Save the Date: IAM Women’s & Young Workers Conference Scheduled for September
The Women’s & Young Workers Conference will be held this September 19-23 at the Hilton Palmer House in Chicago. The conference will celebrate the 30th anniversary of the IAM Women’s Department all while gathering under a common creed “Emerging leaders building the labor movement of the future.” More information will be made available soon. If
The post Save the Date: IAM Women’s & Young Workers Conference Scheduled for September appeared first on IAM Union.
Worker Wins: Bold Action and Courage
Worker Wins: Bold Action and Courage
Our latest roundup of worker wins includes numerous examples of working people organizing, bargaining and mobilizing for a better life.
UTLA and SEIU Reach Agreements, Averting Strike: In the early hours of Tuesday morning, members of Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 99 reached a tentative agreement (TA) with the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD). With a TA also in place for their union brothers, sisters and siblings in the United Teachers Los Angeles (UTLA)—an affiliate of the AFT—the planned work stoppage at the county’s second-largest school district has been called off. The deal covering 30,000 custodians, food workers, special education assistants and bus drivers was reached just hours before the strike deadline. LAUSD settled contracts with the approximately 38,000 member-strong UTLA and the Associated Administrators of Los Angeles over the weekend. SEIU and UTLA both won wage increases, protections against subcontracting and more. “The truth has always been clear—the district CAN afford these changes. With this agreement, resources will begin to be redirected away from unnecessary spending and toward the students and classrooms that need them most,” said Julie Van Winkle, vice president of UTLA. “This contract fight has never been about prolonging conflict. It has always been about securing the respect and investments that educators and students deserve. This TA is a powerful step forward and a momentous win for the Los Angeles school community.” “This agreement was won through the bold action and courage of thousands of workers who were willing to sacrifice to improve conditions in their schools and their lives,” Local 99 Executive Director Max Arias said. “A strike was always the last resort, and we are proud that we could work with the school district and Mayor Karen Bass to reach an agreement that recognizes the contributions of front line workers in our schools.”AFSCME and American Library Association Prevail in Fight to Protect Libraries and Museums Nationwide: AFSCME and the American Library Association (ALA) have reached a settlement agreement with the Department of Justice that protects the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) and ensures the agency will continue to support libraries and museums across the country. IMLS has a congressional mandate to provide essential coordination, research and funding for the nation’s libraries, museums, public gardens, aquariums, zoos and other cultural institutions that enrich our lives and educate our communities. The lawsuit was filed last year amid the Trump administration’s attacks on the federal agency, including major staff reductions. “Today is a victory for every community that depends on libraries and museums as gateways to opportunity, learning and connection,” said AFSCME President Lee Saunders. “As the nation’s largest union of cultural workers, AFSCME members fought tirelessly to protect this essential institution, which supports the vital services we provide to communities across the country. Thanks to these efforts, this vital funding is protected in every state in the country, so our communities can continue to have access to these essential places of learning.”NJ Transit Light Rail Workers Join TWU: Mechanics who maintain NJ Transit’s Hudson-Bergen Light Rail have voted overwhelmingly to join the Transport Workers Union (TWU). This milestone means all workers in the privately operated system are now represented by TWU. The mechanics for the Hudson-Bergen Light Rail are employed by North Central Transit Services, which holds a maintenance contract for the 24-station route between West Bergen and Bayonne, New Jersey. “The TWU knows that worker power comes from a unified front, all crafts and classes in one big union,” said TWU International President John Samuelsen. “With Mechanics at Hudson-Bergen Light Rail joining the TWU, we now have a unified workforce ready to fight more effectively. Today’s successful vote now sets up bargaining for a first contract that will lead to better pay, quality-of-life, and working conditions for NJ Transit Mechanics.” “Today’s successful election shows the power of the TWU in New Jersey,” said TWU Transit, Universities, Utilities, and Services Division Director Willie Brown. “We now begin the work of getting a first contract for Mechanics that will address securing a living wage, better working conditions, and management that bullies workers.”ALPA Members Reach Tentative Contract Agreement with FedEx: Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA) members who work for FedEx have reached a new tentative five-year agreement with the company. The new deal comes after five years of negotiations with the multinational conglomerate. Economic provisions had been a sticking point in bargaining; this contract includes hourly pay increases of nearly 40% in 2026 and 3% annual pay bumps starting in 2028. “This tentative agreement was reached after lengthy and intensive mediation under the supervision of the National Mediation Board,” said Capt. Jose Nieves, chair of the FedEx ALPA Master Executive Council (MEC), in a press statement. “The next step is completing the MEC review and providing pilots with the information needed to evaluate the agreement.”NYU Staff Ratify New Union Contract: Members of Contract Faculty United-UAW (CFU-UAW) at New York University (NYU) have overwhelmingly ratified their first collective bargaining agreement. The victory comes after a brief and powerful strike in late March. Highlights of the deal include raises of $14,000 effective fall 2026, fixed annual 3.5% wage increases through fall 2029, protections for academic freedom, artificial intelligence guardrails and more. “After nine years of organizing and 17 months of bargaining, this result is a clear announcement that we have won the strong first contract we need and deserve,” the union said in a website post. “But our contract, no matter how strong, is not our union. Our union is all of us, fighting together for a fairer and stronger university. In the months and years to come, we will need to stand together to enforce our contract, defend academic freedom and protect and strengthen the new rights we’ve won.”UFCW Members Ratify Tentative Agreement with JBS: United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 7 members have overwhelmingly ratified a new two-year contract with JBS USA following a powerful three-week work stoppage. Workers at the company’s flagship beef processing plant in Greeley, Colorado, walked off the job after a nearly unanimous vote to authorize an unfair labor practice strike. The new collective bargaining agreement contains a number of major victories—including wage increases that are 33% higher than management’s pre-strike proposal—and not a single concession. “This tentative agreement is a testament to the incredible resolve of our members at the JBS Greeley plant,” said Kim Cordova, president of Local 7. “These workers stood together on the picket line for three weeks, through extreme weather, because they knew their worth and refused to be disrespected. Today, that sacrifice has been rewarded. This is what union power looks like.”Makeup and Hair Workers at ESPN Vendor Join IATSE: Hair and makeup artists employed by an ESPN contractor have voted overwhelmingly to form a union with Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) Local 798. The workers are employed by Distinct Artistry to manage the on-screen appearances of ESPN’s studio hosts, commentators and guests at the network headquarters in Bristol, Connecticut, as well as at major sporting events. Staff cited the need for health insurance, retirement benefits and workplace protections as core motivations for organizing. “Local 798 has stood in solidarity with the Distinct Artistry Hair and Make-Up Artists and is thrilled they have voted for union representation,” said Local 798 President Angela Johnson. “We are optimistic that Distinct Artistry will meet us at the bargaining table and negotiate a contract in good faith.”
Kenneth Quinnell
Thu, 04/16/2026 – 13:59
Tags:
Organizing
Service & Solidarity Spotlight: Makeup and Hair Workers at ESPN Vendor Join IATSE
Service & Solidarity Spotlight: Makeup and Hair Workers at ESPN Vendor Join IATSE
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.
Hair and makeup artists employed by an ESPN contractor have voted overwhelmingly to form a union with Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) Local 798.The workers are employed by Distinct Artistry to manage the on-screen appearances of ESPN’s studio hosts, commentators and guests at the network headquarters in Bristol, Connecticut, as well as at major sporting events. Staff cited the need for health insurance, retirement benefits and workplace protections as core motivations for organizing.“Local 798 has stood in solidarity with the Distinct Artistry Hair and Make-Up Artists and is thrilled they have voted for union representation,” said Local 798 President Angela Johnson. “We are optimistic that Distinct Artistry will meet us at the bargaining table and negotiate a contract in good faith.”
Kenneth Quinnell
Thu, 04/16/2026 – 11:59
Tags:
Organizing
CVS Teamsters Authorize Strike
(FREDERICKSBURG, Va.) – More than 500 drivers and warehouse workers at CVS’s distribution center in Fredericksburg, Va., have voted overwhelmingly to authorize a strike. The workers, represented by Teamsters Local 592, are demanding a fair agreement and rejecting CVS’s concessionary demands. The current contract expires on April 30.
“If CVS keeps pushing concessions and refusing to take bargaining seriously, we will be forced on the picket line May 1,” said Chris Donald, a 38-year warehouse worker and member of Local 592. “No one wants a strike, but if the company comes after our hard-earned benefits, we will have no choice but to fight back.”
CVS is the largest retail pharmacy chain in the United States and posted $402.1 billion in revenue in 2025, with nearly $1.8 billion in profits. Despite its massive wealth, the company is demanding cuts to affordable health care and other core benefits.
“It is outrageous for a company built on health care to try to gut workers’ health coverage,” said Jim Smith, President of Local 592. “CVS is choosing greed over its workforce. We will not accept a concessionary contract, and we will fight to protect every benefit our members have earned.”
The Teamsters represent thousands of CVS workers nationwide. Last year, following a credible strike threat, more than 900 Teamsters at a CVS distribution center in La Habra, Calif., secured a strong new contract with major wage increases, higher pension contributions, and fully protected benefits.
Local 592 members are demanding the same standards won by other CVS Teamsters across the country. The group supplies CVS stores across the Mid-Atlantic, including Washington, D.C., and Baltimore. A strike would disrupt operations across the region.
“CVS needs to understand that this union will not allow concessions from a company this profitable,” said Tom Erickson, Director of the Teamsters Warehouse Division. “If CVS keeps heading down this path, they will face the full force of the Teamsters Union. Our members are ready.”
Founded in 1903, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters represents 1.3 million hardworking people in the U.S., Canada, and Puerto Rico. Visit Teamster.org for more information. Follow us on X @Teamsters and on Facebook at Facebook.com/teamsters.
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International President Bryant to Lead Key National AFL-CIO Policy Committee
IAM Union International President Brian Bryant has been appointed Chair of the National AFL-CIO’s Legislative and Policy Committee — a highly influential body responsible for shaping and advancing the labor movement’s legislative agenda. The committee plays a central role in developing policy priorities that impact working people across the country, including protecting workers’ rights, strengthening
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Illinois Teamsters Demand Lawmakers Reject Anti-Worker Waymo Bill
(SPRINGFIELD, Ill.) – Illinois Teamsters and the Labor Alliance for Public Transportation (LAPT) announced a new partnership to stop the Autonomous Vehicle Pilot Project Act (IL SB3392/HB5103).
The legislation, which is being backed by Big Tech companies like Waymo, would harm middle-class jobs and jeopardize motorist safety by allowing Autonomous Vehicle (AV) companies to unleash untested and dangerous products on Illinois roads within the next three years.
“Autonomous vehicles are bad for workers and communities,” said Tom Stiede, President of Teamsters Joint Council 25. “That’s why elected officials in Springfield need to kill the AV Pilot Project Act.”
Polling of Illinois voters shows that they overwhelmingly oppose fully driverless cars and trucks operating on the state’s roads.
“The question for lawmakers is simple: are you going to protect good, family-sustaining jobs, or are you going to replace them with machines?” said Chris Duncan, a Local 727 member and driver for Keurig Dr Pepper. “For working people, this isn’t abstract. This fight is for our livelihoods and our families.”
This is the coalition’s second initiative, following last year’s success in saving Illinois’ public transit system. In recent months, multiple states have cancelled or postponed plans to expand AV legalization, including Minnesota, New York, Virginia, Washington, and Washington, D.C.
Teamsters Joint Council 25 represents more than 125,000 hardworking men and women throughout Illinois and northwest Indiana. For more information, go to teamstersjc25.com.
The post Illinois Teamsters Demand Lawmakers Reject Anti-Worker Waymo Bill appeared first on International Brotherhood of Teamsters.
IAM Local 778 Members at Olin Winchester Rally for Fair Pay and Quality Time with Family
Standing shoulder to shoulder outside Olin Winchester, IAM Local 778 members and allies in Independence, Mo., showed what solidarity truly looks like. This strike is about fair wages—but it’s also about something deeper. It’s about having time to be present for your family, to rest, to live your life beyond the job. Because no one
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Service & Solidarity Spotlight: UFCW Members Ratify Tentative Agreement with JBS
Service & Solidarity Spotlight: UFCW Members Ratify Tentative Agreement with JBS
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.
United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 7 members have overwhelmingly ratified a new two-year contract with JBS USA following a powerful three-week work stoppage.Workers at the company’s flagship beef processing plant in Greeley, Colorado, walked off the job after a nearly unanimous vote to authorize an unfair labor practice strike. The new collective bargaining agreement contains a number of major victories—including wage increases that are 33% higher than management’s pre-strike proposal—and not a single concession.“This tentative agreement is a testament to the incredible resolve of our members at the JBS Greeley plant,” said Kim Cordova, president of Local 7. “These workers stood together on the picket line for three weeks, through extreme weather, because they knew their worth and refused to be disrespected. Today, that sacrifice has been rewarded. This is what union power looks like.”
Kenneth Quinnell
Wed, 04/15/2026 – 10:13
WATCH: APWU Livestream: Are We Broke or Is There Hope?
Headlines are frantically declaring that the Postal Service is running out of money. Now, the White House signed an executive order to eliminate Vote-by-Mail, raising concerns about the future of the Postal Service’s role in America. So, what is really happening with the Postal Service? Watch APWU President Jonathan Smith’s livestream to answer your questions […]
The post WATCH: APWU Livestream: Are We Broke or Is There Hope? appeared first on American Postal Workers Union.
PCA Workers Join Teamsters
(BEDFORD PARK, Ill.) – Over 130 workers at Packaging Corporation of America (PCA) have voted for union representation with Teamsters Local 781. The print and production workers left the sham Printing Packaging and Production Workers Union (PPPWU) to gain higher wages, better benefits, and a real voice on the job.
“We joined the Teamsters because we knew no other union could deliver the protections we’ve long needed. We saw other graphics workers win strong contracts by becoming the Teamsters, and we wanted the same,” said Carlos Maldonado, a PCA worker and new member of Local 781. “The PPPWU never delivered for us. They were only in it for themselves. As Teamsters, we will win a strong contract that ensures fair treatment and compensation that reflects our hard work.”
In a failed attempt to stop the group from joining the Teamsters, the PPPWU desperately tried to intimidate workers and delay the organizing process. These efforts backfired, fueling worker militancy.
“It feels great to finally have a real union in our corner fighting for us no matter what,” said Melquiades Manriquez-Ortega, a PCA worker and new member of Local 781. “The Teamsters had our backs throughout the entire process, even when the PPPWU tried to stop us. Seeing the professionalism of the Teamsters has been such a relief after dealing with the pathetic PPPWU for so long.”
Headquartered in Lake Forest, Ill., under 50 miles from the Bedford Park facility, PCA is one of the largest producers of containerboard and packaging in North America. The company is worth nearly $20 billion, and its workers generated roughly $9 billion in revenue last year.
“These new Teamsters put up with a lot as they courageously fought to join our union. They not only had to fight against a company but also the PPPWU, which shamelessly tried to scare them out of demanding the strong union representation they deserve,” said Paul Stripling, President of Local 781. “Our new brothers and sisters did not break or bend. We’re proud to give them a strong union voice.”
Teamsters Local 781 represents thousands of workers from a range of industries including printing and packaging, airline, and warehouse. For more information, go to Teamsters781.org.
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