Shuler: Union Workers are Powerful. We Will Decide This Election.
Shuler: Union Workers are Powerful. We Will Decide This Election.
The AFL-CIO represents nearly 13 million workers in our federation across 60 unions. This time every year, we come together to put the labor back in Labor Day. As much as we love the barbecues, the mattress sales—this is our week. This is about recognizing and appreciating the workers who make this country run.
Last year, we started a conversation about how workers are doing in this country. Some of these numbers may surprise you: 70% of Americans support unions, among young people under the age of 30, it’s nine in 10. Union workers are continuing to find their power in two very distinct ways. First: We are the ones who are going to decide this presidential election. In swing states like Michigan, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Nevada that are going to come down to 1% or 2%, union voters are 20% of the electorate. That’s one in every five voters. And second: Our workers are powerful because they have something that is so rare today—the trust of those around them. Union members are credible political messengers. They can connect with each other and with the people in their communities in a way no one else can. Having the hard conversationsMany of us have felt like it’s hard to just have a conversation about politics with someone we disagree with. Or we’ve talked to someone who has figured out what team we play for, and then just tuned us out. Or—let’s admit it—maybe we’ve done it to someone else. Yet in a room full of union members, that’s not how it plays out. When you ask a union member who their most trusted source in the world is on politics, it’s not their friends, family or loved ones. It’s their fellow union members. It’s not hard to see why union workers trust each other. We talk to each other in the break room every morning. We carpool home. We’re on the factory floor together, or in the teacher’s lounge, or outside on a construction site, braving the elements, while everyone else is asleep. We know each other, inside and out. And when you combine that trust with this organizing machine we’ve built, this ability to connect with our members, our families, our neighbors and mobilize on a dime, you have a movement that can actually deliver voters—and win an election. The power of unionsWorkers are growing our power in this country in a way we haven’t been in a generation. Almost a quarter of the delegates to the Democratic National Convention in Chicago were union delegates, more than we’ve had in a long, long time. We are seen as a force to be reckoned with. And it’s about damn time. When I travel the country and talk to working people—our members, but also people who aren’t yet in a union—they tell me they’re tired of the way things have been going. They’re tired of going to the grocery store, and seeing it take more out of their paychecks than it ever has. They’re tired for people their peers in the sandwich generation, trying to care for their kids and their parents at the exact same time. What I hear from the young generation of workers coming up is that they can’t believe there used to be a time when you could work one full-time job, and afford to make a down payment on a home. That’s the daily reality for people all over this country. Workers in this country have never been more productive. We have never created the kind of wealth for companies that we are creating right now. But it’s not benefitting our workers. We need to fundamentally re-write the rules—by winning elections, by passing laws, by having the right to stand up for ourselves—if we’re going to balance the scales. All over the country, people are realizing there’s a movement where you actually can fight back, where you actually can get some power and some control over your future. It’s not about your race, your gender, age, orientation or, religion, it’s just about standing up for your freedom. Strategy, organizing pay offIf you feel tired or alone right now, think about autoworkers in Chattanooga, right after they made history at Volkswagen, voting for representation by the United Auto Workers. Or our Machinists in Seattle, who filled a baseball stadium to tell Boeing to give them a fair contract. Or our sisters in the National Women’s Soccer League players association, who rewrote the sports rulebook and got rid of their draft, setting a new standard that gives them a voice in where they work, like every other worker in this country. These wins are not accidents. We’ve invested in our grassroots network all over the country, building local power and organizing capacity. Nearly half a million workers went on strike in 2023, a year that saw more than 2,700 union election filings, the most we’ve ever seen. Some 900,000 workers in unions won double-digit pay increases last year alone. That is power. What’s the point of building all this power on the ground, if we don’t use it when it really matters? When absolutely everything is on the line? In those swing states we talked about earlier—Michigan. Pennsylvania. Michigan. Wisconsin. Nevada—union support is driving up the margin of support for Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris. We are the difference. How we winOur movement is full of joy and love, a way to have some fun and make your life better at the same time. We have the trust—with our union members, and the spouses, children and parents that we bring along. There’s a reason they call it “a union household,” which doubles and triples our impact. We have a well-oiled organizing machine in every state, especially in battleground states. We have workers who are actually trained in how to have those tough conversations, how to steer them toward kitchen-table issues, and how to challenge someone, respectfully, if we need to. A few months ago I walked up to a guy in a MAGA hat on a picket line. In any other situation, the two of us probably wouldn’t have much to talk about. But as we started to talk about politics, he looked at me and said, “I’ll hear you out, because I know we both love our unions.” Those conversations are the key to everything. Talking to each other again. Empathy and grace, instead of vitriol. Coming together to solve problems that actually matter to our families. When we fight, we win. This post originally appeared in te Detroit Free Press.
Kenneth Quinnell
Tue, 09/03/2024 – 10:06
Service & Solidarity Spotlight: Thousands More Nevada State Employees Win Union Election
Service & Solidarity Spotlight: Thousands More Nevada State Employees Win Union Election
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.
A group of nearly 3,000 state employees—including those working for the welfare agency and Nevada Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV)—won union representation as AFSCME Local 4041 this week in an election overseen by the state’s Government Employee-Management Relations Board.Nevada state workers won collective bargaining rights back in 2019, and since securing their first contract, AFSCME members have seen more than 30% wage increases as well as other new benefits and improved grievance procedures. The new bargaining unit that will join negotiations in the fall includes engineering technicians from the Department of Transportation, DMV service technicians, family support specialists in the Division of Welfare and Support Services (DWSS), and library technicians throughout Nevada System of Higher Education institutions and more. This election victory almost doubles the size of Local 4041, increasing their power to deliver victories for these critical public sector workers.“We see the benefits of having a union contract and voice on the job; that’s why we’ve organized as AFSCME and voted to have union representation. I’m excited tech workers now get to join our fellow AFSCME members at the bargaining table this fall,” said Austin Krehbiel, a family support specialist at the DWSS.
Kenneth Quinnell
Tue, 09/03/2024 – 09:50
UAW Members Ratify Unprecedented Contract at Cornell University that Secures First-Time COLA Increase and Ends Tiers
ITHACA – In a major win for higher education workers, UAW members at Cornell University have voted by 77% to ratify a new four-year contract securing wage increases of up to 25.4%, a groundbreaking first-time cost of living allowance increase, and the elimination of the two-tier wage system. The agreement also introduces significant improvements to policies […]
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New York Labor Leader Mario Cilento Empowers Delegates of IAM Grand Lodge Convention
New York State AFL-CIO President Mario Cilento, who was just re-elected last week to the position for a fourth four-year term, addressed IAM 41st Grand Lodge Convention delegates with an uplifting speech about the labor movement’s legacy of helping future generations by building on. As president of the New York State Federation, Cilento represents 2.5
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LCLAA President Evelyn de Jesus Applauds IAM’s Continued Fight for Workers’ Rights and Calls for Unity Through Collective Action
In an inspiring show of unity and strength, Evelyn de Jesus, the President of the Labor Council for Latin American Advancement (LCLAA), delivered a compelling message at the 2024 IAM Grand Lodge Convention. De Jesus, a prominent figure in the labor movement, praised the IAM’s tireless efforts in championing the cause of workers’ rights across
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Committee on the Future Members Discuss Union Structure and Dues for Convention Delegates
Two years ago at the 40th IAM Grand Lodge Convention, delegates voted to pass Resolution No.1: Supporting Committee on the Future of the Union, authorizing the establishment of an IAM Committee on the Future (COTF) chaired by the Resident General Vice President and comprised of 21 members. The group was created to conduct listening sessions
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Committee on the Future Convention Video
This video shows the work of the IAM Committee on the Future over the past two years. Since the committee’s inception at the 40th IAM Grand Lodge Convention in 2022, members have traveled and listened to IAM members at more than 50 locations across North America. The goal is to present recommendations to the 41st
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IAM Canadian Territory: Leading Labor’s Charge North of the Border
For at least a century, the IAM has sustained Canadian communities by negotiating top-notch contracts in industries ranging from aircraft production to electrical auto manufacturing.
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IAM Takes Bold Steps in Addressing Climate Crisis and Embracing Green Technologies, Releases Report on Clean Energy Economy for the Future
The IAM is at the forefront of combating the climate crisis and adapting to the changing landscape of industry and labor. Recognizing the significant impact of global warming on working conditions, community health, and job security, IAM members are actively seeking solutions to mitigate these effects while ensuring the protection of quality union jobs. Responding
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Meet Your IAM Departments
If you are currently attending the IAM 41st Grand Lodge Convention, don’t miss the opportunity to explore the vendor area. This is where you can gain valuable insights into the IAM Departments and discover how they can enhance their support to benefit you.
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