President Fain’s remarks from April 10 Livestream – Our Economy, Our Country, Our Union (copy)
The post President Fain’s remarks from April 10 Livestream – Our Economy, Our Country, Our Union (copy) appeared first on UAW | United Automobile, Aerospace and Agricultural Implement Workers of America.
Read More....MAKE A CALL: Tell Congress to Stop the Cuts to NIOSH in Washington and beyond!
MAKE A CALL: Tell Congress to Stop the Cuts to NIOSH in Washington and beyond!
You’ve probably never heard of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, or NIOSH—but this federal agency plays a critical role in keeping America’s workers safe.And last week, Elon Musk and the DOGE gutted it.
More than one thousand workers in six states and Washington, D.C.—including Washington—have lost their jobs at the federal job safety research agency. Every single NIOSH research center is being closed, and the few staff remaining no longer have the resources to do their jobs. Please call your members of Congress by dialing 844-292-9097 or filling out this form and demand they stand up for this critical worker health and safety agency and its workers against DOGE and the Trump administration. Congress created NIOSH on a broad, bipartisan basis during the Nixon administration, and workers and employers throughout the world rely on NIOSH’s research and recommendations.NIOSH conducted key research for the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) so that we could have regulations on asbestos, cotton dust, lead, bloodborne pathogens, silica and black lung, which have saved hundreds of thousands of workers’ lives. The agency researches worker exposures to heat and wildfire smoke, workplace violence, back injuries and other chronic diseases, and state-of-the-art technologies that keep workers safe in mines. It also approves all respirators and combats fraud from imported counterfeit products. This agency even oversees the World Trade Center Health Program to provide 9/11 responders and survivors with medical monitoring and treatment, and a program to compensate energy workers exposed to deadly hazards from manufacturing, testing and cleaning up nuclear weapons.The DOGE cuts to NIOSH are making workplaces more dangerous. MSHA announced this week it is pausing the implementation of a new rule to protect mineworkers from deadly silica dust exposure because of “the unforeseen NIOSH restructuring.” Make no mistake: the DOGE’s actions will jeopardize the safety of all American workers. Our message to Congress is simple: Stop the cuts to NIOSH and reinstate the workers. Right now each year, more than 5,000 workers die from job injuries and 135,000 workers die from chronic occupational diseases. Millions more workers are injured. America’s working families need NIOSH to make jobs safer and keep workers healthier. Thank you for speaking out for worker safety.
Kenneth Quinnell
Mon, 04/14/2025 – 13:04
The Jewish Museum of Maryland Workers Join Teamsters
(BALTIMORE) – A dozen workers at The Jewish Museum of Maryland have unanimously voted to join Teamsters Local 355. Workers from every department of the museum are seeking job security and other union protections. “We are looking forward to representing our newest members,” said Mark Garey, President of Local 355. “This shows that workers in […]
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UNION PLUS – STUDENT DEBT NAVIGATOR
Student loan updates got you stressed and confused? Join Union Plus and Savi on April 22nd at 2pm ET to hear Savi’s experts break down the latest complex policy updates, and help you find savings to put money back in your pocket. CLICK HERE
The post UNION PLUS – STUDENT DEBT NAVIGATOR appeared first on UAW | United Automobile, Aerospace and Agricultural Implement Workers of America.
Clerk Division State of the Union Meeting
On behalf of Clerk Division Director, Lamont Brooks, please join the Clerk Division State of the Union Meeting, Wednesday, April 16, 2025, 6:00-8:30pm EST. Please register before 5pm EST, April 16.
April 16, 2025 – 6:00PM to 8:30PMVirtual via ZoomNationalNoNo2025-04-17 00:00:00https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/jJCej50cRvGxAyAETSYg8wClerk Division State of the Union Meeting00
April 11 Update: Maintenance Division Part-Time Regular Settlement Payments
April 11, 2025Most eligible recipients of the Maintenance Craft Part-Time Regular (PTR) settlement distribution have received their first payments. Some employees had payments rejected because management was unable to match them to Social Security numbers. They are now set to be paid this pay period, on or about April 11, 2025.
Awards and SettlementsMaintenance Division
Most eligible recipients of the Maintenance Craft Part-Time Regular (PTR) settlement distribution have received their first payments, totaling over $14.3 million. Some employees had payments rejected because management was unable to match them to Social Security numbers. They are now set to be paid this pay period, on or about April 11, 2025.
In addition, the Maintenance Division is working to identify approximately 50 conversions to full-time positions per the PTR agreement. The goal is to find PTRs who are already working at least 25-30 hours per week, and all PTRs who can pick up additional hours doing other duties, like lock changes.
The Maintenance Division has received inquiries about the second and final distribution. We are not releasing the second round of payments until all the first round has been completed. We anticipate that the second payment distribution will take place around June 2025 and the payments will range from $100 to $400.
Thank you for your continued patience.
April 11 Update: Maintenance Division Part-Time Regular Settlement Payments0
Read More....Get to Know AFL-CIO’s Affiliates: AFT
Get to Know AFL-CIO’s Affiliates: AFT
This is the next post in our series that will take a deeper look at each of our affiliates. The series will run weekly until we’ve covered all 63 of our affiliates. Next up is the American Federation of Teachers (AFT).
Name of Union: American Federation of Teachers.Mission: “The AFT is a union of professionals that champions fairness; democracy; economic opportunity; and high-quality public education, health care and public services for our students, their families and our communities. We are committed to advancing these principles through community engagement, organizing, collective bargaining and political activism, and especially through the work our members do.”Current Leadership of Union: President Randi Weingarten has led the AFT through some of the most critical fights in its history—from the COVID-19 pandemic response to resisting political attacks on educators and championing real solutions for kids and communities. She is joined by Secretary-Treasurer Fedrick Ingram and Executive Vice President Evelyn DeJesus, both of whom bring powerful experience in the classroom, advocacy and organizing. Together, they lead a union of 1.8 million members united in purpose. Current Number of Members: 1.8 millionMembers Work as: Teachers from prekindergarten through 12th grade; paraprofessionals and other school-related personnel; faculty and professional staff in higher education; nurses, doctors and other health care professionals; early childhood educators; and federal, state and local government employees. Industries Represented: Public schools, higher education, health care, and federal, state and local government.History: Founded in Chicago in 1916 with eight local unions, the AFT rapidly expanded, chartering 174 locals within its first four years. Despite facing membership declines during the post-World War I era due to external pressures, the AFT remained steadfast in advocating for academic freedom and tenure protections. In the 1930s, the union played a pivotal role in supporting civil rights initiatives, including early efforts toward school desegregation.The 1960s marked a period of significant activism for the AFT, with numerous teacher strikes aimed at securing improved compensation and working conditions, leading to a substantial increase in membership. Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, the union emerged as a leader in education reform and the professionalization of teaching. By the 2000s, AFT membership surpassed 1 million, reflecting its growing influence. Under the leadership of President Weingarten, the AFT launched initiatives such as the AFT Innovation Fund and Share My Lesson, underscoring its commitment to innovation and collaboration in education. AFT members have been at the forefront of collective actions across the United States, achieving significant victories for educators, students and communities nationwide. In recent years, the AFT has led the charge on resisting political extremism in schools, standing up to book bans, defending teaching truth and fighting against the defunding of public services. The union helped win major education funding increases at the federal and state levels, and has grown its member engagement through campaigns like Reading Opens the World, Real Solutions for Kids and Communities, and Protect Our Kids. Current Campaigns: Protect Our Kids, a national organizing and advocacy campaign, aims to stop right-wing efforts to defund and dismantle public education, health care and support for kids. The campaign includes town halls, storytelling, paid and earned media, and grassroots mobilization leading up to the 2026 elections. Real Solutions for Kids and Communities is a proactive agenda focused on what students and families really need: safe, welcoming public schools, qualified teachers, mental health supports and strong community partnerships. Code Red mobilizes nurses and health professionals to fight for safe staffing, patient protections and funding for care—not cuts. Reading Opens the World is a literacy and equity campaign distributing free books to kids and families—10 million free books and counting—alongside book events, parent engagement and support for educators. AFTvotes is the AFT’s voter engagement, member mobilization and civic participation initiative for 2024–26, focused on defending democracy, expanding rights and electing leaders who support public education and workers.Community Efforts: AFT’s Health Hub provides a wealth of information on health and safety topics for members. The AFT publishes American Educator, a journal of educational equity, research and ideas for early childhood through higher education; AFT Health Care, a journal on the health care system and the social, economic and environmental factors that affect individuals’ and communities’ health and well-being; and AFT Voices, a blog on Medium. President Weingarten speaks directly to AFT members with her blog, Randi’s Corner. The AFT discusses current issues in education on the Union Talk podcast.Learn More: Website, Facebook, Bluesky, Instagram, X, YouTube
Kenneth Quinnell
Mon, 04/14/2025 – 12:19
Service & Solidarity Spotlight: Avelo Flight Dispatchers Vote to Join the TWU
Service & Solidarity Spotlight: Avelo Flight Dispatchers Vote to Join the TWU
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 Wednesday, flight dispatchers at Avelo Airlines voted to join the Transport Workers Union (TWU).With their successful vote, workers at the ultra-low-cost airline based out of Houston, Texas, are joining the ranks of their peers at Alaska Airlines, Southwest Airlines and other airlines who are already represented by TWU. The newly minted union members are looking forward to negotiating a contract that will address quality-of-life issues and correct pay imbalances.“Our immediate next step is to win that all-important first contract that will significantly improve the quality of life for Avelo Flight Dispatchers and their families,” said TWU International President John Samuelsen. “The TWU’s strength in organizing new work groups and bargaining game-changing contracts continues to pay off as more workers vote to join the TWU.”
Kenneth Quinnell
Mon, 04/14/2025 – 09:30
Teamsters Strike Keurig-Dr. Pepper
(OTTUMWA, Iowa) — More than 100 Teamsters are on strike at Keurig Dr Pepper in Ottumwa. The members of Teamsters Local 238 took to the picket line after the company failed to negotiate a fair contract. The beverage workers are demanding fair treatment, improved health care benefits, and to be treated with basic dignity and respect. […]
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‘The state’s pension system is broken.’
Alaska closed its pension system in 2006, forcing public employees into a 401(k) plan and substantially reducing savings retirees earn after a life of public service. Now, two bills in the state legislature look to restore those retirement benefits – to ease a host of issues that have followed in the decades since.
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