Justice Delayed Is Justice Denied: 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.
An Unwritten Federal Policy is Blocking Workers’ Discrimination Claims: “‘Justice delayed is justice denied, and the EEOC’s refusal to act on these class-action complaints is causing direct harm and personal injury to our members,’ AFGE National President Everett Kelley said in a statement.”
Temple, Jefferson Resident Physicians Ratify First Contracts Since Voting to Unionize: “About 2,200 resident physicians at Temple University Health System and Thomas Jefferson University Hospitals announced Thursday that they ratified their first contracts since voting to unionize. The residents at the two health systems were the latest in the region to join the Committee of Interns and Residents (CIR), the largest union of resident physicians in the United States.”
Mendocino County SEIU Members Ratify Contract: “The vast majority of Mendocino County public servants this week approved a new employment contract, officials with the local Service Employees International Union reported. In a press release, the SEIU 1021 reported that its members in Mendocino County, which include include public health nurses, social workers, employment and family assistance specialists, mental health clinicians, road crews, and others, ‘overwhelmingly ratified their union contract by 96.94%.’”
Jake Hummel: Amendment 4 Will Lead to More Anti-Worker Laws: “As president of the Missouri AFL-CIO, I am incredibly proud of our union members and their families who have been hitting the streets to spread the word about Amendments 4 and 5 which will be on the Aug. 4 ballot. Amendment 5 has received plenty of attention, and rightfully so. It would allow politicians to create a new Everything Tax and raise the price of gas, groceries, medicine, and even doctor’s visits. It deserves to fail, and I feel confident we will deliver that defeat on Election Day. But Amendment 4 has received less attention, and for working families it is incredibly dangerous.”
AFSCME Local 1343 Signs Two-Year Union Contract with City of Burlington: “Today, Burlington Mayor Emma Mulvaney-Stanak and the local chapter of the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) announced the successful negotiation of a new, two-year collective bargaining agreement. The contract was signed this morning at a ceremony at City Hall. The contract extends the longstanding partnership between the union workforce of over 300 staff members and the City of Burlington from July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2028. AFSCME Local 1343 ratified the contract prior to the Burlington City Council’s approval of the agreement at its July 13, 2026, meeting.”
On-Set Visual Effects Workers on ‘Star Wars’ Productions Join IATSE: “A group of U.S. visual effects workers engaged directly by ‘Star Wars’ franchise productions has joined the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees for collective bargaining purposes. The new bargaining unit includes U.S. workers who contribute to titles including, but not limited to ‘The Mandalorian & Grogu,’ ‘Ahsoka’ and ‘Starfighter.’ The unit, which overwhelmingly supported joining the union, will now begin good-faith negotiations with the employer for its first contract.”
Sales Reps with New Jersey Cannabis Brand Vote to Unionize: “Sales representatives with a cannabis retail brand in New Jersey are the latest workers in the state’s legalized industry to unionize. According to the United Food and Commercial Workers Local 360, The Botanist New Jersey’s sales team recently voted to organize as members of the union. Headquartered in New York City, the Canopy USA-owned brand has retail sites in Williamstown, Collingswood and Egg Harbor Township. It also operates licensed cultivation and manufacturing facilities here.”
Case to Be Dropped Against Labor Leader Caught in Los Angeles Immigration Raid: “Federal prosecutors moved on Monday to dismiss their case against David Huerta, a Los Angeles labor leader whose arrest during an immigration raid last year helped spark a wave of demonstrations against the Trump administration’s crackdown in the nation’s second-largest city.”
University of Michigan Nurses Sign New Deal, Approve Wage Increases: “University of Michigan nurses approved a new three-year labor contract that features wage increases, improved staffing rations and stronger workplace safety protections. The MNA-University of Michigan Professional Nurse Council—the group representing the Michigan Nurses Association—approved the agreement with a 94% ‘yes’ vote on Friday, July 24. The contract ratification vote took place from July 20 to the 24.”
Fred Redmond: Black Women Deserve Equal Pay. Unions Help Make It Happen: “Everywhere you look, people are talking about the rising cost of living. For Black women, this crisis is compounded by a persistent and unjust pay gap. That’s why we observe Black Women’s Equal Pay Day this year on July 21. It brings attention to the fact that among full-time, year-round workers, Black women earned just 65 cents in 2025 for every dollar earned by white men. That wage gap isn’t just a statistic—it means smaller paychecks, fewer opportunities to build wealth, greater financial insecurity and harder choices about providing for their families.”
American Federation of Musicians Local 802 Reaches Agreement with Metropolitan Opera: “Local 802 of the American Federation of Musicians has reached a tentative agreement with the Metropolitan Opera for a one-year contract for the Met’s more than 130 associate musicians. The deal follows an extensive nine-month period of negotiations during which representatives of the Met’s associate musicians pushed to achieve wage parity with their Met Orchestra colleagues. According to AFM Local 802 President Dan Point, the musicians faced ‘a challenging uphill battle” due to budgetary limitations that have affected the Met in recent years.”