Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month Profiles
Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month Profiles
For Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month this year, the AFL-CIO is spotlighting various Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders who have worked and continue to work at the intersection of civil and labor rights in the United States.
Here are the union members we’ve featured so far this month:Angie NguyenIli MeaoliKristy PhamKevin AncongDr. Amanda LoweryDoug FulpMabel WongCheck back throughout the month for more.
Kenneth Quinnell
Mon, 05/12/2025 – 09:33
Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month Profile: Mabel Wong
Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month Profile: Mabel Wong
For Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month this year, the AFL-CIO is spotlighting various Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders who have worked and continue to work at the intersection of civil and labor rights in the United States. Today’s profile is Mabel Wong of OPEIU.
Mabel Wong, a member of Office and Professional Employees (OPEIU) Local 153, has worked at Seton Hall University’s library for 36 years, providing services to the university and global communities via the interlibrary loan program. “Being a union member provides a collective voice to fight against discrimination and harassment, for fair wages and benefits, and safe working conditions.”
Kenneth Quinnell
Mon, 05/12/2025 – 09:23
Service & Solidarity Spotlight: Arts, Entertainment, and Media Unions Push Back Against Proposed Elimination of the NEA, NEH and CPB
Service & Solidarity Spotlight: Arts, Entertainment, and Media Unions Push Back Against Proposed Elimination of the NEA, NEH and CPB
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.
The Arts, Entertainment, and Media Industries (AEMI) coalition within the Department for Professional Employees (DPE) released a statement on Wednesday condemning the Trump administration’s budget proposal calling for the elimination of the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), the National Endowment for Humanities (NEH) and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB).The coalition is made up of 12 national unions that represent workers in the arts, entertainment, and media industries, and is led by DPE. Trump’s 2026 budget request calls for the wholesale elimination of the NEA, NEH and CPB, as well as other federal and regional cultural agencies.“Unions are prepared to fight back again against efforts to eliminate the NEA, NEH, and CPB,” said the AEMI coalition. “Nonprofit arts, humanities, and public media enjoy broad, bipartisan public support because they power local economies in every state and expand access to quality artistic and educational content across communities….Private money cannot fully replace federal funding. Eliminating the NEA, NEH, or CPB will lead to the loss of good, middle-class jobs.”
Kenneth Quinnell
Mon, 05/12/2025 – 09:13
Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month Profile: Doug Fulp
Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month Profile: Doug Fulp
For Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month this year, the AFL-CIO is spotlighting various Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders who have worked and continue to work at the intersection of civil and labor rights in the United States. Today’s profile is Doug Fulp of HFIU.
Doug Fulp, business manager of Heat and Frost Insulators (HFIU) Local 132 in Hawaii, has been a steadfast advocate for fair wages, solid pensions and dependable health care for all members. His unwavering commitment to standing up for the “small guys” across the islands has made a lasting impact for working families.
Kenneth Quinnell
Sun, 05/11/2025 – 09:46
Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month Profile: Dr. Amanda Lowrey
Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month Profile: Dr. Amanda Lowrey
For Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month this year, the AFL-CIO is spotlighting various Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders who have worked and continue to work at the intersection of civil and labor rights in the United States. Today’s profile is Dr. Amanda Lowrey of AFSCME.
Hawaii Government Employees Association (HGEA/AFSCME) member Dr. Amanda R.K. Lowrey has been working in food safety in Honolulu since December 2009. Dedicated to protecting the community from foodborne illnesses and conserving Hawaii’s fragile ecosystems, Lowrey’s work has helped to revive the state’s local shellfish industry.
Kenneth Quinnell
Sat, 05/10/2025 – 09:46
Protect Our Pensions: Fight Back Against Proposed Retirement Cuts Webinar
On Tuesday, May 13 at 7PM ET, join APWU for a Legislative webinar titled, Protect Our Pensions: Fight Back Against Proposed Retirement Cuts where we will explain the devastating impacts of these cuts and how we are fighting back.
May 13, 2025 – 7:00PM to 8:00PMVirtual via ZoomNationalNoNo2025-05-14 00:00:00https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_TS54LXXqQHaMS0NDxN0-ZgProtect Our Pensions: Fight Back Against Proposed Retirement Cuts WebinarClick here to register.
For more ways you can take action, dial 844-402-1001 or visit apwu.org/call to urge your House Representative to oppose any cuts to postal and federal pensions.
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February Contract Negotiations Update
February 13, 2025The difficult battle for a new APWU contract covering the wages, benefits, and rights of 200,000 postal workers continues. This current round of bargaining has a new and complicated ingredient: during the APWU’s ongoing negotiations with the Postal Service, the NALC reached a tentative agreement for their new contract in November 2024.
Contract Negotiations
The difficult battle for a new APWU contract covering the wages, benefits, and rights of 200,000 postal workers continues. This current round of bargaining has a new and complicated ingredient: during the APWU’s ongoing negotiations with the Postal Service, the NALC reached a tentative agreement for their new contract in November 2024. In January, the NALC completed the contract ratifi cation process, and the members soundly rejected their negotiated tentative agreement. As of today, Feb. 13, 2025, it appears they will likely move to interest arbitration to determine the terms of their new contract. Postal workers are weakened by the fact that the four postal unions negotiate separately. We do not have one postal union dealing with one postal management, nor do we jointly bargain together during negotiations. The APWU is actively pursuing our two-pronged strategy: keep meeting at the negotiating table to reach a new voluntary agreement, while also moving forward towards interest arbitration. Interest arbitration means that a neutral, third-party arbitrator will make the fi nal and binding decision on a new contract, including our wages and benefi ts, after a series of hearings and presentations. “While we are doing everything in our power to reach a voluntary agreement that rewards our members for their dedication and hard work, given the progress of negotiations, it is likely we will soon declare an impasse and head into interest arbitration. Stay tuned!” said APWU President Mark Dimondstein. We will continue to provide regular updates on the status of APWU negotiations on apwu.org, and through news bulletins, emails, text, social media, videos, and podcasts. In the meantime, stay union strong! Wear your union gear, join contract rallies, and build union power by signing up non-members. Send management, and any arbitrator, the message that we are indeed united in our demands for a good new contract. “Union Proud, Say it Loud!”
The difficult battle for a new APWU contract covering the wages, benefits, and rights of 200,000 postal workers continues. This current round of bargaining has a new and complicated ingredient: during the APWU’s ongoing negotiations with the Postal Service, the NALC reached a tentative agreement for their new contract in November 2024.0
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Teamsters Strike Keurig Dr Pepper
(VICTORVILLE, Calif.) – Members of Teamsters Local 896 at Keurig Dr Pepper (KDP) in Victorville have been forced to strike over unfair labor practices (ULPs). Over 150 workers are fighting for better wages, a stronger pension, and to recoup an unpaid arbitration award. “KDP was ordered to pay hundreds of thousands of dollars last year […]
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Statement from UAW VP Chuck Browning on Hazardous Conditions at BlueOval SK
In response to this week’s Louisville Courier-Journal story “Chemicals, mold, bats, broken bones: Workers concerned over safety at BlueOval SK plant,” Chuck Browning, UAW Vice President and Director of the Ford Department, issued the following statement: “The recent reporting on the dangerous conditions at BOSK is infuriating. Workers are being put at risk every single day. […]
The post Statement from UAW VP Chuck Browning on Hazardous Conditions at BlueOval SK appeared first on UAW | United Automobile, Aerospace and Agricultural Implement Workers of America.
Teamsters at Airgas Unanimously Authorize Strike
(FERNDALE, Mich.) – Drivers and fillers at Airgas in Ferndale, Mich., represented by Teamsters Local 283, have voted unanimously to authorize a strike due to the company’s repeated failure to offer a fair contract. The more than 30 workers are demanding an agreement that matches the standards won by fellow Airgas Teamsters across the country. […]
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