid wages and penalties from southeast cotton gins, including over $25k from one NC company alone: https://t.co/6kubKIS4tT. Thank you, @SecMartyWalsh! #1u
— NC State AFL-CIO // #SidelinetheFilibuster! (@NCStateAFLCIO) January 14, 2022North Dakota AFL-CIO:
— North Dakota AFL-CIO (@NDAFLCIO) January 17, 2022Ohio AFL-CIO:
If you are in Stark County between Waynesburg and Canton on State Route 43 you just may see our sign thanking @POTUS for the 560,000 jobs, many @AFLCIO @NABTU jobs, coming to #Ohio thanks to his bipartisan #infrastructure bill. pic.twitter.com/XWnRdkEEYZ
— Ohio AFL-CIO (@ohioaflcio) January 19, 2022Oklahoma State AFL-CIO:
Call 1-866-832-1560 to demand our Senators pass the Freedom to Vote Act and the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act!https://t.co/9BNFk5jbZb pic.twitter.com/EacKEDwhHl
— Oklahoma State AFL-CIO (@OK_AFL_CIO) January 14, 2022Oregon AFL-CIO:
Thank you for standing up for democracy, @SenJeffMerkley! https://t.co/JUUoU6Fjy6
— Oregon AFL-CIO (@OregonAFLCIO) January 19, 2022Pennsylvania AFL-CIO:
Thank you to all of the hardworking union members who will fill, ship, and deliver these FREE at-home COVID 19 tests. Get yours today!@APWUnational @NALC_National @NRLCA https://t.co/b3BS0T8OU9
— PA AFL-CIO (@PaAFL_CIO) January 18, 2022Rhode Island AFL-CIO:
.@LaborVisionRI New Episode!
Jim Parisi and Frank Flynn, of the RI Federation of Teachers @rifthp to discuss Labor’s Recommendations for RI’s ARPA Funding and how it can be used to support innovation in Rhode Island’s public education
Watch Here: https://t.co/fHxo1Rl5AQ pic.twitter.com/BGyOfar6TM
Tennessee AFL-CIO Labor Council:
? ADD YOUR NAME! Throughout the redistricting process, state leaders have claimed that they've been open and transparent. Take action and send a message to state lawmakers: keep Tennessee whole and draw districts that actually serve a community's needs! https://t.co/AtABaXd5VG
— Tennessee AFL-CIO (@tnaflcio) January 19, 2022Texas AFL-CIO:
ICYMI, yesterday we announced that we'll be hosting an Attorney General Debate on 1/20/22 as part of our virtual COPE convention; we want YOU to submit your questions.
To submit a question for @MerrittForTexas, @JaworskiForTX, & @RochelleMGarza visit:https://t.co/0bNNKrXEmO pic.twitter.com/0eu6GOPaKe
Virginia AFL-CIO:
Now that’s what we call: sign, sealed, delivered ?? https://t.co/Z4Yb5lDCIH
— Virginia AFL-CIO (@Virginia_AFLCIO) January 19, 2022Washington State Labor Council, AFL-CIO:
Starbucks is running their union busting playbook at the Denny/Broadway location in Seattle. Sorry @Starbucks, Seattle is a union town! Support these unionizing workers by changing your name on mobile to Union Strong and dropping by to show your support https://t.co/3HDnLudedU
— Washington State Labor Council, AFL-CIO (@WAAFLCIO) January 13, 2022Wisconsin State AFL-CIO:
With Senate showdown looming, voting rights tops unions’ MLK commemorations https://t.co/2tpOSFJq5r
— WI AFL-CIO (@wisaflcio) January 19, 2022 Kenneth Quinnell Wed, 01/19/2022 - 04:00Sideline the Filibuster: 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:
Black women and their allies are taking action to demand our freedom to vote and economic justice! Call your U.S. Senators TODAY at (202) 224-3121! Demand Congress to end the filibuster to pass federal voting rights reform NOW! #BlackWomenTakeAction #FreedomtoVote pic.twitter.com/kD4rG6Fxgc
— APRI National (DC) (@APRI_National) January 13, 2022Actors' Equity:
A very deserved honor for such an influential artist -- who was also an Equity member!
Maya Angelou Becomes First Black Woman on a Quarter https://t.co/3bP2TaQpEZ
AFGE:
After years of bad-faith negotiations and being subject to work under illegal labor policies, we're finally headed back to the negotiating table with the VA in February.
Learn more about what’s at stake by watching this video. Let's get to work! #1u pic.twitter.com/lT2cHHdKII
AFSCME:
On #MLKDay, with the pillars of our democracy under attack, we must carry forward his legacy on voting rights. In Dr. King’s honor, let’s protect and expand access to the ballot box, giving every American a voice in the affairs of the nation. https://t.co/apLUYncegP
— AFSCME (@AFSCME) January 17, 2022Alliance for Retired Americans:
Senate Democrats have the power to protect our right to vote.
But the filibuster is stopping them.
Call your Senator now by following this link: https://t.co/7qNAC9b2td https://t.co/E4nimlHkPF
Amalgamated Transit Union:
With #Omicron infecting #Calgary bus operators, Local 583-Calgary, AB, members are stepping up to work overtime, but are concerned about overcrowded buses as agency cuts service. https://t.co/YgiMLzB6e7 #Labour
— ATU, Transit Union (@ATUComm) January 18, 2022American Federation of Musicians:
A new labor battle opens on Broadway as omicron closes theater shows https://t.co/n57s3znvyj
— AFM (@The_AFM) January 16, 2022American Federation of Teachers:
“COVID-19 has been the most disruptive force to public education in generations. We have tried to find every way we can to reopen schools safely for children, knowing full well that in-person instruction is important for kids.” - @rweingarten https://t.co/bueEOEnIrI
— AFT (@AFTunion) January 15, 2022American Postal Workers Union:
“In my opinion, the total agreement is a very good agreement. I was very proud to be a part of this negotiation team. I wholeheartedly encourage members to ratify this agreement.” – Support Services Director Stephen Brooks https://t.co/CxDaqTuVhn
— APWU National (@APWUnational) January 16, 2022Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance:
For the first time in a generation, we have an opportunity to create meaningful change for the 210,000 undocumented immigrants across Nevada. Democrats can act to protect #dreamers and #TPS holders. Tell your Senator to vote YES on a pathway to citizenship. #WeAreHome pic.twitter.com/fwJbWkY73x
— Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance, AFL-CIO (@APALAnational) January 18, 2022Association of Flight Attendants-CWA:
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s final cause was in Memphis walking with @AFSCME sanitation workers. They were on strike for better working conditions after two of their own were killed on the job. pic.twitter.com/ANjCpXxXa0
— AFA-CWA (@afa_cwa) January 17, 2022Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers:
CALL TODAY and urge your U.S. Senator to #SidelineTheFilibuster and pass the #FreedomToVoteAct #1u
☎️: 866-832-1560 https://t.co/K4smSkQNCZ
Boilermakers:
Check out the free trailer and watch a "pay what you can" documentary ?️ featuring #Boilermaker sister Betty Reid Soskin - NO TIME TO WASTE: The Urgent Mission of Betty Reid Soskin.https://t.co/jaCPwPh2H4@RosieTrust pic.twitter.com/6EAkP41b2t
— Boilermakers Union (@boilermakernews) January 18, 2022Bricklayers:
"I think the tragedy is that we have a Congress with a Senate that has a minority of misguided senators who will use the filibuster to keep the majority of people from even voting." - Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., 1963 #MLKDay2022 pic.twitter.com/UcY3lriOtj
— Bricklayers Union (@IUBAC) January 17, 2022Coalition of Black Trade Unionists:
On this MLK Holiday, Dr. King's demand reverberates across an America where voting rights are under attack and The Big Lie has democracy on the ropes. #MLK #MLKDay #votingrights pic.twitter.com/GU1smJDiDj
— CBTU (@CBTU72) January 17, 2022Coalition of Labor Union Women:
It’s important to pay attention to how workers are treated around the world. CLUW always supports human rights. Please read this thread. https://t.co/ORNmOa7vxv
— CLUW National (@CLUWNational) January 10, 2022Communications Workers of America:
It shouldn't be this hard to pass laws that help people.
We must #SidelineTheFilibuster and pass the #FreedomToVoteAct. pic.twitter.com/ZgDOZ5hQk6
Department for Professional Employees:
“This historic election resulted from courageous workers in the veterinary industry who not only wanted to make change for themselves but wished to set an example for veterinary workers all across the nation.” @MachinistsUnion https://t.co/1mcs12XUcQ
— Department for Professional Employees (@DPEaflcio) January 14, 2022Electrical Workers:
"Dr. King was a great leader for racial equality, but he understood that civil rights were intertwined with workers' rights. He knew that racial justice and economic fairness went hand-in-hand." https://t.co/IEpgazKJJc
— IBEW (@IBEW) January 16, 2022Farm Labor Organizing Committee:
The renewed contract guarantees our #1 priority this recruiting season: each worker’s right to return to their job–a protection exclusive to FLOC. We fight to expand protections to ALL farmworkers in the region to end wage theft, exploitation, and injustice in the entire industry pic.twitter.com/ssWRJPxzA9
— Farm Labor Organizing Committee (@SupportFLOC) January 15, 2022Fire Fighters:
#Firefighters have a 1.16 percent higher risk of getting esophageal cancer compared to the general public #FFCancerMonth #FightFFCancerhttps://t.co/IYiwBxqPZB pic.twitter.com/HmTxrBUtiQ
— IAFF (@IAFFNewsDesk) January 18, 2022Heat and Frost Insulators:
In 1928, Local 87 of San Antonio began their charter. Congratulations as you celebrate 94 years and to all of our Brothers and Sisters for your continued success! pic.twitter.com/O5DNZ6x5Al
— Insulators Union ? (@InsulatorsUnion) January 18, 2022International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers:
IFPTE Letter Requests Senators Reform Filibuster Rules, Pass John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act and the Freedom to Vote Act, And Protect the Right to Vote #SidelineTheFilibuster https://t.co/bZOcnI9nN5
— IFPTE (@IFPTE) January 14, 2022Ironworkers:
The Iron Workers' foreman training is based on the National Training Fund's comprehensive training manual, which is part of a three-step, structured training process designed to develop highly skilled foremen.https://t.co/qk9q0Nsix7
— Ironworkers. (@TheIronworkers) January 14, 2022Jobs With Justice:
We must continue the work of building a democracy--at the ballot box and in our economy. When we can use our voices and votes, we know we have better outcomes at work, in our democracy, and can finally build a country that works for all of us--Black, brown, and white alike.
— Jobs With Justice (@jwjnational) January 17, 2022Laborers:
Congrats to Laborers Local 66 Brother Joe @beastsmithjr #FeelthePower https://t.co/6BVZhzhXjp
— LIUNA (@LIUNA) January 16, 2022Machinists:
You made history @VSESEmployees and we couldn’t be more proud. Welcome to the family! @WXXINews has the story. https://t.co/t6bkXWmSWY
— Machinists Union (@MachinistsUnion) January 18, 2022Metal Trades Department:
The John R Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act and the Freedom Act are designed to remove barriers and set backs for voters. Everyone deserves to have equal access and ability to vote. #VotingRightsAct #Votehttps://t.co/wcHL25UFgM
— Metal Trades Dept. (@metaltradesafl) January 18, 2022Mine Workers:
“Dr. King reminded us that, ‘The time is always right to do what is right.’ Now is the time for Congress to do what is right and ensure that American workers, families, and their communities come first.”https://t.co/th5DwpbLWh
— United Mine Workers (@MineWorkers) January 17, 2022Musical Artists:
The AGMA Black Caucus is excited to host “Black Dancers Across Generations: A Panel Discussion” on Wednesday, January 26, at 7:00 p.m. ET. Read more: https://t.co/XZg3TlWGPT pic.twitter.com/xk2QsZPugx
— AGMA (@AGMusicalArtist) January 12, 2022National Air Traffic Controllers Association:
We have an amazing National Office staff that our membership can be very proud of. Today, we feature NATCA’s Deputy Director of Labor Relations Akua Brempong-Smith. Thank you for all you do in helping NATCA’s members, Akua! https://t.co/CO5qLNQE5i pic.twitter.com/Y5aAAEek0P
— NATCA (@NATCA) January 18, 2022National Association of Broadcast Employees and Technicians-CWA:
#MLKDay #MLKDay2022 pic.twitter.com/dmiX7KTBsO
— NABET-CWA (@NABETCWA) January 17, 2022National Association of Letter Carriers:
This #MemberMonday, we’re giving a special shoutout to Michael Garrison, who recently retired after 38 years! Michael, a member of Riverside, NJ Branch 1908, said he will miss the job that he found both satisfying and rewarding. Welcome to the “last punch bunch,” Michael! pic.twitter.com/9EZcdVfWgP
— Letter Carriers (@NALC_National) January 17, 2022National Day Laborer Organizing Network:
"@GovKathyHochul left immigrant and excluded workers out of her address. The exclusion of workers who have contributed so much is an injustice," says @NDLON's Nadia Marin-Molina.
This is a fight that the governor cannot ignore. #FundExcludedWorkers pic.twitter.com/TcczdNToag
National Domestic Workers Alliance:
“[Biden could] start with spending a day with a care worker.” - @aijenpoo
With 2.4 million home care workers across the country, care workers need the Senate to invest in care infrastructure now more than ever. #CareCantWait https://t.co/1i29muuk6Q
National Federation of Federal Employees:
NFFE-IAM's fastest growing locals for October, November, and December 2021 - https://t.co/lEnPMO6LYC pic.twitter.com/Ya9qGIKT3Q
— NFFE (@NFFE_Union) January 10, 2022National Nurses United:
Why are @CAgovernor @GavinNewsom and the state's public health leaders are putting the needs of health care corporations before the safety of patients and health care workers?
Nurses want to spread care, not Covid! #ProtectNurses #ProtectPublicHealth pic.twitter.com/hI4CiKmDqn
National Taxi Workers Alliance:
We're thankful to you & @sikh_coalition, and proud of Mr. Singh who skillfully didn't allow an escalation.
Mr. Singh says he was targeted for being a driver + his religion. We see too many incidents escalate to violence when the target is a driver, especially a Sikh brother. https://t.co/13CXjFjQDR
NWSL Players Association:
We’ve come so far. And still have so far to go. ?
Thank you, MLK.
To learn more and to learn how you can do more, we encourage you to follow and support the @BWP_Collective pic.twitter.com/TBGhTBFLxF
NFL Players Association:
On this #MLKDay, we honor the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. by supporting the Freedom To Vote: John R. Lewis Act. Our vote is our voice. And the best way to protect our democracy along with Dr. King’s dream of equality is through equal access to the ballot. pic.twitter.com/cXIMU5cF9e
— NFLPA (@NFLPA) January 17, 2022North America's Building Trades Unions:
Very important data here, as always, from @CPWR. Check out their latest Data Bulletin on construction worker mental health during COVID-19. https://t.co/xsJcpJc01v
— The Building Trades (@NABTU) January 14, 2022Office and Professional Employees:
https://t.co/ZkdzPC6KUI pic.twitter.com/9ficPFwa8K
— OPEIU ║ #PassThePROAct ✊ (@OPEIU) January 17, 2022Painters and Allied Trades:
The filibuster has been a death knell for workers’ rights, civil rights and voting rights as they’ve not been expanded, but chipped away at now for decades.
If our unions and our democracy are to survive, to the filibuster, we must say goodbye. pic.twitter.com/hHAaPrclZU
Plasterers and Cement Masons:
On this solemn and important day, there could be no better way to honor Dr. Martin Luther King’s legacy than for the Senate to pass the Freedom to Vote Act and the John Lewis Voting Rights Act. Let’s make this the most meaningful MLK Day yet.https://t.co/wLy9szLHOJ
— OPCMIA International (@opcmiaintl) January 17, 2022Plumbers and Pipe Fitters:
Printing, Publishing and Media Workers:
Professional Aviation Safety Specialists:
PASS-represented employees at the FAA work on the ground to make sure you get to your destination safely. Once you are in the air, please obey your flight crew. They can't pull over in mid-air! #FlySmart #FlySafe #aviationsafety https://t.co/OhziBKc7pf
— PASS (@PASSNational) January 12, 2022Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union:
BREAKING: after the NLRB issued a Notice of Election in Bessemer, AL, the @RWDSU issued the following statement: "We are deeply concerned that the decision fails to adequately prevent Amazon from continuing its objectionable behavior in a new election."https://t.co/PR4mxaSO9M pic.twitter.com/gYYhq2GHnF
— RWDSU (@RWDSU) January 11, 2022Roofers and Waterproofers:
Kroger's King Soopers are offering a contract that pays future workers $16/hr (basically the area's min wage) while actively hiring scabs at $18/hr. How disrespectful. What is wrong with these companies?! https://t.co/Ese5E68neA
— Roofers Union (@roofersunion) January 12, 2022SAG-AFTRA:
Happy birthday ? to the SAG Life Achievement recipient with the most iconic voice, James Earl Jones! The deep bass voice behind Darth Vader and Lion King’s Mufasa is 91! He made his screen debut in Stanley Kubrick’s 1964 film Dr. Strangelove. ?#BOTD pic.twitter.com/dSwlhpzYWH
— SAG-AFTRA (@sagaftra) January 17, 2022Solidarity Center:
New @ILO_UN forecast points to global unemployment remaining above pre-COVID-19 levels until at least 2023. The 2022 level is est at 207 million jobless workers, compared to 186 million in 2019. Creating #Decentjobs should be on the #DavosAgenda @ILOACTRAVhttps://t.co/0BkXWSYiMy
— Solidarity Center (@SolidarityCntr) January 18, 2022TCU/IAM:
?Excited to see Amit Bose confirmed to head the @USDOTFRA. From Class 1s to Amtrak, it's time to get to work restoring the safety of our nation's railroads and investing in passenger rail. ????
See TCU Pres. Maratea's statement here? https://t.co/yw3OBeUsO4
The NewsGuild-CWA:
Congratulations on a hard-fought victory! You organized together and won great improvements in your work lives. https://t.co/bMMIGerUNW
— NewsGuild-CWA (@newsguild) January 18, 2022Theatrical Stage Employees:
Let’s do this! #NewDeal4Animation https://t.co/eYpRZvbuSd pic.twitter.com/kTppMMIk2b
— IATSE // #IASolidarity (@IATSE) January 15, 2022Transport Workers Union:
Harold “Sonny” Hall, former President of TWU Local 100 and the International Union – and one of TWU’s most memorable and charismatic leaders – has died at the age of 89.https://t.co/gxTOelUlIF
— TWU (@transportworker) January 18, 2022Transportation Trades Department:
Sonny Hall was a @TTDAFLCIO President Emeritus. We join our @transportworker Brothers and Sisters in mourning his loss. A union man to his core, may he Rest in Power. #1u https://t.co/suFVLvTcSZ
— Transportation Trades Department (@TTDAFLCIO) January 18, 2022UAW:
“We honor Geri Ochocinska today for her lifetime of service, advocacy for working families and most of all for being a pioneer leader of women who paved the way for so many influential UAW women in leadership." - UAW President Ray Curry https://t.co/9lFY9obwOX
— UAW (@UAW) January 17, 2022Union Veterans Council:
Read our full statement on sidelining the filibuster and passing voting rights reform: https://t.co/29KNcAu8Kn #DeliverForVotingRights #SidelineTheFilibuster! #1u@SenSchumer @POTUS pic.twitter.com/o8AoRkcQKk
— Union Veterans Council?✊ Pass the #PROAct (@unionveterans) January 13, 2022UNITE HERE:
That's right—everyone loses when workers don't have a say in their future at their own jobs. We’re excited about this important research collaboration and look forward to creating radical change together! https://t.co/wjtecQI745
— UNITE HERE (@unitehere) January 12, 2022United Food and Commercial Workers:
As the first Black woman to be elected international vice president of a major American labor union, Addie Wyatt was a key leader in our UFCW family.
Wyatt's contributions to the labor & civil rights movements are truly in a class of their own.
Must read by @GrimKim @thenation.
United Steelworkers:
USW commemorates Dr. King by demanding voting rights legislation https://t.co/AzwPIoaFWl
— United Steelworkers (@steelworkers) January 18, 2022United Students Against Sweatshops:
UPDATE: The 25th USAS National Convention will now be held virtually on March 20-24th. We still have an exciting program of organizing workshops and campaign strategy sessions, as well as a virtual action to fight the layoffs at the CSUs! Register now at https://t.co/KODD1FshEy pic.twitter.com/r9ffbK1nOj
— USAS (@USAS) January 12, 2022Utility Workers:
#DYK Union workers are less likely to be victims of wage theft from their employers? https://t.co/zkdtUgR4HL pic.twitter.com/BlnhyuyuNY
— UWUA National (@The_UWUA) January 13, 2022Working America:
These are the faces of some of our essential grocery store workers. Why won't @MyKingSoopers recognize their work with a fair contract? #1u #KingSoopersStrike https://t.co/JmiSX2zvyf
— Working America | Pass the #PROAct (@WorkingAmerica) January 13, 2022Writers Guild of America, East:
Read @thewendylee’s story on how @TheAVClub staff is being told to relocate to LA without COLAs.
“If they really valued these workers & wanted to keep them, they’d pay them what they need & deserve. It feels like they want to force these workers out.”https://t.co/QPHgGWf7Du
A New Era: 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.
A New Era for the American Worker: “‘I’ve been working for the union for 40 years and there’s never been a better time to organize than right now,’ D. Taylor, international president of the hotel and food service worker union Unite Here, told Recode, citing a pro-labor administration, labor shortages, and growing economic inequality. He said that while workers are using the current situation to eke out better pay and benefits, those gains are temporary and could be wiped out in coming years by inflation and layoffs. ‘The only fundamental way to change the economic livelihood and the rights of workers is through the union movement,’ he said.”
TTD Labor Coalition Gains Three Unions, 'Unifies' Rail Labor: “The Transportation Trades Department AFL-CIO (TTD) last week announced the affiliation of three more unions: the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET) and Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employees (BMWED), both divisions of the Rail Conference of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, and the International Union of Painters and Allied Trades. The latest affiliations brings the coalition’s total membership to 36 affiliated unions. The re-affiliation of BLET and BMWED means all rail labor unions in the United States have a unified voice, TTD officials said in a press release.”
The Badass 50: “21. Liz Shuler. ‘We are building pathways and support structures to grow a bold, inclusive, and transformative movement—I think that's pretty badass,’ says Shuler, the first woman elected president of the AFL-CIO in the labor federation's history. She took the reins as leader of the organization's 57 unions last August, in a year marked by a groundswell in union and strike organizing, from taxi cab drivers in New York City to Amazon workers in Bessemer, Alabama. ‘At this inflection point, we have unlimited potential to reimagine and rebuild a worker-centered democracy and economy.’”
IBEW Honors Life Savers: “IBEW Local 48 recognized three members for heroic actions—for saving the lives of two ironworkers after a roof collapse on a construction project in summer 2020. At the union’s Dec. 15 meeting, members Kevin Jorgenson and Keoki Hookano each received the IBEW Life Saving Award, and Sergey Elikh received the IBEW Certificate of Recognition. The Life Saving Award is presented by the international union to any member who, by direct personal involvement, saves the life of a fellow human being. The Certificate of Recognition is awarded when a member did not meet the criteria for the Life Saving Award but deserves special recognition for their presence of mind, prompt action and genuine concern for a fellow human being.”
Why Alabama Coal Miners Are Still on Strike: “Take the owners of Warrior Met Coal in Brookwood, Alabama; instead of sitting down at the bargaining table and hammering out a mutually satisfactory contract with the union negotiators who represent the will of their workforce, they have chosen to stall and, as an unfair labor practices charge filed by the the United Mine Workers of America alleges, to operate in bad faith. This kind of stubborn cruelty is bad for workers, but it’s also bad for business. The strike has cost Warrior Met nearly $7 million and counting. The strike’s circumstances have shifted over the past 10 months, but the root of the conflict remains the same: The coal miners want a better union contract, and the company does not want to give it to them.”
Kenneth Quinnell Tue, 01/18/2022 - 10:00Service + Solidarity Spotlight: New Officers Sworn in to Lead Roofers and Waterproofers
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.
Earlier this week, former Roofers and Waterproofers (Roofers) International President Kinsey Robinson (pictured above on the left) swore in the union’s new officers, International President Jim Hadel (center) and International Secretary-Treasurer Mitch Terhaar (right). Hadel began his membership in the Roofers as an apprentice in Local 20 in Kansas City, Missouri, and rose through the ranks to become the international union’s secretary-treasurer in 2018. A second generation roofer and waterproofer, Terhaar was elected to replace Hadel as secretary-treasurer last year.
“It is an honor to serve and represent the hard-working men and women of our great union,” Hadel said. “Following in the footsteps of past President Kinsey Robinson, our emphasis will be on membership recruiting, organizing, training and, as always, improving the lives of our membership and their families.” The labor movement congratulates our brothers, President Hadel and Secretary-Treasurer Terhaar, and we look forward to working together and creating a fairer economy for all working people.
Kenneth Quinnell Tue, 01/18/2022 - 09:33Service + Solidarity Spotlight: Join Vice President Kamala Harris, Actor Michael B. Jordan, Judge Greg Mathis, Rock Star Tom Morello and More for the 2022 MLK Conference
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.
Join us Jan. 16–17 for the 2022 AFL-CIO Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Civil and Human Rights Conference. Our speakers are labor and social justice leaders from across the country.
Speakers will include Vice President Kamala Harris, Sens. Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff of Georgia, actor Michael B. Jordan, Judge Greg Mathis and many others.
Musicians Yolanda Adams, Tom Morello, PJ Morton and Brittney Spencer will perform. So join us as we connect in honor of Dr. King’s legacy—as a civil rights leader and as a devoted trade unionist. Click here to register.
The 2022 MLK Conference is sponsored by Ullico, Union Plus, AFGE, AFSCME, American Income Life Insurance Co., the AFL-CIO Building Investment Trust, the AFL-CIO Housing Investment Trust, the Electrical Workers (IBEW), the Laborers (LIUNA), National Nurses United (NNU), SAG-AFTRA, and the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW).
Kenneth Quinnell Fri, 01/14/2022 - 09:45Service + Solidarity Spotlight: New Jersey State AFL-CIO Gets Pro-Worker Bills Over the Finish Line
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 New Jersey State AFL-CIO is celebrating a string of legislative victories that came at the tail end of the state’s last legislative session. Several pieces of legislation advocated for by the state federation and its affiliates passed both houses or were signed into law earlier this week. They include the Responsible Collective Negotiations Act, which ends the ability to impose contracts, creates a new topic of “permissive” subjects of negotiations and fixes several membership issues caused by the U.S. Supreme Court’s Janus v. AFSCME decision. The state legislature also passed bills to toughen penalties for assaults on New Jersey’s transit workers, promote apprenticeship programs in public works projects and mandate periodic cancer screening for firefighters.
New Jersey State AFL-CIO officers, President Charles Wowkanech (IUOE) and Secretary-Treasurer Laurel Brennan (Workers United), said on Tuesday: “As a new legislative session begins today, the New Jersey State AFL-CIO thanks legislative leadership, Gov. [Phil] Murphy and all the legislators that voted in support of a pro-worker agenda throughout the ‘lame duck’ session of the legislature that ends today.”
Kenneth Quinnell Thu, 01/13/2022 - 09:45Pathway to Progress: The Pittston Coal Strike of 1989
History has long been portrayed as a series of "great men" taking great action to shape the world we live in. In recent decades, however, social historians have focused more on looking at history "from the bottom up," studying the vital role that working people played in our heritage. Working people built, and continue to build, the United States. In our series, Pathway to Progress, we'll take a look at various people, places and events where working people played a key role in the progress our country has made, including those who are making history right now. Today's topic is the Pittston Coal strike of 1989.
One of the most monumental strikes in U.S. mining history was the Pittston strike that started in 1989. More than 50,000 people took part in strike-related activities in 11 states, most importantly in southwest Virginia.
In the late 1980s, the Pittston Coal Company was the largest exporter of coal in the United States. In February 1988, the company informed the miners, members of the Mine Workers (UMWA), that they were taking away retirement and health benefits. Considering the relative dangers of mine work, the workers rejected the changes, which meant they couldn't support their families if they were injured while working.
In April 1989, then-UMWA President Richard Trumka called a selective strike against Pittston. Some 1,700 miners from Virginia, Kentucky and West Virginia went on strike. The strike lasted nearly 11 months and the key turning point was the takeover of Pittston's Moss 3 plant by UMWA members. Moss 3 was the third largest coal preparation plant in the world at the time and central to Pittston's operations. The takeover was a last resort, as the miners believed they couldn't win without being more active in securing a victory.
A well-coordinated effort led to a four-day takeover of the plant that was widely supported by the local community. At one point, members of the community provided a human wall around the plant to prevent arrests. This changed the tenor of the negotiations because it was a direct challenge to Pittston and it shut down the company's coal production in Virginia for nearly a week.
A key part of the Moss 3 action was "Camp Solidarity," set up only a few miles from the plant. The camp opened in June, with a gathering of more than 1,000 people, and it became a place to house and feed strikers and visitors. On many days, the camp would feed more than 2,000 people. As a symbol of community support and solidarity, the camp also boosted morale among strikers and raised money to support strike funds.
In the broader community, many restaurants and stores refused to serve state troopers who were arresting strikers. Students engaged in walk-outs, wearing camouflage in solidarity with the miners.
“All the power that Pittston thought they had sort of evaporated when those communities and those church groups and civic groups and community groups and schools and students all came around to support us on the issue,” Trumka said.
On February 20, 1990, 63% of the striking miners voted to ratify a new contract that ended the strike. Upon the signing, then-UMWA Vice President Cecil Roberts said: “I hope we can bring peace back to Southwest Virginia and let people get on with their lives. I hope the future is now in our hands.”
The strike was one of the longest and largest acts of civil disobedience in recent decades. It united not only the people of southwest Virginia, but the broader labor movement. The UMWA and the local community set the modern template for how to protect the rights of working people.
Roberts, now the president of the UMWA, spoke to the importance of the Pittston strike: “Labor winning here, I think, helped to turn things around for the entire labor movement. The labor movement was in dire need of a victory, the UMWA was in dire need of a victory. The union members were fighting for their own jobs and a way of life....People understood that if you fill up the jailhouses and fill up the courthouses, then sooner or later you’ll get someone’s attention. Soon we got the attention of the judges, and soon we got the attention of the governor, and soon we got the attention of the president of the United States, and he sent the secretary of labor down to the coalfields.”
The biggest upside of the strike, Roberts said, was the passage of the Coal Industry Retiree Health Benefit Act of 1992, which extended benefits to union miners whose employers were no longer in business. Without the strike, that law wouldn't have passed.
Watch these videos from UMWA to learn more.
30th Anniversary of the Strike:
UMWA President Cecil E. Roberts:
William McCoy, UMWA Local 1259:
Harless Mullens, UMWA Local 2274:
Willard Dingus, UMWA Local 1259
Kenneth Quinnell Wed, 01/12/2022 - 15:05Action Alert: Tell Your Senators to Sideline the Filibuster
The campaign to protect voting rights is heating up as the U.S. Senate plans to decide in the coming days on whether to sideline the filibuster and pass the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act and the Freedom to Vote Act. The AFL-CIO has created a toolkit to help mobilize our members and get these crucial bills across the finish line.
Visit Toolkit.SidelineTheFilibuster.com today, and urge your senators to sideline the filibuster so we can protect the right to vote and preserve that freedom for future generations. Union members can take these five actions to support the campaign:
- Add your name to this petition.
- Make a sign and upload it on social media.
- Share a post on Facebook and Twitter.
- Record a video.
- Call your senators.
The AFL-CIO also will be hosting Common Sense Economics training sessions on Wednesday, Jan. 12, at 3 p.m. ET and Thursday, Jan. 13, at 7 p.m. ET. In these sessions, we will examine the important role voting plays in a democracy and discuss how we can improve our democracy by protecting our elections from political interference and ensuring no American citizen is denied the right to vote.
Kenneth Quinnell Wed, 01/12/2022 - 09:36Service + Solidarity Spotlight: NFLPA Names Community MVP for Week 18: Pharaoh Brown
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 Week 18 brings another exciting regular season of the NFL, the NFLPA is recognizing another one of its members who has gone above and beyond to serve his community. Pharaoh Brown, who plays tight end for the Houston Texans, hosted a holiday dinner last month at Covenant House Texas (CHT), where he also donated $4,000 and provided gift cards for each resident. CHT provides sanctuary, programs and services for homeless, abused and abandoned youth, including those who have escaped sex trafficking.
“Being named the NFLPA Community MVP means the world to me,” Brown said. “As a father myself, I know how important it is for communities to look after the well-being of our youth. I’m proud to work alongside wonderful organizations, like Covenant House, that make a real difference within the Houston community.”
Kenneth Quinnell Wed, 01/12/2022 - 09:30
