UAW Files Federal Labor Charges Against Volkswagen for Violating Workers’ Rights in Chattanooga
The UAW has filed federal labor charges against Volkswagen for violating U.S. labor law at its Chattanooga, Tennessee plant. The company is attempting to cut jobs and make major changes without first negotiating with the union, as required by law.
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Service & Solidarity Spotlight: Hundreds Rally Outside VA in Wisconsin to Stop DOGE Cuts
Service & Solidarity Spotlight: Hundreds Rally Outside VA in Wisconsin to Stop DOGE Cuts
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.
Union members and community allies rallied outside the Zablocki Veterans’ Administration (VA) Medical Center in Milwaukee on Friday to protest President Trump and Elon Musk’s cuts to our critical federal workforce.Workers at the medical center are members of AFGE Local 3, the Wisconsin Federation of Nurses and Health Professionals (WFNHP), American Federation of Teachers (AFT) Local 5000, and the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Wisconsin. Even before these latest funding attacks, nurses, supply technicians, social workers, housekeepers and other staff were already sounding the alarm about low-staffing levels impacting patient care. A recent internal memo published by the Associated Press showed that Musk’s DOGE is pushing to cut an additional 80,000 jobs—a staggering 20% of the VA department staff—which would make caring for the approximately 62,000 patients that come through the Milwaukee facility every year even more difficult.“Quality health care is a critical need for our veterans,” said Monica Luecking-David, a nurse at the facility and the chapter president of the WFNHP. “None of us are disposable. The VA’s mission could not be achieved without each and every one of us.”“Federal workers and public sector workers make our country right in countless ways that too often go unnoticed until they are not there. And then our country will come unglued,” said Wisconsin State AFL-CIO President Stephanie Bloomingdale.
Kenneth Quinnell
Thu, 03/13/2025 – 09:53
Data centers are booming — and fire fighters must adapt to new challenges
Data center construction is on the rise. While fires are rare at these facilities, it is important to note that response can be complex and pre-planning is key.
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“It’s an absolute privilege.” IAFF EHRC members lead efforts to support women in the fire service
As president of Shreveport, LA Local 514 and a member of Newport, KY Local 45, EHRC members Barbara Sellers and Audrey Owczarzak are leading the charge.
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GP Kelly represents the IAFF at labor secretary’s swearing-in ceremony
Lori Chavez-DeRemer was sworn in as the 30th Secretary of Labor after earning bipartisan support from U.S. Senators, the IAFF, and others
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Fallen fire fighters honoured in British Columbia
IAFF members and political leaders joined the families of 27 fallen fire fighters who were honoured at the BC Fallen Fire Fighters Memorial Ceremony March 3 in Victoria.
Read More....AFT and AFL-CIO Respond to Department of Education Reduction in Force Announcement
AFT and AFL-CIO Respond to Department of Education Reduction in Force Announcement
Labor leaders and education advocates American Federation of Teachers (AFT) President Randi Weingarten and AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler condemned the Department of Education’s reduction in force announcement.
Weingarten said:Many of America’s global competitors — and adversaries — are no doubt cheering President Donald Trump’s plan to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education. They know that countries who out-educate the rest of the world will out-compete it. And now brand new Education Secretary Linda McMahon and Trump want to neuter, if not completely shutter, the entity that helps give all children in the United States access to the great public school education they deserve. On Tuesday, the department announced plans to cut nearly half of its staff. McMahon says these catastrophic firings, alongside hundreds of so-called “buyouts,” are about “efficiency, accountability, and ensuring that resources are directed where they matter most: to students, parents, and teachers.” The reality is far more cowardly….A gutted department would mean fewer teachers, more crowded classrooms and increased mental health and behavioral challenges for students. We’d most likely see increased absenteeism and decreased graduation rates. Fewer students would be able to obtain the degrees or credentials they need for well-paying jobs, meaning more students would have to settle for low-wage work or simply drop out of the workforce. And many cities and states would have to increase school budgets to make up for these cuts, resulting in higher state and local taxes.Instead, this move sends a clear message that, in Trump’s America, only kids from wealthy families are entitled to opportunity. How does that help make America great?…My union will continue to fight to protect our kids and to fund their future, because it is both the smart and the right thing to do. Last Tuesday, we held over 100 events across the country to protect our kids.Diverting billions from our children to pay for tax cuts that primarily benefit the wealthy is a callous decision that short-changes everyone. If we want to engage kids, if we want America to be a nation of “explorers, builders, innovators [and] entrepreneurs,” as Trump said in his inaugural address, then logically it follows that we should be investing more in education, not less.The dreams of millions of kids, and the promise of America, depend on it.Read the rest of Weingarten’s statement.Shuler said:Firing half of the staff so that the Department of Education cannot function will jeopardize the resources, programs and protections that give millions of students the opportunity to succeed. Public schools are the cornerstones of our communities: they provide the free, universal education that working families depend on, feed and care for our kids, and create millions of good union jobs. The Department of Education provides critical support to educators and school staff, and financial aid and student loans that put college and trade schools within reach for working families who wouldn’t otherwise be able to afford it.Access to quality public education is a top priority for the American people, but billionaires like Elon Musk are pushing a Project 2025/DOGE agenda that only boosts the rich and powerful. We urge members of Congress to safeguard our taxpayer dollars by quickly acting to protect services that are essential to American life and provide vital support to our nation’s students, parents and educators.
Kenneth Quinnell
Wed, 03/12/2025 – 12:53
Women’s History Month Profiles: Anna Rose Sullivan
Women’s History Month Profiles: Anna Rose Sullivan
For Women’s History Month, we’re taking a look at a group of leaders who are currently active making women’s history across the labor movement. Check back daily for a new profile and meet some of the people working to improve not only their community, but also to improve conditions for working people across the country. Today’s profile is Anna Rose Sullivan of AFSCME.
For Anna Rose Sullivan, being a public defender is about fairness. Many of her clients lack the financial means to hire a private lawyer. Sullivan works every day to ensure that everyone—regardless of their economic background—receives fair and equal treatment under the law. And through her union, she and her co-workers have negotiated for sustainable caseloads so they can give each case the time and attention it deserves.
Kenneth Quinnell
Wed, 03/12/2025 – 10:08
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Women’s History Month
Service & Solidarity Spotlight: Workers in Utah Ratify State’s First Cannabis Industry Union Contract
Service & Solidarity Spotlight: Workers in Utah Ratify State’s First Cannabis Industry Union Contract
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.
Workers at WholesomeCo in Bountiful, Utah, ratified a union contract, becoming the first cannabis industry workers in Utah to do so. The workers are members of United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 99. The agreement provides guaranteed wage increases over three years; company-provided medical insurance coverage, dental and vision coverage; paid bereavement and parental leave; paid time off and paid holidays and meal breaks; and a ratification bonus. The contract covers delivery fulfillment agents, demand inventory agents, inventory compliance agents, pharmacy fulfillment agents, pharmacy agents and retail display agents at the Bountiful facility.Local 99 President Jim McLaughlin said the contract was “an important milestone not just for WholesomeCo employees, but for all Utah cannabis workers. With the ratification of this historic contract, WholesomeCo will continue to be a great place to work while helping raise the standard of living for employees industry-wide.”
Kenneth Quinnell
Wed, 03/12/2025 – 09:54