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.