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Safe Jobs Now: What Working People Are Doing This Week

Safe Jobs Now: What Working People Are Doing This Week Welcome to our regular feature, a look at what the various AFL-CIO unions and other working family organizations are doing across the country and beyond. The labor movement is big and active—here's a look at the broad range of activities we're engaged in this week. Actors' Equity:2025 marks A Chorus Year - a yearlong commemoration honoring the invaluable work of the chorus! What seems to be a common through line between many of the longest running musicals on Broadway? The chorus! pic.twitter.com/xTJHvJbm0H— Actors' Equity (@ActorsEquity) April 29, 2025AFGE:AFGE members are taking ownership of their union membership in record numbers by switching from payroll dues deduction to E-Dues.Here's why enrolling in AFGE E-Dues so important ⬇https://t.co/V93R26pge6— AFGE (@AFGENational) April 29, 2025AFSCME:.@unacuhcp member and registered nurse Kadi Gonzalez was on Capitol Hill today to advocate against cuts to Medicaid. Cuts would impact both the care she provides to patients and her son who has disabilities and needs Medicaid to thrive. pic.twitter.com/odK0qXUqbJ— AFSCME (@AFSCME) April 30, 2025Alliance for Retired Americans:Proposed cuts to food assistance will squeeze already financially strapped low-income Americans, including seniors, and retailers. https://t.co/1qVhTvMaF2— Alliance for Retired Americans (@ActiveRetirees) April 28, 2025Amalgamated Transit Union:Our Local 726-Staten Island, NY, calls on the #MTA to open another bus depot to address the congestion for the sake of the community and riders. #ATUStrongerTogether #1u #UnionStrong https://t.co/Ub7JqIoA6u— ATU, Transit Union (@ATUComm) April 30, 2025American Federation of Teachers:Good morning from Washington DC! AFT showed out for Leader @RepJeffries's address on Trump's first 100 days in office. We're ready to stand up for what kids and communities need across the country. pic.twitter.com/Abgt4GVaLO— AFT (@AFTunion) April 30, 2025American Postal Workers Union:May Day, the annual holiday recognizing the international working class, will be celebrated around the world on May 1. We encourage APWU members to join labor allies at events happening nationwide to combat attacks on the working class & public services: https://t.co/YjIfyaqyQA— The American Postal Workers Union - APWU (@APWUnational) April 29, 2025Association of Flight Attendants-CWA:The REAL ID deadline is fast approaching. Make sure you’re ready by 5/7. A passport is REAL ID compliant. Guidelines here: https://t.co/e0U3q1ZkooWhile you may be REAL ID ready, friends & family on your benefits may not be. Remind them of the deadline to ensure smooth travels. pic.twitter.com/K6RYIpxeVo— AFA-CWA (@afa_cwa) April 29, 2025Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers:039: BCTGM Sugar Locals on Milling, Refining and Having a Voice at the Table https://t.co/oLUReY4CnN— BCTGM International (@BCTGM) April 27, 2025Boilermakers:Today is Workers Memorial Day. The AFL-CIO has released its annual “Death on the Job: The Toll of Neglect” report on workplace mortality. Health and Safety for ALL! https://t.co/o319DGrpZp pic.twitter.com/JJYJzC4mUZ— Boilermakers Union (@boilermakernews) April 28, 2025Bricklayers:This #WorkersMemorialDay, we invite you to join us for a moment of silence as we grieve those we have lost from unsafe working conditions. Fight for our lives. Safe jobs now! https://t.co/uUiVByTaIH #SafetyFirst pic.twitter.com/pCdkR59VjR— Bricklayers & Allied Craftworkers Union (@IUBAC) April 28, 2025Coalition of Black Trade Unionists:Big shoutout to the #CBTU chapters that made #goodtrouble yesterday on Good Friday in solidarity with #federal workers who are being viciously attacked by the to rogue #Trump regime. From #Detroit to #DC to #Hampton, CBTU rose up! @AFGENational @AFSCME @CentralLaborNYC#1u pic.twitter.com/rCEVs3WKxV— CBTU (@CBTU72) April 19, 2025Coalition of Labor Union Women:Every four years, CLUW elects officers. Interested in running? Email info@CLUW.orgPresidentExecutive Vice PresidentTreasurerCorresponding SecretaryRecording Secretary pic.twitter.com/4NNq0jveJn— CLUW National (@CLUWNational) April 19, 2025Communications Workers of America:Every year on April 28, Workers Memorial Day, we take time to remember workers who have died on the job from work-related accidents and illnesses, and we commit to fighting for safe work conditions and protections.— CWA (@CWAUnion) April 28, 2025Department for Professional Employees:Congress needs to hear from YOU as it makes decisions about next year’s funding for the NEA and NEH. Contact your Rep and ask them to sign both the NEA and NEH appropriations request letters that support increased funding circulating in the House. https://t.co/AK3Y4Ro3am pic.twitter.com/ZXNzNKhfFY— Department for Professional Employees (@DPEaflcio) April 29, 2025Electrical Workers:This #NationalApprenticeshipDay find out for yourself what an #IBEW apprenticeship can mean for your future. https://t.co/MM3OecAotc pic.twitter.com/cb4Gs6LPNC— IBEW (@IBEW) April 30, 2025Fire Fighters:🔥How could investigators determine that the New Jersey Pine Barrens #wildfire was arson? Joe Ten Eyck, #IAFF Wildfire Programs Director, explains for @CBSNewYork viewers. https://t.co/fPqkpO27nC— International Association of Fire Fighters (@IAFFofficial) April 30, 2025Heat and Frost Insulators:Read Now 📖Our Spring Journal is available wherever you go — read the full stories on our website & in the app!Spring Insulators Journal: https://t.co/mEiaJSlmwy#InsulatorsUnion #Insulators #InsulatorPride pic.twitter.com/GJbhHRWZGv— Insulators Union 🦎 (@InsulatorsUnion) April 17, 2025International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers:"If one person is denied their right to due process, any of us can be denied that same right."SMART continues to fight for Kilmar Abrego Garcia's return home and right to due process. Watch coverage of the case + SMART's efforts to support the family: https://t.co/MNX3bm1wRh— SMART Union (@smartunionworks) April 30, 2025International Labor Communications Association:Have you submitted your union’s 2024 work to the 2025 Labor Media Awards yet? Submit before May 30 to pay a $60 fee per entry (after May 30, the fee goes up to $80 per entry for the remainder of the contest.)Submit now so you can do a happy dance too: https://t.co/9YGKIYB22P pic.twitter.com/MUAISPcE5X— International Labor Communications Association (@ILCAonline) April 29, 2025Labor Council for Latin American Advancement:In 100 days, the Trump Admin. militarized the border, ended safe zones, targeted birthright citizenship, and used the Alien Enemies Act to deport innocents.Stand with immigrants—demand due process!Act now: https://t.co/39bSeTqpNU@ACLU #100Days #ImmigrantsBuildNations pic.twitter.com/I1dUiAAAPz— LCLAA (@LCLAA) April 30, 2025Laborers:On #NationalApprenticeshipDay, we’re saluting every #LIUNA apprentice out there grinding, learning, and earning — no student loans required.Real skills. Real pay. Real benefits. #LIUNABuilds #UnionMoney #BlueCollarMoney #Apprenticeship👉Start building your future today:… pic.twitter.com/v79VbbwlOu— LIUNA (@LIUNA) April 30, 2025Major League Baseball Players Association:And the award for the first Most Valuable Philanthropist of the 2025 season goes to... Zach McKinstry! 👏👏👏 The Players Trust will award a $10,000 grant in McKinstry’s honor to support his work with BBQ Mission, a Phoenix-area nonprofit that feeds unhoused members of the… pic.twitter.com/bh4F3IllQk— MLBPA (@MLBPA) April 29, 2025Major League Soccer Players Association:The entire MLSPA is saddened to hear of the tragic passing of Aaron Boupendza. Our hearts are with all who knew and loved him. pic.twitter.com/ALxyzPNnDn— MLSPA (@MLSPA) April 16, 2025Metal Trades Department:Trump Sued by Labor Unions Over Workforce Reduction Efforts https://t.co/whU0Pa8feD— Metal Trades Dept. (@metaltradesafl) April 29, 2025Mine Workers:The 111th year anniversary of the Ludlow Masacre which commemorates the men, women, and children who died on that sacred ground in 1914. Today we remember their sacrifices in order to ensure safety and better work conditions for coal miners. pic.twitter.com/HKCLwwql1A— United Mine Workers (@MineWorkers) April 20, 2025Musical Artists:Today is Workers Memorial Day: https://t.co/W6c2YdcIZm pic.twitter.com/mkyvFvyxNc— AGMA (@AGMusicalArtist) April 28, 2025National Air Traffic Controllers Association:As we get ready to gather in San Francisco for NATCA’s 20th Biennial Convention, May 9–11, 2025, we’re reflecting on how far we’ve come since our founding Convention in Chicago in 1986: https://t.co/h4jvlQvUSc pic.twitter.com/4R1Bf0DpEd— NATCA (@NATCA) April 29, 2025National Association of Letter Carriers:Thank you for your support and for meeting with our members! 💪 https://t.co/kiLX2Z9F4j— Letter Carriers (@NALC_National) April 30, 2025National Domestic Workers Alliance:One of the most essential jobs in our economy is not paying a living wage.Home care workers in Nevada are now fighting for $20/hour after starting at just $12/hr in 2023.The people who care for us must be able to care for themselves. https://t.co/2UVT5jriv1— Domestic Workers (@domesticworkers) April 29, 2025National Hockey League Players’ Association:As voted on by their fellow players, former recipients Nikita Kucherov and Nathan MacKinnon join first-time finalist Cale Makar as the 2024-25 finalists for the #TedLindsayAward.More: https://t.co/3Ia8FV5Mbr​ #NHLAwards pic.twitter.com/mJqCJqTpVd— NHLPA (@NHLPA) April 30, 2025National Nurses United:This moment requires collective power — we must come together at the bedsides, in the streets, and in the halls of Congress. "We have to make courage infectious. We need this courage to get to a world we deserve," said @repdeliaramirez. pic.twitter.com/PWxkAEJGMF— NationalNursesUnited (@NationalNurses) April 30, 2025NFL Players Association:Offseason break? Not for @PatrickMahomes 👏The @Chiefs QB hosted 3,000 kids at a reading rally & challenged them to Read for 15 through his @15andMahomies foundation 📚Stay tuned each week for our offseason #CommunityMVP Fridays, spotlighting players making a difference! 💪 pic.twitter.com/UBDrhD6ufE— NFLPA (@NFLPA) April 25, 2025North America's Building Trades Unions:Today, North America’s Building Trades Unions pauses to honor every worker who lost their life, was injured, or became ill simply doing their job — including far too many in construction.Full statement: https://t.co/wSHVFrNrB7 pic.twitter.com/9EptlnkN2l— The Building Trades (@NABTU) April 28, 2025Painters and Allied Trades:Our workers at SureBuilt fear for their safety daily– from recent fires to severed fingers from unsafe machinery. This must stop!Take action now and ask SureBuilt to recognize our workers' union and commit to bargaining in good faith: https://t.co/VF1XXKC1Pd pic.twitter.com/5wPwJXLgVm— IUPAT (@GoIUPAT) March 28, 2025Professional Aviation Safety Specialists:Today is #WorkersMemorialDay. Everyone is entitled to a safe and hazard free workplace. #aviationsafety #publicservice #unionsolidarity https://t.co/2eVvOHtqyP— PASS (@PASSNational) April 28, 2025Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union:As #ArabAmericanHeritageMonth comes to a close, we’re finishing up our spotlights of Arab American labor history that often goes untold! Next up: Yemeni farmworkers organizing with @UFWupdates in 1970s California!Learn more: https://t.co/uKbjx4p95X pic.twitter.com/aUUDWHwzgY— RWDSU (@RWDSU) April 30, 2025Roofers and Waterproofers:Let’s hear what makes this trade special to YOU! Drop your answer below. #UnionStrong#UnionPride#RooferLife#SkilledTrades pic.twitter.com/cE368Nf9UF— Roofers Union (@roofersunion) April 29, 2025SAG-AFTRA:Happy #InternationalDanceDay choreographer & dancer Dacía James Lewis! 🪩 Dacía has choreographed for Netflix's 'The Piano Lesson' & shared the stage with Stevie Wonder, Tracee Ellis Ross & more! She serves on the SAG-AFTRA Nat'l Board and as Vice Chair of the Nat'l Dancers Cmte. pic.twitter.com/sUAxkwdmBb— SAG-AFTRA (@sagaftra) April 30, 2025Service Employees International Union:Tipped workers are getting squeezed from every side:Prices are soaring. Tips are shrinking.And wages? Still stuck in the past.NY must end the subminimum wage. Let’s make full, fair pay for all workers the standard — no exceptions. https://t.co/cxdl54zSwG— SEIU (@SEIU) April 30, 2025Solidarity Center:As part of the Cotton Campaign, we helped end state-sanctioned forced labor in Uzbekistan's cotton sector. Now, without our grant from the DOL, we are at risk of losing that progress. #SaveILAB #Solidarity https://t.co/In913FyG8j— Solidarity Center (@SolidarityCntr) April 27, 2025The NewsGuild-CWA:We're live and getting set up! https://t.co/pcSEzbenBD https://t.co/TBtAnLg0xI— The NewsGuild-CWA (@newsguild) April 23, 2025Theatrical Stage Employees:🎉 Historic win in Seattle! Stagehands at Showbox Market & Showbox SoDo just ratified their first union contract with IATSE Local 15 — becoming the first nightclub stage crew to unionize in the city's history!Better wages, benefits, and safety are on the way! ✊ pic.twitter.com/PeIhIcMuf8— IATSE // #IASolidarity (@IATSE) April 24, 2025Transport Workers Union:.@PSAAirlinesInc Flight Dispatchers ratify new agreement that locks in a 15% wage increase! The 2.5 year deal helps TWU members who will relocate from Ohio to Charlotte and makes PSA Flight Dispatchers the second highest paid in the regional airline industry.— TWU (@transportworker) April 29, 2025Transportation Trades Department:In the first 100 days of the new Congress and administration, TTD has been on the move advocating for transportation workers through Congressional hearings, union rallies, meetings with members of Congress, and pro-worker policies. https://t.co/rFiyPjDFwv pic.twitter.com/dE3TFnRcEq— TTD | America's Transportation Unions (@TTDAFLCIO) April 29, 2025UAW:NEW REPORT: The U.S. has the infrastructure and skilled workforce to build millions more vehicles and create up to 90,000 auto manufacturing jobs just by utilizing unused capacity at existing plants.It's time for auto companies to invest at home instead of offshoring production… pic.twitter.com/a69TMUBbvn— UAW (@UAW) April 30, 2025Union Veterans Council:On June 6, we rally in D.C. 🇺🇸 Unite for Veterans, Unite for America – The Bonus Army 2025Join us as we fight back against the attacks on vets’ jobs & benefits.✊ Sign up: https://t.co/LU1zIPHTmx#Unite4Vets #BonusArmy2025 #VeteransRise #UnionStrong— Union Veterans Council🪖✊ (@unionveterans) April 23, 2025UNITE HERE:On this Workers Memorial Day, we honor and remember those who have suffered due to unsafe work conditions—including those who lost their lives or health due to COVID-19. pic.twitter.com/09OoAWuOuw— UNITE HERE (@unitehere) April 28, 2025United Food and Commercial Workers:By an overwhelming margin, WholesomeCo workers and @UFCW99 members have ratified their first union contract, becoming the FIRST in Utah’s cannabis industry to do so!Congratulations!Learn more ➡️ https://t.co/UkxLVj6mix pic.twitter.com/tzC3SKtvFd— UFCW (@UFCW) April 29, 2025United Steelworkers:Silica exposure can be deadly. A rule to protect miners was set to take effect—until Trump delayed it and gutted the agency meant to enforce it. USW Local 13214’s Marshal Cummings is worried for 700 members in Green River, WY. Read more: https://t.co/Gk2AQ8xaTo pic.twitter.com/sobSivmtEF— United Steelworkers Union (@steelworkers) April 30, 2025Writers Guild of America East:We work hard because we care about our work - it’s time for management to care about us. Stand with the @NowThisUnion in demanding @NowThisImpact deliver a fair contract. Send a letter ➡️ https://t.co/f0CbQWMUXO pic.twitter.com/lylYMH1iIP— Writers Guild of America East (@WGAEast) April 30, 2025 Kenneth Quinnell Wed, 04/30/2025 - 10:14Continue reading→

How to Receive One-Time Retirement Incentive Checks

April 29, 2025The incentive checks will be sent to the employee’s office of last appointment. From there, the retiree can pick it up from the office or it will be mailed from the office to the address indicated on the PS 3077 -Request to Forward Salary Check form.   PLEASE NOTE: The incentive checks will be sent to the employee’s office of last appointment. From there, the retiree can pick it up from the office or it will be mailed from the office to the address indicated on the PS 3077-Request to Forward Salary Check form.    Full-time career postal employees who chose optional retirement or retirement pursuant to a Voluntary Early Retirement (VER) as a result of the mutually agreed APWU-USPS One-Time Retirement Incentive Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) dated Jan. 13, 2025, will be paid as follows:  $10,000 to be paid on August 15, 2025.  $5,000 to be paid on August 28, 2026. Part-time employees were also eligible for the incentive and will receive a prorated amount as outlined in the MOU. The incentive checks will be sent to the employee’s office of last appointment. From there, the retiree can pick it up from the office or it will be mailed from the office to the address indicated on the PS 3077-Request to Forward Salary Check form.    Employees taking advantage of the incentive should complete the form, which provides the address where they would like the check sent (usually their final check/terminal leave) and give it to their manager/supervisor.   Then, when the check arrives at the postal unit, the manager will mail the check to the address provided by the employee.   The MOU states:  Any employee who is eligible for these incentive payments will complete PS Form 3077, Request to Forward Salary Check, and submit to their employing office. The incentive payments will be distributed to the address provided by the employee. Documents Regarding 2025 One-Time Retirement Incentive Checks 2025-01-13 MOU Re: One-Time Retirement Incentive PS Form 3077 Request to Forward Salary Check The incentive checks will be sent to the employee’s office of last appointment. From there, the retiree can pick it up from the office or it will be mailed from the office to the address indicated on the PS 3077 -Request to Forward Salary Check form. The incentive checks will be sent to the employee’s office of last appointment. From there, the retiree can pick it up from the office or it will be mailed from the office to the address indicated on the PS 3077 -Request to Forward Salary Check form. 0Continue reading→

IAM Union Members Bringing the Fight to Capitol Hill at 2025 Legislative Conference

Approximately 400 IAM Union activists have converged on the nation’s capital for the 2025 IAM Legislative Conference, held April 29 through May 1. At a time of growing economic uncertainty, political upheaval, and ongoing attacks on working people, IAM members are making their voices heard in the halls of Congress. Delegates from across the United The post IAM Union Members Bringing the Fight to Capitol Hill at 2025 Legislative Conference appeared first on IAM Union.Continue reading→

UAW Supports Medicare for All

Every working-class person deserves decent health care. No one should have to choose between seeing a doctor and putting food on the table. But that’s exactly what our current health care system does. It robs workers of dignity, drains union power at the bargaining table, and leaves too many of us behind. That’s why the […] The post UAW Supports Medicare for All appeared first on UAW | United Automobile, Aerospace and Agricultural Implement Workers of America.Continue reading→

Mourn for the Dead, Fight for the Living: In the States Roundup

Mourn for the Dead, Fight for the Living: In the States Roundup It's time once again to take a look at the ways working people are making progress in the states. Click on any of the links to follow the state federations on X. Alaska AFL-CIO:On Workers Memorial Day, we remember those who have tragically died on the job and reflect on the state of safety and health protections in our country. A safe workplace is a fundamental right, and we’ll keep fighting until that’s a reality for EVERY worker. #1u #UnionStrong https://t.co/VrShgNhMG1— Alaska AFL-CIO (@AKAFLCIO) April 28, 2025Arizona AFL-CIO:🚨 Happening NOW in Tucson!We’re holding a public hearing on the devastating impact of Trump admin cuts to essential services. AZ’s future is on the line—from Medicare to Social Security. @DeptOfWorkers pic.twitter.com/x6TlKPQ20K— Arizona AFL-CIO (@ArizonaAFLCIO) April 26, 2025California Labor Federation, AFL-CIO:Today marks Workers Memorial Day, honoring workers who were killed on the job in the past year. We must continue to fight to ensure our workers have the strongest possible protections on the job. As Mother Jones said, “Let us pray for the dead and fight like hell for the living.” pic.twitter.com/58bkt6Y1Ad— California Federation of Labor Unions (@CaliforniaLabor) April 28, 2025Colorado AFL-CIO:This Workers Memorial Day, we mourn for the dead, and we recommit to the constant fight for the safety and protection of all working people. Every single worker should come home to their families, safely, every single day. pic.twitter.com/oTVjiiwV7r— Colorado AFL-CIO ✊ (@AFLCIOCO) April 28, 2025Connecticut AFL-CIO:Connecticut must protect working people from Trump's anti-worker policies. That's why Executive Board members of the Connecticut AFL-CIO delivered a letter, signed by every member, to Gov. Lamont this afternoon urging him to support unemployment insurance for striking workers. pic.twitter.com/qi4FHQku1B— Connecticut AFL-CIO (@ConnAFLCIO) April 28, 2025Florida AFL-CIO:"This legislation is not necessary, not at all...Unless you’re an unscrupulous employer..."https://t.co/dMVlcBN2wC— Florida AFL-CIO (@FLAFLCIO) April 22, 2025Georgia State AFL-CIO:Our @DeptOfWorkers public hearing in Warner Robins is kicking off! Working people are gathering to share their stories of how federal funding and job cuts have impacted them and their families. @AustinScottGA08 didn’t show up to hear from workers but we got a cut-out! pic.twitter.com/R7HpAQS32S— Georgia AFL-CIO (@AFLCIOGeorgia) April 16, 2025Illinois AFL-CIO:Here’s the truth: a safe job isn’t a luxury. It’s a right. And when that right is stripped away, working people die. Illinois can lead the nation by saying no to dangerous deregulation and yes to real, enforceable worker protections.https://t.co/57iH5PgNFJ pic.twitter.com/rP8ufMhbHy— Illinois AFL-CIO (@ILAFLCIO) April 28, 2025Maine AFL-CIO:Long before they were granted collective rights in the 1960s, civilian workers at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard had a proud history of fighting for dignity & fair treatment. https://t.co/uJcFvWI9gV— Maine AFL-CIO (@MEAFLCIO) April 28, 2025Massachusetts AFL-CIO:We pray for those we have lost in the last year and for their families.This Workers' Memorial Day, and every day, in the spirit of the Mother Jones, we mourn for the dead and fight for the living.Thank you to @MassCOSH and all who came out to support this powerful event. pic.twitter.com/SBFQLCrjJN— Massachusetts AFL-CIO (@massaflcio) April 28, 2025Michigan State AFL-CIO:Yesterday, on #WorkersMemorialDay, we mourned the fallen and fought like hell for the living in events across the state. In Jackson, we delivered a coffin to Rep. Tim Walberg's office to commemorate the loss of worker lives and worker rights while he allows Trump to attack OSHA,… pic.twitter.com/HEwgvawIg9— Michigan AFL-CIO ✊ (@MIAFLCIO) April 29, 2025Minnesota AFL-CIO:Minnesotans are standing up against Donald Trump's and Elon Musk's radical attacks on workers & our collective bargaining rights, public services and our communities. On May 13, working people are standing up to stop attacks on workers. #BetterInAUnion https://t.co/wDOhFw9192 pic.twitter.com/GUYMHrUeCZ— Minnesota AFL-CIO (@MNAFLCIO) April 28, 2025Missouri AFL-CIO:Please keep the entire Hoffman family, the KCFD and the Greater KC Fire Fighters L-42 in your thoughts & prayers upon the line of duty death of firefighter paramedic Graham Hoffman. @IAFFofficial @KCMOFireDept pic.twitter.com/N2vxx2T0M4— Missouri AFL-CIO (@MOAFLCIO) April 28, 2025Nevada State AFL-CIO:On Workers Memorial Day, we honored the workers who have died, been injured, or fallen ill because of their jobs. Every worker deserves to return home safe and healthy at the end of the day, and we will continue to fight tirelessly to make that a reality for all. pic.twitter.com/4lUI3tRql0— Nevada State AFL-CIO // Pass the #PROAct (@NVAFLCIO) April 28, 2025New York State AFL-CIO:No worker should lose their life or become ill on the job, and no family should have to grieve the loss of a loved one due to preventable and avoidable hazardous working conditions. Read the #WorkersMemorialDay statement by President Mario Cilento: https://t.co/z4Pz4cfJqa— NYS AFL-CIO // #UnionStrong (@NYSAFLCIO) April 28, 2025North Carolina State AFL-CIO:Thank you for joining us today at #WorkersMemorialDay pic.twitter.com/pQatrBUp7F— NC State AFL-CIO (@ncstateaflcio.bsky.social) (@NCStateAFLCIO) April 28, 2025Oregon AFL-CIO:Thank you to all who attended our Workers Memorial Day services today in Portland and Salem.A special thanks to @GovTinaKotek, @LisaFragala24, State Senator Kathleen Taylor, Portland City Council Pres. Elana Pirtle-Guiney, BOLI, the Oregon Fire Fighters Council, @Ironworkers29,… pic.twitter.com/4XuzZ4iqTz— Oregon AFL-CIO (@OregonAFLCIO) April 28, 2025Pennsylvania AFL-CIO:Workers Memorial Day is a day to honor workers killed, injured, or made ill on the job—and to renew our fight for strong safety and health protections.Together, we’ll continue to fight like hell to protect all workers, defend our rights, and demand safe workplaces for everyone. pic.twitter.com/hl3wnfzo5v— PA AFL-CIO (@PaAFL_CIO) April 28, 2025Texas AFL-CIO:🚨 URGENT: As soon as this week, the Texas Senate could vote on a bad bill that threatens workers’ abilities to spend their paychecks how they see fit.Send your State Senator a letter NOW to tell them: Don't touch my paycheck! 💸 #txlege #SB2330 https://t.co/fa4PfLhDZ0— Texas AFL-CIO (@TexasAFLCIO) April 29, 2025Washington State Labor Council, AFL-CIO:On Workers Memorial Day, we mourn the dead and recommit to fight for the living. We all deserve a safe workplace and to come home to our families at the end of the day pic.twitter.com/Fu4hZqfIRj— Washington State Labor Council, AFL-CIO (@WAAFLCIO) April 28, 2025Wisconsin State AFL-CIO:Western Wisconsin AFL-CIO: Workers and community members mark Workers’ Memorial Day pledge to keep fighting https://t.co/wM6FErDuOG via @WisBusiness— WI AFL-CIO (@wisaflcio) April 28, 2025 Kenneth Quinnell Tue, 04/29/2025 - 11:30Continue reading→

‘NextGen’ Tempus AI Workers Continue to Make History with Landmark First IAM Contract

Inaugural IAM members at Tempus AI recently ratified their first contract with the Chicago-based precision healthcare artificial intelligence biotech lab, making history as one of the first unions in the industry. The group of 443 lab workers, who use use next generation DNA sequencing and artificial intelligence to help provide precision healthcare treatment options to The post ‘NextGen’ Tempus AI Workers Continue to Make History with Landmark First IAM Contract appeared first on IAM Union.Continue reading→

Service & Solidarity Spotlight: Martz Gold Line Workers Strike Over Unfair Labor Practices

Service & Solidarity Spotlight: Martz Gold Line Workers Strike Over Unfair Labor Practices 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. Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) Local 689 members who work for the Martz Gold Line, a fixed-route commuter bus service in Maryland, went on strike late last week over unfair labor practices (ULPs) and the company’s refusal to bargain in good faith.ATU began contract negotiations in mid-December of last year—bus operators, mechanics, and service technicians have been working under an expired contract since Jan. 20. Members have been trying to reach an agreement that provides them with the fair wages, working conditions and benefits, but Martz has repeatedly rejected their concerns while attempting to strongarm the union into accepting its subpar offers. After workers walked off the job, the company tried to declare an impasse in negotiations so management could forcibly implement the proposals that ATU members have already rejected.“Throughout the negotiations there has been only one party, the Union, that’s been operating in good faith and actually wants to reach a deal,” said Local 689 President Raymond Jackson in a press release. “Martz Gold Line’s labor law violations are unacceptable, and now is the time for workers to fight back.”“Our Union and our members at Local 689 are fed up with the disrespect Martz has shown them. We’ve been down this road before in the DC area with strikes. Our members will again stand strong and united,” added ATU International President John Costa. “This is about securing a future where every transit worker is valued, heard, and treated with the dignity they deserve for the service they provide every single day. It’s time for Martz to get back to the table to give these workers a contract that treats them like the heroes they are.” Kenneth Quinnell Tue, 04/29/2025 - 08:16Continue reading→

Celebrating May Day 2025 – International Workers’ Day

April 29, 2025May Day, the annual holiday recognizing the international working class, will be celebrated around the world on May 1. We encourage APWU members to join our labor allies across the country at one of the many May Day events happening to combat the attacks on the working class - our wages, our benefits, and our dignity. A Brief History of May Day In the 1880s, Chicagoans were fed up with the status quo, where industrial workers toiled long hours in squalid conditions. The International Working People’s Association formed in 1883 and dedicated its resources to establishing an eight-hour work day. Led by Albert Parsons and August Spies, demands for an eight-hour day swept the nation. At the American Federation of Labor’s 1884 convention, delegates adopted a resolution urging all workers to strike two years later, on May 1, 1886 and on that day more than 340,000 workers took part in national actions in support for an eight-hour day. Two days later, activists organized a union action at the McCormick Harvesting Machine Company, where scabs had replaced locked out workers on strike. Police arrived to intimidate the strikers, beating them with billy clubs. As protestors exited, police ran at them and fired into the retreating crowd, killing at least six and injuring many more. In the coming days, tensions escalated between police and workers. The following day, on May 4, labor leaders organized a rally in Haymarket Square. While the event was meant to be a non-violent protest of police brutality, it became violent, ultimately leading to the deaths of several civilians at the hands of the police, fellow officers, and dozens more injured. News of the tragedy sent shockwaves through the labor movement worldwide. In 1889, labor advocates declared May 1 International Workers Day – or May Day – to commemorate the struggle of the Haymarket Affair and to build international workers' solidarity. Highlighting the SignificanceContinue reading→

Enter The 2025 IAM Photo Contest

Attention all IAM members who enjoy taking photos. The 2025 IAM Photography contest is now open, so get out your cameras or smartphones and start snapping some pics of your Union sisters and brothers. The official call letter and entry forms can be found here. Submit your pictures of IAM members in their workplace, union The post Enter The 2025 IAM Photo Contest appeared first on IAM Union.Continue reading→

Labor Demands and End to the Assault on the Right to Organize and Protest

April 28, 2025The labor movement holds one value above all others: solidarity. Labor demands an end to the Trump administration’s assaults on immigrant workers, freedom of speech, the right to organize and bargain, and federal government workers, their unions, and the services they provide. The labor movement holds one value above all others: solidarity. Labor demands an end to the Trump administration’s assaults on immigrant workers, freedom of speech, the right to organize and bargain, and federal government workers, their unions, and the services they provide. We will not stand by as President Donald Trump terrorizes immigrant workers with abduction, detention, and confinement without due process in unmarked facilities, far-flung detention centers, and a notorious prison in El Salvador. The attacks are ramping up, and we need to act fast. In Washington state, Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents smashed a car window and detained farmworker Alfredo “Lelo” Juarez, a leader in the berry-pickers union Familias Unidas por la Justicia, on his way to drop off his partner at work. They locked up SEIU Local 925 member Lewelyn Dixon, a lab tech at the University of Washington, when she returned from a family trip. They raided a roofing company where workers recently went on a safety strike, and arrested 37 people. In Massachusetts, federal immigration agents snatched Rumeysa Ozturk, a graduate student at Tufts University on a student visa and an SEIU Local 509 member, on her way to break her Ramadan fast. She had written an op-ed in the student newspaper in support of Palestine.  In Baltimore, they arrested sheet metal worker Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia, a SMART Local 100 apprentice and father of a disabled child, and sent him to El Salvador’s nightmarish prison—then they called it an “administrative error” and said they could not get him back. In New York, they abducted Mahmoud Khalil, a recent Columbia University graduate and United Auto Workers Local 2710 member, for protesting Israel’s assault on Gaza. They have also taken many others whose names aren’t public yet.  This administration attacked these members of our communities on their way to work, on their way to worship, on their way home. They locked them up after speaking their minds. And they did that on purpose. They have also threatened and intimidated university administrations in an effort to enlist them in suppressing dissent. Sadly, many have acquiesced to these demands, making a mockery of the concept of “academic freedom” and the free exchange of ideas. Students have been suspended and expelled. Faculty members have been disciplined and discharged. Further, the mass firings of federal workers and the attempt to abolish their collective bargaining rights are attacks also on the services they provide and the very function of our government. Trump wants a government that only serves the interests of corporations and oligarchs. Rather than a government of, by, and for the people, he would create one by and for the privileged rich. He wants to create a culture of fear.  We must not bow to any of it.  Labor Demands and End to the Assault on the Right to Organize and Protest0Continue reading→

The Fundamental Right to Come Home Safe: The Working People Weekly List

The Fundamental Right to Come Home Safe: The Working People Weekly List Every week, we bring you a roundup of the top news and commentary about issues and events important to working families. Here’s the latest edition of the Working People Weekly List. Ahead of Workers Memorial Day, AFL-CIO Releases Death on the Job Report: “‘Every worker has the fundamental right to come home safe at the end of their workday,’ AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler said in an April 23 press release. ‘But for too many workers, that basic right is under attack. Workers fought and died for generations for the health and safety laws and protections we have today, and this year’s report shows we need to do even more.’”AFL-CIO, Unions Sue Trump Administration Over Cuts to Key Labor Relations Agency: “The AFL-CIO and unions representing workers across private and public sector industries filed suit against the Trump administration April 14 over its dismantling of the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service (FMCS), including firing mediators and staff, and closing field offices across the country. FMCS is a small but important independent federal agency that is integral to the government’s Labor relations infrastructure. Among the critical services FMCS provides, it helps resolve contract negotiations between workers and employers to protect both the economy and workers’ rights, generating over $500 million in national economic savings each year, even by conservative estimates. But DOGE cuts have decimated the agency: 93% of FMCS staff have been placed on leave, the mediation workforce has been taken down from the 80-100 needed for the agency’s work to just five, and all of the field offices have been closed.”AFL-CIO Organizes New Free Federal Workers Legal Defense Network: “With federal workers across the country under attack, the AFL-CIO has organized a new legal defense network to help those workers who have been targeted. The free program is called Rise Up: Federal Workers Legal Defense Network. Tens of thousands of hardworking people who run the programs and services that working families rely on have been mistreated or abruptly fired by Elon Musk and the Department of Government Efficiency.”Chicago: Union Leaders Say Capitalism Doesn’t Like Worker Safety: “AFL-CIO Secretary-Treasurer Fred Redmond opened the session by stressing the importance of putting ‘a human face’ to job cuts with these public discussions. ‘It’s workers who wake this country up every morning and tuck this country to sleep at night. And we run programs and services with dedication and pride,’ Redmond said.”The AFGE Union and Allies Rally in Support of Federal Environmental Workers: “The American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) held a rally in Ann Arbor on Tuesday, calling for community support for federal environmental workers. Tuesday marked the 55th anniversary of Earth Day. Following its founding, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) was established. Tricia Paff is the AFGE Union President at Local 3907 for the EPA laboratory in Ann Arbor. She says if 20 million people successfully rallied for environmental reforms 55 years ago, then today's citizens can organize local rallies, building on the momentum of AFGE’s recent rally to raise awareness about climate change.”Federal Workers Speak Out at North Carolina Labor Forum: “The signs made it easy for attendees to find a forum April 17  in support of federal workers and funding. ‘Nobody elected billionaires,’ read a navy blue poster taped to the door of Ferguson Auditorium at A-B Tech. ‘Stop the billionaire takeover’ was another, along with ‘Workers over billionaires’ and ‘Billionaires out, workers in.’ The event was part of a series of nationwide forums held by the labor union AFL-CIO as part of its Department of People Who Work for a Living campaign to fight threats to federal workers.”Field Hearing Held in Davenport Discusses Trump Administration’s Cuts to Federal Agencies: “‘What we’re doing is really getting interviews from people being affected,’ Fred Redmond, secretary treasurer with the national AFL-CIO, said. ‘People who’s being affected by the cuts and government service, the people that’s being affected by being released from their jobs for no apparent reason and we’re really trying to capture in the impact.’”Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive Returns May 10: “The largest single day food collection event in the country is returning for its 33rd year. The National Association of Letter Carriers and the National Rural Letter Carriers Association are again hosting the annual Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive. It’s easy to participate. Postal customers are asked to leave a bag of nonperishable food items near their mailbox on May 10th. Letter carriers will pick up the bags during regular mail delivery times. Every item collected stays local.”Punching In: A 1,000-Lawyer Battalion to Help Federal Workers: “With mass reductions in force across the federal government on the horizon, the AFL-CIO, federal workers’ unions, and advocacy groups have mobilized a network of more than 1,000 volunteer attorneys to provide legal services to laid off federal employees. Leaders behind the new Federal Workers Legal Defense Network launched last week say they saw a need for more federal-sector labor law resources based on the sheer number of federal workers being let go and the Trump administration’s response to lawsuits seeking to restore these jobs. More than 100,000 federal workers have left or been fired from the federal government so far. Craig Becker, general counsel at the AFL-CIO, said advocates recognized the need for more individual legal representation because ‘the administration is arguing that cases have to be brought before the agencies and therefore can’t proceed on a class action basis in federal court.’”Inside a Union’s Fight Against Trump’s Federal Job Cuts: “‘I can’t compare this to any other time in my career,’ the union’s national president, Everett Kelley, said in an interview. ‘We’ve seen some tough fights, but never have we seen any president’ try to ‘put the federal government into mission failure.’ Mr. Kelley said he saw the administration’s effort as a prelude to privatizing vast swaths of the federal work force. ‘At the same time, I think not only are federal workers realizing the urgency of our mission, I think the American people are realizing it,’ he said.” Kenneth Quinnell Mon, 04/28/2025 - 12:41Continue reading→

Get to Know AFL-CIO’s Affiliates: American Federation of Musicians

Get to Know AFL-CIO's Affiliates: American Federation of Musicians 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 Musicians (AFM). Name of Union: American Federation of Musicians of the United States and Canada.Mission: The AFM brings together professional musicians across the United States and Canada, enabling them to live and work with dignity, receive fair compensation for their labor and have a meaningful voice in decisions that affect them. Members accomplish this by adhering to collective standards, participating democratically, organizing, bargaining collectively, building political power, encouraging member involvement, fostering mutual respect and developing diverse leadership. AFM uses their collective voice and power through a democratic and progressive union to promote social and economic justice and oppose the forces of exploitation through union solidarity.Current Leadership of Union: Tino Gagliardi was elected AFM international president in 2023. An accomplished trumpet player with a deep-rooted performance history in New York City’s clubs, recording studios and Broadway theater pits, his commitment to the musicians’ union is further exemplified by his multiple terms as president of AFM Local 802 (New York City), from 2010 to 2018 and again in 2022. He is a trustee and co-chair of the AFM-Employers’ Pension Fund, trustee and co-chair of the AFM and SAG-AFTRA Intellectual Property Rights Distribution Fund, and executive committee member of the International Federation of Musicians, and serves on the executive board of SoundExchange.Other members of the AFM International Executive Board are International Vice President Dave Pomeroy; Vice President from Canada Allistair Elliott; International Secretary-Treasurer Ken Shirk; and Executive Officers Tina Morrison, John Acosta, Ed Malaga, Luc Fortin and Dusty Kelly.Current Number of Members: 70,000Members Work in: All fields and genres, including freelance gigging and session musicians, touring, recording artists, DJs and composers/arrangers—performing all styles of music from rock to classical to reggae to country and everything in between. Industries Represented: AFM’s agreements cover live performances, feature film scores, television programs, cable television, independent films, video games, streaming music, Broadway, theater, symphonic performances and more.History: AFM was formed in 1896 when musicians gathered in Indianapolis to create an organization to represent “any musician who receives pay” for musical services. Soon after, the American Federation of Labor granted a charter to AFM, which by then represented 3,000 members. Organizing efforts were pursued anywhere there were musicians, from theaters and restaurants to symphonies and operas. Within two years of the release of the first film that included sound in 1927, 20,000 musicians lost their jobs playing in the theater pits where the music to accompany silent films originated. But these and other technological advances wouldn’t deter the musicians. In the next few decades, they won minimum wage scales for recording and secured their first contract with the film companies. Technology continued to push organizing among AFM members, including a strike in 1942 that shut down the U.S. recording market for two years. Musicians won that strike and forced the recording industry to pay musicians who performed at live shows when recordings of those shows were sold. Out of that strike came the creation of the first residual payments and the Music Performance Trust Fund, which continues to sponsor free live performances throughout the United States and Canada today.Since its inception more than 129 years ago, the AFM has had one goal: to elevate, protect and advance the interests of all musicians who receive payment for their musical services. While technology and the music industry have evolved, the AFM’s mission has remained constant. It continues to focus on safeguarding musicians’ rights in the face of artificial intelligence and declining revenue from recording and streaming services. Along the way, there have been many challenges and even some setbacks, but the AFM has been unwavering in its dedication to working musicians everywhere.Current Campaigns: The AFM is currently focused on expanding agreements with major production companies, increasing AFM representation among employees at chain music schools, and organizing musicians involved in video game scoring. By partnering with local officers, the organizing department empowers bargaining units to achieve majority membership, paving the way for stronger collective bargaining agreements. Other key initiatives include lobbying for copyright protections that safeguard musicians’ intellectual property, the Fair Trade Music campaign to assist gigging musicians, the Venuology website that helps musicians share information about music venues, along with outreach efforts for artists performing at music festivals, and educating aspiring professional musicians through presentations at music schools and conservatories. The AFM International Unfair List informs members about employers engaged in primary labor disputes. AFM supports the American Music Fairness Act and the Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act.Community Efforts: AFM provides members with resources for traveling with instruments and visa assistance. AFM offers assistance to members impacted by hurricanes and other emergencies. AFM provides the following member-exclusive benefits: AFM Entertainment, an online booking and referral service for AFM members that accepts solo artists, bands and ensembles from all music genres; GoPro Hosting, affordable website hosting services that enable musicians to build an online presence without needing technical expertise; GoPro Tunes, a digital music store that offers music from AFM members, allowing artists to set their own prices and retain 100% of sales revenue (minus credit card fees); equipment and business insurance, with policies tailored for musicians, including coverage for musical instruments and equipment, general liability, business owner’s policy, errors and omissions, cyber insurance and additional options.Learn More: Website, Facebook, X, Instagram, Bluesky, LinkedIn Kenneth Quinnell Mon, 04/28/2025 - 12:52Continue reading→

Service & Solidarity Spotlight: Road Crew for ‘Chicago: The Musical’ Win Voluntary Recognition

Service & Solidarity Spotlight: Road Crew for ‘Chicago: The Musical’ Win Voluntary Recognition 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. Ten stage and wardrobe professionals, members of the Theatrical Stage Employees’ (IATSE) Associated Crafts and Technicians (ACT) Local, who work on Chicago Razzle Dazzle II LLC’s production of “Chicago: The Musical,” won voluntary recognition of their union.The voluntary recognition is part of a growing trend within North America’s live‑events sector. In recent years, the owners of concert tours, festivals and theatrical productions have recognized the tangible benefits of a unionized workforce. “We are elated to be joining the IATSE after longing for representation and a voice on the job,” the crew members said in a statement. “We are proud to finally be a part of this organization that stands for fair labor practices [and] worker representation and provides community in an ever-growing profession. We hope to be an example of the strength that comes from a united front in the fight for workers’ rights and are excited to return to the ‘Chicago’ tour with a union contract.” “Chicago: The Musical” debuted on Broadway in 1975 and remains one of the longest-running musicals in history, and these IATSE ACT members are part of the revival that first opened in 1996. “It’s an honor to welcome these workers into the IATSE family and provide a path for collective representation,” said IATSE Assistant Director of Stagecraft Stasia Savage. “While the workers on this production are overall quite happy, we standby to provide training, advocacy and protections.” Kenneth Quinnell Mon, 04/28/2025 - 10:12Continue reading→

IAM Union Members at United Launch Alliance Vote to Accept Strong New Labor Agreement

Approximately 600 IAM Union members in Alabama, Florida and California voted on Sunday, April 27 to ratify a strong, four-year labor agreement with United Launch Alliance (ULA). The new four-year agreement includes improvements throughout the contract, including: An equity adjustment plus general wage increases of 4% in year one, 3.5% in year two, 3.5% in The post IAM Union Members at United Launch Alliance Vote to Accept Strong New Labor Agreement appeared first on IAM Union.Continue reading→