‘Rest in Power, Sister Dolores’: 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.
How One Huge Labor Union Is Reaching This Election’s Swing Voters: “UNITE HERE, which boasts more than 300,000 members across the country, tells its organizers to zero in on voters’ personal financial situations before seeking support for Democratic candidates. In Texas, a doorknocker for the union might reference last year’s Hilton Americas-Houston hotel strike before pivoting to telling a voter that Democratic Senate nominee James Talarico and gubernatorial nominee Gina Hinojosa supported workers’ drive for a higher wage. ‘That’s more what we find effective, because there is an apathy about Democrats in general,’ Gwen Mills, UNITE HERE’s president, told Semafor. ‘We talk about the agency that workers and working-class people have to change their lives through their union, and then through voting. That’s a different angle into having a conversation about the election.’”
Abdul El-Sayed Joins City and Union Leaders at Detroit Rally: “With eight days left until the general election, the battle for Michigan’s U.S. Senate seat continues to be one of the most closely watched races. Both candidates were back on the campaign trail Monday, and the United Auto Workers held a press conference for Dr. Abdul El-Sayed. Dr. Abdul El-Sayed was back in Detroit, meeting with city council members and representatives from local unions. ‘You have a choice between a corporate-backed politician who made millions off of his time in public service, who wants to do the bidding of the worst president to ever serve in the office, Donald Trump, who cannot stand up to the wrong war, cannot stand up to the tariff war, and will certainly not stand up for Detroiters,’ El-Sayed said.”
PWHL and Union Reach Agreement to Expand Rosters and Increase Minimum Salaries Entering 4th Season: “The PWHL and its union on Thursday announced reaching an agreement to increase each team’s active roster by one player and a stepped-up jump in minimum annual base salaries over the remaining five years of their existing collective bargaining agreement. The changes reflect the league’s growth in popularity and coincide with the PWHL expanding to 12 teams by adding four new franchises entering its fourth season, which opens Dec. 5. ‘The PWHL and PWHLPA remain committed to working collaboratively to advance player opportunities, compensation, and the continued growth of professional women’s hockey,’ the league and PWHL Players Association said in a joint press release.”
National Beef Workers in Liberal, Kansas, Ratify Union Contract: “Today, United Food and Commercial Workers Local 2 announced the ratification of a five-year collective bargaining agreement at the National Beef plant in Kansas, which will bring significant wage increases, bonuses, and additional time off to more than 2,600 workers through 2031. UFCW Local 2 President Martin Rosas said, ‘Our union is incredibly proud to have negotiated this collective bargaining agreement, which members made possible by trusting and supporting each other. We are fully committed to securing fair wages, strong benefits, and safe working conditions for all workers in the meatpacking industry. That can only be achieved through solidarity.’”
AFL-CIO Drafting ‘Gold-Standard’ AI Legislation: “The AFL-CIO is drafting its own ‘gold-standard’ AI legislation it hopes lawmakers can pass next Congress, AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler told Semafor. The bill, which will touch on ‘worker protections and privacy and data protections’ as well as ‘ideas around economic impacts,’ will be the union federation’s ‘highest priority,’ Shuler added. Shuler has sought to use AI to mobilize voters this election cycle, even as data centers divide organized labor and invite public backlash. ‘The changes that are happening in the workplace that feel so out of control [have] people feeling extremely anxious and uncertain, and I think that’s only increased since’ June, Shuler said, calling data center pushback ‘the way that it is manifesting.’”
Remembering Labor Leader Dolores Huerta: “AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler: ‘Our sister Dolores Huerta was a giant, an icon and a hero who kicked open the tightly shut doors of opportunity for me and countless others in the labor movement. Sending love and support to her family, her union family, and the millions she inspired with her courage and fight. I’m especially thinking of all the women and immigrant workers who saw Dolores Huerta lead so powerfully, from the fields of California to the halls of Capitol Hill. When we say ‘¡Sí, se puede!’ we bring those words to life through organizing and carry on her legacy. What an honor it has been for all of us to stand on the same picket line as Dolores Huerta for fairness and justice. Rest in power, sister Dolores. Your fight will continue in all of us.’”
Workers at Joplin, Missouri, Dispensary Vote to Join Union: “Workers at the Greenlight Marijuana Dispensary in Joplin, Missouri, voted to unionize, joining the UFCW Local 2. The 21 workers said they organized to seek better job security, more consistent scheduling, equitable tip distribution, better pay, and protection from unilateral corporate changes. In a statement, Kelli Jones, a budtender, cited job security as ‘crucial’ for the workers, noting that the dispensary was recently acquired by Good Day Farm.”
Wisconsin Electrical Union Highlights Demand for Skilled Workers: “Electrical Workers Union IBEW Local 158 in Green Bay says Wisconsin needs more electricians, and officials say the career benefits both the state and workers who enter the trade. The union says it is a good career option for young people. Depending on certification, workers can sometimes earn close to $80,000 a year fresh out of high school, according to the union. ‘Our apprenticeship programs give young people the opportunity to earn while they learn with scheduled wage increases as they complete their required training and work hours,’ said Scott Evenstad, with IBEW Local 158 Membership Development.”
New California Law Aimed at Protecting Utility Workers from Assault: “As part of its advocacy efforts, members of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 1245 shared firsthand experiences of being harassed or subjected to violence while on the job. ‘Utility workers perform dangerous work every day to keep California’s communities powered and safe,’ IBEW 1245 Business Manager Bob Dean said in the release. ‘Being attacked on the job should never be one of those risks.’”
IATSE’s First Tech Czar Wants Crew Members Involved in the Creation of AI Tools: “As the use of AI in Hollywood ramps up, the entertainment industry’s top crew union has hired a dedicated staffer to help them navigate this brave and uncertain new world. Enter Jillian Arnold, the more than 170,000-person labor group’s first labor and technology intelligence officer, tasked with keeping the union abreast of technological developments and protecting its workers. With a jurisdiction spanning the U.S. and Canada, she’s set to get involved in contract negotiations, reskilling and upskilling initiatives and federal and state policy efforts.”