Stronger and Better Together: 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.

S&P 500 CEO Pay Jumps to Record as Musk-Inspired Compensation Plans Spread: “Musk’s pay ‘changes the dynamic when other CEO compensation plans come up, boards use it as a reference,’ Fred Redmond, the AFL-CIO’s secretary-treasurer, said in a telephone interview. Meanwhile, said Redmond, wages of employees are being held back by the rise of artificial intelligence and a National Labor Relations Board run by Republicans, whom labor leaders view as hostile to union organizing efforts. ‘As we talk to our members, they’re pissed off over what’s happening to them, and they feel as though they should be more vocal in terms of calling attention ‌to inequality,’ ⁠Redmond said. He noted union representation has hit the highest level in 16 years.”

University of Chicago Press Union Wins Landslide Election: “93 votes in favor, 12 against: workers at The University of Chicago Press (UCP) voted by a landslide to unionize with the Chicago News Guild, Local 34071 of The NewsGuild-CWA. The election—with votes counted on July 8 and the results officially certified by the National Labor Relations Board on July 16—marks another win for labor organizing in Chicago cultural institutions and in the publishing industry nationwide. ‘We were feeling confident going into it, but it’s really great to have that level of support and affirmation for our union,’ said Meredith Nini, senior promotions manager at the press and UCP Workers Guild member.”

Cooper-Siegel Community Library Workers Unionize with Help from USW: “Workers at the Cooper-Siegel Community Library in Fox Chapel and its Sharpsburg branch voted to unionize with the United Steelworkers union last month. A vote took place July 29 with 16 out of 21 eligible voters participating, according to National Labor Relations Board records. The vote was 13-3 in favor of unionizing. Part-time library services assistant Cameron Smith was part of the organizing committee. ‘We’re excited to see what comes next and work with management,’ Smith said.”

High School Grads Gain Valuable Skills in IAM CREST Workshops: “Thirty-eight students enrolled in the International Association of Machinists Union District 15 Corporation for Re-Employment and Safety Training (IAM CREST) attended financial education workshops on ‘How to Avoid Scams, Frauds and Identity Theft’ and ‘Basic Banking.’ The workshops were sponsored by Communities First Initiative (CFI) and Santander Bank at IAM District 15 in Lyndhurst. This is one of many financial education presentations that CFI has conducted throughout the state as a result of the huge increase in the number of people who have experienced scams, frauds and identity theft.”

Interest in Union Membership Up Across Nation: “Liz Shuler, president of the AFL-CIO, who represents some 15 million workers, said tripling union membership is not a pipe dream. More than one in three private-sector workers belonged to a union in the 1950s. ‘Back in the 1950s when, frankly, our wages were actually growing along with the economy and when economic growth meant that all of us won, not just the billionaires,’ Shuler contended.”

TC Phil Musicians Vote to Unionize: “The musicians of the Traverse City Philharmonic have voted ‘overwhelmingly’ to unionize, according to a Tuesday announcement. They will join the American Federation of Musicians (AFM), becoming union members of the AFM Local 56. The organizing effort ‘began when TC Phil violinist Kaylee Erlewein contacted AFM Local 56 in April 2026 regarding concerns about the orchestra’s operations,’ the release states. ‘Over the next four months, a musician-led organizing committee—supported by the AFM’s Organizing Department and Local 56—conducted one-on-one conversations with their TC Phil colleagues to discuss these concerns and the possibility of union representation.’”

IAFF President Edward Kelly Outlines Firefighter Safety, Cancer Benefits and Labor Priorities at 58th Convention: “IAFF General President Edward Kelly used his opening address at the union’s 58th Convention to set out priorities on firefighter safety, occupational cancer benefits, collective bargaining, staffing, public safety and the future of the fire service. Speaking during the Opening Ceremony in Arlington, Texas, Kelly said the International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) would remain ‘all in’ on protecting members and their families across the United States and Canada. Kelly said the pledge was rooted in the dangers of the fire service and the union’s responsibility to reduce risks wherever possible.”

About 40 Graduate by Hilton Berkeley Workers Unionize: “About 40 workers at the Graduate by Hilton Berkeley hotel voted to unionize in late July. Staff working as housekeepers, restaurant servers, bartenders, front desk agents and others notified owners of the Hilton-branded hotel in early July they intended to hold an election to join Unite Here Local 2, after filing a notice with the National Labor Relations Board to hold the legally protected vote.”

5 Unsung Films that Dramatize America’s Rich Labor History: “The U.S. is in the midst of a new upsurge of union organizing. Is a Hollywood drama about angry Starbucks baristas or frustrated Amazon warehouse workers far behind? Hollywood studios and independent producers have long depicted the collective efforts of working people to improve their lives and gain a voice in their workplaces and the larger society.”

Roxanne D. Brown: Want to Rebuild the Middle Class? Triple Union Membership: “My mom was a single parent. She raised my brother and me, paid every bill on time, and bought a house of her own, breaking into the middle class with hard work and a union job. She also showed me how to make my own way in the world, and now she’s preparing for a retirement she spent decades earning.”

PNBC, Rainbow Push and AFL-CIO Join to Fight Voter Suppression: “A predominantly Black denomination, a faith-based civil rights group and the nation’s largest union have joined forces to fight systemic racism and voter suppression. ‘We decided we’re stronger and better together and so today we thought it would be appropriate to announce a prophetic partnership between AFL-CIO, Rainbow Push Coalition and the Progressive National Baptist Convention,’ newly installed PNBC President Keith W. Byrd Sr. said during the denomination’s 65th annual session last month. He was joined by AFL-CIO Secretary-Treasurer Fred Redmond and Yusef Jackson, president of the Rainbow PUSH Coalition and son of the late Civil Rights champion Jesse Jackson.”