In Demand Like Never Before: 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:

Swings from around the country sent in their thoughts on various aspects of the work they do. Swipe through for some thoughts from #equityteamswing! pic.twitter.com/L7M89j0SjY

— Actors' Equity (@ActorsEquity) January 15, 2025

AFGE:

We say this time and time again. 

Federal workers do NOT engage in political work while on government time. That is explicitly prohibited by the Hatch Act and our union adheres to that law.

Period.

— AFGE (@AFGENational) January 15, 2025

AFSCME:

In 2024, cultural workers from coast to coast organized for a voice on the job or celebrated contract wins as members of @cwuafscme. Watch this video. https://t.co/pzN9t45iYK

— AFSCME (@AFSCME) January 14, 2025

Alliance for Retired Americans:

If the Supreme Court overturns the ACA's preventive care mandate, it will be harder for older Americans to get critical screenings and wellness visits. #ProtectOurCare https://t.co/XLgJ8hlvm4

— Alliance for Retired Americans (@ActiveRetirees) January 14, 2025

Amalgamated Transit Union:

Congratulations to our bus mechanic apprenticeship graduates at Local 1070-Indianapolis, IN, and IndyGo. This is the ATU’s first bus mechanic apprenticeship program under the leadership of International President John Costa. The graduates included IndyGo’s first female bus…

— ATU, Transit Union (@ATUComm) January 14, 2025

American Federation of Musicians:

Check out DOL's guest post on NEA's blog spotlighting the Philadelphia Theatre Company, where AFM, Equity, and IATSE members have negotiated for pay & policies to promote sustainable careers... https://t.co/UxHivGnATD

— AFM (@The_AFM) January 15, 2025

American Federation of Teachers:

A broken system hurts every patient & every family. 

In Oregon, physicians, RNs, & others are on strike to demand Providence address unsafe staffing levels in emergency rooms & unfair wages. Add your name & tell Providence to put #PatientsBeforeProfits. https://t.co/agwzDmffZl

— AFT (@AFTunion) January 14, 2025

American Postal Workers Union:

“Postal workers proved once again that, when given the proper resources, you can sort and deliver mail promptly and efficiently – just as the law requires.” Industrial Relations Director Charlie Cash calls on members to oppose any degradation of service. https://t.co/AAoKiiulvp

— The American Postal Workers Union - APWU (@APWUnational) January 15, 2025

Association of Flight Attendants-CWA:

It's been 16 years since US Airways Flight 1549 landed in the icy waters of New York’s Hudson River. The "Miracle on the Hudson" would not have been a miracle without everyone doing exactly what needed to be done at just the right moment. We are aviation’s first responders. pic.twitter.com/x3uTo3cBZJ

— AFA-CWA (@afa_cwa) January 15, 2025

Boilermakers:

The winter issue of the #Boilermaker Reporter is on the way or in your mailbox now. 📫 Be sure to read your copy or find it online: https://t.co/k0xOziuYh0 pic.twitter.com/rZFry2COJI

— Boilermakers Union (@boilermakernews) January 14, 2025

Bricklayers:

Happy #WorkSiteWednesday everyone! 

This week, we have a video from our brothers over at BAC ADC of NJ Locals 4 & 5 and signatory contractor Baumgardner Finishings Company at Ocean County Vo-Tech School! 

Keep up the good work guys!#BestHandsInTheBusiness pic.twitter.com/1ocP8bVS30

— Bricklayers & Allied Craftworkers Union (@IUBAC) January 15, 2025

Communications Workers of America:

Physical and occupational therapists at Alternate Solutions Health Network (ASHN) in Northern Virginia - members of CWA Local 2252 - are holding a 1-day ULP strike. It is time for ASHN to bargain in good faith! pic.twitter.com/bBRmhu7tgQ

— CWA (@CWAUnion) January 13, 2025

Department for Professional Employees:

We continue to stand with @IATSE members at the Atlantic Theater Company on strike because management refuses to negotiate a fair contract. https://t.co/ouSwIunuLw

— Department for Professional Employees (@DPEaflcio) January 14, 2025

Electrical Workers:

Electrical work is in demand like never before. Here's how the #IBEW will win it. https://t.co/LB4ZxJLwXo pic.twitter.com/wFHy5muFBp

— IBEW (@IBEW) January 14, 2025

Heat and Frost Insulators:

Our thoughts & prayers are with our Brothers & Sisters impacted by the California wildfires.

If you are a member in need of assistance due to displacement or damage, please contact our International office for support.

➡️ Contact us or share with a member in need:… pic.twitter.com/Yv9VWCYGC4

— Insulators Union 🦎 (@InsulatorsUnion) January 10, 2025

Labor Council for Latin American Advancement:

🔥 The wildfires in South California have left countless families in need of urgent support. Together we can make a difference! Donate to the LCLAA Emergency Relief Fund to provide relief and resources to those affected. pic.twitter.com/kPDYjOFvVk

— LCLAA (@LCLAA) January 14, 2025

Labor Heritage Foundation:

Voting in the first-ever Labor Grammys closes on January 17!https://t.co/BTCQb5gwFI pic.twitter.com/ksybcKCVUi

— Labor Heritage (@LaborHeritage1) January 14, 2025

Laborers:

👏 Thank you to the thousands of LIUNA members who made your voices heard! Your letters to OSHA in support of heat safety standards are a step toward creating safer workplaces for all. Together, we’re raising the bar for worker protections and building a stronger future.… pic.twitter.com/7ULeaCEHgz

— LIUNA (@LIUNA) January 15, 2025

Machinists:

This webinar will feature Q&A with an IAM member from Tempus AI, Rebecca Sellnow, who is a molecular technologist!

Tune in to hear about how professional employees can get started with unionizing ⚙️💪 https://t.co/WxU7JOKsDr

— Machinists Union (@MachinistsUnion) January 14, 2025

Metal Trades Department:

U.S. President Joe Biden’s administration has concluded that China uses unfair policies and practices to dominate the global maritime, logistics, and shipbuilding sectors. https://t.co/2SEWz6TeL9

— Metal Trades Dept. (@metaltradesafl) January 13, 2025

National Association of Letter Carriers:

Mark your calendars 📅 for Saturday, May 10, 2025: The #StampOutHunger Food Drive is just around the corner! 

Letter carriers nationwide will collect donations to help restock local food banks. Together, we can help neighbors in need and make a difference! pic.twitter.com/ulePjTRF3n

— Letter Carriers (@NALC_National) January 14, 2025

National Day Laborer Organizing Network:

“Roberto Morales, another day laborer who volunteered his time in the Service Brigade said he felt very thankful and emotional to see the amount of volunteers.”https://t.co/goCmcUk2iz

— NDLON (@NDLON) January 10, 2025

National Domestic Workers Alliance:

Thank you @harpersbazaarus for highlighting our 'We Care: Domestic Workers Relief Fund' providing emergency financial assistance, medical care, and supplies to domestic workers.https://t.co/jv9DktitKw

— Domestic Workers (@domesticworkers) January 14, 2025

National Nurses United:

This week: Nurses will march nationwide in support of safe staffing and patient protections against #AI. 

In our National Day of Action, thousands of nurses will demand the hospital industry ensure patient safety amidst fast-growing A.I. https://t.co/1ci3hbMOe1

— NationalNursesUnited (@NationalNurses) January 14, 2025

NFL Players Association:

Our hearts are with those impacted by the Los Angeles wildfires. pic.twitter.com/2qMysAdM69

— NFLPA (@NFLPA) January 10, 2025

North America's Building Trades Unions:

NABTU’s partnership with @RowanUniversity is shaping the next generation of construction managers. Courses are entirely online, providing flexible, affordable, and accessible learning tailored to adult students’ schedules.https://t.co/tIBWGG1tuo

— The Building Trades (@NABTU) January 14, 2025

Office and Professional Employees:

Stand in solidarity with the staff of Planned Parenthood of Greater Ohio, who are unionizing with OPEIU Local 98!

Sign your name in support ➡️ https://t.co/ikqaPmu7g8 pic.twitter.com/yTZBaVIzJp

— OPEIU | #UnionStrong (@OPEIU) January 14, 2025

Painters and Allied Trades:

IUPAT members, we’d love to hear from you and spotlight current or past projects. Post in the comments, or send us a DM with the best pictures you have! pic.twitter.com/b3YjpeKbXP

— IUPAT (@GoIUPAT) January 15, 2025

Plasterers and Cement Masons:

“Registered Apprenticeships let young people & adults ‘earn & learn’, combining hands-on training with coursework—and they are paid to do it... The average apprenticeship grad earns $80,000 annually, far above the state’s median household income.” https://t.co/pYW6KoJxu8

— OPCMIA International (@opcmiaintl) January 13, 2025

Professional Aviation Safety Specialists:

"PASS told a Senate committee that the FAA is too slow to develop its technical workforce and is not moving fast enough to stay ahead of aging infrastructure." @PASSprezdc Dave Spero on @FederalNewsNet Federal Drive w/Tom Temin #aviationsafety #federalemployees @publicservice

— PASS (@PASSNational) January 8, 2025

Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union:

Happy Birthday, Martin Luther King, Jr! We’ll never forget all the times that MLK showed up for our union. Check out this scan of a 1991 RWDSU Record featuring the entire timeline of MLK’s relationship with the RWDSU.
Learn more about RWDSU’s MLK history: https://t.co/ZyzWLJwyeC pic.twitter.com/nV5ywhSvnt

— RWDSU (@RWDSU) January 15, 2025

Roofers and Waterproofers:

Just a reminder to never cross a picket line! Hope our @Culinary226 sisters and brothers at @VirginHotelsLV get the contract they deserve. #Solidarity #UnionStrong https://t.co/BeLv44R6xv

— Roofers Union (@roofersunion) January 15, 2025

SAG-AFTRA:

WATCH NOW! SAG-AFTRA NED @DuncanCI and @sagaftraFOUND ED Cyd Wilson had a conversation about the Los Angeles wildfire resources available to #SagAftraMembers. Watch on Instagram!

Part 1: https://t.co/5c0yxv8vZL
Part 2: https://t.co/H4eHMh9Unb
Part 3: https://t.co/lHfNTfyHue pic.twitter.com/rbAPSmMFVn

— SAG-AFTRA (@sagaftra) January 14, 2025

Service Employees International Union:

2M SEIU Members 🤝 13M AFL-CIO Members

SEIU just joined America’s biggest federation of labor unions, the @AFLCIO. Together, we’re taking on corporate union busters and changing the rules so every worker who wants a union can have one. Let’s do this! pic.twitter.com/KK0cKnSSYW

— SEIU (@SEIU) January 9, 2025

Solidarity Center:

The Firestone Agricultural Workers Union of Liberia - FAWUL - is bargaining for better living & working conditions at Bridgestone's Liberia rubber plantation ✊🏿 Stand in solidarity with our partners by signing their petition. 

🖋️ sign here https://t.co/o2xVtcGHlv#WorkerRights

— Solidarity Center (@SolidarityCntr) January 12, 2025

The NewsGuild-CWA:

Destructive wildfires in Southern California have destroyed the homes of at least three of our members. At least 30 Guild members have been directly impacted in evacuation zones along with 220 other CWA members: https://t.co/usJ1OsxYv5

— The NewsGuild-CWA (@newsguild) January 13, 2025

Theatrical Stage Employees:

Workers worked so hard to put on their shows, but the unit of nearly 100 workers at the Atlantic Theater Company UNANIMOUSLY voted to authorize a strike because they deserve healthcare and a living wage!

Segment featured on Fox 5, Good Day New York pic.twitter.com/QsXd5dRHGB

— IATSE // #IASolidarity (@IATSE) January 15, 2025

Transport Workers Union:

Onboard @GoBrightline workers have voted 2-1 to join the Transport Workers Union, overcoming opposition from management that urged a contingent of more than 100 employees not to organize. @SunSentinel https://t.co/7R56VGgKCj

— TWU (@transportworker) January 15, 2025

Transportation Trades Department:

Once again, workers refuse to be silenced by corporate greed and union busting tactics. 

Congratulations to @transportworker and Brightline workers on this organizing victory! https://t.co/iG4MuvCXlu

— TTD | America's Transportation Unions (@TTDAFLCIO) January 14, 2025

UAW:

UAW National Ford and Sub-Council meetings are taking place this week in Chattanooga, TN. These meetings are an important opportunity for local and national leadership to come together and strategize for the coming year. pic.twitter.com/tKaiGE2Ms5

— UAW (@UAW) January 15, 2025

UNITE HERE:

UNITE HERE leaders joined our siblings from across the labor movement in Las Vegas this week for CES and the #LITSummit.@SAGAFTRA @AFTunion @WeAreALPA @ATUComm @MachinistsUnion @IATSE @NationalNurses @RWDSU @TTDAFLCIO @transportworker pic.twitter.com/dPzyDebirq

— UNITE HERE (@unitehere) January 10, 2025

United Food and Commercial Workers:

Recently, workers at The Convalarium of Dublin nursing home in OH, have officially joined UFCW Local 1059!

The now members, reached out to the local after conversations revealed shared concerns about erratic scheduling & pay inaccuracies.

➡️ https://t.co/hvJeh2KqKi pic.twitter.com/0dqzEXyziT

— UFCW (@UFCW) January 14, 2025

United Steelworkers:

In 2024, we achieved significant victories for workers through Rapid Response, our grassroots education and action program addressing legislative issues that affect working families. 

Let’s take a moment to celebrate what we achieved together over the past year 👏. pic.twitter.com/x9NAmkvfhc

— United Steelworkers #EverybodysUnion (@steelworkers) January 15, 2025

Utility Workers:

On an average day, Melissa Suarez of UWUA local 129 handles around 100 calls. Every call is different, which keeps things interesting. 🧵 pic.twitter.com/Asczmv1Y1N

— UWUA National (@The_UWUA) January 15, 2025

Writers Guild of America East:

Nonfiction production workers at Lucky 8 have UNIONIZED with the WGAE! 

There's no need for management to roll the dice, our demand is clear: voluntary recognition without delay or division. #UnionStrong pic.twitter.com/LU8XAicdpa

— Writers Guild of America East (@WGAEast) January 14, 2025

Kenneth Quinnell Wed, 01/15/2025 - 10:01

Service & Solidarity Spotlight: Workers Overwhelmingly Vote to Form Union at Alabama Chemical Plant

Working people across the United States regularly step up to help out our friends, neighbors and communities during these trying times. In our Service & Solidarity Spotlight series, we’ll showcase one of these stories every day. Here’s today’s story.

Production and maintenance workers at the Gaylord Chemical manufacturing facility in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, voted last week to join the International Chemical Workers Union Council (ICWUC), part of the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW).

Workers at the plant—who make chemical compounds used in medical and industrial solvents and food additives—reached out to the union a few months ago to begin their organizing efforts. Their landslide election win is even more exciting in the context of Alabama’s “right to work” laws and vocally anti-union lawmakers.

“I just want to thank the [ICWUC] for getting behind us and supporting us. As soon as we reached out to them, they were quick to respond,” one Gaylord Chemical worker stated.

Jordan Easley, ICWUC’s national organizing coordinator, said of the campaign victory: “[Workers] excelled when it came to open support, public support, and the numbers reflected that. They got what they deserve. Obviously most employers don’t want a union, but I think [Gaylord Chemical] were stopped in their tracks. They are reminded that you need workers more than workers need you.”

Kenneth Quinnell Wed, 01/15/2025 - 09:41

Standing with Every Worker and Family Impacted By the Los Angeles Fires: In the States Roundup

It's time once again to take a look at the ways working people are making progress in the states. Click on any of the links to follow the state federations on X (formerly Twitter).

Alaska AFL-CIO:

Labor Bleeds for the Cause is happening this weekend!

Pre-register for the event by signing up at: https://t.co/9ccml6RKF0

Have questions about donating blood? Check out this FAQ from the Blood Bank of Alaska: https://t.co/SsGgIxWkMY pic.twitter.com/99MwrCA7qX

— Alaska AFL-CIO (@AKAFLCIO) January 14, 2025

Arizona AFL-CIO:

Today is the opening day of the 57th Legislature, tune in to watch Governor Hobbs' State of the State Address: https://t.co/najxHz6aYm

— Arizona AFL-CIO (@ArizonaAFLCIO) January 13, 2025

California Labor Federation, AFL-CIO:

Our @CaliforniaLabor family is standing with every worker and family impacted by the #lafires. Check out housing assistance, food assistance, and more emergency resources and union relief funds HERE➡️@LALabor @AFLCIO https://t.co/k9obY4rfrD pic.twitter.com/jJFurq5j9S

— California Federation of Labor Unions (@CaliforniaLabor) January 11, 2025

Colorado AFL-CIO:

In the Free State of Colorado, it only makes sense that the state government stays out of union-employer collective bargaining negotiations. Pass SB 5- the Worker Protection Act! @GovofCO @jaredpolis #coleg #copolitics

— Colorado AFL-CIO (@AFLCIOCO) January 9, 2025

Connecticut AFL-CIO:

Proudly representing CT at this year's #MLK2025 Civil & Human Rights Conference, CT AFL-CIO Secretary-Treasurer @ShellyeDavis & Political Director Joelyn Leon join with AFL-CIO @STRedmond to declare there is #PowerInUnity! pic.twitter.com/o4qYLuD7BE

— Connecticut AFL-CIO (@ConnAFLCIO) January 10, 2025

Illinois AFL-CIO:

“CEOs and billionaires want nothing more than to see workers divided, but we’re standing here today with greater solidarity than ever,” said AFL-CIO president Liz Shuler.https://t.co/Jmps63g6X7 pic.twitter.com/mKaFifWbnP

— Illinois AFL-CIO (@ILAFLCIO) January 14, 2025

Maine AFL-CIO:

The signing of the Social Security Fairness Act repealing offset penalties for public workers was the product of a true bipartisan grass roots movement of workers & unions. Thank you @SenatorCollins for taking the ball & running with it!
https://t.co/27kjoMcbyx

— Maine AFL-CIO (@MEAFLCIO) January 10, 2025

Massachusetts AFL-CIO:

Please join @BTU66 and the labor community for informational pickets this Thursday, January 16th, before the school day.

Pick a Boston school near you or join one of these :
◦Charlestown High School: 7:00–7:20 a.m.
◦Curley K-8: 7:55–8:20 a.m.
◦Tobin K-8: 8:50–9:10 a.m.

— Massachusetts AFL-CIO (@massaflcio) January 14, 2025

Minnesota AFL-CIO:

We're accepting scholarship applications for high school seniors! Applicants must be a union member or dependent of a member, have a straight “B” average, and plan to attend a post-secondary institution within Minnesota. Apply at https://t.co/yRQRBExcIP #BetterInAUnion pic.twitter.com/D2XJ8UPbPx

— Minnesota AFL-CIO (@MNAFLCIO) January 13, 2025

Missouri AFL-CIO:

Enjoy a bowl of #UnionMade soup this month! #BuyUnion #Solidarity pic.twitter.com/cf0XSxflri

— Missouri AFL-CIO (@MOAFLCIO) January 13, 2025

Nevada State AFL-CIO:

The Nevada State AFL-CIO held a labor legislative meeting on Thursday and Friday evening where affiliates had the opportunity to discuss labor’s legislative priorities for the upcoming legislative session. We thank all of the attendees and elected officials for joining! pic.twitter.com/Tt0Pk1WMd7

— Nevada State AFL-CIO // Pass the #PROAct (@NVAFLCIO) January 11, 2025

New Hampshire AFL-CIO:

“Right-to-Work” (HB238-FN) is back. 

The first public hearing is on 1/22 @ 10:00 AM. Please stand in #Solidarity with NH working families and sign in to register your opposition by using this link: https://t.co/1XUMH2yEEm#NHPolitics #1u #RTW pic.twitter.com/eyduSvUSEk

— New Hampshire AFL-CIO (@NHAFLCIO) January 10, 2025

New York State AFL-CIO:

Scenes from our State of the State Breakfast this morning. Thanks to all who attended! #UnionStrong pic.twitter.com/aR5VEGChYF

— NYS AFL-CIO // #UnionStrong (@NYSAFLCIO) January 14, 2025

North Carolina State AFL-CIO:

NC Republicans are trying to steal this election, period. It's past time for Jefferson Griffin to concede that Allison Riggs won! N.C. Supreme Court blocks certification of Democrat as winner of close high court race https://t.co/Splemkpyzu via @nbcnews #ncpol

— NC State AFL-CIO // #CountMeIn (@NCStateAFLCIO) January 8, 2025

Ohio AFL-CIO:

This morning, #Ohio @AFLCIO President Tim Burga visited the @Oapse4 @AFSCME members on strike at the @EFCTS for dignity and respect. Please call Superintendent Shelly Groves (614-836-4530 ext. 1332) and let her know these dedicated workers deserve a fair contract. pic.twitter.com/sdXMGEWPp3

— Ohio AFL-CIO (@ohioaflcio) January 14, 2025

Oregon AFL-CIO:

It's about safely caring for patients, dignity, and respect. 

And we're with @OregonNurses members every step of the way. https://t.co/B8NQKBNZXt

— Oregon AFL-CIO (@OregonAFLCIO) January 13, 2025

Pennsylvania AFL-CIO:

The trades are calling! Earn a livable wage, health insurance and retirement benefits – all while working on a job site and learning your craft. pic.twitter.com/7lBuRPGdFW

— PA AFL-CIO (@PaAFL_CIO) January 10, 2025

Texas AFL-CIO:

Working Texans deserve a legislature that works for THEM, not billionaires and corporations.

With our Fair Shot Legislative Agenda, we’re demanding lawmakers deliver on 10 pro-worker priorities.

Stand with Texas workers and add your name TODAY! #txlege https://t.co/iraMEr4694

— Texas AFL-CIO (@TexasAFLCIO) January 14, 2025

Washington State Labor Council, AFL-CIO:

Aaaand we’re off. The 2025 Legislative session kicks off today and here is our fearless President, April Sims, with our top 6 Bills for raising wages and improving jobs for workers in Washington State. pic.twitter.com/JYy3BD47Ce

— Washington State Labor Council, AFL-CIO (@WAAFLCIO) January 13, 2025

Wisconsin State AFL-CIO:

Workers say Amazon is now deploying its union-busting "science" at Whole Foods https://t.co/QZGZueNpoR

— WI AFL-CIO (@wisaflcio) January 14, 2025

Kenneth Quinnell Tue, 01/14/2025 - 10:15

Service & Solidarity Spotlight: Union Heroes: Firefighters Battle Southern California Wildfires

Working people across the United States regularly step up to help out our friends, neighbors and communities during these trying times. In our Service & Solidarity Spotlight series, we’ll showcase one of these stories every day. Here’s today’s story.

As devastating wildfires rage in the Los Angeles neighborhood of Pacific Palisades, dedicated members of the California Professional Firefighters are working tirelessly to help battle the disaster and protect residents. Fire Fighters (IAFF) General Secretary-Treasurer Frank Líma (second from left) was on the ground with elected officials in California this week to meet with first responders and support relief efforts.

If you want to donate to help out or have been impacted by the destruction and need resources, the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor and its community service arm, Labor Community Services, have information and a relief fund set up online.

LA Fed Wildfire Resources

Los Angeles Fire Relief Fund

Kenneth Quinnell Tue, 01/14/2025 - 09:59

Worker Wins: A Significant Victory for Worker Justice

Our latest roundup of worker wins includes numerous examples of working people organizing, bargaining and mobilizing for a better life.

Park City Ski Patrollers Union Ratifies New Contract: Members of the Park City Professional Ski Patrol Association (PCPSPA), CWA Local 7781, unanimously ratified a new collective bargaining agreement Wednesday after a powerful 12-day strike. Members are celebrating wins, including a fairer wage structure and an improved benefits package, that will foster higher retention rates and career growth. Ski patrollers went on strike after Vail Resorts—which manages Park City Mountain Resort—refused to offer a fair compensation proposal that helped staff keep up with the high regional cost of living. “This is more than just a win for our unit, it is a great success for everyone in the ski and mountain industry,” PCPSPA said in a statement posted to social media. “This is a clear example of what can be achieved when workers stand together and fight for what we deserve. We could not have done this without the support of our community. We are eternally grateful to everyone who donated, provided food, and stood with us on the picket line. We are proud. We are grateful. We are united.”

IATSE and Ensemble Arts Reach Tentative Agreement for Philadelphia Ushers: Ushers at popular Philadelphia theaters, represented by Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) Local B29, reached a tentative agreement (TA) with Ensemble Arts Philly on Tuesday, averting a potential strike. Ushers had been working under an expired contract since the summer of last year. Highlights of the TA include a 23% raise over five years in addition to other benefits and changes to workplace rules that reflect the important role these front-of-house workers play. In a joint statement, the union and Ensemble Arts said: “This agreement is the result of professional and productive dialogue and a spirit of collaboration between the two parties. Ensemble Arts Philly and IATSE Local B29 look forward to continuing their 24-year partnership working together to continue to provide exceptional service to the more than one million visitors to the Kimmel Center, Academy of Music, and Miller Theater each year.”

UAW Members at EV Maker Win Back Pay Settlement: In a win for the UAW, the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) approved a settlement last week of nearly $258,000 in back pay and for the right of the illegally fired workers at electric vehicle (EV) manufacturer, Lucid, to return to work. This ruling stems from unfair labor practice charges filed by the UAW after the company dismissed three workers for organizing in 2023. The Formal Board Settlement also includes a cease and desist order compelling the EV maker to stop illegal tactics like surveilling workers, confiscating union literature and threatening workers for union efforts. “This is a significant victory for worker and climate justice,” said UAW Region 6 Director Mike Miller.  “We’re building the green economy to create a more sustainable future. But we will only have a truly sustainable future if we build our economy around protecting both the planet and workers’ right to organize for justice on the job without employer interference.”  UAW President Shawn Fain added: “Every autoworker in America can take heart from this settlement. Lucid is backed by the Saudi sovereign wealth fund, the deepest pockets in the world. But Lucid workers stood up and won justice. They showed that no matter how big the challenge, workers can win when they stand together and fight for a better life.”

President Biden Signs Social Security Fairness Act into Law: President Biden signed the bipartisan Social Security Fairness Act on Sunday, making more than 2.5 million public sector workers who receive pension income also eligible for Social Security benefits. The new law repeals two provisions—the Windfall Elimination Provision and the Government Pension Offset. This expands Social Security payments to dedicated public servants and their surviving spouses who have been unfairly excluded for over four decades. The legislation was strongly backed by various unions and labor groups, marking a critical victory for ensuring more workers have the dignified retirement they deserve. “For years the government has taken away Social Security benefits from millions of retired federal, state and local government employees who worked as teachers, police, firefighters, postal workers and general employees,” said Alliance for Retired Americans Executive Director Richard Fiesta in a press release. “We thank all the activists and elected officials who helped pass this law. As a result of their efforts more Americans will be able to enjoy the more secure retirement they earned.”

Philadelphia Museum Workers Vote to Ratify First Contract: Workers represented by AFSCME at the Please Touch Museum (PTM) in Philadelphia have voted to approve their first-ever collective bargaining agreement at the institution. Staff voted to form Please Touch Museum United in April 2023, becoming the city’s first children’s museum to form a union and yet another organizing victory forged through the AFSCME Cultural Workers United campaign. Wins in the agreement include a 13.3% immediate increase in minimum pay—with guaranteed raises up to 24% over the lifetime of the contract—the ability to rollover sick time and vacation, reductions in health insurance cost-shares and more. “Museum and cultural workers have traditionally accepted low pay and precarious conditions as a trade-off for doing mission-driven work,” said AFSCME District Council 47 President April Gigetts. “But those conditions aren’t sustainable for people who need a paycheck to live. As museums become more racially and economically diverse workplaces, workers are increasingly demanding the same rights and protections as those in other industries.”

The Animation Guild Ratifies Contract with Streamers and Studios: Last week, members of The Animation Guild (TAG), Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) Local 839, voted to ratify a new three-year agreement with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP). After months of negotiations with studio representatives, TAG announced that, in a historic Guild turnout, 76.1% of members voted in favor of the new deal. The 2024–2027 Animation Guild Master Agreement improves health and pension funds, increases worker wages, codifies important artificial intelligence protections, and establishes other new benefits. Studios covered in the agreement include industry giants such as DreamWorks Animation, Marvel, Netflix, Nickelodeon, Sony Pictures Animation, Walt Disney Animation Studios, Warner Bros. Animation and more. “I want to recognize the incredible work that the Negotiations Committee put into seeing this agreement reached and ratified,” said TAG Business Representative Steve Kaplan in a press statement. “This agreement is the next step forward in our goal to create the strongest contract for our members.…The membership made clear to us that there is a need for more focus on generative artificial intelligence, and we will attack the issue through a multifaceted approach, including lobbying for effective legislation, advocating for tax incentives for humanmade work and grieving against potential abuses.”

Fontainebleau Las Vegas Workers Vote to Ratify Contract: Hospitality workers represented by the Culinary Workers Union, the Nevada affiliate of UNITE HERE, voted overwhelmingly this week to ratify the first union contract at the Fontainebleau Las Vegas. With a stunning 99.6% of members voting in favor of the deal, workers celebrated the new protections and benefits that they won over the course of 18 hours at the negotiating table. The tentative agreement was reached in mid-December after the Culinary Workers Union forged a card-check neutrality deal with the casino resort in 2023.

Kenneth Quinnell Mon, 01/13/2025 - 15:00

Tags: Organizing

A New Era of Worker Power: 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.

SEIU Joins AFL-CIO to 'Unleash a New Era of Worker Power' as Trump 2.0 Looms: “The 2-million-member-strong Service Employees International Union announced Wednesday that it is joining the AFL-CIO, bolstering the ranks of the largest labor federation in the United States as unions prepare to fight the incoming Trump administration. ‘CEOs and billionaires want nothing more than to see workers divided, but we're standing here today with greater solidarity than ever to reach the 60 million Americans who say they'd join a union tomorrow if the laws allowed and to unrig our labor laws to guarantee every worker in America the basic right to organize on the job,’ AFL-CIO president Liz Shuler said in a statement. With SEIU included, the unions that make up the AFL-CIO represent roughly 15 million workers across the nation. April Verrett, SEIU's international president, said union members ‘are ready to unleash a new era of worker power, as millions of service and care workers unite with workers at the AFL-CIO to build our unions in every industry and every ZIP code.’”

UAW Seeks Union Election at Ford Battery Plant in Kentucky: “The United Automobile Workers union is seeking approval from federal labor regulators for a union election among workers at a Ford Motor battery plant in Kentucky, providing an important test of organized labor’s strength after the election of Donald J. Trump. The union petitioned the National Labor Relations Board on Tuesday to let workers at the new factory in Glendale, about 55 miles south of Louisville, vote on whether they want to join the UAW. The plant, which is expected to begin production this year, is a joint venture between Ford and SK On, a South Korean battery company.” 

Park City Ski Patrollers, Resort Reach Tentative Settlement: “Park City Mountain Resort and its ski patrol have reached a tentative agreement. Late Tuesday night, the resort and the Park City Professional Ski Association released a joint statement announcing that a tentative agreement had been reached through April of 2027. ‘The union's bargaining committee is unanimously endorsing ratification by its unit with a vote scheduled to take place (Wednesday),’ the two sides said. ‘The tentative agreement addresses both parties' interests and will end the current strike.’”

Biden Signs Bill to Boost Social Security Payments for Some Public Sector Workers: “President Joe Biden signed a bill Sunday that boosts Social Security benefits for millions of public sector workers in what the White House described as the first expansion of such benefits in 20 years. The Social Security Fairness Act eliminates two decades-old provisions—the Windfall Elimination Provision and the Government Pension Offset—that reduced Social Security benefits for some retirees who also received pension income. Police officers, firefighters, postal workers, and public school teachers are among the nearly 3 million affected by the provisions. ‘The bill I'm signing today is about a simple proposition: Americans who have worked hard all their lives to earn an honest living should be able to retire with economic security and dignity,’ Biden said.”

Nurses at Three Legacy Hospitals Announce Intent to Unionize: “More than 2,200 nurses at three of Legacy Health’s six hospitals announced their intent to join the Oregon Nurses Association today in what would be the largest organizing effort in the union’s history. Nurses from Legacy Good Samaritan Medical Center, Legacy Emanuel Medical Center, and Randall Children’s Hospital delivered a letter to management petitioning for voluntary recognition of the union so they could start collective bargaining on issues that include patient care and staffing, ONA said. The union plans to file for an election with the National Labor Relations Board and set a date for it soon.”

Journalists for the Athletic Push to Join the New York Times Union: “The editorial staff of the Athletic, the sports-media outlet owned by the New York Times, has signed cards signaling its intention to unionize. Staffers sent a letter to Times management Monday asking them to recognize them as part of the Times Guild, the same union that represents the Times newsroom. The Athletic’s bargaining unit is around 200 people and would grow the Times Guild to around 1,700 members. Times reporters are represented by the NewsGuild of New York, which was part of the Athletic’s organizing effort.”

In Rare Move, Some Providence Physicians Prepare to Strike Alongside Nurses: “Thousands of Providence healthcare professionals around the state are preparing to strike, and for the first time in recent history, physicians are among their ranks. In late December, nearly 5,000 Providence healthcare professionals represented by the Oregon Nurses Association voted to approve a strike at all eight Providence hospitals to begin Jan. 10. The called strike came after several weeks of unsuccessful contract negotiations. The union claims the health care system fails to follow state staffing guidelines and doesn’t offer competitive wages and benefits. On Dec. 30, ONA gave the required 10-day notice to strike.”

How Labor Law Changed Under Biden—and What Comes Next: “Core to the Biden administration’s economic policy was an attempt to rebalance the power between workers and employers through labor and employment regulations, from the Federal Trade Commission’s ban on non-compete clauses to the Department of Labor’s expanded overtime protections. At the center of this effort was the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), the federal agency charged with protecting workers’ rights to organize and combating unfair labor practices. Led by general counsel Jennifer Abruzzo, the board took an active stance in interpreting and enforcing labor law, generating new precedents that reduced barriers to worker voice and unionization.”

Midland PetSmart Employees Vote to Unionize with UFCW Local 540: “Employees at the PetSmart store in Midland have voted to unionize. On Friday, Jan. 3, employees have joined the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 540, which represents workers in retail, grocery, food processing and other industries in Texas, according to a press release. ‘I, along with my co-workers, am so proud of coming together to form a union that will finally allow us to advocate for improved hours, pay and worker safety on the job,’ Stephanie Lawrence, a PetSmart customer engagement lead and member of the organizing committee, was quoted as saying. ‘We went into this election united, and the results confirmed what we have known for months: PetSmart workers deserve a union.’”

Starbucks Union Files 34 Federal Complaints, Signaling Renewed Hostilities: “Starbucks Corp.’s union filed 34 U.S. labor board complaints against the company this week, signaling rising tension between the coffee chain and the labor group that had agreed last winter to try to end their hostilities. The complaints were filed with the National Labor Relations Board by Starbucks Workers United, which has organized around 500 of the company’s roughly 10,000 corporate-run U.S. cafes over the past three years. The filings accuse Starbucks of violating federal labor law at stores in 16 states, including by singling out and firing employees over the last several months because of their union activism.”

Kenneth Quinnell Mon, 01/13/2025 - 09:39

A Good, Viable Option: 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:

Each month, Equity shares the names of recently deceased members in order to honor their passing and pay our respects. You may read about the losses in our community reported to Equity for December 2024 on the member portal. https://t.co/Thk13wPbgB pic.twitter.com/oUsOdXSCu9

— Actors' Equity (@ActorsEquity) January 3, 2025

AFGE:

The AFGE Council of Prison Locals has filed an unfair labor practice against the Bureau of Prisons for violating the labor-management agreement by closing 7 prisons without warning or consultation with our union.

Here's what you need to know ⬇https://t.co/xLNUIh8cXL

— AFGE (@AFGENational) January 6, 2025

AFSCME:

Congratulations to the staff at University of Pennsylvania Libraries, who this fall voted to join Local 590, Penn Libraries United. https://t.co/wAXjxWTjRB

— AFSCME (@AFSCME) January 7, 2025

Alliance for Retired Americans:

ICYMI: The Social Security Fairness Act is now law and WEP/GPO is finally repealed! https://t.co/E4qqH6hoDB https://t.co/xX713mrYFR

— Alliance for Retired Americans (@ActiveRetirees) January 6, 2025

Amalgamated Transit Union:

We welcome our newest members at Local 741-London, ON, to our ATU family. #ATUStrongerTogether https://t.co/Pq4w7QKNg8

— ATU, Transit Union (@ATUComm) January 7, 2025

American Federation of Teachers:

#Jan6 pic.twitter.com/RLPHKkPdpr

— AFT (@AFTunion) January 7, 2025

American Postal Workers Union:

APWU members: USPS will observe the National Day of Remembrance for President Jimmy Carter. Many employees will receive administrative leave in addition to the normal pay provisions. Details: https://t.co/D90mhDYBXy

— The American Postal Workers Union - APWU (@APWUnational) January 6, 2025

Association of Flight Attendants-CWA:

January is National Slavery & Human Trafficking Prevention Month. We can take a stand against human trafficking by recommitting ourselves to end it on our planes. As Flight Attendants, we are uniquely positioned to identify human traffickers and assist their victims. pic.twitter.com/ETfgLRc4Xl

— AFA-CWA (@afa_cwa) January 6, 2025

Boilermakers:

Scholarship Season is here #Boilermakers 🎓 The 2025 Boilermaker International Scholarship application is now open! IBB awards up to $100,000 worth of scholarships to dependents of members in Canada and the U.S. Apply now! https://t.co/kNxYX1Qhou pic.twitter.com/JU2MmgY7x3

— Boilermakers Union (@boilermakernews) January 1, 2025

Bricklayers:

You get out what you put in! Make sure you are regularly attending union hall meetings or you could miss out on important information!

Photo Creds: @BacLocal1Sk #ItsBetterInAUnion #UnionStrong #BestHandsInTheBusiness pic.twitter.com/eSeT4PfIl7

— Bricklayers & Allied Craftworkers Union (@IUBAC) January 7, 2025

Communications Workers of America:

Great news! https://t.co/sn9OvelUCR

— CWA (@CWAUnion) January 6, 2025

Department for Professional Employees:

We stand with Temple RAs and urge the administration to recognize their union! https://t.co/uFAANnHtkp

— Department for Professional Employees (@DPEaflcio) January 3, 2025

Electrical Workers:

“Women are seeing the trades, especially union trades, as a good, viable option. They have the opportunity to get paid the same as their male counterparts when performing the same work.” - Josh Sajtar, #IBEW https://t.co/5Capd42gdx

— IBEW (@IBEW) January 3, 2025

Heat and Frost Insulators:

Senior Signing Day! ⭐️
Local 19 celebrated two high school seniors who chose to pursue careers in the trades over college.

🦎 Jase Whitford, Express Insulation Inc.
🦎 Tyler Rogers, McDermaid Roofing and Insulating Co.

Congratulations to Jase & Tyler, we look forward to your… pic.twitter.com/bwWRiX1tW3

— Insulators Union 🦎 (@InsulatorsUnion) January 6, 2025

Labor Council for Latin American Advancement:

💼 Become a LCLAA Member in 2025! 💼
Now’s the time to join the nation’s leading voice for Latino workers and their families. Memberships are open from January 1st to March 31st 2025—take action! 🔊🔥 #LCLAA #lclaamember #lclaafamily pic.twitter.com/P7t45iZ028

— LCLAA (@LCLAA) January 3, 2025

Labor Heritage Foundation:

LHT Podcast (include Apple podcast link)
Christmas in Mansfield: Joe Jencks tells us the story behind his song “Christmas in Mansfield,” where Armco locked out 620 steel workers on September 1, 1999.https://t.co/pYz6aIxP8m pic.twitter.com/6U0EgbYI8o

— Labor Heritage (@LaborHeritage1) January 6, 2025

Laborers:

In communities across North America, Laborers are standing up to help their neighbors in need. #LaborersRising #LIUNACares 
#ICYM, watch our latest #ITK video on “Laborers Rising: Laborers Give Back” here: https://t.co/hCPc5OSdmU pic.twitter.com/fCXAW8P0dx

— LIUNA (@LIUNA) January 7, 2025

Machinists:

Sending solidarity to @Culinary226 members staging strong against @VirginHotelsLV! ✊🏼✊🏽✊🏾 https://t.co/yMORCMjEzy

— Machinists Union (@MachinistsUnion) January 6, 2025

Mine Workers:

Today we remember the Sago Mine Disaster of January 2, 2006, which killed 12 miners. This tragedy led to the passage of vital safety reforms, including the MINER Act. pic.twitter.com/pQqJ7QiPJD

— United Mine Workers (@MineWorkers) January 2, 2025

Musical Artists:

AGMA staging staff members are invited to connect directly w/ Jeffrey Boyd, AGMA's new national executive director, on Jan 13, at 9PM ETover Zoom: https://t.co/XMfFhjnDHA pic.twitter.com/1vVAhtwWWD

— AGMA (@AGMusicalArtist) January 6, 2025

National Air Traffic Controllers Association:

The NATCA Reloaded Committee is excited to announce its first NATCA 101 class of 2025, which will take place on Jan. 15 at 1 p.m. EST. If you can’t make this class, there are more dates coming up in the following months. Visit https://t.co/3QJfz1orWG to sign up! pic.twitter.com/gdQkvtdfh6

— NATCA (@NATCA) January 7, 2025

National Association of Letter Carriers:

Snow, ice, and frigid temps won't stop letter carriers from providing exceptional service. To all postal employees, first responders, utility workers, snowplow teams, transit workers, and others keeping our communities safe and running this week, thank you for your dedication! pic.twitter.com/T0FbKHEGUN

— Letter Carriers (@NALC_National) January 6, 2025

National Domestic Workers Alliance:

Feel good about the new year by taking care of those who care for you and your loved ones.
Use @HiHemployers' Bonus Guide to ensure you are fairly compensating domestic workers you employ, who are often excluded from yearly raises.https://t.co/fKSn0IYulK

— Domestic Workers (@domesticworkers) January 6, 2025

National Nurses United:

Welcome news to start the year: @POTUS signed a bill to increase social security benefits for millions of workers, like nurses, teachers, and other public employees. https://t.co/NAzJPDgv7w

— NationalNursesUnited (@NationalNurses) January 7, 2025

NWSL Players Association:

Sports jobs are Union jobs. https://t.co/QrDmMArjE5

— NWSLPA (@nwsl_players) January 6, 2025

NFL Players Association:

Derek Carr passes the #CommunityMVP baton one final time this season to Raekwon Davis 🤝 pic.twitter.com/kZYULFU4kY

— NFLPA (@NFLPA) January 7, 2025

North America's Building Trades Unions:

North America’s Building Trades Unions call for federal action to stop the misuse of visas for the construction of TSMC’s federally funded projects.

Full statement: https://t.co/PHmYCQfbG6 pic.twitter.com/r1tRMYHPq7

— The Building Trades (@NABTU) January 7, 2025

Office and Professional Employees:

“Where Texas workers are being given dedicated organizing resources, they are winning. Meeting this moment demands a movement-wide commitment to organize in Texas, and all Southern states, that matches the will of the workers here.” https://t.co/obNsLovc3z

— OPEIU | #UnionStrong (@OPEIU) January 1, 2025

Plasterers and Cement Masons:

Check out this video from Building Wisconsin TV, where we meet the cement masons from OPCMIA Local 599, including Business Manager Kilah Engelke and foreman Josh Tyrrell. https://t.co/Nn4EPv4H2F

— OPCMIA International (@opcmiaintl) January 7, 2025

Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union:

The ski shop techs of @reiunionsoho have been on ULP strike since Dec 4, fighting for health and safety. Support the workers by sending an email to management uplifting their demands at https://t.co/ETl51PtTqY! pic.twitter.com/UAkuGzB7lO

— RWDSU (@RWDSU) January 7, 2025

Roofers and Waterproofers:

Success is no accident. 
It’s the result of hard work, perseverance, sacrifice, and passion for what you do. Keep pushing forward!#HardWorkPaysOff #RoofersUnion #Dedication #SuccessMindset #UnionPride #Success pic.twitter.com/O4bBYQ1I5I

— Roofers Union (@roofersunion) January 7, 2025

SAG-AFTRA:

Auntie Mame! Mama Rose! Our 13th SAG Life Achievement Award recipient, Rosalind Russell, had an illustrious career as an actor, comedian, screenwriter and singer. What is your favorite project of Rosalind's? Let us know below! #SAGLifeAchievement60 pic.twitter.com/ZFMJoRgNcI

— SAG-AFTRA (@sagaftra) January 7, 2025

Solidarity Center:

Every worker should be able to form or join a union & come together with their coworkers to bargain for better without fear of violence & harassment. We continue to stand in #solidarity with our partners @STAWU_ & their General Secretary Sticks Nkambule.#WorkerRights

— Solidarity Center (@SolidarityCntr) January 6, 2025

Theatrical Stage Employees:

Thanks to all of our members who participated in our Fifth Annual IATSE Holiday Photo Contest.

To check out our contest winners, crew shots and honorable mentions click here: https://t.co/KCYPBi7zub

— IATSE // #IASolidarity (@IATSE) January 6, 2025

Transport Workers Union:

Total BS. This @MTA fraudster ignores the fact that violent crime is soaring. Felony assaults were up 51.6% and murders were up
233% last year compared to 2019 (January through 12/29). Such # are published in the MTA’s own committee books. Fire this GOBSHITE! @TWULocal100 https://t.co/2W2GKvIofz pic.twitter.com/d4p9LqSZu4

— TWU (@transportworker) January 6, 2025

Transportation Trades Department:

Snow day in DC! ❄️ We’re grateful to the transportation workers and first responders who keep our cities moving in the winter weather. 🫶 pic.twitter.com/XbjuySl5yU

— TTD | America's Transportation Unions (@TTDAFLCIO) January 7, 2025

UAW:

"The failure of hard work to pay off in America makes our communities wobbly, our faith weak, our lives lonely, our politics toxic and our relationship with work masochistic and unsustainable."https://t.co/YZx17kbaSv

— UAW (@UAW) January 6, 2025

UNITE HERE:

In 2024, UNITE HERE organized more than 7,200 workers across 117 workplaces, the largest number of individual workplaces our union has ever organized in an election year. pic.twitter.com/2WwA1iZP2d

— UNITE HERE (@unitehere) January 1, 2025

United Food and Commercial Workers:

About 1,200 members of @UFCW8 who work at 96 Rite Aid stores in Northern CA have ratified a STRONG new contract!

The contract includes significant wage increases, reinstates a union-managed health care plan, & provides job protections. 

➡️ https://t.co/Xm1MA2B2FD pic.twitter.com/GZZDgIX1b2

— UFCW (@UFCW) January 6, 2025

United Steelworkers:

This year, the Solidarity Works podcast turns 5️⃣! Thank you for listening as we explore the history, challenges, and victories shaping our union. To celebrate, we’re spotlighting 5 top episodes. First up: Punching Above Our Weight.

🎧Listen here: https://t.co/vpow8quTLT pic.twitter.com/gaYlQCKFzh

— United Steelworkers #EverybodysUnion (@steelworkers) January 7, 2025

Utility Workers:

High school seniors who are the child of an active UWUA member are eligible to apply to our scholarship program. Don’t wait until the last minute! pic.twitter.com/NoOJaeQubR

— UWUA National (@The_UWUA) January 7, 2025

Writers Guild of America East:

TODAY: Bundle up and join our @IATSE kin in solidarity as they fight for a fair contract at Atlantic Theater. #1u 

⏰January 7th at 12:30pm
📍NYC, 9th Ave between 19th and 20th Streets. Enter on the corner of 19th and 9th.

More details and RSVP: https://t.co/yFcUfb7LXC

— Writers Guild of America East (@WGAEast) January 7, 2025

Kenneth Quinnell Fri, 01/10/2025 - 10:57

Service & Solidarity Spotlight: 500 Duluth City Workers Reach Union Contract, Avert Strike

Working people across the United States regularly step up to help out our friends, neighbors and communities during these trying times. In our Service & Solidarity Spotlight series, we’ll showcase one of these stories every day. Here’s today’s story.

Duluth city workers reached a tentative agreement late Monday night, averting a potential strike after months of negotiations. The workers, members of AFSCME Local 66, and include snowplow drivers, inspectors and workers for utilities, libraries, parks, and gas and waterline maintenance. They voted to authorize a strike in December.

“This tentative agreement is a step in the right direction for the workers who keep Duluth running,” said AFSCME Local 66 President Wendy Wohlwend. “It should not have taken months of incredibly difficult negotiations and mediation with the city — or the need for our union members to overwhelmingly reject the city’s last offer and authorize a strike — to secure a fair contract from city leadership that has proclaimed itself to be pro-union.”

Terms of the agreement weren’t yet available, and will be released after the union votes whether or not to approve the contract on January 14. Union officials said the contract includes meaningful market adjustments, improvements to scheduling and workload expectations and commitments to address staffing shortages. Workers described crushing workloads with unfilled positions and mandatory overtime, including 12-hour, six-days-a-week shifts at the city’s water plant, which is undergoing repairs.

Kenneth Quinnell Fri, 01/10/2025 - 09:15

Power in Unity

Union members know better than anyone that there is power in unity. 

So we are thrilled to share breaking news: The Service Employees International Union (SEIU), a powerful union of 2 million members, has joined our AFL-CIO union family.

At a critical moment when everything is on the line for the nation’s working people, the labor movement is uniting to challenge the status quo and build a movement of workers who will fight—on the job, in the streets, at the ballot box, in our communities—for higher pay, expanded benefits and new rules that empower us to join together in unions and organize across industries.

United, we’ll take on corporate greed and union-busting millionaires and billionaires.

United, we’ll build on our wins and on our record of support and keep up the momentum in this critical moment for the labor movement. 

And united, we’ll have the power to make change, to hold elected leaders accountable and to demand stronger, more inclusive labor laws that guarantee every worker in America has the basic right to organize on the job. 

We know what it looks like when we organize together, when we rally together, when we mobilize together. And together with SEIU service and care workers, we will take our fight for good jobs to the next level. There’s no stopping us. 

P.S. Tune in at 2:30 p.m. ET to, Thursday, Jan. 9, at AFLCIO.tv as the AFL-CIO and SEIU come together for this historic announcement with workers from various unions—including our SEIU members—to talk about why we’re powerful together. 

Kenneth Quinnell Thu, 01/09/2025 - 09:51

Tags: Organizing

Happy New Year: In the States Roundup

It's time once again to take a look at the ways working people are making progress in the states. Click on any of the links to follow the state federations on X (formerly Twitter).

California Labor Federation, AFL-CIO:

As of January 1, 2025, the minimum wage in California is $16.50 an hour for all employers. Some cities and counties have higher minimum wages than the state’s rate. Take a look and see if your city/county falls into this category. Everyone deserves a living wage! pic.twitter.com/2xDKkS0nJo

— California Federation of Labor Unions (@CaliforniaLabor) January 3, 2025

Colorado AFL-CIO:

Colorado AFL-CIO Wrapped! As we move into the new year, we wanted to reflect on our wins from 2024:

1️⃣ We hosted the Grace Carroll Rocky Mountain Labor School with great feedback and with the highest attendance in recent recorded history, with nearly 300 people! pic.twitter.com/YodeBUWz18

— Colorado AFL-CIO (@AFLCIOCO) January 1, 2025

Connecticut AFL-CIO:

IAM members at Pratt protest forced unpaid furlough days and prepare for upcoming contract negotiations! Proud to stand with the @MachinistsUnion! #solidarity pic.twitter.com/YPd3DqgCed

— Connecticut AFL-CIO (@ConnAFLCIO) January 3, 2025

Illinois AFL-CIO:

It's that time of year again -- the lame duck session, held before the new legislature is sworn in. Follow along on https://t.co/Nf2sTD34wT to learn how your union is impacted by state government! pic.twitter.com/HD0rWsDtk4

— Illinois AFL-CIO (@ILAFLCIO) January 4, 2025

Massachusetts AFL-CIO:

Workers deserve a dignified retirement. Public sector workers and union members across the nation will now have the benefits they’ve earned. https://t.co/5E9io6c5y0

— Massachusetts AFL-CIO (@massaflcio) January 6, 2025

Minnesota AFL-CIO:

Senator Kari Dziedzic will forever hold a place in Minnesota history for her leadership in making our state one of the best for working people. Minnesota’s Labor Movement grieves with the many who knew her and we wish peace to her family and friends. https://t.co/PW8M6vzzdT

— Minnesota AFL-CIO (@MNAFLCIO) December 28, 2024

Missouri AFL-CIO:

❄️ Shoutout to the Snow Plow Drivers!

Thank you for braving the cold, working long hours, and working to clear roadways. Your hard work makes a difference for everyone! pic.twitter.com/C4zsd5ojaL

— Missouri AFL-CIO (@MOAFLCIO) January 5, 2025

Nebraska State AFL-CIO:

"If you don't have a seat at the table, you're probably on the menu." Save the date so Nebraska Legislatures know workers have a voice in our state! #ItsBetterInAUnion pic.twitter.com/ebOopcwzC8

— NE State AFL-CIO (@NEAFLCIO) January 3, 2025

Nevada State AFL-CIO:

28 days left to apply! 

Nevada high school seniors in the graduating class of 2025 with a 2.0 or higher GPA may apply for this scholarship.
One parent must be an active or retired member in good standing of any local union affiliated with the Nevada State AFL-CIO. pic.twitter.com/Uh5PvcXCVC

— Nevada State AFL-CIO // Pass the #PROAct (@NVAFLCIO) January 3, 2025

New York State AFL-CIO:

Best way to improve your wages, benefits and working conditions in 2025? Go union. pic.twitter.com/BfApI5J4AE

— NYS AFL-CIO // #UnionStrong (@NYSAFLCIO) December 30, 2024

North Carolina State AFL-CIO:

In 2024, unions of working people in NC overcame corporate power, natural disasters, and national political headwinds to win record contracts, rebuild communities, and elect labor champions. Read our 2024 Annual Report: https://t.co/1McT8PVg7V #1u

— NC State AFL-CIO // #CountMeIn (@NCStateAFLCIO) December 31, 2024

Ohio AFL-CIO:

#Ohio @AFLCIO President Tim Burga is with @Oapse4 @AFSCME President Lois Carson and @SherrodBrown as @POTUS signs the Social Security Fairness Act to ensure every public servant gets the full retirement they earned. pic.twitter.com/i0n7GZEGgE

— Ohio AFL-CIO (@ohioaflcio) January 5, 2025

Oregon AFL-CIO:

It was fantastic closing out 2024 with another organizing win in Ashland. Let’s push to give even more workers the chance to change their lives by joining a union in 2025! https://t.co/eWnyXSVRWu

— Oregon AFL-CIO (@OregonAFLCIO) January 3, 2025

Pennsylvania AFL-CIO:

Looking for a New Year’s Resolution? Join a union! pic.twitter.com/130CgzsVGu

— PA AFL-CIO (@PaAFL_CIO) January 1, 2025

Texas AFL-CIO:

Why do we always hear about retail theft but not wage theft?

In TX, min. wage violations cost individual workers nearly $4K/year on average.

And the state doesn’t care: From 2010-2020, it ordered $99M in back wages – but 80% of those payments haven't been received by workers.

— Texas AFL-CIO (@TexasAFLCIO) January 3, 2025

Kenneth Quinnell Tue, 01/07/2025 - 14:14

Service & Solidarity Spotlight: Philadelphia Museum Workers Vote to Ratify First Contract

Working people across the United States regularly step up to help out our friends, neighbors and communities during these trying times. In our Service & Solidarity Spotlight series, we’ll showcase one of these stories every day. Here’s today’s story.

Workers represented by AFSCME at the Please Touch Museum (PTM) in Philadelphia have voted to approve their first-ever collective bargaining agreement at the institution.

Staff voted to form Please Touch Museum United in April 2023, becoming the city’s first children’s museum to form a union and yet another organizing victory forged through the AFSCME Cultural Workers United campaign. Wins in the agreement include a 13.3% immediate increase in minimum pay—with guaranteed raises up to 24% over the lifetime of the contract—the ability to rollover sick time and vacation, reductions in health insurance cost-shares and more.

“Museum and cultural workers have traditionally accepted low pay and precarious conditions as a trade-off for doing mission-driven work,” said AFSCME District Council 47 President April Gigetts. “But those conditions aren’t sustainable for people who need a paycheck to live. As museums become more racially and economically diverse workplaces, workers are increasingly demanding the same rights and protections as those in other industries.”

Kenneth Quinnell Tue, 01/07/2025 - 10:01

Worker Wins: Providing Key Protections for Workers

Our latest roundup of worker wins includes numerous examples of working people organizing, bargaining and mobilizing for a better life.

PBS Writers Ratify Groundbreaking New Deal: On Wednesday, Writers Guild of America (WGA) members at the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) overwhelmingly ratified a new contract with management at member stations WGBH, THIRTEEN and PBS SoCal. In an exciting first, the WGA was able to secure critical union protections for PBS animation writers, who were previously not covered under the WGA–Public Television Freelance Agreement. The deal includes wins such as language ensuring that writer-producers will be paid a writing fee separately from their producing fee, artificial intelligence protections, paid parental leave and more. “This historic contract is the result of the strength and solidarity shown by our fellow PBS writers, the members of the Writers Guild of America and the animation writing community,” said the WGA-PBS bargaining committee in a press release. “With the support of the dedicated WGA East [WGAE] staff, we were able to secure a deal that provides key protections for all PBS writers. At a time when the mission of public television is more important than ever, we look forward to working with the stations to continue creating programs that inform, educate and inspire.”

Cannabis Workers in California Join UFCW: In another successful organizing effort for the emergent industry, more than 20 workers at the Cannabis 21+ dispensary in the Mission Valley area of San Diego have voted to join United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 135. This is a major step for workers to secure the improved wages, benefits and working conditions they deserve. UFCW Local 135 now represents the first of two Cannabis 21+ dispensaries in San Diego County and is already aiming to further assist workers at other locations who are interested in building power in their workplaces. “The workers at Cannabis 21+ in Mission Valley have demonstrated incredible courage and solidarity in their decision to unionize,” said Maribel Mckinze, UFCW Local 135’s organizing director. “This is an important victory not only for them but also for the growing movement to ensure that cannabis workers across California have a voice at work and access to better wages, benefits and working conditions. We look forward to supporting their journey to a strong contract and standing with their colleagues in Sorrento Valley as they organize next.”

Workers at Illinois Library Organize with AFSCME: Staff at the Urbana Free Library in Illinois voted unanimously to join AFSCME Council 31 last month, marking yet another victory at a critical public institution through the union’s Cultural Workers United campaign. The library has been Urbana-Champaign’s public library since 1874, and the staff who make its services possible cited unfair treatment from management as the reason for organizing. With patrons squarely on the side of their beloved library staff, workers are ready to start bargaining a contract that will help them better serve their community. 
“Our staff love the library. We care about that place. We care about our patrons,” said Carol Inskeep, a librarian who has worked for the library for 30 years. “That’s why it’s so disheartening when you see decisions get made that result in turnover or demoralize us so much that we lose the most committed people. We know if we have a stronger voice, we’ll be able to make better decisions for our library and our patrons.”

ZeniMax Online Studios Workers Form Union with CWA: The Communications Workers of America (CWA) announced on Thursday that an overwhelming majority of workers at Microsoft’s ZeniMax Online Studios (ZOS) have signed union authorization cards. Microsoft voluntarily recognized ZOS United-CWA, coming just months after CWA brokered a labor neutrality agreement with Microsoft for ZeniMax Media Inc. workers. This victory at the studio behind popular multiplayer game, The Elder Scrolls Online, marks another exciting win for organizing in the video game industry for the Campaign to Organize Digital Employees (CODE-CWA). The ZOS United-CWA union covers 461 staff who work as web developers, designers, engineers and graphics artists. “By coming together and forming a union, we’re able to take a powerful step forward in ensuring a better future for ourselves and for our families, to create protections against layoffs and workplace exploitation, and to provide additional layers of support for workers beyond what FMLA and workplace policies already provide,” said senior motion graphics artist Alyssa Gobelle. “At ZeniMax, unions belong here.”

TD Garden Concession Workers Ratify New Contract: After months of intense negotiations, TD Garden arena concessions workers represented by United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 1445 voted to ratify a new contract Sunday with their employer, Delaware North. Workers at the Boston venue are responsible for providing guests with food, beverages and team gear, in addition to serving visitors in the suites, Legends Room, Press Room, VIP areas and more. The three-year contract includes wins like increased commission rates for the first time in 20 years, improved seniority protections, increases in event minimums and better hourly rates for noncommissioned employees. “The members appreciate the media pressure and community support in securing improvements for the years ahead and look forward to strengthening the labor movement across Massachusetts in the years to come,” said Local 1445 in a public statement following the ratification vote.

New York Times Tech Guild Secures Tentative Agreement on New Contract That Includes 8.25% Raises: The NewsGuild of New York, an affiliate of the Communications Workers of America (CWA), said on Wednesday that it had reached a tentative deal on a three-year contract with The New York Times. More than 600 tech workers at The Times went on a weeklong strike in November. The strike was conducted by workers, including software engineers, designers and product managers, amid stalled contract negotiations over pay and job security. Members will vote to ratify the contract on Dec. 19. The tentative agreement is a first for the Times Tech Guild, which is part of The NewsGuild of New York, and represents nearly 6,000 media workers. The new contract includes enhanced job security with just cause protections and wage increases of up to 8.25%, among other benefits. “We not only won a first contract that set new standards for workers within the New York Times, but we've also established a strong foundation for what is possible for tech workers in the future when they organize and bargain collectively,” said Susan DeCarava, president of The NewsGuild of New York.

RadicalMedia Voluntarily Recognizes WGAE Union: Members of the Writers Guild of America East (WGAE) at the nonfiction entertainment division of RadicalMedia had their new union voluntarily recognized by management on Dec. 6. The bargaining unit of 65 staffers in production and postproduction roles was recognized. They went public with their organizing drive Oct. 23, after an “overwhelming majority” of workers in the proposed bargaining unit had signed union cards. Organizers said they wanted to negotiate pay, benefits, working conditions, job security and professional advancement. “We are pleased to share that RadicalMedia voluntarily recognized our union,” the union’s organizing committee said. “We look forward to negotiating a fair contract that addresses our concerns and lives up to the values espoused in the Nonfiction content produced by this progressive production company.”

Evansville Fire Fighters Secure New Contract with 7% Raises in First Year: Firefighters from Evansville, Indiana, will see a hefty pay raise with the new three-year contract approved by the members and the City Council. The members of the Fire Fighters (IAFF) will receive 7% raises in 2025, followed by additional 4% increases in 2026 and 2027. “The vote we had from our membership is something I haven’t seen in 13 years as union president, and longer than that as an executive board member. Over 99% passing on this contract vote," said IAFF Local 357 President Larry Zuber. "I appreciate Mayor Terry placing the value on public safety, and especially Evansville's bravest, the men and women of the Evansville Fire Department….You're going to get a return on that. Our membership, the fire department people, we're second to none in the state of Indiana and across the whole country." 

Strand Bookstore Workers Reach Tentative Agreement, End Strike: Workers at the Strand bookstore in New York city, members of UAW Local 2179, tentatively agreed on a new contract and ended a strike. Members will vote whether or not to approve the contract later this week. The new contract would last through Aug. 31, 2028. If approved, the contract would provide an increase to the store’s per hour hiring rate, amounting to a roughly 37% wage increase over four years for Strand workers who begin at the base salary. Unfair labor practice charges filed by the union also will be dropped.

Wrongfully Terminated Dancers Reach Settlement with Dallas Black Dance Theatre: After months of a coordinated public pressure campaign, members of the American Guild of Musical Artists (AGMA) who were wrongfully fired by the Dallas Black Dance Theatre (DBDT) have won a settlement agreement. The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) brokered the agreement after finding that the dance company committed unfair labor practices, including when it fired the entire dance company in August. The settlement includes more than a half million dollars in compensation, personal apologies from leadership, labor rights training for managers and more. “This has always been bigger than us,” said the fired dancers in a written statement. “We voted as one to unionize, we fought as one through months of intimidation and retaliation, and we’ve made this decision to move forward as one. We exposed what was happening behind closed doors, and people took to the streets to stand with us. While this settlement allows our lives to go on and gives us some sense of much-needed closure, we recognize that the fight for accountability and justice at DBDT is far from over.”

WESA and WYEP Staff Approve First Union Contract: SAG-AFTRA announced on Thursday that after nearly two years of negotiations, workers at two Pittsburgh radio stations announced they have voted to ratify their first contract. Radio hosts, music directors, reporters, editors, digital content staff and other staff at WESA-FM and WYEP-FM—which is owned and operated by the Pittsburgh Community Broadcasting Corporation (PCBC)—first organized in 2022. The PCBC board of directors unanimously approved the contract Wednesday, which includes across-the-board raises, more time off, preserves telework flexibility, expands the parental leave policy and more. “This is a historic day for PCBC, for those of us who work here, and for the community we serve,” said the Pittsburgh Public Radio Union bargaining committee in a press release. “Pittsburgh is a union town, and we are proud to serve it as a unionized station. We’re proud as well of this contract, which underscores the value our members offer to the station and the region as a whole.”

Lush Cosmetics Workers in Missouri Join UFCW in Historic First: Workers at the Lush Cosmetics location at Saint Louis Galleria mall in St. Louis voted to join United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 655, making history as the first beauty chain store staff in the state to organize. In addition to the new unit in St. Louis, the UFCW also represents Lush Cosmetics workers in both Louisville and Lexington, Kentucky, and in Friendswood, Texas. Members say their organizing efforts align with the company’s corporate values and a union will help them ensure a dignified work environment. “Lush is very open about supporting animal rights, environmental justice, and human rights,” said Harshini Abbaraju, a Lush Cosmetics employee who has worked for the company in three states and is now employed at the Saint Louis Galleria. “Now they need to put their money where their mouth is and recognize our union, because there are no human rights without workers’ rights.”

Kenneth Quinnell Mon, 01/06/2025 - 10:41

Tags: Organizing

Service & Solidarity Spotlight: Fontainebleau Las Vegas Workers Vote to Ratify Contract

Working people across the United States regularly step up to help out our friends, neighbors and communities during these trying times. In our Service & Solidarity Spotlight series, we’ll showcase one of these stories every day. Here’s today’s story.

Hospitality workers represented by the Culinary Workers Union, the Nevada affiliate of UNITE HERE, voted overwhelmingly this week to ratify the first union contract at the Fontainebleau Las Vegas.

With a stunning 99.6% of members voting in favor of the deal, workers celebrated the new protections and benefits that they won over the course of 18 hours at the negotiating table. The tentative agreement was reached in mid-December after the Culinary Workers Union forged a card-check neutrality deal with the casino resort in 2023.

“It’s finally happened. It’s a long time coming,” housekeeper Zachara Lewis said in a video posted by the union. “Housekeeping is a hard department, and it’s very hard on our bodies, so [we’re] glad that we are able to get paid what we deserve. The pay matches the work.”

Kenneth Quinnell Mon, 01/06/2025 - 10:33

Union-Made Holiday Gift Guide

Buying union-made is an important act of solidarity that helps support good union jobs in America.

Working people value the hard work and craftsmanship that goes into the products and services we make and provide. That’s true during this holiday season and every day of the year.

That’s why we’re pleased to share our annual Union-Made Holiday Gift Guide.

Check It Out

No matter what you celebrate or how, we want to help you find the perfect gift for your friends and family that you can also feel good about buying. The gifts listed in our guide are made by workers who stood together for family-supporting wages and good benefits.

And these workers’ contracts helped other nonunion workers, too. When union members secure higher wages, it influences employers in the same industry to raise wages for nonunion employees in order to stay competitive. When you buy union, you’re supporting workers everywhere—and lifting their communities.

This is a big, comprehensive guide with a newly added video game section, in light of big recent organizing wins in the video game industry, as well as our very own AFL-CIO Union Store.

Here is the full list of categories in the 2024 guide:

• Apparel and Accessories
• Beauty Products
• Big Spender
• Books, Stationery Stores and Subscriptions
• Games and Toys
• Homemade Gifts
• Kitchen and Homeware
• Sports Equipment
• Stocking Stuffers
• Tickets
• Video Games
• Wine, Beer and Spirits

Happy shopping! And remember: If you’re shipping gifts this year, our letter carriers, mail handlers and postal workers at the U.S. Postal Service are union members, too.

Kenneth Quinnell Wed, 12/11/2024 - 10:48

Service & Solidarity Spotlight: Pittsburgh Labor Collects Busloads of Gifts for Families

Working people across the United States regularly step up to help out our friends, neighbors and communities during these trying times. In our Service & Solidarity Spotlight series, we’ll showcase one of these stories every day. Here’s today’s story.

On Dec. 5, the Allegheny-Fayette Central Labor Council held its annual "Stuff the Bus" toy drive for families in need. Hundreds of new toys were loaded by volunteers onto double buses driven by Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) Local 85 members and delivered to distribution centers around the Pittsburgh area. This charitable event has grown over the years, providing thousands of local families with gifts to put under the tree. Santa Claus himself even made an appearance this year and posed with labor council volunteers in front of a standing-room-only bus. 

Kenneth Quinnell Wed, 12/11/2024 - 10:13

One-Day Strikes Are In: 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.

Pittsburgh Community Broadcasting Workers Finalize First-Ever Union Contract: “After nearly two years of negotiations, Pittsburgh Community Broadcasting Corporation and its unionized employees have reached an agreement. ‘Pittsburgh is a union town, and we are proud to serve it as a unionized station,’ workers said in a press release. ‘We believe this is a strong first contract that rewards the dedicated professionals at WESA and WYEP with immediate wage increases, while also helping to shape the stations' direction for years to come.’”

Danbury Firefighters Get 2.85% Raises, City Residency Stipend in New Union Contract: “The city’s firefighters union has a new contract, giving firefighters a new 2.85% annual general wage increase that starts in the current fiscal year and continues over the next three years. The City Council approved funding for the city’s new four-year pact with the Local 801, International Association of Fire Fighters, AFL-CIO, union Tuesday night. The vote was unanimous, with Democratic City Council member Jeffrey Tomchik, who is a city firefighter, abstaining.”

U.S. Looks to End Subminimum Wage for Workers with Disabilities: “Federal law currently allows the agency to issue certificates that let employers pay certain workers less than the federal minimum of $7.25 an hour based on the notion that their disabilities hinder productivity. Intended to help those with disabilities gain employment, the law currently has about 40,000 American workers laboring for half the minimum wage or less, according to the Labor Department.”

A Wisconsin Judge Just Ripped Up Scott Walker’s Anti-Union Law: “Wisconsin AFL-CIO President Stephanie Bloomingdale announced, ‘Nearly 14 years after Scott Walker, in his own words, "dropped the bomb" on Wisconsin public employees, Wisconsin workers can celebrate as the judicial branch restores collective bargaining rights to public employees in Wisconsin. Declaring Wisconsin’s union-busting Act 10 unconstitutional and void, over 60 sections of the 2011 anti-union law have now been struck down.’”

One-Day Strikes Are In: Why Unions Are Keeping It Short on the Picket Line: “Strikes can be long, grueling wars of attrition to see who blinks first—the workers or the employer. They can also be a party. Nurses from LCMC Health System’s University Medical Center New Orleans went with the latter in October. Their picket line included a stage, live music and a DJ in front of the university hospital’s campus. ‘It’s multiple holidays rolled into one,’ said Terry Mogilles, a nurse at the hospital’s trauma orthopedic clinic. ‘Mardi Gras. Christmas. Birthday.’ Another way strikes can be different? Keeping them brief. This strike was scheduled to only last 24 hours. While long-running strikes have dominated the headlines in the Gulf South region in the past few years, short strikes have become the norm. Since at least 2021, most strikes have lasted less than five days, according to the labor action tracker run by Cornell University and the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. The majority of those short strikes last no more than a day.”

Rigging the Tax Code: “Of all the attacks working people can expect from the incoming Trump administration, none will come as fast and furious as their attempt at ‘tax reform’—their code for further rigging the tax code in favor of billionaires. On Nov. 20, I testified before Sen. Elizabeth Warren’s banking subcommittee and told our elected officials what working-class people already know: A repeat of Trump’s Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 would be a disaster for families across America. Let’s be clear: Our tax code is already massively unfair. While 60 percent of workers live paycheck to paycheck and 100 million of us are being crushed by medical debt, billionaires in this country are paying a lower tax rate than most teachers and retail workers. Trump’s 2017 law did nothing but expand the gap between the uber-rich and the rest of us.”

Maryland Video Game Studio Reacts to Volatile Industry by Unionizing: “Welling said that in addition to the personal devastation of layoffs, there are also ‘downstream effects’ for the industry. ‘People who are trying to get into the industry are now finding it hard to get their foot in the door because they have to compete with people who have a bunch of experience. So that’s difficult for them, but then it’s also difficult for the people who don’t get laid off, because… they’re expecting us to do the same amount of work in the same amount of time with fewer people involved.’ Bethesda then became a leader of another burgeoning trend in the video game industry: unionization. Unionization efforts at Bethesda began in November 2023 following management’s decision to require three in-person work days, Welling said. By July 2024, Bethesda was recognized as ‘the first wall-to-wall union at a Microsoft video game studio,’ Communications Workers of America (CODE-CWA) said in a news release.”

Culinary Union Hosts Thanksgiving Dinner for Virgin Las Vegas Strikers: “On the 16th day of the ongoing strike, the Culinary Union hosted a holiday dinner for Virgin Las Vegas strikers on Saturday. Some Virgin Hotel employees spent Thanksgiving protesting in front of the resort. ‘Tonight is different because it’s the holidays so the Union brought us all together, showed us that we could all be strong together and we just all enjoyed a meal all together,’ said culinary union strike worker Alaia Lopez. ‘It gives us reassurance to see people like Dina [Titus] and other senators come out here and support us.’”

Kenneth Quinnell Fri, 12/06/2024 - 10:04

Service & Solidarity Spotlight: Workers at Whiteboard Geeks to Form a Union with the Animation Guild (IATSE)

Working people across the United States regularly step up to help out our friends, neighbors and communities during these trying times. In our Service & Solidarity Spotlight series, we’ll showcase one of these stories every day. Here’s today’s story.

A group of 11 workers at Whiteboard Geeks in Virginia filed with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) to form a union with The Animation Guild (TAG), an affiliate of the Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE).

Whiteboard Geeks specializes in hand-drawn whiteboard animation videos. The group of workers looking to join TAG includes script writers, video editors, production assistants and managers. They are seeking to improve workplace conditions, secure fair wages and enhance the rights of animation professionals in Virginia.

“We have already come together to declare our intentions and are determined to see our strength recognized at the bargaining table,” said script writer Phillip Hilliker. “As the first animation union in Virginia, we hope this action will not only improve the working conditions at WBG but also help set a new, sustainable path for creatives across the Commonwealth.”

Kenneth Quinnell Fri, 12/06/2024 - 08:29

Worker Wins: An Inspiring Example of Solidarity

Our latest roundup of worker wins includes numerous examples of working people organizing, bargaining and mobilizing for a better life.

Griffith Observatory Lecturers Ratify First CBA with the City of Los Angeles: Lecturers represented by Actors’ Equity Association (Equity) who narrate the planetarium shows at Griffith Observatory’s Samuel Oschin Planetarium theater have unanimously ratified their first contract. The Los Angeles City Council voted to approve the new deal on Wednesday, making this Equity’s first public sector collective bargaining agreement (CBA) in its 111-year history. The planetarium’s storytellers first announced their intent to organize in September 2022 and won voluntary recognition in April of last year. Their contract includes wage increases of 46.2% compounded over the agreement’s lifetime, as well as provisions ensuring regular meetings to discuss workplace concerns and a formalized grievance process. “Our work as artists is unique to this amazing cultural landmark, and we cherish it,” said lecturer Suzanne Ford. “For audiences from all over the world, we are privileged to create an experience like no other—a live performance that, every day, brings the wonders of the universe to life in an immediate and truly dramatic way. This contract affirms the value of our power as actors in the service of education and inspiration.”

Cliff Divers and Other Entertainers at Casa Bonita Unionize: Workers at Casa Bonita voted to unionize with Actors’ Equity Association (Equity) and Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) Local 7. The workers, about 80 cliff divers, magicians, actors, puppeteers and others at the Lakeland, Colorado, Mexican eatery, are seeking to address pay and other concerns, such as insufficient training, scheduling and safety from “abusive patrons emboldened by alcohol.” The restaurant was recently bought by “South Park” creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone. “IATSE Local 7 couldn’t be more humbled and thrilled by the incredible crew of Casa Bonita,” said Local 7 Business Agent Max Peterson. “The days and weeks leading up to this election have been an inspiring example of solidarity.…This result shows that the crew is ready for a brighter future through bargaining collectively to bring safety, security and lasting improvements to their workplace. We are excited to stand with and beside them as we prepare for and begin negotiations!”

Workers at Whiteboard Geeks to Form a Union with the Animation Guild (IATSE): A group of 11 workers at Whiteboard Geeks in Virginia filed with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) to form a union with The Animation Guild (TAG), an affiliate of the Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE). Whiteboard Geeks specializes in hand-drawn whiteboard animation videos. The group of workers looking to join TAG includes script writers, video editors, production assistants and managers. They are seeking to improve workplace conditions, secure fair wages and enhance the rights of animation professionals in Virginia. “We have already come together to declare our intentions and are determined to see our strength recognized at the bargaining table,” said script writer Phillip Hilliker. “As the first animation union in Virginia, we hope this action will not only improve the working conditions at WBG but also help set a new, sustainable path for creatives across the Commonwealth.”

Hundreds of Logan County Hospital Medical Workers Vote to Join USW: Nearly 300 staff members at Logan Regional Medical Center in West Virginia voted on Thursday to join the United Steelworkers (USW). The new unit includes registered nurses (RNs), nursing assistants, patient care technicians, phlebotomists, pharmacy technicians, respiratory therapists, patient transporters, unit secretaries and others at the acute care facility. Workers launched this organizing campaign almost a year ago, citing issues such as safe staffing levels, equitable wages, fair seniority policies, a voice on the job and enhancing workplace transparency. “With our victory, we’ve shown the hospital, the community and ourselves what it means to stand together and fight for what’s right,” said Canaan Varney, an RN, in a USW press release. “This isn’t just a win; it’s a turning point. Now that we’re unionized, we expect change. We expect fair wages for our work and a voice in the decisions that impact our lives and our community. This victory is about more than us; it’s about the patients we serve and the community we love. Together, we’re building something better, and I couldn’t be prouder to stand with all of my coworkers as we take this next step forward.”

Point Park University Faculty Union Approves New Contract: Full-time faculty members at Point Park University—who are represented by The NewsGuild-CWA (TNG-CWA) of Pittsburgh Local 38061—overwhelmingly voted to ratify a new three-year contract last week. The agreement includes 3.6% annual across-the-board wage increases, increased just-cause protection for nontenure-track faculty, more pay for overload courses, an established pathway for nontenure-track faculty to be considered for promotion to tenure track and more. Professors at the private university in Pittsburgh saw powerful displays of support from students on campus and credited that solidarity to part of the union’s success. “Faculty fought for months over the summer and into the start of the fall semester for the gains in this new contract, and I’m so excited that we get to reap the rewards of that fight today,” said Zack Tanner, president of TNG-CWA of Pittsburgh. “It’s not just wages that we won, but increased job protections and major improvements to the professional life of full-time faculty members. This is a contract that every faculty member at Point Park should be proud of.”

2K Motion Capture Workers Vote to Join IATSE: Motion Capture (MoCap) Studio workers at 2K, the video game company behind blockbuster franchises such as “NBA 2K” and “WWE 2K,” have voted to join the Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE). This victory at MoCap Studio in Petaluma, California, marks the first successful organizing effort at a workplace of this kind in the video game industry’s history. The election took place Friday morning, and the bargaining unit will include stage technicians, engineers, animators and recording and audio specialists. 2K MoCap Studio workers have cited the need for higher wages, greater job security, better working conditions and greater clarity on the job responsibilities attached to certain titles as core reasons for organizing. “This victory is not just about one studio; it’s about the future of work in the video game industry,” said IATSE International President Matthew D. Loeb in a press release. “2K MoCap workers have shown what many other entertainment workers already know—that collective action is the best way to secure fairness, equity and respect in the workplace. Their courage will inspire others in the industry to follow suit. This outcome also demonstrates what can be achieved when workers exercise their right to organize, a right that we will continue to fight to defend and expand.”

Washington Area Bicyclist Association Staff Win Voluntary Recognition: Workers at the Washington Area Bicyclist Association (WABA) secured voluntary recognition from their employer just days after announcing their intent to join Transport Workers Union (TWU) Local 320. This win marks the first bike-related nonprofit union drive for TWU after years of successfully organizing mechanics, technicians and other staff at bikeshare companies. The local already represents workers at Capital Bikeshare DC. “A few of us started conversations about organizing our workplace and got connected with TWU Local 320, and their willingness to work with us was exciting,” said Kevin O’Brien, who works for WABA as their Virginia organizer. “We saw their work with bikeshare groups and felt like it was a good fit. This could be a really challenging four years ahead of us. A lot of WABA’s funding comes through grants. We want to ensure that whatever comes, we’re navigating it together.”

Pitt Grad Workers Vote to Join USW in Landslide Vote: Almost a year after going public with their organizing efforts, graduate workers at the University of Pittsburgh have voted overwhelmingly to join the United Steelworkers (USW). The Pitt Graduate Workers Union victory comes after university faculty organized with USW in 2021 and staff across all five of Pitt’s campuses also successfully joined in September. The roughly 2,100 graduate workers launched this organizing effort to secure a contract that would establish a voice on the job, the ability to negotiate over funding security, stipend increases, protections against discrimination and harassment, improved family benefits, affordable health insurance and more. “My colleagues and I are a critical part of the research and education that makes the University of Pittsburgh a world-class academic institution,” said Caroline Layding, a graduate researcher in Pitt’s biostatistics department, in a press release. “We are so proud to join the Steelworkers, and we can’t wait to meet the university administration at the bargaining table.”

Workers at Kentucky EV Battery Announce Intent to Join UAW: The UAW announced Wednesday that a supermajority of workers at BlueOval SK (BOSK) in Kentucky have signed union authorization cards, launching their public campaign to organize. BOSK, a Ford Motor joint venture battery plant, produces batteries for the auto manufacturer’s electric vehicle (EV) fleet. This new campaign comes on the heels of Ultium workers in Ohio winning a contract in June and an election victory at an Ultium plant in Tennessee in September. BOSK workers are joining together to secure the standards UAW autoworkers enjoy as part of their hard-fought union contracts and to set a precedent for labor standards in the rapidly expanding EV battery industry. “I want a union because I want representation,” said Joseph Morgan, who works in maintenance–formation at BOSK. “I’ve been in the hot seat before without anyone to represent me. I don’t want to see anyone leave the company because of a lack of representation where the truth is decided in a one sided fashion. With a union, some of our coworkers, working next to us, will receive training to know how to implement the contract and help enforce it. I want to see my brothers and sisters at work united so strongly that the company can’t neglect our needs whether it be safety or benefits.”

Chicago Tribune Journalists Secure First Contract: Members of the Chicago Tribune Guild, part of The NewsGuild-CWA (TNG-CWA), won their first contract with Alden Global Capital last week after six years of bargaining. Alden Global Capital, which has a well-established reputation of gutting and slashing newsrooms, began buying into the Tribune Publishing Company in 2019. The hedge fund fully acquired the paper in May 2021. This landmark contract was ratified with near-unanimous approval on Friday, providing two years of consecutive raises and an immediate signing bonus. The agreement also retains Guild members’ 401(k) match, raises minimum salary floors and establishes essential protections against artificial intelligence outsourcing. “We won because we fought, and we fought because we believe in the work we do for Chicago,” said Unit Chair Jake Sheridan. “The world needs people to push for truth right now. That’s what we do. This contract gives us a little more stability and a little more pay so we can keep doing it.”

Arapahoe Basin Ski Patrollers File to Form Union: On Monday, staff at the Arapahoe Basin Ski Patrol announced their decision to file for union representation with the United Professional Ski Patrols of America (UPSPA), Communications Workers of America (CWA) Local 7781. Ski professionals at the iconic alpine ski area in the Arapaho National Forest of Colorado are responsible for ensuring the safety of thousands of visitors each year. These workers are organizing to negotiate for important workplace issues such as benefits, compensation and respect on the job. “The union will guarantee that we have a voice at the table to negotiate for what is important to us as a staff,” said Kali Flaherty, an Arapahoe Basin ski patroller. “We hope to work closely with management to ensure we receive the benefits, compensation, and respect we deserve for our hard work. We also hope that our community—both in Summit County and the surrounding areas—will come together to support the values and goals we stand for.”

St. Louis University Graduate Workers Vote to Join UAW: Late last week, St. Louis University graduate students overwhelmingly voted in favor of joining the United Autoworkers (UAW). The Graduate Workers of St. Louis University Union-UAW (GWSLUU-UAW) unit covers more than 500 people who work for the school as teaching and research assistants. This landslide victory came right before the National Labor Relations Board reported Monday that more than 50,000 students who work at U.S. universities have unionized during the past two years, proving that this win is part of a much larger national effort to organize increasingly precarious higher education institutions. Members cite the need for better working conditions and increased pay as core motivators, saying that before the organizing effort, graduate workers had not received a raise in more than a decade. Concerns around uncertainty in science funding and unstable regulation of visas were also issues that spurred the campaign. “This feels like the greatest achievement of our lives,” said Zach Davis, a doctoral candidate in American studies. “For the first time in this university’s history, grad workers will have a seat at the table in all decisions that affect them. There will no longer be any conversations about us in which we are not an active participant and so long as this union is around, that is not going to change.”

Rite Aid Workers Secure Tentative Agreement: Rite Aid workers in Southern California, represented by the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW), secured a tentative agreement (TA) on Friday after months of intense negotiations with the drugstore chain. The deal covers more than 3,500 UFCW members across locals 8GS, 135, 324, 770, 1167, 1428 and 1442. Workers voted overwhelmingly to authorize a strike a month ago, building on months of strategic actions, rallies and community conversations. Their endurance has paid off—the Rite Aid TA includes improved wages, health care benefits protections and pension security. “This tentative agreement would not have been possible without the strength we showed during the bargaining process,” the UFCW Rite Aid Bargaining Committee said in a joint statement. “We stood up to the company’s unfair labor practices and showed them we were willing to fight for the contract we deserved. The power we showed at our stores translated to power at the bargaining table. Our solidarity and this victory will send a strong message to workers everywhere—when we fight, we win!

Kenneth Quinnell Thu, 12/05/2024 - 09:33

One Day Longer, One Day Stronger: In the States Roundup

It's time once again to take a look at the ways working people are making progress in the states. Click on any of the links to follow the state federations on X (formerly Twitter).

Alaska AFL-CIO:

LABOR ACTION ALERT 🚨

FNSB School Board is voting tonight to outsource custodial services. @NEAAlaska currently represents these workers. 

Outsourcing is an attack on working families. Use the link below and make your voice heard! #1u #UnionStronghttps://t.co/1iCE2ul0ow

— Alaska AFL-CIO (@AKAFLCIO) December 4, 2024

California Labor Federation, AFL-CIO:

Union voters win elections! https://t.co/HmuFTnwahn

— California Federation of Labor Unions (@CaliforniaLabor) November 27, 2024

Colorado AFL-CIO:

Register for the Labor Slam 2024 Finale to learn to construct and deliver a confident, dynamic speech in a safe and supportive environment for all levels of experience.
Register here: https://t.co/9z8694czeA pic.twitter.com/cjmPmFGEfM

— Colorado AFL-CIO (@AFLCIOCO) December 3, 2024

Connecticut AFL-CIO:

Attorney Jon Schoenhorn called the appellate decision "a strong endorsement of collective bargaining... And management personnel cannot intimidate unions by suing union members just because they participated in the union grievance process." pic.twitter.com/wzupMo5NEU

— Connecticut AFL-CIO (@ConnAFLCIO) December 3, 2024

Florida AFL-CIO:

We're thankful for all of our brothers and sisters joined in solidarity to fight for the working class. Happy Thanksgiving! pic.twitter.com/xqTycm0nCa

— Florida AFL-CIO (@FLAFLCIO) November 28, 2024

Illinois AFL-CIO:

"It’s on you to make sure that he holds his promises to bring back American jobs, to uplift wages, to uplift unions. You all said this guy’s so pro-union, this guy’s so for American workers, well, then you should be for us 100 percent."https://t.co/i44WHp2PXP pic.twitter.com/nR9BneWtvP

— Illinois AFL-CIO (@ILAFLCIO) December 4, 2024

Massachusetts AFL-CIO:

Climate jobs are union jobs. We were proud to be at today’s bill signing with @LAntonellis103, @IBEW103, @Mass_BTU, @MassGovernor, @ClimateJobsMA, Speaker @RonMariano and more. https://t.co/jWRmvlQpRo pic.twitter.com/q3vzr0RUnA

— Massachusetts AFL-CIO (@massaflcio) December 3, 2024

Michigan State AFL-CIO:

Happy Thanksgiving from Michigan’s labor movement!

We’re thankful for the union workers who built this state and for the solidarity that unites us all in the fight for justice for working people everywhere. pic.twitter.com/Cer89SwwGD

— Michigan AFL-CIO ✊ (@MIAFLCIO) November 28, 2024

Minnesota AFL-CIO:

For consumers, the stranglehold of private equity can mean rising costs and plummeting quality. For workers, when private equity calls the shots, layoffs and reduced staffing often follow, according to academic studies. #BetterInAUnion https://t.co/6YIz4zgOHI

— Minnesota AFL-CIO (@MNAFLCIO) November 27, 2024

Missouri AFL-CIO:

📬💌 This holiday season, let’s take a moment to thank the hardworking mail carriers who keep our world connected—rain, snow, or shine! From delivering holiday cards to ensuring packages arrive safely, they go the extra mile every day. pic.twitter.com/F20L3ICHMd

— Missouri AFL-CIO (@MOAFLCIO) December 4, 2024

Nevada State AFL-CIO:

One day longer, one day stronger! 🗣️

Every day we stand in solidarity with @Culinary226 and walk with them on the line as they approach almost two weeks of being on strike against Virgin Hotels Las Vegas! 📢🚨 pic.twitter.com/1evzbOZRj9

— Nevada State AFL-CIO // Pass the #PROAct (@NVAFLCIO) November 27, 2024

North Carolina State AFL-CIO:

RELEASE: Congrats to Justice @AllisonJRiggs on Winning NC Supreme Court Election! https://t.co/7IwOMWadUj #ncpol #1u 🧵1/

— NC State AFL-CIO // #CountMeIn (@NCStateAFLCIO) December 4, 2024

Ohio AFL-CIO:

There was a reason there was a board game invented to teach the public about the harmful impact of monopolies. Putting more power and money in the hands of fewer people is not the answer to growing our middle class. https://t.co/2Hcc02a4XQ

— Ohio AFL-CIO (@ohioaflcio) December 3, 2024

Oregon AFL-CIO:

Welcome to the #OregonLabor family, @SRguild_! It's incredible to see talented journalists like you stand together to build power at work. https://t.co/nsCUY1ULZI

— Oregon AFL-CIO (@OregonAFLCIO) December 2, 2024

Texas AFL-CIO:

The Texas AFL-CIO congratulates the new leadership of @MALCTx:@RepRamonRomero as Chair@RepErinEGamez as Vice Chair@andoconmando39 as Secretary@RepWalle as Legal Counsel@repmaryann as Treasurer

We look forward to working with you in the 89th session! #txlege pic.twitter.com/1aTEu3AAGr

— Texas AFL-CIO (@TexasAFLCIO) December 4, 2024

Washington State Labor Council, AFL-CIO:

If you want to learn more about the Battle of Seattle and trade organizing, join @WAFairTrade for a virtual event on Dec. 3.https://t.co/XfJrQYSPg5 https://t.co/WUaYmOSvev pic.twitter.com/g3yPWg6QFP

— Washington State Labor Council, AFL-CIO (@WAAFLCIO) November 26, 2024

Wisconsin State AFL-CIO:

Superior union speaks out after collective bargaining powers restored in Wisconsin https://t.co/2k65lIbxm2

— WI AFL-CIO (@wisaflcio) December 4, 2024

Kenneth Quinnell Wed, 12/04/2024 - 11:36

Service & Solidarity Spotlight: Cliff Divers and Other Entertainers at Casa Bonita Unionize

Working people across the United States regularly step up to help out our friends, neighbors and communities during these trying times. In our Service & Solidarity Spotlight series, we’ll showcase one of these stories every day. Here’s today’s story.

Workers at Casa Bonita voted to unionize with Actors’ Equity Association (Equity) and Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) Local 7. The workers, about 80 cliff divers, magicians, actors, puppeteers and others at the Lakewood, Colorado, Mexican eatery, are seeking to address pay and other concerns, such as insufficient training, scheduling and safety from “abusive patrons emboldened by alcohol.” The restaurant was recently bought by “South Park” creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone.

“IATSE Local 7 couldn’t be more humbled and thrilled by the incredible crew of Casa Bonita,” said Local 7 Business Agent Max Peterson. “The days and weeks leading up to this election have been an inspiring example of solidarity.…This result shows that the crew is ready for a brighter future through bargaining collectively to bring safety, security and lasting improvements to their workplace. We are excited to stand with and beside them as we prepare for and begin negotiations!”

Kenneth Quinnell Wed, 12/04/2024 - 10:03